staging homes

Do-It-Yourself Staging Tips

May 12, 2016 by suzie

Use Items to Stage Mantle

The prime selling season has started at Lake Oconee, prompting many would-be sellers here (and those who must sell in order to be here!) to prepare their homes to show. I have studied professional staging, and practiced it, but have to admit that most homeowners can prepare a home to sell themselves. One can find staging lists in newspapers, Pinterest, magazines, etc. The most important task for the homeowner/stager is to disconnect their personal pride in the home you made for your family, and to look at the home as a product to sell.

The best analogy that I know for selling a home is to imagine that you are selling your car, trying to get the best price. First you have it detailed, then you remove your personal items from the car: windshield stickers for families, schools, and areas; rear-view mirror fragrance hangers, and car seats. A car that is perfectly clean and devoid of personal add-ons will be more attractive to a potential buyer.

Thus, the first step in preparing your house to sell is to meticulously clean it, inside and outside. Don’t forget the lawn, make edging neat, and even plant new shrubs and flowers if necessary. The second step is decluttering. (As I type this word my spell check reminds me that it is not really a word, but stagers have coined it to describe the process of removing objects that are not necessary!) Homeowners can do these processes themselves, ask a talented friend to do it, or hire a handyman.

Even if you have lived with dirty windows, it is a turnoff for potential buyers!

Aside from the basic staging, here are some of my personal tips learned from experience for preparing to sell homes, illustrated with photos from my own files:

1. First impressions are important! Repaint your entry door and/or buy new hardware for it. Have attractive plantings to add color to the front of the house.My gift to each new listing owner is a new door mat.

2. Buy new, small decorative items to perk up your home’s look. I often purchase inexpensive decorative pillows, towels, vases, pictures, artificial fruit at big box stores. Choose one bright color (red or blue) to unify your look from room to room. New towels (never used by people) soften a bathroom’s look, and can be inexpensive. Bowls of fruit add color to a kitchen or dining room.

Inexpensive Decorations to Stage Tub

3. Remove personal reminders of your family from sight. Homeowners often overlook partially used shampoos,toothpaste etc. in bathrooms (buy a little bucket to swiftly tuck them away). A few personal pictures are good, they remind buyers that a family lived here, but whole walls of photos are a little much! Collected souvenirs of favorite sports teams may not appeal to buyers, so pack them away. Refrigerator magnets are a no-no!

4. Re-position furniture if needed. I once had a seller refuse to move the position of his favorite TV chair that accommodated his needs, but was misplaced in the room! Be creative, furniture does not need to be against a wall. Invite a friend who has an eye for design to help you see the best placement. Be mindful of traffic patterns, or conversational grouping.

5. Don’t stage every room. If you have already moved out, or your guest rooms or office look neat, don’t worry. The most important rooms to stage are Kitchen, Living Room, Master Bedroom, and all Bathrooms. Buyers want to know if the master bedroom will have space for the bed they prefer. Many times I have taken towels, artificial flowers, spa products, and pictures to vacant homes. I usually stage a fireplace mantel in the main room, too. It looks more like home.

Staging does work! Let go of your personal preferences and make your home look neutral for the average buyer so they can see themselves in the home.

For further advice on Staging, or buying a home for sale at Lake Oconee,

just give us a call.

Contact us at RE/MAX Lake Oconee

Suzie Hudson 706-347-1115, or Jim Hudson, 706-453-6253.

Home Search: LookatLakeOconee.com

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5 Trends to Update Bathrooms at Lake Oconee

August 28, 2015 by suzie

Open Master Suite

Home owners are always observing the latest trends in home design as they update their present home, or plan to build a new home. Updating a home’s major rooms such as kitchen, bath, and master suite is also important in a seller’s staging to sell. Buyers always want to have the latest designs and technology in homes they purchase, intending to live in them for many years. One area that is changing in the Lake Oconee area homes is the bathroom. Some major trends are occurring in bathroom fixtures, technology, and design. I have chosen a few of the major trends that we see here in Lake Oconee that improve a Master Suite.

1. Integration of the master bath into the bedroom or closet

Instead of the bathroom being a closed off area separated from the bedroom and closet, the new trend is to merge all or some of these areas to create an open space. The photo above shows a vanity, tub, and closet area that are not separated from the bedroom by a door.

2. Free-standing tubs, often with curves

Free-standing Tub

There is a move away from the large spa tubs that use great amounts of water and space in the bathroom. The preferred new style bath tub is a free-standing tub that often has curves in the design.

3. Larger showers with sound systems Modern showers are often built large enough for two people, and sport multiple shower heads. Sound technology has come to the bathrooms providing personal playlists to entertain during one’s morning shower.

4. Floating vanities which are customized

Floating Vanity

The resurgence of Modern styling is expressed in a bathroom by the use of “floating vanities” which may be attached to the wall. These vanities are often personalized to fit the home owner’s needs. Two other benefits of floating vanities is that they are easy for cleaning the floor area, and are wheelchair-friendly!

5. Hi-tech additions such as music, lighting that is engaging, medicine cabinets with refrigeration, water

Medicine Cabinet, Partly Refrigerated

saving design for toilets The continuing use of water saving features is ever popular in bathrooms. “Engaging” lighting such as lights that automatically come on when someone enters the area, and better lighting over the vanity improve the new bathrooms. One fixture that I find surprising, but useful, is a partly refrigerated medicine cabinet. For today’s lifestyle, a refrigerated cabinet is useful for some medications or organic beauty products.

If you are looking for a Lake Oconee Home, call us and we’ll tour the available homes for sale with an eye on the updated master suites and bathrooms!

Suzie Hudson 706-347-1115, or Jim Hudson, 706-453-6253.

Home Search: LookatLakeOconee.com

Blog: LookatLakeOconee.com

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5 Kitchen Updates at Lake Oconee

October 23, 2014 by suzie

White is a Popular Color

Any Realtor will tell you that the kitchen is the most important room to “sell” a buyer on a particular home. As a realtor and a stager, I have been taking notes on what updates homeowners can make now in their kitchens that also serve as staging for a future resale of their home. The following items are compiled from my showing of current Lake Oconee homes to buyers, and also from my scanning the internet sources. The popular trend at Lake Oconee in remodeling kitchens is towards a style that combines both the traditional and modern elements. Many new upscale appliances find their way into these kitchens, but traditional wood cabinetry and moldings still prevail on the walls. Granite countertops have peaked and are often replaced by marble or stainless steel.

5 kitchen remodeling updates that are trending are:

1. Larger spaces The modern kitchen uses an open floor plan to create a larger total area. Today’s kitchens are not just for cooking, but are used for socializing with guests, helping with home work, and taking care of household business from a computer station and desk. If the owner is modifying an older home, this creation of space may necessitate removing a wall.

2. Islands Adding an island (or two) makes a kitchen fit for multiple cooks, or buffet serving area for guests. Islands in the kitchen may be added to an existing space, and often have a built-in sink or cook top. An island may also provide additional dining space.

Banquette, 2015 Kitchen Trend

3.Eat-in Kitchens The eat-in kitchen has regained popularity for today’s casual lifestyle. Built-in banquettes or island bars are handy for dining.

4. Drop Zones All homes need a place to store coats, boots, athletic gear, or pets paraphernalia. Plan ahead for cabinets and hooks to store these items in a special area in, or near, the kitchen to avoid clutter.

5. Recharging Ports Today’s families possess many personal electronic devices. To organize the recharging activity, a new kitchen option is to install a “recharging port” in a special drawer complete with electrical outlets. The recharging area helps declutter the home.

Recharging Port in Kitchen

Lake Oconee is becoming more and more popular as the economy rebounds. Come look at our beautiful kitchens and pick out your dream home while prices are still low.

For more information, call Suzie (706-347-1115) or Jim Hudson (706-453-6253) with RE/MAX Lake Oconee.

RE/MAX Lake Oconee 706-454-7777

Home Search: Look@LakeOconee.com

Blog: Look@LakeOconee.com

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5 Ideas for Staging Your New Lake Oconee Home

July 25, 2012 by suzie

Enjoy Outdoor Spaces

The purchase of your long-dreamed-of second home at Lake Oconee is just the first step. Staging your new lake house, and making it your own, is the second step. Home staging is not just to prepare a house to sell, it is also useful to help personalize that new home after the purchase. Staging a new home does not have to be a very expensive project, or require a decorator’s help to execute . This is your chance to get away from the antiques and formal window treatments that may define your primary home in the city, and set your more relaxed and creative self free. I have collected some staging ideas from my readings, and from my experience viewing homes in the Lake Oconee area. Following are some ideas that may help the new owner to make that lake home a cozy get-away place.

Let the View be the Focus

Let the View be the Window Treatment

Let the beautiful Lake or Woods view be visible the minute one walks in the door. Don’t let heavy window treatments or furniture block the eye from seeing the view to the outdoors . If the home you have bought has heavy draperies, take them down and let the light flow in! Don’t let large furniture block the eye from seeing that lake or wooded beauty. The outdoors should be the focal point for this room.

Use Neutral Colors

Neutral colors provide a soothing background, and also promote the view to the outdoors. The current popular hues for lakeside decor are the blues and the grays. These colors also extend the idea of water to the interior, and allow inhabitants to really relax. Let the accessories provide a few pops of color in the decor.

The new neutrals, blue and gray

Provide Large Dining Areas

As many Lake Oconee home owners often host friends or family in their homes, the trend is to create large indoor and/or outdoor eating areas. Instead of having a separate, formal dining room, provide a large informal table that can seat 12-16 people. The style of the table should be casual, one that accommodates even the youngest of guests. Outdoor cooking and eating are also popular on the Lake Oconee lakeside.

Use Plenty of Wood

Wood Elements Extend the Natural Feel

To continue the relaxed, natural theme inside a home, Lake Oconee homeowners often make use of many design elements of wood. Wood can be used in beams, floors, mantles and cabinetry. More creative wood ideas are to create new wainscoting of bead board, put planks on the ceilings, or to buy rustic-styled furniture for the decor. If the home you buy already contains older dark wood paneling or cabinets, either paint them with a lighter color, or stain them with a translucent gray stain to let the texture and grain show.

Accent with Nautical Accessories

Use Nautical Accent

Nautical accessories are a fun and casual way to put accents in your Lake Oconee Home. Do remember, though, to not overdo it. Keep a look-out for used oars; they look good arranged over a bed, or propped up in a corner as pictured here. Other nautical accent features are ropes used as railing, or fishing gear such as nets or creels attached to the walls. Simple paintings of boats are effective to add to the theme.

One other often used idea at a Lake Oconee Home is to have a large “grandchild bedroom”. A large room filled with sets of bunk beds or single beds make children love to come visit the lake.

Make it easy on yourself, use popular catalogs and online shopping sites to order casual light fixtures and accessories.

Now is the time to buy a home in the Lake Oconee area, so you can create your own lakeside get-away. The prices are low, and so are the loan rates.

For more information about Homes for Sale in the Lake Oconee Area, call Suzie (706-347-1115) or Jim (706-453-6253) Through our Multiple Listing Service, we have the key to any home for sale.

RE/MAX Lake Oconee Agents Realty 706-454-7777

Staging to Sell in Lake Oconee

March 19, 2012 by suzie

I found this article in some real estate news, and the words exactly echoed my thoughts and observations from showing Lake Oconee homes for sale! If you are preparing to sell a home at Lake Oconee, take heed!

Those brass light fixtures send a message to buyers: C-H-E-A-P

Rooms for Improvement

BY MARY UMBERGER, MONDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 2012.

Inman News®

<a href="http://www.shutterstock.com/gallery-77235p1.html">Brass light fixture image</a> via Shutterstock.com.

Brass light fixture image via Shutterstock.com.

Don’t get Steve Somogyi wrong. He doesn’t hate all brass finishes — just the really shiny, yellow-toned stuff that he thinks screams “Cheap!” when homebuyers notice it in light fixtures, switch plates, doorknobs, etc.

That brass tone was fashionable a couple of decades ago, but its day is done and it has to go if it’s in a house you’re trying to sell, according to Somogyi, a real estate agent and interior designer.

In prepping a small house for the market recently, he switched out every single brass light fixture, switch plate, door hinge and knob for ones with an oil-rubbed bronze finish that’s a very dark brown.

Dark-toned fixtures and hardware may work to deformalize a room.Photo/Sea Gull Lighting.

By buying the replacements from a big-box store and a website specializing in closeouts, the homeowner spent $300 to $400 for materials, he estimated, and a contractor/installer made the changes in a day.

In a larger home, such changes might be too complex or expensive to do throughout, but at the very least, sellers should take a hard look at the front-door hardware that greets potential buyers, he said.

Nickel-toned finishes haven’t lost their appeal to homebuyers, designers and real estate agents. Photo/Sea Gull Lighting.

“I spent a lot of the money on the door hardware in that house because I do believe that your buyer knows within a few seconds whether they’re going to buy,” Somogyi said. “When you feel an expensive door handle vs. a cheap handle, you can feel the difference.

“I try to sell an emotional experience, that the place has been loved,” said Somogyi, an agent for the North Clybourn Group brokerage in Chicago. “That energy comes out.”

Although he’s a fan of dark-toned finishes (and certain antique golds), Somogyi said the general homebuying public continues to accept the recently popular satin-nickel tones as being “up to date” — though he suspects an appetite is brewing for the next big color.

“Lighting fixture (and hardware) finishes have certainly trended away from polished brass over the years,” said Jody De Vine, director of marketing for Sea Gull Lighting in Riverside, N.J.

We’ve seen more transitional styling and finishes that cross over between traditional and modern. This became quite evident in the use of polished and brushed nickel.”

Decorative switch plate image
via Shutterstock.com.

De Vine said chrome finishes have gained popularity as a “clean” style, and that dark browns and iron-blacks come across as cozy and work well in updating traditional styling. Those browns and blacks also seem to be a popular choice when trying to deformalize some rooms, she said.

Somogyi said not to overlook hardware details because buyers notice them.

“Those switch plates and outlet covers that have crusty paint on them? They only take a minute or two to switch out,” he said.

And if you have recessed can-lights in ceilings, take a look at the “surround,” or collar, around the openings, he said. “Over time they get to be a yellow-y color that stamps them as being dated, dreary or old. I’ve seen a million of these.”

Mary Umberger is a Chicago-area freelance writer. The original article is in the Inman News

Brass was the ultimate in fixtures in the 80’s. We proudly installed a beautiful brass light fixture in our dining room during that period, and we took it with us and enjoyed it in our Lake Oconee home during the 90’s. It now resides packed in the basement of our present home, as I finally realized that brass is out of date! Just as we gave up our favorite hair styles and clothing from the previous decades, it pays to realize that our favorite home accessories need to be updated, too. Of course, we can keep our favorite brass hardware as long as we live in a house, if we prefer. But to sell in today’s market, it pays to update the style of our accessories. I have priced light fixtures in the big-box stores as a service of my staging practice as a realtor here in Lake Oconee. It is true – buying home accessories in such a store, and replacing them in a house is a “cheap” way to entice a buyer to decide on your property. It changes the ambience of the home, and makes it move-in ready.

For more staging tips, and more information about property in the Lake Oconee Area, contact Suzie or Jim Hudson at RE/MAX Lake Oconee.

Phone Jim, 706-453-6253, or Suzie, 706-347-1115. To search for property go to the search area of LookatLakeOconee.com. With our MLS, we have the keys to all property for sale in the Lake Oconee Area.

5 Home Staging Reminders for 2012

January 16, 2012 by suzie

The New Year at Lake Oconee brings an optimistic outlook for real estate in the lake area as the end of last year showed an increase in sales in the area. However, it remains a “Buyer’s Market” with a large inventory of homes for sale. Thus, with a large pool of homes for buyers to choose from, it is even more important to make your listed home stand out from the crowd! That means that Staging Your Home to Sell is a must. The major tasks of staging a home to sell are sorted into the areas of cleaning, de-cluttering, and de-personalizing. The other day as I was completing the complementary staging of a new listing, some specific reminders came to mind that I wanted to pass on to those people preparing to sell their home this year.

Complete all deferred home maintenance. Even small projects such as replacing electrical outlet covers, or re-caulking a bathtub, etc., should be done before listing, as they are likely to show up on the home inspection report in preparation for closing. In the buyer’s market, the buyer may ask that these repairs be done as a prerequisite for closing the sale. A home which is in good repair compares better to others that are not.
Store all weapons in a secure place, or remove from the home. A homeowner does not want the responsibility for someone’s getting hurt from a weapon, or of the chance of a weapon being stolen. Even knives can be considered as weapons.
Remove all items with personal information from view in the home. Sellers often forget that refrigerator magnets, receipts or bills, and prescriptions may reveal information that could lead to identity theft, or loss of privacy. In any case, those items are definite reminders of the current owners of the property, which may prevent the buyer from imagining himself in this particular home.
Keep all windows clean, and open to the view. The view outside the home is important for the sale. Most owners are in the habit of closing window treatments to prevent sun bleaching or heating. However, potential buyers include the view as an essential part of the home that makes it attractive. That lake view, or beautiful back yard can make the sale! Extending the view makes the home seem larger, too.
Increase the light power in every room. This is the indoor version of #4. Every home looks better with more light, and light makes people more cheerful. A seller should make sure that every light bulb is working, and that the wattage is higher than usual.

Home staging is more important than ever as there is a large inventory of properties for sale. The more you prepare your home to sell, the shorter the time it will be on the market. Another plus of home staging is that if one de-clutters and discards unwanted belongings early in the selling process, the move after the sale to a new home will be easier! A recent closing had was delayed as the seller had not de-cluttered the home even though he had not lived in it for two years, so it took longer to move! Consider home staging the first step in the selling process, and the first step in the moving process.

Home Staging Before

Home Staging After

For more information about Staging Your Home to Sell, contact Suzie and Jim Hudson at RE/MAX Agents Realty at Lake Oconee. 706-347-1115,. We provide complementary staging for every home we list. To search for a home in the Lake Oconee area, go to our website LakeOconee.com.

Make a Good First Impression

May 5, 2011 by suzie

This Home Entrance Welcomes the Buyer

Sellers, do you know that sometimes a prospective buyer will not get out of the car to view a home if it doesn’t look inviting from the outside? Preparing your house to sell includes making a good first impression with the front appearance. Go out your front door and take a critical look at your house. Does it look well-kept, inviting? Does the front door need a new coat of paint? Some other low cost projects that can improve the appearance of your house include:
* power wash the porch and walkway
* put new mulch in the beds
* store away all children’s toys and lawn equipment
* trim shrubs and/or tree limbs that hide the house
* plant some colorful flowers in beds or pots
* repair or replace a shabby mailbox or shutters
One thing I always present to our new sellers is a new doormat.
Home staging starts at the curb.

Property Search

Suzie Hudson 706-347-1115, or Jim Hudson, 706-453-6253.

Home Search: LookatLakeOconee.com

Blog: LookatLakeOconee.com

Sign up to receive new Look@LakeOconee blog posts by entering your email below right.

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Blog: LookatLakeOconee.com

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Home Search: Look@LakeOconee.com

Blog: Look@LakeOconee.com

Pinterest: SuzieHudson Realtor

Let the View be the Focus

Use Neutral Colors

Provide Large Dining Areas

Use Plenty of Wood

Accent with Nautical Accessories

For more information about Homes for Sale in the Lake Oconee Area, call Suzie (706-347-1115) or Jim (706-453-6253) Through our Multiple Listing Service, we have the key to any home for sale.

RE/MAX Lake Oconee Agents Realty 706-454-7777

I found this article in some real estate news, and the words exactly echoed my thoughts and observations from showing Lake Oconee homes for sale! If you are preparing to sell a home at Lake Oconee, take heed!

Those brass light fixtures send a message to buyers: C-H-E-A-P

Rooms for Improvement

For more staging tips, and more information about property in the Lake Oconee Area, contact Suzie or Jim Hudson at RE/MAX Lake Oconee.

Phone Jim, 706-453-6253, or Suzie, 706-347-1115. To search for property go to the search area of LookatLakeOconee.com. With our MLS, we have the keys to all property for sale in the Lake Oconee Area.