Prepare Your Home to Sell with Home Staging

Prepare Your Home to Sell with Home Staging

Home staging is the act of preparing a private residence for sale in the real estate marketplace. The goal of staging is to make a home appealing to the highest number of potential buyers, thereby selling a property more swiftly and for more money.  Home Staging is not interior decorating; it is going through the home to make it appeal to the most buyers. It is pure economics, improve a product and it sells for more.

Whether the property is owner-occupied, or vacant, staging is recommended before listing a property. It can be equally effective after a property has been on the market for an extended period unsold. The cost of home staging is far less than the first price reduction after a home has been on the market.  If you do not address the issues within the home, the buyer will typically walk through with a fix it list adding up in their mind.  A home that is cluttered or in need of repair may instantly turn off potential buyers and trigger thoughts that a home may be too much money and work, as opposed to being in move-in ready condition.  Many potential buyers may see the smallest tasks as overwhelming and attach a much larger amount to fix than the reality of completing these items prior to listing. Many times a fresh coat of paint and reworking furniture can dramatically improve the flow of the home.

With the summer real estate season just around the corner, many home sellers are waiting for the prime opportunity to place their home on the market.   Summer is a strong season for both buyers and sellers. For those looking to sell their homes for the most amount of money in the shortest amount of time, there simply is no better tool than home staging. National Association of Realtors (NAR 2015) surveyed that a staged home was on the market 73% less time than homes that have not been staged.

Home staging allows buyers to see the space and not the distractions that could take their focus away from the beauty of the home. 90% of buyers are looking for homes online first before deciding to visit the property. Make sure all of the photos are a showing the property in a way to highlight the positives and down play negatives.

In California home staging can be used as a write off for advertising cost on capital gains. There are so many advantages to staging your home wither it be a vacation rental, full time residence, or new construction you need to put your best foot forward when placing your investment on the MLS.  Then you can relax knowing that you have done everything to prepare your property for the best possible offer.

By: Cynthia Wigart

Element Innovations.

How to update a bathroom for Sale

Bathroom Redesign

When you are preparing  a home for sale you want to neutralize each rooms in the house. This bathroom originally had very busy wallpaper and bold red accents. You want to appeal to the most potential buyers both in person and online. By removing the wallpaper and painting the sage accent color are now the focal color. This makes the bathroom seem larger and also clean. 

Don't leave repairs and updating to the buyer they will estimate far more cost in the home offer than actually completing the work yourself. The ROI is 6%-10% on all redesign updates in the home. It will increase the amount of buyers visiting your property and fetch you more overall in getting your asking price.

Metals in 2018

Brass and Rustic Mix for 2018

Decorating for 2018 will have a return of Brass as an accent metal. It has a rich and warm feeling to mix both natural and Brass elements. Don't be afraid to mix metals within your home. You can have chrome, brass, and wrought iron in the same room and get an overall design that shows an eclectic rustic style.

I love that the design trends are allowing everyone to express a mix of metals and wood to create this new home trend. Many homeowners need to embrace mixing elements to get that overall warmth in the home. You can do this by mixing accessories in the room to update. Find a variety of accessories in different  metals and place them in groupings. 

A great way to see farmhouse of 2017 updated to eclectic rustic style

2018 Home Trends

2018 Home Trends

Everyone wants to bring current design and styles into their home. While getting all of the information for 2018 forecast I tried to look at the practical trends for the customers I serve in Lake Tahoe.  Living in the mountains there are some styles that work and do not work in our area and for the clients. I have put together a list of practical ways to update your look for 2018.

SPA BATHROOMS

Why wait to go to the spa to get that amazing aesthetic? Instead transform your home into a total escape.  A deep bathtub and lovely floor tile are the perfect combination to create a dreamy bathroom haven. With gorgeous textures in neutral tones, the bathroom should create  a wonderful calming atmosphere.

MIXED METALS

Sticking to just one metal can be boring. Have fun with your decor and appliances by mixing up the hues. Renovating a bathroom? Don’t worry about matching up your light fixtures with your hardware. Don’t forget about matte metallics either. We love a good black light fixture thrown into the mix.

STATEMENT CEILINGS

Adding pops of color or patterns to your walls is great, but have you ever thought of putting it on your ceiling? Incredible architecture like using wood treatments on the ceiling can also help add a geometric element to your space. 

HERRINGBONE PATTERN

If you’re re-doing your floors or walls, consider using a directional herringbone pattern to add dimension to your room.We love a good herringbone back splash in the kitchen. The pattern can really add a classic, yet modern element to any space.

COLORFUL DOORS

Give your guests a bright and cheery welcome with a door that isn’t just any old basic shade. From traditional doors to gates, a colorful hue is always appreciated! 

Don’t leave out those interior doors either! They can lay a foundation to your room’s palette.

LARGE WALL ART 

Say goodbye to the gallery wall and hello to huge art pieces that will take up that blank space in your home. Looking to style an awkward nook in your home? Measure out the space and find a cool piece to fill it up.

COLOR PREDICTION

Sage has now established itself as the new neutral and we don’t have a problem with that at all. Calming and stylish, it totally can elevate any space.  The shade looks particularly great mixed in with warm wood and live greens. Painting your kitchen cabinets? A sage shade can help give them a modern rustic flair.

Whatever home trends you add to your home make sure it "Feels Home" and have fun experimenting with change.

Loving Life at the Lake,

Element Innovations