Christian Quiero's Blog

I will work for food

Christian Quiero (CQ HOME STAGING) — Mon, 19 Dec 2011 22:06:53 -0800

Today, I would like to express my gratitud to all of those who decided to join me in this "I WILL WORK FOR FOOD" campaign from many different states. Tons of people has shown interest in helping others and I have to confess: "I LOVE THE RIPPLE EFFECT" we still have a lot of time ahead of us to make a difference and the more the merrier of course. For those of you who hadn't read my my blog before, please take a couple of minutes to find out about this wonderful opportunity to make a difference in the lives of those who need it the most.

As a Home Stager I make a priority of helping the realtors help their clients, and as a result I help myself by growing my business. But this week with the holidays approaching and getting the fuzzy feelings that always come at the end of the year, I feel like expanding my mission beyond the obvious.

This time of the year, and until the end of December, I want to work for food!!! I really want to help more, give more, bring more happiness where I can, and see people's faces go bright with joy.

I was seating in front of the fireplace drinking a cup of tea, just relaxing after a day of hard work and a tension headache that had me in a very edgy mood. And for a minute I realized that I had received a lot this year, of course I had the trials like everyone else, but that was the key note for me "Like everyone else" and I knew that not everyone else can seat in front of their fireplace and enjoy a cup of warm tea. And I said to myself, "I need to give something more". This is what makes me be in business every day, it is the nature of what I do, understanding the client’s needs and give them the opportunity to achieve their goal of transacting their home faster, with the biggest possible return. And for the agents, I always want to get those "not so pretty houses" to show their best while in the market, and help the real estate agents build a better relationship with their clients, by letting them know that from their professional position, they are willing to do everything in their power to sell that house!

I always work for some monetary gain, like the rest of us, but I want to expand my mission to a greater cause, so I thought that this month and till the end of December I will work for food, I will provide any realtor with a professional home staging consultation( curb appeal consultation, interior design, room planning and color consultation) in exchange for a generous donation to the local food bank (at least 5 meals). I live in Utah and I will be donating to the Utah food bank, but for all of you that live far away, we can also do this long distance if you will. I'll be more than happy to give you a consultation via e-mail and you can take the donation (money or actual food) to your local food bank.

I believe in Karma, I believe there's more than money that makes us successful, I believe we can make a huge difference right where we are, exactly how we are today.

Thank you for reading, Best wishes and much Success!

I will work for food campaign

Christian Quiero (CQ HOME STAGING) — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 10:41:03 -0800

I believe in Karma, I believe there's more than money that makes us successful, I believe we can make a huge difference right where we are, exactly how we are today.

Thank you for reading, Best wishes and much Success!

Christian Quiero

I WILL WORK FOR FOOD

Christian Quiero (CQ HOME STAGING) — Tue, 06 Dec 2011 11:19:45 -0800

Many of you already read this post before, but I want to continue re-posting it to make sure as many people possible get a change to join me in this cause...

This time of the year, and until the end of December, I want to work for food!!! I really want to help more, give more, bring more happiness where I can, and see people's faces go bright with joy.

I always work for some monetary gain, like the rest of us, but I want to expand my mission to a greater cause, so I thought that this month and till the end of December I will work for food, I will provide any realtor with a professional home staging consultation in exchange for a generous donation to the local food bank (at least 5 meals). I live in Utah and I will be donating to the Utah food bank, but for all of you that live far away, we can also do this long distance if you will. I'll be more than happy to give you a consultation via e-mail and you can take the donation to your local food bank.

I believe in Karma, I believe there's more than money that makes us successful, I believe we can make a huge difference right where we are, exactly how we are today.

Thank you for reading, Best wishes and much Success!

Christian Quiero

Let your house smile through curb appeal

Christian Quiero (CQ HOME STAGING) — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 02:10:38 -0800

When agents meet a client to show a property, they normally receive their buyers in good attire, a warm hand shake and with their best smile. Sellers must have their homes receive the potential buyers the same way. I'm not crazy, and I know houses can't give a hand shake, or smile for that matter, but they can look good, feel inviting and make the buyers smile. If you can achieve that, the pre-disposition of the buyer is better, and the tour of the home will be turned into something positive instead of a walk through full of objections. First impresions don't have a second chance, this is true with every house, every time, everywhere. No matter how nice the interior is, if the first impresion of the property is a negative one, the rest will be tainted by it, and in consequence, it looses value, which translates into a lower offer, or worse...no offer.

In my last blog about curb appeal I shared a few ideas to get your houses ready for the holidays and the snow, but today I want to cover the 1-2-3 of curb appeal.

1- The first room of the house doesnt have to be inside. If you have a front porch, make it an additional room in the house. Stage the space with the intention of inviting potential buyers to spend time there, to sit down and make themselves at home. Don't be afraid to use fabrics and colors to complete the space. There is a great selection of outdoor materials you could use to make curtains that frame those, otherwise lonely columns. They will add dimention and height to the space with very little effort. Also consider adding an inexpensive bistro set, tree stumps for seats, garden chairs or any other furniture that will fit the style of the home, without getting too taste specific. (avoid clutter by eliminating excessive use of signs, statues, accessories and too much furniture, remember it is not a yard sale)

2- Help me find the address please!!!! Make sure the numbers are visible, just think that people mostly visit houses after work, and with the days being shorter this time of the year, sometimes it gets really hard to find an address in the dark. Think of implementing light up address signs, they are really convenient and easy to install. Other ways to make it easier to see the address from the street is by leaving the front porch light on, yard lighting and well painted numbers are also of great help. (they also look great on pictures, so use them when posting pictures on-line or making flyers) However you choose to do this, if you really want to sell, make sure buyers can find you first...

3- Details say a lot about you and your house. It's not all about yard, color and siding when it comes to curb appeal. Sometimes small details speak louder than the larger areas. Light fixtures for example, should be considered the jewelry of the home, is a must to have clean, updated and working fixtures. Door bells, must be working also, and if they are supposed to light up, make sure they do. If they don't replace them. The entry way should be swept and clean, door mat must be presentable and appropriate (door mats with humorous texts and graphs may work for you, and your specific taste but they could offend potential buyers) Any repairs needed should always be addressed before listing the property.

Thank you for reading and Great Successs !

Christian Quiero. Home Stager

I will Work for Food

Christian Quiero (CQ HOME STAGING) — Thu, 01 Dec 2011 12:32:07 -0800

Many of you already read this post before, but I want to continue re-posting it to make sure as many people possible get a change to join me in this cause...

This time of the year, and until the end of December, I want to work for food!!! I really want to help more, give more, bring more happiness where I can, and see people's faces go bright with joy.

I always work for some monetary gain, like the rest of us, but I want to expand my mission to a greater cause, so I thought that this month and till the end of December I will work for food, I will provide any realtor with a professional home staging consultation in exchange for a generous donation to the local food bank (at least 5 meals). I live in Utah and I will be donating to the Utah food bank, but for all of you that leave far away, we can also do this long distance if you will. I'll be more than happy to give you a consultation via e-mail and you can take the donation to your local food bank.

I believe in Karma, I believe there's more than money that makes us successful, I believe we can make a huge difference right where we are, exactly how we are today.

Thank you for reading, Best wishes and much Success!

Christian Quiero

I will work for Food

Christian Quiero (CQ HOME STAGING) — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 13:32:43 -0800

Many of you already read this post before, but I want to continue re-posting it to make sure as many people possible get a change to join me in this cause...

This time of the year, and until the end of December, I want to work for food!!! I really want to help more, give more, bring more happiness where I can, and see people's faces go bright with joy.

I always work for some monetary gain, like the rest of us, but I want to expand my mission to a greater cause, so I thought that this month and till the end of December I will work for food, I will provide any realtor with a professional home staging consultation in exchange for a generous donation to the local food bank (at least 5 meals). I live in Utah and I will be donating to the Utah food bank, but for all of you that leave far away, we can also do this long distance if you will. I'll be more than happy to give you a consultation via e-mail and you can take the donation to your local food bank.

I believe in Karma, I believe there's more than money that makes us successful, I believe we can make a huge difference right where we are, exactly how we are today.

Thank you for reading, Best wishes and much Success!

Christian Quiero

Curb appeal is like an attractive white smile

Christian Quiero (CQ HOME STAGING) — Sat, 26 Nov 2011 15:38:07 -0800

Curb appeal is like a straight, white smile. The first impression of a house helps the buyer determine whether they will take a tour or not. You can't sell your house if you can't get people to see it, right?

Pictures are the number one tool when it comes to exposure. MLS, and other Internet websites are the most used tool for home searchers, so it is important to make that first impression count! If buyers don't love what they see on the Internet, they won't make that appointment to go see it in person. Also when they drive by to get a feel for the neighborhood, curb appeal is the only thing they see of the house, so make it count!!

Some buyers can see the potential, but let's be honest, most won't, and what's worse, most won't want to deal with what it takes to make the home appealing from the outside.

Like a beautiful face with bad teeth, or worse, a beautiful face without any teeth at all, doesn't attract admirers. A house with ugly or non-existing curb appeal won't get your clients to make that call to see the interior of the home.

The holidays are a great opportunity to get the curb appeal to shine! Take advantage of the season to add tasteful, but not over the top holiday decorations and lighting. It will help the buyers picture themselves living in your home, and celebrating the holidays there next year. You will sell faster if they move in "mentally" first, and the holidays are a very emotional time of the year where you can utilize those emotions to get your house SOLD.

Here are a few ideas to help with the creation of great curb appeal:

1- Plan accordingly to your location. If your house is where you get snow, plan to put small pines, shrubs, plants and grasses that can be complimented by it. Use the snow as an ally that adds beauty and charm to the yard.

2- Lighting is a great tool to use this time of the year, and actually every other time as well. Use lighting to accentuate those unique architectural features of your house, and over all, make the entrance bright and inviting. Add lights to your entry way if it is cave-like and enclosed. If you can't afford new electrical work, use the less expensive solar powered lights in the yard, they add warmth even during the cold months.

3- Pick colors that make sense. Choose colors that go with the style of your particular home, and the block in general. Avoid extreme contrast with the other houses in your area, you can still diferenciate your home from the rest without sticking out like a sore thumb.

4 Clean, clean, clean. No matter where you live, make sure your front yard is clean and free from toys, non-running cars, and skate boarding ramps, etc. Don't over saturate your flower beds with decorations either, as they may be perceived as clutter or junk by the potential buyers. If there's snow, make sure driveways and pathways are clear from snow and ice, not just for looks, but as a safety precaution as well.

Make sure you tackle your curb appeal issues BEFORE you take the pictures, every click on the internet counts and should be used to bring buyers in. Sometimes the smallest things make the biggest differences. Pay attention to details and if you can't figure it out, call a home stager. A curb appeal consultaion is real simple and economic. A small investment that can make a huge difference in how fast your house gets sold without breaking the bank.

I will work for Food!!

Christian Quiero (CQ HOME STAGING) — Wed, 23 Nov 2011 12:51:51 -0800

This time of the year, and until the end of December, I want to work for food!!! I really want to help more, give more, bring more happiness where I can, and see people's faces go bright with joy.

I always work for some monetary gain, like the rest of us, but I want to expand my mission to a greater cause, so I thought that this month and till the end of December I will work for food, I will provide any realtor with a professional home staging consultation in exchange for a generous donation to the local food bank. I live in Utah and I will be donating to the Utah food bank, but for all of you that leave far away, we can also do this long distance if you will. I'll be more than happy to give you a consultation via e-mail and you can take the donation to your local food bank.

I believe in Karma, I believe there's more than money that makes us successful, I believe we can make a huge difference right where we are, exactly how we are today.

Thank you for reading, Best wishes and Happy Thanksgiving!!!!!

Christian Quiero

CQHomeStaging@gmail.com