Evelyn Bruder, CRS, GRI, ABR, E-PRO

If you’re thinking about selling your home or even buying one, you’ve probably heard the term ’staging.’ Staging is essentially the act of making your home as desirable as possible by doing things like cleaning, organizing, and refreshing key rooms. Over the recent years, staging has become a vital (and popular) part of the selling process and almost any agent will suggest that you hire a professional ’stager’ to take care of your home. However, I have learned staging can be a simple and easy process than can be done by any seller; all you need is a willingness to work!

The first thing I generally suggest to all sellers is to do a thorough “deep clean” of the home, particularly if there are pets in the house. Steam cleaning carpets, waxing wood floors, and cleaning tile grout make a huge difference in the overall look of a room. Bathrooms and kitchens are rooms that tend so slowly collect mildew and grime, so focusing on areas that usually go unnoticed is important; make sure the baseboards are dust and dirt-free and the ceilings haven’t collected steam stains. Any of above mentioned surfaces can be cleaned with household products; even most Wal-Mart and Albertson’s stores rent out carpet cleaning products that are affordable and easy to use.

Most sellers really hate to hear the next one, but it’s very important to put a fresh coat of a neutral paint (like taupe or cream) in every room of the house. I know it can be extremely difficult to say goodbye to all the beautiful colors you picked out for your home, but if you’re really serious about selling, it’s crucial to start with a blank canvas to allow possible buyers to see the potential for their own personal flair. Soft neutrals, like eggshell or sand, are gentler on the eyes and still provide a fresh start.

Always make sure high traffic areas are cleared of excess furnishings and decorations to maximize the feeling of space. Highlighting key features in each room (like a window seat or vaulted ceilings) by removing decoration draws attention to another ‘blank canvas.’

De-cluttering and de-personalizing each room is essential. I always tell the seller to look at it as getting ahead on packing! Boxing up things like gaming systems, DVD cases, and large pieces of art instantly cleans and organizes a room. Keep your dining table and bar areas free of things like old magazines, newspapers, and mail; this will help you, the seller, get rid of clutter too! Make sure that walls aren’t burdened with too much art as this severely darkens a room. To balance it out, hang one or two smaller paintings or photos per wall; you’ll be amazed at how much it brightens each room. It’s beneficial to remove one or two pieces of large furniture (like recliners or couches) or to rearrange to demonstrate how much space your home offers. Getting rid of larger plants also utilizes the space factor and always make sure greenery is trimmed and kept manicured.

Hiding family photos can be the toughest part of all. I always suggest to bubble wrap all of the special photos, frames, trophies, and the like to allow buyers to envision their own family space. The ultimate goal of staging is to give a buyer a platform in which they can expand on their own ideas for decorating, renovation, and most importantly, purchasing.

If this particular blog helped just one homeowner gain confidence in preparing to sell their home, then I feel like the task was accomplished! Buying and selling homes can be so daunting and it should be up to me, as an agent, and agents everywhere to make it a little easier on our clients.

**************************

For All Your Real Estate Needs Contact

Evelyn Bruder, CRS, GRI, ABR, E-PRO,Cyberstar
The Evelyn Bruder Dream Team

CALL 575-650-7224 or TOLL FREE direct line: 1-888-532-9069

VISIT US ONLINE: http://www.HomesForSaleInLasCruces.com
If you are a First Time Homebuyer visit our newest website designed for your specific needs:
http://www.YourFirstHomeInLasCruces.com

Let’s meet online. I look forward to finding you on my social network sites. http://www.linkedin.com/in/evelynbruder
http://facebook.com/evelyn.bruder
http://twitter.com/evelynbruder

OFFICE Direct Line: 575-532-2211 Office number: 1-575-522-3698
Steinborn GMAC Real Estate

After a particularly hot and muggy couple of days, my husband and I decided to take a fun day trip to Silver City, NM, a quaint community of about 12,000 nestled in an exceptional place somewhere between the mountains and the desert. Silver City possesses all the benefits of a true small town; the traffic is light, the people are friendly, and the businesses and destinations are unique. With the genuine sense of community also comes some of the perks of a larger city. Silver City has a Wal-Mart Supercenter and three other grocery stores, a chain shopping complex, and the newest addition, Walgreens.

Silver City is a two hour drive from Las Cruces that can sometimes be difficult. The interstate stretches out over a vast, hot desert whether the weather can be unpredictable. After exiting off in the tiny town of Deming, we embarked on the small two-lane highway that is one of two ways to reach Silver. Big yellow road signs warned us of potential wind danger, which I understand is a real threat to motorists on this particular road.

We arrived unscathed around 11am and headed straight to the best place to eat: Diane’s Restaurant. We have only been to Silver a few times in the last ten years, but each time we do the food is divine and the service is friendly. Lunch has a distinct mom-and-pops cafe feel, with its consistent business and food selection. Dinner is a little bit different; the evenings are slower paced and a little bit more upscale, yet still with the laid-back small town atmosphere. If you get the chance to visit, make sure you try the cream cheese crumble pie or chocolate cake! They’re baked right across the street at Diane’s Bakery, where you can also purchase homemade danishes, breads, sandwiches, and more. We also took a peek at their new wine bar, which will be opening soon. More information about Diane’s Restaurant can be found here.

We walked off our lunch by strolling through the downtown district which is five or six city blocks peppered with funky little stores and historic sites. Silver City has a long, involved history with the Old West and as a result, this town is any cowboy guru’s dream. We stopped in to see the new Big Ditch Park, a relatively new renovation of what was once Silver City’s original downtown (pictured right). The Big Ditch Park is the perfect place to take a quiet evening stroll or just relax on a bench and watch the ducks squabble for leftovers.

After browsing and shopping in town, we opted to load up on drinks and snacks at the Silver City Food Co-op before we headed out on the Trail of the Mountain Spirits. The Trail essentially a big highway loop, starting either in Pinos Altos or San Lorenzo, depending on the direction you start from. We took highway 15 (known as the ‘PA Highway’ to locals) up to the village of Pinos Altos and embarked on the trail. The road is curvy and must be taken slowly but it’s a smooth ride all the way through. After a two hour drive through the mountains, we finally emerged onto highway 180 and we were en route to home.

We arrived home tired and happy after a long day of driving, eating, sight-seeing, and shopping. Silver City is such a wonderful place to visit and if you ever get the chance, I highly recommend it! I hope you enjoyed the photos and if you’d like more information regarding Silver City, click here.

**************************

For All Your Real Estate Needs Contact

Evelyn Bruder, CRS, GRI, ABR, E-PRO,Cyberstar
The Evelyn Bruder Dream Team

CALL 575-650-7224 or TOLL FREE direct line: 1-888-532-9069

VISIT US ONLINE: http://www.HomesForSaleInLasCruces.com
If you are a First Time Homebuyer visit our newest website designed for your specific needs:
http://www.YourFirstHomeInLasCruces.com

Let’s meet online. I look forward to finding you on my social network sites. http://www.linkedin.com/in/evelynbruder
http://facebook.com/evelyn.bruder
http://twitter.com/evelynbruder

OFFICE Direct Line: 575-532-2211 Office number: 1-575-522-3698
Steinborn GMAC Real Estate

Since Monday, a big topic of conversation around the office (and at home) has been marketing and its many mediums. We are making a big effort to stay ahead of the curve and provide our potential clients, colleagues, and friends with valuable information in the ways they like to find it; blogging, Facebook, Twitter, and so on. I am so grateful to work in an industry where my goal is clear-

I am here take care of all of your real estate needs, in all facets, in real life.

But not all professions are so lucky. In a giant corporation that sells any number of different products to consumers, marketing coordinators are having a hard time pinpointing the best way to sell a given product to a demographic of consumers. The people who were once in charge of print advertising are being laid off left and right because their specialty is now expendable. This poses a whole new world of challenges and questions for both large and small businesses.

“How do we sell a new soda to the young generation, while simultaneously getting the word out?” Pepsi, the parent company of Mountain Dew, had to ask itself that question when planning a successful taste test. Gone are the days when fliers and emails invited Gen Y to a promotional party, followed by newspaper and magazine ads if all went as planned. Instead, Pepsi opted to use a projector screen to host their new hashtag for the night, #newdietdew, and invited the party attendees to Tweet about their experience with the new Mountain Dew. The Twitter topic was extremely popular that night and Pepsi deemed the new marketing strategy a success.

Sure, the Twitter conversations were flowing that night, but everyone is asking if it’s generating enough impact to really sell a new product. People are questioning the validity of this accomplishment while wondering if this will translate well into revenue. In general, marketing experts are drawing the conclusion that since the boom of social media is relatively new (it really only exploded one year ago), it’s too soon to tell whether or not Twitter’s influence and popularity is big enough to generate dollar signs.

So what does this mean to people in my profession? I am choosing to look at this as a sign that we need to keep expanding our audiences and reaching out to new people in the hopes that we can make the confusing, fast-paced world of real estate easier and more accessible to everyone.

For the full article about Pepsi’s Twitterati, click here.

**************************

For All Your Real Estate Needs Contact

Evelyn Bruder, CRS, GRI, ABR, E-PRO,Cyberstar
The Evelyn Bruder Dream Team

CALL 575-650-7224 or TOLL FREE direct line: 1-888-532-9069


VISIT US ONLINE: http://www.HomesForSaleInLasCruces.com

If you are a First Time Homebuyer visit our newest website designed for your specific needs:
http://www.YourFirstHomeInLasCruces.com

Let’s meet online. I look forward to finding you on my social network sites. http://www.linkedin.com/in/evelynbruder
http://facebook.com/evelyn.bruder
http://twitter.com/evelynbruder

OFFICE Direct Line: 575-532-2211 Office number: 1-575-522-3698
Steinborn GMAC Real Estate

I’m sure you’ve seen the funny little orange and white block on almost all of your favorite websites. Have you ever wondered what it does? The truth is, it’s one of the most helpful and beneficial tools that I have come across.

Since technology and our means of communication change and develop so rapidly, my generation (and beyond) can have a hard time keeping up with the pace. It seems like Generation Y adapts and adjusts to all the additions to the Internet quite easily, but for those who don’t, this cute, short little video can explain exactly what that orange and white box does and how helpful it can be for you!

I hope you find this video valuable when it comes to understanding RSS and that you will subscribe to the Dream Team blog’s feed today!

Click here for the short tutorial on RSS Feed.

Also, click here to be taken to my real estate blog, where you can sign up for our RSS feed.

**************************

For All Your Real Estate Needs Contact Evelyn Bruder, CRS, GRI, ABR, E-PRO,Cyberstar
The Evelyn Bruder Dream Team
CALL 575-650-7224 or TOLL FREE direct line: 1-888-532-9069

If you are a First Time Homebuyer visit our newest website:
http://www.YourFirstHomeInLasCruces.com

OFFICE Direct Line: 575-532-2211 Office number: 1-575-522-3698
Steinborn GMAC Real Estate

I participate in social networks - join me:
http://www.linkedin.com/in/evelynbruder
http://facebook.com/evelyn.bruder
http://twitter.com/evelynbruder

As interesting as all of that was, I was struck by the discussion regarding marketing and how quickly demographics and target audiences are changing. Mike talked a lot about how our culture is tired of “interruptions;” no one wants to see that giant full page ad in the Sunday paper anymore, because hardly anyone reads the paper anymore! The who? what? where? and when? that you want to know is available instantly online with a simple “search.”  If you are interested in anybody, or anything you can  subscribe to a RSS feeds and then using sites like Google Reader and My Yahoo you can have  everything is delivered to them. The boom of social media is drastically changing how consumers find what they want and how even the giant companies have had to completely rethink their marketing strategies and the media they use to reach their customers.