| tart --> | | | | house to the standard for your price range and |
| "How can I sell my house for the most money in the | | | | improve the points where it is below standard. Have a |
| least time" is an even more important question in a | | | | look at the age of people who are moving in and out |
| buyer's market. 'Dressing' your house is the answer, | | | | of your neighborhood. Are they empty nesters looking |
| and it's something anybody can do. It's sometimes | | | | for a smaller home that is easy to maintain, young |
| called 'staging' or 'fluffing', but 'dressing' is a more | | | | couples with small children, or growing families looking |
| appropriate term. These techniques have been used | | | | for more living space? This will affect what features |
| by professionals for many years but information has | | | | your house should have. For example, people with |
| been surprisingly hard to come by for the layman. Here | | | | young children or empty nesters may want to use one |
| you'll learn the secrets and why they work. | | | | of the bedrooms as an office or den. |
| Many buyers think they'll be able to look past a poorly | | | | Asking Price - The best thing to do here is call an |
| decorated or empty house, but they do have a | | | | experienced realtor you can trust. They should be able |
| negative psychological effect on most people. Have | | | | to give you access to a comprehensive website such |
| you ever noticed that successful home builders | | | | as realtor.ca or mls.ca where you can conveniently do |
| always use a professionally decorated Model Home or | | | | your research. Most importantly they'll provide you with |
| Sales Suite? Buyers want to fall in love with their new | | | | a comprehensive Comparative Market Analysis to |
| home, and it's very hard to do that if it's cluttered, in | | | | help you establish the correct asking price. A |
| disrepair, out of style, or empty. | | | | Comparative Market Analysis will show you what |
| Every realtor knows that the longer a house is on the | | | | houses have sold for in your area and what features |
| market the lower the final selling price will be. 'Dressed' | | | | they had, as well as which homes are your |
| houses sell twice as fast as 'non-dressed' houses. A | | | | competition. |
| survey in California of 2,772 homes showed the | | | | The time to dress your house is before you do |
| average number of days on the market for | | | | anything else, before you ask your realtor to come |
| non-dressed houses was 30.9, while dressed houses | | | | over and certainly before any pictures are taken. Your |
| sold in 13.8 days. | | | | house has to look its best on your realtor's website. |
| Phenomenal Return On Investment | | | | Having your house already dressed will affect the |
| Some of these techniques involve spending a little | | | | recommended asking price. |
| money, and many people have a psychological block | | | | Imagine Yourself Living Here People need to be able |
| against spending money on something they won't get | | | | to picture themselves living in your house, and you |
| to enjoy. But when you look at the Return On | | | | make it more difficult if you have personal photos on |
| Investment (ROI) you'll realize this may be the best | | | | display, your collections, and any personal items at all. |
| investment you'll ever make. Research shows that | | | | Remove yourself completely from the equation. |
| houses that have been 'dressed', sell for more money, | | | | TAKING ACTION |
| and the higher selling price more than makes up for the | | | | Take Pictures Before Dressing Your Home - The first |
| investment. | | | | step in dressing your home is to get hold of a digital |
| Statistics from the National Association of Realtors | | | | camera and take pictures of every room in your |
| show that the optimal amount to spend on 'dressing' | | | | house from every angle, including what prospective |
| your house is between 1 and 3% of the home's value, | | | | buyers would see if they pulled up in front of your |
| and it brings in an average Return On Investment of | | | | place right now, before it's dressed. Then after leaving |
| between 8 and 10% in increased selling price. So if | | | | them for 3 or 4 days, take them to a nearby coffee |
| your house is worth $300,000, then investing between | | | | shop. This is important. Leaving them for a while and |
| $3,000 and $9,000 will return an average of $24,000 to | | | | viewing them off your premises is the only way to |
| $30,000 in increased selling price. | | | | ensure you'll be looking at them objectively, seeing your |
| Even if you look at a less than average possible | | | | house as prospective buyers would be seeing it. Don't |
| scenario - if you invest $3,000 and get a return of | | | | confuse this exercise with your final photography |
| $24,000 in 5 weeks, you've received a net profit of 7 | | | | session. This is the 'before' set of pictures that only |
| times your investment. That's a Return On Investment | | | | you will see. The photos you use for selling your home |
| of more than 4,200% on an annual basis. It's difficult if | | | | will be taken after all your dressing has been done. |
| not impossible for most people to find another | | | | The Best Bang For Your Buck - The cheapest things |
| investment with that rate of return. | | | | you can do that bring the most Return On Investment |
| The key to making your home irresistible is this: "Once | | | | are: |
| you decide to sell, you have to understand that this is | | | | |
| no longer your home. It has turned into a great | | | | 1. Lighten and brighten |
| opportunity to make thousands of dollars in extra cash. | | | | 2. Clean and de-clutter |
| YOUR home is waiting for you somewhere else." | | | | 3. Landscape and yard work |
| UNDERSTANDING THE PSYCHOLOGY OF HOME | | | | 4. Repair electrical and plumbing |
| BUYERS | | | | Curb Appeal - The most important place to scrutinize |
| Dressing your house is about understanding and | | | | is the outside front of your house. This is not only what |
| appealing to the psychology of home buyers. They | | | | prospective buyers see first when they drive up, or |
| want a home that's bigger, maintenance free, and a | | | | drive by, it's also going to be what people see on real |
| step up in class from the home they're living in now. | | | | estate websites. You want people to look at the photo |
| And they need to be able to picture themselves living | | | | of the front of your home and say "What a nice |
| there. | | | | looking home. Let's see what the inside is like." Large |
| Making your house look bigger There are a few simple | | | | flower pots, small shrubs, and hanging plants on the |
| techniques you can use to increase the perceived size | | | | outside can increase your home's curb appeal |
| of even smaller homes: | | | | tremendously. |
| - Leave an absolute minimum of furniture and wall | | | | In The Kitchen - The next most important places to |
| hangings, perhaps half of what you have now, and put | | | | improve are the kitchen and the bathroom, because |
| the rest in storage. You may think the rooms look | | | | that's where new owners will be spending most of |
| empty but leave them for a few days and see if you | | | | their time. New cupboard handles and hinges, or a |
| get used to them. Although you may be proud of your | | | | granite countertop can make a huge difference in the |
| furniture you'll be more proud of selling your house | | | | luxury appeal of both your kitchen and bathroom. If |
| quickly for the right price. | | | | you have small kitchen appliances on the counters, first |
| - Make it completely free of small items and clutter | | | | put away the ones you hardly ever use. Then buy |
| such as magazine racks, small plants, stools, garbage | | | | new ones for all the rest. Of course you take them |
| containers, umbrella stands, shoe racks, CD racks, and | | | | with you when you move. Put half of the things that |
| throw rugs. | | | | are in your cupboards in storage, and buy small cans |
| - Use large accessories such as cushions, table lamps | | | | and packages of food to make the cupboards feel |
| and flower pots. | | | | larger. Be sure to buy a new shower curtain for the |
| - Turn on all the lights, open all the curtains. | | | | bathroom. |
| - Add a coat of off-white paint. If you need to, consult | | | | Entry Way - The next most important area of your |
| a professional with help on colors. | | | | home is the entry way. Here again, it's about making a |
| Giving the impression of a maintenance-free home | | | | good first impression. If you do that, there is a much |
| - Upgrade electrical switches, plug-ins, lighting and | | | | better chance that buyers will be sold on your place |
| plumbing fixtures to give the impression that your wiring | | | | before they even see the bedrooms or basement. |
| and plumbing are up to date and will be maintenance | | | | The front door is important because it is the focal point |
| free. | | | | of the front of your house. Replacing or painting it with |
| - Make your home spotlessly clean. People naturally | | | | a touch of class would probably be a money making |
| feel that if the surfaces of a house are well | | | | investment. |
| maintained, things below the surface are in the same | | | | Make a Budget - Look at what projects around your |
| good condition. A clean house also feels more | | | | house need to be done, such as remodeling or |
| comfortable. Be sure to hide all your cleaning materials. | | | | repainting. Set deadlines and budgets and plan how |
| Having them visible just reminds people about doing | | | | you will meet them. The cost and time required for |
| chores. | | | | each will help you to decide on which order they |
| Gaining a competitive edge with style and features | | | | should be tackled, and if you need to get help or hire a |
| Every house in your price range is your competition. | | | | professional. |
| The first step in gaining a competitive edge is research. | | | | Avoid Hidden Deal Breakers - Most people don't know |
| You need to find out what style should your house be, | | | | the smell of their own place. Either you aren't sensitive |
| what features should it have, and how much you | | | | to smell or you simply get used to it. It's very difficult to |
| should ask. | | | | be objective about the smell of your house. The best |
| Style - When most people are buying a new home | | | | thing to do is invite a neighbor or a friend you can trust |
| they want to take a step up in class. If your house is | | | | to come over, and be sure to stress that they must |
| just as ordinary looking as their current one why should | | | | be brutally honest. Then don't just cover up the smells, |
| they buy it? They are looking for a home they can be | | | | get rid of their root causes. There are service |
| proud of. To find out what current house decorating | | | | providers that specialize in getting rid of odors in |
| trends are, look through magazines like Better Homes | | | | homes. Be sure not to put a potpourri out before a |
| and Gardens. Look particularly at what colors they use. | | | | viewing. These days so many people have allergies or |
| Of course you want to stick to soft neutral colors in | | | | are sensitive to strong odors that you will most likely |
| general but also look at the accent colors. Fancy | | | | be doing more harm than good. |
| cushions give the appearance of luxury. You can buy | | | | Last Minute Touches That Really Sell - Before |
| large pillows for your sofa in the latest colors. Put a slip | | | | someone views your home open all the windows for |
| cover on your old sofa if it is out of style. | | | | 20 minutes to bring in some fresh air. Even if you don't |
| Make sure none of the rooms in your house have | | | | have a smelly place it will be good to get rid of any |
| been decorated in a particular theme. Themes appeal | | | | stuffy feeling. If you like you can bake cookies or |
| only to a very limited percentage of the population and | | | | squeeze some lemons. Both are appealing natural |
| in order to make your home sell it needs to appeal to | | | | smells. Fresh flowers are always a nice touch. Play |
| the most possible buyers. Paint any rooms that need it | | | | soft FM music at low volume. |
| with soft warm colors, not bright white. You want your | | | | In my next article I get into the specifics of exactly |
| house to feel comfortable, not stark or institutional. | | | | how to accomplish all your 'house dressing' tasks - |
| Features - What are your house's advantages and | | | | room by room and item by item. Then we'll get into |
| disadvantages over other houses for sale in your | | | | dressing special properties such as vacation homes, |
| area? Dressing your house is about highlighting the | | | | rental properties, vacant homes, and talk about flipping |
| positives and minimizing the negatives. Compare your | | | | homes. |