Interior design tips for presenting your house for sale so it sells faster.
We attended a great tweet chat, #propchat, on Monday night with @realestate_au and guests @Baz_DuBois, @homestaginginst, and @MONOCHROMEinc
The topic of discussion was interior design and how to present your home for fast sale.
As a general rule, people make a buying decision based on emotion and the purchase of a house is no different. Buyers need a story and emotion, they need to get excited about a house or feel something.
What key pieces tie a room together?
These could be a rug, artwork, textures, colour, lighting or individual style.
Ensure you pay attention to details not just the large furnishings.
Cutting down the clutter lends a feeling of calm and serenity and allows prospective buyers to imagine themselves in your home.
Understand how the room is used (function) and the relationships of the people living in the space
Budget friendly design and decorating tips
Draw the space and make a plan for the room BEFORE you go shopping – spontaneous decisions rarely work well because memory is not always reliable.
Art work does not have to be expensive ! nor do cushions, table lamps, great rugs and a new colour scheme.
Consider re-purposing: Remove accessories from all rooms and see what you can use in different spaces of the home.
Upcycle items – Take an object and turn it into something else eg, upcycle an antique door into a bed head or coffee table. See more.
Budget tips at http://www.realestate.com.au/blog/budget-interior-tips/
Paint tiles and splash backs with ceramic paint for a inexpensive face list.
Consider Mirrors and how to use them correctly. Placement needs to be carefully considered to create the best impact
How to incorporate sustainable design
Use reclaimed materials for floors (eg, sustainable carpet, bamboo, recycled timber, polished concrete and natural lino), ceilings and walls and re purposing vintage furnishings. (@MONOCHROMEinc)
Try to use nontoxic materials – remember you have to live and breathe in the house you are building/renovating.
Should I use a professional architect/interior designer? And if so – where do I start?
An expert can save you time & money and will always look at your space in a new light! They also have a working knowledge of governance / rules /codes.
Work with a designer to get a brief you fully understand & that connects emotionally with you & your family.
With experts, shop around & ensure they’re qualified. The real deals will be happy to share their industry cred.
@Baz_DuBois: “A designer’s job is to retrieve a brief, give it sophistication and deliver it back to the client as poetry.”
They will help you to enhance your homes good features whilst disguising the bad.
When selling, how can an interiors professional/home stager help?
Stylist assist with finding and hitting your target market whilst polarizing no one!
To attempt to sell a home without styling is just throwing money away. Buyers need a story and emotion.
As with all things – people mostly buy on emotion and houses are no different. No emotion means no connection and no premium price!
More house selling tips.
What room should I invest the most money in?
If you’re designing for you, then personal priorities matter. But if you’re thinking of selling, kitchens & bathrooms are the most important rooms to focus on. Well designed bathrooms and kitchens add value to your home.
If you’re contemplating a renovation on your bathroom or kitchen pre sale, then make sure you get accurate price estimates with or without the work to ensure you don’t over capitalise. It may not be worth the time, effort and money to get the work done.
Guest List
@Baz_DuBois
@homestaginginst – International Institute of Home Staging
@MONOCHROMEinc – Andrew Loader Design