Introduction to Home Staging

Try to make your home look like a new model home, having said that not all homes are new construction. Make sure everything is clean, properly painted, and clutter free, remove all personal items. Remember you are staging the home to sell, make those small repairs to give the home a finished and complete look. If you are not a realistic person, have a friend who is very honest walk through the home and give criticism, we all know that anal clean person. I have found they offer advice quickly and often for free! Make sure you clean all windows, drapes, carpets, tile, walls, bathrooms should be spotless, kitchens should be bright and open. The bottom line is that even a slob wants to buy a clean home and then dirty it themselves!

The media is basically saying its nothing but fluff, but they admitted they are still reading the 11,000 pages she released

Yes it should expouse many of her crimes and thus place her in jail where she needs to be.

We (3 adults & 4 small children) will be living in our 1800 sq ft home while we try to sell it. I plan to remove a ton of stuff for "staging" to make the home show better and look larger etc. If the attached garage is used as storage for all the boxes and extra furniture will buyers be scared away or turned off? Do we need to bite the bullet and rent a storage unit? The laundry area is also in the garage so they will definitely see it in a walk through with their agent.

Put all the stuff that you intend to use after selling your house in a storage unit. Discard those things you don’t need anymore, by either donating them or bringing them in the dumpsite. Buyers also check out the garage and you don’t want to show them a cluttered garage.

My baby is sick!!! I have had him since the beginning of the summer I believe. He is a pet fancy mouse like the kind you get from Pet Smart he is a male, he is breathing heavier then usual and looks like he is losing hair on his face. He doesn’t look any thinner, he looks average size for him if not a little bit bigger. He sometimes shakes and is breathing heavy like he just ran a race. Any ideas what could be wrong? In the past month I have moved him downstairs it is a little bit colder down there and since weather has gotten colder I have been worried for him but thought with all his bedding and little home and fluff he could keep warm, he has a wheel and has always seemed healthy except for diarhea. What could be the matter with him? What can I do to help? I have brought him back upstairs and am babying him even more!!

Hello.

Just out of curiosity..what kind of food are you feeding to him? Also, are you feeding him any sorts of "treats"? A lot of times, mice and even rats much like people are born diabetic, or can become diabetic…especially if they are fed a lot of sweet treats.

Also, believe it or not, they too can also have alergies. They could be allergic to the bedding that you are using. What kind of bedding is it? If you are using a cedar bedding, I would recommend taking it out immediately, as it is not a good general bedding for mice or rats. It will usually cause breathing problems, as the cedar scent is too much for their little bodies to handle. Not to mencion that cedar is an oily wood, and the oil can actually leak into their skin, causing serious health issues.

Another thing to consider is the fact that your mouse may have mites, or lice. This is not something that is uncommon, and believe it or not, can even be found in some of the bedding that you directly buy from stores.

You should also check to see if your mouse tries getting through the bars of the cage. I am assuming that you do infact have him in an open cage, correct?! Keeping a mouse or a rat in something like an aquarium is not good for them, as they urinate quite often, and the smells from their urine, even if the tank is cleaned every other day, can still cause them to lose hair and have breathing problems.

I hope that this has been very helpful to you.

i am looking for people with serious collections or unique/extreme Home Decorating styles

Well, since everyone we know calls our home the museum, I suppose you would call it extreme. We did inherit some pretty outrageous collections like silk Japanese and Chinese embroidered vintage and antique gowns which we display with a collection of "faces" which are Harlequin or mardi gras porcelain or ceramic masks. We have an extensive collection of teapots and accompanying service which we used around the house to store everything from bath salts, to cotton balls to q-tips to coffee and buttons we inherited. We have about 8 fountains inside and outside our home, tons of staturary, reliefs and architectural embellishment dating from all periods and wrought and cast iron salvaged from demolished buildings and custom made. Almost everything in our home or yard has what we think is a fascinating story that was passed down to us or we experienced collecting it. Our style is eclectic as it represents my European heritage and heirlooms and Asian which blends together to create a museum like gallery of artifacts in a dog friendly, comfortable, well used and worn environment. For some it is over the top, but for us our home is a total reflection of who were are, where we came from and where we have been.

Did you know that the way you decorate your abode could mean the difference between selling it quickly or waiting months to find a buyer? Staging a house means using particular decorating techniques to make your home more appealing to the home buyers that your real estate agent brings your way.

You might be looking throughout your dwelling and believing that it appears nice to you, but what you do not know is that the people who are coming to see your house may have very diverse tastes than you do about what is or isn’t attractive in a home. By putting a little effort into meticulously decorating your home in such a way that it allures a wide range of home buyers, you will sell your home far more quickly.

Something that many homeowners do not remember to bear in mind is the muddle they have accumulated in their homes over the years. This muddle is something that turns many would-be home buyers away from a lot of properties. For instance, if you have a bookshelf in your home it can look quite messy, even if everything is meticulously arranged and carefully set on the shelves. To some people, the fact that the wall is covered in books is simply unpleasant. You may want to think about taking some of the books off of the shelf and putting them away until you sell your old home and move into your new one. You can either eliminate the shelf completely, or you can adorn it with some local artwork. Also, if you have rooms with extra furniture in them, this will detract from the overall appeal of your home.

Keep in mind, home buyers are looking for realty that they can picture themselves moving into swiftly. If you have rooms that are full of furniture, the potential buyer is not going to be able to picture his own furniture in the room. Clear out any unnecessary pieces of furniture until your house sells. The same idea applies to the walls of your residence. Take away any unnecessary decorations and replace them with art and decorations that blend into the local scene. Again, this will help those who are interested in living in your neighborhood picture themselves in your home. Once you have removed all of the clutter in your home, don’t forget to make any repairs that are necessary. If your residence needs a new coat of paint, this can really improve the speed at which your property sells. After all, most buyers are eager to get into their new homes as soon as possible!

Does this seem overwhelming? Maybe decorating is not something you are skilled at doing, and you are just eager to sell so you can move into your new house. If you need some help staging a house, talk to your Realtor about the benefits of hiring a professional home stager to work with you. A home stager is an individual who has training in interior design, knows what attracts home buyers and is able to stress the benefits of every room in your home.

For instance, if your residence has an attractive view of the mountains that surround your neighborhood, a home stager will help you implement the necessary design elements into your interior decorating scheme that will draw a home buyer’s eye to this view. Thus, your mountain view property has increased in value in the eye of the home buyer. Whether it’s interior or exterior decorating that you need help with, a home stager can provide the assistance you are seeking, thus increasing your curb appeal and helping your home sell faster.

If you are looking for a new home, be sure to take a look at the Addison, TX real estate that is available. Or take a look at the Aledo homes for sale or the Aledo, TX real estate. There is a wonderful variety available and there is something for every budget.

April Walters
http://www.articlesbase.com/home-improvement-articles/why-stage-your-house-681669.html

Home Staging shows your home in the best light possible by making your home look like a model home so taking on the task of staging it yourself can be a big one. The advantages of staging your home are numerous with the possibility of multiple offers and a shorter number of days on the market being just a few of the benefits you could enjoy.

Crank up the curb appeal – When it comes to selling your home the curb appeal, also known as the first impression the buyer will see, is crucial. Clean the exterior of your home by pressure washing the siding, cleaning the gutters to prevent sagging and landscaping the walkway leading to the front door. You don’t have to spend thousands of dollars on landscaping because a few hundred dollars in plants and flowers will go a long way.

Clear away cluttered spaces – Cluttered counter spaces and rooms steal valuable square footage and make home buyers think the rooms are smaller than they actually are. Leave room for only the essential appliances on the kitchen counters and clear away any unused furniture or storage containers in bedrooms, family rooms and home offices.

Add complementary accessories – Staging your home isn’t just about clearing away the clutter because a home that is too bare will make the home seem like it lacks personality. Use accent pieces and accessories that complement each other. For example, a round coffee table will help a living room with large chairs and sofas feel more open and flow better.

Shuffle furniture so each room has a purpose – Sometimes when you live in a home for a while a room can lose its original purpose because you found a better use for the space. This frequently happens in casual living environments when the dining room becomes an office or catch-all space. Once you have decided to sell your home make sure that each room has a purpose and that the space is clearly defined so home buyers aren’t ticking away dollars for a perceived loss of space.

Finish any deferred projects – Occasionally we all take on projects that end up being far more time or labor intensive than we can handle. Before putting your home on the market be sure to finish all of your “some day” home projects to give your prospective buyers confidence that they are buying a well cared for home. These projects can be as simple as changing out dead light bulbs and as complex as finishing a deck. Either way, they need to be done!

Rent furniture or accessories to fill in empty spaces – Like most people, you live in your house and your furniture may be showing signs of significant wear and tear. To keep your home looking fresh you should consider replacing aged furniture with rented newer looking pieces. You can also rent accent pieces like vases, dishes and more.

Wash your windows and open the shades – Probably the most laborious task on the list, washing your windows on the outside and on the inside will make a big difference in the way your home shows. Clean windows show off the views around your home while showing buyers that you take pride in your home’s appearance. A win-win all around.

Staging your home by yourself can be a daunting task but knowing where to start and what steps will help you achieve the most benefit from your time invested will increase your chances of selling your home faster and for more money than comparable properties in the neighborhood.

Joshua Ferris
http://www.articlesbase.com/real-estate-articles/top-7-doit-yourself-home-staging-tips-711298.html

When you find yourself wanting to redecorate your home, there are many styles and themes to choose from that can make a person go crazy trying to decide what to go with.

A popular theme many people go with is the country home decorating theme. It is popular because it has an overall inviting and friendly atmosphere. It is enjoyed by many people who visit as well as live in the home because it stands as a warm environment.

Yet, with any Home Decorating project, the homeowner must decide first if they want to use the country home decorating for their decor throughout the home or only in one room or two. Some do choose it for throughout the home while others want to focus it on a particular setting like a kitchen and dining room.

Country Colors

This type of theme combines colors with which are clean and bright with the country furniture and its accessories. When you choose this style for your home, go with shades of light to medium colors of white, pink, green and brown. These are great colors for this style. It gives the home a real rustic feeling. You can apply and add stencil drawings of flowers, plants, fruits or vegetables to newly painted walls. This should be done by someone with experience. Wall borders can be used and are often used in the country home setting. While this is a great pattern to use, be sure these patterns do not clash with anything else.

Country Flooring

Wood or rather natural wood should be used to keep up with the rustic theme. When redoing the floor, natural wood is a wonderful choice but using it throughout a big area can costs lots of money. Should you want to go with a cheaper alternative and still give your floors a country home look, try using a carpet that has a light shade to it or laminate your floor. Other styles can be flagstone or tile. However, if the homeowner wants to get really creative, decorating their floors with stencil or creating patterns is a viable option.

Another great way to spice up the home is to utilize area rugs. Rugs that have an authentic look to them generate an affectionate and fuzzy feeling. Meanwhile, hooked, quilted or even braided rugs do make wonderful additions to the country home styled floor.

Country Furniture

Remember this is a country setting, so choosing the right kind of furniture to match this theme, is a must. A few suggestions are using either light wood or wicker furniture. These furniture types can reflect the nature’s beauty and if the homeowner wants to use fabric to accent their furniture they can do so by using floral patterns and checkered designs to give that authentic look.

Simplicity Works For Country Themes

When you are accessorizing your space, it always adds beauty and wonder to the home. Choosing what accessories will go into your home is imperative to stick with theme. Such as photos going in wooden frames, plain mirrors, plants and scented candles. These can spruce up the decorating. Lace or shutters can give window treatments such as a cozy feeling. This theme can be fun and exciting to accomplish.

This main thing to remember is not to go overboard. Too many patterns will conflict and eliminate the space amount in a room. The country home decorating designed for a soothing and gracious environment, which is meant to be inviting and cozy. This atmosphere, once it’s finished, is liable to grab a few compliment. Country Home decorating is just one of many styles.

Abhishek Agarwal
http://www.articlesbase.com/interior-design-articles/decorating-your-country-home-how-to-capture-the-rustic-spirit-753986.html

this may sound strange, but I use pics in catalogues, for different rooms and decors, stage like they do to sell their furniture, But keep spacious. good luck

Does anyone know what I can do to stage my kitchen and bathrooms? I did the usual like cleaning and decluttering the kitchen but it now it looks very plain and empty and our bathrooms could also use some help. Any advise?

The first thing I would suggest is to begin thinking of your house as a commodity.
Go through every room and get rid of any clutter, family pictures, etc. Get rid of extra pieces of furniture. Storage is best if you plan on keeping anything. Otherwise, have a garage sale or donate to a charity.
The first vision prospective buyers have of a home is the appearance from the street. Remember, the first impression is the lasting impression. Keep yards, trees, bushes, flower beds clean, trimmed, well kept. Add colorful new flowers around. What does the front entrance look like? Is it a plain old door or something that is outstanding?
The entrance way. Go through each room with an eye to keeping it as vanilla as possible. You don’t want folks eyeing it as if they’re visiting Aunt Mary or Grandmother’a. Nothing personal at all. They need to see and feel as if it’s their house, not yours.
Clean all the windows, inside and out; screens, also.
How are the floors? Need new carpetting? Many upgraded projects can be done yourself. Paint? Trim? Appliances?
Usually new home buyers are pretty strapped getting into a home and the last thing they want to do is put out more money to upgrade, repair or replace things.
Clean shelves, storage areas and closets out to the minimum.
They need to see how their possessions will fit everywhere.
Open the shades and curtains and get as much light in the rooms as possible.
It’s a commodity now, not a pride of ownership thing. You’re trying to convince someone that this is a home just right for them, a turn key purchase they can move right into without a lot of work, changes or hassles.
A few nicely scented candles, cookies baking in the oven, spotless kitchen and bath areas.
Minimum is essential. Usually we end up with just too much furniture in the house we’ve accumulated over the years.
What may be a treasure to you or a family heirloom might be just another big piece of furniture to someone else that takes up too much space or is awkward to get around. That nice set of bath accessories was great for you but may be a bit much for other folks.
Example, leave kitchen counters empty except for one appliance.
Take a few tours of Model Homes to get a feel for the little extra things they do to make it presentable.
No weird paint jobs. Be conservative in colors.
It’s amazing how after cleaning and storing a lot of things, then going through and with minimal expense you can drastically change your home into a very good home buying potential.