Reality show makes over two homes on O'ahu
| • | 'Staging' tips |
By Zenaida Serrano Espanol
Advertiser Staff Writer
Rebecca Breyer • The Honolulu Advertiser Rebecca Breyer • The Honolulu Advertiser
The million-dollar home Cinda Glor walked into looked like anything but a million bucks.
"Sell This House" designer Roger Hazard, host Tanya Memme and crew make over a home that's for sale on Hawai'i Loa Ridge. The A&E show will feature the home, and one in Kane'ohe, in a future episode.
Coldwell Banker Pacific Properties photo
Coldwell Banker Pacific Properties photo
Coldwell Banker Pacific Properties photo
Coldwell Banker Pacific Properties photo
Outside the million-dollar Hawai'i Loa Ridge property.
The first thing the 51-year-old real estate agent noticed in the Hawai'i Loa Ridge estate was the clutter: a large sofa, piano, 60-inch television set, mismatched chairs, workout equipment and a mess of collectibles were crammed into the living room.
"It has a great view, but I had a hard time seeing it, because my eyes were drawn to a lot of the clutter," Glor said. "It definitely needed some help."
Homeowners Soon and Kyong Chang have been trying to sell the four-bedroom, 2 1/2-bath home on Hawai'i Loa Ridge for about two months, and they welcomed A&E's "Sell this House" to work their magic.
A crew from the home-design reality show filmed the makeover of two homes, including the Changs', last week. Producers say the show will air next month.
"What we do is we go in and we restage the house," host Tanya Memme said. "We help (owners) in teaching them to sell the house much quicker and possibly for a higher price."
The show, in its second season, features homeowners desperate to sell and prospective buyers videotaped as they first see the house.
Enter a real estate and home decoration expert, who recommend changes.
The house is transformed in one day and on a $300 budget, and the buyers are brought back for their reactions.
"We really want to show that you don't have to put a lot of money into it, just a little bit of painting and cleaning up," said producer Liza Keckler. "But 'staging,' for the most part, is about taking what you have and just rearranging it to make it more appealing."
In the Chang residence, designer Roger Hazard's main focus was to highlight the amazing ocean views from the home, so he rearranged several furniture pieces to open up to the windows.
He also wanted to emphasize the architectural features throughout the house, including a chimney that ran through the center of the home.
"I actually painted the (white) chimney ... a slightly different color, with a little bit warmer tone, because it's a very good architectural detail," Hazard said. "That's a good selling feature to highlight."
Glor, who was among a group of volunteers posing as potential buyers, was pleased with the changes.
"They made the house seem more spacious by removing all of the trinkets," she said.
But Glor said the most significant improvement was in the master bedroom, where Hazard and crew painted the wall behind the bed a peach and salmon color.
"It really brought out the furniture, and it really warmed up the room," she said.
Kyong Chang is also excited about the change.
| 'Sell This House'
• A&E television network (analog channel 74 and digital channel 547) • noon Saturdays and 3 p.m. Sundays |
"My favorite room is the master bedroom," she said. "We love it. ... The room looks bigger and more comfortable."
The "Sell This House" crew also worked on the six-bedroom, four-bath home of Kane'ohe residents Suzanne and Brian Parnell. The home, which is going for $738,000, has been on the market for about three months.
Of the four bedrooms Hazard made over, Suzanne Parnell liked the changes made to the bedroom used as their family room, once filled with bookcases crammed with books, a computer desk, couches and a big-screen television. "They made it more of a realized TV room as opposed to a busy office and rec room," Parnell said.
Hazard painted the room a sand color, added natural grass blinds and soft drapes to the window, and cleared out most of the clutter, leaving only the television and couches.
"Our whole point is to stage the home so people can actually envision themselves living in the space, fitting in their own pieces of furniture," Hazard said. "So we wanted to show off as much square footage as possible and all of the best selling features."
Reach Zenaida Serrano Espanol at zespanol@honoluluadvertiser.com or 535-8174.
| 'Staging' tips
If you're selling your home, here are some tips from "Sell This House" designer Roger Hazard on how to "stage" a home that will be appealing to potential buyers: • Get rid of the clutter. "With extra furniture, if they're not going to move it to the next house, I suggest either giving it to their kids, storing it in the garage or renting a storage unit," Hazard said. • De-personalize or neutralize the home. "You want to get rid of a lot of things that may have a personal impact on the potential buyer (things like photographs and collectibles), because they will study and try to analyze who lives there," Hazard said. "We want (buyers) to come in and say, 'I could live here.' You don't want them to say, 'I don't live like this.' " • Consider painting walls in neutral colors, such as off-white or earthy colors. "If the walls are specifically dark or very bold, you should bring them down and neutralize it," Hazard said. "It makes the room seem bigger." But it isn't necessary to paint every wall in a room, Hazard said. For example, if a home has a vaulted ceiling, painting just one wall "takes your eye up," he said. • Use elements that are appealing to the potential buyers' senses, such as a vase of fresh flowers. • Be conscious of smells. "You want to make sure it does not smell mildewy," Hazard said. "It's a good time to steam-clean carpets, bring out the bleach and rub down walls." Interested in a home featured on the show? • Hawai'i Loa Ridge: Call Maria Hsu at Coldwell Banker Pacific Properties, 597-5589. • Kane'ohe: Call Tim Rizzo-Murray or Kim Green at Century 21 Kailua Beach Realty, 263-6000. |
