Kamis, 28 Februari 2008

BUILDERS... FINISH PAINTING THE PICTURE TO SELL YOUR MASTERPIECES

When the real estate market was hot, the practice of tearing down small outdated houses to build modern new homes was a popular practice taking place all over the USA. In some communities the resulting homes, that grew on the land where a small and ordinary once sat, were grand masterpiece properties. Builders learned that if they bought small tear-downs and built large luxury homes they could make more on the deal. But like anything else, once the good idea got out… it didn’t take long for other builders to follow. So to remain competitive, even when the market was good, builders added more luxury features, finishes and amenities to these new grand properties.

But remember what I said about a good idea? It didn’t take long for competing builders to add similar features and elements to the homes they built nearby. The result was a rash of new upscale properties that were more alike then different… at least to the eye of the buyer. When the market was good, this wasn’t much of a problem, for even the grandest of homes were selling. But now the market has taken its down turn, and builders need to find new ways get a buyer interested in these luxury properties they are still trying to sell.

(Click HERE if the embedded video show does not appear above.)

So what can builders do to differentiate their homes from the other competing properties in the area? Well, they can start by watching the video show above. Then they can do basically what has been done by larger developers for years. Developers learned long ago that selling a home was not only about the quality of construction and the physical “brick and mortar”. Selling is also about how easily and deeply the vision of living in the home connected with the buyer. The model home painted a picture of what life could be like living in the new home.

For developers, who build multiple versions of the same home, it’s easy to justify the investment it takes to create a lush-n-lovely well appointed model life. But what about the small independent builder? How can they paint a similar picture that emotionally connects with their potential buyers? Well, until recently the independent builders had no options, they just waited for buyers with “vision” who could see and feel their lives lived in the home.

However, today real estate staging changes all that. Staging brings the benefits of model merchandising to the smaller independent builder at an extremely affordable rate. Model home staging, when done well and done right, enhances the beauty and grandeur the builder built into the home and adds just enough "life"so that a buyer can feel and emotionally connect (fall in love) with it on a deeper level.

Just another reason why and how home staging works…

Me

Rabu, 27 Februari 2008

Things are Heating Up

I wish I was talking about the weather heating up. It was cold today, never getting out of the teens. But it was pretty! The overnight snow really stuck to the tree and so I drove through Highland Park and grabbed a few shots.Real estate does seem to be heating up. Two weeks ago I lost a deal to multiple offers. There were three offers, including ours. That hasn't happened in a while. I talked to

Selasa, 26 Februari 2008

A Good Picture's Worth Thousands of Dollars

Yesterday, I wrote about some very bad photos in the Rochester MLS. Today, I'd like to provide a few tips to get your home ready to be photographed to put on the market.Looks are everything in today's real estate market. The current public watches tons of HG-TV and their expectations are often unrealistic. A colleague recently described the current Rochester market as a beauty contest. And just

Senin, 25 Februari 2008

A Picture is Worth a Thousand Words

A client I'm currently working with suggested that I put together a course to teach fellow Realtors how to photograph houses. The first thing that went through my mind was that he felt I need to supplement my income. After all, things are pretty slow. But this afternoon I took a hard look at some of the stuff that's in the MLS and they are just to funny not to share.This first gem is from a

Minggu, 24 Februari 2008

www.RochesterScoop.com

Every once in a while some one will ask me the web address for my real estate blog. I'd blush, say, "it's something like www .Rochester real estate.blog spot or something or other.com" and then make a joke about being very blond. Well, no more!No, I didn't dye my hair. I finally bought a domain name. It's easy to remember. http://www.RochesterScoop.com/! It's easy to tell your friends. http://

Ready to Write An Offer - 8 Big Questions To Answer

I've been working with a first-time home buyer for a couple of weeks now. We've been out 3 or 4 times to look at property and yesterday we went back to look at one a second time. He's really thinking that this might be the one.Choosing which property to purchase is a big decision. BUT, it is only ONE of many important decisions that come with buying a property. That is why I like to begin

Kamis, 21 Februari 2008

Why Start With Pre-Qualifying!

When I start working with new buyers I always encourage them to start the home search by calling the bank and get prequalified. The usual response is grumbling about how they know they have good credit. For some reason, most people just hate to start their search with a call to the bank.Today, I had my credit pulled to do a refinance of our home and boy did I have a big surprise. The loan officer

Senin, 18 Februari 2008

A Tale of Two Stages

Does this sound familiar? For home sellers it is the best of times, it is the worst of times, it is the age of wise choices, it is the age of foolish decisions, it is the age of sales success and the age of missed opportunities.

In short, it is an age where home sellers are beginning to realize that how their own "sales tale" plays out is more in their control then ever before. More and more know that if they want to sell their home they need to assume responsibility and take a proactive role in the sale. How? Well, besides just hiring a realtor, home sellers are beginning to understand that they must do all they can to make their homes look and be as appealing as possible.
In fact this blog tale is about two couple who did just this… they hired experienced professional that knew how to create the right appeal required to get buyers interested in their properties. What makes this tale more interesting is the fact that it took place during the worst real estate market in years and at the slowest time of the year... a cold and snowy Chicago December 2007.

Late last December, we here at Real Estaging received a call from two different Lincoln Park couples. Both wanted to hire a real estate stager to advise them as to what they could do to best prepare/merchandise the homes they were selling, yet still living in.

Each seller had different reasons why they wanted to hire a stager. The first couple (Home #1 -above) had not yet listed their home and they wanted to get it in tip top shape before they formally put it up for sale in the market. The second couple (Home #2 - below) unfortunately had had their home on the market over 6 months and were not getting ANY offers. This couple was tired and weary and really just wanted to get on with their lives.

So we here at Real Estaging stopped by and did what most real estate stagers do. We toured the property and gave the typical and predictable advice and suggestions (i.e. de-clutter, depersonalize, make repairs, clean up, thin out and rearrange the furniture). But while staging consulting advice as this is good and necessary, both homes still need more. It is "MORE" that makes this staging tale a bit different and helped make 2 prospective buyers respond in the favorable ways they did.

You see both these homes needed just a bit MORE in the way of furnishings and accessories (props). While bringing additional props into occupied homes is not a typical service offered by most home stagers, we here at Real Estaging have found that by adding a few key accessories a home can be given the final FINISHED look that influences buyers to make offers. We often find that adding the right props helps to: 1) Add visual appeal, 2) Tie the home together so that it has flow and continuity, and 3) Solves perplexing space issues. The red dots in both sets of pictures above marks the props we add in some of the rooms.

The first set of pictures (Home #1) is from a Lincoln Park real estate staging that got an offer just a few short hours after it had been toured by the very FIRST person to look at it after staging. For this property we loaned the sellers 45 props (furniture and accessories) to give the homes a finished and polished look. In particular we needed to replace a massive coffee table with a smaller one, bring in a kitchen table and 4 chairs (they did not own one) and replace "controversial" wall art with more understated art.

For the second home (Home #2) we added a little bit more. For this home we brought in about 50 items. One problem with the property was the fact that the fireplace had no visual appeal. It needed some accessories to add some visual interest to it. Also the wall, directly to the right of the fireplace had NO art on it. The massive 12 foot high wall was a big, blank and boring! We are proud to say, that after being on the market for 6 months, the sellers of this property finally received an offer just 1 week after we staged it.

So that is our tale of 2 stagings that ends happily for two Lincoln Park couples selling their homes. Both took a long hard look at the real estate age we are in and then did what was necessary to help them market their homes successfully. Each may now be saying... "It is a far, far better thing that I do, than I have ever done; it is a far, far better opportunity to move on now that I have staged than I have ever known." (Schmaltzy ending... but you get the point.)

Staging It Forward...

Me

A SPECIAL THANK-YOU GOES OUT TO THE REAL ESTATE TOMATO... for giving this post the coveted "Bon Jovi" award in the 80th Carnival of Real Estate.

Rabu, 13 Februari 2008

Sticky Situation

My husband is such a sweetheart, even when it's not Valentine's Week. Last night I was hard at work up in my office and he brought me up a mug of steaming hot chocolate. Isn't that sweet? Except as he was sitting it down and I was reaching for it, it somehow got bumped and, well, not a drop remained in the mug. Which means everything on my desk got covered in thick, gooey hot chocolate.So there

Senin, 11 Februari 2008

Most Expensive Offering in City of Rochester

The snow is blowing and the wind-chill is below zero tonight and so it's a good time to dream of living somewhere else. That is, until you look at the price of housing.One of Rochester's most magnificent homes, the Charlotte Whitney Allen Home on Oliver Street is currently on the market. The 6000 sq foot museum-quality mansion complete with gardens designed by renowned landscape designer Fletcher

Minggu, 10 Februari 2008

Houses Can Sell Quickly in Rochester, NY!

Much of the country is crying the real estate blues, but that is not really the case in Rochester, NY. If a house is sparkling clean, tastefully decorated and priced fairly, it will sell. Case in point, 32 Justinshire Drive, in Henrietta, NY.I listed this house early Thursday morning, had the first showing Friday morning and by suppertime that evening had a nice offer in hand. My sellers are

Kamis, 07 Februari 2008

New on the Market

Just listed a very nice raised ranch in Henrietta! With 1700 sq feet, it has 3 bedrooms, 1.5 bath modern kitchen, newer windows, attached garage and spectacular yard all for $129,900. Enjoy the photo tour or give me a call at 756-7457 to schedule a look!

Rabu, 06 Februari 2008

Market Glimpse

I was pleased to note that in the MLS today, there were more listings that went pending then expired. That wasn't the case many days in the later part of 2007. Today, 47 single family homes went pending. Average time on the market was 54 days, although I think that is high because of at least three listings on the market more than 200 days. Average list price was $106,048, with a range of

How Does Christie Brinkley Do It?

I have a whole new appreciation for super models like Christie Brinkley after this morning! You see, I spent this morning in a sleet and freezing rain storm with a light jacket on trying to look poised, happy and successful while a photographer from the Rochester Business Journal snapped away! I was recently interview by Mary Stone, their real estate reporter about the impact of the subprime

Minggu, 03 Februari 2008

Who Would You Vote For?

It's my birthday and so I'm taking the day off from real estate. And like much of the U.S., I'll spend my evening watching football!I know this is a real estate blog, but every once in a while I run across something so cool that has nothing to do with real estate that I want to share. And since I'm taking the day off, it seems like this is a good time to do just that.I don't know about the rest

Sabtu, 02 Februari 2008

Shadow! What Shadow?

According to media reports, the groundhog saw his shadow this morning and so we are in for six more weeks of winter. Impossible! It's so grey and gloomy out that my GPS system can't find a satellite signal and they're saying a groundhog found his shadow. It must be a conspiracy to slow down the local real estate market.Enjoy the perma-gray! It didn't slow down these ice fisherman on Conesus Lake.