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#CES2018: Tech Up Your Style

By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR® Magazine

The mega consumer electronic showcase, CES, lands in Las Vegas this week. It may not be the place you typically go to for décor trends, but technology is having an undeniable influence in home design, like see-through refrigerators and smart lighting.

Consumers look to you for expertise too. Forty-two percent of Americans say they would look to their sales agent to provide suggestions about how staging their home with smart home products could impact the sale of their home, according to a newly released Coldwell Banker Real Estate survey of more than 3,000 Americans.

So what do we see that has potential this year to spice up some designs? Here are a few picks from CES 2018.

Accent Wall Light Show

Photo credit: Nanoleaf

Nanoleaf’s color-changing Aurora light panels would make for an attention-getting accent wall in small or big doses. Connect them in any configuration you like. They just stick to the walls. The panels change colors, and you can sync the lights to music and also with one of your AI’s, Alexa, Siri, or Google Assistant. The panels are touch-sensitive so with a tap you can turn them on and off, dim them, or change the color.

Statement Refrigerators

Refrigerators just keep getting smarter. LG’s new InstaView ThinQ smart refrigerator features a 29-inch touchscreen that becomes transparent if you knock on it twice. You can also use the touchscreen to manage your food and get automatic reminders when items are running low.

Photo credit: LG

Samsung has a similar model in appearance with its 2018 version of its Family Hub smart refrigerator. This year’s model offers support for Samsung’s Bixby voice assistant to handle voice commands. It can connect to other third-party devices for the smart home too. So you can actually view what’s happening outside your front door from your refrigerator door.

Photo credit: Samsung

Notice both the Samsung and LG models are both featured in black stainless, which we still believe will be a growing competitor to traditional stainless steel.

Mirror, Mirror on the Wall …

Photo credit: Kohler

Check out this smart mirror. Kohler is introducing a new Verdera Voice Lighted Mirror, which is a bathroom mirror that has Amazon’s Alexa built-in. It features a dual-microphone solution for accuracy in voice-control and speakers are housed in the casings. There is also a motion-activated wayfinding nightlight for safety, and LED lights for makeup application or other grooming needs. It can also communicate with other connected products in your Wi-Fi network.

Is that an AI in your ceiling?

Photo credit: GE

Talk with your ceiling lights. You’ll be able to with GE’s Smart Ceiling Fixture. It is a large disk that boasts a speaker in the middle. You can give it voice-driven tasks on anything, like adding an item to your grocery list or telling it to play music. You can also tell it to adjust the warmness or coolness of the lights. It responds to your commands. Flush mount or recessed can lighting options will be available.

Source: National Association of Realtors

The Forecast: 2018 Trends in Staging

By Mary Purcell, MoneyGeek.com

Home staging has gone mainstream and is now widely used to make a home more attractive to potential buyers. According to a 2017 survey by the National Association of REALTORS®, a majority of real estate professionals believe staging increases the sale price of the home anywhere from 1 to 15 percent.

But even if it doesn’t increase the value, most agents agree that staging reduces the amount of time the home sits on the market, which is music to any seller’s ears.

Not all homes need a dramatic makeover, but most homes will benefit from at least a thorough cleaning and culling.

“Staging and preparation can include as little as some fresh paint, but in most cases we also landscape, replace dated light fixtures and hardware, and in many cases refinish hardwood floors, replace countertops, bathroom fixtures, etc.,” says Nicole Kennedy, a home staging expert in Piedmont, Calif.

Photo by Bungalow Home Staging & Redesign – More living room photos

Read on to learn what industry and design trends we can expect in 2018.

More real estate agents get on board

Lori Matzke, founder of HomeStagingExpert.com, provides home staging workshops around the country in addition to running her own staging business in Minnesota. She’s noticed an increased interest and involvement of real estate agents in the staging process.

“Back when I started staging (in 1999), agents were not interested; they didn’t want to have one more thing on their plate,” Matzke says. “My classes are now 90 to 95 percent agents. I think you’re going to see a lot more agents learning about staging and how to advise their clients, because more and more homeowners are demanding that.”

That doesn’t mean agents will be doing the staging themselves, but they will have an eye for what is needed, and will facilitate the interaction between the seller and the stager. “It really helps the homeowner to have an educated real estate agent,” says Matzke. If the agent has prepped the seller about what needs to be removed and cleaned out, it makes the stager’s job faster and cheaper.

Complete vs. partial staging

Staging can range from small efforts like decluttering to a complete move out and refurnishing. Complete staging of vacant homes is a growing trend, according to Matzke. Whether it’s new or model homes, or the seller has moved out, many stagers today only work with vacant homes.

In the booming Bay Area housing market, Kennedy says buyers are accustomed to short sales cycles, so having the home primed and ready is expected.

“Fewer than 10 percent of homes I stage are partial–where we keep some of the furniture and belongings, edit out and add in where needed,” notes Kennedy. “This can be challenging because the staging has to fit in with existing styles and pieces, but it can make more sense to sellers who are staying in the house through the sale.”

Matzke says the complete staging trend isn’t limited to hot real estate markets.

“It’s been trickling down into smaller markets, not just in the larger metropolitan areas,” she notes. The ubiquity of staging on HGTV shows has probably made the idea more palatable to sellers and agents across the county.

Embracing a personal touch

One of the golden rules of staging has long been to keep things neutral to appeal to the widest range of potential buyers. But stagers are increasingly adding a little more design, style, and color to the home.

“Staging is becoming a bit more personal and less stale than it has been in the past,” Kennedy says. “It used to be standard to remove all family photos and personal items from the house, but today’s buyers prefer to see a house with a little personality. They want to see a ‘real’ house that they can imagine themselves in and small, personal details that create an aspirational image can help reach buyers on an emotional level.”

Matzke agrees. “It’s becoming trendy for stagers to do a little mixing with vintage pieces to give it a designer look. I think it gives the place more depth and I’m seeing more chatter about it on blogs.”

Following the design trends

While most of the staging do’s and don’ts will remain the same in 2018, our experts expect some new design trends to emerge in many staged homes next year:

Color: After a few years in which just about every design magazine is covered in gray, Matzke has a bold prediction: Gray is dead. “People are embracing beige and creamy white again,” she says. “I think that’s good because not everybody’s furniture fits with gray.”

Stagers are also increasingly adding a pop of color or an upscale design element to appeal to design-conscious buyers.

“Adding a pop of color in a room through accessories or artwork is common,” says Matzke. “The two big colors I think you’ll see a lot of in 2018 are dark teal and millennial pink … especially if you’re marketing to first-time homebuyers or a younger crowd, you might want to add those colors.”

Floors: It used to be that preparing a home for sale meant replacing old, stained carpet with new carpet, but Matzke says that, too, is changing. “A lot of people are replacing carpeting with wood and faux wood flooring–at least on the main floor,” she adds.
Countertops: While quartz is the latest countertop trend among high-end homes for 2018, Matzke thinks most of America will stick with granite next year because of cost. “Design magazines are pushing quartz, saying it’s going to be the hot trend for 2018,” Matzke says. “And for the really high-end homes they’re probably right, but for a majority of America, I think it’s still going to be granite.”
Glam: Although it sounds counter to the rule of keeping things neutral, HGTV and design magazines have popularized a bit of glam. “For a long time you’ve seen people adding a little bit of rustic, heavy metal designs, but now you’re seeing a lot more shiny metallics,” Matzke says. “Even gold–it adds a bit of bling to the house.”

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Mary Purcell is a freelance writer and health and finance researcher. She covers homebuying, savings and other personal finance-related topics for MoneyGeek.com.

Source: National Association of Realtors

White Kitchen Fatigue?

By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR® Magazine

Are homeowners growing tired of the all-white kitchen? Some design experts believe so. White kitchens have been popular over the past few years, but Houzz editor and writer Mitchell Parker predicts that the number of homeowners who will get “white-kitchen fatigue” will grow in the new year.

Some homeowners may experiment with adding more colors back in to the kitchen.

“While white kitchens aren’t going anywhere, expect to see a rise in color, especially other neutrals like gray and blue,” Parker notes in reporting on 2018 home trends. “Plus, warm wood tones are becoming a popular replacement for painted cabinets, leading to sophisticated, rich palettes.”

The two-tone look started catching on in 2017, in which cabinet colors were mixed and matched in the kitchen. For example, the bottom cabinets might be a darker color, such as gray, and the upper cabinets then all in white. Or, homeowners were making a bigger statement with their kitchen islands by painting it a bolder color that contrasted with the rest of its kitchen cabinets.

Photo by Rikki Snyder – More kitchen photos

Photo by Art of Construction Inc – Browse kitchen ideas

Photo by USI Design & Remodeling – Discover kitchen design inspiration

Source: National Association of Realtors

2018 Outdoor Living Trends: Jaw-Dropping Transformations

By Audra Slinkey, Home Staging Resource

Outdoor patio spaces have sure changed in the last few years with the onset of new outdoor materials, furnishings, fixtures, Cantina doors, and the home owner’s desire for more outdoor living and entertaining space. In fact, according to the 2017 National Association of REALTORS’ Profile of Home Staging report, the desire to see outdoor spaces staged when selling a home was at 63 percent. It was not even mentioned in the previous survey.

This outdoor space total transformation is a great example of the kinds of living trends you can expect to see for 2018 and beyond.

Trend #1 – Capitalizing on Available and Unusable Yard Space by Creating Multi-Functional Entertaining Areas

This side yard off the kitchen and dining area was an unusable space used only for barbecuing and the occasional outdoor eating. The patio was too small. Today’s yards are multi-functional and serve to entertain, lounge, and maximize lot square footage.

BEFORE / Photo credit: www.homestagingresource.com

AFTER / www.homestagingresource.com

The side yard appears to be much bigger than before and now serves as an extension of the kitchen and living room area. The wasted and unused yard is now a highlight of the home adding nearly 1,000 square feet of living space.

Trend #2 – Bring the Outside In with La Cantina/Folding Doors

BEFORE / www.homestagingresource.com

AFTER / www.homestagingresource.com

Removing the kitchen wall and adding La Cantina folding doors allows for seamless movement between the inside and out. Almost every new home being built in San Diego County has one of these doors inside, so expect to see a lot more of these in the coming years.

Trend #3– Home Bars and Wine Rooms for Entertaining

The casual setting of a home bar is on the rise with a large selection of finishing materials and resources available online to home owners. More people are entertaining larger crowds in a “help yourself” type of atmosphere. The Houzz category of “Home Bar” is one of the fastest growing and searched type of photos. So it’s no wonder people are adding them to their outdoor space.

BEFORE / www.homestagingresource.com

AFTER / www.homestagingresource.com

Trend #4 – Textured Walls/Tongue and Groove Siding

Part of making an outside addition appear to be seamless to the inside is to not have the walls look like the outside of a house. An easy way to create the “indoor look” is to banish stucco entirely and use tongue and groove, as well as wood cabinets (treated and painted) to add character.

Photo credit: www.homestagingresource.com

Trend #5 – Seamless Outdoor Heating that Works and is Energy Efficient

It wasn’t that long ago home owners were relegated to the indoors for most of the year due to cold and hot weather issues. Sophisticated and low energy heating units embedded into the ceiling make this a year round space for watching TV and entertaining!

Photo credit: www.homestagingresource.com

Trend #6 – Matching Flooring as an “Extension” of the Indoor Space

Keeping in line with the home owner’s desire for a seamless movement between inside and outside, flooring options have widened allowing owner’s to use tile that looks like wood but is hardy and easy to wash in their outside space.

BEFORE / www.homestagingresource.com

AFTER / www.homestagingresource.com

From a resale standpoint, these outdoor spaces cost much less than additions and add buyer lifestyle value. Light fixtures, finishes, and furnishings that can withstand the outdoor elements are easier to source than ever before, so it can be fun for the designer/stager to get creative with their clients.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Audra Slinkey is president of the Home Staging Resource, a RESA Accredited home staging training and certification company. Slinkey has personally trained over 3,000 stagers worldwide and is a bestselling author and international speaker. She also serves as president of the American Society of Home Stagers and Redesigners. Connect with her on Facebook!

Source: National Association of Realtors

Hot Home Trend: Bamboo Everything!

By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR® Magazine

Bamboo is making its way into more home interiors. From flooring, window treatments to wall accents, furnishings and more, this sustainable material is popping up everywhere.

Some designers are making bamboo their go-to material, which RISMedia recently highlighted in the article “4 Reasons Why Bamboo Is Taking Home Décor by Storm.”

Bamboo is widely available and more affordable than many other wood products. Bamboo is traditionally considered a type of wood flooring, but it’s actually not a wood at all, but a grass. And at growth rates of three to five feet per year, bamboo is one of the fastest growing plants on Earth, which means it’s widely available for spicing up interiors.

Here are a few trending ways we’re seeing bamboo enter more household decor.

Gold bamboo is particularly hot for home accents (Check out the coffee table in the picture below).

Photo by Linda McDougald Design | Postcard from Paris Home – Discover family room design inspiration

Photo by Jenny Madden Design – Search entryway design ideas

Bamboo-textured walls can add a focal point to a space.

Photo by Biglin Architectural Group – Look for powder room pictures

Bamboo is popular in landscapes and for adding privacy.

Photo by Zulufish – Search deck pictures

Bamboo flooring is an alternative to wood flooring and comes in many different color variations.

Photo by Landmark Services Inc – Search kitchen pictures

Bamboo can be used for an artistic privacy screen.

Photo by Luminexa Surfacing – Discover bathroom design ideas

Source: National Association of Realtors

Smarten Up Your Showings With Smart Home Technology

By Christy Matte, guest contributor

Smart homes with security and automation features are becoming a hot trend, and they can be an exciting way to dazzle prospective home buyers (and up your staging efforts to a high-tech level at the same time). But if buyers have never experienced an automated home environment, rattling off a list of features could be meaningless at best, and confusing at worst. Here are some fun ways to show a home with smart features, so the buyers will be wowed and you can clinch the sale.

Know What It Is and How It Works

It should go without saying, but make sure you can control the features like a security system, smart locks, or smart lighting, before trying to introduce them to buyers. Ask the homeowner for tips, test them out, and be ready for the big show.

Get the Apps

Ask the seller for access to the associated apps for the various systems. Even better, convince the sellers to tie all smart home technology into one convenient smart hub. It’s an easy task with the help of their Internet service provider. Install one app on one device so prospective buyers can try them out.

Educate Buyers on the Benefits

Make a one-page list of the features, specifically showing how they can save time and money, while also providing increased security.

Go Beyond the Basics

Most people have a basic understanding of a traditional home security system. Show them how this particular system can go even further. Can it send them a text message for smoke detection or a water leak? Can you open the smart lock with your own designated code? Show buyers how much flexibility is available. Security systems aren’t just for protecting against theft anymore.

Have Fun!

Use motion detectors to trigger mood lighting and automated music as buyers move through the home. Let them set off the sprinkler system (after touring the yard, of course) with a swipe of the app. Teach them voice commands to trigger the home’s other functions.

With the right planning, you can turn your everyday showing into something truly special and extremely smart.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Christy Matte is a Boston-based writer who covers home security for XFINITY Home. She is also a die-hard techie who blogs at QuirkyFusion.com. 

Source: National Association of Realtors

Tips on Christmas Decor Home Staging

By Merri Cvetan, guest contributor

If you’re staging your home during this time of the year, adding a bit of holiday cheer to your decor can make a big impression on potential buyers. Use these tips to create a simple, polished look that puts your home in its best light this holiday season.

Choose the Right Christmas Tree

When showing your home, include holiday decor that allows potential buyers to picture themselves in the space. For example, choose a tree that allows other aspects of your home to shine. Your living room or entryway will look bigger if you opt for a small artificial tree over a 6-foot live pine. An artificial tree is also less messy than a real one, meaning your home will always be neat and tidy and ready for the next showing.

Light It Up

The Christmas light possibilities are endless, but when you’re staging a home for sale, think simple and low-key and stick to one style. An over-the-top display might not reflect the tastes of your potential buyers, and too many decorations can take away from the room itself.

Take advantage of the many styles of Christmas tree lights available to give your home an understated yet inviting holiday look. Opt for something different, like an artificial white tree decorated with white LED lights. Finally, choose ornaments and trim that coordinate with the lights. Add a few silver and red ornaments for extra sparkle and color. It’s just enough Christmas for your family to enjoy without overpowering the room.

Decorate Your Mantel

The fireplace is an important focal point. Keep it simple and elegant to help potential buyers imagine opening their own Christmas gifts around a roaring fire.

Don’t completely cover the mantel. Pack away any personal family photos or the kids’ school crafts. Drape a garland across the mantel, allowing the branches to hang over the edge. A string of simple white LED lights adds just enough illumination to highlight the fireplace.

Add a few candles and a simple vase to reflect the light. A rustic wreath on the wall above the mantel completes the scene without distracting from the main event. This style is classic enough to appeal to a variety of buyers while still capturing the holiday spirit.

Don’t Forget the Exterior

Increase your curb appeal and make a good impression from the get-go by decorating the outside of your home. Consider your neighborhood, too–if all of your neighbors have lights and outdoor decorations, you don’t want to be the only home without them.

Keep things simple and easy with a festive wreath on the door to greet potential buyers. Wrap a garland or string of lights around your front porch (or hang them around your entryway), then finish the look with lanterns or a potted evergreen. Finally, make sure your walkway is clear of snow or ice.

Welcome Buyers With the Spirit of the Holidays

During an open house, create the feel of a festive holiday party by offering seasonal snacks like gingerbread cookies, candy canes, hot chocolate, and apple cider. Keeping mulled hot apple cider simmering on the stove will also make the whole house smell good. Light a fire in your fireplace to make the home feel cozy and warm, helping visitors envision living there. When it comes to impressing potential buyers, these small touches can make all the difference.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Merri Cvetan is an interior designer who writes about home decor topics for The Home Depot. See more Christmas lights and decorating ideas for the holidays.

Source: National Association of Realtors

Add Some Pumpkin Spice to Your Autumn Staging

By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR® Magazine

It’s pumpkin season and that means pumpkin everything — lattes, muffins, cookies, cakes, and, yes, even home décor. Home stagers are adding a little “pumpkin spice” to their decor, from the welcoming fall scent to pumpkin accents that inspire a cozy, autumn feel. Plus, orange can serve as a great staging color. The bold hue pops against a neutral backdrop.

Now, before you go all Trader Joe’s-pumpkin-explosion style, restrain yourself. Do not over-pumpkin your listing!

Try adding a few pumpkins to your listing’s front stoop and maybe a few orange accessories here and there. Consider even some pumpkin lattes and muffins to complete your autumn open house.

Houzz recently featured several ideas of how you can add pumpkin-orange inspiration to your décor, from orange velvet furnishings, towels, throws, and pillows to even an orange accent wall for those who want to commit on a bigger scale.

Here are some of our favorites autumn staging ideas to get you inspired to add some pumpkin flair to your listing.

1. Add some pumpkins to your front stoop.

Photo by The Yellow Cape Cod – Search porch pictures

Photo by Southern Botanical, Inc. – Look for entryway design inspiration

2. Try some pumpkin accents along the dining room table.

Photo by Adrienne DeRosa – Search dining room design ideas

3. Use some pumpkin flair to showcase the fireplace mantel.

Photo by Savvy Seasons – Browse living room photos

4. Add some pumpkins to your flower pots.

Photo by Greenlife Gardens – Discover landscaping design inspiration

5. Tuck mini pumpkins into your candle holders, and complement with orange accessories throughout the front porch.

Photo by Seaside Interiors – Look for exterior home pictures

7. Weave orange throughout a room in small doses to offset darker color schemes.

Photo by Seaside Interiors – More living room photos

8. Use shades of pumpkin for accents.

Photo by The Yellow Cape Cod – Browse home design ideas

This is a Pumpkin Cream accent wall (Pumpkin Cream 2168-20 by Benjamin Moore)

Photo by House + House Architects – Discover family room design inspiration

Source: National Association of Realtors

Why You Should Stage a Cozy Fire Pit Area

By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR® Magazine

Fire features, like outdoor fire pits and fire tables, are in demand. The National Association of Landscape Professionals calls it one of the hottest landscape trends for the fall, based on a recent survey of 5,000 of its member landscapers.

These hot-spots can be a great way to show off the entertaining potential of your outdoor space. Set up a fire pit with a few outdoor chairs around it. You can even drape a blanket over one chair and add ingredients to s’mores on a table to finish off this perfect cozy fall scene.

Consider, taking a picture of your fire pit with the flames at dusk to even add to your listing photos to highlight as a selling point too. (A professional photographer may be best to get this picture so that the lighting is perfect.)

Check out these chic fire pit areas featured by designers at Houzz.

Photo by Envision Landscape Studio – Browse patio photos

Photo by Alderwood Landscape Architecture and Construction – Browse patio photos

Photo by Elevation Architectural Studios – More patio photos

Photo by Arterra Landscape Architects – Browse patio photos

Photo by Draper white – Discover patio design ideas

Photo by Sycamore Design – Discover patio design ideas

Source: National Association of Realtors

What to Do if Your Home Doesn’t Sell

By Patti Stern, PJ & Company Staging and Interior Decorating

Has your property been on the market for months with little buyer interest? With a competitive fall market ahead, it may help to reassess the condition of your home, make necessary updates, then re-list a new and improved staged property to generate new buzz and buyer interest. Here are some questions sellers should ask themselves to get their home on top of the list and ahead of the competition.

Family Room Staging by PJ & Company Staging and Interior Decorating

Does it Make the Best First Impression?

The key is to look at your home from the perspective of the buyer. With more than 97 percent of homes sold on the Internet, the first point of engagement for buyers today is the online listing. Therefore, it’s more important than ever to feature professional quality photos using the best lighting to encourage buyers to schedule a showing. Once they arrive, be sure that your curb appeal and front entry are well maintained, tidy, and welcoming by trimming bushes, cleaning walkways, making repairs, and adding seasonal touches to the front porch.

Kitchen Staging by PJ & Company Staging and Interior Decorating

Does it Appeal to The Target Market?

According to a National Association of REALTORS(R) recent trends report, 66 percent of today’s first-time buyers are millennials, and they are looking for a home that is in move-in ready condition. These buyers will turn away instantly if the home is dated and gives the impression that it’s in need of renovation. They will, however, ultimately pay more for a home that looks fresh and inviting. Be sure that necessary repairs and cosmetic updates are made such as freshening up walls and cabinets with a coat of neutral paint, polishing hardwood floors, replacing lighting, hardware, appliances, etc.

Dining Room Staging by PJ & Company Staging and Interior Decorating

Can Buyers Visualize Living in This Home?

Whether selling an occupied or vacant home, keep in mind that If buyers can’t emotionally connect, it won’t be memorable. Consider renting furniture for vacant properties to show buyers how they can use their own furnishings in the space. For occupied properties make sure there are no distractions such as personal items on walls, shelves and tables. Showcase every key room from the entry to the basement with a clean look and minimal accessories such as colorful pillows, wall art and simple vignettes.

Family Room Staging by PJ & Company Staging and Interior Decorating

Are Key Features Highlighted?

Be sure that your home’s best assets are not hidden. Is your stone fireplace covered with a cluttered mantle or distracting wall art? Are hardwood floors covered up with dated carpeting? Are floor to ceiling windows hidden behind heavy curtains? Are built-in shelves cluttered with old books and photos? If so, remove and simplify to show these features off, bring new life and increase perceived value to your home.

For more examples of interior decorating and home staging, visit www.pjstagingdecorating.com.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Patti Stern, principal, interior decorator and professional stager of PJ & Company Staging and Interior Decorating, has been decorating and staging homes since 2005. She and her team provide turnkey, full service home staging and interior decorating to clients across Connecticut, New York and Massachusetts. She also developed an award winning staging program for luxury homebuilder, Toll Brothers. Her company has received Houzz 2015 and 2016 Awards for Customer Service. Stern has been featured in Connecticut Magazine, the Hartford Courant, Danbury News-Times and on NBC Connecticut and FOX TV. She is a regular contributor to REALTOR® Magazine’s Styled, Staged and Sold. For more information, contact Patti Stern at 203-640-3762 or patti@pjstagingdecorating.com

Source: National Association of Realtors

The Chocolate Chip Cookie Effect: Home Staging Tips to Spark Love at First Sight

By Phil Karp, guest contributor

Photo provided by Phil Karp

It’s no secret that a properly staged home can sell faster than an empty one. But how far do you need to go to inspire the “chocolate chip cookie effect,” where a buyer walks in the front door and immediately feels right at home? Sellers often look to their agent for home staging advice, which can be based on initial impressions and feedback from early showings.

Here are five tips for effectively staging a home before the next potential buyer walks in the door.

1. Create a Welcoming Entry Way

When it comes to selling a home, the importance of curb appeal can’t be stressed enough. Buyers need to fall in love at first sight — which happens around the time they pull up to the front of a property. For sellers who need to spruce up their yard, recommend inexpensive outdoor projects like a garage door replacement or an exterior power wash.

2. Enlist All Five Senses

Rather than focusing solely on how a home looks, give buyers a multisensory experience. Smells like fresh-baked cookies or scented candles can help create a welcoming, comfortable atmosphere. Calming music can also help to set the proper mood for open-house tours.

3. Encourage Decluttering

When a buyer walks into a home, they need to believe in the possibility that this house could belong to them. Seeing personal articles like photographs, kids’ artwork, or pet toys can detract from the appearance of a home that’s ready for move-in. Any loose papers and other stray items should be removed from countertops and tables to avoid distraction.

4. Turn on the Lights

To avoid a dark and dingy look, be sure to maximize the use of available lighting. Open curtains for natural light and turn on overhead lights in every room. If further accent light is needed, consider bringing LED candles or portable lights to showings.

5. Keep It Natural (and Neutral)

Neutral colors are still a favorite of house hunters looking to add their own style to a home’s decor. If you decide to add accessories for staging purposes, go for neutral accents such as throw rugs, shower curtains and towels or linens. If sellers are willing, replace window treatments or repaint rooms with dated color schemes. Natural touches like flowers and plants can also add a breath of fresh air to a home.

Home staging can range from simple decorative touches to repainting rooms or removing furniture. As buyers move through the house, they should have a clean, consistent experience designed to show off the home’s best features and make them want to move in immediately.

About the Author: Phil Karp is a 25-year real estate industry veteran and head of Brokerage Services at Owners.com, where you can list or buy a home while saving money in the process. Phil loves offering staging advice on how to make your house feel like a home to potential buyers.

Source: National Association of Realtors

Showcase Stylish Storage Solutions

By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR® Magazine

“The home needs more storage!” It’s a common gripe heard from homeowners and buyers. A home can never have too many shelves or closets.

Indeed, a majority of about 1,000 survey respondents said their number-one biggest annoyance about their home: “The lack of storage,” according to the 2015 HSH.com survey. Sixty-seven percent of survey respondents put the lack of storage as one of their top five annoyances about their home.

In all your listings, showing off the storage potential should be one of the top items on your to-do showing prep list.

And that obviously first brings you to decluttering. Not surprising, the less clutter, the bigger the space will appear. So that means hauling away most of what is cluttering those closets, pantries, and shelves so that homebuyers can see the space, the floor, and the wall.

Here are some ideas for showing off the storage in a home:

Add a mudroom.

Stage a mudroom in your listing next to an entry door or even in the garage. The “drop zone” area is appealing to buyers who seek a place to store shoes, coats, bags, and anything else as they enter the home. These can be small areas, consisting of just cubbies, hooks, and a mat for shoes.

Photo by Jacob Lilley Architects – Look for contemporary entryway design inspiration

Invest in wicker baskets.

These are a stagers’ best friends. Add them to open shelving in the bathroom or living room to make the area look organized and added drop zones for belongings.

Designer: Leslie Lamarre; Co-designer: Erika Shjeflo
Photo by: Bernard Andre

Add baskets galore in the closets.

Take a look at the photo below with all the baskets lining the wire shelves. Adding a line of baskets puts the storage potential center stage.

Photo by NEAT Method Scottsdale – Browse traditional closet ideas

Clean out the closets.

Remove a majority of the clothes hanging in the closet and leave only a few on wooden hangers. The storage space will look less cluttered.

Photo by Closet Factory – Browse traditional closet ideas

Stock the pantry in containers.

An overly cluttered pantry will look smaller. Enlarge the space by using containers for foods and lining items in a row to look organized.

Photo by NEAT Method Scottsdale – Search traditional kitchen design ideas

Photo by Nicholson Builders – Discover contemporary kitchen design inspiration

Source: National Association of Realtors

Vinyl Flooring Is Stealing the Spotlight

By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR® Magazine

Vinyl can get a bad rap. Often it’s confused with linoleum and conjures up memories of outdated, cheap 1980s flooring rolled out in sheets. But lately, vinyl is showing itself as anything but “cheap” looking. It can be laid out in planks, tiles, and sheets and it’s getting some trendy looks.

The vinyl flooring industry is booming as new designs resemble the look of real hardwoods, but without the high maintenance. Vinyl is known for being scratch-proof and even waterproof, which is making them especially appealing in the kitchen and bathroom. Plus, vinyl is known for being more pet-friendly and that’s increasingly important nowadays. (Consider, 61 percent of households own a pet or plan to soon, according to an NAR pet study. As such, pet-friendly flooring is proving to be a growing motivator in home remodeling decisions).

Vinyl flooring options are now available in styles that mimic current wood styles, in everything from oak, pine and walnut to even hand-scraped options.

Photo by Jackson Design & Remodeling – Look for contemporary kitchen design inspiration

You have several color choices with vinyl too, from gray to espresso and white.

Photo by Yates Flooring Center – Look for rustic living room pictures

And vinyl isn’t just for resembling the look of hardwoods. You can also get vinyl that resembles tile, marble, and cement too.

Photo by Wendy Hynes – Search traditional kitchen design ideas

The installation of vinyl is also getting more trendy. You can install it in a herringbone pattern on the floor or diagonal. Wide plank vinyl is one of the trendiest and some designers even say it can make your room look larger too.

Photo by Comfort Flooring – More transitional bedroom photos

Read more about “2017 Vinyl Flooring Trends” at FlooringInc.com.
Source: National Association of Realtors

Revisit Your Listing’s Curb Appeal: Have You Done Enough?

By Caroline M. Carter, guest contributor

You’ll want to leave potential buyers with a great impression of your listing’s exterior, that is if you want to motivate them to want to see more.

But what do you do if the front entrance to a house looks dated, insubstantial and unwelcoming?

Change it.

Photo courtesy: Caroline M. Carter/Done in a Day Inc.

What impression does this front door create for the potential buyer? Does it communicate value to the buyer? Is it worth their time to schedule a showing?

No. The front door currently presents as an unimpressive–utilitarian front door with a tarnished, pitted brass doorknob and mail slot.

With a quick trip to the nearest home improvement store, the updated entrance goes from drab to fab. A critical investment of $300 for new black paint and polished brass handset, knocker, mail slot and kick plate transformed this entrance and creates value in the mind of the buyer. It now presents as more polished and welcoming. It’s substantial, safe, secure and well-maintained.

Photo courtesy: Caroline M. Carter/Done in a Day Inc.

As a result of this quick fix, the buyer will now assume that the interior of the house is worth their time to schedule a showing.

But wait, not so fast.

All doors are important. The basement door facing the main street of this same house is unsightly, insubstantial and creates confusion in the eyes of the buyer–where is the front entrance? What is this door and where does it go?

Photo courtesy: Caroline M. Carter/Done in a Day Inc.

A simple black painted lattice framed outer door with no handle creates a more artistic and secure looking distraction so the buyer instantly knows that it is not the main entrance.

Photo courtesy: Caroline M. Carter/Done in a Day Inc.

Here’s another simple, inexpensive way to spruce up the curb: Update the house numbers. In the photo below, we added a newly installed black plaque with 4” house numbers on the stone wall closest to the stairs to the main entrance. It’s visible from the street and leads buyers to the actual front entrance.

Photo courtesy: Caroline M. Carter/Done in a Day Inc.

So, view your entrance and front door with a more critical buyer’s eye. Does it create a positive impression of perceived value? Does it compel the buyer to make time to schedule a showing? If not, it’s time to enhance it. First impressions count.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Caroline Carter is founder of Done In A Day, a full service home transition company in the Washington, D.C., metropolitan area. Since 2005, her company has created The Perfect Listing® to stage the areas upper bracket houses to sell. She is recognized by the area’s top real estate professionals and educated sellers to be a leading resource to successfully navigating the transition process from house to home. To learn more about Carter, visit her website at doneinaday.com, or follow her teams projects on Facebook, Instagram, Houzz, LinkedIn, and Pinterest.
Source: National Association of Realtors

Lenders Rounding Home on TRID

A year after TRID, lenders show signs of growing optimism. The TRID or the Know Before You Owe rules were implemented in October of 2015 and indented to streamline and safeguard consumers in the closing process. Delays and closing times leapt in the wake of the change, but eased to a lower, but elevated plateau.

When asked in NAR’s 12^th Survey of Mortgage Originators, 75.1 percent of lenders who took part indicated that they would normalize operations in six months or less, the second consecutive gain. However, a significant 16.7 percent indicated that settlement delays were the new norm, a finding that dovetails with continued delays in the settlement process.

The locus of the problem may be with the investors who purchase the mortgages that lenders originate. When lenders were asked about investors’ ability to adapt to the TRID environment, there too was growing optimism, but 25 percent felt that lower demand (e.g. higher rejection and put back rates) from investors because of TRID errors was the new normal. Some argue that improving lenders’ ability to fix TRID errors in loans after origination and before sale to investors might help ease sales to investors. A smooth flow of funds from investors to home buyers is critical for housing.

Source: NAR Economic Outlook

2016 Home Buying Trend: Purchasing Larger Homes Continues

Home buyer demographics change slightly from year to year due to macroeconomic forces from the health of the economy to inflation to the global trade on oil prices. The National Association of REALTORS® recently released its 2016 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers report and the trend of purchasing up in home size has continued again this year.

First, in all regions of the country, the desire to own a home of one’s own continues to dominate as the top reason for purchasing a home, almost three times as much as any other reason to purchase. Nationally, the desire to purchase one’s own home was 31 percent of all buyers, followed by the desire for a larger home (10 percent), a job-related relocation or move (eight percent), and a change in family situation (eight percent). For first-time buyers, the desire to purchase one’s own home was 67 percent.

In five out of nine regions in the United States, buyers continued to trade up and buy bigger homes than last year. According to the 2016 report, 46 percent of all buyers traded up in the size of their home, up from 42 percent in 2015. In the 2015 report, buyers reported that they were looking for homes similar in size at 29 percent compared to 26 percent in 2016.

The top regions that continued to trade up in size were New England, East North Central, South Atlantic, Mountain, and Pacific. Interestingly, share of buyers that traded up in size in West North Central last year, in contrast, went back down to six percent in 2016 (similar to 2014) from 13 percent in 2015. The regions with the share of buyers that traded up in 2015 but fell slightly in 2016 include the Middle Atlantic, East South Central, and West South Central.

While these regions where the share may have dropped a few percentage points, the desire for a larger home was still the second most frequently cited reason in almost every region. The only exceptions were in the West North Central that cited the desire to be closer to family, and the West South Central that cited a job relocation as the second most common reason to purchase a home.

One reason for this shift in purchasing power is that people have more equity from selling their previous homes in order to buy a bigger one. Since the housing downturn in 2010, many homes were worth less than their mortgages. Over the last several years, home prices have been rising. In 2014, 17 percent reported waiting or stalling to sell their home, which dropped to 13 percent in 2015 and again to 12 percent in 2016. Sellers also reported that they sold their homes for a median of $43,100 more than they purchased it, up from $40,000 in 2015 and $30,100 in 2014. The most common reason for selling a home in 2016 was that the home was too small at 18 percent, up from 16 percent in 2015.

The typical seller in 2016 was 54 years old (same as the last two years) and the median household income in 2015 was $100,700, down from $104,000 in 2014. Sellers aged 35 to 44 years were the largest age group to sell homes last year at 22 percent. We can speculate that the sellers probably had a child in the last few years and wanted a bigger home to expand their family. We also see the trend where repeat buyers have been able to sell their homes at a higher price in order to trade up and purchase larger homes. Sellers aged 55 to 64 also made up 22 percent of all sellers, possibly looking to downsize to a smaller home as they near retirement.

Source: NAR Economic Outlook

10 Staging Tips for Holiday Decor

By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR(R) Magazine

You don’t have to go all Clark Griswold to show your holiday spirit. Decorations can be subtle, tasteful and inviting when a house is up for sale during the holiday months.

Sure, there are two sides to this: Some staging and real estate professionals assert that you shouldn’t decorate at all during the holidays, careful not to offend those who don’t celebrate the holiday. Others argue you should definitely decorate and that a festive house can welcome buyers. How much or how little you decorate may be open to debate with your home sellers. But if you are looking to add in some tasteful holiday decor this season to a home, here are some ideas:

1. Dress up the doorstep with a wreath and planter. Silver is shiny and can reflect the sun, making it a great choice to get others to stop and take notice of a home.

Photo by Mary Prince Photography – Discover traditional entryway design inspiration

2. Highlight the fireplace mantel with holiday décor to get this amenity to take center stage in the room. But don’t overcrowd it with decorations. Less is sometimes more, in this case.

Photo by AM Dolce Vita – More transitional home design ideas

3. Make a flower box more festive. Try adding berries or ornaments.

Photo by GreenCraft Associates – Discover traditional landscape design ideas

4. Offer up some holiday treats to visitors. Filled candy bowls and cookies will be a welcome surprise and may make buyers want to linger.

Photo by Lord Design – Look for traditional home design pictures

5. Put up a tree but have it blend into the style of the home. The tree in this dining room below compliments the subtle hues used in this French Country styled room. Have the tree coordinate with colors already used in the home’s decor.

Photo by Michelle – Browse traditional dining room ideas

6. Consider day and night appeal. Keep the holiday decorations looking as good in the daylight as they are in the dark.

Photo by Kerrie L. Kelly – Browse traditional exterior photos

7. Stage the table for a holiday feast. Show off the entertaining aspects the home has to offer.

Photo by The Expert Touch Interiors – Look for traditional dining room design inspiration

8. Use garland to highlight a feature. For example, get them to notice that curvy stairway with some festive garland wrapped around it.

Photo by Regina Gust Designs – Look for traditional staircase pictures

9. Add in some poinsettias. The holiday plant aren’t only festive but the red-popping color can add to a room’s tables or doorstep.

Photo by Robeson Design – More transitional dining room ideas

10. Draw from greenery. Use nature-inspired green to enhance a room with subtle décor.

Photo by Vale Garden Houses – Look for traditional sunroom design inspiration

Source: National Association of Realtors

How to Create a Warm, Inviting Winter Listing

By Patti Stern, PJ & Company Staging and Interior Decorating

A Welcoming Curb Appeal

Maintain a polished look by keeping gutters clean and shrubs trimmed. Be sure to also remove any hazards by shoveling, sanding, and removing any ice or snow from the driveway, walkways, and sidewalks. To engage buyers on a gloomy day, keep the front porch well lit, use potted evergreens or berry branches, a wreath on the door, lanterns, and a seasonal welcome mat.

Simple and Elegant Holiday Decor

Do not overdo! Buyers want to see the home’s permanent features and a fireplace or window covered with too many ribbons and stockings will distract from key focal points. Instead, incorporate elegant finishing touches such as mercury glass votives and ornaments for some sparkle paired with candles, pine cones, berries and twigs.

Create Warmth With Lighting

Use modest lighting as an accent to create an inviting ambience. Scatter a few lightly scented tea lights in votives, candles in varying heights on beautiful pillars or lanterns and soft white string lights on the front porch, entry stairway or fireplace.

Splashes of Minimal Color

Too much traditional green and red can compete with existing decor and command a room’s attention. A couple of red plaid throw pillows or a red wool blanket draped on the sofa will add just enough festive pop. We also love using silver and gold paired with fresh, white seasonal flowers to complement freshly painted neutral walls that appeal to nearly all buyers.

Keep It Bright

With shorter days, let in as much natural light as possible by opening blinds and curtains. Make sure that all lights are working, light bulbs have been changed, and be sure that the property is well lit both inside and out for late afternoon showings.

Don’t Spook Buyers! Here Is Some Tasteful Halloween-Inspired Curb Appeal

By Melissa Dittmann Tracey, REALTOR(R) Magazine

You don’t want to scare buyers away. But who says you can’t have a little fun with your listing for Halloween?

Sure, you should probably skip the full cemetery tombstone display for the sake of curb appeal. And, probably the ghost popping out of the tree or the witch laughing a haunting laugh in the corner is not the best idea when selling a home. But a few non-scary, Halloween-themed accents here and there can help outfit your listing’s exterior for the season. After all, orange is an eye-popping color that you can certainly use to your advantage in the fall to up your curb appeal.

Try some pumpkins and fall-inspired décor around the for-sale sign for some added attention. Or how about a playful spider on a fake web hanging down from your sign for a little fun?

Need some inspiration? Take a look at few examples of stylish Halloween exteriors, all taken from designers featured at Houzz, a website for remodelers and designers.

Photo by Mary Prince Photography – Search traditional entryway design ideas

Photo by Southern Botanical, Inc. – Discover traditional entryway design ideas

Photo by Southern Botanical, Inc. – Search traditional entryway design ideas

Photo by Seaside Interiors – Look for traditional exterior pictures

Photo by Julie Ranee Photography – Search eclectic porch pictures

Photo by Mary Prince Photography – More traditional landscape photos

Source: National Association of Realtors

View the Same Property Staged 3 Different Ways

By Saghar Setareh, CoContest guest contributor

How can you know the best style for staging a property? After all, you’ll need to satisfy home buyers’ various style tastes as well as make sure you’re showing the property in its best light.

Thanks to the power of the Internet, we wanted to see just how much the point of view in staging of properties can vary. We asked for designers to upload their take on one floorplan at the CoContest website. All designers staged the same room, but recreated it differently based on their own style and taste and interpretation of the client’s request in the contest.

The challenge: This modern apartment in Connecticut needed to be renovated, in a way to enjoy the artwork during the gatherings of family and friends.

Photo courtesy: CoContest

Design 1: Classic Vibe

This room offered up a more classic appeal. The designer Decolite Design used a crystal chandelier for the main lighting, colonial furniture for the main living room, black chesterfield sofas with white armchairs, and a large, white rug. The artwork is also from the classic period. The pallet of colors is black and white, and a piano along the wall also helps to complete the look.

Design 2: Bold Artwork

This designer Marta Valente above used bright and saturated colors in the artwork to compliment the two dark sofas and white and mustard color chairs. In order to add a more modern and industrial look to the space, a wooden table with metal legs was brought in. To complete this look, the wall has gray bricks and there’s a colorful buffet in stripes along one wall.

Design 3: A Modern Touch

Another designer BIVIO Architettura. Paula Godoy & Celia Cardona used very modern furniture from the late 20th Century, puffs, and large paintings to work as a separator. Texture is also used in the modern furniture and couches to match the abstract paintings on the wall. Low, coffee table and cushions are also part of this look. But the most distinctive feature of this project: The vertical bars that divide the living room in two separated parts.

These are only three design ideas from many, that present the property in three, completely different styles, made possible to imagine how the property would look like, with a convenient price.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Saghar Setareh is the Content Manager of CoContest, the first crowdsourcing platform for interior design and architecture online. She is an enthusiast about home decor and all forms of design.
Source: National Association of Realtors