Kansas City home staging Archives - Overland Park Home Staging

How to Get Your Home Met Gala Ready When Selling

You Don’t Need to Do Everything – But You Do Need to Do the Right Things to Get Your Home Met Gala Ready When Selling

If you’re thinking about selling your home, you may already feel the pressure:

“We need to declutter.”
“We should probably update a few things.”
“Maybe we should start packing”

And while those thoughts aren’t wrong, they’re just not often focused on what actually matters to buyers.

That’s where many homeowners lose time, energy, and money by doing too much of the wrong things and not enough of the right ones.

The Reality of the 2026 Real Estate Market

Today’s buyers expect homes to feel:

Clean
Updated
Spacious
Move-in ready
Emotionally appealing

And they’re making decisions quickly, often within 10 seconds of opening your front door. That means your home needs to be strategically prepared, not just “cleaned up.”

Here are 5 Easy Steps to Get Your Home Met Gala Ready When Selling

Step 1: Start with a Home Staging Preparation Consultation (The Step Most People Skip)

Before you start decluttering, fixing, or updating anything, you need a plan.

Because here’s the truth: what sellers think matters, often doesn’t. And what buyers actually care about is often overlooked.

During a home staging preparation consultation, you’ll learn:

What to declutter (and what you can leave for now)
How to properly depersonalize without stripping the home of warmth
Which repairs actually matter and which don’t
Where to spend money (and where not to)
How to prepare your home for the home staging and styling the right way

This Home Staging Preparation Consultation alone can save you thousands of dollars and weeks of unnecessary work to get your home ready to sell. Every Met Gala Winner has a plan to be the best on the Red Carpet.

Step 2: You Handle the Preparation (With the Right Guidance)

Once you have a clear plan, this is where you take action.

Your role:

Declutter with purpose (not panic)
Remove excess furniture and belongings
Depersonalize on purpose
Complete the right repairs and updates
Prepare your home to prepare for your staging and styling session

This isn’t about emptying your home. It’s about editing it strategically so it feels open, calm, inviting and ready to sell.

Step 3: I Create the Model Home Look Buyers Are Searching For

Once your home is properly prepared…this is where the transformation happens.

My role:

Design and implement your best Model Home Look
Arrange your furniture (if necessary) to maximize your space and flow
Bring in cohesive styling and updated design accessories if needed
Create warmth, balance, and most importantly – the emotional connection
Highlight your home’s best features

This Now to WOW transformation is the difference between:

A home that “looks nice” and a home that buyers fall in love with.

Step 4: Professional Staging, Styling + Photo Shoot (Your First Showing Is Online)

Once your home staging and styling is complete, we move into the most powerful marketing phase. This is the icing on the cake.

I provide:

Final styling accessories (if needed) to elevate each space
A professional Photo Shoot designed to capture buyer’s attention from the start
Images that stand out online and drive showings

In 2026, your listing photos are everything. If they don’t stop buyers mid-scroll, they will never step through your front door.

Step 5: Strategic Listing Launch (Creating Buyer Demand)

When I launch your home and it hits the market, it should do more than “show up.” It should make a big impact and drive showings immediately.

A properly prepared, staged, and photographed home creates:

Strong first impressions
Immediate showing activity
Emotional buyer connection
Faster and better offers

Why This Process Works (And Saves You Money)

Without guidance, many sellers:

Update the wrong areas
Spend money where it won’t pay off
Declutter inefficiently
Miss what is important to buyers

With the right plan:

You do less but achieve more
You spend smarter – not more
You prepare your home on purpose – not guesswork

The Bottom Line

You don’t need to do everything. You just need to do the right things, in the right order. And that starts with knowing exactly what those things are.

Start Here: Your Home Staging Preparation Consultation

If a move is on your horizon, even if it’s months away, this is your first step.

Here’s what you’ll get from your consultation:

A clear, written, customized plan to prepare your home for the market
Downsizing guidance (if needed) tailored specifically to your home
A prioritized to-do list
Expert insight into what today’s buyers expect
Tips and tricks that cause buyers to fall in love
Confidence in your next steps

No more guessing, wasted time but a clear path forward. Remember, when buyers see themselves living in your house, they will buy it faster and pay more money for it every time. It doesn’t get any better than that!

Call or text Melinda at (913) 515-3250 or contact me here to get it scheduled.

How to Make Rooms Look Bigger When Staging Your Home for Sale

Selling your home is stressful enough – don’t let cramped or cluttered rooms make it feel smaller than it really is. The right home staging can make a huge difference in how buyers feel about your space, and small changes can make your rooms appear larger, brighter, and more welcoming

Here are some Melinda-friendly, practical tips to make every room feel bigger:

What is the Biggest Home Staging Mistake?

It may seem obvious, but clutter is the #1 reason rooms feel smaller. Remove unnecessary furniture, knick-knacks, and personal items. The more open space you create, the larger the room suddenly appears.

My pro tip: Use under-bed storage containers or boxes to clear items out of sight if you don’t get an offsite storage space. Less stuff looks like more perceived space.

Lighten It Up

Light walls and furniture make a room feel airy and open. Consider soft, neutral colors that reflect natural light. Mirrors are also a secret weapon. They bounce light around the room and create the illusion of depth.

Melinda-friendly tip: Position a mirror across from a window to double the light effect.

Does Furniture Placement Matter?

Absolutely! Avoid blocking pathways or cramming furniture against the walls. Instead, float furniture slightly away from the walls when possible. This creates a sense of flow and gives the eye more room to move across and through your space.

Use Multi-Functional Pieces When Available

If your rooms are already small, choose furniture that serves multiple purposes. For example, a storage ottoman, a fold-out desk, or nesting tables can reduce clutter while still being functional.

Let Buyers See the Space

Remove heavy drapes or window treatments and let natural light in. Keep windows clean and blinds open. Dark, blocked-off windows make rooms feel confined and smaller than they actually are.

Create Vertical Space

Draw the eye upward. Use tall bookshelves, vertical artwork, or floor-to-ceiling window treatments. Vertical lines give the illusion of height, making ceilings feel higher and rooms feel bigger than they really are.

Is Flooring Important When Staging My Home For Sale?

Using the same flooring across multiple rooms creates visual continuity, which can make your home feel bigger overall. Avoid dark rugs that cut up the space.

Accessorize Strategically and Carefully

Less is more when staging. Use a few well-placed accents to create focal points, but don’t overcrowd the surfaces. I don’t always believe in clearing countertops – especially in the kitchen – but tidy shelves, and minimal decor does make rooms feel larger and more appealing.

Final Thoughts

When it comes to selling your home, how buyers feel about your space really matters. By decluttering, depersonalizing, maximizing light, arranging furniture thoughtfully, and adding a few visual tricks, you can make every room feel bigger – and more attractive to buyers.

Staging your home effectively isn’t just about beauty – it’s about helping buyers see themselves living in your home. When buyers see themselves living in your home, they will buy it faster and pay more money for it every time!

Where Do You Go From Here?

If you’re interested in professional home staging, check out my Now to WOW Home Staging System here. My professionally staged homes typically sell during my 3 Day Home Selling Event. How great would that be to come on the market on Friday, have offers on Sunday so you can get back to normal on Monday? I call it NO MORE SHOWINGS MONDAY.

Check out your options and let me know how I can help you reach your home staging and selling goals. You can call or text me at (913) 515-3250, message me or contact me here.

Remember

Be sure to check out a new blogpost every Monday for baby boomers who are downsizing (or their families) and a new blogpost every Friday for real estate tips if you are thinking about selling your home.

Why Winter Home Staging Matters More Than Ever

When the real estate market slows down for winter, Home Staging becomes more important than ever. Buyers may be fewer, but the ones who are out shopping are serious — and they’re looking for the homes that feel right from the moment they walk in.

That’s where my Home Staging System makes all the difference.

A properly staged home stands out in online photos, creates an instant emotional connection, and helps buyers picture themselves living there — no matter how chilly it is outside. In a slower market, you can’t afford to blend in. You have to shine.

At Overland Park Home Staging, I specialize in creating The Model Home Look — that warm, inviting, perfectly pulled-together feeling that makes buyers fall in love. My goal is to make your home become the one buyers can’t stop thinking about. When buyers see themselves living in your home, they will buy it faster and for more money every time.

Here’s Why Staging is Essential this Winter

Fewer listings mean more competition for attention. Staged homes photograph beautifully and attract more clicks online.
Buyers are cautious right now. A professionally staged home builds confidence that your property is move-in ready.
First impressions happen faster. From your photos, to the moment buyers walk through your front door, that first 10 seconds are when buyers will decide on your home. My home staging ensures your home stands out from your competition.
Staging increases perceived value. Even in a slower winter market, a well-staged home can sell faster and for more money.

Why Winter Home Staging Really Matters

Winter is the season for cozy — and that’s exactly what today’s buyers want to feel. With a few strategic updates, thoughtful styling, and my proven “Model Home Look” System, your home can stand out beautifully in any season.

Ready to make your home the one buyers fall in love with this winter?
Let’s create a staging plan that helps you sell faster and for top dollar — even in a slower market. Staging is just the beginning process of selling your home for the most money. I’m Melinda Bartling, Realtor and Home Staging Stylist in Overland Park, KS. Discover why I might just be the best choice for you!

Call or text me at 913-515-3250 or schedule your consultation here.

Home Staging Don’ts and Simple Ways to Avoid Them

First of all, you’re probably asking yourself, just what are home staging don’ts? Actually I came up with this idea years ago when I would see people time and time again making the same mistakes when trying to sell their homes. I think the original idea came from a column in Glamour Magazine back in the day. They would have fashion do’s and don’ts and I applied the same concept to home staging.

After all, there’s typically always a better way to arrange your furniture and to accessorize your space when you are preparing your home to sell. And there are just things you do and don’t do. Remember, the way you live in your home and the way you sell your house are two very different ways.

I can give you so many examples of home staging don’ts that I’ve seen since I started Overland Park Home Staging back in 2006. Most homes have a couple of home staging don’ts but then there are those that break all the rules. And some of the home staging don’ts are worse than others.

My biggest pet peeve is the dead animals – whether it’s a moose or deer head, champion fish or a life sized bear wearing a designer scarf around its neck. The dead animal is at the top of my list of home staging don’ts. Even in this day and age where antlers and deer heads are somewhat trending in home décor, it’s not anything you want on display when trying to sell your home.

Home Staging Don’ts Case Study

Years ago, an acquaintance of mine listed her house with another agent. After it was on the market awhile and she wasn’t getting any interest, she reached out to me for my help. As a result, I booked a consultation with her to determine what she might need to do to get some activity going on her home and get it sold.

As soon as I arrived at her home, I realized she had probably broken the top 5 home staging don’ts on my list. First of all, the rooms were crowded with furniture that made the space seem off balance. The kitchen had bright blue tile and countertops that nobody would want. Furthermore, there was no sense of style or décor. Every flat surface was cleared off (due to the advice of her agent) but clutter was stashed inside kitchen drawers and cabinets. Closets were stuffed full of what she was trying to hide. But to top it off, there was a dead animal morgue in the basement with probably at least 25 dead animal heads mounted on the walls. And she’s asking me why her house isn’t selling.

Here are My Top 10 Home Staging Don’ts

If you are serious about preparing your home to sell, be sure to avoid the following home staging mistakes that many sellers make. Many of them are easily fixable if you get some guidance or hire the right home stager.

Some will require an investment in time and money. Don’t be like the people that told me they just replaced the carpet. It was pink before. Their agent told them to replace the carpet. Unfortunately, they bought new pink carpet. Be very clear on what to do from a professional that can and will guide you.

Dead animals – mounted on the wall or not – they need to go!!!
Rooms that are off balance – this is done in the final steps of home staging
Lack of décor – home staging is not clearing all flat surfaces as many agents will tell you. Your home needs to have the Model Home Look that every buyer wants and pay more money to get.
Too much clutter – you’re moving! Pack up your stuff!
Family photos and personalized plaques etc. – don’t have your family photos and name plastered everywhere for everyone to see. The buyers aren’t there to look at your stuff. They are there to find reasons they can’t live without buying your house.
Fake plants used outside instead of real flowers – this just shows bad taste. Buyers will not fight over your house and drive up the price when you stick fake flowers in the ground.
Ugly kitchen countertops – if you loved them, that’s great. Pick something that will appeal to all buyers and not have to wait for the perfect buyer.
Carpeting that needs to be replaced – don’t offer a carpet allowance. Replace the carpet with a little above builder’s grade. Buyers love new carpet whether it lasts a year or 5 years. You’re moving.
Every room is a different color – find a painter that needs the work and paint the interior something light. White, gray or beige are all good choices. Buyers also love fresh paint.
Wallpaper/wallpaper borders leftover from the 70s – nobody wants to remove wallpaper and it will only prevent your home from selling. Get someone to do this. You’ll be glad you did!

In Conclusion

There are other home selling mistakes that sellers make. But if you can make sure you have these 10 under control, your home should sell quickly and over asking price in any market.

If you want a professional opinion about what you need to do to get your home ready for the market, call or text me at (913) 515-3250 or contact me here.

The Truth About How Home Staging and Styling Sells Homes!

If you’re in the market to sell anytime soon, here’s the truth about how home staging and styling sells homes. Many home sellers and their agents think home staging isn’t necessary in this fast moving real estate market. Whoa! You do want more money don’t you???

But let’s back up a minute…we stage and style homes using your own things! Most people don’t know that home staging was created in 1973 and was always about homes that were occupied. We create your home’s best home selling look using what you already have!

Home Staging is the Emotional Piece to the Puzzle

You see, until buyers are emotionally involved in your home, they won’t buy it. Just because you think you have a great house, on a great cul-de-sac, with great neighbors, none of those things matter. Especially in south Overland Park. What house for sale doesn’t meet those conditions? You love your house because it’s your house and you have a million memories there. Your buyer on the other hand, has no memories and no attachment to your home whatsoever. So to your buyer, you’re just another box of cereal on the shelf. There’s no emotion and when there’s no emotion, there’s no sale.

What Can You do to Stand Out from the Competition?

The most important thing you can do to stand out is to have your home professionally staged and styled. You’ve got one chance to make a first impression. Your buyers are going to make a decision within 10 seconds of opening your front door and you’re either going to win their hearts or send them packing. If they don’t walk through your front door and stop and say, “wow…I could live here,”you’ve lost them.

As a Realtor for over 35 years, I would always say we’ll put this one on the back burner. In today’s market, there is no back burner. You either win or you don’t. There’s no runner up and they aren’t coming back.

My advice? Hire the best home stager possible and get your house ready to sell. I always say:

When your house is ready, the buyers will come.
Melinda Bartling

Play the game like it’s the Super Bowl. Prepare. List. SELL! Hire an agent who understands how home staging and styling works. Agents I stage for on a regular basis know it’s all in the details and that’s what I’m good at. I have a vision for every house I see. In a couple of hours, I can totally transform your home, using your own things, and give it that Model Home Look that every buyer wants. And they will pay whatever it takes to make it happen.

The better your home looks determines the amount of money your buyer will pay. Give the buyer what they want and they will buy your home faster and for more money every time.

Check out this living room I walked into recently…

There are NO 2nd Chances in Real Estate

Home sellers who understand the selling process and take it seriously are raking in the big bucks. You can put your home on the market without preparing it or you can spend a couple hundred dollars and sell for $10,000-$20,000 over asking price. It’s up to you. But you get one chance. Don’t screw it up!

The way you live in your home and the way you sell your house are 2 different ways!
Melinda Bartling

Yes this is the same living room after a little home staging, rearranging and styling! Needless to say, this home sold immediately for WAY OVER asking price.

Give me a couple of hours and I can turned your very lived in home into a masterpiece that every buyer wants and will pay more money to get!

Home Staging and Styling Services

If you’re in the Overland Park area, call or text us at (913) 515-3250 to schedule your home staging and styling services. In a couple of hours, we will transform your everyday lived in home into something spectacular that buyers will swarm to like bees to honey. It’s the best thing you can do to sell your home in the current real estate market. You wouldn’t sell your car without detailing it would you? Call us today or contact us here!

3 Easy Home Staging Hacks You Need to Know

Regardless of what you may think, no matter what the real estate market is doing, there are only 3 easy home staging hacks you need to know to sell your home. Whether interest rates are sky high or way below average if you do these 3 things, you will be way ahead of your home selling competition.

My Home Staging Expertise

Let me give you a little background about me and my home staging expertise. I’ve been licensed to sell real estate since 1987. I had learned of home staging early in my career. However, I wasn’t actually privy to it until a seller didn’t hire me to list his house back in 2006.

First of all, his wife had agreed to list their home with me. When I finally met with her husband, things quickly went south. He decided he didn’t like what I had to say about things they should do to get their home sold faster and for more money. The main thing I suggested was to repaint their kitchen cabinets that were sponge painted. Granted sponge painting was a trend in those days – but not on kitchen cabinets. Needless to say, I didn’t get the listing and was devastated because of it.

Home Staging was Created in 1973

After leaving that appointment with my tail between my legs, I came across the lady who created the home staging concept back in 1973. Barb Schwarz was conducting home staging training and her next course was in Chicago within the next couple of weeks. I knew home staging was the solution but I didn’t know how to sell it to my home sellers.

After working one on one with Barb, I learned her concepts about home staging and opened my own home staging business in Kansas City. Home staging was a new concept and most Realtors didn’t understand it and many still don’t. But as I worked with other agents, they saw that what I did made all the difference in the world in how the house showed – online and in person.

3 Easy Home Staging Hacks

In order to appeal to the largest number of buyers it all comes down to the Model Home Look and the 10 Second Rule. In other words, you’d better have your best look. Your buyers are going to make a decision whether or not to buy your house within 10 seconds.

Declutter – you must remove the clutter from your house. I know that’s a hard one but you are preventing your own sale from happening. Just yesterday my buyers said to me, “there’s no way these sellers could be out of here in 30 days.” We eliminated that house from our list of possibilities.
Depersonalize – be sure to remove all of those family photos, collections of beanie babies, etc. Buyers cannot and will not visualize their own family photos and collections in your house if yours are still there. They only see it as your house, they don’t visualize themselves living there.
Rearrange – this is the big one. You’ve got to rearrange your furniture and your accessories to evoke an emotional feeling from the home buyers. This is the 3^rd step of home staging and should be done by a professional Home Staging Stylist. You can declutter and depersonalize but the rearranging will create that model home look that every buyer wants and will pay more money to get. The rearranging step is where the emotion comes into play and causes buyers to fall in love with your home. Failing to do this most important step is failing to complete your home staging.

Moving the Buyers toward a YES!

When I know buyers are showing signs of loving a house, I will be the first to sit down in my favorite room. Inevitably the buyers will join me. That’s when they start getting comfortable and feeling themselves emotionally living in the house. The right furniture and accessories in the right places helps draw them in and feel right at home. Too much furniture and accessories in the wrong places will create a feeling of claustrophobia. I will be the first one to run out the front door.

Faster Home Selling Results

By using these 3 easy home staging hacks, you are setting yourself up to sell your home faster and for more money. When home buyers get emotional about your home, they will eliminate the others they’ve seen and buy your home now because it’s the one they see themselves living in.

Furthermore, buyers have no memories about your house. It’s your job to become unemotionally attached to your home and treat it as the product it is in order for your buyers to become emotionally attached. Once you understand and master that concept, you will be on your way to selling your home faster and for the most money possible. That’s also where a great home staging stylist will be worth her weight in gold and will turn your lived in home into a model home masterpiece.

If you’re considering selling your home and want to create your best Model Home Look, call or text me direct at (913) 515-3250 or get started here.

Easy Solutions When Your House Isn’t Selling

There may be several easy solutions when your house isn’t selling. Today we are going to focus on one – home staging.

Years ago, Fortune Magazine stated that a house will sell for 3 reasons: the price, the way it was or wasn’t staged and the Realtor you choose. As a lifelong Realtor and Home Stager, in my humble opinion home staging is all that matters. The right home staging is what will make the buyer buy your house. It creates the emotion.

Staging a home and preparing it for the market is crucial for a fast sale and oftentimes with multiple offers. Within 10 seconds of opening the front door, buyers will make a decision about your house. If your house doesn’t grab them emotionally from the start, you probably won’t sell your home anytime soon. Buyers make their decision about your house emotionally and justify their decision later rationally. Going hand-in-hand with home staging is the condition of your home. Selling your home is show time. Now is your time to shine. Do what it takes to prepare your home for the market and you’ll be singing all the way to the bank. This is an emotional sale. Take advantage of it!!!

Agents say things like:

It just didn’t wow my buyers
Don’t know exactly what it was but they just didn’t connect with the house
Might need some home staging to give it more appeal because it didn’t appeal to my buyers

Recent Home Staging Case Study

I recently received a text message from a lady whose house was on the market in Leawood. She told me her son said she needed to have her home staged after being on the market for over 2 weeks and not selling. There again, she thought home staging meant bringing furniture to a vacant house. That’s not what home staging is at all. He told her there were people who worked with what you had to give your home a better home selling look. She googled home staging in Overland Park and found me. She sent me 3 messages in a short time frame (I was on an appointment) and finally told me what she wanted. After asking her a few questions via text, I looked her house up on MLS and determined it just didn’t do much for me. I responded that I could meet for a consultation the next morning and do whatever I could while I was there.

Your Home’s Photos Tell the Story

When I entered the house, it was exactly as I expected…it didn’t wow me at all. After seeing the photos online, I knew it probably had potential but most of the furniture was poorly arranged. Remember, the way you live in your home and the way you sell your house are two different ways!

What Was the Solution to a Home that Didn’t Show Well?

After thinking things through, I had a discussion with her of my opinion and vision. The kitchen and hearth room area was huge and had nothing to bring them together. Little did I know, she had a free-standing kitchen island that was stashed in the garage. We brought it in the house and I went to work searching for things that could be used in the staging of it. Between the island and changing the furniture in the hearth room, it brought the space closer together rather than having what seemed like a basketball court between them.

Connecting the hearth room to the kitchen

Clearing countertops and furniture tops is never anything I recommend because that’s not what home staging is. Agents will tell you to do that because they aren’t home stagers and it’s less expensive than hiring a stager. But at the end of the day, buyers want to see themselves living in your home and when it’s cleared of all of its personality, they don’t connect with it.

Since this seller had put all of her accessories away, I got them out to stage her kitchen. I ended up creating a coffee station, lemonade area, as well as a meal prep space on the island. Unfortunately in preparing her home for sale, she had stripped it of its personality. But it had a huge personality by the time I left. I was there for 2 hours and got the job done. Needless to say, we were both thrilled with the end result and she hugged me as I left:).

Happy Client Testimonial

Here’s what she had to say after we rearranged the furniture in her living room and hearth room/kitchen area and accessorized her house.

“Melinda did an outstanding job of giving my home a whole new look in just 2 hours. Amazing what she could accomplish by rearranging my furniture and using just what was in my cupboards. She responded quickly, communicated often and was easy to work with. I highly recommend her services.”

One happy seller name withheld since it wasn’t my listing

There may be many reasons why your house isn’t selling but these are the only 3 that matter. Figure out your situation and address it now. Days on the market are a killer for anybody selling a house. Buyers are wondering why no one has bought it!!!

In Conclusion

Don’t waste time sitting around wondering about the easy solutions when your house isn’t selling. It may need a little furniture rearranging or just a personality boost. Please text (913) 515-3250 and tell me you need some home staging and I’ll respond immediately or you can contact me here. We stage occupied homes and have been for the last 17 years! In as little as 2 hours, your home could have a whole new look.

How to be the Right House for Your Buyers

If you are selling your home, you already think you know how to be the right house for your buyers. You have a pretty good idea why someone will buy your home. And then using the art of home staging and having a professional come in and stage and style your home to have that Model Home Look, is the icing on the cake.

It’s a long standing proven fact that staged homes sell faster and for more money. Staged homes seem more turn-key to buyers and if done correctly, present that emotional feeling that makes buyers want to live there.

Why will someone buy your home?

But when I ask sellers why someone will buy their home, I get the same answers over and over again,..

We’re in a great school district
We’re on a cul-de-sac
It’s an open floor plan
We have a finished basement with another bedroom down there
The neighbors are awesome
The neighborhood is very active for families with kids
The location is perfect and has easy access to everything

Everybody says that. While all of those things are important, none of them matter unless it’s the right house.

What is the right house?

Most buyers look at dozens of houses before finally getting one that actually speaks to them. And since the pandemic, many buyers decided they really don’t like the house they bought as much as they thought. In all actuality, it was the “one they could get.”

Many buyers in the past couple of years made offer after offer before finally getting their offer accepted. Personally, I worked with buyers that actually got to the point of making an offer on every house that came on the market in their price range. At some point, all those things buyers thought they had to have somehow became less important.

But now that the market has slowed down a bit and adjusted somewhat mainly due to increasing interest rates, many houses are staying on the market longer. Actually, the average days on the market in Johnson County, from list date to contract date is well over 30 days. We are back to a market I’ve experienced in my 35 years of being a Realtor.

How to be the right house for your buyers

We are finally getting back to sellers having to do a bit more upfront in preparation to attract the right buyer that will make the right offer for the right house. As a result, the right house must speak to those buyers and make them feel like they want to live there.

The real estate transaction is becoming more personal once again and less transactional. Buyers want to have those feelings about a house as they pull up outside and walk through the front door. I call that the 10 Second Rule. Your buyers will make a decision about buying your home within 10 seconds of walking through your front door. It’s like the 1^st impression rose on the Bachelor. Those feelings are either there or they aren’t. And as a seller, you’d better hope everyone that walks through your door feels that way about your house.

Home Staging is more important now than ever with an ever changing real estate market. This is the must have prelim to the photo shoot and will attract the most number of buyers. Don’t overlook the 3 step process of de-cluttering, depersonalizing and then letting your home stager rearrange and style your things for the right flow through your house. That’s how to be the right house for your buyers.

When buyers feel themselves living in your home, they will buy it faster and pay you more money for it every time!

For more information about our real estate services, visit Melinda Bartling Real Estate and Home Staging. We detail and style your home using your own things so it attracts the largest number of buyers, therefore selling faster and for more money! Cha-ching.

Call or text Melinda direct at (913) 515-3250 or contact us here to schedule an appointment or for a quick 15 minute call to see how our strategies make you more money when selling your home.

Quick Ways to Create Spring Curb Appeal

From recent freezing temperatures, warmer weather is just around the corner, and here are some quick ways to create spring curb appeal, whether you are selling or dwelling.

While shopping over the weekend for fresh, new spring curb appeal accessories for my new listings, I went into Home Goods to see what they were featuring this spring.

First of all, I love the feeling I get when I walk into Home Goods. They know how to get you in the mood to shop. It’s the same trick I use for all of my new listings. Home Goods and I both know we’ve got a short time to grab the buyer while they are present and either they’ll buy or they’ll move on. I call it the 10 second rule. It’s based on grabbing the buyer within 10 seconds of entering a house.

Home Goods is bright, full of happy music, and the colors throughout the store are outstanding. Furthermore, it’s such a pick-me-up and an incredible feeling. I love their bright cheery dishes, pillows, springtime furniture and outdoor cushions. It makes me want to buy everything in the store and give my own home a spring makeover.

I also love Home Goods for doormats and front door wreaths. They are bright, colorful, and full of life. The spring season is the best time for a change. It’s like starting over new again. In addition, you get a new lease on life and your home deserves this as much as anything. For that very reason, you will reap the benefits from your spring curb appeal makeover.

How to be the favorite house on the block

This week while working on a couple of houses, I thought about what would make us stand out from the other neighbors? What were some quick ways to create spring curb appeal?

Both houses had substantial front porches so I decided with the new season and the energy in the air, I wanted to focus on the porch and really hone in on the spring curb appeal to draw people inside.

As a result, at one of the houses, I added a new spring doormat, a fresh wreath and added new outdoor pillows to the homeowner’s glider. Adding large, colorful planters to each side of the front door was a plus.

Here are 5 quick ways to create spring curb appeal

Paint your front door
Add an expensive pot or planters filled with colorful flowers next to the front door
Find a pretty new wreath and hang it on the door
Get some new, large house numbers
Change out your mailbox (if it’s on the house) or paint it to match the color of your door

Do these 5 things to create your spring curb appeal and while the buyer’s agent is busy getting the key out of the lock box, the buyers are quickly falling in love with your house.

We had a cold winter in Kansas City. The spring real estate market is here and creating the model home look starts with your curb appeal. Zing your home into spring in no time with our help. Call or text (913) 515-3250 to schedule your home styling appointment.

How to Get the Best Red Carpet Look When Selling

Whether you realize it or not, there is a best red carpet look for your home. After all, the whole purpose of home staging is for your home to stand out from your competition.

Just like the stars walking the red carpet at the Grammys, it’s a process for the stars to look that way. From choosing the right gown and accessories, to their hair, make-up, and nails, they will tell you it takes a village to create their red carpet look.

First of all, the stars know they will be judged and the consensus will either be good, outstanding, or bad. It’s the same when selling your home. You, too, have one chance to make a first impression. If you knock it out of the park, you may sell your home for more money than you imagined. And if you don’t?

How to Achieve the Best Red Carpet Look

The best red carpet look for your home comes from using a professional home staging stylist. It only makes sense when your home’s reputation is on the line. A star wouldn’t walk the red carpet without her team behind her.

When selling your home, your money is on the line. The faster your house sells, the more money you will make. Your professional home stager or stylist will be responsible to create the best red carpet look for your home. And when the buyers fall in love, it’s money in the bank from there!

What’s the Alternative?

Sell your house as it is and see what that gets you. I call that selling by default…you get what you get. Your money comes down to the Realtor you hire. They might sell a lot of houses but at what price? And how fast does it happen?

There are a lot of skills necessary to sell houses for top dollar. Likewise, the number one skill agents don’t have is home staging. And yet many agents will attempt to stage your home themselves. Why? All the extras in real estate cost money. Many agents don’t want to spend money to make money. They probably had a bad experience of spending their own money on a home they didn’t get sold.

On the other hand, some agents will bring their home stager in for an hour-long home staging consultation. That is not home staging. That’s advising you on what to do. That’s like a hair stylist telling you what style will look good on you versus doing it. And have you ever had a bad hairstylist? Case closed.

The Art of Home Staging

Perhaps unknown to the average Realtor, above all else, there is an art to home staging. After all, there’s a whole giant industry based around it. It’s so much more than clearing the countertops. It’s creating your best first impression look, so buyers are drawn into your home, sweeping them off their feet, causing them to fall in love with it, to the point they have to have it, and will gladly pay you extra money to get it.

That’s what I do as your home stylist. You can declutter and put your family photos away but you need an award winning professional stylist to create the best red carpet look for your home that will sweep your buyers off their feet. Your job is to find that person with the right broom.

Remember, the way you live in your home and the way you sell your house are two different ways. Consequently, selling your home is a beauty pageant and a competition. You need to be ready. There will always be another house that looks better than yours if you don’t create your best red carpet look for your home. I’ve seen your competition and I’m in it to win it. Game on!

What’s Next?

If you’re serious about your best red carpet look, that attracts multiple offers, it starts with a plan.

Our Now to WOW Home Staging System is a two-step professional process designed to prepare your home strategically – and then transform it completely.

It begins with a Home Staging Preparation Consultation, where you receive a personalized action plan and clear direction on what will (and won’t) increase your home’s value.

Then comes the Now to WOW Staging and Styling Session. This is the hands-on transformation that prepares your home to stand out from the competition and attract the largest number of buyers.

This isn’t guesswork. It’s a home selling and staging strategy.

Call or text Melinda at (913) 515-3250 or contact me here to schedule your Home Staging Preparation Consultation today and take the first step toward making buyers compete for your home.