Style with Comfort: December 2012

Sunday, December 30, 2012

CONVINCE RELUCTANT OWNERS TO STAGE

Some sellers are extremely reluctant to spend more money on a home that they are planning on selling. You ultimately have to get to know your clients and their personality so you know what types of explanations to use with them. Start out by reassuring them that you are a qualified stager and have helped many clients in the past. Let them read an article about hiring stagers, such as How to Hire a Qualified Stager. Let them interview you to reassure themselves of your qualifications. But here are some ideas to start with.

Give them examples of success stories you’ve had.

Show them statistics on the rate of return on investment for staging.
This works great with those who understand finances.

Explain to them that by spending 1-2% of the asking price, they will get back much more than that when they sell the home.

Plus they will sell quicker. My favorite statistic to use here is that “The cost of staging is less than the amount of the first price reduction.”

And give examples. If they are selling for $200,000, the cost of staging will be about $2000. The staging alone will help them not only get that asking price, but probably even more. Also, most homes do experience a price drop, anywhere from $5000 to $10000. Which would you rather spend?

Staged homes show better online.

This leads to more people wanting to see the home, leading to more potential offers. It’s all a numbers game. Somebody who gets 50 showings is much more likely to get an offer than someone who only gets 5 people through the door.

Staged homes look better so people have a hard time finding reasons to offer less money.

The home looks great and is priced competitively. They’ll have a hard time finding a justification for offering less.

Buyers would have a hard time finding something wrong with this home. Everything has been updated.

Homes that are not staged don’t show well.

Potential buyers will nickel and dime away at the asking price. Normally by this point, you are so annoyed and just want this to be over so you agree to the reductions. There’s a high probability the deductions will amount to more than the $2000 you could have spent staging.

Who's ready to put in an offer? Would you visit this home if you saw this picture (and other similar ones of the home) online? Even if you looked past the messiness, would you give these sellers a full price offer?

Staged homes will attract more serious buyers

Staged homes will attract real estate agents who can’t wait to show the home to their clients.

Staging gets you a head start on the dreaded task of packing.

You’ll already have gotten started and everything will be organized and ready to go for the rest of your stuff.

Offer to take them to staged homes (if you have any currently on the market).

If not, show them any that are on the market that are comparable to their home. If possible show them one staged and one non-staged home to illustrate the difference.

Take reluctant sellers to a staged home either via appointment or open house or (see tip below) have them host an informal open house with feedback cards.

Host an informal open house and invite family and friends and even agents.
Have them (anonymously if you or they wish), complete a survey or questionnaire.

Ask them to list the negative features, positive features, suggestions for improvements, any deal breakers that would keep them from buying the home, and what they think the home is worth now as it is (not yet staged).

Offer to undo the staging if they are really unsatisfied.

I have never had this happen and I haven’t heard of it happening from others.

Hopefully, one of these strategies will work with your client. You might also want to go over the CMA with them again, and point out the difference in the suggested listing price based on whether the home is staged or not. If you are still struggling and need some fresh ideas, please feel free to contact me for further suggestions that are personal to your specific clients.

SAMPLE DIY STAGING WALL ART AND OTHER ACCESSORIES

When you are staging your home but are looking for those last few accessories or final pieces, here are some inexpensive ways to get those items or similar ideas. I say accessories because these are sometimes the hardest to find because the ones we own are usually very personal and style-specific items. Once we take those down during staging, we don’t have much left to fill the empty spaces. Here are some ideas you can use or that might even lead you to think of others. Remember, you want to make your home look like it's worth the asking price derived from the CMA, but you obviously don't want to spend that much. How do you do that? You use hard work, creativity, and thinking outside the box.

Wall Art
Hang empty frames in a creative arrangement.

While these canvas prints were purchased at JC Penney, you could use them as an inspiration to create your own. It can be similar or something totally different. You could even just draw branches.

Another idea is use a canvas (like the one above, but blank) and then use stencils to make your own wall art. You can use purchased stencils or print them from the Internet. Use spray paint to create designs on the blank canvases. Usually nature and animals are safe themes. Here are some ideas.
Daisies and Poppies Wall Art Set of 3 Live, Laugh, Love Wall Art Pieces
A less expensive option is to use wall art decals. Quality ones look just like real photos from a distance. Or you can buy the vinyl pieces at craft stores and create your own scene. Here are a few from JC Penney. 9 Leaf Impressions Wall Decal
Turn some nature pictures into black and white photos so that the fit into any room style or color scheme. Flowers Wall Art
Create your own art by taking pictures of nature and then framing them. Use the frames that originally held those personal photos and then swap them back out when you get to your new home. You can use photos from nature, wallpaper pieces, fabric scraps, scrapbooking paper … the list goes on. You can even paint old or worn out frames.

Other Ideas
Try making a headboard out of a curtain rod and curtains. You can take it a step further, as shown in the photo below.

Place branches in a tall vase. You can also create simple vignettes with evergreen braches in winter and flowers in warmer months. You can even just use greens, such as grass and large leaves.

Have a lamp that’s seen better days? Find a new shade or upgrade the one you have. You can add ribbon borders to the top and bottom. You can wrap the shade in an updated fabric. The details are too much to get into in this blog, but you can find them throughout the Internet.

Still need more ideas? You can visit garage sales and get items that are very inexpensive and may just need a bit of cleaning and some paint. Also, check out my DIY Projects for Home and Garden on Pinterest.

Keep an open mind and think outside the box.

RENTING FURNITURE: COMPANIES AND ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Renting furniture for staging is something that many sellers have not heard of and so they don’t understand how the process works. Did you know it's even helpful to rent furniture to stage a rental? Once you’ve explained the information to them, you are going to need a company for renting the furniture and any accessories you need. Here is a place for you to start.
These are not recommendations. There is no way for me to have the knowledge to recommend companies across the country. Although, as staging grows in popularity, many companies are expanding into various locations. But there may also be local companies who'd love your business too.

Cort They do have a feature that allows you to enter in your zip code. They also offer individual pieces, as well as entire room sets.
Brook Furniture Rental Brook has a home staging section that caters to furniture rental for this purpose. You can search by zip code. They have been in business for over 30 years.
AFR Furniture Rental This company also has a separate section for renting for staging.
Rent-A-Center They also rent appliances, computers, and electronics.
Furniture Rental Source FRS also has a section devoted to home staging. They also offer a search by zip code and a Quick Quote feature.

Start by asking friends and family members or coworkers if they have any suggestions. You could also ask your stager or real estate agent as well. As with everything, always follow these guidelines. Do your research. Get everything in writing. For more information, read my article Furniture Rental on About.com.

PET FURNITURE: PRODUCTS THAT HELP WHEN STAGING A HOME WITH PETS

As more and more people become pet owners –- and some homes even becoming multi-pet homes -– so many manufacturers are creating products that cater to pets. Some are online sites or retailers that are devoted exclusively to pet products. Other retailers –- both online and local or chain stores -- have developed special lines among their regular offerings.

Decorating continues to rise in popularity, and now with home staging on the rise as well, many companies are developing products that fit into your home décor. These are products that are comfortable and useful for the pet and attractive for the home. They are perfect for everyday living or for staging when you have pets.
I’ve divided them into a few categories and provided links to amazing products and also, by linking to the products, to the retailers or manufacturers.

While some may be a bit on the pricey side, use these as inspiration to shop for less expensive alternatives. If you or someone you know has DIY skills, you can have them create versions of these products for much less.

Litter Boxes and/or Beds The reason I call them boxes or beds is that people (and their pets) use them for one or the other. They work well for either function in most cases.

Here's a piece that would work in either a living or family room.

Pet Studio MDF Litter Cat Box Cabinet

This is a smaller version that has a more visible entry.

Merry Pet Products-Cat Washroom and Night Stand

Finally, here's a litter box bench. Add a few pillows and a throw on top and no one will know it's real purpose.

Designer Catbox Litter Box Enclosure

Pet Supply Storage

This first one you can buy and then make adjustments to suit your type of pet.

Pet Food Storage Cabinet

The second one is a DIY project from BH&G.

Dog Closet

Pet Food Dishes and Feeding Stations

I love this next one. It's hidden away in the kitchen, yet readily available.

Dog Bowl Roll-Out

Here's an attractive feeding station.

Fleur-de-Lis Elevated Pet Feeder

Crates and Beds

This one looks just like and end table. Some come with a flat drawer on the bottom of the entire piece.

Wood Dog Crate in Mahogany

Here's a circular bed..

4D Concepts Smoked Metal Round Pet Bed

For Birds

This is a beautiful wooden cage. They come in all sizes and styles.

Heritage Wood Cage

Here is just one example of storage bins for bird toys.

Sprout Bird Pring Cubbies

These are just a few examples. I could list quite a few more, but you get the idea. Whether you are selling or not, you can find attractive pet items that are just as practical as they are useful.

If you visit my Pinterest page, under Pet Products and Ideas for Pet Lovers, you will find examples of some mentioned here, as well as others. I will continue to add to that Board (and others) as well.

Many people consider the presence of pets to be a negative feature. You can impress those buyers when you use these attractive products that blend in with the decor. You and your pet get to enjoy them too -- both in your current home and then your new home.

HOW WILL YOU MOVE? WILL YOU USE A MOVING COMPANY, RENTAL TRUCK, OR CALL ON FAMILY AND FRIENDS FOR HELP?

I have three words for you when making this decision: research, research, research. I hear more horror stories about this than any other aspect of moving. Your agent, home stager, or friends or family members may have suggestions for you.

Moving Company

There are many options available if you choose to go with a moving company.

Most times, the company will start by sending you a questionnaire or checklist that you complete to describe the details of your move. Most often it’s organized by room and will list items to help you remember everything you have. It will ask you to list the furniture items being moved, as well as the number and size of boxes.

The company will give you a list of items that they will not or can’t move –- either by choice or by law. They will also ask you the address you are moving from to the address you are moving to, which floor you live on (in each place) or how many floors are in the home.

They will also need to know whether you will be packing the boxes and disassembling furniture items or whether you need them to do that as well. All these things affect the price. Believe it or not, some will charge extra if the distance from where they can park the truck to where the entrance to the home is happens to be greater than a certain distance. Prices will also vary depending on how many moving professionals will be needed.

Based on this information, they will give you an estimate. In order to get the most accurate price, make sure to be honest when you complete these forms. If anything, overestimate, rather than underestimate. You’d rather be surprised in a positive way.

Pick a company that specializes in your type of move. If you are moving across the country, find a company that specializes in these types of moves. If you are moving from one small apartment to another, find a mover that offers options for this time of move. Some charge more based on the day of the week. Most have a minimum number of hours they charge for, even if it doesn’t take that long. Pricing will also be affected by where you live and where your new address is in relation to where their company is located.

Check with the BBB, ask for references (and actually call them) and do online research to look for compliments and/or complaints.

Don’t forget to add a tip amount when budgeting for moving with a company.

Regardless of what route you go, do your research. I can’t possibly explain all the intricacies in a blog article. Read more articles. Then, research individual moving companies, or truck rental companies. Find out whether the final price you are give is indeed the final price, or are there any other potential charges or fees? Find out how payment is accepted, whether there is a discount for cash, if and when a deposit is due, and when the final balance is due.

Ask for references and call them. When you talk to each reference, ask about their experience, whether they would use them again, and whether they would recommend them to a friend or family member. Also ask if they know the company or had a prior relationship with anyone in the company (such as a friend or family member working in the company).

Make sure to find out if the company and its employees have liability insurance, errors and omissions insurance, and how they handle antiques or other valuable items.
Ask them how they book their appointments? How much time do they leave between appointments? If possible, always try to get the first appointment of the day so there’s less chance they can fall behind.

RENTAL TRUCK

If you have enough help, you may choose to rent a truck and enlist your family and friends.

When you rent a truck, you can select the size and any additional tools you might need, such as a hand dolly or belts. No, believe it or not, these are not included in the price and do cost extra.

Once you’ve decided on a truck, you can either enlist the help of family and friends, or find a professional movers. There are both companies that hire out movers and there are also people that do this work as independent contractors. that work on an hourly basis or by the job, or find experienced movers that work as independent contractors and run their own business.

With truck rentals, ask some of the same questions but also ask if the rental is guaranteed? What type and size truck will you be given? Get everything is writing. Read the fine print on the contract. You don’t want to arrive to get your truck and find out they double-booked and don’t have a truck for you. With truck rentals, if you are hiring independent contractors working as movers, find out the same types of information.

With friends and family, make sure to provide them with some type of food and drink (depending on the time of day and length of the move). If could be coffee and donuts or pizza and soda or other beverages. It might even be move if you’re expecting them to help all day. If you don't provide food or drinks, I would recommend giving some monetary reimbursement as well or a small gift of appreciation.

Tip: You might also need a rental truck if you decide to rent furniture when staging your home.

Recommendations

So my three absolute recommendations are:

First, do research on anything and everything.
Second, get anything and everything in writing. Don’t accept anything verbally. Even changes or modifications must be in writing and initialed by all parties involved.
Third, take pictures of items you are moving, both before and after the move. Make an inventory of everything you are moving to go with the pictures. For antiques and valuables make sure you have insurance on them with your own policy, and that the movers either have insurance or have a policy that they won’t move these items.

The actual moving of your belongings can be the most complicated part of the entire moving process. Be as proactive as you can by doing your research, being prepared for moving day, getting everything in writing, and making both a written inventory along with photos and/or video of your belongings. One way you will also make moving easier is if you follow my staging tips and pack those seasonal items or those you don't really use or need for the next month or so -- pack as you are staging.These steps will help you at least minimize the potential for difficulties and problems.

Saturday, December 29, 2012

OUTDOOR STAGING TIPS: SIMPLE TASK YOU CAN DO EACH SEASON

Regardless of the season, there are some things you can do to make your house appealing to buyers. You want those previewinag homes to be impressed enough to make an appointment, and you want those who just happen to drive by your beautiful home to call their agents and ask them to send them the details and make an appointment. If you are really struggling to find or implement ideas, you may want to consider hiring a stager,
Here are some ways to make that positive first impression.

First of all, while you should always stage all sides of your home, think about the first part buyers will see if they are driving (or walking ) past your home. Most times it’s the front entry area, but it could be the side. Other times, you may be on a corner and buyers may see both one side and the front of the home. Just pay extra special attention to those areas buyers see first. Remember, you always want to play up your home's positive features and downplay any features that aren't so appealing.

Winter

Natural arrangements in nature, like these, don't require any work from you.

Clear all pathways
Make sure all walkways, paths, driveways, and parking areas are plowed, shoveled and de-iced. If you must keep sand or salt out in plain view, at least make sure it’s in a decorative container –- not a plastic bin. Not only is this important for safety reasons, it makes the home look more attractive and it allows showings to occur at any time. It also shows buyers that you take good care of the home.
Add some lighting For security reasons, make sure you have lighting on the main pathway to the front door. If you have a long driveway and live in a rural area, add lights to mark the edges of the driveway.

If you have a steep driveway, encourage visitors to park on the street (if it’s allowed and safe) and have them walk down the driveway or clear a special path down to the front door from the street. Extra touches like this show buyers you care about their well-being.
Also consider adding some uplighting to highlight exterior architectural features or trees. Especially when there is snow on the ground, the light looks great as it glistens off the snow.
Keep exterior lights on, even if you aren’t expecting a showing.
Put some interior lights on timers too. Somehow, the lighting makes the house look warm and inviting.
Smoke coming from the chimney of a fireplace or wood stove also adds a nice ambiance.
You can even add basic white lights on porches or decks or even on small bushes or trees. Just make sure they don’t make it look like it’s the holidays (if it’s not) and don’t overdo it.

Add a sturdy doormat
Do this both at the exterior of the front door and in the interior. Leave a rubber floor mat for shoes to encourage guests to remove shoes, or offer them plastic foot booties. Both will help keep your house cleaner.

Winter arrangements can be just as beautiful as those of spring or summer.

Add some pots, hanging baskets, or window boxes.
Fill them with winter arrangements. You can find tons of ideas by doing a search online. Dress up your mailbox the same way. (See photos above and below.)

These outdoor planters look great when they greet buyers at the front door.

Spring

Nothing says spring like flowers sprouting from bulbs underground.

This is when everything comes to life again -– including buyers looking for homes. Use those cold winter nights to prepare your home for those spring showings if you are getting ready to list.

Remove any traces of winter
Put away snow shovels, and those bags of salt or sand.
Remove winter greenery displays.
Replace pots, baskets, and window box arrangements with spring bloomers.
Bring the seating out of storage.
Bring out those benches or chairs you had by the front door or the chairs and side tables you had on the front porch.
Add some spring bulbs around the mailbox or light posts.
Buy some vines that are already growing and train them around the mailbox or light post.

Adding plants and greenery around mailboxes or lamp posts really dresses them up.

Spruce up any wood items that faded with the harsh winter weather. Fences, shutters, and other wood items may have lost some paint or acquired some stains.
Fix any damage that was done to walkways or driveways.
This can be the result of the winter weather, the freezing and thawing, as well as damage done by plow trucks.
Start adding a few spring plants here and there.
You don’t have to do everything at once.

The whites and greens look great together, along with some pops of red and yellow.

Look for ways to add color.
This can be through plants and foliage, new entry mats, or paint on the deck, shutters, porch, or even window boxes and planters.
But up bird feeders if you don't have any yet. If you already had some up over the winter, add the seed mixture that attracts those that visit your area this time of year.
Put that bird bath back outside.
If you don't have one, consider getting one. They come in a range of styles and prices to fit any budget -- and you can take them with you when you move.
Put pots and planters back out. If you live in a climate with cold winters, many had to be brought inside, such as those made of terracotta, to prevent cracking.
Start bringing out patio furniture Clean and repair furniture for your porch, deck, or other outdoor spaces.
Begin those spring tasks,
Pick up sticks and other items blown down by winter storms.Start cleaning up planting beds.

Summer

Summer calls for bright colors that won't fade under the strong sunlight.

Replace those spring bloomers.
Instead, add the more vibrant flower colors of summer. Paler and lighter colors tend to look washed out in the harsh summer sun.
Make sure you have some shady areas.
Show buyers that your yard offers some areas to escape from the direct heat of the sun.
Keep up with yard tasks, including cleaning up after pets.
Keep the lawn mowed, garden beds mulched, and trees and shrubs trimmed.
Add some more flowers. Add arrangements in hanging baskets, along with more pots, window boxes, or window seats with planting boxes on the ends.
Remember to use lighting to make your home look attractive and inviting
See some of the suggestions for winter, above.
Make sure you show buyers how to use your outdoor space.
Set up a table and chairs for eating, another area for lounging, and a grill area for cooking for summer barbecues.
Water features are another great feature for both spring and summer.
They provide not only a pleasing sound, but suggest a cooling feeling.

This water feature made with natural stones provides a relaxing sound for buyers.

Don’t put out too many knick knacks and tchotchkes.
They look cluttered and lessen the value of the home.

Fall

This arrangement has all the elements of fall, without focusing on a specific holiday.

Replace your planters, baskets, and boxes with fall flowers.
There are still plenty to choose from. Twigs and branches with colored leaves are another great option for fall.

This is a great example of a fall arrangement that doesn't use the typical fall items.

Keep up with leaf raking.
Make sure walkways and driveways are clean and aren’t covered with leaves.
This is not only appropriate for aesthetics, but slippery leaves pose a slipping hazard.
Add fall-themed accents.
I also recommend to stay away from holiday decorations –- and this goes for any season or holiday -- because that’s too style specific and can offend those that don’t celebrate certain holidays or are turned off by them.
One example is Halloween. Pumpkins and hay bales, as well as mini gourds are perfectly okay, but stay away from jack-o-lanterns, witches, and ghosts. You may not understand why the potential buyers feel so strongly about a holiday, but why take the chance and offend any buyers? It’s not worth it. (See photo above for a good choice.)
Add a welcome mat.
Choose fall colors or motifs, such as pumpkins.

If you are selling in one season, but want to highlight how your home looks in another, make a photo album showing what your home looks like in other seasons. Get buyers to imagine spending future seasons in their new home. You want to tug at those emotional strings.

Show flowers, trees, and wildlife that you see frequently in your area. For example, there was recently a sighting of a snowy owl less than a ¼ mile from where I live. The owl was just hanging out on the roof of one of the apartment buildings. This would be a great picture to print and put in a frame. Again, pull at those emotions.

This final tip goes for purchasing just about anything. We buy with our emotions and our hearts. We later justify our decisions and choices with reason and our heads.

Subscribe to: Posts ( Atom )

Search This Blog