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It's In The Details!

9/2/2014

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Detail photography can bring out the best in your average or not so average listing!
Even the most cookie cutter listings have unique features that set them apart from other homes.  To show off that something special, detail shots are the way to go!  


Does your listing have beautiful morning light, that falls perfectly in a room?  Meticulously refinished hardwood floors that have been brought back to their former glory?  Delicately laid tile that accents the custom cabinets?  Close up images of a listing's distinctive features can be what sets the home apart from everything else on the market!  


If there is a special feature that you or your seller would like to highlight, 
do not hesitate to ask!  

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Smelly house, smelly house why aren't you selling?

5/31/2014

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Has a ring to it, doesn't it?  Not a pleasant one though!  

Imagine a buyer finding a home online, it's everything that they wanted and more- right location, perfect price and the size and layout that they have been longing for.  They call the agent, set up a showing right away and can't focus on anything as they imagine their new life in their dream home!  The buyers pull up to the home, curb appeal is on point, they can barely hide their excitement as they open the front door...and then BAM- it hits them...SMELLY HOUSE!!!  Even though the home is the one for them, they can't get past the smell and they leave the house disappointed and keep looking.

It's a reality that no one wants to face and, sadly, it happens too frequently.  It doesn't matter if getting rid of the odor is a quick fix, or more intensive, buyers these days just do not want to deal with it.  From pet, smoking, cooking and mold/mildew smells, it can turn a dream home to the one that sits on the market and finally sells for a discounted price, if it sells at all.  Even though it can be costly to remove certain smells from homes, it can take your home from the least desired to the most desired overnight.    

I once worked with a property owner on a rental- the former tenant was excellent, but in the last 6 months of his lease he smoked in the home with all windows and doors closed, even though it was against the rules.  To get the cigarette smoke smell out of the home required new carpet, paint and a full cleaning of all of the heating and air ducts.  Quite pricey, but it did the job and there was a new home scent that everyone appreciated! 

Some smells can be removed with a good cleaning and airing out, some more difficult smells could need much more, like the situation above or worse!  (Some smells could even be a sign of a larger problem, like a moisture issue in the home that could cause harmful mold!)  The key is to locate the source of the offending smell and then prepare a plan on fully removing the smell to bring your home back to a neutral scent.  Don't be afraid to bring in professionals to help for the tougher odors- disaster restoration companies are a great source of information and could be the most affordable route to go!

The use of plug ins and candles can help a home smell comforting, but they should never be used to mask a smell.  It is always necessary to remove the offensive odor first!  Once the smell is removed, adding a desirable scent can help a buyer imagine your house as their next home can be quite welcoming!

We live in our homes everyday, we get used to the smells to the point that we do not even notice them anymore.  If you have a pet, assume that you have pet smells.  If you smoke in your home, assume your home smells like cigarettes.  If you are not sure, ask a trusted friend or neighbor to come to you home for a sniff and ask them for their honest opinion.  Take their comments to heart,  because if they are noticeable to them, a buyer will not overlook it either.  The nose knows!

Happy Selling!

Annie

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Attract buyers with all of their senses!

1/8/2014

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When we were young, we learned about our 5 senses and how they played an important role in everyday life.  Marketing companies have done their research and years ago started to use this to their advantage.  When you are in the grocery store and smell the fried chicken scent they have blowing through the fans, what are you hungry for?  You guessed it, fried chicken! 

Same things go for selling your home! I have always been intrigued by this school of thought and feel very strongly about using this to your advantage when your home is on the market.  Here is a list of my suggestions and keep an eye out for future posts that digs a little deeper into each one!

Sight- Well, this one is the most obvious and important one!  Your home needs to be appealing to the eye from the outside in.  A fresh cleaning, decluttering and neutral colors are a great way to get the ball rolling.

Smell- This sense is my favorite!  Warning- I will talk about smells more than anyone wants to read about it!  Buyers will notice scents (good or bad) right as then enter through the front door and if there is anything unpleasant, the turn off is something that can not be undone. 
If your home is freshly cleaned, you are already ahead of the game.  If there is a foul scent that is not corrected by a good cleaning, find the source of the scent and correct it.  Period. 

Touch-  Do you ever notice when you are shopping how you touch everything- from the firmness of fruit at the grocery store, the softness of a towel at a department store, the silkiness of a scarf at a clothing store?  Buyers do that, too, when they tour a home!  The normal touchable surfaces (kitchen and bathroom counters, floors and more) make sense to keep clean and free of dirt, crumbs and stickiness.  Buyers very well could touch a hand towel in your kitchen, maybe a blanket you have on a sofa, so make sure those are soft and clean too! 
 
Hearing- I always love walking into a listing that has some sort of gentle music playing, it always makes me feel welcome!  Jazz, classical, something in these genres work well and keep the sound low.  It is especially important if you have a surround sound system that is included in the sale, highlighting it in this fashion might be just the ticket to getting your home sold!
 


Taste- I know, I know- taste in a home sale?  Really?  Yes, taste!  Homes that had some kind of treat out- cookies or candy (or even something more creative), have always stood out in buyers' mind when we show homes.  One home even had chilled water bottles available on a sweltering summer day w/ a note telling buyers to help themselves to one.  It's a small, but nice gesture and tells a buyer that they want you to be comfortable in their home.





Long post, but filled with some of my favorite information.  With so many homes on the market at any given time, these easy tips will make your home stand out from the rest and will get you one step closer to a sold sign in your yard!




Happy Selling!

-Annie


 







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    Mother, Wife, Realtor, Photographer and Home Stager- my dream life!  I have been a photographer all of my life and a real estate agent for the last 14+ years and 4 years ago I decided to marry my two loves and that is how Annie M Design was born.

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