If you are thinking about selling your home, one of the top things to think about is staging it. When you have your home staged and decluttered, it gives the potential buyer the opportunity to visualize themselves and their furniture in their future home. This video shows the difference staging does make in the before staging and after staging shots.
How To Keep Your Home Looking Show-Ready
You have decluttered, cleaned and done little touch-ups here and there. Now, how do your keep your home looking show ready.
Here is a great post from Realtor.com that hits on a few quick cleaning hacks to help you be prepared for that unexpected showing.
When you’re selling your home, you must be ready for people to pop in at a moment’s notice. And no, it’s not like when your neighbor drops by to ask you to water her plants while she’s on vacation, and leaves in five minutes without noticing how many dishes are stacked in your sink or the layer of dust on your coffee table.
Nope, these people will scrutinize. And they will judge. But you’re still living in your home—how do you keep it clean enough to make a good impression, no matter the time or day?
It turns out you don’t have to hire a live-in housekeeper, and your life doesn’t need to come to a screeching halt just because you’re showing your house. Try these hacks to get the job done quickly and easily, so you can free up your time—and save your sanity.
1. Work the room
Half of my cleaning problems come from not knowing where to start. I walk into a room, picture myself trying to clean all the things at once, get overwhelmed, and suddenly feel the urge to sit down for a while. Apparently I’m doing it wrong (no big surprise there).
But if you know how to work the room, cleaning will go much faster.
“Then focus on the top eye-catcher places and things like floors, ovens, and bathroom [fixtures],” she says.
While your instinct might be to clean everything, you might also go crazy trying to pull it off before every showing. Instead, zero in on what the potential buyer is likely to notice, Haynes recommends—cleaning it every day or two, and then doing a deeper clean once a week.
2. Use mobile storage
As soon as you know you’re going to show your house, pack up everything you don’t normally use.
“Remove all the nonfunctional stuff or things which don’t contribute to the overall look of the property,” Haynes says. It’ll feel weird to live like that at first, but the more stuff you have, the more stuff you have to clean.
Once you’re down to the stuff you actually need, find a way to quickly and easily hide it when it’s time to show the house.
“When we had a viewing on short notice, we used plastic and cardboard boxes where we stored our belongings,” says Harriet Jones, supervisor for Go Cleaners London. “Pick a box with a different color for each room so you can find and return those items to the respective rooms easier. You can place the boxes in the garage during the viewing.”
3. Fake the good habits
Sure, it might take a lifetime to actually develop good habits, but you can always fake it until you sell your house.
By taking small steps throughout the day, you’ll save yourself a ton of time and keep the house clean around the clock. In the living room, pick up as you go (or at least as soon as your kids leave the room). In the bathroom, make it a habit to keep your toiletries under the sink and not on the counter. In the kitchen, unload the dishwasher as soon as the drying cycle is done so you can start loading again right away.
Granted, it probably won’t go perfectly smoothly (especially if you have kids), but every little bit helps.
4. Give the illusion of clean
Running short on time? You can easily make a room look clean without actually having to clean everything—as long as you focus on the stuff people notice the most.
Focus most of your effort on two rooms: the kitchen and the bathroom, Jones recommends.
“Countertops should be free and clear of clutter, and clean,” she says. “Same applies to your refrigerator’s door and your floor. Make sure your shower and tub are clean and neat. Tiles and floor should be sparkling.”
If you have time, give rooms an extra boost by wiping down the fixtures and faucets, running a dry mop over the floors, and dusting the window treatments. Fold white towels neatly on the towel rack in the bathroom for a classic look.
5. Add flair
Don’t forget those little touches that make your house look clean and presentable. Throughout the home, create inviting sitting areas and intimate spaces. In the bedroom, make sure the bed is made evenly every day—lumps and wrinkles in the comforter can make the whole room look messy. Put out a bottle of wine and a couple of wineglasses in the master bedroom or living room. And in the kitchen, add a bowl of fruit or a vase of flowers to the countertops to give a touch of color and freshness.
You don’t want to do too much—or you’ll be heading back into clutter territory—but a few little touches here and there can create a scene charming enough that no one will notice the spots you forgot to clean.
Source: Angela Colley – https://www.realtor.com/advice/sell/cleaning-hacks-show-ready-selling/
Klyde Warren Park – A True Gem In Downtown Dallas
The Story of Klyde Warren Park
Building a 5-acre deck park over a recessed eight-lane freeway took an imaginative and hard-working team of Dallas leaders with a clear vision.
Common Ground
Is Your Seller’s Surveillance Putting Them At Risk?
Have you thought about the possible legal considerations regarding the listings you may have that have audio or video devices? Here is a great article written by Wes Bearden that touches on those issues.
Selling a home can be frustrating to homeowners. They’re asked to allow strangers into their home. They may never receive feedback and are left to wonder, “Why didn’t that last buyer bite?” What do anxious sellers do? They get an extra set of ears. Many homeowners have installed security cameras and smart-home devices. These installations can be an ultra high-tech security system or a simple baby monitor, and they all can be abused. A number of notable cases have emerged where sellers listened to a potential buyer’s showing. Sometimes it’s to gain advantage in negotiations, while other times it’s simply to better stage the property. So, can a seller covertly record or monitor a buyer’s showing?
The rules in Texas
Both the Federal Electronic Communications Privacy Act (ECPA) and Section 16.02 of the Texas Penal Code prohibit audio recordings without the consent of at least one individual who is part of the conversation. The Texas rule, commonly referred to as the one-party rule, requires at least one party to consent to recording conversations. What that rule allows is any individual to covertly-and legally-record his own conversations with a broker, neighbor, or other party. Whenever you speak, it’s best to follow the old saying: Say what you mean and mean what you say. The other person in the conversation may be recording everyone.
If a seller is not present and participating in the showing, he cannot record audio … even if the conversation happens inside the seller’s home.
Why a seller cannot record audio of a showing
Texas law does not allow audio recording or audio monitoring of conversations that you are not a part of. If the seller is not present and participating in the showing, he cannot record it. Even though the conversation happens inside a seller’s home, he is prohibited from recording any conversations that he is not a part of.
But what about video?
Many homes today have security cameras installed that record video. Some have audio recording, similar to a baby monitor, and some without. The ECPA docs not prohibit video recording. In fact, silent video-like from security cameras-is generally allowed as long as it isn’t in an area where an individual would have a reasonable expectation of privacy. For instance, silent bathroom video recording is not allowed. But silent video recording of the foyer, kid’s playroom, exterior of a home, and a garage arc likely permitted.
Is your listing breaking the law?
Most professional alarm and security cam-era installers are familiar with the law. Normally, they install video cameras with-out audio and arc leery to place inside cam-eras in any location other than a foyer. However, when your seller is a do-it-yourselfer, you may want to ask questions. Have sellers tell you what the system will record. If audio is recorded, the seller may have a problem. If it is silent video, have sellers show you where the cameras are located. Make sure they aren’t video recording in a private area, such as a bathroom. Courts have traditionally upheld individual privacy rights over the property rights in a residential home. Consider limiting the use of cameras to the exterior of the residence. Violating state and federal recording laws can involve criminal penalties.
ln addition, Texas, like many states, recognizes several types of common law invasion of privacy claims. At its essence, invasion of privacy protects a person against unreasonable intrusion upon his seclusion, solitude, or private affairs. Even though recording may be in the seller’s house, courts have found that a visiting party can have a valid claim when the homeowner overreaches.
Illegal recording is a felony offense in Texas, and anyone who has been recorded in violation of the law can bring a civil suit to recover $10,000 for each occurrence, actual damages in excess of$10,000, punitive damages, attorney’s fees, and court costs.
Help your sellers avoid criminal or civil liability by encouraging them to concentrate on feedback given with consent and leave the mics and hidden cameras out.
Help your buyers be smart about surveillance
- Don’t discuss confidential negotiations within a home.
- Be careful about over-enthusiasm of particular features in a residence.
- Realize that most video recordings are legal. You and your client’s body language and gestures sometimes tell more that you think.
- If talking on the telephone, make sure that the owner’s neighbors can’t overhear your conversations. Neighbors are often nosier than the owner.
- If you are really worried that someone is playing unfair, turn on a faucet. The audio tones from the running water create white noise that masks voice tones and makes it difficult for micro-phones to do their job.
Don’t be too paranoid. Be security smart, but don’t let it ruin your real purpose to be at the house.
The information contained herein first appeared in the November 2017 edition of Texas REALTOR® Magazine and is being reprinted with the permission of Texas REALTOR® magazine and the author, Wes Bearden.
Please click here for a printable version of this great resource.
Best Tubing Rivers in Texas
One of Texan’s favorite pastimes is floating our rivers. Here is a list of some of the best tubing rivers in Texas. Grab a tube and beat those triple digit days!
Preparing Your Home For Sale
Remember: First Impressions are the Strongest!
When buyers make a decision to purchase a home, they do it emotionally! The feeling they get from the house and the way they picture themselves enjoying the home are two of the most important factors in the decision to buy. The following list offers suggestions to help the potential buyers create their own good feelings and visualize themselves owning your home.
Click here for a printable version to share with your customers.
Texas Housing Insight
Here is a great post from Texas A&M Real Estate Center regarding home sales for May.
June 2019 Housing Minute from NAR
This video was published by NAR on June 28, 2019. Both pending and existing home sales rose on a month over month basis in May.
Curb Appeal Tips & Tricks
If you are looking to sale your home, here are some great tips to catch the eye of your new buyer.
Curb Appeal Starts Online
Since 88 percent of homebuyers begin the process on the Web, fabulous photos are critical to getting homebuyers to the front door. Find the best time of day to shoot each room, avoiding too much sunlight, which will give the photo a glow effect. Overcast days are often the best time for a photo shoot.
Shiny, Happy Numbers
If your house numbers aren’t easy to see or if they’re dirty or dingy, replacing them carries a tremendous impact. Consider the style of your house – traditional, transitional or modern – and create a harmonious or contrasting effect with new house numbers.
Open Up
Fling open the shutters, curtains and blinds. Homes that are brighter inside sell faster, and open curtains look prettier from the street. Go outside, look at your window treatments from the street, and try to keep a uniform look throughout.
Plant Some Color
Spruce up your porch containers, window boxes and front beds with some colorful flowers for instant lift. A few inches of dark mulch will brighten up the beds without screaming “fake.”
Add Some Polish
Painting the front door, trim and shutters is a great way to polish the look of your home. Other inexpensive fix-ups: a new mailbox (research your city’s regulations to make sure you’re up to code first), a new porch light fixture and a cheery new welcome mat.
Under Pressure
Pressure-washing the dirty siding and deck, as well as the oil stained driveway and faded walkways is an extremely cost-efficient way to increase your home’s curb appeal. If you don’t own a pressure washer, you can rent one from your local home improvement store for the day.
Look Up to the Sky
Most homeowners don’t give their roofs a second glance, but the roof is an important curb appeal item that buyers do notice. Is yours missing any shingles, or is it dingy and streaked? A good cleaning or if necessary, a roof replacement will up your home’s curb appeal factor tremendously.
REMEMBER, ACT LIKE A BUYER!
Walk around your entire home’s exterior with a critical eye and a notepad and pen. Take notes on what looks “off” and needs repairing. replacing or cleaning.