Articles Tagged "Staging"

If you're planning to put your Long Island home on the market, you'll want to highlight available space to potential buyers. Our REALTORS® are familiar with ways to squeeze every last bit of utility out of any space. In fact, there are many rooms in your house that can do double-duty to appeal to buyers.

• Double Down in the Dining Room
  The dining room gets used for special events and holidays. The rest of the year it sits fairly empty. Adding book cabinets and a secretary desk can turn it into a cozy library or office space that buyers will appreciate when you decide to sell.
  
  
• Craft Away in the Laundry Room
  Like the dining room, the laundry room can be so much more. It is the perfect space to transform into a craft area, workshop, or even an ad hoc home office. Cabinets, counters, built-in desks, and good lighting are the keys to making this double-duty transformation work.
  
  
• Disappearing Guest Rooms
  If you have an extra bedroom dedicated as a guest bedroom, it is probably not a room you use all too often. While friends and family may come to visit from time to time, the rest of the time, the room goes unused. An easy fix is to transform it into a home office with a murphy bed inset within the walls. This allows you to use it as a comfortable home office throughout the year and convert it into a guest bedroom for that handful of days when family and friends are in town.
  
  
• Fully Functional Family Rooms
  Kids need a place to play but not quite ready to sacrifice the living room? You can have both by building a play center in the corner of your family room. This allows the kids to swing, slide, climb, and more while you watch your favorite programs, spend time together, and more.
  
  
• Home Gyms Double-up as Children's Daycare
  If you install mats, good lighting, a television, and a decent sound system, you can get twice the bang out of your home gym. Add in some cubbies for toys and books, a fold-down table, tiny chairs, etc., and you can get your workout before work, and the kids can take over the space while you are away for the day. Indeed, you will see this in many Nassau County homes for sale.
  
  
• Build the Sunroom You Desire
  Sunrooms are the ultimate fun rooms buyers love. They can be used as an ad hoc library, TV room, breakfast room, family room, craft space, tea room, greenhouse, and anything you desire. These are some of the easiest additions to build, right on top of existing patio space.

Looking to put your house on the market among Suffolk County homes for sale? Contact us, and it will be our pleasure to help.

You're ready to list your home among Nassau County homes for sale or Suffolk County homes for sale. Naturally, you're eager to present the best face possible for potential buyers. You've read a lot of online tips for getting your home ready, and you've talked to real estate agents about what to do. But now that you've made your decision, it's time to get serious about your presentation. You may be surprised to find some challenges to what you think would appeal to or turn off potential buyers. Here's what you should know.

What Buyers Will Like or Dislike About Your Home

1. Clutter
   You already know this. Clutter and dirt are real turn-offs for potential buyers. Be prepared to either clean your home to the max or hire to have it done. And keep it pristine; potential buyers will not appreciate that "lived in" look you're used to.
   
   
2. Clean Oven
   The kitchen can be the deal-breaker when it comes to selling your home, so pay particular attention to the details. And yes, potential buyers are attracted to stainless steel appliances (we'll get to these in a minute), but more important is how clean your oven is. It should be spotless. If it's too well used to clean up nicely, you might have to consider replacing it. Dirty stoves and ovens really turn off home shoppers.
   
   
3. Stainless Steel Appliances
   They really do appeal if they are maintained with maximum gleam and shine. It turns out their reflective quality helps make the room look bigger, and that's always a plus when showing your home.
   
   
4. Clear Countertops
   Crowded countertops are often necessary as we go about our daily lives, but bite the bullet and eliminate as much clutter, be it appliances, cereal boxes, or cooking utensils, as possible while showing your home. Gather them up in a basket or container or put them away.
   
   
5. Converted Rooms
   Converted rooms, such as a garage that became a workshop or a dining room that became an office or playroom, typically don't present well with potential buyers. Experts say shoppers can't imagine the spaces as intended when they're not being used for their original purposes. Much as it may pain you, clear out the furnishings for the repurposed space and make it look like what it was designed for. When it comes to garage spaces, many home shoppers are looking for a space to park their car, so be advised.
   
   
6. Outdoor Accessibility
   Homebuyers will be drawn to outdoor accessibility. Make sure your outdoor spaces are inviting, and the doors leading to them are clean and appealing. Polish up the glass windows and keep them shiny.
   
   
7. No Collection Zone
   You may be proud of your personal collections of firearms, tchotchkes, or Hummel figurines, but collections or personal interests are distracting and have no place when you're trying to sell your home. Pack them up and store them till you move, sell them or give them away, but make sure they're out of sight when potential buyers tour.
   
   
8. Keep It Impersonal
   A home shopper does not need to know about your personal life. Take down your gallery of family photos and anything that indicates your personal business. This is not only to help buyers focus on your home and how they can imagine themselves living there but for your own security. Besides photos, clean up and put away business papers and remove anything that reveals political or religious affiliations.

Our REALTORS® can share more tips on the dos and don'ts for selling your home. Contact us today. 

Our REALTORS® can tell you that properly staged homes frequently end up on must-see lists and spend substantially less time on the market. Sometimes, the real estate industry has a perception paradox that a neutral minimalist home provides the perfect space for potential buyers to envision themselves living there.

While home staging is all about de-personalizing the space, using eye-catching artwork can help your buyers create an emotional connection with your home. The imagery found in pictures and paintings adds another layer of meaning to your staging efforts. Here's how to use staging artwork.

• Identify Your Target Audience
  While you may never know the particular tastes of prospective homebuyers, it's wise to err on the side of caution when staging your home. Steer away from images of people, family photographs, religious and political artwork, and inappropriate artwork. Your main goal is to help potential buyers envision themselves living in your house. If they see images of people or religious and politically-charged artwork, they will be reminded that they are strangers in the home. To appeal to a wider set of buyers, choose nature images, abstract artwork, figurative renderings, geometric shape, still life subjects, or figurative silhouettes.
  
  
• Complement the Overall Style of Your Home
  You're not just selling your property, you're also selling the lifestyle that comes with it. A complete mishmash of décor can be very off-putting to potential buyers. Consider the mood for each room when hanging your artwork. Is it a bright and busy kitchen or an inviting and relaxed living area? Color is very important in artwork and home staging, with neutrals being the most popular option. But why not add pops of brightness to a room by complementing colors found around your rooms in accessories and pillows?
  
  
• Fit the Scale of the Space
  The shape and size of the art should be scaled to the height and width of your walls. We can agree that the bigger a room looks the more appealing it is to homebuyers. So, putting a large piece of art in a small room is going to make it feel cramped. On the other hand, large rooms can appear uninviting and cavernous if they have blank walls. As such, you might consider using a large scenic piece or clustering several pieces together to make the room cozier.
  
  
• Avoid Art That is Too Busy or Eye-Catching
  What emotions do you want to evoke with your artwork? While buyers will be evaluating many aspects of your home, it's likely that a particular subset of buyers will be more interested. Want to show off a classic wine cellar? An abstract artwork pointing to it will let the eye travel to the adjacent beautiful space. Have an outdoor infinity pool that you want to draw attention to? Complement it with pale blue pieces or art in the rooms leading up to it or with striking outdoor sculpture. Just make sure your art won't distract buyers from focusing on the home itself.
  
  
• Create Balance
  Have you ever walked into a living room with pieces of art or pictures that were hung too far apart from each other, in no particular pattern, or with mismatched colors, styles, and frames? This is a common staging problem, especially with art that was received as a gift or bought without giving a thought to its color or size. In some cases, homeowners with high ceilings will place the art halfway up the wall, which can mean people pass right by it because it was placed higher than their heads. You want to make sure your wall art is hung correctly and the room is balanced. If you're hanging art over furniture, it should be at about 25% the width of the furniture.

Feeling overwhelmed at the thought your home stand out from other Nassau County homes for sale or Suffolk County homes for sale? Our realtors can help you choose the best art, highlight your home's best features, and create an inviting vibe that will appeal to the right buyers. Contact us to learn more.

In-person interactions and onsite tours are a huge part of the process of buying and selling homes. But in the era of the coronavirus, it's about staying home and taking preventative measures for decreasing the risk of the virus. It's not clear how long the social distancing mandates will stay in place, but so much like all interactions in this time, home selling and buying is moving online.

If you're selling your home this spring, you can rely on virtual tours to show the house to all of your potential buyers at once without them having to be physically present. Our REALTORS® have experience in staging virtual tours and can give you tips to get your home ready to create that oh-so-important first impression.

Virtual Tours for Real Estate

A virtual tour is an interactive tool that gives a 360° image of the interior and exterior of a building. It's created by stitching together a sequence of 360 photos to form a completely immersive visual experience for viewers. 

A virtual tour can also take place via a video chat app such as Google Duo, Zoom, or WhatsApp. In this scenario, the interested buyer requests a tour time online, and the agent uses the buyer's preferred app to show the home in real time.

Virtual Tour Preparedness Checklist

Keep in mind that a virtual tour will be similar to a live open house, but a camera can capture more than the eye can see. Make sure that the entire area is prepped ahead of the day you plan on recording the tour.

Outdoors

• Spruce up your garden and lawn. Trim dead limbs and shrubbery around the home if necessary and remove empty planters
• Mow the lawn and weed the garden. Make sure the entryway and driveway are free of clutter
• Remove cars from the driveway and park them away from the property
• Place trash cans, hockey nets, bikes, toys, boats, basketball poles, trailers, garden tools and supplies, and other distractions out of sight
• Sweep walkways and pick up sticks, leaves, and branches
• Make sure your yard and patio neat and straighten up any outdoor furniture and items
• Clean pool area and remove all hoses

Living/Common Areas

• Clean the rooms from top to bottom
• Remove personal items, family photos, and religious artifacts
• Open shades and blinds and make sure they are equally angled open
• Move excess furniture out of rooms and re-arrange remaining furniture to make the room appear larger
• Make sure the house is spotless by removing clutter, vacuuming the carpet, cleaning countertops, tidying up shelves, moping hard floors, and cleaning windows
• Put away toys, pet bowls, beds, etc.

Kitchen

• Clear off the kitchen counter
• Stow small appliances and everyday items like toasters, kitchen utensils, soaps, cleaning items, dish towels, sponges, etc.
• Empty the garbage can
• Put away draining rack
• Clear the sink of dishes
• Store food in cabinets
• Remove magnets and other items from the refrigerator door
• Organize items on open shelves

Bathrooms

• Ensure the bathroom is clean- mirrors, floors, counters, toilet, and all surfaces
• Ensure toilet seat is down
• Remove floor mats
• Remove all items from shower and tub
• Clear counters of toiletries and store away essential items used daily
• Hang fresh towels neatly

Bedrooms

• Make all beds
• Keep end tables and all surfaces free of clutter
• Arrange decorative pillows
• Replace linens with modern, clean, crisp linens
• Put away shoes and clothing

Putting in the extra effort to prepare and stage your house for a virtual tour will produce better images and hopefully create a faster sale. Consider working with the team at Coach Realtors to ensure that the tour shows off your home in its finest characteristics. Contact us to get started.

Spring is often the busiest period of real estate activity in the year. And it makes sense because of the warm weather and the number of buyers actively searching for a new home during the season. But with all that comes competition, and the fact that you'll need to put in a bit of extra effort to showcase your property in the best light. Our REALTORS® share these spring selling tips to make your stand out in a crowded market

• Create Curb Appeal
  Since the walkway, lawn, shrubs, and front are seen first, you want to put some extra effort into making these areas look as good as you can. Keeping the outside tidy, well-kept, and inviting will make buyers want to see the inside of your home. It's important to tidy your yard, fix dead or bald patches in the grass, keep the grass cut, maintain flowers and shrubs, clean up plants' pots, and edge along sidewalks. If you don't have any plants or flowers, it would be nice to get some because almost everyone likes flowers.
  
  Also, touch up or completely repaint your house to give it a new, fresh look. If you're feeling creative, get some exterior furniture to fill your visitors' minds with endless possibilities for garden parties and relaxation. Remember to freshen the shutters and improve the mailbox.
  
  
• Declutter
  With the outdoor are of your home looking lively and well-maintained, you can focus on maximizing the property's interior and making it look livable. Nothing says "unappealing" like a property full of clutter. Help prospects focus on your home instead of the pile of coats and shoes by the entryway. Move things you no longer use and keep your home organized. Getting started is the most difficult part of decluttering, so take one room or part of a room at a time and get the work done.
  
  Some of the areas to declutter include entryways, bedrooms, kitchen, cabinets, closets, pantry, furniture, and electronic equipment. If you need to get rid of clutter, sell items online, have a garage sale, or donate anything you don't need.
  
  
• Spring Clean
  Spring brings with it the feeling of renewal and a fresh start. Take advantage of the longer days and better weather to make your house sparkling clean. Polishing your floors, windows, mirrors, chrome fittings, light fixtures, walls, and furniture will make your home dazzle as the light stream in through the windows. Pull back all of your drapes and curtains and open windows to air it out and get rid of residual stuffiness. If you have pets, wash their toys, beds, and blankets. If cleaning is not your thing, get professionals to help you create a great impression on buyers.
  
  
• Keep Things Neutral
  If you decide to put a fresh cost of paint on your walls, use neutral colors, along the lines of grey, beige with no extravagant elements that steal the show. It may sound counterintuitive to go neutral while trying to stand out. But neutral colors don't distract potential buyers. Instead, they allow buyers to picture their own lives unfolding in your home. If you're concerned about looking too bland, use accent colors for pillows or pretty flower vases around the house.
  
  
• Do Pre-Inspection Repairs
  The need for repairs can cut back on your profits if the seller's inspector finds something wrong in your home. It usually costs less to make appropriate repairs before a home inspection. If you haven't maintained your home, consider hiring your own home inspector to conduct pre-inspection repairs before your home goes on the market. Among the things you would look at include HVAC, plumbing, structure and foundation, deck, electrical, presence of mold, deteriorated roofs, interior appliances, basements, crawlspaces, and attics.

These simple tips will make your home stand out from the crowd and maximize the impact it has on potential buyers. Our team can help you achieve your selling goals and develop a solid marketing strategy for your property. Contact us today to get started.

Our REALTORS® around Long Island know it's those finishing touches that help sell a home. You may have everything going for you — great location, reasonable price, and good southern or eastern light — but a glimpse of the basement could be sending potential buyers elsewhere.

While the current state of your basement may turn off potential buyers, the good news is that it's not that hard to transform it from an eyesore to a major selling point. Even if your home's not on the market and you just want to enjoy some extra space in your basement, it probably won't take that much effort to make things livable and lovable downstairs. 

Here are some tips to start you thinking about your basement as a blank canvas where you can make your artistic vision take form.

1. Clean and Organize
   If you use your basement for storage, that's fine — but just make sure everything looks spic and span. Remove clutter, getting rid of everything you don't need. Organize tools, supplies, whatever, in plastic bins and stack and store on shelves against the wall.
   
   Take steps to remove any dank or pet odors. A hint of mold can make your basement tough to hang out in, no matter how you pretty it up. Fix leaks or other conditions leading to dampness, then scrub away. You may have to add a portable dehumidifier to dry things out, or a fan to circulate the air. Some kind of exhaust ventilation may be called for. A word of caution: Go easy on the air fresheners. Strong fragrances used to cover up pet or other odors are usually a red flag to buyers.
   
   
2. Let There Be Light
   Lack of lighting and limited electrical outlets can present one of the greatest challenges in an unfinished basement. Lighten things up with several strands of industrial string lights — just one outlet needed.
   
   You can also clean out window wells, washing those basement windows thoroughly! Take curtains down to let in natural light.
   
   If there are no windows, try brightening up the space with strategically placed lamps, or you may even want to spring for recessed lighting. Light blue hues in the decor can help compensate for low lighting; light-colored window treatments and walls can also chase away the dark.
   
   
3. New Perspective on Flooring
   Get a new perspective by changing up your basement's floor. If you have concrete floors, consider painting them in a pleasing, light-reflective color. Want to turn your basement into an exercise room? Try adding square-cut foam floor mats, mixing and matching colors and patterns. Colorful rugs or even carpeting the floors can go a long way in helping to make the space more inviting.
   
   
4. Multipurpose the Basement
   Although your basement may be dedicated to storage and utility purposes, you can still use the rest of the space for other fun purposes. A curtain or partition can block off the appliances (be careful not to interrupt airflow), so you can consider these uses:
   
   • Wet bar
   • Playroom
   • Entertainment center
   • Workout room
   • Workshop
   • Guest room
   • Art studio
   
   
5. Finishing Touches
   Even if your basement is mostly utilitarian, you can add little touches that make it warmer and cozier. A rug in front of the washer and dryer, painted rafters or cinder block walls, or new liner paper on the shelves show love and care, inviting others into the space.

Our agents can advise you on all the right moves to stage your home, including sprucing up the basement. Contact us today.

Whether you're organizing a home to sell or to live in, the principles and methods are the same. The difference lies in the ultimate goal. Lived-in homes revolve around the ease of daily functionality, while homes for sale should strike a balance between cluttered and homey vs. empty and cold.

As a bonus, careful organization makes the move-out much easier. Our REALTORS® share their favorite organizing tips along with some great local sources for storage solutions.

• Have a Game Plan
  During the selling process, your timetable takes a back seat to buyers' convenience. They're not going to care that you were too busy to clean. Create a specific to-do list and block out time in your schedule to get it done.
  
  
• Edit Closets, Shelves, and Cabinets
  While stuffing things out of sight may work when you're expecting dinner guests, cluttered cabinets and closets give buyers the impression that the home lacks adequate storage space. Experts recommend removing half of the items in closets and cabinets and two-thirds of the items on shelves.
  
  
• De-Personalize
  Family photos, sports memorabilia, and other personal items serve as constant reminders to buyers that they're touring another family's home. Pack them away and use neutral artwork and accessories to add style that's discreet, not distracting.
  
  
• Keep the Move in Mind
  As you declutter, don't simply store the items away. From clothing and kitchen utensils to linens and toys, use this opportunity to get rid of any items you don't want or need in the new home. Sell, donate, or toss appropriately.
  
  
• Don't Forget the Basement and Garage
  Has your two-car garage evolved into a one-car garage/workroom? Do old toys go to the basement to die? Don't assume a buyer will have the same usage for these areas. Clear out and organize basements and garages so they appear spacious and functional.
  
  
• Phone a Friend
  Emotions and sentiment can blur the best intentions. Enlist an honest friend to walk with you room-by-room and use a buyer's eye to point out areas for improvement.

Need some direction? Get inspiration at these top organizing and space management stores.

• The Container Store - 902 Old Country Road, Garden City, NY 11530
  Are you looking for DIY storage accessories or seeking professional advice on a total closet remodel? The Container Store has a wide range of solutions for organizing Garden City homes for sale. The store is open 10 a.m. - 9 p.m. daily except 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Sunday.
  
  
• California Closets - 25 Northern Blvd. Suite #3, Greenvale, NY 11548
  When it comes to home storage solutions, more than 30 years of success has turned California Closets into a household name. Visit their showroom among Nassau County homes for sale and interact directly with their life-size displays to get ideas and find the system that works best for your home. California Closets is open 9 a.m. - 5 p.m. weekdays and 10 a.m. - 3 p.m. Sunday.

Feeling overwhelmed at the thought of selling your Nassau County home? Put your mind to rest and contact us so we can handle the tough stuff.

Between 20 and 30 percent of homebuyers report that they attend open houses to assist with their homebuying efforts. Our REALTORS® can help you prepare your home to sell and arrange an open house to showcase your home.

When preparing for an open house, it's easy to focus only on the main spaces in your home. However, to ensure buyers see everything your home has to offer, you need to make sure that every room is ready for scrutiny. Check out some of the rooms commonly overlooked by homeowners preparing to sell their homes.

• The Foyer
  As potential homebuyers enter your home, the foyer is one of the first spaces to greet them. Make a good first impression by staging your foyer so that it appears like an integral part of your house. Remove clutter and overly personal items and store them out of view.
  
  Consider installing coat hooks and adding a storage system to the space to house outerwear and other necessities. Create an inviting atmosphere by adding fresh flowers or a potted plant.
   
• The Laundry Room
  Since most homes have a laundry room, it can feel like an irrelevant space. However, an aesthetically pleasing laundry room is a huge appeal to potential homebuyers. It gives them hope that even basic tasks, like sorting dirty clothes, will be pleasant in your home. 
  
  Set the scene by giving the room a fresh coat of paint. Then, add shelves that will showcase and organize all your laundry supplies. Get rid of the overflowing laundry basket; instead, place a stack of neatly folded towels or blankets in the room.
   
• The Mudroom
  Despite the name, it's important to make sure that your mudroom has no visible mud or dirt. Even though a mudroom is a storage area for many families, you want the room to appear clean, organized, and bright for your open house.
  
  Thoroughly declutter the room so that it only has the bare essentials. Add closed storage to hide tools or other seldom-used items. A few cubies and bench seating give prospective buyers a better idea of how they can use the room.
  
  Be stingy with any mudroom accessories, as you don't want them to hide the functionality of the room. An interesting doormat or a piece of wall decor are a couple of options suitable for this room.
  
  
• The Pantry
  It's important to organize and declutter every space in your home, even if it's hidden from view. Your pantry is one space that likely requires your attention.
  
  Though you don't need to overhaul its contents to appeal to buyers, you do need to make sure it's organized. Try arranging like items together; for example, you might devote one shelf to canned goods and another one to boxed foods. If your pantry is small, you might add bins, shelves, and food organizers to show buyers how efficient the space actually is.
  
  
• Unfinished Basement Space
  An unfinished basement adds valuable square footage to your home. Even though the space isn't glamorous, it's usable. Give this space a meticulous cleaning and complete any necessary repairs. Remove blinds and drapes so that natural light can enter your basement. After decluttering and organizing its contents, add a couple of decorative items to lend a cozy atmosphere to the space. 

If you're ready to sell your home, but have concerns that your spaces won't show well, contact us today to schedule an appointment with one of our agents. We'll help you figure out what changes you need to make to ensure your home looks its best.

It's a common misperception that the real estate market comes to a halt when the holidays come to town. The reality is that many people are looking to put the keys to a new home under the tree. Our REALTORS® are experts at selling homes throughout the holiday season and the following are some tips that can help your home stand out among the bright lights and inflatable Santas in the neighborhood. 

1. Be Delicate when Decking the Halls. You don't want to go overboard with your decorations. Choose a few neutral wreaths, a handful of candles, your tree, and a smattering of the ever-popular poinsettia. Leave the inflatable reindeer and extravagant decorations in the box for next year's celebrations in your new home.
   
   
2. Create a Cozy Ambiance. The smell of hot cocoa, Christmas carols coming through Alexa, and some warm cookies are always a welcome touch. These accents create a comfortable ambiance that is soothing and inviting. This encourages prospective buyers to rest and relax as they look around your home.
   
   
3. Coordinate Schedules with Your Real Estate Agent. You'll want to make sure that your real estate agent doesn't have any long trips planned over the holidays. You will also want to let your real estate agent know your schedule so they know when the home will be available for showings, open houses, etc.
   
   
4. Coordinate with the Title Company, Lawyer, and Bank. As with your real estate agent, you will need to know the availability of these individuals and entities. This information can make closing easier and less stressful for you and the buyer.
     
5. Create a Virtual Tour. Creating a virtual tour of your home allows prospective buyers to view the property when they have time to take a look. It's an invaluable marketing tool that gives buyers the ability to look around while they're shopping, traveling, or waiting for family to arrive from the airport.
   
   
6. Include Year Round Photos. Including photos from spring and summer in your listing shows prospective buyers how the home looks throughout the year. It adds a sense of warmth that can melt hearts and warm buyers up to thoughts of spring picnics and summer BBQs.
      
7. Price the Home Properly. You want to position the home so that it's a good deal that stands out in the marketplace. If your price is too high, buyers will pass it by. If it's too low, buyers will think there's either a problem with the property or that you are in a vulnerable position. Neither is good, and your real estate agent can help you set a price that is attractive and in line with similar properties on the market over the holiday season.
   
   
8. Target Your Marketing. You want to narrow your marketing down to the most motivated buyers in your region. Depending on your area, this could mean focusing on military personnel, real estate investors, buyers looking to take advantage of tax breaks, recent college graduates, or new/relocating employees of companies that are expanding at the start of the year.
   
   
9. Spruce up the Landscaping. While snow may cover the landscaping some of the time, you can't count on it to cover every blemish. Make sure that your trees are trimmed, leaves are raked, and any dead plants, etc. are removed from the yard. 

Contact us for more information about selling your home over the holidays. Our team will answer your questions and help you develop a solid marketing strategy for your property.