By Tiffanie Story

Home Staging is an important part of selling your home.  In any market place a ‘staged’ home can make a big difference in helping your home stand out among other homes on and sell faster.   Studies show that the first impression makes all the difference and your buyers make up their mind in the first 20 seconds of walking into a house; for the positive or negative.  So you can see that it is so important that that first impression be a good one!  At Story Real Estate we believe that selling a house is a combined effort between yourself and your Realtor.  We want to help you give your home every advantage possible to shine among other homes on the market.  Following are two options for Home Staging that we offer through Story Real Estate:

• Option 1 – Staging for the Vacant Home:  Staging with accessories the kitchen and bathrooms, giving the home a ‘lived in feel’.  If you are living out of town you will receive pictures so you can see the final results.  Also, if the home is in the Homer city limits and with proper notice on a showing I will go to your home and turn on lights, turn up the heat and turn on soft music to make sure the home is ready in every way for the showing.  This will ensure that the ‘first impression’ is a good one.  Remember those first 20 seconds count!

• Option 2 – Staging for the Occupied Home:  I will go through the home taking pictures and notes and compile a ‘recommendations’ outline for you on Home Staging.  This outline may consist of ideas on what should be packed away, certain esthetic repairs, furniture arraignments and general guidelines on creating a ‘neutral’ staged feel that buyers can envision themselves living in.  This is very important because if a potential buyer feels that the home is your personal space, they will have a harder time picturing themselves living in the home; and after all your goal is that it become their home.  If after looking over the Home Staging Outline you would like further assistance, I will be happy to come back into your home and arrange furniture/accessories to make your home ‘Show Ready’.  Live like you are selling!

A.   Act Now!

 One of the best things to do to get started is to simply get started.   Find a Realtor that you know like and Trust.  A good way to do that is ask around.  What name keeps coming up; then make an appointment and  interview the Realtor.  Make sure that you want to work with this person; is this someone you can relate with? 

B.  Borrow!

How much can you Borrow?  Get pre-qualified.  You don’t have to borrow as much as possible, but find out what is possible.  Get declined…try a second lender.  Remember, it’s not no never, rather, it’s not yet! 

Work with a Mortgage Professional.  This person does not have to be with YOUR bank.

C.   Contract to Purchase!

Many homebuyers are beginning their search online, which is great.  But then get out there and look at some homes, take some tours and get to know what 1800, or 1200 square feet feels like.  You may find that your parameters change. 

Once you have found the home you like, in the area you want and at the price your qualified for; it’s time to write the offer.

There are many moving parts to an offer; here are a few basics:

• Subject to Inspection:  cheap insurance.  Get a home inspection, from this report you may find you want out of the deal, or there may be some negotiation on repairs required.
• Subject to financing:  you are protected along with your earnest money should the financing fall through…through no fault of yours that is.  (quit your job or buy a new car before closing and you might well lose your earnest money)  This means also that the home has to appraise for the agreed upon value at a minimum; there could also be lender required repairs that need to be resolved as well.
• Subject to Clear title:  the only encumbrances against the property should be your loan; outside of property tax.  The Title Report will identify the Plat, CCRS, Easements ETC.  you will have time to review and approve prior to closing. 

 Then it’s off to Closing.  Remember to bring your photo ID and whatever money you are bringing to closing, if any, must be in the form of a cashier’s check.  NO CASH or Personal Check.  Waiting for your check to clear could delay closing up to a week or more.

Are you ready?  It’s as easy as ABC…when your working with professionals that is.

 Remember…Real Estate is a Long term investment!