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Feb 11, 2020
Staging your Home with Feng Shui
Getting your home properly staged before you put it on the market is very important. You may be familiar with the benefits of Feng Shui and it can help you to make your home more appealing to potential buyers. You want them to feel an emotional connection to your home. It needs to give them that warm, inviting feeling and create a space where they can visualise themselves enjoying its comforts, day after day. What is Feng Shui? If you aren’t familiar with it, Feng Shui is a type of energy and it allows your home to give off a positive atmosphere to those that enter. It is a way to cleanse the home of negative energy and for it to find balance. Those looking at your home may just feel it fits them, even if they can’t put their finger on why. This plays a very crucial role when it comes to the home they decide to purchase. Professional Assistance You may think you don’t know enough about Feng Shui to do this or you don’t have time to read books and then implement the information. If so, you can hire a professional to assist you with getting the set up correct. The better your home looks from the outside leading in, the more demand there will be for it. Take care of what needs to be fixed up and get rid of items that are cluttering up the appearance. Focal Points Your home needs to have comfortable focal points in order to sell for a good price in very little time. The front door should offer them plenty of positive energy as they enter the home. Each room should also have a focal point such as a painting or other attractive elements that immediately draw the eyes.
Feb 4, 2020
Avoid these Issues that can Keep Potential Buyers from taking an Interest in your Home
Don’t put yourself into a position where you are puzzled about why no one has bought your home. You may be sabotaging it from the very start without even realising it. Here are some common factors to keep in mind so you don’t run off those that may have an interest in your home. Always include an asking price and plenty of photos for your home listing. Don’t Linger Welcome those into your home who will be looking at it. They want to feel they have freedom to look in closets, check under the sink, and even flush the toilets. They aren’t going to feel they can do this if you are home and lurking around. Trust the agents to bring in potential buyers and to let them explore. Be very selective about the agent you hire too because if they aren’t likeable it can cause potential buyers to avoid working with them. If you are selling the home on your own, be polite and let them look around without you being right there. That may be hard for you to do because it is your home. Make sure you don’t have any valuables out and let them know you will be on the porch if they need you. Dirty Home There is a difference between a dirty home and one that looks lived in. Take extra effort when your home is on the market to keep things clean and organised. A deep cleaning is essential before you put it on the market. Pick up each evening so you don’t have to panic if you get a potential buyer the next day wishing to look around. Get rid of clutter too because that is a huge turn off. Be mindful of any odours that could turn off your potential buyers. You may be oblivious to the smell of pets or smoke in your home. Yet they will be immediately noticed by those who are new to visiting your home. Take efforts to eliminate – not cover up – those odours. Comfortable Find out what the standard temperatures are for a home and set the controls that way. Keep in mind, this temperature can be different than what you are used to. If potential buyers feel too warm or too cold in your home, it can cause them to hurry with looking around and then to leave. This is a commonly overlooked area of selling a home that most owners aren’t aware of.
Jan 28, 2020
Successfully Staging the Exterior of your Home
When you are going to sell your home, you need to stage the outside too. The focus can’t be just on the inside. In fact, it is often the staging of the exterior that gets them excited enough about the home, to take a peek inside. Lawn Care A lovely green lawn is something many homeowners are interested in. Don’t ignore this when you are trying to get your home on the market. Consider adding new turf if the current condition of the lawn isn’t the best. Trees and shrubs should be well trimmed and thriving. Plants can be a nice addition along the front of the home. Some colourful flowers can also be visually appealing. Front Entry The front entrance needs to be clean and comfortable. Make sure it isn’t cluttered with items you don’t need out there. If it is open, consider some potted plants or hanging baskets of flowers for colour. You could add a simple three-piece outdoor setting to make it look welcoming. If the entry is enclosed, it should be free of clutter and well organized. The windows should be clean to offer a great view of the outdoors. Driveway and Footpaths Use a high-pressure hose to remove dirt, debris, and other materials from the driveway and the footpaths. The edging of your lawn should make sure these areas aren’t covered with growth or weeds. Add a sealant to your driveway to help protect it and give it a new look.
Jan 14, 2020
Making your Home Appealing for an Inspection
When potential buyers come to inspect your home, they want a lovely set up that is inviting. They want to feel someone lives in the home but they don’t want to see clutter. Finding the perfect balance is very important. Taking an inventory of what you can do to offer the most overall appeal, will make a difference. Start with the Entrance Your home needs to be inviting starting with the entrance. What is the impression someone will get when they drive by your home? If they aren’t going to find it to be lovely from the street, there is no reason they will make time to come inside and look at it. That first impression is something you only get one shot at. Eliminate what you don’t need A cluttered home isn’t going to be attractive to any potential buyers. Take out furniture you don’t need and your collectibles. Leave only the essentials in place. Remove clothing that is out of season to give you more empty room in the closets. Each room needs to be inviting with nice curtains or blinds and beds made. Place a nice tablecloth on the dining room table to make it more attractive. Open up the blinds or curtains to allow the sunlight in. This gives a home natural beauty. You should have good lighting in all rooms of the home too. Deep Cleaning Each room should be deep cleaned inch by inch. Remove all of the dust and clean the floors well. Windows need to sparkle and any problems need to be addressed and corrected. If the toilet isn’t flushing or there is a leak under the kitchen sink, those can turn away potential buyers. Add some fresh paint in a room that isn’t appealing and that small investment will change how they see your home. Pets Keep your pets out of the way when people are going to be inspecting your home. Take your dogs and cats to the neighbours or to a friend’s house for a few hours. If you have pets that may make someone uneasy such as reptiles or rodents, remove their cages and all signs they reside there. Make sure the home doesn’t have lingering pet odours either.
Jan 7, 2020
The Pros and Cons of Open Versus Closed Inspections of your Home
You have the choice of either an open or a closed inspection for your home. You want potential buyers to feel very comfortable, so it’s best to talk to your real estate agent to find out what they recommend. You should also voice your preferences and your concerns. Open Inspections With open inspections, a time and date is set up for people to come in and walk through the property. This is also referred to as an ‘open house’. You can get the home ready and people can come and go for that day. There should be a host in place to greet them and to answer any questions they may have. Potential buyers often like this because they don’t feel put on the spot when they are the only ones looking at the home. The downside to this though is you may have too many people in your home at one time for your comfort level. You may be worried about security issues too, so keep all valuables securely locked up any time the home is being shown. There may be very little time for interested buyers to chat one on one with your agent. Private Inspections With private inspections, a time is scheduled for that person to come look at the home. They will typically come with your real estate agent. You will need to make sure your home is always ready for each schedule appointment. You also want to arrange your schedule so you aren’t home at the time they arrive. It can be tough to maintain the upkeep of the home day after day. It can also be frustrating when you have plenty of private inspections taking place but no one making an offer on the home yet. Some sellers go with both methods to increase their odds of selling the home in less time.
Nov 5, 2019
How to make your Open House a Success
Decluttering your home and staging it with a theme for each room is going to make your open house a success. You need to remove up to 80% of the items in each room that you no longer need to have. You also want to give the illusion of plenty of open spaces. If there is too much packed into a given room, it can hinder people from thinking the home is right for them. Reduce Furnishings Take out furniture from the rooms you don’t really need. This is going to offer more open space. It helps potential buyers to see where they would put their own items. You can move those furnishings out to the shed or better yet, rent a storage space. That is the best option, so the visitors can look at every area of your home inside and out, and not see your piles of belongings removed. Reduce Extras Take the time to reduce extras in all rooms of your home. This includes your children’s rooms where they’re likely to have an abundance of toys and books. Keep some of their favourites and put the rest in storage. If your home is on the market for a period of time, you can rotate what they have available to them. Display Items for Focal Points Each room in your home needs to have a focal point which is attractive to the eyes. This can be a picture, a sculpture, or even a shelf where you have some neat items displayed. Less is more for these areas too. Clean Cupboards and Closets Out Don’t be tempted to just remove items from sight. You can’t just store them in the cupboards or the closets. Potential buyers are going to want to look in those locations too as they explore your home. If they are filled to the brim with items, it can prevent them from making you an offer. They will want to feel that the homehas enough storage space for all their belongings.
Jul 2, 2019
Getting the most from Attending an Open House
Attending an open house can be a wonderful way to find out if you like a home and would like to make an offer on it. However, you may feel a bit intimidated by all of it. Here are ways you can get the most out of the experience. Make sure you adhere to the times of the open house, don’t show up 15 minutes before it is over. Give yourself plenty of time to check it out. If you can’t make it during the open house hours, you need to schedule an appointment. Dress Comfortable Be aware of your comfort when it comes to what you wear. Do not show up at an open house in your tracksuit pants, but there is no need to dress up either. Be comfortable and wear shoes for walking inside and out. It is best not to wear noisy shoes that echo through the home as you explore. You want to be able to check out the garage and the yard too. Meet the Host Take the time to introduce yourself to the host at an open house. This may be an agent or it could be the owners of the home. Typically, they will be by the front door to greet those coming in and to thank those leaving for stopping by. You don’t have to feel obligated to make an offer or to stay if the home isn’t what you are looking for. If you have questions, the host is the person to converse with. If they are very busy with people coming and going, it can be hard to get their undivided attention. You can tell them you are interested and ask if you can schedule a time to talk. When you do, do not criticise the home and there is no need to give them too much information about your own personal situation. You can share with them the type of home you are looking for and even the price range if you like. Ask Permission You may be interested in taking photos or a video of the home so you can review them later. Never assume it is fine to do this. You should always ask the host for permission. It is very rare they will decline your request, but you should always get their approval first before you do this. You don’t have to ask for permission to open up drawers or closets at an open house. However, make sure you are doing so for the sake of the home buying experience and not out of curiosity.
Apr 10, 2019
Prepare before Arriving at an Open House
It can be fun to go to an open house and inspect a home, but you need to be well prepared before you show up. Make sure you have plenty of time to look around and you aren’t rushed. Clear your mind of distractions so you don’t miss anything. When possible, you should go with your partner. One of you may notice things the other didn’t. Try to leave the kids with a friend or grandparent if possible too. Explore in Depth Focus your attention on the entire home, from the outside looking in. Go through each room and think about what it offers you and what it is lacking for your needs. Look in the cabinets and the cupboards so you get an idea of how much space it offers. Turn on the sink, check the burners on the stove, and flush the toilets. These are all essential things to consider when you inspect a quality home. Take an inventory outside too, such as the parking set up. If there isn’t a garage, will you have sufficient parking on the street close to your home? Take a look around the yard to make sure the lawn has been well maintained. Is there a storage shed or a place for a BBQ out back? Listen as you Explore Don’t discuss with your partner what you see as you go through the house. However, you should be listening to what others around you are talking about. Perhaps they noticed things – good or bad – you didn’t. Maybe they are willing to make an offer on the house or they are planning to leave because of something they noticed. Such information can help you decide if the home is a good fit for you or not. Walk around the Neighbourhood If you liked the home, go for a walk around the neighbourhood before you leave. This can be a prime time for you and your partner to discuss what you liked and didn’t like about the home. At the same time, it gives you a good feel about the type of environment and surroundings you will have, should you purchase that property. Trust your instincts too because they are usually more in tune than just the mind. If there is something you didn’t like about the place, you don’t have to justify it. Just keep on looking and you will know that ideal home when you find it. Then you will be glad you didn’t give in early and buy something else!