I admit to being delinquent about writing a blog...Somehow, life always gets in the way LOL.

But I have been thinking about new markets and have noticed a new and exciting trend in the last six months; I am approached on a regular basis by people who are THINKING of selling in the next year or two.  They are typically a Baby boomer generation - in their 50s, the kids left or are about to leave the house and they are considering a different lifestyle.  Not wanting to take care of a big house, these couples are looking into other options - such as condo living to allow them to pursue other interests.

On the other hand, they want to get the MOST out of their property when they will be ready to sell.  They understand Home Staging and its benefits.  As most houses need at least some renovations and possibly a new coat of paint, they approach me for advice.  Their philosophy is that if they will be doing improvements on their home, they might as well invest their money wisely and apply the Home Staging principles, so they won't need to redo it a second time when the house goes on the market.

So they ask me to help them decide which renovations and repairs are the most important for the sale, what colors to choose and how to make their home ready for the market.  As they will continue living in their home for several more months or possible a year or two, we need to prioritize, budget and accomodate their living requirements.  So some things will be done immediately and some others just before they are ready to sell but these forward thinking clients will know exactly where they stand. 

I love working with them as they are open minded and there is less pressure to get everything done very quickly on a very tight budget, as is usuallly the case in our field.

I look forward to hearing from you on whether you see this happening in your area as well.