home reporter

As a certified home stager, people often ask me how they can best prepare their home to sell in today’s sluggish Real Estate market. My answer is simple. Get back to the basic principles of good design to create multiple, memorable, ‘first impressions’!

Today’s prospective home buyer is more savvy than ever before. Statistics show that 85% of people first browse the MLS listings on the internet to determine which homes they want to personally see. Therefore, compelling photographs representing a staged home in showcase condition is critically important. This often can make the difference between a house that sells quickly and a house that will languish on the market for months, unseen.

The art of successfully staging homes to get properties sold quickly and at the best possible price is a service which has been widely adopted. Homebuilders have been using this marketing technique for many years to create an emotoinal connection with their prospective buyer. They have known that a well merchandised model is a minimum investment with a maximum return, giving them that all important edge in a competitive market. What model merchandising has done for the homebuilders, home staging is now doing for individual home sellers and Realtors nationally.

Barbara Corcoran, the dynamic, successful New York real estate mogul was recently quoted as saying, “Home staging, once considered an option by real estate professionals, has now become a necessity.” The benefits of home staging are evident.

The following is a simple guide outlining the basics of good home staging for both the professionals and individuals who want to prepare their homes for a quicker, more profitable sale . . .

Good home staging is . . .

. . . simple. Less is more when staging your home to sell. It’s important to remember that you are selling square footage and therefore need to make the rooms look and feel as large and open as possible. Declutter - declutter - then declutter again. When you have too much furniture, artwork, accessories or just ‘fluff’ you run the risk of sending your potential buyer into sensory overload!

. . . organized. Get organized! Downsize what’s in your closets, garage, pantry etc. Clear the countertops in your kitchen and bath areas. Keep refrigerator surfaces clear of magnets and pictures of the kids. Have a garage sale to get rid of all the excess stuff you haven’t used or worn in years. Box up out of season clothes, childrens toys that won’t be missed and stacks of books that you’ve been meaning to read. And as a special reminder, organize your linen closet. This is a hot spot for potential buyers. An indicator to them as to how well you have paid attention to details when maintaining your home. It may seem unimportant to you but buyer surveys have indicated that it isn’t to them!

. . . balanced. Have you ever been in a room where you felt uncomfortable and weren’t sure exactly why? Chances are the room was unbalanced due to furniture which was out of scale and proportion for the room. It could also have been that the colors, textures or lighting were not distributed evenly. Maintaining visual balance with your furnishings is essential in achieving a sense of comfort, well being, and good home staging.

. . . cohesive. Your eye carries color from room to room. It is important to determine an overall color scheme for your home, usually a combination of 3 to 5 colors, and stick with it. This does not mean that every room will look alike. On the contrary, each room should have it’s own personality while maintaining a cohesive flow of color and style. And remember, your color choices will psychologically communicate with your potential buyers. For example: Red conveys excitement, blue evokes tranquillity, pink has a calming effect, yellow sends the message of happiness and light, and green signifies life and growth. And when you use black you are communicating the feeling of sophistication and elegance. Know what message you want to convey when making your selections.

. . . descriptive. The home should tell a story, depicting a lifestyle which will encourage buyers to visualize themselves living there, entertaining there, raising their family there. Each room in the home should be a designated space that is memorable and incorporates the WOW factor!

. . . staged with the potential buyer in mind. Pay attention to demographics. Who is your targetted market? Young professionals with children, empty nesters? Is it a golf club community or on the water? Your staging should reflect and incorporate subtle furnishings associated with them, again forming that very important emotional connection with your potential buyer, making them feel like this is ‘home’.

Finally, two basic things to remember when preparing a home for sale:

 #1. The way you live in a home, and the way you stage a home for sale are two different things. A house on the market must be viewed as a product, and staged to appeal to a broad range of people. Depersonalization of the house is necessary in order for buyers to emotionally connect with the home and imagine themselves living there.

 #2. First impressions are made within seconds of entering each area of a home. You have only one chance to make these ‘first impressions’ memorable!

For more information on home staging visit www.homereporter.co.uk

home staging

When the time comes to sell your home it is a good idea to take a perusal of your property and start making note of some items that could be spruced up in order to not only reduce the amount of time your home is on the market but also to possibly increase your sales price as well.

While the idea of remodeling or staging your home to sell it might seem as though it would hit hard in the pocketbook there are actually some inexpensive repairs and remodels you can do to your home that can really make a big difference for just a few dollars.

Unfortunately, many people first start to consider what they can do their kitchens and bathrooms in order to increase the home’s value and the price tag. Ideally; however, you should first turn your attention to those repairs and remodels you can do that will result in an increased kerb appeal. Remember it is the exterior of your home that actually makes the first impression and ultimately decides whether a buyer is interested or not.

The first area you should take a look at is the trim around your doors and windows as well as the corners of the home and along the roofline. Over time, this trim can become warped, cracked or split for a variety of weather factors in addition to simple exposure to the sun. While you may have become accustomed to them over time, chances are prospective buyers won’t be so forgiving.

Therefore, it’s a good idea to consider what you can do to repair or replace the trim.   Taking the time to replace your unsightly trim will not only make your house look better but will also provide limited maintenance for future owners; a fact that is surely to pay off well when it comes time to sell.

It’s also a good idea to make sure the gutters are cleaned out in addition to giving the shutters and siding a coat of new paint.

Don’t overlook the windows. Taking the time to be sure they are clean and sparkling both inside and out can really pay off in big dividends. Finally, take the time to be sure the lawn is well trimmed and clutter free. Set out some seasonal flowers and your home will be sure to attract attention.

Inside the home, be sure to give the house a good spring cleaning; even if it’s the middle of winter. Nothing sells a home better than a thoroughly clean interior. Start at the baseboards and clean all the way up to the ceiling. If you feel you do not have the time, invest in professional cleaners to do the job for you. The cost will be money well spent.

Also, carefully view your interior doors to be sure they meet the grade. Don’t forget to look over the closet doors as well to see if they could benefit from some sprucing up.

Check the bathrooms as well to see if caulking needs to be repaired and take care of it immediately. If the bathroom accessories are dated, invest in installing new towel bars, towel rings and paper holders. This can be done for under $100 and will give your home a stylish, updated look.

Consider the amount of lighting in your home. While you may have become accustomed to, or even enjoy limited lighting, chances are prospective buyers won’t fill the same way. Most buyers want a home that is filled with plenty of light and sunshine.

Dust the blinds and wash the curtains so that they let in plenty of fresh bright sunlight. If the curtains and blinds are outdated, replace them. Take a look around each room and consider where you can add additional lighting to brighten things up.

Finally, get a head start on your packing by de-cluttering your home and getting rid of any excess furniture. If you’re not quite ready to move yet, pack everything up and rent a storage facility to store everything until your home is sold.

Remember that ultimately buyers are looking for a home that has been obviously cared for and well maintained. A little bit of tender loving care and a small investment can go a long way toward projecting that image.

Andrew owns a Home Selling Tips website that provides many home selling advices. You can visit his website at: http://www.buy-and-sell-house-fast.com/home-selling-guide.shtml

For more information on home staging visit www.homereporter.co.uk

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andrew_Webber

Yesterday afternoon I had the priviledge of being invited to the BBC to chat about home staging on Becky Want’s afternoon show. The programme was themed specifically around Property.

Becky first asked, ‘What is home staging?’ and then we went on to discuss things to look at to prepare your house for sale - I stressed the importance of Kerb Appeal and the fact that many buyers make their minds up about a house in the first eleven seconds!

I also emphasised the importance of cleaning and de-cluttering; people probably think I’m a bit of a ‘clean-freak’ now!

Hardly even got around to mentioning repairing any broken bits or painting in neutral colours!

Oh well, hopefully, there’ll be a next time!

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