While most never consider drastically changing the exterior of their home to sell, some absolutely should, and many more would likely benefit.  Not suggesting you NEED an all-new exterior to get your house sold, but an updated color scheme can easily turn the dated to modern, the chaotic to calm, or the boring to bling!

The most obvious reasons to update would be peeling paint, irreversible staining, or siding that’s just very, very dated.  Worse yet, if your house is already on the market and your exterior colors are getting negative feedback, it would likely be in your best interest to make a change.  But don’t let those be the only factors to prompt you!

Painting everything the same color when you’re dealing with funky, mismatched additions, fixing past ill-chosen colors, or blending in dated brick accents with the rest of the siding can also give your home a fresher, more cohesive feel.  And if you’re thinking of painting over dated brick in general, you can read more about that here.

I recently watched a house with old, dingy white clapboard siding and faded green shutters get a fresh coat of Behr Paint’s Galley Gold with cream colored trim and matte black shutters.  The results were absolutely stunning!  And for the record, if you’re afraid of painting vinyl siding, Sherwin-Williams has a line of exterior paint called VinylSafe made for this very purpose.  From what I’ve seen and read myself, it does exactly what it says it will do with proper application.

If you’ve got cedar or wood siding that’s been stained, or even a deck or fencing, consider re-staining it to brighten it up or painting over the old stain with a semi-solid or solid stain color.  A number of years ago, I gave this advice to one of my clients and the old mud-brown stain that had been plaguing that home for decades was given a semi-solid stain update in burnt almond and it looked like a brand new house!  Please note:  If you plan to do this, consult a pro.  It is important to know if the original stain was oil based, and prep work is essential.

Those considering replacing the siding altogether (or even your roof) and want to see what color combos might look best, I’m a big fan of CertainTeed siding and roofing and they have a clever little, easy-to-operate tool called ColorView that can give you a preview of what your new exterior colors might look like, and plenty of siding colors and roofing materials to choose from.

It’s no secret that an updated kitchen is very appealing to potential buyers!  Painting dated cabinets, adding new cabinetry hardware, countertops, and lighting are all great ways to make a kitchen that’s seen better days look much more current.  New appliances are also an important element in a kitchen transformation and anything you invest, you will typically earn back on a quicker sale and/or better price!  Appliances can be expensive however, so knowing when to buy can really save you money.

Since most appliance manufacturers tend to roll out their new models in the fall, September and October are always a great time to get in on the savings.  But if you’re really in the market for a deal, and as the truly thrifty among us already know, the prices are slashed even further to make room for holiday inventory in November!  And while waiting to purchase until the end of the week could garner you a few more savings, if you have the patience, wait until month end when appliance stores are trying to make their monthly quota and are more apt to offer their best deals.

According to the National Association of Realtors®, homes listed the first week of April see 14% more views, 5% less competition, and sell 6 days faster!  So if your goal is to get your house on the market fast and take advantage of these statistics, whatever you do…don’t wait until the last minute.  There’s always plenty to do, and it comes up faster than you think.

The fall and winter months are the perfect time to start thinking ahead and get a jump on the notoriously busy Spring Market!

Start clearing things out!  You’ve got a long-winter ahead of you and it’s the perfect time to start boxing things up, cleaning out those closets, and getting rid of the excess you don’t plan to take to your new home.  We recommend boxing up anything smaller than a football that you don’t use/need on a regular basis and storing it in the basement, a secondary room, or even the garage.  Likewise, furniture/electronics/’stuff’ that’s not making the cut should be cleared out and sold/donated/gifted at this time.

Make needed repairs and updates!  Spring is a very busy time of year for contractors, so lining up someone to fix that leaky faucet, paint your dated cabinets, or re-sand those hardwood floors in the slower fall/winter months is an ideal time and won’t leave you in a panic to find someone at the last minute!

Find your Realtor® and stager!  Finding the right professionals should never be left to chance!  Do some research and start narrowing down your options.  Get recommendations from friends and family, check out agents and stagers who have found success in your neighborhood, or take a look at our HSE®’s who have completed our Home Staging Expert® course and are more than qualified to assist you in meeting your goals and getting your house SOLD!

April will be here sooner than you think!  Take some of the stress out of the process by being prepared well in advance and the sale of your home will go much smoother, placing  you miles ahead of the competition.

If you’ve ever wondered if it’s difficult to learn the art of home staging, our answer is…not if you take the right training with the right trainer!

Just check out what Debbie Pidcock of Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage in Fort Collins, Colorado was able to accomplish after just one Home Staging Expert® workshop with Joanna Gyrath.  This was the final project Debbie submitted  just a few days after attending!

Just imagine what a difference this will have on potential buyers.  Debbie has completely opened up the space while adding so much more visual square footage and placing the attention back on that beautiful view.  We have to admit, we’re very impressed…and we know her clients will be, too!

If you’re interested in learning more and would like to get certified and earn your Home Staging Expert® designation, check out Joanna’s upcoming Home Staging Expert® workshops in Colorado and Wyoming (8 to 14 CE Credits available in Colorado) and be like Debbie!

The AFTER from Rachel’s latest workshop…open, roomy, and focused!

And here’s the BEFORE…cramped and cluttered.

There are some things in life you live to regret.  Like not snagging those Fleetwood Mac concert tickets before they kicked out Lindsey!  But sometimes, you get a second chance and you should definitely take that chance when you see it.

If you missed out on your last opportunity to earn your Home Staging Expert® Certificate and Designation with Certified HSE® Trainer, Rachel Armstrong…now’s the time!   She’s an amazing Home Staging Expert® and instructor who can teach you valuable skills that will last a lifetime.

Rachel is offering a workshop in Suwanee, Georgia on November 13th, and Gainesville, Georgia on December 11th.  Sign up now and start signing more listings and selling more houses!  For further information or to register, CLICK HERE.

Another AFTER that made a huge impact!

And here’s the BEFORE!