This article comes to you from my sister, Lisa Rose, who is my "Guest Blogger." Lisa is also a life-long resident of Burlington County and loves to shop!
It never fails. There will come a crisp evening every September when someone in my family will walk through the front door and say,
"It smells like Halloween." No explanation is necessary. We just say, "Awww, it does?"
Translation: It smells just like it did when were trick-or-treating 35 years ago with the smell of fireplaces and leaves.
There is something special about the Fall. It is a time to celebrate the year's harvest and prepare for the cold winter ahead. It's also a reminder of the upcoming holiday season.
Burlington County offers a variety of Fall Festivals, Craft shows, and Halloween activities for the whole family:
One year my sister and I stumbled upon the Cranberry Festival on Farnsworth Avenue in historic Bordentown City. I found a footstool made of an old Pepsi crate and always keep it in front of my favorite rocker. This year's festival is on October 3 and 4. They offer hundreds of crafters, food vendors, a classic car show and children's events.
October 10th, visit the historic Kirby's Mill in Medford for the Apple Festival and try some home-churned apple ice cream, apple cider donuts, apple cobbler and more! Over 100 artists and crafters will have display booths with one-of-a-kind items for your early holiday shopping. Musicians will serenade you while you enjoy this fabulous annual event!
October 10 is also the Fall Home Brew Contest in Mt. Holly at the High Street Grill for tasting and judging the People's Choice, see who the professionals pick, beer tickets and a fall inspired buffet.
The Witches and Wizards Costume Ball is for adults who want to get into the Halloween spirit with fire dancers, palm and tarot readings, ghost stories, and a costume contest. Held at Mill Race Village in Mt. Holly on October 15.
The Historic Prison offers Haunted Tours from October 9 to the 31st.
Enjoy live music at the Celtic Café Concert on Union Street at the Friend's Meeting Hall on October 16 in Medford.
Octoberfest is to be held in Haddonfield on October 17 with over 100 crafters, vendors and skateboard demonstrations. Stop by the Haddonfield Farmer's Market for some fresh produce before you head home.
In neighboring Chatsworth, The Annual Cranberry Festival is October 17 and 18th with crafters, vendors and antiques.
My cousin informed us of a wonderful mission project. The International Gift Sale held on October 18 and sponsored by Faith Presbyterian Church in Medford, helps sell handcrafted items to support the international economy for struggling countries. It's the perfect place to find unique Christmas presents and holiday décor and it's for an excellent cause!
October 18th 9am is the Fall Foliage Family Float Festival! (Say it 3 times real fast) Smithville is offering free canoes and kayaks for all of the family to enjoy the foliage views from the Rancocas Creek. Don't forget to check out the re-enactments and Star cyclists.
October 25th Bordentown: Check out the Halloween Parade, a Ghost Walk, and Bordentown's House Decorating Contest.
No matter how you spend your free time this Harvest season, be sure to walk outside on a crisp autumn night and take in the fall air and know that it smells like Halloween.
Mt. Holly's Historic Prison
Michele Rose is a Realtor and Professional Home Stager in Burlington County, NJ. She has been assisting both buyers and sellers with their real estate needs for the last 5 years. In 2007, she formed Rose-Colored Staging to help sellers market their homes with professional home staging.
Yes, a simple can or two of paint can totally transform your home! Paint is, hands-down, the least expensive change to your home you can make, adding the biggest impact. If you are not sure how much "bang for your buck" you can get just from picking up a roller, just take a look:
This bathroom from a home in Mt. Holly was indeed hard on the eyes! With outdated foil-like wallpaper, pink tile and flooring, everything about this bath would surely frighten most buyers away! Since the very limited budget did not allow for updating anything else, we simply painted the walls white and replaced the blind. We then used white accessories to calm down the pink that remained.
This kitchen from a home in Willingboro has outdated metal cabinets, and a very dated counter. And the green floral wallpaper was not doing it any favors! Even the lovely little built-in hutch in the hall was lost in the chaos. Renovating was not an option so we enhanced what we could by removing the wallpaper and painting the walls a beige color that actually made the cabinets look warmer and nicer. We used the same beige color to make the hutch "pop" and with a bit of de-cluttering and red accents, this kitchen was ready to show!
This last little gem was truly designed for the homeowner's taste-not the buyer's! This bath would have been right at home at a bed & breakfast in Cape May, but in Eastampton, NJ, buyers were saying, "No Way!" We removed the gold ceiling wallpaper, black floral wallpaper, and lace so we now have a clean, light and fresh bath, sure to appeal to the buyers!
When getting your home ready to place on the market, it is not always necessary to completely update everything! The goal is not to have a perfect house, but to have a house that allows buyers to imagine the possibilities-- to see themselves living there.
If you are considering placing your home on the market, call Rose-Colored Staging for a consultation! We can tell you what changes you should make to your home that will give you the most "bang for your buck" and will help get your house sold!
Michele Rose is a Realtor and Professional Home Stager in Burlington County, NJ. She has been assisting both buyers and sellers with their real estate needs for the last 5 years. In 2007, she formed Rose-Colored Staging to help sellers market their homes with professional home staging.
Once my house was beautifully staged and had put on its "best face," the next step was making sure people saw it! These are the steps I took to ensure that my home had many visitors and that I made the most of each visit:
• What I did: I determined that every time someone was going to see the house, whether it be other realtors or buyers, they would have yummy treats and made to feel welcome. Whether it be cookies, muffins, juice, soda-- whatever can be put out on a pretty plate with matching paper cups and napkins makes buyers want to stay and enjoy your home.
• Buyers' response: They were thrilled and so were their agents. After touring many homes on a hot, sunny day, they loved those refreshments! And later found out I was the only one to have snacks for them!
• What I did: The two dogs and the cat were packed up and taken for a ride during every showing. Most people do not have pets, therefore I cannot expect them to feel at home with mine. All evidence of them (bowls, bedding, etc.) was hidden away.
• Buyers' response: They were shocked when they realized we did have pets. All they saw was a clean, well-kept home.
• What I did: I created a feeling of a serene, comfortable, home. Soft music played in the living room and master bedroom. Everything was in place. The buyers had no idea of the mad scramble to catch the cat, or that the nervous dog with the bladder problem had an accident, there was a large party the day before, the laundry that didn't get done, or the coffee that spilled!
• Buyers' response: The feedback was, "I feel such a sense of peace in this house!" and "Phenomenal!" Overwhelmingly, the buyers loved it.
• What I did: I never, ever turned down a showing! Never! Even if it was last minute, I made it work by asking them to give me one hour. On the weekends, the house was always ready-- just in case, since that is the time when most people are out looking. And open houses? YES! Did them too!
• Buyers' response: They were able to see the house on their schedule. In fact, the buyers who ended up buying the house, also visited the open house the next day. The house's availability to them was most important in their final decision!
The Results:
Of the last four showings, we had four offers; the accepted offer was just over asking price! In a local market that is riddled with short sales and foreclosures, and houses that are just languishing, this house easily sold! Was it worth all the craziness and work to get it ready? Absolutely! In fact, I have watched our competition continue to sit on the market . Why didn't they stage? I don't know-- but I'm glad they didn't!
Kitchen Before (from previous owners) Kitchen After Staging
Michele Rose is a Realtor and Professional Home Stager in Burlington County, NJ. She has been assisting both buyers and sellers with their real estate needs for the last 5 years. In 2007, she formed Rose-Colored Staging to help sellers market their homes with professional home staging.
Disclaimer: This is the true story of a somewhat obsessive home stager. The level of staging in a home is set by the homeowner-- you can do as much or as little as you like. I chose the "all-out, go for broke, I'm gonna sell this house if it's the last thing I do" approach.
My first hand experience with staging my NJ home continues! Now that I have de-cluttered, it's time to actually stage the house.
First Challenge: No Storage Space
When a seller has packed loads of stuff to store until moving day, they have a couple of options:
• Rent a storage unit or store it with a friend or relative until moving day. This is not always an option. So, the next best thing--
• Designate a space in the basement or garage where storage bins can be neatly stacked, away from the main living areas of the home.
Uh-oh! I do not have a garage or basement-- a good reason why I'm moving. I not only have my own stuff but a ton of staging accessories for my home staging business. What to do?
So, sad but true, I broke my own rule, and used an extra bedroom to store everything. Now, the bedroom is the same size as the one next to it, which is good. I contained everything neatly against the back wall, taking up less than half the room. And-- I certainly did not include pictures of this room in my marketing! My hope was that the buyers would be so "wowed" by the first floor that once upstairs, they would overlook the one room that wasn't "up to snuff."
Second Challenge: Staging with Pets
Any evidence of our beloved furry members of the family must be hidden. It's true. And it's difficult. Bedding, toys, food and water bowls, litter box, hair, chews, and the pets themselves. Here's what we did:
• The bedding and clean litter box were hidden under beds; toys into storage trunks.
• We took both dogs and the cat for a car ride during every showing.
NOTE: Hiding things under the bed only works if the bed skirt is long enough to cover.
If the skirt's not long enough, you're not hiding anything!
Third Challenge: Living Staged
Now, all was in place-- the rooms were decorated to appeal to buyers, everything was clean and smelling fresh. Now, how to keep it up?
The best thing I can tell you is: baskets and storage benches/ottomans are your best friend! You can quickly and easily toss stuff into them before showings. Toiletries, laundry, toys, mail and bills, remotes and chargers, shoes, just about anything that can add clutter can get tossed into a bin and hidden.
Living staged is a bit odd. I have towels and table settings that are only for show. I routinely hide all evidence that anyone eats here, sleeps here, or uses the bathroom in any way. The house needs to be ready for those agents who give very little notice when requesting a showing. I have become a master of hiding things, cleaning quickly, and freshening a room.
It is exhausting.
Statistically, homes that have been staged spend less time on the market so that's really good news for me! I have to say, when the house is really clean, beautifully decorated, and you're careful about the upkeep, it is a very nice way to live!
Stay tuned for my next post:
My First Hand Experience with Staging my NJ Home-Part Three: The Showings!
Michele Rose is a Realtor and Professional Home Stager in Burlington County, NJ. She has been assisting both buyers and sellers with their real estate needs for the last 5 years. In 2007, she formed Rose-Colored Staging to help sellers market their homes with professional home staging.
I have been selling homes as a Realtor in Burlington County for 5 years and have been staging homes for the real estate market for 2 years. I have helped many sellers determine what repairs to make, what needs to be updated, and what it would take to market their homes with staging.
And then it happened... (queue the scary music)
My own home is for sale! I know the stats-- staged homes sell faster and for more money. As part of my marketing plan, I needed to stage the house! So-- would I be able to take what I dished out? Live what I preached? Take my own advice? (Here's where my clients gleefully cheer, "ha-ha, now SHE has to do it!)
OK, first things first. De-cluttering. We all hear the word; we all know we have to do it, but until you're selling your home, you usually aren't forced to do it.
What needed to go?
• The family photos: Packed away! People are distracted by faces and I want them to focus on the house. Also, my goal is to help buyers see themselves living in my house, not me. Family photos may give buyers the sense they are invading on my territory. I did leave out a couple of travel photos-- my theory is that pictures of me in exotic locations may help buyers envision a lifestyle that can be theirs! (Because my life is soooo glamorous... )
• Extra furniture: I determined what I really want to move with me. Did I buy it in the last decade? Have the kids and pets wreaked havoc on it? Do I use it? Is there really room in my new home for it? If not, it was sold in the moving sale or on Craigslist, or donated.
• Anything that doesn't bring on my "happy face": I use this method all the time in de-cluttering. When I consider the item, I take note of what my face does. Do I scrunch up my face and think, "oh yeah, Aunt Mable gave me that." Do I get a worried look and think, "what am I going to do with that?" Or-- do I smile and say, "Oh, I always loved that!" I pay attention to my face and if the item doesn't make me smile, it is outta here! I keep only the things that bring me joy!
Once I determined what I'm keeping, I packed away anything that is not useful or beautiful and left out only my best items for staging. I packed anything smaller than my hand-- it's a much cleaner look to have one beautiful item on display rather than several small ones.
OK, now that's done and I have a lot less I have to deal with! I can tell you it's a really good feeling to unload stuff that's just been taking up space! What wasn't packed or sold, got donated or trashed. It is also much easier to keep everything clean since there's not nearly as much stuff!
Next on the list: Repairs, painting, and updating. Carpets and windows were replaced, bathrooms updated, painting done just about everywhere. A ton of work, really. Still recuperating. And this was all BEFORE the actual staging of the home began!
Am I going to be able to keep this up?
Stay tuned for my next post:
My First Hand Experience with Staging my NJ Home-- Part Two: The Staging
Michele Rose is a Realtor and Professional Home Stager in Burlington County, NJ. She has been assisting both buyers and sellers with their real estate needs for the last 5 years. In 2007, she formed Rose-Colored Staging to help sellers market their homes with professional home staging.
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REALTOR® with Weichert, Realtors in Burlington, NJ & owner of Rose-Colored Staging, servicing primarily Burlington and Camden Counties. I stage my own listings as well as those of my fellow agents.
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