Welcome to the October 2006 issue of Staging Strategies! This month, we'll continue our look at the TOP 5 Decorating Mistakes clients make, and what you can do to recognize and address them in your own listings.
Packaging and presentation are so important in influencing consumers' purchase decisions. Imagine three identical bars of soap -- one in a black and white generic wrapper, one in a name brand label, and one in cream paper with a rafia ribbon. Which one would you perceive as the "better" soap...even though the contents are the same? And would you be willing to pay a little more money for that perception? A house on the real estate market is no different -- the packaging and presentation of the rooms, including how they are decorated, affect a buyer's perception of your listing. A well decorated house can unconsciously send the message that it is "better" than comparable listings. Part of being well decorated means avoiding common decorating mistakes such as the ones we've been taking a look at. As a Realtor, being able to recognize these in your own listings will help you be better positioned to get the most out of your packaging and presentation.
Sincerely,
Andria Wallace, IADA, RES
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TOP 5 DECORATING MISTAKES |
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| 4 | | | Floating Art
You may have heard the advice to put pictures "at eye level" as a guide for hanging art. Unfortunately, this doesn't necessarily get them where they need to be for good design. Not only is "eye level" subjective -- Is it eye level to the person hanging it? Eye level when standing? Eye level from the top of the frame? -- but most importantly, it assumes that you are hanging a picture without regard to all the elements around it! What if you're hanging it over a sofa? A table? A fireplace?
When hung in isolation without taking into consideration how it fits into the furnishings as a whole, a picture can "float" on the wall, not relating to what's around it. Too often, pictures are too small for the space, and hung too high to help the room feel pulled together.
The solution:
Art should always be hung in relation to something...either a piece of furniture or an architectural feature (such as a fireplace or a staircase). When hanging a picture over a sofa, for instance, hang it so it is "grouped" with the sofa. It should also be large enough to fit the scale of the furniture. If your picture is too small, group it with several others to give it the presence to balance the surrounding furnishings. | |
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Quick Tip:
Does your listing have a mirror in the living room or family room? Take a look at what it reflects! Ideally, it should be reflecting a window or the outdoors. If it's reflecting the kitchen cabinets (or worse...the powder room door), consider moving it to where it will help bring light and life to the room. |
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| Coming Next Month:
We'll wrap up our look at the Top 5 Decorating Mistakes list. Hope you'll come back for the final segment in the November issue. |
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Want to make the most out of
your marketing time and efforts? You may only think of "staging" in terms of rental furniture for a vacant listing, but you can also stage your furnished listings to give them a stylish and updated look that leads to better showings and faster sale!
Staging is more than just "moving the couch". Not only are rooms displayed more attractively, but strategic placement of furnishings makes better use of space and shows off the house from a buyer's perspective, helping them more easily imagine themselves in the house.
Why invest money in marketing materials, spend your valuable time at open houses, and expend efforts in promoting your listings before they've been prepared to maxmize their appeal to buyers? Let us help you prepare your listings so you can focus your expertise in what you do best...marketing the property to get it SOLD.
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For more information on how these services can help you move your listings, please call 314-359-9127 or visit our website at www.contentedrooms.com/realtors. |
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Using the art of decorating to make the most of your listings for optimal showing, buyer appeal and faster sale.
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In the News Check us out in the 'Going Solo' column
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