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10 REASONS NOT TO STAGE YOUR HOME

What costs less? ... staging your house before sale or taking a price reduction later?
When you make a decision to sell your house it's only logical to follow the advice of a professional who is helping in your journey to get you to a goal line.
Let's be clear about what the goal is...
to sell your home for most money and in the shortest amount of time.
Once you make a decision to sell, your home is in the transitional stage - it's not your palace anymore  but a real estate commodity. It is a business decision and the seller shall treat it as such.
Present your home in its best light.
First impressions count.
Your home is your business card!

10 REASONS NOT TO STAGE YOUR HOME
Via Janet Jones, Kihei, Maui, Hawaii Home Staging/Interior Redesign (Just Your Style Interiors, LLC):
1.  We want to test the market for 90 days.  And on the 91st day?  Price reduction--and 90 days worth of potential buyers who have already eliminated your property. 
2.  It costs too much money.  I have never seen a home where the staging costs would have exceeded the first price reduction.  And that doesn't even factor in the monthly carrying cost of the home. 
3.  We can't stage the house, we're living in it.  One common misconception is that staging is only for vacant homes.  Every home/condo can be staged, and you can actually live in it after staging.   
4.  We didn't have to stage any of the other properties we sold over the years.  Yes, once upon a time you could generate three offers by 5 p.m. on the same day your Realtor put the For Sale sign in your yard.  Not now.  Buyers are picky and they have a lot of homes to choose from. 
5.  Everyone loves our house so buyers will love it, too.   What you, your friends and relatives love about your house may not be what today's buyer wants.  Sellers are often baffled by the feedback they get after showings--amazed that buyers have found things they don't like about the property. 
6. We can clean the carpets and declutter without someone telling us how.  Yes, you can (and should) do this, but it is a tiny piece of staging.  Do you know what separates  "clutter" from "asset"?  And what about all the other things that staging encompasses, like traffic flows, highlighting architectural features, updating, and appealing to your target market?
7.  We have no desire to remove/change our _______________ (wallpaper/mirrored tile/gold faucets/paneling/dated light fixtures . . .).  And neither do buyers.  Better to keep your home or be ready to sell at a deep discount. 
8.  The view alone will sell this place.  Then why many months later are these great view homes/condos still on the market?  Could it be that buyers want something to go with the view--like a comfortable, move-in ready home?
9.  We would rather let the buyers makes their own paint/flooring choices.  And that equals a price reduction.  If buyers do make an offer on your home they will double or triple the cost of these items and reflect that in their discounted offer price--which includes a deduction for the inconvenience. 
10. Our home is professionally decorated.  A professionally decorated home is tailored to the owner's particular needs.  Does it work for the new buyer's needs?  You could see #1 above . . . .
These are all great reasons--

• for price reductions
• for extended time on the market
• for buyers not coming to look at your home
• for buyers not coming back for a second look

There are dozens of reasons not to stage, but only one good reason to stage--getting your home sold faster for the highest possible price.  Staging is preparing your home for sale and creating a home that buyers want to buy.  If you want to be in the best competitive position in this market today, consult with a professional home stager before listing your property for sale. 

http://www.linkme2okc.com 

Troy & Denise Schroder
Real Estate Advocates
"We specialize in making dreams come true and helping people gain financial independence!"

Keller Williams Real Estate
405-850-5065 (Troy)
405-408-3699 (Denise)
405-948-7502 (Fax)
WWW.TROYHOMES.KWREALTY.COM

WWW.LINKME2OKC.COM
Member of National Association of Realtors
Oklahoma Association of Realtors
Oklahoma City Metropolitan Association of Realtors
https://twitter.com/TroynDenise

Makin a List and Checking it Twice!

•  This is some great information:
   
  If buying a home is on your New Year’s Resolution list for 2013, know this: your biggest challenge will almost certainly be coming up with your down payment and closing costs.
  
  Whether you’re trying to scrape by with 3.5 percent for an FHA loan or you’re planning to put down a full 20 percent, saving for a down payment might be the largest savings endeavor you ever undertake, after retirement planning.
   
  But don’t let that daunt you. Look at it as more of a challenge or a game than a slow-slogging deprivation-driven chore. In fact, I suggest that you add something to your scrounging and saving: scavenging. Finding your down payment money hidden in resources that are right in front of you can be a fruitful and fun angle to take on an otherwise overwhelming goal.
  
  Use this short list of oft-untapped down payment treasure troves to open your eyes to funds that might be hidden in plain sight:
  
  1.  Your budget’s biggest line items. I like to get maximum bang for my buck. And I like to enjoy my life, too, so depriving myself of little luxuries without getting much mileage toward my goal is definitely low on my savings strategies list. But I’ve often found that if you take your top 10 or so monthly expenses, there are almost always at least one or two that you could slash significantly or totally do without, push come to shove: all without feeling as deprived as you would if you cut your daily coffee. 
   
  Home buying is one of those push-meet-shove-type situations. If you’re serious about coming up with your down payment funds, sit down during your holiday off-days, and backtrack over your monthly budget (if you have one) or your last month’s checking account statements. Isolate your top 10 budgetary line items and do an internal gut check on whether there is anything on this list that you can slash or eliminate. 
   
  If this seems obvious or silly to you, don’t scoff before you give it a chance. I have seen buyers do this exercise and decide to:
  

  • move home or to a cheaper place to eliminate rent
  • go from two cars to one to eliminate a car payment
  • cancel cable or switch cell phone service providers to get rid of a hundred bucks or more every month,

  pressing fast-forward on their down payment savings and home buying plans by many months, even years.
  
  2.  Your bad habits. Have you heard yourself say - out loud or internally - I’ve got to stop:
  

  • smoking
  • drinking so much
  • eating out so much
  • eating so much junk
  • watching so much TV
  • drinking so many sugary coffee drinks
  • impulse shopping
  • OSUI:  Online Shopping Under the Influence (it’s a real thing - I promise!)

  - or anything in that vein? Well, each of these are bad habits that cost. And because they are  often engaged in compulsively, they can cost much, much more over time than you have any idea you’re actually spending.  
   
  Again, far be it from me to suggest that someone who works hard every day shouldn’t treat themselves to a coffee or lunch here or there. The fact is, if you deprive yourself too severely, there’s a good chance your efforts to cut back and save will be very short-lived, and possibly even backlash into binging behavior.  But if there’s a habit you’ve been wanting to change for health or other reasons that also costs you a pretty penny, you might find it easier to make those changes when you know you’re doing it in service of your vision of owning a home.
   
  So, make a project of it. Figure out roughly what you’re spending on your bad habit, and set up an automatic saving transfer from your checking account into your down payment savings account. Then, get and leverage some habit-changing resources, like those at ChangeAnything.com or in one of my favorite books this year, The Power of Habit: Why We Do What We Do in Life and Business. Then, when you feel the compulsion to engage in your bad habit, come to Trulia instead and peruse new listings in the price range and neighborhood of your own target dream home - that will help you stay on track by staying mindful of what’s really important.
  
  3.  Your stuff.   
  When you need to save money, there are really only two levers you can pull: you can spend less, or you can make more. Selling stuff you have and don’t use or need is a relatively painless way to make more money to go toward your down payment.  If you’re really serious about home buying, put everything on the table.
  
  I’ve known buyers-to-be who sold any and everything, including:
  

  • cars and motorcycles
  • clothes, costumes, shoes and handbags
  • hobby-related gear (bikes, tools and even costumes)
  • furniture and antiques
  • and electronics, CDs and even books (think: TVs, computers, old smart phones, etc.)

  to fund their down payment and home buying-related debt elimination plans.
   
  Don't underestimate the amount of cash you can bring in from the stuff you already own. Millions of home owners worldwide are now renting out rooms or floors of their current homes for short periods of time on sites like Airbnb and VRBO. Sites like Getaround and Zimride allow you to rent out the extra seats in your car - or the whole vehicle, if you’re not too faint of heart!  
  
  4.  Your skills and time.   One way to make more money, as discussed above, is to liquidate the things you have lying around. Another way is to get to work! Spend your off-time, your evenings and weekends leveraging your professional skills or personal hobbies to bring in some extra cash. A friend of mine recently had a savings target she was trying to reach and actually sent her whole circle of friends an email detailing (a) what she was selling and (b) what sorts of projects she was willing to do to get there - she earned well into the four figures, in less than a month.
   
  Maybe grow things in your backyard to sell at the farmer’s market or, like one enterprising Mom I know, use your baking and cake decorating skills to monetize your kids’ classmates’ birthday parties. Or maybe you’re more interested in cooking, house cleaning, babysitting or dog walking - in fact, another acquaintance of mine has earned thousands of “extra” dollars dog sitting while she works at home. If that sort of thing is not up your alley, think about whether you can help people you know with their small business projects, like research, bookkeeping or office organizing projects. 
   
  Once you get serious about coming up with your down payment cash and decide to be creative about where to find that money, using your skills and your time creatively is a power-packed way to open the financial floodgates. Consider starting out with a simple email to your circle of acquaintances or by listing your services on a site like TaskRabbit.
  
  5.  Your loved ones.   Some folks are fortunate enough to have cash-flush loved ones who would love nothing more than to help you have a home of your own. The best case scenario is to have some idea of what sort of gift money you can count on as far in advance as possible, as it will impact your own savings targets and your lender’s documentation requirements. If you have a parent, sibling or auntie who has mentioned their interest in giving you this sort of gift, it’s not bizarre to bring the subject up, express your gratitude and let them know that you’re planning to buy in 2013 so you can have a detailed conversation about logistics - including their financial, tax or estate planning pros, if it makes sense.
   
  Alternatively, if your home buying plans are timed alongside your wedding plans, graduation plans or new baby due date, consider opening a down payment registry, so well-wishers can funnel their gift funds right into your real estate savings. For example, the federal Dpeartment of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) allows small gifts to be combined in a single savings account and eliminates otherwise onerous gift money documentation requirements with the FHA Bridal Registry program, which is available around weddings and “other legitimate occasions where substantial gifts are typically received by an individual or individuals.”
  
  Touch base with your lender and agent to see whether there are any registry programs that might make sense for your situation.
   
  Finally, buyers who decide to team up with their BFFs, siblings, parents or other loved ones to buy a place they can jointly own and/or live in might be able to structure things so that they have to come up with less down payment money than they would otherwise - the co-buyer comes up with the rest!  Think about whether this sort of arrangement might help you and your loved one accomplish your respective financial and real estate goals, in one fell swoop.
  
  6.  Your employer. Believe, it or not, some employers actually offer down payment and other forms of mortgage assistance to employees. In particular, universities and governmental agencies that employ first responders who are required to live locally for their jobs (e.g., police, fire and other emergency personnel) often have housing assistance programs that can include down payment funds or access to mortgage programs with lower down payment requirements.  
  Even if you don’t work for one of these sorts of agencies, if you are relocating for work, touch base with your HR department to find out whether there are any relocation benefits that can help you make up the difference between the cash you have and the down payment you need to make your move.
  
  7.  Your city, county or state. What you’ve heard is true: there are few, if any, down payment assistance programs still available on a national level. But many states, counties and cities offer their own down payment assistance programs, which are generally available to folks falling into one or more of the following categories:
  

  • first-time buyers (people who haven’t owned a home in the area in the last 3 years)
  • buyers in low- or moderate-income brackets
  • or those buying homes in a particular part of town.

  Your mortgage pro and real estate agent should be able to help you track down any such local programs applicable to you. In fact, this is one great reason to touch base with them at the beginning of your down payment savings adventure versus waiting until the end. But make sure you read up on the programs extensively before you decide to opt into one. Many of them run out of cash over the course of the year, so shouldn’t be counted on; others may require you to repay any assistance received if and when you sell or move - things you should keep in mind at the outset.
   

  Troy & Denise Schroder
  Real Estate Advocates
  "We specialize in making dreams come true and helping people gain financial independence!"
  

  Keller Williams Real Estate
  405-850-5065 (Troy)
  405-408-3699 (Denise)
  405-948-7502 (Fax)
  WWW.TROYHOMES.KWREALTY.COM

  WWW.LINKME2OKC.COM
  Member of National Association of Realtors
  Oklahoma Association of Realtors
  Oklahoma City Metropolitan Association of Realtors
  https://twitter.com/TroynDenise
   
  
  
• 
  

Pay it Forward, it comes back triple fold...Our Real Estate Blog

What's the saying, find something you LOVE and are passionate about and get PAID to do it! I have always wanted to use any J-O-B I was at for an opportunity to minister to others and hopefully make a difference. Today we were out "door knocking" and inviting people to our Open House in the neighborhood. It was strange because nearly everyone we came in personal contact was a widow/widower. My father has been a widower for 10 years just last month after losing my Mom at 50 years young.

I have such an empathetic heart for lonely loved ones left behind. One of the last homes we approached was yet another widower. He had been lost without his wife Betty for 4 years that he lost tragically and suddenly and enjoyed over 63 years of marital bliss. I told him I too, knew the pain of losing someone close too soon and seemingly unfairly.

 When we were leaving we said our farewells. I could feel the gentleman watching us from the porch. He called out to us when we were all the way down the driveway and said with tears rolling down his cheeks, "You don't know how blessed you are to have one another." I started crying and telling him of my loss of my mother and looked over at Troy and we were both teary. Today was a day I had purposefully set out to make a difference and minister to others. But, I felt like even though we did listen and empathize with several hurting people, the real ministering came from a man named Leo. He spoke words that will be forever imprinted on my heart.
We all get overly stressed out, especially this time of year with so much to do and so little time. Leo made me step back and get some much needed perspective. I have a wonderful Godly man that loves me and our family. We need to not sweat the small stuff! I am grateful to have a man that shares my passion in life and real estate, which I realized today God does not just use us to minister, but he puts people in our path to minister to us. So, reach out today to someone you love and tell them how grateful you are to have them in your life. We are blessed to have today, but most certainly absolutely no guarantee of a tomorrow. Sometimes really small things made a BIG impact on us. Today was one of those days....

Troy & Denise Schroder
Real Estate Advocates
"We specialize in making dreams come true and helping people gain financial independence!"

Keller Williams Real Estate
405-850-5065 (Troy)
405-408-3699 (Denise)
405-948-7502 (Fax)
WWW.TROYHOMES.KWREALTY.COM

WWW.LINKME2OKC.COM
Member of National Association of Realtors
Oklahoma Association of Realtors
Oklahoma City Metropolitan Association of Realtors
https://twitter.com/TroynDenise

Don't Sit on Your Hands---Our Real Estate Blog

This is such an objective, informative article and spot on. Wanted to share it with you if you are on the fence about buying or selling a home. Check it out and have a wonderful week. Don't hesitate to call if you have any questions or concerns. We are here to be your real estate resource.

(Money Magazine)

In Money magazine's Make More in 2013, you'll learn what's contributing to a rosier outlook for economic growth, how to get more investment income at a time of super-low rates, and how you can start exploring and how you can start exploring job opportunities again. This installment: Why, as a prospective home seller or buyer, you need to stop sitting on your hands.

After five years of tumult, order and opportunity are finally being restored to the housing market.

Home prices are expected to rise a modest 1% from the fourth quarter of this year to the end of 2013, according to the real estate research firm Fiserv. David Stiff, Fiserv's chief economist, notes that after some choppiness early on, prices should increase 3.4% from the second quarter of 2013 to the second quarter of 2014. In hotter regions out West, you can expect bigger gains.
"Housing is finally turning the corner," Stiff says. "There is no reason to be fearful of further large price declines."

This creates a new playing field for homeowners, who are finally able to sell, as well as would-be buyers who've been delaying a purchase in anticipation that prices would keep falling.
The Mortgage Bankers Association forecasts that more and more house hunters will start coming off the sidelines, with new-home loans for purchases expected to jump 55%, based in dollars, in 2013.
With that increased competition, "the days of buyers sticking it to sellers are over," says Salt Lake City real estate agent Tracie Peay.
Sellers: Don't get too excited just yet. You don't have a viselike grip on this market either. Indeed, for many, it still makes sense to wait to get better prices. This is especially true if you know that you won't be able to break even on your investment by unloading your house now, once you factor in the sales commission and other costs.
That said, don't assume that prices will be off to the races again in a year or two.
Fiserv forecasts that between now and 2017, homes will gain 3.3% a year in value. That's hardly red-hot. But at least the market isn't frozen anymore.
THE ACTION PLAN
Sellers
The price still has to be right
Homes in many markets are selling in a matter of weeks, often attracting multiple bids -- but only the ones that are properly priced. Take San Francisco. Although the city is one of the strongest sellers' markets right now, the average home there goes for 103% of list price, not 120%.
"Buyers aren't going down the road that got so many people in trouble during the bubble," says Dallas real estate agent Mary Beth Harrison.
Focus on the appraisal
Whoever bids on your home will probably finance the purchase. That means any deal is still beholden to a third party.
"You can take the highest offer, but at the end of the day the appraiser has the final say on the value of the home," says David Howell, chief information officer at McEnearney Associates, a real estate agency in the D.C. metro area.
Related: 25 Best Places to Retire
With so much riding on the appraisal -- it can kill an agreement or require renegotiation -- your agent should be present. Harrison has a tip for making sure this happens: "The minute we have an offer, we take the keys off the door to make sure the appraiser has to meet us to get in."
Your agent should also prep a package of pertinent information for the appraiser, says Chicago real estate agent Fran Bailey. That includes the latest comparable sales data and documents detailing any upgrades or renovations to help the seller's cause. "It's part of my job to make sure the appraiser has the correct information," she says.
Buyers
Be ready to deal
With competition heating up, casual house shopping isn't going to cut it anymore. If you are serious about making a move, be prepared:
Three months out. Despite housing's green shoots, getting a mortgage remains incredibly tough. The average FICO credit score for recently denied applications on conventional purchase loans was 729. The score on approved mortgages was 762, with a 21% down payment, monthly payments equal to 21% of household income, and total debt that did not exceed 33% of income.
Related: 10 most affordable cities for homebuying
On the bubble with any of those requirements? Now's the time to burnish your finances. And if you plan to house hunt in the spring, watch your holiday spending.
Deal time. "If you want to buy, you have to be ready to make an offer," says Howell. Plus, your first offer should be very close to your best. "If the house has been on the market for three months or longer, you can be more aggressive," says Bailey. "But if it's a new listing, a low-ball bid will get you ignored."
The Money tracker: What can upset the forecast in the year ahead...
Ben runs out of ammo. Fed chairman Ben Bernanke is lifting housing by buying bonds to keep mortgage rates low. How much longer can he keep that going?
The loss of mortgage deductions. Should the tax break on mortgage interest get cut, that would throw cold water on the real estate recovery.
Sellers sit on the fence. Homeowners could remain on the sidelines as the ranks of buyers grow. In that case, the inventory of homes would shrink even more, lifting prices faster than expected.
Homeowners get bullish. A spate of home construction is already taking place in several major markets. In those regions, the housing stock is likely to stabilize, keeping price gains modest.
Banks loosen their grip. If tight lending standards return to historical norms, realtors argue, the market could see an additional 500,000 to 700,000 home sales next year.
Employer confidence rises. Since jobs are the engine of the housing market, a pickup in hiring later in the year, which economists are predicting, could accelerate a real estate rebound in the second half of 2013.
Make more in 2013:
The economy: What to expect in 2013
Investing: Where to make money in 2013
Jobs: Better chances to get ahead
How we did in 2012

Where the Deals Are

Most major metro areas are expected to see home prices rise slightly next year, but market conditions vary. If you're looking to sell, you're in the driver's seat in many parts of the West. Would-be buyers tend to be in control in the Midwest and Northeast.

Top Markets for Selling	Change in Inventory	Days on Market
Los Angeles	-34%	64
Phoenix	-25%	47
San Jose	-42%	49
Seattle	-38%	50
Top Markets for Buying
Albany, N.Y.	-12%	108
Chicago	-19%	100
New Haven/Stamford, Conn.	-10%	109
Philadelphia	5%	103

Troy & Denise Schroder
Real Estate Advocates
"We specialize in making dreams come true and helping people gain financial
independence!"
Keller Williams Real Estate
405-850-5065 (Troy)
405-408-3699 (Denise)
405-948-7502 (Fax)
WWW.TROYHOMES.KWREALTY.COM <http://www.troyhomes.kwrealty.com/>
WWW.LINKME2OKC.COM
Member of National Association of Realtors
Oklahoma Association of Realtors
Oklahoma City Metropolitan Association of Realtors
https://twitter.com/TroynDenise