May 27, 2014 by Myke Leatham

If you’re thinking about placing your College Station home for sale, it goes without saying that you are hoping to sell your home as quickly as possible and for the highest value. To set the stage for success, I recommend following these top decorating ideas for your College Station TX real estate for sale. While some of these projects may take longer than the afternoon to complete, spending the weekend sprucing up your property can give you a large return on investment. In fact, recent studies by HGTV show that improvements such as fresh paint and custom trim or moldings can give you a return of more than 140% of the investment. That means if you spend the money to hire a professional painter, for example, to paint your home for $5,000, it could increase the value of your property by $7,050!

College Station TX Real Estate Decorating Ideas

With that being said, let’s take a look at some of the top decorating ideas for your College Station TX real estate for sale.

1. Think Curb Appeal: This is something that Realtors® are always talking about, and with very good reason. Often times, potential buyers will do a drive-by of your home to decide if it is even worth a look inside. Power washing siding and walkways, planting blooming flowers, washing windows, repainting the porch or shutters, and hanging easy-to-read house numbers can all help in making your home ready to lure in onlookers.

2. Make Your Porch Inviting: Even if you have just a tiny stoop rather than a full porch, make your entry inviting by adding a clean doormat, potted plants, or even a couple of rocking chairs. Keep your porch lights on in the evenings and illuminate the front walkway with solar lights. These quick fixes can draw buyer’s interest and can make them feel welcome.

3. Deep Clean: From cleaning kitchen counters and bathroom grout to pressure washing the driveway or cleaning the pool, a good deep clean is one of the cheapest ways to buy your home’s best foot forward. This should be a given.

4. Clear Out the Clutter: If you’re serious about making your home look its best, the clutter must go. It’s not easy, and it may require that you start packing up some of your belongings and transport them to an offsite storage unit. You’ll thank me later. Don’t forget the cupboards and closets; more space in these areas give buyers the impression your home has excellent storage.

5. Add Personal Touches: You don’t want your home to look like a museum, a place that is uncomfortable to live in. Add personal touches such as fresh cut flowers, a basket of fresh farmer’s market produce in the kitchen or a bowl of lemons by the sink. Little touches like these will show potential buyers how livable your home truly is.

6. Rearrange Your Furniture: Professional stagers often recommend pulling your furniture off the walls and using pairs of sofas, chairs or lamps to create an inviting conversation area. If you need help with this particular step, I have professional contacts in the staging industry that can assist you.

7. Fresh Paint: The last thing you want to do is experiment with this season’s latest trendy color. That doesn’t mean you want stark-white walls either. Use a rich mid-tone neutral to create a sophisticated backdrop that will pull together any room.

8. Use Extra Rooms Wisely: If your spare bedroom serves as a dumping ground for odd pieces of furniture or oversized fitness equipment, it might be time to clean up your act. Each room should have a purpose. Look at the design elements and furniture pieces you have and choose a defined purpose – an office, a guest room, a home gym. If you need furniture to fill the space, consider renting or borrowing from friends or family.

9. Watch Out for Pet Odors: This can be a big turn off for buyers. If you have pets, be sure to get your carpets and rugs steam cleaned, move the litter box to the garage for the day, and keep pet toys and doggie bones hidden during tours.

10. Stage the Outdoors Too: Don’t forget the backyard. Even if you own a condo with a tiny balcony, flaunt what you’ve got. Make an inviting space that will keep buyers thinking about how livable your home is. A fire pit and two chairs, a simple café table and chairs, and some nice fresh flowers will go a long way.

Of course, there is many more top decorating ideas for your College Station TX real estate for sale. These are just a few of my favorite ideas that will give you the largest return on your investment and time. For more information on selling your home here in College Station, be sure to browse my blog including a recent post called: Common Questions About Selling Your College Station Property.

Whether you’re thinking about selling your home or would like advice on College Station or Bryan TX rentals, please do not hesitate to contact me today. I look forward to hearing from you and to helping you with all your real estate needs. Connect today!

Category: Blog

About Myke Leatham

I’m so glad you found me – your College Station and Bryan, TX real estate source! When you choose to buy or sell a home in College Station/Bryan, TX or other surrounding areas using our expert services, you will receive a free consultation to determine your needs, free listings, and free reports sent to you by email. These weekly reports will show you how hard the members of my team are working to accomplish your property goals, and we guarantee the best service and consultation you have ever experienced. You’ll find the best community information for the College Station, Texas region right here.

It’s nice to know YOUR Realtor will still be of service after the sale.

Experience Counts: Broker/Owner of Brazos County Realty
Over 25 years of sales experience. With past ABR, GRI, CRS, & Epro designations.
Continuing education in real estate: Education is paramount in an ever changing industry like Real Estate. Myke has taken over 1000 hours of real estate specific courses which include but are not limited to: Residential Appraisal, Marketing, Law Contracts I & II, Finance, Residential Inspections, Principles and Practice, Law of Agency, Code of Ethics, Bankruptcy/Easements/Surveys/and Probate, Home Warranties, 1031 Exchanges and hundreds of hours of extensive real estate training.

Reputation: SALES LEADER since 1998; Top Producer 2000 through 2009. Listed among the top agents in the county. Consistently ranked among top realtors for total sales volume out of 900 realtors for commercial and residential real estate in the Bryan/College Station, TX area. When Myke represents buyers, she presents all viable options to her clients, including those properties that are not officially listed, but could be available for sale based on her inside information. Her expertise lies with investors and marketing homes of all price ranges in College Station/Bryan to local, national and global buyers, across all major media channels and through her extensive, personal network of contacts.

Myke is among the top 1% of all Realtors in North America!
She has earned the Designations of ABR (Accredited Buyers Representative), CRS(Certified Residential Specialist), GRI (Graduate of Realtors Institute)CHMS (Certified Home Marketing Specialist), and E-pro (Certified Internet Professional)
Fewer than 3% of all Realtors nationwide earn these certifications. They are not only a symbol of Myke’s commitment to this business, but these designations are your assurance of a skilled, trained real estate professional.

Myke is a consummate real estate professional who not only understands the art of deal-making, but also the art of relationships. She makes the process of buying and selling homes an uplifting and fun experience. She has a tremendous appreciation for Bryan and College Station, its rich history, and Texas A&M traditions having lived in the area for 25 years. Her knowledge of Bryan/College Station’s real estate market and market trends is unparalleled. Having been personally involved with clients through their remodeling, purchasing and selling processes, she knows intrinsic quality and value when she sees it. When she doesn’t see it she lets her clients know, without hesitation.
Myke’s proven track record and affiliations in the field of real estate demonstrates her high level of professionalism.

* High energy and enthusiasm
* Aggressive marketing
* Expert negotiating skills
* Ability to listen and ascertain customer’s desires and needs
* Fun to be with
* Internet savvy
* Because Myke is an experienced investor, she quickly helps her customers locate and define good business opportunities. No one likes the feeling of being ‘sold to’ so Myke provides as much information as possible to help you make the right decision.

Personal Commitment:
I am prepared to go the ‘Extra Mile’ for you, because I understand the financial and emotional significance of purchasing and selling your home. I will carefully listen to your desires and arrive at a workable plan. I believe sensitivity, listening, and service are important keys to success.
Whether you are buying or selling a home or you are just curious about your home’s market value, I’d be happy to provide my market expertise and intelectual property without obligation, or meet with you to evaluate your home for future reference. I want my customers to have a great time and enjoy the total process of purchasing or selling property. It gives me great pride when my customerspass my name on to their friends and family. I will continue to work hard to make sure critical information is available at www.AggieRealEstate.com and I invite all interested investors to search my site for cash flow opportunities. I will dedicate my time and talents to helping you achieve your goals. It is my goal to make your buying and selling experience extraordinary. Look closely and you’ll see how much I love meeting and working with people. You’ll experience the difference in working with an experienced and dedicated professional.

Personal information:
Michelle goes by ‘Myke’ and is the proud mother of 6 children – 3 girls and 3 boys. Her husband is David Leatham. They met at Brigham Young University. They have been married since 1977. David is a finance professor, and Associate Head over graduate studies in the Agricultural Economics Department at Texas A&M University, and speaks fluent Spanish. They have lived in College Station since 1983 and loved every minute of it. Myke loves to quilt, sing, swim, ‘sing’, bake bread, ‘sing,’ garden, ‘sing’, sell real estate, and ‘sing some more’ :-). Family, church, and real estate consume most of her time. Truth, honor, integrity, kindness, loyalty, gratitude, and service are very important words to her.

Slogan: ‘Let Myke Help You With Your HOMEwork!’

Referrals: The highest compliment I can get is when you pass my name on to others or post a kind remark on the internet. When you send your friends and family my way, I’ll always provide them with the highest quality of service that I know you would appreciate. Thanks in advance for all your support and friendship.

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