After an intense pondering session, I decided on 5 tips to maximizing small spaces.  Here goes nothing:

Be flexible. Don’t define every room to a specific purpose, give purpose to every room!
Be functional. Just because it is called a “walk-in closet”, doesn’t men that’s all its good for.  Make use of every corner and bare walls by adding an art studio or office.
Scale down. Why have a family room AND a sitting room (that no one actually sits in) with TVs in both?  Designate one area for congregating, TV watching and video game playing.  This will maximize family time as well!
Divide it up. Maximize large rooms by dividing them into sections for designated purposes.  Use 3-fold room dividers or fancy curtains to really give it a “room-y” feel. (vintage room divider found on Amazon pictured right)
Bring it outside. If you have a porch, patio or yard, ad a grill, tables, tents and out door games.  You now have the perfect place to entertain!

Still not convinced that small space living is fabulous living?  Need an incentive to decorate a small space?  A website titled Apartment Therapy actually hosts an annual “Small/Cool” Contest (yes, that is the name) for homes under 1,000 SqFt.  The categories are (absolutely adorable) “Teeny-Tiny”, “Tiny”, “Little”, “Small” and “International”.  Thousands of entries are received and there is one Grand Prize winner as well as one finalist picked per category.

This year’s winner was an amazing 460 SQFT, well lit apartment in Brooklyn (pictured thanks to www.apartmenttherapy.com).  This teeny space has been completely maximized, allowing for a section for a bedroom (top left), living room (left), office, kitchen (bottom right) and bathroom.  I am in love!

According to the contest rules “The home can be designed by a professional, weekend hobbyist or design enthusiast” so everyone is invited to participate & the prizes are pretty swell!  Check them out for even more ideas on how to maximize your small space.

Whether you opt for small space living out of necessity or desire, there are so many ways to maximize the area and make it just as fabulous as an over-sized mansion!  Not to mention how green you can be, reducing your carbon footprint by using less emissions to keep a small space functioning.

How have you maximized space in your Tampa Bay home?  Do you have any small space decorating tips?

We have all seen the fully furnished and beautifully decorated luxury estates with immaculate details and feng shui that instantly makes us feel at home.  When it comes to taking photos, these are no brainers- they speak for themselves.  But what about the others?  The ones we know could be just as fabulous with a touch of detail?  How do we market these homes?

For the most part, we have two options to explore:
- Call a professional stager to have amazing furniture placed throughout the house.  Not a bad idea but it requires time, money and responsibility.
- Have the home staged with computer generated or CAD style furniture.  Still not a bad idea but you lose the “real-ness” of the photo.

While both options offer a specific advantage, combining the two would be ideal and (hooray!) now you can.  Hello, Virtual Staging.  I am not going to lie, I was a little skeptical at first but after really delving into the website and seeing some of the before and after photos (pictured), I would really like to test it out (or better yet, get one of the amazing Smith & Associates Realtors to act as my guinea pig!)

Virtually Staging Properties is an Atlanta based company created by both Realtors and Professional Stagers, so you get the best of both worlds.  Rather than using computer generated furniture, you are able to choose from a virtual library full of REAL furniture and accents that can be super imposed into the potentially fabulous but currently boring empty living room that was once a home.

Currently, the photos come in 3 standard packages:  3 photos for $225, 4 for $280 or 5 for $325 with additional photos at $60 each.  Ordering staged photos for your home for sale in Tampa Bay is as simple as filling out a short form (including as much detail/preferences as you would like) and sending it, along with high resolution pictures of a (preferably) vacant home, to one of the Virtual Stagers.  Within 3-4 business days, you will have photos of a fantastically decorated yet vacant listing and you can even order 8 x 10 prints to display in the home during showings and Open Houses!

While I am unable to speak on behalf of the company as far as the final product goes, they have been featured in several major publications and news outlets including the New York Times, multiple affiliates of ABC News and several Real Estate Magazines.  For more information on the company, visit their website at www.virtuallystagingproperties.com.

Keep in mind that they are simply bringing to life one of your photos.  Be sure to send them your best shots to ensure you are appealing to that 85% basing their future home choices off of how fabulous the photos are!

Have you used this product?  If so, what did you think?

A stager’s job involves rearranging, or possibly adding or removing, furniture and decor in your home in order to play up its best features and get it sold.  They can be an absolute asset in the process of marketing Tampa homes for sale, but there are things you should know before hiring one to stage your home.  Staging is at this point an unregulated profession, which means that what you get when you hire one can very greatly from the next.  It does not require a degree or any specific training, which means that individuals can come from any variety of backgrounds, training, and experience.   Similarly, what you get for the fees you pay will very greatly too.

Although professional training is not required to become a stager, most in the field have a background in design, decorating, real estate, or a related field.  Some who are very successful in the field have work experience in merchandising.  Not all those working as stagers are without training in the field, it’s just not required.  Courses are offered across the country in both online and in-person formats, and typically last a few days in duration.  Most of the courses however, focus more on the aspects of running a business successfully than they do on the aesthetics and principles of what will help a home sell.  When hiring a home stager, make sure to investigate their qualifications and experience before making a final decision.  Ask to see samples of their work to make sure you feel comfortable that they are the right fit for you.

When it comes to charging for services, some will complete work on an hourly basis while others charge by the job.  In most cases, a stager will offer a free consultation which allows them to get a look at the home and formulate a bid.  How much such a project will cost will vary greatly depending on the state of the home.  For instance, if a vacant home is being staged there will be a cost involved for rental furniture.  Another project may involve a fully furnished two story home that more than anything else is in need of a reduction in furnishings and ‘stuff’.  Since each of the Tampa homes for sale are unique, every home will need to be seen before a price can be agreed upon.

The best way to track down a great stager is by asking friends and professionals you know.  Referrals are often the best source of business for those in the field, and we all feel more comfortable going with someone who’s been recommended by another.  So, ask around!  Also, interview at least three to get a good picture of what’s available in regards to services and then make the choice that’s right for you.

Human beings, while creatures of habit, are a complex tapestry of not only thoughts, but emotions. Logic may prevail in many critical situations, but when it comes to the culmination of our dreams it is our emotions which pull the strings. What does a customer want when they buy a house? The logical answer is that they want a new home they can afford, in a safe neighborhood, with a good school system, etc., etc… But their emotions are yearning for a fresh canvass upon which they may paint their future. This is rooted in the subconscious of all people. No matter what logic we bring to the table we are still dreamers, and we want things our way. So how do we give that to a customer?

“Less is more.” Perhaps this is another phrase you’ve heard. It is the key in understanding how to give a customer a blank canvass. Customers don’t want to see our history played out across the rooms in our house (i.e. they don’t want to see pictures of Uncle So-and-So with his Championship Bass resting on the mantle next to our daughter’s softball trophies). If we leave such memorials behind thinking that it will “Sell the idea of a home” we are wrong. Remember, people want to project their own dreams onto bare walls. So, what is the first thing we must do? We must let go. We must get rid of all signs of our history in the house. Shed the urge to memorialize ourselves and attempt to see the house for what it is: a container for someone else’s future.

Does this mean you should leave each room completely barren? Not in the least. The trick is to create the illusion of a home uninflected by our own lives. Don’t ask yourself “What does your living room look like?” ask yourself “What does a living room look like?” Ask yourself the same question for bathrooms, bedrooms, studies, etc. You are not creating a home; you are creating the illusion of a home using room-by-room archetypes. What are the elements that make up a bedroom? A porch? A living room? What orientation of chairs and couches create the most inviting and aesthetically pleasing make-up? Remember: “Always Be Closing.” You want people to walk into this house and “feel at home” the instant they set foot on the carpet.

Part of this illusion is the idea of “perfection.” Walls should be evenly painted. Any wood surfaces should be polished to their original luster. Windows should be crystal clear. The air should smell clean. The temperature should be neutral. The front and back yards should be open, clean, and devoid of any debris. Anything that isn’t part of the structure of the house should be vibrant and new. Some experts* like to display spa packages in bathrooms, and a fanning of cookbooks or magazines where they might normally be. These visual concepts sell ideas: “This is where you can relax;” “This is where you cook for your family,” “This is where you have time to yourself.” All these images are archetypal in nature and thusly resonate with a buyer’s subconscious.

So, what is closing at this stage of the game? It is appeasing human nature with the use of smoke and mirrors. Give people what they want. Do customers want a house? Only on the surface. Consider what a new house means: the chance to start a new life and execute dreams to their fullest potential. That’s what people want, and that’s what we have to sell. The house is incidental.

*Professional “Home Stagers” can be hired for an array of fees. These experts have been trained in visual aesthetics specific to home layouts.

Before you even put your home on the market, make sure that all basic repairs are completed. Nothing can turn off a prospective buyer quicker than loose railings, torn screens or missing hardware on cupboard doors.  These easy repairs do not cost a lot of money.  If a home buyer sees that the little things are not attended to, they are likely to believe that the larger items are neglected too.  Let buyers know that you have pride in your home by making sure that all of the small repairs are taken care of.

Keep your home clean throughout the time it is on the market. In a slow real estate market, it is important to have your home available to view at a moment’s notice.  The more often your home is shown, the more likely it is that your home will sell.  Keep your home available to your realtor and so they can present your home quickly to any buyer that shows interest.

Have your home staged by a professional. Home staging has become a booming business and these professionals will help you remove clutter and depersonalize your space.  Prospective home buyers want to picture their family in the home – not yours.  A home full of personal clutter will not display the true potential of your home.

Keep pets contained during a real estate showing and make sure that your cat litter box is always clean. Pet owners tend to get used to the odors caused by pets.  Nothing will turn off a prospective home buyer like a house that smells.  Many people are fearful of dogs, especially ones that they do not know.  Make sure that you either take your dog with you during a showing or put them on a leash outside.

Be realistic in your expectations of the sale price for your home. Forget about what could have been if you had sold it last year and focus on what your home is worth now.  In a buyer’s market, buyers do not have to negotiate much.  Buyers know that you want to sell your home and a home that is priced too high is very likely to be looked over.  Ask a fair price for your home to avoid the need for too much negotiation.

In a slow market, hiring a real estate agent is crucial to get your home sold in a reasonable amount of time. Yes, there are ways to list your home for sale by owner using the internet.  However, nothing beats the experience that comes from a real estate agent who is willing to take care of everything in order to sell your home.

Selling your home can be a stressful time, but you can be successful in selling your home if you remain patient, reasonable and flexible. There are buyers out there and the key is to find them and get them to fall in love with your home.