This is wrong on so many levels.  First, Old World is now officially “old”.  It was the hot thing for a long time, longer than I thought possible.  But no more.

Secondly, any faux finishes are an individual taste.  Some potential buyers may love what you’ve done to the walls, but some will hate it.  And some will try to overlook it, but they’ll probably end up buying a different house that has a more neutral color palate.  You only have about 2 seconds for your house to make a favorable impression when a buyer walks through the front door.  Winning that first impression won’t get your house sold, but they’ll keep looking.  But if you lose that first impression, you’re finished.

We faced another shock when we saw the kitchen:

Now I’m one who likes color.  Our bedroom walls were this color for a lot of years & I really loved how it looked.  And I think this is kind of a cool look.  But most people will have the reaction my buyers had: “What were they thinking?”  This look may get attention and comments for being bold, but it won’t make buyers fall in love.

The staging in this house was unusual as well.  Everything was miniature.  In the photos it made the rooms look bigger.  But my buyers commented that they came to the house expecting more space.  And in light of their expectations, the house didn’t measure up.  It seemed small because they came expecting more.  Take a look at the size of the chair in comparison to the chair rail in the doorway.

If you’re listing your house for sale, the more people you can appeal to the better.  Even with the most perfect staging most people will just look and go on to the next one.  And anything you do that narrows the potential appeal to the average buyer makes your chances of selling your home drop like a rock.

Remember the 8-second rule: That’s all the time you have to create a winning first impression. Here are some simple yet significant ways to maximize your home’s appeal.

Exterior

* Keep the grass cut and remove all yard clutter.
* Weed and apply fresh mulch to flower beds.
* Apply fresh paint to wooden fences.
* Tighten and clean all door handles.
* Clean windows inside and out.
* Powerwash home’s exterior.
* Ensure all gutters and downspouts are firmly attached and functioning.
* Paint the front door.
* Buy a new welcome mat.
* Place potted flowers near the front door.

Interior

* Evaluate the furniture in each room and remove anything that interrupts “the flow” or makes the room appear smaller. Consider renting a storage unit to move items off-site.
* Clean and organize cabinets, closets and bookshelves.
* Clean all light fixtures and ceiling fans.
* Shampoo carpets.
* Remove excessive wall hangings and knick-knacks.
* Repair all plumbing leaks, including faucets and drain traps.
* Make minor repairs (torn screens, sticking doors, cracked caulking).
* Clean or paint walls and ceilings.
* Replace worn cabinet and door knobs.
* Fix or replace discolored grout.
* Replace broken tiles.
* Replace worn countertops.

Special details for showings

* Turn on all the lights.
* Open all drapes and shutters in the daytime.
* Keep pets secured outdoors.
* Buy new towels for bathrooms.
* Buy new bedding for bedrooms.
* Replace old lamps or lampshades.
* Play quiet background music.
* Light the fireplace or clean out the ashes and light a candelabrum.
* Infuse home with a comforting scent, such as apple spice or vanilla.
* Set the dining room table for a fancy dinner party.
* Vacate the property while it is being shown.

Here’s a great article by professional home stager Christine Rae explaining how looking good is vital for getting buyers to be interested in your home.

Now that you’re going to sell your house, that toleration list of repairs and updates looks like a big pile of money just waiting to fly out the door.  So what do you fix?  Here are the areas that will give you the best chance to let your house make that all-important first impression.

Curb Appeal

• Clean the front of your house.
• Trim up bushes and weed the flower beds.
• Edge and mulch the beds.
• Green up the grass with a nitrogen-rich fertilizer.

Update a bathroom

• Replace outdated faucets with more stylish ones.
• Have grout professionally cleaned, or regrouted.
• Install beadboard wainscoting over dated tile walls.
• Replace worn toilet seat.

Spruce up the interior

• Paint will conpletely transform the interior.
• Replace outdated light fixtures.
• Install new or clean old  switch and outlet covers.
• Have carpets professionally cleaned.
• Touch up nicked or worn trim.
• Wash windows.

Revive a dated kitchen

• Deep clean cabinets if they are in good condition.
• Painting cabinets your kitchen a fresh look.
• Replace cabinet pulls and hinges with brushed nickel ones.
• Overlay Formica countertops with  granite or stone.