Happened to be home when Oprah was on this afternoon. The topic was Makeunders. Women who needed less not more. But this also applies to homes. Nate Berkus did a room Makeunder and it inspired me!

Every home that goes on sale needs a makeunder. The less of you, the quicker your home will sell. The bigger and more spacious your home looks the higher it’s perceived value.

This means it’s really important to edit your stuff so what’s really important greets you (and your buyers) when you walk in the door. You want your homes’ features to shine, you want buyers to say AH!

The trouble is we tend to keep adding stuff to our homes and don’t stop to edit.
I compare it to getting dressed. You’ve got a great look going but then you keep adding accessories to your outfit. A scarf or two. All of a sudden your great look gets lost. No one will be able to focus on that perfect necklace or pair of shoes because there’s too much to look at.

The best outfits are the ones with a simple color palette. A nice pair of jeans, a contrasting top and jacket and some great accent jewelry and shoes.

Your home is no different. It’s an extension of who you are but it shouldn’t be the catchall for everything you’ve ever wanted to bring home. Layering is wonderful but you have to know when to stop before your look gets lost.

Start with one room. Treat it like an extension of yourself. How would you dress it?

10 Easy Tips to “Make Under” Your Home

1. Keep in simple, Pick one or two main colors for your walls and floor. The fewer colors the more spacious your home will look.

2. Pick a third and fourth (if desired) accent color . Use these colors sparingly.

3. Keep your surfaces consistent.  Walls should be the same material if possible and painted or finsihed in the same color on all walls. Floors also. Keep flooring consistent throughout the house.

4. Group your family photos on one wall and use similar frames and mats to keep a unified look. Edit your photos first and keep only the ones you love.

5. Group your plants also. Your plants will thrive and it reduces watering time. Toss out any that are unhealthy or dying.

6. If a room has more than one use make sure there’s a dedicated space for each use. Screens or dividers can help separate living from office or exercise space.

7. Keep your window treatments clean and simple. Heavy window treatments that cut down on light can overpower a room. Invest in some light colored curtain panels instead hung on a simple pole. These look great over inexpensive 2″ blinds.

8. Remove area rugs on carpet.  Visually they cut up the floor space and make the room feel smaller.

9. Edit your collections. Keep only pieces you love on display. Again grouping them will create impact and reduce visual busy-ness.

10. Keep it to 5. When in doubt, keep no more than 5 toys or 5 plants or 5 pillows or 5 frames or 5 lamps for example in a room at one time. If you want to add a new piece, take out an old one.
Remember keep it simple. Whether you are getting ready to sell your home or just want to live lighter, a professional home staging consultation can help you with your “makeunder”.

Photos are not samples of Hampton Redesign staging but chosen to represent how a simplified color palette can makeunder a room.

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Hampton Redesign   817-891-9563   www.hamptonredesign.com

Home sellers have one goal—to sell their home as quickly as possible near or at the listing price. A home in move-in condition makes meeting this ideal easier.

Many of today’s prospective homebuyers have busy lifestyles and are looking for properties that don’t require a lot of work. Homeowners should be proactive by making needed repairs before putting their homes on the market.

Inspect both inside and outside the home. Take inventory of practical and aesthetic repairs. You may want to apply a fresh coat of paint on the walls, doors, and shutters. Clean the carpet and buff and polish wooden floors. Tighten and polish hardware. Repair cracks in sidewalks and driveways, and clean any stains on them. Replace missing or warped roofing. Clean or re-grout kitchen and bathrooms. Repair dripping faucets and drains or plumbing fixtures that aren’t operating.

Fix sticking doors and replace old locks and doorknobs. Replace burned-out bulbs and broken electrical sockets. Replace cracked windows and torn screens. Repair broken fencing and reseal the deck. Clean up stains on the tiles and countertops.

Some experts also recommend hiring a certified home inspector to thoroughly and impartially evaluate the property. (For a list of inspectors in your area, visit the American Society of Home Inspectors website, www.ashi.com, or ask your real estate professional for recommendations.) A standard report will review the condition of the home’s heating system, central air conditioning, plumbing and electrical systems, the roof, attic, walls, ceilings, floors, windows and doors, the foundation, basement and visible structure.

If the pre-inspection results in a checklist, have a real estate professional look over the report with you to help you prioritize the list of repairs.

Depending on your goals and budget, you may want to repair only items that could cause significant deterioration to the home, such as a leak. In addition, your local market conditions may dictate how extensive your repairs need to be. Let your budget and your real estate professional guide you.

However, be careful about fixing up too much. Sellers rarely recoup money on major remodeling projects, and you may want to save funds for your new home. Also, obtaining home improvement loans can adversely affect your ability to qualify for your next mortgage.

A home in good condition demonstrates pride of ownership. Taking the time to make small repairs to your home can go a long way in making sure that your home is presented to potential buyers in its best possible light. They also just might make the sale.

1. Not serious about selling. Actions speak louder than words in this market.  If you are not motivated to sell your home, then you should wait for a less competitive time to sell.  Not being willing to price your home where it needs to be to actually sell in this market tells Realtors and Buyers alike that you really are not motivated, and they really shouldn’t bother.
2. Improper pricing. A properly priced home is half sold.  It won’t matter how many open houses, realtor lunches, glossy flyers, home magazine ads, Goodyear Blimps, or Saint Joseph statues are used, the fact of the matter is that if your home is not priced competitively, it WILL NOT sell.
3. Not listening to your agent. A good full-time, seasoned Realtor is trained to know their market, know how to market homes, and how to motivate buyers.  If you question the ability of your agent to represent you, then you obviously have the wrong agent.  Don’t self-diagnose (your Doctor wouldn’t) – listen to the Professional!
4. Micro-manage the marketing. Having former “sales experience” yourself, doesn’t give you the license to second-guess your Realtor.  If you had a real estate license years ago – good for you, but I have to tell you times have changed, and what worked back in the old days WON’T work today!  Share your concerns and timelines, but leave the marketing details to the expert.
5. Don’t Stage the property. Oh sure, that brown variegated shag carpeting might be considered “retro” by some, or the whitewashed cabinets, Navajo white walls, and Southwest Décor might appeal to a small percentage of others – but if you really want to sell your home, you are going to have to make it appealing and competitive with newer homes on the market today.
6. Let Fido run free. Nothing is worse than going in to show a home, and you’re met at the door by frisky, overly enthusiastic dogs.  Worse yet, you’re barked to death by an aggressive one, and are not really sure if you should go in.  The other day I showed a house and the dog was inside.  He was quiet and reserved, but then proceeded to piddle on the floor because he was scared.  Not the way I want a buyer to remember a home!
7. Talk to the buyers. Being at home when a house is shown is certain death to a possible contract!  Sure, you think that you need to tell them all there is to tell about YOUR home, just in case the Realtor doesn’t.  Problem is that the buyers feel uncomfortable while you are there, so they can’t envision themselves “moving in” to the home.  9 times out of 10, the things that you tell them will give you a disadvantage when negotiating the price (if they do make an offer).  DON’T be at home when your house is shown!
8. Sell personal items. Buyers are looking to buy a home – they’re not thrift shopping at Hudson’s Treasure Chest!  Don’t try to push your used furniture on them.  If they want something, they will ask for it in the contract.
9. What’s that Smell? Oh sure, your house doesn’t smell of pet odors, baby diapers, cat litter boxes, fried fish, a dairy farm, or low tide.
10. Ignore Feedback. What do buyers know, anyway?  You can’t imagine why they don’t care for the groovy blue counter tops, the large scary snake in the aquarium, or the Elvis mural on the wall.  Why should these things make your home less than desirable?  Every comment from a buyer should be considered.  These may be things that are also turning other buyers off, and they just didn’t want to say.

If you are a serious Seller in the Pearl River County, MS, area and want your home to sell – take these words of advice.  Also, call Michelle Fradella at Pinnacle Real Estate Services to get your home on the fast track to a closing!

601-569-0075- www.prchomes.com