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dedtired
14 days ago
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rented furniture to stage a house
Comments (17)I just want to put in that Cynthia and Sweeby are *both* right on this, since it's a frequent argument. No buyer is looking to buy your furniture, but the furniture in a room creates a very real psychological impact about the feeling of the room. Staging isn't intended to persuade people in a rational sense, it's an effort to appeal subconsciously. It can absolutely create a more positive perception of your house. I've found this initial perception tends to persist for the buyer even after you move out. I have shown a lot of houses as an agent, and I have found that the houses that show best are the ones with very nice, sparse furniture that suggests a story line. (Even if the story is just "People who read high-falutin' magazines lounge here.") This effect has been especially noticable for me when I've shown the same houses over time- once with well-placed furniture and art and another time when the house is vacant. (The order these states occur in varies.) At the staged showing the house feels luxurious and spacious, or warm and cozy; at the other it usually feels small, dark, and much older. If you decide not to invest in a professional stager's help, my suggestion is that most houses still look better with a little furniture than nothing at all. People actually have an easier time envisioning their own things in a room that isn't empty, because whatever is there lends a starting point of space and size. And above all go for lots of light. The price of a lamp to brighten up a dark corner will pay for itself. Good luck!...See MoreHome buyers: Do you drive around looking for houses for sale?
Comments (17)I search various real estate websites online, everyday. It's like a part time job for us. Not so much remax, century 21, or weichert, since their sites tend to be so overwhelming and cluttery. I tend to choose local real estate company websites, which in my experience have been a bit more accurate with more detail and clearer photos. If I find a house I like, I try everything to find the address to visit it first before wasting our agents time. Real estate agents aren't what they use to be (no offense). It use to be that they showed you houses that truly matched your criteria, now you can't trust an agent, especially if you live out of state. They will show you the junkiest houses, in the worst neighborhoods, with no regards to your wishes or needs, and let me tell you we're not picky. All we're looking for is a fixer upper on a wooded secluded lot. We're willing to do the roof, the floors, doors, trim. All we need is at least 3 bed, 1 bth, but leave it to your agent to show you houses that are undoable. In their defense though, I understand they have to show off the houses that have been sitting for a while to demonstrate effort to the seller, however, it's not cool when your agent knows you're driving 3-4 hours to see a house and you have specifically asked them if the house is secluded and they tell you yes, only to get there and see another house in plain view. Thank goodness we decided to rent in the area we're looking so we don't have to drive 3-4 hours anymore.....See MoreLaminate flooring dilemma
Comments (3)Will the new flooring run into all rooms? I ask because even "waterproof" laminate doesn't hold up well to moisture, so it's not ideal for kitchens, bathrooms etc. LVP is a more durable option, but with that much real wood you really may want to consider real hardwood. Faux wood and real wood don't tend to mix great. As for color, look for something in a light-medium natural stain. Something where the grain or knots are the color of the trim but don't try to find floor the exact color fo the trim. A near match is worse than contrast....See MoreFirst time home buyer - Need Kitchen Design Advice
Comments (7)I only have a couple of suggestions: ”We will be staining the floor to be a darker color.” I don’t recommend this. Dark floors are a maintenance nightmare. They show every speck. You will have to clean them constantly because a couple of specks look so glaring against a dark floor they’ll make it seem as if the entire floor is not clean. I am not exaggerating, so mark my words. Meanwhile, the natural stain that is on the floor now shows nothing. I’d keep it if possible. ”Any ideas on backsplash?” Backsplash must be chosen last, after everything else is installed, especially after the counters. Even seasoned interior designers with decades of experience wait to install the backsplash. If you try to pick a backsplash too early you will make a mistake. ”The current island is 3x4. What island size do you recommend?” It is impossible to answer this question without having precise measurements of the kitchen. Anyone who says they can answer this question without drawn-to-scale kitchen measurements you should run far far away from. Plus are you going to have seating or not at the island will certainly affect island size. There are also aisle clearances to keep in mind, and things like can you open the oven door with a bigger island, and what about the flooring under the island what happens to that, and what about seating and counter overhangs for seating, and what about electrical for the island as there are building Code requirements for electrical in the island. As mentioned in the post above, don’t dive in too fast or you will regret it. Though I don’t think you need 6-12 months; I think 3-6 months should give you an idea of what you like and don’t like about the kitchen. It will also help to have the time to research and learn some things about kitchen renovation. In any case, lead times for contractors are, like, 4-6 months these days, so you won’t be able to implement changes in a short time in any case....See Morededtired
14 days agodedtired
14 days agoElmer J Fudd
14 days agodedtired
13 days ago
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