Amol Heda, MBA - WAYS TO ADVERTISE AND PROMOTE YOUR HOME

WAYS TO ADVERTISE AND PROMOTE YOUR HOME OUR HOME

Amol Heda, MBA

Table Of Contents

Pre-Market Improvements That Reap Big Rewards

Optimizing Curb Appeal

Home Staging

Staging Solutions And Options

How Buyers Search For Homes

Importance Of Great Photography And Videography

Single-Property Websites

Great Marketing Techniques To Promote Your Home

Promoting And Advertising Your Home Online 49

10. Catching And Keeping A Buyer's Attention

11. Direct Mail Advertising

12. Open Houses

13. Conclusion

About Amol Heda Amol was raised in India and immigrated to the US in 1999. As a child, Amol had aspirations of being an Entrepreneur. Never in a million years did he think he’d stumble into the real estate industry and that too in the US, but you can’t always predict where or when you’ll discover what you’re meant to do in life. Amol was taught at a young age that if you want something in life, you have to work for it. So that’s what he did. And he worked hard. As years went by, Amol worked his way from Technology jobs to being a business analyst at Fortune 100 companies like Cisco, VMware, Symantec, NetApp never wavering in his resolve to become the best version of himself with each career move. Amol got into the real estate industry in 2002 when he was doing his MBA and his colleagues suggested that he get a real estate license. He was told that having a license brings substantial tax advantages and could benefit well. He set out to get his license and decided to start with real estate learning and investments. One of his friends in the community walked up and asked if he could help him list and move to Cupertino, a top school district in the Bay Area and Amol got into real estate with that transaction. As his career advanced, Amol found his stride working with first-time home-buyers, families that were still then renting and wanted to own their home. He lives in the South Bay area of the San Francisco Bay Area market and helps his friends, family, and close ones achieve their real estate goals and aspirations. He’s an expert in understanding and mapping client's profiles, needs and, aspirations to the real estate that will work the best. His financial and negotiation skills are the best and can get you a

property in a tough market and find the best solution that will work. Throughout his career, Amol has earned numerous accolades, including: • He has been ranked in the Real Trends to 1.5% of the nation's best realtors by volume. • He has won several awards from Keller Williams and Century 21 where he has worked as a Broker Associate. Amol lives in Silicon Valley with his wife and parents and has brothers and kids living in close proximity. In his free time, he enjoys singing, playing word games, exercise, hiking, food, and spending time with family. Amol aims to provide the highest level of service to his clients and takes deep pride in helping them achieve their real estate goals.

Introduction Hi there! It’s nice to meet you. If you’ve received this book, it’s probably because you’re thinking about selling your home. And if you’re like most sellers, you may be dreading the entire process. But that’s why I’m here! My job is to make your job as a seller as easy and seamless as possible. Throughout my years of experience in the real estate industry, I’ve amassed insider knowledge to help home sellers get the most money out of their homes in the least amount of time. And now, you’ve got all of that information at your fingertips. If you’ve ever wondered how a friend with a seemingly average house in a seemingly average neighborhood managed to sell his home way above market value, the answer isn’t luck. That person likely was working with a great Realtor®. In this book, you’ll find: • An overview of the sales process • Secret strategies to sell your home for more money • Common mistakes to avoid • Marketing techniques employed by top agents • Advice on how to appeal to today’s buyers • Tips for upgrading with the greatest return on investment • A negotiation guide to get more money • And much, much more Sure, you can try to employ these strategies yourself. But I suggest talking to a licensed professional — like myself — to employ them for you. Yes, selling your home can be stressful, but with this book (and my help!), we can make the process as quick and seamless as possible.

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Case Studies of Homes My Team Sold with great success eat success and the best of my client’s int y client’s interest! Each of the case studies below is a house that another agent failed to sell… that I listed… and successfully sold. Case Study #1: The home was for sale for 93 days with the previous Realtor. The seller hired me, and I sold it in 9 days for 17% higher! Moreover, we generated 180 open house visitor households! I secured the buyer! Case Study #2: The home was for sale and the market tanked due to COVID and we still got it sold within 10 days over asking. Case Study #3: The home was for sale for a month with another Realtor. The seller hired me, and I sold it in 29 days for 104% of the asking price. Case Study #4: The home was for sale for 6 months with another Realtor. The seller hired me, and I sold it in 72 days for 99.6% of the asking price. Case Study #5: The home was for sale for 6 months with another Realtor. The seller hired me, and I sold it in 22 days for 98.5% of the asking price. Case Study #6: The home was for sale for 6 months with another Realtor. The seller hired me, and I sold it in 4 months for 97% of the asking price. Case Study #7: The home was for sale for 6 months with another Realtor. They hired me, and I sold it in 98 days for 100% of the

asking price.

Case Study #8: The home was for sale for 6 months with another Realtor. The seller hired me, and I sold it in 81 days for 99.5% of the asking price. Case Study #9: My client let me know that the property had a foundation issue. I advised the client to go get the foundation issue fixed with a licensed contractor and the work be done with permits. With full rectification and documentation, the home sold for over 20% of the list price with 29 offers. Case Study #10: Home was a topic of a divorce settlement and I advised the separating couple that they should try and hold the property, not sell yet. They heard me and decided to work a deal where one spouse bought the other out. This was not like a typical agent's business. Remember agents only make their money once a transaction closes, my objective wasn't to just get them sold, I always advise in the owner's best interest and help them save the most money. I have some great stories, one of my clients called me and said he loves a home that's almost $2M! and had barely $50,000 in the bank at the time! I had helped them buy their current home also barely with 10% of down payment just 4 years back. The buyer had found the property through one of the neighbors and my clients asked me to reach out to the sellers. They felt very confident working with me and we arrived at a price that would be agreeable to all parties on the transaction and we put a non-contingent offer for buying the property. Once done, I went to the other side, listed the property, and sold it within the time period where we could get the money, almost $400,000! Financial structuring is my specialty and developing

the best solution with finances and for the households' enjoyment is my biggest focus.

While listing a property on markets it is the 3P's, Place, Pictures and, the price. Place or location is one thing we can't change, so the entire listing strategy and practice depend on the pictures of the home and its price. Most people are looking in a certain neighborhood! That's then a given. The pictures typically attract attention and the price makes the buyers come out of their inertia. I am very savvy at creating these two effects and get the best results! Case Study #11: Home was listed by me for about 10% lower than my estimated sales price. We also decorated it very well with contemporary staging and great pictures as that's the most looked at media on cell phones and on the internet. The home sold in 9 days for over 12% of the asking of $1,988,000. Case Study #12: I listed a condominium for 900,000, staged it well and, got great pictures of the neighborhood. I got multiple offers, but procured a buyer from my open houses and sold it for 27% higher! One of my specialties is working closely with buyers during the open houses on my listed properties and getting them under contract. It's the trust I built with the visitors because I had helped my clients buy the home in the right neighborhoods in the first place! Case Study #13: One of my agent friends at the office wanted me to help him list a Home for sale that was listed with another agent earlier. They hired me, and I sold it in 29 days for 104% of the asking price. This agent peer from my own office trusted me so that his friend gets the best service possible.

Want Top Dollar For Your Home? our Home?

There are many different things you can do to sell your home for top dollar. If you use these strategies, you get a higher sales price. But, miss any of these crucial components, and you risk settling for a lower price than you deserve. My team and I work differently in that we conduct a home listing evaluation by design to land you with the best solution and get and keep the most dollars! That’s why I offer a Free “Sell For Top Dollar” Consultation. I’ll meet with you, take a look at your home, and show you exactly what needs to be done to sell for top dollar. I’ll give you advice on marketing, pictures, pricing strategy, staging, negotiations, etc. Each of these items is crucial to your sale. Get them all right, and you’ll sell for top dollar. But, neglect one of them, and you risk settling for less than you deserve. So, if you’d like my Free, No Obligation, “Sell for Top Dollar” Consultation, call my office on 408-372-8864. We’ll schedule a mutually convenient time. I look forward to helping you!

Best Regards,

Amol Heda, MBA The Heda Team, Keller Williams Bay Area Estates, amolhedarealty@gmail.com 408-372-8864

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CHAPTER 1 Pre-Market Impr et Improvements ements That Reap Big Rewards

The decision to put your house on the market requires your commitment to prepare/update the house for sale by decluttering, painting, removing dated wallpaper, improving curb appeal, and possibly even undergoing some small improvements. Once this “phase one” of the sale is complete, you must keep the house impeccably clean and “show-ready” at all times. You must be prepared to vacate the premises at a moment’s notice for showings, regardless of your plans.

MAKING THE MOST OUT OF YOUR SHOWINGS

You can spend your time, money, and effort on attracting buyers, selling them on all of the unique features of your home, and building their confidence in you, but without properly preparing and staging the house, the buyers will be turned off and you will fail. Look at your house through the eyes of a prospective buyer. You must anticipate and eradicate anything that could give a buyer a poor first impression.

Here are a few:

• An overgrown, messy yard will cause potential buyers to form a preconceived notion that your entire property is in poor condition, inside and out. They may even make them decide against coming inside. The inside could be immaculate, but if the outside looks like a natural habitat for snakes and massive spiders, potential buyers will most

likely keep on driving. • Pets in residence. No matter how well-groomed or well- behaved your pets are, not everyone is a pet lover. You have to go on the assumption that your potential buyer doesn’t view your furry child as a sweet companion, but as an animal that sheds, has accidents in the house, and spreads germs and dirt. If you haven’t already, immediately put your pets on flea repellent. One flea bite could send a potential buyer out the door, never to return. In terms of liability, if a potential buyer trips over a pet or is bitten, not only is the sale off the table, but you might be looking at legal problems. • A dirty kitchen and/or bathroom. Kitchens and bathrooms sells houses. You can’t show off your beautiful kitchen with dirty dishes piled up in the sink, and your bath looks like just another locker room with towels all over the bathroom floor, or a dirty sink with blobs of toothpaste and whiskers clinging to the rim. This makes potential buyers feel uncomfortable. Best case scenario, they feel like they’ve put you out, or that they are inconveniencing you and they need to rush out in order to let you have your privacy. Worst case scenario, they might be disgusted and wondering about the overall cleanliness and quality of the house’s upkeep under your ownership. Either scenario is bad for the sale. It bears repeating: kitchens and bathrooms sell houses. Make sure yours sparkle! • Dirty windows and sills. Dust the cobwebs out of the corners and keep the window sills neatly dusted and clean. Good quality windows are expensive to replace, so buyers want to know that they won’t have to make this

kind of investment any time soon. They look closely at the windows, so clean windows are a must. If the eyes are the windows to the soul, the windows are the soul of the house! • A bedroom that is… not a bedroom. A home office may be part of the American dream, but not necessarily on every potential buyer’s checklist. Turning a bedroom into a working home office is common these days with so many people working virtual jobs, but problems arise when changes are made that destroy the integrity of the room and require renovation to revert the room back into a bedroom. The same holds true for children’s bedrooms that have affixed, permanent structural changes such as a built-in bed in the shape of a pirate ship or Cinderella’s coach. Most potential buyers don’t have any use for these customized designs, so remove them before putting the house on the market. You don’t want to give anyone a reason not to buy! • Repurposed Garage. Many potential buyers want a home with a garage for a secure place to park their cars, store lawn care essentials, and tools. If they discover that behind those garage doors lies a repurposed garage that has been structurally changed, they will be disappointed and might disregard the property entirely. Of course, it’s your home, and you should use the space to suit your needs. Just be aware that if you have made permanent structural changes, you’ve changed the basic design, and you might need to return the home to its original design in order to sell it for your asking price. • Swimming Pool and/or Hot Tub. People usually love a swimming pool and hot tub, but again, visiting with

someone who has one is a different ballgame to owning one. Not all buyers are looking to invest in the maintenance and labor required in ownership. The water bill, constant maintenance and cleaning, potential safety hazards, and legal liabilities that come with a pool/hot tub could be enough to discourage buyers. If you have an above-ground pool, it is a good idea to dismantle it and re-sod any dead grass underneath before putting the home on the market. The housing market is more competitive than ever. As the seller, it’s up to you to go the extra mile to make sure the house stands out head and shoulders from all the other comparable listings.

It’s the small things that can make you thousands of dollars.

CHAPTER 2 Optimizing Curb Appeal b Appeal

Many buyers form an opinion of whether or not they are interested in a home before ever stepping through the front door. Your home’s curb appeal is your first, and best, chance to make a good first impression on the buyer. You may have spent a lot of time and money updating the interior, but if the exterior of your home screams “help!” you’ve already lost the sale. This may not be as exciting as getting the interior in tip-top shape, but it’s possibly even more important. Landscaping, physical exterior, and the facade of your home are all important factors that have to be considered, and are vital to selling your home for your asking price.

THE EFFECT OF GREAT CURB AP T CURB APPEAL

When it comes time to sell your home, use curb appeal to your advantage to get your asking price. By presenting a beautiful home, inside and out, you’ll close the deal in no time. It is written in Proverbs that “first impressions are the most lasting.” Apply Andrew Grant’s quote that “you never get a second chance to make a great first impression” on the presentation of your home for sale, and you have some powerful food for thought. There is only a seven-second window to make a brilliant impression on your potential buyers. When they pull up to the property, buyers are busy looking down (at the grass), at eye level (at the shutters and paint), and up (at the roof) to formulate their first impression. A manicured lawn with thriving trees and bushes, plants on the 5

porch, flowers blooming in the garden, fresh mulch, and updated shrubs are all easy and relatively inexpensive investments that pay off big in the end. On the other hand, if a potential buyer is greeted by dying grass, wilting flowers, overgrown and out-of-control weeds everywhere, chipping paint, and a roof that looks like it’s about to collapse, they may just keep on driving. Buyers don’t want to have to come out of pocket after they make a purchase unless they’re getting a great deal. The more they estimate that they will have to put into the property after the purchase, the lower their offer will be, if at all. Attractive photos showcasing great curb appeal will generate enthusiasm to see the property and prompt potential buyers to make an appointment with you or your real estate agent to tour the home. More about photographs later.

DRIVE-BY APPEAL

Potential buyers will drive by your home or park out front to decide if they want to contact you for an appointment. This is where the devil is in the details. Just like you have to keep your house show-ready clean at all times, the same applies to the outside. Keep your yard cut, trees pruned, hedges trimmed, garden weeded, etc. Keep the garage door down when your house is on the market, and wash the windows and make sure that any chipping paint is repaired.

CREATE A WELCOMING WALKWAY

If the pathway to your front door is an ambassador to your home, the front door is your welcoming committee. Make the short walk a magical, appealing journey that promises unlimited possibilities for excited buyer-to-be.

If the walkway to your home is a straight line from the sidewalk to the front yard, decorate the lane with plant groupings in vibrant colors in flower pots or beds. Add curious boulders and interesting trees to charm your guests, but be careful not to overdo it. You don’t want to create clutter. For a more contemporary look, a wooden walkway made of cedar, redwood, cypress, or teak constructed with weather- resistant wood is a beautiful option, and is easy to stain and seal once a year. Whatever the building material, keep the pathway manicured with regular edging. Ensure no weeds or overgrowth infiltrate, especially around the concrete or wood itself. Adhere to the “less is more” discipline. Go easy on the decorations and lawn ornaments. A tasteful welcome sign is appropriate, but forgo the gnomes and flamingos. Be careful not to overcrowd your entry. Make sure your entry is well-lit, as this will not only make a big impact on curb appeal, but also provides better security. Solar stake lights can be purchased inexpensively from home improvement stores.

EXTERIOR PAINT

The exterior of your home plays a large role in the entire look of the property. Painting a house is a significant investment, but one of the most important investments you’ll make to get your asking price. Don’t skimp on this when it comes to preparing your house for the market. The best way to chase off a buyer is to show him a house with wood rot in the windows and chipped paint. The first thing the buyer is thinking is, “we’ll have to paint immediately, and that

will cost $20,000!” It may or may not cost that much; but if you freshen up the home, replace all rotting wood, paint the trim, etc., that worry won’t be the first thing the buyer thinks about before ever touring the inside.

THE FRONT DOOR

As your guests’ “welcoming committee of one,” your front door has a significant impact on your home’s first impression. Make the point of entry “pop.” Painting your front door in a punch of bright, bold paint that contrasts with the home’s siding and trim will add beauty and is another great way to add curb appeal. A seasonal wreath, a cheery welcome mat, some potted plants, or boxed planters will create a positive, free flowing atmosphere, and have buyers dreaming about the life they could have beyond that door. Pay attention to the details: make sure that the door knob is polished, and if the hardware is dated or beyond cleaning, replace it. Making your front door sparkle is important in helping buyers develop a positive first impression. If your outdoor lights are dated, consider replacing them with updated fixtures. Also, birds like to make nests in front door lights, and spiders love to weave webs in the shade of the overhang. Make sure you clear all that nature away. Take a good look at the back door as well. If it’s a sliding screen, make sure you replace screens with holes or are coming apart at the edges. Make sure your sliding door slides smoothly and stays on its tracks upon operation. Don’t let anything fall apart in your buyer’s hands. There is absolutely nothing worse than having something malfunction during a showing.

SOFT LANDSCAPING

If your “soft landscaping” (lawn and garden) is withering, has bare patches, or is overgrown and riddled with weeds, buyers will be turned off. The importance of a well-manicured lawn cannot be overstated. Go for a neat and attractive look. A lawn that appears to be too high maintenance can also be a turn off. You don’t need to hire a professional to design a landscape. Just make sure the grass is cut and healthy. Flowers make people happy. Planting a simple garden is a great way to turn a house into a home. Plant brightly colored flowers to bring a joyous feeling to your lawn area. To add a finished look to your yard, lay some dark colored mulch around bushes and in your garden. Mulch gives the area a clean, well-maintained look, adding to your curb appeal. As mentioned above, one or two simple garden ornaments is fine, but don’t overdo it. Avoid any thoughts of “tacky” or “clutter.” Though the buyer will understand that the lawn ornaments don’t come with the house, they could still impact that perfect first impression that you’re seeking.

HARDSCAPING

The term “hardscaping” refers to the driveway, rocks, sidewalks, and any paved areas around the home. Be careful not to fall behind in pool maintenance at summer’s end. A pool can be a powerful ally — or enemy — in selling a home. People either love them or hate them, but pool lovers will be turned off to see a dirty pool full of leaves, twigs, and dead bugs. Keep the chemical level balanced year-round and keep it skimmed. Your goal is for prospective buyers to envision

themselves enjoying a hot summer day in the pool, not hard labor to keep it clean. In the fall, excess leaves hide walkways and sidewalks, and can be dangerous if someone slips on wet leaves. Be sure to keep leaves raked and the paths safely clear.

TAKE TIME FOR THE BACKYARD

By the time buyers gets to the backyard, they have formed their impression and they are moving into decision-making mode. Now is not the time to rest on your laurels. Your back yard should be just as well tended as the front yard, as it matters just as much. Many buyers consider the backyard an extension of the home. This is where children and pets will play, and adults will relax and entertain guests. Making a good impression with your backyard is incredibly important. You want your backyard appeal to give the buyer a vision of endless possibility and picturing themselves enjoying life there for years to come. Ensure your lawn looks good for showings, that it is cut, fertilized, and watered. Pick up any pet waste. If you have a pool or a hot tub, ensure that the cover is off and that the water is sparkling clean. Again, flowers will go a long way in adding to the appeal of the area. The addition of patio furniture will make your backyard feel more welcoming, and will help the buyers envision themselves sitting outside with friends or family sharing a cold drink on a hot day and enjoying good conversation.

THE ROOF

The roof of a house is a big consideration in the sale of a home.

Roofs are expensive to repair and replace, and buyers will have the roof inspected before making an offer. Before putting your house on the market, hire a professional to assess the condition and estimated life of the roof. Make sure that any minor repairs are completed and all shingles are in place. There may be some expense in this pre-marketing strategy, but it will be worth knowing exactly what to expect in the inspection and negotiation phase of a sale, so making all necessary repairs beforehand will ensure that the sales process will be smooth and efficient. If any problems are discovered upon inspection, you can fix them or you can subtract the cost of the repairs from the final sale price. This is generally acceptable to both buyer and seller.

CHAPTER 3 Home Staging

According to Wikipedia, home staging, or “real estate enhancement” is the act of getting a private residence ready for sale in the real estate marketplace. The objective of staging is to make a home captivating to the highest number of possible buyers, therefore selling the house more quickly and for more money. There are many ways to achieve the desired outcome of a show- ready home: Do-It-Yourself (DIY), hiring a professional stager or staging company, or enlisting the services of a property stylist. The following strategies are proven methods of home improvement that will raise the price of your home because of their vital importance to drive-by, walk-through, and online house shoppers. Whether staging the home yourself or hiring a professional home stager, the goal is to do as much as you can with what you already have. In other words, don’t run out and invest a lot of money in new furniture or spend thousands of dollars on appliances. It could be as easy as rearranging furniture and removing day- to-day living items. Or, it could involve some moderate financial investment such as painting, landscaping, and renting some furnishings to stage an empty house. Your ultimate goal is to “depersonalize” your home so that buyers can imagine themselves living in it. This is accomplished by creating or maximizing space by clearing out clutter, rearranging or discarding furniture, and giving the house a thorough spring cleaning, inside and out. You may also want to paint some rooms 13

a fresh, neutral coat of paint. None of the above is terribly expensive and can be accomplished easily with a little help from your friends. What could involve some financial investment is in making repairs, which, if left undone, could impact a buyer’s impression of the home. This could include replacing, or at the very least, shampooing stained carpets. If the vinyl in the bathroom or kitchen is peeling and or shredded by animal nails, spending a weekend replacing the vinyl will give you a good return on investment in terms of sale price. Once the house is clean, the next step is to assess what additional accessories and/or furniture might help accessorize your newfound space to create a welcoming environment. Done well, home staging will make prospective buyers envision themselves living in the home. That’s the end goal. There are those who discount the value of staging your home, but money spent on staging should be considered an investment or cost of doing business in boosting the home’s perceived value, and will be recovered when the property is sold.

THE EFFECT OF HOME STAGING ON THE SALE N THE SALE

According to the Real Estate Staging Association, properties that are well-staged appear more appealing to prospective buyers and spend about 75% less time on the market than houses that are not staged. The appearance of the home in “model” condition is viewed by most buyers as positive sign that the house has been well-maintained and will subsequently sell at a higher price. The majority of prospective buyers think that they can overlook empty rooms or poor décor and see the potential of a home, but they really can’t. This is the reason successful builders use model suites and model homes to sell their projects.

HOW STAGING SELLS YOUR HOUSE

In beginning a search for a new home, most home buyers start with a reasonable list of prospective properties and narrow the list down based upon curb appeal, first impressions, and an emotional connection they make with a house while imagining their life there. The first 10 seconds of a showing are critical. In fact, most buyers are beginning to form an opinion as they pull into the driveway. Again, the primary goal of staging is to help the prospective buyer envision themselves living in the home. You want to create excitement, and urgency to act, because they have finally found the house of their dreams. If the potential buyer is excited by the house, they may be willing to look past some of the “must have” features on their list. That is why it is critical to pay attention to all of the minute details of home preparation. On the other hand, if you’ve left personal memorabilia on the shelves, ignored over-crowded rooms, or dripping taps, your buyer will beat a path to the door because all they will see are the problems with the home. They will “check out” mentally, dismiss your house as a realistic possibility, and shift their attention to the next appointment. However, if you can help them make an emotional connection to the house, if you can stir a feeling of urgency and keep them restless about losing it to another buyer, you’ve made your sale, and your buyer will have his dream house.

CHAPTER 4 Staging Solutions and Options

RENTING

If you are still using the same furniture you bought before kids and pets, and it has seen better days, you might consider staging your home with rented furniture to make a “wow” first impression on your potential buyers. If your home is vacant, renting furniture to stage the home is not only convenient, but a smart move to get the most out of the sale. According to Consumer Affairs Why you should stage your home if you want to sell it, July 7, 2017, you should not only clean your home from top to bottom before putting it on the market, but you should stage it with furniture and accessories that help the potential buyer see him/herself living in the home. The article goes on to list the most important rooms that should be tastefully staged. The living room is at the top of the list, followed by the master bedroom, kitchen, and outdoor space. Interestingly, the guest bedroom ranked last in importance. Take a close look at your current furnishings. Remove worn or dingy items and then take inventory of what’s left after grandpa’s favorite recliner is safely tucked away in storage. If the home appears overly bare, determine whether or not you could use a few more pieces. The investment you put into renting additional pieces will pay big dividends in the end when you get your asking price for the home.

WHERE TO RENT FURNITURE O RENT FURNITURE

• Furniture rental companies. The upside to using one of these companies is that they deliver and set up the furniture. They do usually require a three-month minimum rental period. If you sell your home sooner, you don’t get a refund, but there is no penalty for returning the furniture early. • Thrift shops or antique shops. It’s not a common practice for these stores to rent furniture, but it happens. If they have a piece that has been sitting for a while, offering to expose it to a whole new group of consumers with a “for sale” sign on it could be a good way to propose what could be a win-win situation. It doesn’t hurt to ask! • Display Furniture. To minimize expense, it is not unheard of to use cardboard display furniture. You can easily accessorize as standard furniture. It is durable enough for sitting, but it’s not intended for strenuous use.

AFFORDABLE OPTIONS

When exploring staging options, it is possible to become overwhelmed by the expense of renting furniture. This is when it is important to assess and rearrange your current furnishings. This can save on expense.

Here are a few tips for preparing your home for staging:

• Re-establish boundaries. If your living room is also the playroom, remove the toys. Don’t set yourself up for failure by giving the impression that there isn’t enough room in the home for the kids without spilling into adult areas. • Home cleaning. Do a deep and thorough cleaning of

every single room, and pay attention to the details. When was the last time that you polished the wood or washed the windows? Don’t forget the ceiling fan blades. • Depersonalize. This might appear unnecessary on the surface, after all, the potential buyers knows the home is inhabited. But you have to help the buyers visualize themselves in the home. You don’t want them subconsciously thinking about how they will have to clear the house of all your belongings. That said, you don’t want the home to seem sterile. Put out a vase of fresh flowers, a bowl of lemons, or a basket of produce on the counter. • Fresh air. Make sure your home smells good. Chase away stale odors, and ban smoking from the premises! Light a citrus candle, bake some cookies or bread. Don’t let lingering odors from litter boxes, garbage cans, or moldy laundry run off your buyers! This will take some effort. But as they say, nothing ventured, nothing gained!

DIY HOME STAGING

Pinterest has become a great online resource for learning how to improve your living space through creative projects. If your furniture is in good shape, but you need to beautify and embellish your home a bit, here are some ideas: • Brighten it up. If your paint job is dull, dark, or depressing, consider choosing some sophisticated neutral paint to create a sophisticated backdrop and pull it all together. Paint rooms according to their purpose, such as soft neutrals such as mild yellows or creams that set off a

glow when the sun shines in. Add an accent wall in the living room by choosing a complementary color, such as a calming sage green or a deep red against taupe walls. Whatever you do, make the home welcoming. • Remove dated wallpaper. No one wants to be weighed down with the thought that they’re going to have to spend time and money on removing wallpaper from 1988. If that’s the case, they will definitely lowball the offer. • Drapes and curtains. We often don’t pay a lot of attention to our window coverings. Not only do they become dated, they also collect dust and dirt. At the very least, have them professionally cleaned. Better yet, update the window coverings to complement the paint colors or purchase new accent sofa pillows to provide an easy and quick upgrade to your home. Don’t forget the bathroom! Buy some new towels and mats to bring out for showings. • Add some life. Strategically place a fresh plant or vase of flowers in different rooms throughout the home. The keyword here is strategic. Don’t overdo. Don’t put a huge floor plant in every corner or cover all the surfaces with flowers. Avoid flowers containing heavy pollen to keep your potential buyers from allergic reactions. • Slow things down. Light lightly-scented candles to create a calm and warm atmosphere. Cinnamon, vanilla, pine, and citrus are all nice choices. • Play music. Low background of classical music will add a level of sophistication to your home, releasing your potential buyers’ endorphins, and instilling a sense of wealth as they stroll through your beautifully-arranged

home.

HIRING A PRO VS. DOING IT YOURSELF

Lack of time is a common denominator among homeowners throughout the home-selling process. To conserve time, you will need to delegate as many tasks as possible to free you to focus on other important aspects of your move. Hiring a professional home stager is a real time-saver. Staging experts apply valuable experience that increase your home’s salability. The staging professional or firm creates themes for each room that complement the home’s layout and supply the furniture and home décor needed to complete the themes. They provide you with tips for showing the house in its best light. In addition to supplying the furnishings, they do the heavy lifting and move furniture throughout the house to achieve the desired effect. They cover the cost of any damage that may happen in the process. That said, staging the home yourself not only saves you money, but also allows you to infuse your own personality into the theme. No one knows your home better than you do. You know its pros and cons and how to manage both in order to show the home in its best condition. You know how to light all the rooms and when to treat the lawn for weeds to prevent them from sprouting overnight. If you believe you can highlight the home’s best assets without the 21

help of a professional, you should take on the project yourself. If you doubt yourself at all, spend the extra on a professional and you will reap the benefits at the sale.

WHAT TO EXPECT FROM A PROFESSIONAL HOME STAGER

True staging pros run a smooth operation. Here are a few things to keep in mind when interviewing companies: • Ask for referrals. Don’t hire a stager without doing your homework. Ask friends and acquaintances about their experiences and for a referral. Interview several companies and select the one who will provide you the best value. That doesn’t mean hire the “cheapest.” • You get what you pay for. If the price tag is low, it’s likely the quality of service will match that price. • Ask for the stager’s references and portfolio. It is fine to start with referrals you solicited from friends, but you want to talk to the stager’s own clients and see pictures of successful projects. • Ask questions. Don’t be shy. Do some research and come up with a list of questions for the initial consultation to interview the stager.

CHAPTER 5 How Buyers Sear ers Search for Homes or Homes

According to 2016 National Association of Realtors® (NAR) Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, the data on how buyers found the homes they purchased fell into the following categories:

• 51% - Internet • 34% - Real Estate Agent

• 8% - Yard Sign/Open House Sign • 4% - Friend, relative or neighbor • 2% - Home builder or their agent • 1% - Directly from seller, or knew seller • 1% - Print newspaper advertisement

The longer the house sits on the market, the more intense the pressure on the seller to make a deal, because the price is likely to drop as time passes. Therefore, it is important to understand every possible avenue of getting your home in front of as many buyers as possible to decrease time to sale. Today’s real estate buyer is highly sophisticated and uses a variety of resources, both traditional and technical, to aid in their search for a new home.

REALTORS

Recent studies by NAR indicated that 89% of home buyers use an agent for their search for a new home and agents are ranked nearly equal with websites as sources of information and general usefulness.

THE INTERNET

Realtor.com recently reported that 90% of home buyers use the internet to search for a house. Online research provides buyers with virtually unlimited information about a property. They can preview a home, research its history, neighborhood, area schools, shopping, attractions, etc., and even view aerial pictures via apps such as Google Earth without leaving the comfort of their home or ever speaking to a real estate agent. Realty Websites — The real estate industry thrives on the timely dissemination of information, which created the need for real estate websites to become increasingly sophisticated in order to meet their client’s need for “instant” and timely information. No longer is the real estate agent in charge of transactions. The internet has put the customer behind the wheel, and a savvy buyer can manage much of the transaction him/herself. In order to remain competitive, you, or more realistically, your real estate agent, must build and maintain highly interactive, informative, and persuasive website or page dedicated to your home. Gone are the exhausting days of trudging from car-to- house-to-another-house, and then back again, dodging the elements in the heat, snow, or rain. A buyer can get all the information he/she needs to decide if they want to view a home in person by spending a couple of hours in front of their computer. Your website should be user-friendly and full of value. It should offer full video tours of a home’s interior, links to Google Earth for aerial photography of the area, detailed floor plans, and more. Facebook — The importance of this social media site cannot be overstated in terms of getting your information in front of thousands of people and extending your reach far beyond your wildest imagination. You probably have hundreds of Facebook 24

friends, and, of course, they all have hundreds of friends, too.

If you have a Realtor®, you should augment his Facebook marketing by sharing his posts advertising your house and asking your friends to share their posts to broaden the exposure. Facebook has an amazing ability to target the demographic you want to know about your house by age, gender, and geographical location. Your Realtor® knows all about working these demographics to your benefit and will purchase advertising to target your demographic. There is oh-so-much-more to it than creating a “status update” about your home and asking your friends to share, so if you’re going it alone as a FSBO seller without a Realtor’s® professional Facebook page and posts to drive traffic back to his/her website (and your home), asking your friends to help you advertise is only going to get you so far. How many of your Facebook friends live in your area? How many are actually looking for a new house? How many are actually going to share your posts? Yes, they may do a courtesy share for you once, and if you’re a really good friend, maybe twice, but it’s only peripheral marketing. While its nice and could even be termed helpful, your social media marketing must be scientifically targeted and precise, but most importantly, sponsored, meaning with paid advertising that has the ability to reach a large audience of home buyers outside of your own network. Pinterest/Instagram — Making use of these social media sites will also extend your reach, similar to Facebook. Both platforms are photo-friendly so make sure that you post plenty of great, well-lit pictures of your staged home. This will allow buyers to “stumble” across your listing while browsing on the internet. Craigslist — This is not your mother’s Craigslist! Many people search for all sorts of things on this site: jobs, second-hand goods, and homes to rent and purchase. While not as “popular” as the

social media platforms, don’t discount Craigslist as a valuable tool in marketing your home. Be sure to include photos and a link back to the listing. As a caveat, however, it is important to note that Craigslist might expose you to people who are not genuinely looking to buy your home, but to conduct criminal activities. Be sure to screen all “buyers” carefully before offering them a showing and then be sure you are not alone and have taken every precaution against theft or injury to person or property. Individual Website — A great way to centralize all of your listing’s content is to create a separate, stand-alone site that serves as a hub for all content relating to the sale of your home. If you have a Realtor®, they should add a page to their website dedicated to your home. In addition to videos, photos, and links to your social media accounts, they can include additional information and links to neighborhood attractions and activities that will give your buyers a feel for the area. It’s important to note that setting up an extensive website requires technical knowledge and can be time consuming! If you don’t have a Realtor®, you might consider hiring a professional to handle the site development. It’s an investment that is well worth the money. Again, if you choose to hire a real estate agent, they will bear the responsibility and cost of setting up and maintaining the website. Mobile — People are increasingly moving away from fixed internet access on a desktop and relying instead on mobile devices such as smartphones and tablets. That’s not to say that desktop visits are obsolete, as the majority of website visits are still performed via desktop, but access via a mobile device is definitely on the rise. The clear implication of this trend for home marketing is to ensure that your listing is mobile-friendly and listed on sites with easy to navigate mobile applications. Again, these listings will make extensive use of photos, floor plans, and videos that depict the home at its best. If you choose

to set up a stand-alone website, ensure that it is either mobile- friendly by default or a hybrid that can easily switch between desktop and mobile versions.

CHAPTER 6 Importance of Great Phot eat Photography and Videography The single most important goal in selling your home is to get your highest asking price. Whether this is to make a profit or just to pay off your current mortgage, you have to “keep your eye on the prize.” Plentiful, good quality photographs play a major role in nailing the sale and give you a competitive edge over other sellers who don’t dedicate much effort to pictorially showcasing their property. Ask yourself this question: if you were looking for a new home and there were only two for sale that would fit your needs, which seller would you trust more: one who posted obviously amateur pictures showing dishes in the sink or the one who’s pictures created an environment of a pristine lifestyle? The answer is obviously the latter. You want to build up your credibility as a serious seller and the buyer’s confidence in your home’s quality by putting in the extra effort.

Read through these tips to get the ball rolling:

• Imagine that you are shooting a photo spread for a magazine. It all starts with cleaning, cleaning, cleaning! Get rid of the clutter, move out old and ugly furniture, and put your personal belongings out of site. • No cute puppy pictures. This is important. Even if you’re

a meticulous pet owner, advertising to potential buyers that you have birds in a cage, a free roaming guinea pig, or a bedroom dedicated to a family of rare Siamese cats is going to make people wonder about odors, stains, and the destruction that animals can cause. It’s best not to bring any attention to your furry children. • Add some “pop.” Invest in some simple, colorful home accessories. It can be as simple as new couch pillows, a throw rug, or an inexpensive print. Add a healthy green plant or a vase of colorful flowers strategically placed in each room for the photo shoot. • Light it up. Avoid dark or washed out pictures. If you don’t have a lot of natural light, add some additional LED lamps in the corners or off-camera to add the brightness you need. • Hire a professional stager. If decorating is not your forte, you can hire a professional stager who can optimize your space by rearranging furniture and adding decorative accessories to improve eye appeal. While interviewing stagers for the job, be sure to ask about their rates per room. You may decide to only photograph certain rooms in the house, but understand that the more pictures, the better. • Hire a professional photographer. Although you can take great pictures on your own without an expensive camera, professional pictures can give you an advantage over other sellers by increasing the perceived value of your home.

EXTERIOR PHOTOGRAPHS

Potential buyers want to see pictures of both the interior and 30

exterior of online listings or property websites. In order to optimize eye appeal, create excitement, and turn virtual viewers into physical tourists, it is important to follow these important steps before snapping a single photo: • Cut the grass. Give your lawn a clean, close cut and manicure the edges of sidewalks and driveways. Obliterate stubborn weeds along pathways, the house, and around trees. Repair, seed, or use groundcover to detract from bald patches in the yard. You can also use a commercial turf dye aerosol paint colorant to cover dead spots caused by pet urine. • Trim the hedges. If there is one thing that makes a home look like an abandoned hideout, it’s a runaway row of hedges. Make sure that hedges are nice and even to give your home great curb appeal. • Colorful landscaping. Plant a variety of colorful flowers, and spread pine straw or cedar chips. It’s a great idea to include a night photo for effect, so consider adding some LED path lights. • Give it a bath. Wash the windows, power wash the house, and clean the gutters. Sweep the pathways and driveway. Invite buyers by showing that the home has been well maintained and kept up.

DRONES

Differentiating property listings through high-quality photography and video pays huge dividends. Until recently, the cost of providing aerial photographs was cost prohibitive because you would had to hire not only a photographer, but also a private plane or helicopter to get those shots from above. However, drones have become the most important new technology to enter

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