trying to sell house = so frustrated

[JuneChickie]

LISAK1..........I saw your home tour.........my opionion........very clean home.

1. neutral colors in main part of the house very good.......but there is no pop at all.........it's always best to stay with the neurtal paint BUT then pop the neutral with a contrasting color in accents....this can be in pillows, decor and art....it's hard to tell what would work because colors aren't always true in pictures.

2. A table that is set is alway inviting.........but less is more.........napkins, silver and a plate and candle.........remove 2 chairs if you can live that way....even just for showings.........it creates the suggestion that there is more space.

3. Remove both wine racks in the dining room and in the kitchen........extra furniture that leaves the impression of less space and that you need more storage because you don't have enough.

4. The plant in the living room is beautiful BUT it is not the right porportion for the room or maybe just where it's located..........without seeing your house in person I can't be sure but the wall with the entertainment center seems to be very big and that wall if it has an open corner might absorb that plant.

5. My suggestions are just that and not meant as personal attacks so please don't take them as such......I have helped design to sell a number of home very successfully.

6. Your wall art is out dated (i'm sorry) and hung too high on the walls........an inexpensive way to do art for your walls without spending a fortune is buying a canvas at michaels or another craft store and then buy craft paint.........your furniture has a contemporary feel to it so you could do something as simple as masking the canvas (make sure you get the kind that has canvas on the sides too so you can paint the sides too) and do 3 vertical lines thinnest one in the middle 2 sides matching both in color and size.......if you don't like it no loss repaint........and the size I'm thinking only runs around 35 dollars a lot less than a framed print.........this will create a little more of a focal point for your room.

7. Another inexpesive idea for wall art that never goes out of style is baskets........they always give an organic earthy feel to a room and are universally appealing and I think would go with your furniture.

8. The room with the fireplace...........FIREPLACES sell homes......everyone wants one even if they never use it.
loose the screen it is outdated and hides one of your best features.
entertainment centers do not sell homes and it with your big
sectional is detracting from your room.
If I were designing this room to sell your home I would remove the
entertainment center break apart the sectional and only keep one section face it towards the fireplace with a sofa table (maybe one of those tables from the kitchen or dining room can serve as this) behind it........buy two inexpensive chairs from target.......they can even be garden...........I know I've seen nice looking ones for less than 40.00. buy a couple pillows.....new art over the fireplace and where the entertainment center was......put the big tree from the living room in the corner on the wall where the railing is above it in the picture..........you might even paint the wall with the fireplace a contrasting darker (not dark just darker) color to really draw attention to that feature...........create a conversation area around the fireplace that draws the buyer in and makes them think about cozy evenings around the fireplace instead of distracted evenings around the TV.

AGAIN this is designing to sell your home not designing to live in it....there is a huge difference.

The wall colors in the bedrooms while aren't ideal for selling but I would concentrate energy on making the main room a bigger draw........then think later about repainting the bedrooms neurtal colors.

Subscribing because I want to use these ideas on my own home.

YOur descriptions already have my interest tweaked to see a home
staged like this to buy.

 

[disneyde]

lisak1,
I've seen before and after pictures for people who have been through staging courses and spent a lot of money to do it........and personally I thought if they were there to learn how to stage a home they wasted their time because I was not impressed with the after pictures........it is a matter of taste to some degree.......I've learned want works by owning and selling many years I've been doing staging at least for my own homes for over 10 years and more recently for others.

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

LISAK1..........I saw your home tour.........my opionion........very clean home.

1. neutral colors in main part of the house very good.......but there is no pop at all.........it's always best to stay with the neurtal paint BUT then pop the neutral with a contrasting color in accents....this can be in pillows, decor and art....it's hard to tell what would work because colors aren't always true in pictures.

2. A table that is set is alway inviting.........but less is more.........napkins, silver and a plate and candle.........remove 2 chairs if you can live that way....even just for showings.........it creates the suggestion that there is more space.

3. Remove both wine racks in the dining room and in the kitchen........extra furniture that leaves the impression of less space and that you need more storage because you don't have enough.

4. The plant in the living room is beautiful BUT it is not the right porportion for the room or maybe just where it's located..........without seeing your house in person I can't be sure but the wall with the entertainment center seems to be very big and that wall if it has an open corner might absorb that plant.

5. My suggestions are just that and not meant as personal attacks so please don't take them as such......I have helped design to sell a number of home very successfully.

6. Your wall art is out dated (i'm sorry) and hung too high on the walls........an inexpensive way to do art for your walls without spending a fortune is buying a canvas at michaels or another craft store and then buy craft paint.........your furniture has a contemporary feel to it so you could do something as simple as masking the canvas (make sure you get the kind that has canvas on the sides too so you can paint the sides too) and do 3 vertical lines thinnest one in the middle 2 sides matching both in color and size.......if you don't like it no loss repaint........and the size I'm thinking only runs around 35 dollars a lot less than a framed print.........this will create a little more of a focal point for your room.

7. Another inexpesive idea for wall art that never goes out of style is baskets........they always give an organic earthy feel to a room and are universally appealing and I think would go with your furniture.

8. The room with the fireplace...........FIREPLACES sell homes......everyone wants one even if they never use it.
loose the screen it is outdated and hides one of your best features.
entertainment centers do not sell homes and it with your big
sectional is detracting from your room.
If I were designing this room to sell your home I would remove the
entertainment center break apart the sectional and only keep one section face it towards the fireplace with a sofa table (maybe one of those tables from the kitchen or dining room can serve as this) behind it........buy two inexpensive chairs from target.......they can even be garden...........I know I've seen nice looking ones for less than 40.00. buy a couple pillows.....new art over the fireplace and where the entertainment center was......put the big tree from the living room in the corner on the wall where the railing is above it in the picture..........you might even paint the wall with the fireplace a contrasting darker (not dark just darker) color to really draw attention to that feature...........create a conversation area around the fireplace that draws the buyer in and makes them think about cozy evenings around the fireplace instead of distracted evenings around the TV.

AGAIN this is designing to sell your home not designing to live in it....there is a huge difference.

The wall colors in the bedrooms while aren't ideal for selling but I would concentrate energy on making the main room a bigger draw........then think later about repainting the bedrooms neurtal colors.

I agree with these ideas and offer a few other tips:

1. I would definitely remove the wine rack located by the table - it looks too crowded. I don't have a problem with the wine table in the kitchen, although you don't really need it. Always better to err on the side of your kitchen looking bigger, though!

2. Your kitchen looks spotless, but it is all varying shades of beige - walls, cabinets, appliances, etc. A little color would make it stand out. It could be as simple as using green napkins on the table to bring out the color in the china (hard to tell real colors on the computer), or putting a vase of flowers on the table instead of the place settings. A basket with greenery or a colorful piece of pottery on the kitchen counter would work too. Just something to break up all the neutral.

3. The art is out of proportion and hung too high as already stated. With few exceptions, art and mirrors should be at eye level. Yours look very high, but it could be the camera angle. They seem to be more in line with the tops of the windows in the family room - about seven feet high? Art over a sofa should be about 12 to 18 inches above the sofa and should be large enough to make an impact (or it could be a related series of art, but still bigger).

4. The bedroom wall colors are pretty strong, but that shouldn't be a deal breaker. The key is to downplay the rest of the room to not compete with what will obviously be the focal point of the room. It looks from the virtual tour that you have purple trim in your master bedroom - might be the lighting. I would paint it white if it is really purple, or I would improve the lighting and update the tour. Our DD's room in our last house was the same color blue (or so it seems), and it looked great with white furniture and pale yellow comforters. We received many compliments on her room, and our house sold in one day with a bidding war. Color doesn't have to frighten someone off, although it will turn off some buyers who have little imagination. For the red room, I would use a more neutral bed covering so it doesn't look quite so busy. Red is so strong that much else is too much - it looks great with black and white and other neutrals.

5. In the family room (the room with the rocking chair), I would pull some of the blue color into the room as an accent (again going on the colors on my monitor). Can you add throw pillows to the sofa that match the rocking chair cushion? You also have blue in the art over the fireplace, so you can unify the room using color. I agree with putting away the fireplace screen - since it is not fireplace season (i.e. you are not actually using the fireplace), might as well let the fireplace get the attention instead of the screen. I would also move or remove the halogen light - it competes with the fireplace for your attention. If you can take out part of the sectional, that opens the room up more.

6. In the living room (room off the kitchen), the focal point is the small TV in the corner. I would take out the TV (if you can stand it) and put the sofa against the wall, with two chairs for balance. Better to have the focal point be a cozy seating area than a TV in the corner.

7. Your virtual tour lists bedroom 2, but you are using it as an office. Not really a big deal, except that lookers may only remember two bedrooms. I don't know the configuration of your home, but it might be better to present it as a bedroom (again for people with little or no imagination). Even a twin bed with a narrow dresser would have more appeal than walking into a room to see the sides of two computer desks. Alternatively, you could play up the office feature by making it more appealing - open the blinds, orient one desk to face the door and get rid of the other for now. There is nothing memorable about the room. If you can live without the office for awhile, I would stage it as a bedroom. If not, I'd rearrange and ditch some of the furniture - right now you have everything pushed against the wall and an open space in the center.

Again, this is not meant as criticism, just another viewpoint from someone with a fresh eye. If any of these ideas make sense, that's great. If not, you can disregard!

 

[MinnieGi]

Just another idea for those sick of cleaning and unable to sell. Two years ago when I had a preschooler and a 8 month old crawling and getting into everything and just needing alot of my time - I knew I could not keep the house up to the standards that I wanted to sell. We had already sold one house prior to kids and kept our kitchen clean by eating out every night!! With kids I was not able to do that. So we put if up for RENT!! Showings for renters do not require as much of an OCD clean. Our first showing was our last showing. The family was relocating from outside the area and our house was perfect location for his new job and for them to get a feel for our area. They liked the house so much a year later, they wanted to buy it. We made them an offer and they jumped on it. No realtor fees involved since it was just us.

In the current real estate market driving many potential homewoners out of the market you may have better luck renting it out for a year or two. Just a thought.

 

[disneyde]

StichandPooh'sMom,
You have a good eye and communicate your ideas very effectively. You were much more percise on the picture problem, very well stated. I agree with the living room and the home office suggestion you made. And I love the idea of yellow and white with the blue room.


LisaK1
The home office with aqua blue would look lovely with a bedding with a rich brown color in it. A great idea if you don't have the money or desire for another bed to move around is to stage a bed. You can do this one of several ways. One stage a single blow up mattress elevated to standard bed height using whatever you have available paint cans stacked together at all four corners might even work as long as you can't see the paint cans. Be creative. Or maybe you can borrow a guest bed or aero bed from a neighbor or family member. They now make blow up beds that are very close to standard bed height and then you wouldn't have to set it up higher.

 

[Ava31]

When we sold our house, it was all about curb appeal...one of the best tips we received was to rent a pressure washer from Home Depot. I think it was around $40 and it was the difference between night and day for our driveway. You would have thought they had just poured the concrete, it was so pretty. We did the deck in back, also, and it became about 4 shades lighter. You should seriously give that a try, you'll be amazed by the dirt that comes up (not to mention, DH had a blast doing it!) Good luck!

 

[Ava31]

Wow - misery really does love company!

one thing I learned --- if your house needs updating, DO IT NOW! I am so sorry that we didnt spend the money for new rugs last year, rather than now having to offer 2k to the buyers for carpting, because that is some of the negative feedback we have been getting. (We may end up just replacing them in general and not offering that 2k. )

Anyone else feel like crying? I have never cleaned so much in my life!

Having worked very closely with realtors (I was a mortgage processor) and getting a lot of good advice from a variety of professionals (they've all got a different plan for each house, but the compilation of their plans is priceless), I found that the biggest turn off is bad carpet. We had a 2500 sq. foot house that we sold 2 years ago and when we got estimates for the carpet, we found that we could do it cheaply for under $2000. Luckily, we were able to sell the house fairly quickly, so we never had to change the carpet, but it's nice to know that, in a pinch, it's not nearly as much as you might think. You don't have to live with the carpets, so quality isn't a huge deal, and someone else will be thrilled to have brand new carpet.

 

[cfknight]

Having worked very closely with realtors (I was a mortgage processor) and getting a lot of good advice from a variety of professionals (they've all got a different plan for each house, but the compilation of their plans is priceless), I found that the biggest turn off is bad carpet. We had a 2500 sq. foot house that we sold 2 years ago and when we got estimates for the carpet, we found that we could do it cheaply for under $2000. Luckily, we were able to sell the house fairly quickly, so we never had to change the carpet, but it's nice to know that, in a pinch, it's not nearly as much as you might think. You don't have to live with the carpets, so quality isn't a huge deal, and someone else will be thrilled to have brand new carpet.

I would like to know where that deal was at...We have a 1200sq ft. home and all I could find was $1600.. That was for cheap..cheap!

 

[knovak]

I see that you're in Ypsi. We have a home on the market in Saline, which is taking forever to sell! The market is definitely horrible in any of the Detroit suburbs. The only suggestion that I would make would be to plant some small bushes around the house. You can go to Lowe's and get some really reasonable ones, which will greatly add to your curb appeal! Good luck! I think we're all going to need it! As my husband said, "We haven't even had an insulting offer!"

I'm with you ladies. I'm in Rochester Hills and been on the market 1 1/2 years. Showings had picked up in 2007 over 2006 until May - they have almost become non exsistant. MI is not a good market to be selling in. A ton of inventory, few buyers and they are VERY picky as they can be. If there's 1small thing they don't like they move on - be it paint color, carpet color etc. Make me an offer and we can work something out. Our home is only 2 1/2 years old. We painted when we moved in and then had to paint everything again - neutral - people don't want to do anything but move in. Now my DH isn't sure he likes his out of state job. I'm now hoping almost for no showings. I don't want to uproot the family when he's not even happy. Everything has a way of working out for the best - just hang in there and be patient. The Detroit area has to come out of this economic slump sometime - right?

 

[StitchandPooh'sMom]

StichandPooh'sMom,
You have a good eye and communicate your ideas very effectively. You were much more percise on the picture problem, very well stated. I agree with the living room and the home office suggestion you made. And I love the idea of yellow and white with the blue room.

Thank you! I like your ideas too!

 

[Microcell]

I saw the listing too, and still have that calming music on!

I really think your curb appeal is a cheap way to get people interested in going in your house. My house is brightened so much with a blue ceramic planter on the steps out front, with cheap plants, some hard to kill bright pretty flowers.

We have been a little slow mowing the lawn, and I was talking to the neighbor about that and she said "We understand, and we don't think about it when we look at your house, because we can't get past how pretty those blue flowers are!"

Totaled $30.00 at Lowes and if you get bright flowers that favor the side of the house you have (shade or full sun etc...)

When you do a planter just vary the height and put colors you like.

I would actually do Terra cotta to match your house color and the plants that are there right at the bottom of your steps off to the side.

Also in the landscaped area I would put a small bush with bright flowers as well or a clump or five (for lack of a better word) of something hardy, like Petunias or Geraniums. For the most part, Annuals will have the best color and most should last the summer, especially in Michigan where it never gets really hot.

You have to make them want to go in, and I think a more inviting outside will prompt more interest.


I also agree with just about everything Disneyde said, I was thinking the very same thing about the hanging items. They should be placed at eye level for someone who is 5'7 or so. My MIL tickles me because she is 4'11 and eye level for her is about at my chest, so when I am in her house everything is chest level!

Also, I have to put in my 2 cents on the Red room: We went to a party for my DH's work at our old house (we sold to his coworker) and she had painted the basement the exact same red you have there and I thought the same thing both times: Man will that be hard to cover, lots of primer there. Unless you have a buyer that likes the red, just about everyone else will be thinking "okay, already a room to paint before we even move in". With this much competition I would probably make that room more neutral, but keep the bedspread for color! I defer to the experts, like I said, just my opinion.

 

[tink2dw]

Have any of you trying to sell your home, tried www.craigslist.com to advertise your home???? I had buyer in 11 days. It is easy, free, no fees. If you can email you can do this. There is room for 4 pics, too. Easy to upload.

Price your home $1000.00 less so you know how the lookers found you!!

www.craigslist.com [look to right to find your state, then city.]

 

[Gillian]

(OP) On yahoo real estate you are listed with 2 bedrooms. I agree with the people who said include the apt as a 3rd bedroom.

One thing that is appealing to a lot of people is a "mother daughter" setup. It's better than a rental unit. Good for older kids, older parents, whatever.

And I'd get rid of that picture where you can see the large slope in your backyard. it makes it look not good for kids.

The website is ok, the green kind of clashes with the pretty green of your house though.

 

[cindrela]

I feel your pain. My house has been on the market since mid-March. I had one offer, and it was so low, we could never consider it. All the realtors love my house, they all however say it is just soooo slow right now. I would deal with it if we were moving locally, but we are relocating for my husband's job and have no choice but to leave for Florida at the end of the month, This is not the way I thought the move would go. As of now, we're going to have to go to a rental till our house sells. I have to get down there to get the kids registered for school, and to find a job. Everything that everyone else has said is exactly what you need to do. Make sure you're priced right for your neighborhood, have had Open Houses with traffic-but we're still here!!!
Good Luck!!! We need to keep positive thoughts!!! Here's to some pixie dust for both of us!!

 

[disneyde]

I'm insterested to know how your weekend showings went.

 

[mommy2twingles]

We have signed papers wo lower the price on Monday. Turns out our house was also listed in the paper yesterday as the house of the week. A huge half page picture on the front page of the real estate section. I am anxious to see if that brings any new traffic this week.

 

[dizcrazy]

pixiedust to everyone today (including me!) with open houses today!

 

[cfknight]

I'm insterested to know how your weekend showings went.

The people were there for a while yesterday, but no feedback yet!

 

[Ciao Mickey]

Okay, so it's not a SHACK... But it is a tiny little house and it needs work. The outside needs painting as it is peeling in places... the living room is WOOD PANELING and the bedrooms are TINY...

The downstairs is half unfinished basement, half studio apartment. Yes, it does have a seperate bathroom and kitchenette down there. Nothing spectacular but it's clean and neutral.

The thing is this... the house is OLD.... We are talking almost 80 years OLD. We are on prime property for the area, double lot, one block from the riverfront, with river access rights. This house is priced CHEAP.

The thing is... people don't want old houses. I NEED to paint the paneling in the living room. I don't mind it so much, as I am a bookish type who likes the rustic feel... but it ain't trendy, that's for sure!

Also, the second bedroom upstairs is lavender. My daughter picked it out and I need to get that back to neutral, too. You're all right about listing as three bedrooms. I didn't realize DH had it that way. He is NOT listed in MLS, either. He INSISTS it's going to be a piece of cake to sell on his own but to pacify me, he promised that if there are no offers by July 1st, he will go with an agent. He's just DUMB when it comes to this stuff and does NOT want to hear a THING that I have to say because HE took Real Estate classes for kicks last year.

I think we should have a couple of agents walk through and give us opinions. Does he do it? Nope! I think we need to have it inspected up front so we can give answers.... has it been done? Nope!

So I am going to take my DD, my DB, and my DM to Disney World on Sunday and hope that the darned place is sold by the time we get back!

We are buying DH's parents' house.... for a STEAL of a price. It's a GORGEOUS 4 bedroom home and I'll have room for all the bookshelves my little heart desires....

Thanks for the feedback! Sorry, OP, for the hijack... I am just commiserating with you and maybe feedback onmy house could possibly applyto you, too.

I haven't read to the end of the posts on this thread so if someone else has suggested some things, then I'm just reiterating.

Your house is lovely and looks in good shape.

My recommendations are to get rid of that bush/tree hiding the front door. And then trim the rest of the old growth bushes or pull them out and replant with some new shrubs. That will immediately add curb appeal (at least it does in this area). You can't see the windows on the outside and I assume it darkens the house on the inside.

Please paint over the red walls. I got a closed-in feeling when looking at your kitchen and the other "red" space. Clear off the kitchen counters.

Paint the paneling. You'd be amazed with how brighter and larger the room will look. Use BIN as a base coat.

Good luck.

 

[dizcrazy]

Anyone have any luck this weekend?

We had an open house yesterday, so DH is going to call our realtor today and ask if we got any feedback. But really, I am sick of feedback! No more feedback - just an offer!