Staging New Hampshire

 

Preparing your home for sale? 

You are not alone, many New Hampshire Seacoast homeowners are hoping to find a buyer, and your house has plenty of competition on the market.  To guarantee you make the best impression on buyers, I suggest you keep in mind that "sensory" appeal is just as important as "curb" appeal.

 SIGHT

The visual appearance of a house prompts potential buyers more than any other factor.

Once homeowners step inside, they decide almost immediately whether or not they want to buy. It is essential that their first impression be a positive one. The entryway should be spotless, clutter free and welcome them with a feeling of home.

Clean or freshly painted walls and spotlessly clean or brand new carpeting are a must. Hardwood floors must be in excellent condition. Floor tile should be a light neutral color, in excellent condition.

Throughout the house, furniture must be arranged to show space and function and at the same time guide the eye toward positive features of the house and away from the negative.

 

Light is the second most quoted reason for choosing a home.

 Make sure all lights work and, where necessary, replace light bulbs with a higher wattage. Replace dark or worn lampshades with new, sheer or white shades.

Paint walls and dark woodwork in light, neutral paint.

Replace heavy, dark window treatments with lighter sheer curtains. Clean all windows inside and out so that the sun can shine in.  

SCENT     

Nothing will turn away a potential buyer faster than an unpleasant smell.

Welcome buyers and make them feel comfortable by greeting them with a pleasant aroma.   A few drops of vanilla warmed in the oven yields the same result as baked cookies, triggering a comfort response. 

Remove litter boxes. Keep trash can clean at all times. Open windows before a showing when possible.

A word of caution:  be careful with the use of scented candles and air fresheners.  Over use can cause buyers to suspect you are trying to mask an offesnsive odor.   Also, many people have allergies to scented products.

 

Be sure to keep laundry room clutter free and keep all dirty laundry inside machine.

An excess of dirty clothing allowed to pile up can be the source of a very unappealing smell.

 

 

 

 

TOUCH

Texture, added throughout the house, is appealing to the eye and to the touch and will add an element of style which translates into perceived value.

Help buyers feel comfortable and at home by keeping the temperature warm in the winter and cool in the summer.

SOUND

Creaking floors, dripping faucets, and noisy heating systems could be a cause for concern to a buyer.

Neighborhood noises such as traffic and barking dogs can be distracting. Playing soft jazz or classical music can help the home feel more relaxing and help buyers to concentrate on positive features.

 Buyers' perceived value of your home is based on the reaction of their senses.

 

       

Here is valuable information for home sellers in New Hampshire to consider when choosing a Realtor or when considering professional home staging. 

I thought it was important to re blog the following post for the New Hampshire sellers who may not be aware of the importance of high-level Internet marketing.  It is more important than ever to have your house professionally prepared for sale and listed with an agent who has an extensive Internet presence.

Today's sellers are very familiar with the terms declutter and depersonalize.  They know what needs to be done to prepare their house for sale.   What most sellers don't know is how to actually do what needs to be done. 

• What is considered "clutter" and what is decorative?
• What exactly is "personal" and should be removed?
• What colors are neutral and what colors are too vanilla?
• What furniture works best to showcase each room?
• What is "dated" and how do you update?

 

 

When confronted with the generalized tasks of "decluttering, updating, and cleaning" an entire house, many sellers become overwhelmed. 

Years of accumulation can seem impossible to manage.

 

 

 

What sellers need is someone to come in and not just tell them what needs to be done, but exactly how to do it.  People need guidance, direction, a means to an end...and when they have that info, they are empowered.  It restores their sense of control over the situation.

 A home staging consult will take what was once overwhelming and make it totally manageable, reducing a great part of the stress of selling a house.   For many, it wasn't that they couldn't physically do it, it was that they didn't know what needed to be done or where to begin. 

When given an itemized to-do list of improvements, specific tasks to perform, sellers become inspired, energized, and engaged.  They approach the list with enthusiasm and when completed feel a great sense of pride in their accomplishment.

Pretty much anybody you ask can tell you what you need to do to prepare a house for sale...HGTV has made everyone a master of home design.  You would have to be living under a rock not to know that you have to "declutter" to sell. 

My advice:  Don't ask just anybody their opinion on preparing your house for the market.  Ask a professional home stager to show you how to prepare your house.  It will save you money, time, and so much frustration.

 

 

In a recent post I included a picture of myself on TV and Cynthia Bartch commented asking how I made the graphic.  I thought maybe I should do another post to pass on the great site that I used for not only that graphic but many others.

The site is Photofunia.  It is free.  It is very easy to use.  It is a lot of fun and the results are very impressive.  Click on Select Effect, upload your photo, and you can be on a billboard or magazine cover...instant celebrity!

Here are some samples of pictures I have created using Photofunia:

Take the creative process one step further, and after creating your Photofunia photo, take the new photo to Picnik and add text.  My husband makes wine, and we needed a label for a bottle I was bringing to my niece's wedding shower.  Using a picture of Melissa and Josh, I created this for the label:

The possibilities are endless...I would love to see what creative ideas you have for this program.   Please share your photo creations in the comment section.

             

 

One of my favorite "healthy" meals is turkey stir fry with rice.  Instead of a traditional stir fry where all the veggies are cooked in the skillet, I steam the veggies for a healthier version. 

 

 

 

It may take a little time for prep, and it may seem like a lot of work, but it is best to use fresh ingredients, when available. 

 It really is a fairly easy recipe. 

 

 GINGER TURKEY STIR FRY

Rice  (your choice)

Broccoli  2 crowns

1 medium Zuchinni

1 medium Summer Squash

Asparagus 1 bunch

3 Carrots (peeled and sliced thin)

2 Tbsp. Olive Oil

1 medium Onion (sliced)   

1 Package Mushrooms  12 ounces (sliced)

1 Package Turkey Cutlets  1 lb.

1 Tbsp grated Fresh Ginger  

2 Tbsp. Tamari (or soy sauce)

Half bag Fresh Spinach

Cook rice.  Use whatever kind of rice you prefer.   I like Long Grain Basmati brown rice.  I use a steamer - 1 C Rice and 1 1/4 C Water in steamer for 60 minutes. 

 

 

Cut the broccoli, squash, and asparagus into bite size pieces. 

 Peel the carrots and slice thin.

Steam all veggies except onion and mushrooms until tender. 

 

 

My steamer is two tier, so I set the rice to cook for 6o minutes on the bottom, and when there is about 15 minutes left I add the top tier with the veggies.

 

While the rice and/or veggies are cooking,

 

 

Heat oil in large skillet over medium high heat and saute onions and mushrooms until onions are clear. 

 

 Remove from pan and set aside.

 

 

 

 

Cut turkey cutlets into bite size pieces.

 

 

 

 

Add a little more olive oil to the skillet and add turkey.  Cook until browned all all sides.

 

 Return onions and mushrooms to skillet and mix together with turkey.

 

 Add ginger and tamari.  Lower heat to Low and continue to cook for about ten minutes, or until meat is cooked through.

 

 

Add Spinach to pan and stir.  Simmer on Low until spinch wilts. This will only take a few minutes. 

  

Add steamed veggies to the pan and combine with meat and spinach.

    Serve over rice.

Serves 3-4

 

 

I don't think I've had a staging job yet that hasn't involved dealing with cordless phones, cell phones and phone chargers on the counter or nightstand.  Everyone has them and most people don't want to live with the inconvenience of relocating them while their house is on the market.

I have found that you can hide these items quite easily by housing them in a decorative "breadbox" type container. 

 

 

 

 By drilling a hole in the back of the container, for the cords, the chargers can live inside the box. 

 

 

 I use one such box in my own pantry closet and the cordless phone sits on top of it. 

All of the ugly wires and cell phone chargers are hidden inside and they are still easily accessible.

For home staging, I suggest the phone be kept inside for an even cleaner look. 

I was inspired to share this idea when I read a recent post by Michelle Molinari.  Michelle uses beautiful boxes and containers as "crap traps" to hide the junk that accumulates on kitchen counters. 

By taking Michelle's idea one step further and drilling a hole in the back, you can also eliminate phones and other techno "crap" like ipods...anything with a cord or charger can be hidden from view and still have access to an outlet. 

 

 

This morning I heard about a business, here in Portsmouth, that I think deserves some attention.  Yoga By Donation is the new name of what used to be Ocean Spirit Yoga, located over Portsmouth Health Food Store, on Congress Street.  What makes this yoga studio different is that it is operated purely on donations.  It is owner Bob Vaccaro's way of making yoga available to those who otherwise could not afford it.

Their mission is simple: to provide a full schedule of quality yoga classes in an exceptional setting for people of all levels of physical and financial ability. 

There are no set or even suggested fees.  All donations can be anonymous and all are appreciated.  Beginners and drop-ins are welcome at all 25 of their regularly-scheduled multi-level classes. 

After payment of the monthly  studio expenses, the remaining money received in donations will be divided up between the eight instructors.  If there is not enough money to pay the expenses, Bob will pay the difference and the instructors will not be paid.  That is the agreement the instructors have made.

Obviously, these instructors have a passion for yoga.  I think it is commendable that they are willing to risk working for free by making this commitment.   

With so many people having to cut back and give up things to make ends meet, it is nice to know that the health benefits of yoga don't have to be sacrificed.

Here's to a successful and prosperous year ahead for Bob and his instructors!

I wonder if this could work for Home Staging.  Or Realtors, can you imagine getting paid solely by donation for your real estate work? 

 

              

Ready for some savings?  Today only you can save at some of our (home stagers) favorite stores!

Did you know today is Customer Appreciation Day at all TJX Stores including T.J. Maxx,  Marshalls, Homegoods, and A.J. Wright.

That means 15% off your ENTIRE purchase.  Discount is good on in-store purchases only and does not apply to gift cards or layaway purchases.  Every little bit helps and depending on what you purchase...this could amount to a decent savings.

What are you waiting for?  Get out there and shop til you drop!