My favorite TV station is HGTV (surprised?) and second favorite is any station that hosts "This Old House". I really respect the opinion of Sandra Rinomato (see below). She has strong common sense and good ethics. Below is an article featuring her advice, from Rismedia.
10 Staging Tips to Help Your Home Sell
[1]RISMEDIA,
March 19, 2010—(MCT)—Want to sell your home? Get out the bucket, mop
and Mr. Clean. The key to making a positive first impression is simple,
said Sandra Rinomato, host of HGTV’s popular “Property Virgins” show.
“Get it clean, clean, clean,” said Rinomato. “If your house isn’t
clean, it instantly sends up negative thoughts that the home is not
well maintained. If your house is spotless, you’re ahead of the game,”
she said.
But don’t stop there, advised Rinomato. To increase your chances of
making a sale, “stage” the house to make it as attractive as possible.
Until recently, “Staging meant pulling out all the stops—setting the
dining table with your best china and crystal, arranging flowers,
lighting candles,” she said. “Now we take the minimalist approach.
Basically, you want to strip the house to its bare essentials,
depersonalize it so potential buyers can superimpose themselves and
their lifestyle on the house.”
Rinomato offered the following tips for staging a home:
1. Visit model homes and examine shelter magazines for inexpensive
decorating ideas. Always keep in mind you are not decorating for
yourself but for the general public.
2. Start with the outside. Give the house a fresh coat of paint, add
shiny hardware to the front door and plant a few flowers to send a
subliminal message the house is loved and well cared for.
3. Declutter every room to make it look larger. Get rid of family
pictures, trophies and knickknacks. Closets and drawers should be no
more than 30% full.
4. Invest in eco-friendly but bright lights. Open the drapes or
remove them completely. “Light, bright rooms give the impression this
is a happy place—and everyone wants to move into a happy place,” said
Rinomato.
5. Feature only a few pieces of furniture with mainstream appeal. Pull pieces away from walls to make rooms look bigger.
6. Make sure a room’s primary use is obvious. A bedroom should look like a bedroom, not an office, hobby center or gym.
7. Bedrooms and kitchens are difficult to stage because they are in
daily use, but make the effort. Clear everything off the counters and
nightstands, roll up the rugs and hide the laundry hamper. Buff the
cabinets with car wax and clean under the sinks. Invest in pristine
white bed linens and towels.
8. Minimize the “pet effect.” Remove food bowls and litter boxes to the utility room. Deodorize thoroughly.
9. Organize the utility room and garage. Hang up the bicycles, roll
up the hose. Renting a storage locker is worth the cost if it helps you
sell faster and for a higher price.
10. Once your house is staged, invite your friends or Realtor over and walk them through to get an objective opinion.
(c) 2010, The Orlando Sentinel (Fla.).
Posted By susanne On March 18, 2010 @ 3:50 pm In Homeowner's Toolkit, How to Sell Your Home, Real Estate, Today's Marketplace, Today's Top Story, Today's Top Story - Consumer |
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
[1]RISMEDIA,
December 31, 2009—(MCT)-Much like returning from a vacation, putting
away the holiday decor just isn’t as fun as getting it all out. The
following pointers from a trio of organizational experts can keep the
seasonal clutter safely out of your way—and even make next November
easier.
Pare down. “Don’t be afraid to get rid of the stuff
you don’t like,” says Darcy Munzer, owner of Organize4U in
Independence, Mo. “If you don’t love it, get rid of it.” If it’s
broken, it doesn’t work or you haven’t used it, toss it, but donate
what’s in good condition.
Consider the sentimental value. The half-melted
choirboy candles have always been on the mantel at Christmas, says Mary
Ellen Vincent, owner of OrganizeMe in Kansas City, “because they remind
me every year of my mom.” For some items, though, you may be able to
snap a picture to preserve the memory, Vincent says.
Take inventory. How many wreaths do you own?
Strings of lights? Before you can organize and store, you need to be
aware of how much of everything you have, says Noelle Micek, a San
Francisco-based expert in residential organization and design.
Keep track. Munzer writes everything down,
including special Christmas recipes and the gifts she buys throughout
the year, in a notebook that she keeps in her home office.
Choose your storage space, and measure it. Most
people will store holiday decor in the basement, attic, garage, storage
shed or even under the bed. Just make sure it’s out of the way; you
don’t want to fight those bargain rolls of wrapping paper for the next
11 months. “Let the space you have limit what you own and keep,”
Vincent advises. Know the dimensions of your storage space, Micek
recommends, so any containers you buy will fit.
Keep it together. Store all the Christmas
items—ornaments, cookie cutters and everything in between—in one spot,
if possible. The exception: Keep certain heirloom items, linens and
high-risk breakables in a temperature-controlled environment in the
main part of the house.
Up and away. Holiday dishes can go in that hard-to-reach cabinet above the fridge.
Color code your containers. Use see-through plastic containers with the same color lids for each holiday, Micek suggests.
Label. Never put a box away without a label. Write
on the sides with a black marker, or list the contents on a 3-by-5-inch
card or color-coded construction paper. “You don’t want to look through
50 plain white boxes to find the four with ornaments,” Munzer says.
Number your boxes. Number them in the order they
should be opened. “You want the tree stand and skirt before you get the
lights and ornaments,” Micek says.
Choose the right containers. Buy the best quality
containers you can afford. You’ll protect against water damage,
accidental breakage and even pests such as mice. Shop around to find
what fits your needs. Cardboard can be recycled, but plastic offers a
better defense against moisture and pests.
(c) 2009, The Kansas City Star.
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
If I only had a dollar for every time I tried to get clients to spruce things up... Of course a home is to live in, even while selling, but you're moving away, RIGHT?
This link to "This Old House" has some of the best ideas ever for staging your home. In fact, I'm NOT thinking of selling, but I like these ideas, period. You'll note that many of them DID NOT REPAINT OR REDECORATE, just made minor changes!
Lowe's has an awesome websdite that is continually updated to reflect current trends and materials. This is a great article on Kitchens and Baths. Whoever wrote this article was a little Sassy! I like her (his?) style!
So what's the silver bullet—the thing that every new tenant will be looking for this year? Is stainless steel still the leading trend? Granite countertops? Hardwood floors? It turns out when it comes to amenities, the more modern they are, the more attractive they are to prospective residents.
More bang for your client's buck When the housing bubble burst last year, it opened up the supply of higher-end, luxury properties. “All these condos downtown are now luxury rentals,” says Nathan Brown, property manager and broker with Chicago-based Triview Property Management. Because of this, new renters have been clamoring for upgrades on their apartments.
“They are more likely to come in and say, ‘I want this, because I don't have it now,’” Brown says.
Brown adds that potential residents will often come into his office with a list of amenities they're hoping for—everything from a fitness room and doorman to a washer and dryer unit and hardwood floors. And lately, he's been surprised by how they've managed to get everything on that list.
“Clients are able to get a lot more for their money,” he said. “The going theme for 2009 is more bang for your buck.” Vintage loses its luster As new and modern properties come on the market, older “vintage” properties see their potential shrinking without updated interiors. Maurice Ortiz, the marketing director of Chicago-based agency, Apartment People, says the majority [of people] are looking for hardwood floors, stainless steel and granite. “In general, everyone is looking for a new or updated kitchen and bathroom. Not many people are looking for carpeting anymore,” he adds
Which is not to say people aren't interested in living in vintage buildings. But more often than not, that interest is solely directed at what's on the outside of the property. “People like a vintage exterior,” Ortiz said. “If there's a modern interior.”
The easiest way to show off that modern interior is to start with your kitchens and bathrooms. “Everyone looks at your kitchens and bathrooms first,” Ortiz said, so if you can't completely overhaul the apartment, those two rooms are the best places to start.
After that, Ortiz says the next logical step is to get rid of the carpet and install some hardwood floors. This can be expensive, but it can help add value to the property and attract more tenants in the long run.
“Hardwood floors are definitely more expensive,” he said, “but they're easier to maintain and they last longer [than carpeting].”
Make it look new The secret to staying competitive in this recession is to recognize that people are looking to pay less for more. As the news keeps reporting home prices falling, more and more potential residents will be sniffing out deals on higher end amenities.
But before you break your own budget trying to keep up with the latest in luxury amenities, remember what will be most useful. A multi-unit building could become more attractive with an exercise room, but if it's a waste of space in a smaller building with three or four apartments.
A washer and dryer in the apartment is a huge draw for prospective tenants, Ortiz says. But they come at a steep cost. For those with a smaller budget, attractive amenities begin with the bathroom and kitchen. Even if it's not the latest appliances, starting small can be a big help.
“You don't have to put in granite and stainless,” Ortiz said, “but at least make it look remodeled.”
Overall, both Ortiz and Brown said that people tend to think positively of a place if they're aware of any recent improvements.
“[People] are looking at the overall feel of the place,” Brown said. “Even if it only feels like it's been recently redone. Sometimes even that is enough.”
What to do next In order to compete, it is necessary to keep up with the current and popular trends in amenities. You can find out more through classes with the National Property Management Association (NPMA) or any local property management association. But don't forget your most valuable resource—your current and potential tenants. When showing the property for potential residents, have them fill out a quick survey beforehand about what kind of amenities they are most attracted too. You can also hand out a similar survey to current residents when it comes time to renew their leases.
The bottom line is this: The more modern the amenities and the newer the property looks, the easier it is to find people who want to call the place their home.
Has your energy bill got you hot under the collar? The best way to
reduce your air conditioning bills this summer is to reduce heat in
your home.
Reserve
heat-generating activities such as cooking, washing or drying clothes,
and running the dishwasher until late evening or early morning, when it
is cooler outside.
Install mini-blinds or solar film on your windows to cut down on the heat from the sun.
Switch over to compact fluorescent light bulbs - not only do they use less energy, but they produce very little heat.
Set
the thermostat a few degrees higher - most people can be comfortable
with a setting of 78-80 degrees Fahrenheit; plus, you'll save 7 to 10
percent of your cooling costs for each degree above 78!
Try
using a ceiling fan or portable fan to supplement your air
conditioning. A fan can make you feel three to four degrees cooler and
only costs pennies per hour to operate.
I PULLED THIS INFORMATION FROM THE FHA WEBSITE -- I have a client who wants to add on a garage. It will increae the value of the home, and she will feel much safer.
SF Rehabilitation Loan Program (203k) Funds for Handyman-Specials and Fixer-Uppers
The purchase of a house that needs repair is often a catch-22 situation, because the bank won't lend the money to buy the house until the repairs are complete, and the repairs can't be done until the house has been purchased.
HUD's 203(k) program can help you overcome this obstacle by enabling you to purchase or refinance a property plus the cost of making the repairs and improvements in one mortgage. The FHA-insured 203(k) loan is provided through approved lenders nationwide and is available to persons wanting to occupy the home.
The downpayment requirement for an owner-occupant (or a nonprofit organization or government agency) is approximately 3.5% of the acquisition and repair costs of the property.
The 203(k) loan includes the following steps:
* A potential homebuyer locates a fixer-upper and executes a sales contract after doing a feasibility analysis of the property with his/her real estate professional. The contract should state that the buyer is seeking a 203(k) loan and that the contract is contingent on loan approval based on additional required repairs by the FHA or the lender. * The homebuyer then selects an FHA-approved 203(k) lender and arranges for a detailed proposal showing the scope of work to be done, including a detailed cost estimate on each repair or improvement of the project. * The appraisal is performed to determine the value of the property after renovation. * If the borrower passes the lender's credit-worthiness test, the loan closes for an amount that will cover the purchase or refinance cost of the property, the remodeling costs and the allowable closing costs. The amount of the loan will also include a contingency reserve of 10% to 20% of the total remodeling costs and is used to cover any extra work not included in the original proposal. * At closing, the seller of the property is paid off and the remaining funds are put in an escrow account to pay for the repairs and improvements during the rehabilitation period. * The mortgage payments and remodeling begin after the loan closes. The borrower can decide to have up to six mortgage payments (PITI) put into the cost of rehabilitation if the property is not going to be occupied during construction, but it cannot exceed the length of time it is estimated to complete the rehab. * Escrowed funds are released to the contractor during construction through a series of draw requests for completed work. To ensure completion of the job, 10% of each draw is held back; this money is paid after the lender determines there will be no liens on the property.
I don't think this applies only to first-time homeowners--it's great advice for anyone furnishing new digs! Elaine
By Nancy A. Herrick
Home prices have moderated, interest rates are reasonable, supply is abundant-and then there’s that $8,000 tax credit. Yes, it’s a great time to buy your first house.
If you do, you’ll have to furnish it, and that can be a challenge, especially if you have put much of your disposable income into a down payment. But you’re a grown-up now, and your first real home is no place for that grungy old futon or bookcases constructed with bricks and boards. It deserves better.
So what’s the best way to go about furnishing your new home? We’ve asked a variety of experts for their ideas on what to do after your offer has been accepted. Here are their ideas:
“Before you get carried away, take some time to determine what you have, what you need and what you want,” says Milwaukee-area interior designer Susan Michalek of Desumi Design Inc. “Deal with what you need first. That should be your highest priority.”
Wanda M. Colon, a designer who can be seen as host of TLC’s “Home Made Simple” and HGTV’s “24-Hour Design,” suggests that any assessment should include the amount of money you have to spend.
“It’s easy to overspend or make impulse purchases if you don’t have a budget,” she says. If you watch what you spend and stay within your limits, “as a bonus you might have money left over to purchase some extra goodies.”
Evaluate each room, says interior designer Jane Klein of Fox Point, Wis., and figure out how you plan to live in the house, considering: “Where you will spend most of your time, what you will do in each room? Will you want a table in the family room for work space, for example, or a comfortable chair and good lighting in the bedroom for relaxing and reading?
“Also think about the size of each room and the appropriate scale for the furniture,” Klein says. “You might fall in love with a sectional, but the reality is that it might not fit in a small room.”
Gary Steinhafel, president of Steinhafels Furniture, with six locations in Wisconsin, agrees.
“Not long ago, manufacturers were producing furniture designed to fill oversize great rooms,” he says. “Now many manufacturers are offering furniture on a smaller scale than ever for smaller homes and for people who are downsizing. Be aware that there are choices and figure out what works best for your home.”
Go Shopping, But Leave the Plastic Behind
Your early shopping trips should be a way to gather ideas, not furniture. As you walk up and down the store aisles and view furniture groupings, pay attention to colors, furniture styles, wood choices and more.
If you’re shopping with your significant other, have some discussions about what you like and don’t like, and what you think works well together and with the style of your home.
“You don’t have to choose strictly contemporary or strictly traditional,” Steinhafel says. “More likely the choice will be made based on whether you are going for a casual or more formal look.”
But remember that while an “eclectic” look works, that doesn’t mean anything goes. There should be some continuity or unifying elements so that the result isn’t a hodgepodge.
Colon suggests that you visit a variety of stores to see what’s available.
“Don’t buy everything in one place,” she says. “This allows you to compare styles and prices.”
It also gives you the opportunity to ask questions and to learn what goes into a quality piece of furniture.
As you peruse what’s available, take pictures of what you like, Klein says. “If you think it might work, take a picture, at stores, consignment shops, wherever you go. Then look at the pictures when you get home to remind you of the choices and to see which pieces work together.”
Get to Work
It’s easier to paint a house when it’s empty and to refinish or replace flooring or knock down walls when you’re not living there. So if there’s work to be done, allow time for that after closing but before you move in.
“The biggest change you can make for a minimal amount of money is with color on the walls,” Michalek says. “Buy good quality paint with no VOCs (volatile organic compounds), and if you do the job right you won’t have to paint again for a while.”
The colors you choose should coordinate with what you plan to buy and what you already have, of course, so take along strips of paint samples from the paint store or home center. Often furniture stores will allow you to take a fabric sample or sleeve cap home to help match colors. Make sure to look at them in a variety of lighting situations and at different times of the day to get a true idea of how well the colors coordinate.
Make Major Purchases
At minimum you will need: a good mattress and box spring and a bed or headboard to give the room a polished look; a quality sofa and chairs; a console unit for the television; and a table and chairs for dining (either for the kitchen or dining room).
Bette Kahn, spokeswoman for Crate & Barrel and CB2 stores, says microfibers are a good fabric choice for sofas because they’re so durable.
“They take cleaning or washing well and never show wear,” she says. “If you’re getting another fabric, make sure it’s fabric-protected. Solid colors are classic, but not as interesting as tweeds with small touches of color.”
She suggests going with neutrals for big pieces, “but if that’s too basic, they can always be made more interesting with pops of color through pillows, which can be changed.”
Steinhafel is a fan of leather for sofas.
“It wears three times longer, and prices have come down significantly because the tanning process is more sophisticated,” he says. “There’s a ton of variety in color, but shades of brown are very popular. It’s the new neutral and works well with other colors and with wood floors.”
“Make sure the frame of your sofa or chairs is high quality,” says Kahn, adding that if the piece wears out or looks outdated, it can be slip-covered or reupholstered if necessary.
If you buy high-quality pieces, you can build a room around them for years to come.
Fill in Creatively
After you’ve found the big pieces that serve as the foundation for a room, it’s time to fill in with smaller pieces. This is where you can have some fun, save money and add a touch of personal style.
Consignment stores, estate sales, resale shops and even Grandma’s attic are great places to find furniture, especially if you’re willing to fix it up.
For example, if you’ve purchased a bed but need a dresser or two, you might be able to find used pieces with similar lines. You can refinish or paint the dressers to match (assuming they aren’t valuable antiques, in which case the original finish should be preserved) and change the hardware for a coordinated look.
In the dining room, a horizontal dresser also can work as a server; the drawers can hold flatware and table linens. Antique chairs, even if they’re mismatched, add interest around a dining room table.
An odd-shaped table can find a new home in the corner of a living room or a foyer; add an oversize vase for visual interest. Don’t be afraid to rough up the surface and paint it so that it coordinates with the colors you’ve chosen in the room.
“America tends to be wasteful and often will replace a perfectly good piece with something that’s new,” Michalek says. “But you can find all kinds of new uses for older pieces of furniture that are built well.”
Area rugs, artwork and accent pieces are fun to shop for and also add personality to a room.
“Sometimes people spend a lot of time shopping for the big pieces but don’t do much to make the space their own,” Klein says. “A piece of art can do that, or an art furniture piece. They don’t have to be expensive but can wind up being a special focal point for a room.”
Be Patient
It probably took awhile to find the right house. It stands to reason it won’t be furnished in a week, a month or perhaps even a year.
“Many purchases can be put off, especially the decorative pieces,” Kahn says. “Besides, you’ll have more fun collecting those as you go through life.”
Colon warns first-time homeowners to take their time. “Don’t impulse-buy and end up feeling stuck because you acted too hastily,” she says.
Klein says: “Give yourself a little time. When you make a decision, use your head and your heart. Look at different options, ask lots of questions.
Pet odors can be a
problem when you're in the process of selling your home. If your house has an
odor problem, you should remove any offending furniture or carpets or hire a
professional to clean them. Be sure to check the cat box frequently and keep
the litter fresh.
Since some people
have allergies or fears of certain animals, it's a good idea to put dogs or
cats outside or confine your pets to one area when your house is being shown.
It's hard for buyers to fully appreciate your home through itchy, watery eyes
or in between sneezes! Even if the house is exactly what they want, your
chances of selling it are less if the scent of Spot lingers in their memory.
You'd
be surprised how many people put their home on the market with rooms
that look exactly like this. Not a good way to make a great impression. (Actually,
my son's bedroom looked like this for a while. He thought it was a
cool change! Sort of like camping in comfort, I guess...)
A bed
should be high enough to sit on it without your knees touching your
chin! Even if the bed were set up on cinder blocks (hidden, of course)
it would look better. You could even use food storage buckets or boxes
of canned goods-just be sure the bedspread reaches the floor on the
visible side! A poster on the wall could even be a headboard.
Below is what the pros did to this room:
Notice
how the use of lighting makes the room feel cozy. Just a reminder that
before you allow a realtor to show your home, turn on any lights in the
home that ADD to the coziness.
They all mean the same thing-and they all could mean MORE MONEY!
Why does Home Staging boost the selling price of my home? Living Room Staged by Debra Gould People shop with logic but they buy with emotion.
If your home looks fantastic and the buyer can immediately imagine living there, they are more likely to make an offer. If enough buyers are bidding on your home, the selling price goes up way past your asking price.
Most buyers can't look past unattractive or disorganized rooms or figure out how their furniture might look in an empty room.
Home staging creates the "dream home" environment for buyers so they don't have to use their own imagination and can immediately fall in love and say "this is home!"
[1]RISMEDIA,
March 19, 2010—(MCT)—Want to sell your home? Get out the bucket, mop
and Mr. Clean. The key to making a positive first impression is simple,
said Sandra Rinomato, host of HGTV’s popular “Property Virgins” show.
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