Save Dinero With These Pro Staging Tips

I'm not sure if I told you yet, but a HUGE thing for me is how to stage a house on a budget. Staging can be an investment, but I get a sense from my clients that they or their friends and family watch HGTV--which I love, by the way!--and have a reality TV image of staging and stagers and not a realistic one. I have actually saved my staging clients money, time and energy because they were under the false assumption that when staging a house, they needed to do work or make changes that just weren't necessary. Not to mention how much cash they saved by getting their house on and off the market superfast!

As a Stager, I do my best to understand who your target buyer is, what your strengths and weaknesses are in the market, to work with what you have all while being as minimally invasive to your house as possible. Here are some true tricks of the staging trade that can really help you save money and stage a house like a pro!

Don't Paint Trim

If your trim is in good condition or only slightly warn, save yourself time and money but only painting walls if necessary. If there are a few chips here and there in your white trim, good old fashioned whiteout (that's from the typewriter days, kids!) is great for touching up.

Don't Refinish Hardwoods

Hardwoods are a HUGE selling point even if they are not in the best shape. Giving them a good cleaning and minor touch ups with stain are all that you may need.

Don't Buy New Furniture

I had a client that lived in a house that had last been decorated in 1984. To say there was tons o' formica and polished brass is an understatement! The house had been on the market 3 times with no offers so the seller thought that she would need to buy new furniture to update the look of the house. I completely disagreed with her and we worked with her 80's finery adding updated artwork and accessories. After we staged the house for a quick sell, the house sold in under 3 weeks with a bidding war! The seller saved on both ends of the selling equation--nice!

Don't Replace Outdated Appliances

If your appliances are in good condition and look OK, don't update them with thee newest, stainless steel variety. When we moved into our house, one of the selling points to me was that I got to put in exactly what appliances I wanted to rather than paying for what someone else had put in. If they are worn, or old, ignore this advice and head to Lowe's immediately!

Don't Automatically Update Outdated Lighting

When you start getting into changing light fixtures, it can totally put you into more work than you think. You never know what you are going to find when you take down a fixture so a lot of times it is just best to work with what you have and update the look of everything around the room so that the outdated fixture isn't the only focal point. Spray paint is also a wonderful thing and now that it comes in metal finishes, you can really take a dated fixture into the new millennium easily and inexpensively. One big exception to this rule--If you live in a luxury home/community and you still have builder's grade fixtures on your first floor and the "first impression" rooms, change them out! It will totally be worth it!

Don't Change Out All of Your Brass

A quick fix for polished brass is Brass and Bronze Aging Solution. For under $10 you can update your bathroom fixtures and with way less hassle

Modern Furniture: A Staging Must!   

Save Dinero With These Pro Staging Tips

I'm not sure if I told you yet, but a HUGE thing for me is how to stage a house on a budget. Staging can be an investment, but I get a sense from my clients that they or their friends and family watch HGTV--which I love, by the way!--and have a reality TV image of staging and stagers and not a realistic one. I have actually saved my staging clients money, time and energy because they were under the false assumption that when staging a house, they needed to do work or make changes that just weren't necessary. Not to mention how much cash they saved by getting their house on and off the market superfast!

As a Stager, I do my best to understand who your target buyer is, what your strengths and weaknesses are in the market, to work with what you have all while being as minimally invasive to your house as possible. Here are some true tricks of the staging trade that can really help you save money and stage a house like a pro!

Don't Paint Trim

If your trim is in good condition or only slightly warn, save yourself time and money but only painting walls if necessary. If there are a few chips here and there in your white trim, good old fashioned whiteout (that's from the typewriter days, kids!) is great for touching up.

Don't Refinish Hardwoods

Hardwoods are a HUGE selling point even if they are not in the best shape. Giving them a good cleaning and minor touch ups with stain are all that you may need.

Don't Buy New Furniture

I had a client that lived in a house that had last been decorated in 1984. To say there was tons o' formica and polished brass is an understatement! The house had been on the market 3 times with no offers so the seller thought that she would need to buy new furniture to update the look of the house. I completely disagreed with her and we worked with her 80's finery adding updated artwork and accessories. After we staged the house for a quick sell, the house sold in under 3 weeks with a bidding war! The seller saved on both ends of the selling equation--nice!

Don't Replace Outdated Appliances

If your appliances are in good condition and look OK, don't update them with thee newest, stainless steel variety. When we moved into our house, one of the selling points to me was that I got to put in exactly what appliances I wanted to rather than paying for what someone else had put in. If they are worn, or old, ignore this advice and head to Lowe's immediately!

Don't Automatically Update Outdated Lighting

When you start getting into changing light fixtures, it can totally put you into more work than you think. You never know what you are going to find when you take down a fixture so a lot of times it is just best to work with what you have and update the look of everything around the room so that the outdated fixture isn't the only focal point. Spray paint is also a wonderful thing and now that it comes in metal finishes, you can really take a dated fixture into the new millennium easily and inexpensively. One big exception to this rule--If you live in a luxury home/community and you still have builder's grade fixtures on your first floor and the "first impression" rooms, change them out! It will totally be worth it!

Don't Change Out All of Your Brass

A quick fix for polished brass is Brass and Bronze Aging Solution. For under $10 you can update your bathroom fixtures and with way less hassle

Modern Furniture: A Staging Must!   

Modern Furniture: A Staging Must!

When it comes to selling your property, there is no doubt about it, you need to appeal to the masses. This means that your 15 year old living room set won't cut it. There are, however some simple solutions that can help you modernize the look of your home, without necessarily breaking the bank. For instance, if you were planning on updating your furniture once you've moved into your new house, it may be wise to do so right away and move the furniture once your house is sold. Certain items such as chairs and sofas can be re-upholstered to give them a fresh new look. You can also invest in inexpensive accessories that will attract the buyer's attention to a more modern decor while preventing your old comfy couch from becoming an eyesore.

As a first step, you will need to determine which furnishing items you will be keeping once you are in the new house and which ones you will be replacing. It is crucial that this step be taken immediately as it will go a long way in helping you sell your home. It is wise and even recommended that the furniture you are planning on replacing after you move, be replaced immediately. It's time to go shopping! Yes it may be a hassle to buy it all now and then move it once the house is sold but remember that if buyers are not making offers because the house doesn't appeal to then, you may never be buying all this furniture, whereas buyers will be more likely to make an offer on a house they see themselves living in. Although they will not be buying your furniture, it is the overall look of the house that has to speak to the buyer. You need to guide their imagination and show them how nice it can be.

Although you are planning to move, you may not be planning on purchasing new furniture. After all, why throw away such good comfortable furniture that has already been broken into. There is also a simple solution for that. Slip covers for sofas, love seats and armchairs are a fantastic and inexpensive way to breathe new life into your dated living room set. For the bedrooms, whenever possible remove any headboards with a dated took and use fresh modern linen to dress your beds. Set the dining table with modern plates and a bright centerpiece to attract attention away from the older table. Re-upholster chairs for a fresh modern look. If your rooms are over flowing with furniture, it will be important to get some of it out of the house and arrange to store it until your house is sold.

Last but not least, you can use decorative items and accessories to attract the buyer's attention and tone down the dated look. Bright, bold and contrasting colors tend to attract the eye. The buyer will be focused on the colorful item and will probably be less likely to notice the dated decor. The most important accessories you can modernize are your window coverings. They are a dead giveaway and no matter how expensive and chic they are, if they are from another time, it will be a turnoff to the modern buyer. Other examples of using accessories to deter attention can be a contrasting colored throw placed on an older couch, which will catch the buyer's eye. The same is true for an old dresser. You can easily invest in a colorful, modern vase to offset the age of the dresser. Adding art to your walls will also have the same effect. The idea is to tone down the older furniture by enhancing it with modern accessories.

In the end, you do not have to buy or rent new furniture to stage your house. You simply need to give buyers what they are looking for and if that is a modern look and feel, there are ways of doing it without spending thousands on furniture you don't necessarily like. If you are going to be changing your furniture, by all means, buy it and stage your house with it. It will go a long way. If this purchase is not part of your plan or your budget, you can use re-upholstering as an effective alternative to bring your old items into the twenty first century. alternately, you can also use modern decorative accessories to give your buyers the impression of a modernized look. The options are plenty and the more modern the look, the more likely you are to sell quickly.

Modern Furniture: A Staging Must!   

Save Dinero With These Pro Staging Tips

I'm not sure if I told you yet, but a HUGE thing for me is how to stage a house on a budget. Staging can be an investment, but I get a sense from my clients that they or their friends and family watch HGTV--which I love, by the way!--and have a reality TV image of staging and stagers and not a realistic one. I have actually saved my staging clients money, time and energy because they were under the false assumption that when staging a house, they needed to do work or make changes that just weren't necessary. Not to mention how much cash they saved by getting their house on and off the market superfast!

As a Stager, I do my best to understand who your target buyer is, what your strengths and weaknesses are in the market, to work with what you have all while being as minimally invasive to your house as possible. Here are some true tricks of the staging trade that can really help you save money and stage a house like a pro!

Don't Paint Trim

If your trim is in good condition or only slightly warn, save yourself time and money but only painting walls if necessary. If there are a few chips here and there in your white trim, good old fashioned whiteout (that's from the typewriter days, kids!) is great for touching up.

Don't Refinish Hardwoods

Hardwoods are a HUGE selling point even if they are not in the best shape. Giving them a good cleaning and minor touch ups with stain are all that you may need.

Don't Buy New Furniture

I had a client that lived in a house that had last been decorated in 1984. To say there was tons o' formica and polished brass is an understatement! The house had been on the market 3 times with no offers so the seller thought that she would need to buy new furniture to update the look of the house. I completely disagreed with her and we worked with her 80's finery adding updated artwork and accessories. After we staged the house for a quick sell, the house sold in under 3 weeks with a bidding war! The seller saved on both ends of the selling equation--nice!

Don't Replace Outdated Appliances

If your appliances are in good condition and look OK, don't update them with thee newest, stainless steel variety. When we moved into our house, one of the selling points to me was that I got to put in exactly what appliances I wanted to rather than paying for what someone else had put in. If they are worn, or old, ignore this advice and head to Lowe's immediately!

Don't Automatically Update Outdated Lighting

When you start getting into changing light fixtures, it can totally put you into more work than you think. You never know what you are going to find when you take down a fixture so a lot of times it is just best to work with what you have and update the look of everything around the room so that the outdated fixture isn't the only focal point. Spray paint is also a wonderful thing and now that it comes in metal finishes, you can really take a dated fixture into the new millennium easily and inexpensively. One big exception to this rule--If you live in a luxury home/community and you still have builder's grade fixtures on your first floor and the "first impression" rooms, change them out! It will totally be worth it!

Don't Change Out All of Your Brass

A quick fix for polished brass is Brass and Bronze Aging Solution. For under $10 you can update your bathroom fixtures and with way less hassle

Modern Furniture: A Staging Must!   

Save Dinero With These Pro Staging Tips

I'm not sure if I told you yet, but a HUGE thing for me is how to stage a house on a budget. Staging can be an investment, but I get a sense from my clients that they or their friends and family watch HGTV--which I love, by the way!--and have a reality TV image of staging and stagers and not a realistic one. I have actually saved my staging clients money, time and energy because they were under the false assumption that when staging a house, they needed to do work or make changes that just weren't necessary. Not to mention how much cash they saved by getting their house on and off the market superfast!

As a Stager, I do my best to understand who your target buyer is, what your strengths and weaknesses are in the market, to work with what you have all while being as minimally invasive to your house as possible. Here are some true tricks of the staging trade that can really help you save money and stage a house like a pro!

Don't Paint Trim

If your trim is in good condition or only slightly warn, save yourself time and money but only painting walls if necessary. If there are a few chips here and there in your white trim, good old fashioned whiteout (that's from the typewriter days, kids!) is great for touching up.

Don't Refinish Hardwoods

Hardwoods are a HUGE selling point even if they are not in the best shape. Giving them a good cleaning and minor touch ups with stain are all that you may need.

Don't Buy New Furniture

I had a client that lived in a house that had last been decorated in 1984. To say there was tons o' formica and polished brass is an understatement! The house had been on the market 3 times with no offers so the seller thought that she would need to buy new furniture to update the look of the house. I completely disagreed with her and we worked with her 80's finery adding updated artwork and accessories. After we staged the house for a quick sell, the house sold in under 3 weeks with a bidding war! The seller saved on both ends of the selling equation--nice!

Don't Replace Outdated Appliances

If your appliances are in good condition and look OK, don't update them with thee newest, stainless steel variety. When we moved into our house, one of the selling points to me was that I got to put in exactly what appliances I wanted to rather than paying for what someone else had put in. If they are worn, or old, ignore this advice and head to Lowe's immediately!

Don't Automatically Update Outdated Lighting

When you start getting into changing light fixtures, it can totally put you into more work than you think. You never know what you are going to find when you take down a fixture so a lot of times it is just best to work with what you have and update the look of everything around the room so that the outdated fixture isn't the only focal point. Spray paint is also a wonderful thing and now that it comes in metal finishes, you can really take a dated fixture into the new millennium easily and inexpensively. One big exception to this rule--If you live in a luxury home/community and you still have builder's grade fixtures on your first floor and the "first impression" rooms, change them out! It will totally be worth it!

Don't Change Out All of Your Brass

A quick fix for polished brass is Brass and Bronze Aging Solution. For under $10 you can update your bathroom fixtures and with way less hassle

Modern Furniture: A Staging Must!   

Modern Furniture: A Staging Must!

When it comes to selling your property, there is no doubt about it, you need to appeal to the masses. This means that your 15 year old living room set won't cut it. There are, however some simple solutions that can help you modernize the look of your home, without necessarily breaking the bank. For instance, if you were planning on updating your furniture once you've moved into your new house, it may be wise to do so right away and move the furniture once your house is sold. Certain items such as chairs and sofas can be re-upholstered to give them a fresh new look. You can also invest in inexpensive accessories that will attract the buyer's attention to a more modern decor while preventing your old comfy couch from becoming an eyesore.

As a first step, you will need to determine which furnishing items you will be keeping once you are in the new house and which ones you will be replacing. It is crucial that this step be taken immediately as it will go a long way in helping you sell your home. It is wise and even recommended that the furniture you are planning on replacing after you move, be replaced immediately. It's time to go shopping! Yes it may be a hassle to buy it all now and then move it once the house is sold but remember that if buyers are not making offers because the house doesn't appeal to then, you may never be buying all this furniture, whereas buyers will be more likely to make an offer on a house they see themselves living in. Although they will not be buying your furniture, it is the overall look of the house that has to speak to the buyer. You need to guide their imagination and show them how nice it can be.

Although you are planning to move, you may not be planning on purchasing new furniture. After all, why throw away such good comfortable furniture that has already been broken into. There is also a simple solution for that. Slip covers for sofas, love seats and armchairs are a fantastic and inexpensive way to breathe new life into your dated living room set. For the bedrooms, whenever possible remove any headboards with a dated took and use fresh modern linen to dress your beds. Set the dining table with modern plates and a bright centerpiece to attract attention away from the older table. Re-upholster chairs for a fresh modern look. If your rooms are over flowing with furniture, it will be important to get some of it out of the house and arrange to store it until your house is sold.

Last but not least, you can use decorative items and accessories to attract the buyer's attention and tone down the dated look. Bright, bold and contrasting colors tend to attract the eye. The buyer will be focused on the colorful item and will probably be less likely to notice the dated decor. The most important accessories you can modernize are your window coverings. They are a dead giveaway and no matter how expensive and chic they are, if they are from another time, it will be a turnoff to the modern buyer. Other examples of using accessories to deter attention can be a contrasting colored throw placed on an older couch, which will catch the buyer's eye. The same is true for an old dresser. You can easily invest in a colorful, modern vase to offset the age of the dresser. Adding art to your walls will also have the same effect. The idea is to tone down the older furniture by enhancing it with modern accessories.

In the end, you do not have to buy or rent new furniture to stage your house. You simply need to give buyers what they are looking for and if that is a modern look and feel, there are ways of doing it without spending thousands on furniture you don't necessarily like. If you are going to be changing your furniture, by all means, buy it and stage your house with it. It will go a long way. If this purchase is not part of your plan or your budget, you can use re-upholstering as an effective alternative to bring your old items into the twenty first century. alternately, you can also use modern decorative accessories to give your buyers the impression of a modernized look. The options are plenty and the more modern the look, the more likely you are to sell quickly.

Modern Furniture: A Staging Must!   

Save Dinero With These Pro Staging Tips

I'm not sure if I told you yet, but a HUGE thing for me is how to stage a house on a budget. Staging can be an investment, but I get a sense from my clients that they or their friends and family watch HGTV--which I love, by the way!--and have a reality TV image of staging and stagers and not a realistic one. I have actually saved my staging clients money, time and energy because they were under the false assumption that when staging a house, they needed to do work or make changes that just weren't necessary. Not to mention how much cash they saved by getting their house on and off the market superfast!

As a Stager, I do my best to understand who your target buyer is, what your strengths and weaknesses are in the market, to work with what you have all while being as minimally invasive to your house as possible. Here are some true tricks of the staging trade that can really help you save money and stage a house like a pro!

Don't Paint Trim

If your trim is in good condition or only slightly warn, save yourself time and money but only painting walls if necessary. If there are a few chips here and there in your white trim, good old fashioned whiteout (that's from the typewriter days, kids!) is great for touching up.

Don't Refinish Hardwoods

Hardwoods are a HUGE selling point even if they are not in the best shape. Giving them a good cleaning and minor touch ups with stain are all that you may need.

Don't Buy New Furniture

I had a client that lived in a house that had last been decorated in 1984. To say there was tons o' formica and polished brass is an understatement! The house had been on the market 3 times with no offers so the seller thought that she would need to buy new furniture to update the look of the house. I completely disagreed with her and we worked with her 80's finery adding updated artwork and accessories. After we staged the house for a quick sell, the house sold in under 3 weeks with a bidding war! The seller saved on both ends of the selling equation--nice!

Don't Replace Outdated Appliances

If your appliances are in good condition and look OK, don't update them with thee newest, stainless steel variety. When we moved into our house, one of the selling points to me was that I got to put in exactly what appliances I wanted to rather than paying for what someone else had put in. If they are worn, or old, ignore this advice and head to Lowe's immediately!

Don't Automatically Update Outdated Lighting

When you start getting into changing light fixtures, it can totally put you into more work than you think. You never know what you are going to find when you take down a fixture so a lot of times it is just best to work with what you have and update the look of everything around the room so that the outdated fixture isn't the only focal point. Spray paint is also a wonderful thing and now that it comes in metal finishes, you can really take a dated fixture into the new millennium easily and inexpensively. One big exception to this rule--If you live in a luxury home/community and you still have builder's grade fixtures on your first floor and the "first impression" rooms, change them out! It will totally be worth it!

Don't Change Out All of Your Brass

A quick fix for polished brass is Brass and Bronze Aging Solution. For under $10 you can update your bathroom fixtures and with way less hassle

Modern Furniture: A Staging Must!   

Modern Furniture: A Staging Must!

When it comes to selling your property, there is no doubt about it, you need to appeal to the masses. This means that your 15 year old living room set won't cut it. There are, however some simple solutions that can help you modernize the look of your home, without necessarily breaking the bank. For instance, if you were planning on updating your furniture once you've moved into your new house, it may be wise to do so right away and move the furniture once your house is sold. Certain items such as chairs and sofas can be re-upholstered to give them a fresh new look. You can also invest in inexpensive accessories that will attract the buyer's attention to a more modern decor while preventing your old comfy couch from becoming an eyesore.

As a first step, you will need to determine which furnishing items you will be keeping once you are in the new house and which ones you will be replacing. It is crucial that this step be taken immediately as it will go a long way in helping you sell your home. It is wise and even recommended that the furniture you are planning on replacing after you move, be replaced immediately. It's time to go shopping! Yes it may be a hassle to buy it all now and then move it once the house is sold but remember that if buyers are not making offers because the house doesn't appeal to then, you may never be buying all this furniture, whereas buyers will be more likely to make an offer on a house they see themselves living in. Although they will not be buying your furniture, it is the overall look of the house that has to speak to the buyer. You need to guide their imagination and show them how nice it can be.

Although you are planning to move, you may not be planning on purchasing new furniture. After all, why throw away such good comfortable furniture that has already been broken into. There is also a simple solution for that. Slip covers for sofas, love seats and armchairs are a fantastic and inexpensive way to breathe new life into your dated living room set. For the bedrooms, whenever possible remove any headboards with a dated took and use fresh modern linen to dress your beds. Set the dining table with modern plates and a bright centerpiece to attract attention away from the older table. Re-upholster chairs for a fresh modern look. If your rooms are over flowing with furniture, it will be important to get some of it out of the house and arrange to store it until your house is sold.

Last but not least, you can use decorative items and accessories to attract the buyer's attention and tone down the dated look. Bright, bold and contrasting colors tend to attract the eye. The buyer will be focused on the colorful item and will probably be less likely to notice the dated decor. The most important accessories you can modernize are your window coverings. They are a dead giveaway and no matter how expensive and chic they are, if they are from another time, it will be a turnoff to the modern buyer. Other examples of using accessories to deter attention can be a contrasting colored throw placed on an older couch, which will catch the buyer's eye. The same is true for an old dresser. You can easily invest in a colorful, modern vase to offset the age of the dresser. Adding art to your walls will also have the same effect. The idea is to tone down the older furniture by enhancing it with modern accessories.

In the end, you do not have to buy or rent new furniture to stage your house. You simply need to give buyers what they are looking for and if that is a modern look and feel, there are ways of doing it without spending thousands on furniture you don't necessarily like. If you are going to be changing your furniture, by all means, buy it and stage your house with it. It will go a long way. If this purchase is not part of your plan or your budget, you can use re-upholstering as an effective alternative to bring your old items into the twenty first century. alternately, you can also use modern decorative accessories to give your buyers the impression of a modernized look. The options are plenty and the more modern the look, the more likely you are to sell quickly.

Modern Furniture: A Staging Must!   

Modern Furniture: A Staging Must!

When it comes to selling your property, there is no doubt about it, you need to appeal to the masses. This means that your 15 year old living room set won't cut it. There are, however some simple solutions that can help you modernize the look of your home, without necessarily breaking the bank. For instance, if you were planning on updating your furniture once you've moved into your new house, it may be wise to do so right away and move the furniture once your house is sold. Certain items such as chairs and sofas can be re-upholstered to give them a fresh new look. You can also invest in inexpensive accessories that will attract the buyer's attention to a more modern decor while preventing your old comfy couch from becoming an eyesore.

As a first step, you will need to determine which furnishing items you will be keeping once you are in the new house and which ones you will be replacing. It is crucial that this step be taken immediately as it will go a long way in helping you sell your home. It is wise and even recommended that the furniture you are planning on replacing after you move, be replaced immediately. It's time to go shopping! Yes it may be a hassle to buy it all now and then move it once the house is sold but remember that if buyers are not making offers because the house doesn't appeal to then, you may never be buying all this furniture, whereas buyers will be more likely to make an offer on a house they see themselves living in. Although they will not be buying your furniture, it is the overall look of the house that has to speak to the buyer. You need to guide their imagination and show them how nice it can be.

Although you are planning to move, you may not be planning on purchasing new furniture. After all, why throw away such good comfortable furniture that has already been broken into. There is also a simple solution for that. Slip covers for sofas, love seats and armchairs are a fantastic and inexpensive way to breathe new life into your dated living room set. For the bedrooms, whenever possible remove any headboards with a dated took and use fresh modern linen to dress your beds. Set the dining table with modern plates and a bright centerpiece to attract attention away from the older table. Re-upholster chairs for a fresh modern look. If your rooms are over flowing with furniture, it will be important to get some of it out of the house and arrange to store it until your house is sold.

Last but not least, you can use decorative items and accessories to attract the buyer's attention and tone down the dated look. Bright, bold and contrasting colors tend to attract the eye. The buyer will be focused on the colorful item and will probably be less likely to notice the dated decor. The most important accessories you can modernize are your window coverings. They are a dead giveaway and no matter how expensive and chic they are, if they are from another time, it will be a turnoff to the modern buyer. Other examples of using accessories to deter attention can be a contrasting colored throw placed on an older couch, which will catch the buyer's eye. The same is true for an old dresser. You can easily invest in a colorful, modern vase to offset the age of the dresser. Adding art to your walls will also have the same effect. The idea is to tone down the older furniture by enhancing it with modern accessories.

In the end, you do not have to buy or rent new furniture to stage your house. You simply need to give buyers what they are looking for and if that is a modern look and feel, there are ways of doing it without spending thousands on furniture you don't necessarily like. If you are going to be changing your furniture, by all means, buy it and stage your house with it. It will go a long way. If this purchase is not part of your plan or your budget, you can use re-upholstering as an effective alternative to bring your old items into the twenty first century. alternately, you can also use modern decorative accessories to give your buyers the impression of a modernized look. The options are plenty and the more modern the look, the more likely you are to sell quickly.

Modern Furniture: A Staging Must!   

Modern Furniture: A Staging Must!

When it comes to selling your property, there is no doubt about it, you need to appeal to the masses. This means that your 15 year old living room set won't cut it. There are, however some simple solutions that can help you modernize the look of your home, without necessarily breaking the bank. For instance, if you were planning on updating your furniture once you've moved into your new house, it may be wise to do so right away and move the furniture once your house is sold. Certain items such as chairs and sofas can be re-upholstered to give them a fresh new look. You can also invest in inexpensive accessories that will attract the buyer's attention to a more modern decor while preventing your old comfy couch from becoming an eyesore.

As a first step, you will need to determine which furnishing items you will be keeping once you are in the new house and which ones you will be replacing. It is crucial that this step be taken immediately as it will go a long way in helping you sell your home. It is wise and even recommended that the furniture you are planning on replacing after you move, be replaced immediately. It's time to go shopping! Yes it may be a hassle to buy it all now and then move it once the house is sold but remember that if buyers are not making offers because the house doesn't appeal to then, you may never be buying all this furniture, whereas buyers will be more likely to make an offer on a house they see themselves living in. Although they will not be buying your furniture, it is the overall look of the house that has to speak to the buyer. You need to guide their imagination and show them how nice it can be.

Although you are planning to move, you may not be planning on purchasing new furniture. After all, why throw away such good comfortable furniture that has already been broken into. There is also a simple solution for that. Slip covers for sofas, love seats and armchairs are a fantastic and inexpensive way to breathe new life into your dated living room set. For the bedrooms, whenever possible remove any headboards with a dated took and use fresh modern linen to dress your beds. Set the dining table with modern plates and a bright centerpiece to attract attention away from the older table. Re-upholster chairs for a fresh modern look. If your rooms are over flowing with furniture, it will be important to get some of it out of the house and arrange to store it until your house is sold.

Last but not least, you can use decorative items and accessories to attract the buyer's attention and tone down the dated look. Bright, bold and contrasting colors tend to attract the eye. The buyer will be focused on the colorful item and will probably be less likely to notice the dated decor. The most important accessories you can modernize are your window coverings. They are a dead giveaway and no matter how expensive and chic they are, if they are from another time, it will be a turnoff to the modern buyer. Other examples of using accessories to deter attention can be a contrasting colored throw placed on an older couch, which will catch the buyer's eye. The same is true for an old dresser. You can easily invest in a colorful, modern vase to offset the age of the dresser. Adding art to your walls will also have the same effect. The idea is to tone down the older furniture by enhancing it with modern accessories.

In the end, you do not have to buy or rent new furniture to stage your house. You simply need to give buyers what they are looking for and if that is a modern look and feel, there are ways of doing it without spending thousands on furniture you don't necessarily like. If you are going to be changing your furniture, by all means, buy it and stage your house with it. It will go a long way. If this purchase is not part of your plan or your budget, you can use re-upholstering as an effective alternative to bring your old items into the twenty first century. alternately, you can also use modern decorative accessories to give your buyers the impression of a modernized look. The options are plenty and the more modern the look, the more likely you are to sell quickly.

Modern Furniture: A Staging Must!   

Save Dinero With These Pro Staging Tips

I'm not sure if I told you yet, but a HUGE thing for me is how to stage a house on a budget. Staging can be an investment, but I get a sense from my clients that they or their friends and family watch HGTV--which I love, by the way!--and have a reality TV image of staging and stagers and not a realistic one. I have actually saved my staging clients money, time and energy because they were under the false assumption that when staging a house, they needed to do work or make changes that just weren't necessary. Not to mention how much cash they saved by getting their house on and off the market superfast!

As a Stager, I do my best to understand who your target buyer is, what your strengths and weaknesses are in the market, to work with what you have all while being as minimally invasive to your house as possible. Here are some true tricks of the staging trade that can really help you save money and stage a house like a pro!

Don't Paint Trim

If your trim is in good condition or only slightly warn, save yourself time and money but only painting walls if necessary. If there are a few chips here and there in your white trim, good old fashioned whiteout (that's from the typewriter days, kids!) is great for touching up.

Don't Refinish Hardwoods

Hardwoods are a HUGE selling point even if they are not in the best shape. Giving them a good cleaning and minor touch ups with stain are all that you may need.

Don't Buy New Furniture

I had a client that lived in a house that had last been decorated in 1984. To say there was tons o' formica and polished brass is an understatement! The house had been on the market 3 times with no offers so the seller thought that she would need to buy new furniture to update the look of the house. I completely disagreed with her and we worked with her 80's finery adding updated artwork and accessories. After we staged the house for a quick sell, the house sold in under 3 weeks with a bidding war! The seller saved on both ends of the selling equation--nice!

Don't Replace Outdated Appliances

If your appliances are in good condition and look OK, don't update them with thee newest, stainless steel variety. When we moved into our house, one of the selling points to me was that I got to put in exactly what appliances I wanted to rather than paying for what someone else had put in. If they are worn, or old, ignore this advice and head to Lowe's immediately!

Don't Automatically Update Outdated Lighting

When you start getting into changing light fixtures, it can totally put you into more work than you think. You never know what you are going to find when you take down a fixture so a lot of times it is just best to work with what you have and update the look of everything around the room so that the outdated fixture isn't the only focal point. Spray paint is also a wonderful thing and now that it comes in metal finishes, you can really take a dated fixture into the new millennium easily and inexpensively. One big exception to this rule--If you live in a luxury home/community and you still have builder's grade fixtures on your first floor and the "first impression" rooms, change them out! It will totally be worth it!

Don't Change Out All of Your Brass

A quick fix for polished brass is Brass and Bronze Aging Solution. For under $10 you can update your bathroom fixtures and with way less hassle

Modern Furniture: A Staging Must!   

Save Dinero With These Pro Staging Tips

I'm not sure if I told you yet, but a HUGE thing for me is how to stage a house on a budget. Staging can be an investment, but I get a sense from my clients that they or their friends and family watch HGTV--which I love, by the way!--and have a reality TV image of staging and stagers and not a realistic one. I have actually saved my staging clients money, time and energy because they were under the false assumption that when staging a house, they needed to do work or make changes that just weren't necessary. Not to mention how much cash they saved by getting their house on and off the market superfast!

As a Stager, I do my best to understand who your target buyer is, what your strengths and weaknesses are in the market, to work with what you have all while being as minimally invasive to your house as possible. Here are some true tricks of the staging trade that can really help you save money and stage a house like a pro!

Don't Paint Trim

If your trim is in good condition or only slightly warn, save yourself time and money but only painting walls if necessary. If there are a few chips here and there in your white trim, good old fashioned whiteout (that's from the typewriter days, kids!) is great for touching up.

Don't Refinish Hardwoods

Hardwoods are a HUGE selling point even if they are not in the best shape. Giving them a good cleaning and minor touch ups with stain are all that you may need.

Don't Buy New Furniture

I had a client that lived in a house that had last been decorated in 1984. To say there was tons o' formica and polished brass is an understatement! The house had been on the market 3 times with no offers so the seller thought that she would need to buy new furniture to update the look of the house. I completely disagreed with her and we worked with her 80's finery adding updated artwork and accessories. After we staged the house for a quick sell, the house sold in under 3 weeks with a bidding war! The seller saved on both ends of the selling equation--nice!

Don't Replace Outdated Appliances

If your appliances are in good condition and look OK, don't update them with thee newest, stainless steel variety. When we moved into our house, one of the selling points to me was that I got to put in exactly what appliances I wanted to rather than paying for what someone else had put in. If they are worn, or old, ignore this advice and head to Lowe's immediately!

Don't Automatically Update Outdated Lighting

When you start getting into changing light fixtures, it can totally put you into more work than you think. You never know what you are going to find when you take down a fixture so a lot of times it is just best to work with what you have and update the look of everything around the room so that the outdated fixture isn't the only focal point. Spray paint is also a wonderful thing and now that it comes in metal finishes, you can really take a dated fixture into the new millennium easily and inexpensively. One big exception to this rule--If you live in a luxury home/community and you still have builder's grade fixtures on your first floor and the "first impression" rooms, change them out! It will totally be worth it!

Don't Change Out All of Your Brass

A quick fix for polished brass is Brass and Bronze Aging Solution. For under $10 you can update your bathroom fixtures and with way less hassle

Modern Furniture: A Staging Must!   

Save Dinero With These Pro Staging Tips

I'm not sure if I told you yet, but a HUGE thing for me is how to stage a house on a budget. Staging can be an investment, but I get a sense from my clients that they or their friends and family watch HGTV--which I love, by the way!--and have a reality TV image of staging and stagers and not a realistic one. I have actually saved my staging clients money, time and energy because they were under the false assumption that when staging a house, they needed to do work or make changes that just weren't necessary. Not to mention how much cash they saved by getting their house on and off the market superfast!

As a Stager, I do my best to understand who your target buyer is, what your strengths and weaknesses are in the market, to work with what you have all while being as minimally invasive to your house as possible. Here are some true tricks of the staging trade that can really help you save money and stage a house like a pro!

Don't Paint Trim

If your trim is in good condition or only slightly warn, save yourself time and money but only painting walls if necessary. If there are a few chips here and there in your white trim, good old fashioned whiteout (that's from the typewriter days, kids!) is great for touching up.

Don't Refinish Hardwoods

Hardwoods are a HUGE selling point even if they are not in the best shape. Giving them a good cleaning and minor touch ups with stain are all that you may need.

Don't Buy New Furniture

I had a client that lived in a house that had last been decorated in 1984. To say there was tons o' formica and polished brass is an understatement! The house had been on the market 3 times with no offers so the seller thought that she would need to buy new furniture to update the look of the house. I completely disagreed with her and we worked with her 80's finery adding updated artwork and accessories. After we staged the house for a quick sell, the house sold in under 3 weeks with a bidding war! The seller saved on both ends of the selling equation--nice!

Don't Replace Outdated Appliances

If your appliances are in good condition and look OK, don't update them with thee newest, stainless steel variety. When we moved into our house, one of the selling points to me was that I got to put in exactly what appliances I wanted to rather than paying for what someone else had put in. If they are worn, or old, ignore this advice and head to Lowe's immediately!

Don't Automatically Update Outdated Lighting

When you start getting into changing light fixtures, it can totally put you into more work than you think. You never know what you are going to find when you take down a fixture so a lot of times it is just best to work with what you have and update the look of everything around the room so that the outdated fixture isn't the only focal point. Spray paint is also a wonderful thing and now that it comes in metal finishes, you can really take a dated fixture into the new millennium easily and inexpensively. One big exception to this rule--If you live in a luxury home/community and you still have builder's grade fixtures on your first floor and the "first impression" rooms, change them out! It will totally be worth it!

Don't Change Out All of Your Brass

A quick fix for polished brass is Brass and Bronze Aging Solution. For under $10 you can update your bathroom fixtures and with way less hassle

Modern Furniture: A Staging Must!   

Save Dinero With These Pro Staging Tips

I'm not sure if I told you yet, but a HUGE thing for me is how to stage a house on a budget. Staging can be an investment, but I get a sense from my clients that they or their friends and family watch HGTV--which I love, by the way!--and have a reality TV image of staging and stagers and not a realistic one. I have actually saved my staging clients money, time and energy because they were under the false assumption that when staging a house, they needed to do work or make changes that just weren't necessary. Not to mention how much cash they saved by getting their house on and off the market superfast!

As a Stager, I do my best to understand who your target buyer is, what your strengths and weaknesses are in the market, to work with what you have all while being as minimally invasive to your house as possible. Here are some true tricks of the staging trade that can really help you save money and stage a house like a pro!

Don't Paint Trim

If your trim is in good condition or only slightly warn, save yourself time and money but only painting walls if necessary. If there are a few chips here and there in your white trim, good old fashioned whiteout (that's from the typewriter days, kids!) is great for touching up.

Don't Refinish Hardwoods

Hardwoods are a HUGE selling point even if they are not in the best shape. Giving them a good cleaning and minor touch ups with stain are all that you may need.

Don't Buy New Furniture

I had a client that lived in a house that had last been decorated in 1984. To say there was tons o' formica and polished brass is an understatement! The house had been on the market 3 times with no offers so the seller thought that she would need to buy new furniture to update the look of the house. I completely disagreed with her and we worked with her 80's finery adding updated artwork and accessories. After we staged the house for a quick sell, the house sold in under 3 weeks with a bidding war! The seller saved on both ends of the selling equation--nice!

Don't Replace Outdated Appliances

If your appliances are in good condition and look OK, don't update them with thee newest, stainless steel variety. When we moved into our house, one of the selling points to me was that I got to put in exactly what appliances I wanted to rather than paying for what someone else had put in. If they are worn, or old, ignore this advice and head to Lowe's immediately!

Don't Automatically Update Outdated Lighting

When you start getting into changing light fixtures, it can totally put you into more work than you think. You never know what you are going to find when you take down a fixture so a lot of times it is just best to work with what you have and update the look of everything around the room so that the outdated fixture isn't the only focal point. Spray paint is also a wonderful thing and now that it comes in metal finishes, you can really take a dated fixture into the new millennium easily and inexpensively. One big exception to this rule--If you live in a luxury home/community and you still have builder's grade fixtures on your first floor and the "first impression" rooms, change them out! It will totally be worth it!

Don't Change Out All of Your Brass

A quick fix for polished brass is Brass and Bronze Aging Solution. For under $10 you can update your bathroom fixtures and with way less hassle

Modern Furniture: A Staging Must!   

Save Dinero With These Pro Staging Tips

I'm not sure if I told you yet, but a HUGE thing for me is how to stage a house on a budget. Staging can be an investment, but I get a sense from my clients that they or their friends and family watch HGTV--which I love, by the way!--and have a reality TV image of staging and stagers and not a realistic one. I have actually saved my staging clients money, time and energy because they were under the false assumption that when staging a house, they needed to do work or make changes that just weren't necessary. Not to mention how much cash they saved by getting their house on and off the market superfast!

As a Stager, I do my best to understand who your target buyer is, what your strengths and weaknesses are in the market, to work with what you have all while being as minimally invasive to your house as possible. Here are some true tricks of the staging trade that can really help you save money and stage a house like a pro!

Don't Paint Trim

If your trim is in good condition or only slightly warn, save yourself time and money but only painting walls if necessary. If there are a few chips here and there in your white trim, good old fashioned whiteout (that's from the typewriter days, kids!) is great for touching up.

Don't Refinish Hardwoods

Hardwoods are a HUGE selling point even if they are not in the best shape. Giving them a good cleaning and minor touch ups with stain are all that you may need.

Don't Buy New Furniture

I had a client that lived in a house that had last been decorated in 1984. To say there was tons o' formica and polished brass is an understatement! The house had been on the market 3 times with no offers so the seller thought that she would need to buy new furniture to update the look of the house. I completely disagreed with her and we worked with her 80's finery adding updated artwork and accessories. After we staged the house for a quick sell, the house sold in under 3 weeks with a bidding war! The seller saved on both ends of the selling equation--nice!

Don't Replace Outdated Appliances

If your appliances are in good condition and look OK, don't update them with thee newest, stainless steel variety. When we moved into our house, one of the selling points to me was that I got to put in exactly what appliances I wanted to rather than paying for what someone else had put in. If they are worn, or old, ignore this advice and head to Lowe's immediately!

Don't Automatically Update Outdated Lighting

When you start getting into changing light fixtures, it can totally put you into more work than you think. You never know what you are going to find when you take down a fixture so a lot of times it is just best to work with what you have and update the look of everything around the room so that the outdated fixture isn't the only focal point. Spray paint is also a wonderful thing and now that it comes in metal finishes, you can really take a dated fixture into the new millennium easily and inexpensively. One big exception to this rule--If you live in a luxury home/community and you still have builder's grade fixtures on your first floor and the "first impression" rooms, change them out! It will totally be worth it!

Don't Change Out All of Your Brass

A quick fix for polished brass is Brass and Bronze Aging Solution. For under $10 you can update your bathroom fixtures and with way less hassle

Modern Furniture: A Staging Must!