3 Quick Home Staging Tips
In selling a home, creating the proper atmosphere is just as important as pricing your home properly. Elegant furniture can enhance a room, or stifle buyers’ ability to envision themselves there if the placement is incorrect. Depending on presentation, beautiful flowers can appeal to a potential buyer or detract from the mood of the showing. Simple yet aesthetic additions can sometimes make all the difference.
When consulting with sellers, I help them determine what their home is worth in Yardley, Newtown or anywhere in Bucks County. I can assure that a more inviting home will result in a quicker sale and a better price. Here are three easy do-it-yourself ideas to quickly add some eye-catching appeal and dollar value to your home:
Proper furniture placement
There should be just enough furniture in each room to give the room a purpose. Remove all redundant furniture and move the large pieces away from the walls when possible. Make sure the furniture is the proper scale for the room (e.g remove a king size bed and replace it with a queen if it is too big for the bedroom.) Create appealing vignette groupings with furniture, plants, and artwork to create a mood and attract the buyer’s eye.
Use appropriate plants and beautiful pots
Add vibrantly colored flowers to a neutral-colored room to add some flair, and flowers with more subdued colors to a room that already has a bold color scheme. Use flowers and plants that match the décor of your home. Place plants or flowers in high quality containers near the outside entrance and in the foyer to welcome your buyers. Strategically placed greenery can guide the buyer’s eye as they navigate through your home. Plants can bring life to your home, but be sure to choose quality placement over quantity.
Add small tastes of home
Small details added to your simplified décor can stand out and give buyers the warm fuzzy feeling of home. Eye-catching bowls of shiny fruit on the dining room table, colorful cookbooks on the counter, a creative basket of bath salts and spa treatments in the bathroom all entice the buyer to make themselves at home. Try to focus on items that will universally affect the largest potential group of buyers. Sometimes the things that we think of as “homey” may not be for someone else.
Sometimes just a few small staging changes in your home can mean the difference between a quick sale and a long wait on the real estate market in Yardley, Newtown or Bucks County. Talk to your realtor or a staging expert to decide what changes might benefit your home. Depending on your budget, you can opt for some free or low-cost adjustments like the ideas above, or invest in the professional advice of a staging professional. Contact me for more information if you are interested in an evaluation of your property.
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Selling real estate in Yardley or Newtown; listing photo disaster?
When you’re thinking about hiring an agent to help you market and sell your home, it’s probably a good idea to ask to see listing photos of homes they’ve represented in the past. A true real estate professional will go the extra mile to make sure there are plenty of high-quality, detailed photos to help market your home online. This is true when doing video, as well. That is why I hire a professional photographer & videographer to ensure that my listings images are as good as they can possibly be.
At the minimum, the photos should be well-lit, the homes should be tastefully presented, and the photographs should appear to be taken by a professional. Less than that, and you might want to consider looking for a new agent. I have seen some pretty funny house photos, and the price of the house often does not matter. There are, of course, major red flags you’ll want to look for in sample listing photos.
Consider some of the following:
- No owners sunbathing in the pool in Speedos.
- No attic rooms cluttered with personal massagers and ashes/dust.
- No master bedrooms with lingerie models lounging in a red velvet four-poster bed.
- No bathroom shots in which the photographer appears in her bra in the mirror.
- No pics featuring the owners engaged in questionable activities in the background.
- No creepy dolls by the fire place.
- Seriously, no creepy dolls anywhere, not even in the living room!
- No stains of murdered bodies on the bare floors.
Now, it may sound like I’m joking, but I’m being 100% honest when I say these are flaws seen in actual listing photos represented by real agents. What’s more, I can prove it.
See every single one of the above listing photo disasters in this slide show:
Incredible, isn’t it?
Please, whatever you do, be sure to hire an agent who takes their listing photos seriously. After all, you home is your largest investment! I’d be glad to treat it with the respect it deserves. Let me help you market your home the right way: Marty@MartinMillner.com 215-519-1399
Yardley Home Buyers and Sellers Update
I just received the National Association of Realtors (NAR) 2011 profile of home buyers and sellers. As we move further into the spring real estate market in Bucks County, I always enjoy reviewing the NAR survey, which comes out around this time every year.
Contrary to what the press would have us all believe, people actually bought and sold houses in 2011! NAR interviews literally thousands of home buyers and sellers every year, and generates a very comprehensive review of the prior year in real estate. What did we see in 2011?
Buyers
- 37% of recent home buyers were first time home buyers. This represented a drop from 50% in 2010. No doubt the high number of first time home buyers in 2010 was a result of the first time home buyer tax credit. To me, even 37% is a very high percentage. I know that personally, I worked with a number of first time home buyers in Yardley and Newtown in 2011.
- The typical buyer was 45 years old, which was a jump from 39 years old, in 2010
- The 2010 median household income of buyers was $80,900. Median income was $62,400 for first time home buyers, and $96,600 for repeat buyers.
- 64% of recent home buyers were married couples, which was the highest percentage since 2001. 18% of recent home buyers were single females, which was the lowest share since 2004. Not exactly sure why that was the case.
- For 27% of recent home buyers, the primary reason that they bought, was simply a desire to own a home!
Sellers
- The typical seller lived in their home for 9 years. The median tenure has increased in recent years. As recently as 2007, it was six years.
- 87% of sellers used a realtor when selling. (I love that statistic!)
- Recent sellers sold for 95%of the listing price, and 61% reported that they reduced the price at least once.
- 41% of sellers offered incentives to attract buyers, most often offering home warranties and help with closing costs.
The entire buyer and seller report is almost 200 pages, and includes interesting charts and graphs. I can email the report, if anyone is interested in seeing it.
I like to look at the report and see how the national experiences of buyers and sellers, compares with what I find in my real estate business in Yardley, Newtown and Bucks County. I will talk about the report in future posts, but it is always important for me to emphasize that, especially in our area, real estate is moving. I have had recent listings that have sold within a very short period of time, and the market is active.
If you would like to see the home buyer and seller report, please email me at Marty@MartinMillner.com.
Continue Reading > Add a Comment |Three Amazing Design Sites for Yardley, Newtown, Bucks County Homes!
I spend a great deal of time going in and out of houses all over the Yardley and Newtown areas in Bucks County. I talk to a lot of sellers, as well as buyers. I’ve posted recently about how the market dynamics have changed in our market, over the past month or so. Buyers are complaining again that there is “nothing to see.”
I suspect that there are potential sellers who, because of where the Yardley and Newtown real estate market has been over the past few years, have decided to put off selling.
If you’re are thinking about renovating the interior of your home, or if you are moving and want to create your own new fantasy home, I thought it would be fun to put together a list of three great sites to help inspire your imagination. So, when you have time, check out these great websites.
Houzz.com (http://www.houzz.com)
Houzz is a leading destination site for home design enthusiasts, both professionals and homeowners. The Houzz site and mobile apps feature more than 250,000 high quality interior and exterior photos, along with literally thousands of highly engaging articles written by design experts. It also includes product recommendations and social tools to manage the remodeling and decorating process.
Freshome.com (http://www.freshome.com)
This site was launched in 2007, and is a weblog devoted to finding and sharing the latest and greatest products in architecture and design. The primary focus of this design publication is to provide inspiration to make your home more beautiful, organized and healthy. I believe that a calm, healthy, beautiful home creates a great foundation for happiness and success.
Getdecorating.com (http://www.getdecorating.com)
This site is devoted to inspirational home ideas that you can choose, save and email to a friend or supplier. Every picture has a story, whether you are thinking about renovating, remodeling, decorating a new house or an existing home, perhaps buying new furniture, window treatments, or maybe just a color change, this is the place for you.
So, bottom line, stop flipping through pages and pages of magazines for a couple of interesting photos, and check out these sites with literally tens of thousands of fantastic, colorful ideas to spark your imagination. From staging to renovation, these are great places to get started.
If you are thinking about selling your old home before pursuing a new design, I would be happy to help. Connect with me this week at 215-519-1399.
Continue Reading > Add a Comment |The Real Estate Market in Yardley, Newtown and Bucks County is Changing. Find Out How…
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Continue Reading > Add a Comment |Great Steps for Preparing Your Yardley Home to Sell
Every Yardley seller wants their home to sell fast and bring top dollar. It’s not luck that makes that happen. It’s careful planning, and knowing how to professionally spruce up your home that will send home buyers scurrying for their checkbooks. Here is how to prep your house and turn it into an irresistible and marketable property.
Disassociate Yourself From Your Home.
Say to yourself, “This is not my home; it is a house — a product to be sold just like a box of cereal at the grocery store.” Make the mental decision to “let go” of your emotions and focus on the fact that soon this house will no longer be yours. Picture yourself handing over the keys and envelopes containing appliance warranties to the new owners.
De-Personalize It.
Pack up your personal photographs and family heirlooms. You want buyers to imagine their own photos on the walls, and they can’t do that if yours are there. You don’t want to make any buyer ask, “I wonder what kind of people live in this home?” You want buyers to say, “I can see myself living here.”
De-Clutter!
People collect an amazing amount of junk. Consider this: If you haven’t used it in over a year, you probably don’t need it.
- If you don’t need it, why not donate it or throw it away?
- Remove all books from bookcases.
- Pack up those knickknacks.
- Clean off everything on kitchen counters.
- Put essential items used daily in a small box that can be stored in a closet when not in use.
Rearrange Bedroom Closets and Kitchen Cabinets.
Buyers love to snoop, and will open closet and cabinet doors. Think of the message it sends if items fall out! Now imagine what a buyer believes about you if they sees everything organized. It says you probably take good care of the rest of the house as well.
Rent a Storage Unit.
Almost every home shows better with less furniture. Remove items that block or hamper paths and walkways and put them in storage. Since your bookcases are now empty, store them. Remove extra leaves from your dining room table to make the room appear larger. Leave just enough furniture in each room to showcase the room’s purpose and plenty of room to move around.
Remove/Replace Favorite Items.
If you want to take window coverings, built-in appliances or fixtures with you, remove them now. If the chandelier in the dining room once belonged to your great grandmother, take it down. If a buyer never sees it, they won’t want it. Once you tell a buyer they can’t have an item, they’ll covet it, and it could blow your deal. Pack those items and replace them, if necessary.
Scrutinize.
Go outside and open your front door. Stand there. Do you want to go inside? Does the house welcome you? Linger in the doorway of every single room and imagine how your house will look to a buyer. Examine carefully how furniture is arranged and move pieces around until it makes sense. Make sure window coverings hang level. Tune in to the room’s statement and its emotional pull. Does it have impact and pizzazz? Does it look like nobody lives in this house? You’re almost finished.
Check Curb Appeal.
If a buyer won’t get out of their agent’s car because they doesn’t like the exterior of your home, you’ll never get them inside.
Continue Reading > Add a Comment |Why Would You Buy Real Estate Low and Sell Real Estate High in Yardley?
Welcome to 2012! For many, there was no great heartache in saying goodbye to 2011. Here is an interesting perspective on real estate in Yardley, Newtown and Bucks County.
I think everyone would agree that the worst investing advice in the world would be to buy high, sell low! To me, that is the very definition of losing money on an investment. Not too smart, if you can help it, right?
So, my question for those considering buying real estate in Yardley, or Newtown, or anywhere in Bucks County, is why would you wait for the housing market to improve, before buying a house? Seriously, I understand that there is a lot of uncertainty out there right now. Job security is still questionable, unemployment is too high, and there is general fear about getting approved for a mortgage. it can be scary. But, here’s the thing. In my opinion, letting fear dictate your financial stragegy for the future is a guaranteed way to pay too much for a house in years to come.
Put fear aside for just a moment, and consider:
- Interest rates are at or close to all time historic lows.
- Prices for homes have plunged to the lowest levels we have seen in a generation.
- There are distressed property sales.
- Rents are rising, and in most cases, rental inventories are shrinking, which limits rental options
Shouldn’t you, rather than a landlord, be the one who benefits from owning a home? In my opinion, right now is the “buy low/sell high cycle! I love helping renters and first time home buyers explore their purchasing power. People are often surprised at just how qualified they are for home ownership.
If you are curious, simply email me at Marty@MartinMillner.com or call me at 215-519-1399, and I would be happy to discuss your home buying options with you.
Continue Reading > Add a Comment |Five Reasons Why Your House in Yardley, or Newtown, Is NOT Being Shown
“Help! My home is not being shown!” is a very common complaint that I get when I speak with sellers whose homes did not sell with their original listing agent. The most common answers given by (pretty much) all realtors are as follows:
- Price
- Staging
- Location
- Condition
I am not here to suggest that those answers are not important, or that they are not, in fact, the most important issues with most homes that are not being shown. I would, however, like to share with you several issues that I often see with homes that don’t get shown.
1. Photography
This is a sore subject for me. I hire professional photographers who understand lighting, angles and architectural photography. It amazes me how often I see dark and inferior pictures on listings. This is often true on expensive homes. I have seen 700,000 homes with pictures that look like they were taken with a $100 point and shoot camera. With lots of homes to pick from, the pictures can often make the difference between a home being on the “must see” list for a buyer, or on the “let’s pass this one” list.
2. Multiple Listing language
When writing descriptive language, I think it is important to try and create an image, a mood. If the house has four bedrooms, agents and buyers can see that from the MLS detail. I try and point out thing, in my narrative, that make the house special. I can often get that sort of information by asking the seller what they love about their house. I try and make the language within the description stand out. I also try and fill the entire field of allocated characters. Again, I have seen very expensive homes with just three sentences as a description. If the listing agent isn’t excited about the house, why would a buyer be excited?
3. Video
Video has become more and more important in promoting listings. Again, I use a professional videographer, so that I know my video will be a high quality production. I want exposure on YouTube – and everywhere else - with my video. There are thousands and thousands of searches for real estate on Youtube.
Get your video up there to create added exposure for your home. Along with the use of video, I try and use the maximum number of photos that our system within the MLS allows, which is now 25 pictures.
4. Access
This is another of my pet peeves. I can’t tell you how often, even in this market, sellers make their house difficult to show. I try to explain to my sellers the obvious. You cannot sell your house unless buyers can see it. Make it as easy as possible for agents to get their buyers into the house. It is so frustrating, as an agent with a buyer, not to be able to show a house when it fits your schedule with the buyer. If you are a seller, you need to understand that the agent with the buyer may be showing that buyer eight houses that all have to fit within a schedule.
5. Buyer agent commission
As a seller, be sure to discuss this with your realtor. Commissions are completely negotiable but as a seller, you want to be sure that the commission you are offering to the agent who represents the buyer is appropriate, so that the buyers agent is encouraged to show buyers your house. There is competition, and some sellers are actually offering selling bonuses to an agent with a buyer who makes an acceptable offer.
I hope this list is helpful to you. I would love to hear your thoughts; please leave your comments! I can be reached at Marty@MartinMillner.com.
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