EnergizedSeller (Home Staging and Home Selling Tips)

Designed to Sell Secret

Karen Otto,ASP,RESA,ASHSR, Home Star Staging — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 17:40:00 GMT

If you're a fan of those HGTV Shows like Designed to Sell you know the drill.

Generally they start the show off with a Realtor (not the seller's agent though an independent third party) walking through the home seller's house to "critique" the place. The sellers are next door at a neighbor's house watching on video the blow by blow breakdown of why this house so desperately needs to be Designed to Sell AKA - STAGED!

With horror the homeowner's brace themselves for what the expert has to say. Another version of this show is Sell this House - even more brutal because the comments are coming from actual prospective buyers with no holes barred language (censored thankfully) and criticism.

"WOW", the owner's say we didn't think it was that bad!

And we know - really it's not.

It's a TV show - ratings are important, shock value grand! Who cares if the owner's feeling are trampled on - this is good stuff!

STOP! Rewind.....

What makes for good TV makes often makes it difficult for sellers in the real world to understand what professional home stagers do. Heck I'd be scared to call someone over too if I thought my house would be criticized and trashed.

What I'd really like to say here in the home seller's defense and to clarify any misconceptions is this;

Professional Home Stagers are designed to sell and tell. We are the experts. We are the "eyes of the buyer".

But.... we're here to help, not hurt, embarrass or shame someone into staging their property before listing. We CARE about our clients. Your success is our success - the sale of your home. Home Stagers understand that selling a house is an emotional process and we will treat you and your home with respect.

Realtors and Sellers, many home stagers can also provide you with a powerful marketing tool that doesn't have to cost a lot,.

I'll let you in on the secret it's called a Home Staging CONSULTATION.

Listed below are some things to know about how a home staging consultation can work for you.

What is a Home Staging Consultation? - A home staging consultation can be a verbal walk through or written report detailing all the necessary things for a seller to do to get the property ready for sale.

A verbal consultation is usually paid for at an hourly rate - the area you live will determine the pricing, ranging generally speaking, from $50 hour up. A verbal consult generally does not not take longer than a few of hours depending on the size & condition of the home and the number of questions the homeseller may haver. Just like in the show, we walk through each room and explain the changes we see that would be necessary to create the environment suited for selling - the owner is encouraged to and free to take notes. We in essence, are the "eyes of the buyer".
A written consultation is a detailed report or "blue print" of everything we recommend for each room, including (at least in www.homestarstaging.com 's report) the front two corners of the property (curb appeal) to the back two corners, as well as paint and carpet replacement suggestions that a lot of us do. This report provides the seller with all the recommendations they need to prepare their home for sale. This report is often billed at pennies per square foot or a flat rate depending on size of the property and scope of the project.

HOW CAN A HOME STAGING CONSULTATION HELP A REALTOR?

A home staging consultation is a powerful marketing tool which can be used as part of your listing package
Having access to a qualified, professional stager on your team sets you apart from other agents who are not using staging consultations or stagers for their listings
Saves you the awkwardness of having to explain to your clients what needs to be done to prepare their home for sale Home selling is an emotional and stressful process and we understand the needs of your sellers. We are trained and experienced in handling delicate details.
Very cost effective and high yield on the return - starting as little as $50/hour in some markets, (for a one-hour verbal walk through) your home seller will have the recommendations they need to prepare their house for sale
Helps ensure the condition of the home will be in top shape. Remember condition is one of the 3 key components to the success of the sale. Don't shy away from being firm with your prospects! It only hurts you and them when you can't tell them like it is.
We create equity for our clients and that means YOU !- the return on the investment in a staging consultation will always pay for itself - generally yielding a faster sales time, which lowers the probability of a price reduction (in the thousands!) and statistically the better the condition of the home, the higher the sales price!

HOW CAN A HOME STAGING CONSULTATION HELP A HOME SELLER?

Provides the home seller with the blueprint needed to prepare the home for sale.
Gives sellers the "buyer's eye" perspective before the first buyer ever walks through the door.
Cost effective and quick!
Sets seller's home apart from other houses in the comparatible market
Great for the do it yourself homeowner who is serious about selling quickly for top dollar.
High return on investment. By doing the work yourself based on the home staging consultation you receive from a Professional Home Stager you are well ahead of the competition. Your house not only shows better but is a pleasure for Agents to want to show.
We create equity for our clients and that means YOU !- the return on the investment in a staging consultation will always pay for itself - generally yielding a faster sales time, which lowers the probability of a price reduction (in the thousands!) and statistically the better the condition of the home, the higher the sales price!

HOW DO I FIND A PROFESSIONAL HOME STAGER?

Sellers: Right here on www.energizedseller.com
Sellers: Ask your Realtor
Realtors: Right here on www.energizedseller.com
Realtors: Ask your receptionist - A stager may already have dropped off cards and brochures in your office and they're justing waiting for someone to take one!
Realtors: Ask your fellow agents - they may already have a stager on file

HOW DO I KNOW THEY'RE QUALIFIED?

Check this link at energized seller for RESA's consumer guide to home staging

Proudly serving Energized Home sellers, Realtors & Investors , Home Star Staging is here for you!

Relatively Simple Changes -- BIG DIFFERENCE!!

Dan Eason — Sat, 03 Jan 2009 04:13:00 GMT

As home owners, most of us are so caught up in our daily lives that it can be difficult for us to be objective when it comes time to prepare our home for a sale - especially one that is going to help us get the most money as possible. Check out the dining room below. It is an example of a home that was on the market for weeks before the home owner decided he better get the opinion of a professional Stager. People weren't showing interest, he had the home priced right, so what could be the problem? As you can see in the picture below and the post here, the changes may seem small and obvious but they really do make a big difference. The seller was so pleased that now he has asked the Stager, Cathy Lee, for her assistance with the home's curb appeal.

Check out more pictures and notes here.

Article Sponsors:

Preparing Your Home to Sell

Cathy Lee — Mon, 29 Dec 2008 06:02:00 GMT

Look at every room through the eyes of a buyer. What can you do without while your home is on the market? Let’s pack early. Take all valuable items to a safe deposit box.

Most carpets need to be professionally cleaned before going on the market. Badly worn carpet will need to be replaced. Pick a light, short plush or Berber carpet-“real estate beige” is the safest color. New carpeting sells homes!

Professionally wash all windows and make sure they operate freely.

Be sensitive to odors, because buyers are! Excessive cooking or smoking odors can turn buyers off. If there is a challenge with odors in your home a special ozone machine can be rented from professional carpet cleaners at a minimal cost. Empty all garbage cans daily to prevent odors.

Replace all burned out light bulbs. Increase the wattage of bulbs in dark hallways and corners. Repair or replace broken light switches and switch plates.

Repair and repaint cracks on all walls and ceilings. Sweep and clean your garage or carports. New interior and exterior paint sells homes!

Repair and clean any tile, grout or Formica countertops. Clean the stove top and oven. Clean all exhaust fans, filters and hoods. Keep all floors clean for all showings. Clear off counters in kitchen and bathrooms. Keep all toilet lids down.

Keep all curtains and blinds open during the day to let light and views in. Turn on all lamps, fixtures and ceiling lights every day. Keep soft music playing at all times-easy listening or light jazz is best. The extra cost of electricity, heating and air conditioning is a necessary cost of selling.

Reduce the number of pillows on couches to zero or two. Remove all afghans and blankets. Make all beds every day. Store extra books and magazines under the beds. Keep all closet doors closed.

Take a hard look at all houseplants. In most cases they need to be pruned or reduced to create more space. If the plants do not look healthy, give them away.

Fireplaces need to be cleaned out. Glass doors should be cleaned. Mantels and hearths need to be cleared off except for a few necessary items.

To create more space a chair or loveseat may need to be stored. The extra chair in a living room or dining room may look great in an office or master bedroom.

Treasures and collections become a distraction so they will need to be packed and stored.

Pack up all little things that create clutter. Reduce the number of family photos and books to a minimum. Where do I store everything? Have a garage sale

Give to charity

Rent a storage unit

5 Home Staging Tips to Prepare Your Home For Sale

eseller1 — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 03:48:00 GMT

Karen Otto wrote a great blog post about the importance of staging a home. In it she points out that home sellers must consider themselves merchandisers when preparing their home for a sale. We won't buy dented cans on a grocery store shelf. We discount a dented car. And we discount a home with flaws -- even minor ones. Most of the time buyers of any product won't pay full price for a product with dings and scratches. If you know this, then prepare your home like other merchandise being sold.

Below are other points she makes about preparing a home for a sale:

1. Start thinking about your property as a marketable product. You need to disconnect your emotional attachment to your home and treat it as a product for sale that you want people to buy. Sever you emotions to your house and start envisioning the memories you'll make in the next one. You're on to better things right? Now let's get this house to help pay for it.

2. Look objectively at your home or hire a home stager to give you a professional assessment on how your house shows both inside and out to potential buyers. As the old expression goes, "we stand so close to the trees that we can't see the forest." By being objective you'll be able to see the flaws that others most certainly will.

3. Clean, clean and clean some more. This is what I call the white glove treatment. From baseboards to light switches, grout to faucets, everything must sparkle.

4. Declutter and depersonalize. Remember you're selling square footage, counter space, architectural details and a lifestyle. Ask yourself through the process, is this something I'm selling? Pare down excess furniture, accessories, personal items and other knick-knacks that tend to accumulate over the years. Go through all closets too. Sell, donate, store or throw away things you don't really need or love. Give your children the same task and make it a family project. You're moving anyway, start packing and ridding early. The house will be so much easier to maintain while showing this way too.

5. Neutralize colors and outdated features. Think "move in ready". Do the rooster wall paper or 1970's paneling really translate to that? Also make repairs as needed. Fix cracks in walls, nail pops or condensation damage to window sills. Scrutinize every detail as a buyer would.

Live Clutter Free in 2009

Cathy Lee — Sun, 28 Dec 2008 02:56:00 GMT

7 Secrets to Live Clutter Free in 2009!

Happy New Year!!

Act Like You Are Moving

Clutter is a sign of chaos in your life.

Assess Your Home

Look at your surroundings....is the atmosphere heavy and crowded?

Clean Out For A Worthy Cause

Donate to a local homeless shelter or foodbank.

Edit Your Rooms

One room at a time, act like you are reading a book and edit the space.

Make Organizing A Team Event

Don't feel overwhelmed. Call your friends or family and have party!

Go Shopping In Your Closet

Before purchasing another item, shop in your own closet first!

7. Put Apples with Apples, Oranges with Oranges

Group your collections and treasures.

Clutter Eats Equity!

De-Cluttering Frees Your Creativity!!

True Personalities Comes Through When You Live

Clutter Free!!!

Before De-cluttering

After De-Cluttering

Live in Harmony!!

Looking for a Few Good Stagers

eseller1 — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 22:41:41 GMT

As our traffic increases each month, we are asked more and more about finding a good Stager in different markets. Because we want to be a good resource for home sellers, we are happy to refer a home seller to a Stager member. To make it easier, however, and to provide additional value to a home seller, we are looking for 1-3 Stagers in each major metropolitan area to list in our special Stager promotion directory. The listing is FREE. We just want good Stagers who will give EnergizedSeller visitors a slight price break.

Here are a couple of examples:

Dallas:

Home Star Staging - $25 Off initial consult. This service includes $25 off our fee of walking through a home, giving great advice of what needs to be done in order to improve the marketability of a home, and a written report as a reference. We'll also include a discount of $50 off our 4 hour staging service.

Lafayette/Acadiana Area:

Feature This - $50 Off initial consult, including imaging service. We'll come to your home, give you staging advice, take pictures, show you some images of what your home will actually look like with some improvements, and include a detailed report of recommendations, including paint colors, materials, estimated costs, and more.

If you are interested, email us here. Include your offer and a brief description of your service. We'll link them back to your profile page, so make sure to have all of your contact information up to date.

Improvements that Matter to Buyers

eseller1 — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 17:55:00 GMT

Wayne Warshawsky, a REALTOR in the Dallas area, writes a great post about making home improvements that matter to buyers. In it he first asks the question, why do we, as home sellers, wait so long to make improvements that we could have been enjoying while we lived in the house? Then he points out the importance of landscaping and how a seller is better off making these kind of improvements well before putting the home on the market. He also discusses how updating fixtures and carpet are improvements that should take priority.

Read his blog post here - and let him know what you think.

Improvements that Matter to Buyers

Wayne Warshawsky — Thu, 18 Dec 2008 03:14:00 GMT

In today's market there are homes that sell quicker than others. It is usually due to two factors that make the difference: price and condition. The house priced the best, in the best condition sells first.

As a former contractor one of things that I would always run into is people trying to improve their homes right before they put it on the market. I always asked them why they waited to do all of this when they could have been enjoying the improvements. Despite this bad timing, most sellers look to improve their homes right before they sell.

Improvements that matter include landscaping. It is hard to rush a mature landscape. Freshly planted trees might help the sale of your home but they are nothing compared to a 2 or 3 year old tree that has been established. The same holds true of other landscaping. Mature beds and bushes take years to really look good and they are expensive to do all at once. Gradual improvements to a landscape can really pay off when it comes time to sell.

Updated light fixtures are things that buyers are looking for in a new home. Check out your competition before you put your home on the market. Have your Realtor show you comparable homes in your area. Check out the new homes in your price range. Even though that shiny brass light fixture is in great condition most new homes do not have shiny brass. Even if your competition looks like your home updating fixtures (even doorknobs) can set you apart and make that sale happen quickly.

If your carpet is worn or is any unique color it is time to replace it. Carpet cleaning can only do so much and there is nothing that attracts buyers more than new carpet smell. If you can not replace you really should clean the carpets. Never give carpet allowances unless you can afford the "discount" that will happen when people confuse your home with an "as is" desperate seller. Carpet is very affordable compared to your first price reduction.

Upgrades like crown molding and tile flooring can be done and would really set a home apart depending upon other homes in the neighborhood. Contact a local Realtor to see whether or not these improvements can help you in the sale of your home.

5 Tips for Buyer-Ready Bedrooms

eseller1 — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 23:17:00 GMT

Get energized about preparing your bedrooms for a successful sale... Here are 5 tips to help make those bedrooms buyer friendly.

1. Deep clean, depersonalize and declutter each room. Remove personalized items such as signs with your children's names, awards, trophies, photos and calendars. This depersonalization not only showcases rooms so buyers can envision their own children living in them, but also protects your privacy and provides added security for your family. Many people will be walking through your home, so you'll want to keep your family's identity safe from exposure.

2. Make all the beds daily and purchase neutral buyer-friendly bed sets. Window treatments should blend into the room's décor, not overpower it. Help buyers look past your décor, so that they can see themselves in your home.

3. Remove excess furniture, exercise and sports equipment, dirty laundry, clothes hampers, toys and other personal items. Show the space the room has to offer, not the stuff. Pare down the contents of your closets so they're at least half empty. Removing your belongings will make your closets look larger since buyers are always looking for ample storage space. If your closets are packed, buyers will assume that since there isn't enough room in your closets for your stuff, there won't be enough room in your closets for their stuff either.

4. Repaint any bold personal colors, including wall murals, with warm neutral tones. Repair any damage to walls or furniture that may have been caused by daily use. Look carefully: After years of living in your home, it may be very easy for you to overlook many small flaws that collectively can create a poor impression.

5. Replace your carpets, unless they're in extremely good condition. At the very least, carpets should be cleaned professionally to give your home that wonderful new-carpet feeling.

To get more ideas, check out the Bedrooms Overview or post your own question.

Q&A with Appraiser

Dan Eason — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 00:04:17 GMT

I recently spoke to a local appraiser, John Wade, and asked him a few questions relevant to a home seller. Do you have additional questions? Ask them here. Below are the questions and answers:

1. What can a home seller do if an appraisal comes in that they don't agree with?

The home seller's REALTOR should supply the sale comparables that were utilized to establish the listing price for the residence being appraised to the real estate appraiser. A prudent appraiser will consider any new information or input in determining their market value estimate. Ultimately, however, the appraiser has been hired by the buyer's lender to provide an unbiased opinion of the market value of the home. Also, although the bank has to be the client, that does not mean that if the value estimate appears to be way off that the buyer/seller is trapped. It is usually the policy of the individual lender as to how they handle these situations. Typically, in-house reviewers for the lender are pretty good about noticing discrepancies in an appraisal. If their policy allows, another appraisal could be ordered by the bank, who will typically let you choose your appraiser so long as they are on the bank's approved list. Another option is to discuss with the bank hiring a third-party appraiser to do a "review" of the original appraisal and note any discrepancies. These types of situations are not common, but they do occur.

2. Is there any benefit to hiring an appraiser before listing the home with an agent?

Typically, the seller's Realtor will provide a comparable market analysis for the home that in most cases represents an accurate range of the home's market value. The appraiser will most likely analyze similar data in order to form an opinion of the market value. The appraiser will most likely be hired by the buyer's lender as the client and a previously written appraisal can not be utilized or re-addressed to the lender. However, it should be noted that properties that are out of the ordinary might benefit from a professional opinion of market value by an appraiser in order to establish a listing price that is in their best interests.

3. How do you choose the comparables that you use to value a person's home?

An appraiser typically chooses comparable sales of properties that have closed within a reasonable time frame prior to the date of value which are the most comparable to the property being appraised in terms of location, size, number of rooms, number of bathrooms, age, quality and condition.

4. How do renovations that home owners have done (i.e., updated kitchen, swimming pools, hardwood floors, etc...) affect the value of their home?

Renovations can increase the value of a home. Any renovations should be based upon the market's expectations and what is typical of other similarly aged homes in the area. Typically, bathrooms and kitchens are the most popular rooms to focus upon. Neutral paint colors throughout the home are important. You want your home to show like a model home. You want your home to compete with other homes that are on the market. Updating the kitchen and bathrooms will typically make the biggest difference in value. However, be careful to not get to extravagant and update beyond what the competition is offering.

5. How does having generally recognized, necessary repairs affect the value of their home?

In the current market, buyers are picky. The seller is best served to complete the repairs before the house is listed on the market. Again, you are best served having a home that shows like a model home that is ready to be moved into. Most buyers do not have the instinctive ability to enable them to envision a property that is in disrepair all fixed up and in move-in ready condition. Typically investors have this type of ability, however they are in the market to make money, which will result in a net loss to the seller. Depending on the state of the market, typically having these repairs done before approaching the market will result in a lower marketing period for the house to sell.

6. What is the best way to find an appraiser?

Go to the Appraisal Institute's website, www.appraisalinstitute.org, and click on "search for an appraiser". In most cases, the buyer's lender will choose the appraiser from a list of approved appraisers, which is a requirement of the lenders. Depending on the lending institution, it is often that a buyer can request an appraiser so long as that appraiser is on their approved list.

"What if I don't like it?"

Karen Otto,ASP,RESA,ASHSR, Home Star Staging — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 04:58:41 GMT

Hum.

That question, referring to the furniture and decor proposed for use in a vacant property, was posed to me this week by a client who has never worked with a home stager before. Although I've never been asked this question directly before, I could relate. I'm sure others have thought to ask me the very same thing just maybe didn't feel comfortable enough to ask out loud.

There are many sellers in this same predicament and some are nervous.

Home staging is an investment and it's not a small one when we're talking vacant property staging.

How many home sellers HAVE actually worked with a home stager is an interesting question.

My answer would be, "many more in the future", but I don't know if the market is even close to being saturated by examples, I'd say we still have a long way to go.

But, we're making great progress.

How we conduct ourselves, our businesses and our practices is being watched, questioned and judged whether we like it or not.

And rightly so.

Home Staging is currently an unregulated industry but a much needed one at that. The public is listening and is understanding the value our service brings to the home selling table. Make sure what you're serving is the right stuff.

Although this client says they "trust me", they were not sure about the choices I would make for furnishing their vacant home. Naturally they wanted answers.

I did not take this personally.

After all, it is still their home, once occupied by their family and adorned with their furnishings and decor. Although it is now vacant, it continues to hold memories and attachments for them.

I was prepared.

My answer to this question was honest and simply this;

"It is quite possible you may not like the choice of furniture and decor I've selected specifically for your home, however it really has nothing to do with whether it suits your specific style or taste. Home staging aims to appeal to a number of different buyer's tastes with furniture and decor that compliments your home's layout, style, detail and color palette."

I then went on to send a link to the furniture collections I'll be using and suggested they go see them for themselves prior to making the commitment.

Their vacant property staging is schedule for the end of this coming week.

Since I utilize the services of national rental furniture companies such as CORT and Brook Furniture Rental, I am assured that the collections these companies keep stay with the trends, whether transitional, contemporary or traditional and I base my choices on the homes themselves, the color palettes and architectural influences.

I want the home to sell, not the furniture, but I want the furniture to blend and compliment, not contradict the style of the house.

It's a pretty basic and simple formula but it does take a keen eye and experience to know just how to stage a property properly.

Note: For home stagers considering branching off into this area, I'd like to say this;

Know your limits before making the leap to vacant property staging. From price points to the inventory you keep it is not for the faint of heart. Your work represents not only your company but an industry and standards as well.

Even still for the most seasoned of home stagers, quite possibly your individual clients may not "like it" when all is said and done but then again, we're working to attract a broad range of buyers, not just one.

Sellers, I'm OK if you personally don't like it. It sometimes comes with the territory.

Just a follow up to the original post:

This home had sat vacant on the market for 3 months prior to staging. The home was staged and had the first offer in 5 days, that offer fell through but another came in shortly after, it closed in less than a month after staging.

Staging works!

Sellers, do you know why the first showing of your property probably won't be in your home?

Karen Otto,ASP,RESA,ASHSR, Home Star Staging — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 01:44:26 GMT

Home sellers, today's home buyer is in a different league.

With the Internet, virtual tours and great digital photos that are available, a buyer with access to the Internet, truly does not need to leave the comfort of their home in order to decide whether or not to see a property they may be interested in. Essentially that means the first showing of your property may take place on the internet not in your actual home.

It is estimated that 86% of buyers are shopping online first, and that's not just for any product but for homes too.

Buyers can make their decision right at the computer screen whether the house is worth getting in the car (or plane in some cases) to see. And often, with job relocations, it becomes necessary to view properties cross country or globally and the only way to do that is on-line.

I make it a practice to view www.Realtor.com to check out the virtual tours and photos. As a North Texas professional home stager I find myself virtually staging the houses that need it and wondering what the reasons are behind those homes that don't have photos or tours available. In my opinion, this is one of the most important tools after listing today's seller has in getting their house seen and sold.

There is never a second chance to make a first impression and home staging is crucial for making that fabulous first impression whether on-line through amazing digital photos and virtual tours or in person as the buyer walks up to the door.

While selling, make your home's first impressions count. whether the buyer is previewing online or in person.

Get a Jump on spring...Get your home ready to sell now!

TXHomestager — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 05:38:00 GMT

It's hard to imagine it now, but Christmas is only 18 days away, New Years will shortly follow, and then it will be spring break. Or the beginning of the selling season. This is typically when homeowners list or re-list their homes in hopes of buyers striking while the iron is hot. Competition is the toughest. Everyone has to have their homes in show ready condition to intrigue buyers that have a multitude of choices. Especially older homes, or homes that are just a few years old that are competing against the brand new homes with all kinds of incentives and upgrades.

I see houses on the MLS system that have been on the market for months, even over a year. The houses don't look that bad from the outside, so what is the problem? I then click on the photos, and there is my answer. The inside has absolutely nothing appealing or interesting about it. Just another track home that looks like every other house in it's master planned community. It is either empty, stark, and plain vanilla, or the furniture and decorating is distracting from any features the house might have. From mismatched outdated furniture, bad paint choices, or akward furniture placement and use of rooms.

I've seen some beautiful homes in Houston, that I've admired in certain neighborhoods, and have jokingly said, when that house goes up for sale, I'm buying it sight unseen! Well, one of my favorite houses did go up for sale, and I looked at the internet photos. I couldn't believe it, here was this gorgeous home on the outside, beautiful architecture, perfectly manicured, picture perfect. I then looked at the inside and thought this can't be the same house. Unfortunately it was, and the wow the inside got left behind in the 60's modern era, and the house was not that old. It was the way it had been finished out, not attractive at all. It would have to be updated if you could picture in your mind what it would look like, most people can't. How many times have you seen a beautiful home only to be disappointedin the interior. For most people it will be a deal killer, and they won't bother to even look at a house in person.

That is where home staging comes in. All of these homes could benefit from some form of home staging, whether it be furniture placement, and re-purposingof items from other rooms, fresh paint colors, some new updated pieces brought in, new furniture and accessories in certain areas or just room by room recommendations.

If you are selling your home it probably means you will be looking to buy one as well. When you are looking at internet photos of houses to buy, remember, someone else is looking at the home you are trying to sell on the internet...What impression are they going to have? Don't give them a reason to move on to the next house...make them want to see yours first!

Staging Case Study for EnergizedSeller and Dedicated Seller/Realtor

Cathy Lee — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 05:38:00 GMT

I recently staged this home outside of San Francisco and thought I'd share what I did here on EnergizedSeller.

Background:

Listing Agent Derick Vallance, Zip Realty, recently listed a neighbors home on Mr. J.'s street. I had staged Mr. J's neighbor's home with great success: In just 2 days after the home was listed, it sold for full price.
Mr.J. had his home on the market during this time with another agent.
He changed Realtors and listed with Derick, but did not stage his home. The results were not the same as his neighbor! 30 days quickly passed by and it still hadn't sold.
His home is highly upgraded inside, the interior is completely remodeled with beautiful, contemporary, quality materials-but the home did not show well.
Derick convinced the homeowner to contact me for a consultation.

Here are the photos from my initial consultation.

My Evaluation and Recommendations:

LIVING ROOM

Create warmth, lighting, visual square footage and enhance the teak flooring

Add table lamps, cocktail table, end table, colorful art, mirror, pillows, tree, fireplace accessories.

DINING ROOM

Create intimate dining space

Move existing furniture to kitchen dining area
Move in round pedastal table, round glass top and 4 upholstered parson chairs

KITCHEN

Decluttered and stored appliances and knifes.
Stored homeowners stools and moved in my cherry wooden legged barstools.
Placed table setting at counter bar to enhance space and pendant lighting.

MASTER BEDROOM

Decluttered and stored all personal collections and college awards and degrees.
Added bedskirt and artwork to give the room and finished look.

ACTION PLAN

I purchased 2 end tables, 1 cocktail table, 2 table lamps and art work at Brook Furniture Rentals Clearance Center in San Francisco for $226 to enhance the living and dining rooms. Additionally, I added color, greenery, candles, and accessories to give the home a more appealing, competitive edge.

These are the after photos:

The Brokers tour was last week and 20 agents came. Two returned with potential buyers. We are hopeful for offers and I will update everyone after this weekend.

Hide the Toilet the Buyers Are Coming

eseller1 — Sat, 06 Dec 2008 03:38:02 GMT

One of our favorite posts here at EnergizedSeller is one by Karen Otto. In her post, titled "Hide the Toilet the Buyers Are Coming," she discusses the importance of staging a home, making it look more like a clean hotel room than personal residence, and how to prepare your bathrooms, laundry room, kitchen and pets for a showing. And she does it in a way that makes a home seller remember her points. Let Karen know what you think and read her post here.

Questions for an Appraiser

eseller1 — Mon, 01 Dec 2008 16:50:00 GMT

What can a home seller do if an appraisal comes in that they don't agree with?

Is there any benefit to hiring an appraiser before listing the home with an agent?

How do you choose the comparables that you use to value a person's home?

How do renovations that home owners have done affect the value of their home?

How does having generally recognized, necessary repairs affect the value of a home?

What is the best way to find an appraiser?

Check out the interview with an appraiser and answers to these questions here.

Thank you energizedseller for your sponsorship at the DFW Stage it Forward Roundtable!

Karen Otto,ASP,RESA,ASHSR, Home Star Staging — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 01:44:00 GMT

On Tuesday, November 18th, 2008 I had the honor and priviledge of leading the discussion at the 2nd Dallas/Ft.Worth TX Stage it Forward Roundtable event.

On a national level, professional home stagers are gathering during the month of November, which by the way has been designated National Home Staging Awareness Month, by the Real Estate Staging Association, RESA, to network and brainstorm ideas to move the home staging industry forward. Collectively we are moving the service of home staging into the homes of every seller and on the radar of every Realtor with the idea of making home staging a standard part of every residential real estate transaction.

We could not have done it without the support of our wonderful sponsors and I'd like to take the opportunity here to thank Dan Eason, President of Energized Seller for so generously sponsoring our Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX event by providing our wonderful lunch.

Energized Seller has shown its support not only by highlighting the home staging industry and professionals on their website but also reaching out to our national associations and organizations in an attempt to bring awareness to the importance of home staging to sellers and Realtors alike.

Thank you again Energized Seller for your support of home sellers and the real estate professionals who work to serve them!

Three Crucial Ingredients To Selling Your Home

eseller1 — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 18:04:38 GMT

There are three CRUCIAL ingredients to selling your home, and one of them is only provided by you. In this great blog post read how the "recipe" for a great home sale includes price, location, and condition, and how condition is completely up to the home seller. The point: If you want to maximize the value of your home make sure you are improving its condition so that it is better than all the other competing homes on the market. Go here for the post.

Sellers - Unwrap your walls to reveal the gift to your buyers

Karen Otto,ASP,RESA,ASHSR, Home Star Staging — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 12:48:00 GMT

Wallpaper, wallpaper on the wall are you the fairest of them all?

Love it or hate it or have no opinion of it, most Professional Home Stagers do address the issue. It comes, it goes, it's in fashion it's not. It's neat, it's versatile, it's dated, it's faded, out, in - whatever your feelings on it, in my opinion, in many cases, wall paper removal may and should be recommended.

Now fair seller, you say, WHY?

"I love it!
I paid lots of money for this designer look it matches my chair cushions!
I paid someone else to hang it perfectly straight!
All the flowers and leaves are joined seamlessly together and it looks like custom paint!
We could never remove it ourselves!
We have memories tied to this wall paper!"

My answer to you would be this simple two sentence answer, as you said,

YOU love it but not all buyers are going to be of the same opinion. In fact most won't.

What they will see your wallpaper as, especially if worn, torn or forlorn, is WORK, TIME & MONEY and NOT MOVE IN READY.

What will be a bit of sweat, time and about $50 for paint/supplies for you will be a sight for buyer's eyes to behold! A clean, fresh, slate. A warm inviting space. MOVE IN READY CONDITIONS!

And isn't that your goal? To sell your house and make it appeal to the most number of buyers possible?

Below is an example of just what removal of the top portion of the chair rail wallpaper and a warm neutral paint (the color below the rail stayed the same) can do to lighten and brighten up a room.

Can you see the gift that these sellers have unwrapped and given to their prospective buyers?

Dining Room Before Wallpaper Removal, Painting and Professional Home Staging

Dining Room After Wallpaper Removal, Painting (by owner) and Professional Home Staging by Home Star Staging

This Frisco, TX home was professionally staged by Home Star Staging in early November 2007. The home had a contract prior to Thanksgiving 2007 and closed shortly after (3 weeks on the market). By working with the right Realtor and professional home stager you too can set your home apart from the competition!

For Professional Home Staging Services and Consulting in Collin County, TX and surrounding areas please visit Home Star Staging on the web or us a call at 469-964-0516.

We're here for you Sellers!

Let us help you unwrap your home's gifts and make your HOME the STAR attraction in the competitive North Texas Real Estate Market.

Selling a home this holiday season? Should you decorate?

Karen Otto,ASP,RESA,ASHSR, Home Star Staging — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 22:51:00 GMT

Around this time last year I wrote an article about selling a home during the holidays with a focus on the question, should you decorate? I thought it was timely enough now to bring it back again because as we approach the various holidays this season, you may be questioning whether on not you should decorate while selling. It's a valid question and one to consider.

In general my recommendation would be, yes, go ahead and decorate, just do it in moderation! Afterall, you'd like the buyers to remember the large dining area that is great for entertaining, not your vintage collection of porcelain Santas that took center stage.

A decorated home is usually warm and inviting, if not over the top. Keep lawn decor to a minimum and the same rules apply to your interior. Once the season is over, make sure you pack and put away those items for your move. After all your objective is to sell the house isn't it? Don't put those holiday decorations in the attic, put them in storage and get prepared to move!

For more recommendations and tips please check out this article: Selling a Home during the Holidays? Should you Decorate?

I wish you all a very happy holiday season and a successful sale of your home!

I Don't Want a Fool for a Client

eseller1 — Sat, 15 Nov 2008 01:35:00 GMT

My wife and I have moved a number of times in the normal course of life's changes. Each purchase and sale experience was different, but in every case we utilized the services of a licensed Realtor®. In several cases, I used a Realtor® even though I held a real estate license at the time. Why? There is an old adage in the legal profession that says, "The lawyer who represents himself has a fool for a client." The same can be said for selling real estate. Go Here for the rest of the post...