Staging your home can make a big difference in how you feel about the spaces – it isn’t about spending money, it is about, paying attention to these key staging concepts. It also makes a big difference in how much you can sell your home for since less than 10% of buyers can visualize changes to a home so the stats show that staging can help a home sell quicker and on average, for 10% more.

Consider how you want to use the room and how many people will be in there at any point in time, to determine the type of furnishings and amount of seating you will need. When you stage for living, a “bedroom” can be a bedroom, office, TV room, playroom, etc. When staging for sale we typically stage a room for what it was designed to be so you get full marketing value for each room.

Focal Point

Identify the room or area’s focal point – a fireplace, view, TV – and arrange the furniture accordingly. The ideal distance between the TV and your seating is three times the size of the screen (measured diagonally).  So, if you have a 40-inch TV, your couch should be 120 inches (10 feet) away.

Start with the largest pieces of your furniture and position it to face the focal point. In family or living rooms, establish conversation areas where a couch and a loveseat or two chairs face each other over a coffee table, keeping the space intimate. When staging for sale, we want to maximize the key selling features of a home and create memory triggers with the wow kitchen, cozy family room, fun playroom, etc.

Symmetry and Space

Symmetry

This affects the feel of a space – the more symmetrical it is the more formal it feels and asymmetrical spaces feel casual. Having the same bookshelves on either side of a fireplace, two of the same chair, lamp, or couches versus a variety of furniture, lamps, tables.

Rule of thirds

You want to fill two-thirds of the space, so for a bookshelf, you want one-third books, one-third accessories, and one-third empty space to keep things from feeling cluttered.

Left to Right

People read left to right so to encourage the movement of the eyes and flow in a room, for decorative items you want to place tall items on the left and shorter on the right.

Traffic Flow

Create a flow through a room by having a 30-48-inch path for the door to door traffic and 24 inches for movement around a room.  If possible, do not place furniture along the walls. Optimally you want an 18-24-inch perimeter around your living/family room conversation groupings so traffic flows around not through it.

Area Rugs

A 5-by-8 rug is the smallest you should use An 8-by-10 is optimal if the room size supports it. Smaller rugs make the home look and feel smaller. In a living/family room, you should have two legs of your couch and chairs on the rug and two off if space permits.  Bedroom rugs should extend at least 18-24 inches on both sides so that when you get out of bed you are fully on the rug.

Wall Art

In rooms where you are standing (like the foyer or hallway) you generally want to hang wall art at 60 inches. In rooms where you are generally sitting (like the dining or family rooms) you want to hang art at 54 inches.  Another good rule of thumb is to hang art 6-9 inches over an anchor – which might be a couch or console table – and the optimal width of the art is two-thirds of the anchor piece.

Variety and Contrast

A room is more visually pleasing if you have some variety and contrast. Having furniture pieces of different sizes throughout the room causes your eyes to move up and down as you scan the room and make it more interesting.  Avoid having two tall pieces next to each other. Another way to add variety is to combine straight and curved lines – whether it is the fabric pattern on a rug, upholstery or wallpaper – or the shape of each piece of furniture (curvy or angular).

Article Published in the Woodinville Weekly Real Estate Section. Since 2017 The Blue Team has written the bi-monthly Real Estate Column sharing their expertise in this community publications. Sharing their Tips for Home Buying, Tips for Home Selling, Tips for Investors, Buying & Selling Luxury Homes, Real Estate Transitions (Including Relocation & Senior Real Estate Tips), and Equestrian Real Estate.

Love your home and it will love you! Here are some things you should do in the winter to keep your home (and you) healthy and happy.

Winter home maintenance tips.

• Maximize Your Winter Heating.
  Reverse ceiling fans to run clockwise and push the heated air down. Wrap your hot water tank with an insulating blanket. Have your furnace inspected and serviced (if you haven’t already). Remove window screens – that will boost natural light and improves solar heat gain. Keep your fireplace flue closed when you are not using it.

 

• Think About Safety.
  Check & replace batteries in smoke & carbon monoxide detectors – especially important as windows are closed tight, fireplaces are used and sometimes generators. Check your emergency supplies – not only do you want to be prepared if “the Big One/Earthquake” happens, but this will help you for winter storms & power outages.

 

• Prepare Your Landscaping.
  It is a great time to clean up your garden beds & landscaping by trimming any dead tree limbs, removing debris, dead plants and weeds (make sure to get the roots) and filling up those empty yard recycling bids that aren’t filled with grass clippings. Add compost or manure to areas that need more moisture, replace/add mulch (1-3 inches) to help prevent Spring weeds & diseases.

 

• Prepare for Remodeling Projects.
  Now is the time to think about remodeling projects for the summer or fall. By starting in the winter you can determine your budget, select a contractor, arrange for financing if needed, and make all of the component & color decisions you need to make in advance of the project start date. That will help keep your project on time, on budget, and you will have a better selection of contractors.

 

Article Published in the Woodinville Weekly Real Estate Section. Since 2017 The Blue Team has written the bi-monthly Real Estate Column sharing their expertise in this community publications. Sharing their Tips for Home Buying, Tips for Home Selling, Tips for Investors, Buying & Selling Luxury Homes, Real Estate Transitions (Including Relocation & Senior Real Estate Tips), and Equestrian Real Estate.

Everything can and should go smoothly with your real estate purchase or sale but sometimes it doesn’t.  If you are planning to buy or sell your home and you don’t think it matters who, if anyone, helps you – think again.

The trends, rules and laws having to do with real estate change frequently which is why the best Brokers stay on top of their continuing education and regularly attend their brokerage office meetings to stay current.  Here are just a couple of examples where the right information can make or break your real estate experience.

1. Home Security Cameras & Sound Recordings.
   While video recording without sound is generally permitted under WA law, audio recordings of private conversations without consent of the persons engaged in the conversations is prohibited. While providing a conspicuous notice to potential Buyers might protect a Seller, it is safer to just turn off the recording function.  Buyers – you should always be aware that your actions and potentially comments might be overheard by the sellers.

 

2. Wire Fraud.
   According to the FBI, cyber criminals stole or attempted to steal almost $1 billion from real estate transactions.  Buyers make sure you know how to protect yourself from wire fraud by always verifying the wire instructions with a trusted source or using a cashier’s check.  Sellers make sure your Buyer has a reputable Broker advising them so this doesn’t happen on your sale.

 

3. Pollution Liability Insurance Agency.
   Does the home you are selling/buying have a heating oil tank on it and has the Seller registered for PLIA insurance? PLIA Insurance is free of charge to the property owner and if there is contamination as a result of a leak that starts after the tank is registered then PLIA will pay up to $60,000 to clean up the contamination. Buyers should know that if they register within 180 days from the date of closing, then there will be no coverage lapse from when the seller registered.

 

4. Fair Housing.
   Make sure you know all of the applicable rules in each stage of the transaction. The specific words that are not allowed in Advertising; the rules with respect to service animals during showings & open house touring; and the offer review process that can help ensure Sellers make decisions about offers appropriately. Careful attention to the Fair Housing rules throughout the sales process will protect both Sellers and Buyers.

 

5. Advertising Bedrooms based upon the Septic System.
   Both Sellers and their Brokers can be held liable for damages by Buyers in the future if they advertise the home as having more bedrooms then the septic system rating. There are ways to communicate room flexibility without putting Buyers or Sellers at risk for unexpected costs in the future.

 

Article Published in the Woodinville Weekly Real Estate Section. Since 2017 The Blue Team has written the bi-monthly Real Estate Column sharing their expertise in this community publications. Sharing their Tips for Home Buying, Tips for Home Selling, Tips for Investors, Buying & Selling Luxury Homes, Real Estate Transitions (Including Relocation & Senior Real Estate Tips), and Equestrian Real Estate.

Don't despair, our friends at Moving Link have a great list of recommendations for organizations that can help you get rid of unwanted items! 

GET RID OF UNWANTED ITEMS – PUGET SOUND AREA

1 GREEN PLANET – FREE Recycling – Drop-off service for the public and free pick-up and removal for businesses. Electronics, appliances, scrap metal, machinery, computers, batteries, medical equipment, ink & toner, cell phones, vehicles, paper & cardboard, & plastics

(866) 422-3755
www.1greenplanet.org

TRURECYLE
(877) 672-0982
Non Profit recycling center with Free pick – covers all of Washington state
www.trurecycle.com

DONATE SEATTLE – Source to find an organization that needs your clothes, books, bikes, computors, appliances, furniture…
www.DonateSeattle.org — info@donateseattle.org

WHAT DO I DO WITH… A database of where you can get rid of unwanted items.
www.KingCounty.gov/WhatDoIDoWith

INTERCONNECTION.ORG – FREE recycling, FREE Data Wiping, FREE Pick-up
A non-profit that teaches computer maintenance & repair skills to low income individuals & provides computers to underserved communities both locally & abroad
www.InterConnection.org

THE SHAREHOUSE – Seattle’s furniture bank for homeless families in transition
(206) 767-5280
www.thesharehouse.org

CHILDREN’S HOSPITAL THRIFT STORE
(206) 448-1233
small furniture, no large appliances
http://www.seattlechildrens.org/ways-to-help/shopping/locations/

APPLIANCE RECYCLING – In conjunction with your local Utilities Provider
www.jacoinc.net
(877) 577-0510
FREE pick up for refrigerators and freezers – Some rebates may be available

SENIOR SERVICES (SEATTLE)
www.seniorservices.org
Administration – 206.448.5757 Services – 206.448.3110
FREE pick up for estate-level furniture

Some charities require two weeks advance notice. Furniture and appliances, if accepted, must not be in need of repair. Mattresses must not be stained or ripped. Additional charities, such as transitional house programs @ the YWCA can be located under “Social Services” in the Blue Pages of the local telephone books