Is Your Front Entrance Welcoming?

Does your front entrance invite buyers in or scare them away?  I was inspired to write this post when I pulled into this driveway for a recent staging consultation. 

Not one, but two "No Trespassing" signs?  This home has been on the market for over a year and a half.  And, no, it's not just those two signs that have kept it from selling, or the two rather menacing looking statues on the lava-rock walls. However, a combination of those elements plus a large amount of landscaping debris sends a subtle message to buyers before they even walk through the front door. Looking at this photo, are you anxious and excited to walk up the front stairs and see what is beyond?  Hardly.  Yet beyond the gargoyles and the no trespassing signs this home boasts a drop-dead, bi-coastal panoramic ocean view.

Are you excited to see the home in the photo below?  It's not only "No Trespassing" signs that send a prospective buyer the message that the home is not welcoming.  This photo is taken three-quarters of the way up the driveway, and yet there is only a hint of the front stairs and entrance through the trees on the left. 

Once in this driveway, you can not exit the car on either side without shaking hands with the overwhelming palm fronds.  This home is built on a standard 8,000 square foot South Maui lot.   While everyone likes a little privacy, unless you want buyers to fall in love with and remember your garage door, why not thin out the vegetation and showcase the home and the front entrace--which, in this case, boasts a beautifully carved wooden door. 

In the third photo we finally get to see an actual front door--well most of it. 

Prospective buyers shouldn't have to dodge around the landscaping to get to your front entrance.  In this photo there should be a complete view of the front door--which is painted a warm and inviting color.  However, the plants on both sides are overgrown, and behind the plant on the right is a bench.  When buyers approach the door they are forced into an awkward single file. 

Feeling crowded out front?  This home is only around 1700 square feet, so "small" is not the best first impression to make on a prospective buyer.  It would take this homeowner less than 10 minutes to trim back the vegetation and really open up the front entrance.  Only place a bench at your front entrance if you have lots of space.  In this case, where the entrance is narrow, the bench should be removed, since it can't be seen and serves no useful purpose. 

In this next photo, the homeowner is close to getting it right. 

The vegetation is groomed to completely open up the walkway, the door is visible from the street, the front walkway is neat and clean--it's just a bit on the bland side.  I'd love to see the homeowner paint the front door an eye-popping shade of red, but I'll settle for some interest being added with a simple pot of vibrant-colored flowers.

There, much better.  Now don't you want to go inside?  Buyers will, too. 

In this market, leave nothing to chance.  As a home stager I look at every aspect of your home, from the front entrance to the rear lot line.  Everthing makes an impression on a buyer, and home stagers make sure that each and every impression is as favorable as it can be.  Wonder if your front entrance is inviting enough to lure in offers?  Consult a home stager in your area to find out.

         

Just Your Style Interiors provides home staging, redesign and interior decorating services on the island of Maui, Hawaii.  Turn average spaces into beautiful places.

 

Live by Priorities instead of Demands

It Matters Not for Whom You Work. It Matters What Kind of Job You Do

A potential out-of-town client (yes a contact through blogging) asked me out of the blue if I had ever worked for a large brokerage. 

Totally insulted that she hadn't heard of Penn Properties, I told her that indeed I had, Keller Williams. 

Who?

I knew I was dead in the water then since she hasn't heard of KW. 

In any event, I got to thinking about how for whom you work has no effect on the kind of job you as an agent performs. 

The brokerage does not sit the open houses.  The brokerage does not attend showings. The brokerage does not negotiate the deal.  The brokerage does arrange and attend inspections.  The brokerage does not handle all the minutiae of an escrow. 

The brokerage does take its commission.

An agent starting out needs the training that a good brokerage or mentor provides.  Once that agent has a few deals under their belt, they are ready to fly.  Yes, each deal is different, but as long as someone is around to answer questions, the size of the brokerage is unimportant any more.

Some people need the comfort of an office and to be surrounded by people.  Others work out of their homes anyway, so the brokerage is not important.

And one major lightbulb that went off in my head is

Realtors are independent contractors.  We are not employed by any brokerage.  Therefore where we hang our license could have no import!

That's just my two cents for the day and something I will keep in mind for the next time I am asked, "Which brokerage do you work for?"

Buying or selling real estate in Los Angeles can be an overwhelming process.  Contact Jane Peters, Los Angeles realtor specializing in absentee owners, out of town buyers, and those who need that extra attention, in order to make the transaction a smooth, trouble-free, and fun experience.

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WHEN YOU PLAY BY THE RULES...THE OTHER GUY HAS TO LOOK AT HIMSELF

You obey the speed limit. However, there are people who do not do that. They will pass you up and an interesting thing happens. One of you is wrong and..... one of you is right. By playing or not playing by the rules, everyone has to take a look at what they are doing and why.....

SELF-ASSESSMENT IS WISE.......DENYING WHAT YOU SEE.....IS NOT

Very important to play by the rules especially around children. They must be shown that there is order and compliance necessary in all things when society comes together as a whole. Remember, they watch and mimic you. So whatever leaves the house with them is really YOU out there..

THE NATURE OF EVERY ACTIVITY, ORGANIZATION, AND GAME.....is defined by the rules......

We all know how to play checkers, chess and monopoly. When we stray from the known and acceptable way, we are no longer playing the same game. Same thing with activities or sports. The different sports have their different rules. Play outside of them, and you are noticed (fouled) or penalized for doing so. Workplace rules are there to protect the workplace, its insurance requirements, and its business plan. Failure to agree and practice that puts unnecessary risk on all. You stand out and are labeled a rogue or rebellious person.

It may seem cool to you to not follow the rules.....but it is not a productive way to gain respect or attention

If you are making stuff up as you go, how can anyone else follow you? Very confusing to do and I would question that type of behavior. Look how clear the rules are for driving. There cannot be too many misunderstandings less we have too many uninvited accidents. When cars were first introduced, there were no rules for the road. People would argue all day who was right or wrong depending on your point of view. Not too much got resolved...

One of the best ways to teach someone something is by example. I learned to fine dine by watching others. I perfected it so that I could enjoy the full experience. Their are rules and procedures in that realm too all designed to enhance the experience

IF YOU WONT OR CANT PLAY BY THE RULES.......YOUR REBELLION IS BEING ACTED OUT

The Traffic, Civil, Bankruptcy, and Criminal court Judges all want you to have your day in court. They are most interested to hear why you did not play by the established rules. Many times, there are things that come up that require common sense activation and deployment. That often conflicts with known and out-dated rules and regulations......so there are exceptions

Rule players: Be advised that by adhering and practicing the rules of whatever you are doing, you have set an example, and your very act or deed makes the NON-RULE player stand out like a sore thumb. Your cooperation is appreciated. Correction to the other is being demonstrated......

Non-rule players: As long as you practice your own thought up ways amongst those that are in conformity, you will be outed. Swimming against the tide. Big energy drain too! When you are outed, you will have to deal with the consequences. What kind of life is the one where you have to keep explaining and arguing away....all day long as to why you are not in obedience? You are living life....backwards

When we come together as cities, counties, and states, when you have large masses of people, the needs of the many will always "outweigh and dominate" the needs of the few. When you are in the comfort of your own home or property, then you may stretch those private legs of yours....all you want.

RULES DEFINED: prescribed guide for conduct or action. Something that governs behavior.

Are you a rule player, or............... a rule slayer?

PEOPLE FIRST...THEN BUSINESS

Richie Alan Naggar          Ran Right Realty       Riverside, Ca

Richie@RanRightRealty.com

Listing Feedback - A Necessary Evil, Helpful Tool, or Waste of Time?

After spending most of the past weekend touring prospective properties here in Kitsap County WA with a couple different Buyers, I was bombarded on Monday with a slew of Listing Agents desperately seeking for feedback from the showings.

Which led to a rather 'tongue-in-cheek' update on my facebook profile as follows....

Dear Listing Agent: Here is my 'feedback'....since we didn't write up an offer, you can assume that we're not interested. Please find someone else to tell you how to do your job!

(Okay, so I get a little bit annoyed at the requests for feedback....)

It's a tough market right now, especially for Listing Agents and their Sellers who are competing against an ever-growing inventory of short sales and foreclosures.

However, I sometimes wonder - do these agents genuinely care about what I have to say? Does my opinion or the opinions of my Buyers really carry weight with them or their Sellers?

As an experienced licensed real estate broker here in the Western Puget Sound WA, my Sellers rely upon my expertise and knowledge of local real estate dynamics to effectively market and sell their properties. Do I really want or need to rely upon some other competing agent's viewpoint, or the opinions of their Buyer clients, to tell me something that I probably should already know? If my Sellers won't listen to my advice or counsel, why would they listen to someone they don't know?

But, let's face it, none of us are perfect. As good and experienced as we may be, we may not always catch everything. There are times when it's nice to have a second set of eyes or obtain a seasoned opinion on a particular property. Typically, Broker's Open Houses are a good event to schedule and solicit such feedback from other trusted agents.

What about you? How do you view Showing Feedback?

Is it just a necessary evil, an activity like Open Houses, to convince our Sellers that we're working hard for them?

Is it a valuble tool for your Sellers that has a direct bearing on your marketing decisions and activities?

Or do you see it as a total waste of time?

Is Your Home Overdressed? Maybe it needs a "Make Under"

Happened to be home when Oprah was on this afternoon. The topic was Makeunders. Women who needed less not more. But this also applies to homes. Nate Berkus did a room Makeunder and it inspired me!

Every home that goes on sale needs a makeunder. The less of you, the quicker your home will sell. The bigger and more spacious your home looks the higher it's perceived value.

This means it's really important to edit your stuff so what's really important greets you (and your buyers) when you walk in the door. You want your homes' features to shine, you want buyers to say AH!

The trouble is we tend to keep adding stuff to our homes and don't stop to edit.
I compare it to getting dressed. You've got a great look going but then you keep adding accessories to your outfit. A scarf or two. All of a sudden your great look gets lost. No one will be able to focus on that perfect necklace or pair of shoes because there's too much to look at.

The best outfits are the ones with a simple color palette. A nice pair of jeans, a contrasting top and jacket and some great accent jewelry and shoes.

Your home is no different. It's an extension of who you are but it shouldn't be the catchall for everything you've ever wanted to bring home. Layering is wonderful but you have to know when to stop before your look gets lost.

Start with one room. Treat it like an extension of yourself. How would you dress it?

10 Easy Tips to "Make Under" Your Home

1. Keep in simple, Pick one or two main colors for your walls and floor. The fewer colors the more spacious your home will look.

2. Pick a third and fourth (if desired) accent color . Use these colors sparingly.

3. Keep your surfaces consistent.  Walls should be the same material if possible and painted or finsihed in the same color on all walls. Floors also. Keep flooring consistent throughout the house.

4. Group your family photos on one wall and use similar frames and mats to keep a unified look. Edit your photos first and keep only the ones you love.

5.  Group your plants also. Your plants will thrive and it reduces watering time. Toss out any that are unhealthy or dying.

6. If a room has more than one use make sure there's a dedicated space for each use. Screens or dividers can help separate living from office or exercise space.

7. Keep your window treatments clean and simple. Heavy window treatments that cut down on light can overpower a room. Invest in some light colored curtain panels instead hung on a simple pole. These look great over inexpensive 2" blinds.

8. Remove area rugs on carpet.  Visually they cut up the floor space and make the room feel smaller.

9. Edit your collections. Keep only pieces you love on display. Again grouping them will create impact and reduce visual busy-ness.

10. Keep it to 5. When in doubt, keep no more than 5 toys or 5 plants or 5 pillows or 5 frames or 5 lamps for example in a room at one time. If you want to add a new piece, take out an old one.

Remember keep it simple. Whether you are getting ready to sell your home or just want to live lighter, a professional home staging consultation can help you with your "makeunder".

Photos are not samples of Hampton Redesign staging but chosen to represent how a simplified color palette can makeunder a room.

∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞∞

 

Hampton Redesign   817-891-9563   www.hamptonredesign.com

Tessa Skeens | Owner & Lead Staging Designer

Professional Home Staging and Redesign Services Serving Greater Fort Worth TX Including Aledo, Willow Park, Benbrook, Keller, Arlington, Southlake, Colleyville, Hurst, Mansfield, Burleson and Tarrant County

Overpriced Homes-Sell Slower and For Less

Overpriced Homes-Sell Slower and For Less If there’s anything we can take away from the plethora of Bank Owned Foreclosures is they certainly know how to price a home to move!

I maintain that you almost always shoot yourself in the foot by overpricing your home. Your home will almost always sale at or above market value by pricing at or below market value.

So why is that? Well think back at when YOU were buying a home. Remember when a “great deal” came on the market and everybody and their agents were “swarming” to the open house? You placed your offer only to find out their were 10 other offers and they were going above the asking price? This “bargain price” created an auction affect and got people excited. THAT is how banks are pricing their homes and if you want your home to move quickly and for the most amount of money, this is a winning strategy.

So why don’t sellers do it? I think it’s because there’s a little voice inside of our head (and pocketbook) that says “what if”.

“What if”- I can get $50K over market value. (even if someone were excited enough about your home to pay $50K over appraised value, their lender won’t loan the money if the value isn’t there. No loan, no buyer)

“What if”- I don’t get multiple offers and I only get one offer (May be still overpriced!)

Often fear (and greed) hold us back from making smart choices! Don’t feel bad though, even Real Estate Agents are guilty of senselessly overpricing their homes. Somehow when it’s our turn to sell all of our “market knowledge” becomes goo and leaks out of our ears! It’s like the hairdresser with bad hair!

The bottom line is, almost always, an Over Priced House will sit on the market longer and sell for less than it should have had it been priced strategically from the beginning.

 

Copyright © 2010 By Stephen Munson,Munson RealtyPasadena|Overpriced Homes-Sell Slower and For Less*overpriced homes,overpriced house

Don't Force. It's Better That Way Anyway.

Time these days has been spent with my mom who is moving into the last stage of Alzheimer's.  Even though she is slipping away fast - every once in a while she has a moment where she will say something and it just means so much and everything suddenly makes sense. 

As I sat with her the other day, I did endless chatter about how beautiful she still looks; the family; told her that we sold the house she loved for over 45 years; blogging (which I haven't put a lot of time into); real estate (which I can't focus on right now); frustrations with a particular Seller ... you know just anything and everything to keep her updated.  She just looks at me saying nothing because her speech and other abilities are very limited.  But she can hear, feel and still thinks a little.

Time came to feed her...I placed a fork in her hand and helped her move the food to her mouth.  She resisted this time and kept pushing the fork away. She sat for a long while refusing every effort I made. But I kept trying - making different foods, cutting the food smaller, made smiley faces with the syrup, putting sugar on the biscuit, tried to feed her myself ... anything.   Finally, she slowly moved her arm and selected a piece of pancake with her fingers.  As she raised it to her mouth she whispered, "Don't force, it's better with fingers anyway."

And that was all she said during our time together.

What does any of this have to do with blogging or business? Not much.  Except to say that if I had to guess what my mother would say about blogging it would be: Just write.  It may not mean anything now - but maybe later you will get an idea from it.  Don't force yourself to write a masterpiece .. just scribble your thoughts ... it's better that way.

And about business?  Exactly!  Don't force it.  And don't force clients (people) to do something or change to be the way you want them to be.  Give them what they need and let them figure out what they want.  It's better that way.

And about life? Well, today - because I should blog a bit so I don't lose my grand-fathered in status and with business has taken a back seat - I've decided to do what I think my mother might have said .. if she could .. and for anyone else who is struggling with whatever you are faced with - slow business, blogging ideas, difficult clients, stressful situations ... whatever the issue:

Don't force - it's better that way ... anyway!

Buying or selling Tucson real estate, Mt Lemmon, Tucson bank-owned homes, Tucson rental homes, or Tucson lease option homes? Visit www.BuyMyTucsonHome.com.  

                                    

 

This blog is written with my opinions and my opinions are presented with accuracy but not guarantees. Please talk to a professional before making any real estate, financial or agency decisions.    Gabrielle (Kamahele) Rhind - 2009. If you want to reprint parts of this - just email me for my permission: TucsonsRealEstate@gmail.com.

First Impressions Make a Difference

YARD STAGING TIPS

Over the weekend I wrote a a blog about a  house that was for sale which had no curb appeal.  Although the house was cute, it lacked that slow the car down and check out this house.  Your yard believe it or not has to impress potential buyers...its the first impression.   Here are some tips for staging your yard by Harmonizing Homes. 

1. Your front lawn is the first thing that buyers see when they drive by, so make sure your lawn is cut, and edged.
2. Prune any branches that may be hiding your home, as we saw in the picture in my blog "what is wrong with this house" the house was hidden by this tree, which needed to be pruned.
3. Mulch around the trees and garden it will look so much neater and fresh
4. Edge all of your flower gardens...all you have to really do is use a straight edge shovel
5. Power wash everything...your side walks, deck, house ....cleanness counts
6. Plant some flowers for color if you don't have flowers planted, or pot some flowers for your walk way or steps.  This time of year it is a bit difficult however, there are still Zinnia's out which are nice a bright and the mums will be hitting the market soon.

 

Flower Box by Harmonizing Homes

 

Hang some window boxes.... you can fill the window boxes with seasonal flowers and Kale for the fall

Create an outside seating area - a small converstional area perhaps around a fire pit.  Place some potted palms around.

 

Staging by Harmonzing Homes

 

Don't under estimate the power of curb appeal.....The appeal will get the potential buyers to at least stop and write down the address and phone number of the agent.....

Harmony.........