Tom Kelly: Home staging basics for guys

I mentioned “home staging” to a single dad who asked
about selling his home this spring. The rest of the men in
the group looked at me as if I were from Mars.

“That’s great for the high rollers – the white wine and
brie set,” one of them said. “But what about people who
serve hamburgers and beer and not watercress sandwiches?”

Home staging is not reserved for the rich – or for
creative women. In fact, cleaning and clearing clutter are
the two primary items on Pam Christensen’s Inexpensive
Staging Tips list for any market. And, guys, it doesn’t
take a genius woman to help you through the other tips on
the list.

Christensen, founder and owner of Seattle-based Staging
for Charisma, LLC, said guys often forget that they are
selling their space, not their stuff. A guest on Sunday’s
“Real Estate Today,” Christensen offered several
helpful tips.

“There are some staging tips that apply no matter where
you live,” said Christensen, a licensed real estate
instructor, and a certified staging trainer. “Some tips
apply more if you are living on the East Coast than on the
West Coast. We in the Pacific Northwest have a unique
climate and culture – just think of the commercials,
Sandals and Socks Guy and 50 Degrees Shirts Off Guy.”

Guys, if you’re thinking of selling your house or condo
in April or May, now is the time to prepare your home for
sale. Why now? Well it’s the traditional selling season
which means that in most communities, recorded residence
transfers are at a peak during June and July. Most of
those sales are actually made 30 to 60 days earlier, and
it takes time to complete the transaction. Think about the
academic year. Many deals are made when the kids are in
school and moves are made when they get out.

What’s the best way to make a deal happen? A fresh coat
of paint, inside and outside, will do wonders to make your
residence show its best and make buyers want to purchase
it. If your home looks tired, prospective buyers either
won’t make a purchase offer or they will highly discount
it to allow for the fix-up costs, especially painting.
Most buyers want to purchase a residence in model home
condition, so all they have to do is turn the key in the
front door and move in.

“White is out, designer neutrals are in,” Christensen
said. “So what the heck is a designer neutral? Beige, but
if you’re not careful, that beautiful beige that looked so
fabulous on the brochure could look pink on your wall.
Warm beiges like Sherwin Williams Practical Beige, and
Kilim Beige are some of my favorites.”

Christensen’s other cheap staging tips:
Curb appeal is not dead – OK, nine times
out of 10, the first impression of the home is the
Internet, but that doesn’t mean that curb appeal is out of
vogue. The contrast between the chocolate brown bark and
the bright green grass makes a striking first impression.

How to get rid of it – It’s time to
give away the purple cookie jar that you got from Aunt
Mary for your 18th birthday, and anything else that you
have been saving just in case you might need it someday.
Divide everything into three stacks: the purple cookie jar
and other things that you never use go directly to the
garage sale or Goodwill. The second stack is the things
you use but rarely or they are seasonal and you won’t need
them while you are on the market. These are packed and
stored. What’s left can go back into the closets. Will
people really look in the closets? Only if they want to
buy the home.

Counter patrol – Small appliances like
toasters can go into a cupboard. If you have an espresso
machine and a coffee pot, choose which one you use the
most and tuck the other away.

Bathroom essentials – Buy a plastic
tote for your toiletries, that can come out in the morning
and evening and be easily tucked under the sink during the
day. Keep no more than one shampoo, one conditioner and
one liquid soap in the tub or shower. And what about that
shower curtain? Open or closed? If you have just invested
in a new tile tub surround, leave the shower curtain open
to show it off.

Say welcome home – Buy a new, tasteful
welcome mat for the front entry. It’s best if it says
“welcome.” Adding a pot of blooming annuals by the front
door if there’s space also creates a friendly atmosphere.

Mirror, mirror on the wall – Place one
in the entry or in one of the main living rooms. Mirrors
help buyers see themselves in the home. They also help to
make the room look larger and lighter. Check the
reflection. Make sure you aren’t reflecting a view that is
less than attractive.
Less is more – You’ve heard it before, but it is really
true. When staging a room in a home for sale, a few well
placed pieces of furniture are all that’s needed to show
the room at its best.

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