Renovation Do’s & Dont’s

One major aspect of a real estate broker’s job that most people don’t know about is the role of decorator. Agents need a keen eye for interior design, and not only regarding what does or doesn’t look good, but what will sell. CORE agents are particularly talented in this regard — just ask the media. Today Christian Rogers and Elizabeth Kee lend their expert advice on renovating and redecorating for a sale in a pair of great newspaper stories.

In the New York Post, veteran broker Christian Rogers explains not only what to do before listing a home for sale (modernize kitchens and bathrooms, upgrade appliances, stay neutral when it comes to colors and personal taste), but also what not to do. That list includes avoiding expensive custom window treatments, Miami-style marble and terrazzo flooring, and Venetian-plastered walls (“Ninety-nine percent of the time, it’s done terribly,” Rogers says). Click through to the Post‘s story for more tips and tricks of the trade.

In the New York Times Home & Garden section, Elizabeth Kee tackles an age-old dilemma: What to do about family photos hanging on the wall before listing an apartment? Though most sellers won’t want to hear it, removing the photos “should be the very first thing you do when you prepare an apartment for sale,” Kee says. To find out why, head over to the Times.