By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team First impressions mean everything — especially when it comes to viewing a potential home. As visual beings, a cluttered space or a jarring wall color can be enough to make us turn around and walk out the door. Successfully staged spaces provide two effects: they give a home an aesthetic appeal, and offer buyers an opportunity to dream themselves into the space. If there’s one thing professional stagers know about designing spaces that appeal to buyers, it’s the art of selecting great decor pieces while utilizing space. The goal is making the most positive impact. Here are five helpful staging tips a professional interior designer used to turn a listing into a sold home in no time.

Know your audience

Staging is less about your personal style, and all about the buyer or renter you’re trying to attract. You must always know your audience in order to create a successful staging design. Discuss this matter with the broker, and research the neighborhood to understand the demographic that will be looking to purchase or rent your home.

Pack up the photos first

You want the potential buyer or renter to be able to envision themselves living in the space, but that’s a bit difficult when someone else’s family photos line the walls. Put all family photos away in a safe place to allow room for visitors to imagine themselves in the space.

Don’t be afraid of trends

While it’s true that some trends have a short lifespan, in staging the risk may be worth it. The timeline for renting or selling is typically short enough for design trends to thrive while a home is on the market. So, if you’re itching to try out all the Mediterranean Santorini blue accents popping up lately, go for it. Trendy designs and colors will give the home a current, fresh look.

A little color goes a long way

The goal in staging is to enhance a space, not distract from it. Usually a safe bet is to create a neutral space that any person, regardless of their taste, can appreciate. Bold colors and daring decor could be loved by some and loathed by others. For instance, walking into an overwhelming yellow bedroom can make potential buyers forget all about those beautiful marble counters in your kitchen. The last thing you want is for buyers to remember your staged space as “the one with that tacky yellow room.” That said, you shouldn’t be afraid of color. A trendy color applied in a tasteful way could leave buyers referring to the home as “the one with the gorgeous teal wall.”

Show how livable the space is

The most important reason for staging is to show the full potential of how a space can be used. You should try to bring in as many functional pieces as possible while not overcrowding the space. Steer clear of oversized or bulky furniture. Details like this make a space feel cluttered and dysfunctional. Opt for full size beds with two night stands, armless side chairs, lifted case goods and round, pedestal-base tables. Sometimes it’s a good idea to complete the picture. Even if you think a dining table crowds the space, at least show a two-seat dining set, as it’s more important to show that it could work than leave it out entirely. The final thing to keep in mind is that staging doesn’t have to break the bank. Be creative and consider DIY options when you’re designing your space. In most cases, just keep these tips in mind and remember: Less is more. A few simple changes and you’ll be on your way to a space that other people are eager to live in. Please note that this Scottsdale Real Estate Blog is for informational purposes and not intended to take the place of a licensed Scottsdale Real Estate Agent. The Szabo Group offers first class real estate services to clients in the Scottsdale Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area in the buying and selling of Luxury homes in Arizona. Award winning Realtors and Re/MAX top producers and best real estate agent for Luxury Homes in Scottsdale, The Szabo group delivers experience, knowledge, dedication and proven results. Contact Joe Szabo at 480.688.2020, [email protected] or visit www.scottsdalerealestateteam.com to find out more about Scottsdale Homes for Sale and Estates for Sale in Scottsdale and to search the Scottsdale MLS for Scottsdale Home Listings.

By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team Black and white is a pairing as old as time. These sharply contrasting shades add the perfect amount of chic to any room, whether used as a focal point or an accessory. Here are some classic ways to incorporate this winning combination in every room of your home.

Geometric giant

Wallpaper is a great way to reinvent a room, and an even better way to show off your interior design skills. Today’s trendy patterns combine black, white and geometric.

Sharp angles and lines are the perfect solution for a space in need of a face-lift. Accessorize your newly graphic room with glossy finishes and metallic trinkets for a contemporary look.

Pillows and blankets and linens — oh my!

Scared of commitment? Try on this stark style by adding throw pillows and comfy accents to a black or white outfitted bed for an instant style boost. Mix large patterned pillows with solid-colored lumbar sizes to create contrast.

Pile on textured throws in black and white (or both) for a voluminous take on the classic combo. Round out the look with pieces of abstract art in shades of gray and a bedside lamp or two in your favorite metallic tone.

Back to black

We’ve all seen white walls, but what about black accent walls? Though it is a little intimidating at first, a black wall adds just the right amount of contemporary contrast when you’re not sure how to go about painting your room.

Whether you like semi-gloss or super matte, a black accent wall is great for rooms with lots of natural light and plush furniture for some added edginess. Hang statement artwork on the wall or layer on interesting sconces for an eclectic twist.

Black and white and clean all over

For a classically styled black and white room, start with the kitchen. Because black and white is so crisp and clean, it’s the perfect spot to test out this smooth style. Alternate the colors between different areas of the kitchen — a black range, white cabinetry, black countertop, white backsplash—and you’ll find that you didn’t even notice you had only used two colors.

The alternating shades add depth and dimension throughout the space without adding too much color. Keep it clean with chrome or gold-toned faucets and hardware, and add freshness with colored glass accessories.

Sweet serenity

While the bathroom is often one of the last places to get any attention for its decor, it might be the first place you want to try the black and white trend. Black and white alternating tiles add texture and dimension to an accent wall.

Mix cool, dark cabinetry with shimmering light fixtures for extra glamour. Keep the rest of the room simple and serene by adding an unfussy floral arrangement and plush linens, and you’ll find that the bathroom might just be your favorite room in the house.

It doesn’t matter if your style is cool and contemporary or totally traditional, combining black and white paint, accents, and furniture is an easy to way to boost any room in your home, while adding sleek simplicity. Please note that this Scottsdale Real Estate Blog is for informational purposes and not intended to take the place of a licensed Scottsdale Real Estate Agent. The Szabo Group offers first class real estate services to clients in the Scottsdale Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area in the buying and selling of Luxury homes in Arizona. Award winning Realtors and Re/MAX top producers and best real estate agent for Luxury Homes in Scottsdale, The Szabo group delivers experience, knowledge, dedication and proven results. Contact Joe Szabo at 480.688.2020, [email protected] or visit www.scottsdalerealestateteam.com to find out more about Scottsdale Homes for Sale and Estates for Sale in Scottsdale and to search the Scottsdale MLS for Scottsdale Home Listings.

By Joe Szabo, Scottsdale Real Estate Team Just a few years ago, at the height of the real estate crisis, if homeowners were transferred for work or moved for personal reasons and couldn’t afford to sell their homes, they often opted to become “accidental” landlords. Not experienced real estate investors, they became such as a result of the market. Now that the economy has picked up, many of these landlords are finally selling their investments. If you know that you’ll be selling a home remotely, don’t wait until the last minute. It’s hard enough to sell a home, and being far away makes it even more difficult to prep the home, deal with tenants and make sure that you have the best agent for the job. Here are some tips for making your sale a success.

Make sure you’ve lived in the home for at least two of the past five years

The federal government allows homeowners to sell their home without paying taxes on the first $250,000 in gain for single people, or $500,000 for married folks. The catch is that the home has to have been your primary residence for at least two of the past five years. Many people don’t realize this requirement, nor do they plan for it, and they end up with a taxable gain. Still others don’t account for timing and end up selling “under the gun” to make the deadline. To benefit from this amazing tax break, the sale has to close within the appropriate window. Know this and plan ahead. Otherwise, the home will be taxed as an investment property.

Get a good agent on board early

The smartest remote sellers have a solid agent with their feet on the street. A good agent provides a local resource for their clients. They can field late night calls from owners with leaky faucets, or intervene with tenant issues. If you don’t know a good local agent, try to identify one before you move away, or on a visit back to the old home. Solidify the relationship well before you plan to sell, and do it in person, because that agent’s time can be invaluable. Once the time comes to sell, it could be as easy as picking up the phone and asking the agent to execute the listing.

Stay on top of the home’s market

Put together a search of your property and stay on top of what’s selling in the area. Follow similar-sized homes that go for sale and keep an eye on their listings. A smart homeowner will keep a search open at all times, in addition to staying in touch with their real estate agent. Just one or two comparable sales, at the right price, could motivate you to take action.

Take care of your tenants

Nobody wants to be displaced. Moving is incredibly disrupting. If you’ve been renting your home and are likely to sell to someone who will want to live there, as opposed to inheriting your tenant, then give your tenant some notice of your intention to sell. A smart homeowner will tell the tenant upfront of their long-term plan and write language into the rental agreement stating that the tenant needs to cooperate for showings at the end of the lease. If you have a good relationship with your tenant, drop their rent while the home is for sale, in return for their cooperation. It will go a long way towards a solid relationship. Please note that this Scottsdale Real Estate Blog is for informational purposes and not intended to take the place of a licensed Scottsdale Real Estate Agent. The Szabo Group offers first class real estate services to clients in the Scottsdale Greater Phoenix Metropolitan Area in the buying and selling of Luxury homes in Arizona. Award winning Realtors and Re/MAX top producers and best real estate agent for Luxury Homes in Scottsdale, The Szabo group delivers experience, knowledge, dedication and proven results. Contact Joe Szabo at 480.688.2020, [email protected] or visit www.scottsdalerealestateteam.com to find out more about Scottsdale Homes for Sale and Estates for Sale in Scottsdale and to search the Scottsdale MLS for Scottsdale Home Listings.