Accredited Home Staging Specialist
Do you want to sell your house fast…and I mean really fast? Then set a rock-bottom price lower than anybody else, and be sure to also negotiate your agent’s commission, because it’s not going to be that hard to sell your house.
Now if you want to sell your house fast and get the most money for it, …then you need a real estate professional with a plan. Someone who can help get your house “Staged!” As an Accredited Home-Staging Specialist (AHS), I can provide this valuable service if you list with me.
The world of real estate is ever changing and never seems to remain constant for more than a brief period. But one thing has always been a constant – the home that is priced well and shows well generally sells well. No matter what the market conditions, how your home shows has a tremendous impact on the end result.
A key element in the selling scenario is how well a home for sale has been staged. The art of home staging has come into its own and has become “the” buzz word in the industry. But what does staging involve? What should be staged? How much should be done? How much is too much? How is it done to get the best results? All these questions and more should be on the mind of today’s sellers. The last question is always … Where can I find the answers?
The answer is the professional Real Estate agent that has taken the time and effort to become an Accredited Home-Staging Specialist (AHS). Agents with the AHS designation have a full understanding to the staging process and are fully equipped to answer those questions. Not only that, they have the tools to help you develop, budget and implement an effective staging plan. Their goal is to achieve your two most important objectives: 1) Sell your home for the best possible price and 2) Sell your home quickly.
Real estate professionals are expert facilitators of the real estate transaction – from beginning to end. Those agents that have earned the AHS Designation recognize the impact that staging can have on the sale of a home and have prepared themselves to provide that value added service for their clients. Who better to work through the issues of staging with you than the one that is assuming responsibility for the marketing of your home? Equipped with the knowledge and skills to ensure that your home is fully prepared to show itself in the best possible light, the AHS real estate professional will ensure you have an edge on the market
To see an example of an effective staged home, take a minute and go visit a model home in a new community or housing development. You will see that decorating a model home is expensive, but every home-builder is willing to stage their model homes properly because a staged home sells faster. So why not copy what the home-builders do and profit from the knowledge and services of a AHS accredited agent to get your own home staged?
First Things First: What needs to be done?
As an Accredited Home-Staging Specialist I can handle the challenge of turning your home into a “model home”– staging it effectively to sell at top dollar and in record time. You’ve won half the battle by hiring me. Let’s get started!
CLEAN. & Let In The Light – The last thing buyers want to see is a home with all of the doors and windows covered. Let the light in and it’s also a good idea to open a window or two and let in some fresh air. It’s much better than some heavy room deodorizer. Your home must shine! Do it yourself or hire a cleaning crew. While your house is for sale it’s probably a pretty good investment to have a cleaner come in every week. Your Windows Should Sparkle – Now that you have the windows open be sure they are sparkling clean. Buyers are very interested in what view they have from every room and if they are constantly looking out of dirty windows the impression isn’t going to be a good one.
Repair or Replace. Staging is not to hide defects or items in need of repair. Everything must be inspection condition. If the buyer does not initially see the problem, a trained and thorough inspector will. Buyers expect the home they purchase to be in good repair – they are not looking for perfection. On the other hand dripping faucets, broken windows, leaking roof's, damaged walls and doors, etc, beg the question in the buyer’s mind … What else is broken or doesn’t work? Take the time to complete all minor repairs and ensure everything is in working order. If there is a button, switch or a knob that controls something you can expect a buyer to pull, push or twist it and it better work.
De-Clutter. This can be the biggest challenge for a homeowner, but as an AHS Designee it’s something I can help you with the most. Potential buyers must be able to see your home and be able to imagine themselves living in your home. De-Cluttering helps accomplish this. De-clutter everywhere; inside and outside. All that personal memorabilia you have lying around, posted on the bulletin board, attached to the refrigerator or sitting on the piano … pack it up. Anything that is taking up space is a potential candidate. Your job is to make your home look as big as possible and make the buyers tour through it as easy as possible. You want them to be able to visualize their own belonging in your home.
De-Personalize. Remove objects that your potential buyers won’t be able to identify with and styles that are not neutral. For example, political and religious items may turn off whole groups of buyers. Special colors and themes need to be removed as well. Buying a home is an emotional decision, and you want potential buyers to make an emotional connection with your home by being able to “see” themselves in it.
Attend To Your Yard – Curb appeal starts the moment the buyers drive up to your house. While you may have gotten used to overgrown bushes, shrubs and trees, you can bet the buyers haven’t. Everything in the yard needs to be trimmed, watered, manicured and living. Clean up all that “stuff” you have lying around the yard and that includes sports equipment, boats, trailers, toys and the like. If your lawn furniture is not in great condition you need to paint it, replace it or get rid of it. And while you are at it, add some color by placing some annuals in planters in the back as well as in the front.
Deep Clean The Kitchen & Bathrooms – These two areas of the house need to sparkle. Just cleaning up isn’t going to be good enough – you need to “deep clean”. Deep cleaning means all counters, floors, cabinets and all the fixtures in the bathrooms. Nothing is a greater turn-off than dirt and in these two areas it’s a deal killer. In the bathrooms consider new fixtures or countertops and perhaps a redoing the shower and tub enclosures. If new fixtures are not in the budget you may want to consider having them refinished. Think about having all the tile steam cleaned and make sure all grout is free from grease and dirt.
Hardwood Floors - Be certain that you hardwood floors don’t look like they have gone through the war. A great selling feature is to have them all refinished or at least given a great shine. This is not a job for the amateur so it might be a good place to expend part of the budget. Beautiful hardwood floors are a huge drawing card.
To Paint Or Not To Paint – A fresh coat of paint on the outside or inside is an excellent way of freshening up your home. Just a couple caveats: 1) Use neutral colors and watch any accent painting as you can be sure your taste is not going to be the same as the buyers and 2) This is an area that may be better left up to the professionals. Sometimes sellers will elect to take on this responsibility and not realize just how big a task it can be until they get into it.
What Furniture To Use – Take a long and realistic look at your furniture and be sure that it isn’t detracting from the way you want your home to look. If need be – borrow or rent the furniture you need and put yours in storage. The bottom line here is the same as elsewhere … less is best. Remember you are putting your best foot forward and the goal is to stage your home “for sale” not for “living in.”
Get Rid Of Odors - This one is simple. Remember that some buyers will not even walk through a home with cigarette or pet odors. They leave and go to the next house. It’s best take the time and cost to have the drapes, carpets and furniture professionally cleaned. If there is a smoker in the home, make sure to air it out and allow no smoking inside while the home is on the market. It’s also a good idea not to cook when showing the home. What is a natural odor to your family may be a repulsive one to the buyers. This goes for the pets as well – remove all of their bedding, food, litter boxes, etc. and ensure plenty of fresh air in the rooms they inhabit. Strong pet odors are an absolute deal killer because most buyers think they can never be eliminated.
This may seem like a huge task but with a little help from someone who knows and your help we will maximize your investment for the greatest return.
Call me today for a free consultation 805-698-3770.
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