BLOG ARCHIVES

In every home there is at least one room, space or cubby that holds special sentimental significance to the home seller. It is the place that if they could, they would take with them into their new digs. Any professional home stager knows that this area requires kid gloves and a tender heart and when I make my rounds throughout a home, I know my visit is not complete until I have made a stop in the Trauma Room.

The trauma room may contain the doorway where the kids’ heights were measured every year, the mural that your cousin painted for you, the pool table that was a wedding present and is not too big to take with you on your downsize or in the case of one client…the giant model train room that was built over decades and used by his grandchildren.

It’s never easy to wrap your brain around the idea that the new owner may not find your sentimental item worth keeping. It may be beautiful, it may have taken a lot of time to construct, but at the end of the day, they may jettison it, paint over it or otherwise remove the element you found to be priceless.

I get it, I really do and when I recently worked with the gentleman who had constructed this massive train room, I couldn’t help marveling at the time and effort he had taken to complete this miniature village. I too would love to see a home buyer walk through with young children and understand the charm of this unique area, but chances are, they are not going to want his hobby taking up their new living space. They may ask him to remove it prior to their move in and when he no longer has the space for it, he may have to make the heartbreaking decision to dismantle and discard it.

Making your way out of the trauma room is not always easy but it is not insurmountable. When you understand that nothing can take those precious memories from you, you can move on knowing that if the piece stays behind and is transformed, the memories associated with it follow you and will be a part of your life no matter where you are or where you go.

We create stylish, warm and welcoming houses that captures the buyers’ attention from the moment they are introduced to the property.  We focus on the buyer demographics, the selling features, life style selling techniques and the strategic placement of furniture, art, and accessories that translates to a powerful marketing tool.  Contact us today.  317-209-9801 or at homemattersllc.com

How we live becomes habit forming and when we sell our homes, those habits are often hard to break. As a professional home stager, I am a champion of the pre-move pack so that your home is quick to clean prior to a showing and that the only items left behind are the ones you use every day.

This can be a difficult idea for someone who has grown used to having their “personal treasures” around them. Oh sure, it’s easy to pack up the winter clothes just before summer, tuck away books and photos that you do not need, but eventually the elimination process gets tougher. The choices are more challenging. What if you need that juicer, extra tea kettle or suddenly find yourself hosting a dinner party for 20 after packing up the fine china?

A few years back, I had the pleasure of working with a woman who was a party planner and had invested in numerous place settings, silverware and other items that she used in her business. These things were stored under her kitchen cabinets causing her to use her counter space for those items she needed on a personal level. The woman literally lived on her kitchen counter. By the time I came into to consult with her on her home, she had been retired for years but had yet to pack up the remains of her business in order to free up her space. The thought of doing so was a little overwhelming but I knew it was because she had gotten into the habit of everything being at her fingertips and not that she couldn’t adjust to a new system.

Sometimes the trick to staging is simply being willing to open your mind and break a few of the bad habits that have permeated your life for decades. After all, it’s only when we put the past behind us that we can truly look forward to the future!

We create stylish, warm and welcoming houses that captures the buyers’ attention from the moment they are introduced to the property.  We focus on the buyer demographics, the selling features, life style selling techniques and the strategic placement of furniture, art, and accessories that translates to a powerful marketing tool.  Contact us today.  317-209-9801 or at homemattersllc.com

As a professional home stager, I have combed through a lot of collections and peered at a plethora of passions that dominate “hobby rooms” at all price points. There is this belief among home sellers that if they showcase these interests, it will not only impress the potential buyer, but also give them an idea of how they can use the room in years to come.

Never was this more apparent than the day I met with a home seller who proudly showed off his accomplishments in a room decorated in Early Field & Stream.   Now, I am not one to judge anyone for how they spend their spare time or comment on the activities that they enjoy, but this room was filled with mounted fish, the fishing lures that caught them, creel baskets and assorted angling accouterments. Like it or not, I was going to have to say something, but the pride in this homeowner’s face caused me to broach the subject delicately.

“Tell me about this room,” I suggested, hoping to get a feel for what was really going on in the space.

He bit on the line that I fed him and began sharing stories of every fish he’d ever caught and of course, the ones that got away. We waded into the waters of at least three fishing trips that contained more knowledge and information than I could wrap my brain around and I knew that this room was more than a prized collection, it was a reflection of his accomplishments as a fisherman and something he couldn’t imagine someone else not appreciating.

I tactfully told him that the room was interesting, but only if he were in there to share the stories that would reel in his listeners and grab their attention. “Unfortunately, you are trying to sell your house and if they are listening to your fishing tales, then they are not looking at the house, are they?”

While I understand that sometimes we let our stuff define us, when we are selling our homes, we have to try and put the personal aside so that the potential buyer can find the house where they can create memories. Unfortunately when we keep these collections on display they are those beautiful attractions that become big distractions for those trying to see the space.

Remember, the real estate market is about the buyer not the seller. They are not concerned with who you are, what you care about or what you collect. You can’t make a sale based on a shared interest or hobby and they are going to want to find their own way to use your space after move in. Give your home the best chance to make a good first impression so that the home buyer can take the bait and make you an offer you won’t want to refuse!

We create stylish, warm and welcoming houses that captures the buyers’ attention from the moment they are introduced to the property.  We focus on the buyer demographics, the selling features, life style selling techniques and the strategic placement of furniture, art, and accessories that translates to a powerful marketing tool.  Contact us today.  317-209-9801 or at homemattersllc.com