Five Tips to Stage Your Home to Sell

Staging your home so that it looks attractive to potential home buyers can add thousands of dollars to the final sale price of your home. When people think of preparing for a home tour, they often think of de-cluttering and cleaning, but staging is more than that. It’s really about making your home an inviting and welcoming place by preparing its interior and exterior so potential buyers can envision their lives in it.
Though you can get great results and end up making more money when you use a professional stager, it’s understandable that some buyers want to save a buck or two. Here are five DIY tips for anyone looking to stage their home themselves.

1. Start on the outside

The exterior of your house, often described as your home’s curb appeal, provides the first impression for any buyer. Make sure buyers feel welcomed by mowing and raking your lawn, trimming your shrubs and bushes, and sweeping your driveway and walkway to tidy everything up.

2. De-personalize and make it spotless

Buyers want to envision themselves in their new home, and if they’re distracted with the details of someone else’s life, it can really detract from the home tour. Remove photographs, general clutter, and distinctive style elements like doll collections or an avant-garde sculpture. Once you’ve made the space more neutral, attack dust bunnies and grime with a vengeance. Steam clean your carpets, pressure wash patios, and scrub the bathroom grout. Cleaning your home can really enhance buyer perception.

3. Arrange your furniture

You’ll want to remove all but a few key pieces of furniture, and preferably those that really define your space. In a living room, that’s probably a couch, a coffee table and two comfortable chairs. In a bedroom, it might be a bed and a bedside table and not much else. It sounds obvious, but make sure the furniture is spotless too. Spot a stained cushion? Turn it over or artfully drape a blanket to conceal it.

4. Pay special attention to rooms with plumbing

Kitchens and bathrooms really sell your home. Because these spaces are sometimes more intimate, make sure they are especially clean and well lit. Move most appliances out of view in your kitchen, leaving one or two out like a blender or a polished toaster. In the bathroom, add a single dish of soap.

5. Emphasize storage

Buyers love storage, so do what you can to emphasize the space in your closets. Remove half the clothes and make sure you can see all the way into the back. Space hangers evenly, match shoes, and make sure everything is generally tidy.

10 Cleaver Uses for the Space Under the Stairs

Petite Powder Room: Who wouldn't love an extra half bath? The space under your stairs can perfectly accommodate such a luxury. Elegant details, like the graphic wallpaper seen here, lend a sense of refinement to this cozy room. (See also "11 Tiny Bathrooms We Love" on BobVila.com: http://bit.ly/11TinyBathrooms)





The Ultimate Bookcase: In homes where a narrow staircase makes a powder room or worktable infeasible, a fabulous bookcase can be built in with ease. You might choose a cubby style, as shown in this chic interior, or opt for shelves that vary in height and width to accommodate both books and decorative objects. (See also "Weekend Projects: Build a Better Bookshelf" on BobVila.com: http://bit.ly/BuildBetterBookshelf)




Stealthy Storage: Every home can use more storage. Fortunately, the often-neglected space under a staircase provides an ideal spot for built-in drawers and cabinets. This stylish example demonstrates the important role paint and hardware play in matching the surrounding decor. (See also "10 Cabinet Hardware Styles" on BobVila.com: http://bit.ly/CabinetHardwareStyles)





Space-Saving Bike Storage: Many people, especially city dwellers, struggle with finding a place to store their bicycles. As this straightforward storage solution demonstrates, the space they've been looking for may have been underfoot all along.




Covert Kitchen Pantry: Every cook dreams of a pantry with floor-to-ceiling shelves and ample room for canned goods, baking supplies, and all manner of kitchen necessities. But did those dreams reveal that such a space can be built in under a staircase?! In this clean-lined interior, the large wooden doors were stained a pleasing spring green, adding an upbeat, modern sense to the space. (See also "7 DIY Pantry Hacks and Kitchen Storage Ideas" on BobVila.com: http://bit.ly/DIYPantryHacks)




A Wall of Wine: Custom shelving built under a staircase can give you the "wine cellar" you always wanted, without making you head down to the basement every time you want to raise a glass. The eye-catching arrangement will likely be a conversation starter among family and friends, as well. (See also "5 Easy DIY Wine Racks" on BobVila.com: http://bit.ly/DIYWineRacks)




Cheerful Home Office: If you've always wanted a work area but thought you didn't have enough room, claim the space under the stairs as your own. A pretty chair, a work surface attached to the wall, and cork board for pinning inspirational images are all you need to create a fun and functional home office. (See also "Ingenious Alternatives to a Traditional Home Office" on BobVila.com: http://bit.ly/HomeOfficeAlternatives)




Streamlined Entertainment Center: The depth of space under a staircase can be sufficient for a built-in entertainment center that houses a flat-screen TV and a bookcase to boot, along with drawers for remotes, movies, and game accessories. You bring the popcorn!
 











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Which Home Improvements Can I DIY and Which Should I Leave to a Pro?

Dear Lifehacker,
My home is screaming for a redo. I'd love to try my hand at doing some of the upgrades myself and save a ton of money in the process, but I'm sure some projects are better left to the professionals. What do I need to know before I go all Bob Vila on my place?

Signed,
Worried Weekend Warrior

Dear WWW,

DIY home improvements can definitely be very rewarding, both in terms of saving money and the sense of accomplishment you'll feel as you turn your living space into your dream home. Choose the wrong projects, however, and all your time and effort will be wasted—not to mention you'll end up paying more to have the work redone correctly. Also, some improvements are just plain dangerous for regular homeowners (even experienced DIYers) to do themselves.

So before you pick up that drill, ask yourself the following questions to figure out which projects you can do yourself and which are best suited for the pros.

 

 

Is It Worth Your Time and Effort?

Going the DIY route can save you money, but it comes with a cost: Time (and sweat). Before you even consider whether you're capable of doing a project, think about how much time you have available to complete it and whether it's worth that time investment.

For example, if you want to replace all the cabinets and countertops in your kitchen but only have the weekends to do it, make sure you're comfortable having your kitchen an inaccessible mess for weeks or even months. Polishing wooden floors can also be a DIY project, but it's not only time-consuming, it's tricky and absolutely no fun (sand everywhere! Footprints and dust stuck in the finish!). On the other hand, many projects you can complete in a weekend or that can be more comfortably spread out over time are great for DIY. Examples are painting, landscaping, and finishing a basement.

Keep in mind also that while you might save on labor by doing a project yourself, the materials themselves could cost more than you think, especially since the pros tend to get better pricing. (Reuse centers, however, including architectural salvage stores, can help you save a ton on home improvement projects.)

Use Home Advisor to estimate the cost of a professionally done home improvement project and this calculator from LearnVest to calculate what an hour of your time is worth so you can decide from a financial standpoint whether you should hire a pro, even if you could do the project yourself.

 

 

How Risky Is It?

We can also rule out certain types of projects right away: Those that have the potential to seriously injure you or severely damage your home. These include anything involving main electrical lines or natural gas pipes. Because, obviously, you don't want to burn your house down or cause an explosion.

Depending on the project, you might also want to avoid plumbing work. Lifehacker reader Kyle Phillips says he's comfortable doing electrical work, but (wisely) knows his limits when it comes to plumbing:

Electrical (to me) is pretty straight forward. You just have to know which place to hook up the two wires, and avoid getting shocked. :) Plumbing on the other hand requires (IMO) more knowledge, and definitely more tools than electrical work. For example, it's not difficult to fix a toilet or put in a new faucet, but anything more than that is beyond my ability.

HowStuffWorks lists more reasons you should proceed with caution when it comes to plumbing and electrical work, as well as three other projects to skip: asbestos removal, roofing repairs, and gas appliance repairs.

Some projects also present greater risks to your home itself. For example, knocking down a wall sounds pretty simple, but if it's a load-bearing one or you don't know there's electrical wiring or plumbing behind it, you're in serious trouble. (Ask the Builder says these structurally important walls can be as dangerous as a stealth bomber.) Beware of any projects that could affect the structural integrity of your home, such as tearing down walls and converting roof space.

One warning sign a project may be over your head is if your town has building codes for it, mandated for safety purposes. You might be required to get a permit to do the work, and that might mean you have no choice but to hire a professional. Definitely find out the local rulings on what you can and cannot do yourself.

 

 

Do You Have the Knowledge, Skills, and Equipment Needed to Do It Right?

Lifehacker reader Megan Powers, who's done everything from re-grading landscape to a minor bath remodel, offers this rule of thumb that covers the first two concerns:

I hire pros when the consequences of messing up are severe (e.g. non-obvious plumbing issues) or when the cost of my time would be too high, like a kitchen remodel. Otherwise, I like to do the work myself or with my husband.

The last element is you. Do enjoy doing DIY projects? Are you capable of doing them well? Make a list of the projects you would like to do or have done around your home. For each of them consider:

• Do you know all the steps it will take to do the job?
• Do you have all the necessary tools or can you borrow them or rent them?
• How much skill or expertise is needed to do this project properly—and do you have it?
• What are your recourses if the project turns into a DIY disaster? (Many pros charge more to redo work or refuse to do it at all.)

Try to be realistic about DIY improvements. (Don't be fooled by all those HGTV shows and This Old House articles which make these all look so easy). Some tasks, such as tiling a shower wall, look simpler than they are and require an artisan to do correctly. Others, like changing cabinet pulls or installing a dishwasher can be done with a little research and just carefully following directions.

 

 

How to Get Started with DIY Home Improvements

Start small. When you're just starting out, build confidence with small projects and grow from there. For example, change an electrical outlet before you tackle rewiring a room. Build a raised garden bed before you build a deck. Small fixes, such as replacing cabinet hardware or installing new light fixtures, can also often be big upgrades in terms of look and functionality.

DIY parts of the project. You can also save a lot of money on bigger projects by doing a partial DIY. Tackle the parts of a project that are more labor-intensive (for example, the National Education Association says 30% of the cost of painting is labor) and outsource the rest. With a bathroom remodel, for example, you could hire contractors for the plumbing and tile work but do the painting and small fixtures yourself.

When it comes to your home, nothing's worse that investing time and energy into an upgrade that you screwed up. On the other hand, nothing might make you prouder than an improvement you did yourself. Just choose your projects carefully by knowing your risks and capabilities.

Looking for weekend projects you can get started on now? Here are three home improvements that can save you the most money in the long run and from elsewhere on the web:

• 100 DIY Upgrades for Under $100 (This Old House)
• Top 10 DIY Projects (Family Handyman)
• Improve Your Home: 30 Weekend Projects (Better Homes and Gardens)

Enjoy your power-tool-filled weekends, you handy person you!

Love,
Lifehacker

 

 

 

 

 

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Smart Shopper Tip!

SMART SHOPPER TIP: Are you looking for a new home in 2014 or 2015? Shop now to beat out the flood of buyers once the warm weather hits.

Something we all have in our homes started this fire. This is the most important thing I learned all day.

You won’t believe what caused the fire in Dave’s home. His one lesson about the cause of the fire is incredibly important.

 

This lesson applies to ALL batteries, new or used. Dave is sharing his lesson and he has one request from you, “Please share this message with friends and families so that they can learn to be safe with batteries.”
If you appreciated this article, please LIKE us on Facebook and let us know that you’d like us to publish more helpful articles like this.
And make sure you SHARE this by clicking the button below.




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7 Scientific Tricks for Making Your Home More Comfortable

From: http://mentalfloss.com/article/57269/7-scientific-tricks-making-your-home-more-comfortable

10 Turn-Offs for Potential Buyers

1. A garage turned into something else.

If you’ve sacrificed the garage for something other than the garage, the trade-off might actually be a turn-off, especially to people where parking is at a premium. Even in the suburbs, most people want a covered, secure place to park their cars. Don’t forget that a garage often doubles as a storage location. The garage houses everything from lawn mower to the excess paper towels and cleansers. If you convert your garage into something else, you’re likely to force a buyer to look elsewhere.

Flickr: Apuch

2. A bedroom turned into something else.

Aside from location, one of the first things a buyer searches for is number of bedrooms. Why? Because it’s an important requirement. You might think having a wine cellar, with built-in refrigerators, in your home will make it attractive to potential buyers because it was attractive to you. And while it’s true many people work from home today at least part of the time, that doesn’t mean they want a dedicated home office—especially one with built-in desks or bookcases that would need to be removed. If you must convert a bedroom into something else, make sure you can easily convert it back into a bedroom when you go to sell.

3. Carpet over hardwood floors.

Many people today like hardwood floors. They are cleaner looking, add a design element, don’t show dirt as much, and they’re definitely preferred over carpets for people with allergies. If you have nice hardwood floors, show them off. Let the buyer decide if he or she wants to cover them. It’s easier for a buyer to purchase new carpeting of their choosing than it is for them to get past yours.

Flickr: Nancy Hugo

4. Over-the-top lighting fixtures.

A beautiful chandelier can enliven a dining room. But it can also turn off buyers who prefer simpler, less ornate lighting fixtures. Did you fall in love with a dark light fixture on a trip to Casablanca? That’s great. And you should use it for your own enjoyment. But when it comes time to sell, replace it with something more neutral.

Photo: Zillow Digs

5. The kid’s room that is a miniature theme park.

Little kids have big imaginations. They tend to love Disney characters, spaceships, super heroes, and such, and their parents are often all-too-willing to turn their rooms into fantasy caves. But the more you transform a kid’s bedroom into something resembling a Disneyland ride, the more you’ll turn off most potential buyers. Your buyer might have teenage children who will see the removal of wallpaper, paint or little-kid-inspired light fixtures as work. If you can, neutralize the kid’s rooms before you go on the market.

Flickr: Chris Graziloi

6. An above-ground pool.

Does it get hot in the summers where you live? Wish you had a backyard pool but can’t afford to have a ‘real’ pool installed? Then you might be tempted to buy and set up an above-ground pool. For most potential buyers, though, these pools are an eyesore. Also, an above-ground pool can leave a big dead spot of grass in your backyard — another eyesore. If you must have it, consider dismantling it before going on the market. Of course, be sure you’re really ready to sell or you may be stuck without a place to cool off next summer.

7. An in-ground pool.

You might assume that a gorgeous backyard pool will make a splash with potential buyers. Except in warm climates, where pools are truly an important amenity, many people see a backyard pool as a huge maintenance issue — not to mention a liability. If you live in an area where pools aren’t that common, seriously consider your decision. If you’re planning to be in the home for the long haul and you’ll get lots of use out of it, go for it.

Flickr: Laura D’Alessandro

8. Avocado-green kitchen fixtures.

If your home is decades old and the kitchen looks like something from The Brady Bunch, consider investing in a quick once-over. Some new stainless steel appliances and granite countertops can be installed in no time and the cost and hassle is a lot less than you think. More buyers prefer to move right in. Do the work for them and you increase your bottom line.

Flickr: Jocelyn

9. Cigarette smell through the house.

Over time, the smell of smoke permeates your home. It gets into the carpet, drapes, wood paneling, just about everywhere — a big turnoff to most buyers today. Getting rid of the smoke smell can be a big job. If you’re a smoker, seriously consider how you want to present your home to the market. For a long- term smoke-filled home, it means new paint, removing carpets and doing lots of deep cleaning.

Flickr: Tom Childers

10. Keep Fido’s bed and toys front and center

Let’s face it; family pets bring a lot of joy to the home. But, they don’t always bring the same joy to a prospective buyer. Dog’s toys, filled with saliva, dirt and dust can be a sore both for the eyes and the nose. If you have a pet, put a plan in place to move the food and water bowls as well as the toys and dog’s bed to a better location, like the garage. Homes that smell and show like animals can scare buyers off.

It’s your home — for now

Part of the joy of owning a home is that you can do whatever you want with it, to it, and in it. You should enjoy it. But if you want to sell it easily and for top dollar down the road, try to picture how others might react to any renovations, additions or modifications you make. The more specific you get — such as turning your kid’s room into a miniature castle from Cinderella — the harder it will be to sell your home later, and the less return on investment you’ll get. When considering changes to your home, always consider resale.



Read more from:  http://www.zillow.com/blog/10-turn-offs-for-potential-buyers-151383/