Staging Secrets Revealed

Small Things can Make a Big Difference

Decluttering and cleaning are the two most important things sellers can do to get their house ready for showings. But small touches — new bathroom towels, a well-placed bouquet of flowers or an accent color — can liven up your listings. Here, we spent about $70 on fresh flowers and another $400 on props to stage a few key areas of a 1920s bungalow. Other props were borrowed.

Warm it Up

Bring life to a monotone bathroom with contrasting draperies and towels. A towel rack hung upside-down is reversed, so towels can be displayed on the rack rather than the tub. A borrowed table adds elegance and carries the eye upward, making the room feel more spacious. Purchased: Drapes, $80; towels, $25; wastebasket-tissue-box-handtowel set, $18


Create Focal Points

Above, a bench and mirrored hatstand that blend into the woodwork are replaced with contrasting furniture. The boldly colored chest and pillow combine to provide a focal point. Purchased: Blue vase, $25; pillow, $30


Pare Down

Books and photos go into storage, replaced with accent pieces and flowers that brighten the dark shelves. Purchased: Square baskets, $10; white mirror, $12; white vase, $30; top-shelf basket, $25


Accent With Color

Surfaces are decluttered and red accents added to enliven a seating area. Purchased: Nothing except the flowers

Think in Threes

Odd numbers create tension that provides visual interest. This principle is applied with three grass bundles on the fireplace hearth and three varied-height vases on the kitchen counter below. A painting retrieved from storage and a larger rug improve the balance of and add warmth to the mantle area. Purchased: Grass bundles, $30


Set a Scene

Kitchen counters are transformed from utility into a welcoming oasis. Purchased: Cream vases, $40; succulents, $12; pear tray, $13; basket, $5; towels, $8

-- Realtor.org

Criteria for Selecting the Best Listing Agent

Two of the biggest mistakes home sellers make when choosing a listing agent are selecting an agent solely based on:

• Highest List Price for Your Home
  
• Lowest Commission

At first glance, a seller might say, "What?! Are you nuts?!" Because sellers want the highest possible price and to pay the least amount of commission. But those two criterion have very little to do with hiring a competent agent and, in many instances, are completely irrelevant. Let's look at why.

The Highest Suggested List Price

Agents can't tell you how much your home will sell for. That's a fallacy. A listing agent can show you comparable sales, pending sales and active sales. But YOU choose the sales price and a buyer will tell you if the price is right.

Unfortunately, to get the listing, some agents distort the truth.

Since agents can't guarantee your sales price, the listing agent who suggests the highest price is probably untruthful. Ask the agent to show you numbers supporting that suggested list price. They probably won't have them or the home sales will be located in a different neighborhood.

Look for a listing agent who gives you a range.

There is always a price range. It might be apart $10,000 on the low-end versus the high, or the spread might be greater. Many factors determine the range, among which are location, temperature of the market and improvements.

Pricing is an art.

The best time for an offer is within the first 30 days on market. If the home is priced right, you'll get an offer. If it's priced too high, you might not get any showings at all; buyers will shun your home and you'll eventually end up reducing the price, leaving buyers wondering what's wrong with your house.

Should You Choose an Agent Based on Commission?

Real estate agents are not equal; each is unique. Remember about 10% of the agents do 90% of the business. Each has their own marketing techniques and advertising budget. Your goal is to gain greater exposure to the largest number of buyers, which is ideal. Reaching greater numbers of buyers equals better chances of a good offer.

Why would an agent willingly work for less than competitors?

There is always a reason why a broker or real estate agent would discount a real estate fee. Sometimes it's the only way the agent feels it's possible to compete in a highly competitive business, because the agent can't stand apart from the competition on service, knowledge or negotiation skills.

If the sole benefit an agent brings to a table is a cheap fee, ask yourself why. Is the agent desperate for business or unqualified? Do you want to work with a desperate agent?

Sometimes full-service agents will negotiate a lower commission under special circumstances such as:

• You're buying a home and selling a home at the same time, giving both transactions to one agent.


• You're willing to do all the legwork, advertising, marketing, and pay for expenses related to the sale.


• You promise to refer more business to the agent, which would result in multiple transactions.


• You're selling more than one home.


• You don't have enough equity to pay a full commission.


• The agent accepts you as a pro bono case.


• The agent will lose the listing unless she matches a competitor's fee.


• The agent wants the signage (exposure to traffic) over charging a full commission.

If you are interviewing agents who offer similar services and can't decide between them, ask to see a track record of each agent's original list price and final sale numbers. Odds are the lowest-fee agent will show more price reductions and longer DOM. The difference between an agent who charges 5% and 6% is 1%. Ask yourself how you come out ahead if your price ends up being reduced 2% because you chose a lower-fee agent who could not afford to actively market your home.

Tip: If your home is located in a hard-to-sell neighborhood, hire an agent who lives in the neighborhood / sells homes in that neighborhood. Don't hire an out-of-area agent who can't adequately tackle the challenge without first-hand knowledge of the area.

Top 10 Reasons to Hire a Real Estate Agent

With so much information readily available online, clients sometimes ask me, "Why should we hire a real estate agent?" They wonder, and rightfully so, if they couldn't buy or sell a home through the Internet or through regular marketing and advertising channels without representation, without a a real estate agent. Some do OK, many don't. So if you've wondered the same thing, here are 10 reasons why you might want to consider hiring a professional real estate agent.

1. Education & Experience

You don't need to know everything about buying and selling real estate if you hire a real estate professional who does. Henry Ford once said that when you hire people who are smarter than you are, it proves you are smarter than they are. The trick is to find the right person. For the most part, they all cost about the same. Why not hire a person with more education and experience than you? We're all looking for more precious time in our lives, and hiring pros gives us that time.

I work as a full-time REALTOR®. Much of my "free" time is spent thinking and planning for my clients. Every day, I read and study many resources that will improve my knowlege as a professional real estate agent so that I can effectively serve you and protect your interests.

2. Agents are Buffers

As your agent, I take the spam out of your property showings and visits. If you're a buyer of new homes, I will whip out my "sword" and keep the builder's agents at bay, preventing them from biting or nipping at your heels. If you're a seller, as your agent I will filter all those phone calls that lead to nowhere from lookie-loos and try to induce serious buyers to immediately write an offer.

3. Neighborhood Knowledge

As your agent, I make it a priority to possess intimate knowledge about the industry buzz about your neighborhood. I can identify comparable sales and hand these facts to you, in addition to pointing you in the direction of where you can find more data on schools, crime or demographics. For example, you may know that a home down the street was on the market for $350,000, but an as your agent, I will know it had upgrades and sold at $285,000 after 65 days on the market and after twice falling out of escrow.

4. Price Guidance

Contrary to what some people believe, real estate agents do not select prices for sellers or buyers. However, as your agent, I help to guide clients as they make the right choices for themselves. If a listing is at 6%, for example, an agent only has a 6% vested interest in the sale, but the client has a 94% interest! As your exclusive seller's agent, I will ask buyers to weigh all the data supplied to them and to choose a price. Then based on market supply, demand and the conditions, as your agent, I will devise a negotiation strategy.

5. Market Conditions Information

As your real estate agent, I can disclose market conditions which will govern your selling or buying process. Many factors determine how you will proceed. Data such as the average per square foot cost of similar homes, median and average sales prices, average days on market and ratios of list-to-sold prices, among other criteria, will have a huge bearing on what you ultimately decide to do.

6. Professional Networking

As a real estate agent, I network with other professionals, many of whom provide services that you will need to buy or sell. Due to legal liability, agents are restrained from recommending a certain individual or company over another, but we do know which vendors have a reputation for efficiency, competency and competitive pricing. As your exclusive seller's agent, I can, however, give you a list of references that I have worked with and provide background information to help you make a wise selection.

7. Negotiation Skills & Confidentiality

As your exclusive agent, I negotiate well because, unlike most buyers and sellers, I can remove myself from the emotional aspects of the transaction and because my skill has been sharpened by experience and knowlege. It's part of my job description! Good agents are not messengers, delivering buyer's offers to sellers and vice versa. We are professionals who are trained to present our client's case in the best light and agree to hold our client's information confidential from competing interests.

8. Handling Volumes of Paperwork

One-page deposit receipts were prevalent in the early 1970s. Today's purchase agreements run 8 pages or more. That does not include the federal- and state-mandated disclosures nor disclosures dictated by local custom. Most real estate files average a thicknesses of one to three inches of paper! One tiny mistake or omission could land you in court or cost you thousands.

9. Answer Questions After Closing

Even the smoothest transactions that close without complications can come back to haunt. For example, taxing authorities that collect property tax assessments, doc stamps or transfer tax can fall months behind and mix up invoices, but one call to me can straighten out the confusion. Many questions can pop up that were overlooked in the excitement of closing. As your exclusive agent, I will stand by ready to assist and not leave you in the dust to fend for yourself.

10. Develop Relationships for Future Business

The basis for my success as a REALTOR® and continued career in real estate is referrals. Few agents would survive if their livelihood was dependent on consistently drumming up new business. This emphasis gives me strong incentives to make certain that my clients are happy and satisfied. It also means that because I maintain my reputation as an excellent again I will be there for you when you need to hire an agent again!

It's in your best interest to be represented as a buyer or a seller. Usually, the other person in this transaction is represented and you are at a distinct disadvantage if you do not have an exclusive agent looking out for your best interests during this time.

How do you find a qualified agent? That's the easy part. Just CLICK HERE!




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Price Your House Right

The single most important factor to consider when selling a house is the home price tag: how much your house is worth. You don't want to overprice the house because you will lose the freshness of the home's appeal after the first two to three weeks of showings. After 21 days, demand and interest wane. On the other hand, don't worry about pricing it too low because homes priced below market value often will receive multiple offers, which will then drive up the price to market. Pricing is all about supply and demand. It's part art and part science, and no two agents price property the same way.

Pull Comparable Listings and Sales

• Look at every similar home that was or is listed in the same neighborhood over the past six months.


• The list should contain homes within a 1/4 mile to a 1/2 mile and no further, unless there are only a handful of comps in the general vicinity or the property is rural.


• Pay attention to neighborhood dividing lines and physical barriers such as major streets, freeways or railroads, and do not compare inventory from the "other side of the tracks." Where I live, for example, identical homes across the street from each other can vary by $100,000. Perceptions and desirability have value.


• Compare similar square footage, within 10% up or down from the subject property, if possible.


• Similar ages. One neighborhood might consist of homes built in the 1950's next door to another ring of construction from the 1980's. Values between the two will differ. Compare apples to apples.

Sold Comps

• Pull history for expired and withdrawn listings to determine whether any were taken off the market and relisted. If so, add those days on market to these listing time periods to arrive at an actual number of days on market.


• Compare original list price to final sales price to determine price reductions.


• Compare final sales price to actual sold price to determine ratios.


• Adjust pricing for lot size variances, configuration and amenities / upgrades.

Withdrawn & Expired Listings

• Look for patterns as to why these homes did not sell and the common factors they share.


• Which brokerage had the listing: a company that ordinarily sells everything it lists or was it a discount brokerage that might not have spent money on marketing?


• Think about the steps you can take to prevent your home from becoming an expired listing.

Pending Sales

• Since these are pending sales, the sales prices are unknown until the transactions close, but that doesn't stop anybody from calling the listing agents and asking them to tell you. Some will. Some won't.


• Make note of the days on market, which may have a direct bearing on how long it will take before you see an offer.


• Examine the history of these listings to determine price reductions.

Active Listings

• These matter only as they compare to your listing, but bear in mind that sellers can ask whatever they want.


• To see what buyers will see, tour these homes. Make note of what you like and dislike, the general feeling you get upon entering these homes. If possible, recreate those feelings of reception in your own home.


• These homes are your competition. Ask yourself why a buyer would prefer your home over any of these and adjust your price accordingly.

Square Foot Cost Comparisons

Remember that after you receive an offer, the buyer's lender will order an appraisal, so you will want to compare homes of similar square footage.

Appraisers don't like to deviate more 25% and prefer to stay within 10% of net square footage computations. If your home is 2000 sq. ft., comparable homes are those sized 1800 to 2200 sq. ft.

Average square foot cost does not mean you can multiple your square footage by that number unless your home is average sized. The price per square foot rises as the size decreases and it decreases as the size increases, meaning larger homes have a smaller square foot cost and smaller homes have a larger square foot cost.

Market Dependent Pricing

Same house, three different prices. After you have collected all your data, the next step is to analyze the data based on market conditions. For comparison purposes, let's say the last three comparable sales in your neighborhood were $150,000. In a buyer's market, your sales price might allow some wiggle room for negotiation but be strong enough (near the last comparable sale) to entice a buyer to tour your home. To sell in this market, you might need to price your home at $149,900, settling for $145,000.

In a seller's market, you might want to add 10% more to the last comparable sale. When there is little inventory and many buyers, you can ask more than the last comparable sale and likely get it. So that $150,000 home might sell at $165,000 or more.

In a balanced or neutral market, you may want to initially set your price at the last comparable sale and then adjust for the market trend. For example, if the last sale closed three months ago, but the median price has edged upwards of 1% per month, pricing at $154,500 would make sense.

What to Consider When Reviewing a Home Purchase Offer

A home purchase agreement is a complicated legal document. It will include all of the terms and conditions of the sale, most of which are negotiable. Some sellers focus on the price the buyer offers, minimizing the other terms and conditions. This approach can lead to trouble.

It's natural to want to sell for the highest price possible. But, the highest priced offer is not always the best offer. Recently a seller decided to accept the higher of two offers. Two days after acceptance, the buyers backed out. Their inspection contingency allowed them the right to back out for any reason. So, the seller had no recourse but to refund the buyer's deposit money and put his house back on the market.

Evaluate every one of the terms and conditions of the purchase offer before making a decision. Since virtually every term is negotiable, consider your options. You can accept some terms and counter others in order to fine-tune the contract to meet your needs.

Some sellers find it helpful to list the price, terms and conditions of an offer on a sheet of paper. Next to each item on the list, make a note as to whether the term or condition is acceptable or unacceptable.

The terms would include such things as the closing date, when possession will be delivered to the buyer, the specifics of how the buyer will finance the purchase, how closing costs are to be shared, what's included and excluded from the sale and the buyer's various contingencies.

Common buyer contingencies are for inspections of the property, financing, property appraisal and review of the property title record. Usually, buyers can withdraw from a purchase without penalty if they made a good faith effort to satisfy contingencies but were not successful. So you'll want to pay attention to the contingency deadlines. From the seller's standpoint, the shorter the contingency time period, the better. Still, these time periods should not be unreasonably short.

After reviewing an offer, you might feel the price is low, the closing date is too long and you need more time after closing to move out. In addition, you don't want to include the washer and dryer. If the offer is acceptable in all other respects, you might counter with a higher price, shorter closing, and more time to vacate. As an incentive for the buyer to accept your counter, you might agree to include the washer and dryer. A successful negotiation often involves give and take.

HOME SELLER TIPS: No-contingency offers are appealing. But, they can be risky, particularly if the buyer hasn't had a chance to adequately inspect the property before making an offer. You may be wise to counter a contingency-free offer with a short contingency for the buyer to inspect the property. It's far better to have any unknown defects discovered before closing than it is to be drawn into a legal dispute after closing. It's never a good idea to counter a buyer's inspection contingency out of the offer.

There's a definite advantage to a shorter rather than a longer closing. The longer the closing, the higher the likelihood that something might go wrong. For example, occasionally, a buyer who was fully approved for a mortgage subsequently loses his job and can't close the sale. If you need more time to move, ask the buyer to rent the property back to you for a while after closing.

THE CLOSING: Make sure that your contract includes a provision for the buyers to show evidence of their preapproval and verification of the funds needed to close if they haven't already done so.

Author: Dian Hymer for Inman News

Do You REALLY Need a Realtor®

Why Use a REALTOR® ?

All real estate licensees are not the same. Only real estate licensees who are members of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® are properly called REALTORS®. They proudly display the REALTOR"®" logo on the business card or other marketing and sales literature. REALTORS® are committed to treat all parties to a transaction honestly. REALTORS® subscribe to a strict Code of Ethics and are expected to maintain a higher level of knowledge of the process of buying and selling real estate. An independent survey reports that 84% of home buyers would use the same REALTOR® again.

Real estate transactions involve one of the biggest financial investments most people experience in their lifetime. Transactions today usually exceed $100,000. If you had a $100,000 income tax problem, would you attempt to deal with it without the help of a CPA? If you had a $100,000 legal question, would you deal with it without the help of an attorney? Considering the small upside cost and the large downside risk, it
would be foolish to consider a deal in real estate without the professional assistance of a REALTOR®.

But if you're still not convinced of the value of a REALTOR®, here are a dozen more reasons to use one:

1. Your REALTOR® can help you determine your buying power -- that is, your financial reserves plus your borrowing capacity. If you give a REALTOR® some basic information about your available savings, income and current debt, he or she can refer you to lenders best qualified to help you. Most lenders -- banks and mortgage companies -- offer limited choices.

2. Your REALTOR® has many resources to assist you in your home search. Sometimes the property you are seeking is available but not actively advertised in the market, and it will take some investigation by your agent to find all available properties.

3. Your REALTOR® can assist you in the selection process by providing objective information about each property. Agents who are REALTORS® have access to a variety of informational resources. REALTORS® can provide local community information on utilities, zoning. schools, etc. There are two things you'll want to know. First, will the property provide the environment I want for a home or investment? Second, will the property have resale value when I am ready to sell?

4. Your REALTOR® can help you negotiate. There are myriad negotiating factors, including but not limited to price, financing, terms, date of possession and often the inclusion or exclusion of repairs and furnishings or equipment. The purchase agreement should provide a period of time for you to complete appropriate inspections and investigations of the property before you are bound to complete the purchase. Your agent can advise you as to which investigations and inspections are recommended or required.

5. Your REALTOR® provides due diligence during the evaluation of the property. Depending on the area and property, this could include inspections for termites, dry rot, asbestos, faulty structure, roof condition, septic tank and well tests, just to name a few. Your REALTOR® can assist you in finding qualified responsible professionals to do most of these investigations and provide you with written reports. You will also want to see a preliminary report on the title of the property. Title indicates ownership of property and can be mired in confusing status of past owners or rights of access. The title to most properties will have some limitations; for example, easements (access rights) for utilities. Your REALTOR®, title company or attorney
can help you resolve issues that might cause problems at a later date.

6. Your REALTOR® can help you in understanding different financing options and in identifying qualified lenders.

7. Your REALTOR® can guide you through the closing process and make sure everything flows together smoothly.

8. When selling your home, your REALTOR® can give you up-to-date information on what is happening in the marketplace and the price, financing, terms and condition of competing properties. These are key factors in getting your property sold at the best price, quickly and with minimum hassle.

9. Your REALTOR® markets your property to other real estate agents and the public. Often, your REALTOR® can recommend repairs or cosmetic work that will significantly enhance the salability of your property. Your REALTOR® markets your property to other real estate agents and the public. In many markets across the country, over 50% of real estate sales are cooperative sales; that is, a real estate agent other than yours brings in the buyer. Your REALTOR® acts as the marketing coordinator, disbursing information about your property to other real estate agents through a Multiple Listing Service or other cooperative marketing networks, open houses for agents, etc. The REALTOR® Code of Ethics requires REALTORS® to utilize these cooperative relationships when they benefit their clients.

10. Your REALTOR® will know when, where and how to advertise your property. There is a misconception that advertising sells real estate. The NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® studies
show that 82% of real estate sales are the result of agent contacts through previous clients, referrals, friends, family and personal contacts. When a property is marketed with the help of your REALTOR®, you do not have to allow strangers into your home. Your REALTOR® will generally prescreen and accompany qualified prospects through your property.

11. Your REALTOR® can help you objectively evaluate every buyer's proposal without compromising your marketing position. This initial agreement is only the beginning of a process of appraisals, inspections and financing -- a lot of possible pitfalls. Your REALTOR® can help you write a legally binding, win-win agreement that will be more likely to make it through the process.

12. Your REALTOR® can help close the sale of your home. Between the initial sales agreement and closing (or settlement), questions may arise. For example, unexpected repairs are required to obtain financing or a cloud in the title is discovered. The required paperwork alone is overwhelming for most sellers. Your REALTOR® is the best person to objectively help you resolve these issues and move the transaction to closing (or settlement).

Pre-Listing Inspections: A Sure Sell?

Should the Seller get a pre-listing inspection?

I know we've all heard about pre-listing inspections, and most everyone has their own opinion, ranging from, "There must be something wrong with the home if the seller has already done an inspection on it," to the outdated idea that a buyer, not the seller, is responsible for the inspection.

Or how about the rationalization that the buyer will get their own inspection, anyway, so why should the seller go to the trouble and expense to get their own?

Or even the mistaken belief that pre-listing inspections are more trouble for the listing agent than they're worth because the buyer's and seller's inspectors will each find different things, which could blow up in the listing agent's face.

Now I'm not talking about the traditional idea of performing an inspection of the seller's property simply for the benefit of the seller. I'm talking about something completely different.

And what's so different? The positioning and marketing of the inspection!

Pre-listing inspections represent a shift in thinking from the traditional to the rational . Unfortunately, they are often a tough sell to many seller's by their agents, who believe that the buyers are responsible for the inspections, which results in their heavy resistance to the pre-listing inspection idea and, many times, its rejection. However, it is your REALTOR's® responsibility to look after your best interest and to recommend that one is performed.

In my opinion, pre-listing inspections should be the rule rather than the exception.

They reveal any hidden issues to the seller before the home gets placed on the market, which later translates into the buyer knowing its true condition before they submit an offer.

This valuable information only makes all offers stronger and now the deal is unlikely to snag when the buyer gets their own home inspection (which they likely will, so please don't be misled into believing that they won't -- it's just a bonus if the buyer's pass it up).

Also, by getting the pre-listing inspection the seller has also enhanced the likelihood of a successful closing by creating a feeling of honesty and trust since they've disclosed, concessed, or repaired all the necessary items.

Another seller benefit is that the items needing professional attention can be corrected at a time that fits their schedule and at a more reasonable price since the costly rush charges associated with repairing these items as a consequence of the buyer's inspection are avoided.

So let me explain why and how this new pre-listing inspection works by stealing a page out of our local auto dealership's playbook:

When you go into an automobile dealership today they have two types of used cars:

1. The plain old used car
2. The "Certified Pre-Owned" car

Now what does Certified Pre-Owned mean in the mind of the consumer? It means that the Certified Pre-Owned Vehicle has been inspected and it meets the company's rigid guidelines for quality and excellence.

And will consumers pay more for Certified Pre-Owned Vehicles? Absolutely!!!

So let's say you have a listing on a street in a great neighborhood, but there are already a lot of homes for sale on that street. How do you not only stand out from your competitors, but also swipe their buyers?

Actively market your listing as a "Certified Pre-Owned" home.

And how do you get it "Certified"? By having it professionally inspected right before it goes on the market!

As you know, home buyers want a home that is in tip-top shape regardless of the age. That's why having a pre-listing inspection makes complete sense. Since this pre-listing program requires the seller to confirm that there are no major systems in need of immediate repair or replacement and that there are no known safety hazards (which is what requires the seller to address the important things found in the inspection), the home is now more marketable and will help the sellers get their maximum selling price.

There is one secret all sellers need to know:

1. Buyers make their decision to purchase a home based on emotion and justify that decision with logic. And another thing is equally true:

2. Buyer's can fall out of love with a home just as quickly as the fell in love it.

So why jeopardize the sale by waiting for the buyer's inspector to develop a long list of unexpected repair items?

Making the repairs in advance of the sale and then properly positioning and marketing the pre-listing inspection will sell your listing for more money, in less time, and with less hassle!

Ask your REALTOR® to help you arrange for a pre-inspection. They will know who to hire that is reasonably priced and reliable.

Staging a House

Home staging is about illusions. It's how David Copperfield would sell a house. It's beyond decorating and cleaning. It's about perfecting the art of creating moods. Staging makes your house look bigger, brighter, cleaner, warmer, more loving and, best of all, it makes home buyers want to buy it.

Contrary to what you might think, it's about more than preparing the house for sale. Staging is what you do after you've cleaned, decluttered, painted, made minor repairs; it's all about dressing the house for sale.

It's about adding the small details: the lipstick, mascara and, for simplicity, a stunning, single strand of Tahitian pearls.

What is a Professional Home Stager?

Professional stagers are highly skilled artists.

They can take a blank canvas and paint a sensuous portrait without ever lifting a paint brush. Stagers possess the skills of a top-level designer and they create dramatic scenery that appeals to all five senses.

Here are some of their secrets:

• Arrange sparse pieces of furniture in an appealing grouping known as a vignette
  
• Showcase a generous usage of soft fabrics such as silk, lambswool, satin
  
• Display unusual knickknacks in units of 1, 3 or 5
  
• Drape window coverings with simple lines
  
• Add unique elements to shelving, bookcases and fireplace mantels, which draw attention to predetermined areas

What Accessories Does a Stager Use?

Stagers bring in a vast array of items to spruce up the house. Here is a small sampling of items professional stagers often use to dress each room. How they are utilized is limited only by the creativity and vision of the stager.

• Mirrors
• Plants, (Silk Flowers as a last resort)
• Floor & Table Lamps
• Area and Throw Rugs
• Small Love Seats
• Ottomans
• Afghans
• Pillows
• Inflatable Queen-Size Beds
• Baskets
• Plastic Tables & Chairs

Professional Staging Tricks & Tips

An artist for 35 years, Dawna Johnson, is an Accredited Staging Professional Master (ASP) and owner of Sacramento Staging Solutions. She says the idea behind staging is to allow rooms to show themselves. "If your home is vacant, it's soulless," Dawna warns. "Without staging, it will probably remain on the market for many months." She calls the kitchen the "heart of the home," and offers this practical advice for making that space sparkle:

• Apply orange oil to cabinets that appear dry, which will renew their original luster
  
• Put out large bowls of fruit such as polished apples, bright oranges, luscious grapes
  
• Arrange colorful and fun cookbooks on the counters

Dawna believes in bringing the outdoors inside through the use of greenery and plants; in creating clean, crisp spaces and arranging furniture with plenty of room to walk around.

She says bathrooms are essential to dress well. "Bathrooms should look open, airy and delightful," says Dawna. One of her favorite tricks is to add baskets filled with spa treatments such as:

• Towels, tied with ribbons
• Scented soaps
• Creamy lotions
• Moisturizing & Facial jars

The back yard needs staging, too. For patios and decks, Dawna brings in plants and potted flowers, and adds additional color by setting the picnic table with bright, plastic dinner plates.

How Much Does it Cost?

Prices vary depending on where you live and the local demand for professional home staging. Coastal areas and large metropolitan cities where home staging has been prevalent for years command higher prices. Some real estate agents help sellers Stage® the home themselves. Most listing agents agree, however, that vacant homes show better with staging and will encourage sellers to hire a professional stager. Fees range, depending on square footage and the number of rooms staged.

Contact your REALTOR® to perform a price comparison of several stagers for you!

-Elizabeth Weintraub

How To Prepare Your House For Sale

Prepping and staging a house. Every seller wants her home to sell fast and bring top dollar. Does that sound good to you? Well, it's not luck that makes that happen. It's careful planning and knowing how to professionally spruce up your home that will send home buyers scurrying for their checkbooks. Here is how to prep a house and turn it into an irresistible and marketable home.

Difficulty: Average
Time Required: 7 to 10 Days

Here's How:

1. Disassociate Yourself With Your Home.
   
   Say to yourself, "This is not my home; it is a house -- a product to be sold much like a box of cereal on the grocery store shelf. Make the mental decision to "let go" of your emotions and focus on the fact that soon this house will no longer be yours. Picture yourself handing over the keys and envelopes containing appliance warranties to the new owners! Say goodbye to every room. Don't look backwards -- look toward the future.
   
2. De-Personalize.
   
   Pack up those personal photographs and family heirlooms. Buyers can't see past personal artifacts, and you don't want them to be distracted. You want buyers to imagine their own photos on the walls, and they can't do that if yours are there! You don't want to make any buyer ask, "I wonder what kind of people live in this home?" You want buyers to say, "I can see myself living here."
   
3. De-Clutter!
   
   People collect an amazing quantity of junk. Consider this: if you haven't used it in over a year, you probably don't need it. If you don't need it, why not donate it or throw it away?
   
   Remove all books from bookcases.
   
   Pack up those knickknacks.
   
   Clean off everything on kitchen counters.
   
   Put essential items used daily in a small box that can be stored in a closet when not in use.
   
   Think of this process as a head-start on the packing you will eventually need to do anyway.
   
4. Rearrange Bedroom Closets and Kitchen Cabinets. Buyers love to snoop and will open closet and cabinet doors. Think of the message it sends if items fall out! Now imagine what a buyer believes about you if she sees everything organized. It says you probably take good care of the rest of the house as well.
   
   This means:
   
   _ Alphabetize spice jars.
   _ Neatly stack dishes.
   _ Turn coffee cup handles facing the same way.
   _ Hang shirts together, buttoned and facing the same direction.
   _ Line up shoes.
   
5. Rent a Storage Unit.
   
   Almost every home shows better with less furniture. Remove pieces of furniture that block or hamper paths and walkways and put them in storage. Since your bookcases are now empty, store them. Remove extra leaves from your dining room table to make the room appear larger. Leave just enough furniture in each room to showcase the room's purpose and plenty of room to move around. You don't want buyers scratching their heads and saying, "What is this room used for?"
   
6. Remove/Replace Favorite Items.
   
   If you want to take window coverings, built-in appliances or fixtures with you, remove them now. If the chandelier in the dining room once belonged to your great grandmother, take it down. If a buyer never sees it, she won't want it. Once you tell a buyer she can't have an item, she will covet it, and it could blow your deal. Pack those items and replace them, if necessary.
   
7. Make Minor Repairs.
   
   _ Replace cracked floor or counter tiles.
   _ Patch holes in walls.
   _ Fix leaky faucets.
   _ Fix doors that don't close properly and kitchen drawers that jam.
   _ Consider painting your walls neutral colors, especially if you have grown accustomed to purple or pink walls. (Don't give buyers any reason to remember your home as "the house with the orange bathroom.")
   _ Replace burned-out light bulbs.
   _ If you've considered replacing a worn bedspread, do so now!
   
8. Make the House Sparkle!
   
   _ Wash windows inside and out.
   _ Rent a pressure washer and spray down sidewalks and exterior.
   _ Clean out cobwebs.
   _ Re-caulk tubs, showers and sinks.
   _ Polish chrome faucets and mirrors.
   _ Clean out the refrigerator.
   _ Vacuum daily.
   _ Wax floors.
   _ Dust furniture, ceiling fan blades and light fixtures.
   _ Bleach dingy grout.
   _ Replace worn rugs.
   _ Hang up fresh towels. Bathroom towels look great fastened with ribbon and bows.
   _ Clean and air out any musty smelling areas. Odors are a no-no.
   
9. Scrutinize.
   
   Go outside and open your front door. Stand there. Do you want to go inside? Does the house welcome you?
   
   Linger in the doorway of every single room and imagine how your house will look to a buyer.
   
   Examine carefully how furniture is arranged and move pieces around until it makes sense.
   
   Make sure window coverings hang level. Tune in to the room's statement and its emotional pull.
   
   Does it have impact and pizzazz? Does it look like nobody lives in this house? You're almost finished.
   
10. Check Curb Appeal.
    
    If a buyer won't get out of her agent's car because she doesn't like the exterior of your home, you'll never get her inside.
    
    Keep the sidewalks cleared.
    
    Mow the lawn.
    
    Paint faded window trim.
    
    Plant yellow flowers or group flower pots together.Yellow evokes a buying emotion. Marigolds are inexpensive.
    
    Trim your bushes.
    
    Make sure visitors can clearly read your house number.

-Elizabeth Weintraub

Steps to Preparing for an Open House

7 Steps to Preparing for an Open House

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, money & medicines. Although the real estate salesperson will be on site during the 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 bath), 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 Open House 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? Fresh baked cookies you have made are great for a homey smell. Make sure that there are no lingering scents from cigarettes or pets. Avoid heavily sented candles and strong potpourri. Some people are alergic to them!

4. Help them envision living there. Set the table with pretty dishes and unlit candles, and create other vignettes throughout the home to help buyers picture themselves there. For example, in the basement 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. Never use plastic flowers or greenery. Bring in LIFE with real flora!

9. Depersonalize 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.