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beauty tips and Faq
1. Why should I put money into a house when I plan on selling it?
Your goal is to sell your house fast and for the most amount of money. Your small investment in staging actually helps you get more money. It helps buyers make that emotional connection faster needed to seal the deal. A study conducted by stagedhomes.com found that staged houses sell up to 50% faster and for 7% more. Imagine a $300,000 home with a 5% price reduction - that will cost the seller $15,000 off the top!
2. My home is decorated beautifully. Why should I stage my house?
Decorating to "sell" is very different than decorating to "live." Decorating to live involves personalizing your home to reflect your personality and style. Surrounding yourself with colors and things that make you feel good. Your house may be picture perfect for you while you are living there. When staging a home to sell we are taking the "you" out of your home and creating a neutral show home environment that appeals to the most amount of people. We turn your home into a product that we can market. Plus it is always good to have an objective professional walk through your home and point out things you may not have noticed because you are so used to living with something a certain way for so long. This may include furniture placement, bedding, personal photos, memorabilia, etc.
3. Should I stage a vacant home?
Yes! It's a misconception to think a vacant house without your belongings in it helps the buyer better envision themselves in the space. On the contrary, a vacant home feels colder and lacks a point of reference. Most people just see what they see and find it hard to imagine how furniture and accessories "work" in a given space. You need to create a scene for them.
4. As a Realtor, why should I offer Home Staging to my clients?
Home staging not only makes your listing look good, it makes you look good. In addition, a staged home will give you a much better product to sell and therefore more money for you once it is sold. It's also a smart idea to offer Home Staging as a service to your clients. It will help set you apart from other Realtors competing for the same listing. A seller interviewing multiple Realtors will usually list with the Realtor who offers them the most services. Especially one that is proven to help sell faster and for more money.
5. Shouldn't I wait and see how my house does without staging before I decide to invest in staging?
No! Remember, you only have one chance to make a great first impression! The best time to stage is before you list your house. You want your house valued at the highest possible price when it hits the market. Go in with a bang!
6. My house is already listed. Is it too late to stage?
It's never too late to stage! We'll work with you and/or your Realtor to re-market your home.
7. I'm selling my house because I cannot afford it. How can I afford home staging?
Remember, you can't afford not to stage your home in this market! Home staging is a minuscule investment compared to carrying the financial burden of the house, daily expenses to run it, and the cost to keep it on the market month to month. For as little or less than a couple of hundred dollars we'll give you a complete plan so you can make all the changes yourself. You'll be surprised what a difference it'll make and how much faster your house can sell. Remember, staging will help you get the most money for your sale.
8. What if I want to stage the exterior or just a couple of rooms in my house?
Niptuck Home Staging & Re-design strongly believes if you are going to make any investment in staging, do it right to get the results you want. By just staging the exterior you may get people to walk through the door (that is if they haven't been turned off by interior photos they may have already seen in ads or on the internet) but your sale will quickly go sour if they are not wooed when they get inside the home. Even worse case scenario the other way around. If buyers do not make that connection at the curb, they won't even take the time to look inside.
9. If I choose to do most of the work myself, will you be back to make sure I did everything right?
Absolutely! Once I leave your home with plans in your hands, I will periodically call to check up on you to answer any questions. And you can always call me with questions or if you need advice or even want to re-allocate some responsibilities back to me. When you feel the staging is complete, I will come back to your home if you wish me to make any final nips and tucks.
10. How do I prepare for my consultation?
When you call to schedule your consultation we'll talk about the current condition of your home. Since I try to do some re-arranging and work on the actual day of the consultation, I usually ask that prior to that day you box up as much excess clutter as you can to give us a head start. This would include out -of- season clothing in closets, stuffed animals, excessive toys, newspaper piles, etc. It is also helpful if someone can be home that is willing and able to help move around some furniture. Other than the clutter, the way you usually keep the house is important for me to see in order to create the best staging solutions.
11. Who pays for Home Staging?
Sometimes the Realtor may offer to pay for the initial consultation (this may be a service they provide). Some Realtors may reimburse the homeowner once the house is sold. At least one of you, homeowner or Realtor, should bring up the subject if the other has not (fear of offending the client is one reason a Realtor may not bring up the subject). Other times it's the savvy homeowner who wants to take the initiative and do everything they can to get the most return on their house and to get it sold fast. Many look at it as another selling fee like a home inspection or attorney fee, but with a return on your investment! In the end, both parties naturally benefit from a staged home regardless who pays for the service.
12. Is my home guaranteed to sell right away and for listing price or above?
There are no guarantees in real estate. There are so many factors involved in the sale of your home including the list price, the type of market you are selling in, the location of your home, the schools your house is zoned for, the target market in your area, other homes for sale in your neighborhood, among thousands of other things. What is guaranteed is that we will prepare your house aesthetically and targeted to the person/persons most likely to buy your house so that your house can compete at the very top of its game.
Your goal is to sell your house fast and for the most amount of money. Your small investment in staging actually helps you get more money. It helps buyers make that emotional connection faster needed to seal the deal. A study conducted by stagedhomes.com found that staged houses sell up to 50% faster and for 7% more. Imagine a $300,000 home with a 5% price reduction - that will cost the seller $15,000 off the top!
2. My home is decorated beautifully. Why should I stage my house?
Decorating to "sell" is very different than decorating to "live." Decorating to live involves personalizing your home to reflect your personality and style. Surrounding yourself with colors and things that make you feel good. Your house may be picture perfect for you while you are living there. When staging a home to sell we are taking the "you" out of your home and creating a neutral show home environment that appeals to the most amount of people. We turn your home into a product that we can market. Plus it is always good to have an objective professional walk through your home and point out things you may not have noticed because you are so used to living with something a certain way for so long. This may include furniture placement, bedding, personal photos, memorabilia, etc.
3. Should I stage a vacant home?
Yes! It's a misconception to think a vacant house without your belongings in it helps the buyer better envision themselves in the space. On the contrary, a vacant home feels colder and lacks a point of reference. Most people just see what they see and find it hard to imagine how furniture and accessories "work" in a given space. You need to create a scene for them.
4. As a Realtor, why should I offer Home Staging to my clients?
Home staging not only makes your listing look good, it makes you look good. In addition, a staged home will give you a much better product to sell and therefore more money for you once it is sold. It's also a smart idea to offer Home Staging as a service to your clients. It will help set you apart from other Realtors competing for the same listing. A seller interviewing multiple Realtors will usually list with the Realtor who offers them the most services. Especially one that is proven to help sell faster and for more money.
5. Shouldn't I wait and see how my house does without staging before I decide to invest in staging?
No! Remember, you only have one chance to make a great first impression! The best time to stage is before you list your house. You want your house valued at the highest possible price when it hits the market. Go in with a bang!
6. My house is already listed. Is it too late to stage?
It's never too late to stage! We'll work with you and/or your Realtor to re-market your home.
7. I'm selling my house because I cannot afford it. How can I afford home staging?
Remember, you can't afford not to stage your home in this market! Home staging is a minuscule investment compared to carrying the financial burden of the house, daily expenses to run it, and the cost to keep it on the market month to month. For as little or less than a couple of hundred dollars we'll give you a complete plan so you can make all the changes yourself. You'll be surprised what a difference it'll make and how much faster your house can sell. Remember, staging will help you get the most money for your sale.
8. What if I want to stage the exterior or just a couple of rooms in my house?
Niptuck Home Staging & Re-design strongly believes if you are going to make any investment in staging, do it right to get the results you want. By just staging the exterior you may get people to walk through the door (that is if they haven't been turned off by interior photos they may have already seen in ads or on the internet) but your sale will quickly go sour if they are not wooed when they get inside the home. Even worse case scenario the other way around. If buyers do not make that connection at the curb, they won't even take the time to look inside.
9. If I choose to do most of the work myself, will you be back to make sure I did everything right?
Absolutely! Once I leave your home with plans in your hands, I will periodically call to check up on you to answer any questions. And you can always call me with questions or if you need advice or even want to re-allocate some responsibilities back to me. When you feel the staging is complete, I will come back to your home if you wish me to make any final nips and tucks.
10. How do I prepare for my consultation?
When you call to schedule your consultation we'll talk about the current condition of your home. Since I try to do some re-arranging and work on the actual day of the consultation, I usually ask that prior to that day you box up as much excess clutter as you can to give us a head start. This would include out -of- season clothing in closets, stuffed animals, excessive toys, newspaper piles, etc. It is also helpful if someone can be home that is willing and able to help move around some furniture. Other than the clutter, the way you usually keep the house is important for me to see in order to create the best staging solutions.
11. Who pays for Home Staging?
Sometimes the Realtor may offer to pay for the initial consultation (this may be a service they provide). Some Realtors may reimburse the homeowner once the house is sold. At least one of you, homeowner or Realtor, should bring up the subject if the other has not (fear of offending the client is one reason a Realtor may not bring up the subject). Other times it's the savvy homeowner who wants to take the initiative and do everything they can to get the most return on their house and to get it sold fast. Many look at it as another selling fee like a home inspection or attorney fee, but with a return on your investment! In the end, both parties naturally benefit from a staged home regardless who pays for the service.
12. Is my home guaranteed to sell right away and for listing price or above?
There are no guarantees in real estate. There are so many factors involved in the sale of your home including the list price, the type of market you are selling in, the location of your home, the schools your house is zoned for, the target market in your area, other homes for sale in your neighborhood, among thousands of other things. What is guaranteed is that we will prepare your house aesthetically and targeted to the person/persons most likely to buy your house so that your house can compete at the very top of its game.
Top 20 Free
Home Staging/Fluffing/Enhancing
Tips Revealed!
1. Take a weekend and visit some model homes.
Notice how neutral decor, open and move-in ready spaces
feel so inviting.
2. Note the "outside" is the new "inside."
An attractive and well maintained landscape
can add as much as 10% to the value of your home!
Plus, typically you'll get a 100% return on the money
you put into your curb appeal.
3. Hide the outdoor distractions
Put away garbage cans
and all children's outdoor toys.
4. Lose the religious decor, not your faith.
Religion is a very fragile subject and we do not want to distract or offend any potential buyers. Until your home is sold, it's best to put away religious decor in keeping with the neutrality code
Home Staging/Fluffing/Enhancing
Tips Revealed!
1. Take a weekend and visit some model homes.
Notice how neutral decor, open and move-in ready spaces
feel so inviting.
2. Note the "outside" is the new "inside."
An attractive and well maintained landscape
can add as much as 10% to the value of your home!
Plus, typically you'll get a 100% return on the money
you put into your curb appeal.
3. Hide the outdoor distractions
Put away garbage cans
and all children's outdoor toys.
4. Lose the religious decor, not your faith.
Religion is a very fragile subject and we do not want to distract or offend any potential buyers. Until your home is sold, it's best to put away religious decor in keeping with the neutrality code
of staging and selling. (This goes for political views as well.
If a buyer does not support the same views as you, the may start to question who else on the street share the same views as you do.)
5. Take the home out of your home.
A staged home should feel "lived-in" but not someone else's home.
De-personalize by removing family photos, personal collections, etc.
6. Half empty closets!
Closets are very important spaces that you are selling.
Pack up out-of-season clothes and
de-clutter closets so they are 50% empty.
If a buyer does not support the same views as you, the may start to question who else on the street share the same views as you do.)
5. Take the home out of your home.
A staged home should feel "lived-in" but not someone else's home.
De-personalize by removing family photos, personal collections, etc.
6. Half empty closets!
Closets are very important spaces that you are selling.
Pack up out-of-season clothes and
de-clutter closets so they are 50% empty.
Avoid hiding things by stuffing them in closets last minute.
7. Be obsessive about keeping the kitchen and bathrooms
unusually sparkling clean.
Kitchens and bathrooms are the most important rooms in the home.
Especially the kitchen. It can make or break the home sale.
That's how important it is.
8. Let the sun shine in!
All window treatments should be wide open to
let in natural light during showings.
Day or night, it's also very important to keep on all lights.
Not only does light show off your space better, it can be distracting for a Realtor to search for the light switch during a showing.
9. Trash does not equal clean!
Empty indoor trash cans often and all trash cans
should be empty during showings.
Don't negate all your hard work by leaving your dirty q-tips
out for buyers to see.
10. Remove items behind doors.
All doors should open all the way.
11. Prepare for last minute stow-aways.
Keep a caddy near the shower/bath to stash toiletries and
create a new junk drawer in the kitchen.
13. Presence of pets give the impression of a dirty home.
Remove litter boxes from inside the home during showings.
(If this is not possible, make sure it is freshly scooped
10. Remove items behind doors.
All doors should open all the way.
11. Prepare for last minute stow-aways.
Keep a caddy near the shower/bath to stash toiletries and
create a new junk drawer in the kitchen.
13. Presence of pets give the impression of a dirty home.
Remove litter boxes from inside the home during showings.
(If this is not possible, make sure it is freshly scooped
and out of sight.)
Also, try to remove pets from home during showings
(cage, take for a walk or put outside).
And remove pet food bowls and toys before a showing.
14. Avoid excessive scents (candles, plug-ins).
Also, try to remove pets from home during showings
(cage, take for a walk or put outside).
And remove pet food bowls and toys before a showing.
14. Avoid excessive scents (candles, plug-ins).
Less is more.
Strong odors are offensive to many.
Lemon fresh "just cleaned" scents or none at all is your best bet.
15. Avoid cooking foods with strong odors while
Strong odors are offensive to many.
Lemon fresh "just cleaned" scents or none at all is your best bet.
15. Avoid cooking foods with strong odors while
home is for sale.
While it's yummy and all good when you "live" in your home,
fish and many ethnic foods can leave strong lingering odors
that may be distracting or offensive to many buyers.
You don't want to be remembered as the "stinky house!"
16. Out of sight out of mind.
Those of us with kids know that they don't play with half their toys.
Nor would they miss them if we put the unpopular ones
While it's yummy and all good when you "live" in your home,
fish and many ethnic foods can leave strong lingering odors
that may be distracting or offensive to many buyers.
You don't want to be remembered as the "stinky house!"
16. Out of sight out of mind.
Those of us with kids know that they don't play with half their toys.
Nor would they miss them if we put the unpopular ones
away for awhile.
Store children's not-so-played with toys and
provide each child with a large basket of frequently used toys
that can easily be stashed on a whims notice.
17. Keep the romance ALIVE!
The presence of appropriately purposed fresh flower arrangements
keeps that "loving feeling" going from room to room.
(Avoid fake flowers and trees, as they are not only big dust collectors,
they do not create the same "wow" factor that fresh flowers can.)
18. Fix all drips.
Leaky faucets and running toilets are distracting and are
Store children's not-so-played with toys and
provide each child with a large basket of frequently used toys
that can easily be stashed on a whims notice.
17. Keep the romance ALIVE!
The presence of appropriately purposed fresh flower arrangements
keeps that "loving feeling" going from room to room.
(Avoid fake flowers and trees, as they are not only big dust collectors,
they do not create the same "wow" factor that fresh flowers can.)
18. Fix all drips.
Leaky faucets and running toilets are distracting and are
red flag waivers.
Fix before the house goes on the market or
risk flushing profits down the drain!
19. Invest in a fresh coat a paint.
Fresh, neutral paint makes the space feel fresh and new.
Painting is one of the cheapest big-impact ways to change a room.
You'll always make back 100% on your investment.
20. Don't upgrade before selling a home.
Quick fixes before selling always pay off.
Extreme makeovers, including big renovation projects are a big no.
You most likely will not get your money back.
Fix before the house goes on the market or
risk flushing profits down the drain!
19. Invest in a fresh coat a paint.
Fresh, neutral paint makes the space feel fresh and new.
Painting is one of the cheapest big-impact ways to change a room.
You'll always make back 100% on your investment.
20. Don't upgrade before selling a home.
Quick fixes before selling always pay off.
Extreme makeovers, including big renovation projects are a big no.
You most likely will not get your money back.
Niptuck Home Staging & Re-design 813-727-5674 Stef@niptuckhome.com
Serving Texas: Katy, Richmond, and West Houston.
