Inexpensive Ways to Improve a Bathroom Without Renovations

July 30, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Donna Dazzo“Are there inexpensive ways to make a bathroom show better, without a renovation?”

The answer is a resounding YES!

In fact, when someone is selling their apartment or house, I don’t recommend a renovation as the buyers would more likely want to renovate for their own tastes and preferences.

So the objective becomes removing the “ick” factor.  What can we do to spruce up and update this space so that the condition and datedness don’t turn off a buyer?  We want to get past the buyer turn-off and at least get the bathroom to a condition where the buyer can move in and live with the way it looks for a few months before they tackle the renovation.

First of all, bathrooms should be CLEAN.  I always tell my sellers to envision a hotel bathroom:  it should be sparkling clean and free of any personal toiletries, shampoos, children’s bath toys, etc. when showing the home.

The biggest impact in updating a bathroom but at a reasonable cost is changing out outdated and/or poor condition:

  • Lighting fixtures
  • Faucets and, if possible, tub and shower fixtures (a friend of mine spray painted her brass fixtures a brushed silver and they looked great and are still holding up two years later)
  • Cabinet door and drawer handles (this same friend spray painted these, including the hinges on the doors)

You don’t have to shop at Gracious Home for these items.  Try a Home Depot or Lowe’s.

Inexpensive Ways to Improve a Bathroom Without Major Renovations 

Bathroom Before Updating

Inexpensive Ways to Improve a Bathroom Without Major Renovations

Bathroom After Updating

The next biggest impact is to paint the walls.  Paint always freshens up any space.  But if the tiles are white, don’t paint the wall white. Choose a color that will add some contrast but is neutral such as pale gray or warm beige. And it there is wallpaper, remove it.

And if you are going to paint the walls, consider removing those large, frameless mirrors that span the length of the vanity.  These are dated, and smaller framed mirrors are more in fashion these days.

And if you’re not painting the walls and don’t want to remove the mirror, it can be updated by placing trim around it to give the appearance of being framed.

Then tackle the tub area.  If the tub is in poor condition, or of a dated color, it can be re-glazed by a professional for $400 to $500, much cheaper than removing and replacing the tub.  Often the grout between the tiles surrounding the tub is mildewed or crumbling.  A re-grouting can do wonders and make this area look like you just had new tile installed.  Also, removing old and moldy caulking at the top of the tub where it meets the tile, as well as where it meets the floor and re-caulking can give a fresh and clean appearance.

The sink, vanity and vanity top are additional areas to consider having a big impact if they are dated.  Depending upon the price point of the home you are selling, at the low end you can replace the entire unit for about $500 by buying one at the big box home improvement stores.

Or if you have an outdated oak vanity, painting it in a darker color with a semi-gloss finish, and affixing new hardware will go miles towards an updated look.

Inexpensive Ways to Improve a Bathroom Without Major Renovations

Bathroom Before Updating

 Inexpensive Ways to Improve a Bathroom Without Major Renovations

Bathroom After Updating

You can also just replace the vanity top, some of which come with a sink, for a few hundred dollars.

No need to replace the toilet usually, however replacing a well-worn toilet seat is a must!

In some cases where towel bars and toilet paper holders are affixed to drywall, rather than to the tile, these can be changed out as well.

Then of course there are the finishing touches:  new shower curtain and hooks, bath rug, and fluffy bath towels; artwork; matching accessories such as soap dishes and wastebasket; bath oils and soaps placed strategically in a tray or basket with rolled up towels and a loofah or back brush; and a potted fake orchid.  You want buyers to feel like they’ve walked into the closest thing to a spa and imagine themselves enjoying that space.

And before the open house or other showings, make sure:

  • Toiletries, shampoos, used bars of soap are stored away
  • Wastebasket is emptied
  • Toilet seat lid is down
  • Fluffy new towels are out and used towels are in the laundry

Copyright © 2012 Designed to Appeal, LLC – All Rights Reserved

Donna Dazzo is president and owner of Designed to Appeal, a home staging company serving New York City and the Hamptons. Designed to Appeal helps homeowners and real estate agents sell homes quickly and profitably, by expertly creating an environment that buyers want to live in. Designed to Appeal also helps homeowners not looking to sell with interior redesign, which involves using mostly what the homeowner already has. For more information, call 917-297-1528 or send an email to donna@designedtoappeal.com.

Filed Under: Interior design and home staging Tagged With: ,

Home Sellers: Do You Have the “I can do it myself” Syndrome

April 12, 2012 by Leave a Comment

Home Sellers: Do You Have the “But I can do it myself” Syndrome When it Comes to Staging Your Home for Sale?”

Many homeowners whose homes are about to go on the market, would rather do it themselves than hire a professional home stager because they think they can, or they think they will save money.

Either way, it’s best to leave it up to a professional. While there a few things you can do to get the ball rolling, such as decluttering and packing away items you won’t use while the home is on the market, do you really know what to do and have the time to do it?

Recently I did an estimate for staging an apartment in Manhattan recently vacated by the homeowners. I was told by the real estate agent that the homeowner wanted to interview and get estimates from three stagers.

After submitting my proposal, I was told that the homeowner decided to “stage” the apartment himself.

Here I thought my competition was the other stagers, but in fact it was the homeowner himself!

West Village home staging

Greenwich Village Apartment Before Staging

While I understand homeowners’ perceived need to save money by doing it themselves, they really shouldn’t because they…

…cannot view their own home through a buyer’s eyes

…cannot view their own home objectively

…are so used to their home’s flaws, they don’t see them anymore

(I once had a client who completely forgot she put pink plastic over her smoke detector so it wouldn’t sound when she was cooking – meanwhile she passed by it every day on her way through the entry foyer!)

…don’t have a designer’s eye for color, focal point enhancement, flow, balance, etc.

…may not know the best sources for furniture and decorative accessories

…don’t have the expertise of a professional stager as to what needs to be done or not to get the home in market-ready condition

…may not have the time or patience

…are already overwhelmed with looking for a new house and moving.

West Village home staging

Greenwich Village Apartment After Professional Home Staging

So the next time you are thinking of doing it yourself, stop and think about it and ask yourself:

Do I really know what I’m doing? Can I create the “wow” factor that will make a buyer fall in love? Is this how I want to be spending my time?

Related post: Realtors: Do You Have the “But I Can Do It Myself” Syndrome?

Copyright © 2012 Designed to Appeal, LLC – All Rights Reserved

Donna Dazzo is president and owner of Designed to Appeal, a home staging company serving New York City and the Hamptons. Designed to Appeal helps homeowners and real estate agents sell homes quickly and profitably, by expertly creating an environment that buyers want to live in. Designed to Appeal also helps homeowners not looking to sell with interior redesign, which involves using mostly what the homeowner already has. For more information, call 917-297-1528 or send an email to donna@designedtoappeal.com.

Filed Under: Interior design and home staging Tagged With: ,

How High Should Artwork Be Hung and Other Tips on Hanging

February 5, 2012 by 1 Comment

How High Should Artwork Be Hung and Other Tips on Hanging ArtworkMany of us like to be surrounded by photos of our family and beautiful pieces of artwork, but are afraid we are going to “make a mistake” when hanging them on the wall. Or worse, some of us don’t even know that the pictures are not hung properly. For you and others to get the most appreciation out of your pictures, here are some helpful tips on how high a picture should be hung to how to hang a group of pictures:

  • Generally, pictures should be hung at eye level, but whose eye level? Hang it so that the center of the picture is at 5’8″ to 5’10″.
  • The height at which it should be hung should relate to the height of the furniture (and the objects on it) and not be hung too high. Otherwise the artwork will look as if it’s floating. Hanging artwork too high is one of the most common mistakes made.
  • The width of a piece of art or group of pictures should be a minimum of 2/3 the length of the piece of furniture it is hanging over, and should not be wider than the width of the furniture it is hanging over.
  • The size of the piece of art or group of artwork should relate to the size of the wall on which it is hung.
  • If hanging two or more pictures next to each other, the ideal spacing is 3 to 4 inches between them but no more than 8 inches.
  • Use a laser level to make it easier to hang pieces side by side evenly. A laser level, which can be found in national chains such as Home Depot or Lowe’s, is placed against the wall. It emits a red laser beam along the wall so that you can find the spot to place your hook or nail, once the liquid in the bubble is at its level position.
  • While a laser level makes things easier, make sure that the pair of same-sized frames have their hooks and/or wires in the same spot. Unfortunately, this is not always the case. If they don’t, then use the laser level to make sure the top of the frames are aligned, then measure down from the top of each frame to determine where you should place the nail or hook.
  • If hanging a group of pictures of different sizes, lay them out on the floor first for the optimal arrangement. There aren’t any rules here, but the arrangement should appear cohesive and balanced. You can also trace the arrangement on a very large piece of paper and then hang the paper on the wall as a guide for placement.
  • Use the proper hardware for the type of wall (e.g., sheetrock vs plaster) and the weight of the picture.
  • Use adhesive anchors like ZotsTM on the back of each corner of the frame to ensure that the picture doesn’t move.
  • If you are staging your home for sale, it is best to stay away from nudes or other artwork that might offend a potential buyer in the target market
  • Use art to bring some color into an otherwise neutral room. Or if you are afraid to use too much of a bold color in larger pieces in the room such as bedding or the fabric of a sofa, you can still add this bold color to the room through artwork.
  • If hanging art on a wall with busy wallpaper, make sure they art you have chosen has a simple pattern and/or lots of white.
  • The pictures in a room should relate to one another in style. For example, traditional botanical prints and abstract paintings don’t really go well in the same room.
  • Placing art vertically can add the illusion of height to a room. Same with placing art horizontally: it can serve to widen the room.
  • A single large piece of art can have more impact and draw your eye to the focal point of a room more than a grouping of pictures.
  • When hanging a group of pictures on the wall of a staircase, hang them diagonally next to each other. Once you find the optimal placement for one of them, increase/decrease the height of the next one by the height of the step.

Note: All photos are from Designed to Appeal’s stagings of homes for sale.

© Copyright 2012 Designed to Appeal, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Donna Dazzo is president and owner of Designed to Appeal, a home staging company serving New York City and the Hamptons. Designed to Appeal helps homeowners and real estate agents sell homes quickly and profitably, by expertly creating an environment that buyers want to live in. Designed to Appeal also helps homeowners not looking to sell with interior redesign, which involves using mostly what the homeowner already has. For more information, call 917-297-1528 or send an email to donna@designedtoappeal.com.

Filed Under: Interior design and home staging Tagged With: ,

Choosing a Home Stager: 10 Things You Should Consider

December 29, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Donna DazzoWhile not every home seller and real estate agent believes in the power of home staging when selling a home, there are those who do, thanks to the proliferation of shows on television and real life success stories.

So, if you have made the decision to hire a professional (and that is a key word, “professional”) home stager, then what should you be looking for?

There are a number of things you should consider:

1. Portfolio – every home stager should have a website (this in itself is something you should look for) where you can view his or her portfolio of homes they have staged. There should be before and after photos for occupied homes and at least the after photos for vacant homes.

Choosing a Home Stager - Before and After

And make sure it IS their portfolio, not some stock photos they purchased, or worse, photos they have stolen from another home stager’s website (this has been known to happen). While it may be difficult to prove the photos are really the stager’s, one way you might be able to tell is if some of the photos look amateurish and others look totally professional and expensive.

You can also meet with the stager and ask to see their printed portfolio of before and after photos. And in particular, ask to see pictures of homes that are in a similar market and style as yours.

2. Experience – This goes hand-in-hand with number one. While every newbie deserves a break, experience and longevity should be given high consideration. All things being equal, it is better to go with someone who has been a home stager for a while and has the portfolio to prove it as they have more experience dealing with any stumbling blocks. Also, think “survival of the fittest”.

3. Decorative Style – one of the goals of staging a home is to make it less taste-specific and less personal, and instead make it appeal to the target market of buyers. Having said that, every stager usually has some unique decorative style.

However, what you want to make sure of is not every home they stage looks just like every other home they stage. Each should be decorated and accessorized for the type of home it is, the location and the profile of the buyer for this type of home.

Some stagers have their own inventory of furniture and others use a furniture rental company. The advantage of using a furniture rental company is that there is a wide selection in terms of both price and style.

However, some home stagers are forced to use their own furniture because there are no furniture rental companies in their area. So make sure they have an extensive inventory.

Lesson: Beware of the cookie-cutter stager.

Choosing a Home Stager - Cookie Cutter

Also beware of the home stager who seems to do primarily small vignettes, such as a totally empty room save for a corner with a chair, lamp, artwork and tiny rug. This accomplishes nothing in getting a buyer to fall in love with the home and want to live there.

4. Education and training - home staging as a profession has a low barrier to entry, meaning that anyone can call themselves a home stager. And don’t be fooled by those home stagers saying they are “certified”. There is no universal certification or licensing of home stagers. One thing you do want to see however, is that they did take some interior decorating or design and/or home staging education as this shows seriousness on their part and a commitment to this profession.

Beware of the home staging hobbyist, e.g., the wife of a friend of yours who likes to decorate. Staging involves much more than that. It’s about downplaying the negative features and emphasizing the positive features of a property. It’s about emphasizing the focal point of the room and making sure there is proper flow within a room and between rooms so it’s easy for buyers to navigate.

5. Testimonials and Referrals - some home stagers’ websites have testimonials from homeowners and real estate agents, but go beyond just reading them. Ask for the names and contact information of their past clients who are not listed on the website.

Contact them and ask them these questions:

  • How did you like working with_________?
  • What do you think he or she did best?
  • What are some of the things you feel he or she could have done better?
  • Was he or she responsive, professional and reliable?
  • Was the project completed in a timely manner?
  • Were you pleased with the results?
  • Overall, how satisfied were you?
  • Any advice for me in working with_____?

6. Fees – don’t choose a home stager because they are the cheapest of the ones you have called. Seriously consider all of the things listed here. And don’t think that the one with the highest fee also means he or she is must be a great home stager. It could just mean that they have found they can charge this price and only deal with a certain clientele.

If they offer free consultations, you have to ask yourself, why would they want to give away advice for free? Is it because they are desperate for business, or are you really going to be getting any good advice?

If their bid for a vacant or occupied staging comes in much lower than others, it may be because they will be using inexpensive accessories or furniture or cutting corners to cut their time in the project.

7. Insurance - make sure your home stager has insurance. They should at least have general business liability insurance. Some even have professional liability insurance, also more commonly known as errors and omissions insurance. Those companies that have employees should have workmen’s compensation insurance. Ask for a copy of their insurance certificate(s).

8. Personality and Traits- Whether you’re a homeowner or a real estate agent, you want to make sure you will be able to work with the home stager.

  • Do they have the type of personality you would get along with or one that might annoy you?
  • Do they appear to be professional and serious?
  • Have they been responsive to you so far? Did they return calls and emails promptly?
  • Do they seem organized?
  • Are they a good listener?
  • If you are a real estate agent, how do you think they might talk to your clients when it comes to providing advice on sensitive things they need to change in order to get the home sold?

9. Written Agreement - an agreement in writing between the homeowner and the client will protect both parties. And it also points to the professionalism and seriousness of the home stager.

10. Resources – particularly if you have an older home that needs to be sold and particularly if you don’t have your own resources, a home stager who knows good house painters, handymen, landscapers etc. can be very valuable.

© Copyright 2012 Designed to Appeal, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Filed Under: Interior design and home staging, Seller information Tagged With: ,

Ten No Cost Ways to Easily Improve a Home For Sale

December 3, 2011 by Leave a Comment
No Cost Ways to Improve a Home For Sale

No Cost Ways to Improve a Home For Sale

Staging a home for sale, or even sprucing one up that’s not on the market, doesn’t mean money has to be spent.

Here are ten things you can do that won’t cost you a dime:

  1. Curb Appeal Enhancement – first impressions are critical, and curb appeal, or lack thereof, is the key. If you are lucky enough to own a townhouse in the city, sweep away leaves and debris, hose down (or power wash) the exterior, clean windows and store garbage cans neatly.

In a suburban environment, make sure you mow the lawn, weed, rake, trim edges and overgrown bushes and trees, clean windows, hose down (or power wash) the exterior, entry way area and walkways, remove cobwebs, clean the gutters, store garbage cans neatly, and remove children’s toys and bikes.

  1. Declutter – most people have too much “stuff”. Whether you are moving or not, divide things into four piles: Keep, Discard, Donate and Store. If you are selling, now is the time to begin packing because you will need to do it anyway. Also, this is the time to pack away family photos, artwork and trophies – buyers can’t imagine themselves living there when it seems like somebody else lives there! Do one room at a time if it feels overwhelming, and don’t forget closets, kitchen cabinets, garage, basement, shed and attic.
  2. Clean, clean, clean – no one wants to walk into a dirty home, not a buyer nor neighbors or family. Especially if the home is on the market, clean everywhere, not just the surfaces – windowsills, lighting fixtures, behind the toilet and sink, moldings, bookshelves. Bathrooms and kitchens are particularly important.
  3. Lighten and Brighten – beginning with cleaning the windows, do all you can to let in as much natural light as possible. Trim overgrown bushes and trees that are blocking the windows. If the home is for sale, one trick is to remove the screens. Replace all burned out bulbs, and swap out lower wattage ones for higher wattage ones (of course, using compact fluorescent lighting where possible).
  4. Eliminate Odors – just as no one wants to walk into a dirty home, no one wants to walk into a smelly one either. Asking a good friend to come over for a smell test is a good idea since our noses get used to odors. Cleaning is a good start to eliminating odors, but if the home is for sale, refrain from smoking, minimize cooking and bring pets and their belongings to a friend or a kennel during showings.
  5. Depersonalizing – You may be proud of photos of your children, their artwork, your trophies and diplomas, as well as your collection of antique salt and pepper shakers, but buyers will not be able to imagine themselves living in your home if your home reminds them too much of YOU!
  6. Define the Space – while the dining room works perfectly well for you as your home office, once the home is on the market, you don’t want buyers to be left to figure out that the space with the desk and computer in it is actually a dining room or dining area. And the living room should be just that, a place to entertain and relax – not a play or storage area for children’s toys. This will lead buyers to think there’s inadequate space or storage for their children.
  7. Basic Maintenance and Repairs – don’t think that buyers won’t notice a light switch that doesn’t work, a drip in the tub, or a cabinet door that doesn’t shut properly. Buyers will think two things: 1) “If the owner can’t fix these minor things, what larger problems does this home have?” and, 2) “I wonder how much I can deduct from the asking price because of all of these needed repairs?”.
  8. Master Bedroom – Bedrooms should feel like sanctuaries for rest and relaxation. Think HOTEL when reviewing and enhancing yours. Make sure it’s easy to walk around the bed, so get rid of excess furniture. Clear nightstands and dressers of clutter. Make sure linens are clean and fresh and the bed neatly made. Closets must be clean, organized and as sparsely filled as possible. Let in the natural light.
  9. Kitchens and Bathrooms …sell houses. We’ve all heard this before. Both should be sparkling clean. Clear the kitchen counters of clutter, including appliances. It will make the counters appear to be more spacious. Go through the kitchen cabinets and discard or pack away unused items, neatly place remaining items and even go so far as to organize pantry items such as jars, boxes and spices by type and size, with labels all facing out. Take the magnets and everything underneath them off the refrigerator. Bathrooms should appear as if they belonged in a hotel, so that means storing away your shampoo and toiletries during showings, and displaying the nice, fluffy show towels. Toilet lid down and wastebaskets emptied. Plungers and cleaning supplies off the floor.

Staging a home for sale doesn’t mean money has to be spent.

Copyright © 2011 Designed to Appeal, LLC – All Rights Reserved

Donna Dazzo is president and owner of Designed to Appeal, a home staging company serving New York City and the Hamptons. Designed to Appeal helps homeowners and real estate agents sell homes quickly and profitably, by expertly creating an environment that buyers want to live in. Designed to Appeal also helps homeowners not looking to sell with interior redesign, which involves using mostly what the homeowner already has. For more information, call 917-297-1528 or send an email to donna@designedtoappeal.com.

Filed Under: Interior design and home staging, Seller information Tagged With:

Tips for Living in a Staged Home

November 4, 2011 by Leave a Comment

So you’ve had a professional home stagercome to your home that’s for sale and you’ve implemented everything that he or she recommended to get your home sold fast and for top dollar.

You’ve removed your family photos so that buyers can imagine themselves living there rather than feeling they are encroaching on your private space.

Closet after home staging

Closet after home staging

You’ve decluttered and have discarded, donated, given away or stored off-season clothing, extra furniture, toys, files, papers, books, magazines and other items so that buyers will feel like there’s adequate storage in your home.

You’ve organized your kitchen cabinets and closets so that buyers will get the impression that you are a homeowner who really takes care of the home.

But now what? You’re thinking “We live here. How can our home possibly continue to look like it’s show-ready all the time?”

Well, relax, it doesn’t have to look show-ready ALL the time, but there are some things you can easily implement so that you can become show-ready at the last minute.

  • Now that you’ve pared down to what is necessary for living in your home for the next few months, this is not the time to be buying more toys and kitchen and electronic gadgets, etc.
  • Don’t shove everything you don’t want to be visible into kitchen cabinets and closets at the last minute. Buyers will open every drawer and door unless it’s a piece of furniture. Remember, we want buyers to think that there is adequate storage and you are an organized homeowner.
  • Purchase a basket or box with a lid that you can put keys, today’s mail, bills, calendars, unread newspapers, etc.
    Basket for home staging

    Basket for home staging

    into and keep it in an out-of-the way place such as a shelf in a closet, or in an appropriate place, like on a desk. Besides eliminating a cluttered appearance, doing this will also protect your privacy.

  • Buyers don’t want to see your toiletries or hairdryer on the sink vanity in the bathroom. If you don’t have a closed cabinet under the sink in which to store these, purchase baskets to store these items.
  • Buyers also don’t want to see your half-used bottles of shampoo, conditioner, body wash and soap bars in the shower or bathtub. Think “hotel”. Would you want to check into a hotel room and find that? Purchase one or two of those plastic or metal shower totes with a handle so that you can easily put all of these items into it and store away under the sink or in a linen closet.
  • Your home stager most likely recommended that nice, new and fluffy towels be displayed during showings (remember, think “hotel”). So, you have two options:

- Keep the “nice” towels, neatly folded, on the towel bars, and hang your towels on a hook or hooks on the back of the door. Remove the latter and put in the washing machine or laundry bin prior to a showing.

- Fold the “nice” towels neatly and then roll them up. Store them in a linen closet or under the sink. Then prior to the

Storage bins for home staging

Storage bins for home staging

showing, remove your daily towels from the towels bars; then unroll and hang up the display towels.

  • Since children only play with probably 20% of their toys, and you’ve pared them down (the toys not the children) at the suggestion of your home stager, make sure you have storage bins or chests in which to put these items. They make for a much neater appearance.
  • Whether you’re selling your home yourself, or have enlisted a real estate agent, pets and all evidence of pets, need to be removed before a showing. Not every buyer is a pet lover, and some are allergic to pets, so for these and other reasons, take the pet and food bowls, leashes, beds, litter box, toys, cages, etc with you if possible or bring to a neighbor’s, friend’s or family members’ home while yours is being shown.
  • If you make the beds and fluff up the pillows every day, you don’t have to scramble at the last minute in case you get a call that someone wants to see your house.
  • If you and your family get in the habit of putting dirty dishes in the dishwasher immediately after using them, this makes for a much quicker last minute clean up of the kitchen.
  • Another suggestion is to take a laundry basket and walk through the home and put everything in there that you don’t have room to store away. This works best for a home in the suburbs rather than for a city apartment. The laundry basket can be stored in the basement or garage.

There are many other things that should be done after the staging of your home and prior to showing it. Keep our Home Staging Open House Checklist handy so that you know exactly what to do.

© Copyright 2011 Designed to Appeal, LLC. All Rights Reserved. 

Filed Under: Interior design and home staging, Seller information Tagged With:

But…but…but – Even More Objections to Home Staging, Overcome

September 29, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Donna Dazzo of Designed to Appeal

Donna Dazzo of Designed to Appeal

Whether it’s your home for sale or your client’s home for sale, not every seller is convinced right off the bat that staging the home is necessary to get it sold.

In a previous blog, I addressed three common objections from both real estate agents and home sellers to staging a home when it’s for sale:

  • But, why would I want to be spending money when I can’t afford to? I just need to sell my house/apartment.
  • But, why can’t buyers just look past the décor and envision themselves living here?
  • But, my home looks good. It doesn’t need to be staged.

In another blog, I addressed three more objections:

  • But, why can’t the real estate agent or homeowner figure out what needs to be done to stage the home and make it look better?
  • But, similar homes in the neighborhood and/or building sold without staging.
  • But, the home has already been decluttered and cleaned. That should be enough.

So if you find yourself or your client asking the following questions or stating these objections, carefully consider these answers before you make that final decision not to stage.

But, my home is in a great location/area/neighborhood and I’ve priced it right. I don’t need to stage.

Yes, location is one of the most important factors in setting your home’s value. And pricing it right is also important. But the right price is only one of the three legs of a three-legged stool when it comes to doing the right thing to sell a home successfully. The second leg is good outside marketing, and that’s what a good real estate agent brings to the table. The third leg is inside marketing, or staging – improving the home to make it more desirable. Remove one leg, and the stool collapses.

But, if it doesn’t sell in 3 months, then I’ll consider staging it OR Let’s see if someone makes an offer after this weekend’s open house.

If a home seller waits to stage if it doesn’t sell, it then becomes a stale listing. The owner will be offered less than the listing price because potential buyers know it’s been on the market for a while. Also, the owner and agent end up missing out on any interested buyers who first saw the house and decided it wasn’t for them for one reason or another. Why not capture them right away because the home looks its best?

But, why bother with making the home look better when the new owners will change it anyway?

While a total kitchen and/or bathroom remodel may be unnecessary prior to selling, the reasons you want to at least do some updates like painting, new carpeting, floor refinishing and changing out lighting/plumbing fixtures is to 1) first, eliminate the turn-off that buyers will have once they step into the space, and 2) to improve the space enough so that buyers feel they can move in and wait awhile prior to doing their own updates. And things as simple as repairs need to be done so that buyers don’t make a mental checklist and offer a lower selling price.

But, I don’t have the time to stage.

Ask yourself, do you have the time to wait around while you’re home sits on the market? Your home is probably the single greatest asset you have, so why gamble with the equity?

The more time you put into making your home attractive to buyers, the higher your potential sales price will be.

Take one thing at a time. First and foremost is decluttering and paring down. You are going to need to pack anyway at some point (hopefully), so why not take the time now to go through everything and discard, donate or sell anything you don’t use or haven’t used in the last year or two. Pack up and store items and out-of-season clothing that you won’t need in the next 6 months. Then move on to the next project, whether it’s painting or getting around to those repairs you’ve been ignoring. Enlist the help of a professional home stager and get your family involved too.  You can contact Donna Dazzo at:

© Designed To Appeal, LLC 2009-2011. All Rights Reserved

Filed Under: Interior design and home staging Tagged With: ,

Getting the Most Out of a Small Outdoor Living Space

September 26, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Outdoor heaterIf you’ve done any research into outdoor living space design, you’ve undoubtedly seen the massive homes and massive outdoor areas that accompany them. In fact, you’re probably convinced that you have to have a 4,000 square foot house and at least a 2 acre lot to have one! Thankfully, nothing could be further from the truth. Even if you’re working with a small patio or an apartment balcony, you can still make it an extension of the home that people enjoy spending time in. Here are some key concepts for getting the most out of a small outdoor living space.

Hang Things (Planters, Wind Chimes)

When you’re working with a small outdoor area, floor space is at an absolute premium. You’ve got to make sure you have enough room for people to sit and stand comfortably – otherwise, nobody’s going to want to go out there! An easy way to make sure you have as much floor space as possible is to hang decorations rather than place then on the ground. Think about a planter. Sure, you could put one on the ground, but you could just as easily put up a beautiful hanging basket, giving you beautiful greenery without taking up as much space. Other decorations, including wind chimes, lighting, and fans or heaters can all benefit from this.

Place Large Items Strategically

In any outdoor space, you’ve got to strategically place your larger items so they work well, and that’s even more important in a smaller area. You want the main portion of the area to be open, so large items should be placed at the outside edges. But this doesn’t mean you have to sacrifice on style. A square table positioned in the corner and paired with 2 chairs gives you room to sit without dominating the patio and looks good doing it. You can even put a nice sized grill against a wall, keeping it out of the way but still easily accessible. The key here is to keep the main part of the area open, creating the illusion of space and making it easy for you and others to move around.

Keep It Simple

Finally, remember to keep it simple. While large outdoor areas can have multiple design themes and varied functionality, a smaller one should have a clear, single focus in mind. It could be entertaining, relaxing, cooking, anything you want. Just make sure you pick one and stick to it. Remember to be selective in how you use your space and the accessories you add to it. Although it’s tempting, don’t just throw everything you see that looks good out there – you’ll end up with a cluttered mess that detracts instead of adds to your home. Keep things simple, don’t go overboard, and you’ll be fine.

Just because your outdoor area is on the small side doesn’t mean you can’t have a great area people like to kick back in. Put these concepts to use and you’ll have an outdoor living space everyone loves to visit!

About The Author – Marissa Alan is a writer with Outdoor Living and loves exterior decorating. For more on products like patio heaters, planters, rain barrels, and wind chimes, visit OutdoorLiving.com.

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But, but, but: More Objections to NYC Home Staging, Overcome

August 14, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Donna Dazzo - Designed to AppealWhether it’s your home for sale or your client’s home for sale, not every seller is convinced right off the bat that home staging is necessary to get it sold.

In a previous blog, I addressed three common objections from both real estate agents and home sellers to staging a home when it’s for sale.

So if you find yourself or your clients asking the following questions or stating these objections, carefully consider these answers before you make that final decision not to stage.

But, why can’t the real estate agent or homeowner figure out what needs to be done to stage the home and make it look better?

The real estate agent should be spending his or her time doing what he or she does best – marketing and showing the home to potential buyers and renters. Wouldn’t a homeowner rather know the real estate agent is doing this instead of spending hours rearranging furniture, shopping for accessories, and managing repairmen?

Owners can’t stage their own homes because they’ve stopped seeing all of its flaws. Most homeowners don’t have the “buyer’s eyes” that a professional home stager will when walking through the home. The owners have gotten used to walking past the overgrown bushes in the front yard blocking all of the light from coming into the windows. The dated wallpaper and lighting fixtures have been in the bathroom so long that they seem to be part of the family. And homeowners may already be overwhelmed enough with the stress of finding a new home and moving that they won’t have the time or energy to focus on making the home look appealing.

But, similar homes in the neighborhood and/or building sold without staging.

Do you know if they sold at asking price? Perhaps the owners had to sell for less than what they were asking for because their house looked less than desirable. Do you know how long the home was on the market? Why take that risk? Staging works. According to the Real Estate Staging Association’s 2009 study, both occupied and vacant homes that were on the market before they were staged spent 78% less time on the market after they were staged.

But, the home has already been decluttered and cleaned. That should be enough.

That’s great that the homeowner has already gone ahead and decluttered and cleaned. However, staging is much more than that. A professional home stager can see things with a buyer’s eyes. Staging highlights the best features of a home and downplays the negative features. Staging ensures that the home appeals to the broadest range of buyers. It’s a product to be marketed, and a professional home stager will help you market it to its highest potential.

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Filed Under: Interior design and home staging Tagged With:
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