Home Staging That Works

STARR C. OSBORNE (Philadelphia, PA) is owner and founder of Tailored Transitions, Philadelphia's premiere home staging, moving-management, and design company.

FEATURES ACKNOWLEDGMENTS INTRODUCTION CHAPTER ONE: STAGING FOR THE RIGHT AUDIENCE What Is Staging? Out with the "You": Disengaging from Your Home Saying Good-Bye to Your Home Five Ways to Say Good-Bye In with the New: Figuring Out Your Target Market Looking at the Overall Statistics Asking the Pros: Interviewing Realtors Understanding the Generations Baby Boomers What Boomers Want Generation Jones What Jonesers Want Generation X What Gen Xers Want Generation Y What Gen Yers Want Media Influence on the Generations Deciding on Your Target Generation Determining Your Market by the Time You've Spent in Your Home The Next Step: Creating a Great First Impression CHAPTER TWO: FIRST IMPRESSIONS The First Look: Attracting Internet Shoppers The Drive-By: Making the Most of a Buyer's Second Look Staging the Exterior The Approach: Driveways and Walks The Front Yard Creating a Staged Garden The Facade: Looking Good The Front Door Other Outside Entry Ideas The Inside Entry: Creating a Sense of Welcome Begin with Your Hall Closet Provide Seating if Possible Unclutter the Space Make Use of Mirrors Work with Color Impressing Your Target Buyer If Time and Money Are Short The Next Step: Creating Space CHAPTER THREE: CREATING SPACE Taking the "You" Out of Your Home Prepacking Why Not Show Your Home Empty? If Uncluttering Seems Utterly Overwhelming When Couples Differ in Uncluttering Ability Help Children Unclutter A Silver Lining to the Staging Process Keep Your Eyes on the Prize Everything You Need to Know About Boxes What Boxes to Use Supplies for Packing Out with the Personal and Possibly Contentious Removing Objects with Possibly Contentious Affiliations Removing All Photographs and Portraits Deciding What Furniture and Rugs to Remove Removing Freestanding Bookcases and Entertainment Centers Removing Rugs That Are Too Stained or Too Small for the Space Removing Selected Furniture and Rugs Clearing the Decks and the Depths: Advanced Uncluttering Uncluttering All Lateral Surfaces Tackling Closets and Drawers Clearing Hallways Uncluttering Mudrooms and Vestibules Uncluttering the Kitchen Uncluttering Bathrooms Your Home Office Uncluttering the Dining Room and Living Room Uncluttering Bookcases Uncluttering Bedrooms Uncluttering Guest Rooms, Sewing Rooms, and Multipurpose Rooms Uncluttering the Laundry Area Managing Pets and Their Paraphernalia Uncluttering Porches and Patios Uncluttering Basements, Garages, and Outbuildings Revisiting Your Clutter Hot Spots Double-Checking Your Uncluttering Through a Camera Lens Recognizing What You Have Accomplished If Time and Money Are Short The Next Step: Fixing and Cleaning CHAPTER FOUR: WHAT TO FIX AND HOW TO CLEAN How Do You Know What to Fix? Do a Walk-Through with an Observant Outsider Get a Preinspection Why You Can't Just Ignore What's Broken Commonly Needed Repairs Yards and Gardens Gutters and Downspouts Roofs Air-Conditioning Condensers and Trash Cans Driveways and Walkways Decks, Terraces, and Fences Windows from the Outside terior Wall and Trim Paint Interior Walls and Ceilings Overhead Lighting and Ceiling Fans Windows from the Inside Staircases Wall-to-Wall Carpeting Flooring Doors and Doorways Kitchens Bathrooms Clean Is What Sells Yards and Gardens Roofs and Exterior Walls Windows Interior Walls and Ceilings Overhead Lighting and Ceiling Fans Floors and Carpets Kitchens Bathrooms Laundry Rooms Fireplaces, Radiators, and Other Heat-Related Objects Basements, Attics, Garages, and Outbuildings If Time and Money Are Short The Next Step: Setting the Stage CHAPTER FIVE: SETTING THE STAGE Deciding Each Room's Purpose Targeting Room Usage to Your Most Likely Buyers Creating Vignettes That Charm Your Buyers Avoiding Multipurpose Rooms When Possible Thinking About Flow Finding Each Room's Architectural Focus Using Color Complementary Colors Warm versus Cool Colors Moods Associated with Particular Colors Color as a Generational Cue Generational Preferences for Color and Design Aesthetics Identifying and Remedying Each Room's Hierarchy of Colors Creating Balance Avoiding Heavily Imbalanced Room Usage Balancing the Style Throughout Your Home Balancing the Furniture Within Each Room Choosing Artwork to Suit Your Buyers Using Mirrors to Enhance Spaces Balancing the Light and Dark in Each Room Staging the Key Rooms in Your Home Styling the Kitchen and Dining Room to Sell Styling the Living Room to Sell Styling Bedrooms to Sell Styling Children's Rooms to Sell Styling Guest Rooms to Sell Styling the Home Office to Sell Styling Bathrooms to Sell Going Back over Your Home as a Whole If Time and Money Are Short The Next Step: Presenting Your Home to Buyers CHAPTER SIX: PRESENTING YOUR HOME TO BUYERS Using the Power of the Camera's Eye Taking Another Walk-Through with a Camera Staying Involved if Someone Else Takes Your Photos If You Have Just Two Weeks to Do It All Keeping Your Home Presentable While You're Showing It INDEX