EnergizedSeller

Living Room Home Staging Case Study

eseller1 — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:11:33 GMT

We recently hired home stager Kate Case to give staging advice to some homeowners who were preparing to put their home on the market. Our arrangement with the home sellers was that if EnergizedSeller paid for the virtual consultation they would do the work and share their results.

Below is a before picture of the living area and some of Kate's recommended changes:

Here are some of Kate's recommendations:

These are the things that will make the most dramatic transformation and earn you top dollar for your home:

1. Eliminate all unnecessary furniture and clutter in the Living Room.

2. Paint your walls a lighter neutral color.

3. Clearly define the Living Room space as an area for relaxation and formal entertainment.

4. Blend the kitchen style and living style together to ensure the space flows together.

5. Focus on the Living Room windows, as the architectural focal point of the room.

Living Room Impressions

• This room needs to be turned back into a living room. We need to add a couch and
love seat at a minimum.
• The Living Room appears to be very dark and cluttered and there is not a clear
purpose. When selling a home, every room needs to have a clear purpose.
• The Living room furniture should be arranged in a conversation friendly configuration,
for example the sofa needs to be placed on the longest wall away from the entrance.
In this Living Room, the longest wall appears to be the wall of windows.
• The outdated window coverings should be removed, bare windows are preferable to
old or dated coverings. Also, since the Kitchen and Living Room are open to each
other we need to coordinate the window covering in both of these rooms to create a
more uniform look.
• This space needs to be neutralized as much as possible so buyers cannot enter in
and immediately profile the home seller. All personal photos and items needs to be
removed.
• All furniture needs to be removed from this room along with the small areas rugs.
These small rugs are cutting up the space and not helping the space flow.
• All clutter on the walls need to be removed. For example, the plates above the
windows and the small pictures behind the chair need to be removed.
• The coat rack needs to be removed.
• The paint color in the Living Room and the Kitchen area needs to be lightened up a bit.

Potential home buyers view the Living Room as a place of entertainment, relaxation, and

sophistication. The Living Room is a more formal room than a Family Room.

Here is an example of how the Living Room should be setup:

Here is what the home sellers did:

So, do you think this is good enough? Did the home sellers take enough of the suggestions? Let us know here and we'll tell you the outcome later.

Note: Kate Case also made recommendations about staging the kitchen and back patio since they are both in view of the living area. We'll share those comments later as well.

UPDATE--------------------

Not content with how the self-staging went, the lack of interest, and the complaints that the home looked too country, we hired home stager Lee Ann Kramer to go in and do a consult. Although there is a lot more she could have done with a longer consult (we only hired her for 3 hours) here is what she did to the living room. (Other rooms to follow)

It's All About Details Called Pockets of Emotion

Manuela Tantawy, APSD — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 22:17:00 GMT

Home staging is all about those important details called pockets of emotion that makes a home appealing to a buyer. You want to show off livable and usable space but also make it inviting and "homey". You don't want buyers to walk into a sterile, vacant, unstaged home. You want a buyer to say this is the one! There has to be some kind of connection or emotion that has to be stirred up in a buyer to make your home "The One" they want to buy. This comes with the staging details. Making each room inviting and adding some pockets of emotion here and there will provide that connection and feeling that will grab a buyers attention and get your home sold every time. So what am I talking about when I say pockets of emotion? Here are some examples. Do they stir up some feelings/emotions for you as well?

The Staging Fashionista provides professional and affordable home staging services to clients in Northern VA, DC and MD. Call us on 703-269-8330 for a free estimate or visit us on the web @ http://www.TheStagingFashionista.com. We look forward to dressing your home to sell.

Members Can Now Post YouTube Videos

eseller1 — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 19:52:14 GMT

Members are now able to embed their favorite home selling, how to, and before and after video on their posts. By clicking the YouTube button on the text editor tool bar it is now easy to post a YouTube video. (See images below) This is just one more way we are making EnergizedSeller.com a valuable resource for home sellers and real estate professionals.

EXAMPLE:

(Please visit the site to view this media)

Home Buyers and Home Sellers: Who Were They in 2009?

Donna Dazzo — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 12:04:00 GMT

First time home buyers had the highest market share on record (since 1981) according to a survey by the National Association of Realtors® (NAR). The NAR surveys home buyers and sellers across the nation each year, and the results of their survey were released in November 2009 and cover the period from June 2008 through July of 2009.

The first time home buyer made up 47% of all buyers, up from an average of 40 to 41% over the previous 10 years. The previous high was 44% in 1991, also at the peak of the previous significant downturn in real estate.

The fact that first time home buyers made up a significant portion of home buyers this time around isn't surprising given these two factors:

Homes became more affordable as prices dropped across the nation
The first time home buyer tax credit of up to $8,000 became available

So what is the profile of this first time home buyer? According to the NAR survey:

Their median age was 30
Their median income was $61,600
The homes they purchased cost $156,000
55% financed their home with an FHA loan
96% chose a fixed rate mortgage
61% used their savings for the downpayment; 22% received a gift from a friend or a relative

Also, according to this survey, are some interesting statistics of the typical buyer and buying process, whether first time or repeat:

The Buying Process:

Buyers started their home search process online and then contacted a real estate agent
90% of buyers used the Internet; 87% said they relied on real estate agents
Buyers searched a median of 12 weeks before they found their dream home
They viewed 12 homes before purchasing the one they wanted

The Typical Buyer:

66% are married couples
21% are single woman; 10% are single men
8% are unmarried couples and 1% are "other"
15% are non-white and 9% were born outside of the U.S.
The repeat buyer was typically 48 years old with a median income of $88,100 purchasing a home costing $224,500
87% see their home as a good investment and more than half see it as a better investment than stocks

What did they buy and how did they buy it?

78% bought a detached single family home
54% of the homes were in a suburb or subdivision; 18% were in an urban area
The typical home size was 1800 square feet
The median distance from their prior home was 12 miles
The median downpayment was 8%
8% paid all cash for their home

The survey also covered the typical home seller:

Their median age was 46 and their income was $91,100
They had been in their home for 7 years
They moved a median distance of 19 miles
Their home was on the market for 10 weeks
Nearly half traded up, 30% bought a comparable home, and 22% traded down
85% used a real estate professional
42% used incentives to attract buyers, such as paying for closing costs or providing a home warranty
The home sold for 95% of list price
The home sold for a median increase of $36,000 over the seller's original purchase price

There were also some interesting stats on For Sale By Owner (FSBO) properties:

These were a record low of 6% of homes sold and has been trending downward since 1997
The median home price for sellers who used an agent was $215,000 vs. $172,000 for a home sold directly by the seller, however this difference can be explained by the fact that the FSBO sales were more likely to be in a rural area and more likely to be a mobile or manufactured home.

A complete report can be ordered from the National Association of Realtors at www.realtor.org.

For Sale by Owner attribution license.

Fighting those dirty grouts - simple fix, big difference

Birgit Anich — Mon, 15 Mar 2010 15:30:00 GMT

Over time grouts just pick up dirt and don't look fresh any more - this is just the natural life of tiled floors and backspalshes. But when selling your home you want them to look fresh. Have you tried scrubbing and cleaning them over and over again and are still dissatisfied with the results? That happens all too often.

A simple solution is using a regular White Out - yes, the stationary white out. Just use the little brush in the bottle and touch up the grouts and immediately wipe off any excess. The good thing is that once it is dried, it does not come off when you are wet sweeping your floor.

If you have some experience with mixing colors you can also mix the White Out with some color to match the original grout color.

See here the difference - the grout was originally white, but after years it is now grey and dirty - all cleaning did not work to get the original color back:

HOME STAGING HAS BUSINESS VALUE

StageRight Home Staging — Sun, 14 Mar 2010 11:12:00 GMT

HOME STAGING IS A BUSINESS SOLUTION

The current economics and the correcting real estate industry is an opportunity. Throughout economic history we have had trends; up trends, correcting trends and down trends. All up, down or correcting trends are defined by who is on the receiving end of the up or down and how "they are being impacted". No matter who, we are looking at a business case for change. Home staging is the business solution for the current business trend in the real estate industry.

So, what does this mean to the home seller, the home buyer, the real estate agent? It means there is a need to change the way business is done. For the home seller you have to properly prepare your property for a very competitive market. You need to be viewed by prospective buyers as the first choice. The more buyers that choose your property as their first choice, the better your odds are of selling at a more pallitable price and retaining more of your home equity. To the buyer, the better the choices the more likely you are to move into a property that is "move in ready". To the real estate agent you improve your turns, you reduce your cost of doing business and your percent of sell-through goes up. When your turns increase and your sell throughs go up, more home sellers want you to list their property. Other agents will want to show your properties because they are more likely to make a sale with a reduction in their cost of doing business. Home sellers, the more viewed your property is the more value increases and you stand a greater chance of selling for list or close to list price. This is marketing.

Now what about home staging? Home staging presents a business value to sellers, buyers and real estate agents. Home stagingis a business solution for a market that is correcting itself. If one were to do a business value analysis and look at all the costs involved with a property that is unstaged being on the market for an average of 9 months (HomeGain and Real Estate Staging Association) there is no argument that properly preparing a commodity such as your property is the smart thing to do. The carrying costs for the home owner as well as the marketing and time costs to the agents are in of themselves the compelling argument that home staging is the right business strategy.

When you go to your favorite store-why do you buy? You have a need, the store presents to you in a way that reinforces that need and you buy. How many times have you gone to a store that is in disaray, is not clean and product is willy nilly everywhere? Are you looking for the "item" that you want or are you distracted by the visual clutter? Then how many times have you been to a store that is neat, clean and has amazing presentation and even if you weren't going to buy anything you did anyway because whether you know it or not you drawn in with the marketing! Home staging can do that for home sellers and agents.

Let's go back to cost. Have you figured what it would cost you to keep your property on the market for 9 months? Now look at how much it would cost for about 40 days on the market, add the cost of home staging and subtract that cost from your 9 month carrying cost (HomeGain and Real Estate Staging Association). Keep your emotions out of the equation and just look at the numbers. Home staging is the business solution to increasing your odds of selling your property at the highest price possible in your market.

Home staging has business value. It doesn't cost anything to research home staging as a business solution, just look into it what do you have to lose?

At StageRight Home Staging www.stagerightstaging.com we pride ourselves on customer service. We are here to reduce your days-on-market so that you can move forward in your life. Through the proven staging techniques that we implement we hope to play a role in your moving process.

Please visit our photo gallery at www.stagerightstaging.com and contact us at stageright@jasnetworks.net. We look forward to working with you.

A Dining Room Success Story - Home Seller Implements My Home Staging Action Plan

Kate Case, RESA, ASHSR, Home Stager — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 00:25:00 GMT

Below is an exmaple of an After picture which is a result of a Home Staging Consultation and a customized Home Staging Action Report. The home sellers decided to implement my Home Staging Action Report on their own and called in some movers to help them move some of their heavy furniture out to their PODs container.

When you walk into the home's Entry Way, you are greeted by the Dining Room on the right side. The Dining Room was a great size, but as you can see from the "before" picture the entire room was being overpowered by extremely large furniture.

My suggestions were to removed the following items from this Dining Room:

The large china cabinet
The wine rack
All the additional table leaves
Two of the chairs without the arms
The area rug
All the items on the top of the side cabinet

Kate's Home Staging and Redesign further suggested the following changes:

The side cabinet be relocated to the longest wall.
A painting be hung over this cabinet (a painting was moved from another wall in this room).
Wine bottles could be placed on one side of the cabinet as an accessory.
A long thin accessory item should be placed under the picture (candles were taken from another room).
The tall faux plant was already in this room and it was recommended that it remain.
The red vase in this room could be used as a Dining Room table centerpiece with flowers.

Here are two "after" pictures, I think the home sellers really did a great job following through the suggestions...

The hard wood floors look amazing and this architectural detail was completely hidden before with all the furniture that was in the room. I also really like how much larger the room looks once the Dining Table additional leaves were removed. In my opinion, seating for 6 is plenty when you are showing your home. The home sellers did not do anything to their wood floors, the floors happen to be in perfect condition. This home was an exception and really did not need any work done besides the elimination of furniture from key rooms. The home sellers were very receptive and followed my advice exactly.

Kate

Kate's Home Staging and Redesign is an interior design and home staging company that serves the Rockland County and Orange County area of New York and Passaic County of New Jersey. We specialize in home decorating, color consultations, vacant home staging, home staging, Realtor educational seminars, interior redesign, and home decor discounts. Please contact Kate to schedule your design consultation at 845-538-3623 or visit www.kateshomestaging.com. Every Home Staging Consultation includes a complete Home Staging Action Report!

From bowling alley to livable space

Amanda Alligood — Fri, 12 Mar 2010 17:11:00 GMT

I've been driving past this property for months daydreaming about buying it myself and turning it into a Victorian restaurant/store. It had everything, parking, access to the interstate, situated between two great neighborhoods, and very close to Center City Philadelphia. I finally, out of curiosity, decided to look it up on Realtor.com. Much to my surprise the inside was recently remodeled, was listed as a 3 bedroom home, and sat vacant! Then it hit me...maybe I wasn't noticing this place because I should buy it, I should stage it! I made a few phone calls and after a little back and forth with the seller they agreed to let me stage the main living area. The home has an open floor plan and was showing like a "bowling alley". After two years on the market this is the seller’s last attempt at selling before they may have to rent. I don't think they should have any problems now. Check out our before and after pictures and let us know what you think.

Creating the WOW effect with simple kitchen updates - before and after

Birgit Anich — Thu, 11 Mar 2010 17:50:00 GMT

This kitchen felt dark, outdated, worn out in this young apartment building, but with simple changes it looks now larger, brighter, modern and welcoming.

We made the following changes:

brightened up the wall color
replaced the counter top with a granite countertop
updated the lighting fixture

and voila......

10 changes you can make to speed up the sale of your home

Karen Otto,ASP,RESA, Home Star Staging — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 23:59:25 GMT

Home Sellers if you already haven't, prepare to change.

Especially in the current state of the housing market (& limited numbers actually buying & those that are -are being extremely picky with what they are purchasing) ask yourself this question;

"Is it really going to hurt too much to make a few changes that can speed up the sale of my home?"

As a North Texas Home Staging Professional I am sometimes faced with clients who feel that;

their homes
their choices [ cosmetic or structural] and
the way they are living in the home is perfect for them so why change?

It's time to stop focusing on how you live in YOUR home and get on with the business of selling this house to move onto your NEXT home!

NO MORE

Or deep down do you just really NOT want to sell this house? And I am very serious.

Your short term pain of having to make some changes will result in long term gain, the successful sale of your home.

I'd like to help you get there.

Here are 10 changes you can make to speed up the sale of your home

Wall paper removed and bold paint colors changed - buyers would rather see freshly painted walls in neutral colors and be able to make their own changes later.
Furniture removed, rented, re purposed &/or repositioned for optimal showing if you have too much or too little it matters!
Turn a room back to it's INTENDED purpose (I don't care if the office works in your dining room and you have to move some cables around! A buyer needs to see the DINING ROOM - don't make them guess)
Personal decorating choices removed(and yes even if you like those bottle caps glued to your game room wall and it's going to take you forever to remove - a buyer is thinking that 10 fold)
Collections, excess "stuff" and anything you can live without for a time boxed and packed for your move
Rent a temporary storage unit if necessary1-800-PackRat or PODS will come right to your door
Spruce up the yard, mulch and plant some flowers, even if that means having to water them
Get some updated fixtures [including dated fan kits] installed they're cheap and give a great bang for your buck, it's worth hiring an electrician if you don't know how.
Clean, clean and clean some more- even if you have 6 kids, work and the dishes & laundry never get done - now is the time to get it done or hire someone who will.
Keep the house in show ready condition at all times [the good news is that once you've done all the above, it will be easy to keep ready at a moment's notice!] and be flexible when showing

Still need some assistance in marketing your property?

Proudly serving real estate consulting services to Collin County and North Dallas, Realtors, Sellers & Investors, , Home Star Staging is here for you Texas!

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Please Put the Seat Down!

Diane Beck — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 19:33:00 GMT

While searching through some MLS listings recently I noticed that a lot of the photos of the bathrooms were of the toilet with the seat up! And some weren’t very clean. Yuck!

Why? I have to ask, is it necessary to highlight the toilet with the seat up in bathroom photos? OK, so sometimes a bathroom isn’t the best for maneuverability and it may be hard to get a good shot without the toilet. But, does the seat have to be up? If you can’t get good photos of the bathroom without the toilet at least put the seat down. Better yet, shoot a vignette showing the sink, an indulgent tub and luxurious towels.

Taking the focus off the toilet is as simple as adding a plant, a decorative vase, or seashells in a clear vase to the sink area. Hanging luxurious towels tied with ribbons can achieve the same effect. Adding flair while directing the buyer’s attention towards lavishness instead of utility is what it’s all about. And, make sure it’s clean!

MLS photos are so important when selling a home. We all know buyer’s are turning to the Internet to save time and narrow their search. Maybe it’s just a pet peeve of mine but I’m pretty sure bathroom pictures with the toilet seat up are not creating warm fuzzy feelings with buyers.

So, if you are photographing a bathroom for a listing please put the seat down!

Looking for a Leading Stager in the Pittsburgh Area?

contact

Diane Beck, VIBRANT Interiors, IRIS, Staging Diva, IRD

www.dbvibrantinteriors.com

diane@dbvibrantinteriors.com

724.822.4503

Buyers don't like your house? It's nothing personal.

Karen Otto,ASP,RESA, Home Star Staging — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 20:08:18 GMT

Selling a home?

Perhaps it has been on the market for awhile?

Haven't gotten any offers or constructive feedback?

What could be going on?

You've know you've priced it right, it's in a good location and you feel it shows well.

Is it just the current housing market?
Are there too many other homes for buyers to choose from?

In all likelihood, even though everything you feel you've done is right, buyers simply may just not like your house.

Why?

The prospective buyers are probably not getting the emotional connection they need to mentally move in to this home. And it really isn't personal.

At least not for them.

We all know how emotionally attached we can all be to our homes. Truth be told many of us take the time to make it our own and by all means should. Our personal touches abound. From the wall of family photos, vacation collectibles to the matching chintz drapery and dining room chairs we so lovingly picked out.

Why shouldn't we make it our own?

It's our own special sanctuary, place of comfort in times of sorrow and loss, a party house in times of joy and celebration, and a workhorse that we can get our most mundane tasks accomplished in on a daily basis. My kids took their first steps here and I can still see them walking across that old wooden floor.

How can it not be personal?

Well of course while living in this old house we should all make it as personal as we'd like. It is a reflection of you and your family or possibly a reflection of something else;

times gone by
family heirlooms passed from generation to generation
a house that's been waiting for just the right dining room set to be found and in the mean time we'll just use this card table
a kitchen that we just couldn't decide on the granite for counter tops and the Formica has been OK
fixtures that still work and are just as good (in your mind) as something new

Now fast forward to selling this old house.

Those same personal (and some not so personal) touches that have made your house so special to you and your family could be making it impossible for the next family to see a reflection of themselves in.

People tend to see with the eyes of their heart when shopping for a home.

This is not just your ordinary shopping experience.

Think about going into a specialty store. Let's say Pottery Barn.

Although color of the walls, flooring and shelving of the store is very important to the aesthetic display and layout, what are they selling?

Pottery Barn is in the business of selling home decor and furnishings. That is their product. So the products take center stage.

Now think of your house in the same way of a specialty store. What product are you trying to sell?

Your custom drapery that matches only your chairs?
Your over sized sectional that fills up the media room?
Your grandmother's collection of antique clocks?

Start thinking like an objective salesperson who has a large ticket item to sell - a house.

And remember, it's nothing personal.

North Texas home sellers do you still need an objective eye to help take the personal out of the house selling process? Need the 'eyes of the buyer' who can constructively move you toward your goal - the successful and profitable sale of your house? Look no further Home Star Staging can provide you with tips to sell your home and give you the feedback you need. Home Star Staging is here for you North Texas!

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HOME STAGING IS JUST A MARKETING PLOY OR GIMMICK!

StageRight Home Staging — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 11:25:00 GMT

IS JUST ANOTHER MARKETING PLOY OR GIMMICK!

Well, this statement is partially correct. Yes, it is a marketing strategy. Every company markets to their customer. Retailers, restaurants, spas, beer companies, wineries (one of my personal favorites), politicians (hmmm not so much) car compaies etc. etc. etc. Why in the world would we not market a high ticket item that we plan to sell to make enough money on to perhaps purchase another high ticket item? Why would we not consider the benefits of marketing and packaging a product to be the best? Home stagers are results oriented and everyone benefits from those results-the home seller, the home buyer, the agent, the stager, the lending institution, the title company and the list goes on and on and we haven't even touched the surface.

Let's take a vote. Which of these two properties are you more apt to purchase if you had to purchase one of them? It doesn't matter if neither of these are your taste-the game is you have to choose one-which one?

Same property, same amenities, same square footage but with updates. All that was added was paint and an updated light fixture. Which one do you choose?

Let's now pretend that there are two properties exactly alike. Everything is exactly the same except one has been staged the other has a very lived in look, toys, personal items, too much furniture, collectibles everywhere. Which one is the most appealing? Which one would you purchase?

You want your property to be the property of choice. How do you go about accomplishing that? A home stager can help you make the right choices that have the largest return on investment, will garner more offers and will help you retain 5-20% more of your equity (National Association of Realtors).

You have probably looked at properties comparable to yours just to see what is out there. You may come home saying you like your property better. Of course you do, you live there. But does your property really look better than the competition? Is your property on the market and you have not received offers within the first 3 weeks? If your property does not stand head and shoulders above the competition and you have not received any reasonable offers in the first three weeks, then you have to ask yourself why. Obviously people are looking in your price range. What is it that is keeping the offers from coming in? Think about at least asking a home stager to come in and assess your property. You will be pleasantly surprised by their point of view. Just make certain when you do call a home stager that they are accredited, insured and have references www.stagerightstaging.com. One last thing to remember, a home stager is not going to decorate your property, they are going to stage it and they are as excited about a property that goes pending as you, the homeowner, are or at least almost as excited.

At StageRight Home Staging we pride ourselves on customer service. We are here to reduce your days-on-market so that you can move forward in your life. Through the proven staging techniques that we implement we hope to play a role in your moving process.

Services: Consultations (verbal and written), staging, organizing, staging to live (not moving but want a change using your own stuff?) and move in decorating. We will assess the interior and exterior of your vacant or occupied home including color, lighting, landscaping, furniture and accessory placement and make suggestions for minor repairs and upgrades. We will, upon request, provide project management for repairs and upgrades.

Carole Morgan ASP, RESA, RESA-PRO

t 269.207.9632

RESA Professional Stager of the Year Nominee, 2010

RESA Professional Stager of the Month, January 2010

www.stagerightstaging.com

stageright@jasnetworks.net

Are "Designer Touches" A Good Thing When It Comes To Selling? Before and After

Judy Colburn — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 01:05:06 GMT

I see lots of listings advertising "designer touches throughout" and more often than not, this is what I see. A beautiful home that has been exquisitely decorated all to the current owner's personal taste. I see these same homes still on the market week after week and month after month. Why? Because they are too taste specific. Yes, the home is beautiful and well maintained and priced right. But the field of potential buyers has been limited to a narrow pool of people who happen to have the same taste as the owner and waiting for that buyer to appear. Everyone else walking in is thinking; "I have to paint, remove wallpaper, tear out the window treatments, etc. It's too much work. I want move-in ready".

This property is an excellent example of the difference between decorating a home to live in versus staging it to sell. It's a 3 bedroom 3 1/2 bath Palm Desert, CA home that has been on the market for 15 months. The owner paid a hefty chunk of money to an interior designer to decorate the home to her personal taste. The owner is a lovely, lovely woman whom I very much liked and I know she spent a fortune on original artwork and the finest accessories and furniture.

Nearly every room in the home was painted pea soup green - yes, I said pea soup. The entryway, livingroom, dining room, family room, kitchen, hallway, office and one of the bathrooms including all the doors, baseboards and casings were all painted pea soup green. There was lots colorful artwork and bold accents of black and red and yes, more green. The family room was used as a dining room and the dining area was used as the (teeny tiny) family room. There was also furniture everywhere. Oh and I forgot to mention the entryway built-in and living room fireplace wall was painted in faux-suede charcoal.

In this case, buyers could not see past the pea-green, clutter and all furniture nor could they visualize changing out the dining room with the family room. Always keep in mind that 90% of the population cannot visualize so telling them they can just change it after they move in will be a huge deterrent to them making an offer.

After 15 months of watching other homes in the area sell and hearing how much everyone hated the color and that men especially hated the color, artwork and wee little family room, the owner decided to bring in a stager.

The property is being sold furnished so after the home owner took what she wanted, we changed all rooms back to their original functions, used what was left and after moving the sectional to the family room, brought in a new sofa and cocktail table, artwork, lighting and a few accessories.

And that is why sellers need stagers. We can neutralize your home and, still working with your existing belongings de-personalize your property making it move-in ready and appealing to a much wider field of potential buyers.

Note: If you have a client looking for a primary, secondary or vacation home in the California desert area or to see this property, please contact Debra Volmer of Windermere Realty at 760-597-9803.

Spring Sellers

HomeStyles — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 22:16:00 GMT

Are your ready to be part of the spring market? If so, it's almost here! If you want to be in your new house to enjoy the summer you need to get serious about selling your house. Spring is the optimum time to sell a home. Regardless of whether it's a buyer's market or a seller's market, inventory almost always rises in the spring. Why? Because the largest number of buyers are actively searching for a new home during the months of April, May and June.

After a long hard winter here are 5 things you can do to improve the odds that your home will stand out among the sea of new listings flooding the spring-time real estate market:

1) Wash windows inside and out: Sparkle is free, and sparkle sells homes. A potential buyer may not realize why your home seems so inviting but will feel drawn to it if the windows are spotless. Deep cleaning is the first step to preparing your home for sale.

2) Freshen up the landscape: Clean out dead leaves and debris in your lawn, trim the bushes. Don't let overgrown vegetation block the windows or path to the entrance. Cutting bushes and tree limbs will let the sun inside and showcase the exterior of your home. Mow diagonally and edge lawn along driveway / sidewalks. Artfully manicured lawns are edged and tell buyers you pay attention to small details. Diagonally mowed lawns make your yard appear larger. Transplant tulips and daffodils or buy flowers in containers. Yellow flowers stimulate buying urges. After a long winter, everybody is anxious to see the first signs of spring. Yellow tulips and daffodils induce feelings of happiness and contentment. Arrange containers in groups of three or five near the entrance.

3) Clean drapes, curtains & blinds and open every window: Send your window coverings to the dry cleaners or wash, dry and press. Toss blinds into a soapy bathtub for a quick wash. Get rid of all accumulated dust and spider webs. Crisp linens and a spring-time breeze through the windows invites the season inside.

4) Polish floors to a high gloss: Your hardwood floors should be refinished, if necessary. Make your ceramic and linoleum floors twinkle and shine. Bleach dull grout. Thoroughly clean all area rugs.

5) Replace outside mat for cleaning shoes & put umbrella stand at entrance:
Spring weather is often unpredictable. If it's raining, give buyers a place to stash umbrellas and wipe their feet before entering your home. Do not lay down plastic runners across floors for protection, it tends to ruin the effect of a glittering polish job.

If you are listing for the spring market this is a good start to preparing your home. Call your local Stager to ensure your home is in model condition to appeal to a variety of buyers. Staged homes in Des Moines sell on average in 41 days giving you plenty of summer to enjoy your new home!

Home Stylist, Cathy B

www.homestylesstaging.com

Home Staging Key to Recovery of Housing Market

Birgit Anich — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 05:14:00 GMT

Check out this article published by RIS MEDIA on Feb 11th. Click here to read the article.

Birgit Anich, Redesign Your Space

Home Stager & Redesigner I HSR, RESA, ASHSR - CT Chapter President

Fairfield county, CT I www.redesignyourspace.com

Paint Panic

Karen Eubank — Tue, 02 Mar 2010 03:02:00 GMT

I'm always asked, at every single staging, "What color should I paint this room?" Invariably there is a room, if not two or three that really do need to be repainted. We have a big love of red here in Texas, and green, and yellow, well, we Texans love color! So I never leave home without a fan deck! My own favorites are Benjamin Moore's Shaker Beige for homes needing a warm touch and Balboa Mist which works well on contemporary homes.

I do a lot of redesign or staging to stay as well as staging to sell so it's a lot of fun when I can bust out of the "safety" colors and go wild with a new house. I wrote a story for one of our online newspapers about paint and interviewed some of our well respected local interior designers. There is a list of safe colors as well as some wonderfully exciting choices for clients who are staying put. http://lakewood-dallas.blackwhiteread.com/view/articles/13215

Remove That Wallpaper Border if You Are Staging Your Home!

Cathy Brosius, ASP, IAHSP — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 18:54:00 GMT

It seems like I've been seeing a lot of wallpaper borders lately. Sometimes they are part of a wallpaper decorating scheme and other times they are flying solo near the ceiling or at chair rail height. I have yet to see one that I think enhances a space. It's a trend from a past decade and it dates the home like brass fixtures or avocado appliances. For this reason, I recommend you remove that wallpaper border if you are readying your home for sale!

Like any design choices you make when you live in a home, if you love them, you should keep them and enjoy. But if you are putting your house on the market, a space that is perceived as dated will never be the first choice among buyers unless they're looking for a fixer upper.

Removal can be very simple, especially if you're not contending with wallpaper. Ultimately, if it remains, it can be very distracting and a reminder of the seller's personal style. In the photo above, the nautical border is reinforced with themed accessories and color choices, reflecting the taste of the homeowner. It doesn't really enhance the vaulted ceiling and is making a newer property look dated.

If you're not handy, check with a handyman or painter. Removing wallpaper border usually costs less than you think, and it will be a whole lot less than a price reduction if buyers are perceiving your property as dated. Honestly, if you don't want to remove it, you know the buyer is thinking the same thing!

Cathy Brosius is the owner of Arranged Smartly, a home staging and organizing company. Cathy and her team are working smartly for homeowners and real estate agents throughout the St. Louis region. She has also been interviewed on KMOV's Great Day St. Louis, providing tips on staging a home for sale.

Does Home Staging Really Bring Anything To The Table?

Judy Colburn — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 18:30:06 GMT

If you don't think so, perhaps you should reconsider.

The Real Estate Staging Association (RESA) just released the 2009 Staging Statistics Report. Bottom line? Staged homes spend an average of 78% LESS TIME ON THE MARKET! You can review the report in detail by visiting the link below.

The following information comes directly from the RESA Staging Statistics Report.

The study includes 87 vacant homes (not staged) previously on the market an average of 277 days unsold. Those homeowners had their properties staged. Those same homes sold in 63 days on average after staging. This is 78% less time on the market.

The study includes 39 occupied homes (not staged) previously on the market an average of 233 days unsold. Those homeowners had their properties staged. Those same homes sold in 53 days on average after staging. This is 78% less time on the market.

The study includes 126 vacant and occupied homes (not staged) previously on the market an average of 263 days unsold. Those same homes were staged and sold in 60 days on average after staging. This is 78% less time on the market.

The study includes 284 vacant and occupied homes that were staged before they went on the market and sold in 40.5 days on average after staging. The study includes 167 occupied homes that were staged before they went on the market. These homes sold in 39 days on average after staging.

The study includes 117 vacant homes that were staged before they went on the market. These homes sold in 42 days on average after staging.

In a survey by HomeGains of nearly 1,000 Realtors, 12 areas of home improvement were identified (by real estate agents). The top three were:

Home Improvement Project Average Cost Home Price Increase ROI % of Agents Recommending

1) Clean and De-clutter $100-$200 $1500-$2000 872% 98%

2) Home Staging $300-$400 $1500-$2000 586% 82%

3) Lighten and Brighten $200-$300 $1000-$1500 572% 95%

When reviewing the full report please note that the average cost of home staging in the HomeGain® study is reflective of what REALTORS® said they think it will cost a seller to stage on their own. Projections are higher when a professional home stager is hired.

It's interesting to note that all of the projects on the realtors' list of improvements are covered under many home staging company's services. Some are performed by the staging company and some may be contracted out - but all are included in the preliminary assessment.

To review the detailed report:

http://documents.clubexpress.com/documents.ashx?key=C6oaURUx%2brGhWGW3tE37ikHNu7%2fGqODUv0MjnXT9TTfufcNGMndF4x5%2fctNsrrSkpXgU5b16p4CbW1%2fWL%2bt9GFlDkDcUJelPdFoI%2fqlQFOs%3d

HOME STAGING IN KALAMAZOO AND BATTLE CREEK

StageRight Home Staging — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 11:43:00 GMT

HAVE YOU HUGGED YOUR REAL ESTATE AGENT TODAY?

You have decided to put your property on the market. You have decided on an agent that you feel can sell your property. Now all the responsibility is on them, right? They make those huge commissions, make them earn their money. How many times have I heard, "we don't need to stage our property, we have an excellent agent, they will sell it". Isn't this adventure a collaboration? Sure the agent is an expert and with your largest personal investment at stake you want an expert. Why then does the seller decide that their responsibilities are over?

With location, price in place whose responsibility is it to make certain the property's condition and presentation are in place. It's yours, the home owner. Staging will put your property in showcase condition. 98% of real estate agents feel that staging puts their listings at an advantage. Only 20% recommend it because they are concerned they might offend you.

Staging your home to sell does not mean there is something worng with your property. It means you are serious about a very compeititve market and you want to do everything you can to put your property in showcase condition. A property that is not staged is taste specific and home staging neutralizes your home so that it appeals to the broadest and most taste diverse customer base possible. A property that is staged and market ready is heralded and sought after by all agents. Don't put the agent in a position where they are at a disadvantage when marketing your property. Collaborate with them to insure that your property stands head and shoulders above the comparable competition. Other agents will want to show your property as well, because it is market ready and they stand a better chance of making a sale. Staging is just good business.

http://www.realestateshows.com/472350

So if you haven't already done so, hug your real estate agent today and then run to the phone and call a home stager, your agent might even hug you back if you do. Better yet rather than deep price reductions they may bring you the offer you have been waiting for.

Carole Morgan ASP, RESA, RESA-PRO t 269.207.9632

RESA Professional Stager of the Year Nominee, 2010

RESA Professional Stager of the Month, January 2010

www.stagerightstaging.com

stageright@jasnetworks.net

Still Think Home Staging Doesn't Work?

Laura Hayes — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 21:31:00 GMT

Take into consideration NorthShore Redesigns' latest staged home success. We were contacted by the home sellers son who wanted to purchase a gift certificate for his mom. He had success when selling his own home and felt it was largely do to the home staging. After meeting with "mom", we agreed upon a few changes and went to work staging the home. It was then placed on the market, despite the fact that two doors down another condo was already on and going through a short sale. Our staged home was listed at $265,000.and the short sale listed at $225,000. Both condos were shown to the same buyer and an offer was accepted on our beautifully staged home! The buyer said, "that she loved what the owner did with her place".

In staging the home we made small but effective changes, greatly improving the over all function and feel of the home. We suggested repainting the kitchen and picked the new color, the homeowner repainted herself. We than went to work repurposing her furniture enhancing the flow of the master bedroom, living room and kitchen. We added accessories that created unity and a look that buyers could aspire to. The total cost of staging was under $400.00 including the rental fee for accessories. Considering the return on investment this home was a huge success, staged for success!

For more information on how home staging can turn your home into a success, call NorthShore Redesgin.
Laura Hayes

Northshore Redesign

the edge in home staging

978-471-9264

www.NorthShoreRedesign.com

Seller Home Inspections Point Out Items Overlooked By Home Sellers

selmanhomeinspections — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 20:01:00 GMT

Seller Home Inspections Point Out Items Overlooked By Home Sellers

Home sellers should all seriously consider getting a Seller Home Inspection. As a professional home inspector, I am trained to identify deficiencies in over 500 items in a home. Believe me, your potential buyer will notice many things in a home that appear to be overlooked or even neglected by the current owner. And, even if the buyer doesn't notice these items, the home inspector hired by your potential buyer will point out these defects. We all like to think that our own home is in good enough condition to appeal to a buyer. The truth is however that as a home owner, we are bias and willing to overlook flaws in our own home. But today's real estate market is not so forgiving.

When you hire a professional home inspection company to perform a Seller Home Inspection, you are making a small investment in the experience of an expert who is not bias. (Compared to the Realtors commission, a very small investment). The home inspector you hire for a "Sellers Home Inspection" will provide you, the seller, with a complete written home inspection report from which you can make improvements that will help your home sell faster and without surprises and stumbling blocks at closing time. And more importantly, if the Seller Home Inspection deficiencies have been repaired before a potential buyer visits the home you are selling, the home will look like it has been cared for and not neglected.

Most home owners who are entering the market to sell their home are not going to find the problem items that a professional home inspector will find. You are a home owner, which means unless you are a trained, certified, licensed home inspector, or maybe a home builder, there will surely be many (often 100's) items that you won't be able to identify as a problem. Some are visible, some are not. There are important areas of homes that home owners are simply not knowledgeable enough to know what to look for. There are even more items in the home you want to sell that most home sellers can't even test in the same way a home inspector can and will. And, there are areas of the home you want to sell that you as a home seller may not even be able to enter such as roofs, attics and crawlspaces. But believe me, the home inspector hired by your potential buyer will find and report on these items, even those not readily apparent to the current owner wanting to sell the home.

Here is a short list of a few of the most common problems I find when performing a Seller Home Inspection:

Electrical receptacles that work but are improperly wired
Missing GFCI electrical receptacles in required locations
Main breaker panels that are not properly labeled
Open wiring junction boxes in attics and crawl spaces
Open or disconnected HVAC ducts in attics and crawl spaces
Interior drywall cracks
Exterior brick veneer or siding cracks
Toilets not properly secured to the floor
Water damage and the presents of moisture adjacent to shower enclosures
Missing or damaged shingles
Broken seals in double pane windows
Water heaters with defective TPR valves
Broken or loose floor tile
Evidence of amateur repairs

These are just a few of the most common defects found in the homes of sellers. If these items are not apparent to potential buyers who visit your home, these and 100's of others will certainly be reported by the buyers home inspector. A Seller home inspection will virtually eliminate all the hassles and blown deals caused by traditional buyer inspections. A Seller Home Inspection gives the leverage back to the seller (and their Realtor) and gives the home seller tremendous marketing advantages.

Want to sell your home for more? Want to sell it quickly? Want to make as much money as possible? Sure you do.

So, why not hire a professional home inspection company and a professional home stager to help you as a home seller accomplish these goals? These are small investments that are sure to help your Realtor show a home that does not appear neglected and, your home will not be overlooked because of unattractive defects.

Hiring a professional NACHI Certified home inspector that offers "Move In Certified" home inspections is a wise choice. The professional home inspector you hire will take care of finding the visual, maintenance and mechanical stumbling blocks that limit your homes sell ability on today's tough market. Hiring a home stager will make your home more appealing to a larger market. Both are a smart investments with significant returns.

I wish you great success in the sale of your home.

Sincerely,

David Selman

469-371-3228

Selman Home Inspections

http://www.homeinspectionsofdallas.com

How to Price Your Home

eseller1 — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 17:01:56 GMT

When the time comes to price your home for sale, you may be tempted to start with the price you paid for it, add a healthy markup and call it a day. Unfortunately, that strategy is unlikely to result in a true reflection of your home's market value.

Here are six strategies to help you figure out how much your home is worth:

1. Abandon your personal point of view. How much will a ready, willing and able buyer be willing to pay for your home? Buyers don't care how much you paid for the home, how many memorable moments you and your family shared in the home, how much cash you need for the downpayment on your next home or how much time and money you've invested in your home's hardwood floors, fresh paint, lush landscaping or other improvements.

2. Get a couple of CMAs. Invite at least three real estate agents to visit your home and give you their opinion of its likely selling price. Ask for a "comparative market analysis" (CMA), which shows the prices of comparable recently sold homes, on-the-market homes and homes that were on the market, but weren't sold. The on-the-market homes are the "competition" for your home. Ask the agents why each home was included in the CMA and whether any other comparable homes were eliminated from the CMA. Price recommendations based on CMAs aren't gospel. Some agents will tell you to under-price your home in hope of sparking a bidding war. Others will suggest a flatteringly high price to "buy" your listing only to demand a price reduction a few weeks later.

3. Do your own market research. Go to open houses in your neighborhood and try to make an impartial assessment of how those homes compare to yours in terms of location, size, amenities and condition. Assuming all the asking prices were the same, would you buy your home or someone else's?

4. Calculate the price per square foot. The average price per square foot for homes in your neighborhood shouldn't be the sole determinant of the asking price for your home, but it can be a useful starting point. Keep in mind that various methodologies can be used to calculate square footage.

5. Consider market conditions. Are home prices in your area trending upwards or downwards? Are homes selling quickly or languishing? Will your home be on the market in the spring home-buying season or the dead of winter? Are interest rates attractive? Is the economy hot or cold? Will you be selling in a buyer's market or a seller's market? Is the local job market strong or are employees fearful of staff reductions?

6. Sweeten the transaction terms. Some buyers have needs that go beyond the bottom line. If you're willing to close escrow quickly, you'll attract buyers who want to move in right away. If you can offer seller-financing, your home will appeal to buyers who need to stretch their financial resources. A lease-option can help first-timers who need downpayment assistance. The more creative and flexible you can be in meeting the buyer's needs, the more success you'll have in pricing your home to sell.

Vacant Home Staging-Before and After

Amanda Alligood — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 16:36:00 GMT

Recently Staged

Hi everyone! I wanted to make sure you could see pictures of our most recent vacant property staged by Sunflower Creations. This project had a complete turn around of 48 hours! Yes, that’s insane but we’re so happy with the turnout.

Check it out:

3BR, 1B, EIN KIT

Hope you enjoyed looking at our work! Need a home stager or have home staging / interior redesign questions…email amanda@sunflowercreationsonline.com

Sunflower Creations serves Philadelphia, Bucks, and Montgomery Counties in PA.

Rocks in corner of living room

Vicky Salazar — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 03:32:10 GMT

So, the same 1800 circa home with the fireplace as center stage also has a few other issues that I need to address. This one is a large rock or boulder in the corner of the living room of what used to be a one room school house. The previous owners tried to go along with it and has placed dirt and plants (now dead) in the corner after surrounding the rock with bricks. The current owner now wants to know what to do with this. Any suggestions?

Vicky

1800 circa fireplace takes center stage

Vicky Salazar — Thu, 25 Feb 2010 03:03:00 GMT

Help...I am stumped! This home is a 1800 circa one room school house that has had additions put in over the years. One thing that has remained has been this circular fireplace smack in the middle of the living room. The owner asked if I can somehow fiqure out how to place a TV in there with the proper seating arrangement without being awkward. My response to the seller was that if he was asking about the arrangement of the seating, that is exactly what the buyers will be asking themselves and will be turned off by the challenge. The house is in the process of being prepared for sale and I have had the honor of being called in for this job.

I would like to keep some of the historical integrity while giving it a much needed facelift and updated look. Any suggestions on what to do with this place? I could suggest the fireplace be taken down, but thought I would provide the owner with options.

Vicky

HOME STAGING A WAY TO REDUCE DAYS-ON-MARKET

StageRight Home Staging — Sun, 21 Feb 2010 21:23:11 GMT

Home staging is the one of the best proven methods of reducing the DOM (days on market). All too often I go into a property and the property is not "showcase" ready. There are personal use items spread out on the bathroom vanities, toys and lawn items carelessly left throughout the yard, overflowing closets, too much furniture, collectibles everywhere and laundry rooms full. This is not putting your property's best foot forward. You have about 6 seconds to make a good first impression and the first impression is the lasting impression. As the potentential home purchaser views your property, where do you suppose they are looking? They can't help it, they are looking and thinking about your stuff and when they get home and begin talking about the properties they have seen that day, they will attach a descriptive phrase to remember your property. What do you want that phrase to be? Do you want them to say "you know the one with all the toys in the yard" or do you want them to say "you know the one with the great backyard?". You live in your house one way, we all do, we market our property another way. Home staging services whether they be in the form of a consultation or actual staging will help you to objectively prepare for a competitive housing market. A professional home stager will help you go from dweller to seller through organization, furniture and accessory placement and in some cases recommend minor repairs or updating. They may suggest painting to "freshen" up the presentation of the property. At STAGERIGHT HOME STAGING ( www.stagerightstaging.com )our goals are clear: keeping the cost as low as possible, reducing the days on market and most importantly A SALE. STAGERIGHT HOME STAGING looks forward to collaborating with you and your Real Estate Agent regarding preparing your property for sale. Remember, home staging typically will cost you less than your first price reduction. What do you have to lose?

painting tip for trims

Birgit Anich — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 22:02:00 GMT

When painting or touching up trims with latex paint, remember it dries fast and does not allow you to work with it the most efficient way to achieve the best looking results. Adding a Latex Paint Conditioner (e.g. Floretrol) will slow down the drying time of the paint and allow more time to spread the paint without leaving those annoying brush marks.

Birgit Anich, Redesign Your Space

Home Stager & Redesigner I HSR, RESA, ASHSR - CT Chapter President

Fairfield county, CT I www.redesignyourspace.com

EnergizedSeller Tips Help Get Offer After First Open House

eseller1 — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 17:37:58 GMT

Home stager Cathy Lee from Danville, Calif., was contacted for a consultation with a client moving to Southern California. As she always does, she gave the client her co-branded "101 Energized Tips To Make Your Home Sale Ready” to help the client prepare for the first open house. Cathy said she suggested the client focus on 20 of the topics and then worked with her on each of them. The home was staged on a Friday, an open house was held on Sunday, and a great offer was made that week.

Congratulations to Cathy and the home seller.

Here are the 20 tips she suggested:

Tip #1 Make your home look organized- even if you are not.

Tip #9 Buy new bedding to dress up your bedroom

Tip #11 Change outdated wallpaper to neutral paint

Tip #26 If you have a formal dining room, present it as such

Tip #27 Put a new, tasteful centerpiece on your dining room table to showcase the dining

Tip #33 De-personalize the entire house

Tip #47 If necessary, rent, borrow or buy new furniture to showcase the room like a model

Tip #48 Pack personal collections

Tip #51 Remove all items smaller than a cantaloupe

Tip #62 Organize and clean like you’ve never done before

Tip #74 Scrutinize every room as though you are a buyer

Tip #75 Pack up and remove items you do not need

Tip #76 Call a non-profit organization to haul off donations

Tip #77 Put bills and other mail out of sight

Tip #80 Hire a cleaning service

Tip #93 Eliminate any food bowls or signs of pets

Tip# 95 Decorate your home to suit prospective buyers-not yourself

Tip #97 Store extra furniture, clothes and misc items

Tip #98 Get advice from a professional stager

Tip #99 Hire a Realtor!

Download all 101 home selling tips here.

Home Staging and Home Selling Tips Newsletters

eseller1 — Thu, 18 Feb 2010 22:08:10 GMT

Tips for Increasing the Value of Your Home (February 18, 2010)

Topics covered:

EnergizedSeller Tips Get Offer First Day On The Market

Make Most of Small Spaces

Question and Answer

Get rid of odor?

Laminate or Carpet?

Before and After

De-clutter Example

Living Room

Loft

Closets as Home- Selling Feature

Highlighted Posts of the Week

“ECO Friendly Paint Tip"

“Home Staging a Way to Reduce Days on Market”

“What's That Smell?”

This Weeks Featured Experts

Cathy Lee

Jane Ann Lance

Birgit Anich

Carole Morgan

Wayne Warshawsky

Catherine Jeffery

Ilaria Barion

To read this weeks newsletter, click here.

Tips for Increasing the Value of Your Home (February 11, 2010)

Topics covered:

Safety First

$200 Makeover Pays Great Dividends

Question and Answer

Flooring Problems

Water Stains

Before and After

Gameroom

Bathroom

Red to Elegant

Highlighted Posts of the Week

“Home Staging Solves Buyer Objections”

“Declutter, Declutter and then Declutter Some More”

“Kitchens and Bathrooms Sell Homes”

This Weeks Featured Experts

Judy Colburn

Manuela Tantawy

Carole Morgan

Karen Eubank

John Badalamenti

Karen Otto

To read this weeks newsletter, click here.

Tips for Increasing the Value of Your Home (February 04, 2010)

Topics covered:

Contract Negotiation: Terms and Conditions

MirrorMate (Add a frame to a mirror)

Question and Answer

Do I replace cheap bathroom fixtures?

Is leaving a knife block in the kitchen ok?

Before and After

Basement Makeover

Living Room

Stage for Success

5 Reasons to Hire a Realtor

Highlighted Posts of the Week

“Gutters—Another Key to Curb and Buyer Appeal!”

“Tips for Maintaining a Freshly Staged Home”

“What are the ‘hot colors’ for spring?”

“Does the Average Homeowner Know When To Call a Home Stager?”

This Weeks Featured Experts

Joanne Abrahams

Kate Case

Deb Waters

Diane Beck

Margaret Oscilia

Katie Griffin Ross

Lynn Chevalier

Marcie Geffner

Click here to read this weeks newsletter.

Tips for Increasing the Value of Your Home (January 28, 2010)

Topics covered:

Seller Listing Agreement

Yellow: 2010 Color of the Year

Before and After

Window Treatments

Bookshelves

Fireplace Improvement (Brick Anew)

Question and Answer

Should poster be taken down?

What questions should a home seller ask a prospective Realtor?

EnergizedSeller Wins Innovator of the Year

This Weeks Featured Experts

Marcie Geffner

Kate Case

Lee Ann Kramer

Karen Otto

Click here to read this weeks newsletter.

Tips for Increasing the Value of Your Home (January 21, 2010)

Topics Covered:

Give Your Home a Smile

Shuffle Duffle

Before and After

Cluttered Kids Study

Living Room

Dining Room

12 Home Selling Tips

Question and Answer

“My bedroom serves as both a bedroom and office, and there is nowhere else to put my desk and bookcase. How can I stage this room?”

Stage a Vacant Home

Highlighted Posts of the Week

Is Your House Selling Strategy Complete?

Start Now To Sell Well

Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda Part 2

Coulda, Woulda, Shoulda Part 1

This Weeks Featured Experts

Diane Beck

Mary Fasnacht

Birgit Anich

Ashley Whittenberger

Karen Eubank

Allegra Dioguardi

Lynn Chevalier

Lee Ann Kramer

Sue Geurs

Gina McNew

Calling Home Stagers In Utah and Southern California

Judy Colburn — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 02:32:00 GMT

I feel like I just discovered a best kept secret! You may already know about these resources but I wanted to share them for those that haven't heard.

A new client put me onto a store called The Alley. They have several locations in the Palm Springs/Indio area and a new location in Rancho Cucamonga. I visited the Rancho store Saturday night and fell in love!

The Alley has great deals on home decorating goods. Prices are good to begin with but the sale prices are even better! I got lighting and artwork for 50% off, sofa pillows for $4.99. Yes, $4.99! They have furniture, lighting, artwork, accessories and more. Great store for when you're working with a tight budget.

Next door to The Alley I found the Tai Pan Trading Company. They have several locations in Utah and their newst store is the Rancho Cucamonga location. They sell at wholesale prices and are open to the public. Again, amazing prices on furniture, accessories and more and ideal for tight budgets.

If you're within driving distance I encourage you to visit these stores and have lots of fun shopping and getting great bargains.

HOME STAGING FOR BOOMERS AND THE REST OF US

StageRight Home Staging — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 16:26:00 GMT

BOOMER STAGING TO SELL

If you are a "boomer" or even if you are not, you are probably at the very least discussing what your next steps are regarding your life style. Maybe you are "down sizing", moving to a warmer climate, moving to two different residences or maybe you are just going move to a different property.

One of our "boomer" (yes I am one as well) claims to fame is our "stuff". We love our "stuff", we have tons of our "stuff" and parting with our "stuff" is a very emotional step. I once took out over 80 boxes of collectibles for an elderly couple. It was emotional but I talked with them all the way through and they sold their property in 4 days and prior to the staging process it had been on the market for over 6 months with no offers. If you are going to move on and sell your property, reducing the amount of stuff is paramount. A professional home stager can help you through that process.

Properties that are loaded with collectibles, photographs, artifacts, collections and furniture (because boomers can't get rid of anything) do not sell well in any market. Home stagers typically have an incremental plan that you can execute prior to their staging.

To get a head start on the moving process go through your items and see what you really can't live without and that you can indeed take with you wherever you are going. Put a sticky note on those keep items. Go through all your drawers, closets, cupboards, the basement, the attic, the garage and where ever you store your "stuff". Pack away those items that are seasonal and that you only use occasionally. In one box (yeah like you have one box of anything) put those items you are taking with you and in the other put what you are going to donate or give to family and friends (perhaps a third box will help). You do not have to do this all in one day. WARNING: you are going to have to watch your significant other or family members, they will try to take your "saved" stuff and put it in one of the other two boxes, I do this to my husband all the time. This process applies to every space in your property.

Next, call a home stager www.stagerightstaging.com to come and access the property. Painting is the least expensive way to freshen a property and will most likely be one of the first things the home stager suggests. The home stager may have additional ideas on minor repairs and upgrades. Once those line items have been addressed the home stager will strategically place your existing furniture and accessories to complement and enhance the square footage, amenities, character and possibilities your property has to offer. Listen to the home stager, they want what you want and that is to sell the property so you can move on with your life. Nothing excites a home stager more than to hear that a property they have staged has gone pending. Equally excited of course is the real estate agent and no one is more excited than you. You did it, you started the next chapter of your life.

If you take the steps above, including a good real estate agent, your property, if priced right, will sell. Put yourself and your agent in a position where your goals are attainable. Help them work for you, don't tie their hands by having expectations that they can sell the house "as is". They probably can but I am not sure you will like the results if you don't scale down. If you choose not to prepare your property for market, then it isn't the agent's fault if the property doesn't sell or if you take deep price reductions. Retain more equity through home staging and preparing your property for market, a home stager can help you do that. StageRight Home Staging can be reviewed at www.stagerightstaging.com or send us an email at stageright@jasnetworks.net or call at 269.207.9632. STAGERIGHT HOME STAGING OVER 30 MILLION IN STAGED PROPERTIES.

ECO friendly paint tip - non toxic, no VOC - try Mythic paint in your home in Fairfield county, CT - or anywhere else

Birgit Anich — Sun, 14 Feb 2010 06:32:00 GMT

On my search for eco friendly paints, I came across Mythic paint. Mythic paint is non-toxic and no VOC - ultra low odor. They say it is safe for kids, people, pets,....even for pregnant women.

I have just tried it with one of my clients and it was great to work with - how great not having this annoying smell!

It comes in 1232 colors on their color pallet and they can also mix any color of any of their competitors.

I found it also less expensive then for instance Benjamin Moore paint.

Oh, by the way, also David Bramstad from the HGTV sereies "Color Spalsh" is using this paint.

You can find Mythic Paint at Brandman's Paint & Decorating stores in the lower Fairfield county.

Birgit Anich, Redesign Your Space

Home Stager & Redesigner I HSR, RESA, ASHSR - CT Chapter President

Fairfield county, CT I www.redesignyourspace.com

Making the most of small spaces

Catherine Jeffrey — Fri, 12 Feb 2010 20:26:00 GMT

Making the most of small spaces

Posted by Catherine Jeffrey

How to cleverly do more with the square footage you have in your home. New homes for the first time since the 1980’s are getting smaller. In the most recent REALTOR magazine I read a few articles that give some great ideas on using and improving small spaces. The ideas will also work to get your home ready to sell. Here in Fredericksburg, TX many homes for sale are small as they were used as Sunday Houses.

Here are some of my favorite suggestions:

1. Remove rugs to show off hardwood floors and reduce the amount of pictures on the wall. The fewer the distractions, the bigger the room will feel.

2. In small kitchens, counters should be completely empty. Reduce the number of pans and appliances to the basics and then find a home for them under the counter.

3. Smart Storage; when shopping for new furniture try to find pieces that can double as storage. For example ottomans that open to hidden storage, beds with drawers underneath, using a trunk as a coffee table, bedside tables with drawers and a simple line of decorative hooks hugn near the back door to neatly store coats and purses. And, don’t forget easy inexpensive solutions like adding bed risers and under bed storage boxes (don’t forget the bedskirt).

4. Add traditional details like crown moldings or base moldings to make a small room feel grand. Buyers who are looking to down-size are still looking for luxury, but in a smaller space.

5. Color palette; in a smaller home, it is important to have the walls and furniture blend. Eliminate high contrast colors, using the same paint colors and flooring throughout the house, pulls your eye from room to room to maximize your perception of space.

6. Lighting; using corner uplighting will help a room feel much more open. Making sure the home is a s light as possible will really help. Tying back or removing heavy drapes and trimming trees and bushes that block light will help.

For help getting your home ready to sell, call Catherine at 830-456-4584. www.FredericksburgTxHomes.com

http://www.realtor.org/rmohome_and_design/Articles/2010/1002_home_livingsmaller

http://www.realtor.com/home-garden/decorate/interiors/20-small-house-dos-donts.aspx

Can I Get Opinions About A "Walk Through" Home Inspection For Sellers?

selmanhomeinspections — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 21:26:00 GMT

Like most home inspection companies, Selman Home Inspection offers the traditional buyers home inspections. And, as an InterNACHI certified home inspector, I also offer "Move In Certified" Seller Home Inspections which are the same as a traditional home inspection but are geared to provide marketing advantages for sellers and their listing agents.

I often here that the biggest reason sellers don't want to do a Seller Home inspection is the cost. They simply don't want to spend $275 to better market their home and remove the surprises. (I don't know why)

So, today I had an idea (not yet sure how good it is). What if a home inspector such as myself offered to perform something like, "Walk Through" home inspections or "Seller Consulting Inspections"?

The idea is to bridge the gap for those who want to help their home sell without the full expense of a complete, written home inspection. I am a certified, licensed home inspector and, I am considering offering a walk through style inspection. The idea is that the seller or listing agent can hire an inspector (me) to walk through a home with them. The client can ask questions about any item they like, and the inspector can verbally point out items a buyers inspection might report. There would be no inspection report from the inspector, only notes written by the current owner or listing agent. And, the price would be about half the cost of a seller home inspection.

As listing agents, would this be of value to you and your clients? Would it be worth $150 for about an hour and a half of a professional inspectors time to verbally consult sellers and listing agents about the property condition? Would this cost effective seller inspection help eliminate surprises from the traditional buyer inspection?

Are there any TREC or SOP limitations? Pros, cons... thoughts....opinions...

I look forward to hearing your thoughts and your ideas for bridging a gap and, helping agents improve their real estate sales. My desire is to increase home inspection income and, provide an innovative solution that helps prevent real estate deals from failing due to buyer inspection results.

Selman Home Inspection Company
David Selman, Licensed Professional Inspector

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