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sell my home

REAL ESTATE

The Most Practical Ways To Sell Your Home In Today’s Market

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In recent times, when homeowners wanted to put a property on the market, they did so by contacting a realtor. Unfortunately, selling a home otherwise was hardly an option. But thanks to technological advancements and various changes to the real estate industry, there is now more than one way to sell a home.

While there are tons of reasons homeowners decide to sell, the process of selling is pretty tedious and sometimes quite frustrating. Although this is typically only the case when property listings lack crucial elements, extensive property damage, or price listings are far too high. 

Nevertheless, there are ways to overcome all these concerns, and in some instances, the condition of your home won’t determine whether or not it can sell if you know how to sell it. 

So, if you are hoping to sell your property, we’ve rounded up the best home selling approaches in today’s market. 

Sell using A Traditional Realtor

Even though it’s no longer essential to rely on a real estate agent to sell your home, you can still consider the option as it does offer numerous perks. For starters, when depending on a real estate agent, you won’t have to worry about scheduling viewings, to negotiate the sale, or closing the deal; your realtor will handle it all for you.

However, the main downfall with this method is that the realtor will be entitled to a percentage of the sale. Therefore, you will typically pocket a bit less than you would if you opt for modern approaches. Nevertheless, relying on a realtor remains the most convenient solution.

Moreover, you can also consider flat-fee or discount realtors. These real estate agents will sell your home for a discounted rate or a flat fee instead of taking home a percentage of the sale and possibly other fees. 

While these agents will list your home and assist with the sale in a few ways, they won’t do as much as traditional realtors. 

Real Estate Listing Platforms

You can now sell a home fast in Atlanta and any other area with the help of real estate listing platforms that allow homeowners to create private listings without any assistance from real estate.

Creating your own listing means you can adjust the pricing and edit the post in your favor. Because this approach will help you avoid relying on a realtor, you can ultimately enjoy a larger profit on the sale. Furthermore, these platforms are also relatively straightforward to navigate and use. 

Even though you will benefit from a larger take-home profit, you will need to invest some time, effort, and money towards listing your property so that it grabs the attention of the right buyers. So, you’ll want to take professional photographs, consider virtual tours, and determine the value of your home.

When determining the accurate value of your home, it’s wise to have a property evaluator assess the value. Moreover, you should still check the market for property listings in your area to better understand how much to sell your home for. 

But with that said, whether you sell your home with a realtor or privately, you should consider investing in some affordable renovations to boost property value as much as possible before the sale. Some of the more affordable home improvement projects include landscaping, upgrading fittings, repainting the exterior and interior, and conducting essential repairs. These small investments will also go a long way in ensuring your property sells. 

Property Buyers

These days, companies out there purchase homes in any condition. Typically, these real estate investment individuals and businesses aim to buy properties to renovate and flip them for a profit. Other times, homes are purchased for real estate development reasons. Regardless, property buyers will make a cash offer on any property.

This option is the best solution for anyone that needs to sell a home fast and does not have time or money to invest in renovations. Additionally, selling your home to a property buyer is also the best option if the property has structural issues or other extensive damages that will keep home buyers avoiding a listing. 

Selling a home in today’s market is a lot more straightforward than in days gone by. However, because more options are available, you will need to consider which method will give you the most. For some homeowners, it will be best to rely on a realtor, while others might find that property buyers or private sales are more suitable.

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HOME STAGING

Home Staging – More than just Furniture and Fluffing Pillows…

home-staging-more-than-just-furniture

We have been staging homes for a number of years now and what we can tell you is that staging is more than just ‘pretty-ing’ up a place.  Making a property pretty is of course important but there are other important factors when it comes to home staging that don’t involve furniture at all.

1 – Smells.

Are you nose-blind? You might be and that’s not uncommon.  We all get used to our surroundings the warts and all and that includes the smells.  When someone comes to your home for the first time, like a buyer would, they see it all and smell it all.  So be sure to tackle those unpleasant odours.  Ask a friend or neighbour to do a smell check – can they smell the pets? mold? mildew? A professional cleaning can often make a big difference and it’s worth it!

 

2 – Repairs.

Loose or cracked tiles, leaky faucet, loose hardware, burnt out light bulbs, noisy fan, chipped paint, the list goes on…tackle that list or get a handy man who can.  When buyers come through they will take notice and that will be come the focus.

3- Upgrades/Updates.

Is your home in need of some updates? You may not know for sure and this is a great conversation to have with your agent.  They can tell you what has sold and for what price.  They can show you photos so you can see the condition of the sold property.  They can also show you this info for your market competition.  You may need to price accordingly or make some updates. But this can really determine your length of time on the market. Your agent can also let you know which updates are worth investing in and which to pass on.

 

4 – Clutter.

We all have it and we all can’t stand it but it happens.  When you sell your home you need to deal with the clutter.  Sure you know the usual – kitchen counters, desk in the office but don’t forget about the little clutter like bathroom counter surfaces, table tops, closets and even above those kitchen cabinets.  When you are selling your home – make a date or 2 or 3 or…to conquer the clutter – it’s better for you, it’s better to deal with it before you go to the new place but it’s important that the buyers don’t see it.  Short on time and can’t deal with the clutter? It’s better to have papers and other items that clutter tucked away in containers – it looks neater and tidier. Clutter sends the message that ‘this home lacks storage’, so don’t let it pile up!

 

5- Not just inner beauty.

The interior of your home is very important but so is the exterior.  Did you know that buyers often do judge a book buy it’s cover? You might be missing out on a buyer if the exterior of your property doesn’t show well.  So pay attention to the exterior.  Is it clean? Maintained? Welcoming? Well lit?

 

6 – Take out your personality.

Lots of buyers love a home with character but that doesn’t mean your character.  Remove the bold wall paint colours, family photos, collections and anything that is really representative of your personal tastes and styles – bring that to the new place.  Neutralize and depersonalize.  It might sound boring to you – but it is important, buyers need to visualize themselves in the space and a neutral palette or a clean canvas allows them to do that.  You want a home buyer not a house guest!

 

 

Be prepared for some feedback that might not be glowing – it happens to every property.  It’s not personal.  Use that feedback and discuss with your agent what you can do about it.  If you are noticing a pattern in your feedback ‘like the family room is dark’ – lighten it up with lighting or maybe paint.  Listen to the market and work with your agent.

When it comes to selling your home remember the buyer is looking for their new home, not your old home – make it shine and stand out from the crowd!

 

 

Buyers are looking for their ‘new’ home and not your ‘old’ home – so presentation is really key to get your house sold so you want move on to your next chapter with ease…

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HOME STAGING

Home For Sale? Open House Tips

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If your home is up for sale on the market – this is a busy and possibly stressful time for you. On top of your everyday responsibilities you also have to deal with the showings and open houses at your home. You have your next property in mind and you have prepped and staged this house for sale.  Getting ready for every showing is work!

You want to sell your house and you know in order to do that buyers need to see it but prepping for a viewing can be very stressful and a bit hectic – so much to do!  You want your home to look it’s best –  Here is what you don’t want to happen. A showing is suddenly scheduled for that evening and you realize you have zero clean towels in your house. So now, not only do you have to pick up, wipe down surfaces, etc — you also have a load of laundry to do as well.

Have an open house box!

Sounds easy, right? It is!

Here’s what you need:

– a box, like a Banker’s box is a perfect size and it has a lid
– a set of clean, fresh white towels (one set for each bathroom)
– small (cutlery size) baskets (one for each bathroom)
– clean tea towels
– a mason jar for counter clutter like coins, small pieces of paper, elastics etc…
– a large envelope to store papers from the counter like school news letters, mail etc…
– Clorox wipes or Lysol wipes for quick counter top cleaning

Before you begin showing your home, take an empty box and fill it with clean bath, hand and dish towels. When you have a showing scheduled, walk around to each bathroom and the kitchen grabbing all the dirty linens, and putting out the clean linens – get the kids involved and have them grab the ‘dirty’ towels. Just throw the dirty towels in this box to pull back out after the showing is over. So the clean towels in the Open House Box never actually get used, only shown.

Store the box in a closet that isn’t a huge feature like a guest room closet – once the show is over.  Collect all of the ‘showing props’ like the clean towels, tea towels etc… and put it all back in the box.

So easy!

Here are some other easy tips for managing your personal items when living in the house that you are selling:

1 – Containers.  Small and big are needed to just keep things tidy.  This is especially useful in the bathroom for make -up, tooth brushes, personal care items and toilet paper.  If leaving your items out, having them in containers looks much better but if you want to tuck them away, having them in containers makes it easy!

2 – Keep the office tidy with boxes for loose papers and other documents you don’t want left out in the open. Keep pens and pencils in a holder too – a messy office can send the message that there isn’t room for everything and leave a bad impression

3 – Keep the lights on!  Even on a sunny day but especially for evening showings – the light will make everything look bigger and brighter

4 – Big baskets are your best solution for showing a family home.  Just toss all of the toys in some baskets,try not to have too many just a few that are big enough to fit the kids’ things.

5 –  Please take the pets out!  Not everyone loves your pets and even if they are friendly, the presence of pets can be distracting and uncomfortable.  So make arrangements for your pets – maybe during the day a neighbour could help out by taking them or maybe you can take them with you while the open house is happening.

Home selling is stressful but following these staging tips will help ease that stress and help you get your house sold!

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HOME STAGING

Selling Your Home? 9 Tips to Increase the Value of Your Home

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If you are considering selling your home in the near future – start prepping now! Don’t leave it to the last minute….to get your home in tip top shape that buyers are looking for – is a lot of work! It really is best to get a head start so that there isn’t as much to do closer to the time when you want to list your property.

It can be confusing to know where to spend you money, time and energy but here are the top tips to increase to value of your home

1 – Fix ALL repairs.

Not sure what’s wrong with your home? Perhaps hire a home inspector to inspect your home and take a look at his report.  Leaky pipes, the roof, electrical panels etc…are the types of repairs that scare of buyers.  But be sure to take acre of cosmetic repairs too like cracked tiles.

2 – Add a fresh coat of paint.

It’s worth it.  The cost of pain is minimal and it makes every space look clean and bright.  Stick to neutrals and a white trim

3 – Replace carpet.

If you have old wall to wall carpet remove it.  Carpet is a big turn off for a lot of buyers as it get dusty and an old carpet doesn’t usually show well.  Opt for hardwood or laminate (perfect for a family home).  This improvement is what most buyers are looking for and it improves the quality of the air and it’s low maintenance

4 – Low maintenance landscaping.

Add some plants and perhaps some shrubs/trees.  It improves the curb appeal and again, it is something that the buyer won’t have to do.  If you want top dollar for your home, you need to do the work! Plus pull out that patio furniture (make sure to clean it) and set the scene –

5 – Enhance those kitchens and bathrooms.

You don’t need a total overhaul necessarily but pay attention to updating the bathroom.  Make sure it’s clean, has white fixtures like tuns, toilets and sinks and chrome or brushed nickel accents.  A simple and neutral bathroom always presents better than a dated one.  for the kitchen, small updates like a new back splash in a neutral tile, updated hardware and lighting – make a huge differences.  If you have older appliances that you can’t afford to replace make sure they are in good working condition and clean

6 – Other upgrades.

Lighting is huge – look for simple chrome or brushed nickel finishes.  And make sure you are using maximum wattage so the home looks bright! If you can upgrade your cabinets- do it, remember light and neutral, you want mass appeal.

7 – Don’t forget the exterior.

Does your front door need a fresh coat of paint? How about those lights and mailbox, have they seen better days? Do you have an address plate? Does your grip set (door handle and key slot) work smoothly? – Don’t let real estate agents get frustrated by trying to enter your home for showings, not a good first impression!

8 – Let there be light!

Are there dark rooms in your home? Consider hiring an electrician to add some overhead lighting in darker rooms. In older homes, we don’t often see overhead lighting in family rooms, secondary bedrooms and living rooms – so stand out from the crowd.

9 – Stage your home.

Even if you are still living in the space with your furniture and accessories, hire a stager for a consultation.  They can help you will ideas to be present your home, and they can give you some great tips to appeal to buyers. A home staging team can help you in the beginning too – buy selecting the right paint colours, lighting, hardware and other updates to improve the look and value of your home.  they are a great resource for knowing what’s trending in the eyes of the buyer.

You want your home to look it’s best especially when it is up for sale.  Start the process of prepping your home for the real sale market in advance to save your self some time, energy and stick to a budget.

 

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HOME DECOR, HOME STAGING, TRENDS

Home Staging and Decor Trends

home-staging-and-decor-trends

Decor Trends and Home Staging are really important when putting your home on the real estate market. A big part of staging your home is making it look current.  In the final steps of prepping your home for the real estate market you want to make it pretty, buyer ready and photo ready.  One way to do that is knowing what decor trends are out there and bring them into your home.  Since 95% of buyers are online first trying to find the home of the dreams…you need to make your photos stand out and attract those buyers!

1.  Outdoor spaces –

Assuming the weather is working in your favour – stage your outside.  Staging is about creating the vision of what life in the home would look like and including the outdoor living areas is critical! This staging trend is probably one of the most essential and we see so many sellers not have their outdoor areas staged. Remember a photo is worth a thousand words. 

Clean up the outside – rake, cut the grass, plant some colourful flowers, set up the patio and prepare it as though you have guests arriving any minute!

 

2.White Kitchens –

Huge ‘trend’ now for home owners is light, white, bright kitchens! In a recent Houzz survey an overwhelming amount of respondents desired a white kitchen in their home. When the kitchen comprises almost 30% of the buyer’s decision (according to NAR – National Association of Realtors) a little more expense in this main area makes a world of difference in price!

Can’t replace the entire kitchen or paint the cabinets? Look at updating the back splash (or adding one) in a light tone, update the kitchen lighting to make the kitchen light and bright, paint the walls in a lighter tone and/or update the hardware.

 

3. Birds On Display –

The bird in the pillow is just a taste of what we will see more of in the future. Whereas last year’s trend was the white porcelain deer head on the wall and horses, this year’s trend is sweet, little birds. Right now, birds are hot for spring and every spring we tend to see animals and florals pop into all decor. 

If you home is going on the market in the spring – think about adding some ‘nods’ to spring like floral, birds or any botanical elements. Currently, the hot trend is peacock but any bird in spring is up to date

4. Metallic accents –

Framed mirrors, art or brass bar carts add warmth and sophistication in any room. Metal accents add an element of shine to any room and they add some sophistication too.  Right now warm metals are hot like gold, brass and copper.  So think about adding a few touches of those in decor pieces, frames of mirrors, lamp bases even occasional tables.

5. Pops of colour –

Colour can help you stand out from the crowd.  Even a neutral space could benefit from a floral arrangement in bright yellow or orange.  If your home decor style can handle it, try adding some colourful pillows to the sofa or bed and a throw blanket.  Colours like yellow, orange and bright green are perfect for spring but coral, aqua and purple can also make a big impact when used in small doses.

6.Dual Coffee Tables –

Placing two coffee tables next to each other to scale a larger space is a much better staging solution than just one. This is also a great way to add surface space to a small room.  Look for side tables, benches even stools (as long as they are the right height, 16″ to 21″) to be used as a coffee table

 

7.  Clear Tables, Chairs, Lamps and More –

Glass has always been an excellent staging tool because of it’s reflective nature and ability to create more light in what would probably be a dark corner. Glass is great because it gives the surface space without the bulk.  If you are selling a condo or a smaller space – try a glass dining table and pair any style of chair you like.  It makes the room look nice and big and you still are showing off how to live in the space. Glass furniture comes in a variety of styles too, and price points!  You can use the ‘buddy system’ too so if you have a glass dining table add some glass elsewhere maybe a side table or in a lamp….

 

8. The Navy Comeback –

Navy blue is making a come back in a huge way!  Navy just stole our hearts originally via patterns like chevron, ikat (see below) and floral  but now it’s really making it’s presence known as a “new neutral” that pairs well with yellow, turquoise, coral, chartreuse, wheat …almost all of the spring 2015 hues   that add pop to a space. Navy is one of those versatile colors that can work with bright or earth tone accents (just open your latest Pottery Barn catalog to see it with earth tones). If your space has a lot of neutral beige, cream or sand tones add navy for a rich contrast and timeless combination.

Photo from EmilyClark.com

Just a few tips and tricks can make all the difference…

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HOME STAGING, STORAGE + ORGANIZING

Stage (and Sell) My Cluttered House!

stage-and-sell-my-cluttered-house

Owning a home is a lot of work and selling a home is even more work!  Without even noticing we start to accumulate more stuff than we even realize. Some stuff in closets, in the spare bedrooms and in the garage or shed, before you know it you have quickly filled your home to the brim and now it’s bursting with all kinds of things!
Unfortunately, all of this stuff can really get in the way when you decide to sell your house.

Buyers want and need to see the full potential of your house to picture themselves in it, but that can be difficult to do when it is covered up in your things – no matter how important they may be to you.
This is a situation home stagers see all the time. You do not have to suffer from a hoarding condition to have a cluttered home. A surprising number of people need help tackling the clutter so they can sell their property.

Selling a cluttered home is hard due to the fact that many people do not have the necessary vision to see beyond it. Appearance is critical in real estate sales. Luckily, there are solutions, things you can do now to make your home look its best and sell more reliably.

15 Quick De-cluttering and presentation tips

 

  1. Minimize the amount of furniture in each room to make your home appear larger.
  2. Make sure all high traffic areas are kept clear.
  3. Move things like exercise equipment that don’t belong in a family or living room.
  4. All closets should be thinned out.
  5. Everything but the bare bone essentials should be removed from kitchen and bath counters.
  6. Get rid of old unsightly plants.
  7. Put away excess nick knacks, family and pet photos.
  8. Get rid of old magazines and newspapers that are just lying around.
  9. Clean up bookcases of clutter and arrange books neatly.
  10. Organize wires coming from televisions and computers around the home so they don’t look unsightly.
  11. Clear out excess shoes that may be lying around in your foyer or mudroom.
  12. Always put away dirty laundry and make the beds.
  13. If you have a deck clear it of any non-essentials
  14. Don’t forget your garage! Remove anything that is no longer necessary to have.
  15. Remember to De-clutter your yard as well. Remove any junk you have accumulated.

 

 

This is a great start to properly presenting your home and although this can seem very overwhelming. Start small, you will feel great and it will motivate you to move on down the list.  While these are some things to consider when sprucing up a cluttered home, let’s talk about the big stuff!

 

Have a lot of stuff? Rent A Storage Space!

One of the best tips to sell a cluttered home is to rent a storage space. This may be the most straightforward solution out there.  If your home is cluttered, consider a storage unit rental as a very small investment that could yield a considerable increase in your sale price.

Rent a unit that is plenty big enough to store all of your non-essentials. You can keep the couch and the television, but your collection of comic books or elephant figurines may be better off in storage until your house is sold. The idea is to create space for buyers to envision themselves living in your home, so anything you can remove to allow for that, is probably a good idea.

Storage units are usually inexpensive, charge month-to-month and typically offer climate-controlled options. Go for a storage provider that emphasizes security, because your things are worth protecting. Any good storage space will make security part of its operating procedures, so it should be easy to find a provider that is serious about it.

Can’t afford a storage unit? Try asking friends, family or neighbours if they could store some of your items….

 

Get Rid of Your Clutter

While storing things you want to keep is an important part of how to sell a cluttered home, you also want to get rid of things you don’t intend to keep. Preparing a home for sale is the perfect opportunity to discard unwanted items. There are many of us who have a problem disposing of things that we don’t use on a weekly or even a monthly basis.
Often times many of the items we end of holding onto have some kind of sentimental value. Psychologically it makes it harder for us to get rid of these things. The first step of course is to overcome that fear of saying good bye to something you have held onto. There are also some folks that hoard even what would be considered by most people to be “junk”.

If you have items in your home that will not be coming with you and you need to get rid of them one of the best solutions is a company like Junk Squad or 1-800- Got Junk. These companies will come out to your home and haul away any of your unwanted clutter. Big or small it doesn’t matter. These companies will take just about anything. Pricing will be dependent on what you are getting rid of. The cost will be impacted by the size and weight of what you are getting removed.

Another great way of getting rid of things you no longer need or want is to give them away to charity. Old clothes, coats and shoes are the perfect thing to give to a charity. Not only will you be putting a smile on the face of someone who really needs it, your home will look better in the process. Some folks also like to have a yard sale as well to get rid of excess clutter. As the saying goes one man’s junk is another man’s treasure.

 

 

Get A Professional Cleaning

Depending on your personality, this may be a difficult move to make – even if it is a small thing. Some people take pride in keeping a clean house, and many have spent years working to ensure that their homes are spotless.
However, unless you happen to run your own cleaning service, you will probably benefit from the skills of a professional.

While a professional cleaning really doesn’t necessarily get rid of clutter it can dramatically change a home’s final appearance after you have tackled the heavy lifting and removed the bigger items from your home.

Some cleaning companies specialize in prepping houses for sale, and can do an amazingly in-depth cleaning job in a short amount of time. Once you have removed as much of the clutter as you can, bringing in a cleaner is the next best step to get your home ready for sale. From carpet cleaning to dusting the mini blinds, they can whip your home into shape – making it stand out to buyers through pictures and in person.

 

Presentation

Now that the house is clean and de-cluttered, it’s time to work on the presentation.  You want the home to look its best in photos and for showings.  Even if you don’t have tons of updates that buyers are looking for doesn’t mean that you can’t feature other aspects of the home like floor plan. Lighting, fireplace and more…

Create vignettes that highlight areas of the house that buyers might be attracted too like a mudroom, fireplace, and wide entry

Think about adjusting the furniture arrangement so that the rooms have better flow and show off the space and functionality. Ask a friend or neighbour for their honest opinion or hire a home stager

Add some accent pieces with colour like pillows, flowers, towels, shower curtain, art, etc…To spruce up the space!  This makes a space look better in photos and in person.  If you can’t afford new items ask a friend or family member if they have anything you could borrow!

During showings (and your photos) have all the curtains drawn back -letting the light in and have all of the lights on!

For extra oumph!  Bake some cookies or light some candles for a welcoming and warm feeling !

If you’ve got a tight budget to prep your home for sale, don’t fret – make it look the absolute best that it can! And be realistic when working with your realtor when it comes to pricing and comparisons.

 

Tackle that clutter…that’s the first step to making your home resale ready!

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HOME STAGING

Why you need to stage your home

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First impressions matter the most when it comes to selling a house. In the real estate world, impressing prospect buyers is already half the battle. That’s why many seek professional home staging services to bring out the full potential of their home.

But not all people are convinced and we understand their hesitation. Some prefer to do it themselves instead of asking for professional help. Many home sellers ask us – why should I spend  money to sell my home, can’t the buyer do it themselves and make the changes they really want? The problem with that is most buyers can’t see potential and in this current real estate market most buyers don’t want to lift a finger!  So if you want your home sold and fast, you need to do the ‘grunt’ work for them. Remember when a professional stager comes to your home for a consultation it isn’t a personal attack, we are there to help you get your home sold and for as much money as possible in the shortest amount of time.

If you are in the process of selling your home and are having second thoughts about the benefits you can get out of professional home staging, here are a few reasons why you should consider it.

 

#1 The best short term investment a seller can make

In a study conducted by the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the average cost of staging is between 1% and 3% of the asking price and this investment can yield on average 4-10% more of the final selling price.

Moreover, Homegain.com explained that sellers who invested $500 in home staging recovered over 343% of the total cost when they sold their home. That’s a pretty good investment.

 

 

#2 Staging help you sell faster

If you’ve done your research beforehand, you must know by now that the longer a house sits on the market, the more likely the price drops.

Based on controlled tests initiated by the Real Estate Staging Association (RESA), wherein a number of identical homes were sold, professionally staged vs. not staged, the non-staged houses sold in 102 days, while the staged houses sold in 45 days.

Just imagine all the carrying costs you need to manage if your home stays longer on the market. By staging your home, all the inconvenience, stress, plus additional expenses such as mortgage and taxes, can be avoided

 

#3 Avoid a price reduction

A home that’s in “as in” condition are a tough sell, unless it has already been the victim of a substantial price reduction. Ensure that your property is in tip top shape before listing. Most traffic and interest will come up within the first two weeks so make it a point to maximize the potential of your home to make it to a buyer’s shortlist.

 

#4 Stand out among competition with professional MLS photos

Over 95% of buyers look at online listing before making an actual visit, so it is important to have professional MLS photos to convince them to see the place for themselves. As professional stagers, we know how important first impressions are and we employ various techniques to make the best impression possible. Colours to use, the right amount of decor pieces, furniture placement and more…so our ideas for your home might be completely different than yours but we are here to help you show case this home to buyers and make your home look like their dream home!

#5 Most sellers are having hard time viewing their home objectively

If you can’t view your home objectively, it’ll be hard to package it for the buyer’s eyes.  A professional home stager can help you with this. They know how to minimize the problem areas and maximize the potential of the best features. You decorated your home to suit your lifestyle and personal tastes but now that you have decided to move on, you need someone to come in and help you present your home in its best light and have it attract as many buyers as possible.  It can be very tough to be objective in your home as it holds so many wonderful memories, so again don’t take it personally when a home stager gives your ideas or stage your home in a way that you ‘never’ would.

#6  Only 10% of home buyers can visualize a house’s potential

This is why home staging is so important. It gives the buyers ideas how they can play with interior design. You need to bring out and show the potential of a house the best way you can.

#7 Peace of mind

Staging your home by yourself can be a tough job. It entails detailed planning, sorting out things, decluttering, trips to the home depot, finding contractors for paint jobs and repairs, etc. By entrusting the job to more capable hands, rest assured that you’ll get the best return on your investment.

 

Staging your home really is a must in any market.  Why? Because no matter the market conditions you want to stand out from the crowd, sell quickly and for top dollar! You can’t afford not to stage your home,

 

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HOME STAGING

9 Easy Ideas to Help Sell Your Home

9-easy-ideas-to-help-sell-your-home

  If you’re determined to sell your home fast, there are frugal home staging ideas that you can do right now. These ideas we will share with you are home staging tips that everyone can apply if they want to, on their own within a very limited time, without breaking the bank. The goal here is to make your home look squeaky clean, big, and attractive for a faster sale in a matter of days.

 

Here are 9 inexpensive ways on how to stage your home fast and cheap.

 

  1. Paint in Neutral tones

Paint should be on top of your list because this helps you set the mood and theme of any given room. Use light, neutral colors that would be appealing to most. Neutral colors do not only make a room brighter, but also provides a blank canvas that a potential buyer can play with. You can hire someone to do this for you, but if you have the time and the skills, it’ll save you a few hundred dollars.

 

  1. Declutter and depersonalize

Get rid of your personal stuff. Allow home buyers to imagine themselves living in your house so our pro tip is to declutter your books, pictures, knickknacks, and anything else that is a personal reflection of you. Think of this as a pre-pack before the big move!

 

  1. Clean your light bulbs and update light fixtures

Sometimes, you don’t have to replace your light bulbs at all. Try wiping the dust off first and see if they still have some of the brand-new type of brightness in them. However, it is also essential to make every corner of your home lighted, so light fixtures like table lamps, floor lamps, and even battery-operated candles are amazing additions to make the house look brighter. Lots of light makes any space look and feel bigger and brighter!

 

  1. Set the scene by dressing the table

When staging, pay attention to your kitchen. It’s one of those rooms in the house that makes the sale. Is your table set? If not, you can do so…at the very least there should be an amazing centerpiece on the table. Otherwise, it will look boring and less interesting to look at.  A large dining room table looks warm and welcoming with place settings, fresh flowers etc….for a smaller eat-in kitchen a simple plant or fruit bowl can do the trick.

 

  1. Add mirrors, strategically

This is another effective tip to make your home look larger. They don’t have to be really expensive. If you can only afford second hand, then by all means. Just make sure that they are in pristine condition and that they don’t have cracks in them. Mirrors do wonders in smaller areas like entry ways or smaller bedrooms.  Also take a look at the mirrors in your bathroom, do they look dated?  A framed mirror in a bathroom has a customized look which makes the bathrooms look expensive

 

 

  1. Transform your bathroom into a spa

We recommend buying solid white towels and shower curtains, cream and white tones look clean and lush. These are inexpensive and they can make a huge difference. See if you can also throw in a few luxury soaps, bath oils, and candles on the side of the tub or on top of the sink to capture that spa-like atmosphere. Some fresh towels rolled in the tub corner or on the towel rack add some luxurious texture too

  1. Keep Furniture Proportional to the space

Too much furniture can overcrowd a room. It can make the space look smaller and hard to move around. When placing furniture, think minimalist.  It is better if a buyer starts talking (or visualizing) bigger items in the room instead of smaller; this makes them think the rooms are larger which is what most buyers want.

 

 

  1. Clean like you have never cleaned before…..

Clean, scrub, sweep, repeat! Then do it over again until it shines. Make the place sparkle! By maintaining a clean, staged house, buyers will notice that and they’ll be impressed to know that you take care of the place very well. Also keep your eye open for any small repairs; those should be taken care of too.

 

  1. Don’t forget the curb appeal

Most often than not, people tend to focus on the inside and forget that the first thing home buyers will see is the front yard. Make sure that it is cleaned and trimmed. Remove dead branches, replace withered plants, and add some decorative pots if you can. And in the cooler months, sweep or shovel the walkway and driveway and try to create an inviting first impression perhaps a wreath….

 

 

Yes, it is a lot of work to get your home ready for the resale market but it is worth it – think of it as time invested now so you don’t sit on the market and wait, and wait and wait…the end results are worth the work!

 

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HOME STAGING

Do NOT Try This At home!! 8 Biggest Home Staging Mistakes

home-staging-mistakes

Take a look at these 8 home staging mistakes home owners make before putting their homes on the market.

A staged home spends less time on the market so take this advice and although some tips may seem expensive or time consuming, it won’t be too long and it will be worth your while.

 

8 Home staging mistakes (to avoid):

 

1 –Just because you love it does not mean that everyone else will too.

Ensure your property appeals to a broad market of buyers. In other words, keep it neutral, a bright colour reflects your personality and style which can be too much for buyers to get past.

This room looks great but the dark paint colour on the wall is a bit personalize and may turn off some buyers.  If thiese walls were painted in a lighter and neutral tone the room would look bigger and brighter.

2 –Edit your storage places too.

Buyers will poke around, opening kitchen and bathroom cabinets and closets spaces too. Be sure to spend some time organizing those area too. A cramped spaces sends the message to buyers that there is a lack of storage.

This room doesn’t present well.  It would be very challenging for buyers to see past this mess.  even though the furniture doesn’t come with the house – this much clutter says to buyers that there isn’t enough space.  Be sure to clean, declutter and organize!

 

3 –Scale and size of furniture.

Be sure that items such as furniture, plants and other decor pieces are in proportion with the room. You are selling the house (the space) not the items in it. Even if the rooms look somewhat empty, that is way better than over stuffed rooms. Story your larger pieces in a temporary storage locker or ask friends and family if they have some storage space you could borrow.

You need to make sure that a room has good flow.  The buyers (during the showings) need to be able to walk around freely without obstacles.  There is a lot of furniture is this room and although very attractive it’s too much for when you are selling your home.  

4 — Clean, clean, clean.

I know this means something different to everyone so keep your self and your home on a regular cleaning schedule – if you have to contact a professional to help you out – do it, it will be worth the extra cost. Be sure your home is in ‘showing condition’ at all times. You may receive a call from your realtor about a showing while you are at work and your dishes from breakfast are still in the sink – that leaves a very bad impression.

You really need to be on top of your house work while you are selling.  No one wants to come to view a property with dirty rooms, dishes all over the place etc…This leaves a really bad first impression.

5 — Your pet may be your best friends but he isn’t every one’s.

Some buyers are immediately turned off by any signs of animals in a home so keep pet hair to a minimum by vacuuming everyday, crating your furry friends or keeping them outside of the home while it is up for sale. When we were selling our home a few years ago, I went as far as paying my younger brother to “babysit” them during my open house.

6 — Pay attention to the details.

Don’t hide your flaws , either repair them before you go on market or have your price reflect that there is some work to be done. It is tough for a realtor to justify selling a house for top dollar when it is not in top condition.

7 — Upgrade periodically.

Change up your light fixtures, hardware, taps, faucets and drapery. You will likely get a better reaction from buyers plus it shows that the house has been maintained and cared for. Plus buyers are willing to pay more for a property that has already been updated.  Not sure where to update or what to do? This is where your real estate agent and home stager can really come into play.

A new light fixture can make a huge difference in a house.  It gives the whole home a fresh feel and look – opt for a style that is transitional (that means it works with different decor styles and this way this will work for most people).

8 — Don’t rush.

Get your house on the market once it is ready. Meaning get the little jobs done, listen to your realtor and home stager to help you get top dollar, an incomplete house is exactly that and buyers will not respond in a positive way. So take that time to finish up incomplete projects or tackle the to-do list from your stager – painting and small repairs can set up apart. Any time of year is a good time to sell, but when there is a lot of competition on the market (such as the spring season) you must be in peak performance.

Consider a fresh paint job in the home in a neutral tone, this instantly gives the whole home a fresh new feel and it looks clean and bright!

Selling can feel personal but it isn’t – you need to now think of your house as a product that is up for sale.  Like a product in a store you want it to sell so put the time in to make it a product that a buyer will want! Be sure to avoid these home staging mistakes,

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