Tehama Country Real Estate

6 – Tehama Country Real Estate MAKE ALL THE HOME A STAGE IN A SLOW MARKET In a slow economy, selling a home can be very difficult. Typically, a slow economy begets a buyers mar- ket. Add to that the current mort- gage crisis, and sellers are arguably facing their most uphill battle in years. While sellers might be discouraged at such real estate pessimism, it s not impossible to sell a home and get what you re asking for in the current market. One trick of the trade that sellers can use to their advantage is staging. When staging a home, the following tips could help your home sell more quickly. " Work on the bathroom. One of the most (or least) appealing areas of a home to prospective buyers is the bathroom. A bathroom that is dated can be very detrimental to sellers. Update the bathroom with new tiles or a fresh coat of paint, and consid- er replacing the sink as well. A pedestal sink, for example, show- cases a bathroom s square footage, whereas an older vanity sink can make a bathroom seem small. Because buyers tend to want the most out of their bathroom, the big- ger the bathroom seems the more appealing it will likely be to prospective buyers. " Master the master bedroom. Ide- ally, the master bedroom should be as appealing to men as it is to women. Any bedroom accessories that lean too heavily in one direc- tion could turn off buyers. Utilize neutral colors in the master bed- room and be sure to update bed- room furniture to match these new colors. If you must, rent furniture or consult a staging company that may provide furniture as well as any additional tips for staging. " Take care of the cabinets. Kitchens are also very influential on prospective buyers. Because kitchen remodels are popular home improvement projects, there s a chance buyers will end up remodel- ing your kitchen anyway. However, showing a home with a kitchen that appears dated or poorly taken care of won t do sellers any favors. A good way to put a new face on a kitchen is to work on the cabinets. Instead of a costly cabinet replace- ment, sellers can stain existing cab- inets to give them a fresh, new look. When staining cabinets, go with the grain of the wood, apply the stain evenly in strokes, and the result will be an updated kitchen that shouldn t cost you more than a couple hun- dred dollars. " Update the appliances. Few things can make a home seem with the times than stainless steel appliances. However, sellers don t necessarily have to purchase new appliances to make their homes more attractive to buyers. For example, a stainless steel stick-on covering can be bought for a dishwasher for less than $50. While it s inexpensive, it s certainly not ineffective. If your refrigerator looks like a relic from the 1970s, consider purchasing a new stainless steel refrigerator. New appliances, especially in the kitchen, have traditionally proven to be especially attractive to buyers. " Open up windows and lighten up the room. Light makes a room seem larger, and buyers want the most out of their money. Open any shades and windows to let natural light into a room. You can also brighten a room by painting with lighter col- ors. Light-colored paint makes a room seem larger, whereas darker colors do the exact opposite.

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