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Click Here to see Santa Clara County Market Update Trends At A Glance
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| How to Set the Stage for Home Buyers |
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In a hot market, selling your home may be easy. Selling it for top dollar takes a little more work. To achieve this, staging is the way to go. This is the process of beautifying your home to appeal to as many potential buyers as possible.
Many people can't visualize the possibilities within a room, so staging helps the buyers as they view your home. The goal of staging is to transform your home into an environment so inviting that buyers can imagine themselves living in your space.
Creating this buyer-ready environment takes talent, and it can be a critical step for a fast sale.
What does a stager do?
A good stager improves the interior and sharpens curb appeal as well. Today, most buyers see pictures online before choosing which homes to tour. Staging ensures that yours is seen in the best possible light. It makes your listing stand out
from the competition.
While some people actually replace all the furniture, smart staging may mean anything from stripping your home of personal photographs and knick-knacks to cleaning the rugs or polishing floors. You may need to deep-clean bathrooms or clear kitchen counters. The stager may suggest painting everything a warm and inviting - but always neutral - color.
How much does staging cost?
The cost of staging ranges from a few hundred to many thousands of dollars, depending on the reputation of the stager, the size of the property, and the quality and quantity of fixes required. The final results can be well worth the investment. If you live in a neighborhood where several homes are listed, staging may mean a quicker sale at a better price.
Can I stage my home myself?
Of course, you can try to stage your home yourself, but it's hard to be objective about your own things. A fresh pair of eyes can make
all the difference - which translates into dollars. |
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| Quick Cacao Facts for Chocolate Lovers |
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Did you know February isn't chocolate's biggest month for sales? Close to 90 million pounds are purchased the week before Halloween. That's nearly double the 48 million pounds sold during the week of February 14.
If you plan to be part of that 48 million, you can further impress your sweetheart with the following knowledge about your Valentine's Day gift. The alluring treat has a history both dark and sweet:
- The Latin name for cacao trees means "food of the gods."
- The word chocolate comes from a Mayan term that means "bitter water."
- Mayans used it in baptisms and marriages.
- Mayans also sacrificed children to ensure a good cacao crop.
- Between 40 and 50 million people are involved in cocoa farming and production.
- The Industrial Revolution made chocolate available to the masses.
- Chocolate drinks can boost energy more than sports drinks.
- Dark chocolate's benefits include increasing memory and attention
span.
- The "buzz" from eating chocolate can outlast the highs produced by kissing.
- To get the benefits of dark chocolate, make sure the top ingredient isn't sugar. |
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| What Meaning Is Hiding Behind Your Bouquet? |
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Roses don't just smell sweet; their colors also communicate messages. Most people know the basics. Red means love. White means purity. Yellow means friendship. However, those meanings change depending on the flowers. A red carnation means flashy. A red chrysanthemum means sharing. Yellow carnations stand for cheerfulness, but secret admirers should send yellow chrysanthemums. Red tulips may declare love, but yellow ones show the sender is hopelessly in love.
It takes more than the proper petal hue to send the best message. Different flowers have their own meanings. Gardenias express joy. Jasmine stands for grace and elegance. Ivy expresses fidelity. Use lilacs for your first love. Be cautious about sending orange blossoms; they stand for fertility.
Keep in mind: bouquets aren't just for romantic lovers. Zinnias, for example, express thoughts of friends. |
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| Wondering How Much Your Home Is Worth? |
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How has the price of your home or rental changed in today's market? How much are other homes in your neighborhood selling for?
If you're wondering what's happening to prices in your area, or you're thinking about selling your house or investment property, I'll be able to help.
Just give my office a call for a no-fuss, professional evaluation.
I won't try to push you into listing with me or waste your time.
I'll just give you the honest facts about your home and its value.
And maybe I'll also give you the "inside scoop" on what's happening in the housing market near where you live!
Just give my office a call or reply to this email to arrange an appointment. Alternatively, stop by at the office. |
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| Should You Sell Your Home Yourself? |
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Despite the prevalence of online tools that can facilitate DIY sales, fewer Americans are choosing to go the route of "for sale by owner" when it comes to selling their homes. According to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), for-sale-by-owner sales represented only 8 percent of 5.25 million real estate transactions in 2015. Why? An economy in recovery, a challenging real estate market, and strict laws and regulations could all have Americans looking for security and peace of mind when it comes to selling their homes.
The for-sale-by-owner approach does have perks. Private sellers can set their own price. They deal with the buyer directly. At the end, they keep the proceeds instead of paying a commission to a Realtor. However, those very same perks have significant drawbacks.
Setting your own price means missing out on the expertise that a
real estate agent has when it comes to pricing a home to sell and encouraging multiple bids. You don't have the know-how that comes with dozens of successful sales. It's easier for buyers (and their agents) to undercut private sellers, and it's difficult for sellers to remain neutral about their own property.
Private sellers also miss out on the strategies and industry knowledge provided by an experienced agent. A real estate agent knows how to market a home properly, how to work with other agents, and how to fulfill the obligations and respect the laws of the real estate industry. It's very easy for private sellers to misstep, costing themselves time and money.
As a seller, you want every advantage available. That means having an agent by your side. |
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Judy Stringari
REALTY WORLD Golden Hills
2680 South White Road
Suite 265
San Jose CA 95148
1-408-313-9067 Cell
1-408-223-3647 Office
1-408-238-6896 Fax |
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| www.JudyStringariRealEstate.com |
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| Judy@RWnetwork.comm |
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| Thinking of Buying a Home? Get My Free Guide |
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Buying a home is a complex process with many factors to consider.
Prepare for the decisions you'll need to make along the way by requesting my free report, "10 Easy Steps to Buying a Home." |
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| Just reply to this email and I'll send it right out to you. |
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| Click here to see a web copy of this newsletter |
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| Quick Quiz |
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Each month I'll give you a new question.
Just reply to this email for the answer.
Who said: "A rose by any other name would smell as sweet?" |
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Recipe: Decadent Rosewater Brownies
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| A simple treat to make your Valentine's Day sweet |
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1 ? cups all-purpose flour |
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1 teaspoon baking powder |
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¼ cup unsweetened cocoa powder |
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8 ounces semisweet chocolate chunks |
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2 teaspoons vanilla extract |
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4 teaspoons rosewater (to taste or optional) |
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| Directions |
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Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9x9-inch baking pan.
Combine flour, baking powder, cocoa, and salt in a medium bowl. Melt butter and chocolate over low heat in a double boiler. Let sit 10 minutes to cool. Whisk sugar, eggs, vanilla, and rosewater together until pale, about 5 minutes. Slowly add chocolate mixture to egg mixture while gently whisking. Add the wet ingredients to the dry flour mixture until just combined, being careful not to overmix. Pour batter into greased pan.
Bake for 25-30 minutes. Set aside to cool, then cut out pieces with a heart-shaped cookie cutter. |
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| Ask the Agent: This Month's Question |
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How can I balance needs versus wants as I home-shop?
Here's the trick to buying your best house: know what you need. Really, you only need a solid roof, good floors and walls, plumbing, heating, and lighting. Everything else is preference.
Imagine your dream home. Review each item that makes it ideal. Ask which items you could live without and which ones you would pay extra to have. Embrace delayed gratification. Items you want are often those you can add later. You can change features such as light fixtures, countertops and paint. Answering these questions can help you determine budgets for the home purchase and future renovations.
Make a list. Think about a home's different features: bedrooms, bathrooms, lighting, landscaping. List characteristics of each. Determine which ones you need to have, would like to have and don't want.
This will help you avoid looking at homes you know don't interest you. |
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