Home staging is one of the best marketing tools and many consider it their secret weapon against the competition.  However, it is not a magic wand and it is not the be all, end all to getting your house sold. 

 If your house is over priced, staged or not, it will sit until someone comes along who is willing to pay the price.  That could be a very long time.    

Time on the market is money out of your pocket.

It's funny how valuable something becomes, in our mind, when we decide to sell itl  Price cannot be determined by your emotional attachment.  Price cannot be determined by what you "have to get for it" or what you owe on it. 

 Price is determined by the market, and what buyers are willing to pay.  Price is determined by what other houses comparable to yours have recently sold for.

 Today, you need an advantage over your competition.  You need to create a higher perceived value and something that sets your house apart, something that validates your asking price.

Imagine a buyer visits eight homes

and two of them are vacant,

five of them are dated,

have furniture placement issues

or need carpet replaced or painting done. 

They visit house number eight

 which has fresh paint,

 furniture is arranged to show space and function,

 postivie features of the home are highlighted,

 and lighting fixtures and window treatments are current and stylish. 

House number eight is move-in-ready. 

All eight houses are in the same price range, but house number eight is perceived as more valuable, and therefore perceived as a better deal.  House number eight will be remembered and all other things equal, will get the offer.

Your odds of selling before your competition and for closest to your asking price will increase using professional home staging in your marketing plan.

Decluttering and depersonalizing is only the beginning...professional staging together with a realistic price is the way to guarantee a deposit in the bank.

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You learn something new every day...today I learned that there is actually a formula to use to determine the amount of wattage necessary to light a room.  I find this information to be valuable and thought I would pass it on. 

Recently, I spent an evening with some childhood friends and then a couple days later I spent an afternoon with my brother and sister. 

 Both visits brought up childhood stories and very happy memories.  It got me thinking about how different it is today and how lucky I was to have grown up where and when I did.

How many kids actually play outside anymore? 

Even if they weren't glued to tv's and computer games, and even if you didn't have to worry about them being abducted, they wouldn't know what to do if you put them outside for the day.  They would become "bored" which is a fate worse than death. 

I didn't exactly grow up in Mayberry, but I did spend a lot of time outside "playing" and when we came in at night all dirty and tired,  it was not without protest.  Staying outside after dark and playing flashlight tag was a real favorite. 

Riding bikes, 

driving through dirt and rocks with Tonka trucks and Matchbox cars,

and bouncing a ball against the house

 were daily activities.

  Making mud pies, running through the sprinkler, and buying ice cream from the ice cream man were the highlight of any summer day.

  My favorite ice cream was the buried treasure, which was sherbet on a stick that had a toy inside.   Not exactly a real toy, but it was so exciting seeing what character you got.

We didn't call our friends on the phone, we just showed up at their doorstep calling out their name.   Does anyone else remember calling for their friends outside their door?  Instead of knocking or ringing the bell, you would sing out their name real loud...was that just in my neighborhood?  My brother and his friends actually had a call...a loud pitched squeel-like whistle sound they made to summon each other.

Remember making forts...in the woods, in trees, under a table?  We used our imagination and went where it took us...always a new adventure. 

 Making a whistle with a blade of grass-how cool was that?

By filling an old rusty coffee pot with leaves, dirt, and water we made coffee. 

There was a girl in my neighborhood named Mary.  We used to make Mary drink our coffee and

we used to feed her cough medicine when we played hospital and

we used to cut her hair when we played beauty parlor.

We did terrible things to Mary. Kids can be very cruel.   

She still returned to play day after day. 

 I hope Mary is happy and successful today.   I hope she has happy childhood memories, no thanks to me and my evil siblings.

Other fond memories:

Jeannie vs. Samantha? 

 I enjoyed Jeannie, living in a bottle was cool...but Samantha had more class and style.  I never liked Darren, either of them.  She could have done better, and I never understood why she would willingly give up her witchcraft and live like a mortal.

Trivia: Did you know that Gladys Kravitz, Samantha's nosey neighbor, lived in the same house that the Partridge Family lived in?  Speaking of the Partridges:

Partridge Family vs. Brady Bunch?  Marsha, Marsha, Marsha...no thank you...what girl didn't want to be Laurie Partridge?   How cool would it be to have your own band and ride around in a colorful bus?  As for the guys, Greg Brady wasn't exactly a looker...but Keith, so cute!

Spaghetti O's vs. Beefaroni?  I was never a fan of the O's but I loved Beefaroni and for old times sake, a few years back I bought a can.  OMG, is that stuff nasty! It is true what they say, "you can't go back again."

Trivia:  In the movie Apollo 13, when Bill Paxton vomits they used Beef-a-Roni for the vomit. There was a half of a can left at the end of the day. Bill lost a bet with Tom Hanks and he had to eat the rest of the can.

Hostess, Drakes, or Little Debby?  Hostess and Drakes hands down...Ring Dings, Twinkies, and Devil Dogs...yummy!  Back in the good old days before we knew about high fructose corn syrup and trans fats.  By the way, the rumors that Twinkies remain edible for years is not true.  They have a shelf life of 25 days. 

What is your "snack cake" IQ?  Take this quiz to find out.

Take some time and think back on those childhood days and what pleasures you found in the simple things.  It feels good to remember and to laugh.  Call an old friend or sibling and let those memories fly.  You will be so glad you did.

Back in February, in my post "Dreaming of Jeannie at the Prom" I asked for creative help with decorations for a high school prom with an Arabian Nights theme.  A friend of mine was on the decorating committee and asked for my assistance.

 The comments that I received were forwarded to the Prom Committee and they were very grateful.

Here are some photos that were forwarded to me today of the completed project:

A good time was had by all and they sold all the decorations on Ebay for $2000!

Thanks again to those of you who sent in suggestions!

In a recent post "Realtors Have it Easy" I wrote about just how overworked and under appreciated Realtors are.  It seems to me that partnering with a professional home stager, who they could recommend to their clients, could ease some of that pressure.

I am wondering...

Would a Realtor's job be a bit easier and less stressful,  if a stager assisted the sellers in the preparation of their house for sale? 

Maybe, but the realtor would miss out on the opportunity to tell the seller that 

there is a foul smell in the den and

 they wouldn't get to be the one to break the news to the seller that the priceless Star Wars collection needs to be removed from the dining room. 

The Realtor wouldn't be the one

 creating the seller's to-do list and justifying

 the expense investment of

the necessary improvements.  

Would the MLS photos be more appealing if said house were professionally prepared? 

Let's think about this one

because...

maybe the peeling paint on the front door is charming

and adds character.

 and maybe

painting the bathroom would make the room appear less dramatic than the flocked velvet wallpaper that is there now.

New home owners today are into that retro look and besides if the seller makes  all those improvements, the new buyer won't get the opportunity to make it their own style.

Potential buyers like using their imagination and they love home improvement projects, right?

Would said house sell faster if it were more emotionally appealing to buyers? 

Why's everyone in such a hurry?  If you wait long enough,

 just the right guy who happens to be looking

for a home decorated in

 "1979 bachelor pad" decor will come along and offer a

pretty penny for this charmer.

I'm sure a young couple that doesn't mind water stained ceilings and holes in the wall will come around eventually. 

A family that appreciates animals will have no problem with the three large dog beds

in the master bedroom.

Would the seller make more money and consider the Realtor a hero and a marketing genius if said house sold sooner, rather than later?

Sure, but they are in no hurry to sell.  They have plenty of money to pay two mortgages and they understand that if it doesn't soon get an offer, they can just lower the price again.  And besides, who wants to live up to the reputation of being a hero? 

Would the commission be higher if said house sold sooner and without a price reduction?   

Sure it would, but it's not always about the money!  

Realtors don't even care about the commission, right? 

It's the joy of the whole experience that makes it all worth it. 

When it comes to agricultural fairs, the community of Stratham, New Hampshire, takes theirs very seriously. 

This year July 24 - 27 at Stratham Hill Park the 41st annual Stratham Fair will be held and attendance is expected to be over 25,000 people.

The fair started out as a small lobster bake to thank the volunteer fire department and has become a huge charity event that benefits many local organizations. 

Entertainment, in addition to the usual games and rides of the midway, include performances on two stages, baking competition, pie eating contest, Miss Stratham Fair pagent, a Fine Arts and Crafts exhibit, a road race, and a Fireworks display on Sunday night as a finale to the fair.

In traditional fashion, you will find 4H Shows and agricultural exhibits.

In addition to the food delights of the Midway and the traditional lobster bake, a barbeque and a lasagna supper are also scheduled.

The very reasonable price of admission is $7 daily.  Children 6-12 and Seniors 65+ are just $4 daily. 

 Children under 6 are Free.

         Grandparents get in Free on Thursdays.

Military personnel and dependents get in free on Fridays.  Group rates and discounted tickets for Stratham residents are available. 

Parking is Free.

For info including Event Schedule, Admission Specials, directions and more visit the Stratham Fair website.

Realtors make a lot of money for not really doing very much.  Four, five, six percent commission for what?  They put up a sign, have a couple open houses, place some ads, do a little paperwork...on a $650,000 sale they make $32,000.  Easy money.

If you are a Realtor, you are familiar with this mindset.  Many people share this opinion.

Before I started my Home Staging business, a couple of years ago, I too thought that Realtors had it pretty easy.  I, like many others, had no idea just how invested and consumed by their job these poor people are.

My step into the real estate world has changed forever my concept of this profession.  Here are just a few of my observations:

They have no set hours...on call 24/7...evenings, weekends, holidays, vacations.

They have to be part psychic, part psychiatrist, part marriage counselor, part life coach.

They feed pets, water plants, take out the trash, move furniture, and provide taxi service.

They advise, encourage, and comfort.

They are expected to be able to read minds and tell the future.

They spend their own money up front on expenses, which usually are not reimbursed.

Somehow upon signing a real estate contract, slavery becomes legal once again.  Is there somewhere in the contract that states the home seller actually becomes owner of the realtor? 

I have witnessed Realtors going to great extremes on behalf of their clients, going above and beyond what would be considered their job description.  I never knew the extent of the hours and dollars spent by Realtors leading up to their commissions earned. 

For all of you who work so hard to earn your commission...you have earned my respect. 

 Easy money?  I don't think so! 

In a recent post on inexpensive wall art by Monica Murphy, Monica showed us how to create wall art using scrapbook paper.  What I love about this idea is how easy it is to change out the art as needed.  Off to the store I went to pick up my frames and various papers.

I was telling my daughter about this wonderful idea and she informed me that she had made a picture for a friend as a baby shower gift using this technique.  In addition to using a sheet of paper in the frame, she cut up shapes from different sheets of paper and created a scene.

She used cookie cutters to trace the shapes.

She used a glue pen sold with the scrapping tools to glue it all in place.

This 12 x 12 picture cost a total of $13 including the frame and she has plenty of paper left over.

This was done for a baby, but this idea could easily be used for any room.

This past weekend my husband was going through old digital photos on our computer.  After finding a few "what the heck was I thinking" photos, I thought it might be fun to put a dare out there in the Rain.

I'm brave (or crazy) enough to post a picture of myself from 1989, are you willing to put yourself out there with me?

What did you look like in the eighties?  It really wasn't a very attractive decade.  Permed hair, shoulder pads, high top sneakers, banana clips, legwarmers, and neon colors were just a few of the trends.

Well, as promised...

Here I am with my bad eighties perm.

Now it is your turn...lets see what 1980's fashion trend you can represent!

UPDATE:  1978 photo added in comment section

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It may be a realtor who is afraid of losing the listing who is pushing to get the house on the market.  It may be a seller who, now that they have decided to sell, wants it on the market yesterdayl    There could be seasonal issues, school beginning or school ending issues, relocating to another state for a new job time restraints.  It may be a divorce situation where the sellers are anxious to get on with their lives.

It doesn't really matter what the reason is, too many sellers are prematurely listing their houses. 

I've heard it over and over again...sellers don't have the time to make the suggested improvements.  They can't afford to wait two weeks to get it on the market.  "Listed" somehow means "sold" and getting the house on the market becomes the priority.

Unfortunately, and ironically for these sellers, the act of rushing onto the market is what ultimately keeps the house on longer than need be.  Today's buyers are not interested in making improvements.  They want move-in-ready.  Worn carpet or dated wallpaper not only represents work to buyers, it also suggests that the house wasn't properly maintained and other areas of the home become suspect. 

This seller was ready to list, believing that removing the worn, dated carpet was not necessary.  The Realtor and I convincing him to delay listing until the carpet could be removed and some accessories could be added made a huge difference on the quality of product being marketed.  Taking the extra time  resulted in increased perceived value. 

For those sellers that do list prematurely, once they realize their mistake, the house's "days on market" are accumulating.  Too many days on market leads to a price reduction.

A sellers best chance at getting closest to asking price is in the first two weeks, when the price and the interest in the house are at their highest.  You only get one shot at that just-listed popularity. Just-listed interest is so short lived...can you really afford not to be prepared?

Here is my advice to anyone considering selling their home.  Make the best use of your time.  Take the time necessary to properly prepare the house for sale.  Do not list until the house is completely ready to be shown. 

It's not time and money saved when you cut corners, it is actually time and money lost. 

Time spent on improvements increases your chance of selling and decreases  your chance of price reductions.

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