DIY Home Staging Tips

Problem House? Do You Sell "As Is" or Rehab it?

2026-08-27T08:02:24.897-04:00

If you own a house that has multiple problems and you want to cash out, you're probably asking yourself, "What's my best exit strategy?"

You can list your property as a fixer-upper. Or you can fix its problems and sell it at a higher price. I've talked to multiple people who have been in this situation, and I've been down this road myself. Here's what I've learned about what's best to do.

Start with questions

I've always encouraged sellers to maximize profits by listing a property in good condition and staged to sell. But sometimes that just isn't possible. The seller may be moving out of state, or lack the money, stamina, imagination, contacts, or time to deal with repairs.

Maybe you own a distressed property because you inherited it. Or you purchased one on the courthouse steps without an inspection. Perhaps you've owned a rental house and are tired of being a landlord. Or you've lived in a house and were not able to maintain it because of natural disasters or personal financial problems.

If you're undecided about what to do with a home you own, a good place to start making some decisions is to ask a local real estate agent for the estimated value "as is" versus the value after repairs. An experienced Realtor will help you decide which repairs are necessary and which ones bring the best return.

If there are similar homes nearby,
and some of them have sold recently,
it will be relatively easy to judge
the value of your property.
Photo: Robert Knopes

Calculate if the increase in the home’s sale price will be higher than the cost of repairs, contractor delays, and carrying costs like insurance, taxes and utilities. My experience is that remodels usually take twice as long as you initially plan. If the math or your timeline does not support a full remodel, selling "as is" will probably be safer.

If you keep careful records of the permanent upgrades, like fencing, a deck, or solar panels, they can help you at tax time.

If you sell "as is"

Selling without renovating makes sense if your timeline is tight -- if you face a job change, a divorce, or financial stress and cannot wait months for contractors. It also makes sense if buyer demand is high and houses sell fast, so you can skip repairs and let the market set the price.

You can list your property as a "handyman special." There is always a market for houses that need rehabbing, such as flippers and first-time homeowners who have skills. You can cash out without expenditures or stress, but you can't expect to make a profit. You may even have difficulty breaking even if you have an unpaid mortgage.

Selling unrenovated does not excuse you from state disclosure laws, which typically require you to report major problems like roof leaks, foundation cracks, or plumbing failures.

Be aware that government regulations require certain serious disclosures. For example, if your house was built before 1980, it may contain insulation, flooring, ceiling tiles, or siding made of asbestos. So, before any demolition or remodeling or even routine maintenance, arranging for a professional asbestos removal service is a crucial first step, because asbestos is a serious health hazard. Popcorn ceilings applied between 1950 and the late 1980s can contain asbestos.

And if your home was built or painted before 1978, it may contain lead-based paint. A lead-based paint disclosure is required under EPA and HUD regulations. Your Realtor will advise you and supply the brochure for buyers.

Older homes are likely to have lead-based
paint on their walls and trim. Walls can be painted over,
but windows are usually replaced.

Middle ground

One compromise you could choose is to fix critical safety items like active roof leaks, faulty wiring, or broken HVAC units so home inspectors do not scare buyers away. Buyers will know they can safely move in and be comfortable.

Or you can take it one step further and do some small, inexpensive fixes. These would include decluttering and cleaning both inside and outside the property, and painting walls, trim, and doors. New light fixtures and carpet cleaning could also be on your quick-fix agenda. These add more value than they cost.

Don't ignore your building's exterior so that your online photos and curb appeal help attract serious buyers. A thorough soft wash treatment will restore exterior surfaces without the damage that high-pressure washing can cause to materials like painted wood, stucco, or aging siding. This method relies on specialized cleaning solutions and low-pressure water application to break down and remove buildup gently but thoroughly.

Exterior renovations rarely stop at the structure itself, and landscaping often needs just as much attention, particularly around garden beds and mulched areas if they have been neglected over time. Professional bark blowing offers an efficient way to apply fresh mulch evenly across large or oddly shaped areas. This technique works particularly well for properties with extensive garden beds, sloped terrain, or areas that are difficult to access with standard wheelbarrows and shovels.

If you are living in the property, you can take your time and make repairs and upgrades as time and budget allow. Skip full kitchen or bathroom remodels because big upgrades rarely return all their money at sale time.

Landscaping projects get done quickly when
you hire pros to handle chores like mulching and
seeding. Photo: Hydroseeding & Bark Blowers, Inc

If you decide to rehab

If you and your chosen Realtor agree that the location and certain features of your property justify selling it with some improvements, do the math. A good real estate agent will show you comparables so that you know what your competition will be.

The place to start is to make a checklist of tasks. Hire an inspector to identify hidden problems so you can price the home accurately and avoid surprises during negotiations. Then, get written repair estimates from local contractors. I like to get price quotes from different contractors. It's always an education because there are usually multiple ways to fix a problem.

Marketing your house

Decide on the outstanding selling points for your property. Even if the house lacks updates, it's possible that things like its location, or lot size, or floor plan offset its shortcomings. Different buyers have different priorities.

When it was time to sell my late mother-in-law's 1950s house, the family knew the kitchen and bathrooms were out-of-date. Rather than replace original cabinets and tiled walls, we worked together to make the home shine, and let prospective buyers appreciate (and pay for) all they were getting -- hardwood floors, five bedrooms, four bathrooms, a sunroom, an extra-large living room, 13 closets, and 40 acres within commuting distance to New York City. Instead of letting buyers negotiate a low price because it had obsolete features, we did what we could ourselves -- improving the landscaping and painting the house inside and out.

Work closely with your listing agent. An experienced agent will understand the value of your property and know how to craft compelling, accurate sales copy for your online listing. Your description should read "updated" rather than the term "repaired" or "replaced."

A good real estate photographer will know how to take flattering pictures, both inside and out. Video and drone photography is becoming more common and less expensive.

A vintage bathroom can be a draw to some
buyers, so decide what needs to be updated
and what can be part of "authentic charm."

Staging helps

If you are living in your property, it will be easier to stage it than if you've moved out or never occupied it. Choose your best pieces of furniture. Arrange furniture to make rooms look spacious and inviting. There are plenty of ways to make your home look attractive without breaking your budget. Follow all the economical advice I give in my eBook, DIY HomeStaging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast and For Top Dollar.

Tips on Selling an Older Home

2026-08-19T09:34:59.758-04:00

If the home you are getting ready to sell is older, you're faced with some advantages and some disadvantages. Older homes are often constructed with quality materials and methods, making them charming and valuable. But they can also have dated systems that scare buyers away.

Ideally, a home on the market will appear well-maintained and even pampered. Your job now is knowing what buyers will value and what they see as problems. Here are the systems that concern buyers the most, the ones that make or break a deal, and how you can gain buyers' confidence.

Electrical systems

Older homes are particularly susceptible to wiring issues, especially those that haven't been updated to accommodate the electrical demands of modern appliances and electronics. What may have been sufficient decades ago often struggles to keep up with today's higher power loads, creating a real risk of overheating or electrical fires. Bringing in a licensed electrician to assess the condition of your home wiring is one of the smartest investments you can make now, before any buyer brings in their home inspector.

If any electrical work needs to be done, you can document it as part of your sales package to assure potential buyers that they'll have no difficulties as the new owners.

If your appliances are not the latest models, no worry. Some buyers prefer appliances with fewer bells and whistles. Just make sure they are all functioning properly, whether dishwasher, washing machine, oven, dryer, or microwave.

Water problems

As more people are becoming aware of the symptoms of mold allergies, there is a growing concern about the problems of mold growth in homes that have flooded or have had burst pipes or major leaks. Not every home issue is a dramatic emergency, but even small malfunctions can seriously affect how your home looks on the market. A dishwasher that stops draining, leaks, or fails to clean dishes properly is a common frustration. But prompt dishwasher repairs will restore normal function before the problem worsens.

Some home problems simply can't wait, and burst pipes or major leaks fall squarely into that category. When a pipe fails or a major appliance malfunctions and starts flooding a space, calling for emergency water repair immediately can mean the difference between a manageable cleanup and possibly thousands of dollars in structural damage. Water spreads quickly and will seep into flooring, drywall, and insulation, creating the perfect conditions for mold growth.

Buyers will be worried if there is a musty scent in your house. If your home has been flooded, has poor drainage in a crawl space or basement, or you've had plumbing leaks, a moisture reading will let a home inspector know. After the water repair is done, you may have to do some mold remediation, either structurally or with dehumidifiers.

You'll want to deep clean before you list. Because musty or unclean homes read as old.

Learn the current trends

Buyers who are skittish about purchasing an older home are more likely to overlook its age when your home includes some decor that is up-to-date. Here are the easiest ways to get your home up to speed.

Step one. If you want to know what's in fashion now, don't look at real estate photos online unless you know they were professionally staged by experienced homestagers. Instead, look at online sites like Wayfair and Overstock. Browse the aisles of chain department and furniture stores. Study the design portfolios of people on DecorPad.

Clean colors and crisp linens

make this bedroom look new and fresh.

Photo: Nesting Place Interiors

Current trends include plants, flex space, warmer paint colors, smart energy systems, outdoor living spaces, and natural decor pieces like unfinished woods, bamboo, and sisal, rather than bright and glossy, industrial finishes like polished brass.

Shun the pitfalls

Do not make your 80s entertainment center the room's focal point. Maybe retire it entirely, or paint it and stage it as bookshelves, a bar cart, or a coffee station. Stay away from dark wall colors. White is always a winner.

Remove wallpaper. If that seems like a big job, you can spackle and sand the seams and paint over the paper with two coats of paint. Saturated color accent walls are probably are not your friend.

Don't use matched furniture sets. You can break them up and use them in different rooms for a more modern look.

Trendy additions don't have to be pricey.
They can be the small touches that add
color and texture. Photo: CraftBerryBush

Use thrifty fixes

You don't need to undertake a major remodel when it's time to sell. It's not economically smart to replace good hardwood flooring with the latest luxury vinyl planking. Or to buy new furniture for your living room.

Don't let your window treatments block natural lighting. Leave lights on for showings. No heavy drapes. Dark homes feel dated.

Make sure all your bed coverings are in style. Bedrooms are where buyers judge the vibe of a home.

An entryway is the perfect

spot to establish a fresh style

without spending much money.

Photo: Jennifer Ribek Interior Design

Pull furniture, especially bulky pieces, away from the wall for an airy, modern look. Remove unnecessary pieces of furniture so the path through each room is open and obvious. Crowded rooms make a home feel small.

Replace framed artwork that has faded with new prints or paintings. Faded prints and posters look cheap and old.

Touch up trim around doors and on baseboards. Trim that shows wear makes a room look abused.

Stage an etagere or bookcase with the kinds of things you see at HomeGoods or Target. Then add some unique pieces that you've thrifted or crafted. Mass-market memorabilia and common accessories from previous decades can date your home.

Prune outdoor shrubbery so your landscape matches newer homes. Overgrown hedges and foundation plantings won't flatter your property.

Get the look, get the book

Every home on the market needs to show a balance between what's tried and true and what's fresh and new. If the market for your home is older people, trendy accents may not be that important. But to make your home look more appealing, especially to younger buyers, some trends should be part of your homestaging.

For more tips on making your home market-ready, download my DIY HomeStagingTips eBook. You'll find a wealth of inspo and all the tips I've learned over the years as a stager, crafter, home buyer, home seller, and real estate investor.

Top photo: Nesting Place Interiors

5 Tips for Selling on Facebook Marketplace

2026-07-30T12:24:37.474-04:00

If you're like most people who are selling a home and moving, you've got some decluttering to do.

One of the best ways to take the sting out of getting rid of your extra stuff is to sell it. Besides the usual channels like garage sales and local donations, Facebook Marketplace is becoming one of the most popular places for people to buy and sell online.

I recently sold quite a few things on Marketplace and was pleasantly surprised by how well it went. The site seems more lively and less cumbersome than Craigslist or eBay, and Facebook makes it quick and easy to communicate with buyers. But it can still be daunting, and there are some scams and dangers along the way. I learned a few things that I want to pass on to help with any selling you need to do.

These cloisonné spoons weren't a full set, so I knew I couldn't demand top price.

Get started

You'll need to be a Facebook member to sell on the site. You can sell from either your computer or your phone without adding an extra app.

Do some research about what other products similar to yours are listed. Once you know the current market value of your offerings, you can decide whether you want to sell, keep, or donate them.

This is not the time to be sentimental about what you are selling. If you have a positive emotional connection to something, reconsider if you'll regret selling it. But converting some hand-me-downs and poor purchases into cash can be liberating, and will help you pack and stage your home.

Show features of your offerings, like the fact that this recliner has a USB port, and that it can sit close to the wall.

Give details

When writing your listing, give all the pertinent facts. The more information you provide, the more confident the buyer can be about a second-hand purchase. Mention details like measurements, age, fabric content, type of wood or metal, and brand names.

Highlight the important selling features by listing them first. Don't give any backstory about how you acquired it. And don't make suggestions about how the item can be used because these buyers already have a use for what they're looking for.

Tell the truth. Confess it if the pitcher you are selling has a minor chip in the base, or the dresser is missing one knob, or the lamp has a frayed cord. Be honest and let your photos show any signs of damage. Marketplace attracts many do-it-yourselfers who are okay with repairs and repurposing.

The woman who bought this vintage luggage wanted it because it was manufactured in her hometown the year she was born, facts she learned because I included them in my sales copy.

Add good photos

Just as when you list your home for sale, photos are essential sales tools. Good photos tempt the buyer into wanting to know more.

Facebook Marketplace lets you load as many as ten photographs into your post. That set of glassware you are selling may not require more than three different images. But if you are selling something like an oil painting, you should go for the full ten -- front, back, frame, and close-up views. That's what it will take to give buyers the whole picture.

Take time to get good shots. Clean your item if it needs it. Shoot where the lighting is good. Take multiple photos, and narrow them down to the most flattering, informative, and authentic ones. Good photos will save time and confusion for both you and your buyer.

It's also helpful if you include something that indicates size. A coin placed next to a framed picture, or a yardstick placed alongside a chair, gives good information at a glance.

The doorknob indicated the size of this purse, giving the buyer information they want.

Have a neutral background. If the headboard you are selling is leaning against a pile of other things in your storage unit, it's not helping sell the headboard. Remove nearby distractions. Place items on a background like grass, fabric, carpeting, or pavement, or against a wall or the side of a building.

Lastly, make the most informative and flattering photo the profile shot.

Price it right

Marketplace isn't like 1stDibs or Poshmark. Marketplace buyers expect real bargains. Professional "pickers" and buyers who resell can be the first ones to message you. It's your call whether you want to accept their lower offer or wait for later buyers.

Because Facebook makes it possible for buyers to receive notifications for items they are interested in, serious buyers will message you soon after you list. Your quick response to a question can make the difference between a sale and no-sale.

Only a few of the people who responded to my listings offered radically lower amounts than what I asked for. Most buyers appreciate how easy it is to buy through Facebook. If a customer has narrowed her search to local sellers, it means she'll avoid shipping charges and can view the merchandise before committing to a sale. Big win!

Whether you decide to sell at rock-bottom prices or at prices comparable to your competition's will depend on how motivated you are to sell. Do you have time to wait for the perfect offer? Or are you needing to quickly delutter so you can stage your house?

Knife collectors, I learned, did not care that this set was incomplete. It sold quickly for a good price.

Be prompt, courteous, and safe

Don't keep people messaging you waiting. Rather than hit the "Still available" button, respond with a comment such as, "Can I answer any questions for you?" Friendly communication builds trust.

Facebook makes it easy for you to hide your listings from any friends you have on Facebook. This could be especially handy if you are selling gifts given to you by friends, neighbors, or family members.

Be polite and businesslike when people query you. Don't assume that any buyer is legit. Facebook gives you tips on avoiding scams and illegal transactions. If you are uncomfortable with meeting a buyer near your home, meet at a nearby public place or a safe place like a police station. I prefer cash or PayPal over checks or apps like Venmo, but that's just me. There are multiple options for accepting payment for Facebook Marketplace sales.

The original label on the seat of this antique chair provided the buyer and me with valuable details.

More tips

If you need a quick how-to on selling through Marketplace, Facebook provides one. I'd suggest limiting your selling to local pickup. It's less expensive and definitely less complicated. But if you have items that would sell to a very limited audience and would ship easily, go ahead and expand your market if that is an option where you live (Facebook lets you know). Setting up a Venmo account is easy.

Get the look, get the book

Decluttering should be your first step in your journey to a new home. Scaling back on belongings makes your homestaging more effective. And having fewer possessions means packing, storing, moving, and unpacking are easier and more economical. I hope what I learned by selling on Marketplace will help you pare down the stuff you have to move.

I can share more about what I've learned about getting a home ready for market. Just download my eBook, DIY Home Staging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast and For Top Dollar. You'll learn all you need to know about pricing, selecting a Realtor, speed cleaning, decluttering, and the DIY projects that are simple and thrifty, but make your home more valuable!

A Countdown to Listing Your Home

2026-07-15T09:40:00.206-04:00

Selling a home involves more than sticking a "For Sale" sign in the front lawn. Once you've made the decision to move, you'll be juggling a long list of tasks, and at times it may feel as though you're making little progress. I've been through the process numerous times, so let me share the tips and shortcuts I discovered along the way. They will help you stay organized, save time, and make the journey as smooth as possible.

Take inventory

A good first step is to take a serious look at what you need to keep for your next home. It can be difficult to narrow down possessions, but if ever there were a time to toss, sell, store, or donate some of the unnecessary stuff you own, it's when you are selling your home and moving.

How to make it easier: Remind yourself that reducing belongings makes your packing easier. Decide on your favorite charity that takes donations and find out if they pick up and what their rules are for accepting things.

Habitat For Humanity's ReStore trucks will pick up certain items on certain days. Contact your local Habitat Store.

Plan your staging

Now that you've reduced the clutter in the house your staging will be easier and more effective. Maybe even more fun! One step you can take now is to download my eBook, How To Arrange Furniture, a Guide to Improving Your Home with What You Have.

How to make it easier: Draft a tentative budget as a first step. Browse decor magazines for inspo, and look at what's trending in the household aisles at stores like Target and HomeGoods. Decide what pieces of furniture you now own will improve the way your home will look to buyers. Make that furniture the focal point of each room. If possible, decide on one a color scheme for the whole house.

This bedroom's color scheme is centered on warm greys, cream, and teal -- a color palette that could easily be duplicated throughout the home with fabrics and paint. Photo: BHG

Choose a Realtor

I always endorse working with a Realtor. The benefits are numerous: expertise, safety, wide exposure, and the guarantee that the process of selling will go smoothly and "by the books."

How to make it easier: Hire a local agent, one with multiple listings and a good sales record. Don't hire a listing agent who is a relative or friend. Make sure your agent supports your plan to stage your house, and provides professional photography as part of their service.

Hire inspectors

I also endorse getting inspections so there are no surprises on the path to closing. Hiring your own home inspector means you can fix problems before your buyer hires an inspector.

To make sure there is no evidence of termites, hire a licensed professional to look for the tell-tale mud tubes, hollow-sounding wood, and discarded wings near windowsills. That way, you can document for your buyer that there is not a termite problem.

If you think you might have a problem with wild animals like squirrels, possums, or raccoons living in your attic, crawlspace or roofline, it's best to have them removed by a wildlife removal service. Any, by the way, if you've ever been bitten by bedbugs (even the nicest hotels can have this problem), zinc oxide sheets will prevent that from happening again.

How to make this easier: Use reputable services that get good recommendations from friends, neighbors or sources like Nextdoor or local listservs. Or ask your listing agent for the names of inspectors they prefer.

Get and stay clean

After you home is staged you'll want to keep it clean for the photographer or videographer. Decide what method of cleaning suits your schedule and style -- the all-at-once marathon, or the do-it-in-small doses approach. I've blogged about my 12 must-have cleaning tools that help you get your home clean with the least amount of effort. Since writing that post, I've learned how helpful a robot vacuum is! If you do some research, you can find one that suits your budget and the size and configuration of your rooms.

Avoid using cleaning agents that leave a heavy chemical or antiseptic aroma. Don't use products that should be applied only by a professional, like concentrated pest control chemicals, industrial mold removers, and asbestos treatments.

How to make it easier: Encourage family members to tidy up after themselves. Consider hiring a crew or individual for a deep clean so that your job is daily maintenance. Remember that people on a home tour don't expect to walk into a house that looks like a model home with absolutely no signs of life.

People on tour expect to see some evidence that people still live there. They have seen the photos online of the staged kitchen.

Stage your house

Now you can experiment with rearranging furniture to create sensible paths through your home, paths that make it easy for people on tour to see the room the most flattering way -- comfortable but not crowded.

Once you have basic furniture pieces positioned, you can begin rearranging your best decor items -- things like your bed coverings, wall art, plants and silk flowers, books, and other props.

How to make it easier: Go online to educate yourself about how other homes selling in your area look inside.

Get the look, get the book

During what can be a stressful period, it's always a good idea to be kind to yourself. Stay in touch with friends and family. Continue whatever daily routines relax you -- getting outside for a walk, journaling, taking a leisurely bath, or just treating yourself to a cup of your favorite tea.

Don't leave before you download my home staging eBook, DIY Homestaging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast and For Top Dollar. Take advantage of my years as a real estate investor and home stager.

Think LIke a Buyer!

2026-07-11T13:55:34.610-04:00

Selling your home? If so, then it's time to think like a home buyer instead of a home seller. That's one of the best ways to make your home staging more successful, and increase your chances of a smooth sale.

Maybe it's been a long time since you were on the purchasing end of a new home. In this post I'll help you tap into the mindset of today's buyers.

Look to the future

While a buyer's Realtor is pointing out the various features and any possible faults of your home, the buyer is thinking ahead. For most people, a home purchase is their biggest investment. Statistics show that Americans move every eight years. They want to be confident that the home will appreciate in value during the time they live there. Their Realtor and a home inspector will advise them if the property is structurally sound and priced fairly. In other words, a good investment.

People shopping for a home look for a well-built one in a stable neighborhood to guarantee they are making a sound decision. Photo: Apartment Therapy

Buyers will factor in what future needs they will have, especially if they are retirees or a young family. They may be asking, "Can the dining room become my home office?" or "Would this bedroom make a good playroom?" or "Could this basement be turned into a home gym?"

A well-staged room will suggest to buyers more than one purpose. Your staging can show the flexibility of your rooms by staging them to look spacious but not empty, uncluttered but not boring.

Make sure your Realtor has all the facts about about your home, especially the desirable ones, like a new HVAC, or a recent roof. It shows transparency and builds the buyer's trust.

Add a new color

Interior decorating styles run in 20- to 30-year cycles. Since buyers want a home that remains appealing over time, your home can't look out of sync with the times. Ideally your walls, for example will be painted in a color that is at the beginning of a trend. One palette color that brings a modern interpretation of classic style is one based on a cool-toned palette of five shades: white, grey, dusty blue, navy, and charcoal.

Greys are always versatile. Accessories like upholstered pieces and flowers add some bright colors to this entryway.

So, when you stage, painting your walls these tones, and adding decorative accents in these tones will update your home, making it look fresh rather than outdated. These versatile colors can also pair well with a variety of materials, allowing homeowners to personalize their rooms once they move in.

Painting walls in your home doesn't mean you'll need to empty the room of furniture first. You'll require only a 3- or 4-foot wide space around the perimeter, enough so you can move around the room on a dropcloth with a 5-gallon bucket of paint and a roller on a long handle. Here are my best tips for painting a room yourself.

Choose thrifty updates

Look for the updates that make the most sense, the economical ones that deliver the biggest bang for your buck.

If you haven't invested in new furniture in 25 years, your rooms may look boring and neglected. But there are still ways to give a facelift to out-of-style furnishings. Lucky you if your home is a one of those classic 70's houses, or a Mid Century Modern ranch style building, an authentic 1800's Victorian gem, or a charming farmhouse cottage. Some buyers can be nostalgic about these properties. But they still like to see some signs that you house has been given attention over time.

Some elements from the 70s withstand the decorators' test of time, like this rattan bar cart, the oversized art, the shaggy rug, and the big houseplants. Photo: K. Shan Design

Pairing an older home with contemporary table lamps, faux plants, and wall art, for example, can make the house feel current while still capturing the charm of past design eras.

I've blogged about how you can stage with older furniture. For example, that old headboard or end table can take on a modern look with a coat of paint in a fresh color. Older upholstered pieces can be slipcovered with over-the-counter covers.

Fresh, luxurious bedding helps buyers imagine themselves living in the home. Photo: Eastern Accents

Get the look, get the book

Staging your home shouldn't call for a renovation. Well-chosen, small updates are the key to impressing buyers without breaking your budget. You can easily follow more staging tips in my home staging eBook, DIY Home Staging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast and For Top Dollar! Download it now and start getting your home ready for serious buyers!

Top Photo: Laura Casey

18 Real Estate Words You Never Heard Before

2026-07-07T06:00:00.000-04:00

This is the kind of freeting every home needs.
What's a freeting? Read on!

When you're a home seller, you soon learn that the everyday English language fails you. You meet people, run into situations, and even DO things that demand a new word. Like these I have coined:

Blowbed

Inflatable mattress dressed to look like a regular bed

Bubble Bath

A grandiose master bath built at the height of the housing boom

Cougar

Older home that looks great

Dishcount

A price reduction because the home was cluttered with too many cute plates on the walls

Flip Flop

Home renovated to sell, but done poorly

Freeting

First impression the foyer of your home gives to those arriving

We could call this house "a cougar."

FSBCP

For sale by crazy person, a phrase used to describe a home overpriced because the seller thinks he doesn’t have to pay a Realtor

Galcave

Craft room

Half Baked

Kitchen not staged

Hext

A text message that the people coming to view your home (that you spent all weekend cleaning) bought another home

A leather sofa like this will not need to be "pillowized." Photo: brabbu

Magish

When you SO desperately want a room in your house to look like a a photo in a decor magazine, it actually happens

Sho-wells

Towels exclusively reserved for when people are coming to view your home

Targetize

When a home seller buys all the staging accessories in one trip to Target

NFH

Neighbor from hell

Pillowize

Efforts made to cover couch stains with oversized pillows

Scotchem

Shortening draperies and curtains by using masking tape or duct tape

WTF

White thrifted finds -- all the furniture you bought second hand, and then painted white to stage your home

Zirconia

Artificial wow factor, such as an avocado refrigerator painted with stainless steel paint

Get the look, get the book

If you want some serious help staging your home, download my eBook, DIY Home Staging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast and for Top Dollar. You can begin now to DIY your way to a sold home!

Top photo: Meg Broff Interiors

Grab Millennial Home Buyers with These 4 Strategies

2026-06-22T13:51:34.290-04:00

Do you want to reach the largest possible audience when you put your home up for sale?

Rather than appeal to a niche market or small demographic, take a look at who's buying more houses these days.

It's Millennials. They comprise an increasing share of home buyers, edging out older Boomers. And these Millenials have more money to spend than younger generations.

Knowing what's important to these house hunters will make your home sale go quicker and easier, keeping everyone happy!

Here are four ways you can attract and impress this important market.

Choose trending paint colors

Just like trends in clothing, jargon, music, and cars, paint colors for interior walls come in and go out of style. Interior design color schemes move in 10-year cycles. When you stage your home, be aware of the currently popular colors.

Today's most popular colors are trending away from greys and towards off-white tones like Sherwin Williams Pearly White, or Creamy, or Roman Column.

The solid advice about home staging has always been to avoid painting walls with bold colors because a neutral color theme will appeal to the greatest number of people. Soft, neutral colors are versatile, and will pair with most people's furniture.

As always, if you run out of ideas, there's always the internet. On average, 1.8 billion websites are running concurrently worldwide daily, so answers to general or specific questions about decor are just a few keystrokes away. I recommend checking my Pinterest boards for color combinations that work well for home staging. I've blogged about how to choose a paint color the easy way, staging with pastel colors, and the importance of wall color in a staged home.

Note: Looking at photos of celebrity homes and decorator showcase homes will not help you choose a color for staging. Home decorating and home staging have different aims.

This family room from Young House Love demonstrates how
a room of neutrals and off-whites doesn't have to be boring.

Make it move-in ready

Repairing or replacing faulty components shows potential buyers that the house is in great shape. Most Millennials don't want a fixer-upper. They are busy building careers and raising families. They want a property that shows it's been well-maintained. If you sail through your home inspection, you can sell at a higher price.

Having an inspection done before listing is a good idea. Inspectors want to find problems to prove their value. (And they are valuable!) Repair any cracks and holes in walls and ceilings, and replace loose doorknobs, cracked tiles, and faulty electrical systems the inspector lists. Replace all leaking faucets and corroded water tanks.

Millennials have a wish list that includes a home office, a smart security system, unproblematic internet, tv, and cell phone access, and useable outdoor space. So, if you have these features, use your home staging and your online specs to make them obvious.

What repairs you decide to make will cost you less than the discounts buyers will ask for. And you'll speed up the selling process.

Focus on a fabulous listing

You have just one chance to impress a buyer. The millennial buyer will form his first, important impression from your online listing. If your agent doesn't believe in the value of professional real estate photography, find another agent. If it is a question of cost, offer to pay. Yes, it is that important.

When the photographer comes, be totally ready, and then get out of the way. Do not plan on moving things from one room to another. Do in advance what it takes to make your home look uncluttered, even if it means putting wastebaskets, extra shoes, and kids' toys in your car for a few hours!

If you are ever going to pay for a professional deep cleaning or a professional organizer, do it before your home is photographed.

Make sure your agent knows all the important details about your property. Her job will be to feature what's important to today's buyers, based on her experience and training. Tell her what you love most about your home, the age and brand of things like appliances, flooring, and roofing, what the neighborhood is like, and whatever else she may not realize by a simple walk-through. Insist on reviewing the sales copy before it goes live and don't be shy about suggesting reasonable changes. Your Realtor is working for you.

Even if you are not needing fancy photography
like drone images or this twilight shot, you should
consider professional photos as essential selling tools.
Photo: Hoachlander Davis Photography

Add budget-friendly upgrades

Put money where it matters. Unless your home is a high-end property in a decidedly expensive market, making improvements like complete bath or kitchen remodels won't return your financial investment at the closing table. Averages show that revamping a major bathroom costs about $11,700. But small upgrades and repairs can put an ordinary house over the top.

You might consider replacing bath and kitchen hardware such as faucets, spigots, showerheads, mirror frames, and cabinet handles. These metals are the jewelry of the room. Latch on to the mixed metals trend to impress millennial buyers. Here is an article from The Spruce on how to mix metals the right way.

Another economical upgrade that will catch the eye of a millennial shopper is a statement lighting fixture. An oversized chandelier can replace a bedroom boob light. My go-to source for inexpensive ceiling lights is my local ReStore. I know they sell only tested appliances and fixtures. Older style lights are often easy to update with a coat of spray paint.

This bath, from Sunny Circle Studio, uses both matte black
and shiny brass hardware for a modern, curated look.

Get the look, get the book

Need more advice, inspiration, and DIY tips to stage your own home? Start today by building your confidence that you can do it! Download my home staging eBook, DIY Home Staging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast and For Top Dollar. Let my years in the real estate business --buying, fixing, staging, and selling homes -- help you style your home to win buyers' hearts.

Top photo: Style at Home

My 12 Must-Have Cleaning Tools

2026-06-22T06:00:00.000-04:00

Clean houses sell faster than dustry, musty ones. Buyers love a property that looks like the professional cleaning crew just left.

I know that deep cleaning is hard work. Keeping the essential tools and equipment at hand makes the tasks easier, faster, and more thorough.

I compiled this list of must-haves list based on my own experience and the advice I’ve learned from professionals and other neat-freaks.

Caddy

An equipment caddy is like your purse. Get one you like to look at, and stock it with your favorite cleaning solutions. Keep it clean, organized, and handy.

Some people like to store a caddy on each floor of the home, or in each bathroom.

Microfiber cloths

Who isn’t a fan?! These miracle cloths are so effective at capturing and holding dust and dirt that they make harsh cleaning products unnecessary for many of your ordinary cleaning jobs.

For wiping down doors and trim, give me a bucket of plain water and a microfiber cloth, and let the games begin! Easy.

For oversized microfiber cloths at the best price, look in the automotive section of big box stores, or order from Amazon. You'll find them in sizes like 31 by 24 inches, and 24 by 16 inches. Because they are extra absorbent, they're perfect for drying chores like toweling off shower walls or going behind a mop on a wet floor.

Rags

Practice recycling. Disposable paper towels are temptingly easy but can get expensive quickly. Did you know that paper towels can actually scratch some surfaces, like Plexiglas and other plastics? And paper towels are no friend of the environment.

Got orphan socks? Cut them in half lengthwise, and use them for cleaning. They’re soft, absorbent, and reusable. Old T-shirts, cloth diapers, and worn-down towels can be part of your caddy supplies.

Before I toss an old shirt or sheet, I'll cut it into large squares to use as disposable cleaning rags. I use these cloths rags for spot cleaning a carpet, sopping up gooey spills, and tackling jobs like wiping down porch railings or the undersides of a greasy range hood. Recycling feels good!

Plastic Buckets

My preference is a roomy one for floor mopping jobs, plus a couple of smaller ones to soak items or dilute solutions. Spray cleaners can build up after a time, so once in a while a cleaning with clear water, rinsing as you go, calls for a handled bucket.

I like equipment that I can wash and disinfect,

like my little dustpan and broom, and an old toothbrush.

Brooms

Many homeowners have tossed their brooms in favor of Swiffer-style sweepers, but nothing matches what a broom can do for shoe mold in corners, edges of carpeted rooms, exterior doors and steps, and other places where most vacuum cleaners won’t pick up.

Soft, synthetic bristle brooms are easier to use and grab dust better than stiff brooms. But for garage floors, driveways and sidewalks, a stiff push broom is best.

A broom's kissing cousin is the dust broom, and a dustpan. They're a necessity unless you're sweeping debris under a rug, and I know you wouldn't! Well, maybe if your Realtor is knocking at the door with clients in tow.

Mops

A mop’s essential for a thorough cleaning on washable flooring. A large-headed wet mop with a swivel base and removable microcloth takes care of maintenance cleaning. For deeper cleaning, use a traditional sponge mop, one with a sturdy replaceable head that will squeeze out excess water and lets you rinse floors as well as wash. The more money you spend, the better the mop. Read the reviews and pick your weapon.

Brushes

They’re indispensable for embedded dirt, textured surfaces, and hard to reach places. I prefer a brush or a cloth to a sponge, which starts out looking all perky and then gets stinky if you don’t disinfect it regularly and then dry it quickly.

I like Oxo brushes because they are designed well and last a long time. Use an old toothbrush or the freebee you get from your dentist if you use an electric toothbrush. A toothbrush is perfect for getting into those tough spots like sink drains and around window locks.

This little, long-handled, low-tech carpet sweeper
could be your answer to those short notice
showings when your carpets need a quick once over.

Magic Erasers

Like any addict, I make sure I never run out of these. They are the only approach for some otherwise unsolvable cleaning problems.

We’re talking glass shower doors, fiberglass shower stalls, stoves, porcelain and stainless sinks, and stains on vinyl and laminates. The post I wrote about how Magic Erasers work their magic is one of my most popular posts.

Vacuum Cleaner

Nothing sexy about it, but people have love/hate relationships with their vacuums. I love my Rainbow. I’ll never go back to using a vacuum that blows air over dirt and then out its exhaust. My Rainbow is a little heavy and a little awkward, but I don’t care. It makes the whole house smell great because I can scent the water that cleans the air.

A vac is your most important tool. If you’re in an unfulfilling relationship with yours, now’s a good time to invest in your future. Whether you prefer an upright or a canister type, I urge you to spend a little more money and get one that you can stay married to for a long time.

Or does your present vac just need a thorough overhaul and cleaning?

It's not a vacuum cleaner, but it's the ancestor of vacs -- the humble, old school, non-electric carpet sweeper. It could be included on this dirty dozen tool list as #13. Compact, lightweight, inexpensive, quiet, it will perform your hurry-up-tidy-ups between regular vacuuming dates.

Long Handled Duster

A microfiber duster on an extendable handle is the way to handle ceilings and walls on a maintenance schedule. Swooshing over these surfaces regularly gets rid of dust and cobwebs before they become visible.

The telescoping handle is your friend if you have high ceilings. Use your handled duster for ceiling fans because they are a magnet for whatever is in the air. Knock the dust down before you vacuum the floor.

My favorite scents. If you've read my home staging eBook, you know that I like to avoid
strong chemical scents, and prefer essential oils for adding
fragrance to a room.

Plastic Watering Can

A real time-saver. If you have to use caustic solutions, like Lime-A-Way or CLR, to clean shower walls and doors, use a small plastic watering can with a spout to rinse them away. Tuck it away in the vanity.

Nitrile Gloves

Protect your hands and your health. Slip on some pretty gloves for all your wet cleaning tasks. Even pure water dries your skin, and cleaning solutions include chemicals that are absorbed by your skin. If you won't drink it, don't put it on your skin.

A cleaner can't have too many pairs of gloves. I have other glove collections
for painting and gardening. This is the watering can I use for rinsing shower walls.

Depending on your home, you’ll have favorite tools to add to this list -- a steamer, roller to remove pet hair, carpet shampooer, robot cleaner, hand-held rechargeable vac, pumice stone, special dry mop, a squeegee, your favorite dance music. What do you do to make the most of your housecleaning time?

Get the look, get the book

Getting your home to shine is one of the most important ways you stage your home. When a person buys a home, she envisions herself starting fresh, and moving up in the world. Cleanliness is part of that picture, part of what sells homes. You can't clean your home on the market too much, but you deserve the tools that let you do a better job, faster and easier.

If you're staging a home, whether for yourself or others, you'll benefit from my home staging eBook, DIY Home Staging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast for Top Dollar.

Redfin tells buyers what's important

2026-06-19T13:09:35.562-04:00

I've written numerous posts about the value of a well-maintained home when it's time to sell.

Recently, Refin, the real estate brokerage firm that helps people buy, sell, and rent homes, contacted me for my opinion on what makes a good listing description, I told them, "Mentions of appliance brands, energy-efficient systems, recent renovations, or maintenance dates can signal a well-cared-for home."

As a result, we were featured with other real estate professionals on Redfin, Powered by Rocket! Read the full article here:

What to Look for in Home Listing Photos and Descriptions | Redfin

A Staged Foyer Helps Sell Your House

2026-06-18T11:18:00.000-04:00

It's no wonder the foyer is the most overlooked room of a house.

It's just the room we pass as we come and go, and maybe not even that. But when your home is for sale, every room is important, and that's especially true of the foyer.

A Realtor will bring buyers through the front door. So, the foyer welcomes them gives them a glimpse of what's to come. It lets buyers have their first chance to judge the home's interior.

So, this is is no place for "good enough." This is a place for "wow." Do something impressive. Since the room is usually small (if it exists at all) you can afford to add some luxury touches.

A fabric skirt is an easy way to hide the necessities in an entranceway. Photo: John'sJournal

Tidy the space

You'll set the tone for your house by staging the area as a clean and organized space. If shoes are stored there, keep them in attractive baskets or tubs. Remove out-of-season clothing and accessories. Avoid dark colors on walls, and make sure there is plenty of light because bright spaces feel cleaner.

Dust, vacuum, polish, and add a natural scent to reassure buyers your home is cared-for. Don't use artificial fragrances and plugins, but add essential oils to a diffuser. Or, a clever place to hide your scent mechanism in a small room is to lay an incense stick on the ledge over the door trim. You know, that little ledge you never dust.

A mix of colors and textures makes a small room interesting. Photo: Lauren Leonard Inteiors

Give it personality

You can make your home more memorable to buyers on tour if your entrance displays has something unique. Hang an oversized piece of colorful art. Or lay a gorgeous rug there. How about a strikingly lovely new lamp? Any of these decor items are usually available at second hand stores like ReStore, Salvation Army, or other charity shops.

Making something yourself is another way to inject personality. If you have a chair or bench in your entrance, add cushions or pillows that add a finishing touch. It's easy to make unique pillows from small amounts of fabric.

Even if the entrance to your home is just a hallway, it can be staged to be inviting.

Lighting is important

If there are sidelights next to the door, be sure they let in all the natural light they can. Use sheer instead of heavy curtains, or none at all if privacy's not an issue.

The foyer is one place you could leave a light on all day even in your absence and not have it look like you were trying to make you home look brighter for a showing. It just makes sense, as in, "We'll leave on light on for you."

Furniture's a must in the large foyer, and what fun you can have there. A rustic bench... a mirrored cabinet... a large black table holding books and flowers... whatever suits your house. If you use a rug, make it generous, no matter what the size of the room.

No foyer, no problem

If you have no designated entryway, you can create a sense of entrance by placing an interesting chair or small table near the front door. A mirror is perfect piece to create an illusion of a larger space. The bigger the mirror, the better. Ideally it will reflect from side to side, so no one is startled when he opens the door.

If space is too tight for a table, a shelf functions just as well to hold a pretty lamp, a silk floral arrangement, a mirror, a simple sculpture, or a dish of peppermints.

Remember that the foyer can be the last room a house hunter sees (and tastes) as he goes on with his tour of homes.

Clean lines make this foyer's mood easy to duplicate.
The red, black and white colors add drama,
and the ornate mirror adds detail. Photo: DecorPad

The word foyer is derived from the French word for fire because in the late 1800's the foyer was the room to which theater audiences went for warmth between the acts.

Is your foyer staged to be warm and welcoming?

Be sure to visit my Pinterest Board for foyers to get more ideas. And don't leave without downloading my eBook, DIY Tips to Sell Your Home Fast and For Top Dollar. You'll learn more ways to impress buyers and convince them that your home should be their home.

Top Photo: Room&Board

Here's How to Landscape Around Your Modular or Mobile Home

2026-06-13T17:11:00.000-04:00

If you own a mobile or modular home, you know the advantages of buying and living in one.

They're affordable, energy efficient, and well-designed for today's lifestyle.

When it's time to sell, you'll face the same challenges owners of conventional homes face. Your home has to look good from the outside as well as the inside.

But landscaping around a home in a mobile home park is not like landscaping a site-built, two-story Colonial on a one-acre lot.

For one thing, the land under the home is possibly leased -- not sold with the home -- and the lot is probably small. The park will likely have restrictions on what you can and cannot do on the property.

But if your single wide or doublewide is situated on a generously-sized lot you own instead of on common ground, you can take on landscaping projects with a larger scope. Either way, curb appeal is just as important as when a conventional home goes on the market.

The appeal of mobiles

Because its underpinnings are concealed

nicely and its landscape has matured,

this mobile home looks more like a conventional

house Photo: MobileHomeLiving.com

People buy manufactured homes for different reasons. The most common one is economics. Single folks, young couples, retirees, and anyone tired of renting a house or apartment, are more able to become buyers than if they went shopping for a conventionally constructed home. Mobiles are priced low because they are constructed in one-fifth the time and at half the cost of site-built homes. The builders don't have to hassle with weather delays and the entire building process is more efficient.

Some people buy mobiles when they learn that manufactured housing assembled in a controlled, factory environment uses fewer materials and generates less waste than comparable site-built units. Yes, mobiles are "greener."

Unique landscape challenges

For a mobile home to look competitive in the real estate market, it needs to look, well, not too mobile. In other words, its wheels and axles, if they are still in place, need to be hidden. Make your skirting look as strong and straight as possible. The right skirting can make a manufactured home look more permanent and valuable.

Another spot that needs cosmetics is the hitch. If it is not removable, can you conceal it with fencing, lattice, or a planting that covers it? Some people cluster a grouping of container plants or a raised bed built of blocks around the hitch.

Here is an example of a sidewalk extension using
concrete pavers. You can make an
entrance garden wall
from concrete blocks. The wall leads your eye
to the front door. Photo: MobileHomeLiving

Mobiles tend to look boxier than conventional homes. Having a porch, patio, deck or other "bump-out" helps to break up those boxy lines. But shrubs, either in the ground or in large planters, are another way to help soften the straight lines of your home and anchor it to the surrounding land.

If the space that surrounds your home is small, don't consider it a deal-breaker for buyers. Many will welcome a tiny lot for its low maintenance appeal. If privacy is an issue, lattice panels or 4- to 6-foot fencing might be your best option. It may not need to be a solid, continuous fence, since the illusion of privacy can be enough to create the sense of a private, outdoor space.

Make your entrance important

A common mistake homeowners make when they design their front landscape areas is to plant interesting or colorful plants scattered around the property. When you're deciding what to grow where, add color and texture where you want people to look: your front entrance.

Why? Because a well-designed front garden will make visitors and buyers feel welcome and curious about what's inside.

Your entrance area doesn't have to be large or extravagant. In fact, it should be simple but interesting. Incorporate some curved lines when you outline a bed. Aim for or a clean-looking border for a raised garden by using concrete blocks. Use an uncomplicated color scheme when you select shrubs and flowering plants.

This retaining wall allowed the homeowner to hide skirting and give the look of a solid foundation. The gravel mulch, mature shrubs,
solar lights and colorful annuals are all easy to care for.
Photo: MobileHomePartsStore.com

When you choose containers that
match each other,
they look cohesive.
Installation and upkeep are easier.
And you can take "your garden"
with you when you move.
Photo: MobileHomeLiving.com

Containers are perfect for entrance gardens because you can easily maintain them while your home is for sale. If you have existing beds, you can add potted plants to these gardens to keep them looking colorful no matter what the season. Also, your potted plants can go with you when you move!

Install hardscape

If you are beautifying your yard to improve your home's value, adding hardscaping is one easy way to do that. When you add things like wide steps and a landing, or a deck, or a concrete path, or a patio to your outdoor space, it's as good as adding actual square footage in the eyes of most buyers.

Concrete pavers surrounded by
natural rock give this
winding path its
personality. Photo: StyleEstate

Hardscape has the advantage of being quick to install, whether it's DIY or a professional job. Hardscape looks good from day one. You don't have to wait for it to grow the way you would for a flower bed or tree!

Add an entertainment spot

Another type of outdoor home improvement that can bring in significant ROI is creating an entertainment space.

A fire pit is the perfect way to start any entertainment space, It also makes an ideal centerpiece in the landscape.

There are countless ways to construct your own fire pit, but consulting a professional can often produce luxurious results that yield a higher ROI.

Stage your entertainment spot with some matching outdoor chairs to make it look more inviting. If you have a view, capitalize on that by putting seating where people can enjoy it.

Unless security is a problem, an outdoor dining area can be staged with table, chairs, benches, plants, lighting, and an outdoor grill. When they are shopping for a new home, buyers like to envision how they will entertain.

Favorite tips

A fire pit is a magnet to people touring
your property. Make it even more
special by adding seating
and colorful cushions. Photo: BHG

When you add paths, make them direct people around your property so they can appreciate it from every angle.

Try to have some unusual elements in your landscape, some surprises for visitors, like a small fountain, a collection of one kind of potted plant, a jumbo shrub in a half barrel planter, or a birdbath tucked into a corner of your lot. You don't want all the same plants and landscape features that all your neighbors have.

Choose the plants that front your skirting to be ones that keep their leaves all year long. No bare branches allowed up close to your home!

Plant what thrives in your region of the country. Don't try to grow desert-dwelling cactus in states with humid summers. Don't try to grow heat-loving tropicals in northern states with long winters.

Add color in broad sweeps. Avoid the polka dot effect of spreading various flowering plants in beds scattered across your property. Help people focus on your home. That's what you are selling. Also, a complicated landscape looks like hard work to buyers who don't enjoy yard work.

Finally, leave some areas of your yard as places to rest the eye. You can count on mulch, gravel, groundcover plants, or whatever kind of grass does well where you live, to create areas that are restful and easy to keep looking good year 'round.

It's true that manufactured homes are often harder to renovate inside, but landscaping is a sound investment and can work wonders to enhance the best features and aesthetics of your modular or mobile home.

If you are selling any kind of home, you can get more tips on staging it in my eBooks. Download and start staging your way to a more profitable sale today.

Fast Track Your Staging

2026-03-15T09:15:00.002-04:00

Do you want to sell your home fast, without wasting time on what's not important? If so, you're not alone.

Many sellers want a really quick home sale. Maybe it's because of an impulsive relocation, retirement, divorce, military transfer, expanding family, or downsizing. Maybe your neighborhood or local politics have changed. Perhaps you bought your home with the intention to fix it and sell it for a profit.

If you fall into that Hurry-Up-Get-It-Done category, this checklist is for you.

Pack up

It may seem counterintuitive to pack for your (hopefully imminent) move, but packing can force you to decide what's important enough to keep. Use the keep/toss/donate/sell system. Ask yourself, "Under what circumstances would I use this item?"

Consider storage off-site for things like out-of season clothes and sports equipment, seldom-used appliances, excess books and collections, and extra towels and linens. Moving or storage companies sell boxes for moving. So do UPS, Amazon, and home improvement centers. I like boxes to be all the same size, for easy stacking. Note: Boxes from the grocery store may contain pesticides or pests.

Tackle this decluttering process before you clean. There's no sense cleaning what won't stay to be part of your staging. An experienced Realtor once told me, "If it's clean and it's priced right, it will sell."

Temporarily storing your boxed
"extra belongings" in a climate-
controlled storage unit is ideal.
Photo: Pro Active Movers

Get a listing agent

As soon as you've selected a Realtor, you'll hand off a list of responsibilities. A good Realtor will educate you about what's important to buyers, and help you set a price that's appealing to buyers and to you as well. She'll also make recommendations about what's important and what isn't, saving you time.

You can educate your listing agent and help her educate potential buyers and other Realtors by collecting pertinent information about your home. A simple way to do this is to gather receipts, warranties, and manuals for appliances and systems. You can present them in a binder and even include photos of your home in other seasons. A well-documented show of home maintenance reassures buyers, and can streamline the buying process.

Buyers appreciate seeing photos
that show how your property
looks in different seasons.
Photo: Lynn Karlin via BHG

Plan a budget

Once you have realistic expectations for the sale of your home, you can get a handle on how much you want to spend on repairs or upgrades. Following your Realtor's advice, get quotes on services like carpet cleaning, cabinet replacement, plumbing repairs, HVAC service, and a pre-listing home inspection. The wise seller is not afraid to spend money for repairs and recommended improvements.

Remember that every day your home stays on the market costs you money in insurance, taxes, utilities, and upkeep.

Hire painters

According to Angi, painting interior walls gives you a 107% return on the investment. When you're saving time, you'll come out ahead if you hire people to do what they do every day. You can focus on what's fast and easy for you -- declutter and pack and plan your homestaging. Your walls are bound to have some dings and nail holes that need patching. Preparation and having the right paint and tools are so important to a paint job that it's cost-effective (and a sanity-saver) to pay professionals.

A fresh coat of paint in areas
like kitchens and baths makes
your whole home feel extra clean.
Photo: Sherwin-Williams

Spruce up curb appeal

Your landscape frames your home. You can make it an asset by removing details like skimpy flower beds, distracting lawn ornaments, and unhealthy or poorly pruned shrubs and trees. Changes like these don't cost anything.

Ace Hardware recently ranked standard lawn care services the best return on investment for homeowners. If your neighbors' lawns look way better than yours, maybe it's time for a refresh. Hydroseeding offers the advantage of a new, lush lawn in just three to four weeks.

Get inspired

Homestaging your own home is easy if you take it in stages and get some professional help when needed.

To see trends and fresh ideas, start browsing websites like House Beautiful, DecorPad, West Elm, and my Pinterest boards for homestaging. Spend an afternoon browsing local home decor and furniture stores for ideas. Then take a tour of your home and decide what items, small and large, add to its perceived value. Make a list of what could be missing -- some oversized art, or brighter light bulbs, fresh throw pillows, or some artificial plants.

Choose the DIY staging projects that are quick to do and have a big impact, like hanging new curtains, painting a dining table, or making your home smell great.

Be sure to use as a guide my homestaging eBook, DIY Homestaging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast and For Top Dollar. I give you the time-saving, dollar-stretching ways you can make your own home look better to buyers.

Selling a Flood-Prone Home

2026-03-07T13:26:00.001-05:00

If the house you plan to sell is located in a flood plain, you have unique challenges.

But you also have some important selling features. Let's look at how you can minimize the downside of living in or near a flood plain so you can attract buyers.

Sell the location

Most people are naturally attracted to living near the water. Americans dream of a home at the seashore. They build vacation cabins on lakes and ponds. They buy homes near mountain streams and alongside rivers. This attraction is justified by the numerous benefits of living by water, including better health.

So, even though homes near water face the stigma of being "high-risk properties," there is a reliable market of buyers willing and able to own them.

You can make the most of your home's location by staging it to emphasize local color and what's unique about your area. Many people buy homes when they vacation near the water, so don't assume buyers will be local residents. Help them envision their new lifestyle in a new locale.

When you have a water view, capitalize
on it by staging the vantage point,
whether inside or outside your home.

Mitigate problems

Rising sea levels, which increase the risk of flooding, are on the minds of many buyers. It's difficult to ignore news coverage of flooded homes and statistics like nearly 56,000 homes near the New Jersey Shore are expected to experience at least one flood event during the next 25 years.

But, there are things you can do to prevent or minimize water damage. You can work with a knowledgeable landscape company that understands the importance of drainage on your property. You can elevate electrical and HVAC equipment to reduce the risk of damage. If you have a basement or a crawlspace, you can reinforce your foundation and install sump pumps.

Typically, local authorities like emergency responders, insurance companies, and government workers offer advice for citizens living in a flood plain. Tap into these sources for digital or printed information you can pass along to your Realtor and potential buyers.

If you have waterfront property, it's an
asset to have a strong seawall or bulkhead.

Disclose everything

It's not just our coastlines that are at risk, the Great Lakes area, major and minor rivers, and navigable canals also flood. Heavy rains, poor drainage, and even nearby construction projects are risks. Buyers and their real estate agents who are aware of the possibility of flooding in your neighborhood will want facts about your area, and about your home in particular.

If your house has been flooded, be upfront about it during negotiations. Show buyers what remedies you have added to make it more resilient, such as floating/click-lock LVP flooring that can be removed, dried, and reinstalled. Or waterproof doors, seawalls, flood barriers, or landscaping adjustments. A back-up power generator is a real bonus.

Being upfront about the risk of flooding will build trust between you and the buyer during negotiations.

If your property is in a popular resort area, your buyer might have plans to use your home for short-term rentals using services like VRBO, Airbnb, and others. Let your buyer know if there are local ordinances prohibiting or restricting short term rentals, and what rents he can expect to charge.

Non-local buyers shopping online appreciate
accurate and numerous photos before
they travel to the area for a home tour.

Reassure reluctant buyers

Buyers who expect a bargain because your home is in a flood plain might need to be educated. Your Realtor can point to statistics that specify the probability of your property being flooded. Local governments make these stats public information.

But your Realtor should also document for buyers how other homes in the neighborhood have appreciated in value over time.

There are ways you can emphasize special features of your home not affected by rising water. The sales copy on your online listing should mention perks like the view, boating and recreational access, good schools, access to shopping and restaurants, and even how many other homes have recently sold in the area for good prices.

A local Realtor can steer buyers to lenders with experience creating mortgages for houses in flood-prone areas.

A nautical chart like this one adds
some local charm without
being too cute or beachy.
Photo: Nautical Chart Company

Explain insurance info

Buyers who do not need a loan to buy your home may not understand the importance of carrying flood insurance. If they are getting a mortgage, their lender will require it. They may not know that most standard homeowners' insurance does not cover flood damage. When my home was flooded, FEMA rescued us financially. We were pleasantly surprised by how quick and cooperative FEMA was.

You can provide information from your regular home insurance company about low-cost options for water damage, including leaks from roof damage or a leaking water heater. Make sure buyers know that your property is not uninsurable. Emphasize that the right insurance policy buys peace of mind!

Get the look, get the book

Make it easy for buyers to be confident that your home is priced right and is in a secure location. With a few weather-smart upgrades, honest negotiations, and the right kind of homestaging, you'll convince them that the problems facing homes in food-prone areas are offset by the advantages of living by the water.

Get smart staging advice in my homestaging eBooks. You can download them now and begin getting your home ready for sale!

Top Photo: Cottage Fever Interior Design

Why Prep Now For Spring

2026-03-01T17:36:42.559-05:00

If springtime is considered prime house-selling season, winter is prime house-prepping season..

With winter's major holidays behind, and summer activities like travel, vacations, graduations, and anniversaries ahead, winter is the sweet spot for doing whatever your home needs to sell fast for the price you want!

Then, come spring, you’re not getting ready to sell. You're ready to sell. Here's how to make the most of winter.

See your weak spots

In winter, you're more likely to see your home's problem areas. When you spend more time indoors, you're more likely to notice any of the following: rooms that look dreary, windows that are drafty, interior lighting that isn't bright enough, or areas that have an unpleasant scent.

Outside your house, winter landscapes can look barren and boring compared to how your property looks in summer -- lush and healthy. So, winter's the best time to analyze the layout of your landscape, its hardscape, and any cluttered or barren areas.

Do you have a clear and welcoming path to the front door? Are there any bare tree branches overhanging the roof? Have shrubs overgrown their space, needing pruning? Are dormant flower beds in need of a top dressing?

Now's the time to address your all-important curb appeal. Paint your front door. Maybe add a handsome, upgraded garage door or some flower boxes under your front windows. Pressure wash the driveway. If your siding is mildewed or dirty, pressure wash that also.

In winter, your landscape may be
stripped to its basic design,
and the trees and shrubs
that anchor it all year long.

You're ready for spring

Selling a home and moving are stressful events. You can't ignore your mental health. Once you've pared down furnishings that don't increase the perceived value of your home, cleaned and organized closets, cabinets, basement, garage, and attic, and had important repairs done, you'll feel empowered and ready for staging.

So, when spring arrives, you'll be ready to hit the market instead of hurrying through packing up and staging your home. Without the pressure that comes with rushing, you can make good decisions during negotiations.

Many people are considering moving to a better climate or are moving because they've received a promotion or a healthy tax refund. And renters, who make up 34% of Americans, are often ready to become homeowners.

By the time your home is listed,
you'll know you've done
your best to make it desirable,
without stressing yourself.

It's bargain time

One of the most common New Year's resolutions people make is to declutter their homes. That means early in the year thrift stores are well-stocked with furnishings and decor items. Although for most parts of our country, garage sales are a winter rarity, sources like Facebook Marketplace, Etsy, and Craigslist thrive during the winter. These are good sources of like-new furniture, lamps, mirrors, artwork, and even curtains and draperies.

Prepping your home over the winter months also means you can spread your expenses over a few months rather than rushing to beat the Spring rush.

If it bothers you to think you have to spend money to sell your home, remember that your home is an investment. Think of it as a business. Ask any successful business owner, and you'll hear that phrase, "To make money, you need to spend money." A poorly presented home will attract flippers and bottom feeders instead of people willing to spend more to achieve the lifestyle they want. Your job as a seller is to create the image of that lifestyle.

Local thrift stores and Facebook
Marketplace are my favorite sources
for staging furniture and props.

Contractors are available

One of the most overlooked perks of winter prep is that many professionals that you need have a "slow season." That means you're likely to get a quicker response, easier scheduling, and competitive price quotes. Crews might even have time to give the job extra attention if they aren't pressed for time.

Winter's a great time to find painters, landscapers, HVAC experts, flooring companies, carpet cleaners, gutter and roofing repairers, a handyman, and a home inspector. Calling and connecting with these contractors, you won't be scrambling for last-minute fixes, and you can get the jump on other sellers to line up a Realtor!

Most tradespeople have a busy
season and a slow season. A slow
season can benefit both the customer
and the contractor. Photo: New Age Air

Get the look, get the book

The sooner you begin getting your home market-ready, the smoother the sale will go. This slower approach to home prepping also makes it easier for you to emotionally detach from your home and look forward to your next one.

To learn other ways to make your home sell faster for more money, download my eBook, DIY Home Staging Tips to Make Your Home Sell Fast and For Top Dollar. You'll discover a wealth of ways to make your home look more expensive without hiring a professional homestager.

How to Make Your Home Smell Great

2026-02-15T10:56:10.448-05:00

Humans are wired to respond to scents. Dirt, debris, dust, dander, and daily activities add their unique scent to a house, and it's not always pleasant. When you have a house for sale, its indoor scent needs to evoke positive feelings.

Here's how to eliminate unpleasant household odors, and how to add the scents that help buyers immediately feel comfortable in your house. Your signature scent could be what makes buyers remember your home after a day of touring different homes.

Deep clean

All but the most organized and energetic homeowners put off major cleaning projects. I confess I don't tackle regular closet purges, take on garage overhauls, and wash window screens yearly.

An all-white color palette can reassure
buyers your home is clean.

When it's time to sell your home, it's time to make it look good and smell good. First step: removing clutter and, if possible, whatever won't be part of your final staging. With fewer small things to get in the way, your cleaning will go more quickly, and you'll have better results.

If you can fit it in your home-prepping budget, paying for a professional deep clean will free you up to manage other staging tasks.

Freshen the air

Good indoor ventilation is what makes your home feel comfortable and smell fresh. This doesn't mean you have to open all your windows. In some areas, pollen could be a problem, or it is too hot, too cold, too noisy, too windy, or too humid.

Count on your HVAC system, or on ceiling fans, and dehumidifiers to circulate and clean the air. Odors from pets, smoking, cooking, dirty laundry, and chemicals from construction, painting, and craft projects can linger if your indoor air isn't circulated. Many models of air purifiers with HEPA filters are compact, good-looking, inexpensive, and do a good job -- perfect for homestaging. .

A diffuser doesn't need to
stand alone. Make it part of an artful
tabletop or counter arrangement.
Photo: Pepper and Oak Candle Company

Prevent moisture

One of the most common sources of indoor air that doesn't feel fresh is humidity, and the mildew and mold it causes. Mildew can grow gradually over time from spills, a water leak, or poor plumbing, so you may become accustomed to the smell.

Most of us all know the look of mildew's powdery, grey coloring on surfaces that don't get adequate ventilation or light, surfaces that stay damp too long.

Mildew and mold are not the same. Mold spores are microscopic and may not be visible to the naked eye, but mold becomes noticeable if untreated. Although they may not smell it, buyers will recognize mold and mildew as a sign of poor maintenance. And people with mold allergies will have a reaction.

Crawl spaces, basements, cabinets and vanities under faucets, and shower stalls are common areas for mold. If there is a roof leak, walls and ceilings may be hiding mold and mildew. A damaged sewer line will also create unpleasant aromas. A home inspector will do moisture readings of these places. Remediation can get pricey, so the best bet is preventative measures, and getting a water audit from a plumber to find hidden leaks.

Bathroom air is commonly humid. Use your
exhaust fan when showering and to help
towels, shower curtains and rugs dry
quickly. Photo: Jim Franco via BHG

Go natural

Add fragrance from nature instead of the chem lab. I'm not talking about bouquets of flowers. I'm talking about essential oils, which are gaining in popularity as people become aware of the health problems associated with artificial fragrances. I've blogged about how artificial fragrances are messing with your health and what you can do about it.

Diffusers that use essential oils will gently scent the air in your home, and are common enough that they don't signal that you are masking problem aromas. Don't equate "fragrance oils" with essential oils, which are derived from plants such as lavender, cedar, pine, jasmine, rose, and sandalwood.

Do not use plug-in air fresheners. They are fire hazards, so I never use or recommend them.

Living plants help purify indoor air, but you would need many plants to measurably purify the space the way an air purifier does. Well-staged rooms always include some foliage, so choose from these plants that help clean the air: hardy snake plant, peace lily, spider plant, pothos, rubber plant, English ivy, Boston fern, and philodendron. A blooming lavender plant would be a lovely way to scent any room, especially in a sunny spot. Here's how to take care of a lavender plant.

A sunny window is the perfect spot
for a fragrant lavender plant.
Photo: Future via Ideal Home

Get the look, get the book

Don't let the scents in your home distract homebuyers touring your home. Make it easy for them to love your home by removing problem smells and adding "feel good" scents.

You'll find more advice on making buyers want to buy your home in my eBook, DIY Home Staging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast and For Top Dollar. You can download it now here and start staging it yourself with simple, economical tricks and projects that add value to your home.

Six Reasons to Stage Your Exterior Spaces

2026-02-05T10:25:00.001-05:00

Home buyers will tell their Realtor how many bedrooms and bathrooms they want. They'll talk about square footage and location. And although they may not add it to their wish list, outdoor living space is still important to buyers.

If the grounds outside your home make it easy for them to imagine a lifestyle they want to step into, you're more likely to see a purchase offer. Making your outdoor features like a porch, patio, balcony, deck, or yard isn't as complicated as staging your indoor spaces.

Here are six ways improving what's outside your home will help sell your home.

Your online photo looks better

Your home's first photo on MLS online listings and sites like Zillow, Trulia, and Realtor.com is like your LinkedIn profile shot. People will make a snap judgment about whether they like it or not.

Professional real estate photographers know how to flatter your home and still represent it honestly. Encourage your Realtor to hire one. And then, be ready for him. Remove clutter and other distractions from around the building. Now's the time to manicure the shrubbery, top dress any beds with mulch, and pressure wash paved surfaces.

The outside entrance of a home should
include some welcoming and interesting
details. Photo: Atlantic Archives

Buyers value a good neighborhood

No one wants to own the worst house on the street. And people judge a home (and its owners) by how it looks from the street. Make sure your property comes up to neighborhood standards.

A home purchase represents a significant, long-term financial investment. For most people, it is the largest asset they will own. They want to feel confident they are making a smart decision. Build their confidence with a well-tended property.

A beautiful lawn influences how buyers perceive the rest of your property. Green grass suggests care and comfort. Surveys indicate that 90% of Americans prefer living in homes surrounded by grass lawns. If your home is in a region where lawn watering is rationed or impractical, use hardscape and zone-appropriate plants to create that cared-for look.

Photo: A lawn needn't encompass the
entire front expanse of a property.
Hardscape is part of this landscape.

Children need outdoor time

Young families will look for homes that are kid-friendly, ones that provide space for children to be outside and engaged. Today's parents are aware of how much screen time their children are getting and how little time they spend outdoors.

A study referenced by Sanford Health reveals that American children average only four to seven minutes a day of unstructured outdoor play. Make your outdoor spaces easy for families to envision how they can reclaim that lost outdoor time.

You don't need to install a sandbox and a swingset to make your point. Simple things like a path of stepping stones, a fountain, a picnic table, or a small table and chairs suggest that children can spend time there safely. A fenced yard is a big plus.

Outdoor entertaining is popular

You'll want your yard to look like a haven for kids but also an oasis for adults. Make sure a porch, terrace, deck, or patio is clean, in good repair, and staged with some comfortable outdoor furniture.

Depending on the season when your home is listed, a grill, a cornhole game, a badminton set, or a croquet game could be additions that make the point that your yard is a natural for entertaining. Here's how to build a firepit for less than $100. If you have a storage shed on the grounds, let that be part of what makes your home special.

Landscapes are for relaxing

People purchasing a home are hoping for a better lifestyle, one that gives them time to relax and enjoy their new home. If your outdoor areas are staged right, you'll make it easy for them to imagine how they will spend their leisure time.

If you have a balcony or porch, don't ignore it when it's time to sell. I've blogged about the value a porch adds and how to stage it.

There's usually room for a small
seating arrangement on most porches.
Photo: Bria Hammel Interiors.

Consider adding a small private seating area in a corner of your yard. It helps if hedges or a trellis or fencing give it a feeling of enclosure. A windchime or small fountain adds soothing sounds, and a birdbath or birdfeeder introduces a focal point, plus the sounds and sights of nature. If summers are hot where you live, make sure there is a shady place to sit outside and relax.

Everyone wants a good view

Do any of the windows in your house have a view that you enjoy? If so, you'll want to show it off with effective staging. Keep window treatments from blocking any desirable views like waterfront, mountains, or an attractive cityscape.

Photo: A good view from inside can be
close by or distant, natural or planned.

The value a view adds to a property depends on various things. Buyers may question whether the scenery could change because of future construction or the growth of trees. But an eye-catching view can help your home stand out in the market.

One deal-breaker for sellers is a view that's unpleasant. It could be something like a next-door neighbor whose backyard -- one that your bedroom window overlooks -- is a junkyard of discarded auto parts and materials he intends to recycle someday! Now's the time to create window treatments that let in light but mask any scenes that aren't an asset to your property. I like cafe curtains for that purpose.

Get the look, get the book

Elevating an outdoor space with staging isn’t about adding extravagant features. It’s about presenting the yard with purpose. Your staging can make a difference between a showing that’s forgettable and one that sticks in buyers' minds. Make it easy for them to imagine relaxing, entertaining, and enjoying life both inside and outside your home.

My homestaging eBook, DIY Home Staging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast and For Top Dollar will give you all the advice and encouragement you need to do it yourself. Download it now to get started with the kind of staging that's simple, economical, and effective!

DIY or Hire a Pro?

2026-01-29T09:54:00.000-05:00

If you're like me, taking on a new DIY project is exciting. It's satisfying to put your personal stamp on a plan and, at the same time, save money. But -- surprise! -- not every task is as simple as it looks once you dig in.

Some projects demand specialized tools, technical knowledge, or physical effort that turn a fun job into something overwhelming or even dangerous.

However, there are ways to approach DIYing that save you money, deliver the results you want, and avoid common pitfalls.

What to consider

Typical homeowners begin staging their home once they're serious about selling it. If this is you, then you could be searching for your next home at the same time that you're prepping your present one. You're probably talking with a Realtor or two, assessing what needs fixing, juggling the timing and other logistics of a move, and trying to decide what to discard, sell, donate, or pack.

That's a lot on your plate.

Maybe it's time to hand off some of your tasks to others. These would be the jobs that require expertise you don't have, the ones that clearly increase the value of your home, and the ones that are dangerous or require a license or equipment you don't have.

You want your home to be picture-perfect
when it's listed. Staging it yourself will
help you achieve that goal.

Find a Realtor

I never recommend people go the For Sale By Owner route. I know that people complain about the commission real estate agents get, but if you consider the benefits a trained and licensed Realtor brings to the process, you'll see how cost-effective it can be.

The agent can reach a far wider, ready-to-buy audience than you can, and will screen people so you don't waste your time with "Lookie-Loos." She'll line you up with an attorney to make sure all the 't's are crossed and 'i's are dotted. She'll handle all the timelines, disclosures, legal landmines, and time-consuming communications that happen between a showing and a closing.

Likewise, a home inspector brings the same level of knowledge to your selling process. I've blogged about the value of having your home inspected professionally before you list it. No home is perfect. An inspector will identify issues before buyers do so you can fix them on your own terms. These issues are often the kinds of things that make a buyer walk away or ask for a serious discount.

I like photos like this, ones that show
buyers more about the floor plan of a home.

Schedule a photographer

Photos drive showings! Getting a photographer onboard is usually something your listing agent will take care of. Be particular, and ask for samples of his work. Today's buyers expect multiple exterior photos and pictures of each room, often from different angles. Higher-end homes require video tours and drone shots.

This is not a DIY project for you or your agent, because, no matter how experienced you are with your camera, without the pro-grade equipment and know-how a real estate photographer has, you're likely to end up with poorly composed, unevenly lit photos that don't flatter your property.

It's easy to find poor real estate photos like
this one, where the walls are angled wrong
because the photographer was inexperienced.

Play by the rules

You can learn how to change an ugly light fixture, rewire a lamp secondhand, add a fancy doorbell camera, or update outdated electrical outlets by watching a YouTube video or following the manufacturer's instructions. But complicated electrical tasks should be left to licensed electricians. In some states, it is illegal to do your own electrical work.

Besides electrical work, some plumbing repairs demand the expertise and license of a plumber. Did you know that natural gas connections like gas logs and gas water heaters require professional checking before turning on the gas? A plumber will make sure there are no water or gas leaks.

And a HVAC pro will make sure the ductwork is intact and that your heating and cooling systems are working at their peak efficiency. When you pay a professional to help get your home to market, you can then document that these things have been taken care of and are safe and updated. These docs become part of your sales package.

Air conditioning units, heat pumps, ducting,
and other HVAC equipment is
an important consideration for buyers.

Minimize mistakes

You'll be able to choose the perfect paint color for your walls, clean your windows, sew new pillow covers, and patch nail holes in your walls, but other projects could call for someone who does this job every day. A company or professional tradesperson can help you avoid mistakes like choosing the wrong color roof, or doing a sloppy job recaulking around your bathub.

One rule of thumb can be "If it's YouTube-Simple and you're handy, then do it yourself. Otherwise, turn to the pros."

I've blogged about mistakes I've learned from by doing DIY projects.

Avoid danger

I've also blogged about the hidden dangers of DIY projects for home stagers and others.

If you're not used to lifting or exerting yourself in other ways, you could injure yourself when tackling some home-prepping projects. For example, according to This Old House, three of the main benefits of working with a professional junk removal company include saving you time, minimizing stress, and preventing you from straining your back moving heavy things.

Equip yourself, maybe

Finally, ask yourself if you have the tools to DIY a staging job the right way. Painting window trim, and cleaning gutters calls for a ladder. If you want to clean your vinyl siding well, you will need a pressure washer. To clean carpeting, you'll want a steam cleaner. There are times when hiring an HVAC company, a range hood cleaning service, window washers, or a landscaper makes far more sense than renting equipment and doing the work yourself.

Get the look, get the book

Of course, you want to save time and money, and to enjoy the satisfaction of a job done well. But knowing when to step back and hire a professional can protect your time, budget, and safety.

When it comes to the finer details of homestaging, I always encourage sellers to do it themselves, whether decluttering, organizing, rearranging furniture, or sprucing up the front entrance. There are still plenty of safe and satisfying DIY homestaging projects that return good profits at selling time. Some, such as creating a wreath or staging a manel, can provide some relaxation at a time that can be stressful.

Wherever you are in the selling process, be sure to download my eBook, DIY HomeStaging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast and For top Dollar. It will help you choose and succeed when you take on the DIY projects that make a home more valuable.

Upgrades That Make "Cents"

2026-01-22T11:50:49.171-05:00

You can spend a lot of money getting your home ready for buyers, or you can "just list it" and spend nothing. I recommend a happy medium: Spend where you will see a good return on your money. Here's a list of some improvements that are worth your investment because they make your home outshine the competition.

Paint your walls

All buyers see their home purchase as a new beginning. So, it makes sense to showcase your home as new, no matter what its age. Staging is one of the most powerful ways to make a house feel newer.

Painting gives you the biggest bang for your homestaging buck. Newly painted walls make a home look and even smell new and clean. Extra credit if you also paint the trim -- your baseboards and the casings around doors. To make this DIY project easier, tackle one room at a time, and use the same color paint throughout the house.

Choose a paint color that will
coordinate with the fixtures
in your home that are fixed.
Photo: Morgan Harrison Home

If the kitchen and baths in your home have paintable cabinets, ask yourself if they would benefit from a refresh. Depending on the price point and market for your home, it may be beneficial to have them professionally spray-painted. Or even replaced.

Get techy

You can also impress buyers with how up-to-date your home is by adding simple things like a smart thermostat, smart doorbell, programmable lights, and security features like smart locks and surveillance cameras, smoke detectors, and leak sensors. If you have excellent internet access, ensure your listing reflects this.

Homes with useful and current tech stand out and command higher prices. Smart lighting and smart appliances make a home feel modern and new, and buyers will factor in their convenience, safety, and energy savings when they make that purchase offer.

Installing battery-powered smoke detectors
in your home can be on your DIY list. Photo: Anji

Replace windows

Old wooden windows are a sure way to lose points with buyers. Old windows are inefficient and a maintenance problem. New windows update the look of your home

What I love about today's modern vinyl windows is that they can tilt in for easy cleaning. Buyers know that new windows also offer improved insulation, which helps maintain indoor temperatures and reduce heating and cooling costs.

So, count your windows. According to Consumer Reports, the typical cost to replace a vinyl window is about $550. Do the math and see if replacement is affordable now that you want to sell. New windows impress buyers. Remember that the longer your home sits on the market, the less profit you'll see from its sale because you'll have ongoing maintenance costs.

New vinyl windows refresh the look of
both the exterior and the
interior of a home. Photo: PJ.Fitzpatrick

Update water heater

Another feature you can brag about in your online listing is a modern water heating system. Rather than a traditional water heater, today's heat pump water heaters save money on both energy and water usage. For example, according to NSW Climate and Energy Action, these units can cut hot water energy use by up to a whopping 75% compared to conventional electric storage systems.

An updated water heating system will last longer and require less care than traditional water heaters. Be sure your listing agent is aware of these advantages. Realtors will often research water and energy costs for your property, and it helps if you can provide proof of what you've been paying.

If you are marketing your home to investors who will use the property as a rental, switching to a tankless hot water system makes sense. These systems save space, reduce maintenance costs, and are a financial plus for renters.

Make minor changes

Even though you may consider minor fixes and remedies for deferred maintenance as "repairs," your online listing can call them "upgrades." It makes a difference in a buyer's mind because the term "upgrades" indicates that the home was pampered rather than just patched as problems arose.

A smart buyer and the home inspector he hires will check for things like the condition of attic insulation, and any moisture in walls, crawl spaces and around all plumbing fixtures. You can get ahead of the curve by hiring your own inspector or plumber to examine your home for leaks, moisture, and exterior drainage.

According to Plumbing Manufacturers International, 13.7% of water usage in an average home is caused by leaks. Even small drips from faucets, running toilets, or inefficient showerheads will add up to wasted water and higher utility bills.

Flooring sets the tone of your house. Reevaluate your wood floors to see if they will benefit from a refresh. I like Method Squirt and Mop Wood Floor Cleaner. Swiffer makes a cleaner just for LVP floors. If your carpets show signs of wear, it's time to replace before your list. (You needn't buy the top-of-the-line carpeting.)

Refresh the exterior

If you focus on curb appeal, you'll cash in on some of the most profitable upgrades.

You can paint or restyle or replace your overhead garage door. Here are some before and after photos that demonstrate the power of a garage door facelift.

No matter what season, when
your home is photographed,
it can look fresh and inviting.

Just like your interior spaces, your outdoor spaces probably need decluttering and simplifying before the photographer gets there. Make sure plants are healthy and tidy, and that walkways are clear, safe, and obvious. Is it time to pressure wash your home's exterior?

Get the look, get the book

Are you on a journey to get your home sold? It's never too early to start thinking about how to make it more valuable. My DIY home staging ebooks will give you the ideas, inspiration and plans to make the most of your efforts. Don't leave without downloading DIY Home Staging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast and For Top Dollar. You're one click away from a profitable sale.

Top Photo: Julie Soefer

Stage Your Home With What You Have

2025-12-18T09:15:00.000-05:00

A look at any decor magazine, or designer's online portfolio, or home improvement website will tell you that today there's no one way to decorate a home. That's good news if you are trying to sell your home.

No matter the architectural style of your home, your decor choices are wide open. A properly staged home will flatter your home, but also let buyers imagine their own furnishings as they tour your property.

Add variety

So, ignore the decorating rules of decades ago. Now you can mix things up when staging. This is welcome news for those of you who inherited furnishings or decor items that you might not have chosen. Or if you love to haunt thrift stores, or have naturally eclectic taste.

Need examples? You can hang a traditional landscape painting in your mid-century home. Or stage your cottage home with that contemporary loveseat you own. How about adding a vintage bar cart to your otherwise sleek dining room? You could dress up an older bathroom with a Picasso poster. Or lay an oversized buffalo plaid blanket over the bench in your girly bedroom.

Juxtaposing different styles is one easy way you'll appeal to different types of buyers.

No one says you need to have matching
styles of furniture or artwork when
staging. Photo: Ballard

The wood table and chairs soften the
feel of this contemporary kitchen.
Photo: Harrell Design and Build

Unbreakable rules

There's one homestaging formula that makes it possible to stage with an assortment of furnishings. The rule is that all your interior walls should be the same color. Trust me on this. Your home will look larger, cleaner, and more intentional.

If you are reluctant to tackle a major painting project, here are two tips make the job easier. There's no need to empty the room of furniture. Just push everything to the middle of the room, leaving a 3-foot wide area around the perimeter. My other painting tip is to use a long handle on your paint roller, and pour your paint into a 5-gallon bucket rather than the typical, shallow pan. These professional painting methods will save your wrist and your back.

When your walls are a neutral color,
your accessories can provide shots
of other colors. Photo: Cailini Coastal

Another unbreakable rule is that your home needs to be super-clean. My best tip for easy cleaning is to find a formula that works for you -- either tackle it all at once, or in small chunks of time. Of course, decluttering comes before cleaning.

Make smart updates

No matter what the age or style of the house you are selling, it's best to get a home inspection before listing. Then, you can take care of whatever an inspector points out. Doing so prevents you from lowering your price. Or losing a good buyer. Or slowing down the purchase process while you make repairs.

Unless you are selling "as is," buyers expect a roof in good condition. They want appliances that work, if they convey. They want energy efficiency like replacement windows, and modern technology like smart thermostats. They like outdoor spaces that function for recreation and entertaining.

Adding smart technology like security
cameras shows buyers that you have
made recent upgrades. Photo: Bob Vila

Where to get help

There are times when DIY is the best course of action. But if your house needs to change things like the layout of your kitchen, a professional designer and builder will guarantee that it works with how people cook, entertain, and move through the area. Tip: It helps save money if you can maintain the same plumbing locations.

Some sources of free advice are the salespeople at home improvement stores, established hardware stores like Ace, and reliable paint stores like Sherwin-Williams.

Plan your outdoor photo

The front view of your home is what gives prospective buyers their first impression of it. Today's curb appeal is online. Make sure things like your landscaping, house siding, and roofing are in good shape.

When the professional real estate photographer arrives, be ready. Relocate things like recycling containers and vehicles ahead of schedule, especially if drone photography is part of his plan.

If you have flexibility with choosing the time of year to sell your home, choose the season when the outdoors looks as good as it can.

Your profile photo is like a dating app photo!
Make it flattering, but still honest.

Get the look, get the book

I've blogged about how to market your home to women, and to senior buyers, and how to appeal to Millennial homebuyers. You'll see that all of today's buyers aren't strict about traditional design norms.

But they do share some needs and wants. They all want clean homes in good repair, with upgrades that reflect today's smart technology. After you've satisfied those needs, you can have fun decorating your home with what you already own.

For more ideas on how to sell your home fast for a price you like, be sure to check my homestaging eBooks. You'll find encouragement, money-saving shortcuts, formulas for cleaning and decluttering, and DIY projects that make a difference.

Top photo: Sarah Richardson

It Takes a Team To Sell a Home

2025-11-12T09:48:00.000-05:00

When it's time to sell your home, calling a Realtor is likely your first step. That's a great start, but there are additional early steps you can take to make your home sale go smoothly, profitably, and easier for you.

Help your agent

If you've chosen the right listing agent, your communications will go easily. I've found that whenever you've made anyone's job easier, you've made a friend. By getting the right facts to your Realtor, you'll make sure your listing is accurate, and at the same time, free her up to do what she does best.

Photos that indicate how rooms are laid out
help potential buyers visualize a floor plan.
Photo: Stefano Ukmar for The New York Times

Your Realtor should know the age, neighborhood, lot size, and square footage of your home. You can add to her evaluation of your property if you provide current info on taxes, utilities, insurance premiums, and any HOA dues. Inform her of local ordinances and amenities, like regular recycling programs and rules governing landscaping, or the number of vehicles allowed on the property.

Selling a condo or apartment in a complex
calls for flattering photos of the property.

Tell her about commute times and local parks or walking trails. Tell her what you love about the floorplan of your home, the views, the access to amenities, high-speed internet, and any upgrades or high-end appliances that convey. Tell her about the features that buyers might not notice, like an energy-efficient HVAC, smart thermostat, extra insulation, or replacement windows that will reduce their energy bill.

Call in experts

A home on the market needs to be spotless. A home that's ultraclean and priced right will sell! Deep clean everything. Consider hiring a professional team to tackle it efficiently, quickly, and thoroughly. If you do the deep clean yourself, focus on the kitchen, bathrooms, and windows.

Your kitchen can be a deal-maker
or a deal-breaker. The cleaner it is,
the more lovable it will be to buyers.

A home inspector is on your team, too. I always recommend paying for an inspection before listing. It's the one way to avoid surprises when the buyers hire their own inspector.

Now's the time to fix tiny problems like leaky faucets, loose doorknobs, and scuffed paint. These details make a good impression. To tackle bigger issues, make a list of things like a deck or driveway that needs pressure washing, a toilet that needs replacing, or electrical work that's not to code. Then, hire the plumber or a handyman, and an electrician to make sure you will pass that inspection.

Older buildings can be retrofitted
with more energy-efficient
windows that still look appropriate.

Get photogenic

A real estate photographer is another part of your sales team. If your Realtor doesn't pay for this service, it will be worth it to foot the bill yourself!

Be ready when the photographer arrives. The profile shot that headlines your listing will entice buyers, or not. So, prioritize your home's exterior. Mow the grass, trim shrubbery, mulch flower beds. A welcoming exterior sets the tone before buyers even walk in, so add a fresh doormat and something bright like a plant in a colorful pot.

I love the look of this front entrance.
Its doorway seems to beckon at the end
of a stone pathway bordered by shrubs.

Remove clutter from outside, and repair what looks old. How old is your roof? A roof that looks old ages your home. Make the details of your roof part of your documents -- the style, material, quality, and any assets like fireproofing, impact resistance, energy efficiency, and longevity.

Of course, you will stage your home, even if it is just rearranging furniture to make rooms look larger and still cozy. Don't count on your listing agent or the photographer to move things around to tweak your staging. Be prepared, and then get out of your photographer's way.

If your neighborhood or your lot adds
value, let buyers know it by using
drone photography in your listing.

Check your attitude

Don't be the problem-seller that Realtors dread. Make it easy for your property to be shown. Try to say “yes” to last-minute visits because buyers often choose homes they can see right away. Then, leave when there's a showing. Buyers feel more comfortable exploring if the owner isn’t there. And a Realtor can better highlight features and answer questions freely.

Be flexible with your pricing. Depending on your market, you may get offers above asking, but you may have to offer discounts in a cooler real estate market. Don't base your price on what you need, but on what it's realistically worth now.

Take advantage of what's special about your
location and its unique style, the way this
bedroom's staging reflects a tropical vibe.

Get the look, get the book

I know what you are thinking: that I am asking you to hire helpers and spend money on too many people just to get your house ready for market. But if you get advice and labor from the right professionals, you'll avoid costly mistakes and have a better chance to maximize your biggest investment -- your home.

For more tips on how to sell your home, don't leave without downloading my eBook, DIY Home Staging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast and For Top Dollar.

The Secret to a Great Landscape

2025-10-07T13:18:00.000-04:00

We all know how important curb appeal is when a home is for sale. For years, we've heard Realtors and homestagers preach about it.

Yet many homes hit the market without maximizing the value of their landscape. They might powerwash the building, sweep the sidewalks, plant flowering annuals, and paint the front door, but something's missing.

It's called maintenance. If you want your home to stand out when buyers come for a viewing, landscape maintenance can't be limited to just mowing the grass.

Where to start

Whenever I've renovated a house, I've started with the exterior. It lets the neighborhood know that better things are to come. You never know where your buyer (or renter) will come from.

It's always a good idea to get quotes from several landscaping companies. You'll learn from each of them, helping you make an informed decision. You'll probably get better results by working with one company rather than different contractors for different jobs.

You don’t need a total redesign or a costly planting plan. When the pros do the work, you know that your exterior is looking its best: weeds gone, edges neat, shrubs shaped, and freshly mulched.

Professionals will spot trouble you may not be aware of. Maybe you haven't noticed dead tree limbs, patchy turf, a drainage problem, or shrubbery that blocks windows.

When buyers see a large expanse of lawn,
they may dread having to mow it. But
you can document how economical it is
to hire a routine landscape service.

Make decisions

If you've neglected your yard and it looks unhealthy, weedy, crowded or sparse, it's even more important to bring it up to speed now that you are selling. Don't fall for this line of thinking: "It was good enough for me. It'll be good enough for the next fellow!" That's just lazy short-sightedness! A properly maintained landscape can increase your home's value by 20%.

If you are stretching your budget (and who isn't?), skip some major projects that might not have the same return as an improved landscape. Your Realtor should be able to advise you, so that you can compete with other homes in your market.

Some cost-cutting techniques might include pruning overgrown shrubs and trees rather than removing or replacing them, heavily mulching overgrown flower beds or areas where turf is struggling, top dressing mulched areas with fresh mulch, adding a focal point like a bird bath or arbor to make the landscape more interesting, overseeding grass instead of bringing in new sod, and watering or fertilizing plants that need attention.

When your home is surrounded by
similar homes, you'll want your yard to
look as good and -- ideally -- even better
than the neighboring homes.

Ongoing care

How often you need routine follow-up lawn care will depend on the season of the year, the style of your landscape, and your climate zone.

One thing's for sure. Maintenance equals beauty. When buyers shop for their next home, they want to feel like they are moving up the social ladder. So, the last thing they are interested in viewing is the worst house on the street. Make your home the most beautiful with continuing care.

Even after you have a purchase offer, don't ignore your landscape. Sometimes deals fall apart before you get to close, and then you are back to square one.

Another advantage of using a commercial
company to improve your landscape is that
they can buy your plants at wholesale prices.

Buyers are more inclined to make offers on homes that impress them at first glance. The small amount you spend on upkeep will return the investment if you hire professionals. The financial returns can stem not just from the price you get, but from fewer days on the market, as well. You'll also save time and worry, and know you are getting results that help sell your home.

Get the look, get the book

Don't leave before downloading my eBook, DIY Home Staging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast and for Top Dollar. You'll discover all my tips of the trade to make your home the one buyers remember and want to buy. Staging is more than fluffing pillows and cleaning out your closets. I'll simplify it for you with foolproof formulas and steps to take!

All photos: Cooper's Lawn & Landscaping, LLC

Sell Your House? Or Rent it Out?

2025-09-24T09:02:00.000-04:00

Many parts of the US are experiencing a shortage of rental homes now.

If you are planning to sell your home soon, and you can move to your next house without cashing out of your present one, maintaining it as a rental property might be worth considering.

There are both perks and problems to being a landlord. You might be surprised to discover that selling your home now isn't the best path.

When I talk to people about owning rental property, a common response is, "Oh, I would never want to be a landlord." As a long-time landlady myself, I can tell you that -- done right -- owning a rental property doesn't mean one problem after another, as many former rental property owners insist.

Here are my best tips for investing in real estate that's financially profitable and hassle-free.

Perks of renting

To help you decide whether the advantages outweigh the challenges for you, let's look first at what you'll gain by keeping the house.

Statistically, it's accurate to say that your house will continue to appreciate. Real estate is historically one of your best investments, the only downsides being that it is not a liquid asset, and it does take maintenance.

If the prospect of staging your home
seems daunting, renting it is one way
to avoid staging and still realize profits.

As the owner of a rental property, you'll have some tax benefits, like deductions for mortgage interest, depreciation, repairs, and maintenance. On the other hand, if you sell the house for more than what you paid for it, you could be subject to capital gains tax on some of the profits.

Your rental property will pay for itself if you plan right. The rental income should cover all expenses and then some. So, if the home is paid in full now, you should have an ongoing, positive cash flow.

And, consider this: You might decide in the future to move back to this house. People often return to a location because of employment, economics, or family.

A rental house is not always
welcome in some neighborhoods.
So, it's important to keep the
property looking well-cared-for.

Landlord dos and don'ts

Assuming you don't want to hire a rental property management company, there are some tactics you'll have to learn. There's no shortage of online advice. Here are some of my tips.

Make sure the rent covers all your expenses, including a buffer for vacancies. Add up your mortgage, taxes, insurance, maintenance (like lawn or pool service), and any HOA fees. Estimate the costs of routine pressure washing of the exterior, and unexpected repairs. If you are going to hire a rental agency, add that figure as well.

Never show the house when tenants are still living there. Do not suggest a rent-to-own arrangement.

Do not let tenants pay a security deposit in installments. If money is a problem now, money will probably be a problem again.

Do not pay for utilities like electricity and water usage.

Do not rent to relatives or close friends. My opinion: It's tricky to mix business with friendships or relatives. You should be friendly to your tenants, but do not become friends with them.

Posting a sign out front isn't always the best idea.
It hints that the property is vacant and
could be vandalized. Also, unless you advertise
the price, you will get many dead-end inquiries.

How to advertise

There's a slew of options when it's time to list your home for rent. You could start with TurboTenant, one that's popular with landlords with "small portfolios." Some of these platforms offer other services in addition to online advertising.

Sites like Zillow, Facebook Marketplace, Craigslist, and Apartments.com make it easy to compile the facts of your ad, by simply filling in the blanks.

Much like homebuyers, renters want to know the number of bedrooms and bathrooms, square footage, the cost, and the location of the house. But renters are usually more flexible because it's not a big investment and not as permanent.

Be sure to include a list of the special features your house has. Mention perks like water or mountain views, neighborhood parks or walking trails, a fenced backyard, solar-powered outdoor lighting, gas logs, a private patio, a tankless water heater, lawn care service, convenient public transportation, or a community pool.

Make sure prospective tenants know before you show them the property how much it will cost for them to move in, and when the property is available. Doing this can save you wasted trips. Also, ask them, "How many are in your household?" It's never a good sign, for example, when five adults and three children want to move into a two-bedroom house. You have the right to say the house is too small for that occupancy.

It's worth getting professional photos
that will showcase your home in the
best way. This picture lets people know
more about the actual layout of the rooms.

How to choose a tenant

I endorse having a thorough rental application, where you can gather information like employment history, former addresses and current landlord, and nearest relative, and reason for moving. You can purchase rental applications that you know ask only legally permissible questions. For example, you can't ask about marital status.

Make sure you know national, state, and local laws about fair housing. Check local ordinances about land usage. Having lived in the home, you probably already know most regulations, but rental properties can have restrictions of their own.

Several agencies will run credit checks and background checks. Rental management companies will take care of all the details of managing your property. Whether you manage your property yourself or pay a property manager will depend on your location, your tech skills, your budget, your timeline, and how you like to do business.

Management tips

If you plan to stay in the same area, you may decide to manage the property yourself, A good landlord has a roster of people who can do repairs and maintenance. As a current homeowner, you may already have reliable people for HVAC, plumbing, electrical work, and a general handyman. Perhaps you have skills yourself for minor repairs, yardwork, or painting.

If you're not working with a management company, encourage tenants to use an easy, safe way to pay rent, like direct deposit with Venmo, PayPal, or apps like CashAp or checks or money orders by mail.

Rather than a lease, I suggest a "rental agreement" that runs month to month. This arrangement gives you more leverage to evict a problem tenant. Either you or the tenant can give a month's notice and move on. An eviction can drag on for many months when you are receiving no money, and a tenant can act vindictively.

Let your insurance company know the home is a rental. Rental property insurance costs more, but your insurer may bundle it with your homeowner policy. You can shop around for companies that specialize in rental home insurance. Encourage renters to get insurance for their belongings.

Rent or Sell?

You can determine your rental market by looking online or driving around to check For Rent signs on properties that are similar to your house. You can ask advice from Realtors and rental management firms, but keep in mind that local Realtors may want to discourage you from renting instead of selling, and a rental management company may tilt the figures in favor of you renting the property.

The decision to keep or sell your house comes down to just a few questions. What is it worth on the market now? What will it be worth in the future? What will a tenant pay? Will the rent cover all expenses and more? Do you have the temperament, time, and knowledge to be a property manager? Once you've considered these questions, I know you'll make a decision that's right for you.

6 Steps to Beautiful Bathroom Staging

2025-09-15T11:07:00.002-04:00

A bathroom may seem like the easiest room to homestage. There's no furniture to rearrange. No carpet to shampoo. No elaborate window treatments to deal with.

But bathrooms can also be tricky. The fixtures are just that -- fixed. It's expensive to move them. And replacing tilework or outdated bathtubs is costly.

However, bathrooms — their size, style, and practicality — are major considerations in any homebuyer's decision. Here are my six ways to come closer to buyers' wants, no matter how your bathroom looks today.

Make it shine

The cleaner your bath is, the newer and more desirable it looks.

Relocate or discard what isn't essential daily while your home is on the market. Extra toilet paper? Wall decor? Floor mats? Just set them outside the room while you deep-clean it.

Wipe down all washable surfaces. There are numerous products and tools on the market to deal with mold, soap scum, mineral buildup, and stains. Don't forget to clean light fixtures, windows, and doors.

Dream big

Before you return items like the wastebasket, towels, and toiletries to the room, take a fresh look around. What are its most desirable qualities? The tub? The vanity? The lighting? The shower? Start your staging to show off what will impress buyers. Think like the owner of a luxurious spa or high-end VRBO, and keep clutter away from your bath's best features. Just don't make the toilet the focal point.

When you clean, take note of any signs of leakage or poor drainage. These are the kinds of things a home inspector will mark as defects in his report. If there are wet spots under the sink, a toilet that's not flushing properly, or signs of mold around the tub, consider calling in a plumber. Depending on where you live, hourly rates for plumbing repairs range from $45 to $200. It's better to fix plumbing problems now instead of losing a sale or having to lower your selling price. I'd rather hire a pro than risk DIY plumbing repairs.

Choose colors

The smaller your bathroom is, the fewer colors you should be using. The walls will be your major color, and your accessories your secondary one. Clean colors are best. Think white, plus blues and greens.

Using neutral colors is homestaging's Golden Rule. Don't be persuaded by shelter magazines and decorating influencers to paint walls an "interesting" color, or to wallpaper. Make it easy for the new homeowners to add their preferred decor choices. Here is my foolproof method for choosing a wall color that ensures a seamless look for your bathroom.

White bath fixtures are your safest bet. But if you are replacing just a toilet or sink, match it to the tub, which is probably going to stay.

Once you have the basics clean and safe, you can add some of your own touches. Here are my four favorite DIY ways to dress up your bathroom.

This navy blue vanity adds one strong
dose of color to an all-white room.
An oversized mirror and a plant
make this bath an example of
perfect staging. Photo: CheriFromTexas

Scale back storage

Everyone wants to keep extra towels, plus toiletries and cleaning supplies handy in the bathroom. But a lack of storage space in the bathroom isn't a deal breaker. The new people will find their own ways to add it, like shelving, hooks, baskets, rods, ledges, organizers, or carts.

If you do have shelving, a roomy vanity, or other storage features in your bathroom, be sure they are not just tidy, but staged to impress. Keep medicines and valuables locked away. Keep highly personal products out of sight. You will have to remind yourself that it's only temporary!

Often extra space can be found
between studs in the wall, perfect
for some floating shelves like these.

Impress buyers

Every home should have some wow factors. Is there anything about your bath that is especially impressive? Attention-getting upgrades don't have to cost much. Home improvement centers have plenty of options for stylish countertops, vanities, mirrors, and light fixtures.

Consider a statement mirror or sconces. Or an electric towel warmer, a wall-mounted magnifying makeup mirror, or a fancy showerhead. Your luxury touches needn't be trendy. Sometimes, one-of-a-kind or vintage accessories have the most impact.

This vignette takes up little space but goes
a long way towards creating a spa-like mood.

Add finishing touches

Due to their numerous hard surfaces, bathrooms often feel cold and sterile. You can inject some warmth by adding some objects with personality. Cozy it up with plush towels, and some natural textures like wicker and wood. I always like to see a plant, living or artificial in every staged room. Don't forget that a bathroom needs to smell good, and because of many people's chemical sensitivities, using natural aromas is best. Do not use chemical fragrance plug-ins.

Adding just a few well-chosen accessories
like these makes your simple bathroom
look special. Photo: CrystalMontenegroHome

Get the look, get the book

Your bathroom may not have a double sink, a built-in linen closet, and a separate toilet or shower, but there's still plenty you can do now to make it a selling feature. Put some time and effort, and some imagination into it, and you're well on your way to getting that purchase offer!

Need more tips for making your home more marketable? Then, don't leave before you download my homestaging ebook, DIY Home Staging Tips to Make Your Home Sell Fast for Top Dollar. I'll show you all the tricks of the homestaging trade, saving you time and money.

Top Photo: Desiree Burnes Interiors

How to Source and Add an Accent Color

2025-09-14T14:32:00.001-04:00

Accent colors are tricky little devils.

The perfect one adds detail, sparkle, and that all-important finishing touch to a room.

But chosen poorly or applied without an understanding of its function in home decor, an accent color can be a distraction, or...worse...have people viewing your home questioning, "What were they thinking?"

Home staging has been accused of creating boring and sterile rooms, homes that look generic, houses that look like no one could actually live there.

There's some validity to these accusations. But the remedy is color. Colorful rooms don't look sterile, boring, or generic. They look interesting, friendly, and liveable. But most home staging gurus and texts stress how crucial it is to stage using an uncomplicated color palette of neutral tones. What's the deal?

Color theory 101

For home staging, approach your color scheme decision with three questions: What is my primary color? What is my secondary color? And what is my accent color? To play it safe, use what designers call the "rule of 60-30-10." This translates as 60% primary color, 30% a secondary color, and just 10 % your accent color.

A smart first step to all staging is to paint all the walls in your house the same color, your primary color. Make this color harmonize with existing features you can't change as easily as painting the walls -- things like tiled showers, granite counters, and hardwood flooring.

Here is the post I wrote about how to easily choose interior paint colors. I think it's best to use semi-gloss or eggshell finish in baths and kitchen, but flat finish everywhere else.

Your secondary color will be your large furnishings. You'll have more leeway here. Choose a variety of cool blues, a batch of different mossy greens, or a collection of off whites. For economy's sake, look to your existing, major furnishings, like couches, upholstered chairs, draperies, rugs, and cabinet fronts. Then, repeat these colors elsewhere -- in bedding, painted furniture, and large artwork.

Finally, sprinkle small doses of your accent color around the room. Each room can have a different accent color, or you may want to go with one accent color throughout your home. Be sure your colorful accents call attention to the better qualities of your home. For example, use accents on your mantel or hearth to emphasize your beautiful fireplace, or on shelving to call attention to your built-in bookcases.

Although this chair is too large to be
considered an accent piece,
I couldn't resist including it as a sample
of the color citron. Photo: Wayfair

A love story

My latest infatuation isn't with a certain piece of furniture or a new restaurant. Or the UPS delivery dude!

My new love is a color. It's called citron, named for the fruit. It's a mixture of equal parts green and orange added to primary yellow. It's bright and clear. It feels fresh and new. It's unusual but it doesn't shout.

In 2018 HGTV called citron a color to watch, and "the perfect color for spring, a warm, smile-inducing shade that evokes sunny skies and cheery flowers." Boy, if that doesn't sound like a terrific color to use as an accent for home staging, I don't know what does."

The Descriptions

I'll let the experts speak about citron because I love hearing them describe the color and what role it can play in home decor.

Shutterstock says, "When coupled with white, citron can help you create a space that is airy, light, modern, and playful. However, when you incorporate citron into a space that is predominantly navy, you will get a room that is more sophisticated in nature ... Citron when used in excess, can be loud and overbearing, but accents of this hue are just what your space needs to come alive."

Notes on Design says that "Citron looks lovely when paired with other earthy colors like the colors of stems and leaves."

Ang at her blog, You Look Fab, calls citron "a workhouse...a very acidic shade of neon yellow rather than a regular bight yellow." And she adds that it's a versatile color that works with most of her wardrobe and always makes her happy. We want happy!

Benjamin Moore offers a paint called citron and says "A generous dose of green gives this earthy. organic yellow a mellow, somewhat mysterious quality."

Farrow and Ball also sells a citron paint. It looks a little murkier than the Benjamin Moore color. The folks there say it is a "warm Mediterranean yellow which has a bright intensity in small spaces and is fantastically welcoming in halls. It is softer in well-lighted rooms but is perhaps a little too stimulating for a bedroom."

Many colors, including citron, play well
with a variety of primary and secondary
colors, like greys and navy and white.
Photo: Vera Petrunina via Insider

The drawbacks

It takes some ingenuity to locate items for homestaging that are unusual colors like the color citron. And if you are casual about your search rather than focused and particular, you'll end up bringing home or ordering stuff that you realize too late is actually pale avocado or chartreuse instead of pure citron.

Don't count on the memory of what a color looks like when you go on a shopping expedition. Take along a color chip or a swatch that's reliable. The mind does not hold perfect memories of colors.

When shopping online, you can't count on your screen to accurately represent what color fabric or lamp will actually arrive at your door. It's not Amazon's or Overstock's fault; it's just the technology. So, buy your accent accessories -- and other decor items where color is crucial -- only with a free return policy.

Photo: Lamps Plus

Where to use Citron

Artwork is a natural source of ready-made pops of citron.

Textiles like draperies, pillows, and table linens are also iffy to get right and ought to be purchased IRL. The light reflects off fabrics to create different shades of one color. Think about velvet and how it changes color when you run your hand over it or just wiggle it.

If you have a good eye for color, you might try mixing craft paints to get exactly the accent color you want on paintable items like picture frames, decorative boxes, artwork, trays, and flower pots.

Pillows made from citron fabric look
terrific on a white bedcover or a grey
sofa, for example. Photo" Motif Pillow

Get the look, get the book

When you thoughtfully plan your color scheme, your home will have great visual flow from room to room. One good test of your color plan is to ask if furnishings can be moved from room to room and "everything still works."

I hope these tips have helped you choose accent colors for the rooms in your home. For more advice to help with staging your own home for the real estate market, be sure to download my home staging eBooks! I've done the homework for you and am happy to pass along my years of experience in home decor and staging.

Top Photo: Young House Love

Sell your home faster with videos

2025-08-25T09:54:00.000-04:00

If you want to see that "SOLD" sign out in front of your house, be prepared to compete in today's tough home-buying market. One way to stay ahead of your competition is to use videos.

Video marketing sounds complicated and expensive, but it doesn't have to be. Here's what I've learned about this powerful way to make your home sale go quickly and profitably.

Make a decision

Videos are persuasive marketing tools. As real estate agents and homestagers know, most purchase decisions are made subconsciously, when buyers are led by their emotions after the fact. Videos draw more attention, curiosity, and emotional connection than still images do.

Don't be frightened by the cost of a professionally shot video. The prices have come down from what they were even a few years ago. That means even modest homes -- and homes in your price range -- are using videos in their listings.

Videos that pan rooms show buyers
more about the layout of a home
than still photographs can.

The decision you'll have to make is whether you want to create your own video or hire a professional. Base your decision on whether videos are common in your area, what your budget is, whether your listing agent would pay for a professional, how adept you are with the technology, and how motivated you are to do everything you can to sell your home.

Professional videographers know how to flatter
your home and highlight unique features.

Prioritize quality

If you want to make your own video, there are simple templates for creating one. I'm not talking about shaky smartphone clips or awkward walk-throughs with no narration. To really showcase your house, you'll need thoughtfully crafted, purpose-driven videos that actually help buyers fall in love with your home before they even step inside.

To do that, you want a crisp, clean, and stable recording. Here's the equipment you'll need: a DSLR or mirrorless camera or a high-quality smartphone, a zoom lens with a wide-angle, and a tripod with sliders that let you pan rooms and create walking tours.

There are times during the home-selling process when spending money for a professional has a good return on its investment. I've encouraged sellers to consider hiring services like a home inspection, a cleaning service, or a landscaper. Now, I am suggesting that the cost of a professional videographer is worth it -- a pro who can make your home get more attention with a beautiful " mini-movie" complete with soundtrack. Selling a home is similar to starting a business, because you have to spend money to make money.

But if you prefer to make your own video, here's help on how to do that.

Rates for professional videography typically start
at $300 and can reach $2,500 for premium service.

Know your market

Understanding your target audience will shape everything you do in the video—from the visuals to the script to the music. If you’re selling a cozy three-bedroom home with a big backyard, play up the outdoor space for families or pet owners. If it’s a sleek downtown condo, show off the modern finishes, walkability, and lifestyle perks.

If many of the homes around you are short-term rentals, investors might be your target market. If you are selling a home in a retirement area, seniors are your market. But if your neighborhood is known for its excellent public schools and parks, families could be your likely buyer.

Focus on what's special

Every home has a story. Your job is to tell it. Be sure to include the features you have loved most about your home. Maybe it’s the natural light pouring through the windows in the late afternoon. Or the way the open kitchen makes entertaining a dream. Or the ultra-quiet home office space that became a lifesaver during remote work.

Before the camera starts rolling, take a moment to make sure your staged home looks its absolute best on screen. Beds and pillows smoothed. Clutter and personal items out of sight. Indoor lighting evenly distributed.

Also, don’t forget those practical upgrades that buyers are actively looking for, like a tankless water heater, a whole-house generator, or a new central air-conditioning system (which typically lasts between 12 to 17 years under average demand). Mentioning or filming features like this in your video can show that your home isn’t just beautiful, but that it’s also been well-maintained and equipped.

Professional photographers can edit photos to
include an attractive sky. Your listing agent
should be able to recommend a good photographer.

Consider drone photography

If there’s one thing that buyers consistently rank high on their wish lists, it’s outdoor space. Whether it’s a sprawling yard, a manicured garden, or even just a sweet little patio—show it off. Buyers will want to know more about the house exterior, the landscape surrounding it, and the neighborhood or town where you live.

If you are paying for video services, ask about the extra cost of drone photography. It can showcase those outdoor details that are "worth a thousand words." Experienced drone photographers know not to linger on any less appealing aspects of your property or neighborhood.

Location is everything in the real estate
market. Drone shots inform buyers more
about the area around your property. Photo: MotionPads

Get the look, get the book

Real estate listings that include video attract an impressive 403% more inquiries than those without video! So, what are you waiting for? If your online listing shows just a few still photographs, you are missing an opportunity to attract interested buyers.

Get more tips on selling your home fast and profitably in my homestaging eBooks. Download now and start your "smart staging" for the results you want.

Top photo: beatcolor.com