Showing posts with label sell. Show all posts
Showing posts with label sell. Show all posts

Monday, February 18, 2013

It It Shows Better... - 2/18/2013

If it shows better, it will probably sell faster and maybe for more money. Once your home is on the market, it's time to look at it like a commodity and through the eyes of potential buyers. In all likelihood, you'll need to take care of these items eventually, so do them now to help it sell sooner.
  1. Make repairs - it doesn't matter if it's been that way since you bought it. You need to fix it so that the buyer doesn't think that the rest of the house is about to fall apart.
  2. Not too personal - you may have bought your home to express yourself but if the buyer can't see themselves in the home for all of your things, it's going to take longer to sell than you want.
  3. Drive-up appeal - the old saying "you never get a second chance at a first impression" applies to your home too. They may never even get out of the car to come inside.
  4. The nose knows - it may not smell like home but it shouldn't smell like a place they would never consider living.
  5. Neutral colors, decor, etc. - these are not decorating tips you'll see in magazines but the truth is that bold colors and designs are difficult for most people to see beyond. They'll imagine their things better in neutral surroundings.
  6. Less looks like more - removing some of the non-essential things from your home will eliminate clutter and make the home feel larger. The same suggestion applies to cabinets and closets.
A confused mind will not make a decision. Identify and eliminate items that could derail a potential sale. The preparation you make in the beginning will help the presentation to your buyers.

Monday, May 28, 2012

Mise en Scene

The Memorial Day threshold of summer has been crossed and summer activities are commencing; it is time to think about your yard space. Between barbeques, graduation parties, and long sundays in the hammock, our yards will be the focal point of our homes for the coming months and good landscaping is essential.

Besides the personal enjoyment that comes with a luscious garden, it also serves as a strong investment for your property. Various surveys conclude that there is about a 15% return on investment (ROI) for landscaping on home sales. It is projected that “high quality landscaping adds 5-11% to the [overall] price value of your home [which you can easily achieve] by spending $500 to $3,000 on plants and materials” (Josh Garskof, CNN.com) In the St. Louis area, Bayer’s Garden Shop is a great resource for quality do-it-yourself landscaping projects. (http://www.bayergardenshops.com/)
So, the question is: how do we turn this....                               Into this....


Ok, so maybe you’re  not building the gardens of Versailles, but you still want that “wow” factor. The balance of individualizing your garden and making it timeless and appealing to the next owners is a delicate one.  According to the American Society of Landscape Architects (ASLA), the top three current garden features are low maintenance gardens, lighting and fire pits. Weave your ideal outdoor ambiance with some of the most desirable attributes sought after. The following charts reflect percentages accumulated from the 2011 ASLA’s Outdoor Living Survey:


In the dirt


 On the dirt



About the dirt 

Whether you are just looking to improve your personal living space, or sell your home in the near future, a great mise en scene can elevate your summer to the next level. 

References
http://money.cnn.com/2007/06/01/real_estate/landscapingtips_juneissue.moneymag/index.htm,
http://www.asla.org/NewsReleaseDetails.aspx?id=3085



Written by Ciara Brewer on behalf of Monica Brewer