Achieving that perfect display home condition is not really
as overwhelming as it sounds. Some sellers use professional "fluffers" to
improve their home's appearance and sale price. Talented fluffers are masters of
illusion. They have large storehouses of furniture and accessories or rental
arrangements with various stores. After evaluating your home, they may decide to
swap your old sofa for one that will make buyers take a second look at the room.
After the house is sold the loaner sofa goes back to the store. The same goes
for the expensive Persian rug, matching vases or sculpture. While you may not be
prepared to use a fluffer or go to these lengths to update your home, there are
a few simple ways to get a similar outcome.
Painting is an inexpensive
update which can make a dramatic impact on your home. Colour and light are
usually the first things people become aware of upon entering a room. Painting
with light tones can make a room seem larger and brighter. Select colours on the
wall can highlight those in the furniture, rugs or accessories. Usually this is
done with complimentary colours (yellow-purple, blue-orange, and red-green) used
sparingly or in light tones. Pale yellow walls, for example may highlight royal
purple cushions on a sofa.
Flowers are another easy way to make a room
seem more appealing. A thirty-dollar investment in a few bouquets can make your
home seem cheery and well attended to in the eyes of prospective buyers. If you
run out of vases you can always try the rustic look: a clean mason jar (labels
removed) with a large bow around the top or pop cans inside a deep basket then
covered with florist's moss. Try a large bouquet in the living room or dining
room and delicate arrangements of a few flowers in each other room.
Take
an objective look at your furniture and decide if you have too much clutter. Why
pay to move items you may not even like? More importantly why keep that
questionable furniture in your home during an open house? If you have a ratty
chair that needs to be reupholstered or items which clash with the majority of
your furniture it may be time to take action.
Consider renting artwork.
If you have a large blank wall, a captivating painting can imbue the entire room
with new energy. Galleries typically rent artwork for 4% or the retail value per
month with a minimum two-month rental. You'll find artwork ranges from $400 to
$4000 so take a close look at the number of zeros on the price tag!
A
few small changes may not transform your home into something you'd find on the
celebrity pages but they can make a dramatic impact on buyers.