Staged To Sell (p.34)
Tips For Staging Your Home Effectively During Winter

By Kelly Pittman and Rich Van Tassel

When selling your home, showing it to customers is the key make-or-break factor in determining whether you will receive a sales offer. Buyers want to visit houses year-round and review their amenities up close, with no excuses about their condition, no matter how cold or unpleasant the weather is outside – they expect to see the home at its best.

Your objective should be to make buyers realize the beauty and potential your home provides, no matter what the time of year. By employing a few simple strategies, you can maximize your property's appeal to buyers this winter and greatly improve your chances for a sale.

Keep An Eye On The Landscaping

In many instances, buyers form their initial impressions of properties just from viewing their exteriors. Though ideally we hope potential buyers will judge the entire home, realistically we know that the "curb appeal" is the initial selling point.

The exterior of your property must attract buyers as soon as they arrive, so all details must be in place, even down to the grass around your home. Maintaining a green lawn in the winter months is not impossible, and it is especially important to do so because buyers believe a well-kept yard indicates a similarly tidy household.

While you do not have to present the perfect lawn, you should check to ensure grass and weeds are not overgrown, and that leaves, twigs, and other items that can distract from the visual beauty of your home, including toys and equipment, are removed.

Walk out to the street and look at your home. Observe any major obstructions that make it unappealing, and address these problems accordingly. That includes removing any snow and ice as soon as possible along the drive and walkways. Remember, you want your house to look as welcoming as possible to visitors.

When planning for future winters, consult with landscapers to make sure the trees and shrubbery being planted are season specific. That way, your yard will be alive, green, and vibrant, no matter what the season.

Let the Web Showcase Its Beauty

The best way to market your home is to utilize the Internet. More than 90% of shoppers search online before touring a home, so take advantage of this opportunity to showcase your residence favorably.

Have clear pictures of the interior and exterior that people can view, and include as much information up front about the schools served and other amenities that buyers want to know. You want to entice them with enough information to follow up with you for an in-home visit.

Social media outlets are strong in promoting your home as well, as they allow your friends to become your best form of advertising. Positive word-of-mouth always helps.

Emphasize Your Gathering Areas

Buyers are always interested in the family "gathering" places such as the kitchen, family room, and a bonus room, if the latter exists. It is important to show off the kitchen island as an extra seating area, not only for eating purposes, but as a place for family and friends to gather and relax while a meal is being prepared as well.

Furniture placement is essential in the family room to show off the available and usable space. It helps the buyer visualize their family gathering on the couch to watch a movie on "family night."

Staging a bonus room is always a plus for planting the idea in the children's and the parents' minds that the kids have their own space for homework, crafts, or playing with friends. Check to see that it is not cluttered so potential purchasers can visualize ways they can maximize the space.

Decorate for Seasonal Occasions

Putting up appropriate decorations around your house prior to such events as Valentine's Day and St. Patrick's Day is always a good idea, as it creates memory points with buyers that tie them back to your home days and even weeks later. However, avoid going overboard in making your home appear too indulgent for the holidays – a room covered with red hearts or shamrocks will turn off purchasers rather than impress them.

Preparing your home for purchase is a fun and engaging way to fight the "winter blahs" when the weather outside is cold and uninviting. Taking advantage of the situation by following these tips can be a long-term win for you and your family.

The Triangle's Economic Forecast For Homes in 2012

– The Triangle housing market experienced improvement in 2011, despite discouraging real estate statistics nationally. I anticipate this trend will continue.

– More people will want to relocate to the Triangle due to the established reputation that has been built surrounding our schools and educational systems. Two recent surveys have named Raleigh among the top five best places to live in the nation.

– It is generally accepted that we are at the bottom of the downcycle now. More people are expected to purchase a home in 2012, because they will be positioned to realize appreciation with any improvement in the market.

– Under the current economic policy, inflation is likely to occur in 2012. People will realize that the best way to protect their investments from rising costs is to own real assets such as a home. Houses in the Triangle will appreciate right along with inflation. Those who buy a home with a 30-year fixed mortgage will pay a constant amount unaffected by inflation as well. In contrast, renters will find their payments increased every time they renew their leases in an inflationary market.

Kelly Pittman is design sales consultant of Royal Oaks Building Group, located at 1210 Trinity Road in Raleigh. For more information, visit www.royaloaksbg.com. You can also find Royal Oaks on Facebook at www.facebook.com/pages/Royal-Oaks-Building-Group/107862757715.

Rich Van Tassel, president of Royal Oaks Building Group, LLC, is recognized as one of the leaders in surviving the housing downturn in the Triangle. He is a recognized expert of trends in the housing market.