Home Staging for a Quicker Sale and Better Price

Unlike its reputation for being costly, home staging has simple principles, according to the on line site, RIS Media.

The sentimental attraction that owners have to items in their home will often cause them to be reluctant to eliminate items that clutter the appearance of rooms. Staging is about clearing the room and showing floor space. Moving furniture off the wall and leaving some space for pictures (not family photos) is a big part of staging.

Minimizing the amount of furniture is an important part of staging. That means not adding a convenience table next to a chair just so you can put a glass of water there. It means showing off the space.

Staging includes decorating dining tables as if you are preparing for a meal or party. Game tables should show games in action.

Keep TVs off and music soft or jazzy - not strong like rock music. Fresh flowers rather than fake flowers are the rule, and white towels are more effective than colored.

Professional stagers often can use the furniture you already have, but you don't have to use a professional. The goal of staging is to make your home appeal to the broadest range of buyers. This means the buyer should be focused more on the house and its elements that have attracted the buyer.

Furniture placement on a budget

So, you have a new home, but how do you fill up the spaces with your furniture? About.com has some advice on budget decorating and basics of furniture placement.

Make the most of furniture placement of what you have available if you are decorating on a budget. Remember to assure you have room to open doors fully, that you have pathways to other rooms, that the furniture is placed in a way that you get the "feel" you want (i.e. cozy, formal), and that there is flexibility in seating if you want to use the room for entertaining or other special needs.

Some furniture placement guidelines to consider:
1. Designers typically allow 48-100 inches between the sofa and side chairs, but adjust to meet the room size and your family's needs.
2. Normal placement of a coffee table in front of a sofa is 14-18 inches, but adjust for comfort.
3. Allow three feet for traffic spaces, but lots of children or large family members may require more than three feet.
4. An average adult needs 20 inches of depth for a dining room chair plus 16 inches to scoot back the chair from the table but, again, adjust for comfort. To serve guests, you may want to allow 46 inches between the wall and dining table.
5. To get out of bed comfortably, allow at least 24 inches between the bed and the wall and you may want to allow 36 inches between the end of the bed and the bedroom or bathroom door.

Guidelines should be adjusted for your family and are approximate. Allow for your lifestyle too, such as entertaining needs.

To enjoy your home more fully, think carefully about furniture placement!

Economic Stabilization Act - What it Means for Consumers

On October 3, 2008 the Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008 was signed into law by President Bush after passage by the House and the Senate.

According to Richard Gaylord, President of the National Association of Realtors® (NAR), the bill may not be perfect; but many Realtors® believe several additions make the bill more favorable than the previous version. Raising the FDIC insurance limit and other measures are considered advantageous to protect taxpayers. Consumers may have faced dire consequenses, according to Gaylord, without passage of the bill.

The NAR, of which I am a member, will continue to work with Congress and the Administration to assure measures included in the bill are implemented quickly so the needs of Main Street - your needs - will be placed right up front.

Home Trends in Chattanoog, TN

Chattanooga has not been as negatively impacted by the housing crisis as some communities. A visit to on-line trulia real estate search provides a wealth of information on trends of home listing prices and median sales prices in Chattanooga, TN.

Current information is available and reveals the following: The average listing price of a home in Chattanooga as of 9/17 was $269,337. The median sales prices of a home was $109,975. There were 1,381 homes for sale, and 1,511 that were sold as of this date. From June 08 through August 08, the average sales price of a home went down -.04%. Volkswagen is brining in more employees each week, and they will all need homes.

Buyers are available to look at sellers' homes, and sellers continue to be mobile and need to sell their homes.

Call me today for assistance. I promise to represent your personal needs in an assertice manner.

Ten Ways to Make Your Home More Safe

Homeowners want their home to be a safe place but often are not sure of ways to provide greater safety for themselves, their family, and friends. A wise homeowner will look around their home with an eye to safety and protection from disaster. According to www.72hours.org, there are ten SIMPLE STEPS a homeowner can take to make his/her home more safe and secure. They are:
1) Install a working smoke detector.
2) Move beds away from windows.
3) Move mirrors and heavy objects away from where people sit.
4) Keep hallways and exits clear.
5) Store heavy items on the lowest shelves.
6) Keep a fire extinguisher readily accessible on each floor.
7) Store flammable and reactive chemical securely and separately from each other.
8) Secure pictures and wall hangings.
9) Be sure your home number is visible from the street so emergency responders can see it.
10) Ensure window safety bars have an emergency release.

Taking the time to follow these simple steps can help protect you and your loved ones and your home. Be alert to potential hazards and make your home a safer place to enjoy.

Complicated Thought Patterns of Buyers & Sellers

In this time of uncertainty in the financial industry and housing markets, undertand how buyers and sellers think is important. According to Wendy Cole in the September 2008 issue of Realtor magazine, buyers and sellers can appear whimsical and irrational in some of their decision making.

How do we determine what buyers and sellers really want?

According to Cole, "the potential for misunderstanding and mistrust is enormous." Perceptions of what the other person is thinking can be off. Cole notes a professor of behavioral economics at Carnegie Mellon has stated that buyers have an attachment and feel they "own" the home once they have made an offer. This realization should help calm sellers' anxiousness about a buyer's commitment, even in times of uncertainty.

But buyers can be overconfident about whay they know according to Jason Zweig, colulmnist for The Wall Street Journal. According to Zweig, most buyers don't have an answer to the question of "When is the right time to buy?" if asked; but they may be convinced prices will drop further. People fear losing money, and that's rational. Sellers, on the other hand, may become more distressed about a fall in the value of their home than they are in a drop in the value of their stock.

Warning buyers and sellers about what to expect (i.e., a wall of paperwork at closing) can be a smart move to keep perceptions on track. Rather than being frightened off, consumers appreciate honesty in sales people. And that's why this Realtor is determined to keep communication open and honest with her customers and clients. You can bet on it!

The Positivies of a Split-Level Home

Split level homes initially became popular as a new style that some thought were modeled after Frank Lloyd Wright's designs. Split floor plans have a spacious feel, yet make the most of square footage. They often provide greater affordability per square foot while offering a compact feel. The open floor plan often appeals to younger buyers and can provide the space needed for a growing family. Many split levels take full advantage of light on both levels. They offer a short flight of stairs to enter via the front door to the main level which often has more than onen bedroom and bath on a main level. They can provide an open floor plan with a warm impression on entry.

Check out the split level style when looking for a home with good square footage and a family-friendly style. It may be just the style you need and want!

I invite you to let me show you the lovely split-level I have to offer in an established neighborhood with mature shrubs and a clear brook near the new VW plant and Hamilton Place.

Housing Recovery on the Way with Housing Stimulus Bill

According to Lawrence Yun, Chief Economist at NAR Research, a housing recovery is on the way. The recently passed housing stimulus bills should help stabilize the housing market. The American dream of home ownership is more attainable to first time home buyers. More families may be able to refinance into safer and more affordable mortgages, avoiding the devastation of home foreclosure.

One exciting provision of the recently enacted law is the home buyer tax credit. Up to $7,500 will be available to first-time home purchasers as they file their income tax returns. The amount is phased based on income level and is to be no more than ten percent of the purchase price. Yun stated the amount is equivalent to cash on tax returns. The credit will not be available after July 2, 2009. One should take advantage of the tax credit opportunity during this window of opportunity. Although the bill is still being analyzed by NAR, this is technically not a full credit. There are some payback provisions. However, money loses value over time, so this can still be a big boon. Historically, money is worth more now than it will be in the future. One could, for example, pay off a high interest credit card. With greater home buying and selling activity, credit markets should strengthen and mortgage capital flow more freely. Yun estimates nearly 3 million home buyers will take advantage of this tax credit opportunity before the bill expires in 2009. Will you be one of them?

Speaking of Moving - 5 Tips in Preparation for Your Move

According to an article in RISMedia taken from "Home Buying 101," a move and finding a moving company can be made smoother by the following:

1. To obtain a guaranteed or binding quote, have a visual survey of your household goods by a reputable mover. A quote over the phone is not binding, and you don't want the mover to show up asking for additional money.

2. Allow plenty of time for a visual survey, to get a binding and written quote, and to reserve a truck to meet your necessary lead time. If you obtain a quote before your home sells, you will be prepared for the move when your home sells.

3. Accurately represent everything you want to move, including items in the basement and in the attic or any off-site storage. If items are added at the time of moving, the former estimate will no longer be binding. If in doubt, you can always add the items to the original estimate and then take them out.

4. Reputable movers do not ask for a deposit up front. Reputable movers expect payment on delivery. Asking for money up front can be a red flag.

5. Assure that your mover has a good reputation. Relying on price above reputation might leave you disappointed. Moving day may arrive with surprises such as an overflow that has to be transported in another truck and items that might not arrive at the same time. Look for a competitive bid from a professional mover who is certified and reputable. Price is important, but reputation is important too.

Happy Moving!

Pat

Chattanooga - Top Location to Live

According to a 2008 survey, Chattanoog is the third top city to live in the U.S. Check out the following site for details: http://www.relocateamerica.com/tennessee/cities/chattanooga.

Chattanooga thrives compared with many other cities. Tourists and local families enjoy the TN Riverfront development with our Riverwalk that runs from downtown to Chickamauga Dam. We have the Chattanooga Symphony and Opera, several dance and ballet companies, and other art forms. There are numerous festivals and events for old and young, families and singles. The Tennessee Aquarium continues to expand. Volkswagen just announced a new plant will locate in Chattanooga in Enterprise South, just 3.5 miles from a listing I enjoy in a quiet neighborhood near Hamilton Place and major connectors. There are a number of fine magnet and other public schools as well as many private schools in our area. Several universities and junior colleges are nearby. Historial places and parks abound. This is a family-friendly city in a setting that boasts mountains and lakes with beautiful scenery during all four seasons.

Come join us!

Getting Started

Buying or selling a home can be one of the most gratifying and important decisions you make in life. For many people, this is their highest priced investment and where they hold most of their assets. It is their "nest," where they and their friends and family laugh and love. It is a place where they can personalize their lives - how much privacy they want, whether they want to be in a rural community or in the city, whether they wish to be in a townhome with a small yard and close neighbors or in a subdivision with larger square footage and room for their children to play.

Since this is an important decision, using a Realtor® will provide a client with the highest level of services, access to MLS for refined searches, and tools to help you sell or buy your home.

There are many components to the successful buying or selling of a home, and people skills and willingness to work hard are important parts of picking the right agent for you. Your time is valuable, and you want it utilized in a way that brings you success whether you are buying or selling.

I have been in the people business for more than 30 years, whether in my jobs as a human resource officer, RN, manager at an insurance company, in community volunteer work, and currently as a Realtor®. I will reach out to you meet your goals whether you wish to buy a home or list a home.

You can find my contact information at: http://www.upwardrealty.com/staff_directory.html.

You will find my website at www.patbranham.com. I hope to hear from you soon.

Pat