Flaccid and Limp in the Bedroom? Not a good look.

Yeah - yeah - got your attention . . . but really where was YOUR mind going?  I was talking about AIR BEDS - of course.  For home staging, this has been an item some use instead of real mattresses in Staged bedrooms.

For those who use blow up beds, ever had one deflate on you after you left?  (One key reason why we need to check on our Staging to make sure things still look good!). 

What an embarrassing call THAT is. . .  "Um, Hello?" "Yes" - "This is ____ - and well, the bedroom bed looks sort of funny - and limp."  Uh oh!  A leak, a hole, or an improperly screwed on sealer - and you have "Flaccid Bed Syndrome!"

We had this happen too many times - getting calls from sellers or agents letting us know our air mattress had sprung a leak and bed was flat.  This is why we switched to real mattresses.   

If you use air mattresses, to get rid of Flaccid Bed Syndrome - use these simple tips.

1.  Blow the mattress up first when you get to the house so that you can check on it while there and make sure it is still firm when you leave.

2. When deflating a bed for de-staging, be careful not to crimp the mattress to hard to where it might create a hole.

3.  Store air beds in boxes when not in use so that in storage they are not susceptible to being poked or damaged by other items in your storage or warehouse.

4.  If you are unsure about the condition of a mattress, bring a back-up.  Remember - "I am not going back" is the motto.

5.  Put a note on the bed if you feel that the public might sit on the beds or damage them.   Personally I don't put notes on the bed telling people to keep off or that it's just a prop, but it's not a bad idea.

6. Consider using real mattresses or two box springs stacked together in a bedroom.  Yes the storage factor can be an issue, but you will not be constantly having to replace deflated beds that have a negative impact on buyers, and your ultimate reputation.

When is the Best Time to Sell Your House?

When is the Best Time to Sell Your House?

It’s a new year and blog sites and the internet are full of advice from Realtors and other professionals that serve that industry giving advice to prospective home sellers.

According to some, the best time to sell a house is in the Spring when the market picks up.  While others share that the best time is now when there is less competition as Buyers are out all year long.  They focus on activity and price peaks which are both worthy considerations.

 

However, I am taking a different tactic here – in my opinion,

the BEST time to Sell Your House is . . . .

 

When it’s STAGED and READY TO SHOW!!!

You can put a house at the peak months, during the winter, when it’s slower, when it’s swift, in an increasing market, in a declining market, and unless the house is ready for Buyers to see it, the goal of Selling in the shortest time will not be met!

 

Think about these 3 key points:

1. Staging is a Listing tool for Realtors.

When a Realtor includes Staging as a key to marketing the property and lets the client know they believe in presenting the house the best way to the public and Buyers, this resonates with the Seller who wants EVERY tool available to them to get a successful sale and maximize their equity. And Realtors that are reading this – when you include Staging as part of your Listing Package you will get more business.

 

2.  Staging is a Marketing tool for Realtors and the House.

When the house is on the market, Staging helps differentiate that property from many other houses that are not Staged and prepared for sale.  This means it gains an edge over the competition.  The Listing Agent will also stand out from the crowd of Realtors who don’t incorporate Staging – and because the house WILL sell faster and at the best price when it’s Staged, this agent will develop a great reputation for getting the job done and for presenting a great product to market.  A Staged house sells up to 5 times faster than the un-Staged competition.

 

3.  Staging is a Financial tool for Realtors and Sellers.

It’s a fact that Staging will help a house sell at the best price – statistics that have been tracked for years prove this over and over.  When the house sells at the best price versus being reduced in price, the Realtor makes more commission, and the Seller keeps more equity.  National Association of Realtors shared recently that the average price reduction is now 15% - that is a lot of equity to possibly risk losing versus investing in Staging a property.

 

So when is the best time to put your house on the market?  When it’s ready for the buying public to come through.  Don’t put your house on the market until it’s Staged and ready to show – that means in photos, virtual tours and in person!

For help getting your property or listing in the greater Denver region in show-ready condition contact Jennie Norris, 303-717-7918 or 888-93-STAGE.  www.SensationalHome.com.  Over 3,000 houses Staged since 2002.

Top 10 Tips for Packaging Your House to Sell During the Holidays

Top 10 Tips for Packaging Your House to Sell During the Holidays

By Jennie Norris, ASPM®, IAHSP-Premier®, ASP®-SRS, ASP®-REO,. ASP®-BTS
Accredited Staging Professional Master®, ASP®-Senior Relocation Specialist, ASP®-REO Property Specialist, and ASP® Buyer Trends Specialist

Owner, Sensational Home Staging – Denver Region’s Premier Home Staging Resource

The holidays are just around the corner and many Realtors will tell you that the last quarter of the year is often their best for closing sales. Homeowners might think that it’s best to wait until the start of next year to put their house on the market and yet the last couple of months of the year are a good time to sell because there is less inventory and more serious buyers, and tax benefits as well.

If you are contemplating Selling in November and December here are some key tips to keep in mind:

1. Get a Staging Professional 3rd Party Opinion.

A Stager is not tied to the sale of the house and what is shared is received as truly objective. A professional Stager is going to be honest about any changes that need to be done in the house from simply packing up excess to painting, updating, and rearranging. They will create a specific plan of action and are available to help the seller implement it if needed. If you are a Realtor® having a Stager interface with your Sellers will save you time and energy and allow you to focus on what you do best – getting more business.

2. Fall warm décor is always a good visual.

The warm tone colors of the gourds, cornucopias, and fall leaves are always a nice addition to a home. Just remember “less is more” – so have one centerpiece on a table that is the highlight and keep all the smaller décor additions packed this year. A nice seasonal wreath on the door is nice, and warm snuggly throws on a couple of pieces of furniture add a layer of texture and visual appeal. Just because it’s cold outside does not mean it has to feel cold inside.



3. Keep holiday décor to a minimum.

This cannot be the year you pull all your treasured décor and holiday collections out and display it throughout the house. The items might be wonderful to you but to a potential buyer they are a distraction either because the buyer will be looking at all your holiday treasures and not your house, or they will be hiding some key selling feature like a fire place mantel or countertop. Remember not to put out anything that identifies your family – children’s names should never be on display which means maybe this year you wait to hang your stockings until Christmas Eve.

 
4. Not everyone celebrates your holidays.

We want the house to appeal to ALL buyers. If you know 100% that the buyer for your house is your same faith and will celebrate the exact same way you do then by all means leave all your items out. Fact is none of us know who the buyer is going to be until it happens. Don’t give them any reason not to buy YOUR house. There are many faiths out there so whatever yours is you need to eliminate it from the buying equation. Otherwise it can be uncomfortable for a buyer who is viewing all your personal faith items, and they might have a bias against faiths not their own, so putting your things away for a short period of time will help your house sell.

5. Christmas trees need to be in a good spot.

If you are determined to put a tree up for Christmas think location, location, location. Maybe you usually place it in a prominent area of your house but now that you are selling that tree will be a visual and physical block for buyers. Make sure that it is not blocking a real selling feature such as a view window or access to your backyard. Remember not to put any ornaments out that are treasures to you – as anything that is out on display is at risk of damage or loss.

6. Wreaths, Poinsettias and twinkly lights are good décor options.

A wreath on the door that is simple and elegant is a good idea. Poinsettias by the front door or displayed on a table to add color are a nice touch. Twinkly lights on outdoor trees and a few touches inside add that winter sparkle. Just remember less is more. Have only one or two on display because there is a point where an item goes from adding a highlight of color to a buyer’s experience to becoming a visual distraction.

7. No presents under the tree early.

Presents should not be wrapped and put under the tree early as anything that is left out is at risk of damage or loss. Wait until a couple of nights before Christmas to put those out. They take up visual space for the floor which is the selling feature and the fact is you will have people you don’t know touring your house. As careful as Realtors are to ensure the security of a seller’s things, stuff happens. Be proactive and don’t become a victim.

8. Keep your yard cheerful.

The weather is turning colder and in many parts of the country snow will soon cover the ground. Trees are bare and there is a lack of curb appeal with color in most yards. A seller needs to help this situation out by adding color with annuals that like the cold and other splashes of color. Pansies, primroses, and kale are all cold hearty annuals. Pine boughs with pinecones and red berries are a nice seasonal touch. Put a few pots of these outside by the front door, by the mailbox and at the corner of your walkway to add some color. Certain berry bush varieties also do well in the cold and add a nice splash of red to the landscape. And remember the twinkly white lights add a little sparkle too. Any lights should be tasteful and not overdone to the point of distraction with either cords hanging in odd or dangerous spots, or are visually distracting.

9. Remove ice from walkways, decks, porches and steps.

If you live in an area where it gets icy you need to stay on top of your walkways and yard to eliminate slipping hazards. The last thing you need is for some buyer to slip as they are viewing your house as that could lead to potential financial and legal issues. There are easy solutions for staying on top of the icing issue from salting the ice to scraping it. Remember it’s a temporary inconvenience to help your house sell.

10. Keep your house at a comfy temperature.

Keep your house at a comfortable temperature so that buyers will linger and really look around. Buyers don’t want to walk around long if the house feels like an igloo. You might not mind walking around in a knit hat and winter coat, but cold houses are unappealing to buyers. Remind yourself that the heating is for a short period of time in the grand scheme of things. Even if you are not home during the day, keep the heater on and set at a reasonable temperature (68-70 degrees) so that any potential buyers are welcomed with warmth. If you are selling a vacant house it has to be kept warm as well physically and visually - with heating and Staging.

Come up with a plan of action for selling your house by working with your REALTOR® on a key strategy to get maximum exposure for your property. Follow the tips above knowing the goal is to help YOU sell your house in the shortest time and at the best price before year’s end.

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For help in the Denver region getting your house or listing Staged and ready to show, contact Jennie Norris at 888-93-STAGE, 303-717-7918 or www.SensationalHome.com. Licensed, Accredited & Insured. Over 3,000 houses Staged since 2002.

Staging with a Goldilocks Focus - by Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP - Sensational Home Staging

Staging with a Goldilocks Focus

A childhood favorite, Goldilocks and the Three Bears, is a fairy tale known by most everyone. Goldilocks is the girl that enters the house that belongs to the Three Bears and proceeds to take a test drive on everything from food, chairs to beds. She would not settle on what she liked until it was, Just right.

Think about it – this fairy tale is a great analogy for Selling a house – and for Staging. Goldilocks is our Buyer, the Three Bears are the Seller and each one has a different Stager that worked for them.  We have to make sure our Staging is Just Right.  Not too much and not to little. We need to have a Goldilocks focus on our Staging to do just what is necessary to sell the house.

This means as a Stager we have to know when to stop adding things to the Staging – because if we bring out too much and put it in the house, even though it may look nice our Staging has crossed over to decorating. We have to ask ourselves constantly, Is this item really necessary to the sale of the house?

We can’t bring out too little because then the Staging is too stark and will not bring out the warmth of the house and make it feel homey to a Buyer.

Staging is subjective and we each develop our own style where one Stager may like to put more accessories in and another may be more streamlined, and yet we cannot lose sight of the goal.

In my ten years as a professional Home Stager I have seen both done – the stark Staging where someone plops a few pieces of furniture in some rooms and hangs a picture or two and calls it a day, to the Staging where there is so much in the house the Staging itself distracts from the Buyer being able to focus on the product – the house and floor-plan. The overdone houses can sell – and yet I wonder what the Stager is selling when they put so much in the house. In my opinion they have gone from working for the Seller to working for their ego – thinking that every house they Stage must look like a page out of House Beautiful magazine.

The THREE BEARS of Staging:

Papa Bear - This Staging has too much

Mama Bear - This Staging is too little

Baby Bear - This Staging is just right

We need to be objective about our own work – and stand back and ask ourselves, “Where does my eye go?” If it goes to all the fabulous stuff in the room or to a particular object – then guess what? You probably need to take some of the things out so that a Buyer can take it all in as a whole – the room. Staging is a tool used to help set off the product – the house – and should not be THE focus of the room. I don’t profess to be a judge and jury – we need to be able to assess our own work honestly – and not over or under Stage.

Who do we work for? The Seller, Realtor and Buyer.

What is our goal? To sell the house.

Don’t get me wrong. Our reputations are important. Every house we Stage we are putting our stamp of approval on it and we want it to look good. However, I have said this many times – my goal as the Stager is to help the house sell in the fastest time and at the best price. The goal is to sell the house – not make the house look pretty. Does that make sense? I feel that some in today’s Staging world have that flipped. Their goal is to make the house look pretty – and have lost the focus on selling the house – and instead get wrapped up in a decorating or design mentality instead of keeping their Staging hat on.

As an example, I was called to do a preview on a vacant property that had been on the market for a year, then off the market and rented, and then put back on the market for some time before the sellers finally agreed to Stage the house. They interviewed five Home Stagers, including me. When I met with the Seller at the house, I asked some key questions about their goals relative to the Staging. I could tell the key selling point of this house were the amazing views out the back of the house. I was selected to do the Staging because I met the budget, and the Sellers liked me. The Realtor that had the listing said to me, You did not put as much stuff in the house as this other Stager would have. And I replied, I did not have to. The house got an offer in 10 days after I completed the Staging. I did my job – the house sold. This other Stager wanted a 90 day minimum rental, and very high fees that did not meet the Seller’s budget because she had to create a certain look in the house. She was all about her inventory and her ego versus what was really needed to sell the house, and what was needed to meet her client’s needs.

Could I have put more in? Of course – there is always more I could put in a house – the key to Staging is knowing when to stop. I focused on the product – the house and floor plan – and Staged accordingly so that when Buyers came in they saw color and groupings of furniture, but also were able to focus on that view!

Next time you are Staging – ask yourself, Is this _____ really important to the look of this room or to the Staging or is it excess and could I use it in my next Staging?  Be honest. This may save you from having to purchase or rent something for the next house.

We don’t want our porridge too hot or too cold. We don’t want the chairs too big or too small. We don’t want our beds too hard to too soft. We don’t want our Staging to be overdone or too minimal.

We want things Just Right.

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For help selling your house or listing in the greater Denver area, give Jennie a call.  (303)717-7918.  She knows what to do to sell the house - and not over or under do the presentation with Staging.  www.SensationalHome.com

Stagers are not Salvage Companies - Stop Calling us to Get Your Old Stuff

I am going to rant a bit here – I got a call yesterday from some homeowner that has been storing their furniture and has decided it costs too much to do that so now wants to sell it off. In her words, “Our stuff is too good to just give away so I am hoping we can make a deal.”  In fact I have received this same type of call many times over the past 10 years.


As a Stager why is that people think that we are a repository for their rejected furniture items or things they feel are "too good" to “give away” or donate? I know that once in a while a Stager might acquire an inventory piece from a homeowner, but for the most part, what they are rejecting is not anything we could use. Is it the TV shows that are confusing people or just that they do not get our industry? Yes we can use what a homeowner has when Staging a house – and yet for vacant houses where we are in charge of the look, we are going to create a more modern look and color palette than using Grandma’s antique furniture and doilies as accents.


I had another person contact me because he had been an investor and had all this, in his words, “Wonderful furniture that is top of the line.” I took time to go check it out. I wanted to say, “Hey mister, 1980’s called and they want their chunky white wood with gold trim coffee and end tables back.” I did not – I was honest and said I could not use most of what he had – dated, dusty, heavy. But it annoyed me that I not only wasted my time, but that he thought I could use any of his stuff!


For all you homeowners that would like to unload your things and “get a good price” – here is a news flash: We don’t want your stuff! That may sound mean but even I have to sell my stuff at garage sales when I am done with it – and you know what? I don’t get the price I want for it either – but I am happy to be rid of it. Unless your stuff falls into the following categories, go ahead and put it on Craig’s List or post those neighborhood sale signs:


1. The style of whatever you are unloading is up to date – traditional - transitional to modern. Whatever the trends are for TODAY – not 20 years ago. Whatever I use for Staging must be able to be used in the houses I Stage for today’s buyers – clean lines, not fussy.


2. Your furniture is CLEAN and in new or like-condition. This means Fido cannot have chewed the legs or Fluffy cannot have used the side and back as a personal scratching pad. Forget kids stains and food stains. There is a reason we tell you to remove those pieces for Staging as buyers don’t want to look at that either. Telling me I can just put an accent pillow over the cigarette burn is not going to work for me.


3. Your furniture is a neutral color/fabric. Yes you loved the floral printed sofa but Stagers, not so much. Why do you think we invest in slip covers? There are exceptions but if I am going to use something with color it is not going to be your mauve sofa or hunter green lazy-boy recliner.


4. Your furniture is light-weight and easily moved from house to truck. You may have invested in that hide-a-bed to help create more space for guests but we don’t want to get a hernia moving your sofa around from house to house. If I cannot lift it with one other person, it’s off the list.


5. Your artwork is something I can use in any house for sale. You loved the print of Yoda from Star Wars and paid a lot of money for it – but guess what? It is not going to work in a house for sale today. That also goes for any Thomas Kincaid, Monet framed in brass, or other old wood framed “collectible” you’ve been toting around for years. Today’s art must reflect the style and colors buyers are looking for – and that is why most Stagers weed through their artwork annually and eliminate anything that has not gone to the show or is no longer useful.


6. Your accent décor has to be useful. I don’t want your dusty silk plants that you dragged off your cupboards. Or your old dusty silk tree with lights on it. Same can be said for your old roosters that you collected back when that was the fad. If you haven’t noticed, with Staging we have a saying, “Less is more” so I want less of your used items and more of what will “pop” for Staging and make a statement. I am constantly turning over my accessory stash because things get dated or damaged.


Do you get the point? It’s not that we don’t appreciate you thinking of us – but please be realistic about what we do. We are not the Sanford & Son's of Staging – salvaging your junk because we are desperate for something to stick in a house. Not only that – do you realize that if I have large pieces I have to pay to store and move those items – so I don’t want to be storing items that will be used once in a while – they have to be on rotation constantly.

I cannot speak for ALL Stagers and I am sure there are those that would be happy to acquire your things for “a good price” – but for me – I would rather invest in a piece that is going to pay me back many times over. That’s smart business strategy.


In the future, please spare me the calls to come rescue your furniture and decor that is “too good to give away” – just put your Craig’s List ad together,have a garage sale, and be happy that you are free from storing all that stuff – and use the money to buy some new things. I CAN help you with that – so call me when you are out with the old and ready to bring in the new – I would be happy to help you.

15 Ways to NOT Sell Your House: Real Life Stories about Real Sellers that Really Did not Want to Sell

15 Ways to NOT Sell Your House: Real Life Stories about Real Sellers that Really Did not Want to Sell

by Jennie Norris, ASP Master, IAHSP – Owner, Sensational Home Staging

If your house is on the market and you do not want it to sell – here are some tips you should consider.

1. Keep all your personal stuff out in plain sight. Clutter makes buyers feel right at home and hides all the real selling features of your house. They will probably layer up their counters and floors with stuff so just let the Buyer see how the house will look when they live in it too.

REAL STORY: This was one of my clients known as Dr. Bill. He had papers strewn all over his floors, coming out of tubs, down hallways, all over the counters. It was incredible! This was a bedroom but you cannot tell by the photo.


2. With area rugs more is better! Hide the hardwood or tile floors throughout your house with area rugs – and do not worry if they do not match. Letting the buyers hop-scotch from one rug to the next is FUN!

REAL STORY: What is it with homeowners that put a million area rugs all over. If you do not want your wood floors, put in carpet! This particular seller had 38 rugs in her house – all sizes (I counted).

3. Make sure to keep oddities and strange thing out. It gives buyers something to talk about and remember your house by recalling that item. Forget all the selling features you want them to remember your collectible. Killed a moose in the wild with your son? Great – keep that up on the wall with the large eyeballs following Buyers through the house. Even better, hang the photos of your hunting expedition right under the moose head so they are sure to get the full story.

REAL STORY: This was a treasure that I found in a high-end house owned by a doctor. Proudly on display at the entrance of the house in a niche, they could not understand why buyers would not appreciate the Jack-a-phes-a-lope.

4. Do not put any of your personal artwork away. If you have ones that are nudes that’s even better. That will tell Buyers that you are free and easy and do not care about pretenses and are super comfortable with yourselves.

REAL STORY: This is a painting that hung in the formal dining room of a very high-end house. If you look closely enough you get too much of a view. The seller had listed the house and it had not sold (surprise!). The painting ended up leaving the dining room and a tasteful fruit bowl painting was put in its place.

5. Keep all your family photos out so that Buyers can really get to know who you are. Your young children that go to school down the street will be recognizable by anyone seeing your house in person and online and it is a great way for your kids to gain new adult friends!

REAL STORY: I had a client protest having to put away all her kid’s photos. She said, “They are so cute, I do not want to pack them up.” Too many family photos give buyers too much information about you, your family, your interests, your background. No one should be able to determine that much personal information about a seller.

6. Do not make your beds or clean up when Buyers are coming. They have seen dirt and unmade beds before and if this is how you live they can either like it or go to the next house.  And if your house is smelly on top of dirty, that is an added bonus!

REAL STORY: This was a client that was too busy to be bothered to make the bed. Anyone that is in the business has seen this – do they not know Buyers are coming through? Yes, I’d much rather look at your unmade, rumpled bed and clothes on the floor.

7. Do not paint any of your walls – the colors you like have to be appealing to everyone. Darker colors you painted will make your rooms feel small – which actually means, cozy, right? Darker colors are good for mood lighting – after all who wants to see all the features of a room?

REAL STORY: This client thought the purple walls were “fun” and the fact that she had accented the walls with bedding in all hues of purple made it better.

8. Wallpaper – who says you have to take it down?   You picked the pattern because you liked it so buyers should like it too. In fact, if you have put wall paper up that matches the curtains, and also matches your fabric in the room – all the better because then Buyers can REALLY appreciate the pattern and thought you put into selecting the design.

REAL STORY: These sellers could not get past the amount they had invested in the wall paper. Taking it down seemed like a crime! Notice how the striped curtains and striped chairs, area rug and wall paper all make the room spin? Where does my eye go? My eye goes “lets get out!”

9. Keep all your windows shut and blinds closed or nearly closed so that the house is nice and dark. It will take a moment for the Buyers’ eyes to adjust to the dim lighting in the house, but that will make them appreciate how private your house can be from the neighbors. They do not need to see the view from the windows – they saw it when they drove up to the house.

REAL STORY: Although the room itself is not bad from a Staging standpoint, having the blinds down, AND the curtains drawn over them is not a good selling point. Buyers immediately ask “what are you hiding?”

10. Make sure to leave out air filters, fans, water filters and water jugs – Buyers want to know if the house they are thinking of buying will make them sneeze, have water that tastes bad, or doesn’t heat and cool properly. Give them the clues up front so that they can make sure to bring their fans, heaters, filters and jugs when they move in! Extra bonus! When the buyer sees the large jug on the counter they will obviously think “Hey look at all the room!”

REAL STORY: These sellers used the jug water daily. When asked to move it for selling, they resisted saying, “If buyers cannot look past this then they can just get over it.” Then the agent, afraid of offending the seller said, “I actually think the blue of the water jug is a nice accent.” Please. If we do not tell them the truth we are not doing our job to help the house sell!

11. Do not bother cleaning up the yard or trimming your bushes and trees. They are just going to grow back so it is better to let Buyers see how they will look that way than trim them down. When they cannot see the house from the street it is more of a “surprise” when they get around the limbs and bushes and see the front door for the first time. When the trees and shrubs hide the windows of the house from the front it adds that special touch of privacy that every Buyer wants.

REAL STORY: This seller had not only the issue of “cannot sell it if you cannot see it” with the giant tree hiding his house, but the neighbors were kind enough to park all their extra vehicles all over the cul-de-sac so it looked like Auto-Row. I recommended he trim his tree and have a motivating conversation with the neighbors.

12. If you are updating your house make sure to pick styles and colors from years gone by – they are nostalgic and will help Buyers feel that connection the past. Brass fixtures really shine – and just scream 1980’s and who did not LOVE the 80’s?

13. Follow potential Buyers around your house during a showing. They do not need privacy and need to hear all the things you did over the years to personalize your house. Tell them all about your pets, your children, all the stories that will make sure to leave an impression.

14. Do not put any photos of your house online. Keep it a mystery so that the “big reveal” happens when the Buyers come in person!

15. Do not Stage your House and list your house with a Realtor® - Staging does not really matter and buyers can look past your stuff.  You can just watch a TV show and figure out what to do innately.  And Realtors - they do not do much anyway and you can just do it yourself. Marketing cannot be all that hard and the paperwork if you get an offer does not have any legal issues at all. It’s a cinch!! (please note I am being sarcastic – and value Realtors and what they do greatly!)

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For help in Staging your house so it DOES sell, please give me a call.  303-717-7918 or toll free 888-93-STAGE.  After Staging over 2,500 houses for sale since 2002, I have yet to meet a house or client I could not help.  You can find me on the web:  http://www.sensationalhome.com/