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A HOME STAGER'S FAVORITE STAGING TIPS

Ann Alderson's Staging Blog — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 19:30:33 GMT

A clean kitchen goes a long way in making your home feel more organized. Decide that you will always have a dish-free sink and that clean feeling will spill over to the rest of the house.

Make yourself look organized, even if you aren't. Remove all items smaller than a cantaloupe from kitchen counters and shelves.

When in doubt, use white in the bathroom; white towels, white shower curtain. It spells CLEAN, plus, it matches the toilet.

Just because your vanity is a catchall for makeup doesn't mean it can't look put-together. Place a platter on top and fill it with seldom-seen china pieces, like a sugar bowl and a creamer that can hold cotton balls, nail files, and brushes.

Light a candle. Everything looks better (and cleaner) by candlelight.

When it comes to organizing accessories, three is the magic number. And rather then setting your trio of accessories in a row, imagine a triangle and place one object at each point.

Do not fear the dimmer! One of the best things you can do is to add a dimmer switch to every single light in the house. The ability to soften or brighten the light allows you to totally change the appearance of the room. They're not expensive and it makes a huge difference.

The #1 mistake people make in the living room is using an area rug that's too small. Remember that all of the furniture should comfortably sit on the carpet. If space doesn't allow it, make sure at least the front legs of any large upholstered pieces are on the rug. Sisal rugs have become the jeans of home decor. And you can afford them.

Your living room should seat at least as many as your dining room--go with a combo of stationary and pull-up options so no guest is ever left standing.

Mirrors can be displayed in every room of the house (but not opposite the front door). My favorite spot is the entryway. Entries can be great places for mirrors because they create ann opportunity for creative lighting, art and reflectivity.

There you have it, my favorite staging tips. If you have one you'd like to share, please post a comment.

Staging South Tampa offers expert home staging, room re-designs and color consultations in the Tampa Bay area.

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Home Staging Smart Tips

Ann Alderson's Staging Blog — Tue, 23 Aug 2011 19:21:38 GMT

Don't rush to put the house on the market before it's presentable. Selling a property requires strategic thinking. First, identify the competition, and then make your house look better than the others on the market.

Take Your Personality out of the Home

Just because you love your home it does not mean everyone else will. Make sure your property appeals to the broadest buying public, which means neutralize. If the color palette or decorating style is too far out, people will be put off by the "personality" of the home, and it will be difficult for them to visualize themselves and their own belongings in the house.

Closets and Pantries

If your closets and pantries are cluttered, edit each storage space of excess or seasonal items to make sure the viewers can see the space. Crammed space gives viewers the perception that there is not enough storage space and that the house is bursting at the seams.

Furnishings

If the furnishings are too big or there are too many for the space, edit, edit, edit. The corners of the room need to be seen. Remove extra or oversized plants, fans, gym equipment, chairs and tables. Ask yourself, "What's for sale, the house or my stuff?"

Nothing Beats a Clean House

"Clean" means different things to different people. It may be common sense to some, but the best way to maintain the value of your single largest investment is to follow a regular cleaning schedule. When your house is on the market, it has to be clean and ready for showing every minute of the day.

Pets

You love your pets so everyone else will, right? Wrong! Some potential buyers are really adverse to animals of any kind, and that means any evidence of pets will deter them from the property. Have your home professional cleaned, including the carpets. If you have pets, vacuum daily to keep the hair under control and crate them or remove them from the property while it is being shown.

Keep it Real

Don't hide damage to flooring, countertops, walls or other permanent fixtures. Reveal, never conceal, problems areas, and be sure to reflect any deficiencies and necessary repairs in the list price.

Storage

Don't designate a bedroom as a storage room. Potential buyers will want to know exactly how many bedroom are available, and using a bedroom for storage will affect the perception of the house (not in a good way). Use the garage or even better, off-site storage.

Increase Equity in Your House

Don't leave dated or worn fixtures for the next owner to replace. The best way to increase equity in your house is to implement upgrades. The simplest and least costly upgrades include light fixtures, tap and faucets, door and cabinet hardware, and curtains and window treatments.

Care and attention to details will impress potential buyers, and, if the house is "move-in ready," that means less work for them and a better offer for you.

Staging South Tampa offers home staging consultations (staging to sell), room re-designs (one-day decorating), new home move-in assistance (staging to live), vacant home staging and color consultations.

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How to Stage a Short Sale Home for Pennies

Ann Alderson's Staging Blog — Mon, 16 May 2011 19:25:00 GMT

Sellers of short sale homes generally will receive higher offers if they stage those short sales before putting them on the market. But if a homeowner is facing financial hardship, it could be next to impossible to pour money into a home when all the owner wants is out.

This blog shares with you how a seller can stage a short sale home without spending a fortune.

Curb appeal isn't just a fancy phrase created to boost landscapers' incomes. It's a crucial first impression. Be sure trash cans, toys and bikes are put away, house numbers are attractive and easy to see, the front door is inviting (because you've repainted it and perhaps updated the hardware), and that you have attractive potted plants by the door. Yellow sells, so fill the pots with beautiful yellow flowering plants. I also recommend purchasing a new coir door mat.

De-cluttering: Every item needs a place where it "lives." Where do your keys live? They live on the entryway console by the front door, not on the kitchen counter. Shoes live in closets. Paperwork lives in desks. There are enough things that you can't control, but you can bring some order into your home, and that doesn't cost a dime.

Get the kids on board: After you tell the children you are moving you need to let them know their rooms are going to need to be cleaned and half their stuff packed up temporarily so people can look at the house. One way to get children on board is to offer them a reward to be received when the house sells and the family moves into the new home. Next, have them help you pack their toys in a big box that is labeled, "To Be Opened FIRST In The New House!"

Clean like there is no tomorrow: It goes without saying that the house should be squeaky clean and odor-free. If there is carpeting in the house, rent a steam cleaner to remove the stains (every carpet has them). You don't need to advertise that pets live in the house. Pick up pet toys, remove all pet hair, and put away food and water bowls during Open House. Vacuum every day.

Staging tips: Go ahead and select new bedding as a treat for the kids and parents, and make all the beds every day. Replace tired towels in the bathrooms with fluffy white towels. Add decorative pillows to sofas and chairs. Make sure the dining room table is centered under the light fixture. Make sure all lamp shades and picture frames hang level. All toilet lids should be in the down position. Straighten all furniture, plump all cushions, empty all trash cans.

Plan for the Home Inspection: The last thing you want to do is give Buyers a "To Do List" before they move in. Do everything you can to get the house in good condition before you attempt to sell it. On average, there are 35 to 55 items per home that home inspectors feel need repaired. The bulk of these are simple corrections that can and should be addressed before a buyer sees the house. For instance, a home inspector will check caulking around sinks, bathtubs and showers. If it doesn't look brand new, replace it. These simple repairs run from $300 to $500 to correct. However, the buyers often view needed repairs as being a $2,000 headache.

Preparing a house for sale is a journey. I ask my clients to picture themselves handing over their keys and envelopes containing appliance warranties to the new owners. Don't look backwards--look toward the future. It is always my privilege to help people move on with their lives.

Ann Alderson is a professional home stager and home selling strategist in the Tampa Bay area.

Follow her on Facebook at http://facebook.com/stagingsouthtampa.

How to Hold a Successful Open House

Ann Alderson's Staging Blog — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 18:37:00 GMT

Open houses. The professional real estate community appears split on whether it's a good idea to hold open a house for sale; although I don't really understand the negative thoughts. Why would an agent want to restrict market exposure for a listing?

Common sense says it's smart to expose your home to the largest number of buyers, and getting buyers inside to preview a home is a huge hurdle to jump. The successful real estate agents I know report that at least 20% of their sales, or one in five homes, sell through an open house.

Hosting a Successful Open House

Assuming your home is presentable, spotless from top to bottom, priced correctly and located in a high traffic area, here are tips to improve the odds your house will sell at an open:

1. Advertise online (newspapers are a waste of money). Write colorful, descriptive ads and place them in web classified and open house directories. Post Internet listings everywhere (including Craig's List).

2. Map your Open House signs. Attach a string of balloons to each Open House sign. Find the busiest intersection closest to your home and put an Open House sign at that corner. The arrows should point buyers in the right direction. Place a sign every few blocks until you end up at your house.

3. Remove all vehicles from the driveway. Ask your neighbors to help out by not parking in front of your house (and while you're at it, invite them to the Open House).

4. Open all the drapes, blinds and window coverings -- let that light in.

5. Do not put spices on the stove to simmer without offering cookies, and do NOT use an air freshener because many people are allergic to synthetic odors.

6. Turn on every light in the house, except lights that produce noise from an exhaust fans without separate on/off switches.

7. Turn on soft music on every floor to help set a mood.

8. Have available four-color flyers filled with quality photos and reasons for a buyer to buy your home.

9. Put out flyers that contain financing options so buyers can readily determine their monthly mortgage payment.

10. Serve refreshments, snacks and bottled water. They'll thank you.

Finally, ask for feedback. Buyer feedback is essential. Without it, home sellers won't know what they are doing right and what could be improved on. Because after all, it doesn't really matter what the seller thinks. It's the buyer's opinion that matter.

DIY home staging can be fun and rewarding, especially when you get your house sold faster than your competition, but be sure to consult with a professional home stager if you are not absolutely sure that your home looks ready to sell.

Ann Alderson is a Professional Home Stager and Home Selling Strategist in the Tampa Bay area. Join her on Facebook at http://facebook.com/stagingsouthtampa and follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/annalderson

Credit for this post goes to Elizabeth Weintraub. Check out her awesome blog at: http://homebuying.about.com/?nl=1

Quick and Easy Decorating Ideas for Home Staging

Ann Alderson's Staging Blog — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 19:51:00 GMT

We all wish we could give our homes an overhaul and completely stage our homes when selling, but most of us either can't afford it or don't want to deal with the hassles. Fortunately, there are small changes we can all do that make a big difference. Best of all, these decorating ideas for home staging can be done for very little money.

Hardware

Hardware is like jewelry. Whether it's on cabinets, furniture or large doors, hardware can have a big impact. Changing an outdated knob to something more decorative can instantly change the look of the room. While you're at it, install new light switch plates for a similar effect.

Lampshades

People tend to give a lot of thought to the lamps they put in their rooms, but not to the shades. Just because a particular shades comes with a lamp it doesn't mean that it's necessarily the best one. To give your room a quick update, change the shape or color of your lampshades.

Paint

Nothing says "easy update" like paint. Paint an entire room, an accent wall, kitchen and bathroom cabinets or a piece of furniture. Paint has the power to instantly transform items. Best of all, it's inexpensive and easy to do. Using white-painted furniture is a tried and true tactic for freshening a room, but don't forget its opposite. A coat of satiny black paint can revive tired furnishings and lend a chic, dramatic flair to just about any space. Painting an old piece black immediately updates it.

Reupholster

Reupholstering a sofa or large chair can be costly, but recovering chair seats can be done on a budget. Try recovering your dining room chair seats. A bold pattern or color can make a great focal point. You can also purchase affordable slipcovers for the sofa and loveseat at surefit.com.

New Bedding in the Master Bedroom

If you feel like you're not a designer and you're not good at pulling together a room, just go to a great bedding store, buy bedding and from the bedding, pull out a paint color and get matching window treatments. It will instantly look like a high-end hotel suite, and it's a no brainer.

Window Treatments

Lighten up heavy, dated curtains with simple curtain panels that reach the floor and new, sleek curtain rods. Choose curtain rods no bigger than one inch in diameter. The goal is to showcase the curtains, not the rod. The Allen + Roth Siena rod ($45 at Lowes) has the right dimensions, an antiqued finish and cute brackets. If windows are narrow, extend curtain rods a foot or so on each side to suggest width. If your ceilings are low, hang rods at the ceiling line and consider window treatments with vertical stripes to create the illusion of height. Add texture to the space by adding woven wood blinds. Target carries faux wood blinds for under $30 and you can install them yourself (yes you can!). Big bang for your buck. What do you do when the windows look bare but you can't stand blocking out that gorgeous light? Beautiful sheers do the trick every time. Sheer genius.

Rearrange Furniture

The easiest and cheapest way to update a room -- any room -- is to rearrange the furniture. Sometimes it's all you need to give your space a completely updated look that buyers will love. When it comes to easy decorating ideas for home staging it can't be beat. It's easy, fun and completely free.

DIY home staging can be fun and rewarding, especially when you get your house sold faster than your competition, but be sure to consult with a professional home stager if you are not absolutely sure that your home looks ready to sell.

Ann Alderson is a Professional Home Stager and Home Selling Strategist in the Tampa Bay area. Join her on Facebook at http://facebook.com/stagingsouthtampa and follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/annalderson

I'm Just Going to List the Home and See How it Goes

Ann Alderson's Staging Blog — Tue, 25 Jan 2011 20:46:00 GMT

As a professional home stager, I've heard this this statement from home owners and Realtors alike. They want to avoid investing in staging and they think if they have de-cluttered a little, set the table (ugh, no, you really don't have to set the table) and mowed the lawn... voila! They are good to go.

Sometimes that kind of gambling pays off, but let's face it, we're in a really tough real estate market. My biggest challenge is educating Realtors to make it a part of their first client meeting to address staging as part of how they do business. A home staging consultation includes a comprehensive list of "must dos" as well as a prioritizing list of "should dos" for the home owner to accomplish before any photos make their way to MLS. Getting a professional home stager in before listing gives the seller a completely objective secondary opinion on how their homes look to someone who has absolutely no emotional attachment to the property. It's also a wake-up call for most sellers.

So, when I hear that the sellers want to hold off on a consultation, or has had one and knows what needs to be done but don't want to spend any money on a house they're leaving, I know that decision will have repercussions (and not good ones).

If the home attracts little interest, no offers and sits on the market, the Realtor is going to want to do a price reduction. On top of that, once the sellers realize it's not going so well, they are going to want to revisit the idea of staging, which means a price reduction AND the costs associated with staging (ouch).

It's also important to consider that a home's busiest time on the market is the first few weeks after it's been listed for sale. That's when all the Realtors who have buyers waiting for homes in your area will bring them through. If the house doesn't impress them, they move on. The sellers may never get them back in the house, even if they stage it a month or six months later.

That is why it's so important to do all your repairs, neutralizing and de-cluttering before you home hits the hot sheets. It's not enough that a home is priced competitively, a property still has to show well to impress buyers. If the home's appearance - from the beginning - is great, buyers will justify the seller's listing price. Want the stats? The new Real Estate Staging Association (RESA) staging statistics were just released for 2010. Per the report, home staging decreased an owner-occupied home's time on the market by 78%. Staged occupied homes sell on average in 53 days versus 263 days for unstaged occupied properties.

It's hard to ask sellers to spend money on repairs and cosmetics and then ask them to take a beating on the price. But if they're going to sell smart they will have to execute staging. This is about getting the house sold at the maximum price the market will bear. If the sellers can't do this, they probably shouldn't sell.

Ann Alderson is a Professional Home Stager and Home Selling Strategist in the Tampa Bay area. Join her on Facebook at http://facebook.com/stagingsouthtampa and follow her on Twitter at http://twitter.com/annalderson

Furniture Arranging Tips and the Key to Accessorizing

Ann Alderson's Staging Blog — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 20:43:00 GMT

When you're planning furniture arrangement, think about how you'll use the room, how often you'll use it, and how you walk through the space.

Next, find a focal point to arrange furniture around. Elements like fireplaces or picture windows make good focal points. If your room is lacking architectural interest, you can create a focal point with lighting and accessories, such as setting up an interesting artwork display, placing gorgeous bedding and colorful pillows on a bed, or installing dramatic window treatments.

Furniture Arranging Tips

Arrange furniture so that there's good flow by using these tips:

Leave at least a 24-inch path in areas you need to walk through (36 inches is ideal).
Place couches 14 to 18 inches away from coffee tables.
Make sure you have enough space to open chests and cabinet doors.
Remember to make room for lighting next to reading areas.
Furniture doesn't have to be pushed back to the walls. Anchor furniture in the middle of the room with an area rug (all furniture legs should either be all on the rug or all off).
If the space is small, place the couch on the diagonal line of the room (the longest line in the room).
Arrange large pieces of furniture first. These pieces are typically the most important for a room's functioning, so they take precedence over smaller pieces.
For TV viewing, a good rule of thumb is to multiply the size of the screen by three and then keep furniture that distance (in inches) away from the TV.

The Key to Accessorizing

When if comes to eye-pleasing accessorizing, three is the magic number. And rather than setting your trio of accessories out in a row, imagine a triangle and place one object on each point.

Scale is important, so in your group of three be sure to vary items by height and width, with the largest at the back and the smallest in front.

Finally, the eye "reads" the room from left to right, so putting a striking object in the far right corner will automatically draw your gaze there and make the room seem bigger. Just promise me the object isn't a fake tree.

Ann Alderson is a Professional Home Stager and Home Selling Strategist in the Tampa Bay Area.
Staging South Tampa offers home staging consultations (staging to sell), room re-designs (staging to dwell) and wall color consultations.

Subscribe to my blog: http://blog.stagingsouthtampa.com/
Join me on Facebook: http://facebook.com/stagingsouthtampa

Selling Your House: 5 New Year Resolutions

Ann Alderson's Staging Blog — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 20:10:00 GMT

1. I will begin thinking about fixing up my house--now.

This is a smart strategy that will only help you, no matter what you do. Because the best way to start prepping your house for sale isn't to put a For Sale sign in the yard, but to start working on home repairs. So start a list of home improvement projects. If the kitchen faucet is leaky, you know what you have to do.

2. I will clean my house--now.

While you're fixing up your home, you should really be thinking about all of the junk that has piled up over the years. Do yo really want to pack that up and move it with you to a new house? If the answer is--well, as a matter of fact, yes, I do want my junk in the next house--then invest in some cardboard boxes now and begin organizing your clutter. Might as well. It's going to take awhile.

3. I will plan now to price my house as though we're living in 2011 and not 2007.

Do the research that you need to do and see what comparable houses are going for in your neighborhood and price accordingly, even if it's really, really painful. If you're going to someday live in your dream home, you can't live in a dream world.

4. I will get a pre-inspection for my own house, before I sell it.

This is something I always recommend to my clients. Have a pre-listing inspection conducted on the home now and then have the opportunity to have any issues corrected before the buyer's inspector finds the problems and puts the sale in jeopardy.

5. I will think about moving and other logistics--now.

The point of thinking now about how you're going to haul your belongings from one house to another is that by the time moving day comes, you won't be worried. Also, you can start thinking about what you're going to do with your dog when your Realtor brings strangers trooping through your home. Your future self will gratefully look back and think your present self is an utter genius.

Ann Alderson is a Professional Home Stager and Home Selling Strategist in the Tampa Bay area.

Staging South Tampa offers home staging consultations (staging to sell), room re-designs (staging to dwell) and wall color consultations.

Subscribe to my blog: http://blog.stagingsouthtampa.com/
Join me on Facebook: http://facebook.com/stagingsouthtampa

10 Minimum Improvements to Make Before Selling Your Home

Ann Alderson's Staging Blog — Tue, 19 Oct 2010 18:41:00 GMT

Do Home Buyers Want Fixers or Fixed Up Homes?

Some home buyers want to buy a fixer upper home, but generally these buyers want a home that will require light cosmetic repairs. Buyers who gravitate toward fixers are those who either don't qualify to buy a more expensive home or those who want to make a profit by fixing the home themselves.

Fixer-upper buyers will discount the price of the home to allow for the repairs, and, for the inconvenience, even more. Say a home is worth $100,000 fixed up, but it needs a new roof. A new roof might cost $10,000. A buyer most likely will not offer $90,000 for this home. Otherwise, they could buy an identical home with a new roof for $100,000 and not have the hassle.

A buyer for this type of home might offer $75,000, or even less. In this scenario, a seller would be smarter to pay for a new roof and sell the home for $100,000.

Before Fixing Your Home Up

Before deciding to make specific repairs before resale, take an afternoon off to tour other homes in the neighborhood. Compare these homes to yours. If, for example, most of the homes on the market have upgraded kitchens, you should concentrate on fixing the kitchen.

This doesn't mean you need to buy designer appliances and tear out the cabinets. But a minor kitchen remodel would be a good investment. A fresh coat of paint on the cabinets and new hardware go a long way in giving your kitchen an updated look.

Make a list of everything that is defective, broken or worn out in your home. If buyers spot problems or malfunctioning systems, they will wonder what else in the home has been neglected.

Here are the top 10 minimum improvements to make before selling your home:

Patch all holes and cracks in walls and ceilings.
Fix all broken appliances and HVAC systems.
Repair leaky faucets.
Replace worn carpeting.
Repaint dark or marred walls with neutral paint (not white).
Replace broken windows.
Repair the roof.
Change outdated light fixtures / ceiling fans.
Replace old linens / window coverings.
Fix code violations.

The bottom line is that a home that needs repairs in a buyer's market will deliver a lower price!

Selling a home requires preparation, patience, and, in today's market, a reality check. When you meet with me for a Home Staging Consultation, I break the process down into manageable steps and offer tons of helpful home selling tips and advice.

What's the Perfect Color for Selling Your House? Read on, I will Reveal it!

Ann Alderson's Staging Blog — Wed, 08 Sep 2010 20:08:00 GMT

Color plays a big part in selling a house. How you decide to dress your walls can convince a buyer that your home is move-in ready or leave them looking elsewhere. If the goal is to see the sparkle of "love at first sight," consider picking the perfect paint color to suit a range of buyer tastes.

Proper Preparation

When you paint your walls, make sure you prepare the walls properly. Before you start, spackle minor cracks and old picture hook holes. Lightly sand baseboards, window frames and doors to make sure your paint will stick to the surfaces. Make sure you are using the same base paint that currently exists on the surface you are repainting. Latex on latex, and oil base on oil base.

Picking the Perfect Color

Color choices are plentiful, as are the types of paints. When selecting interior colors, consider how you use each room or the feeling that you want to create for the space. White is a great accent color for trimwork and doors, but for walls it is a harsh and cold color. May I suggest the perfect wall color? Try Interactive Cream SW6113 (sherwin-williams.com). Use it anywhere but it makes an exceptionally good background for a wall of art. For the master bedroom, calming paint colors work best. Blue, one of my favorite colors, is perfect for the master bedroom. I lean toward a grayish shade for a more sophisticated look, such as Samovar Silver SW6233 (sherwin-williams.com). There you have it! My secret weapons!

Wallpaper Can Be a Turnoff

Potential home buyers don't always like wallpaper, or at least the wallpaper you chose. They want simple, clean, warm and inviting rooms and not the potential headache of strippers and wallpaper removal. It is always a good idea to remove wallpaper or at the very least paint over it to make the room feel fresh and clean.

Don't Forget to Look Up

Potential home buyers notice water stains and old-fashioned ceilings. If you have a home with a stucco ceiling, it can date your home to a buyer. Before you show your home, paint the ceiling with flat, white paint. If you have crown molding, make sure you use the same ceiling paint for a consistent, professional look.

Learn From an Expert

Choosing a wall color can be overwhelming if you don't know or you're unsure. Ask a professional. If you are getting ready to sell, an abbreviated professional paint color consultation is included in your Home Staging Consultation. Or, if you want a new look for your home, then a Color Consultation can help you select the perfect colors for your personal taste and style. You will learn the process of color selection, how to select a color palette, and what sheen levels are and where they should be used.

Remember to select paints that are "green." I don't mean the color! There is no good reason not to use paints with zero or low VOCs. They are readily available and only run about $5 more per gallon than the ones with the nasty chemicals. Your potential home buyers will be happy that they don't smell your new paint, and most of them will consider it a positive point about your property.

Selling a home requires preparation, patience, and, in today's market, a reality check. When you meet with me for a Home Staging Consultation, I break the process down into manageable steps and offer tons of helpful home selling tips and advice.

Staging South Tampa offers home staging consultations (staging to sell), room re-designs (staging to dwell) and color corrections.

Subscribe to my blog: http://blog.stagingsouthtampa.com/
Join me on Facebook: http://facebook.com/stagingsouthtampa

What Really Causes Clutter? Eliminating it is a Big Part of the Home Staging Process

Ann Alderson's Staging Blog — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 19:22:00 GMT

A onetime purge--or a binge on organizing supplies--won't cure an overflow of objects. People need to break habits that lead to clutter. Let's examine the clutter habits.

Habit:
Being afraid to let go of items ("I might need it later," "My kids might want this someday," or similar fears).

How to Deal:
Ask yourself, "What is the worst-case scenario if I get rid of this?" and play that scenario out to its end. The answer is usually not that scary. In many cases, you can repurchase the item, if it's truly needed.

Habit:
Not stepping up to tasks. Family members walk right by something left out on the counter, but unless someone takes the initiative to make sure it gets cleared, it's highly unlikely to happen.

How to Deal:
Assign clear responsibilities, communicate them, and give consequences when they're not accomplished.

Habit:
Procrastination. This is the worst of the bunch. Delaying decisions about where to put things--or waiting to put them there--is the cause of all clutter.

How to Deal:
Being aware is the first step. Then, if you hear yourself say, "I'll just put it here for now," resist the urge.

Habit:
Buying too much stuff. No shocker here.

How to Deal:
Check out Clutter Diet's printable wallet-size reminder with five questions you should ask yourself before making that purchase, and wrap the paper around your favorite credit or debit card.

It's easy to get overwhelmed when you're facing down the accumulation of weeks', months', or years' worth of stuff. Try the "micro-cleaning" method with quick bursts of cleaning at a time. For instance, why worry about the hours it will take to clean out the entire fridge when you could organize one shelf at a time during TV commercial breaks? Doing these little things will cut down on bigger jobs in minutes.

Selling a home requires preparation, patience, and, in today's market, a reality check. When you meet with me for a Home Staging Consultation, I break the process down into manageable steps and offer tons of helpful home selling tips and advice.

Why Should You Put Money in a House You're Selling?

Ann Alderson's Staging Blog — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:07:00 GMT

This is a common question that homeowners have when they are in the process of getting their house ready to sell. You may feel the same way. The problem is, it is easy to feel you are wasting your money on repairs, painting, deep cleaning and more when you are leaving. You may think, "Why can't the new homeowners do it the way they want it done?" The answer is, if it looks like work for the buyer, it will cost you.

A better way of looking at home staging is as an investment in getting a higher price for your home. Think about garage sales. Shoppers expect to get a bargain for the purchases. This doesn't happen in retail stores. Shoppers know they are paying for new unless the store needs to move the merchandise or there is a flaw and the store has to sell it at a discount. Do you want your home to be a garage sale purchase or do you want to do what is necessary to be the one to get the best price for the quality of home being purchased? It is a matter of your goals.

There are different types of buyers. Very few buyers are looking for a "handyman special" in which they do the work and profit from their efforts. There are some buyers who can see past the clutter and see the potential of the space behind your belongings. But the vast majority of buyers want a move-in ready home, with no hassles. In today's market, families are too busy to do the work themselves. So give them what they want. You home will appeal to the majority and command the price it deserves, which means money in your pocket.

Let me put it in another perspective. Think about a job interview. If you are up against a whole pool of other candidates you want to come out on top. How do you do this? You dress your best, research the company that is hiring, practice how you would answer questions and essentially prepare for the process. If you don't, you probably won't get the job. You will eventually get one, but it might not be what you want or for the salary you expected. The same is true for selling your home. Why would you want to sell your biggest investment without making sure it looks its best?

Only you can decide how much effort you are going to put into getting your home ready to sell. You have control over the selling process. I want to make sure you know what your options are and the possible outcomes for your efforts. There is a reason why some houses sell quickly and sell for more. Home staging is an investment in getting a higher return when selling.

Home staging consultations are perfect for homeowners who want to benefit from home staging and who are willing to put some time and effort to make more money from the sale of their home. Unless the house is vacant, most people do not require the services of a company to come in and do everything for them (including charging them an arm and a leg for the privilege). Most people simply need a Home Staging Consultant (me) to guide them towards fulfilling their staging needs with expert advice and my specific Game Plan to achieve success.

Staging South Tampa offers home staging consultations (staging to sell), room re-designs (one-day decorating), new home move-in assistance (staging to live) and color consultations.

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What is the Difference Between Home Staging and Home Decorating?

Ann Alderson's Staging Blog — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 17:44:00 GMT

The goal of home staging is to sell a home quickly and for the most money possible by making a home appeal to the highest number of potential buyers. Staging focuses on improving a property to transform it into a welcoming, appealing and attractive product for sale. Staging raises the value of a property by way of reducing the home's flaws, depersonalizing, decluttering, cleaning, improving condition, and landscaping. But don't make the mistake that the home should look sterile.

A decorated room might have a chair with a side table. An ottoman to put up your feet. A lamp, TV, channel changer, books, magazines on the table. The chair might have decorative pillows and the ottoman might have a throw tossed across it. A few pens and personal items might also be on the side table.

A staged room would have the chair, table and ottoman. The lamp would stay. The throw on the ottoman would be in place. Most everything else would be removed. A few current books would be on the side table with a pair of glasses.

An over-staged room would have the books, glasses and throw removed.

Here is the difference between a staged room and a decorated room:

A staged room looks like "I could imagine living in your room."
A decorated room looks like "You live in your room."
An over-staged room looks like no one lives in that room.

Staging South Tampa offers home staging consultations (staging to sell), room re-designs (one-day decorating), new home move-in assistance (staging to live) and color consultations.

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Home Staging Declutters Your Life

Ann Alderson's Staging Blog — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 17:53:00 GMT

We all have "things" in our lives, cherished possessions that are weighted with meaning, and until we understand what that meaning is, we resist dealing with the messes that surround us. Remembrance of things past can be a real deterrent to moving forward. But once we find a way to clear out what is no longer relevant to our lives--whether that is objects, activities, or even people--we open a path to look at all the parts of our lives and determine what matters to us now, not in the past or in the future.

If you're not ready to clean house drastically, there are less radical ways to begin the decluttering process. Set aside a firm, two-hour window each week devoted to the task, then start in--room by room--starting with the bathroom. Label boxes or large bags Trash, Keep, Donate, Gift, Recycle, Sell, Repair and Don't Have a Clue Now. This last is for items that would halt the decluttering process if you had to debate them. Use clear plastic bags when it's important to see what's inside, so you won't throw out good things by accident.

Discarding "important" papers is another big challenge, but the 80/20 rule generally works: you can safely let go of 80 percent of the papers you've kept. If by mistake you throw out something you need, such as insurance policies or appliance instructions, you can likely retrieve that information online.

The process of purging and paring is liberating. When the unneeded possession are gone, you have cleared out space not only in your house but in your life.

What you discover, as you begin to declutter the space around you, is that as your personal environment changes, your choices broaden, life feels more manageable, and your surroundings become better suited to who you are now--and what you're aiming for in the future.

Staging South Tampa offers home staging consultations (staging to sell), room re-designs (one-day decorating), new home move-in assistance (staging to live) and color consultations.

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Welcome to Ann's Home Staging Blog

Ann Alderson's Staging Blog — Sun, 03 May 2009 16:56:03 GMT

Welcome to my Home Staging blog!

Home Staging is the art and science of marketing a home to it sells at the best possible price in the shortest possible time. The science is the skill and knowledge required to master the craft. The art turns skill into style.

It is my job as a professional home staging consultant to educate the home seller on what buyers want, and then guide the seller through the process of giving buyers what they want so they will pay top dollar. The process includes de-cluttering, identifying and scheduling repairs, professional cleaning (house, windows and carpet), neutralizing (painting and de-personalizing), improving curb appeal, and, finally, the creative step, which is creating the right impression and feelings that make buyers fall in love and feel themselves owning and living in the space. Sounds like a lot of work and it is!

Lights, flowers and music are great for showing a house, but that is NOT staging. Staging requires an objective and professional assessment of a house's strengths and challenge areas and offers solutions to help buyers fall in love with what they see. This requires more than just flowers and music to achieve--it requires my exclusive Game Plan--Plan of Attack!

The process of marketing a house so it sells at the best possible price in the shortest possible time requires strategic thinking and a PLAN. If the seller doesn't have the time, energy or money to do the work, he must realize that he can't sell his home for what it is worth (if it sells at all). That's where I come in. I specialize in home staging consultations for owner-occupied listings. I offer real world solutions that work for anyone, especially families with children and pets, at an affordable price.

Staging South Tampa offers home staging consultations (staging to sell), room re-designs (one-day decorating), new home move-in assistance (staging to live) and color consultations.

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To return to the main page, click here: Home Staging South Tampa