5 expert tips on selling your home
First impressions count and looks matter whether we like to admit it or not. Home staging not only helps to sell your home faster but also attracts more buyers that are willing to put an offer on the table.
Here’s how the experts present their homes before entering the market:
1. Keep it clean and crisp
Remember your mum telling you to tidy your room? Well those days have spent as you need to create a home that is clean and neutral. The goal of home staging is to get buyers to mentally move in when they visit, but that’s difficult if it’s full of all your own stuff. Take the time to remove family photos and other personal items from your home too, as these can distract viewers from what your home really has to offer.
Be ruthless!
2. Create points of interest
A perfectly placed piece of furniture, plant or artwork in a hallway, awkward corner or at the top of a set of stairs can create a point of visual interest and encourage visitors to investigate further.
Points of interest are a great tool to add symmetry and balance to each room, it’s about showing the viewer the potential of the home and helping them visualise what it can be.
3. Balance is good
Studies have shown that humans find symmetrical and balanced arrangements more aesthetically pleasing—from art to faces and food—and yes, even how we arrange our furniture. Move your lounge furniture away from the walls and pair up movable furniture, such as your chairs, lamps, and side tables. If something doesn’t match try pairing it with something of similar size to balance the room out.
4. Each room needs a signature
Every room has its own distinct feature. It could be a fireplace, a different coloured wall, a piece of furniture, a window, or an artwork or mirror. Once you’ve found your feature, celebrate it and emphasise it.
5. Know your audience
Every good entertainer knows what their audience wants and how to give it to them. Think about the features that will help buyers to visualise the lifestyle they might lead in your home. A table and chairs for a family on the deck, a secluded reading chair in the sun, or a minimalist kitchen can all help sell a viewer on a different lifestyle—it’s important to understand what buyers are looking for and how they see themselves in your home which could soon be theirs.
Remember, think about your location and it’s context. Is it mostly families, working professionals, students or seniors? Use that information to guide your staging decisions. If you’re struggling for ideas a estate agent can always help with this.
Click here if you want to find out more or download a free eBook on this topic.
What's your favourite recipe for gooseberry?
Love gooseberries? Share your favourite way to enjoy them. We're looking for our readers' favourite family recipes for this delicious crop. Send yours to mailbox@nzgardener.co.nz, and if we use it in the magazine, you will receive a free copy of our December 2024 issue.
Six tips for improving security around your home
1) Improve outdoor lighting
Ensure that streets, driveways, and front yards are well-lit. Motion-sensor lights around homes deter trespassers by reducing hiding spots and illuminating their movements.
2) Trim your trees
Overgrown shrubs and trees provide cover for intruders. Keeping them well-trimmed around windows and doors improves visibility and reduces potential hiding spots.
3) Secure Entry Points
Ensure doors, windows, and gates are always closed when you are away from the house. Upgrade to more secure locks, deadbolts, or even smart locks for added protection.
4) Add a security camera
Place security cameras in the main entry points to your home. Doorbell cameras are also relatively cheap and a great way to keep track of who is visiting your home when you aren't there.
5) Start a Neighborhood Watch Program
You could reach out to members on Neighbourly to form a group of neighbors who can regularly keep an eye out for suspicious activity and report it. You could also check with Neighbourhood Support to see what is existing in your area.
6) Introduce yourself to your neighbours
The closer you are to your neighbors, the more likely they’ll notice when something unusual or suspicious is happening around your property
Feel free to share anything that you do around your area to deter crime.
What workplace change would you like to see most?
This coming Monday is Labour Day in New Zealand. This public holiday marks when the eight-hour workday and 48-hour workweek became law in 1899. The idea started with Samuel Parnell, a carpenter in Wellington, who in 1840 refused to work more than eight hours a day. Since skilled workers were in short supply, his employer had to agree.
As more skilled workers arrived, employers tried to change working conditions, but Parnell and others kept pushing for better rights. In 1890, Parnell led a Labour Day parade of 1,500 people to promote the eight-hour day. He passed away shortly after, and nine years later, Labour Day became an official public holiday.
Do you feel that we have reached the ideal in working environments yet? What rights are you passionate about relating to employment? Share your thoughts!
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