Preparing Your Home for Sale

Many factors can affect a home's sale price, some of which are out of your or your agent's control (think your neighborhood's location or nearby competitors). One thing that makes a substantial difference and is in your control, however, is cleanliness! When examining a home, potential buyers look for clean, light areas that make a home look warm and inviting. Properly cleaning your home before an open house or before a buyer checks it out can affect your sale price substantially. Whether you're cleaning your property yourself or hiring outside help, make sure you do it right. Take a look at this visual checklist before getting down and dirty for advice from industry pros and tips on cleaning each area of your house.

Stage Your Home Like A Pro

Staging your home, the act of preparing your home to make it more appealing to potential buyers, can be highly beneficial. After all, first impressions are extremely important! The way your home is staged (or isn't) can help a potential buyer decide whether or not they can picture themselves in that home, and can be a make-it-or-break-it factor.

But is it always worth it to hire a professional stager? Today, there are companies that specialize in transforming homes in the most marketable way possible. However, staging can be quite expensive. Most realtors recommend hiring a professional stager when your sale price is at least $500K or higher.

Generally, there are certain small things that sellers can do themselves to appeal to potential buyers. If you are considering staging your own home, check out these helpful tips from actual real estate agents designed to give you the best return on your investment:

The First Impression is the Last Impression Porches and front entryways are the first things a potential buyer sees, and are considered the most important parts of staging. Make sure the front areas of your home are clean, welcoming, and visible from the street.

Remove Personal Items While your home may hold many special memories for you and your family, potential buyers are looking for a place to create their own! Remove personal items (like family photos) and replace with neutral decorations (like a city skyline) so buyers can see themselves in your home.

De-Clutter You have probably lived in your home for a while, so it's reasonable to expect your home to be full to the brim. Many agents suggest investing in a temporary storage unit and clearing space in your home, so the home appears more open and inviting to potential buyers.

Clean No one wants to buy something that looks dirty and used! After de-cluttering, consider hiring a service to deep clean your home (for instance, get your carpets washed or bleach your tub).

#SpringChecklist Freshen Your Home #CurbAppeal

Farmhouse Entry by New York Photographers Rikki Snyder

ime to pack away the winter coats and pull out those Wellies — spring is finally here! With this checklist as your guide, help your home burst into spring with a curb appeal makeover. Pick as few (or as many) tasks as you want to tackle, from porch swings to plantings, and your home will be looking its best before you can say “baseball season.”

#TimelessKitchen Look

A 1700's  kitchen is brought up to date, while custom cabinets and rustic finishes help preserve its old-time charm. Take a peek at this beautiful remodel!

Tips For Putting In An #OutdoorKitchen

Whether you covet a grill and food-prep station on wheels or a built-in BBQ island with fridge and bar seating, don't hit the home center before reading this expert guide to creating a first-rate backyard cook spot

A #SunnyNook

Take advantage of a nook created by existing his-and-hers closets to add a sunny seat. Paneling on this seat's base makes it a focal point in the room, while a lavender cushion and throw pillows echo the wall color.

7 #NaturalStones For Your #BathroomRemodel

There’s no other material quite like natural stone. No two pieces are exactly alike, and nothing else adds the same organic warmth and texture to a bathroom. Not to mention the longevity. If they’re well maintained, your stone surfaces can last a lifetime.

Marble, of course, has been a popular stone choice for luxurious interiors for centuries based on its inherent beauty. But while Carrara and Calacatta remain classics, they have their downsides, and they aren’t your only options. Here are seven other natural stone varieties, each with its own unique characteristics and strengths, worth considering for your bathroom floors, countertops and walls.

#TropicalFlavor With #Wicker #Rattan

Think you know the difference between wicker and rattan? Well, the truth is, they often are one and the same. Rattan is a plant material harvested from palm fronds to create a grassy, classic design essential. Wicker is a woven material made from natural or natural-looking fibers (often made of rattan, but not always) that you may associate with South Beach or Grandma’s cottage. Either way, these two material choices can give you sophisticated tropical style all year round.

10 #CottageStyle Secrets

The island in this cottage kitchen may have begun life as a French washstand. But that was many years ago, and today, minus a towel bar but still boasting a marble top, it provides a surprisingly good fit—and a spot for rolling out pie dough. "Always go for a mix: new with old, and things that aren't perfect," says designer. See more ideas...

5 Questions Before #InstallingABarn

Ah, the barn door. It seems nothing has captured homeowners’ imaginations as much as a rolling door system since French doors came onto the scene. Made of nearly any material you can think of, barn doors can add character and style to any space. Whether you go rustic with wrought iron or streamlined with steel, the hardware options are also seemingly endless.

But before you go picking out the pieces, there are a number of things you should think about — from privacy concerns to the load-bearing capability of the door frame you’re covering. Here are five questions to ask before installing a barn door: Find out whether that barn door you love is the right solution for your space...

#YachtInspired #BeachHouse

A couple transforms their drab dwelling into a bright, efficient family home using nautical style and design. When Suzie and Bob Mecay bought their home in the charming fishing town of Summerland, California, it was a "shabby old beach shack," says Suzie. Yet despite its dark interior and low ceilings, Bob and Suzie claim it was still love at first sight. The reason? Its location, right on a beautiful piece of land overlooking Summerland Beach.  Due to the small size of the home, it was a challenge for the Mecays to remodel it to suit their family of five. WIth this dilemma in mind, they designed the house as if it were a yacht, using every inch efficiently.  See how the couple brought beach chic to a whole new level by combining this nautical theme with their love of the shore and its natural beauty.

1 Can of Paint = 50 New #DIYs

A little paint goes a long way. See how just one can (or less!) can totally transform everything from walls to furniture to bright, upcycled accessories.