Great Impressions Home Staging Blog

Hardwood Floors Are A Selling Feature

Wall-to-Wall Carpeting Turns Off Buyers

Exposing and refinishing hardwood floors is one of the best things you can do to get the biggest bang for your buck when selling your home. If you have hardwood floors underneath wall to wall carpeting, I will always recommend you expose the hardwood, especially in main living areas. (To find out if you have hardwood, peel back a corner of the carpeting in a hidden corner, preferably a closet or behind furniture. You need to pull it back away from the furring strips that the carpet may be stapled to.) It’s always a good idea to refinish the floors if they are in less-than-perfect condition and to apply several coats of a satin polyurethane or other sealer recommended by your flooring refinisher. Shiny floors reflect light and look great in MLS or flyer photos!

If you aren’t lucky enough to have hardwood floors, laminate flooring is often a good substitute and generally preferable to wall to wall carpeting in main living areas. Many people and children suffer from allergies and wood or laminate floors are far easier to keep dust- and pet-hair free than carpets that attract and hold allergens. A client in Ridgewood, NJ asked me about replacing wall to wall carpet in his living room which sat on a concrete slab floor (no basement), and he loved the results (see photos). Writer and editor Sam Marquit also reports that he has installed laminate flooring in several NYC apartments that he owns and he is happy with the results.

Advantages and Disadvantages Of Installing Laminate Flooring

Many property owners will not install laminate flooring because it is not real wood, brick or stone.  Laminate flooring also does not last as long as hardwood, and if a scratch appears, the affected tile or plank will need to be replaced.  In my experience though, the advantages of laminate flooring outweigh the disadvantages.

One of the main advantages is that laminate looks very much like hardwood, but costs less and is easier to install than real wood, brick or stone.  Sam reports that he installed flooring in a weekend and found the process to be fairly easy.  What he ended up with was a floor that was durable, water resistant, and easy to maintain.

Another advantage of laminate flooring is that it can be installed over old flooring such as vinyl or wood because it is a floating floor.  Laminate flooring can also be installed over sub-floors such as wood, MDF or cement that cannot handle real wood, ceramic tile or stone.

A Few Tips For Installing Laminate Flooring

Installing laminate flooring is a fairly easy process.  You can make cutting mistakes without ruining the entire floor since this type of flooring comes in tiles or four-foot planks.  What is trimmed from one area can often be used on another section of the floor.  Despite this fact, I highly recommend buying a little extra flooring to allow for mistakes and waste.

Laminate tiles and planks come in click together or glued together forms.  Click together laminate floors are easier to install, but can be easily damaged by water.  Glued laminate floors are highly suitable for floors in kitchens and bathrooms where water damage can be more common.  Before choosing the kind of laminate flooring to use, consider the possibility of water damage in the area to be worked in.

So whether you have hardwood or laminate floors, be sure to show them off to buyers to get more dollars out of your home!

Here are some examples of how I used accessories in a model home staging project. My goal was to appeal to buyer’s emotions and create an upscale lifestyle look with touches of nature for this development in a country setting.

Kitchen accessories

Model home living room

Conversation area

Florals add warmth

bedroom accessories

This week, I finished a model home project for an active adult community in Montville, NJ (Briar Hill at Montville). It was a lot of work from inception through staging day(s), but also fun. When designing for a model home, you need to consider the age and lifestyle needs of your target market (in this case, upscale 55 years old up to around 80 years old, but with the majority of buyers likely to be in their 60s); the geographic area (upper middle class country/suburban in northern NJ); and the timeframe for getting the project done (originally about 5-6 weeks, extended to 10 weeks because of construction delays). I added more luxury touches with layered bedding, decorative pillows, and panel drapes, as well as valances in the dining area (drapes would be too formal for this eat-in area, the only dining area of the home). I chose oriental and classic acorn/fleur-de-lis area rugs to convey a traditional, classic look, but I went with transitional mid-century furniture to avoid the stodgy, out-dated look seen in many older active adult communities. The curved tables in the hall and living room, as well as the rounded edges of the dining room table, give a sense of relaxation and softness appropriate to a retirement community.

Dramatic front entry hall.

Light-filled living room with cathedral ceiling.

Kitchen island and prep area.

Luxurious master bedroom suite.

I also selected many of the finishes in this home — the ebony stain on the floors, the oil-rubbed bronze light fixtures in the main living areas, the granite, carpeting, and paint colors. The goal was to convey elegance and relaxation.

bird decor is popular!

Horse doorbell fits design trends for 2012

According to the Las Vegas Design Market, the “hot” colors are tangerine and teal — I personally love both! Other design trends: horse and bird motifs, stick screens, circle patterns, pictures with depth and texture, and Moroccan style motifs (which have been seen in everything from rugs and pillows to lampshades last year as well).
Using a few of these popular items when staging your home will give it that current look that emotionally appeals to buyers. Although you need to know if your geographic area and target market will find those motifs appealing — a home stager can help you know your market and what is likely to be appropriate to them.

bird designs in home decor

horses are trendy in decor!

Moroccan themes in design

3D artwork

Tangerine is hot!

I hear many of these reasons/excuses why sellers don’t want to spend $$ on staging.
None of them actually make good sense! Thanks to Janet Jones of just-your-style interiors in Maui, Hawaii for sharing!

10 REASONS NOT TO STAGE YOUR HOME

1. We want to test the market for 90 days. And on the 91st day? Price reduction–and 90 days worth of potential buyers who have already eliminated your property.
2. It costs too much money. I have never seen a home where the staging costs would have exceeded the first price reduction. And that doesn’t even factor in the monthly carrying cost of the home.
3. We can’t stage the house, we’re living in it. One common misconception is that staging is only for vacant homes. Every home/condo can be staged, and you can actually live in it after staging.
4. We didn’t have to stage any of the other properties we sold over the years. Yes, once upon a time you could generate three offers by 5 p.m. on the same day your Realtor put the For Sale sign in your yard. Not now. Buyers are picky and they have a lot of homes to choose from.
5. Everyone loves our house so buyers will love it, too. What you, your friends and relatives love about your house may not be what today’s buyer wants. Sellers are often baffled by the feedback they get after showings–amazed that buyers have found things they don’t like about the property.
6. We can clean the carpets and declutter without someone telling us how. Yes, you can (and should) do this, but it is a tiny piece of staging. Do you know what separates “clutter” from “asset”? And what about all the other things that staging encompasses, like traffic flows, highlighting architectural features, updating, and appealing to your target market?
7. We have no desire to remove/change our _______________ (wallpaper/mirrored tile/gold faucets/paneling/dated light fixtures . . .). And neither do buyers. Better to keep your home or be ready to sell at a deep discount.
8. The view alone will sell this place. Then why many months later are these great view homes/condos still on the market? Could it be that buyers want something to go with the view–like a comfortable, move-in ready home?
9. We would rather let the buyers makes their own paint/flooring choices. And that equals a price reduction. If buyers do make an offer on your home they will double or triple the cost of these items and reflect that in their discounted offer price–which includes a deduction for the inconvenience.
10. Our home is professionally decorated. A professionally decorated home is tailored to the owner’s particular needs. Does it work for the new buyer’s needs? You could see #1 above . . . .
These are all great reasons–
• for price reductions
• for extended time on the market
• for buyers not coming to look at your home
• for buyers not coming back for a second look
There are dozens of reasons not to stage, but only one good reason to stage–getting your home sold faster for the highest possible price. Staging is preparing your home for sale and creating a home that buyers want to buy. If you want to be in the best competitive position in this market today, consult with a professional home stager before listing your property for sale.

In this home, just changing the color on the walls from dark red to light gold grasscloth wallpaper made a big difference! This room only has light on the northeast side from French doors into a sunroom, so the red made the room cozy but dark, especially considering the beamed ceiling. The homeowner also lightened and brightened this room with new recessed lights, and we will likely be adding 3 lamps (combo of table and floor) later. Now this room looks more sophisticated and would be more appealing to buyers as well.

Too dark room

Light Gold Grasscloth Brightens Room

We all want some sparkle and warmth in our homes for the holidays and to brighten up the dark days of December. Just keep the Christmas theme toned down and opt for fresh (or faux) greens plus one or two colors mixed in — red, silver, or gold are perfect — for a shimmery, high-end look. Those colors can be in the form of candles, placemats, runners, (stay away from tablecloths and show off the wood or glass of a beautiful table instead), berries, glittery “dusted” pinecones, or floral centerpieces. Keep the “cutesy” Christmas decorations (like giant nutcrackers, dolls, signs) packed away when you’re trying to sell your home, because those items can be overkill and distract from the selling points of your house. A little goes a long way in decorating for a holiday that is not universal, and you want to be careful to not turn off buyers who celebrate other holidays.
More and brighter lights are particularly welcome at this time of year to counteract the longer nights and colder days in most parts of the country. White outdoor lights are a great, classic choice for bushes and doorways, as is a white spotlight on a front door with or without a wreath.

If you’re looking for an inexpensive and easy way to refresh and revive your home to make the most of your space, a one-day makeover is a great solution! First, I’ll interview you by phone about your goals, style, favorite colors, and anything that bugs you about your space, and then make an appointment to come see your house and assess it in person. Depending on what we discuss and decide about your space, I will give you a list of suggestions such as new paint colors or adding crown moldings, new drapes, slip-covers, bedding, etc., and/or I can start re-arranging furniture, art, accessories, rugs, etc. right on the spot to make your home “feel” better. This is a great, inexpensive option that typically costs less than a nice weekend away and results in a house you’ll be happy to show off AND come home to!

Staging a house successfully involves creating the lifestyle that buyers aspire to . . . minus the overdone, cutesy or corny touches that scream “I’ve been staged! or worse “give me a break.”
Staging “don’ts” include:
* rose petals floating in bathtubs or strewn on a bed — talk about forcing a romantic cliche!
* towels or curtains tied with ribbons
* fake “love” notes left on tables or beds
* champagne glasses on trays on beds
* cute collections of stuffed animals, ceramic animals, bird houses, or pretty much anything! The point of staging is to AVOID clutter and personalized taste.
* slippers placed by beds or chaises to imply relaxation — I don’t think footwear of any type appeals to most buyers
* any kind of wreaths — except tasteful ones on Christmas — on doors or on walls
* scarecrows/dolls/ducks/figurines/statues, etc. posed anywhere inside or out
* outdated “dream,” “imagine,” heart signs, or cute/funny signs of any type — including “Go Away” welcome mats
* scarves used as valances or draped on bureaus
* tablecloths — they’re old-school. Use more elegant runners instead, or in a kitchen, show off the beauty of the wood or glass table and keep it simple and clean-looking!
* a sea of candles and/or decorative pillows in bathrooms and bedrooms — less is more!
* miniature or small-sized decorative items of any kind — they always look like clutter instead of decor that has true impact
Keep your eye on the goal: luxury, not tackiness!

I’ve seen too many modern houses — and some not-so-modern — that are painted all-white, have loads of white cabinets, white ceramic floors, and the only other colors tend to be stark black cabinets or furniture, or pink-veined countertops or bathroom tile. While neutralizing colors can be a very good thing, when you go the other direction with huge expanses of stark white walls and floors, the effect leaves most buyers out in the cold. In this case, I recommend warming up a few select rooms, such as the living room, kitchen, and master bedroom, with warm or cool tones chosen to coordinate with any other existing colors or features (brick or stone fireplace walls, for instance) or furniture. Beiges, gray-greens, toned-down soft yellows, or the currently popular pale gray colors often work well, depending on other elements in the room. Part of my role as a stager is to bring fan decks and help you, the seller, choose the “right” colors that appeal to buyers and work in your home and lighting.
Warmth can also be increased with the right lighting choices, as well as adding colorful textiles, such as area rugs and accent pieces, including pillows, throws, florals, vases, candles and holders, and other decorative items, which I can purchase for you, with you, or you can rent from my inventory on a monthly basis.
Here’s to creating a warm, inviting home that makes buyers feel at home!