Selling your Seattle Home? The Value of Staging

Selling Your Home: The Impact of Staging

How can you make your home more attractive to potential buyers? The answer is with some “home staging”. According to the Wall Street Journal, implementing some basic interior design techniques can not only speed up the sale of your home but also increase your final selling price.

It all comes down to highlighting your home’s strengths, downplaying its weaknesses, and making it more appealing to the largest pool of prospective buyers. Staging an empty house is also important to help buyers visualize how the spaces would be used, and to give the home warmth and character.

Cohesiveness Is Key

Make the inside match the outside. For example, if the exterior architectural style of your house is Victorian or Craftsman Bungalow, the interior should be primarily outfitted with furniture styles from essentially the same era. Prospective buyers who like the exterior style of your home are going to expect something similar when they step inside. If the two styles don’t agree or at least complement each other, there is likely going to be an immediate disconnect for the buyer. Contact your agent to help determine the architectural style of your home and what makes it unique.

There is always room for flexibility. Not all your furnishings need to match, and even the primary furnishings do not need to be an exact match to the architectural style of your home. To create cohesion, you simply need to reflect the overall look-and-feel of the exterior.

The Role of Personal Expression

Every home is a personal expression of its owner. But when you become a seller, you’ll want to deemphasize much of the décor that makes a place uniquely yours and instead look for ways to make it appeal to your target market. Keep in mind, your target market is made up of the group of people most likely to be interested in a home like yours—which is something your agent can help you determine.

Your Goal: Neutralize and Brighten

Since personal style differs from person to person, a good strategy to sell your home is to “neutralize” the design of your interior. A truly neutral interior design allows people touring the house to easily imagine their own belongings in the space—and to envision how some simple changes would make it uniquely their own.

In short, you want to downplay your own personal expression, while making it easy for others to mentally project their own sense of style on the space. Ideas include:

Paint over any bold wall colors with something more neutral, like a light beige, a warm gray, or a soft brown. The old advice used to be, “paint everything white,” but often that creates too sterile of an environment, while dark colors can make a room look small, even a bit dirty. Muted tones and soft colors work best.
Consider removing wallpaper if it’s a bold or busy design.
Replace heavy, dark curtains with neutral-colored shear versions; this will soften the hard edges around windows while letting in lots of natural light.
Turn on lamps, and if necessary, install lighting fixtures to brighten any dark spaces—especially the entry area.
Make sure everything is extremely clean. You may even want to hire professionals to give your home a thorough deep clean. Remember, the kitchen and bathrooms are by far the two most important rooms in a house when selling, so ongoing maintenance is important.

The Importance of De-Cluttering

Above all, make sure every room—including closets and the garage—is clutter-free. Family photos, personal memorabilia, and collectibles should be boxed up. Closets, shelves, and other storage areas should be mostly empty. Work benches should be free of tools and projects. Clear the kitchen counters, store non-necessary cookware, and remove all those magnets from the refrigerator door.

The same goes for furniture. If removing a chair, a lamp, a table, or other furnishings will make a particular space look larger or more inviting, then by all means do it.

You don’t want your home to appear cold, un-loved, or unlived-in, but you do want to remove distractions and provide prospective buyers with a blank canvas of sorts. Plus, de-cluttering your home now will make it that much easier to pack when it comes time to move.

Where to Start

Contact your agent Aaron Calvo at www.aaroncalvo.com for advice on how to most effectively stage your home or for a recommendation on a professional stager. While the simple interior design techniques outlined above may seem more like common sense than marketing magic, you’d be surprised at how many homeowners routinely overlook them. And the results are clear: staging your house to make it more appealing to your target buyer is often all it takes to speed the sale and boost the price.

Posted on July 28, 2017 at 3:21 pm
Aaron Calvo | Posted in Uncategorized |

7 Home Remodeling Projects With Top-Dollar Returns

Not all home improvements are created equal. These will reward you the most when it comes time to sell.

Your home is in the perfect location, came at the perfect price, with the perfect lot. (Yay southern exposure!)

But the home itself? Perfect isn’t the adjective you’d use. But you knew that moving in, and now you’re ready to start making it just right.

But where to begin? How about with data? Data is that friend who tells you like it really is.

Because while any home improvement that brings you joy is priceless, not all add as much home equity as you might expect.

The National Association of REALTORS®’ 2015 Remodeling Impact Report and 2016 Remodeling Impact Report: Outdoor Features (full disclosure: NAR is a sponsor of HouseLogic.) have tons of data on how much improvements cost — and how much of those costs you can recoup.

Here are the best seven home remodeling projects with equity-building might:

#1 Upgraded Landscaping

This one might be a bit of a surprise. (Maybe you expected a major kitchen reno to top the list.)

But if your yard is one of your home’s imperfect parts, a little color and a touch of hardscaping can make a huge difference to your curb appeal, which is a great immediate equity-booster.

What does a basic landscaping upgrade include?

Flowering shrubs
A 15-foot-tall deciduous tree
A flagstone walkway
Two 6-by-2 stone planters
Fresh mulch

The cost: $4,750

The return: 105% at $5,000

#2 New Roof

If you find yourself sprinting for the buckets when it starts to sprinkle, getting a new roof should be your No. 1 to-do. Measuring rainfall from the indoors isn’t cool.

The cost: $7,600

The return: 105% at $8,000

Considering it’s what’s between you and the elements, it’s a no-brainer.

Not sure if you need a new roof? Signs you might include:

Shingles are missing, curling up, or covered in moss.
Gritty bits from the asphalt shingles are coming out the downspout.
The sun’s shining through your attic.
You notice stains on ceilings and walls.
Your energy bill is sky high.

#3 Hardwood Floors

You flip on the TV to see that your fave home reno-ing duo is it at again, flipping a ranch that’s stuck in the ‘80s.

They make it to the living room, pull back the dingy carpet to reveal hardwood floors in great condition. They’re psyched — and for good reason.

Hardwood floors are a timeless classic. Refinishing is a no-brainer. Neither will you regret adding new hardwood floors if you have none.

The cost to refinish: $2,500

The return: 100% at $2,500

The cost to buy new: $5,500

The return: 91% at $5,000

#4 Patio or Deck

If your home is your castle, your yard is your kingdom. After giving your yard a much-needed overhaul, you need a place to watch over you handiwork. How about that deck or patio you’ve been dreaming of?

The cost of a patio: $6,400

The return: 102% at $6525

The cost of a deck: $9,450

The return: 106% at $10,000

#5 Insulation

Insulation is tucked out of sight, so it’s often out of mind — that is, until you’re forced to wear your parka indoors because it’s sooo darn cold.

The cost: $2,100

The return: 95% at $2,000 plus the added savings on heating and cooling costs

#6 New Garage Door

No surprise that a garage door replacement project made it onto this #winning list — a new garage door provides a big boost for your home’s curb appeal at a relatively modest cost.

The cost: $2,300 (for a two-door)

The return: 87% at $2,000

There are options galore, too. A host of factory-finish colors, wood-look embossed steel, and glass window insets are just some of the possibilities that’ll give your doors bankable personality.

#7 Vinyl Siding

In any color! And never paint again.

Those are two of the three benefits of vinyl siding. The third, of course, is your home’s value.

But if long-time homeowners look at you funny when you mention vinyl siding, just tell them that today’s vinyl is way better than what they remember because of fade-resistant finishes and transferable lifetime warranties.

The cost: $12,000

The return: 83% at $10,000

Want fiber-cement siding instead? It also shows a strong payback of 79%. Although it’s the pricier option — you’ll spend $19,100 — it has one thing vinyl still lacks — the perception of quality.

And quality matters. In a survey from the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), “quality” was the one of the most important traits that home buyers focused on when house hunting.

Related:

Costs and ROI of the Most Common Home Remodeling Projects (including kitchens and baths)
Time-Sucking Home Remodeling Mistakes You’ll Wish You Could Avoid

Posted on July 4, 2017 at 6:16 am
Aaron Calvo | Posted in Living & Style |

Get Rid of Unwanted Items in Your Home

Time to De-Clutter? Some Tips for Selling Your Stuff

Posted in Selling by Tara Sharp

If you are looking around your home and thinking to yourself that it’s time to de-clutter, the summer months provide an ideal time to hold a garage sale. But if that sounds like too big of an undertaking, there are other options available to you thanks to popular resale sites like eBay and Craigslist. And if even that sounds like too much effort, you might also consider donating lightly used items to charity or sending them off to the dump. Here are some questions to help you decide which method is best for you.

How much stuff do you have? Are you liquidating your space of large furniture items, a large quantity or quality items, or do you have a small pile of electronics?

If you have yards worth of stuff to get rid of, you definitely want to consider a garage sale. Getting rid of multiple items on Craig’s list can be time consuming, and shipping items sold on eBay can be expensive and eat into your profits. On the other hand, if your items are easily shippable or you have a small enough quantity to take quality photos and post online, then you can save time by using eBay or Craig’s list – and potentially make more money too.

What type of stuff am I getting rid of? Is it worth anything?

If you have large furniture or unique/valuable pieces it may be worth the time to take some quality photos and try to sell these items on Craigslist first. Generally Craigslist works as “first come, first serve” so be prepared to respond to inquiries quickly. If you have small items that have some value, you may want to consider eBay. You reach a much larger audience through eBay which can result in a greater financial return.

How much time do I have?

Garage/yard sales are by far the most time intensive of your options. If you choose to hold a garage sale, you will likely need to dedicate at least three days for prep, clean-up, and the sale itself. All items should be cleaned up, priced, and neatly displayed for sale. Signage should be prominently placed around your neighborhood. You can also place an ad in your local classifieds or on Craigslist to attract a larger crowd.

Will your home/community accommodate a Garage Sale?

Garage and yard sales are generally held at a single-family residence. If you live in an apartment or condo, you may want to consider alternatives due to limited public space. You may also want to consider your community traffic. If you live on a quiet street, you may not get enough customers to generate sales.

Can you enhance a sale by joining with neighbors, friends and family?

Some communities hold an annual neighborhood garage sale, encouraging all neighbors to participate on the same day. This increases your ability to market the event and attract a larger audience.

Want more information on hosting a garage sale? Go here.

Posted on June 11, 2017 at 2:21 pm
Aaron Calvo | Posted in Living & Style |

Seattle inventory and what is driving high cost of home ownership.

How are inventory shortages impacting the housing market?

Posted in Economics 101 Videos by Matthew Gardner, Chief Economist, Windermere Real Estate

The shortage of homes for sale has been a major concern for buyers and real estate agents over the last few years. Windermere Chief Economist, Matthew Gardner, explains the impact these shortages are having on the housing market.

Posted on June 3, 2017 at 3:57 pm
Aaron Calvo | Posted in Buying a Home |

10 questions to ask an agent to sell your house

Find the Best Agent to Sell Your House

By: G. M. Filisko

Published: March 11, 2010

Ask detailed questions about their experience and skills to help you find the right agent for your home sale.

Working with the right real estate agent can mean the difference between getting prompt, expert representation and feeling like you’re going it alone when selling your home. Here are 10 questions to ask when you’re interviewing agents.

1. How long have you been selling homes?

Mastering real estate requires on-the-job experience. The more experience agents have, the more likely they’ll be able to handle any curveballs thrown during your home sale.

2. What designations do you hold?

Designations like GRI (Graduate REALTOR® Institute) and CRS® (Certified Residential Specialist), which require that agents complete additional real estate training, show they’re constantly learning. Ask if agents have designations and, if not, why not?

3. How many homes did you sell last year?

Agents may tout their company’s success. An equally important question is how many homes they’ve personally sold in the past year; it’s an indicator of how active and aggressive they are.

4. How many days on average did it take you to sell homes?

Ask agents to show you this data along with stats from their local Multiple Listing Service (MLS) so you can see how many days, on average, their listings were on the market compared to the average for all properties in the MLS.

5. How close were the asking and sales prices of the homes you sold?

Sometimes sellers choose their agent because the agent’s suggested listing price is higher than those suggested by other agents. A better factor is the difference between listing prices and the amount homes actually sold for. That can help you judge agents’ skill at accurately pricing homes and marketing to the right buyers. It can also help you weed out agents trying to dazzle you with a lofty sales price just to get your listing.

6. How will you market my home?

The days of agents putting a For Sale sign in the yard and hoping for the best are long gone. Look for an agent who does aggressive and innovative marketing, especially on the Internet.

7. Will you represent me exclusively?

In most states, agents can represent the seller, the buyer, or both in a home sale. If your agent will also represent buyers, understand and consent to that dual representation.

8. How will you keep me informed?

If you want weekly updates by email, don’t choose an agent who plans to contact you only if there’s an offer.

9. Can you provide references?

Ask to talk to the last three customers the agent assisted. Call and ask if they’d work with the agent again and if the agent did anything that didn’t sit well with them.

10. Are you a REALTOR®?

Ask whether agents are REALTORS®, which means they’re members of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (NAR). NAR has been an advocate of agent professionalism and a champion of homeownership rights for more than a century.

Posted on June 1, 2017 at 5:39 pm
Aaron Calvo | Posted in Buying a Home |

Home prices so high buyers are taking a breather

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – U.S. home resales fell more than expected in April, weighed down by a chronic shortage of houses on the market that is keeping house prices elevated and sidelining prospective buyers.

The National Association of Realtors said on Wednesday existing home sales declined 2.3 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.57 million units last month.

Despite the decline, April’s sales pace was the fourth highest over the past 12 months. March’s sales pace was revised down to 5.70 million units, which was still the highest level since February 2007, from the previously reported 5.71 million units.

“Lack of supply moving through the seasonal ramp-up in sales in the spring selling season slowed sales rather than demand,” said Ted Wieseman, an economist at Morgan Stanley in New York.

Economists had forecast sales falling 1.1 percent to a 5.65 million-unit rate. Sales were up 1.6 percent from April 2016, also underscoring the housing market’s underlying strength.

While the number of homes on the market rose 7.2 percent to 1.93 million units from March, supply was down 9.0 percent from a year ago. Housing inventory has dropped for 23 straight months on a year-on-year basis.

As a result, the median house price increased 6.0 percent from a year ago to $244,800 in April, the highest level since June 2016. That was the 62nd straight month of year-on-year price gains.

With recent data showing a drop in home building and a plunge in new home sales in April, weak home resales suggest residential investment will probably make a small contribution to gross domestic product in the second quarter.

Residential investment added half a percentage point to the economy’s 0.7 percent annualized growth pace in the first quarter.

U.S. financial markets were little moved by the report as investors awaited minutes of the Federal Reserve’s May policy meeting later on Wednesday.

Houses typically stayed on the market for 29 days last month, the shortest period since the NAR started tracking the series in May 2011. That was down from 34 days in March and 39 days a year ago.

Demand for housing is being driven by a tight labor market, marked by a 4.4 percent unemployment rate, which is boosting employment opportunities for young Americans.

The housing market also remains supported by historically low mortgage rates, with the 30-year fixed mortgage rate hovering just above 4.0 percent. But rising building material costs as well as shortages of lots and labor have left builders struggling to fill the inventory gap.

The NAR estimates housing starts and completions should be in a range of 1.5 million to 1.6 million units to eliminate the persistent shortage. Housing starts are running at about a rate of 1.2 million units and completions around a pace of 1 million units.

A separate report from the Mortgage Bankers Association on Wednesday showed applications for loans to purchase homes fell 1.0 percent last week.

Last month, sales fell in the Northeast, West and South regions, but rose in the Midwest.

At April’s sales pace, it would take 4.2 months to clear the stock of houses on the market, up from 3.8 months inMarch. A six-month supply is viewed as a healthy balance between supply and demand.

First-time buyers accounted for 34 percent of transactions last month, still well below the 40 percent share that economists and realtors say is needed for a robust housing market, but up from 32 percent a year ago.

Selling your Seattle Home? The Value of Staging

Selling Your Home: The Impact of Staging

7 Home Remodeling Projects With Top-Dollar Returns

Not all home improvements are created equal. These will reward you the most when it comes time to sell.

#1 Upgraded Landscaping

#2 New Roof

#3 Hardwood Floors

#4 Patio or Deck

#5 Insulation

#6 New Garage Door

#7 Vinyl Siding

Get Rid of Unwanted Items in Your Home

Time to De-Clutter? Some Tips for Selling Your Stuff

Seattle inventory and what is driving high cost of home ownership.

How are inventory shortages impacting the housing market?

10 questions to ask an agent to sell your house

Find the Best Agent to Sell Your House

1. How long have you been selling homes?

2. What designations do you hold?

3. How many homes did you sell last year?

4. How many days on average did it take you to sell homes?

5. How close were the asking and sales prices of the homes you sold?

6. How will you market my home?

7. Will you represent me exclusively?

8. How will you keep me informed?

9. Can you provide references?

10. Are you a REALTOR®?

Home prices so high buyers are taking a breather

Congrats Jeff!

Welcome to Beacon Hill Jeff!

Thank you for letting me help you along the way.

Selling your Seattle Home? The Value of Staging

Selling Your Home: The Impact of Staging

7 Home Remodeling Projects With Top-Dollar Returns

Not all home improvements are created equal. These will reward you the most when it comes time to sell.

#1 Upgraded Landscaping

#2 New Roof

#3 Hardwood Floors

#4 Patio or Deck

#5 Insulation

#6 New Garage Door

#7 Vinyl Siding

Get Rid of Unwanted Items in Your Home

Time to De-Clutter? Some Tips for Selling Your Stuff

Seattle inventory and what is driving high cost of home ownership.

How are inventory shortages impacting the housing market?

10 questions to ask an agent to sell your house

Find the Best Agent to Sell Your House

1. How long have you been selling homes?

2. What designations do you hold?

3. How many homes did you sell last year?

4. How many days on average did it take you to sell homes?

5. How close were the asking and sales prices of the homes you sold?

6. How will you market my home?

7. Will you represent me exclusively?

8. How will you keep me informed?

9. Can you provide references?

10. Are you a REALTOR®?

Home prices so high buyers are taking a breather

Congrats Jeff!

Welcome to Beacon Hill Jeff!

Thank you for letting me help you along the way.

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