Know what makes me want to barf? (well, one thing, because there are a lot of things that make me want to barf) Home staging shows. You know, the ones where some cute little chick tells you that nobody is going to buy your house if your dining room is red. Or if you have a bucket of cat toys in the corner.
Guess what? My dining room is red! And when we put it on the market, I am *NOT* painting it beige. When we bought this house, the dining room was deep purple. The living room was minty green. The master bedroom was aqua. There were wallpaper borders. We bought it anyways. *gasp* Take THAT Lisa LaPorta!
When we were looking for a place, we saw some horrendous wallpaper. Disgusting tile. Putrid wall colors. We even saw photos of families and buckets of toys! Yet somehow we managed to look past those things to issues like floorplans, flow, overall condition, neighborhood.
People aren't nearly as stupid as television tries to make us. So IN YO FACE, HGTV.
Anyone with me?
Thursday, September 24, 2009
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17 comments:
With ya!! 100%
Those dumb shows are a waste of time. And the money they waste making them. Why don't they buy health insurance for people instead.
stupid-heads.
p.s. I hate mornings.
good-bye
Oh yes! There's a very superior American on a similar show here in the UK - I think I'd die a thousand deaths if she ever attempted to set foot in our house, having first tripped over the junk in the porch, the cats and dogs milling around and the things that are waiting to be 'put away'.
Mind you, my m-i-l's reasons for not buying houses range from disliking the colour of the front door to not liking the carpets to finding them 'a bit small' to 'not much of an outlook'.
I love watching those shows- the people are selling their home and they spend an extra $10,000 before they leave on repairs, redecorating and landscaping. I'd rather use the money towards the down payment on my new home.
There is something to be said for curb appeal, but you are right- most of us can look past poor color choices and cat toys.
I'm with you! I just about de-manned our realtor when we were thinking of using him. I had two babies, but needed to make it look they didn't exist. He even suggested taking one of their cribs down. Interestingly enough we did use Mr. Idiot and I kept family pictures up when we were selling our place. Why? Because the last time I checked while the blasted thing is on the market it's STILL MINE and I still have to live there. It sold lickity split without his ingenious help and advice.
A lot depends on the market. In a market that is slower for sellers, staging can make a huge difference. Even in a market better for sellers, it may up the price. But staging always has to be balanced by the fact that you do still live there. To me the idea isn't to make it look like you don't live there but to make it look clean, uncluttered, and neutral enough that lots of different people could imagine themselves living there. Some buyers (like you) can look past cosmetics; others can't.
But...when we sell our house we'll probably keep the dining room red because I've worked with enough buyers who would really like that.
i am such a hyper hypo when it comes to staging houses for the quickest sale:(
but then again, i'm someone who has a hard time looking past that macrame plant hanger in a dining room or the beer bottle wall off the kitchen;)
i bet even with red walls, your house is immaculately groomed and presented. i'd sure buy it.
because you're FUC!ING awesome.
andrea
Our house was ugly when we first moved in too, hello we can see the potential whether there are toys on the floor or not!
Ah, NOW I see how to enable my email . . . never thought about it before I suppose. (Thick, me? . . . )
I agree with C.Beth. There is a certain amount of staging you should do - but just enough to make it look clean and uncluttered (clutter = room looks way smaller than it is).
I have come to the realization that we will more than likely be ripping wood paneling off of our future house's walls. ((shudder))
LOL...I revised my comment so many times that it doesn't make any sense.
I should have mentioned that we are in the process of finding our first home and the stuff I've found online is plagued with old carpet and wood paneling in every room. You have to look past that stuff or else you a)won't find anything or b)will spend thousands more for a "move in ready" house that would have only cost you a few hundred to do yourself.
(See? This is why I rarely comment. Two times through and I'm rambly and don't make sense)
With recliners of death, it makes perfect sense for your dining room to be red. And the cats, can they get the toys out of the buckets?
when we were looking at houses, our realtor said don't look at color of carpet or color of paint. those can be easily changed. look for room layouts and storage space and if you can make it work for what you want and need in a house.
betty
I can overlook just about anything. I look for the homey feeling, the neighborhood, ('cause it sucks to have to move a house once you buy it), and the potential.
I agree. Yes I agree.
The thing about all those shows is they change up rooms and stuff, which basically changes it from a home to a house. They are two completely different things. A home is a place that shows who you are, and where you feel comfortable. Personal clutter and messes make up a home- that's just how it is. What they do on those shows is make everything perfectly organized and beautiful, and in a way that usually takes away from the uniqeness of the owners. I don't agree with some of the designers' visions of a 'home.' I'm pretty sure most prospective buyers can get past personal clutter. HGTV tries too hard to make everything their own definition of 'perfect.' Yet, I still like to watch it! :]
Some people (like you) can see past the bullshit and straight to the potential. Others just can't see anything but what's right in front of them - so if they see purple walls, they can't imagine them white. When we bought our house, it had a lime green kitchen, paneled walls, and a linoleum floor designed to look like an oriental carpet. But we bought it anyway - ALL cosmetics.
I"m laughing so hard. We just moved the end of August. We rent. The landlord asked us if we wanted the house painted. I said NO. I really wanted his time put into other things. He ended up painting anyway and my bedroom is now a putrid yellow :( I would've much preferred the blue or green or whatever it used to be.
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