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When people think about home staging, the first thing that comes to mind is decluttering. Yes! You must tackle the household clutter, but what does it really mean?

Looking at what buyers and sellers are saying about staging gives us valuable insight into the growing importance of staging on the marketing of residential real estate.

Ellie Mayes was recently interviewed on the Design Time video podcast. Watch the video below or read the interview here.

Sellers who begin early can make the right decisions about what to do, and more importantly, what not to do, in order to maximize their return on investment.

Back in November of last year, my husband, Chris, and I achieved the long-desired dream of owning an investment property on the coast.

Décor can be trendy or dated, taste specific, or non-existent. Learn how staging creates a look that appeals to a broad audience, evokes a feeling of wanting to live in the space, and does not detract from the fixed elements of the home.

Have you ever walked into a house and thought the wall color was weird or didn’t make any sense? Beige walls can turn pink, gray walls can turn purple and cream can turn lemon yellow.

The news surrounding the real estate market is all over the place these days. Is it a buyer’s market now? They say it isn’t. Is it still a seller’s market?

One key to success in the short term rental business is to properly design and photograph your property. I recently helped a new investor with a mid-term rental set up.

Realtors who coach sellers to invest the time and effort into staging will sell homes faster and for more money. It’s always been that way, even when homes sold no matter what.

I have a few other loves in real estate and my newest journey, into short term rentals, has been an adventure. As they say, “everyone’s doing it” and I’m here to tell you that it ain’t for the faint of heart. It’s land-lording on steroids with a twist because it’s hospitality too.

Finding space for all the things we do at home and storage for all our belongings can be an exercise in extreme creativity or result in a messy, cluttered home.

“I spoke with the home repairs guys yesterday for the living room ceiling issues we discussed. He said he wouldn’t fix it since it’s just aesthetics…YIKES!

During the coming soon period, buyers can do their research and drive by the house, but they cannot go inside until the home is listed as “Active.”

Many have no idea that their home has an odor until someone tells them. And it’s not their fault. If you live with it, you don’t notice it. The same goes for our clutter and dust.

The real estate market is unprecedented right now and if you are lucky enough to own a home, you may be considering a move to take advantage of the equity you suddenly have.

Video and photography have changed every industry, as well as our everyday personal lives. Sometimes technology changes everything quickly, like in the past 18 months, and sometimes we are a little slower to adopt. Video, and video chat services are integrating into new areas of our lives every day.

After meeting with thousands of homeowners, one thing I know is that the primary bedroom almost never gets the same decorating love and attention as the living spaces and the kid’s bedrooms. That isn’t to say that homeowners don’t all WISH for a special retreat at the end of the day, so, stage that bedroom! You are creating a lifestyle for them.

Homeowners feel so confident in their ability to sell quickly, many are skipping the staging in favor of getting their home on the market more quickly, knowing that the home will sell regardless of what it looks like. Sure, but…

The decision to skip staging leaves the homeowner’s equity in the hands of the buyer, not the seller.

There are strategies in order to prepare specifically for the photographs as opposed to the Showing Appointments. Remember here that the MLS photos ARE the first showing, since we know that buyers are shopping online before they ever walk in the front door.

I’ve actually spoken to folks over the years who only want to purchase a brand new home because they ONLY want a brand new bathroom! When you give it some thought, I can see why people are concerned, freaked out, grossed out and otherwise turned off by other people’s bathrooms…

Most Realtors have some understanding of staging and agree that staging helps sell homes, so at some level, they implement “staging” into their seller’s marketing plan. Many Realtors believe that they have the information and understanding they need to properly advise their sellers on how to prepare their homes for marketing. Declutter, pre-pack, clear the surfaces, paint the walls neutral, make the beds and hang fresh towels. Done?

At the start of the corona virus lock-down, I was contacted by a seller in Asheville, NC about getting assistance with staging their home. They had decided to put the house on the market, hired a painter and needed help ASAP

Realtors know that ultimately price drives everything for home buyers in any real estate market. Buyers compare and contrast location, features, condition and price and make a buying decision when they believe they have found the best value among all the available homes.

Paint color is a personal thing. Some folks care, some never think about it. Some are completely confounded with the idea of selection. Some, right or wrong, are certain they can choose the right color for themselves or for when it’s time to sell the house.

You may have noticed that times have changed. 2020 has not gone as planned. Just when the economy was blazing and the spring real estate market had shifted into high gear for those of us in the business, COVID-19 tore through the world and turned everything upside down.