Tag: MLS

The objective of home staging services company would be to make preparing their clients home for sale as stress-free an experience as possible. Whether an occupied home or a empty home staging project, stagers perform as much as they possibly can in order to streamline the process so that all that is required of the client is actually access to the home and a phone call to inform them the task has been completed. Everything in between is actually handled effectively and effectively by the staging organization. One of the results is high-impact home staging project photos for MLS and marketing material. Below is a brief introduction to the actions involved in staging a house:

Step 1: The actual Consultation
This is actually the most important part of the process. The home stager will walk through the property, room through room, as well as critically evaluate what must be addressed for each room as well as space inside the home. The majority of home staging companies will then provide the seller with a comprehensive list of motion items through room. These range from such things as de-cluttering, de-personalizing, getting rid of pieces of furniture (which may be put into temporary storage space), addressing small repairs, landscape designs issues, etc.

Step 2: Prep Work
For clients that don’t possess the time or even inclination to complete the packaging, storing, painting, repairing along with other preparatory actions, the home staging company can take proper care of these items on their behalf. Many stagers work with reputable trades people that can deal with minor to more substantial projects and are accustomed to work within tight timelines. This is really a key bit of value that’s often undervalued by sellers, for two reasons. First, identifying reputable deals people can often be a challenge. Secondly, finding ones which are willing to work on a tight timeline for a fairly modest job can signify a challenge when it comes to getting the deals persons attention. The advantage that the stager brings is getting rid of these two challenges, as the stager works with them on a regular basis, and therefore is able to give a steady stream of recommendations to the trades person.

Step 3:Staging
Artwork, bedding, accessories and furniture – It is these things that actually bring the project collectively. The home staging company adds heat and a lifestyle that the potential buyers will adore. This process typically takes a day to accomplish.

Step 4: De-Staging
After the property offers, the home staging organization returns, load up all of the inventory items, and removes them. This part of the process is included within the home staging project fee.

These 4 simple steps can be accomplished very quickly and both add substantial value to a homes selling price as well as increase the time for you to closing the actual sale.

No one gets involved in the business of real estate thinking that they would like to lose money. Of course not. But if you dont have an effective marketing plan in place that is exactly what you may be doing. At the very least, if you dont have any effective strategies to employ you are minimizing the profit that you could be making. And the goal is to maximize your profit right? No matter what your exit strategy is, you need a plan that includes some top notch selling strategies.

When it comes to getting top dollar for your property you need an arsenal of tricks and techniques at your disposal. Before you even begin to advertise your property, you must begin the marketing. This starts with home staging, or scene designing. Know your market. I cannot stress this enough. If you are aiming your staging and marketing efforts at the wrong target market, you are wasting your time and money. Research the neighborhood, determine who lives there, and who would want to live there. Market to that group and forget the rest.

Once you have your property effectively staged to the appropriate target market, you are ready to begin the rest of your marketing campaign. Of course you should utilize the traditional advertising methods such as the MLS, lawn signs and internet listings, but dont make the mistake of limiting yourself. You need to take the initiative to attract the right people to your property. host events at the property that will appeal to buyers or renters or offer move in incentives such as gift certificates to local businesses.

Dont forget your overall marketing plan. When you have potential buyers or renters visit your property, collect their information for follow up. If you let people leave the property without collecting their contact information, you are letting one of your most powerful marketing tools walk away. Ask what they are looking for, in what neighborhood, you may have another property that will appeal to them. And dont forget about who they know. Offer a cash bonus if they can refer any potential buyers to your property. Word of mouth advertising is very effective.

An effective marketing plan complete with selling strategies are key to success in real estate no matter what your exit strategy is. It is no longer enough to put a sign on the front lawn and wait for buyers to walk through the door. Creating an arsenal of strategies, tips, tricks and techniques guarantees you real estate success.

In the 2005 best seller Brand Sense, author Martin Lindstrom says that as much as 83% of all marketing communication is limited to sight and sound. In the real estate business most of the marketing communication is done by sight. Ads placed in local newspapers, the MLS, and post cards announcing open houses etc

However, the most important marketing communication happens when prospective buyer crosses the threshold of a house.

This is very similar to the experience a shopper has when entering a store for the first time. It is at that point, that first impression, where you must use emotions as the media for your message.

The more senses you appeal to, the more dramatic the emotional response will be. I am not talking here of the old trick of baking cookies to get that smell throughout the house. Everyone likes it, but they know the trick so now, it appeals to their logic versus their emotion. But what if you had a fresh basket of lavender at the front door just as they came in? For some reason, which they can’t even articulate, they feel welcome. It might give them a cozy feeling of when they were a child going to their grandmothers home (because we all remember the lavender sachets grandma had in her drawer). It feels right and it completely appeals to their senses, not their logic.

When staging a home for a retail sale, it is vital to appeal to as many senses as possible. For that reason I use a variety of what I refer to as “Pockets of Emotion” throughout the house. These are those moments in a home that surprise you and make you laugh, give you pause while enjoying a fond memory, or appeal to your senses on such a high level that often times, you can’t even describe why it feels so good-it just does. I strategically place these “Pockets of Emotion” to suggest that “yes this is a perfect child’s room, because my child is playing right now” or “this is a great kitchen for our family holiday baking projects”. These Pockets of Emotion are designed to truly engage all the senses, not just the sense of sight.

In addition I use the sense of hearing when ever possible. If the home is in a high traffic zone, I may have light music playing in the background to take the focus away from the outside noise. Another great sense of sound is a fountain bubbling and birds chirping (and yes, I know how to make that happen at just the right moment!).

When I stage a house, you will find that I use not merely the senses of sight, smell, and hearing but of touch as well. I love having people touch something as the feeling stays in their fingers then entire time they enjoy the home. It is also a great reason to have them remove their shoes, if you have really wonderful carpet, so they can feel it on their toes. I also use interesting and textured fabrics to draw people into a room. It is so interesting to watch people as they are drawn into a room and encouraged to reach out and touch a window treatment or pick up a pillow. It helps them to fall in love with the property and feel as though they are home.

As for the sense of taste, I have found it is always a good idea to put a tasty surprise where prospective buyers are sure to find it. I often will put a bowl of big beautiful apples in the refrigerator, so it’s a surprise when they open it-with a sign that says “An apple a day keeps the Doctor away-enjoy!” or even seasonal cookies or candy inside an intriguing container that it is so attractive you can’t help but take the lid off.

Remember the more senses you engage, the more emotional the response will be and because of that response the more memorable the experience. Your ability to reach a buyer with a truly memorable experience can be summed up in one word: “Unforgettable”

Often in the blink of an eye, a prospective buyer will a sense whether the environment they have just entered is authentic or not. They will be able to get “feel” if the property is right or wrong. It is my job to make sure that it always feels right and to give them the opportunity to fall in love with their new home, on the spot. When they fall in love-we know the house is sold.