Beverly's Real Estate Blog

What I Wish I Knew THEN About Real Estate!

Beverly Carlson (Carlson Properties) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 21:46:23 -0700

Sow in the Spring and Summer to reap in the Fall and Winter.

There is a real estate cycle that doesn't change from year to year. Things pick up in the Spring and slow down in the Fall. Use your time in the slow times to get ready for the busy times. Prospects are needed to sell real estate. Talk about real estate in the slow times to sow the seed for sales in the spring and summer months. Prepare for the harvest of home sales with the same precision the farmer prepares the soil for planning the new crop.

Save some of your real estate earnings from the fat months for the lean months. The ebb and flow of earnings is the nature of the real estate cycle. Remember to save for the unexpected and plan ahead for Christmas.

Take all the training provided by your local board and ignore all the get rich in real estate hype. There is nothing more helpful than experience or talking with those who are more experienced. Forget the books and the tapes and go preview houses and become the expert on part of your local market.

Get only the necessary technology for working today as tomorrow there will be another new gadget or another upgraded version.

Stage every home even if you have to take the decor out of your own house. Staging works and will set you apart, Stage and share what works. A REALTOR friend just starting in real estate has already staged and sold seven houses and graciously she says she learned everything she knows about staging from me Share what you know!

Start a lessons leaned sheet and review it from time to time. Lessons learned are those hard fought for pearls of wisdom that one gets in the arena of life. You don't want to forget these gems. Write them down!

Friends are more important than anything else in real estate. At the end of the day, nothing is more satisfying than good company, good friendship, and a hearty laugh!

Beverly Carlson, REALTOR, GRI, ASP, IAHSP, RESA

Broker

Carlson Properties

Abilene, Texas

325-721-2429

To See Abilene's Staged Homes, go to www.stagedhomes.com

How to Prepare your Home for MLS Photos

Beverly Carlson (Carlson Properties) — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 08:02:27 -0700

Fantastic reblog on lists of steps to get ready for photos.

A good photo is worth a 1000 words.

The camera doesn't lie! Remember you will need a little time to get these steps done.

Barb Schwarz says the way we live in a home and the way we show a home are two different things!

Follow these ideas and take GREAT PHOTOS!

Via Margaret Woda, Maryland Real Estate & Military Relocation Services, Margaret Woda (Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc., Crofton, MD):

You've already prepared your home to sell, but do you know how to prepare it for MLS photos?

The photos of any listing are extremely important to its sale because most of today's buyers will first see the home online. Buyers are looking for a house with the potential to become their home... one where they can easily imagine living. We can't count on them to mentally remove clutter from photos so they can picture themselves and their families using the space. This must be done before the photos are taken.

Just spend 10 minutes looking at random MLS photos, and it's not hard to find examples of "what not to do."

The camera can only photograph what it sees, so I encourage my clients in the Crofton MD area to follow these suggestions for a photo-ready home.

EXTERIOR

Remove all vehicles from driveways, the street in front of your home, and your yard. (cars, trucks, RV's, and boats on trailers)

Close all exterior doors, including garage doors.

Remove all garbage and recycling containers from sight.

Turn on exterior lights to make the home look more inviting.

Remove bicycles and seasonal decorations.

Edge and mulch your beds.

Mow the lawn, remove or trim overgrown shrubs, and plant flowers (in season).

Remove old or broken outdoor furniture.

"Dress" the front door area with a wreath, flag, or potted flowers.

INTERIOR

General:

Minimize electric and phone cords by temporarily unplugging them and putting them out of sight.

Open all shades and blinds unless there is something unsightly in view or the window needs repair. (Heavy wood blinds can be left down, but open.) Make sure that open shades and blinds are parallel with the top of the window, and not hanging at weird levels.

Turn on all overhead lights and decorative lamps.

Minimize items on flat surfaces. Professional stagers often suggest this 3-items rule: one tall, medium, and small (Example: a lamp, plant, and a small dish or book on a bedside table.)

Minimize the contents on shelves, leaving plenty of open space.

Remove toys from sight or organize them neatly in containers.

Store valuables securely out of sight, including cameras, laptops, guns, coin collections and jewelry boxes.

Hide tissue boxes and piles of papers, magazines, laundry, etc.

Remove family photos, collections, and personal/professional memorabilia. (Repair walls, if necessary).

Put all trash cans out of sight.

Remove all pet equipment, including bowls, beds, litter boxes, crates etc.

Kitchen:

Remove magnets and other items on the refrigerator surface and items stored on top of the refrigerator.

Clear as much as possible off the kitchen counters, including toaster ovens, coffee makers, microwaves, and cutlery blocks (even if you return some of them to the counter for daily use while your home is on the market).

Follow the 3-items rule for counter tops.

Put the cleaning sponges, detergent, and garbage can out of sight.

Dining Area:

Set your dining table for company - an oversize centerpiece, place mats, napkins, utensils, and glasses.

Remove high chairs and booster seats.

Dress your breakfast bar - perhaps a place mat and simple table setting or a tray with a wine bottle and 2 glasses.

Put excess chairs out of sight.

Remove items from the top of china cabinet

Follow the 3-items rule for buffet or sideboard.

Living Room/Family Room:

Remove excess furniture.

Put photos, memorabilia, and collections out of sight.

Remove all toys, dog beds, etc.

Turn off the TV. If TV is located in a cabinet, close the door.

Remove overgrown or dying plants.

Make sure your room has one focal point which is visible from the entry point into the room. (A focal point on every wall is simply overwhelming!) For example, it could be the view out the window, the fireplace, the seating area, or an armoire with a mirror above.

Bedrooms:

Make your beds and confirm that nothing shows under the bed (such as under bed storage containers or electric cords for bedside lamps).

Remove stuffed animals.

Remove your children's names from walls and other visible locations. (It's a matter of safety and security).

Follow the 3-items rule for bedside tables and dresser tops.

Bathrooms:

Remove all "fluff" - i.e., rugs, toilet tank covers, and seat covers.

Neatly fold your best towels on towel bars.

Make sure your tub area is sparkling clean and leave the shower curtain open.

Remove robes hanging on doors.

Follow the 3-items rule for vanity top and remove all items from top of the toilet tank.

Clean bathroom mirrors (toothpaste splashes show in photos).

Close the toilet lid.

Yes, preparing your home for sale and photos can be time-consuming, but there's probably nothing more important to a home sale except pricing.

Three of my last four Crofton area listings sold to buyers who saw the homes online within 24 hours of listing. I don't believe it's a coincidence that the sellers of these homes did everything I asked to make their homes photo-ready for these buyers.

Copyright 2006-13. All rights reserved.

DISCLAIMER: Information contained in this post is deemed reliable on the date of publication, but it is not guaranteed and it is subject to change without notice.

________________________________________

Margaret Woda, REALTOR & Associate Broker
Direct: (410) 451-6245 or click on EMAIL

FREE Maryland home search online (No registration required)
FREE home search APP for your iPhone/iPad (demo)
FREE online relocation information
Check my reviews on Zillow

Long & Foster Real Estate, Inc. * 2191 Defense Hwy., #120, Crofton, MD 21114

Beverly Carlson, REALTOR, GRI, ASP, IAHSP, RESA

Broker

Carlson Properties

Abilene, Texas

325-721-2429

To See Abilene's Staged Homes, go to www.stagedhomes.com

The "Property Brothers" Can't be wrong!

Beverly Carlson (Carlson Properties) — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 21:05:12 -0700

The "Property Brother's" can't be wrong!

One of the property brother's said on HGTV"S Income Properties show tonight,

the owners have not staged to sell, so they are inviting lower offers, lowball offers, and a buyer can come in under the asking price.

The income property was well lived in with lots of furniture and the prospective buyers said they thought the place was too small.

Again, the property brother said he sees these houses all the time and it is just the clutter making it look smaller.

The buyers do not pick this house picking another house not any bigger but I did notice, was easier to see.

Then after the remodel of the income property, the show always shows the new place fully staged complete with living, dining, and bedroom room staging all the way through to placemats and plates on the breakfast bar with fresh flowers. This is a 2 bedroom basement apartment!

The takeaway lesson from the Property Brother's is to stage your property and stage your income property!

For any question about staging or listing your staged home to sell, call Beverly at 325-721-2429.

Beverly Carlson, REALTOR, GRI, ASP, IAHSP, RESA

Broker

Carlson Properties

Abilene, Texas

325-721-2429

To See Abilene's Staged Homes, go to www.stagedhomes.com

Mistakes to Avoid in Home Staging.

Beverly Carlson (Carlson Properties) — Mon, 01 Apr 2013 21:37:34 -0700

Staging a home before it is clean! This is tantamount to applying lipstick to a pig. It just doesn't work. The pig is still ugly!

Staging around outdated furniture. If there is a disconnect between the age of the furniture and the age of the house, then rent more up-to-date furnishings.

The goal of staging is to appeal to buyers. Buyers want trendy not trendless.

Rationalizing leaving outdated wallpaper in the house. It just doesn't work.

It is a waste of good money on staging decor if the wall paper is out of date.

Two many patterns or too many colors in the house. There should be a unifying theme of color and pattern that creates appealing flow from room to room.

Too Staged, too much decor. A house can be too staged when there is too much decor or decor is oversized, such as a 3 foot tall centerpiece on a dining room table. Staged or not, huge centerpieces make no sense.

Got staging questions, call Beverly at 325-721-2429.

Beverly Carlson, REALTOR, GRI, ASP, IAHSP, RESA

Broker

Carlson Properties

Abilene, Texas

325-721-2429

To See Abilene's Staged Homes, go to www.stagedhomes.com

WHAT IS HOME STAGING?

Beverly Carlson (Carlson Properties) — Sun, 31 Mar 2013 21:44:33 -0700

Home staging is preparing your home to sell in the shortest amount of time and for the most money.

Staging involves the entire property from curb to curb, from front to back. Staging includes all the preparatory steps of:

Cleaning
Repairing
Remodeling
Editing Furnishings &
Personal Decor

A key skill of the stager is in the selection and arrangement of interior decor. Home staging involves:

Selecting furniture
Art
Decor
Plants &
Lighting

When a seller lives in a home, the seller is used to the way things are, but a buyer will be looking for fresh, updated, and move-in ready.

The main advantage of getting a staging consultation with a professional stager is a stager understands the buyer's perspective and has knowledge of current buyer trends.

Staging works because buyers can then envision themselves living in the home. Buyers usually feel that staged homes are better maintained.

The staged home will look better in photos, on fliers, websites and in the newspaper.

The benefits of staging your home are faster sales time and higher sales prices. These benefits are demonstrated by the current statistics published by Stagedhomes.com, which are that 95 percent of ASP staged homes sell on average in 23 days.

For more information about staging your home to sell, call Beverly Carlson at 325-721-2429.

Beverly Carlson, REALTOR, GRI, ASP, IAHSP, RESA

Broker

Carlson Properties

Abilene, Texas

325-721-2429

To See Abilene's Staged Homes, go to www.stagedhomes.com

What is the real estate market like in Abilene?

Beverly Carlson (Carlson Properties) — Sat, 30 Mar 2013 21:55:40 -0700

What is the real estate market like in Abilene?

In one word: "Good."

To explain what that means - in real estate good usually means that the value of the home is sustained or increasing.

The average sales price over the past 10 years in Abilene when graphed has a nice pleasing upward incline.

In 2003, the average sales price of a home in Abilene was $83,421.

In 2012, the average sales price of a home in Abilene was $139,652.

That is a 70 percent increase in average sales price or an average annual increase of 7 percent.

Yes, "Good" seems to be about the right word for Abilene real estate.

Beverly Carlson, REALTOR, GRI, ASP, IAHSP, RESA

Broker

Carlson Properties

Abilene, Texas

325-721-2429

To See Abilene's Staged Homes, go to www.stagedhomes.com

Should I Buy a House in Abilene, TX?

Beverly Carlson (Carlson Properties) — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 21:38:54 -0700

Should I Buy a House in Abilene, TX?

Calico, the cat says, go ahead and buy a house and just make sure there's a comfy couch for your cat to lie on.

Three Reasons to buy a house in Abilene:

stable market.
comparatively affordable house prices.
low interest rates.

The market may get hotter depending on the oil and gas industry develops into the Abilene area.

The low interest rates coupled with affordable house prices makes buying a house very attractive for anyone going to be here 3-4 years.

Beverly Carlson, REALTOR, GRI, ASP, IAHSP, RESA

Broker

Carlson Properties

Abilene, Texas

325-721-2429

To See Abilene's Staged Homes, go to www.stagedhomes.com

TAKE BEFORE PHOTOS EVERY TIME!

Beverly Carlson (Carlson Properties) — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 21:49:31 -0700

Before and After Photos tell a compelling story without saying a word.

More than once now, I have forgotten to take a before photo of rooms that once staged were drop dead gorgeous!

It is so easy to get caught up in the excitement of getting it staged quickly that the before photos never happened.

Before photos don't have to be taken with a good camera after all they are BEFORE photos!

However, sometimes the stars just conspire against you.

I have forgotten the camera and pressed on with staging.
The camera doesn't work and can't waste time to go get one that does.
The furniture that was in the room before has already been moved around or out of the room by the owner.

Now this is not me complaining, but really a before photo should happen before anything GOOD happens!!!

My camera before I got a new one I got was always needing new batteries. That camera was related to my phone, just never had any stamina to stay charged.

Your best advertising is based on having proof on how bad it really looked before. Buyers only believe what they see. Sellers will only believe before and after photos they can actually see

and now after!

Beverly Carlson, REALTOR, GRI, ASP, IAHSP, RESA

Broker

Carlson Properties

Abilene, Texas

325-721-2429

To See Abilene's Staged Homes, go to www.stagedhomes.com

Vacant Bedrooms all look allike!

Beverly Carlson (Carlson Properties) — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 21:57:25 -0700

When you want your house to be incognito, then post this vacant room on your selling website.

One would think I would be able to find a photo of an empty room. But I searched for let's just say quite some time through a computer file of some 3000 photos, just don't ask me why!

I am almost certain that this is the correct before photo for this after bedroom shot. The angle of the after photo is turned somewhat, but it is the same window. Vacant room shots are easily lost, because they all look pretty much the same - blah!

Here is the same room AFTER BEING S T A G E D ! !!

When you are ready to sell it, stage it first! For all your staging questions,

call Beverly at 325-2429.

Beverly Carlson, REALTOR, GRI, ASP, IAHSP, RESA

Broker

Carlson Properties

Abilene, Texas

325-721-2429

To See Abilene's Staged Homes, go to www.stagedhomes.com

Full Moon Tonight!

Beverly Carlson (Carlson Properties) — Tue, 26 Mar 2013 21:20:10 -0700

FULL MOON TONIGHT COMPETING FOR ATTENTION FROM THE STREETLIGHTS OF ABILENE TEXAS

You never know what will happen on a night with a full moon.

When I was little, I would look for the "man" in the moon. Tonight, the "man" in the moon seems to be missing. The dagger shape descending from the moon is the workings of my camera. Interesting how a view through a camera shot can be so different than what the eye sees .

Beverly Carlson, REALTOR, GRI, ASP, IAHSP, RESA

Broker

Carlson Properties

Abilene, Texas

325-721-2429

To See Abilene's Staged Homes, go to www.stagedhomes.com

HOW WILL YOU MARKET MY HOME?

Beverly Carlson (Carlson Properties) — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 19:17:10 -0700

QUESTION: HOW WILL YOU MARKET MY HOME?

WHEN I MARKET YOUR HOME, I WILL DISCUSS THE TWO IMPORTANT AREAS THAT A SELLER HAS CONTROL OVER AND THOSE AREAS ARE:

CONDITION

AND

$$$ PRICE $$$

ALL THE OTHER AREAS THAT MUST BE CONSIDERED BUT CAN NOT BE CHANGED ARE:

LOCATION

CONDITION OF THE NEIGHBORS HOUSE

STREETS & ZONING & TERRAIN

TAXES

THE HOME SELLING MARKET

FIRST CONDITION MUST BE CONSIDERED, BECAUSE OF THE BEARING ON MARKET PRICE.

WHAT ARE THE SELLER'S GOALS?

WHAT ARE THE REASON'S FOR THE SALE?

IS THERE DEFERRED MAINTENANCE THAT NEEDS ADDRESSING?

WHAT IS THE SELLER'S TIMEFRAME TO BE SOLD?

IS THERE A REMODELING BUDGET?

NEXT MARKET PRICE MUST BE CONSIDERED,

WHAT ARE COMPARABLE HOUSES IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD SELLING FOR? WILL THE MARKET PRICE MEET THE SELLER'S FINANCIAL GOALS? DOES THE SELLER NEED TO CONSIDER LEASING? OR INVESTING IN REPAIRS OR HOLDING TILL A MORE FAVORABLE PART OF THE REAL ESTATE CYCLE? WHAT IS IN THE BEST INTEREST OF THE SELLER TO MEET THE SELLER'S GOALS?

THESE TWO SUBJECTS - CONDITION OF THE PROPERTY AND THE MARKET PRICE OF THE PROPERTY MUST BE CAREFULLY CONSIDERED TO MEET THE SALES OBJECTIVES OF THE SELLER.

Beverly Carlson, REALTOR, GRI, ASP, IAHSP, RESA

Broker

Carlson Properties

Abilene, Texas

325-721-2429

To See Abilene's Staged Homes, go to www.stagedhomes.com

Home Staging Your Home For Better Photos!

Beverly Carlson (Carlson Properties) — Sun, 24 Mar 2013 21:41:37 -0700

Home Staging Your Home For Better Photos.

Prospective home buyers make their buying decisions within a few seconds of walking into a house. Often a home buyer will have pored over many internet photos and made a list and then crossed houses off the list soley based on online photos.

When online photos do not enhance the appeal of the home, this means that fewer buyers will bother to look at the home.

A solution to buyer appeal and great online photos is home staging.

Home Staging is a a secret weapon of Realtors and their savvy clients.

Staging your home ramps up the buyer appeal and results in more showings, which in turn leads to more offers. When more buyers are interested in a home this sets the stage for a possible bidding war.

Home Staging is preparing your home for sale like a product for the market and good online photos are key as almost every buyer is looking at the houses they are interested in online first. Make your photos great!

Beverly Carlson, REALTOR, GRI, ASP, IAHSP, RESA

Broker

Carlson Properties

Abilene, Texas

325-721-2429

To See Abilene's Staged Homes, go to www.stagedhomes.com

OVERCOMING OBJECTIONS OF SELLER STAGING!

Beverly Carlson (Carlson Properties) — Sat, 23 Mar 2013 21:50:11 -0700

OVERCOMING OBJECTIONS TO SELLER STAGING!

One objection to staging is that the market is good and there is no need to stage.

Well, perhaps, if your home has been

professionally cleaned,
carpets steam cleaned,
windows washed inside and out,
siding powerwashed.
neutral paint colors,
updated lighting fixtures,
1/3 of furnishings already removed
no oversized stuffed furniture
fresh flowers are on the dining room table
no King beds, no 4 poster beds, no bunk beds.
no pet odors, no smoking odor, no old house odor.

Another objection is that my home is professionally decorated.

Well, perhaps, if your home

see above list,
was decorated in the last 2 years,
there is no navy, no burgandy, no wallpaper,
no dusty silk flowers.

Another objection is that I have no staging budget.

Well perhaps you need no staging budget if

you are prepared to reduce the sales price of your home by thousands of dollars ,
take months to sell
incur monthly carrying costs,
such as mortgage, tax, insurance, and utilities

The expense of not staging will be thousands of dollars in price reductions and monthly carrying costs.

A simple solution is to get a professional staging consultation to get an exclusive detailed report that will give you step-by-step guidance on preparing your home for sale to sell in the fastest amount of time for the most money. Call Beverly today to get a staging consultation for as little as $150. My staging consultations give you a top ten priority list of recommendations to make more money from the sale of your home!

Beverly Carlson, REALTOR, GRI, ASP, IAHSP, RESA

Broker

Carlson Properties

Abilene, Texas

325-721-2429

To See Abilene's Staged Homes, go to www.stagedhomes.com

House Hunting All Day in Odessa, TX

Beverly Carlson (Carlson Properties) — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 21:08:13 -0700

House hunting AlL Day in Odessa, Texas. Seven houses in six hours makes for a long day even though most houses were only 15 minutes or so apart. I am so proud of the professionalism of Odessa Realtors who were very accommodating to make sure this out of town broker got access to the desired listings. Odessa is a sellers market and builders are building and economy is booming. Houses are selling are selling in Odessa with many listings going under contract within a few days or sooner! House hunting is a happy time for my prospective buyers. It was a good day with much learned today about Odessa Real estate.

Beverly Carlson, REALTOR, GRI, ASP, IAHSP, RESA

Broker

Carlson Properties

Abilene, Texas

325-721-2429

To See Abilene's Staged Homes, go to www.stagedhomes.com

THREE REASONS TO SELL YOUR HOUSE IN ABILENE, TX!

Beverly Carlson (Carlson Properties) — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 12:39:24 -0700

THREE REASONS TO SELL YOUR HOUSE NOW IN ABILENE, TX!

#1. Real Estate Sales follow a predictable sales cycle each year in that the number of sales peak in the summer months, usually either June or July. The reasons sales peak are because of job transfers and school schedules.

#2. Interest Rates are still at historically low rates. It is is one of those crystal ball muses as to when the interest rates will no longer be this low, but what are you waiting for, the rates to rise??? Low interest rates benefit sellers and buyers! Buyers can buy more house and sellers have an easier sale.

3. Your home always looks better in the SPRING with green grass and blooming plants. In any market, the house that shows the best gets more showings, more offers, and more money.

These are three exceptional reasons that you don't want to let a

Spring TIME SALE pass you by.

For help with staging or selling, call Beverly at 325-721-2429

Beverly Carlson, REALTOR, GRI, ASP, IAHSP, RESA

Broker

Carlson Properties

Abilene, Texas

325-721-2429

To See Abilene's Staged Homes, go to www.stagedhomes.com

Blogging on the First Day of Spring!

Beverly Carlson (Carlson Properties) — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 12:12:12 -0700

Happy Spring!

My rose bush in front of the house as if on cue has a bloom this morning! The sky is blue. The sun is shining. The morning is warm. Okay, it is still a little windy, but it wouldn't be west Texas without some wind.

Interest rates are still low. Nothing better to get you in the mood for spring is to start thinking of putting your house on the market before the mad rush to get on

the market for

May and June for summer moving.

Whether selling or buying in Abilene, I can help you with staging to sell or staging to stay.

Hope to hear from you soon!

Beverly

Beverly Carlson, REALTOR, GRI, ASP, IAHSP, RESA

Broker

Carlson Properties

Abilene, Texas

325-721-2429

To See Abilene's Staged Homes, go to www.stagedhomes.com

BAD HOUSE PHOTOS LOSE YOU BUYERS!

Beverly Carlson (Carlson Properties) — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 21:53:33 -0700

When your home is on the market, the photos need to showcase your home at it's best. Prospective buyers are zipping through your online photos as if a mean dog is chasing them.

Dark and dreary photos are not going to stop the buyer. Fuzzy photos don't stop them either. Sideways photos don't either. I just saw some sideways photos on a FSBO site. Now, I'm sure it may have been a computer glitch and I'm all for blaming the computer but regardless, bad photos are unforgiving with prospective buyers.

poor photo #1

Empty rooms are very boring and don't give the buyer any information other than paint color. And puhlease, no more alleging that your every room a different color are decorator colors. If you do, I don't want to know who your decorator is!

poor Photo #2

What a relief, at least you can tell that this photo is a bedroom!

For staging consultations and help with photos call Beverly at 325-721-2429

Beverly Carlson, REALTOR, GRI, ASP, IAHSP, RESA

Broker

Carlson Properties

Abilene, Texas

325-721-2429

To See Abilene's Staged Homes, go to www.stagedhomes.com

Three Tips to Sell Your Home Faster in Abilene, TX!

Beverly Carlson (Carlson Properties) — Tue, 19 Mar 2013 21:51:49 -0700

1. Prepare your home for sale completely prior to placing a "FOR SALE" sign in the yard. Prepare your home as if the most important person you know is going to view your home. Your first showing is going to be to that MOST important person!
2. Take the very best photos possible of your home for online viewing. This is so important because virtually everybody is going online and routinely making decisions on what house to look at based on a photo. Absolutely, do not allow dark photos, fuzzy photos, or messy photos to go online.
3. Price your home on day one at the price you will take. Testing the market at a higher price is a no win strategy. If a house is overpriced, buyers will look at houses that they think are not overpriced. Allowing wiggle room for negotiation is another no win strategy. Buyers are comparing your house to the competition. Typically, the most showings occur in the first 2-3 weeks of being on the market. If your house is showcased for showing, has great online photos and is market priced, your home will sell quicker than the competition.

When you are thinking of selling, call Beverly for a staging consultation at 325-721-2429

Beverly Carlson, REALTOR, GRI, ASP, IAHSP, RESA

Broker

Carlson Properties

Abilene, Texas

325-721-2429

To See Abilene's Staged Homes, go to www.stagedhomes.com

What can a $150. staging consultation do for me?

Beverly Carlson (Carlson Properties) — Mon, 18 Mar 2013 21:56:19 -0700

What can a $150 staging consultation do for me?

Think of your staging consultation as a recipe for a sale. When I decide to bake chocolate chip cookies, I still check the recipe on the back of the chocolate chips package to get the ingredients and the right amount of ingredients to put in the mixing bowl.
A staging consultation is like a recipe. It will give you the ingredients, such as furniture pieces and decor items to use with specific recommendations for the furniture arrangement, art and decor placement and color selection.

The goal of a professional staging consultation is to result in a sale, just like the recipe for chocolate chip cookies is developed to result in delicious cookies.

A staging consultation will give you recommendations that will enhance buyer appeal and create a faster sale. Such enhancement will include lighting, art, house plants, furniture arrangement, and exterior curb appeal.

A written staging consultation can help keep sellers focused on the goal, which is the

S A L E!

A staging consultation continues to coach and refresh the sellers memory after the stager has gone home. The words of the staging consultation are confirmed in the activation of the plan by the seller.

As a client explained to me earlier today that just because she had said she wasn't going to clean her closets, didn't mean she wasn't going to! Okay, I admit that I am still a little confused about what that meant. I think she meant it just took some getting used to the idea of the steps of getting ready to sell.

The point is the written staging consultation is like having an armchair home coach saying. You can stage it!

Here's what to do, and what's next, and a great idea for the closet is to use matching hangers and face all the hangers the same direction. Leave the top shelf and the floor of the closet empty.

The best news is that by the time the staging consultation recomendations are done, you

r e a l l y are done and ready for your move and a succesful sale of your home!

That may be the best benefit of all, reduction of stress of preparing to sell.

Beverly Carlson, REALTOR, GRI, ASP, IAHSP, RESA

Broker

Carlson Properties

Abilene, Texas

325-721-2429

To See Abilene's Staged Homes, go to www.stagedhomes.com

SHOULD I STAGE MY HOME FOR SALE IN ABILENE, TEXAS?

Beverly Carlson (Carlson Properties) — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 21:21:35 -0700

SHOULD I STAGE MY HOME FOR SALE IN ABILENE, TEXAS?

Another way to ask this question is should I market my home for sale in Abilene, Texas? Asked that way, it might seem a little silly. Who is going to say no, I don't need to market my home in order to sell it. To be clear, home staging is a marketing strategy that does work.

Home staging statistics provided by www.stagedhomes.com state that 95 percent of staged homes on average sell in about a month compared to over 130 days for unstaged homes.

Home staging when well done helps to show off a house at its best. The house that shows the best wins. The house that shows the best out shines the competition. The house that shows the best wins the beauty pageant.

No matter what the statistics say about the value of showcasing one's home as a product in the marketplace, nothing beats before and after photos. No matter who says:

"My house is prettier than your house" it all boils down is it S O L D ???

Here are my before and after photos of a house

that was STAGED & SOLD in Abilene, Texas.

BEFORE STAGING!

and NOW AFTER STAGING - Room was painted a neutral color!

and casual living group placed on one end where the exercise equipment

was and a breakfast table on the other end making a cohesive sun room.

I know it doesn't even look like the same house,

but it is and it is

SOLD!!!!

FOR A SOLD SIGN FOR YOUR HOUSE CALL BEVERLY

FOR A STAGING CONSULTATION AT 325-721-2429.

Beverly Carlson, REALTOR, GRI, ASP, IAHSP, RESA

Broker

Carlson Properties

Abilene, Texas

325-721-2429

To See Abilene's Staged Homes, go to www.stagedhomes.com

Curb Appeal that Stops the Car!

Beverly Carlson (Carlson Properties) — Sat, 16 Mar 2013 17:15:18 -0700

Have you ever went to check out an address and as you approach the block, you get that sinking feeling as the neighborhood gets rougher and tougher with taller grass and torn screens and another beatup junk car parked in the drive? Every city has these neighborhoods and some nice people may actually live there, but you simply aren't going to sell a house in these areas very fast.

The first step if you find yourself in this situation is to make sure that your home is not part of the problem! Next, take a photo of your front yard and then grit your teeth and actually look at it like a buyer might. Now make a list of things you would like to see look differently in the photo.

When this list is made, then you can decide what is a self help project and what you need help to get accomplished. Having a plan will take a big load off and once your plan is in motion, and your neighbors see you are serious, then if you are lucky, they will start to clean up their yard as well.

THREE SIMPLE STEPS TO BETTER CURB APPEAL FOR EVERYONE

1. Paint the front door. If the front door paint is in good condition, then clean the door with soap and water. YOU WILL BE AMAZED! Here's a fair warning, what should be a ten minute door cleaning may turn into an hour as there are door facings, there are window glass panels, there is the porch ceiling where cobwebs may be discovered lurking.
2. Invest in a neutral Welcome mat. Yes, it needs to say WELCOME if you are selling not "CATS RULE and DOGS DROOL" or some other such silly saying.
3. Add a pot containing colorful flowers by the door. My favorite is red geraniums, except in the Abilene heat, you need to pull the geraniums indoors much of the summer because of the blistering heat is too much for them.

Beverly Carlson, REALTOR, GRI, ASP, IAHSP, RESA

Broker

Carlson Properties

Abilene, Texas

325-721-2429

To See Abilene's Staged Homes, go to www.stagedhomes.com

The Porch is GREEN!

Beverly Carlson (Carlson Properties) — Fri, 15 Mar 2013 21:57:22 -0700

THE PORCH IS GREEN!

BEFORE REPAIR & PAINTING OF CONCRETE PORCH

AFTER REPAIR AND PAINTING OF PORCH

The paint is a CONCRETE STAIN SOLID COLOR WATER BASE from Sherwin Williams

and the color is "Isle of Pines"

JUST IN TIME FOR ST. PATRICKS DAY!

The porch used the entire gallon of concrete stain. I actually wanted a color called Shamrock, a deeper, more verdant green, but Sherwin Williams couldn't mix it in the concrete stain for some reason. Isle of Pines was the compromise and is almost green enough for me. One thing for sure, this porch is going to be greener than my lawn.

Beverly Carlson, REALTOR, GRI, ASP, IAHSP, RESA

Broker

Carlson Properties

Abilene, Texas

325-721-2429

To See Abilene's Staged Homes, go to www.stagedhomes.com

SHOULD I STAGE THE WHOLE HOUSE?

Beverly Carlson (Carlson Properties) — Thu, 14 Mar 2013 21:10:26 -0700

SHOULD I STAGE THE WHOLE HOUSE?

Yes, because the whole house is for sale. That is not meant to be a glib statement. As a professional home stager and Realtor since 2006, I have become increasingly aware of how emotionally attached we are to the way we live in our own homes. What is perfectly comfortable for living is not necessarily how the home should be marketed for maximizing your profit from a sale.

I don't mean to make everything about money, but let's face it, most of us need every penny from a sale we can get. So now is not the time to be penny wise and pound foolish. Every room of your home is valuable real estate and we need to help the buyer realize just how very valuable it is. That is what is going to get you more money from the sale of your home.

HOW DO I STAGE THE WHOLE HOUSE WHEN IT'S VACANT?

A full service home stager will discuss options for staging furnishings and decor with you in a written proposal. I have found the least expensive staging plan is to rent key pieces and use add in decor provided either by the homeowner or the stager. The skill of the stager is in the plan and the interior design of furniture arrangement with decor added. Sometimes owners decide to stage it themselves and and go rent their own furniture. However, tan vinyl couch pushed against a wall with a brown coffee table in front of it is not staging. It screams low rent district. One house I went in with furniture, the tags were still dangling from the lamp and the lamp had not had a light bulb put in it. That was just sad!

This was a vacant living room staged with a rental loveseat.

All other furnishings were provided by the stager.

Staging is the decorator icing on the cake. A plain, unfrosted cake has value, but a frosted cake adorned with roses and "Happy Birthday" written on it has increased value.

Beverly Carlson, REALTOR, GRI, ASP, IAHSP, RESA

Broker

Carlson Properties

Abilene, Texas

325-721-2429

To See Abilene's Staged Homes, go to www.stagedhomes.com

OLD HOUSES, YELLOW TULIPS, AND DUCKS IN ABILENE!

Beverly Carlson (Carlson Properties) — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 21:58:49 -0700

OLD HOUSES

ABILENE HISTORICAL HOME NEEDS RESTORING - FOR SALE AS IS

CALL ME FOR MORE INFORMATION.

YELLOW TULIPS

The yellow tulips are adding cheer to my dining table and signal a sure sign that Spring is Springing!

Providing home staging for builders, sellers, and Realtors. Call me to add cheer to your listings!

JUST DUCKY!

EVERYTHING IS TURNING UP DUCKY IN MY NEIGHBORHOOD!

SELL FASTER - CALL AN ACCREDITED STAGING PROFESSIONAL.

SELL FOR MORE MONEY - STAGE IT!

SELL IT SOON - STAGE IT NOW!

WRITTEN STAGING CONSULTATIONS - ONLY $150. - THIS IS A ROOM BY ROOM STEP-BY STEP

INSTRUCTIONS FOR DO- IT-YOUR SELFERS NO ONE HAS EVER BEEN DISAPPOINTED WITH THIS INFORMATION.

FULL SERVICE HOME STAGING SERVICES VACANT OR OCCUPIED

COLOR SELECTION

CURB APPEAL CONSULTATIONS

ART PLACEMENT

PLANT SELECTION

OPEN HOUSE ASSISTANCE

Beverly Carlson, REALTOR, GRI, ASP, IAHSP, RESA

Broker

Carlson Properties

Abilene, Texas

325-721-2429

To See Abilene's Staged Homes, go to www.stagedhomes.com

Calico Cat Photo

Beverly Carlson (Carlson Properties) — Tue, 12 Mar 2013 21:55:03 -0700

A friend emailed me a photo of my calico cat she took at my house.

The cat likes to be part of any gathering and seems to be intently listening.

The cat seems to be taking it all in or probably waiting for a chance to help herself to someones leftover food.

or maybe thinking about the big gold fish by Szechwans.

or maybe thinking these humans shoud stop trying to figure out what a cat thinks.

I've heard that a cat has a very low IQ but they seem to know enough not to let it bother them!

Beverly Carlson, REALTOR, GRI, ASP, IAHSP, RESA

Broker

Carlson Properties

Abilene, Texas

325-721-2429

To See Abilene's Staged Homes, go to www.stagedhomes.com