The Real Estate Market needs your listing . . . Here's why

The housing market is really heating up and buyer demand is dramatically increasing as we enter the spring season. However, one challenge to the current market is a major shortage of inventory. Below are a few comments made in the last month by industry experts.

Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist of NAR

“Looking ahead, the key for sustained momentum and more sales than last spring is a continuous stream of new listings quickly replacing what's being scooped up by a growing pool of buyers. Without adequate supply, sales will likely plateau."

Jonathan Smoke, Chief Economist of Realtor.com

"Low inventories and tight credit will limit the gains we will see in 2016. However, given the level of pent-up demand evident in web activity and stated buyer intentions for 2016, we should see this spring materialize as the busiest season of sales since 2006."

Rick Sharga, Ten-X's EVP

“Inventory is too low to support much higher sales. There's virtually no inventory available at the entry level, and single family housing starts and permits continue to languish at levels far below where they should be at this point of the recovery.”

David Crowe, Chief Economist of the National Assoc. of Home Builders

“Many sellers may not have an absolute decision as to whether to buy an existing home or a new home. So the low inventory of existing homes is locking them in place.”

Freddie Mac

“Challenges remain, with low housing supply and declining affordability being a key concern in many markets.”

Home Staging Tricks Used by Professionals

It's About Creating Ambiance for Prospective Buyers  

Home staging is a great way to combine how you use your space in your home but to do so in such a way that it is aesthetically pleasing and visually appealing. As you enter the process or even begin to contemplate selling your home there are a few tricks I recommend employing. It is a proven fact that homes that are staged will sell quicker than those that are not. 

Enhance Curb Appeal – Your first impression, prior to a buyer even stepping inside they will notice it’s exterior. Keep the lawn, landscaping and walkways manicured. Ensure the front entry is inviting and I recommend placing flowers and a new doormat to welcome prospective buyers.

Call in Mr. Clean – When you have guests from out of town stay with you, do you clean just a little bit beyond your normal ‘clean’? I know I do, I pull out all my OCD, cleanliness is next to G-dliness.  This is the amount of clean need in your home on a regular basis. Don’t give buyers a reason to think your home is dirty.     

Take out the TRASH. . .Purge – If you don’t immediately need it  donate it, throw it out, sell it or pack it up. I encourage you to have minimum furnishings and belongings as is possible but for your property to still look livable, you need prospective buyers to imagine themselves living in your space.   

Keep it Light – Open all Window treatments and make sure windows are clean. I recommend swaping dark drapery for light sheer fabrics so that rooms look as bright and light as is possible. Sheer panels often diffuse light and make spaces glow giving magical impressions.

Color Unification – Take inventory of your colors painted on the walls as you walk through your home, be mindful of your room transitions from each room. If the living room is blue, and the bedrooms are pink and green, you’re visually chopping up the house giving the impression that rooms are smaller. This will make it feel smaller and less unified. If you’re unsure on colors – use warm camel, beiges, grays and warm whites to unify and enlarge the rooms.

Help buyers want to live there - Your perspective buyers’ picture themselves in your home.  To do this, your personal family photographs, children’s artwork on the refrigerator, and collections should be removed.  Don’t give the buyer a chance to form an opinion of your home based on your taste and personalized belongings. Let them savor your home for its characteristics and not your stuff!

Home buying is an emotional process, so appeal to their senses when staging your home. Soft music playing when perspective buyers enter your home is inviting and welcomed.  The smell of fresh baked cookies (make the night before and pop in microwave quickly before guests arrive) always warms up a buyer.  Soft throw blankets across a reading chair and soft hand towels in the bathrooms will appeal to their sense of touch and will add coziness to your home. With these tips your confidence will show in showcasing your home and an offer will come sooner than you expect. I believe that staging is worth the investment of time, money and energies so that you can sell your home swiftly and begin searching for your new home.