There is good reason that people are attracted to model homes decorated by professionals who have a knack for interior design. You will typically will find wonderfully furnished and decorated rooms that anyone could live in. Wait, did you notice that the operative word here is “anyone”.

Even when they add certain features to visualize subsets of buyers like the computer screen on a desk in the den or a child’s doll sitting in a corner, all the rooms are still fairly anonymous. There is a sense of family, but no specific family… the feeling of personality, but no specific person.

The decorators who set up a model home make it anonymous for good reason. They want buyers to view it as their potential home, not someone else’s. Based on decades if experience, These professionals know that this strategy helps sell houses faster and for a better price.

Why not use this same strategy when showing your home?

It can be done at your home too. And if you need help having a real estate agent like Renee Hahn, who styles homes as a part of her sales approach may be just what you need.

It could be as simple as putting away that soccer trophy, taking down the wedding photo, and boxing those souvenirs from the family vacation at Disneyland. No, you don’t have to completely empty your closets and drawers. Just pack those personal items that can be seen when a potential buyer views a room. Put away toothbrushes, collectibles, even unopened mail. Don’t forget to clear the fridge door, which is often a mosaic of personal items in family homes. It doesn't mean that the home needs to be sterile and void from any warmth and personality, but it does mean that you need to clear cluter, simplify and put your best foot forward for your home.

If you have lots of personal items, consider renting a storage unit for the few weeks that your house will be on the market. It’s worth the investment. You wouldn’t think of buying a birthday cake with a stranger’s name on it. Keep that in mind when you show your home. Make it anonymous!

​Need more ideas for selling your house faster and for the best price possible? Call today.

If you’re lucky enough to get down-payment help under the tree this year (or generous enough to give it), be sure you know the rules around gift funds. It’s not as simple as handing over a wad of cash with a note that says “Happy Holidays! Here’s a little something for your new house.”
Down payment gift funds must meet certain requirements or the gift giver and recipient face trouble down the road. From writing a gift letter to rules around repaying gift money, here are basic facts homebuyers and donors should know.

We all know the drill... We are approaching the new year and everyone is busy making their list of what they will commit to in the new year. Will you get in shape? Try something new? Look for a new job? Renovate your house? The list goes on. But, what about considering some new year's resolutions for largest investment, your home? This article provides some food for thought in this area.

The journey of life is an exciting one that is part intention and planning and part accident. When you reach that chapter of your life that is most often planned where you are considering retirement, there are a number of things to account for... income/savings, family distribution, assets, etc. Jim Vogel has provided this guest blog to help you when thinking through one of your biggest assets, your home.

Understanding the difference between pre-qualification and pre-approval is particularly important as a home seller so that you are prepared to assess the strength of offers that come in while you are selling your home. When a mortgage will be used to purchase your home, there are conditions that need to be met for the mortgage company to approve the purchase for closing. Because final clear to close determination comes well down the road, it represents a certain amount of risk that the deal will close. This article shares a little more insight to help you better understand exactly how much value these bank letters provide.

As we go through the many seasons that comprise our lives, there can sometimes be implications on our home selection. This can take many shapes... needing a larger home, needing a one-story versus two-story home, needing to be closer to something or farther from another. If you are considering downsizing, here are some tips to help you plan.

I remember my mother saying, if it sounds too good to be true, it probably is. iBuyer companies are getting a good deal of attention and interest because of the perceived ease and financial value as an option for selling your home. This was a great article written by Eric Lapin with Old Republic National Title Insurance Company that provides some great insights into the iBuying experience.