CSD HOME STAGING-K.Hubert

 This may seem a bit harsh but it is just plain speaking honest commentary regarding my experience as a buyer's agent.  The statements below are taken directly from the comments and behaviors of buyers viewing homes for sale.  It not meant to be negative but rather is meant to give sellers a bit of a look into the buyer's head.  A chance to see things from the buyer's perspective without the candy coating we agents typically put on things.

10) Leave your "friendly" dog roaming free inside the house when you know we are coming to see it.

Not all buyers are dog people.
Many whether they are dog people or not will actually be scared of your dog.
I have had clients refuse to go into homes because the dog was out.  Or they go in but don't stay long because the dog is either scared of them or overly friendly.  It's hard to pay attention to a home when your nether regions are being inspected by Fido. 
If the buyers are true dog people they are going to focus on the dog not on the house.
Trust me I have seen it happen. 
One way or the other your pet has effectively distracted the buyer from looking at your home.

9) Leave something aromatic cooking in the crock pot for your dinner that night

Not all buyers are going to be fans of your food choices.  In fact if it is particularly aromatic and something the buyer's don't care for, they are likely to ask me if I think the smell will come out or leave quickly because they don't like the smell. 
They were so focused on your food choice they didn't look at your house.

8) Keep photos of your family up throughout the house

Guess what, buyers are going to look at your family photos to try to figure out who you are, do they know you, how many kids do you have?

Guess what they are not doing?  Looking at your house.

7) Keep all your nick knacks out

I know they are precious to you but honestly they are distracting to the buyer.  Instead of looking at the fabulous mantle the buyer will be looking at all the items on the mantel.  As with family photos, buyers will often comment on these items trying to form opinions on who you, the sellers, are rather than focusing on the home.

Pack them up in boxes so you have one less thing to do later on moving day.

6) Make it difficult for me to show your house

I know selling your home is a pain, that you have a life and the appointment time I'm suggesting might not fit into your schedule.   
But, hey I have a buyer that wants to look at your house. 
You want to sell your house right? 
Know what happens when you can't make that appointment time work?  The buyer goes and looks at other houses that are available to see at that time.  Do buyers reschedule to see your house at a later date?  Often times not.  Many buyers find another home that they like or are just not interested in going back to see one they couldn't see right away.  I am not saying that you have to turn your life completely upside down and backwards.  I am just saying that if our appointment time does not work for you don't be surprised when we don't reschedule.  The buyer is likely to have moved on.

5) To continue on the pet theme, leave your cat roaming free throughout the house with a note by the front door stating "Please do not let the cat out".

You are setting up a stressful rather than relaxing situation for the potential buyer and for me the buyers agent.  Buyers are forced to dash in and out of doors rather than wander freely throughout the home and property.  They miss out on the opportunity to call back into the house to their spouse or partner that "they have got to come see this garden, bbq area, hot tub etc" because they had to shut the door so the cat didn't get out.  If they do get wrapped up in looking at the house and forget to shut doors I have to remind them instead of pointing out the features and benefits of your property.  You just made me the nagging hall monitor instead of the helpful agent.  When your pet does manage a jail break, as I swear 99% of them do, I am forced to give chase to Houdini the Wonder Kitty.  Meanwhile my buyers are cooling their heals either irritated that we are off schedule or more likely worried that you are going to be mad if we don't catch your pet and get them back inside your home.

Again the focus has been shifted away from your home.

4) Don't replace burned out light bulbs or use low wattage bulbs.

Yes I know it's only the laundry room, a closet or the spare bedroom you never use but guess what? The buyer wants to see these spaces and when the buyer can't see it they can't form an opinion.  Use a good high watt bulb that appropriatley lights the space.  While the lower wattage bulb will save on your electric bill it will also make for a dark space.  Dark spaces do not impress buyers.  I will typically bring a flash light to help out when a bulb is out but it is still not the same as having a working bulb with the appropriate wattage to light the room to the best benefit.  Buyers will focus on the burned out bulb instead of the space.  Is it just the bulb?  Is there something wrong with the fixture?  If the bulb is dim buyers will focus on how dark the space is instead of how useful it might be.

Don't give them a chance to wonder and worry just replace the bulb and show off the assests of your home in the "best light".

3) Close all the curtains and turn off all the lights

When we walk into the house instead of immediately noticing the great things about the house we are going to be fumbling around looking for light switches.  It is likely that either I or one of the buyers may stub a toe on a hall table trying to find the switch.  Buyers are hesitant to enter dark areas.  In a home that is dark the buyers tend to follow me around as I turn lights on instead of lingering in various rooms to focus on what they might like about a room.  They feel more like they are intruding and less like they are welcome.  Instead of paying attention to the homes benefits they worry about whether they remembered to turn a light off as they left a room.   They also don't get as much of my attention because instead of being able to answer their questions about whether or not the fridge is included or what the square footage of the lot is I am running around opening and shutting drapes and turning light switches on and off.

I know it may not be practical to leave all the drapes open and all the lights on all the time.  At least leave the drapes open on the windows with the best views and leave a few lights on so we can find our way around the house.  If it was on when we got there I will leave it on when we depart.  If it was off I will turn it off.  Please at least leave the porch light on.  I do carry a flashlight but it is just not the same as pulling up to a home with a welcoming porch light on.

2) Turn the heat down

I know especially if you have already moved out that you would like to save on that energy bill but if it is colder in your house than it is outside buyers don't want to linger.  They don't get a warm cozy feeling from your home.  They just feel cold and that feeling transfers to an emotional opinion of your home.  If you can't keep the heat all the way up at least keep it at 55 so we are comfortable in our coats and for heaven sake if you are going to turn the heat down don't expect us to take our shoes off, leave some shoe covers.

One of the quickest ways to drive a potential buyer out of your house is to make them view a cold house in stocking feet.  It is hard to admire the spacious kitchen when your feet are being flash frozen by the cold tile floors.

1) Stay in your home while we are showing it

This is the BEST most SURE FIRE way to make a large majority of buyers uncomfortable.  Buyers don't even come close to paying attention to the features and benefits of a home if you are there.  They are so nervous about offending you and so uncomfortable looking at your home while you sit in your living room or worse follow them around that they rush through. They will tell you thanks for letting them look and dash out. Upon leaving they can't begin to tell me if they noticed what colors the wall were, if there was carpet in the living room or if they liked the kitchen or not. 

What they do tell me is "That was uncomfortable", "I don't like looking at homes when the seller is there" and "Can you make sure the seller will be gone at the next one, if they are there I don't want to see it"

Leave, even if you go sit in your car, take a walk around the block or dash over to your neighbors, just leave.  The buyer will stay longer and pay more attention to your home then if you are there.  If they are interested in your home and have questions I will call your agent and ask.  Think about it.  Would you feel comfortable wandering through someone's master bedroom and checking out the closet space while they were sitting in the living room?

If the buyers fall in love with you home and decide to make an offer there will likely come a time where they will want to meet you and discuss your home at length and in detail with you. Typically buyer's and seller's agents are more than happy to set up this meeting.  It is just not the first time the buyers are viewing your home.

Again, Please keep in mind these statements are meant to be helpful to sellers and give them a chance to look at things from the buyer's perspective.  These are just some of the things that may not typically be thought of as a big deal but do in fact distract buyers focus. 

Noelle Blazevich
John L. Scott - North Bend
noelleblazevich@johnlscott.com
When you work with me it's about YOU!

Noelle Blazevich on John L. Scott.com
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RealEstateByNoelle.com
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Virtual Tours of My Listings

 

When I stage a property I always like to use a pop of the same color in each room to unify spaces and add more flow to the home. I also use a pop of color to direct the buyer's eye to which selling features I want them to notice- the great fireplace, the kitchen counters, the cozy sitting area in the master bedroom. Perhaps it is the season but lately I have been loving orange and how it adds warmth and sizzle to the spaces we stage. Take a peek and try it out in your own home. Add some perky pumpkin, mellow mandarin or calming homcantaloupe to give your rooms a kick that you can enjoy all year round.

Google, Tweet and find me faster!

Tweet, tweet says I!  If you'd like to propose real time information to your clients, potential buyers and sellers or just reach out to folks who haven't embraced all that the social media world offers...your words will now reach people faster than ever.

 

Think about someone looking for a Foreclosure in (Your Area)...you can post a specific property and there's a potential that they will see a short Twitter post instead of that blog post, that takes you minutes (or hours for some) to type up.  Quick info, quick response will equal an increased bottom line.

 

THIS IS BIG NEWS!

 

Official Google Blog

 

 

10/21/2009 02:09:00 PM

At Google, our goal is to create the most comprehensive, relevant and fast search in the world. In the past few years, an entirely new type of data has emerged — real-time updates like those on Twitter have appeared not only as a way for people to communicate their thoughts and feelings, but also as an interesting source of data about what is happening right now in regard to a particular topic.

Given this new type of information and its value to search, we are very excited to announce that we have reached an agreement with Twitter to include their updates in our search results. We believe that our search results and user experience will greatly benefit from the inclusion of this up-to-the-minute data, and we look forward to having a product that showcases how tweets can make search better in the coming months. That way, the next time you search for something that can be aided by a real-time observation, say, snow conditions at your favorite ski resort, you'll find tweets from other users who are there and sharing the latest and greatest information.

Posted by Marissa Mayer, Vice President of Search Products and User Experience

Follow me here for updated Raleigh, NC, Wake County, NC and North Carolina foreclosures searches.  I offer FREE Foreclosure searches for all my home buyers looking for Raleigh real estate.

Follow my TWEETS  @EricaMcClenny 

 

Erica McClenny, Broker/Realtor 

eRealty Inc.

o) 919-844-4686

Helping home buyers and sellers save $$$ in Raleigh, Cary, Wake County

& the Greater Triangle area.

Happy House Hunting!

 

 

From AJC.com

TOP FIVE WAYS TO GO GREEN AT HOME

Frank Wickstead, president of the Atlanta remodeling firm WicksteadWorks, suggests five of the fastest ways to turn your home into an eco-friendly environment.

> Switch to LED bulbs: "These bulbs are rapidly becoming more affordable," Wickstead said. "They're cooler; they use almost no electricity; and they have an unbelievably long lifespan." They're also ideal for cutting the cost of those outdoor lights you want to leave on all night.

> Add new attic insulation: "The best thing you can do for your house without tearing into the walls is to put open-cell spray foam insulation in the attic," said Wickstead. The brand Icynene is among the most popular that can be sprayed along the rafters to create an air barrier, making the attic part of the building envelope. But it's not particularly cheap: "For the average Atlanta attic, it will cost between $4,000 and $5,500," Wickstead said. "But you'll notice lower heating and cooling costs immediately."

> Encapsulate the crawlspace: This is a DIY project that will vastly improve the air quality in the house. Install a vapor barrier and insulated foam boards along the side walls to create a tight seal.

> Eliminate air exchanges: Any spot where warm or cool air is escaping is an energy drain. Most homeowners are familiar with weatherstripping around windows and doors, but what about electrical outlets? An ultracheap (about 15 cents) square of foam insulation behind a switch plate can plug the hole.

> Replace old toilets: "Dual flush toilets are awesome and they start at $260," Wickstead said. "They'll decrease water usage up to 30 percent, and it's something you can change out yourself."

I often get calls from Realtors who say, “I have a family who is actually going to be living in their home while it’s on the market. They would like to use their own furniture. Do you do that?” It always amazes me that they have to ask whether a full service Home Staging company would be willing to work with (gasp) someone’s OWN THINGS?! But I know why they have to ask.

There are some Stagers out there who refuse to work with anything but a completely blank slate. I once did a consultation for a guy who had a beautiful view home and completely workable furniture. His place just needed some updating and new accessories to make it appeal more to today’s buyers. He told me that the last Stager he interviewed told him she’d only take the job if he removed ALL of his own belongings and let her start from scratch…to the tune of over $30,000 in Staging fees! No wonder there are agents and homeowners out there who have yet to hire a Stager to help them prepare their home for sale!

Not only is it bad business to waste someone’s money on unnecessary furniture rental, but in my opinion it’s just plain lazy for a designer to say that they won’t work with a homeowner’s own pieces. Of course it’s easier (and more lucrative) for us to start from scratch because we can pick every last piece down to the art, rugs and plants and know that it will all coordinate beautifully. But if a homeowner has furniture that’s in decent shape and is properly scaled for his home, why would we ask them to get rid of it?

Though my company does lots of vacant home Stagings and model homes, I work all the time with families who are living in their homes while they’re on the market. For these clients, we start with a Consultation. We spend 2-3 hours on site determining what needs to be done in order to get the property sold quickly and for the best price. Recommendations might include de-cluttering, rearranging, reconfiguring or repurposing some of the furniture, updating paint or light fixtures, replacing worn or filthy carpets, and reaccessorizing. After our meeting, the seller receives a written Consultation Report, which gives them a room-by-room check list of what needs to be done. Often the seller takes this list and runs with it and we never hear from them again (until they call to let us know how happy they are that the property SOLD)! Sometimes, however, the client hires us to bring in the recommended accessories or additional furniture pieces that we’ve noted in the report, and to put the finishing touches on the Staging transformation.

As an example, we were recently brought in by a Realtor to do a Consultation on her client’s 4-bedroom home in Tarzana, California. The client had a gorgeous home with beautiful furniture, but she had seen some Staged properties on the market and knew that her home had a couple of trouble spots that needed to be addressed before it could compete with those Staged homes.

Click here to see photos of her trouble spots and how Stage to Sell turned them into selling points!

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Annie Pinsker-Brown | Stage to Sell
Owner & Principal Designer
310-384-1084
www.stagetosell.biz

"We get you to SOLD so you can get on with your life!"

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Stage to Sell is the premier West Los Angeles Home Staging Company.

Owner & Principal Designer Annie Pinsker-Brown is an ASP Home Stager, a member of IAHSP (International Association of Home Staging Professionals), an affiliate member of the Beverly Hills/Greater Los Angeles Association of Realtors and a member of the Culver City and West LA Chambers of Commerce.

Annie has Staged LA homes for Bravo's hit show "Million Dollar Listing" and TLC's "Property Ladder." She has also been featured in recent articles on Home Staging in Los Angeles Magazine, The New York Times , Costco Connection and Frontiers Magazine .

If you would like to see more of our Home Staging work, visit our website . There is an extensive gallery of before & after photos , as well as a list of our Staged properties currently on the market.

1. Your photos are unimpressive. The vast majority of home buyers start their search for a home on the Internet, your house had better look great in print. Not just nice... downright fabulous.  Today we are considering internet views as a 'virtual showing'... if your house gets past that, then they might (just might) make an appointment to see it in person... We consider that your SECOND showing. Today's buyers are expecting good quality photos (and lots of them... just 1 shot from the street won't cut it!), a virtual tour, maybe even a floor plan, if applicable.

2. It's overpriced. You've got to view your own property as objectively as possible.  Look at the home like a "buyer"... if necessary, go out with your Realtor and view other homes that are priced comparably to yours.  Be objective.  Given the other options on the market (and yes, you DO have to include short sales and foreclosures on your list... your potential buyers are!), would YOU buy your home, over the others on the market?

If no, then you either have to "update" your home to meet or beat the competition... or lower your price to adjust for it.  if you can't afford to sell for the price, that you KNOW it sell for, you may want to consider just removing it from the market.

3. It shows poorly. This could mean almost anything... from the barky, barky dog, to the smell of the diaper pail.  Maybe the carpeting is a bit worn, or the woodwork shows a lot of wear.  All things that don't show up on the internet, but whoa.... once you get inside the house... they show up, like a cat-urine-smell on a 95 degree day in New Orleans!

4. You're invisible. Today's buyer comes from the internet, almost exclusively.  Have you (or your agent) simply plopped the property on the MLS, and started praying?  Are you on all the websites...(Trulia, Zillow, Craig's List, Google Base, etc...) all the places that buyers are searching?  If not, you want to be.

5. Your listing is tired and stale on the market. Okay... yes, you overpriced your home initially when you first came on the market 2 years ago.  But since then you have reduced your price almost monthly... constantly chasing the market down.... Now, finally you're truly priced where you should be... but your listing is tired and stale.  Everyone looking for your type of property (ie: 3br/1.1 bath) in your area has already seen it, sometimes twice... and they remember that there was "something" about it that they didn't like... but what they don't remember is... what they didn't like.... was the price.   Time to take the listing off market.  Let it cool off (3-6 months), and bring it back on fresh in the Spring.  Yeah, you'll have 6 mos. worth of holding-costs... but you'll more than make up for it in your purchase price.

btw... Avoid the temptation to bring the house back on at a higher price, than when you left the market.  Just "don't do it"!

6. Your house won't appraise. The house looks great... you've finally gotten someone to bring you a bid on your slightly over-priced, but beautiful pied-a-terre.  But the bank appraiser says it's worth $20,000 less than what they've agreed to pay.  Heavy sigh... bite the bullet.... negotiate with them.   If you have to drop the price $20,000 to make it work.... "make it work"... chances are, anybody else trying to buy your house will run into the same problem.

Home Sellers if you already haven't, prepare to change.

Especially in the current state of the housing market (& limited numbers actually buying & those that are -are being extremely picky with what they are purchasing) seriously ask yourself this question; 

"Is it really going to hurt too much to make a few changes that can expedite the sale of my house?"

As a North Texas Home Staging Professional I am sometimes faced with clients who feel that;

•  their homes
•  their choices [whether cosmetic or structural] and
• the way they are living is perfect for them so why change? 

Marcia! Marcia! Marcia!

It's time to stop focusing on how you live in YOUR house and get on with the business of selling this property to move into your NEXT home!

NO MORE

Or deep down do you just really NOT want to sell this house?  And I am very serious.

Your short term pain of having to make some changes will result in long term gain, the successful sale of your home.

I'd like to help you get there.

Here are 10 Easy Changes to Improve the Marketability of your home

1. Wall paper removed and paint colors changed
2. Furniture removed, rented, re purposed &/or repositioned for optimal showing
3. Turn a room back to it's INTENDED purpose (I don't care if the office works in your dining room and you have to move some cables around! A buyer needs to see the DINING ROOM - don't make them guess)
4. Personal decorating choices removed(and yes even if you like those bottle caps glued to your game room wall and it's going to take you forever to remove - a buyer is thinking that 10 fold)
5. Collections, excess "stuff" and anything you can live without for a time boxed and packed for your move
6. Rent a temporary storage unit if necessary1-800-PackRat or PODS will come right to your door
7. Spruce up the yard, mulch and plant some flowers, even if that means having to water them
8. Get some updated fixtures [including dated fan kits] installed
9. Clean, clean and clean some more- even if you have 6 kids, work and the dishes & laundry never get done - now is the time to get it done or hire someone who will.
10. Keep the house in show ready condition at all times [the good news is that once you've done all the above, it will be easy to keep ready at a moment's notice!] and be flexible when showing

Still  need some assistance in marketing your property?

Proudly serving real estate consulting services to Collin County and North Dallas, Realtors, Sellers & Investors, ,  Home Star Staging is here for you Texas!

 

By TwitterButtons.com

Thought everyone could use a mini lesson in colour today.

This website has stories about interior indiscretions that will make you wonder what the homeowners were thinking when they put their home on the market.

We have all been there-either as a Realtor or as a Home Stager.

Trying to market a house that has been painted entirely in burnt orange.

Or every surface has been painted shades of green or blue or purple.

When you are selling your home, loud vibrant colours will not market your property to the most people.

How many homes have you seen with bright orange walls everywhere?

That's exactly the same number of buyers you will attract to your property for sale.

I tactfully suggest to my clients that a neutral colour will attract more buyers when they are looking online at listing photos.

Not to mention shorten the number of days on market.

When buyers leave a property painted like this, all they are talking about is the bright orange paint throughout the main floor living area. They miss the features of the property entirely. Advantage Staging will motivate your client to make the necessary changes to get the property on the "must see list" of buyers.

Investment, minimal.

Impact, Priceless.

Advantage Staging will give your property an advantage in the marketplace everytime.