If You've Got Location, Flaunt It. Here's How.

 Whatever is characteristic of your locale needs to be part of your home's sales pitch. Even though this home is not old, the design and decor styles stay true to historic Southwestern traditions. 

Do you have a home in a location that's unique? Do people buy into your area of the country, or your town, or your neighborhood, because it's special?   

When I talk about staging a home for sale, I usually advise against staging with big, in-your-face personality. But owners of homes in unique locations would miss an opportunity if they didn’t stage to emphasize the specialness. Resort properties are prime examples, but so are homes in historic or especially scenic locations.

Santa Fe, New Mexico, is a city that calls itself  "The City Unique."  It deserves the title because there’s no place like it. If you ever want to be swept away to another time and place, but your passport isn’t up to date, you want to go to Santa Fe. Mr. Lucky and I have just returned from a week's vacation there. 

Through careful local planning, Santa Fe still looks a lot like the village it was 400 or more years ago. The narrow, winding roads maintain their Spanish names and the buildings are low, with the soft contours and colors of adobe construction.

The hotel we chose is a complex of adobe-style condominiums in the historic downtown area. The sun is going down. The air is scented with the smoke of pinon pine fires burning in kiva fireplaces. 

 Our living room. A kiva fireplace is what makes a living room authentic in Santa Fe. If you're staging your home, ask yourself what's expected by buyers in your market and emphasize it.  

Staying in a managed condo complex means staying in a home while the owners – whoever they are – work at their desks in New York City or Los Angeles or somewhere, waiting for the time when they can spend the summer or holidays or retirement there themselves. These kinds of resort properties can be sweet deals because everything you need is there – from movies and books to coffee filters and dishes.

It was like living in a staged home. With a housekeeper who comes when we went out to eat, shop, hike, or explore. I really am Mrs. Lucky! 

From the holiday season through January, buildings in Santa Fe display lighted luminaries. It's a perfect time to visit because the crowds don't come until summer.

In winter, merchants and hotels are happy to offer tourists real bargains. Here I am, in the mirror, shopping at Jackalope Pottery, full of fun imports.  

Our bedroom. Tile floors, Mexican tub chairs, lots of natural light, chunky furniture, and oversized  tapestry-covered pillows. Santa Fe has a look all its own. 

As soon as we entered our home away from home, we felt surrounded by the attitude of the locale. That's what the effect of good home staging should be! 

The kitchen featured a print from popular local artist R.C. Gorman. Hanging good local art is perfect for reminding buyers what's different about your part of the country. 

Typical Santa Fe: chili ristra hanging in an adobe wall opening. Whatever is indigenous to your region can become part of home staging that really speaks to buyers, especially ones relocating there.

Whether we're talking about food, fashion, architecture, music, crafts, art, or interior decor, Santa Fe's style is rustic and artsy, like most of the Southwest, only more authentic and at the same time, more sophisticated.

Define what the style is for your part of the country or neighborhood, and stay true to local traditions, especially when the area is unique. Like Santa Fe.

There are more tips for making your home appealing to buyers in my eBook, DIY Home Staging Tips to Sell Your Home Fast and for Top Dollar.