Selling! Staging?

With Spring only a few short weeks away, many Home Owners are thinking of putting their home on the market. But, what is staging?

What sounds like just the latest "catch phrase" for the real estate market is actually serious business! When you put your home up for sale, it is going on 'stage'! You want your home to be front & center, and in the brightest of spotlights!

A good way to start preparing your home for sale is to tour professionally staged homes currently on the market. Check out current home design magazines, visit new furniture stores, and of course, ask your Realtor!

Here are a few short helpful hints to prepare your home for sale:

Home Owners should stand outside their homes and take an objective look. They can boost their home's curb appeal by tidying flowerbeds, putting mulch around tree and shrub bases, and clearing foliage away from the home, foundation, and windows.

If time and budget allow, paint the home's exterior with a neutral color and a lighter contrasting trim coat. Experts say a fresh coat of exterior paint can boost a home's resale value by 10 percent.

Consider replacing an old, wooden garage door with a roll-up door and automatic opener.

Inside, create clean and bright spaces that are free of clutter. This cannot be emphasised too much!!

Ceilings should be clean and without signs of past damage such as water spots. If ceilings are coated with acoustic spray, also know as "popcorn," which is an older treatment that's very hard to clean, consider having them scraped, re-textured and painted soft white.

Consider installing new light fixtures throughout the home, which can be purchased for as little as $20 each, and ceiling fans in the bedrooms (many models are available for less than $100). If not, at least replace all burnt-out light bulbs.

Crown molding and upgraded baseboards can give a room model-home appearance at a reasonable price; walls should be free of damage and painted a light, neutral color.

Carpets should be professionally cleaned or replaced with carpet of a neutral color. Hardwoods and Laminate Floors are making a huge comeback, and should be considered as budgeting allows.

Kitchens and Baths sell homes! Be sure yours is Sparkling Clean with neutral colors, fresh linens, pleasant smells, and consider replacing outdated faucets.

As with everything, if you would like more information on Staging your home to SELL, just drop us a line or Give us a Call!!!

SNOW, SNOW, SNOW!?????

Our area of Douglas County Oregon is famous for it's mild climate. But, just like much of the country, this month we are seeing a bit of a cold snap with snow and ice!

Most people are feeling as uneasy about our local real estate market as they are about the weather. Fortunately, we long term Oregonians know that mild temperatures and sunny skies will return!

For example here are some quotes from Realtor.com:

“Interest rates haven't been this low for nearly 40 years”

"At 6.4 percent, the average 30-year fixed rate mortgage rate remains near 40-year lows. This is more than an entire percentage point below 2000 levels. For a $250,000 loan, a drop from 7.5 percent to 6.5 percent means an annual savings of $2,000. "

“Former Federal Reserve Chair Alan Greenspan recently said that housing prospects are looking up. “Most of the negatives in housing are probably behind us. The fourth quarter should be reasonably good, certainly better than the third quarter.” According to industry estimates, 2006 will be the third-best year on record for home sales."

Things are already heating up in our local real estate market! With the increasing number of phone calls coming in to our office, we feel certain this will be another busy spring!

I hope everyone out there who's thinking of Buying or Selling this year takes the time to give us a call, or drop us a line, with your questions!

First Post

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Roseburg Real Estate - Use this BLOG to TALK TO ME about Douglas County communities and find the neighborhood that fits your likes and priorities. My website has extensive community information, consumer links, school information, free reports, real estate answers, and more. There you will also find useful information on how to go about selecting a home, making an offer, negotiating, financing, moving, and all the steps in between. SELLERS: My website has information for you about preparing your home for sale, selecting the right agent, pricing your home appropriately, marketing it effectively, going through the inspection processes, and getting a timely market evaluation. BUYERS! If you have questions, I've got answers!