You’ve probably heard about “home staging”. As the name implies, it’s all about arranging each room in your home in a way that will make the best impression on buyers. Here’s what you need to know about staging if you’re thinking of listing your property. 1. Staging can get you a higher price. On average, a fully-staged home tends to sell for 17% more than an unstaged home of the same type in the same local market. Depending on the current market value of your property, doing some staging in your home could put thousands of extra dollars in your pocket, post-sale. 2. It can speed up the sale. A study by the Real Estate Staging Association (RESA) showed that fullystaged homes spend an average of 90% less time on the market. So, if you need to sell quickly – without dropping your price – or you just want the comfort of having offers come in sooner, staging will definitely help. 3. You don’t have to go crazy. Completely staging every room in your home is going to give you the full benefits of this strategy. However, you don’t have to go that far. In fact, just implementing a few simple staging techniques to some key rooms can make a big difference. 4. Get professional help or advice. When it comes to home staging, don’t guess at it. Get professional help or advice. As a REALTOR®, I have a lot of expertise in this area and always offer sellers a free Staging Consultation.
Posts Tagged ‘Home staging’
Four Things You Should Know About Staging
Tuesday, August 28th, 2018Important Things to “Fix Up” before Selling
Friday, March 10th, 2017Why is this critical?
Home buyers do not typically know anything about repair costs so they pull a number out of the air making sure that number is high enough – their estimate is always high and usually extremely high. An Example, and I see this everyday is – the carpet in your living room is badly worn, cost to replace might be $2000.00, many buyers will use a number like $10,000 and will deduct that from your list price. So it’s your choice invest $2000 up front for lose $10,000 off the sales price.
When you’re preparing your Calgary home for sale, it’s not unusual to need to fix up a few things around the property. After all, you want your home to look its best to buyers, so that you get good offers, quickly. The longer your home sits on the market the less it will sell for.
What do you need to fix?
Here are three categories that will help you create and prioritize your list
Anything that squeaks or creaks – Is there something in your home that makes a noise it shouldn’t be making? Perhaps it’s a rattling closet door or a creaking floor board? You may be so used to it you no longer notice the sound. But buyers will. Be sure to get those items fixed.
Anything that’s unsightly- You don’t have to make your home look perfect. However, things that are unsightly will likely get buyers’ attention. You want them to focus on the terrific features of your property, not the scuff on the wall. Take a walk through your property, including the yard. Pretend you’re the buyer. Do you notice anything that doesn’t look good? If so, tidy it up, fix it up or replace it.
Anything that’s broken- If there’s anything that needs repair — an outside tap that’s not working, or a sliding door that regularly careens off its runner — call the contractor or fix it yourself.
Getting these items fixed will go a long way toward making your home appealing to buyers.
If you are in need of some professional help we are happy to connect you with Calgary contractors our clients have been happy with. Contact us!
Want more tips on preparing your home for sale? Contact us today.
How to Discourage Buyers from Buying Your Home
Thursday, May 16th, 2013Selling a home in Calgary is very competitive. If you’re listing your home
for sale, then of course you’ll want to make the best impression possible
for potential home buyers. But, just to have a little fun, say you don’t want
to sell your property. What could you do to discourage those who view
your home?
Well, you could have your pets in the home during showings. That will
certainly make it uncomfortable for some buyers – especially those
with pet allergies.
You could also leave personal items around, such as family pictures
and trophies. That will make it more difficult for a buyer to imagine
himself and his family living there. It might even make him feel a bit
like an intruder!
Clutter in bedrooms, closets and other areas of the home will make
those spaces feel less spacious than they really are, as well as make
visitors feel uncomfortable.
If you really want to turn off a buyer, then put off doing any minor
repairs. A dripping tap, torn carpet, flickering lights, dent in the wall,
or other maintenance issues are certain to gain a buyer’s attention.
If all that doesn’t shoo away a buyer from your home, then stick
around during a viewing and follow him and his family from room to
room telling them everything you can about your home. That will
certainly make him feel uneasy.
Of course, we’re just having a bit of fun here. When you put your
home on the market, you want to sell it!
It’s easy to avoid all the pitfalls described above and ensure potential
buyers appreciate the full value of your home.
So when you’re preparing for showings, think of ways you can make
your property appear its best, and make the buyer feel welcomed and
comfortable viewing it.
Successful Home Staging
Monday, November 28th, 2011| On television, online, and in magazines, staging is the word. Real estate experts will tell you that staging your house gives you an edge when trying to sell your house. But what exactly is staging?Staging is organizing and decorating your home so that potential buyers can really see themselves living there. You don’t have to invest major money into a remodel—this is rarely a cost-effective strategy. Staging is all about highlighting your home’s best attributes and minimizing distractions. With so many houses on the market, simple staging strategies can give your home the little boost it needs to attract more buyers.
Lose the clutter. Box up trinkets and small appliances. Pay special attention in the kitchen and bathrooms. Emphasize counter space by getting rid of the coffee maker, toaster, mixer, and the like. In the bathroom, hide shampoo bottles and other personal care items. Clear away personal effects. Potential buyers don’t want to see your Christmas cards on the refrigerator, or your kid’s little league trophy. Same goes for framed family photos, your pet’s belongings, or the stack of books on your nightstand. Buyers won’t be able to picture themselves living in your home if your memories are around every corner. Clean it up. Now is the time to invest in a cleaning service. Consider hiring a professional cleaning crew to give your home a thorough top-to-bottom cleaning. This might include steam cleaning your carpets. Professionals know how to make your house look and smell brand new! More light and warmth. Make your home welcoming and inviting by opening curtains and blinds and making sure all rooms are well lit. You might be tempted to keep the temperature low, especially if you’ve already moved out. Before an open house, crank the thermostat up to a comfortable temperature and light the fireplace, if you have one. Creating light and warmth is especially important in the winter months. Take a critical look at your furniture. Make sure that your furniture is doing a good job of highlighting a room’s size. Oversized or too much furniture can make a living room feel cramped. On the other hand, small pieces in a large room can make the space seem cavernous and hard to work with. Be neutral. You might love the bright tropical colors that you hand-selected for each room in your house, but potential buyers might not feel the same, and could be scared off at the thought of repainting multiple rooms. Consider painting walls a more neutral color to appeal to the masses. Quick fixes. Buyers notice little things like loose trim work, leaky faucets, and crooked cabinets. Invest a small amount of time and money to fix cosmetic issues. Small touches. Set the dining room table. Place fresh flowers on a dresser. Add luxurious throw pillows to beds. For inspiration, think of your favorite hotel, or pick up an interior design magazine. Home staging is an easy and affordable way to give your home a little boost, whether you’re still living in it, or if you’ve already moved out. Ask us for more staging tips. |