Home Staging Expert Carla Woolnough

Who is the Buyer for your Home?

Carla — Tue, 05 Jul 2011 19:09:47 +0000

When it comes to selling your home you want to work with your agent who will help you determine who your target buyers may be. Once you’ve established this, keep in mind that potential buyers may have very different needs than you do.
Here are some examples of potential buyer categories and what they typically look for:
• First-time homebuyers and newlyweds tend to select homes that are suitable for their current lifestyle but are mindful of future family plans.
• Typically, young families will be more inclined to look for a home that has a good-sized backyard and a finished basement to provide space for their growing family. They will also look for a home on a quiet street or cul-de-sac that is located near schools and daycare.
• Empty nesters will likely be looking to downsize, and will prefer a home that offers easy accessibility. One-level floor plans or homes with few stairs are ideal for them. They want enough space to be able to accommodate guests, but they also want a home that doesn’t require a lot of maintenance.
Once you and your agent have determined who your most likely target buyers are consider hiring a home stager who can help you determine which upgrades will appeal to them most.
Make sure you are buyer-approved before you list.

Why properties don’t sell

Carla — Tue, 14 Jun 2011 12:47:08 +0000

Selling your home in today’s market has become a challenge because buyers have more properties to choose from and can take their time to find the perfect home. Buyers and sellers today are generally not in the same generation and as a result this creates a gap between what buyers are looking for and what the homes for sale are offering. Today’s buyers are savvy and they know what they want, and are willing to pay more to get a home that has been updated and well maintained.

Did you know that your home has to be sold 3 times? First, you need to entice buyers with professional quality online photos that showoff your home’s best features. Next, you must be prepared for buyers to do a drive by. If your curb appeal doesn’t standout, they may not make an appointment to view the inside. And finally you need to get buyers to fall in love with your home as soon as they step through the front door. Buyers will make a judgment within seconds of viewing a home as to how the rest of it will show, so make sure to grab their attention from start to finish.

Condition, price and location are the 3 major elements that affect a sale. Even before a buyer sees a property, 78% of his or her decision has already been made based on size and location. When it comes to the condition of your home you need to take into account who your target buyers are and what they are looking for. Your list price needs to be appropriate for the area, property size and condition. This is your agent’s area of expertise. When you have all of the elements put together…the right price and great condition, your property will show beautifully and will sell quickly and for the highest possible price.

Make sure you are buyer approved before you list.

Top 10 condition mistakes when selling your home

Carla — Thu, 02 Jun 2011 13:52:40 +0000

Selling your home – especially if you’ve never done it before can be surprisingly time-consuming and emotionally challenging. Strangers will come into your home and poke around in your closets and cabinets. They will criticize a place that has probably become more than just four walls and a roof to you, and then, to top it all off, they might offer you less money than you think your home is worth. With a complex, emotional transaction, it’s easy for you to make mistakes, but with the help an experienced Real Estate agent and professional Home Stager, many of these pitfalls can be avoided altogether. Here are the top 10 condition mistakes that you need to avoid.

1. Neglecting repairs or maintenance

Buyers are always looking for a deal, so making sure all necessary repairs and maintenance are done will help to eliminate their “negative” checklist.

2. Not depersonalizing the entire home

Buyers need to envision themselves living in your home. You should remove all distractions such as packing away personal photos and memorabilia. This will allow buyers to visualize themselves living in the home rather than feeling like a guest in your home.

3. Not removing odors

You have only one chance to make a great first impression. If buyers walk into your home and smell smoke, pets or strong cooking odors, they may be turned off and either cross your home off their list or reduce their offer price.

4. Refusing to disconnect emotionally

Now that you have decided to sell your home, it can be helpful to start thinking of yourself as a businessperson and a home seller rather than the home owner. By looking at the transaction from a purely financial perspective, you’ll distance yourself from the emotional aspects of selling a property that you’ve undoubtedly created many memories in.

Also, try to remember how you felt when you were shopping for your home. Most buyers will also be in an emotional state. You are selling not just a piece of property but also an image, a dream and a lifestyle.

5. Spot cleaning and not making sure your home is “q-tip” clean

Your home’s first impression is a lasting one. Show potential buyers that your home has been well maintained by making it sparkle. Dirty homes are a big turnoff for buyers.

6. Having rooms set up that do not show their proper function

Buyers have a hard time visualizing how furniture can fit into a room, so you need to make sure to show them. For example, if you have your dining room set up as a kids play room most buyers will not be able to see themselves enjoying family dinners in that space.

7. Not having enough light

Poorly lite rooms can be a turnoff for most buyers, especially during evening or overcast days. Dark corners can make the room feel smaller. To brighten up a room consider adding more task lighting, opening or removing window treatments, trimming any trees or shrubs that may be blocking the windows

8. Not investing money to update the house to appeal to the target buyer.

Today’s buyers are willing to spend the extra money to get a home that has been updated and well maintained. Investing in your home will increase your equity and help to sell your home faster and for more money.

9. Ignoring professional advice

When it comes to selling your home you want to make sure to take the advice of the experts. Your Real Estate agent knows how to price your home so it will sell quickly and for the best possible price. Also, agents work with a team of professionals such as home stagers and inspectors, so taking their advice will not only help to get your home sold quickly, but increase your equity as well.

10. Not preparing your home at all, or listing before staging or renovations have been completed

First impressions are so important when it comes to selling your home. The majority of buyers who are interested in your home will view it within the first two weeks, so making sure you are “model home” ready will increase your chances of having your home sell quickly.

Most of these condition mistakes can be corrected without spending a lot of money. Make sure you are ready before you list and your home will sell faster and for top dollar.

What buyers are looking for

Carla — Wed, 18 May 2011 13:06:05 +0000

Selling your home isn’t just about putting a sign on the front lawn anymore. You need to take into consideration what buyers are looking for and want in their next home. Determining who your target buyer is will tell you exactly what you need to do to prepare your property. How do you determine who your target buyer is? Ask yourself a few simple questions…
* Who is moving in and out of your neighbourhood?
* Do you have any schools or parks near by?
* What about convenient shopping areas?
* How close are you to a main highway or city transit for commuters?
* What size is your house and what is your list price?

Once you have determined this, you will know what needs to be done to appeal to your target buyer.

If you are listing a new home, focus on the selling features like…
* Ample storage space
* Larger closets
* Energy efficient
* Newer construction which means less maintenance
* Newer school district
* Open floor plan
* Any upgrades that have been done to the home like…hardwood, granite, updated fixtures

When it comes to selling an older home, you need to focus on showing off features like…
* The fact that the home is located in a well established location
* Great architectural details
* Mature trees and normally larger lots
* Any upgrades that have been done to the home like…upgraded kitchens and bathrooms, newer windows, roof and furnace

If you own a condo, buyers will be looking for…
* Low maintenance
* Close to transit
* Close to all amenities like restaurants, gym, work, night life
* Updated décor

Whatever type of home you are planning to sell, you have one chance to make a great impression on your potential buyers, so don’t miss the opportunity to sell your home quickly and for top dollar.

Selecting the right colours to sell your home

Carla — Thu, 28 Apr 2011 15:50:07 +0000

When it comes to choosing the perfect colour for inside your home you need to consider what will attract the most buyers. Of course we are always saying neutral is the way to go, but don’t think of neutral as the typical “builders beige”. There are so many great neutral colours and the key to selecting the right ones is to use the same concept as you use outside. Look at your fixed elements and select a colour that will work with them. Determine if you are working with warm tones or cool tones and that will help to narrow down your selection. You want the colour you select to accentuate those elements like hardwood floors or a fireplace.

Some of my favourite colours are:

Warm Tones

cc120 Stone House
cc110 Muslin
cc338 Bluffs
cc336 Wild Mushroom
HC45 Shaker beige

Cool Tones

cc480 Cabot Trail
cc470 Rocky Road
cc460 Inukshuk
cc500 Ranchwood

All of these colours are from Benjamin Moore

Selecting the right colour is key to showing off your homes best features which in turn will help to get your home sold quickly and for the best possible price.

Exterior colours for selling your home

Carla — Thu, 14 Apr 2011 15:23:57 +0000

Now that we are moving into the warmer weather…I hope. You can start thinking about painting your front door and garage door. The first thing you need to do is make sure the temperature is on your side. To paint the exterior the temperature must not go below 10 degrees at night otherwise the paint will not dry properly.

When it comes to selecting the right colour you need to take a look at your fixed elements like siding, brick, roof, soffit and eve’s. This will help you decide on what colours to choose. Your colour selection needs to be based on whether your fixed elements are in a warm or cool colour tone. For garage doors I recommend going with a colour closer to the mortar in between the brick or the colour of your sofet. This will allow the garage doors to blend into the home rather than standing out. By having them blend in buyers will notice the curb appeal and be drawn to the front door.

Selecting the right colour for the front door is very important. Choosing a paint colour that compliments the exterior of the home will draw buyers in. For example if you have a home that is red brick I like to use Providence Olive HC-98 or Gloucester sage HC-100. Making sure to prepare the doors before painting is an important step and will give you a professional finish.

Once you have painted your doors take a look at your hardware, light fixtures and mail box. Do they need to be updated? You want to create a great first impression when buyers walk up to the front door. Showing them that the outside has been well maintained will have them feeling positive when they walk through the front door.

Staging your Master Bedroom

Carla — Thu, 31 Mar 2011 20:02:40 +0000

The last of your main selling rooms is the master bedroom. If you can’t stage all your main selling rooms you want to make sure to at least stage the kitchen, living room and master bedroom. The master is a retreat for buyers as this is where they can come after a long day at work, close the door and forget about life. They want to feel they have a space to get away from the normal husel and bussel of everyday life.

Show buyers they can relax in this space. Make sure you have removed all personal items and any technology like TV’s, computers and exercise equipment. Dress the bed so it looks like a hotel bed with great bedding, lots of bed pillows and decorative pillows. If you have the space create a seating area that shows buyers they can relax, read a book and enjoy their space.

Don’t forget about the closet, you don’t want buyers to open the closet to see it is stuffed full of items you don’t need regularly. Make sure to pre-pack off season items and things you aren’t going to use while the house is on the market. Once that is done organize it so it shows off the space.

Staging your main selling rooms helps buyers to emotionally connect with the home and envision themselves living there.

Staging bathrooms

Carla — Wed, 30 Mar 2011 20:01:58 +0000

Bathrooms are a key selling room especially if you have a master en-suite. I am sure you have heard many times that kitchens and bathrooms sell your home. They are also the most expensive rooms in your home to renovate and in saying that you want to consider the condition your bathrooms are in. You don’t have to a complete reno job, but you do want to really look at all your bathrooms and make sure they are up to the standards of what your target buyer is looking for. If they aren’t then what do you need to invest to get them ready for market.

Take a look at your fixtures…how old are they? Are they up-to-date? what about your toilet, sink and tub? Making sure these fixtures look well maintained is important as buyers are always looking to chip away at your asking price. If need be replace your sink and toilet, if they aren’t in good shape or happen to a colour other than white or ivory. If your tub is in need of some help consider having it refinished or even have an acrylic liner put over top. This will give you the look of a new tub with out the renovation cost. What about the tiles or tub surround? Make sure your tiles are in good condition and the grout is clean. If the tile is an unusual colour or not in good condition consider painting it or installing a tub surround over top.

Other simple and inexpensive things you can do to up-date and out-of-date bathroom is to change the counter top, paint the cabinets, change out the hardware and replace your light fixtures. Once you have completed any changes that will help bring you top dollar don’t forget to add in the finishing touches. Use lots of towels to create a spa feel, store all personal products under the sink or linen closet and some greenery or great spa accessories to shelves, counters and tub area. If you have a feature wall make sure to place a great piece of art to draw the buyer in.

Show buyers they can enjoy relaxing in their “new” bathroom once they purchase your home. In my last post for main selling rooms we will look at a very special room…the master bedroom.

Staging your dining room

Carla — Fri, 25 Mar 2011 15:58:58 +0000

Continuing on to your next main selling room…staging your dining room shows buyers they can enjoy holiday and family dinners. If you dining room currently doesn’t show this, but rather shows as a kids play area or office you will need to clean all of that out. Buyers have a hard time visualizing unless we show them how each room will function and they may feel that their furniture won’t fit into that space.

Take a look at your flooring, if you have carpet in the dining room consider replacing it with hardwood. Today’s buyers love hardwood and would consider carpet to be a “negative” on their list. Updated light fixtures and neutral wall colours are also very important to buyers. If you have a china cabinet make sure to pack away all your smaller items and keep the larger pieces out. Less is always more. If you have a large table and the room is smaller remove extra leaves and chairs to make the room appear larger. You don’t need to set the table, but a great centre piece will help to finish off the look.

Creating the look buyers desire will help set your home apart from the competition. In my next post I will discuss staging your bathrooms.

Staging your living room and/or family room

Carla — Thu, 24 Mar 2011 14:39:54 +0000

These 2 rooms are very important to buyers because this is where they are going to spend a lot of time with family and friends. Having these rooms staged will show buyers the function and features of the space. You want to make sure to show off the rooms best features. If you don’t have a focal point like a fireplace or large window with a great view then you will need to create a focal point that will direct buyers where to look. For example place your sofa with a great piece of art above it so that when buyers walk into the room this is the first thing see. Make sure these rooms are not cluttered and you have removed all personal items. Don’t place furniture in your traffic flow areas. Buyers don’t want to have to walk around furniture to get to the next room or look out the window that has an amazing view. Remember…buyers normally travel in 3′s so you need to consider where 3 people will be standing and walking through out the home and create the feel of more space by moving items in the traffic area.

Don’t forget to look at your walls and lighting. Do you need a fresh coat of paint or do you need to completely repaint in a neutral colour. What about lighting? You need to make sure you have a lot light as dark corners make the room feel smaller. Open all your curtains and blinds to allow as much natural light into the space.

Look for my post tomorrow when I talk about staging your dining room