By David Wagenheim, Lic. R.E. Salesperson in our Eastside Office
In the acting world there is the old adage, ‘there are no small parts, only small actors’. I feel the same concept can be applied with real estate listings. There are no bad listings, only challenged listings in need of a solution.
A recent article in the New York Times reminded me that sometimes listings can present some challenges that we as agents need to try and overcome. Below are some imaginative ways that agents and home stagers have come up with to compensate or mask what could be perceived as a negative by some buyers.
Low ceilings present the challenge that they can make a space appear smaller than it is. Some recommendations were: white paint, tall window dressings, and low profile furniture. For instance, a lighter shade of paint on the ceilings than the walls would draw the eye upward to make the ceiling appear higher. Additionally, it was recommended that using the same shade of flat paint from the ceiling on the crown molding, instead of semi-gloss, would give an “uninterrupted perspective” which in turn would give the illusion of a higher ceiling. In the same vain, floor to ceiling window treatments also give you the impression of height. And last, minimal low to the floor furniture will also add to the illusion.
Windows facing a brick wall or minimal light were other concerns. Pops of bright color, strategic bright lights, and even decorative window film were some of the suggestions given. One agent added bright colorful drapes with sheer white curtains as well throws, pillows, and rugs to make the space feel cheery and happy. Another placed a light fixture with a florescent daylight bulb behind a curtain to give the illusion of natural sunlight shining through. And yet another advised on using decorative window film, or a more-costly custom etched-glass window, as way to allow light to come in while masking the view.
A ground-floor unit facing the street, can present issues with privacy as well as unsightly bars on the windows. Some creative solutions given were installing lovely window boxes. Having colorful live flowers can help to distract from an otherwise unpleasant view. And bottom-up curtains are great way to allow natural light in while giving you privacy inside.
An awkward layout is something that can affect how one uses a space. One agent spoke about a duplex listing that had an amazing bathroom with everything that one could dream of. The problem was, according to the agent, it was just off of an open kitchen in a less than adequately sized master bedroom. Her solution was to create a floor plan where she could ‘sell’ the bedroom as an amazing walk-in closet off of a ‘spa-like’ bathroom. She then turned the downstairs finished basement, with an adjoining room and a half bath, into a grand master bedroom with a separate office or hobby room. And rather than do a traditional open house where a multitude of people can wander unsupervised, she decided it would be best to do by appointment only showings so that she could sell her vision of the space to each person.
So as you can see, and at the risk of using another old adage, ‘necessity is the mother of all inventions’.
Connect with David over email or visit his agent website. __________________________________
Thoughts and opinions presented in this post are those of David Wagenheim and do not reflect the official opinions of Halstead Property, LLC.
