Ugly House Photos

Some home staging can be so exact and minimalistic that it comes across as cold, sterile, and fake.  These sellers decided against that staging technique.

In the office, they went for the rooted-in look.

In this room, they went for a versatile look.  It’s a bedroom, it’s a storage room, it’s a …

In the living room, they went for the night look…

…AND the day look!  It shows off the room’s different personalities.

In the bedroom, they wanted to show how much room there is for hoarding.

Warm kitchen.

Bright kitchen.

Need shelves in your bathroom for toiletries?  Remove the drywall and use the noggings as shelves!!

They wanted to emphasize that the garage can be a multi-purpose room.

You can never have too many hangers.

Dead tree out front?  Perfect for Halloween.

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Thank you for sharing your knife and eating utensil drawer with us.  It’s well-organized.

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Making a first impression in Chula Vista, California.  Total cost to clear it out: $0.

Knives are creepy.  How many do you really need?  From a Phoenix kitchen.

Collections of coffee mugs, grape clusters, and refrigerator magnets.  But at least the counter is cleared.  Glendale, Arizona.  Total cost to clear the walls & fridge: $1 for a tube of spackle.

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Taters!  In North Platte, Nebraska.

Cheese Balls!  In Phoenix.

Cheez-Its!  In Peoria, Arizona.

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Small coffee maker means about 2 cups each for 2 people.  25 coffee mugs on the wall.  Enough for 12 days without washing dishes!
Knives and utensils out in the open plus the mugs tells buyers this kitchen doesn’t have enough storage space.

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This Apache Junction, Arizona seller sure loves his Pepsi (check out the hoard on the kitchen counter), but he secretly drinks Coke (see the Coke can on the table?).  Busted!  He’s waiting for the home stager to arrive?

The office is a fright.  Holy knick-knacks.

Totally embracing the Southwest theme design in the living room.

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Best of Worst Home Staging Photos Top 20 - Round 2 - Section 3

Five candidates of the top 20 for your vote as Worst Home Staging Photo. You are allowed one vote per day. The top 2 of this section will move on to Round 3 on Monday.

TITANIC: Vote for me! Oh, deer, we’ve got taxidermy, a model ship in a fish tank, TVs on!, orange carpet, painting of the top of a pottery vase, nutcrackers, macramé, and more.

BLUE BEDROOM: Vote for me! I’ll feel even more depressed than I look if you don’t vote for me. I’ve got stuff and cables hanging all over.

AN APPLE A DAY: Vote for me! It’s applemania!

CAPE COD: Vote for me! I’ve got crabs! And a harpoon! And a shark head! A nautical theme is the best way to fit in with the Phoenix desert.

GAME OVER: Vote for me! I’ve got a winning rec room, complete with exposed rafters, an old pool table, a model ship, junk piled on the bar, a hanging weed eater (left side of photo), 6+ bar chairs, and crazy paint design on the column.

Vote for your favorite Worst Home Staging photo. Vote once per day. Voting ends Monday morning.

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The brain needs only one second to form an image and impression from a photo.  If the eye focuses on the wrong item, the mental image is set on that one item.

Do you notice the bedroom or the NASCAR blanket?

Do you notice the big room or the red rug?

Do you notice the vaulted ceiling and stacked stone fireplace or the big elk head?

Do you notice the cozy room or the plastic orange tree?

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What have we learned about home staging from this blog this year?

1) Sponge painting is ugly.  Remove it before any potential buyer sees it.

2) Neutralize bright paint colors & cutesy murals & designs.

3) Remove unnecessary personal items & clutter.

4) Remove family photos before selling.

5) Remove refrigerator magnets & other clutter from kitchens.  Buyers like to see clean counters.

6) Remove the knives & ugly pot rack.  No buyer wants to see your dusty old pots & pans.  Knives are dangerous; what if a buyer brought their kids?

7) Either empty out a room completely or arrange the furniture in a pleasing manner.  Consult a professional home stager if you have questions.

8) By all means, please clean the carpet and pick up the animal poop first.  $100 could save you $3,000 (buyers will assume total carpet replacement is necessary and will discount their offer significantly).

Happy New Year! Best wishes in 2010!!

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A common question asked by sellers:  Will my home show better with furniture or when empty?  It depends on the furniture, the floor plan, and the shape of the house.  Tacky furnishings do not help sell homes, but vacant homes expose dirt and create echoes.  Ask your Realtor for her/his opinion.

Here’s a Phoenix condo with before & after photos.  Which looks better?  Occupied or vacant?

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