The Importance of Setting the Scene: Staging a Home for Sale
The booming real estate market of 2006 has reached a cooling off point for most places around the United States, and for some it has gone cold. Now, more than ever, staging a home for sale can be the most important thing a seller can do. By following a few tips from the experts, a seller can increase the value of their house as well as reduce the length of time it is on the market.
Staging a home can mean the difference of thousands of dollars. The U.S. Housing and Urban Development reports that a staged home will for an average of 17 percent higher than an un-staged home. That means a house listed at $250,000 can see an increase of close to $43,000. And those who spent approximately $500 on staging increased their home’s value by an average of $1,715. Since most homeowners have difficulty seeing their house objectively, it may be beneficial to request help from friends, a realtor, or a staging professional.
Preparing the house for a showing can be a time consuming process, and research shows that the longer a house stays on the market the lower the selling price will be. Staging a house can mean the difference between weeks or months on the market. The New York Village Voice reported that the average number of days an un-staged home is on the market is 30.9 versus 13.9 for a staged home.
Increase Curb Appeal: The buyer’s first impression starts here
- Look for chipped paint, especially around the doors and trim, and touch up where needed.
- Always keep the yard mowed and edged.
- Add touches of color with plants and flowers, and keep garden areas manicured.
- Rent a power washer and clean surfaces like brick, siding, sidewalks, and driveways.
- Clear spider webs from entry ways, and make sure there is plenty of light.
Kitchens: The heart of a house
- De-clutter counter tops; find a cabinet to hide appliances and everyday items.
- Keep cabinets organized to make them look as large as possible.
- Remove personal items from the refrigerator, like drawings and pictures.
- Consider updating a few appliances; this can add a lot of value to the home.
- Make sure there is plenty of light.
- Clean all surfaces including grout, sinks, corners, and floors.
Living Rooms: Help the buyer picture their family here
- Consider the flow of the room and arrange furniture in a way that is functional and inviting. If you have too much furniture you may want to consider renting a storage space.
- Remove pictures and personal items.
- Bring the outside in by adding a plant or fresh flowers.
- Bring attention to wood floors by polishing them, and rent a steam cleaner to make the carpet look as new as possible.
Bathrooms: Clean should be the first thing on the buyers mind
- Clean all surfaces, especially grout.
- De-clutter cabinets making them look as large as possible. Consider buying organizers to hide personal products.
- Replace old faucets and fixtures. This can be a relatively inexpensive way to update the room.
- Always neutralize bathroom smells before a buyer arrives.
- Add coordinating towels and bathmats to detract from dated counter tops and tile.
- Replace light bulbs to brighten the sink area.
Bedrooms: Should be uncluttered and relaxing
- Organize the bedroom by arranging furniture in a way that makes the room seem comfortable and spacious. Remove unnecessary furniture items and store them in a storage unit.
- Make the bed look like it is in a hotel. Linens should be coordinating and clean.
- Remove pictures and personal items.
- Store unnecessary closet items to make closets appear as large as possible. Make sure closets have plenty of light.
- Consider repainting the room to a neutral tone if the color is bright.
Staging a home may be one of the most important things a seller can do for their home. Following the staging tips above can help ease the stress of selling a home, increase the homes value, and shorten the time on the market.Source: Free Articles by Ryan Pitylak
Saturday, October 31, 2009
Friday, October 30, 2009
Buyer's Market and Its Latest Trend by Flynna Sarah Molina
Real estate industry has been one of the volatile sectors in the economy. It is greatly affected with several issues that are hitting the global market. And this can be seen in the buyer's market latest trend. During the start of this year, the demands for realities have been slowing down. Thus, sellers are compelled to give reasonable discounts and lowered their prices to be able to survive in the sea of competition. As for buyers, this is the best time for them to make their investment.
Lenders have been rigid in giving out their credit approvals. This is simply due to the uncertainties happening in the economy. They are making sure that every buyer should have enough capability to completely pay off their loans. As for hopeful home buyers, they have a hard time materializing their plans of owning a house. Not all of them have the ability to produce instant cash to pay the sellers. Majority of these struggling home buyers will seek for financial assistance in most of their ventures.
This actual scenario made a domino effect to other areas in real estate sectors. Prices have gone down which caused the sellers to look for more ways to attract frustrated home buyers. They started to consider giving allowance or huge price adjustments. In fact, they even go as far as offering low ball prices just to eliminate their properties and not stay in the market for years. Breaking even has usually been their option in these times. All of such are favorable to the buyers.
Moreover, sellers resulted to doing major home improvements and other upgrades on their properties. In this way, their houses can be competent enough among others. They are conducting thorough research on how they can surpass the volatility of the trend. The sales of houses have significantly went down which brought various effect on lenders, buyers and sellers.
One of the major effects of the economic turmoil that boosted the buyer's market is that mortgage interest rates have been considerably lowered down to revive the drowning real estate market. Since the industry is already starting to lose its hope for recovery, there are organizations that remained hopeful in uplifting the sector by formulating several strategies. Lenders thought of giving incentive such as lowering the closing cost to entice new consumers avail their products.
With all these factors affecting all parts of the real estate sector, it is apparent the most of these cases are favorable to the buyer. Thus if you are having second thoughts about buying or investing in these times, now is a great time to do it. Grab every opportunity that is available since the trend of the buyer's market is unpredictable. But if you are yet on the verge of evaluating you financial capability, then better prepare everything you need before embarking into acquiring a house. Bear in mind that chances such as these are not always available for you, so think again and invest wisely!
Want to know more about real estate properties? Check these sites Ocean Beach Homes for Sale and Ocean Beach Real Estate information.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Flynna_Sarah_Molina
Lenders have been rigid in giving out their credit approvals. This is simply due to the uncertainties happening in the economy. They are making sure that every buyer should have enough capability to completely pay off their loans. As for hopeful home buyers, they have a hard time materializing their plans of owning a house. Not all of them have the ability to produce instant cash to pay the sellers. Majority of these struggling home buyers will seek for financial assistance in most of their ventures.
This actual scenario made a domino effect to other areas in real estate sectors. Prices have gone down which caused the sellers to look for more ways to attract frustrated home buyers. They started to consider giving allowance or huge price adjustments. In fact, they even go as far as offering low ball prices just to eliminate their properties and not stay in the market for years. Breaking even has usually been their option in these times. All of such are favorable to the buyers.
Moreover, sellers resulted to doing major home improvements and other upgrades on their properties. In this way, their houses can be competent enough among others. They are conducting thorough research on how they can surpass the volatility of the trend. The sales of houses have significantly went down which brought various effect on lenders, buyers and sellers.
One of the major effects of the economic turmoil that boosted the buyer's market is that mortgage interest rates have been considerably lowered down to revive the drowning real estate market. Since the industry is already starting to lose its hope for recovery, there are organizations that remained hopeful in uplifting the sector by formulating several strategies. Lenders thought of giving incentive such as lowering the closing cost to entice new consumers avail their products.
With all these factors affecting all parts of the real estate sector, it is apparent the most of these cases are favorable to the buyer. Thus if you are having second thoughts about buying or investing in these times, now is a great time to do it. Grab every opportunity that is available since the trend of the buyer's market is unpredictable. But if you are yet on the verge of evaluating you financial capability, then better prepare everything you need before embarking into acquiring a house. Bear in mind that chances such as these are not always available for you, so think again and invest wisely!
Want to know more about real estate properties? Check these sites Ocean Beach Homes for Sale and Ocean Beach Real Estate information.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Flynna_Sarah_Molina
Buying Real Estate In USA For Foreigners
If you want to buy real estate in USA, then your first steps will most likely be a bit tricky. While there's a big chance that you will find some wonderful deals in the US property market, there is also the chance that you may make some bad deals.
That shouldn?t stop you from investing, however. It should just make you more aware of the importance of due diligence. Below are the two most important things to consider.
How To Buy Real Estate In USA:
1. Always be conscious of the tax implications for foreign investors: Your choice to invest in US real estate will most likely depend on the amount of tax that you need to pay when purchasing the property. This includes property, capital gains, and transfer tax.
As a non-citizen of the US, there are certain tax implications that will be involved when you purchase real estate in USA - and additional ramifications when a foreigner sells property in the US.
It?s not all bad news though. You may also have tax breaks available to you. The US is doing its best to encourage foreign investment at this time especially given the tough economic climate.
The main thing you need to know about how to buy real estate in USA is exactly what your tax implications will be, good or bad. This will help you make a well informed bid, and keep your purchase in line with your budget.
2. Look at the local economy: When it comes to investing in US real estate, the local situation is more important than the overall one. Currently, pretty much every city in the USA has been affected by the recession, so your goal is to find one that is bucking the trend.
That means a decent economy, low crime and good schools. What?s even more important than the actual figures, is whether there?s been an increase or decrease in positive economic news compared to prior years. Basically, when looking at how to buy real estate in USA, look for a town that is poised for recovery, not sinking further into depression.
If you're looking for a good indicator of this, check out the number of people moving into the city. According to the National Association of Realtors, some of the hottest US markets for foreign investors are in Florida, Texas, Arizona and California.
If you keep these 2 things in mind when looking at how to buy real estate In USA, you?ll be able to avoid costly mistakes and make a well informed, and profitable long term investment.
That shouldn?t stop you from investing, however. It should just make you more aware of the importance of due diligence. Below are the two most important things to consider.
How To Buy Real Estate In USA:
1. Always be conscious of the tax implications for foreign investors: Your choice to invest in US real estate will most likely depend on the amount of tax that you need to pay when purchasing the property. This includes property, capital gains, and transfer tax.
As a non-citizen of the US, there are certain tax implications that will be involved when you purchase real estate in USA - and additional ramifications when a foreigner sells property in the US.
It?s not all bad news though. You may also have tax breaks available to you. The US is doing its best to encourage foreign investment at this time especially given the tough economic climate.
The main thing you need to know about how to buy real estate in USA is exactly what your tax implications will be, good or bad. This will help you make a well informed bid, and keep your purchase in line with your budget.
2. Look at the local economy: When it comes to investing in US real estate, the local situation is more important than the overall one. Currently, pretty much every city in the USA has been affected by the recession, so your goal is to find one that is bucking the trend.
That means a decent economy, low crime and good schools. What?s even more important than the actual figures, is whether there?s been an increase or decrease in positive economic news compared to prior years. Basically, when looking at how to buy real estate in USA, look for a town that is poised for recovery, not sinking further into depression.
If you're looking for a good indicator of this, check out the number of people moving into the city. According to the National Association of Realtors, some of the hottest US markets for foreign investors are in Florida, Texas, Arizona and California.
If you keep these 2 things in mind when looking at how to buy real estate In USA, you?ll be able to avoid costly mistakes and make a well informed, and profitable long term investment.
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