Just a reminder to all Buffalo, Niagara and Western New York area Home Stagers
You don't have to be a member of RESA to attend this Kick-Off Celebration!
When: Tuesday, April 26th, 2011 from 12 Noon to 1:30 PM
Where: Millennium Hotel, 2040 Walden Avenue (just off exit 52E on the NY State Thruway and next to the Galleria Mall), Cheektowaga, NY
Cost: $15.00 includes lunch
We are pleased to announce that Tori Toth, Regional Vice President of RESA, will be in attendance! Come and meet her!
AGENDA
Meet & Greet
Tori Toth (Guest Speaker!)
Get Involved
How RESA Works
Ideas for Future Meetings
There are a few tickets left, so don't get left out! Register Here Today!
Thinking of selling your home in the Spring? Get started NOW!
What? You just celebrated the holidays and Valentine's Day, and you think it's too soon? Think again! As I wrote in my two previous posts, if you plan on eating this elephant, you can only bite off and chew one bite at a time!
After you have decluttered, packed, and repaired the minor and major parts of your home, it's now time to think of it as a 'house".
Yes, you've lived here for a while and there are many memories associated with it, but if you were going to sell your car, you'd want it to look its very best for potential buyers. No one would purchase your car or your home just because of its memories.
So now, let's think about paint and walls.
Tear down the wallpaper. Yes, I know you loved it when you purchased it and hung it, and it matched the decor so well...but now we are neutralizing your walls. Wallpaper just screams "more work" to potential buyers. Remember, you want to appeal to MOST of the buyers, not just ones who don't mind a little sweat equity.
Find a paint store or big-box that carries a variety of paint colors in neutral tones. Some paint stores, like Sherwin Williams, actually has a line of "neutrals" that you can choose from. Stay away from white for the walls; they make rooms look cold. You want to find some warm neutrals to make your house look cozy and inviting. If the colors you choose harmonize with your furniture, artwork, and accessories, then terrific! You won't mind living with the color while the house is on the market.
If you are painting several rooms, you may want to get a professional color consultation. Color is what ties an entire home ("house") together and add to the flow of the rooms. You'd never want a neutral pink bathroom adjacent to a neutral orange bedroom!
A fresh coat of paint, in neutral colors, tells the potential buyers that the house was well-maintained. They'll be better able to picture themselves living there, now that you have packed away family photos and other items that made the home yours.
Buyers, in this market, are very picky. You want them to walk in and stay awhile, not just "walk-through" and leave.
Keep your house on the buyers' "short list" so they will come back and make an offer (or just make an offer during the first Open House!)
Are you thinking of selling your home in the Spring? Well, it might be close to Christmas, but you should begin right now!
In my previous post, Thinking of Selling your Home in the Spring?, I outlined the steps to eating this elephant, one bite at a time.
Now comes the second "course" to eating this elephant! 
It's time to think about repairs, in an effort to appeal to every potential buyer out there! Not every person sees the potential in a home that's in need of repair, and frankly, fewer people these days have time to go to the Big Box store to buy materials to fix things that might be wrong with YOUR home.
Roof: You may have snow up there, so it's not ideal roofing season. However, it's very costly to do a complete tear-off and re-roof. Can you afford this? Are there other options? The roof may be THE major repair your home needs, and it will certainly be a deal-breaker if it's not in good shape. Get the names of reputable contractors by using recommendations from friends or Realtors®, and make appointments for estimates.
Electrical: Again, this can not only be a safety issue, but another possible deal-breaker. If the electrical is not up to code, you will have huge problems when the inspector comes before closing. Get this looked at NOW. Better yet, have a professional licensed inspector check everything BEFORE you list, so there are no surprises the week before closing! Who needs that headache?
Plumbing: Even a leaky faucet tells a potential buyer that other parts of the home might be neglected!
Appliances: Will they be staying? Be sure they are working flawlessly and look brand-new!
Foundation: Any cracks? Leaks in the basement? Damp or moldy in the cellar area? Correct these NOW!
HVAC: Again, have a pro check these out. Just because it's working now doesn't mean it's in perfect shape. If you have a fireplace, again, stick with the pros!
Windows, doors, insulation: Is the caulking fresh? Feeling a breeze under the back door? Is the attic insulation at an appropriate level for your climate? Add it to your list of to-do's so there are no surprises later.
These basic repairs are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to having your home professionally inspected. However, if you budget this into the sale of your home, you invest very wisely.
Enjoy the Holidays, and once you take the tree down in January, get back into Sell This House mode!
Merry Christmas and a Prosperous, Healthy, Happy New Year, everyone!
Elephant photo courtesy of eHow.com.
Windows and door photo courtesy of Pacific Home Works.
So this is just another reason to live in my town: Buffalo, New York!!! Please come visit!
I was recently chatting with a friend who is thinking of selling their Buffalo, New York home in the Spring.
My advice: If you are thinking of selling your home in the spring, NOW is the time to get started!
It may seem overwhelming if you have been living in the same home for more than just a few years. You've accumulated lots of "stuff" to make it more cozy and personal, and maybe you've even added to your family and have tons of toys around! So, how do you eat an elephant? One bite at a time!
Begin by tackling one room at a time.
Step One: Gather some boxes (banana boxes from the produce department are perfect.) Start to declutter, maybe just 10 minutes a day (you can do almost anything for only 10 minutes at a stretch!) Get rid of excess paper clutter by tossing it, recycling it or shredding it. Think, "Do I want to pay a mover to move this stuff?" every time you come across something you don't need or love.
Pack away:
You're moving anyway, so pack it away now! "If it has eyes or words, it must go!"
You've just switched your clothes over from summer gear to fall/winter gear, so pack that clothing in the garage or storage locker. Weed out clothes that don't fit, are out of style, or just don't wear correctly and donate it to the Thrift Store. Be sure your closets are only half-full. Keep only the necessities to take you through the winter and early spring.
Secure any valuables in a safe deposit box.
Before you go any further, consider hiring a Professional Stager to give you a consultation. Your next steps will involve repairs and painting, so have the stager work with you on some neutral color choices for your home.
Once you've tackled every room and closet, the attic and the basement, then you can move on to Step Two, which will be in a future post!
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Transitions Home Staging and Redesign is a home staging and redesign company, specializing in making your transition from one living space to another as stress-free as possible.
Kathleen Emhof is the founder and owner of Transitions Home Staging and Redesign. She has been interested in design and decorating since high school, and has realized her dream to create beautiful spaces.
Her experience as a Realtor® opened her eyes to the challenges of selling homes that just needed a little TLC in order to sell quickly.
She is trained with the Academy of Home Staging and Redesign, which awards its graduates with the coveted CSS/CRS Certification.
She brings that perspective to you as a homeowner, and her mission is to get your home looking its best in the least amount of time for a very affordable investment.
Whether you are selling your home, moving into a new home, or just want to beautify your current environment, Transitions Home Staging and Redesign can help you!
The inspiration for our name, Transitions Home Staging and Redesign, comes from the many changes we go through in our lifetime.
We might be moving out and getting our first apartment, getting married and buying our first home, or starting a family and needing a bigger house! Maybe our career has taken us to another part of the country and we need to relocate. Or, we may have sent our youngest off to college and need to downsize because of our empty nest. Perhaps our elderly parents need to move into a retirement community.
Life's transitions can sometimes be stressful. We at Transitions Home Staging and Redesign are committed to making these times as stress-free as possible.
We Stage and Redesign:
"I am thrilled with the style of my new home. Kathie Emhof was organized and deliberate in her redesign of my downsizing challenge. It is comfortable, functional yet stylish and reflects my personality. Thank you Kathie for your reasonably priced services." (Mary Jo, Home ReDesign Client)
"My friends are supremely jealous!" (Andrew, Bachelor Apartment)
ActiveRain Corp. is not responsible for the accuracy of the site's content (which is written by members of the ActiveRain Real Estate Network) and does not endorse the views of the real estate agents, mortgage brokers, and others listed here.
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