According to Better Homes and Gardens there are 5 trends for first time and repeat buyers. Learning about these trends can help with buying and selling your home. Let’s take a look…
TREND #1…
Millennials are looking for their dream home. This means that they are looking to buy a home that they can stay in for more than 10 years. So much for that starter home…they are looking for more square footage, upgrades and good school districts.
TREND #2…
The home buying process can take longer than it used to. First time home buyers average about 5 months whereas repeat buyers are averaging 4 months from start to close. There are two possible reasons for this that can include the multitude of online search sites as well as the loan process. Searching these home sites can make the house hunting process sometimes take longer since there are so many options. Also, it is advised to get pre-approved prior starting the the search to help with shortening the loan process. Some home buyers are selling their home first and then renting so that they can snatch up the home they want when it is listed.
TREND #3…
Buyers want a move-in ready home. Fixer-uppers are not as desired as they used to be. Purchasing a newly built home or one with no renovations seems to be more appealing. It comes down to time and money for home buyers. Cosmetic upgrades are obviously not as deterring as structural changes or replacing AC units. Not knowing the resale value to certain renovations can also be a factor.
TREND #4…
Kitchens still sell houses! If you are going to upgrade, the kitchen is the place to do it. An updated kitchen can certainly influence a buyer to purchase a home. Open floor plans, islands with seating, and double ovens are also on the desired list. Most buyers desire an updated kitchen over a theatre room or even having a pool.
TREND #5
Millenials want a good investment. Repeat buyers focus on size and style when purchasing whereas millennials are looking for a step towards financial stability. They are looking for growing areas and not purchasing the most expensive homes in that area. Thinking like a seller can help with making that good investment.
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!
We are so excited to announce that we are having our Semi-Annual VIP Realtor Warehouse Tour! This event is going to be so much fun! We will have meet & greet with our Home Stagers, Light Snacks & Cocktails, a Photo Booth, Professional Headshots available to Realtors, DJ C Ya will be on the turntables, and a tour of our facility!
And there will be swag bags for the attendees, and a drawing for 5 VIP Gift Baskets including some goodies plus cool surprises! You don’t want to miss out on this event!
Details:
Thursday, October 24th from 4-6pm (but will probably go until 7pm).
Location:
Staging The Nest | Office & Warehouse
1150 McCaleb Rd., Suite E-10, Montgomery, TX 77316
We have some exciting news for you!! In honor of our 2 year Anniversary, we are having a Flash Sale on our Essentials Vacant Home Staging Package – It’s only $1,999! That’s a $650 savings!!! We have NEVER done this before and our team cannot contain our excited for this amazing deal!
If you would like to take advantage of this offer or for more information, contact us ASAP as it won’t last long! 832-427-2463 | Ashley@StagingTheNest.com.
How’s this intense summer weather treating you? Hopefully your days are filled with lots of a/c and pool time to stay cool! This summer has been a busy season for our team at Staging The Nest. One of the highlights is that we had the amazing opportunity to attend the HSRA Home Staging Success Seminar in Tampa, Florida and go to Siesta Key to participate in a Home Staging Mastermind with other business owners in our fabulous industry! It was an awesome experience being able to learn, share & grow with some of top producing leaders!
And, we have had the pleasure of staging so many fabulous homes this summer! That includes this wonderful family home in The Woodlands, TX. It has 4 bedrooms, 3 1/2 bathrooms, 2,982 Square Feet, and a lovely pool ready to enjoy! Lots of space for a large family and in a highly desired location!
Check out the photos of this beautiful home! To schedule a tour, contact Kayelin Wright with Heritage Texas Properties | 713-471-3689.
Thanks for checking out our most recent blog post! If you need assistance with preparing your home for sale, Contact Us Today! Our team is ready and available to help you!
Can you believe that it is already FEBRUARY? Maybe I am the only one, but I feel like the time goes by faster and faster every year!! Anyway, as we all know February is the month of ♥ LOVE ♥! And what better way to share some love than by sharing some great news! We just got word that two of our staged properties in The Woodlands have gone under contract very quickly! One of the homes received multiple offers, and finally sold for $6,000 over list price – ALL CASH. The other home was on the market for over 8 months with little interest. We staged the home and then in only 10 days received an offer! Home Staging Works!
Home buyers are falling in love with the homes we have staged, they are making solid offers, and are now preparing for their closings! And to really add some sweetness to this, one of the closings in on Valentine’s Day! We are so very happy for our clients, their realtors and the buyers on their new homes! Congratulations!!
On another note, we are preparing for another great staging project in The Woodlands, Texas. We will be staging the entire home creating a true model home experience for buyers to fall in love with! Stay tuned for photos on that project!
If you want to sell your home quickly and for top dollar, give us a call or contact us today for a quick staging quote! We have staging options for all homes whether your home is vacant or occupied!
I am so excited to share with you all that we received an awesome award today from Houzz.com. We were awarded the Best of Houzz 2018 for customer service! Check out the press release below, and a few of our favorite living rooms we got to stage in 2017!
Staging The Nest – Living Room – Vacant Staging
Staging The Nest – Living Room – Vacant Staging
Staging The Nest – Vacant Home Staging
Staging The Nest – Living Room – Vacant Home Staging
Staging The Nest – Living Room – Vacant Home Staging
Over 40 Million Monthly Unique Users Nominated Best Home Building,
Remodeling and Design Professionals in North America and Around the World
THE WOODLANDS, TX, USA, January 18, 2018 – STAGING THE NEST of The Woodlands, TXhas won “Best Of Customer Service” on Houzz®, the leading platform for home remodeling and design. Thehome staging and design companywas chosen by the more than 40 million monthly unique users that comprise the Houzz community from among more than one million active home building, remodeling and design industry professionals.
The Best Of Houzz is awarded annually in three categories: Design, Customer Service and Photography. Design award winners’ work was the most popular among the more than 40 million monthly users on Houzz. Customer Service honors are based on several factors, including the number and quality of client reviews a professional received in 2017. Architecture and interior design photographers whose images were most popular are recognized with the Photography award. A “Best Of Houzz 2018” badge will appear on winners’ profiles, as a sign of their commitment to excellence. These badges help homeowners identify popular and top-rated home professionals in every metro area on Houzz.
“Our team is so honored and blessed to have been selected for this award! A huge thank you to all of our clients past and present who have trusted and continue to trust our company to stage their homes. Without you, we could not do what we truly love! Let’s make 2018 even more impressive together!”
– Ashley Fuentes, Owner & Principal home stager at Staging The Nest
“The Houzz community selected a phenomenal group of Best of Houzz 2018 award winners, so this year’s recipients should be very proud,” said Liza Hausman, Vice President of Industry Marketing at Houzz. “Best of Houzz winners represent some of the most talented and customer-focused professionals in our industry, and we are extremely pleased to give them both this recognition and a platform on which to showcase their expertise.” Follow Staging The Nest on Houzz.com.
About Staging The Nest
Staging the Nest is a Home Staging and Design company serving Houston, The Woodlands, and the surrounding areas. Our Professional Home Stager is Certified through the Home Staging Resource {HSR}, the industry’s leading certification and designation program. The HSR Certification program is accredited by the Real Estate Staging Association {RESA}, who is the only third-party, governing association for the home staging industry. The Home Staging Resource is the first and one of the only accredited staging training courses available for the staging industry. Additionally, we are members of Home Staging & ReDesign Association {HSRA} which brings a new level of continued training and mentorship to our team for constant growth. We have also won numerous awards and recognition from Staging Studio, Expertise, HSRA, and been featured in VoyageHouston Magazine.
Houzz is the leading platform for home remodeling and design, providing people with everything they need to improve their homes from start to finish – online or from a mobile device. From decorating a small room to building a custom home and everything in between, Houzz connects millions of homeowners, home design enthusiasts and home improvement professionals across the country and around the world. With the largest residential design database in the world and a vibrant community empowered by technology, Houzz is the easiest way for people to find inspiration, get advice, buy products and hire the professionals they need to help turn their ideas into reality. Headquartered in Palo Alto, CA, Houzz also has international offices in London, Berlin, Sydney, Moscow, Tel Aviv and Tokyo. Houzz and the Houzz logo are registered trademarks of Houzz Inc. worldwide. For more information, visit houzz.com.
Can it really be 2018 already? It’s hard to believe Christmas was just a couple weeks ago. We had so many amazing opportunities, achievements, and changes in 2017. As we move into 2018, we want to take some time to note just a few!
In our first full year of business as Staging The Nest, we were so blessed to have staged 26 vacant homes, additionally we staged and prepped many occupied homes, and completed countless Walk & Talk Consultations as a part of our Realtor Partnerships. We met so many amazing people from homeowners, agents and brokers, new and experienced real estate investors, and more! We also had the opportunity to stage a beautiful luxury home in Houston that went under contract in under 24 hours, as well as several other homes that sold in under a week! Home Staging Works, I’ll tell ya’!
One of my personal & professional accomplishments in 2017 was that we renovated and flipped a gorgeous house in the Northwest Houston area. It had been a goal of ours and we tackled it like true pros! This home was a FULL GUT job! It took two months longer than we had hoped {and lots more money} but it turned out GREAT!! We plan to purchase at least one more investment property in 2018 to renovate and flip, but who knows, maybe we will do more! Check out our flip!
Kitchen
Breakfast Nook
Breakfast Nook & Bar
Staging The Nest – Living Room – Vacant Home Staging
On a personal note, we had many ups and downs throughout 2017. One in particular is with our daughter Zoe. Although I don’t really share a lot of personal stuff {or maybe I do – I guess it depends on who you ask}, I felt like this one was worth noting! Zoe is tenacious, loving, intelligent, feisty, creative, crafty, and not to mention absolutely beautiful… I know I am a little biased! In July 2017 she was diagnosed with high functioning Autism. This year has brought so much learning and growth in my personal life in order to help her through this diagnosis. Although I won’t got into all the details, I will say that it has been a learning curve! We had to adjust, learn more patience and understanding, slow down in order to keep a tighter schedule for her, and so much more. I still have lots of days where I feel like I have failed and I want to pull all my hair out, but those are fewer and farther apart now! In just a few short months, through Applied Behavioral Analysis {ABA} Therapy, Zoe has made great strides! I wanted to mention this because we believe that without faith and family we have nothing! My daughter is my “WHY!”
Now back to staging homes! We also staged a model home for a large home builder. The goal of the project was for them to have a space that would allow them to get video content and photos for their marketing. We were not only able to provide them that, but in only one month’s time they were also able to sell 3 additional homes because of the staging. When we de-staged the project, the sales team were insisting on leaving the staging in place!
In 2017 our “One Woman & One Man Show” grew into a small team! We on-boarded two part-time assistants {Kate & Angela} to help with warehouse prep, staging and de-staging, and more! For 2018, Angela has transitioned into assisting with Marketing, Social Media, as well as beginning with prepping for our staging projects solo! That is huge! Kate is a college student at OSU and works with us during the summer and winter months while she is not in school, which also happens to be our busy months!
Last year our company was featured in VoyageHouston and won several awards for our staging, customer service, as well as our commitment to our continuing education in the home staging industry. Although we had many more accomplishments, we also had what we like to call our “lessons learned.” We look at each issue or challenge as a way to grow and learn! We attended “lunch and learns” with other local stagers and real estate agents, and we refocused our social media content after attending an 2017 HSRA Home Staging Summit in Dallas. After each project, we have a staff meeting and reflect on our personal “lessons learned.” For example, if we forgot to bring something {no matter how small} to a project, it caused a loss in time and sometimes money as we would have to make a quick last minute purchase. If that happens we always say, “Well that’s a lesson learned!”
Last year Texas had one the most tragic storms hit our area. Hurricane Harvey came with winds up to 130mph and rains that released millions of gallons of water. Hurricane Harvey was one of the largest and most devastating storms that has ever hit Texas. As a company, we were blessed not to have lost anything although many of our friends and colleagues did. However, because of the devastation in the area it made for a interesting end of the year in Real Estate. As the community began the rebuild, so did our focus on our business with new beginnings – new beginnings of personal and professional growth, staging training and continuing education, business processes, inventory, warehouse, and more much more!
There is something special about having a clean slate or what others would call a reset button. We have a whole new year waiting for us full of hope and possibilities. For all those that we have had the privilege of working with and all those that have supported our small company last year, we Thank You! Because without you, we couldn’t be doing what we love!
We would love to work with you in 2018! If you need to have your home or your client’s home staged, contact us today! As we always say – Don’t Delay, Stage Today!
We wanted to share with you this adorable townhouse in The Woodlands that we staged just a couple weeks ago. It is situated off N. Millbend close to Grogan’s Mill. This townhouse features a front and rear deck, beautiful updated kitchen, large living room, 3 bedrooms, 2 1/2 bathrooms, and a large dining area. It is listed at $264,500. Check out the photos of this gem!
Hope everyone is enjoying this nice Fall Weather! Okay, I know it is Houston and we don’t really have true Fall weather, but a girl can hope can’t she?!
This week we staged a super cute single story home in The Woodlands / Conroe area close to The Woodlands College Park High School. Based on the layout of this home, we staged the Formal Dining, Living Room, Master Bedroom, Bathrooms and Kitchen to highlight all of the beautiful features this home has to offer buyers.
This home offers 1,834 Square Feet, with 3 bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a large family room, separate formal dining and breakfast nook, and a large master retreat. The backyard is a great size for entertaining and playtime with your kids! Check out the photos below. If you are interested in scheduling a tour, click on the link below for the home. This one won’t last long!
