by Alexandra Vogel | Aug 29, 2019 | Latest News
Did you know that over half of all purchase decisions are made within the first 60 seconds?
That means, first impressions matter. And this is especially true for those trying to sell their home.
And, seeing as the first impression people get of your home is from the street, you better make it a good one.
This first glance from the street is something we have come to coin as curb appeal. Improve your curb appeal, and you improve your chances of selling your home fast.
So, how do you do it?
Read on to learn the top curb appeal ideas to sell your home fast.
1. A Fresh Coat of Paint Goes a Long Way
A fresh coat of paint can really take your home to the next level.
This is especially true if your trim or exterior siding is made from wood. Repainting the entire exterior will cost you around $2,500.
If this price is out of your budget, consider just touching up the areas that need it the most. Or, at the very minimum, give your front door a fresh coat of paint, using an inviting color.
This can be done as a DIY project and should only cost around $20.
2. Invest in Quality Landscaping
According to research conducted by Virginia Tech, good landscaping can increase the value of your home by as much as 10 to 12 percent.
However, hiring a professional landscaper isn’t cheap. So again, if your budget is tight, don’t be afraid to tackle the job yourself.
The main things you’ll want to take care of including trimming overgrown hedges, cutting back tree branches that are blocking the view of your home, raking the leaves, cleaning out flower beds, and of course, keeping the lawn nicely mowed.
3. Make the Front Door Area as Welcoming as Possible
Potential buyers are going to enter through your front door, therefore, this area needs to be as welcoming as possible.
We already talked about how a fresh coat of paint can work wonders, but there are other things you can do as well to make it appear more welcoming.
For example, you could add a decorative wreath, potted plant, a porch swing or a welcome mate. The more cheery you can make the space look, the better.
4. Upgrade Your Lighting
All these curb appeal upgrades won’t do you any good if people can’t actually see them.
While most people will come to look at your home in the night, many do a quick drive by at night as well.
Therefore, it’s very important that the area outside your home is well-lit. You can add landscape lighting that will highlight the architectural features of your home as well as increase its’ safety.
If you don’t want to splurge for the $1500 or so it costs to install landscape lighting, you can install some solar panel lights on your own.
5. Take Care of Basic Maintenance
When you’re so busy trying to sell your home and buy a new one, basic maintenance tasks can slip through the tasks.
However, keeping up with basic maintenance is very important. Take a walk around the exterior of your home and look for any cracked windows, missing mortar, or loose shutters.
Then, have these things repaired promptly.
Ready to Put These Curb Appeal Ideas to the Test?
Now that you have these curb appeal ideas under your belt, it’s time to put them to the test.
But, remember that the outside of your home is only half the battle. You also need to stage the inside. For help on that, contact us.
by Alexandra Vogel | Aug 26, 2019 | Latest News
If you’re thinking of selling your home there’s never been a better time. But it’s important to act fast as economists expect a recession to the housing market in the next couple of years.
First impressions matter. With a little bit of planning and help you can make the house buying process easy and appealing to your potential buyers.
1. Check The Lights
Take a walk around your home and replace any burnt out light bulbs as a start. But you may want to go one step further.
Why not replace all your lamps and fixtures with the highest wattage bulb you can find? That way your home will seem more bright and appealing to potential buyers.
You can also check your outdoor lights. When potential buyers are cruising for properties lights can help your curb appeal.
2. Curb Appeal Counts
Take a peek at your property from the road first. It is important to use a fresh set of eyes.
Everything from a new mailbox to a trim of the front shrubs may increase the curb appeal of your home. The more buyers who walk in, the better chance you have of a big sale.
3. Look Down
When is the last time you had your carpets professionally cleaned? It’s important to make every inch of the floor look great.
4. Perform Small Fixes
Many home sellers are hesitant to roll up their sleeves and fix the issues with their property. They may worry that once they get started there will be no end to the list of tasks.
But rather than doing a full remodel of your property, focus on the small items that need to be repaired. You can either self-perform these tasks or hire a handyman.
Those little issues carry a big message. Get them fixed and your property will be more appealing.
5. Leaks and Seals
Any types of leaks or broken seals should be a priority. Buyers will walk away if they see too many issues with your home at the start.
In their eyes, there will be even more wrong with the home down the line. Make those repairs right away.
6. Say Goodbye To The Memories
While the good years of your home will always be with you the time is now to sever ties. This means replacing those personal touches with items that allow buyers to see themselves in your home.
Removing your personal touches and decluttering the home will make buyers notice.
7. Get Help And Land The Right Home Buyers
For seller looking to capitalize on the current market and land big prices for their home, it is important to act fast. You can’t afford to wait for prices to dip before attracting the right home buyers.
You need to make sure you get the expert help you need in selling your home. At Home Staging by Alexandra you will get the experience of an Accredited Staging Professional and a proven track record of success in the local market.
Our services won’t just help you get a better price. We will get your home sold faster.
Come find out more about how our services help clients sell.
by Alexandra Vogel | Aug 22, 2019 | Latest News
Selling a house is a big decision that is inevitably followed by other big decisions. Should you get a real estate agent? How much should you list the home for?
These questions and more are only the beginning of the learning curve. And, if you want to learn how to sell your home fast, then you better be doing your research. But, that’s why you’re here, of course!
There are a few simple tricks to selling a home and if you’re in a hurry, they can really make a difference for potential buyers. Let’s get right into it.
How to Sell Your Home Fast
Once you decide to sell your house, you can expect to be very busy. You should be prepared to show your home to potential buyers at a moments notice and therefore your home should be presentable and inviting.
If your home is priced to sell along with these tips, your home will sell in no time.
1. Keep it Clean
This should be a no-brainer but it’s important to put messes away immediately and keep things tidy and neat. Your agent could be around the corner with a potential buyer when they call.
2. Hire a Home Stager
Home staging is a popular way to create an environment within your home that is soothing and enticing to buyers. Home stagers may use your own furniture and/or more rustic or modern furniture depending on the market.
3. Use Fresh Flowers
It may seem like a simple gesture, but keeping fresh flowers in a vase in the kitchen and living areas is a great way to add life to a room.
4. Declutter
Consider renting a storage space for things that you don’t or rarely use. If you keep lots of small items on shelves, remove them and store them away. Clutter tightens up space.
5. Find the Right Real Estate Agent
Don’t just settle for the first real estate agent you hear of. Ask for referrals from friends, neighbors, and co-workers. A good real estate agent can make all the difference in the time it takes to get your home sold.
6. Promoting Your House Yourself
If you want to sell your home yourself, don’t forget to hold open houses and advertise your home in multiple places.
7. Make Improvements
Small improvements make a big impact. Consider painting a dark room or removing old wallpaper. You can also update kitchens and bathrooms.
8. Turn on the Lights
The brighter a room, the more open and welcoming it appears. Open the curtains and turn on the lights when showing your home.
9. Plant Flowers
Curb appeal is what brings potential buyers in the first place. Plant potted flowers in the front yard so you can take them with you when you move.
10. Conceal Your Critters
If you have pets, do your best to keep them put away when showing the home. Critters can often be a deterrent for selling your home.
Final Thoughts
You can also limit the amount of space you use when showing your home. Think closets and cabinets. This will enhance the spaces and allow potential buyers to imagine their own things placed there.
If you’re still wondering about how to sell your home fast, don’t hesitate to contact us. With over ten years of experience in the real estate industry, I’m confident that my skills and advice can help you succeed in your journey to sell your home.
by Alexandra Vogel | Aug 19, 2019 | Latest News
Are you looking to sell your home fast? The best way to attract home buyers is with a stunning presentation.
Statistics show open listings that use home staging photos when marketing their property sell 73% faster than those who don’t. Why? To understand its effectiveness, you have to put yourself in a buyer’s shoes.
Sites like Zillow feature a wealth of listings users can shop by city, state, zip code, or even address. Yet many of these listings are self-made using amateur photos.
These snapshots often suffer from poor lighting, bad angles, or poorly presented rooms that are hard to picture anything in–other than the current owner’s stuff.
So how do you set yourself apart?
You use professional home staging and photos that speak volumes.
4 Tips for Taking Flawless Home Staging Photos
Home staging is about creating an attractive but neutral presentation that home buyers can envision their own style of living within. Below are 4 tips for capturing your real estate’s finest features while making your house appear universally appealing.
1. Stage Your Rooms Prior to Photographing
Staging and interior design are two very different practices. The goal of staging is to provide an open, neutral, and attractive view of a home. Let the buyer picture themselves living there, not you.
Keep to the “less is more” mantra. Get rid of clutter and try to make a room look as open as possible. Stick to neutral colors and remove any personal items, such as family photos, toys, and knick-knacks.
2. Identify the Best Lighting in Each Room
Good lighting is key to an appealing photo. In order to avoid washed out photos or glares, aim to place your light source either to the side of the photographer or behind him or her.
While you want plenty of lighting to showcase a room properly, too much can cause the photo to look muted or faded. If you need to, cover your windows with a sheer, light curtain.
Exterior photos are best taken during early or evening hours where the lighting is more dramatic. Turn on your home’s interior lights and open the windows for a more inviting glow. You’d be amazed at how this one detail can bring your home to life!
3. Explore Different Angles
Not every room’s photo should be taken from the doorway. Get creative! Try various angles while trying to capture as much of the room as possible.
Remember that corners often show the most depth. Try them all to see which offers the best shot. Also, capture high and low angles for variety.
If needed, take a few shots of one room. It’s okay to include more than one picture of the same room in your listing photos.
4. Avoid Capturing Misleading Photos
While it’s tempting to make your home look as large and spacious as possible, you don’t want to put on a facade. A potential buyer’s first impression when they walk into your home shouldn’t be, “It’s a lot smaller than I thought.”
This can make them less inclined to buy your home, even if it has promise. Instead, represent your home in the best light while focusing on its best selling features.
This can be anything from granite countertops to luxurious bathrooms or breathtaking lanai views.
Get Help by Hiring a Home Staging Photographer
Stunning home staging photos take work as well as a photographer’s eye. If you don’t have the time or you simply don’t feel comfortable tackling the task on your own, hire a professional home staging photographer.
I offer free consultations for clients in the Sarasota and Venice, Florida areas. Contact me today and let’s talk about how we can make your real estate listing irresistible!
by Alexandra Vogel | Aug 12, 2019 | Latest News
When you bought your current home, you likely encountered three types of listings. There were the ones that were completely empty and felt a little creepy.
Then there were the “we’re-still-living-here listings,” meaning that the houses looked lived in, with photos, decorations, and personal belongings.
You must have also seen perfect houses, which made you wish the price included the Home Staging layouts. Most likely, those homes were the most competitive from a pricing perspective.
And that’s not a coincidence. People like homes with thought-out staging. If you want to know where to put your resources when it comes to your own home staging, read below.
Make the Most of Staging Layouts
Staging all the rooms in your home can be expensive, and we understand that. That’s why we want you to concentrate on the following spaces instead of spreading your budget too thin.
The Entryway
When walking into your home, potential buyers should feel welcome. Other than the outside of your house, the entryway is the first thing they see.
Luckily, entryways don’t need much in terms of Home Staging. A table, a piece of art, and some accessories are enough. You can also add a nice runner rug if you’re willing to ask people to take off their shoes.
Give them the warm fuzzies when they walk through, and they’ll last throughout the entire tour.
The Kitchen
Where does most of the action in your house happen? For us and our families, it’s the kitchen. It’s where people gather to make conversation and enjoy their meals.
If you have small children, the kitchen is probably the messiest room in your home too. That’s okay — but it’s an extra reason to clean it up and stage it.
Some cute dish towels, a nice fruit bowl, and other accessories go a long way. Check out some options here.
The Living Room
Where you spend most of the time in your home has a lot to do with its unique layout. For most people, the living room is a preferred choice.
When you’re staging it, opt for a big comfy couch and cute throw pillows. Keep it light and airy, but don’t shy away from family pictures. It’s okay for this room to have a family vibe.
The Bedroom
Probably the third most popular room in the house — after the kitchen and the family room — is your bedroom. Invest in a luxurious looking staging with bedspread and pillows.
You want your potential buyers to imagine themselves waking up there with some coffee in the morning. This may be the center where they’ll start or nurture their new family.
Make it comfy, welcoming, and full of light.
Find Inspiration for Your Staged Home
Finally, what’s the message you’re trying to get across with your home? Your staging layouts should match that vibe.
If your realtor listed it as a modern home, opt for contemporary furnishings. Cute and charming? You can go a little quirky.
Need some ideas? Click here for inspiration!