Back to the Basics – Entry (Entrez, Sil vous plait!)

We continue to kick start 2012 with our Back to The Home Staging Basics.  Today, we discuss the most critical staging area of concentration – the Entry.

It is pretty simple why I believe the Entry is so critical to a well-staged house.  I know that buyers make up their mind in the first 30-60 seconds upon entering a house.  The rest of the time in the house is spent justifying their first emotional reaction. 

Entries come in all shapes and forms.  From the small closed off “hallway” to the magnificent with a grand stairway.  No matter what you have to work with, the Entry has to look great.  And in my experience, it can always be done!

As a stager, I must make sure that an entry space makes that all important first impression. I ask questions that relate to the senses:

·         Are all areas within sight of the entry visually appealing and is the room well and softly light?

·         Is there a clean and fresh smell?

·         Does the front door hardware have a nice feel and is the air temperature comfortable?

·         Is there a relaxed, warm and peaceful feeling? 

If I could only stage one room in a house, that room would be the Entry.  The entry is where the action begins and where professional home stagers earn their fees!  The objective is to say to the potential buyer – “Entrez, Sil vous plait! (Enter, if you please!). 

You can view examples of staged entries on our Transitions website at http://www.transitions-home-staging.com/Entry-Ways-I.html  

The professionally staged home speaks to the potential buyer - “Enter, if you please!  Imagine your best self in this house.  Envision living the next chapter of your life adventure in this inviting home.”   

Dwell in possibilities! 

Cindy

Back to the Basics – Curb Appeal

Happy New Year!!  I am excited about the wonderful opportunities and possibilities 2012 will bring to my clients, Realtor partners and me.

As you may recall, “to be continued” is designed to inform and educate progressive Realtors and savvy sellers about the value and benefits of home staging.  We want our blog to be another tool you can use to sell houses.

To that end, I decided to go back to the home staging basics to kick start 2012. 

When I stage a house, I concentrate on the five main aspects of each home: Curb Appeal, Entry Area, Focal Points, Flow, Furniture Arrangement and Accessories. 

Today, we will examine my first area of concentration – Curb Appeal.  We will feature the other areas of concentration throughout this month.

Curb appeal and exterior style often determine if a house will make a potential buyer’s “first cut”.  So the staging process begins here. 

There is an initial impression made about every house.  My goal is to create an emotional reaction that begins when a prospective buyer pulls into the driveway and does not end until the home has been viewed and the front door is closed.

My first questions when I pull into the driveway:

·         Do the exterior paint colors look dated, mismatched or poorly maintained? 

·         Is the landscaping consistent with the house and the neighborhood? 

·         Are the porch and steps inviting or lackluster? 

In a potential buyer’s eyes, the appearance of the outside of a house is an indicator of what is to follow.  Freshly mulched flower beds, a clean and orderly front porch, colorful flower pots and overall order foreshadow a well maintained house that has been enjoyed and pampered. 

Curb appeal can be a challenge in the cold, gray months of winter but it just makes me find creative ways to inject color into that first impression to make that house stand out at first glance.

You can find the portfolio of houses staged by Transitions at http://www.transitions-home-staging.com/Projects.html  

Dwell in possibilities! 

Cindy