Real Estate November 21, 2022

Home For The Holidays

Are you ready to make your dreams come true for the holidays? Let us help you get into a new home for the holidays.

The end of the year is quickly approaching!

Like many others, you are likely getting caught up in the hustle and bustle of the Holiday season, buying turkeys for Thanksgiving, prepping your Black Friday shopping list, and starting to think about a Christmas tree if you haven’t put it up already.

You might also be taking time to reflect on the past year to see if you have hit the mark on your goals and likely feeling a bit guilty for not quite reaching your 2022 New Years’ Resolutions.

We don’t blame you. Life gets busy. We understand that life has changed immensely for a lot of people in a short period of time. Many people are permanently working from home and are finding they need more space for organization to be successful. Maybe a new baby or puppy was added to the family and the rooms are feeling a bit cramped. Perhaps the cousin got married and now hosting holiday meals requires more space than you have. Don’t worry we can help.

If selling your home and getting into something bigger was part of your to-do list there is still time. In fact, now may be the best time.

Here’s why:

  1. When fewer homes hit the market the homes that do get the spotlight.
  2. While everyone else has Holidays on their mind, the serious buyers shop real estate and are significantly more motivated than any other time of year.
  3. This time of year offers the best staging opportunity to shine the best light on your listing.
  4. The equity you have gained in your present home can help you make the move into the home you’re dreaming of.

GET THE SPOTLIGHT

In residential real estate, it is quite normal to see fewer homes listed during the last couple of months of the year.  Homeowners get busy around the holidays and put off selling their houses until the start of the new year when there is more time in their schedules and social calendars.

This creates an advantageous opportunity for those ready to sell now. While other homeowners are holding off until after the holidays, your home can soak up all the spotlight. If you are ready to start the process with a real estate professional today connect with us here.

SERIOUS BUYERS SHOP DURING THE HOLIDAYS

Your home might be exactly what that serious buyer has been waiting for, and sellers during this time will have less “looky loos” and more serious buyers.

When buyers’ demand is greater than the housing supply it is considered a Sellers’ Market which gives the seller the advantage.

If you work with an agent to list your house now, you’ll be able to get in front of enthusiastic buyers that are eager to make the move before the end of the year.

THE HOLIDAYS PRESENT A UNIQUE OPPORTUNITY

Have you ever looked in a magazine and wished you were living in its pictures? The same can happen with real estate photos. We know that listings that look more appealing online get people in their doors.

Warm fires in the fireplace and cookies baking in the oven can create that atmosphere that no other season seems to offer.

LEVERAGE THE EQUITY YOU HAVE FOR THE HOME OF YOUR DREAMS

If you have owned your home for several years, you likely have a large amount of equity (Total value minus what you owe.) This value can help springboard you into your next home. CoreLogic explained that the average equity per mortgage holder has rocketed to almost $300,000. Never has it been this high in history. The equity you have in your house right now could cover some, if not all, of a down payment on the home you have been dreaming of, and we can help get you in it.

 

If you are thinking about selling your house so you can find a home that better suits your needs, don’t delay your plans. Let’s connect so you can accomplish your goals before the end of the year. CLICK HERE.

 

ClintonCoupevilleFreelandGreenbankHomeLangleyNeighborhoodsOak HarborReal Estate September 6, 2021

Staging a Home

Should You Stage Your Home?

Every home is changed by those who live in it even under the care of the most vigilant homeowners. Staging a home for sale is one tactic that may take the attention away from less than stellar paint, flooring, or kitchen cabinets and convince the buyer that they can make the property the home of their dreams. 

If you are preparing to put your home on the market, staging provides the advantage of appealing to the buyer audience. It is no longer a nice idea, but one of the most important things you can do when selling your home.

What is a Staged Home?

Staging a home is one possible step in preparing a property for sale in the housing market. It is primarily focused on the appearance of the home and making the space feel a specific way. Depending on the type of pieces brought into the space the staging can make the home feel lighter, larger, or more modern. 

Most staged homes include art, rugs, furniture, plants, and other decors.

Staging a home, Homes for sale Whidbey Island, Realtors on Whidbey, Windermere Real Estate, All in for you

Attract More Home Buyers

Properties headed to the market need to be presented in a way that is going to attract the most possible buyers. Staging a home allows buyers to picture themselves in that space. Inviting furnishings and decor, combined with subtle accessories distributed throughout the home pulls everything together to help produce higher-quality images of each space in the home.

It has also been proven that if the home is attractive in pictures buyers are much more likely to come and see it in person. The quality of online images directly affects a buyer’s interest in a home. 

Buyers confirm that they were more willing to walk through a home they saw online (41 percent), and buyers’ agents identified that staging would positively impact the home value if the home was decorated to the buyer’s taste (39 percent). 

Your first impression is your last impression, so make it count!

Tidbit: 

A 2021 National Association of Realtors study on home staging reported that 82% of buyer’s agents said staging a home made it easier for a buyer to visualize the property as a future home. 

Staging A home, Windermere Real Estate, Whidbey Island Homes for Sale, Sale with a Windermere Agent

Increase Home Sale Price

Ultimately the purpose of home staging is to set your listing apart from others on the market and yield higher offers. 

According to the National Association of Realtors Profile of Home Staging 2021 when staging a home, 23 percent of sellers’ agents reported an increase of one to five percent of the dollar value offered by buyers, in comparison to similar homes. 

Notably, none of the respondents in the above study reported that staging a home had a negative impact on the home’s dollar value.

It’s advantageous to keep in mind that home staging does put costs on the sellers’ agent or the seller depending on the scenario. The median dollar value spent when using a staging service was $1,500, compared to $300 when the sellers’ agent personally staged the home.

Tidbit:

The most common rooms that were staged included the living room (90 percent), kitchen (80 percent), master bedroom (78 percent), and dining room (69 percent).

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In conclusion…

By creating space that buyers fall in love with, sellers can expect offers of higher quantity and quality. Get in touch with one of our agents today. 

 

 

Real Estate June 26, 2019

Making a Memorable Home

Making a Memorable Home

 

Fresh out of college she had little desire to decorate or apply much effort to her home. She figured, “if it’s not functional, it’s not needed.” That all changed when her best friend, a former beauty queen, moved in with her. “Everything was moved! Books were realigned to look nice, plants popped up everywhere, and anything that didn’t look pretty found a discrete new home.” Although the first shock of everything shifting around her was a bit startling, she started to notice a big difference. “All of a sudden the people entering her home would look around and almost immediately compliment her on her ‘Pinterest’ home. She would overhear conversations about how great visiting her house was and when people did visit, they wanted to stay.”

This was the story of one of our agents and her journey in learning the power and positive impact that decorating can have on a home. We’ve all been at the start of this journey at one point or another. Fearful of making mistakes, we settle for what we have or even convince ourselves we like it better without the fancy decorations (even though we drool at Pottery Barn). Decorating can play a key role in turning that house you bought into a real home. It can transform plain space into a memorable oasis for all who enter.

In everyday life this is important but when selling a home, it is invaluable.

To ease your fears we’ve gathered some key interior design tips we hope will help you with your first steps to a new interior design.

Interior design, decorate, stage Windermer, Real estate

 

 

 

5 Rules for Interior Design

  1. Start with a Neutral Palette

Bright colors and bold accents go in and out of style rapidly. Neutrals are lasting and timeless. Start your room off with a neutral palette that will be consistent and lasting. Pops of color are easily achieved in replicable items such as books, floral arraignments, and accessories.

  1. The 10-30-60 Rule

An easy way to decide when and where color should be added is using the 10-30-60 color rule for dominant, secondary, and accent colors. As the name suggests; your dominant color (a neutral) should cover about 60% of the room. Your secondary color, a little bolder, should be used repetitively without overpowering. Your boldest color, the accent, should be included sparingly and with intentionality.

  1. Think Vertically

Artwork, wall décor, and tall plants help to bring the eye up off the ground or coffee table. Also, storing items vertically on shelves or other creative options keeps them off the ground or on low areas, preventing the home from feeling cluttered.

  1. The Rule of Threes

Styling surfaces can feel intimidating. Too few items can leave the space feeling sparse and awkward, but too many items can cause clutter. When in doubt, follow the rule of three. Odd number groupings are more appealing to the eye than even ones. Placing three cohesive items in a space can help to create this dynamic.

  1. Don’t Over-Theme

Everyone loves a good beach themed room but when everything is covered in is shells, sand, umbrellas, and flip flops it can start to look ridiculous. Keeps obvious references to a theme at a minimum with accent pieces and try to enhance the feel of the room over the theme.

Looking for some inspiration or a creative piece to get you started? Visit Seaside & Sylvan! They are a small furnishing boutique located at the historic Greenbank Farm. Their creative décor and helpful associates are sure to spark your style into action.

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