All About Grand Rapids Real Estate information & insights
Blog by Lola Audu
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Information about local real estate in Grand Rapids, Michigan & surrounding communities including Grandville, Wyoming, Jenison, Kentwood & Walker. Also, Lola Audu, CRS, an experienced Real Estate Broker shares insights and general wisdom about life and personal growth. Lola welcomes your thoughts & insights about the information shared on this Web Log. CategoriesSubscribeRecent CommentsLola, this is such a great summary of what so many... Can I use that ipod dance picture in my ... Thank you for your comment. Honesty is extre... No doubt this three point are good. but I would li... ArchiveFavorite LinksRealTown BlogsSite Feed |
All About Grand Rapids Real Estate information & insights
Jun. 4, 2008
Categorized in: Home Staging Tips
I have always found it mildly astonishing that homeowners who spend thousands of dollars in upgrades and improvements to their homes fail to invest time and effort in a few critical areas to ensure that their homes are perceived well in the eyes of potential buyers. Some homeowners might be surprised to find out how far a little money will go. Particularly when you put $500 against a backdrop of tens of thousands of dollars which are left on the table because a home does not sell or sells far below the listing price. Here are just a few Simple Things to Keep in Mind when you are showing your home to ensure it shows Sold! Show It!... In a competitive market, there are hundreds of homes vying for a buyer's attention. There are some homes which don't receive even ONE showing request in a 6 month period. When you place your home on the market, be prepared to SHOW IT. If you're not...WAIT, until you are. Yes, it may cost you a little in sleep and inconvenience, but in this market, if a real estate agent calls to show your home when there are 50 others like it...don't count on being given a second chance. Tip: Save time, money & frusteration by being AND staying ready to sell! Clean It! If you can't clean your home...hire someone else to do it for you. Why deduct Thousands of dollars from you life through a possible sale just because you can't or don't know how to clean a home. Buyers love the smell of 'clean' about as much as they like the smell of 'new.' A good new home cleaning crew will cost about $250...loss of a sale or a discount on a home on the market for over 6 months...15-20 percent of your initial asking price. Tip: Even if you don't hire a stager, do your own research. Visit Open Houses for local builders & show rooms of furniture stores to get ideas. Then visit a thrift shop to pick up accessories at rock bottom prices. Clear It! De-Cluttering is probably the single biggest thing that most homeowners can do fairly inexpensively to Show their Home Sold! Hire a storage unit...beg your friends to store stuff in their basement; whatever you have to do...get your stuff out! But, to clear your home most effectively will require going beyond the basics of clearing out excess furniture and belongings and neutralizing. Sometimes you need to do just a little more to be most effective... Tip: There are moving services which will store your stuff and then move it to your next home for one fee. Look into this sort of company for storing & moving to save money. Stage It! Hiring the Services of a professional stager to primp your home may be the best investment you can make in the home selling process. Staging does not need to be an exorbitant cost. In fact a good staging experience will probably save money by attracting more potential buyers or creating a better response to your home when it is shown. Think about this...What bank or investment fund would give this sort of potential return on your investment of $500? Where else could you put in $500 and enjoy living in a nice, clean well arranged environment with the potential of making it back fairly quickly by a Sale? Tip: Make sure your stager has been trained and certified. Ask to see pictures of homes they have staged and for references. A good stager is worth it! Good Staging will make you more money from your home sale! Copyright 2008 Audu Real Estate All Rights Reserved |
