Home Staging During the Holidays

Home Staging During the Holidays

by | Nov 21, 2022 | Homes

Did You Know?

Staging your home for showings during the holidays can be a fine balancing act. You want to enjoy the season with the decorations you are accustomed to and traditions that your family enjoys. But you cannot overwhelm a buyer with too many personal and ornamental things or they are unable to see the house or imagine themselves in it.

Say welcome with a wreath on the door.
A simple lush wreath on the door is enough of a welcome. A blow-up Santa using a noisy air compressor on the lawn should stay in storage.

One tree is enough.
Find the perfect spot to display a tree and keep the size balanced with the area. Simple small lights and generic ornaments are much better than a themed tree that pay homage to an interest or experience your family has.

Decorate the mantle.
If you have a fireplace, a simple garland with ornaments or hanging stockings will be just right. Put the pictures of pets with Santa Paws up, but put the string of Christmas cards received away during showings. Keep it simple and uncluttered so the potential buyers and see the mantle.

Smell the cookies.
Baking a pan of cookies using a tube of ready-made dough, 30 minutes before a showing, will fill the house with cheer and hide minor smells that may turn buyers off.

Hear the songs.
Playing Christmas carols on LOW VOLUME in the kitchen or living room of your home will complete the simple but effective holiday staging.

Keep it simple for showings during the holidays to find a buyer who simply can’t resist.

The Nose Knows

The Nose Knows

by | Nov 11, 2022 | Idaho

Did You Know?

Showing a house during the holidays is a challenge. You have decluttered, cleaned, staged, and primped up the curb appeal. Don’t waste all that hard work by forgetting to tackle the air quality in your home.

Being greeted with an odor in a house is not the first impression you want to make. It’s important that the house smell CLEAN. Not perfumed or roiling in scented candle smells. Sometimes perfumed air is worse than the odor that is being covered.

Pet odor
You can take your pets out of the house, but you must neutralize their odor in the house. Keep their beds and lounging areas super clean. Launder their beds and keep them groomed and clean.

Smoke
Smoking in a home permeates the carpets, draperies, and upholstery. If you must smoke, I suggest you do it outside while trying to sell your house. Sprinkling baking soda on the carpet, allowing it to absorb the pet and smoke odors, will go a long way.

Vacuum
Enough said.

Food smells
Pay attention to what you cook the day of a showing and the day before a showing. Frying fish not only puts an oily smell into your house, but a fishy one as well. Cooked cabbage and brussels sprouts do not create a feeling of hominess to many people. Save the robust-smelling meals that you and I love for an outdoor kitchen or until after the house sells.

For an emergency air freshener:
Add water to a saucepan or small crockpot along with a fresh lemon or lime that has been sliced or quartered. Add in a spice you may have on hand, like a cinnamon stick or basil. Simmer very slowly, being sure not to let it simmer dry.

Refresh for the Holidays

Refresh for the Holidays

by | Nov 4, 2022 | Homes

Did You Know?

The holiday season is fast approaching. The kick-off is 3 weeks away with Thanksgiving. There is still time to organize some last-minute updatets to your home. Consistently doing small updates go a long way to protecting the market value and keeping your home current and enjoyable.

Paint the front door. It adds to curb appeal, first-impressions and is a welcome to your guests. Use a new color that is subtle and blends with the style and color of your home, or just keep the existing color fress and the door in good repair. Ask the professionals at your local paint store for help if you are choosing a new color.

Change hardware. Changing out the hardware in your home can have a big impact on the feeling. You can do a lot or a little. The biggest impact is changing cupboard door pulls in your kitchen and/or bathrooms. Be sure to measure and count the size and number of pulls you need before shopping. There are a lot of choices, so bring several styles home in small amounts, before buying the whole number needed.

Paint a room. A fresh coat of paint is not only a cost-effective way to update the look of a room, but it also provides a fresh, clean feel and smell. Try a new color, or simply refresh the existing color. Either way, painting a room will maintain the market value of the home.

Light Fixtures. Often overlooked, replacing outdated light fixtures can make a huge statement. During the holidays when you may have family and guests around your table, changin out a dining room chandelier or fixture can easily transform and update the room. Use an online guide for sizing and hanging advice to be sure your choice is the correct aspect and provides enough light for the room.

Change light switch covers. Dirty or borken light and plug-in switch covers are easy and inexpensive to change. As with the hardware, the choices are plentiful from decoratives ones to simple plastice new and clean ones.

Fall Back Daylight Savings

Last Reminder!
November 6, 2022 @2:00am
Fall back! It’s that time again where we mess with our internal clocks and we turn our physical clocks back one hour and get an extra bit of sleep.

 

Halloween and Fall Back 2022

Halloween and Fall Back 2022

by | Oct 31, 2022 | Idaho

Did You Know?
Halloween and Fall Back 2022

Halloween gadgets to keep your property safe and Welcome Trick-or-Treaters

Switchmate smart light, clips directly over a standar wall switch and with the included app, you can control your lights with your smartphone.

Ring video doorbell. See and talk to anyone who rings your doorbell with your smartphone, tablet, or PC. It includes a two-way intercom, a one-way camera, and apps for both Android and IOS.

Maxsa’s Solar-Powered Security Spotlight. Wireless and powered by energy from the sun. Powerful LED lights are automatically turned on with mothion is detected after dusk. This means you don’t have to have an outlet or electrical wiring to light up an area.

Keep Halloween safe for Trick-or-Treaters

  • Bright and refelective costumes for the kids
  • Avoid fake weapons as props that could be mistaken for real weapons
  • Drivers be extra cautious, especially at intersections

Fall Back Daylight Savings

November 6, 2022 @2:00am
It’s time to claw back the hour we gave up at the begining of the year. Turn your clocks back one hour before you go to sleep and relish in an extra hour of relaxation.

It will start all over again when you lose that hour on Sunday, March 12, 2023 when we spring forward.

Fall Listings, Better Odds

Fall Listings, Better Odds

by | Oct 25, 2022 | Uncategorized

Did You Know?
Fall Listings, Better Odds

If you think you have missed the time of year to list and sell your home…you may be wrong. Although the popular time to contemplate selling is spring and summer in most markets, it turns out fall is the second most productive time to list and sell a property.

Fall listing usually finds the inventory depleted, so the competition is restrained with a more muted selling climate and it allows buyers and sellers to get what they want without the pressure to make quick decisions as it may in the spring and summer.

For any time of year, preparing your property to be listed means preparing it to look its best.

Curb appeal is the new Web Appeal. Having an immediate presence on the internet is crucial. Photos are now creating the first impressions for interested buyers.

Closets should be half empty. That means working hard to declutter and either get rid of excess stuff, packing it away in the garage, or renting a storage unit while the property is actively on the market.

The first two weeks on the market are crucial. The listing price should be solid and supportable. It is no time to “test” the market or to think that a “reduced” sign will not be harmful to achieving full market price for your property.

Don’t wait for spring to list your property if you are ready now. There are advantages to listing any time of year and Lezamiz Real Estate Co. knows how to utilize all seasons for the best outcome and top dollar.