Home prices across the U.S. are rising at their fastest rate since the Great Recession according to the S&P/Case-Shiller U.S. National Home Price Index. This 20-City Composite Index measures all nine U.S. census divisions. It is believed that this increase reflects low mortgage interest rates but have you ever wondered how people ‘flip’ their homes for a profit while others have homes that languish on the market and barely receive any offers? Welcome to the world of home staging, a technique once the preserve of realtors that has become decidedly more popular among homeowners. Here are five ways to set up your home to help it sell faster.

#1: Buy a Seller’s Home Inspection

No, home inspections aren’t cheap, but they aren’t just for homebuyers either. Paying for a home inspection shows you are a serious, well-informed seller. A report from a licensed home inspector is worth many times its initial outlay. Paying for an inspection of your own home lets you deal with insect damage, damp or mold before the buyers’ inspector discovers it. Inspection reports also help you build rapport and trust with potential buyers. Providing a serious potential buyer with a copy of your report shows you are fully aware of the condition of your home.

#2. Pay for Self Storage

Most realtors advise clients to remove personal items and effects from their homes if they are serious about selling. If you lack the space to move things into, self-storage units may be the answer. Many modern units are climate controlled with 24/7 drive-up access. Although it may seem unnecessarily costly to rent a storage unit, you may have to rent space anyway if you close the sale of your home before buying a new one. Look at it in terms of getting one-step ahead.

#3. ‘Declutter’ Your Home

The concept at the heart of home staging is ‘decluttering’. This means removing as many personal items as possible from your home. This creates something akin to a ‘blank canvas’ onto which potential buyers can project their own ideas about your home. The theory is that homes full of clutter such as kids toys and pet mess are likely to deter buyers who can’t visualize what the home would look like should they choose to buy.

#4. Decorate in Neutral Colors

Your beloved blood-red living room carpet may not be to everyone’s tastes. Redecorating and painting your home in neutral whites or creams is a smart move. Some serious sellers even go so far as to replace their carpets. Try as much as possible to create a blank canvas that helps homebuyers picture themselves living in your home.

#5. Try Leasing Staging Furniture

It may sound extreme, but one way to get that showroom look is to lease furniture. Many firms offering furniture leasing will accommodate this idea. They will deliver furniture to your door and collect it as soon as your home sells.

In conclusion, following the advice in this article may not be cheap but the rewards can be immense. These strategies can add value to your home and at the very least ensure that your home sells for its true value.

Real Estate Agent Stephanie Hawthorne

My name is Stephanie Hawthorne and I’m a top-producing Colorado Springs real estate agent who serves both buyers and sellers throughout the local area to include Fountain, Fort Carson, Woodland Park, Divide, and Monument.

I have lived in Colorado for 24 years and have called Colorado Springs my home where my husband and I raise our two children Haven and Jackson. As a local real estate agent, I’m very familiar with the Colorado Springs. For that reason, I can help you find a home in Colorado Springs, CO or sell your home in Colorado Springs, CO.

After 19 years in the real estate business and six years working with another local real estate office here in Colorado Springs, I decided to take my years of experience and motivation and open my own real estate office.

When searching for a Colorado Springs real estate agent, I know you have a choice. It’s that choice that drives me and my team at The Real Estate Group to always work harder than our competition for you.

For those of you proudly serving in the military and visiting my website, thank you for your service and commitment to our great country! I grew up in a military family and, given the chance, would be honored to serve you. As a military relocation specialist, I also understand the challenges military families face when relocating and can help your transition be a smooth and less stressful one.

Please, call me at 719-536-4444 or email me at Stephanie@SellingCO.com for a no obligation and free consultation and see for yourself why so many past clients, and now friends, have been so happy with my service.

Home staging is a popular term used today that indicates the process a person uses to get their home ready for sale. You can stage your home yourself if you like, or you can hire a professional home stager. Either way, the goal is the same – to present your home in the best possible light in order to make a great sale!

Having your home staged offers the opportunity to make it comparable to other homes on the market or to even stand out from them. A staged home will be neat, uncluttered and allow a home buyer to visualize the space as his own. A well-staged home will draw attention to the home’s unique features, rather than making the focus on furnishings and accessories. A staged home takes the everyday normal home to a new level of freshness. It becomes an inviting place, one that is interesting to potential buyers.

Good First Impressions

The first impression a home buyer gets is important. Hiring a home stager to set the tone for your house can help boost a first impression. A professional home stager has experience working with a broad variety of homes and will have ideas to implement that you might not have thought of. A stager may also have props to loan or rent you that will add pizzazz to your home.

Saves You Money

Often, in an effort to improve their home’s look, homeowners will spend money on things that are unimportant to a buyer. A big screen TV might be impressive, but a home buyer will look beyond it. He’s concerned with what comes with the house. Upgrading the showerheads in the bathrooms may seem like a good idea, but won’t likely become the selling feature of the home. Replacing a rusty mailbox, however, might make a difference.

Costly additions such as hardwood flooring or new kitchen cabinetry may tempt a seller to list the house at an inflated price in order to earn back what he’s spent. Unfortunately, doing so may price it out-of-reach for many buyers. Changes of this nature must be carefully calculated.

A home stager can advise you on the right types of changes to make on your home. Often there are cheaper cosmetic improvements that will perk up the look of your home. Even re-arranging the furniture in some homes can make a huge difference. A home stager may also have items such as new appliances, furnishings or accessories they will rent you, saving you from purchasing them.

Before making major changes to your home, why not consult with a professional home stager to get their opinion?

You Decide

Your home is an important financial asset. Of course, you should have the final say on what changes are made to it and how much is spent on getting it ready for sale. When you hire a home stager, have that important discussion together and make your wishes known. Set timelines and a budget you’re happy with.

In the end, the home-stager is on your side. The goal is to sell your home as quickly as possible at a price that meets or exceeds your expectations.

Having your own personal home stager can take a lot of pressure off you at what, in most cases, is a stressful time. Why not look into the idea of hiring a professional home stager and see if it’s for you?

Real Estate Agent Stephanie Hawthorne

My name is Stephanie Hawthorne and I’m a top-producing Colorado Springs real estate agent who serves both buyers and sellers throughout the local area to include Fountain, Fort Carson, Woodland Park, Divide, and Monument.

I have lived in Colorado for 24 years and have called Colorado Springs my home where my husband and I raise our two children Haven and Jackson. As a local real estate agent, I’m very familiar with the Colorado Springs. For that reason, I can help you find a home in Colorado Springs, CO or sell your home in Colorado Springs, CO.

After 19 years in the real estate business and six years working with another local real estate office here in Colorado Springs, I decided to take my years of experience and motivation and open my own real estate office.

When searching for a Colorado Springs real estate agent, I know you have a choice. It’s that choice that drives me and my team at The Real Estate Group to always work harder than our competition for you.

For those of you proudly serving in the military and visiting my website, thank you for your service and commitment to our great country! I grew up in a military family and, given the chance, would be honored to serve you. As a military relocation specialist, I also understand the challenges military families face when relocating and can help your transition be a smooth and less stressful one.

Please, call me at 719-536-4444 or email me at Stephanie@SellingCO.com for a no obligation and free consultation and see for yourself why so many past clients, and now friends, have been so happy with my service.

Many households are struggling with the current economy, and foreclosure may seem just around the corner. Foreclosure is a final act that has many financial consequences, so alternatives should always be researched and discussed before making the decision. Not only do foreclosures leave a family without a home, they can also prevent the family from obtaining a new home later on. Foreclosures can also negatively affect the homeowner’s credit.

1. Manage Your Budget

One of the first things that a homeowner should do before deciding on foreclosure is to figure out whether they can better manage their income and expenses. The homeowner should go over their monthly budget and find any areas where they can improve. They can also attempt to combine or otherwise manage their debt. Sometimes, a homeowner will find that once their monthly budget has improved their home mortgage payments do not seem so steep.

2. Sell the Property Short

Short sales are one of the main ways that a homeowner can get rid of both their mortgage and their property without going through significant financial hardship. Short sales are not called short because of the time period that it takes to sell the home, but rather because the price that the property is sold for is short of the full amount that is owed on the mortgage. The homeowner should be aware that the difference between the original mortgage and the sale price will be considered income to them when they file their taxes. Some mortgage companies do not allow short sales.

3. Remortgage the Home

If a homeowner can deal with a reduced monthly payment, a refinancing or remortgaging can be the ideal way to keep their home rather than foreclose on or sell it. Homeowners that have extremely high-interest rates can be helped by refinancing at the new, lower interest rates, but this is usually only possible if the homeowner still has at least a moderately good credit score. Homeowners can further reduce their monthly payments by refinancing for a longer term loan, such as refinancing a mortgage that has 14 years left on it for another 30-year term. Refinancing will not work if the homeowner cannot afford the payments even at the reduced rates, or if the homeowner has bad credit.

Even if a homeowner does discover that they need to foreclose on their property it will not be the end of the world. Many households have ultimately decided to foreclose, which means that banks can no longer consider it an uncommon scenario. There are even mortgage companies today that specialize in offering mortgages to prospective buyers that have recently undergone a foreclosure.

Real Estate Agent Stephanie Hawthorne

My name is Stephanie Hawthorne and I’m a top-producing Colorado Springs real estate agent who serves both buyers and sellers throughout the local area to include Fountain, Fort Carson, Woodland Park, Divide, and Monument.

I have lived in Colorado for 24 years and have called Colorado Springs my home where my husband and I raise our two children Haven and Jackson. As a local real estate agent, I’m very familiar with the Colorado Springs. For that reason, I can help you find a home in Colorado Springs, CO or sell your home in Colorado Springs, CO.

After 19 years in the real estate business and six years working with another local real estate office here in Colorado Springs, I decided to take my years of experience and motivation and open my own real estate office.

When searching for a Colorado Springs real estate agent, I know you have a choice. It’s that choice that drives me and my team at The Real Estate Group to always work harder than our competition for you.

For those of you proudly serving in the military and visiting my website, thank you for your service and commitment to our great country! I grew up in a military family and, given the chance, would be honored to serve you. As a military relocation specialist, I also understand the challenges military families face when relocating and can help your transition be a smooth and less stressful one.

Please, call me at 719-536-4444 or email me at Stephanie@SellingCO.com for a no obligation and free consultation and see for yourself why so many past clients, and now friends, have been so happy with my service.