Cape Cod Voice Article Street Talk

Corporate marketer Madeleine Bickert often had neighbors asking her to do interior decorating work.

After 25 years, when she got tired of “living her life on airplanes,” she moved to the Cape, and began thinking of how she could earn a living.

An interior decorating and home staging service made sense, and after going back to school, she opened Décor Rx last October.

Interior decorating is a big piece of her business, but helping people showcase their homes is gaining attention.

“There are a lot of people trying to move their property,” she says. Showcasing summer rentals is also important.

With houses staying on the market longer, and sellers lowering prices, she finds they often hesitate to spend money, thinking they may not recoup.

But Bickert says people don’t need to spend $40,000 to make a big improvement. Many homeowners can do the work themselves, and she readily says people should listen to their Realtor’s suggestions, before they turn to her.

Even a neighbor or trusted friend can be helpful, she says, as owners have a biased view.

An outsider would see the drawbacks of the huge elk head on the living room wall, or that favorite hanging moose lamp.

Some of Bickert’s recommendations are:

• Clean relentlessly
• Re-paint tired walls because it’s inexpensive and often what people see right away.
• Spruce up the entryway, as the buyer will make up his or her mind in 30 seconds.
• Replace worn outdoor furniture, add a bloom-filled flower box.

“The biggest thing on Cape Cod is, Declutter,” she says.

Depending on time and energy, sometimes “stagers” — who charge anywhere from a few hundred to several thousand – are needed. That’s where Bickert comes in.

She often brings artwork or throw pillows to homes on the market, but also removes furniture that can overwhelm a room.

Another piece of advice for those selling a house as a rental home: New furniture. The buyer will often be looking for a fully furnished place.

“I think that helps set Cape Cod apart from the rest of the country,” she says.