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Home Tips

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Getting the most for your house

Professional tricks to greatly enhance your home's appeal

Simplifying décor creates an illusion of more space
Smart Sellers figure out how to showcase their home's best features when the time comes to sell their digs. Some even turn to professional home stagers, who use a repertoire of tricks to make sure what's attractive about a home takes the spotlight, while playing down what isn't.

People get used to how they're living in a house, and it's home but it's not `wow.' When your home is for sale, it's no longer yours, it's a product that has to be marketed and shown off.

TAKE A WALKTHROUGH: Who is the audience for your home? If you're in a Tudor home, your ultra-modern décor might come as a shock to potential buyers interested in a traditional style of home. Don't redecorate, but do make as many small adjustments as possible.

Walk through your house, not looking at anything in particular, but using your peripheral vision to see if anything jumps out as wrong or out of place.

Deal with all of the things that stand out and catch your eye by putting them away or, if there's no space in the house, in storage.

CREATE A BEAUTIFUL ENTRANCE: People will want to keep looking at the house because the entryway has a nice inviting feeling. Consider placing a small, comfy chair or a stand with a lush plant on it just inside the door or hang a mirror. Keeping decoration to a minimum to create a feeling that keeps buyers looking.

CREATE A FOCAL POINT IN EACH ROOM: Potential buyers are more inclined to go for the house that seems bigger. The best way to create a strong impact in a room, and give the illusion of space, is to simplify everything.

Remove heavy bookshelves. They're distracting because they make a room feel packed. Pick one area, like a bay window with a stunning view, a fireplace, or interesting beams, and make it the room's focal point.

Professionals often position the furniture in a U- or L-shape, close to the fireplace. Furniture that is too far away will spread out what the eye takes in at first glance.

The mantel should be decorated with no more than five, and preferably three, decorative items. Some of these might be a mirror, a large painting, candelabra, clock, or a bit of greenery.

LIFT UP YOUR AREA RUGS: It doesn't matter how gorgeous they are, how much you paid for them or how much they go with your décor, they completely break up the floor plan, says one professional.

Most buyers are looking for the largest space, the most open area and rugs create the appearance that a room is smaller than it really is. And an area rug on top of a carpet will leave a buyer wondering what tears or stains are underneath.

Where do area rugs work? A small rug in good condition is okay in front of the kitchen sink. If your entire home, including bedrooms, is hardwood, position a maximum of one area rug in the room where it is most complementary.

For example, a carpet in the living room or dining room may help anchor the setting. If you have hardwood floors and heavy furniture, skip the area rug altogether.

REMOVE OR REPLACE STAINED CARPETS: Buyers don't want to replace it, just like you don't want to replace it. Some sellers prefer to work out a carpet allowance with their Realtors, but nine out of 10 buyers are still looking at that stain on the carpet as they walk through.

REMOVE WALLPAPER AND CONSIDER NEUTRAL COLOURS: "I'm not into snowstorm decorating (all white walls), but I know homebuyers who have bought homes that have a lot of wallpaper and they usually get a good deal on the house, because nobody else wanted to buy it." , says one Professional.

Unless the buyer and seller have the exact same taste, wallpaper is a big turnoff, so have it removed. A painter might tell you you're crazy, but one decorator suggests simply painting primer over wallpaper that is difficult to remove. Then, paint the walls a neutral colour, such as moss, tan, beige or soft, soft yellow.

Neutrals also help lighten up a space, something that's especially important if your home faces north. Neutral colours also allow buyers to envisage their own furniture more easily in your space. Besides, it's cheaper to paint than it is to have your house on the market for six months.

PULL FURNITURE AWAY FROM THE WALLS: It sounds funky, but it creates the illusion that your living room, family room, bedroom are so much bigger.

Many homeowners have their furniture pushed up against the walls. Professionals suggest pulling it 15 to 20 centimetres out from the wall. If you don't have a focal point in the room, pulling the furniture off the wall will make the space the focal point.

LIGHTING: Don't leave all the lights on in the house. It makes it feel like you're walking through an asylum," says a Professional.

First, clean all of your light fixtures. Chandeliers and lights that have been polished throw off light differently and give your home sparkle.

Next, make deliberate choices about lighting for each room. Alternate with table lamps, dimmer switches, floor lamps or, depending on the size of the room, a combination of all of the above. Pretend you're setting up for a hot date — a hot date to sell your house.

REMOVE YOUR SCREENS: If you absolutely need your screen doors, leave them in, but take all of the window screens out. Your house looks brighter and crisper with screen-free windows.

Have you ever noticed the rooms featured in home décor magazines never show windows that have screens? They detract from the incoming light.

If you do decide to take your screens out, be sure to label them so you can put them back once the house is sold.

USE SLIPCOVERS: If your couch has seen better days, get rid of it. A sofa that is really out-of-date or worn out is a distraction. Or, buy slipcovers. They're cheap and attractive. The same goes for old bathroom or tea towels.

A FEW LITTLE EXTRAS: Use a basket or fancy plate for brochures and business cards and put it somewhere that you want to showcase in the house, next to a dish of candy.

If your home has a terrific view, put the candy dish there. The buyers will not only remember your personal touch, they'll take one last look out of your picture window as they leave.