Staging your home

If you’ve been thinking of selling your investment property or your home, you should make sure that you take full advantage of home staging trends. There are several advantages to home staging trends, which we will take a look at below. One of the best things about staged homes is that they sell in less time. This is great news for sellers, as staged homes will sell for more money and will sell more quickly. In most cases, you won’t have to worry about your home staying on the market for a long period of time. Research has shown that staged homes sell nearly 40% faster than other homes on the market.
  • Cameron Mews
    This home was professionally staged by Julie Nesbitt
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First impressions are huge! Staging Tips

Maximize your condo's appeal by putting your home in order. Your property should be ready for the market before you begin showing it. If necessary and possible, put some of your items in storage.
A furnished classic bedroom format
A tastefully staged bedroom
It's important to be flexible about showings. Home selling is often disruptive to daily life and it's no different with a condominium. Of course, it's a lot of work to have your house ready to show on the spur of the moment. But prospects that can't see your house won't buy your house. The more often your home is shown the greater your chances of selling the property. For more information or to set up an appointment call Stuart at (703)765-0300.

Properties in Fairfax

Design Trends to Watch in 2016

What are the hot trends to look out for in 2016 in home design? Here are a few predictions from the remodeling and design site Houzz on some of the big trends to expect.
1. Two shades of kitchen cabinets. The upper cabinets may be a white or neutral but then more designers are trying out deeper colors or wood tones for the lower cabinets.  
2. Formal dining rooms are back. More home owners are opting to keep the dining room and not turn it into an office. The formal dining room is expected to get more attention this year.
3. Multi-purpose kitchen islands. The “workhorse” kitchen island is about more than just adding workspace in the kitchen, but also for adding more storage, prep sinks, and a way to add extra seating.   4. Mirrors that make a statement. Medicine cabinets are heading out and now wood-framed, modern, or vintage mirrors are adding more style to bathrooms.  
5. “Barely there” kitchens. Kitchens are fading into the backdrop as the open layouts infuse more seamlessly into the living room or other spaces in the home. Aiding that trend, more kitchens are featuring open shelves to add to that openness.
            6. Sunrooms are hot. Houzz identified this as one of the top dream spaces for home owners. Some home owners are finding ways to even transform tucked away corners in their home into a sunroom with a few chairs to relax near windows.
7. White kitchens dominate. White kitchen walls and cabinets and even countertops is a trend with staying power, Houzz predicts. To add some splash to the all-white kitchen, designers are adding touches of color through the tile floors or floor-to-ceiling bookcases.
8. Powder rooms get more bold. Wall coverings are getting punched up in powder room, that include everything from custom graphics to textured walls. Also, designers are mixing in ornate chandeliers or furniture-like pieces to add some more pizzazz to these spaces.  
9. Farmhouse style guides the entryway. Farmhouse style is catching on, particularly for the mudroom. Simplicity in the storage solutions and durable materials are taking charge.

4 Poor Decor Choices for New Home Owners

 

4 Poor Decor Choices New Home Owners Make

When your client finally closes on their home, they're going to be excited to start making the place their own. But going overboard with decorating concepts or placing furniture in the wrong configurations can make a home look cramped and uninviting. Help guide your client's eye for interior design by steering them away from these furnishing mistakes recently highlighted by realtor.com®:
Making a Home Picture-Perfect Secrets of the Staging Pros Staging Outdoor Spaces 6 Ways to Spruce Up a Home With Staging
  1. Oversized furnishings. "Measuring a space is imperative before you purchase anything," Will Saks, a designer with Homepolish, told realtor.com®. "You need to understand the dimensions of a space so the scale will feel balanced. … While a large, overstuffed Chesterfield might look great in the store, in a tiny apartment it might end up looking like a fat guy in a little coat."
  2. Cramming too much in one room. Empty spaces and walls in a room can be a good thing. How much furniture should you put in? It depends on the aesthetic you are trying to achieve. "If you're going for a more sleek look, stick to a few key pieces in a room to create the feeling of openness," Saks says. "The same goes for artwork — one large frame can create an art gallery feeling."
  3. Decorating a room around a legacy piece. Your client's armoire or overstuffed chair may hold sentimental value to them, but decorating an entire room around it may be a mistake. Home owners who feel attached to a piece of furniture may feel compelled to do a certain layout or color scheme that could be completely wrong for the space, realtor.com® notes. Suggest that your client place the furniture nonfocal part of the house — if it's a chair, put it in a corner of the bedroom, for example — or have them place it in storage until they can figure out how it fits into their overall design concept.
Still looking for the perfect location to put all your great stuff?  Follow the guide below and look at the listings.

Pros & Cons of Staging

Pros

  • Staging provides buyers with a visual of what it would be like to live in a property.
  • When you make your property look neat, attractive, spacious and well maintained, you set it apart from the exact same type of home that is vacant.
  • The properties features will be highlighted and attract buyers more.
  • 80% of buyers will first start their search online. The first property photos will be the first impression on if it is worth visiting. A well staged property will be more photogenic.
Cons
  • The cost of staging will be time, effort and money.
  • Living in a staged home will mean you need to essentially need to keep the property look picture perfect. This maybe challenging over time.
  • Depending on your home, staging may not be necessary. A fairly small town home or condo is likely going to sell for the same price with or with out staging. Staging a larger property are often well worth the investment.

4 things to do to sell your property

  1. tipClean- The most obvious is cleaning. As much as you enjoy leaving your dirty laundry scattered everywhere and the dirty dishes piled up in the sink, cleaning is unavoidable. Hiring cleaners is often the best solution. Professional cleaners will scrub and clean the places you will easily overlook. The better your property shows, the easier it will sell.
  2. Landscaping- The yard and the exterior of your home is the first thing potential buyers will see. Removing weeds, dead branches and making sure downspouts are functioning correctly are relatively inexpensive tasks that will do wonders on the first impression of your home. If you're thinking of moving next spring, (then) this winter, you should be working on your landscaping.
  3. Paint- Painting your home in a neutral color that appears to a broad audience will help purchasers envision themselves in your home. Auburn red might look great to you, but it has the potential to turn off buyers.
  4. De-clutter- It might be tough to let go of some items you have lying around your home. De-cluttering your home will give the impression of more space and give a more desirable impression.

Sell Your Home Quickly With These Showing Tips!

Julie Nesbitt of Nesbitt Realty recommends the following preparation tips for those who are selling their homes:
Julie Nesbitt
Julie sold another!
  • Create a neutral environment by boxing up personal items such as knick-knacks, family mementos, and books.
  • Make the rooms seem more spacious by removing excess furniture.
  • Thoroughly clean carpets, windows, closets, and ovens.
  • Assess needed household repairs and make them.
  • Clear debris from sidewalks, decks, and driveways.
  • Get a qualified HVAC specialist to certify that the furnace and air conditioner is in good condition.
  • Replace dated kitchen and bathroom hardware and fixtures.
  • Remove heavy curtains that block light.
  • Repaint rooms that look dull using a neutral color such as cream or tan.
  • Refinish worn hardwood floors.
  • Paint the front door and buy a new welcome mat.
“Using a real estate agent is a very good idea,” says the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). "All the details involved in home buying [and selling], particularly the financial ones, can be mind-boggling. A good professional can guide you through the entire process and make the experience much easier." Selecting the right professional is the key to a successful real estate transaction. Better than working with a simple real estate agent, you’ll want the services of a Realtor®.

What’s the Difference Between a Real Estate Agent and a Realtor?

More than two million people have earned real estate licenses but only a small percentage of these are Realtors in {Location_Name}. Realtors are members in good standing of the National Association of Realtors, their state association of Realtors and a local real estate board. Realtors are held to high standards of ethical behavior and must undergo continuing education annually to remain accredited. All agents of Nesbitt Realty are Realtors!
Nesbitt Team
Nesbitt Team
  For more information or to set up an appointment call Julie at (703)765-0300.
Ballston real estate agents
Nesbitt Realty can help you buy and sell real estate in Ballston.
 

4 Easy Tips for Staging a Home to Sell

Here's some of our simplest and easiest staging tips:
  1. Store toasters in the cabinet because it is almost impossible to keep them looking clean.
  2. Take all the magnets off the refrigerator.
  3. Stow knick-knacks, personal items and photographs
  4. In a pricey home, get rid of any furniture that looks cheap. It interferes with the buyer’s ability to imagine themselves living there.
For more information or to set up an appointment call Julie at (703)765-0300.