Freshen up your Foyer

"Old ways don't open new doors"

The foyer of your home, whether large or small, should be functional and beautiful.  After all, it’s the first glimpse of your home!

Questions to consider:
Does it set the tone for your home’s interior?  Is it a snapshot of what’s to come? Does it exude a warm welcome? Is it decluttered and clean?

The goal of foyer freshening: it should keep an interested buyer wanting to see more! Let’s capture potential buyer’s interest instantly with some key foyer ingredients.  House Dressings “top secret”  foyer checklist will definitely energize your entryway: 

•     a chest or table
•     mirror
•     rug
•     lamp
•     fresh flowers or blooming plant
•      small bowl for real estate agents’ business cards
•     a small bench with pillows is great for a small foyer/entryway or to create a foyer “feel” if you don't have one at all! 

Spring has sprung!

It's officially Spring. Read on for a few of our favorite tips for Spring sellers!

• Remember - first impressions sell. Make sure you capture your buyers' interest and excitement right from the curb. 
• Yards must be well-maintained and trimmed from top to bottom including small trees, shrubs, weed-free beds, fresh mulch and perfectly edged green lawns. Make sure sidewalks and pathways are clear and easy to walk through. 
• Eye-catching seasonal blooming color is the final coat of lipstick you'll need for this first date! Summer shades of pinks, lavenders, reds and blue are perfect enhancements for creating that winning curb appeal in beds and in pots near the front door.  

Photo Day Styling - Flora Springs

Photo Day Styling is a new service we just made official for 2018!

A House Dressings Accredited Stager gets your home ready for its "closeup"! We bring in our own on-trend accessories and complete finish styling before your real estate photographer arrives -- making sure your listing is "picture perfect".  We stay during photos for tweaks, if needed, and then pack up our accessories afterwards. Pricing starts at $90 for homes under 2000 SF.  Targeting Kitchen, Living & Dining Rooms. 

Click through above to browse photos of a recent styling sessions we completed. 

Seller Tips for Christmas Decorating

As the leaves begin to fall outside and temperatures finally dip, our thoughts quickly turn to fun decorating for the holidays – Halloween, Thanksgiving, Christmas and Mardi Gras. But, what does this mean for sellers? We suggest no visible holiday décor in any MLS photos, and a holiday decorating “lite” approach when it comes to interior spaces for showings. Enjoy the holidays but save your “all-out” decorating for the new/next house.

Here are a few more of our favorite tips from HGTV: 

• Clean and stage. “Before you decorate, your house needs to be staged,” Powers says. If your living room is already piled high with clutter and tchotchkes, your ceramic reindeer collection is only going to add to the sense of overcrowding.
• Create a cozy vibe. The less-is-more mantra of home staging may tempt you to forgo holiday cheer this year. But a few subtle touches like a bowl of pinecones, an evergreen wreath, or a pot of cider simmering on the stove can create a warm and festive feeling in your home.
• Complement your palette. Before you start untangling your tinsel, make sure your holiday collection matches your current decor. If your living room is painted a soothing ocean-blue hue, skip the clashing red garland and opt for white snowflakes or a silver glass-ball wreath. If you’ve got an earthy color scheme, accent with rich tones like cranberries, forest greens and gold.
• Go light on lights. Step away from the inflatable snowman, Clark Griswold. One man’s “merry” is another man’s “tacky,” so tone down any garish light displays while your home is on the market. (No, your neighbors didn’t pay us to say that.) Instead, use simple string lighting to play up your home’s architecture or draw attention to the gorgeous fir tree in your front yard.
• Clear the clutter. A few decorations can stir the holiday spirit, but don’t feel obliged to hang every last ornament. “A lot of people, when they decorate, tend to use all the extra space in their house,” Powers says. “You still want each space to look as spacious as possible.” Limit yourself to a few hints of holiday flair, but stash the rest in the basement for now. If you start to miss your Santa figurines, just remember that with a little luck, you’ll be celebrating next year’s holidays in a new home. And you can decorate that place any way you please.

Before & After: Country Club

Last week we talked about paint being "Money in a Can". We thought we would share a few before & after pictures of a listing we recently helped transform & get ready for market. The listing had plenty of great space but the dark paint colors really made it feel heavy & dated. We worked with the seller to pick out paint colors, light fixtures & finishes -- then staged it. What a difference! Scroll through below. 

Money in a Can

We meet with dozens of sellers each month. Each one has their own concerns or worries about how to quickly sell their home -- with spending the least amount of money possible. While we have lots of tips & tricks, one of our favorite ones for older or dated listings is this...

Aside from important home maintenance, such HVAC systems, plumbing etc, the biggest bang for your buck is always PAINT! We call it money in a can! A few coats of a cool grey or a light neutral beige can really transform an older home into a market-ready listing (we're talking inside OR outside). Often times, you won't need to paint your trim, just the walls. DIY sellers can usually accomplish painting a few rooms in one weekend. It gives buyers the sense that your home has been well-cared for and the fact that they might not have to paint over bright red walls is always a bonus. 

Worried about color? Our tried & true favorite is Revere Pewter by Benjamin Moore - it's a soft neutral that doesn't lean too cool or too warm. It looks great in just about any setting & gives a fresh, updated feel. We also offer paint consultations to assist you in choosing the color just right for your listing.