Condos Staging - Why Selling Your Condo For Top Dollar Requires a Little Extra Work
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Brett_C._Meade]Brett C. Meade
When trying to sell your home, it is important to remember to prepare it so it is looking its absolute best for showing potential buyers. This process is known as "staging". Not only will staging help you sell your home faster, but it will also make sure that you sell it at the best market price. Staging is especially important to condominium owners, because it can make even the smallest of condos seem more spacious. Some staging tips are quick and inexpensive fixes, while some will requite more time and money. Following all or some of the staging guidelines will help you sell your condo in the most timely and lucrative manner.
The first step in the staging process involves giving your condo a little (or a big) makeover. This can be one of the most time consuming and expensive parts of staging, but it is also one of the most important and will likely pay for itself in the end. The typical condo makeover includes painting and fixing anything that needs repairing. The key with picking paint colors is to think neutral. Even if your walls were freshly painted with your favorite hue of burgundy within the last year, you have to keep in mind that not everyone is going to like that. It is hard for new owners to visualize their taste in color on the walls, so keep the paint colors on the white/ivory/tan side of the color spectrum. This way, a potential buyer can see the walls as their fresh palette on which they can impose their own style. When it comes to making repairs, make sure to fix both the obvious and not-so-obvious. Replacing tiles and filling holes in the walls are givens, but going the extra inch to repair more obscure, such as unhinged cabinets and leaky faucets will pay off in the end.
The next steps in staging are quicker fixes, but they still make a world of difference. A step, especially important in condos, is rearranging and removing furniture to create the illusion of a lot of space. First, clear out any excess furniture. Grandfather clocks, bookshelves, chests and armoires may be some of your favorite pieces, but they also take up a lot of space. So keep only the furniture that is necessary for a home. Buyers won't notice if your oversized chair is missing, but they will notice if you have no dining room table. Aside from removing furniture, other clutter should also be stored away. Keep kitchen counters empty. Even the things you use-coffee makers, toasters, blenders-should be kept out of sight to create the illusion of more counter space. Doing small things around the home can do wonders. Place new, fluffy hand and decorative towels in bathrooms. Remove all rugs and throw pillows and blankets. Make closets appear more spacious by removing some of the clothing. It is also vital that you remove all personal items. Think back to the rule of paint colors: you have to keep it neutral. It is hard for buyers to visualize the condo as their own when your family photo is hanging in the entryway. Take down photos, refrigerator magnets and anything else that is personalized. Also remember that first impressions do make a difference. The outside of your home is the first thing that people will see, so keep that in mind. Make sure your lawn is mowed and weed-free. Plant flowers, paint the front door and display a welcome mat.
The final stage of staging should be done right before the condo is being shown. They are the simple touches that can either make or break a sale. Cleanliness is key. A dirty house is one of the first things to deter potential buyers. Go above and beyond the typical cleaning duties like vacuuming and making the beds. Polish baseboards, clean windowsills and wipe down walls so they are smudge-free. On the actual day of showing, open up curtains and windows. Letting in as much light and fresh air as possible will make rooms appear larger and unstuffy. It is also encouraged to light a candle with a comfort scent, like vanilla or sugar cookie. These smells will make viewers feel right at home. If it works with your real estate agent, leave the house before the condo shows. If you have to be home, send children and pets to stay with friends or family, as they can be negative distractions to viewers.
Though staging your condo may seem like a lot of work, it is well worth it in the end. Just make sure to start the process early so you don't end up stressing at the last minute. Along with following all of the aforementioned tips, ask yourself this question: "If I were buying a condo, what would I want to see?" If you keep this in mind, you'll be sure to find a buyer for your condo.
Brett Meade sells [http://www.seattlecondohunt.com]Seattle condos for RE/MAX Metro Realty. He specializes in [http://www.seattlecondohunt.com/belltown-condos.php]Belltown Condo listings.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Brett_C._Meade http://EzineArticles.com/?Condos-Staging---Why-Selling-Your-Condo-For-Top-Dollar-Requires-a-Little-Extra-Work&id=2934735
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Will I Stage Or Will I Go?
Will I Stage Or Will I Go?
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Kathie_Shandro]Kathie Shandro
Your real estate agent has suggested that you hire a home stager, but you're not sure. Or you've heard about home staging, and you wonder what it entails. What is home staging, and why should you stage your home?
Home Staging is the process of rearranging your furnishings in order to make your house the preferred home among buyers. It generally includes packing away unneccessary furniture and home decor, especially objects that reflect your personality.
Home Staging does not include washing the windows, sweeping the porch or dusting the furniture. Home cleaning and home repair tasks are necessary to get the highest possible price for your home in the current market.
When your home is staged, the professional you've hired will stand in your living room, in the likely spot that a homebuyer will view the room. From that vantage point, your home stager will work to open the room, making it feel comfortable and inviting.
"But wait, " you might say, "my home is already inviting. My friends always compliment my home." The difference between your friends' perspective and a new homebuyer's perspective is key, however. Your friend looks for reflections of your personality; the homebuyer does not.
Homebuyers are trying to imagine their life in your space, often in less than 10 minutes. It is critical that your furnishings help the buyer "try on" your house to see if it fits. For that reason, homes that are professionally staged sell faster, and for more money, than other homes.
So embrace the idea. Listen closely to the home stager and follow her advice. You'll be glad you did.
Kathie Shandro is an experienced RE/MAX Realtor in Denver, Colorado. Visit Denver-HomesForSale.com for property listings and information about Denver's favorite suburbs, like [http://www.denver-homesforsale.com/denver-cities-castle-pines.php]Castle Pines Village.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kathie_Shandro http://EzineArticles.com/?Will-I-Stage-Or-Will-I-Go?&id=2899770
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Kathie_Shandro]Kathie Shandro
Your real estate agent has suggested that you hire a home stager, but you're not sure. Or you've heard about home staging, and you wonder what it entails. What is home staging, and why should you stage your home?
Home Staging is the process of rearranging your furnishings in order to make your house the preferred home among buyers. It generally includes packing away unneccessary furniture and home decor, especially objects that reflect your personality.
Home Staging does not include washing the windows, sweeping the porch or dusting the furniture. Home cleaning and home repair tasks are necessary to get the highest possible price for your home in the current market.
When your home is staged, the professional you've hired will stand in your living room, in the likely spot that a homebuyer will view the room. From that vantage point, your home stager will work to open the room, making it feel comfortable and inviting.
"But wait, " you might say, "my home is already inviting. My friends always compliment my home." The difference between your friends' perspective and a new homebuyer's perspective is key, however. Your friend looks for reflections of your personality; the homebuyer does not.
Homebuyers are trying to imagine their life in your space, often in less than 10 minutes. It is critical that your furnishings help the buyer "try on" your house to see if it fits. For that reason, homes that are professionally staged sell faster, and for more money, than other homes.
So embrace the idea. Listen closely to the home stager and follow her advice. You'll be glad you did.
Kathie Shandro is an experienced RE/MAX Realtor in Denver, Colorado. Visit Denver-HomesForSale.com for property listings and information about Denver's favorite suburbs, like [http://www.denver-homesforsale.com/denver-cities-castle-pines.php]Castle Pines Village.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kathie_Shandro http://EzineArticles.com/?Will-I-Stage-Or-Will-I-Go?&id=2899770
Friday, September 18, 2009
9 Reasons Why the Flow Must Be Consistent
9 Reasons Why the Flow Must Be Consistent
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Joanna_Parris]Joanna Parris
It would have been and easy sale if...IF some care and attention had been put into preparing this particular home for sale before it was placed on the market.
There was quickness in their steps and a look of excitement on the faces of the prospective buyers as they walked towards the front door. That was because this house promised to be the house of their dreams. Twenty-five hundred square feet, three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a formal dining room, a family room, an office etc., it seemed that this property was tailor made for them. The lawn was well manicured; the trees pruned and healthy looking; the roof was one year old; the windows were recently installed and still under warrantee; everything seemed just right. Then they walked into the foyer and their faces fell; they looked back to the bright well kept front lawn, and then looked again at the walls which were painted in a very dark green that seemed to envelope them and crush their enthusiasm. They proceeded with less of a bounce to their step, yet still expecting that the next room they entered would be more in keeping with the image that was created in their minds from the very pleasing curb appeal. But no, this room had its own problems; they could not identify the focal point, there was too much stuff - mismatched pieces of furniture; accessories that stuck out like sore thumbs and the room had no clear cut function.
The tour of what could have been their dream home was cut short, as they did an about face and headed for the front door. A look of disappointment had replaced the excitement and expectation - It could have been an easy sale, IF, the sellers had taken the time to prepare the property for sale. Curb appeal IS a big seller, but the flow in remainder of the property must be consistent. It is easy to correct some common mistakes by doing the following: Light neutral colours are most pleasing and much easier on the eyes.
Each room should have a function - furniture should give a clue as to the use of the room.
A focal point should be highlighted; having several focal points is confusing. The focal point in a family room is usually the fireplace, or a window.
Balance is crucial to good design in a room. The furniture should be on scale with the size of the room and strategically placed.
Accessories are meant to "finish" a room or to add some colour; but there must be some relationship or connection.
Artwork should not be hung too high; the pieces should be at eyelevel, but not to the level of the tallest person in the home.
Too many art pieces would create a sense of clutter; the eye does need some blank spaces upon which to rest.
Rugs should fit and not float. If furniture fits half on and half off the rug, it gives the appearance of floating.
Lighting is extremely important to "lift" a room, open curtains so that natural light flows though and have enough lighting so the room appears bright.It would have been an easy sale, IF, someone had prepared the place for sale. Your individual taste or style is not necessarily universal. Get professional advice and make that sale happen easily.
Joanna Parris, CSP is a Certified Home Stating Expert; President, Durham Chapter - RESA (Real Estate Staging Association); member of SEA (Staging Excellence Alliance) and certified Senior Move Manager (cSMM) - she can be reached at [mailto:Joanna@effectivestaging.com]Joanna@effectivestaging.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joanna_Parris http://EzineArticles.com/?9-Reasons-Why-the-Flow-Must-Be-Consistent&id=2850519
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Joanna_Parris]Joanna Parris
It would have been and easy sale if...IF some care and attention had been put into preparing this particular home for sale before it was placed on the market.
There was quickness in their steps and a look of excitement on the faces of the prospective buyers as they walked towards the front door. That was because this house promised to be the house of their dreams. Twenty-five hundred square feet, three bedrooms, three bathrooms, a formal dining room, a family room, an office etc., it seemed that this property was tailor made for them. The lawn was well manicured; the trees pruned and healthy looking; the roof was one year old; the windows were recently installed and still under warrantee; everything seemed just right. Then they walked into the foyer and their faces fell; they looked back to the bright well kept front lawn, and then looked again at the walls which were painted in a very dark green that seemed to envelope them and crush their enthusiasm. They proceeded with less of a bounce to their step, yet still expecting that the next room they entered would be more in keeping with the image that was created in their minds from the very pleasing curb appeal. But no, this room had its own problems; they could not identify the focal point, there was too much stuff - mismatched pieces of furniture; accessories that stuck out like sore thumbs and the room had no clear cut function.
The tour of what could have been their dream home was cut short, as they did an about face and headed for the front door. A look of disappointment had replaced the excitement and expectation - It could have been an easy sale, IF, the sellers had taken the time to prepare the property for sale. Curb appeal IS a big seller, but the flow in remainder of the property must be consistent. It is easy to correct some common mistakes by doing the following: Light neutral colours are most pleasing and much easier on the eyes.
Each room should have a function - furniture should give a clue as to the use of the room.
A focal point should be highlighted; having several focal points is confusing. The focal point in a family room is usually the fireplace, or a window.
Balance is crucial to good design in a room. The furniture should be on scale with the size of the room and strategically placed.
Accessories are meant to "finish" a room or to add some colour; but there must be some relationship or connection.
Artwork should not be hung too high; the pieces should be at eyelevel, but not to the level of the tallest person in the home.
Too many art pieces would create a sense of clutter; the eye does need some blank spaces upon which to rest.
Rugs should fit and not float. If furniture fits half on and half off the rug, it gives the appearance of floating.
Lighting is extremely important to "lift" a room, open curtains so that natural light flows though and have enough lighting so the room appears bright.It would have been an easy sale, IF, someone had prepared the place for sale. Your individual taste or style is not necessarily universal. Get professional advice and make that sale happen easily.
Joanna Parris, CSP is a Certified Home Stating Expert; President, Durham Chapter - RESA (Real Estate Staging Association); member of SEA (Staging Excellence Alliance) and certified Senior Move Manager (cSMM) - she can be reached at [mailto:Joanna@effectivestaging.com]Joanna@effectivestaging.com
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joanna_Parris http://EzineArticles.com/?9-Reasons-Why-the-Flow-Must-Be-Consistent&id=2850519
Thursday, September 17, 2009
STOP!!! Before you reduce the price on your listing...have you considered this???
HOME STAGING!!
Instead of lowering the price on your property consider staging it! Statistics have shown that staging your property will help sell your home much faster and usually for list price! Yes list price! Even in today's wishy washy real estate market homes are selling at or about what the list price is -when using a Home Staging Service! The value of home staging is worth the price you pay and is usually much less than what you are just about to lower the sales price to! Do you still live in the home while it is listed? Home Staging Professionals can swoop into your home..help you de-clutter, tell you how to arrange what you have and give you hints to help you redecorate! Would you rather reduce your sale price by $10,000 (or more) OR hire a Professional Home Staging Company to bring a sense of value and luxury to your home and sell it for what you wanted when you orginally placed it on the market?
Showcase Staging Houston services all of the Greater Houston Real Estate Market. We have several packages to suit your needs and budget. Ask us about our Pay At The Close of Escrow Package. Save Time and Money - No Upfront Fees!
Http://www.showcasestaginghouston.com
Areas Served: Houston, Midtown, Inner Loop, Galleria, River Oaks, Memorial, Katy, Sugar Land, Missouri City, Friendswood, League City, Pearland, Heights, Cypress, Tomball, The Woodlands, Spring, Kingwood, Humble, Champions...
Instead of lowering the price on your property consider staging it! Statistics have shown that staging your property will help sell your home much faster and usually for list price! Yes list price! Even in today's wishy washy real estate market homes are selling at or about what the list price is -when using a Home Staging Service! The value of home staging is worth the price you pay and is usually much less than what you are just about to lower the sales price to! Do you still live in the home while it is listed? Home Staging Professionals can swoop into your home..help you de-clutter, tell you how to arrange what you have and give you hints to help you redecorate! Would you rather reduce your sale price by $10,000 (or more) OR hire a Professional Home Staging Company to bring a sense of value and luxury to your home and sell it for what you wanted when you orginally placed it on the market?
Showcase Staging Houston services all of the Greater Houston Real Estate Market. We have several packages to suit your needs and budget. Ask us about our Pay At The Close of Escrow Package. Save Time and Money - No Upfront Fees!
Http://www.showcasestaginghouston.com
Areas Served: Houston, Midtown, Inner Loop, Galleria, River Oaks, Memorial, Katy, Sugar Land, Missouri City, Friendswood, League City, Pearland, Heights, Cypress, Tomball, The Woodlands, Spring, Kingwood, Humble, Champions...
Monday, September 14, 2009
Why Home Staging Pays Off For Savvy Realtors - Staging Creates Traffic
Why Home Staging Pays Off For Savvy Realtors - Staging Creates TrafficBy [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Mary_Fasnacht]Mary Fasnacht
Professional Home Staging Increases Traffic To Your Listings
While traffic on the freeway is literally a pain in the rear, traffic through your listings is absolutely crucial to your selling success. So how do you drive traffic to your listings and get prospective buyers walking through the door?
You start by making the best of your online presentation. These days approximately 90% of buyers start their home search online. And you have only a few short seconds to pique their interest or your chance to sell to them will pass with the simple click of their mouse.
Outdated house-CLICK and on to the next listing!
Confusing house-CLICK and on to the next listing!
Cluttered house-CLICK and on to the next listing!
In order to avoid the "click" and make a potential buyer's "must see" list, you need to make sure your listings look terrific in both MLS photos and virtual tours. What is the best way to ensure your listings look as good as possible online so they will drive traffic to your listings?
Professional Home Staging will be crucial to your selling success.
Effective home staging will address issues like flow, function, space, clutter, cleanliness, style, odor and animal issues, and curb appeal. It will also ensure your property appeals to the broadest range of buyers and that its best features are clearly highlighted while minimizing any challenges.
Real estate selling is one time when traffic is a very good thing. The more traffic, the more likely the listing will sell, and sell quickly. It's like the line from the movie Field of Dreams, "Build it and they will come." When you are selling it's, Stage it and they will come - and they will buy!
Mary Fasnacht of Feels Like Home Interiors provides home staging and interior redesign services. She helps home sellers in Washington County, PA and the surrounding Pittsburgh, PA area prepare their homes to make the best possible impression in today's challenging market helping them to be successful sellers. Please visit her website at http://www.feelslikehomeinteriors.com/ to find out more about how she can make a difference for your home or listings.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mary_Fasnacht http://EzineArticles.com/?Why-Home-Staging-Pays-Off-For-Savvy-Realtors---Staging-Creates-Traffic&id=2795891
Professional Home Staging Increases Traffic To Your Listings
While traffic on the freeway is literally a pain in the rear, traffic through your listings is absolutely crucial to your selling success. So how do you drive traffic to your listings and get prospective buyers walking through the door?
You start by making the best of your online presentation. These days approximately 90% of buyers start their home search online. And you have only a few short seconds to pique their interest or your chance to sell to them will pass with the simple click of their mouse.
Outdated house-CLICK and on to the next listing!
Confusing house-CLICK and on to the next listing!
Cluttered house-CLICK and on to the next listing!
In order to avoid the "click" and make a potential buyer's "must see" list, you need to make sure your listings look terrific in both MLS photos and virtual tours. What is the best way to ensure your listings look as good as possible online so they will drive traffic to your listings?
Professional Home Staging will be crucial to your selling success.
Effective home staging will address issues like flow, function, space, clutter, cleanliness, style, odor and animal issues, and curb appeal. It will also ensure your property appeals to the broadest range of buyers and that its best features are clearly highlighted while minimizing any challenges.
Real estate selling is one time when traffic is a very good thing. The more traffic, the more likely the listing will sell, and sell quickly. It's like the line from the movie Field of Dreams, "Build it and they will come." When you are selling it's, Stage it and they will come - and they will buy!
Mary Fasnacht of Feels Like Home Interiors provides home staging and interior redesign services. She helps home sellers in Washington County, PA and the surrounding Pittsburgh, PA area prepare their homes to make the best possible impression in today's challenging market helping them to be successful sellers. Please visit her website at http://www.feelslikehomeinteriors.com/ to find out more about how she can make a difference for your home or listings.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mary_Fasnacht http://EzineArticles.com/?Why-Home-Staging-Pays-Off-For-Savvy-Realtors---Staging-Creates-Traffic&id=2795891
Friday, September 11, 2009
Texas Economy Stabilizing?
I received this via a post from Linkedin - It is an exerpt from the Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas - The Dallas Beige Book - I have the link for the entire article posted at the bottom but thought I would highlight the Construction and Real Estate section to share with you all:
"Construction and Real Estate Sales of low-to moderately-priced homes continued to improve over the past six weeks as buyers took advantage of the first-time homebuyer tax incentive. Sales of higher priced homes and condos remained slow according contacts. New home construction ticked up, but some respondents said it was more related to inventory replacement than sustainable improvement in demand, as builders had depleted most of their standing inventory during the downturn. Home values continue to hold up better in Texas than in many other areas of the country, and respondents were pleasantly surprised by recent figures that suggest prices may be firming. Despite some positive signs, contacts are hesitant to suggest a sustained recovery in the housing industry in the near term.
Commercial leasing activity remains sluggish. Some contacts said owners were offering early renewal of office and warehouse space, but tenants were hesitant to commit. Investment property sales are "dead in the water," although there were still reports of increased investor interest. Contacts continue to express concern about the large share of commercial real estate loans up for renewal, but for now lenders appear to be extending the loans. Commercial construction activity is at historically low levels, and many contacts said the stimulus funds were not expected to help much. Most contacts don't expect conditions to improve until 2011"
http://www.dallasfed.org/research/beige/2009/bb090909.html
We all need some good news and hopefully signs of a recovering economy! Keep your chins up!
"Construction and Real Estate Sales of low-to moderately-priced homes continued to improve over the past six weeks as buyers took advantage of the first-time homebuyer tax incentive. Sales of higher priced homes and condos remained slow according contacts. New home construction ticked up, but some respondents said it was more related to inventory replacement than sustainable improvement in demand, as builders had depleted most of their standing inventory during the downturn. Home values continue to hold up better in Texas than in many other areas of the country, and respondents were pleasantly surprised by recent figures that suggest prices may be firming. Despite some positive signs, contacts are hesitant to suggest a sustained recovery in the housing industry in the near term.
Commercial leasing activity remains sluggish. Some contacts said owners were offering early renewal of office and warehouse space, but tenants were hesitant to commit. Investment property sales are "dead in the water," although there were still reports of increased investor interest. Contacts continue to express concern about the large share of commercial real estate loans up for renewal, but for now lenders appear to be extending the loans. Commercial construction activity is at historically low levels, and many contacts said the stimulus funds were not expected to help much. Most contacts don't expect conditions to improve until 2011"
http://www.dallasfed.org/research/beige/2009/bb090909.html
We all need some good news and hopefully signs of a recovering economy! Keep your chins up!
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Curb Appeal! It's more important than you think!
Do you realize the first thing any prospective client will see when they pull up to your property is the front yard? Now that seems kind of like I'm being silly.. Of Course you know that right?? So don't scrimp on putting some money into making it look fantastic! You want folks to pull up to your property and go wow..what a beautiful home! If they drive by and see Sanford and Sons has taken up residence they will drive by..if they see...a dead lawn and broken sprinklers and lots of weeds...trust me they will likely keep on going. Take a walk out to the street and take a good look at your property. It may only need some minor repairs and freshening up! Clean out the leaves in the gutters...power wash the roof and sides and the driveway too! Make sure all the sprinklers are working...trim down some of the tree limbs and any bushes you may have. Can you see the home clearly from the street? If not then you need to! These trees shading your property may be cutting out a lot of the light that could help brighten up the inside of the home. People love natural light! You're not into yardwork?? Well who is? With a small investment of likely less than a few hundred dollars you can have your yard looking awesome and buyers will WANT to see the inside of your home... just make sure the inside looks as good as the outside ;) Happy Tree Timming!
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
Staging Your Home to Get More Showings
Staging Your Home to Get More Showings
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Tina_Traver]Tina Traver
Staging your home will make it more receptive and inviting to buyers. Has your home been on the market for a while now? Are you getting showings but no offers? A little bit of work on your behalf will help your situation and produce more showings.
The days of just cleaning and painting before putting your home on the market are over. Staging your home is a process of marketing that will make your home stand out above the rest. This process ensures that buyers will be more attracted to your property which will in turn produce more showings and a quicker sale.
If your home is already on the market, you need to get right to work. Start by addressing the curb appeal of your home. Most buyers drive by several homes at once before making an appointment to go inside any of them. If you were the buyer, what would your first impression be of the outside of your home? Would you want to take the next step and see the inside?
Determine your budget and dig in by doing any repairs that take way from your curb appeal. Your goal is get these buyers inside your front door. Staging your home to improve its curb appeal should make buyers say "wow" when they pull up to your driveway.
Now you can move to the interior of your home. Your goal here is to make your home as welcoming, appealing, and attractive as possible. You need to make your buyers feel like this is the home for them by producing an inviting space where they would love to live.
You will need to enhance your living space by emphasizing its best selling features. Each room should reflect its intended function. For example, the living room should be the living room, not the office. De-personalize so your buyers can see themselves in each space, not you. Make use of harmonious color that looks fresh and clean. Take a look at your lighting because buyers love homes that are light and bright.
And most importantly, don't give up. Staging your home is the best way to make it more appealing and marketable. Taking the time and spending the money to stage your home is much more effective and will cost less than reducing your asking price. When your home is in tip top shape the quality of your showings will be better and you will get more of them. You will increase the changes of buyers coming back for a second look.
Did you know that the average days on market for many homes is 180 days or more? Can you afford to wait that long for a sale? [http://www.squidoo.com/staging-your-home-so-it-sells-faster]Staging your home can cut that time in half (or even more)! Visit my site to learn more [http://www.squidoo.com/staging-your-home-so-it-sells-faster]http://www.squidoo.com/staging-your-home-so-it-sells-faster.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tina_Traver http://EzineArticles.com/?Staging-Your-Home-to-Get-More-Showings&id=2778477
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Tina_Traver]Tina Traver
Staging your home will make it more receptive and inviting to buyers. Has your home been on the market for a while now? Are you getting showings but no offers? A little bit of work on your behalf will help your situation and produce more showings.
The days of just cleaning and painting before putting your home on the market are over. Staging your home is a process of marketing that will make your home stand out above the rest. This process ensures that buyers will be more attracted to your property which will in turn produce more showings and a quicker sale.
If your home is already on the market, you need to get right to work. Start by addressing the curb appeal of your home. Most buyers drive by several homes at once before making an appointment to go inside any of them. If you were the buyer, what would your first impression be of the outside of your home? Would you want to take the next step and see the inside?
Determine your budget and dig in by doing any repairs that take way from your curb appeal. Your goal is get these buyers inside your front door. Staging your home to improve its curb appeal should make buyers say "wow" when they pull up to your driveway.
Now you can move to the interior of your home. Your goal here is to make your home as welcoming, appealing, and attractive as possible. You need to make your buyers feel like this is the home for them by producing an inviting space where they would love to live.
You will need to enhance your living space by emphasizing its best selling features. Each room should reflect its intended function. For example, the living room should be the living room, not the office. De-personalize so your buyers can see themselves in each space, not you. Make use of harmonious color that looks fresh and clean. Take a look at your lighting because buyers love homes that are light and bright.
And most importantly, don't give up. Staging your home is the best way to make it more appealing and marketable. Taking the time and spending the money to stage your home is much more effective and will cost less than reducing your asking price. When your home is in tip top shape the quality of your showings will be better and you will get more of them. You will increase the changes of buyers coming back for a second look.
Did you know that the average days on market for many homes is 180 days or more? Can you afford to wait that long for a sale? [http://www.squidoo.com/staging-your-home-so-it-sells-faster]Staging your home can cut that time in half (or even more)! Visit my site to learn more [http://www.squidoo.com/staging-your-home-so-it-sells-faster]http://www.squidoo.com/staging-your-home-so-it-sells-faster.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tina_Traver http://EzineArticles.com/?Staging-Your-Home-to-Get-More-Showings&id=2778477
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Staging Your Home - 5 Tips For the Kitchen
Staging Your Home - 5 Tips For the Kitchen
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Tina_Traver]Tina Traver
Every home has a focal point that needs to be centered on when you are staging your home. In most cases, the kitchen is the room that we're talking about. For most homeowners, this is the hub of your home where much of your time is spend. Buyers want organized and updated kitchens. These 5 tips will help you give them what they're looking for.
Depersonalize your kitchen. Is your refrigerator covered with drawings, pictures, magnets, and notes? These things are very distracting to buyers so remove all of them. You also need to depersonalize your counter space, something that many homeowners neglect to do. Store your toasters, coffee pots, and any other small appliances somewhere besides your countertops. Doing this will make your kitchen and the counter space look bigger.
Remove any wallpaper and borders. When buyers see wallpaper, borders, or stenciling, they see work that needs to be done on their behalf. Staging your kitchen correctly will remove those feelings of apprehension. Applying a coat of fresh paint with a color that is appealing against your cupboards is a good way to freshen the room.
Inspect your cupboards. Take some time to check for scratches and scuff marks on the cupboards. Determine how old the hardware is and whether it needs to be updated. Your local home improvement store sells markers in various wood tones that you can use to fill in any scratch marks. Updating your hardware is relatively inexpensive and will give the cupboards a new look.
Give old flooring the heave ho. Updated flooring is one of the top three features that buyers look for when viewing a home. If you can only afford to replace one floor in the entire house make it the kitchen floor. Hardwood, laminate, and tile are the most popular options. Others include vinyl and carpet so replace with whatever is in your budget.
Update appliances. If your appliances are old and outdated they will detract from the character of the kitchen. There are a couple of angles that you can look at with appliances. If this is an expense that you weren't planning on addressing, you could buy new, not include them in the sale of the home, and take them with you to your new home. Or you could buy new with fewer features to save money, and leave them with the home.
Staging your home is one of the most important steps of the preparation process. Spending money on your kitchen is one of the best ways to increase the equity of your home.
Did you know that the average days on market for many homes is 180 days or more? Can you afford to wait that long for a sale? [http://www.squidoo.com/staging-your-home-so-it-sells-faster]Staging your home can cut that time in half (or even more)! Kitchens are important but so are the other rooms in your home. Visit my site to learn more [http://www.squidoo.com/staging-your-home-so-it-sells-faster]http://www.squidoo.com/staging-your-home-so-it-sells-faster.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tina_Traver http://EzineArticles.com/?Staging-Your-Home---5-Tips-For-the-Kitchen&id=2808232
By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Tina_Traver]Tina Traver
Every home has a focal point that needs to be centered on when you are staging your home. In most cases, the kitchen is the room that we're talking about. For most homeowners, this is the hub of your home where much of your time is spend. Buyers want organized and updated kitchens. These 5 tips will help you give them what they're looking for.
Depersonalize your kitchen. Is your refrigerator covered with drawings, pictures, magnets, and notes? These things are very distracting to buyers so remove all of them. You also need to depersonalize your counter space, something that many homeowners neglect to do. Store your toasters, coffee pots, and any other small appliances somewhere besides your countertops. Doing this will make your kitchen and the counter space look bigger.
Remove any wallpaper and borders. When buyers see wallpaper, borders, or stenciling, they see work that needs to be done on their behalf. Staging your kitchen correctly will remove those feelings of apprehension. Applying a coat of fresh paint with a color that is appealing against your cupboards is a good way to freshen the room.
Inspect your cupboards. Take some time to check for scratches and scuff marks on the cupboards. Determine how old the hardware is and whether it needs to be updated. Your local home improvement store sells markers in various wood tones that you can use to fill in any scratch marks. Updating your hardware is relatively inexpensive and will give the cupboards a new look.
Give old flooring the heave ho. Updated flooring is one of the top three features that buyers look for when viewing a home. If you can only afford to replace one floor in the entire house make it the kitchen floor. Hardwood, laminate, and tile are the most popular options. Others include vinyl and carpet so replace with whatever is in your budget.
Update appliances. If your appliances are old and outdated they will detract from the character of the kitchen. There are a couple of angles that you can look at with appliances. If this is an expense that you weren't planning on addressing, you could buy new, not include them in the sale of the home, and take them with you to your new home. Or you could buy new with fewer features to save money, and leave them with the home.
Staging your home is one of the most important steps of the preparation process. Spending money on your kitchen is one of the best ways to increase the equity of your home.
Did you know that the average days on market for many homes is 180 days or more? Can you afford to wait that long for a sale? [http://www.squidoo.com/staging-your-home-so-it-sells-faster]Staging your home can cut that time in half (or even more)! Kitchens are important but so are the other rooms in your home. Visit my site to learn more [http://www.squidoo.com/staging-your-home-so-it-sells-faster]http://www.squidoo.com/staging-your-home-so-it-sells-faster.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tina_Traver http://EzineArticles.com/?Staging-Your-Home---5-Tips-For-the-Kitchen&id=2808232
Thursday, September 3, 2009
Staging Your Home - 5 Cool Cleaning Tips
Staging Your Home - 5 Cool Cleaning Tips By [http://ezinearticles.com/?expert=Tina_Traver]Tina Traver
Are you getting ready to sell your home? Are you stressing over the cleaning that you need to do before people start viewing the home? Staging your home by making it spic and span will help sell it faster. Check out these inexpensive cleaning supplies that will make your life much easier.
Hair Dryer. Yes, you read that right - a hair dryer. We all have one of them but did you know that you can use them when cleaning your artificial plants? Turn them on low and gently blow off the dust on all of your plants and trees.
Pledge. It's not just for dusting your tables anymore. Once you've used your hair dryer to remove most of the dust on your artificial plants use your pledge to clean the leaves. You don't need to wipe each leaf clean. Just gently spray the entire plant and they will look great. Did you think that staging your home would be this easy?
Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. This is an incredible product that you can use anywhere in your home. It is great for removing scuff marks on floors, doors, trim, and baseboards. Use it in the tub and on shower doors to remove soap scum. It even removes crayon and fingerprints from walls. If you've never used one before, you'll be glad you tried it.
Krud Kutter. This cleaner is a degreaser and stain remover all in one. It works great on tough stains like glue, grease, oil, permanent marker, and tape residue. Use it in your kitchen to get rid of grease stains. It's also good for wax, lipstick marks and pet stains.
Aluminum Foil. Here's another household staple that you can use as a simple solution for a common problem. If you have scratches in your stainless steel you can rub them out with aluminum foil. What a quick and easy fix!
These products will give you a great start when you're ready to start staging your home.
Did you know that the average days on market for many homes is 180 days or more? Can you afford to wait that long for a sale? [http://www.squidoo.com/staging-your-home-so-it-sells-faster]Staging your home can cut that time in half (or even more)! For more cleaning tips visit my site at [http://www.squidoo.com/staging-your-home-so-it-sells-faster]http://www.squidoo.com/staging-your-home-so-it-sells-faster.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tina_Traver http://EzineArticles.com/?Staging-Your-Home---5-Cool-Cleaning-Tips&id=2808260
Are you getting ready to sell your home? Are you stressing over the cleaning that you need to do before people start viewing the home? Staging your home by making it spic and span will help sell it faster. Check out these inexpensive cleaning supplies that will make your life much easier.
Hair Dryer. Yes, you read that right - a hair dryer. We all have one of them but did you know that you can use them when cleaning your artificial plants? Turn them on low and gently blow off the dust on all of your plants and trees.
Pledge. It's not just for dusting your tables anymore. Once you've used your hair dryer to remove most of the dust on your artificial plants use your pledge to clean the leaves. You don't need to wipe each leaf clean. Just gently spray the entire plant and they will look great. Did you think that staging your home would be this easy?
Mr. Clean Magic Eraser. This is an incredible product that you can use anywhere in your home. It is great for removing scuff marks on floors, doors, trim, and baseboards. Use it in the tub and on shower doors to remove soap scum. It even removes crayon and fingerprints from walls. If you've never used one before, you'll be glad you tried it.
Krud Kutter. This cleaner is a degreaser and stain remover all in one. It works great on tough stains like glue, grease, oil, permanent marker, and tape residue. Use it in your kitchen to get rid of grease stains. It's also good for wax, lipstick marks and pet stains.
Aluminum Foil. Here's another household staple that you can use as a simple solution for a common problem. If you have scratches in your stainless steel you can rub them out with aluminum foil. What a quick and easy fix!
These products will give you a great start when you're ready to start staging your home.
Did you know that the average days on market for many homes is 180 days or more? Can you afford to wait that long for a sale? [http://www.squidoo.com/staging-your-home-so-it-sells-faster]Staging your home can cut that time in half (or even more)! For more cleaning tips visit my site at [http://www.squidoo.com/staging-your-home-so-it-sells-faster]http://www.squidoo.com/staging-your-home-so-it-sells-faster.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tina_Traver http://EzineArticles.com/?Staging-Your-Home---5-Cool-Cleaning-Tips&id=2808260
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