I'm a consumer with a question! This is not an attack on my agent friends here or any kind of personal charge, it's just a consumer question.
Photo by Mike Geraci of New Hampshire
What I'm learning so far at Active Rain is that a buyer's agent "represents" you, the buyer. They will:
negotiate the price for you
understand the local market
know the inventory and comparables on the market
be able to point out what's good and bad about the property
ease you through your buyer's remorse and emotional swings
be able to give you, the buyer, "the inside scoop"
This is my question: IF the sellers have disclosed honestly what the condition of the house is, IF the buyers hire a home inspector, IF a buyer spent the time researching homes that have sold in the area and studied the internet for what's on the market and for how long, what are they missing?
It seems to me "the inside scoop" may be private information that the seller doesn't want the world to know, e.g., divorce, death, personal circumstances that are no one's business. Or isn't privacy respected anymore?
Where can you learn about getting your home ready for sale, how to choose a Realtor, the pros & cons of selling a home without an agent (FSBO)? And receive info about home inspections, listing photographs/featured tours, and Open Houses?
**Where can you go to ask a Realtor, a home stager, a lawyer, a mortgage broker, and a home inspector YOUR questions?**
What: Selling Your Home in the Near Future?* An adult ed class.
When: This 2-evening class is offered Sept. 25 & 26th, and Oct. 2 & 3rd from 6:30 - 8:00 PM
Where: Winnacunnet High School, Alumni Drive, Hampton NH 03842
Contact: Director of Student Affairs and Community Relations, Jan Petrou @ 603-758-9231 or 758-9233 during business hours. Email: jpetrou@winnacunnet.org
Notes from adult ed program: "Early registration is encouraged since the number of offerings will be determined by enrollment. Persons wishing to enroll in a course must register at least one week prior to the first meeting of class. For registrations made after that time, a late fee of $5.00 will be charged.
A $5.00 discount will be applied per course for any registrant who is 60+ years old or a SAU #21 employee. Verification will take place at registration."
Please feel free to contact me if you have any questions. *This course will help you reach your goal of selling your home quickly and at the top of its price range.
This article was written by a professional home stager, my dear friend Karen Otto from Plano, Texas. She is an incredible home stager and writer, She is a wonderful person, I felt like an old friend the first time I talked with her. I hope you have someone like that in your life.
Karen has given me permission to use a large portion of her article, The Virtual Home Buyer, so that I can help my New Hampshire neighbors who are selling their home now, or in the near future. Here it is:
"As a Professional Home Stager I often tell clients that buyers today are in a different league. With access to the internet, virtual tours, digital photos and new types of on-line real estate shows that are becoming available, a savvy home buyer does not need to leave the comfort of their home to decide whether or not to see a property listed on the internet.
Often, time strapped buyers will make a decision at their computer screen as to whether or not the house is worth getting in the car (or plane in some situations) to see. In the case of relocations, it becomes necessary to view properties cross country or globally and access to the internet becomes crucial.
I make it a practice to regularly search real estate on line to preview the virtual tours and photos. I find myself "virtually" staging the houses that look like they need it. I always wonder what the reasons are behind why certain homes have no photos or tours available. I'm especially curious about the homes that don't have any photos or tours. Is this a marketing strategy to keep a buyer guessing? Is it due to lack of information about digital photography or virtual tours? Is it seen as too expensive or time consuming? Is the home in such poor condition that no photos should be taken? Why?
This is one of the most important tools after listing that sellers have in getting their house seen and sold.
Another valuable tool in the process is home staging. Staging will present the home in the best condition to appeal to the most number of buyers, which translates to a quicker sale and in many cases, higher profit. There is never a second chance to make a first impression. Staging is crucial for making that fabulous first impression, whether on-line through amazing digital photos and virtual tours, or in person as the buyer walks up to the door.
Professional Stagers make the job of Sellers, Realtors, Digital Photographers and Virtual Tour Operators much easier. Stagers compliment those services and promote the sale of a home in ways beyond the norm. Staging is becoming a "must have" service, not only for sellers, but also for real estate professionals who understand what home staging can do for their bottom line."
Thank you, Karen Otto, for this well written, informative article.
Did the seller take the TV off the wall and leave ugly wires hanging out? No problem, buy a fake one to replace it! If you're staging a home office or even a kitchen desk area, it's nice to have a fake laptop to stage with. The one I bought from Props by IDM is lightweight and pretty realistic. The "screen" can be changed to black for the "off" look. So if you need a fake TV prop, fake PC computer prop, fake laptop prop, check this company out!
Props by IDM is located at 1000 Meyer Drive, Crystal Lake, IL 60014. Their toll free # (800)-228-3918. Check out their website and see what they've got.
I bought mine in Chicago while at the IAHSP convention where they had a vendor booth, but you can order what you need. "Most orders are processed and shipped within 2-4 business days. If your order is in a RUSH, there is a $5.00 handling fee. Maximum expected transit time for orders placed in the United States is 5-8 days. Orders shipping to Canada can take up to 10 days."
Their prices are listed on the website, and are reasonable.
The young lady from Props by IDM working the vendor booth was excellent to talk with and a wealth of info. And her Dad was awesome too!
And... check out this! Fake washers & dryers for the vacant laundry room!!! Hey, sometimes those pipes are ugly, yes?
This beautiful condo was staged & listing photographs taken by Sue Argue of Staged First Impressions. Thank you Realtor Becky Lufkin of Atrio GMAC Properties for this referral. What a comfortable and affordable place to live or vacation!
If you're looking for a NH home stager within an hour and a half of the seacoast, give me a call. If you're not sure your area is included in that range, call me anyway and we'll figure it out together!
My name is Sue Argue, from Hampton, New Hampshire. My NH home staging business, Staged First Impressions, was started in 2005. I have helped many sellers move on to greener pastures, and I hope I can help you, too!
What is home staging?
Home staging is the process of getting your home ready to put on the market so it sells faster and/or for more money. It can include moving furniture, packing up some of your things, scaling back on household items and adding some beautiful accessories. Sometimes suggestions are given for changing your interior paint colors, or removing old wallpaper.
Why is home staging necessary?
Buyers will see pictures of your home on the web looking clean, updated and comfortable. They will see photos of a home where the sellers look motivated to sell. When they get to your home for a showing, they will look at the selling features of your home, not at your stuff!
How can staging affect the sale price of a home?
Every time a buyer can pick out things that are "wrong" with a house, they reduce their asking price. For instance, if the carpet badly needs replacing, they will try to deduct the price of new carpet. The same for a new roof, new furnace or walls that need re-painting. Try to eliminate the "wrongs" from your house, so that buyers can't justify reducing their offer!
Home staging doesn't involve adding a new roof, but it takes care of the "feeling" a home has. A home should feel clean, comfortable and relaxing. This is what draws buyers in emotionally. A good traffic flow pattern through the house, colorful accents and an updated look all add to a good feeling. Buyers do need to connect with your house emotionally to imagine themselves living there. It's a huge decision, buying a new home, and people are naturally very picky!
Can you teach me how to stage my own home?
Yes! Call me & schedule a home staging consultation, 603-926-2676.
As a New Hampshire home stager, I offer Staged Photography services. And I often get asked, "What happens if the home looks beautiful in the listing photographs on the web, but buyers are disappointed when they get to the house and see it doesn't really look like that?"
It's true. The home won't look like the photos. But listing photos are NOT a substitute for showings.
To the buyers that whine "but it doesn't look like the pictures!" I say "So what?" Do you look like your business card every day?
Does make-up change a woman's facial structure? I'm not PhotoShopping out power lines or stress cracks here, I'm bringing in beautiful accessories.
When you look at a brochure for an Orlando Disney hotel, do you really believe that there are no tired, grouchy people there? I'm not fooling anyone with a smokescreen of beautiful listing photographs. People are smarter than that!
A house is a living, dynamic place that is home for dogs, cats, gerbils and occasionally some rambunctious kids. Home staging isn't about perfection 24 hours a day until the house sells. And Staged Photography doesn't lie. It just puts the home's best face forward for the photographs.
Staged First Impressions, a NH home staging company. We offer Staged Photography for NH home sellers. Whether you want to post your pictures on the web, have a featured tour, create e-flyers, we're here for you...snapping beautiful listing photographs to help you sell your home faster.
Listing photographs are what home buyers see first on the Internet when shopping for a new home. Let buyers see beautiful listing photos of your home so that they want to schedule a showing and see it in person. The first impression most buyers get is from the colorful pictures on the web's MLS.
Staged Photography can make your listing photographs stand out from the rest. We're here for you, New Hampshire home sellers.
Stage your home, sell it turn-key furnished, and recoup your staging costs. Sounds smart, right? But how do you know what to furnish it with to entice buyers? How do you adjust the listing price if the buyer wants it furnished?
Here in New Hampshire, lots of second homes are bought to enjoy the seacoast, the mountains and the lakes. These second homes may be a small condo or a multi-million dollar luxury property. And sometimes, buyers would appreciate a second home fully furnished and ready to enjoy! Here's what can help make it happen:
Keep it warm & inviting. You don't have to buy thousands of dollars worth of original art. Just make sure your furnishings look clean and classic. Living plants add warmth and texture.
Add to the home what it's lacking. This condo doesn't have a large area to cozy up to the fireplace, so I used 2 recliners instead of a big couch.
Being a 1-bedroom, I added a pull-out sofa bed to create a "guest room".
A majority of buyers would like an area to put a computer & desk. I created a "home office" by staging a small low profile desk and chair. If a home is missing a dining room, show how a table and chairs will look when beautifully set in the kitchen. Eliminate as many "have nots" as you can!
Purchase one or two splurge items that add alot of tasteful appeal & practicality. A beautiful walnut armoire adds drama to the bedroom, while providing some place to tuck that ugly TV or music componenets. There's nothing like a small flat-screen TV all wired & ready to go in the kitchen to make buyers smile. An investment, yes, but you'll get your money back if you sell it furnished.
Add some local flavor! If you're selling a second home, the buyers want to breathe the local air, so give 'em some photos, plants, decor that speaks of that area. This condo is in seacoast Hampton, NH, so I added shells, seaglass, and black & white surfboard photos. There are Hampton Beach postcards left out on the desk. Don't over do it!
The master bed's linens are not the place to scrimp on your budget. Why does a hotel turn down the bed for you and use crisp white sheets? It's clean & inviting. Do the same for your staged home you're trying to sell. Use comfortable, good quality bedding. I'm not talking 500-count Egyptian cotton here, just not ultra cheap!
Develop a style and a color scheme that suits just about anyone. Do you know why more white oxford shirts are sold than any other color? Because white goes with any color/style necktie that a man may have. Do the same with your walls and colors. Not necessarily white, but keep it simple, keep it classic.
Ask your agent who is likely to buy this property, and cater to those buyers. This vacant condo had many single men scheduling showings, so the space was kept very gender neutral. If you had mostly young families interested in your listing, you might add inexpensive bunk beds to get more mileage out of a vacation home.
How do you price your home to recoup your staging/furnishing costs?
Make sure the property is appropriately priced to begin with (don't argue with your agent). You're not going to overcharge a buyer for a property!! Buyers are educated, and the agent that is bringing the buyer to your property is educated about home prices too, right?
Add the actual cost of the furnishings and staging to your original asking price. DON'T TRY TO ADD MORE and give yourself a nice reward! As I said, no one is stupid in this equation. If you recoup your costs, it will indeed be a good buy for you AND the buyer. It's a win-win! You'll have less stuff to move right before closing, and that saves time and money too.
THIS STEP IS HUGE: The agent showing the home must understand to let buyers know the benefits of purchasing the home furnished. It saves time and money. There is no picking out furniture, waiting for it to be delivered. "There is a true vacation here, the work has been done for you!" The agent can sell the idea by explaining to buyers what the advantages are to enjoy.
Staged First Impressions, a NH home staging company. We'd like New Hampshire builders & home owners who are selling possible second/vacation properties to know that there are clever ways to pay for home staging that will help the home sell faster, but not break the bank.
Staged First Impressions, A New Hampshire home staging company. Find answers to home staging questions, and see examples of what home staging can do for you.
Pictures say a thousand words, so come on in, and check us out.
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
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What: Selling Your Home in the Near Future?* An adult ed class.
Props by IDM is located at 1000 Meyer Drive, Crystal Lake, IL 60014. Their toll free # (800)-228-3918. Check out their website and see what they've got.
To the buyers that whine "but it doesn't look like the pictures!" I say "So what?"
Here in New Hampshire, lots of second homes are bought to enjoy the seacoast, the mountains and the lakes. These second homes may be a small condo or a multi-million dollar luxury property. And sometimes, buyers would appreciate a second home fully furnished and ready to enjoy! Here's what can help make it happen:
How do you price your home to recoup your staging/furnishing costs? 
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