Archive for the ‘home staging tips’ Category

Sloppy Pictures are one of my Biggest Pet Peeves

Thursday, July 15th, 2010


Nothing frustrates me more than agents that don’t understand the importance of quality photos for their listings.  I almost find it entertaining that these agents will demand staging but then when I see the listing online all of the drama is then missing.  So here is my best attempt at converting all of you sloppy picture takers into either budding photographers or agents that hire aprofessional photographer.

First and foremost it is the pictures that drives your showings.  Statistics show that more than 80% of buyers find their new home online.  If they are not drawn to your listing through the pictures, they are not scheduling an appointment for a viewing.  Staging is great but its biggest benefit is making your listing look compelling in the photos.

VS

So what qualifies as a good or compelling photo? It really is not that difficult to take great pictures.  It may however require a smidge more of your time than the snap and go approach.

  1. Try to capture as much of the room as possible. Buyers are always looking for rooms that get lots of light, have a lot of windows, great architectural details, nice floors etc.  I know that when a home is nicely staged you are compelled to simply showcase the beautiful bed in the pictures but that is not going to sell the house or drive showings.  If you do not already have one, a camera with a wide angle lens can make a dramatic difference in your pictures.
  2. Make sure your photos have the right light balance. Dark, underexposed or overexposed pictures are not going to help you get buyers to your listing.  The good news is that you can adjust and correct the lighting with photo editing software like Photoshop.  It is simple and just takes a few extra minutes.
  3. Feel free to remove unattractive elements to take the picture and put them back later.  I have had clients that refused to remove their kitty condos, kids toys, etc.  But that did not stop me from sliding them out of the room to take pictures for the listing and then putting them back.
  4. Take pictures on a sunny day if possible and turn on lamps in the rooms that you are photographing.  Once you do this you will be amazed at the improvement in your pictures.  Lamps especially cast a really inviting, warm light.
  5. Make sure the outdoor photos are the right season. If it is the middle of the summer, buyers will be suspicious about snow-covered outdoor shots.  What are they hiding, they will wonder.
  6. Try taking the photos from many different angles in a room. I often find that photos taken of the room where the furniture is eye-level rather than being looked down on turn out great.  Get creative, don’t just shoot the room from the doorway.  Step into a closet or a corner, take photos looking down from stairways.
  7. Take a lot more photos than you think you need. I typically shoot 100+ photos of a home when I take pictures for a client.  I never know what angle will look the best or which shot will be easy to edit with software later.  It is easier to delete excess photos than it is to make another trip to reshoot the home.

Hopefully, this not only inspires you to take better pictures but gives you some empowering tips to make it happen.

VS

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Suggesting Staging to your Listing Clients

Tuesday, June 1st, 2010

253marlborough019Almost every Realtor I talk to “really believes that staging makes a huge difference”.  So why is it that so many of you do not recommend staging to your clients??

Here is what I am finding from conversations I am having with my Realtor friends:

1.  You don’t know how to bring up the subject of Staging.

Here is the thing, it is not like you are suggesting something from outerspace.  Ask almost anyone in America today with a television and it is likely they are tuned into HGTV at some point during the week.  They know staging exists and they see first hand the transformations that take place.

So once you have gotten over feeling like you are suggesting something strange to your client it is all about the delivery.  I find Realtors that say something simple and straighforward to their clients like “I work with a Home Stager who helps me style my listings for sale.  Certainly, you are under no obligation to hire her but I find that my listing clients who hire her sell their homes much faster and typically for more money than those who do not.  Because staging is more than decorating, her expertise is really valuable.”

Or, if that even seems like too much some Realtors simply say something like “I work with a Home Stager who helps my clients prepare their homes for sale.  I will have her give you a call to explain her services and the process.”  This, can really be the easiest way to tackle it.white chair

2. You do not understand the process

The process is simple.  The Stager usually speaks with the homeowner over the phone to set the initial appointment.  At the Home Evaluation appointment (aka first appointment) the Stager speaks with the home owner about the budget set aside to invest in improvements, an overview of what staging is and isn’t, and the timeframe for listing.  We also talk to the homeowner about the value in “shopping their competition” so they truly understand what is for sale in their price point in their town or neighborhood.  After the Home Evaluation, we work with our clients to determine who is implementing what on the list and provide them with a quote for restyling of the space.

3.  Who pays?

My experience is that homeowners who pay for the services are more likely to implement the ideas and stick with them than homeowners that get the staging for free.  However, with that being said the best of both worlds is Realtors that introduce their listing clients to staging and offer to reimburse a certain percentage or dollar amount at closing.  It shows their clients they value the benefits of staging but want their clients to take ownership in the process as well.

bedroom

I really think once you can overcome these obstacles and make staging a regular part of your listings you will be happy you did.  I am finding that once Realtors start using staging they are simply not willing to list a home without it.

So try these suggestions and let me know if you have other obstacles that prevent you from staging your listings.

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Curb Appalled by Natalie Moore

Saturday, July 18th, 2009

Let’s be honest. Is your curb appeal turning into curb-appall? In these tough economic times, it can be difficult to keep the exterior of your home looking well-kept and inviting. Since curb appeal is a key element to selling a home, here are a few tips on how to quickly give your home a curb-appeal face lift.

Paint-

I cannot stress enough the value of a fresh coat of paint. Just because the house has been painted barn-red since 1984, that doesn’t mean it has to (or should) stay that way! A key element to choosing the right paint color is the style of your home. Is it Victorian? Colonial? Contemporary? Bungalow? Doing some research on this can give you inspiration for the perfect color choice!

For a very detailed gallery of house styles, check out: http://www.thisoldhouse.com/toh/photos/0,,1228909,00.html

Entrance-

Put some thought and personality into your entrance. How do you approach your door from the driveway or sidewalk? Consider using materials that fit with your houses character to make a walkway- stepping stones, brick, pebbles, crushed seashells, wood slats…etc. Solar-powered lamps are a nice way to line your walkway and draw attention to your house at night while other houses on the market in your area will get lost in the dark. Remember, perspective buyers drive by day and night.

A front door and its hardware can bring lots of character to a home if chosen carefully. Choose an eye-catching color for your door that still works with your overall color scheme. A doorknocker, light fixture and updated doorknob and hinges can spruce up an entrance as well.

Have a front porch? Clear the clutter! Nobody wants to see the kid’s soccer cleats, swim toys, bikes…etc. collecting here. This is the perfect opportunity for a seating area such as rocking chairs or a porch swing. Buyers want to see how they can use the space they’re purchasing- make it believable.

Landscaping-

Landscaping can do everything from simply bring color to your yard to create valuable extra living space. Designate sections of your yard for different uses in order to maximize the amount you’ll actually use it.

Choosing the right grasses, plants and trees for your yard can be a daunting task, but alas research is the key yet again. Choosing native plants is always the best way to go. Not only are you guaranteed that the plants will be able to survive, but it will also be easier to maintain your yard with little to no watering!

Some beautiful options:

Wild Indigo, Columbine, Lily of the Valley, Starflower, Canada Lily, Black-eyed Susan, Violets, Sweet Grass and Tickle Grass.

For more ideas, check out the Massachusetts Plant and Resource List: http://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/rdsduse/ma.htm

Don’t limit your landscaping just to plants. Try creating a patio or living area in your favorite part of the yard using recycled bricks or stones such as slate from a demolished building. Recycled products can be found at many deconstruction/recycling companies that salvage building products before they are destroyed during demolition. This will also add to your good karma because post-consumer recycling is as green as it gets!

So now you know, even though your pockets may not be as deep these days, curb appeal is in your reach. Take note of simple things that attract you to other homes and implement it in yours…it’s ok to cheat sometimes! But don’t be afraid to be creative-that’s the fun part. Enjoy!

Natalie Moore can be contacted via email  at mooren@wit.edu

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Sell Your Home in the Limelight. Better Yet…How About the “Green”-light?

Monday, June 15th, 2009

water-saving2-plant-phoenix-lg

lime-light [lahym-lahyt] -noun

the center of public attention, interest, observation, or notoriety

The tune around town…most any town today…is that it has become a struggle to sell a home. The housing market in 2009 is certainly not a shadow of any from recent years gone by. We have read all of the headlines…listened with our cups of coffee to the early morning news anchors…and yes…it is true. It has become true. It is NOT a SELLERS market anymore. Woah! That snuck right up on us didn’t it?

Accepting that fact, we are now on a different channel…a reality tv show in which we have found it necessary to be creative and proactive when selling our homes. We need to separate our house from the competitions’…generate an unparalleled interest in our property, which will force a prospective buyer to find no other choice but to submit an offer on our exclusive exhibit. While there are many characters that need to be in place in order to have the right combination to sell a home…staging and price being two of those leading ingredients…there is one additional area that has been drawing a lot of attention lately, and can help to truly make a home stand out above the crowd. If you haven’t guessed it already…like Fenway Park has known for years…it is what I like to call the “Green” Monster.

“Green” homes are what many buyers are interested in today. According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), as much as 90 percent of home buyers think that energy efficiency is a very important factor when shopping for a home. The National Association of Home Builders Remodelers (NAHBR) says 72 percent of consumers report energy-efficient features in a home would influence their purchase decision. As a seller, by investing in some green remodeling up front, and tailoring the marketing of their home appropriately, one can drastically increase the visibility of their home in the marketplace…and thus multiplying their chances of taking the center stage in prospective buyers’ eyes.

Once the decision has been made to market your home as a “green” home, the task now is to implement those green changes. This does not need to be an Everest of projects. There are simple things that can be done, which will help to increase efficiency in the home and reduce utility costs. A few striking adjustments that can be made:

- Install appropriate insulation in area to be remodeled

- Install high-efficiency windows

- Purchase Energy Star-rated appliances

- Install low-flow water fixtures

- Upgrade to Energy Star-rated water heater, or a tankless water heater

- Purchase the highest efficiency HVAC system you can afford

- Install energy-efficient lighting such as compact fluorescents

Once these changes have been made, be sure to track your utility bills and showcase the differences to prospective buyers as they view your home. Any savings to potential buyers will draw attention to your home, especially when compared to energy-hogs down the street. Also, be sure to highlight the areas in which the buyers can’t see, such as any insulation that has been installed. These are all key features that will help to draw that buyer in, and secure the interest.

As we continue on with this unusual yet dramatic and entertaining market, we will continue to find alternative ways to set ourselves…and our homes…apart. The vital thing to remember, is we need to go with it…we need to keep moving, and keep growing with the changes. At the same time…if we can…why not do it in a way that will help the environment too. Stand out in the “green”-light…be not afraid.

Lauren DuPaul is a licensed Realtor with Keller Williams Metropolitan in Bedford, NH. To contact Lauren, call 603.305.7006 or email her at Lauren@NHHomePro.com. Feel free to visit her website at www.NHHomePro.com .

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Staging is Not Just De-Cluttering!

Friday, June 5th, 2009

Often times when I am describing staging to a potential client or Realtor I really focus on the de-cluttering aspect of my job.  Interestingly, I just realized that the single most important thing I do is actually add in items from my own inventory.

Let’s face it, the majority of us wish our homes looked like a page from Better Homes and Gardens or the Pottery Barn catalog but somehow we just do not get there because we actually live in our homes (imagine that).  That is where staging comes in.  We provide all of those “boutique” accessories that will give your home that “WOW!” factor, that very desirable “designer” look.

An inventory of accessories is one of the factors that distinguishes a professional stager from someone who might just be doing this as a hobby.

The video below illustrates why staging cannot just be about removing items!!

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