Dana Keegan
Realtor®
Realty Executives Integrity
Their agent won’t have to say, “Picture this.” Buyers will see your home at its best.
Staging your house can make you money. Seventy-one percent of sellers' agents believe a well-staged environment increases the dollar value buyers are willing to offer, according to the National Association of REALTORS® "2015 Profile of Home Staging."
Just take this real world tale of two condo listings from Terrylynn Fisher, a REALTOR® with Dudum Real Estate Group in Walnut Creek, Calif., who also stages:
Both units were in the same complex. One hadn't been staged or updated since it was built; the other was staged and had been slightly refreshed (a little paint here and there and one redone bath). Otherwise, both units were the same size and layout. The staged condo sold for about $30,000 more than the unstaged unit, she says. “People couldn't believe it was the same model."
Before your eyes turn into dollar signs, keep in mind staging isn't guaranteed to get you more money. But it's an important marketing tool to help you compete at the right price, which means you can sell faster. (A study from the Real Estate Staging Association bears this out.)
Helping buyers fall in love with your property takes more than running the vacuum and fluffing the pillows: It's all about decluttering, repairing, updating, and depersonalizing, say real estate agents and stagers.
With help from Fisher and other sources, we've compiled the ultimate home staging checklist.
Jump to a specific room or area of the house:
Have a Security Plan And Follow It
All mobile phones and tablets used for business should be password-protected. Even better, use bio-metric authentication, such as a fingerprint or face scan, which cannot be replicated. Bio-metrics also make a strong password for apps.
Use a password manager to generate and store a different password for every account.
Know which data and apps are on a device and remove any apps that are not necessary for business. While the user may see a functioning app, like a flashlight or game, in the background, the program may be secretly sending information to a third party. Domingo Guerra, co-founder and president at mobile security firm Appthority, refers to these apps as “hospital gown” threats. The programs appear to be legitimate upfront and are even distributed in the major app stores, but they have a security gap in the back end. To be sure, only install apps from reputable developers and services, such as the Apple App Store and Google Play.
Be aware of who is around you when you’re on your phone. Restaurant table tops are a favorite place to snatch phones. If you carry a purse, keep your phone zipped inside when not in use, and be aware that many purses are snatched in hopes of getting a wallet and cell phone.
2. Practice Good WiFi & Charging Etiquette
That free WiFi at the coffee shop is tempting because it allows you to use data without tapping into your wireless plan. But in most cases, these networks are not secure, so it’s best to avoid when accessing accounts with sensitive information, such as your business email, transaction platform or financial accounts.
Additionally, public WiFi networks are open to “man in the middle” hacks, where a thief uses a portable device to fool you into logging onto a legitimate looking network, which can be used to intercept every piece of data coming to and from your device.
Be cautious about charging your devices at public USB ports. Data thieves can use these ports to place malware on your phone and harvest sensitive data.
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Cultivating a home garden is a great way to teach your children where their food comes from while fostering a sense of independence and a healthy respect for the environment. Most of all, it’s a fun activity the whole family can enjoy. Keeping their dexterity and attention span in mind, here are some tips on gardening with children that will get you growing in no time.
Location, Location, Location. The most important consideration when deciding what you want to grow is where you want to grow it. Are you planting indoors or out? In summer or fall? How much sun exposure will you have each day, and how extreme are the temperatures? Checking a hardiness map for your area will help you decide what, when, and where to grow, and involving your child in the research makes for a fun geography lesson.
Dig Up Some Dirt. To grow a successful garden, you need good soil. In an outdoor garden, you’ll want to till the soil to loosen it for planting. For indoor or container planting, a good potting soil right out of the bag will do. Get your little helper involved in this step by giving them a small trowel, or even a spoon, and encourage them to sift away. Use this opportunity to teach your child the correlation between organic soil and healthy food.
Big Seeds for Small Hands. Small children will feel a sense of accomplishment at being able to plant seeds all by themselves. Beans, corn, squash, and cucumbers have larger seeds that are easy to handle, making them great options for your child’s edible garden. If your child prefers flowers, nasturtiums and sweet peas are perfect for little green thumbs. Seedlings (that is, small starter plants) are also a great choice for children as they are easy to handle and provide the instant gratification of seeing green in the ground. Radishes and lettuce seeds sprout quickly, but are smaller, which may require more assistance.
Go in Depth. Just as important as what you plant is how you plant it. Carefully read the planting instructions on your seed packets and explain to your child how planting at the right depth and distance will help the plants grow strong. If you’re using seedlings, simply plant them at the same depth as they come out of the pot. If you’re planting a large outdoor garden, make sure to leave plenty of room between rows for you and your child to walk.
How Does Your Garden Grow? When you’ve finished planting, have your child help you label what you’ve planted, along with the date. Make this a fun project by painting stakes or popsicle sticks and marking them with permanent ink that won’t wear off in the elements. Your plant packages should state how long it takes your plants to germinate, so mark your calendar and tick down the days with your child to prolong the fun and build excitement.
A Meaningful Harvest. When your first vegetables or flowers are ready to pick, make a celebration of it. Have a special meal or family party incorporating the fruits of your child’s labor and congratulate your child on a job well done. Seeing tangible results from hard work is a great lesson for your child that will translate from the garden to the rest of their life pursuits while making wonderful memories along the way.
This post is intended for informational purposes only and should not be taken as professional advice. The point of view and opinions expressed in this post are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of Realty Executives International. This post was written for Realty Executives by Estelle Weber, a freelance writer living in Los Angeles. You can read more of her work here.
Winter weather can create extra challenges for homeowners, between shoring up vulnerable areas against wind and rain, and winterizing structures against freezing cold. But wintertime can pose serious risks for your pets, too, so follow these tips to help keep your home a safe and comfortable place for your pet in winter weather.
1. Keep them inside your home. Domestic pets don’t have inherent traits that protect them from extreme conditions any more than you do so if it’s too nasty for you to be outside, it’s too nasty for your pet. Keep domestic pets inside and make sure outdoor livestock has adequate shelter, dry bedding, and blankets, if necessary, to protect them from cold, wind, rain, ice and snow.
2. Hydration is key. Dehydration isn’t just a problem in hot weather. If your pet relies on an outside water source, make sure you have a way to keep it from freezing. Pets cannot get sufficient water from eating snow.
3. Gear up for outdoor activity. Whether strolling your neighborhood or taking in local outdoor amenities and attractions, if your pet enjoys time with you outdoors, make sure they’re equipped for the conditions. To keep them warm and dry, a rain slicker, coat, or sweater serve as more than just cute accessories, and weatherproof booties keep paws dry and provide extra traction on frozen ground. Make sure you don’t stay out longer than is safe for your pet, and monitor activity and behavior to make sure they don’t become hypothermic.
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While selling your home during the holiday season might be challenging, it is not impossible. For those venturing out into the real estate market during this time of festivity, snow, and sometimes stress, we have compiled a list of tips to help you with home staging during the holidays.
Festive winter decorations are a great way to make your home feel inviting and cozy. A wreath on your door and some baubles here and there can go a long way in making your house feel like a home.
You can also use these decorations to your advantage. Use the decorations to highlight the key selling points in your home.
You can put a Nutcracker figurine on your mantle to highlight a gorgeous fireplace. You could put up a large tree to showcase high ceilings and a spacious living area. And you could have an inviting, edible display on your dining room table.
Each of these things will serve to make your home feel warm and festive while also showing off the best parts of your home to potential buyers.
While decorations can help make your home feel warm and welcoming, there is a fine line between what is considered to be too much and what is just right.
Try not to use every decoration you have, as this type of clutter can distract potential buyers. Having too many unnecessary decorations can also cover attractive areas in your house: you don’t want an overly large tree to distract from or hide a bay window in your living area, for example.
You should also pack away some of the more gaudy items, like large Santa figurines or light-up reindeer. These might be your favorite items, but they could be a buyer’s worst nightmare. It’s safest to put those away while selling.
Keep décor simple and tasteful, even if it means going with only a couple of nice items, like a wreath, some lights, and a few ornaments.
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