Don't Forget About The Transitions

Transitions are a part of life - new jobs, marriage, children, even death. And whether the transition is our choice or not we all want it to be as smooth as possible. And when you think about it, through it all, is our home. Sometimes it can carry us through the life transition but sometimes it can't and we need to sell our home to buy a new one. When we have to sell our home it is important to transition our home from how we lived in it to the home someone wants to buy.

Besides cleaning it up and removing the clutter you also need to make sure the house flows from room to room. Keep an eye out for those transition points. Is there continuity in the homes design? Do the rooms flow in a natural order of things? Is the buyer eager to see what the rest of the house looks like when they first enter.

From the entry to the backyard each room needs to build anticipation, draw you through. This is done through color, scale, and style that is unique to the homes original character. And once established, it must be carried throughout the entire home. The color will be repeated, the scale will be consistent, and the style will remain true to the home's architecture. Cottages need smaller pieces whereas modern homes need fewer but larger pieces. A California rancher will be different from a Florida cabana.

If you are unsure what your homes style is ask an architect to come to the

house. He will be able to see the style, and explain the scale. Once the style is

established, the place will start to take on its own character. Don't fight it. Although you may want to use beach accessories in the summer, it is going to be very out of place in a Colorado cabin. A good home stager doesn't interject their own tastes but those of the house.

The place to start is at the beginning, the entry. Make it

set the stage so that once the buyer walks through the

front door they will never want to leave. They will know

that they are home, in the home. And the transition will

be welcomed.