Home Staging: Inspire Homebuyers With Ease, Style

By NB Magazine Staff | September 15, 2010 1:22 PM

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By Cynthia Northrup, agent, Coldwell Banker

This is the first in a series on home staging for any potential seller, and is especially geared for complacent owners on a minimalist budget.

Sellers, did you know that some buyers won’t even leave the car based on curb appeal alone? There is an easy way you can create the invitation and desire for buyers to come inside and see more. Besides the obvious need to keep a well-maintained yard, creating appeal and interest can be as simple as placing two planters of colorful flowers or two beautiful, yet inexpensive, potted plants at the entrance area of your home where they are very visible from the street. Palms are widely appealing and frequently on sale at your large home supply stores. The low maintenance of palms is also a bonus.

Another way of enhancing the existing landscaping is by adding just a few well-placed gorgeous plants, creating a focal point or a harmonious blend of color and texture. Consider drought tolerant varieties – many offer texture and color. Add to this, an elegant set of address numbers that enhance the style of your home along with a carefully selected, well designed, outdoor light fixture (maybe splurge a tad on this). The above combo makes a positive visual statement, adding style and attraction in a easy, cost-effective way.

Certainly, if you already have all this covered, you can get more elaborate with an elegant large ceramic pot or urn, a garden sculpture, birdbath, fountain or water feature. Splashing water offers a relaxing sound and is helpful for easing road noises. For a more unusual item to create interest and add to the overall aesthetics, seek out an artistic wall sculpture. A vertical garden of herbs or succulents increases your gardening space and is good for the environment. A hand-crafted or antique gate livens up an entrance and beckons you to come inside the home.

A good first move is to stand in front of your property and check for any areas that you might want to draw the eye to or enhance. It’s also just as important to check for any obvious eyesores and decide how you might remove, diminish or camouflage them. You might also ask the opinion of someone whose taste you admire. They can offer some great suggestions.

So, now that you’ve got buyers knocking on the door, let’s see how these simple, yet transformative ideas on a shoestring budget can add value to your home.