Seller Services

Selling your home shouldn't be a stressful ordeal. Making the smart move of choosing the right REALTOR® is your first step to ensuring that your investment in your home pays off. My services and experience allow you to focus on your move while I manage your home sale from our initial consultation to the closing, and beyond. I pride myself on repeat business and I know you'll come to understand why. 

 

SHOULD YOU LIST NOW OR WAIT?  Good Question!  Here is my opinion: 

There are six main advantages for a seller to list now:

1.  Inventory - current inventory of homes for sale has declined drastically over the last few months. Potential sellers may have been waiting a year or so until the market got better or perhaps just figured it was the best time to list their property.  There will be that much more competition to potentially compete with by waiting!   By listing now, you avoid all that potential competition.

 

2. Motivated Buyers - Buyers have come out of the woodwork to get great prices, low interest rates, and the $8000 tax credit!  Believe me, the buyers that are out house hunting now are serious and motivated.  By listing now, you will potentially get one of these buyers to write a deal on your property !

 

3.  Mortgage Rates -   The mortgage rates right now are at all time lows !  The average 30 year mortgage is in the mid - 4's !  This is actually causing an uptick in buyer traffic and activity.   If you list now, you will catch this wave of increased buyers shopping for houses instead of going on vacations since mortgage rates are so low.

 

4.  Buyers confidence - Further, buyer confidence is starting to shift which is also increasing buyer traffic.  Another cause for increase traffic is for a buyer to take advantage of the $8,000 first time homebuyer tax credit which expires on December 1, 2009.   By listing now, you are taking advantage of this trend of increased buyer traffic.

 

5.  Accomplish your goals now - When all is said and done, wouldn't you rather have your house sold sooner rather than later so you can begin moving on with your life?  I love it when we accomplish our goals ahead of schedule - it is a great feeling.  By listing now, you are positioning yourself to accomplish your goals sooner rather than later.

 

6.  Reverse Fear - Lastly, not to buy into the media's doom and gloom, but there is always risk that the housing markets could deteriorate more instead of picking up by the end of 2009.  In addition, the reality of the market getting that much better in a short period of time is remote.  I doubt that just by waiting until next spring, a sales price could be higher by 10 percent.  In fact, it could even be a little worse if you think the economy is going to deteriorate as the unemployment rate continues to skyrocket. By listing now, you avoid that extra layer of uncertainty.

 

 

Current Colors Update "Tired" Listings

Just as homes become functionally obsolete over time because of building trends and innovations, a home can become "color obsolete."  How many listing have you had that weren't at peak marketability because the interior colors were out-of-date?  If you want to give your listings a fashion-face lift, here are today's fashionable colors. 

By the way, did you know popular colors phase in and out on a sixteen year bell curve? Most colors rise to the top of the bell curve and peak in popularity over eight years, then wane in desirability over more eight years before sliding off the trend radar.

Here are the current color trends:

* Browns continue to be hot--especially chocolate browns.
* Watch for brown in combination with soft blues, greens, reds, and even black.
* Milk chocolate and gold are a winning combination.
* Blue is moving to the midrange tones like Caribbean and periwinkle.
* Blue also shows up in denim and navy.
* Black and white is still a trendy combination.
* Off white and white with platinum make a strong luxury statement.
* Purple in the shade of violet red is gaining momentum.
* Rose tones will rise to the fore in 2008.
* Raspberry is the most important red pink tone.
* Grays keep growing in importance.
* New greens are minty and creamy. Dirty olive is also showing up in Fall fashions.
* Golds in every tone are in demand (combine with red for more fashion punch)
* Beiges are moving more towards taupe tones.
* Oranges from terra cotta to peach to cinnamon are still popular.

You'll see these colors on the fashion runways and in the upscale homes that look the most "current."

 

The Secret to Pricing Your Home to Sell by Jim Remley, Pro Performer Seminars Reprint from Broker Agent News

Contrary to popular belief, when selling your home its value is determined by one thing and one thing only - what a qualified buyer is willing to pay for it. No more and no less. Sure, many sellers will argue that their home has an insurance replacement value, or an appraised value, or a tax assessed value, but unless your insurance agent, your banker, or your tax assessor is willing to write you a check for the home - guess what? None of that matters. A home without a buyer has no value in the market place. Sure it might have a value to you the seller, and it might have a value to your banker, and to your insurance agent, and to your appraiser. But none of these people are buyers. So here is the secret to pricing your home to sell - It's not what you think the home is worth that matters, it's what a reasonable buyer will think your home is worth that will ultimately determine if your home will sell. Now you maybe thinking - Hey wait, if I left it up to a buyer, they would pay me as little as possible for my home. True, they would. But in the real world every buyer knows that you, the seller, have no obligation to sell your home at any price. To purchase your home the buyer will have to make you an offer you can't or won't refuse. One that will motivate you to pack up your Ken and Barbie collection, hire a local mover, and wave good bye to a home full of memories. But here-in lies the trap that many sellers fall into (myself included), which is the mistaken idea that we can hold out for an inflated price and eventually the market will come to us. Wrong! Buyers are under no obligation to buy any particular home, and no amount of marketing, open houses, websites, or signage will motivate a buyer to purchase an overpriced home. Why? Because they can buy one of your neighbors homes for less! This reveals one of the most important considerations in pricing your home - Price VS Time. Understanding Price VS Time The age old dilemma that has faced buyers and sellers since the dawn of private property rights is a simple question: What is more important price or time? Believe it or not this conundrum underlies and controls every sellers decision to sell, and every buyers need to complete a purchase. For sellers this boils down to the need to sell within a set time frame or instead to hold out for the best possible price, and as you might guess, for buyers it's the need to buy within a set time frame or to purchase a home for the lowest possible price. A seller who would like to sell for top dollar should be prepared to potentially wait longer for a buyer willing to pay a premium price. Like trying to sell ice during December, a seller might have to give the stuff away just to get rid of it, but if they wait long enough, say until mid-August when temperatures crest over 100 degrees suddenly that same ice can have real value. On the flip side, a seller who needs to sell quickly, and doesn't have time to wait, should expect to discount their price somewhat because of the limited time they have to expose their home to the market. What's the difference? Timing! Buyers are in the same boat. A buyer who has the luxury of shopping for a home over a long period of time can probably wait to find a bargain, while another buyer who must buy a home in the next few weeks will probably be willing to pay a premium. Again it boils down to price vs time. So you might ask yourself what is your highest priority - Selling quickly or selling for a higher price? To be honest when I pose this question to my own clients they often smile coyly and then answer - I want both! The funny thing is that they aren't kidding! This sticky situation often reminds me of one of my first jobs after graduating high school, which was working graveyard at a local lumber mill. Like clock work every night, the foreman would come by to monitor my production. We called him Perry, which could have been his last name or his first name because he never clarified it. Over the roar of the machinery Perry would cup his hands together and yell "You need to put out more wood!" Finally after an especially tough day, I looked him back in the eye, and yelled back "Do you want quantity or quality?" Throwing his yellow hard hat down on the concrete floor and then kicking it for emphasis he snarled back "I want both!" Like Perry, most of my clients want their cake with the icing generously slathered on top. Because of this, many homeowners will attempt to put the responsibility of getting both top dollar and fast sale on the back of their hired gun, the real estate agent. The result can be summed up in one word - frustration. Why? Because no matter how much a seller yells, screams, and kicks a real estate agent, they don't do miracles. This is why successful sellers understand that while a real estate agents job is to provide marketing, expert advice, and negotiating services, in the end they don't own the property. They don't make the final decisions on pricing. The seller does, and ultimately the seller's asking price will in large part determine how slowly or quickly the home will sell. To frame this discussion in a different way, consider what you will do should you arrive luggage in hand at the end of your listing period and the home has not yet sold. At that point are you more likely to give it a little more time or adjust your price? I know - Neither, I'll just fire the agent! To be honest, this is exactly what many sellers' do, they fire their agent and reboot the marketing. Does it work? Sometimes it does, but often these sellers end up three months later in the same slow boat to nowhere. Successful sellers on the other hand take ownership of their pricing decisions by making a clear decision about which is more important to them, selling quickly or selling for top dollar. Successful sellers have learned that to price their home accurately means they need to think like a buyer, they need to get inside a buyers skin and look at the world through a buyers eyes. For instance, imagine for a minute that you are moving to another area of the country, to a city that you are completely unfamiliar with. If you were faced with buying a home in strange city what would be your first step? If you're like most buyers you would probably start online by viewing listings at websites like www.realtor.com or www.yahoo.com/realestate to get a general feel for local home prices. Next you might narrow your search down to a specific community or neighborhood by comparing utility costs, school reports, and crime statistics with other online tools like www.homefair.com or www.neigborhoodscout.com. Feeling good about your findings you might then venture out into the real world to begin viewing homes in person. As a typical internet empowered real estate buyer you will look at an average of nine homes over eight weeks with the assistance of a real estate professional. By the end of your journey, like many buyers, you become so knowledgeable about the market that by the last showing you are able to guess, with reasonable accuracy, each homes listing price before your agent can even tell you. So what happened here? As a buyer you went from a blank slate, with no impression of the market to having the ability to predict listing prices. A big leap sure, but this description is exactly what most buyers' experience. But this is only the build up, the next step for buyers who have found their dream home is to review a Comparative Market Analysis. A Comparative Market Analysis is a report that compares a specific home, often called the "subject home" with other homes in a specific neighborhood. This analysis is then used to provide an anticipated sales price or price range for the subject property. Although not formally called an appraisal, the report provides a similar function by giving home buyers and home sellers a clear understanding of the market data that might affect their opinion of value. To learn more about using a CMA to help price your home talk to your local REALTOR®.

 

Call today to schedule a FREE Comparative Market Analysis of your home:  651-407-7864.

     Fulfilling dreams one home at a time!

 

Removing the Seven Most Deadly Common Buyer Objections

by Jim Remley, Pro Performer Seminars 

 

Horriblize - it's not really a word but it's exactly what many buyers do when they walk through a home for the first time. They look for the negatives, the reasons they can eliminate a home from consideration. Even the smallest flaw in your listing can be seen as a much bigger problem that what it really is. A classic example of this is a ceiling stain. Countless times over the years as I've walked a buyer through a home they have looked up and noticed a stain on the ceiling. Inevitably they will point up and say something to the effect of "Uh-oh, look at that." Translated, "Scratch this home off the list." Now a ceiling stain is definitely something to be concerned with as it might indicate that the roof is leaking, or the gutter system is failing, but in the vast majority of these cases what has happened is that there was a previous problem that has since been fixed. The problem is the homeowner didn't take the next step and repair or repaint the ceiling. To be clear this is not a matter of hiding a problem as most states require that homeowners disclose any known defects in a home with a standard disclosure statement. Instead this boils down to a buyer's over zealous imagination. Once they see that stain, they picture the whole attic full of water, a gaping hole in the center of the roof, and rain clouds on the horizon.

 

Buyers horriblize problems. Now it might be natural to think that a real estate agents job is to convince a buyer to overlook these small flaws. Wrong. A listing agent's job is to expose a home to the maximum number of buyers through marketing and promotion, and one inescapable truth in marketing is that top condition equals top dollar, and less than top condition equals less than top dollar. When a home has flaws one of two things has to happen - either the sellers will have to pay a buyer to ignore them by reducing their price or the seller will have to fix them. So what areas of a home are buyers most concerned with? Let's take a look at the seven most deadly buyer objections. (Don't be alarmed you might notice that the intended reader is actually the homeowner - I stole these recommendations from my new book Sell Your Home in Any Market - 50 Surprisingly Simple Strategies to Sell Your Home Fast and For Top Dollar! )

 

Ceiling Stains Since we already cracked the shell on this rotten egg let's deal with it first. If your home has any roof leaks, seeping around vents, chimneys, or additions, or if your home's gutter system is blocked or failing, these items must be fixed in order to secure top dollar. If you don't happen to be a licensed roofing contractor, it may be wise to have the work done by someone who can provide a certification that the work was done to local building code standards. But as important as fixing the source of the problem is repairing any damage done inside of the home is just as important. These repairs could include new sheet rock, wood paneling, paint or wallpaper. Just be sure your repair fully matches the rest of the homes finish.

 

Kitchens The kitchen is the center point of most homes, the hub around which the family wheel spins. It's no wonder then that a kitchen can make or break a home sale. While a buyer may be willing to overlook a small bedroom, or a missing closet, if a kitchen does not measure up to a buyers standards all bets are off. To improve your kitchen you may want to follow the advice of home improvement experts by looking at these top five ideas:

Top Five Kitchen Improvements Sinks and Faucets - Even the best quality sinks, and faucets can get beaten up over time. When it's time to sell it's a good idea to, at the very least, clean the faucets, re-caulk the sink, and if your sink is chipped take a trip to Home Depot for a low cost fix. If your sink or faucet is beyond repair it may be a great time to upgrade to a more modern sink system. Appliance Upgrade - Although not cheap, new or updated appliances can excite a buyer who may be leaving older appliances. In addition matching the appliances by color will provide continuity to the kitchen. Obviously small home appliances that are rarely used but take up counter space like bread makers and toaster ovens should be packed and stored. New or Refaced Cabinets - When selling many homeowners make the choice to invest in new cabinets or opt for the less expensive option of re-facing older cabinets. Re-facing cabinets means that you leave the cabinets in place but add a new veneer to the exterior. Can't decide what to do - replace or reface? Visit www.thisoldhouse.com for ways to make your decision easier. New Lighting - According to www.homefocused.com - "Bright, airy lighting makes working in the kitchen easier. Fluorescent lighting on the ceiling provides a bright, but soft light. Fluorescent lighting can also be installed under cabinets for task lighting, throwing light directly onto the countertop below them." New Counter Tops - A kitchen counter is the face of your kitchen, sure you can have the best cabinets, appliances, lighting, flooring, and paint but if the counter top doesn't hit a home run your still three bases short of a win. The counter top ties every piece of your kitchen together. Ask yourself - Do my counter tops live up to the rest of the kitchen, if not consider an upgrade. Also don't forget the back splash, a worn out back splash can make even the best counter tops seems dull or dated.

 

If you have the notion of going big by completely remodeling your kitchen, or perhaps building a new home from scratch to resell check out the top items buyers are looking for in a new kitchen.

• Upper End Appliances 65%
• Increased Pantry Space 64%
• Renewable Flooring 53%
• Wine Refrigerators/Storage 53%
• Integration with Living Space 53%
• Recycling Center 48%

** Based on American Institute of Architects Poll Declining Neighborhood In a study of home buyers and sellers conducted by the National Association of REALTORS® it was found that buyers rated neighborhood quality as the number one factor in purchasing a home. So what if your neighborhood lacks a little (or a lot) to be desired? Check out this quick list of ideas compiled by Trish a REALTOR® from Mississippi:

 

Cleaning Up the Neighborhood Strike a Deal - If your neighbor's homes are dragging your listing down why not spring for a landscaper to give their yard a makeover? Why pay for a neighbors yard to be improved? So you can sell your home for top dollar! Call the City or Chamber of Commerce - Ask them if they are any neighborhood clean up programs available. Many volunteer organizations pick an area each month to clean or improve. Why not your neighborhood? Team Up - If there are other homeowners attempting to sell their homes in the neighborhood why not team up to tackle the problem? A combined effort over one weekend - picking up trash, cleaning out storm drains, or painting over graffiti could inspire others to follow your lead.

 

Age of home Because many buyers perceive an older home to be a potential money pit some sellers find it wise to invest in minor home improvement projects. For instance many sellers replace their cabinet hardware with updated styles. The same is true of lighting fixtures, and even plumbing fixtures. For bigger projects sellers have been known to replace windows, front doors, appliances, and even garage doors to update a homes appearance.

 

Anticipating Buyer Concerns When considering the purchase of a vintage home many home buyers understandably will want to know more about the homes systems. Wise sellers are prepared to answer questions on everything from plumbing, to insulation and wiring. Remember anything left unknown for a buyer is a black hole, something they fear and will do almost anything to avoid.

 

Bathrooms Your bathroom is about to have a top to bottom inspection so be sure to re-caulk around the tub and toilet, replace rusted or worn out fixtures, and remove all of the unnecessary items taking up space on the counter. The tub and shower are of critical concern, if they are chipped or damaged cancel your golf game and head down to your nearest hardware store. Buyers also hate to see leaking faucets, or drains that don't, you know drain, and don't be surprised if they flush the toilet to watch how fast the bowl refills. If you plan to remodel or add a bathroom to your home check out this list of what home buyers want in a new bathroom:

• Radiant Heated Floors 62%
• Multi-Head Showers 62%
• Accessibility/Universal Design 48%
• Door-less Showers 47%
• Linen Closet Storage 36%

** Based on American Institute of Architects Poll Smells.  If you are a smoker, who actually smokes in your home, be warned your home could take a lot longer to sell. Why? Only 25% of the American population smokes and of that group a big percentage don't smoke in their homes. Of course smells can come from other sources as well - cooking odors, oven fires, trash or compost, and one of the worst animal odors. To remove smells from your home take a look at these tips from home cleaning expert Linda Miller of Hermiston, OR.

 

Ten Ways to Breathe Easier 1.       Open windows and doors and place a large fan where it can blow fresh air in and a second fan to exhaust the odors out. 2.       Replace attic insulation. The odors from cooking rise in the heat and are trapped in the attic insulation. The insulation cannot be cleaned or effectively deodorized and must be discarded. Completely clean the entire attic and allow it to dry, and then replace the insulation with new material. 3.       Use a steam extractor for cleaning carpets and upholstered furniture. A commercial steam extractor can be rented from an equipment rental facility. Hiring a professional truck mounted steam extractor is much more powerful and is worth the money if the odors are deeply imbedded and persistent. It is nearly impossible to get odors out of mattresses and foam pillows, these may need to be discarded and replaced. 4.       Clothing, bedding, and drapes will need to be laundered or dry cleaned. Be sure to check the tags for care instructions and follow the directions. 5.       Clothing may need to be washed several times to remove some odors; particularly stale cigarette smoke. 6.       Take care of the air circulation. Change the furnace or air conditioning filters once a day until you no longer smell offensive odors when you come into the house. The odor causing particles will be in all the ducting and you may need to have a professional duct cleaning service come clean your ducting to completely remove the particulates. 7.       Ceilings, walls and floors need to be washed down. 8.       Unplug and wash your stove and refrigerator inside and out (including the back of the stove and the coils of the refrigerator) with a dish washing liquid, then rinse with a solution consisting of one cup vinegar, the juice of three lemons, and a gallon of warm water. 9.       Take all the drawers out of your cabinets and open all the cupboard doors, wash inside and out paying attention to the drawer slides and around the hinges. Allow to dry completely before replacing drawers and closing the cupboard doors. 10.   When you have totally washed, and rinsed everything, allow it to dry completely. Place small dishes of vanilla extract, baking soda, sliced lemons or potpourri throughout the house to capture the odors and replace them with a better alternative.

 

Floor Coverings Often the first item a buyer will notice when they step into your home is the floor coverings. Carpets that are in good condition, clean, and match the style of the home will add to a buyer's favorable first impression. On the other hand floor coverings that are worn, torn, dirty, or just plain ugly will turn off a buyer faster than a terrarium full of pet vipers (something I've actually seen in a buyer's home). I know the argument - We don't want to pick a carpet the buyer won't like so will just let them do it after they move in. Come on, we both know this is really code for: "I don't want to spend money carpeting a home I'm about ready to sell." The problem is buyers are notoriously bad at visualizing a home in some future state of repair and they are even worse about buying a home that is not turn key ready. Because of this many sellers do their homework and find a floor covering company that will install new flooring but will also agree to wait 30, 60, or 90 days for payment. Best case the home sells before the bill comes due and the invoice gets paid in escrow worse case you get to enjoy new carpets and a new second mortgage.  

 

 

4 Minor Improvements That Bring Big Results
 

Sellers who refuse to make minor repairs are likely to pay dearly for their stubbornness, says Sid Davis, author of the new book Home Makeovers That Sell (AMACOM).

Here are some of Davis’ suggestions for sellers who want to get the most out of the deal.

• Start with the kitchen; it’s the most important room in the house for most buyers. Refacing the cabinets or sanding them and painting them white is often a worthwhile undertaking. If the flooring is in poor condition, replace that too.

• Update the bath. While paint and flooring help here too, sellers may find spending $200 to replace the mirror and vanity set will net them the greatest payoff.

• Clean the laundry room. Hire a carpenter to install built-in shelving and repaint and replace worn flooring. Upgrade the light fixtures.

• Scrub, scrub, scrub. Squeaky clean wows buyers, Davis says. “If people think a home is super neat, they'll give the seller the benefit of the doubt. If it's dirty, they'll assume it's ridden with hidden defects,'' he says.

Source: The Miami Herald, Ellen James Martin

 

 

What I will do for you
Recent Home Sales
Getting the highest price
Closing Costs
Deb's Home Seller Services

 

As Your REALTOR®, I Will:

• Complete a comparative market analysis that will compare your home's value to that of your neighbors and other similar properties in your area.
• Compile a comprehensive marketing plan detailing all the efforts I will employ to sell your home, including Internet and local media.
• Present your home to as many qualified buyers as possible thus getting your home maximum exposure.
• Help you stage your home and generate curb appeal to ensure you get the highest price.
• Assist with obtaining offers and help you in negotiating the best deal as smoothly as possible.
• Arrange for removing all contingencies and closing the transaction.
• Help you find your next home and answer all of your questions about the local market area, including schools, neighborhoods, the local economy, and more.

   

Recent Home Sales:

What are homes selling for on your street or in the neighborhood in which you are interested in purchasing? Call me today at 651-407-7864 to find out what neighborhood homes are selling for, free of charge, with no obligation to you whatsoever.

 

Getting the Highest Price for Your Home:

Curb appeal is key and could make a difference whether people stop and take a look, check out your listing on my website from the hanger on your yard sign, call me from their cell or when they get home, or drive right by. There are many ways to increase the curb appeal of your home: tidy up the entrance, yard area, spruce up the landscaping, all to make it more invitingto a potential buyer.  Staging your home can be important in today's competitive market. Many buyers will stay in your home longer if it's staged appropriately. I have compiled some ideas to present your home in the most effective manner.

 

Closing Costs to Expect:

• Title insurance fees depend on the sales price of the home.
• Broker's commission is a full-service fee and will cost anywhere between 5% to 8%.
• Local property transfer tax, country transfer tax, state transfer tax, and possibly state capital gains tax are the charges that you'll pay for the privilege of selling your home. Credit to the buyer of unpaid real estate taxes for the prior or current year are variable and depend on when you close and when your taxes are due.
• FHA fees and costs and all fees are now negotiable between an FHA buyer and seller.
• Home inspection fees are, in some circumstances, paid for by the seller and may include pest, radon, stucco and other possible inspections.
• Miscellaneous fees can accrue from correcting problems noticed during the home inspection.

Find out how much your closing costs could be.

Deb's Home Seller Services:

FREE Comprehensive Comparative Market Analysis of your property!

Deb will provide you with a detailed explanation of the entire selling process from listing through closing!

She will give you advice and counseling throughout the entire process on pricing and staging your property for today's marketplace!

Deb will market your property where it will obtain MAXIMUM EXPOSURE to buyers who are QUALIFIED to purchase your home!

She will expertly negotiate the sale price and terms to YOUR  satisfaction!

She will arrange for any inspections, testing, certifications, etc. and schedule and be at the closing table with you to ensure everything goes smoothly from start to finish. She will also stay in touch for post closing follow up!

Deb is available, accessible, and working for you to sell your home in the SHORTEST TIME, at the BEST PRICE and with the LEAST HASSLE to you!

She goes the extra mile to help you achieve your goals. That's why she is constantly researching market conditions in the entire metro area so that your home is priced effectively from day one.

Deb will also make sure the buying public knows your property is for sale by using innovative advertising and marketing techniques to attract potential qualified buyers.

Deb Casper does what it takes to sell your property in the shortest amount of time, at the best price, and with the least inconvenience to you, her clients.

Deb Casper has earned the coveted Certified Residential Specialist  (CRS) designation, the highest designation awarded to sales associates in the residential sales field. The CRS Designation recognizes professional accomplishments in both experience and education and offers her clients additional expertise in the field of residential home sales and marketing!

Deb has been Certified as an e-PRO Internet Professional as well as a Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist!  The training she received to obtain these designations, along with her experience in these areas, offers her clients additional value!  She is a Founding Member of the Institute for Luxury Home Marketing!

In addition, Deb has been named a "Super Real Estate Agent"  two years in a row by Mpls/St Paul Magazine and Twin Cities Business Monthly, an honor shared by less than 3% of Minnesota's Licensed REALTORS!

Call (651-983-0121)or e-mail (deb@debcasper.com) Deb today to find out what she can do to assist you in realizing your dreams.

 

WHAT IS HOME STAGING?

 

A HOME SELLERS’ PRIMER

 

Staging is the process of preparing a home to sell.  It doesn’t matter what the price or location, all homes on the market need some preparation, or staging.  Your home becomes a product, just as a product in a store at the mall; it has features, benefits, pluses and minuses, and, most importantly, lots of competition.

Staged homes sell faster and for more money.  Think of it as “detailing, as you’d detail your car prior to trying to sell it.  Keep in mind:  the cost of staging your home is typically quite a bit less than your first price reduction.

To compete in the marketplace it is crucial to stage your home to sell.  The home must also be priced right and appeal to potential buyers more than others on the market.  It is one of many homes on the market and must be presented to thosel buyers in its best possible condition.

Prior to the first showing to any potential buyer, make sure you go through your entire house with your agent to finish the staging process.  She will be able to give you a lot of tips and a second, or third, “eye” prior to the buyers seeing it.

Follow these tips and your home will show better than the competition, enabling you to sell faster and for more money!

Exterior

   

As you probably already know, first impressions by potential buyers are huge in selling real estate, therefore, pay particular attention to these tips:

• Walk around the perimeter of the house and remove all garbage cans, discarded scraps, building materials, etc.  Store in an outbuilding, garage or if appropriate  take them to the dump.

• Check roof and gutters, clean and sweep, repair shingles as necessary.

• Trim/prune shrubs, trees, any plants blocking windows, doors and views of the home.  Your home won’t sell if people can’t see it!

• Weed all planting areas and put down fresh mulch, remove any dead plants.

• If you have pets be sure to clean up after them continually.

• Keep your lawn freshly mowed, edged and fertilized during the growing season.  Keep all walks, steps, driveways, decks, etc. shoveled and free of snow and ice during the winte.r

• Clear patios and decks of all small items, such as small planters, flower pots, charcoal, barbeques, toys, etc.

• Check the condition of the paint on your home, especially the front door and the trim.  Repaint, wash, etc. as necessary.  The first impression, known as curb appeal, is extremely important.

 

Interior

   

Look at your house through a buyer’s eyes, as though it’s the first time you are seeing it.  This will help you see what needs to be done.  Any time and money invested on staging will usually bring you the return of more money and a quicker sale.

• Clear out all unnecessary objects from furniture throughout the house.  Keep decorative objects on the furniture restricted to groups of 1, 3, or 5 items.  In general, a sparsely decorated home will help a buyer mentally move their own things in.

• Rearrange or remove some of the furniture in your house, if necessary.  More often than not homeowners have too much furniture in their homes.  When it comes to selling, thin out overcrowded rooms to make them appear larger.
• Take all unnecessary objects off the kitchen countertops.  Clear refrigerator fronts of messages, magnets, calendars, pictures, etc.
• Remove any unnecessary items from the bathroom countertops, tub, shower stall and back of the toilet.  Keep only necessary cosmetics, soaps, etc. in one small group on the counter.  Coordinate towels in one or two colors only.
• If you have pets, be sure to clean up after them, both in the house and in the yard.  Make sure there are no pet smells that can be picked up by potential buyers.
• Take down, reduce, or rearrange pictures and objects on walls.  Patch and paint all walls as needed.
• Review the house interior, room by room, and paint any room needing paint, clean carpet, drapes and windows.  Sometimes it helps to remove outdated window coverings, especially heavy draperies.  Let the sunshine in!
• If you need room to store extra possessions, use the garage or rent a storage unit or POD.  Your REALTOR should be able to direct you in this endeavor.
• During showings turn on ALL lights and lamps, and play light music.
• No one should be home during showings, including your pets.  If necessary pets can be kenneled in a garage. 

 

Again, make sure to do a final walk through with your REALTOR before the first showing to make sure your home is in show ready condition.  You only get one chance with most buyers, so make it your best!

 

Staging your Home to Sell in Today's Market

This article was published in REALTOR Magazine Online

By Dinah Eng

Creating space
Make Any Room Look Bigger

How to sell a home faster by showing off every room to its greatest advantage.

Your home has a very small living room, bathrooms, or kitchen. What do you do?

Just because you’re given small spaces to work with in preparing a home for market doesn’t mean that you’re stuck with them. You can easily make any room look larger or more attractive, according to designers and home stagers who have developed strategies to show off the best features of every room in a house.

The key, say the experts, is to get rid of clutter, clean everything down to the switch plates, and create a neutral space that buyers can picture themselves living in.

“Buyers only know what they see—not what could be,” says Barb Schwarz, ABR®, president of Stagedhomes.com, a home-staging consultancy based in Concord, Calif., and founder and president of the International Association of Home Staging Professionals. “I tell people to put things away, bring the outside in—like touches of greenery and nature—and emphasize the best of what’s there. Rooms will look bigger, and the buyer can mentally move in.”

Other home design and staging experts provide a room-by-room rundown on how to make every space look bigger so that you can sell your listings faster. Here are their best tips:

The Living Room

Linda Russell, a home stager and salesperson with RE/MAX Village Square, REALTORS®, in Montclair, N.J., recommends that practitioners stand inside the front door to see where their eyes go first in the living room.

“Take the furthest corner and put something there to draw the eye,” says Russell. “A lot of times, that means moving a couch, so that’s not the first thing you see. Sometimes a lamp or piece of art is what you want people to see first, so that you’re immediately taking in the size of the room.”

Ed Marshall, a home stager with Marshall Design Group in Los Angeles, suggests that you make sure window coverings are sheer, or are pulled back, to bring more light in. Brighter rooms look bigger and more inviting. Scale the furniture to fit the size of the room and don’t block walking pathways, he adds. Having oversized sofas or too much furniture will make the living room look smaller.

Lori Matzke, president of Center Stage Home in Arlington, Minn., says if you’ve got a fireplace or a view, direct the buyer’s eye to that as the focal point of the room.

Stacy S. Pulse, a home stager and salesperson with Prudential Carter-Duffey, REALTORS®, in Kansas City, Mo., suggests having no more than three items on a coffee table, and removing most personal photos from the area will not only de-personalize it but also help to clear up the clutter—which overwhelms a small room.

The Dining Room

Tables should be positioned for maximum effect in the dining room, Russell says. “They don’t need to have a lot of leaves in them with six or eight chairs,” she says. In fact, taking all the leaves out and making the dining table as small as possible will make the room look bigger. Another good trick: “If there’s a heavy rug on the floor, take it out to create the illusion of more floor space.”

“If there’s a China cabinet, keep a few pieces in it, but don’t fill it up with items,” Pulse recommends. Overcrowding with too many items will overpower the room.

Don’t bother setting the table, advises Matzke. “It just draws attention to the table, and not to the room,” she says. “Over-accessorizing things makes it feel like a plastic model home. You want to simplify.”

The Kitchen

According to Heidi Meyer, founder of Home Highlights in Madison, Wis., the kitchen is the heart of the home, so make the investment to update an old kitchen. “If the room is dated, update it with new cabinet hardware or paint it,” she advises. That will give it a more open, clean look.

Marshall suggests clearing off the counter as much as possible. “Try not to have the coffee maker, mixer, and toaster all out at the same time or people will think there’s not enough room for everything,” he says.

Decorate simply, using just a couple of cookbooks, says Russell, or fill a pretty bowl with lemons or green apples and put it on the counter or a sideboard.

Matzke advises cleaning wood cabinets with degreasers and then applying orange oil. “Let the oil soak in a couple of hours, then wipe it off,” Matzke says. “It makes the cabinets look brand new. Clean the inside of the stove and refrigerator, and shine the counter tops, sinks, and faucets.” When a kitchen is spic-and-span, buyers will focus on how great it looks rather than how small it is.

The Bedroom

The biggest no-no in the master bedroom is having a television set in the room, Russell says. “It’s not as important in the guest room or kids’ rooms, but you want to create a soft, romantic, relaxing space in the master bedroom,” she says. A television also adds more clutter to the bedroom and can potentially make a small room look more crowded.

Neutral colors on the wall and on the bed open up the room. “No busy wallpaper, which makes the room smaller,” Russell says. “Get new bedding in light colors, and use throw pillows on the bed.”

Meyer says to make sure all signs of daily life—like ironing boards, laundry baskets, and clothes thrown on chairs—are put away. “Seeing things like that says to a buyer that you don’t have enough space in the closets,” she says.

The Bathroom

Russell says bathroom shower curtains aren’t always to everyone’s taste, so pull the curtains back to maximize the view of the tub, which is what people want to see anyway. If your eyes can see all the way to the back of the tub instead of stopping at the shower curtains, the bathroom will appear bigger to buyers. If you don’t have glass shower doors, choose a light-colored or transparent shower curtain to make the room brighter and seem larger.

“Clear off all the counters,” Russell says. And for ambiance, you can “put out some fragrant candles, but don’t light them, unless it’s for an open house. Have some nice, colored soap in the dish, and use fresh flowers or live plants.”

If the bathroom is in an upscale property, put a champagne bucket with glasses, or silver-backed mirrors and brushes on the counter to create a feeling of luxury, suggests Marshall. “It’s not something you’d do in a $120,000 condo, but it’d be appropriate for a $600,000 house,” he says.

Be sure to remove all area rugs to create the illusion of greater space, says Pulse. “No covers on the toilet seat or rugs around the toilet,” she adds. “Make sure all the light bulbs are working, and are the same wattage.”

Putting the Best Face Forward

It’s understandable for some sellers to be resistant to removing sentimental family photos or changing their favorite decorations before putting their homes on the market. However, if the items in question contribute to the rooms looking smaller and more cluttered—and ultimately distracting potential buyers from seeing themselves living there—then removing or changing the décor is the best bet to a quick sell.

“Your home is a product you’re marketing, so you need to make sure yours stands out,” Pulse says.

 

More Tips: 7 Steps to Preparing for an Open House or Individual Showing

1. Hire a cleaning service. A spotlessly clean home is essential; dirt will turn off a prospect faster than anything.

2. Pay attention to the outdoors. Mow your lawn, and be sure toys and yard equipment are put away.

3. Serve cookies, coffee, and soft drinks. It creates a welcoming touch. But be sure the kitchen has been cleaned up; use disposable cups so the sink doesn’t fill up.

4. Lock up your valuables, jewelry, prescription drugs, and money. Although the real estate salesperson will be on site during the showings and open house, it’s impossible to watch everyone all the time.

5. Turn on all the lights. Even in the daytime, incandescent lights add sparkle.

6. Send your pets to a neighbor or take them outside. If that’s not possible, crate them or confine them to one room (a basement or garage), and let the salesperson know where to find them.

7. Leave. It’s awkward for prospective buyers to look in your closets and express their opinions of your home with you there.

Make Your Home Irresistible: 10 More Showing Tips

1. Add a touch of color. Use fresh or silk flowers to breathe life and color into the main rooms. A colored afghan or throw on the couch will jazz up a dull room.

2. Make the bathrooms feel luxurious. Put away those old towels and toothbrushes. When buyers enter your bathroom, they should feel pampered. Add a new shower curtain, fresh towels, and fancy guest soaps.

3. Does it smell good? Set out potpourri or fresh baked goods for a homey smell. Make sure that there are no lingering scents from cigarettes or pets.  PLEASE do not smoke in a home that is listed for sale.  Why turn off a prospective buyer with the lingering smell?

4. Help them envision living there. Set the table with pretty dishes and candles, and create other vignettes throughout the home to help buyers picture themselves there. For example, in the family room lay out a chess game.

5. Beautify the entrance. Buy a fresh doormat with a pretty pattern or a clever saying.

6. Make the rooms feel bigger. Take one or two major pieces of furniture out of every room to create a sense of spaciousness.

7. Accentuate counter space. Put away kitchen appliances and personal bathroom items to give the illusion of more counter space.

8. Lay logs in the fireplace. Or put a basket of flowers there if it’s not in use.

9. De-Personalize the rooms. Put away family photos, mementos, and distinctive artwork.

10. The lawn should sparkle. Turn on the sprinklers for 30 minutes to make the lawn sparkle.

 

 

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