When Silicon Valley home owners prepare their property for the competitive real estate market, they want to get a good return on their investment of time and money. Often the best staging work is a matter of decluttering, updating or improving floor coverings, wall coverings fixtures and countertops. It’s what I call “lipstick and rouge” rather than cosmetic surgery. Please remember that the shift is from this being “your home” and a reflection of you to a product you wish to sell. So it’s got to be appealing to the market more than anything else – and that means taking your own personal taste out of the equation.
Today let’s talk staging color.
Years ago, the conventional wisdom was that all San Jose, Los Gatos or Santa Clara County home buyers wanted white walls “because it makes a home look bigger”. It is true that lighter colors tend to help with the light, bright and airy look, but all white is also all boring. All white homes can be difficult to sell and too frequently those homes sell for much less or do not sell at all!
Do you find that the all-white look is the most appealing? Most buyers would say not – that a splash of color makes the room “pop” and more interesting and desirable. At the same time, you don’t want to overwhelm them with it!
If you’ve got white walls and white carpets, or beige walls and beige carpets, most buyers will be left feeling cold. To sell your home for top dollar, it’s important to make it appealing to them – and that means adding color. Paint is not the only way to do it, though.
Your decor can also help. The punch of color could come from fabrics, art, rugs, curtains, etc. Simple things like colorful throw pillows can make a big difference in the feel of a room. A stager would be your best resource for what is in style any given year, but a good rule of thumb always is that monochromatic is good to avoid. Choose an accent color, just don’t throw in the whole rainbow.
Please contact me if you’d like to discuss selling your Silicon Valley home.
