While there is still plenty of sunshine around, winter is not far away. Now is the best time to prepare your garden and property for the colder temperatures and weather that will soon be coming. It is a good idea to prepare your property before winter arrives as you do not want to be stuck working outside in windy and rainy conditions. Here are a few tasks that you can complete during autumn in preparation for the cooler season ahead.

photo by rebamex

Keep Your Lawn Under Control

As the weather cools down and the rain starts again, your lawn will burst into life with the wonderful mix of sunshine and water. You will need to mow your lawn more frequently now which means plenty of exercise (except for those lucky enough to own ride on lawn mowers.) Make sure you wear appropriate protective gear to help prevent injury. Be sure to dispose of your lawn clippings in an appropriate manner – some councils offer green waste bins or regular verge collections. You could also start a compost bin in your back yard.

Plant the Winter Veg

With the price of fruit and vegetables increasing at super markets, growing your own vegetables in your back yard is a cheaper and fun way to get nutritious food. It is a fantastic learning experience for kids and will help them to understand and appreciate where their food comes from. You should research what vegetables are best planted now and stick to seasonal varieties. Your local nursery will be able to provide you with all of the information you need to start your own vegetable garden.

Trim Dangerous Branches

Winter storms can bring strong winds and heavy rain and damage houses, fences and cars. Now is a good time to trim any potentially dangerous branches to prevent any nasty accidents happening in the future. You can trim small branches yourself but larger trees should be looked at by professional tree surgeons. Many local council will request that branches near power lines be removed in order to prevent wires from being broken during a storm.

Clean Up the Garden

A general clean up of the garden, including putting away loose objects and covering piles of wood, is best done now before the wind and rain arrives. Loose objects can cause a lot of destruction during storms. This includes outdoor furniture or children’s toys that might be out in the garden. It is a good idea to cover any bikes, barbecues and furniture that can be damaged in wet conditions. You should also clear out your gutters periodically during autumn to prevent water from building up and entering your house through the eaves.

Preparing your home and property now while the weather is still enjoyable is the best way to ensure your home will survive the wet season and you won’t have to worry about broken windows or blocked drain pipes in the middle of a winter storm!

Authored by Stefani Harris

Stefani is a writer by night, but in the a.m., she slings coffee and cake at a shop in North Adelaide, SA. She’s loves games and a good cup of coffee.

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While we post all of our before and after property styling / home staging shots on our Facebook page we thought we would post a few of our favourites on our blog.

The post Property Styling – before and after appeared first on Stylus Home Staging.

Create an Inviting Atmosphere

The goal of staging your yard is to create an outdoor living space that’s an extension of the interior of your home. HGTV home staging expert Terry Haas, advises to approach staging your yard in the same way that you style your home. By incorporating a consistent color scheme and a few seating areas, potential buyers can more easily envision themselves entertaining here. Include some of these essential elements to stage your backyard to be more inviting:

Home Staging Outdoor Living

1. Outdoor dining table
2. Sun umbrella
3. Lanterns
4. Candles
5. Tiki torches
6. Chaise lounges
7. Barbecue
8. Fire pit

Home Staging Backyard

Refresh the Landscaping

Survey the landscaping and note any problem areas where that could use some color or vegetation. Determine what plants to incorporate based on what will thrive the most in this environment. Plant colorful flowers and fragrant hearty herbs such as rosemary and lavender to stimulate the senses of potential buyers. Add decorative edging and fresh top soil throughout the garden to give the space a polished look.

Draw Interest with Lighting

The ideal backyard space can be used day or night, so be sure to add ample lighting to make sure the space is optimized for after-dark enjoyment. If you’ve already invested time and money into your landscaping, you’ll be surprised how much a little lighting can add to the overall ambience, almost giving your yard a resort feel. You can get inspiration by looking at outdoor lighting at Kichler or other lighting design centers. Lighting can also be used to draw interest to each seating area in your yard, as well as any special areas such as a water feature, swimming pool or garden patch. In the end, well-placed lighting can add depth and dimension by incorporating a mix of accent and decorative lighting throughout the outdoor space.

Add Focal Points

Maximize the size of your yard by diverting attention to the far corners of it with natural focal points. Choose an object such as a sculpture or a bird bath to anchor a corner of the yard and then add vegetation around it to bring color and texture to the focal point. If you prefer to keep things natural and avoid ornamentation, Houzz landscape experts recommend using a tree with sculptural form as a focal point.

Cover Any Eyesores

Do you have an air conditioner or pool equipment that is detracting from the natural beauty of your backyard? Are brown patches of dead grass keeping your yard from looking vibrant? Whatever eyesores are in your yard, come up with a plan to remedy or hide them. Getting rid of old sports equipment such as basketball hoops and anything that strikes you as unappealing at first glance is also a good idea because it allows you to appeal to the broadest range of buyers possible.

Home Styling Pool

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Catherine White of Harcourts knows the importance of Property Styling.  “I know it works and having a beautifully presented home makes my job of selling much easier”.

Catherine has used Stylus Home Staging for quite a few of her listings, however the last 3 properties were different, but all had something similar.   All 3 properties had been on the market for close to 3 months with other agents, were vacant and did not sell.

Hicks St, Mitchelton

The Hicks St project was a vacant property.  At first the client was unsure about making the investment into styling her home, however we worked very closely with our client and within her budget.  At the completion of the installation, our client arrived onsite and was overwhelmed with the end result.  In the end the property sold in 4 weeks after receiving multiple offers and for a premium price.

Before Master bedroom

Master bedroom - after

Crown St, Mitchelton

Crown St was also vacant.  Our clients lived interstate and were selling their beloved post war home.  This home had warming peach and apricot colours and our clients were unable to paint and style their home, so they decided to dress it for sale.  With a combination of a stunningly styled home and Catherine’s great marketing skills, this home sold in less than 2 months.

Dining room before

Dining room - after

Fern St, Enoggera

Fern St, had been partially styled, however what was really unique about this property, was that there were 2 brand new homes side by side both with the same design but with a different colour scheme inside.  During the first marketing campaign the majority of the buyers didn’t like 20 and preferred 22.  With this in a mind Stylus Home Staging then completely styled 20 and the end result…most buyers liked 20 which ended up selling before 22.

Living Room before

Living Room after

We believe these 3 projects prove that property styling really works.

From Stylus Home Staging, we would really like to thank Catherine White of Harcourts for believing in us and thinking outside the box when it comes to selling a home.  She has proved that a well styled property will sell sooner and for more than a vacant one.

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Staging is the art of making your home uncluttered and inviting to prospective buyers, who like to envision themselves living in the home they’re considering buying. As any real estate agent will tell you, there’s no room more personal to buyers than the master bedroom. Here are some tips to help you stage this room before you show it:

Stylus Home Staging - Master bedroom

Keep It Clean

Make sure the carpet is vacuumed and the blankets are clean and crisp. Look for problems such as poor ventilation, squeaking doors, broken ceiling fans and damaged windows, and make sure they’re fixed before potential buyers visit your home.

Create an Illusion of Space

If you want to make your master bedroom appear larger than it is, try adding a full-length mirror to a wall, which adds depth to a room. Fresh Home Design & Architecture suggests removing bulky storage furniture (think dressers and armoires) and replacing them with wall shelves or under-the-bed storage units.

Make sure closets aren’t cluttered. Keep shoes off the floor and organized with a shoe rack, keep dirty clothes in a laundry basket, separate and hang scarves, belts, handbags and ties from hooks and make sure clothing is ironed and hanging smoothly.

Depersonalize

Take down your personal photos and religious items and keep lotions, medications, lingerie and controversial books or artwork out of view.

Make The Bed The Focal Point

Debra Gould of StagingDiva.com gives these expert tips for arranging an inviting master bedroom:

“Move the bed to the middle of the wall and put night tables of equal height and matching lamps on each side of the bed,” Gould recommended. “The goal is to make the bed the room’s focal point. Ideally the bed will be placed parallel to the door and under a headboard. Do not place a bed against a wall or beneath a window.”

Gould said that although the night tables and lamps do not have to be identical, matching their heights is extremely important. Uneven heights will make the room appear to be unbalanced and cluttered.

Staging experts also say it’s vital you get mattresses and box springs off the floor. If you don’t have a bed frame, a simple metal frame hidden by a dust ruffle is an affordable solution. Make sure you have a comforter and accent pillows that are decorative, warm and neutral. Choose basic colors and patterns that are coordinated and can be liked by all different types of people.

Stylus Home Staging - Master Bed

Don’t Forget Lighting

Lighting is key when creating an admired ambiance. Designer and stager Susan V. Phillips suggests dressing windows with privacy blinds overlaid with simple, sheer curtains. This helps the room feel more comfortable by diffusing the light and lends a breezy quality to the space. Phillips also suggested using soft white lights with translucent lamp shades to create a romantic, glowing effect.

Stylus Home Staging Master bedroom

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We would like to wish everyone a fabulous and fun filled Christmas.

Safe travels to all and have a wonderful New Year.

Thanks for all your support this year and we look forward to another amazing year in 2013.

The post Stylus Home Staging – Seasons Greetings appeared first on Stylus Home Staging.

A little boys room by Stylus Home Staging

At Stylus Home Staging we know that the majority of buyers have children or are planning a family. So it is really important to capture their emotions by styling or staging a room within your home as a child’s room, whether or not you have children yourself.

If you do have children then get them involved by preparing their room/s. Have them choose their favourite stuffed toy or artwork and use that as the feature in the room. Get them to help sort through their toys and start packing them away, but make sure you keep out the ones that they play with often. Use baskets to put the toys into, this will keep them organised and baskets look good too.

A hint of Pink by Stylus Home Staging

If you don’t have children then stage a bedroom. You can either do this yourself or hire a professional property stylist from Stylus Home Staging to do this for you.

At the end of the day, you want your home to appeal to the majority of the market and that is buyers with families. Presentation is key in any sale and with a well styled home you are likely to sell for more and in a shorter period of time

A little Navy and Red by Stylus Home Staging

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Finances Matter

One of the ways to help keep your homeowner’s insurance prices down is to keep your credit rating up. While companies will investigate the neighborhood you live in, another gage of cost is your personal credit rating. The better your credit rating, the lower your cost is likely to be. Do not overlook the option of paying more of your premium up front versus paying over time. If you are able to do this, your policy could cost you less in the long run.

Do Not Over-Insure

One temptation with a homeowner’s policy is to overbuy. While contents insurance may be perfect if you have jewelry, artwork or other valuables, an umbrella policy may be a better option in other cases. Other factors such as the age of your home, any upgrades you have made and whether you have an alarm system may help reduce the cost of your policy. It is always a good idea to compare various policies for other discounts as well. For example, some companies may offer reductions if you bundle homeowner’s and auto insurance policies.

Do Not Under-Insure

Some homeowners believe that buying a less-extensive policy may save them a lot of money. However, it is crucial that you carefully weigh the potential loss against what your premiums cost. Let’s say that you have an extensive art collection, a vacation home and you live in a flood area. In this case, you will want a policy that includes contents insurance to protect you against losses. Flood insurance is critical if you live in any area that is prone to flooding. Vacation homes often require different policies such as liability, loss of use and other features that are unnecessary for those insuring a primary residence.

Lenders May Have a Say

Your mortgage lender may have a say in how much insurance you must have to maintain on your home. Chances are, your lender will require you to maintain a fire insurance policy at a minimum. Lender’s may also require that you insure your home to the maximum replacement value. Be certain that you speak with your lender and your insurer to learn what is required.

Saving money on a homeowner’s policy is important, but not if it means under-insuring your home and personal items. Accidental damage, flood and contents insurance can help protect the items inside your home. Liability policies and umbrella policies can help protect you against lawsuits in the event that someone is injured on your property. Know what you are looking for and compare prices before you decide which policy is right for you.

Authored by:  Bethany Ortiz

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When preparing your home for sale, whether it is completely vacant or you have a few rooms that require some additional furniture and accessories, the question to ask is “Do we rent furniture or do we buy?”

RENTING FURNITURE

• A professional Property Stylist can negotiate the best price with the rental companies compared to the owner doing it themselves.
• Renting furniture costs much less than buying.
• The Stylist can select furniture that compliments the property while creating a theme intended to wow that potential buyer.
• Renting furniture also includes renting accessories such as vases, lamps, bowls, candles, artwork, faux TV’s and laptops.
• The furniture will be the best in design, stylish and functional.
• Some furniture rental companies will on sell the entire rental package to the potential buyer if they love the furniture.  This creates another great marketing tool for your realtor.
• The furniture is delivered and installed and when you sell your home, the furniture rental company will pack it and remove everything.
• Hiring a Property Stylist to organise and arrange the entire rental process is less stressful for you.
• Flexibility and convenience at a low cost.

BUYING FURNITURE

• You are selecting furniture that will suit the size and style of that particular room, will that furniture fit into your next home?
• Buying furniture and accessories is expensive.
• You will have more furniture which means it may cost more in moving expenses.
• You will have more things to pack.
• There is a chance your new furniture will get damaged during the move to your new home.

Yes it is an expense to rent, but it is even a bigger expense to buy, however there are certainly more pros to renting furniture than buying.  Don’t forget that property styling usually adds 10 – 20% to the selling price of your home and homes tend to sell quicker.

Whether you choose to rent or buy, with either option furnishing your home in the most stylish way possible is a huge selling point and allows buyers to envisage themselves living in your property.

After all, property styling is a small investment to make for one of your largest personal assets you own, your home.

The post PROPERTY STYLING – to rent or buy furniture?! appeared first on Stylus Home Staging.

Declutter

Clear out the clutter by going through all your closets and cupboards. Either donate what you no longer use or put it away in storage. This creates more space and storage ideas that buyers absolutely love. It also helps when it is time to move as there is less packing for you to do.

Depersonalise

Buyers need to be able to visualise themselves in your home, not see all your personal items like photos, religious artifacts, certificates, collections and collectibles. Take yourself out of your home, after all you’ve made the decision to sell so it really isn’t your home anymore.

Sparkly & Clean

Clean, clean and clean again. Vacuum, dust, mop and wipe. Clean your cupboards, closets, windows both inside and out, clean under the sinks, clean your appliances they need to sparkle and your countertops, taps, sinks and bathtubs should be shiny and free of water spots. A small but great investment is to hire a professional cleaner to do a deep clean of your home, then you can easily keep on top of cleaning prior to your open homes.

Curb Appeal

The first thing a potential buyer does, is look at the outside of your home, so your gardens need to be manicured, your lawn needs to be mowed and weeded, driveways, paths and decks all need to be cleaned. Consider using a high pressure sprayer to clean these areas. You can add potted plants and seasonal flowers. If you have a pool, make sure it is clean and looks inviting as pools are a great selling feature. This is your first chance to make a good impression, so you’ve got to make it count.

Light & Colour

You may love that red wall in the lounge room, but bright colors don’t appeal to the majority of buyers. Neutral colours work best as it makes your home appear larger and has less chance of offending someone. Make sure every light is working, so replace those burnt out light bulbs and before an open home, turn on every light. Also, open up blinds and draperies to make sure there’s sufficient natural light throughout the home. Remember, lighting is the most effective way to set a mood. If you have a dark room, purchase a floor lamp this will reflect and bounce light from your ceiling.

Repairs

If you have a leaky tap, hirer a professional to fix it. Make sure all the door handles are secure. Patch any damaged walls and repaint them. Don’t forget the floors, replace that old worn carpet and consider refinishing any damaged hardwood floors. You can also use a new area rug to disguise those shabby floors.

Serenity

In the bedrooms, try to create a relaxing and luxurious setting, by using soft colours. Consider using a white duvet cover and dress it up with a cosy throw rug, Euro pillows and different shape cushions using two to three colours and make sure you have large side lamps.

Overcrowding

Trying to find the right balance with furniture sizing can be tricky as you don’t want to overcrowd a room with large furniture as it will make the room look cluttered and small and you don’t want to leave a room with too little furniture either.  This is a great time to remove or replace worn and outdated furnishings, or you can place all your furniture into storage and hire a Professional Property Stylist and hire furniture and accessories.

So there you have it, a few Home Staging tips to help with the presentation and sale of your home, however if you find this a little too daunting then consider hiring a Property Stylist, after all it is a small investment to make for such a large investment you own…your home.

You can find more information on Property Presentation, by visiting our other blog pages.

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