https://activerain.com/blogs/maryabella en-us https://activerain.com/blogsview/4783835/christmas-decor-when-selling-a-home Several years ago I staged a vacant home in the summer. It wasn't selling for a variety of reasons, which I duly mentioned to the sellers. As Christmas time was approaching, I decided to decorate it for the holidays. I put up a small tree, hung stockings from the mantlepiece, placed red candles and pine branches on the table, and placed a Christmas wreath on the door. It sold just before Christmas. I really believe the decorations helped to make the house seem homey and warm; it appealed to the buyer's emotions.But what I added was simple. In an occupied home, sellers need to be careful when decorating for the holidays. They can go overboard and create so many distractions that buyers miss the bones of the house. When the home is on the market, keeping the holiday decor down to a minimum of the tree, mantlepiece, door, and perhaps a centerpiece on the dining room table helps give a warm, homey glow to the house without overpowering the buyers. Hopefully Realtors can suggest this before all the Santa collections, trainsets,  dollhouses, and garlands get dragged out. It is much easier to give the guidance beforehand, rather than having to become the bad guy after everything is brought out from storage and put on display all over the house.Merry Christmas! Mary Abella, creating magic on a regular basis. (a little bit of red Interior RE-design LLC) Mon, 16 Nov 2015 00:47:50 -0800 https://activerain.com/blogsview/4783835/christmas-decor-when-selling-a-home https://activerain.com/blogsview/4782281/winter-home-staging The days are getting shorter. The temperatures are getting colder. And what most of us want, when we come home from work in the cold, dark, evening, is a warm, bright, cozy space. Buyers want to feel that same, emotional sense when they walk into a home they are considering buying. Especially as we approach the holiday season. When a home for sale is vacant, that warm, bright, cozy space does not exist. Buyers go through the home quickly, and want to move on to somewhere more pleasant. Placing nice arrangements of furniture and accessories in a vacant home create that warm, fuzzy feel buyers are looking for. It’s a home setting that they can relate to and connect with emotionally. Rooms with furniture in them keep buyers in them longer. Instead of saying, “Dining room. Unhuh” and moving on, they pause, imagine themselves sitting at that dining room table with family or guests, and living a wonderful life, even if they never use a dining room! Furnished homes create an ideal lifestyle for potential buyers, and cause them to want to buy the house to have that dream life. Throwing a few random pieces of furniture in a room and thinking that creates the dream is a misconception. Staging involves coming up with a conversational area with furniture in a living or family room, for instance, then adding colorful pillows, a cozy throw, some beautiful artwork, a few well-chosen decorative accents on tables and, if the floor is wood or tile, a soft-to-the-foot rug. The goal is to have the buyers walk in the door and, in the first 90 seconds (that’s all you get to either keep them in the home to see the rest or turn around and walk out) say to themselves, “I/we want this house!” Does your house for sale create that response in potential buyers? If not, you need to get busy to change that if you want a quick sale for top dollar. Mary Abella, creating magic on a regular basis. (a little bit of red Interior RE-design LLC) Thu, 12 Nov 2015 12:18:03 -0800 https://activerain.com/blogsview/4782281/winter-home-staging https://activerain.com/blogsview/2249329/decorating-trend Have you been looking in the decorating sections of department stores, fabric stores, or specialty shops? The sea shore is the new decorating trend. Starfish, pelicans, fish nets, sand buckets, shells, fishing lines with bobbers... a little ocean blue paint, a sandy colored rug, and all you need is the sunscreen! Well, that might get a little greasy on your upholstery. But it is a fun, cheery look. Mary Abella, creating magic on a regular basis. (a little bit of red Interior RE-design LLC) Sat, 16 Apr 2011 09:48:24 -0700 https://activerain.com/blogsview/2249329/decorating-trend https://activerain.com/blogsview/2209945/listing-homes-that-aren-t-ready I am so frustrated with sellers who don't get it. Or is it Realtors? The home is listed before the bathroom remodels are done (they were empty, with bathtubs and sinks sitting around--we didn't buy it.) The home is listed with no counters in yet. Why not wait until they are finished and looking great? The home is listed before the painting is done. Who picked out those colors??? Everybody knows that the first couple of weeks generate the most interest. So then why not have the home looking the best it can possibly be from day one? I have had my staged homes sell in 4, 5, 7, 9, 12, and ... days. They were ready to be photographed and put on the Internet. They were ready for buyers to come in and appreciate all they had to offer because those special features were highlighted. They looked beautiful, and the buyers bought them. I just don't get why homes are listed before they are ready. Am I missing something? Mary Abella, creating magic on a regular basis. (a little bit of red Interior RE-design LLC) Sat, 26 Mar 2011 14:00:45 -0700 https://activerain.com/blogsview/2209945/listing-homes-that-aren-t-ready https://activerain.com/blogsview/2169584/feng-shui-and-real-estate Feng Shui is "the art of arrangement," the "living in balance with nature." A lot of peope think it's a bunch of hokus pokus, but it is all about energy. Well, energy is EVERYWHERE. We don't see the energy of gravity, but it exists. We don't see the energy of electricity, but we know it can kill us. Remember chemistry class, where you learned that everything is made up of atoms, and atoms are constantly moving? Even though stones seem to be still, there is energy moving in them! Energy can be good or bad. When selling a home, we want the good energy to be in and around the home. People are subconsciously attracted to good energy, and repulsed by bad energy. Have you ever gone into a room where you felt very uncomfortable and couldn't wait to get out of there? The energy was bad. And you've surely gone into a room where it just feels wonderful to be there. It had good energy. As a Feng Shui home stager and decorator, I try to create the balance of Yin and Yang and the five elements as well as balance the "weight" of the furniture. I also create a path for chi (energy) to move freely around the house. If you think of chi as a river of water and try to let it flow easily without running into "dams," you can get the idea. Different areas of a room, a home, and even the land, are related to certain desireable abundances. Peopie are attracted to different areas, called guas. Just for fun, consider this: If the front (street-facing) door is on the left side of the home, the people who will be attracted to it will be deeply spiritual or very intellectual, and will undoubtedly love books and/or religious items (be it Christian, Jewish, Islamic, Buddhist, or whatever). If the home's front door is situated on the right side, it will attract people who like to travel, are very active socially, and have huge networks of supporters/friends. And if the door is in the center, the inhabitants likely will be very career oriented. Does your home's entrway location reflect your personality/interests? There are a lot of different things to consider when Feng Shui-ing a home, either for living or selling. But one easy thing to do is to create a natural path for chi to enter the home--and bring buyers to it and into it. Some people would say it is creating curb appeal, and it is, but it is a little more than just beauty. Chi likes to meander. So a curvy sidewalk is better than a straight one. And the colors black and red and yellow/gold are great colors to have at the doorway. They could be the door color, flowers in pots, a wreath, etc. Try working just that one place and see if it doesn't draw people in. I provide items in these colors as an extra when I stage my homes. The MLS pictures of the front elevation look so inviting! If you have a hard-to-sell property that is priced competitively, consider consulting a Feng Shui expert. Feng Shui remedies have been known to sell this type of home in a week or two! The fee is small, compared to a price reduction! Mary Abella, creating magic on a regular basis. (a little bit of red Interior RE-design LLC) Fri, 04 Mar 2011 02:12:27 -0800 https://activerain.com/blogsview/2169584/feng-shui-and-real-estate https://activerain.com/blogsview/2139450/five-times-you-should-stage-a-home As a home stager, I look at MLS listings and shudder more times than not. What were they thinking when they offered these houses for sale? Sure, there are some "perfect" homes. Perhaps they have been professionally staged, or maybe the sellers just get it. But there are some homes that cry out for staging so that the house itself can be appreciated for its assets. Following are five times when a home should be staged: 1. When there is so much clutter that buyers can hardly make their way through the house. It's almost not safe to look up at light fixtures, fireplaces, and other amenities because the buyer might trip on something and fall. Too much furniture and accessories can force the buyer's attention elsewhere also. 2. When the house is overdecorated. Sometimes you'll come across a home that has been decorated to the nth degree. Nothing was left undone. Unfortunately, the beautiful decor that would be appreciated by guests is distracting to buyers, who aren't able to envision their own things in the home. The owner's personal style might appeal to only a small group of people. When we sold our "English Country" home, we had to take down the large floral wallpaper in the two-story foyer, among other changes. 3. When the sellers are minimalists. One person's idea of livable might be fine for them, but the general public likes a little warmth when they look at a home. Adding some artwork, greenery, pillows, throws, area rugs, and table decor can do a lot to create a serene, welcoming feel to buyers. 4. When the home "just doesn't look right." Perhaps the furniture is arranged strangely--like ignoring a fireplace or wonderful view, or rooms are used for purposes other than their intended use--dining rooms for offices or music rooms, living rooms with billiard tables in them, etc. Buyers often leave those homes thinking there isn't a dining room when there really is one, for example. 5. When the home is vacant.  Vacant homes are very cold to come into. There is no "life." Small imperfections that are not noticeable in a furnished home are glaring in a vacant one. And, if there is anything odd about the floor plan or room configurations, buyers, of whom only 5% can envision the possibilities, can't figure out what to do with the situation. Staging these rooms with furniture shows how they could be used or furnished. If Realtors would use this formula adapted from RESA's (Real Estate Staging Association) to show their sellers how much money they are spending by carrying a house longer, they will help their sellers see the benefits of INVESTING a little bit of money in staging OVER SPENDING a lot in carrying costs: Mortgage Payment + taxes and insurance = .0075 X List Price      (EX. $150,000 LP X .0075 = $1125) Operating costs = HOA + Utilities + Maint. + other monthly expenses   (AVG. $200 = +$200) Monthly carrying costs   ($1125 + $200 = $1325) Average months on market for unstaged homes  (7) Cost to have this home on the market for 7 months   (7 X $1125 = $9275) Saved DOM for staged home = current neighborhood DOM X 78%   ($1325 X .78 = $7234.50) Saved Reduction = Money saved by not sitting on market--price reductions or lower offers    (Avg. min. $5000, so + $5000) Total amount saved by staging  ($7234.50 + $5000 = $12,234.50) Total cost of staging    Avg. $1500 Total amount saved by staging a $150,000 home after cost of staging  ($12234.50 - $1500 = $10,734.50) Staging is an INVESTMENT with huge returns! What other investment today pays a rate of return of more than 7% in such a short period of time? The more expensive the house, the more that is saved through staging it. If the home is properly priced, a staged home will outshine its competition and sell quickly for a higher amount, and both the seller and the Realtor can benefit from that! Mary Abella, creating magic on a regular basis. (a little bit of red Interior RE-design LLC) Tue, 15 Feb 2011 14:25:10 -0800 https://activerain.com/blogsview/2139450/five-times-you-should-stage-a-home https://activerain.com/blogsview/1210053/before-you-reduce-the-price--- When you reduce the price of a stagnant home, you will never get more than that asking price (unless you reduce it so much you create a bidding war.) When you keep the price the same but increase the home’s value, you will get more money for your client and more commission money for you. How do you increase the value? Through STAGING! Staging a home • Adds warmth and good emotions--Buying a home is an emotional decision! • Plays up the positives and plays down the negatives Features fireplaces, for example Distracts from fireplace-less rooms by choosing another focal point, e.g. • Allows buyers to get an idea of what the home might look like with their own things in it In furnished homes, personal items and personalized decorating are removed In vacant homes, furniture gives buyers a sense of what fits • Sells it faster and for more money (see statistics on stagedhomes.com) Staged homes sell 50% faster than non-staged homes, even after the home has been on the market for a while Staged homes sell for an average of 3-10% more money Helpful hints • Once the home is staged, take new photos and update realtor.com and the other websites. Buyers will take a second look at new pictures (take a new one of the front, too, preferably from a different angle, so it seems like a new listing) • Hold another Open House, advertising that it is staged. People have remarked that staging made a difference in a buying decision. • Make sure that any negative comments from buyers have been addressed--leaky faucets, dank basement odors, etc. • Start out with a positive attitude as if it is a new listing, with great potential--after all, it really is! Mary Abella, creating magic on a regular basis. (a little bit of red Interior RE-design LLC) Tue, 25 Aug 2009 05:42:25 -0700 https://activerain.com/blogsview/1210053/before-you-reduce-the-price--- https://activerain.com/blogsview/1202748/5-ways-to-prepare-a-home-for-sale Once upon a time, back in the olden days, the Realtor told his clients to clean their house, and he/she put up a sign in the yard. The home sold, and the famiy moved on. Now, however, selling a home takes a lot more work than that to compete in today's market. Here are some ideas for ways to get your seller's or your own home ready to put on the market. 1. Get rid of all personal "stuff." Most agents will tell their sellers to remove photos, but it goes much farther than that. Any diplomas, awards, sports team memorabilia, religious items, collections, and unusual artwork needs to packed away for the move now. The seller should be a nebulous person, unidentifiable to buyers. 2. Get rid of junk. Now is the time to realize that you are not going to read all those old magazines, newspapers, or financial reports. Recycle them. Now is a great time to clean out closets and cupboards--and the ONLY way it should be done is to take everything out and only put back what you have used in the last year. One client ended up with 8 bags full of clothing to donate, some of which was from high school, and it was ten years later! She would not have gotten that much out of the closet if we had done what she wanted to--just take the unwanted things out of the closet. In kitchens, living rooms, dens, and bedrooms, clear everything off any flat surface. Only put back what is decorative/functional--after you've dusted it and the surface. 3. It's not a bad idea to hire an inspector yourself before listing because the best surprise is no surprise. Nothing is worse than receiving a good offer and then having the deal fall through when the buyer's inspector finds major structural or mechanical problems with the home. Find out what they are beforehand and fix them. This adds value to the home because buyers see that the home is well cared for. Rickety railings, ceiling stains from leaks, a hot water heater that breaks on the day you put the sign up, leaky faucets, missing shingles, improperly installed siding... these are signs of poor maintenance, and buyers will offer less if not pull away from an offer at all. 4. Invite a trusted friend in to "critique" your home's appearance. Someone who will be honest and will tell you to remove that floral wallpaper, repaint the lime green bedroom, or get your carpets cleaned. We are all emotionally attached to our homes, and we get used to things the way they are. The way you live in a home and the way you market and sell it are two different things, however. If there is no one you can trust, or you don't want to ruin a beautiful friendship, hire a qualified home stager, who will be tactful but also truthful. He/she comes in cold like a potential buyer, and can point out things you missed. Like why is there a line of dirt in the grass in the back yard? The seller's reply?  "Everybody can see we have a dog." I don't have a dog, and I thought the yard had been dug up for a new pipe! Or why are there two rural-style mailboxes here? Get rid of the one that is not used. 5. Appeal to the buyer's five senses. No noticeable bad smells, and perhaps cookies or cinnamon rolls baking just before a showing. Peaceful music at a low volume. A beautiful setting that appeals to the emotions of "I could live here." Some texture that the buyers can touch--a soft, silky throw, a smooth kitchen countertop that is free of utensils and other distracting things. Taste? Leave those cookies out for them to enjoy! Leave a note inviting them to take some with them. Provide a substantial napkin to go with them. If it's really hot outside, place a couple of nice, frosty water bottles next to the plate of cookies. If it's fall, apple cider in a jug with portable cups. These all make the home memorable, and create those good feelings that move buyers to choose your home. Before the pictures are taken for the Internet, make sure the home is spotless, clutterfree, and neutral in colors and decor. It should look like a model home, where nobody lives, but anybody could. If you take the time at the front end to have your house ready to sell, then, once the home goes on the market, it will be sell-ready for those first few weeks of hectic activity, and will sell more quickly and for a higher price. This is an investment that pays off at closing time. Isn't it worth it? You bet! Mary Abella, creating magic on a regular basis. (a little bit of red Interior RE-design LLC) Wed, 19 Aug 2009 13:55:53 -0700 https://activerain.com/blogsview/1202748/5-ways-to-prepare-a-home-for-sale https://activerain.com/blogsview/968348/other-reasons-homes-don-t-sell Christopher and Stephanie Somers, from Philadelphia, gave four good reasons why homes don't sell: price, marketing, difficulty in showing, and stigmas. I am offering four more: Drive-bys can't see the home, the home is in a very bad setting, there is no curb appeal, and the sellers don't really want to sell. Drive-bys PROBLEM: Typical buyers find possible homes on the internet. Then, if they are not familiar with the neighborhood, they will drive by. If the home is hidden from view, they will do just that: drive by! SOLUTION: If it is just overgrowth of shrubs and trees, trim them back. I know, as a former seller, I did not want to trim back my beautiful tree. But now that I am a stager, I know better. Do you know what I know? I know that the buyer will not know what it looked like before, and will not be upset by it. Example 1: When helping a couple stage their home, I noted the beautiful white fence outside their screened porch, giving them privacy from next door. They said they hated it, that it cut off their view of the neighbor's back yard, thus cutting their yard off visually. They knew what was, I knew what is. And it was good. Buyers would like it. Example 2: On Stagedhomes.com, there are sample pictures. In one of them, the before picture shows a mass of trees and undergrowth from the street. No house. You'd never know there was a house in there! The after picture shows the underbrush cut away, and a beautiful home with a gorgeous fountain in front. Which one would drive-bys want to pursue? Example 3: A home I staged is in a beautiful setting. It is on a lake, is surrounded by trees, and is very peaceful. Problem? You can't see it from the street because it is set back. I suggested they put a sign under the Realtor's sign, inviting people to drive up the driveway for a glimpse of heaven. I know I would feel funny doing that as a drive-by, but if there were an invitation to drive back, I would do it. Bad settings PROBLEM: The home has neighbors who don't keep up their property, whose backyard is a mess, etc. SOLUTION: A good relationship with neighbors is key. Example: I took some homemade cookies to a condo neighbor, with a note thanking them in advance for anything they could do to help keep the hallways clear of their  kid's stuff. He came over while I was staging, we talked, and the relations are good. He removed the rug he was drying in the hall, and mopped the kids mess in the main hallway. Example: You don't know why the neighbors have a mess. Perhaps they are elderly, and can't keep up with the house. Meet them. If this is the case, offer to clean up their leaves/trash/junk. Offer to mow. Perhaps they are willing to hire somebody but just don't know who. Find somebody. Example: If, after talking with the neighbors, you realize they are not going to cooperate, then blocking off the offensive view with fencing, bushes, outdoor "room dividers, yard art, or whatever will help block the view or distract from it. Put something lovely in front of the blocker, like a planting of colorful flowers. Example: If the whole neighborhood is a mess, perhaps enough neighbors would respond to a clean-up/fix-up Saturday. Place signs around beforehand so they can plan to save the day, provide a dumpster and rakes, brooms, and a wheelbarrow, and see what shows up--sometimes that's all that they need: a place to easily get rid of their stuff. And you'll feel good about helping a neighborhood! No curb appeal PROBLEM: When potential buyers drive by, there is nothing that stands out about the house. It is just "there." SOLUTION: Create interest in the view from the street. Example: In season, flowers do wonders. Plant them so they lead up to the front door, either following the sidewalk, or in a bunch here, and a bunch there, zigzagging every 5 feet or so, on either side. Plant flowers on either side of the front porch or put potted plants on either side of the door, if they fit. If it is off-season, not to worry. You can "plant" evergreen boughs in the pots and add a touch of red berries (discount home/floral store). Little tiny Christmas trees lining the walkway work in the winter also. Example: Wash the windows. Have attractive window coverings--half curtains are cute for many homes, and still provide privacy. Full drapes pulled back to the side in a tassel/raffia/whatever looks inviting also. At any rate, have the coverings OPEN (except the half curtains), so the house doesn't look forboding. Then leave lights on inside in the front rooms. If you are gone all day, leave them on, in case the day turns dark and dreary. Nothing looks cozier than lights shining from inside when it's dark outside. The sellers don't really want to sell PROBLEM: Even though the home is on the market, the owners really don't want to move. SOLUTION: Do not underestimate the power of intention! If the owner does not want to sell, the home will not sell. Signs they don't want to sell: They don't do the suggested things they need to do to get the property ready, they talk about how they don't want to move, they hang around during showings and say things that  make the home seem undesirable. You need to put on your psychologist's hat and help them move on. Ask them why they don't want to move. Try to find out what their interests are and maybe do some research to find outlets in the new home area. Example: An elderly woman and her somewhat mentally disabled adult son were going to move nearer to the daughter/sister in a new town. The son did not want to move. The sister found out some places where he could make pottery like he liked to do, and a coffee shop to hang out in, and he was then psychologically ready to make the move. Example: Seniors don't want to leave their home that they raised their family in. If possible, work with the children. See if they will take and keep some of the furniture/momentos so the parents can see them from time to time. Choose their favorite furnishings to move with them, be it a favorite chair or a lovely dresser. Again, find outlets for their interests in the new area. Example: Young children often don't want to leave their friends, school, activities. Taking them along to the new school to meet the principal and some teachers, taking them to a basketball game if they play basketball, introducing them to new neighbors if the new home has already been bought, etc., helps them to feel more comfortable. The more say they have in the move, like which toys to leave out and not pack away for staging, the better. Let them feel as though they have some control. For us, it meant not considering buying in an area because our daughter didn't like it. We survived! Yes, all these solutions to the problems take a little bit of work on your part. But, if it means a quicker sale or even a sale at all, it is worth it financially for you. You'll spend less time and money marketing it, and they surely will tell others about how you've bent over backwards to help them make the sale a reality--and that means more referrals! Mary Abella, creating magic on a regular basis. (a little bit of red Interior RE-design LLC) Thu, 05 Mar 2009 09:43:45 -0800 https://activerain.com/blogsview/968348/other-reasons-homes-don-t-sell https://activerain.com/blogsview/795696/good-pictures-help-sell-homes Did you know that 80% of buyers shop for their new home online? That means internet pictures have to be fantastic.  Here are five ways to improve your client's home’s online presence: 1.  Don’t just label the pictures Photo #1, photo #2, etc. Describe the room in the picture.  Point out its architectural features. Suggest uses for it. Tell which floor it is located on. 2.  Make sure the room is photo ready. Get rid of cleaning supplies,  kid messes, food dishes, etc. Arrange the room to look inviting.  Add some accessories that go with the room and make it looked comfortable and used, and not just another room that’s there. (Hiring a professional home stager with an objective viewpoint can help here.) 3. Take pictures from an angle that shows the room’s features, not the furnishings. You aren’t selling the furniture, you are selling the room. Get the built-in shelving in the picture, from an angle that shows the room is furnished, but not just taking a photo of a wall with furniture. Show the bath’s shower or tub to show it is a full bath. All buyers know that bathrooms have toilets. 4.  In the bathroom, make sure toilet seats are down, towels look fresh, and there’s no dirty laundry hanging on a hook. 5. Don’t take pictures towards a big window unless you can adjust your camera to compensate for it. The camera thinks there is too much light, and the photo comes out dark. If you have some simple photo software, you can adjust the light also. 6. The more rooms you feature, rather than showing 3-4 of the same room, the better. Buyers want to check out bedrooms and basements also before they decide to take a look in person. Buyers are more sophisticated in their home shopping these days. Keep up with the trends and help your client's home sell quickly with great online photos. Mary Abella, creating magic on a regular basis. (a little bit of red Interior RE-design LLC) Tue, 18 Nov 2008 02:17:09 -0800 https://activerain.com/blogsview/795696/good-pictures-help-sell-homes https://activerain.com/blogsview/542939/the-two-hardest-homes-to-sell The two hardest homes to sell are cluttered ones and empty ones. In the cluttered home, a buyer's eyes flit all over the room, trying to take in everything. In the process, he/she often misses the real object they are shopping for: the house itself. The one thing a friend of mine remembered from a house she was looking at was the suit of armour in the living room!  Clutter eats equity. Buyers don't feel they are getting as much for their money as they do in a streamlined home where they can see and appreciate the good points of the home. In the opposite situation, an empty home is just as bad. Instead of being overstimulated from all the "stuff," buyers tend to go into each room and say, "Ah--the _____ room," then move on to the next room because there is nothing of interest to keep them there longer. They miss out noticing the great selling points of the room. Even something as simple as a picture and greenery over the mantle piece adds some warmth and interest, and it calls attention to the fact that there IS a fireplace there. Furnishings can also give buyers a sense of proportion and size. In a bedroom, for example, a bed, nightstand and lamp can give buyers a sense for how big the room is. They can then imagine where their dresser and chest would go. Without the bed as a touchpoint, many bedrooms look much smaller than they really are. Some rooms have an awkward shape. Placing a few furnishings in them to give an idea of a possible furniture arrangement can go a long way to convincing the buyer that this home can work for them. In today's buyer's market, we need to create an interesting and compelling image of the homes we are selling. Long gone are the days when a seller calls up a Realtor, they plant a sign in the yard, and the house sells. Merchandiising the home for sale is the new norm. Mary Abella, creating magic on a regular basis. (a little bit of red Interior RE-design LLC) Mon, 09 Jun 2008 03:16:27 -0700 https://activerain.com/blogsview/542939/the-two-hardest-homes-to-sell https://activerain.com/blogsview/200912/staging-a-home--with-children-in-it- Selling a home "with children in it" is a trying situation. Children come with so many accessories! Here are some ideas to help lessen the stress.1. Put laundry baskets in all the rooms where toys accumulate. When you get notice of a showing, go into each of those rooms, fill up the basket, and put the basket in the car. After all the baskets are in the car, and the house is ready, either drive off or go for a walk. Buyers are looking at your house, not your car.2. Place high chairs, bouncy seats, and other baby furnishings in a neat line-up in the garage for showings.3. If there is a bedskirt on the child's bed or crib, scooting toys, clothes, school papers, and all the other kid's stuff under the bed works. Nobody checks under the bed. They DO check closets, so don't shove anything in there. 4. Keep a couple of rags and spray cleaner handy for daily mishaps. Treat them right away, before they dry up and are harder to remove. WD40 takes care of crayon "art"on the walls and cupboards.5. Don't forget all the playthings outside. Corral them into a box in the garage for showings also.6. Straighten up/clean the house every night after the kids are in bed. Then, when you get them up, make the beds first thing, get them dressed, then feed them. That way, if you get a call for an immediate showing, you won't have to refuse it.If you arrange your life to go into "showing mode," it will be much easier and less stressful while your home is on the market. Mary Abella, creating magic on a regular basis. (a little bit of red Interior RE-design LLC) Tue, 11 Sep 2007 03:07:13 -0700 https://activerain.com/blogsview/200912/staging-a-home--with-children-in-it- https://activerain.com/blogsview/74371/how-can-you-afford-furnishings-for-an-empty-house- An empty house is cold looking, and the buyers can't get a feel for the scale of the room without furnishings as a touch point. But how can you afford to furnish the home? I know many Realtors have a few towels, plants, and pictures in their repertoire, but buyers need to see real furnishings to get a good feel for how their things would fit.One idea is to buy medium-priced furniture--say, from Sofa Express, then re-sell it for 3/4 of the cost when the home sells. It will be brand new, unused, for much less than the new buyer would pay at the store!Another idea, which works for moderate-priced homes, is inflatable furniture. Yup, "blow-up" beds, sofas, and chairs. Put several camping mattresses on top of each other, and cover with a stylish bed set bought at TJ Max, Tuesday Mornings, etc. Place the skirt on it when you've got the #2 matress on, then lay the third matress on, and place the spread over it. An inexpensive metal wall decor can act as a headboard. For the sofa and chairs, buy slipcovers at places like Value City Dept. Store. Press them, tuck them in, throw on a decorative pillow, and voila! When using furniture in this way, think lightweight and easy to store and move. For higher end homes, I purchased two "slipper chairs" through Target's online store, with free shipping (very important). Separately, they can flank a fireplace, but together, since they don't have arms, they create a mini sofa. Throw on a longer, "sausage" pillow in a complementary color spanning the two seats, and you've got a chic loveseat-size sofa.I hope these ideas will get your imagination going. Get creative, and have fun! Mary Abella, creating magic on a regular basis. (a little bit of red Interior RE-design LLC) Wed, 11 Apr 2007 14:57:45 -0700 https://activerain.com/blogsview/74371/how-can-you-afford-furnishings-for-an-empty-house- https://activerain.com/blogsview/73833/home-staging-works- According to StagedHomes.com research, staged homes sell on average 50% faster, and for anywhere from 3-10% more money. It works! Also, an investment in staging costs far less than a price reduction. Let's face it, in today's market, most homes will never get offers for MORE than the asking price. So, once the price is reduced, that is less money in the seller's pocket. On the other hand, instead of losing, say, $10,000 in a price reduction, spend a small fraction of that money to stage the home and make it look great, setting it apart from others in the market. The sellers will get more for the home than they would have had they reduced the price. It is the best investment the seller can make to sell his home quickly and for top dollar.What is home staging? It is preparing the home to sell in the seller's time frame and budget. It is de-personalizing the home, making it more neutral, so the largest number of buyers can imagine themselves in the home. It is creating sort of a "model home" appearance that looks beautiful and appeals many different tastes. It plays down the individualized decorating and plays up the architecture and good points of the home--what the buyer is really buying. There are million dollar homes that are decorated exquisitely, but they are in a certain, limited design style that leaves most buyers in the dust. Victorian and Louis XVI come to mind. They are a limiting design style that most buyers cannot relate to, and therefore they can't relate emotionally to the house. They pass it up.Realtors, make it a policy to stage every listing you get so that you can fulfill your fiduciary agreement with the seller to get the most money for the home possible. And a plus for you--YOU get a bigger commission and spend less money on advertising and other expenses. It's a win-win situation! Mary Abella, creating magic on a regular basis. (a little bit of red Interior RE-design LLC) Wed, 11 Apr 2007 02:32:49 -0700 https://activerain.com/blogsview/73833/home-staging-works-