by CRESTICO | Feb 6, 2012 | CRESTICO
Today’s buyers are looking for turnkey homes. That is, they want to move right in without having to do a lot of work. Buyers with busy lifestyles pay a premium for listings that are in prime condition. Staging can make the difference between a listing selling or not, the time it takes to sell, and the ultimate sale price.
Sellers who are financially strapped often have a hard time accepting that they’ll need to invest in preparing a house for sale even though they may sell for less than they paid. Fix-up costs can mount up; your agent can help you prioritize so that you don’t waste money. It’s important to keep your goal in mind, which is to sell your house in a difficult market.
Recently, a home in an affluent city came on the market in “as is” condition. It had been lived in for decades without much upgrading. Although located in a desirable area, the listing was vacant, dark and showed poorly. The sellers refused to do any work to improve its appeal.
After months on the market with no significant interest, the sellers pulled the house off the market and made improvements. The wall-to-wall carpet was pulled up to reveal hardwood floors that were then refinished. Painters lightened the interior and a professional stager was hired to bring in furniture, artwork, house plants and accessories. The listing was put back on the market with a fresh look and sold right away.
HOUSE HUNTING TIP: Although listings staged by a good decorator show well and often sell quickly, you don’t need to spend a lot to put your home into shape for marketing. Most homeowners have too many personal possessions in their home from a sale standpoint. Decluttering is something most sellers need to do.
Consider hiring someone to help you sort, pack, donate and recycle items that you no longer want. You may be able to take a tax deduction for things you donate. Make sure to get a receipt. Your Real Estate agent should be able to recommend someone who can help you clear your house of clutter if you are overwhelmed by the project.
Your agent, or stager, may ask you to put away collections of art, personal photos, etc. This can be difficult for most sellers because, for them, it’s part of the emotional appeal of their home. Your house won’t look like your home after you’ve removed personal possessions and moved what’s left around to display the house to its best advantage.
That’s the point of the preparation process. You don’t want prospective buyers focusing in on your personal property; you want them to focus on the house. Keep in mind that how you live in your home and how it should look when it goes on the market are not the same.
Some sellers complain that their house looks too stark without all their possessions. Even so, it helps you to detach yourself emotionally from the property. Also, less personal property usually gives homes a more spacious feel. When buyers are looking for the most for their money, bigger is usually better.
To close the deal, a listing should be spotless and inviting. Bring in new house plants to put in strategic locations, like orchids in the bathrooms. In dark spots that need a dash of warmth and color, use bromeliads.
THE CLOSING: If you can’t pull this together yourself, or with the help or your agent, hire a good stager for a consultation or a proposal for full or partial staging.
By Dian Hymer
How to sell my house fast
by CRESTICO | May 13, 2009 | CRESTICO
Starting the Home Buying process
Choose a professional who specializes in residential Real Estate. She or he should have specific knowledge of the local real estate and mortgage markets.
Consider references carefully. An experienced, confident Agent can provide you with names of recent buyers in your market with whom he or she has worked.
Select a professional who will listen to you. Your Agent should be interested enough in you to find out about you and your housing needs and preferences.
Select a professional who puts service first. Strong customer service is key in today's real estate business. For Crestico Real Estate Agents, this service goes above and beyond giving buyers only what they expect and need. Your Crestico Real Estate Agent can show you any house that's for sale in your market – not just the homes listed by our company. If you see a house for sale that you like, arrange a viewing through us.
by CRESTICO | Feb 28, 2009 | CRESTICO
Once you’ve decided that you want to sell your home, you want to make sure that it does not sit on the market for too long. Getting a good agent will definitely help you with that, but before you talk to an agent, here are a few pointers regarding things YOU can do that will help you sell your home quickly and efficiently.
The squeaky back door. Fix it! While you may find the squeaky door reminds you of holidays past and family gatherings, potential buyers see that as one more thing that “needs work.” Take a slow, long, deliberate look at every room in your house and address all small repairs that need to be done. We’re not saying reface the kitchen, we’re saying fix squeaky doors and screens, maybe touch up the paint where it’s been scratched, fix the “little” things that may send a signal to a buyer that maintenance may be an issue.
Your grandpa’s stuffed deer head. Pack it! Family heirlooms and knick knacks and things that cause clutter must be eliminated. You’re trying to sell your house to move, so start packing early. Get rid of things that fill up the living space in the house. You want to make your potential buyers feel like they are in a big, open, airy home; not YOUR home. Make it easy for buyer to walk around and see all the beautiful parts of your home. They don’t need to see your silver Tiffany spoon collection in its display case. Besides, always hide valuables before an open house!
Along with Grandpa’s deer should go the life-size family portrait from the reunion at Disneyworld! Everyone has a family, and we’re sure yours is beautiful; but your open house is NOT the place to show off your extended family photos. When Buyers are viewing your home, they are trying to picture their OWN family photos and artwork on your walls. Help them see their belongings in your home, by giving them more to work with. Limit your decorations to isolated and bold objects and let your buyer’s imagination do the rest.
Bust out the gloves and cleaning supplies. Now that you have taken down some of the art and cleared away the knick knacks, you’ve revealed a lot more of your home’s inner beauty. And some of it, has been hidden for a while, so it may be dusty! We suggest you get your home as close to immaculately clean as possible. The cleaner and more fresh-smelling your home, the more pleasant emotions you evoke in your potential buyers. No buyer wants to buy the “doggy breath” house. Make sure to pay extra attention to pet-worn areas. Your buyer may not have the same love of canines as you, and that’s ok! So make your home shine!
Don’t forget to look down! Flooring is one of the first things a potential buyer will notice about your home. Don’t spend lots of money installing new flooring, but make the best of what you’ve got. Pack up area rugs and mats, and make sure the floor is definitely clean.
All the world’s a stage, and your home is NO exception! Staging has become a key factor in home sales. Staging allows the best features of each room in your house to stand out. You can get help from a decorator or try to do it yourself. Maximize views and play up focal points in each room.
Roll out the red carpet. Your home is going to be listed on a listing service (if your agent is any good) but the first thing potential buyers will see is a picture of your home, from the outside. So, we suggest you roll out the red carpet, and pay some attention to your landscaping and the exterior appearance of your home. This is what is going to make a young couple on a weekend house hunt yell “STOP!” to their agent when they drive by; and it’s also what is going to get a person searching the internet and seeing the picture want to make an appointment for a showing.
With this advice, and the help of a good agent, you will surely be able to sell your home faster and easier than you ever thought possible.
Mitra Karimi-Paydar
Crestico Realty
(310) 362 – 0828 (TEL)
(877) 881-2929 (FAX)
mitra.karimi@crestico.com
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