During staging to sell your home, bedrooms need to have beds. It is hard for most buyers to envision the space without one. They do know that it can be removed and that the room can easily accommodate a desk or exercise equipment.  For resale of the home, however, it needs to have a bed!  We bought new mattresses and used the old ones for staging.  The current look is easy to achieve without costly linens as it is layered with a bed skirt, coverlet, pillows and a throw folded at the bottom of the bed.  This look can be achieved with non-matching items.

Visit my Pinterest board Bedroom Staging for some ideas.

Many need estimates of the work to be done to their homes in order to establish a to do list for more major projects. When renovating, these estimates are often compiled by the contractor. Homeowners can act as their own contractors on their properties and may choose to do one project at a time. Rosie Romero recently quoted some prices for the Phoenix area that would give homeowners some ballpark numbers.

• Windows are a good return on the money invested and wood windows for an average size home could run around $11,000.
• A mid range bathroom remodel would start near $16,000 and an upscale bath remodel $52,750.
• A mid range kitchen remodel would start at $55,000 and an upscale remodel at over $100,000.
• Replacing the roof and the front door also have a good return value.

 

Having dealt with many homeowners and the usual variety of dated homes over the years, plus my ongoing research in the luxury home market, I understand that keeping the continuity of the home becomes very difficult. A great new kitchen, but tile countertops in the bath? A dropped ceiling in the kitchen but a drop dead new master bath? With a skilled professional, these decisions can be weighed throughout the home with a few minor upgrades in areas other than the main renovation area. The contractors are there on site so it is easier to work on smaller projects at the same time.

Try for continuity in flooring materials. Wood is always more transitional that butting other hard floor coverings together. Recently a new home I worked on had Mexican tile in an interesting pattern in the entry. Again, continue whatever look you are going with throughout.

Cabinets, however, are more interesting in a variety of finishes. But there should be a consistency with door styles. Interior Designers are the best of the options in determining this interior continuity within your tastes and budget. Many work for an hourly fee. If they are established in their field, they can help with invaluable decisions that increase your home value. If they are working in today’s market, they should have a website. Check their portfolio. Check the American Society of Interior Designers (ASID) website to see a list of member professionals then determine the best way to invest in what may be your biggest investment!

The trend in New York, Los Angeles and Miami is to sell new luxury properties fully furnished with sumptuous sofas and chairs, art work, sculpture, fine linens, down coverlets, billiards tables, Steinway pianos, custom rugs, pots, pans, stemware, … and generally the “best” of everything.

This is not a staged or spec house look. It is what you would acquire if you could surround yourself with the finest in furnishings AND you had impeccable taste. You see the entire project pulled together and you don’t have to wait. No mistakes or debates about what to choose! You move in immediately! These furnishings are sold on a separate contract.

Many of my clients just like to shop and with some of their acquisitions they enjoyed having the Aha! moment we all have when we see something we love and can’t live without. Would you rather be in the board room, the gym, the sporting event or the recording studio? Then indulge yourself with a professional who can shop but with your taste and needs in mind! Your home is your haven. Make it just what you want it to be.

The following are practical options in homes that all price ranges are gravitating toward:

• Walk-in showers without a door to clean are great and without curbing even better. The snail model is not necessary if the length of the shower is adequate for water containment. (Snail refers to the entrance being a curved section to prevent overflow water.)
• A prep area adjoining the kitchen. Many kitchens have the separate areas, but to be useful it needs to meet your requirements for storage, clean up, prep, etc.