![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
olmueSon 1 is back! He went to scout camp at Chawanakee, somewhere up by Sequoia/Yosemite that area. I swear he is bigger than when he left. It looks like he had a fantastic time. I'm glad he had the chance to go!
So, now that the stress of actually finding a house is over, I realize that looking AT houses is kind of fun. I'm getting ideas on what to do with ours once we move in by looking at others, and I'm also getting ideas on how you can make your house more appealing if you're trying to rent/sell it. So, if you're trying to do just that, here are things that can make or break interest in a house, at least initially when you are advertising on line:
1. CLEAN YOUR HOUSE. Seriously. I shouldn't even need to say this one, but...yeah.
2. Go easy on the doodads. I've seen some houses that have patterned pink wallpaper plus wooden siding plus shelves of knicknacks plus teeny photos of every relative you've ever had. It makes it look junky. Plus, some of us overdose easily on busy designs in a room. Keep it simple.
3. Related to that, if you're going to get creative with the paint but you don't really understand how color works, maybe either consult with someone who does, or just do tasteful neutral colors. I do think that color can be a nice selling point, but I've also seen a few where *urgh* people jumping on the color bandwagon with no clue that those colors don't go together AT ALL.
4. Put SOMETHING in the room. It's hard to gauge things like size and proportion and also to imagine yourself living somewhere when all you see is walls and a floor. So if you can, drop a piece of furniture in there. Or at least in the picture, before you pack it all up. I guess when you visit in person you can see the size for yourself, but a picture really needs reference points.
5. If at all possible, post a summer photo of your house. If you can't, pick at least a time of day when the light is warm (near sunrise/sunset). If you have to sell your house in the winter and it's still on the market in spring, get a new photo. We saw one house that was taken on a cold blue day, and it just screamed PERMAFROST!!! at me. I didn't even ask about it.
6. If you are thinking of doing some things to your house to make it more attractive to sell, and you have a little money, I'd say paint is good. An attractive paint job (see #3) really does tip the scales in your favor. Windows are another factor. Clean windows that work are good.
There you have it. Wisdom (ha ha) from the peanut gallery!
So, now that the stress of actually finding a house is over, I realize that looking AT houses is kind of fun. I'm getting ideas on what to do with ours once we move in by looking at others, and I'm also getting ideas on how you can make your house more appealing if you're trying to rent/sell it. So, if you're trying to do just that, here are things that can make or break interest in a house, at least initially when you are advertising on line:
1. CLEAN YOUR HOUSE. Seriously. I shouldn't even need to say this one, but...yeah.
2. Go easy on the doodads. I've seen some houses that have patterned pink wallpaper plus wooden siding plus shelves of knicknacks plus teeny photos of every relative you've ever had. It makes it look junky. Plus, some of us overdose easily on busy designs in a room. Keep it simple.
3. Related to that, if you're going to get creative with the paint but you don't really understand how color works, maybe either consult with someone who does, or just do tasteful neutral colors. I do think that color can be a nice selling point, but I've also seen a few where *urgh* people jumping on the color bandwagon with no clue that those colors don't go together AT ALL.
4. Put SOMETHING in the room. It's hard to gauge things like size and proportion and also to imagine yourself living somewhere when all you see is walls and a floor. So if you can, drop a piece of furniture in there. Or at least in the picture, before you pack it all up. I guess when you visit in person you can see the size for yourself, but a picture really needs reference points.
5. If at all possible, post a summer photo of your house. If you can't, pick at least a time of day when the light is warm (near sunrise/sunset). If you have to sell your house in the winter and it's still on the market in spring, get a new photo. We saw one house that was taken on a cold blue day, and it just screamed PERMAFROST!!! at me. I didn't even ask about it.
6. If you are thinking of doing some things to your house to make it more attractive to sell, and you have a little money, I'd say paint is good. An attractive paint job (see #3) really does tip the scales in your favor. Windows are another factor. Clean windows that work are good.
There you have it. Wisdom (ha ha) from the peanut gallery!
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2010-07-18 10:08 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-20 02:39 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-19 08:42 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2010-07-20 02:40 am (UTC)