Well we’ve made it to May…Hip, Hip Hooray! Some things are finally starting to return to a new normal and we couldn’t be happier! We love helping our clients in all the ways you need! We are so excited to announce a new eDesign platform – Shop This Look! We are working hard to create stylish design boards that will be available for you to purchase. If you are looking to redesign a space and don’t know where or how to start then we are here for you. Or, maybe you have ideas but have trouble envisioning the end result…We have created not only different spaces for design but also different styles. We spend time finding just the right rug or just the right light fixture that will fit into a space. Our goal is to have boards created for all rooms such as entryways, dining and living rooms, master bedrooms, office spaces, game rooms, and even outdoor patios. And the best part is, you get these design boards at a fraction of the cost of our full-service design services!
Once you have looked through our available design boards you can purchase the style that’s right for you and pay for it online. From here you are able to shop this look right from the comfort of your own living room. The design board will break down the items in the room and you are able to click on each item to see it up close. The board will take you to the website of the item to show availability, price, and other options. With the click of a few buttons you can order what you like and have it shipped right to you. It’s like having a decorator right at your fingertips! We wanted to share a few templates we have created so far and stay tuned for our official launch… So for now, keep dreaming of that perfect room and let us take it from there!
If you are not sure if eDesign, Shop this Look, or Full-Service Design is right for you, give us a call and we can go over your needs, budget, and style, and one of our design pros will point you in the right direction!
No better time like quarantine to dive into spring cleaning. We hope this post finds you all safe and healthy and motivates you to clean out and declutter everything you’ve been meaning to get to!
MUDROOM
Let’s start with the laundry/mudroom. Check out those shelves that may be hosting products that you never use or have expired. Remember to dispose of them properly rather than just throwing them out. Most labels will have these recommendations. Now is the time to go through shoes. Make a pile of those pairs that don’t fit, are falling apart, or either need to be recycled or donated. Any rugs in this space can be thrown in the washer or vacuumed. And lastly wipe down shelves and the washer/dryer surfaces.
KITCHEN
Let’s move into the kitchen… It’s important to wipe down countertops daily but now is the time to wipe down cabinets and appliances too. If your cabinets have any molding those areas can be dust traps. You can use a damp cloth for cabinets and I like to use stainless steel wipes for appliances. They go a long way and really return the appliances to a nice sheen. If you have an open area above your cabinets this would be a good time to dust or even vacuum up there if you have a hand-held one.
PANTRY
Don’t neglect your pantry. Now is the perfect time to pull out everything, yes everything, and reorganize. Throw out anything that has expired and group like things together such as dry goods, snacks, sweets, spices, etc…I love using baskets in my pantry for organizing and it’s easy access for kids too. Just remember, before returning everything to those shelves, wipe those down too and even line them with a fun shelf liner.
Photo Credit: MrsMeyers.com
OFFICE / WORKSPACE
If you are working from home, it’s important to disinfect this space. Think about all the surfaces you touch daily and how many family members may share them as well. Computers, laptops, and ipads can all be wiped down with a microfiber cloth. Dust/wipe down desk surfaces as well. Vacuum rugs and/or any carpet in these spaces. Don’t forget to include your kids with this process. It gives them ownership of their things and teaches them responsibility. Include spring cleaning into their daily routine alongside their academics!
These spaces above are a great place to start with your spring cleaning. Of course there are others you can add to your checklist. Here are a few more ideas…
Wash All Bedding
Dust Blinds
Polish Wood Surfaces
Clean Out Junk Drawers
The important thing to remember with spring cleaning is take it one day at a time, not everything has to be done at once. Kids can be great helpers with incentives so include them too!
You’ve been trying to sell your home and you did everything you thought was expected of you. You connected with a real estate agent, had professional photos taken of your house, and opened your home to numerous strangers as they paraded around your halls on private tours and open houses. But after weeks of your home being listed, not a single reasonable offer has been made. Sound familiar?
Currently, the median number of days a home sits on the market is 41 days. And, of course, the longer your home sits on the market the more control homebuyers have when it comes time for negotiations. So, take your house out of seller’s limbo by adding perceived value (and actual value) to your home. Here are nine easy home improvements you can do that will make your house more appealing to potential home buyers and help sell your home fast.
1. Upgrade Your Mailbox
Upgrading your mailbox might seem like a rather silly thing to do at first, but if we are talking about making a great first impression to potential home buyers, the mailbox is often the very first thing someone sees before pulling in the driveway. It’s also the easiest home improvement you can do.
It could just be a new mailbox that replaces the old, weathered one you’ve had for years. And let’s face it, most homeowners don’t put much thought into what their mailbox looks like, often becoming an eyesore to your driveway. Or, you could upgrade to a “Next Generation” mailbox that allows USPS to deliver large packages to your mailbox instead of your front door. And we all know packages that are apparently visible to any passerby have a better chance of not being taken.
In fact, with more and more consumer products being purchased online and delivered to homes, you may even consider upgrading to a security mailbox that keeps your mail and packages safe from theft altogether.
Either way, upgrading your mailbox is a simple, cost-effective method of bringing perceived value to your home.
2. Paint Your House Inside and Out
This cannot be emphasized enough, but painting the inside of your home with a fresh neutral color goes a long way with potential homebuyers. For example, your kids’ rooms may have very unique colors that they had insisted upon at one time, but not every potential buyer is going to enjoy that purple room as much as your kid does. You’ll want to put a fresh coat of paint on those walls so anyone touring your home can envision themselves living in your space.
In fact, everything you’re doing to prep your home for sale is making your home look its very best and allowing potential homebuyers to envision themselves in every room of your house. You want people touring your house to think, what if I bought this house? This room could be my office, nursery, guest bedroom, etc. However, it becomes hard for potential buyers to envision themselves in a room with purple walls.
Alternatively, painting the exterior of your home may be the best solution to getting your home sold faster. If your home’s color has faded from its former glory, the paint is chipping, or your house has always been that home on the block the neighborhood kids call the orange house, you may want to consider getting your home painted a more contemporary color. Though painting the exterior of your home can be pricey, when done by professionals, the process has a very quick turnaround time and the result will be sure to leave a lasting impression on potential buyers.
3. Enhance Your Curb Appeal
It doesn’t matter if you live in Dallas, TXor Portland, OR, enhancing your curb appeal can go a long way toward making a great first impression on potential homebuyers.
First, you’ll want to look at your landscaping in front of and around your house. How does your lawn, trees, and overall vegetation look? Make sure your lawn is freshly trimmed, all dead debris (like sticks and leaves) are picked up, and 2 to 3 inches of fresh bark mulch is placed around your shrubs, trees, and plants.
Do you have hedges that line your property or some other form of fruit or decorative trees on your property? Having your hedges trimmed and your trees cut back can make your yard go from something that resembles an unruly wilderness to a well-maintained and welcoming paradise.
Also, if you don’t already have decorative plants bringing color to your front driveway and entrance, a few well-positioned potted plants are an inexpensive and inviting sight for newcomers to your home.
4. Clean, Declutter, and Stage Your Home
Nothing turns potential homebuyers away faster than an unkept and cluttered home. If you’re looking to sell your house quickly, it might be a good idea to hire professionals to get your house in order. Decluttering and staging your home is a must if you want to make your home and all its uniqueness shine its best for potential buyers.
If your closets are overflowing with winter jackets, or you have too many large pieces of furniture in your living room, your spaces will not be showcased the way they should be. People touring your home like to look not just at the larger rooms, but also poke around in closets, drawers, and other storage areas to make sure their stuff will fit. If your stuff is in the way, that makes it much harder for buyers to see themselves in your space.
Furthermore, a deep cleaning is a must before any open house or home tour takes place. If you have a cat or dog (or both), you probably don’t smell them anymore. However, people that don’t have pets are acutely aware of homes that do, simply because it’s a scent they’re not used to. If you’re looking for a quick turnaround, a professional can help eliminate odors, stains, and any number of other things you may no longer be aware of and make your home feel brand new again.
5. Fence in Your Backyard and Refinish Your Deck
It’s amazing what a refinished deck or new cedar fence enclosing a backyard can do for a home. Not only is it functional and aesthetically pleasing, but the return on investment is nothing to shy away from if you’re looking for an easy project that will help you get your home sold fast.
In fact, the national average in 2019 for recouping the cost of a wood deck addition on a home is 75.6%. So, although you may take a small hit financially by adding a wood deck onto your house, you would recoup most of the cost and potentially sell your home faster because of the added feature.
Likewise, adding a fence to your property can do wonders for your home in a relatively short period of time. And according to a 2018 survey by the American Pet Product Association,”67% of U.S. households own a pet,” meaning over half the people touring your home have a fuzzy little friend, and a fenced in backyard is a bonus to some homebuyers but a must for others.
6. Fix Your Light Switches and Update Your Fixtures
So it’s true, people touring your home will play with your faucets, open your drawers, and test ALL your light switches. If you have a light switch that doesn’t work (or an electrical outlet), now is the time to get it fixed. Light switches that do not work signify to homebuyers that your house may have electrical issues, when in fact, it may be something much more simple. Nonetheless, at that point, you’ve already lost that potential offer.
You’ll also want to replace all your burnt out light bulbs to make sure every room in your house is bright and inviting. Furthermore, all your interior lights should be the same color temperature for consistent lighting throughout your house.
Updating your light fixtures, ceiling fans, and even your hardware on doors and cabinets is an easy and cost-effective way of increasing the perceived value of your home. If you already have an electrician fixing your light switches, they could also replace your dated brass light fixtures with ones that have a more contemporary feel. Beyond making your interior appear more modern to homebuyers, you can take this opportunity to find fixtures that can help brighten your home and make it stand out among other homes for sale in your area.
7. Upgrade Your Garage Door
Installing a new garage door is one of the simplest and quickest ways to give your home a much-needed facelift and impress potential homebuyers. New garage doors recoup nearly all the money invested into them, and, in some areas like the west coast, a new garage door actually recoups more than its initialinvestment at 123.8% on average. Meaning your new garage door could actually put money back in your pocket.
There are several styles and designs to choose from, just make sure that you go with a style that fits the look of your house. Especially if you’ve recently painted your home a more contemporary color, a new garage door can be that easy home improvement that pushes home lookers into actual offers.
8. Get a New Front Door
Give others entryway envyby upgrading your front door and transforming the character of your home. Over the years, front doors see a lot of abuse and begin to look worn and tired. Luckily, a new front door is quick to replace and a very cost-effective way of making your entryway unique and aesthetically pleasing to anyone stepping up onto your doormat.
Solid wood doors are always a classic style for homes not to go out of style anytime soon. They’re solid and typically last much longer than alternative materials like fiberglass. Additionally, front doors with inlaid glass can also give your entryway more natural light for the interior of your home. Either way, a new door is a quick and easy way to impress homebuyers.
9. Update Your Kitchen Appliances for a Fresh Look
If you’re looking to sell your home quickly, updating your kitchen with modern and timeless stainless steel appliances is a great way to go. Though this can be costly, new appliances really appeal to first-time homebuyers, and as a result, you could see more competitive offers.
Furthermore, there is a good possibility your appliances probably need to be updatedanyway. Typically, larger appliances like fridges and stoves should be replaced every 10 years, while smaller appliances it’s recommended to be replaced every 5 years. Nonetheless, updated appliances are a safe bet if you’re looking to sell your home fast.
If you need assistance with getting your home ready for the market, contact our team of expert home stagers. We offer a variety of home staging services to fit your need and budget!
First off, TGIF!! Secondly, How is your summer going? I know, I know… it’s hot and humid and back to school is just a couple weeks away, already! But hopefully everyone has had a chance to take a vacation or two, spend some much needed time at the beach, or maybe even travelled abroad!
Well, although we know summer is all about fun in the sun, it is also the hottest time of year to sell your home if you live in the Houston Metropolitan area. And we have been feeling the super busy rush! Our team has been going non-stop this summer staging house after house and consulting with all of you fabulous homeowners! We have helped over 150 client so far this year and looking forward to all the new clients we will meet!
Check out just a few of the homes we have staged over the last few months…
If you are planning to sell this summer, give us a call before you list! Our team will get your home staged and ready for buyers! Click below for a quick staging quote!
Hey there, Happy Nesters! Now that Thanksgiving has come and gone, and everyone is focusing on Black Friday and Cyber Monday deals, I wanted to share a real estate listing with you all that we recently staged.
Nestled in the Chateau Woods community just outside of The Woodlands, Texas is this quaint 1,472 square ft home. It has 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a large living room, and a large lot perfect for family gatherings, children to run and play, and plenty of space for pets to stretch their legs! Check out the listing on HAR.com.
Hey there happy nesters! I am not sure about you, but I am truly enjoying this cooler weather here in The Woodlands! I sure hope it continues!
I want to talk today about our Realtor Relationships. For us, this means developing long lasting, effective relationships with Houston and The Woodlands areas Realtors who you as the homeowner will most likely work with, when it comes time to put your home on the market.
Our relationship with local Houston area Realtors, Brokers, Investors and Flippers is essential to our business and working with homeowners in more than one way.
First off, partnering with local agents and brokers as their home staging professional, gives them the competitive edge over other agents who simply don’t work with home stagers. Home Staging is the equivalent to product merchandizing, and when you are selling your home, you are competing with other homes on the market. Yo
u MUST set your home apart in order to attract buyers. This means properly decluttering, organizing, staging, photographing, and listing your home for sale in Multiple Listing Service {MLS}.
There are agents out there who believe that home staging does not work or is “fluff” for the industry. But the results truly speak for themselves. When a home has been on the
market for months having NOT been staged, and does not sell, the homeowner usually gets frustrated and doesn’t know why. But when that same home is the
n staged and re-listed for sale, it generally will sell very quickly – sometimes within a week or two. However, I truly believe that it is incredibly important to stage a home prior to EVER listing it for sale. When you stage your home first, you will capture the market from day one. If you list and then stage, you will have lost a significant number of buyers online and/or at an open house.
The cost to stage your home is LESS than your first price reduction!
Secondly, agents who partner with a home staging professional will usually offer the home staging service as a part of their real estate listing service. What does this mean for you, the homeowner? This means you get a FREE home staging consultation! Your agent pays for this service for you. During this consultation, you get a professional home stager to walk through your home and give you priceless advice on how to make changes in your home in order to sell your home for top dollar! This advice you receive is unbiased and will give you insight to how a buyer sees your home.
Third, the relationship division is very important. When you work with your realtor who is also a “certified” home stager, you now have the same person providing you with Houston area neighborhood comps, as well as home staging tips. But you as the homeowner should want a true professional for each of those services. A Realtor will know about home staging, as many of them can take a 3-hour training course on home staging, but a professional home stager is certified through top accredited staging courses with hundreds of hours of training, online, in-person, hands-on and more. My point to noting this difference is that anyone with an eye for decorating a house can give you recommendations, but a true home staging professional will know all of things you will need to do to prepare your home inside and out, prior to and during the sale of your home. And the best part is that you get two professionals who are each experts in what they do, work together helping in the sale of YOUR home instead of one person doing all of this for you. A real estate marketing team will help you stay ahead of your competition and will make sure you do everything possible to go from “For Sale” to “SOLD!”
If you would like to schedule a home staging consultation, give me a call! I would love work with you and your realtor! Together, we will make the real estate marketing dream team for you! Check out our Home Staging options for more information about Occupied Home Staging and Vacant Home Staging.
Hey happy nesters! Let’s talk about something that is really important. Maybe even something that could change your life! 😉
Are you someone who constantly feels like you need to “organize” or “declutter” your home? Don’t worry… I think we have all been there, especially those of us who have kids. I know there are days that I feel like toys and stuffed animals have taken over my life! But even more, laundry, the pantry, the fridge… OK, OK… You get the idea!
So to help make our lives a little easier, I have made a list of quick tips on how to quickly organize and declutter your home, and how to keep it organized!
SIMPLIFY: The rule thumb is if you haven’t used whatever “it” is in 6 months or more, you should probably box it up and/or just get rid of it. This could be clothes, toys, paperwork, etc. The more you get rid of, the easier packing will be when it’s time to move. And if you are not moving, this will just help you get and feel more organized!
BASKETS, BOXES, LABELING – OH MY!: The easiest way to organize a closet, pantry, laundry room, medicine cabinet, or even the kids play room is to simply purchase some cute similar style & sized baskets or decorative boxes – large enough to place your items in. Place your spices, laundry soaps, toys, books, etc. in these boxes and apply cute labels. The look of the baskets or boxes will make the space look uniform, hence naturally more organized. And the labels will help you remember what goes in each basket or box after using your items. This also will help teach the kids how to clean up after a day of playing. When selling your house, having a few extra baskets or bins available is essential. With these baskets, you can tuck away bathroom toiletries or your daily-use kitchen countertop items, paperwork, etc. in 15 minutes or less, and it will make getting ready for a showing or open house a breeze!
Photo Credit: MrsMeyers.com
Photo Credit: MarthaStewart.com
PACK UP VALUABLES: If you are selling your house, I always recommend to pack up your valuables prior to listing your home for sale. This could be your wedding china, collectibles, guns, jewelry, etc. You don’t ever want to have those items out during a showing or open house. Not only do those items make your home feel cluttered, but they are simply a distraction to buyers.
DECLUTTER YOUR CLOSETS!: There are 3 main closets that buyers look in. Yes they will look in every closet, but their judgmental eyes are generally on 3 specific areas: Entry/Hall Closet, Master Closet, and the Pantry. So my rule of thumb is this: If you don’t want someone to see what you have in those closets, declutter and organize them according to my above suggestions. With clothing, I recommend clearing out all items that are out of season, and to keep 30-45 days worth of clothing accessible. The goal is to sell your home quickly so there is no need to keep all of your belongings in the closet. Also, make sure that loose items are off the floor – this could be blankets, towels, shoes, whatever. Make good use of the built-in shelves to display those items, and use clear tubs or buckets to store those items in if you have a lot. The more organized you look to a buyers, the more the buyer feels as though you kept the home maintained. Our goal is to get the buyer to focus on what is staying in the home when they purchase, not your personal stuff that you are taking with you.
Photo Credit: The Container Store
DECLUTTER (AND CLEAN) THE BATHROOM: Having clean looking and smelling bathrooms is essential to selling your home. Put away your toothbrush and toothpaste, perfumes and deodorants, and your hair products! Leave out fresh clean towels, a plant, hand soap, and a candle. Make your bathroom feel spa-like!
Photo Credit: Aerportodesantamaria.co
KITCHENS SELL – LET’S MAKE YOURS LOOK AMAZING: Maximize counter space by removing all of the unnecessary items such as a toaster, knives, etc. Yes I know, you need those items to live, but you don’t and shouldn’t leave those items out during a showing or open house. What should be on the counter is a coffee station, a cookbook, a matching canister set, fresh fruit, and maybe even a floral arrangement. These items will showcase your kitchen in the best light!
Photo Credit: Studio 154 Photography | Staging The Nest
If you need more help with organizing, decluttering, and staging your home for sale, give me a call! I can help you get your home ready!
First off, partnering with local agents and brokers as their home staging professional, gives them the competitive edge over other agents who simply don’t work with home stagers. Home Staging is the equivalent to product merchandizing, and when you are selling your home, you are competing with other homes on the market. Yo
n on the
