Sellers - The Importance of Staging the Outside of your Home.

First impressions do count.  I am sure that you have heard that over 95% of  people form an impression of you within seven seconds of your initial meeting, and form a judgement of you within the first minute. This is predominantly true in day to day life, very much so in business, and especially on target in real estate.

As for real estate- When you drive down a street, and see a majority of homes that appear to be very well kept, it is a good indication that the area is thriving, a good investment, and considered a nice neighborhood. If you pass through another neighborhood where there isn't that same amount of care given to the home and its property, you may not get the same  "warm and fuzzies", and your reaction is probably right on target. As a matter of fact, that also translates to each house on the street within that neighborhood

Remember when you first looked at homes, and drove up to that house that you wanted to see so badly, only to pull up to the home and see an overgrown lawn?  The feeling already started, didn't it?- and the inside wasn't any better, was it?  Or remember that house that was just about perfect  on the outside? The inside was very clean, too.Maybe that's the one you bought!

It is IMPERATIVE that you make sure that your home's exterior matches OR BEATS what the interior has to offer. It's a first impression, and will make or break a sale.

An interesting point:  Sometimes banks request BPO's (Broker Price Opinions) of real estate agents. The seller, or mortgagee, has no inkling that the bank requests this, nor is the agent at liberty to ever discuss this with the owner. That means that we have to formulate an opinion of value without even going inside , and  base our estimate of value upon the exterior appearance of the home. We call these "Drive By BPO's". The reason I mention this is that the outside appearance almost always resembles the inside condition. It's not a stretch to think that if someone does not tend to the home's exterior, that the interior may not be well cared for, either. Likewise, when you see a home that is absolutely impeccable in every way outside, the inside is probably well maintained, too. Of course, there are exceptions to every rule, and this is a general statement, but it holds true the vast majority of the time.

OUTSIDE- the lawn is nice, neat, and well manicured = INSIDE - clean, well cared for and maintained, and neat.
OUTSIDE- Older landscaping, not necessarily overgrown = INSIDE- may NOT be updated.
OUTSIDE- Needs a new roof, new windows, or siding = INSIDE- Mechanicals and Interior are probably NOT updated.
OUTSIDE- Garbage strewn about, even if it's only a small bit = INSIDE - House is not clean.
OUTSIDE- Lawn and shrubbery are overgrown =INSIDE-  In need or cosmetics and/or structural repairs.

I know these assessments may sound somewhat harsh, especially if I have described your home's exterior, and the inside is an exception to what the general rule is. If you are planning on putting your home on the market, it's important! Pay attention to the outside. This is also a part of staging your home, and a very big part, I might add. No one may ever want to go inside if the outside is not inviting enough. See other articles on staging.

I am happy to guide you through the process, and give you staging tips and strategies. When you are ready to sell your home, call me or contact me by email and I will  come out to your home, give you specifics on what needs to be done, if anything, to get your house ready for sale. My goal is to help you make your home appeal to the most buyers, and get a sale in the shortest amount of time with the least amount of hassle to you. That's my job, I do it well. Call me  when the time is right for you, and you need the best!

Should you fix up your home to get it sold, or sell it as-is?

Now that it comes time to sell your home, you realize that there are some things that you should have done over the years, but chose to do others for one reason or another.  You may have focused on the interior, and now your home is missing curb appeal, or you may have focused on the exterior, and the inside needs updating. So what do you do?

The answer will depend greatly upon a number of variables including your available funds, estimated time frame of completion of any work to be performed and whether or not that work can be completed while the home is on the market, the likelyhood of the return on your investment, the current real estate market climate and the number of competing homes in your price range. Your agent should be able to guide you as to what would make the most sense in your situation.

If fixing up your home seems to be the best choice: Make a list of everything that needs attention, whether it is defective, broken or worn out. Don't be afraid to ask your agent for assistance on this. It is important that buyers do not spot problems or issues before you do. If a buyer sees a number of minor issues, they may think that there are more issues that have gone undetected, and pass on your house.

Here are a few improvements to make before selling your home:

Remove and replace dated light fixtures and make sure EVERY light in the home is working properly, and that there are no dim areas.
Remove excess furniture, clutter and personal effects. (see staging articles )
Paint walls that need it, and if any room color is dark, paint it a neutral color.
Make sure that your heating and cooling systems are operating properly.
Note any plumbing issues and repair (including leaky faucets)
Replace worn or outdated carpeting. (If there is hardwood underneath your carpet  in good condition, just remove the carpet)
Replace broken windows, rotted wood, and make sure all doors and locks are working properly.

Weigh the cost of individual proposed improvements against the home's estimated market value after the repairs or upgrades are completed. See my prior post on Return on Investment for Home Repairs.  Improvements should not be warranted if the cost of that improvement outweighs the return. Before you decide to change the carpet, or re-roof your home, look at this prior post regarding return on investment percentages. You may also want to view a few homes that your  home will be competing with- if most of these homes have amenities or upgrades that yours does not, take that into consideration as well. If the kitchens are upgraded, you may want to consider an improvement, just don't overdo it. If you will be replacing appliances, there is no need to go top-of-the-line. Mid-range is fine. Remember, those appliances would be brand new, and that's a bonus within itself.

Selling your home in as-is condition: If you are considering  selling  as-is route, just make sure you have carefully thought out the following: Is it that cumbersome, or costly to do any repairs whatsoever?
Have you priced it correctly for the repairs, improvement that it needs?

Fixer-uppers have some appeal to  a general market, it just depends on the scope of repairs, or improvements that are needed. Minor cosmetics won't scare a number of buyers away who are willing to do some work by themselves, however when the minor repairs or cosmetics get to be too much to handle, they, too will pass. Limiting your market if you don't absolutely have to is not the best idea.  Remember, if an upgrade or repair costs $3,000 for example, you can expect the buyer to want to reduce the price by about $4,500 , just for the inconvenience of doing the work themselves. It's not a rule of thumb, it just seems to be a pattern that I have seen. When you price your home, and your agent creates marketing materials for the home,  you may want to note that you have reduced the price accordingly to offset the work needed, and hopefully that will head off any lowball offers.

Truly, you need expert guidance in any circumstance, and the advice that I would give you  is going to be different than the advice that I may give your neighbor. You have twoo different houses, and two different sets of circumstances regarding yoru proposed sale. When you are ready to make a move, and need a professional, call me. I'll be right to the point, and guide you in the best direction possible.

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What are the three most important factors when selling a home?

When you decide it's time to sell your home, pay special attention to three very important factors. These weigh heavily in any type of market and  can make or break the sale of your home.

• PRICE: The first  and foremost prerequisite to selling your home is pricing it correctly.  That doesn't mean adding extra room for negotiations. That only puts you into a price category that you can't easily compete with other homes. Remember, buying a home is truly an emotional purchase for a buyer. They always seem to come up to your price if they really want your home. In our area, The sales price to list price ratio is around 95% and that is already factored into the list price. Your agent (that would be me!) will conduct thorough market analyses to ensure that you know what the proper list price for your home should be. If you are thinking of selling your home now, contact me for your detailed market analyses.

•  CONDITION: Second, go through the house  with your agent and fix any obvious issues. I will conduct a walk -through with you when we place yourhome n the market, not only to see all of its features, but to consult with you about any problems that you may be aware of, and  make suggestions to if I find any areas of concern. Cosmetics and interior neutralization to enable your home to appeal to the most buyers is  of the utmost importance. This is one of the first step of staging your home for sale. Utilize my 26+ years in the industry to advise you as to what makes the most sense before you make any changes.

• EXPOSURE:  Exposure is important, but at the same time, it is also important that your agent does not over-expose your home. Your home should be advertised in the places that make the best sense. Make sure that your home is getting the proper exposure it deserves through appropriate advertising, broker and public open houses, Marketing materials for your home that are placed at your home, and an accurate listing on the local multiple listing service or online listings providers.

When you are ready to sell your home, contact me. I will make sure that youunderstand  all of these very important components of selling your home, and more importantly, I will implement them on your behalf.

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What exactly is Feng Shui, and how do you use it?

Feng Shui (pronounced Fung Shway)  is the Chinese art of placement. The term literally means wind and water.  The subject of feng shui came to mind because I was just reading an article on Oscar Nominee homes on aol.com  and saw a picture of Sandra Bullock's old "love nest".  It's a fun article- Here's the link But the moment I saw the picture of her bedroom, I immediately said to myself,"Bad Feng Shui". There were overhead beams on the ceiling effectively cutting the bed (and relationship) in half. That's a feng shui no-no.

Everyone has their own opinion- some think its superstitious, some swear by its principles, and some could care less. It's a personal preference, and if you want to have some  fun with it, I've included some information about colors and feng shui. It can be quite complex,  and there are numerous websites on the internet with various interpretations. I have three books on the subject and they all have a slightly different spin, so it's not exactly cut and dry. There are a few Feng Shui Masters in the Fairfield County area,  so if you wanted an assessment of your home, its location,  and what you could do to rectify any feng shui faux pas, there are experts in the area available.

One of the very basic principles? Declutter! That sounds familiar, doesn't it? Whether you are selling your home now or not, a clean home just feels more vibrant and healthy, and its good for your spiritual well being. By the way, de-cluttering includes closet space, drawers, cabinets,  and basements.  That's good Chi.  Colors have meanings, too:

Black-  power, sophistication, elegance,and mysterious
White-  cleanliness, clarity, innocence, spirituality, purity, creativity
Red - powerful, stimulating, passionate, exciting; passion and romance
Orange-stimulating, active, cheerful
Yellow- happy, stimulating, warm,
Green- relaxing, tranquil,  healing, calming
Blue -calming, clarity, soothing, trustworthy, renewal, and nobility
Purple- regal,  nobility, abundance, and dignity.
Pink- sedating calming, ove and romance.
Grey- calm, quiet, boring, conservative and draining
Brown-  reliable, stable, comfortable

Wherever your thoughts are on Feng Shui, remember that a buyer or seller may very well have a completely different take on it, so while I wouldn't suggest you  go hog wild maximizing the chi  in your home for a buyer, take note of some of the principles of placement- there's  a lot of common sense to it.



How much does it cost to "stage" your home for sale?

... and what exactly does the term "Staging Your Home" mean?
In short, it  means optimizing your home for sale to broaden its appeal by implementing neutral and /or aesthetic changes so that your home shows as well as it could to as many buyers as possible.

Yes, once a real estate agent mentions staging to a seller, the "how much is this going to cost me" antenna goes up. Relax, "staging your home" doesn't have to cost a cent!  Are there Realtors who charge for this service? Yes. Realtors who offer a one hour complimentary service, but anything after that has a fee attached? Yes. Are there companies that offer staging advice? yes. Do they charge for their services- yes, they do. Personally, I don't ever charge a client for advising them on how to sell their home for the most money. It's part of my job.

So, that being said, ask your real estate agent UP FRONT whether they offer that service, and how much they charge for it. I want to be clear, the advice  should be included in your contract, at no cost. Sometimes, and this is not all the time, I might advise to you to do some minor repairs, or buy (or rent) some furniture, depending on the property. Then, and only then, there might be a cost, but never for my advice. I have a number of affiliate partners who I refer business to, who discount their services to my clients.

Here are a few tips on staging your home that won't cost you anything but time.

Clean! make sure your home is as spotless as you can make it.
Make sure all of your lights are on and opreational for showings (lamps, recessed lights, sconces, etc)
Remove as many "personal effects" from view as possible. By personal effects I mean family photos, trophies, beauty and hygiene products, personal papers, and clothes.
De-clutter wherever needed. That means remove as many items as you can from the kitchen countertop, remove the magnets from the fridge, pack away some of those magazines and books so they are not distracting to buyers, and don't forget to pay some de-cluttering attention to your basement!

These are just a few of many tips. When you hire a Realtor, they will most certainly let  you know exactly what you need to do in order to optimize your home for sale. ... and I hope that Realtor is me!