Tips for Selling a Home in a Dreadful Economy

March traditionally kicks in the home selling market, but in this economy it stands to be a sluggish start. So, how about giving folks some tips on how to make their home more appealing for the sale. Vinyetting Barb Slavkin, president of June Roesslein Interiors, offers the following tips:

• De-clutter – Pack up things you don’t use and store them away. Clean and tidy bookshelves, removing books if necessary. De-cluttering makes rooms look bigger and more functional. Make closets look bigger by removing half of the clothing and removing shoes from the floor. What’s left should be neatly hung on plastic hangers, which present a much “cleaner” look than iron hangers.
  

• Merchandise the “lifestyle” – Today’s buyer is more interested in envisioning the lifestyle of the space. Put out place settings in the dining room, accessorize patio furniture outside, put a flute with music stand in a music room.

• Think “gathering room” – Is it the kitchen, the hearth, the family room? Where ever visitors gather in your home, focus on improving the look of that area.

• Kitchen and master bathroom – These two areas sell homes – make sure they are fully accessorized. In the kitchen, put out bread board with spices and bread; showcase those dishes that are only used for company; put out place settings, display a recipe book and the nice towels; and update the hardware on cabinets. In the bathroom, create that spa feel by displaying beautiful soaps and oils and your best towels. Above all, keep both rooms spotlessly clean.

• Use flowers – As warm spring days approach, make the first impression count at the main entrance by planting blooming flowers and keeping landscaping tidy. Inside, fresh flowers can enliven rooms and make the home more welcome.

• Natural light – If you have a beautiful view of your neighborhood back yard garden – open the shades to showcase it. If the view isn’t very charming, turn shades to still allow natural light in.

• Rearrange furniture – Create the image of engaging space by rearranging furnishings. Too often, homeowners shove couches and chairs up again walls. If the room is large enough, pull them away from walls to create cozy spaces of engagement where conversations can take place.

 

And since women make 83% of all consumer buying decisions and 91% of all home buying decisions, that’s the key home marketing target. Barb served on a Color Marketing Group committee that examined what women want in a home. Here’s what they found.

• It’s more than a place to cook – Women’s evolving tastes are creating demand for multi-use kitchens making them more than just a place to prepare food. Today, women expect the kitchen to be combined with another room, like a sunroom or hearth room, to create a gathering place. Why? Well, how many times have you been to party at someone’s house and everyone tends to collect in the kitchen. Kitchens are places to cook and connect with others.

• Think outside the walls – According to the American Institute of Architects (AIA), two-thirds of home designers reported buoyant demand for outdoor kitchens, patios, decks, porches and outdoor living spaces in 2006. We’re not talking about a couple of folding chairs with cup holders. These are true living spaces with dining tables, TVs, high-back chairs, outdoor fabrics, bars, grills, kitchens, even tableware. Accessories not only reflect personal style, but are fashioned to withstand the rigors of weather. If you don’t have a nice patio, make a small one with patio pavers, potted plants, a table and a couple of nice chairs. Put coffee out on the table and some muffins to demonstrate how the space is used.

• Man space – These are multi-task command centers tucked away to hide the mess. You know what you’ll find here – a desk covered with papers, computer, phone, TV, video games. It also tends to be “bill paying central.”
  

• Don’t call it a mud room – “Message center” has replaced the inglorious “mud room” moniker for those rear entry foyers. Here is the central location for calendars detailing soccer practices, dance classes, meetings and overall scheduling for the family.
  

• De-stress area for Mom – This is space that has evolved in response to the growing number of women in the workplace. It traces its roots to what females most enjoy in luxury hotels – a spa area, a large and elegant bathroom with a tub to soak in while sipping wine, or an area for yoga or exercise. Basically, a place to help Mom unwind.