Category Archives: Home Staging
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Selling a Home in a Tough Market 2011
Selling your home in a tough market is stressful. You can put part of the blame on the competition – foreclosures and short sales that account for a noticeable percentage of homes listed today. It’s simply not enough to put out a For Sale sign, you must also convince buyers that your home is a great deal. Here’s how to do it:
Price Your Home Right – or Lower Your Price
Many sellers are unwilling to accept the market today. Home values have gone down in many areas and with foreclosures and short sales listed at below market value, buyers are going to be looking for bargains. Home sellers who mark their homes too high will inevitably need to lower their price if they want to be competitive. Statistics show that homes that are priced high from the beginning take longer to sell. Understanding your competition and knowing what has recently sold will help you price your home right.
Stage Your Home Inside and Out
Make sure your home is showing in tip top shape. That means making minor repairs, cleaning out clutter and de-personalizing the space. And you don’t want to neglect the outside since that is the buyer’s first impression of your home. Make sure landscaping is manicured and leaves are cleared. You’ll also want to clean the front porch and door to make it as inviting as possible. You won’t get a second chance to make a first impression.
Allow for Seller Concessions
Incentives can work. You will perk a buyer’s interest by offering closing cost concessions, furniture or decorating allowances. Each buyer’s lender will either approve or not approve the incentives but it doesn’t hurt to give them a reason to come see your home.
Make Your Home Easy to Show
Buyers want to see homes when it is convenient for them. If a home seller makes it difficult to see a home, they’ll skip it. In this market, the more buyers you have come through, the better chance for an offer. Make sure the family (and pets) go with you for showings. You want the buyer to feel comfortable and invited. If someone is lingering in your home during a showing, a buyer may not invest the time in really looking at your home.
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Home Improvements on a Budget
Whether you are thinking about selling or just want to improve your home, here are some tips to increasing your home’s value on a budget.
PAINT, PAINT, PAINT
One of the simpliest and cost effective ways to increase your home’s value is to paint. Neutral colors will appeal to the most potential buyers.
INSPECT YOUR HOME
Hire a home inspector to do a full report on your home from foundation to roof. Finding hidden problems now can definitely save you money in the future. It will also help your home’s value by taking care of any issues that may arise when you try to sell.
LOW MAINTENANCE LANDSCAPING
Not only will sprucing up your landscaping add curb appeal but will help your home’s value if you go to sell. Finding plants and trees that are native to your area will help you conserve water and ultimately save money on maintenance.
CLEAN YOUR HOME
You only get one chance to make a first impression, especially if you are thinking about selling. Hire a cleaning company to give your home a full scrubbing from top to bottom. Clear out any clutter to make your home feel more spacious.
UPDATE YOUR BATHROOMS
You don’t need to completely remodel your bathrooms, but updating on a small scale will help increase your home’s value. Replace outdated fixtures and wallpaper.
Tips for Selling a Home in the Summer
Generally speaking, spring and summer are great times to sell your home. It’s definitely important to talk with a professional real estate agent before listing, but here are some tips to keep in mind when selling your home in the summer.
1. GREEN UP THE GRASS
Keep your grass as green as you can. Fill in patches and brown spots. The weather is already hot and dried leaves or dead flowers will effect your home’s curb appeal.
2. LET IN THE SUN
Open windows and let the sun in. Bright rooms will help potential home buyers to see the wonderful aspects of your home as well as help the home appear larger. You can also replace low wattage bulbs with higher wattage ones and add lamps in rooms that don’t benefit from natural light.
3. EVERY ROOM SHOULD HAVE A PURPOSE
Make sure that every room in the house serves its purpose. Fore example, the formal dining room should be set up as an eating area, not a bedroom or storage area. The entrance should feel like an entry area. You want potential home buyers to feel welcome and at home when they enter. Clean up clutter and remove unnecessary items around the house.
4. HAVE YOUR HOME SMELL FRESH AND CLEAN
A home that smells fresh and clean is welcoming to home buyers. You can add fresh flowers around your home or brew coffee or bake cookies. Anything that smells good should also smell good to a potential home buyer.
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Money Saving Tips for Your Garden
Now that Spring is here and the weather is pleasant, you may want to consider starting a Garden in your backyard. According to the American Society of Landscape Architects and Money Magazine, the return on this type of investment is 100% to 200%! Definitely worth considering for most homeowners!
Here are some MONEY SAVING TIPS for Planning Your Garden.
Tip #1 – Know Your Land and Area
Your particular soil conditions, sunlight patterns, pest populations, and available water will determine what will grow. If you’ve lived in the area in the past, think about what has worked and what hasn’t worked over the years. If your new to the area, go online and do some research or ask local landscape experts.
Tip #2 – Be Water Wise
You can kill your landscaping (and budget) if you over water. Know how much and when your plants need watering. Sales tags should have watering directions or consult websites online or check out a gardening book at your local library. Consider investing in a sprinkler system or drip houses. You can also put your garden hoses on a timer to save on wasting water.
Tip #3 – Don’t Forget to Mulch
Spreading a few inches of mulch in landscaping beds protects your plants and shrubs from drying out, and makes beds look tidy and uniform. Mulch also keeps down weeds and moderates soil temperature.
Tip #4 – Power Down Your Lawn Mower
The Environmental Protection Agency says gas-powered lawn mowers contribute as much as 5% of the nation’s air pollution. Switching to new generation electric and push-reel mowers—which are lighter, quieter, and kinder to your lawn.
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