Staging and Preparing the Outside of your home for sale! Curb Appeal that lasts!

Deborah Kastner (Keller Williams Realty) — Sun, 06 Jul 2008 19:47:29 -0700

I am giving you ideas for a few quick fix improvements to make a lasting impression!

Your entrance says a lot about your home, If I told you how many times I had a potential buyer stop before even entering a home and have a distaste for the home. Actually, I’ve had them refuse to enter based on the front.

Create a welcoming entrance by having the driveway clean and having the entrance to your home neat, clean and inviting. CLEAR THE CLUTTER! You are going to hear me say this again and again.

Clean the front door and if it needs paint, paint it! Once on a home that was painted grey on the outside, I had my client paint the door Barn Red. It looked gorgeous. It stood out when you drove up and it made you want to enter that house.

Add a doormat and make sure all entry lights are working and in good shape. Clear out the cobwebs and remove any debris that may be left from last season. If need be replace. My rule of thumb on clearing the clutter, if you have not used it in the last 6 weeks, box it up and place it in storage. You are not selling stuff, your selling your home!

The outside of the home is the first impression, you want to make it a good and lasting impression. They enter your home from the front and leave taking that one last and lasting impression. This is your chance, make it a great one.

Here are a few tips for annual maintenance on your home!

Annually

Service windows and doors

Check faucets and sprinkler systems

Check weather stripping for drafts and leaks

Replace bulbs in lighting

Insulate outside pipes at the beginning of winter if you live in

colder climates.

Inspect for pest infestations

Inspect for damage after storms or excessive wind.

Irrigation systems

Check pots and flower boxes and make sure they are fresh and clean

For more information on how to prepare your home, please feel free to contact me at deb@debkastner.com

Staging a home and staging it right

Deborah Kastner (Keller Williams Realty) — Wed, 04 Jun 2008 09:59:03 -0700

Whether you stage your home yourself or hire a professional staging can make the difference between selling your property or having it sit on the market. The cost of home staging can vary depending on location. It is a value-added service that prepares a home for sale with a sellers budget and time frame in mind. Convincing the seller of the benefits of staging is the toughest part. The seller usually thinks the homes was ok for me so it will be ok for the next person. I like to think of it as preparing for guests. You want your home to shine and look its best. Remember success is preparation meeting opportunity! Statistically homes listed for sale after staging remain on the market an average of 32-42 days. In a slow market, it is important to prepare a home for sale. Prospective homebuyers in this market are likely to scrutinize every aspect of your home during a showing. What that breaks down to in terms of what you can do to help position your home are some very basic and simple principles. Remove the Clutter from rooms. Believe me when I say this; your “stuff” holds no value in the eyes of a perspective buyer. It may be your most prized possession but to the buyer it may be “clutter” that distracts them from making that emotional decision to buy your home and make it their own. I have a client in Richfield, MN and I suggested that prior to selling her home, she remove her personal items. When the inspector came to her home she was amazed at how beautifully staged her home was. Her comment, "I see many homes, but to see one show so beautifully is truly amazing, this home shines." REMEMBER: They are not buying your stuff; they are buying your home.

Deborah's Blog

Staging and Preparing the Outside of your home for sale! Curb Appeal that lasts!

Staging a home and staging it right