Less is More…

Less Is More: How to Make the Most of a Smaller Home

If you’re planning to purchase a modest-sized home or condo, you’ll want to maximize every inch of space. These general guidelines can help. They’re online at http://pacunion.us/1qZezWe

Will Staging Increase Your Homes’ Value?

The short answer is a bunch of question marks.

The National Association of Realtors(R) recently released its 2015 Profile of Home Staging report.  Interestingly, more sellers’ agents believe that staging adds value (71%) than buyers’ agents (51%).

Many agents who work primarily with sellers are strong advocates of staging.  In fact, 34% of listings agents stage all homes.  44% of listings agents suggest that the seller de-clutter and fix property faults, but do not stage the home with new furniture or carpet, etc.  Only 5% of agents do not stage (which includes de-cluttering) their listings at all.

Approximately 35% of listing agents felt that a staged home increased the dollar amount that a buyer was willing to offer compared to a similar home by at least 6%.  Conversely, only 20% of buyers’ agents felt that a staged home would increase the value by 6%.  All of which leads us to…

Should you stage your home? 

If the home is vacant, then it is well worth the $675 it will likely cost to stage your home.  81% of buyers’ agents say that it is easier to visualize the property as a future home.  In addition, 46% of agents say that a potential buyer is more willing to walk through a home viewed online.  Why is this key? 90% of all home searches begin online.

Price point is also important.  With a tight housing market (especially in the $250,000-$350,000 first time home buyer range), it is less important to stage your home than it is to make sure that your home is tidy and clean. Dirty dishes in the sink can be a turn-off to a potential buyer and generally are considered a bad idea. Dirty clothes belong in a hamper. Many buyers can look past clutter and eclectic furniture, but they have a harder time looking past dirt.

Drag out those old board games!

As I mentioned in my post yesterday about 54 Hahnemann (listed @ $819,000 by Beth Braby w/ Terra Firma Global Partners), I absolutely loved the staging by Jodie Perry-Zimmerman. It made the home sing and it showed really well.  It’s the type of home that most of us agents absolutely love to see.  With so many cookie cutter homes on the market it was great to see a home sparkle. One of my favorite tricks that she used was to find old board games that have been turned into prints:Perhaps you’ve seen this before; I haven’t and so I found it extremely refreshing.  It provides a different kind of color and changes the overall environment. Although it’s my understanding that these “prints” can be purchased, why bother? This is a great way to repurpose the boxes from old board games while making a game room come alive with something unique. For more information about Napa Valley Home Staging, check out their website.