Simple Suggestions For Staging Your Basement

Not every house has a basement, but a house that does have a basement has the opportunity to maximize some additional storage and entertaining space. The basement can be utilized for a guest room where visiting friends or relatives can spend the night; others set up their entertainment center or home theatre in the basement. Other common uses for the basement include wine cellars, laundry room or display area for collections or personal projects.

But, it is also true that in a lot of homes today, the basement has become just some storage unit for old furniture and fixtures that have to be dumped in order to make way for new ones in the house. Basements often serve as extra-large extended cabinets for old clothes and shoes, and over time can be in such a neglected state that the occupants rarely ever venture down there for fear of the dust, cobwebs, and clutter.

If you are selling your home and looking for professional Kelowna home staging to increase your selling success, the basement is not an area of the house you can just leave out of the equation. Potential buyers will be sure to look at the basement during showings, and if they see all the junk and clutter, it can have a bad effect on how they assess your home as a whole. If staged properly, on the other hand, a functional basement that blends beautifully with the rest of the house will increase your property's marketability.

Where to start

Start with a general clean-up of your basement. Leave no stone unturned when it comes to cleanliness; start with the door and stairs leading to the basement, and move on down to the entire basement. Depending on how much non-maintenance your basement has endured over a period of time, this can take a whole day or even a week, but the results will be worth it.

During the clean-up, get rid of things and furniture items that you no longer have use for. Furniture and other stuff that are still in decent condition but have outgrown their use for you can be sold at a yard sale, and you can use what money you get from the sales for other basement staging projects. Another option would be to donate some of your old belongings to a local charity; many charitable organizations accept donations of old furniture, which they can restore and use again.

Get a theme going

Depending on the size and layout of your basement, you can showcase its strongest points and highlight how the next owners can maximize the space. Is it big enough for a pool table, a family den, or a home gym? If it is already being used by your family for recreation or entertainment, simply highlighting the potential would be enough to communicate to the potential buyer that it is an essential part of the rest of the house, and not just an unused area.

One thing most basements lack is natural lighting, so invest in contemporary, energy-efficient layers of lighting that can transform the basement into a warm, welcoming space. As much as possible, the flooring should also be in line with what the rest of the house has. For instance, if your living room is carpeted, area rugs for the basement add continuity while also providing warmth and insulation to the cold basement floor.

Small touch-ups matter a lot

Strategically placed flowers and plants make your basement look alive and less cold. Other little updates such as the right window treatments will make clients want to stay in the basement longer. Most likely, the basement does not have a view; if the only view outside the window is half of the street above or the pavement, add drapes or blinds that make the basement more homey. In addition, a few pieces of sculpture or art work add a dash of sophistication and luxury to the basement, so keep these details in mind in basement home staging.

Level Up Your Living Room

In a lot of contemporary homes, the living room is the nerve center of most activities. This is the area of the home where families relax together, where the guests are entertained, where we talk and catch up with extended family or friends who are visiting from other places, and also usually where we enjoy our favorite music, movies or TV shows. If we think about it, in most homes today the living room would probably serve more as the de facto dining area instead of the actual dining room because dinners are often eaten in front of the living room TV.

Potential home buyers whom you show around your house would likely focus on how your living room can fit with their own activities and what their own interests are. Of course, every person has different living room preferences based on family size and their usual activities, but it is a must to highlight the qualities of your living room that can make it more attractive and marketable to potential buyers. Points of interest mostly revolve around the floor space, furniture arrangement, and the general ambiance of the living room area.

Home staging, in particular staging your living room, would need to be strategized with the target clients in mind, and the safest route is usually to make it neutral and with as much mass appeal as can be maximized. Some homeowners rent staging furniture specifically for their living room, but you may also want to look at affordable furniture items or living room fixtures which you can purchase and then take with you when you move out, or include in the selling price of the home so you can recoup your investment. Either way, living room staging does require financial investment on your part.

There are plenty of budget-friendly ways to get your living room ready for house showings. Some suggestions you can consider include:

• Minimize and de-personalize. Look around your living room and choose what items are essential and what furniture pieces can be removed. An excess of furniture crowding your living room, especially if it has limited floor area, can distract the buyer from being able to see just how much space the room actually has. Also, remove belongings that are too personal (family portraits, crafts, souvenirs) as these are also distracting; remember, the goal of home staging is to make it fit what potential buyers have in mind.
  
  
• Reconfigure and rearrange what you have. Some maintenance, repairs and cleaning might do the trick for your living room furniture, so before you go out and rent or buy all-new items, look at what you already have first. Slip-on covers for couches and chairs can quickly transform them for a fraction of the cost. Also, re-arrange furniture so they foster eye-to-eye conversation and socialization. More than likely, you and your potential buyers will spend some time conversing in the living room, so this would be a chance to showcase just how comfortable and homey your living room can be.
  
  
• Accessorize, throw in some color, and experiment. As with most other areas of the home, a fresh coat of paint can work wonders in the living room; go for a paint color that is easy to accessorize; usual suggestions would be pastels and neutral hues. Then, bright-colored throw pillows and window treatments can provide contrast and update your living room with a contemporary flavor. Minimalist light fixtures can also add a touch of sophistication or add to the ambiance you are going for.

6 Simple Do-It-Yourself Home Staging Tips

Potential home buyers make their decision to purchase your home within the first 30 seconds of entering the property. First impression is the key to selling your home fast and for the best price.

Follow these simple home staging tips and you will have better success at making a quick sale!

De-clutter, clean, and organize all rooms in the house

This is the very first step in staging your home. Get rid of or pack up anything you won't need to use right away. Clean your drawers and cabinets (potential buyers will open them up to look inside and check storage space). Get rid of any personal or unusual items and belongings. Make your home a blank canvas that a potential buyer can imagine living in with their own possessions.

Address any and all repairs that need attention

Check your house inside and out for cracks, paint chips, mold or anything that may need repair. Invest the time and money into fixing these small things and it will make a huge difference in the value of your home. Don't neglect to check for leaky faucets, squeaky doors, and burnt-out light bulbs. You may even want to consider repainting your walls with neutral colors so that they appear fresh and clean.

Update the style

Go for a style that most buyers would like. Keep furnishings that appear homey yet classy to give the buyer a feeling of comfort when they step inside your home. Keep your color theme neutral and add punches of color with accessories or bright furniture.

Stage like the Pro’s

Staging tips like downsizing your furnishings to make your rooms appear larger, can make a big impact on a potential buyer. Use furniture that is more compact in smaller areas to give the appearance of more space. Mirrors are also a great tool to help rooms appear larger. Place a mirror across from a window to help brighten the room with natural light.

Details, details, details

Set the table. It's easy to do and has a big impact. Light clean- or non-scented candles, place plush towels and fancy soap in the bathrooms, a breakfast tray on the bed, and a pretty book on the coffee table. These small details can make a world of difference to the buyer.

Advertise the highlights

Use accessories that illustrate the high points of a room when staging. Gourmet cook books in the kitchen give the buyer the impression that the kitchen is built for the serious cook. Spa products and plush towels in the master bath allow the buyer to imagine a relaxing soak in the Jacuzzi tub! Creatively advertise and draw attention to the best parts of the house.

Staging your home can seem like a lot of work, but with these creative tips, you are sure to see results. If you have other suggestions or looking for a home staging consultation, let us know!

Command The Best Price for Your Home

Getting your home ready to sell can be a challenging process, and more so if your property is outdated or there is a lot of repair work to be done! Where do you begin? Should you repaint the bathroom or replace the baseboards? Perhaps you can get away with leaving those the dark brown 70’s hue. What about the carpeting, should you clean it or rip it right out? Who has money for all this? Tt would probably cost you a fortune!

These are just a few of the candid thoughts that a home seller thinks about. To some, the tasks are just too overwhelming so the sign goes on the front yard with the house just the way it is. Don't make this costly mistake, however. With the number of homes on the market today, do you want yours to sit on the market for a long time or receive a very low offer because of the amount of work that a buyer thinks he will have to shoulder anyway?

There are plenty of ways you can give your home an instant facelift without opening a “Home Reno” can of worms or spending all of your savings. Here are just a few of our favourites:

Make your kitchen really cook. For a couple hundred dollars, you can replace the kitchen faucet set, add new cabinet door handles and update old lighting fixtures with brighter, more energy-efficient ones.

Buff up the bath. Next to the kitchen, bathrooms are the most important rooms to update. They, too, can be improved without spending too much. Simple things like a new toilet seat and a pedestal sink are pretty easy for homeowners to install, and they make a big difference right away.

Paint. New paint makes the house look clean and bright again. And don't forget the ceiling.

Bump up your storage. Old houses are notorious for their lack of closet space. If you have cramped storage areas, add do-it-yourself wire and laminate closet systems to bedrooms, pantries and entry closets. Most closets can be updated in a weekend or less.

Photo Credit: Freshome.com

Look down. Carpeting is another detail that can quickly update a home and make it look contemporary. Professional carpet cleaning is a relatively inexpensive investment, especially if your rugs are still in good shape and are neutral colors.

Light up the house. Clean the interior and exterior windows till they sparkle. Remove any broken or dirty window treatments as well. Allow as much natural lighting especially if the view outside is gorgeous.

Reframe your entry. Repaint or refinish that front door. Also replace a worn front doorknob with a more substantial-looking handle & lock set. A nice, big piece of hardware signals newcomers that this is a solid home and has been taken care of my the current owners.

Photo Credit: www.hkirbydesigns.com

Don't forget your curb appeal. Although it sounds obvious, landscaping, a tidy garden and a clutter-free driveway can make a big difference. What buyers see when they first drive by your home is their first impression of everything else.

If a buyer doesn't get excited the minute they walk in the front door, you may never get another chance to change their perception, so make your home stand out right from the start! Small strategic and thoughtful changes can instantly change the viewer's perception of your home and can help increase its value or ensure that you get the best possible price.