Tips on Preparing a Home for Sale and Staging a Home for Sale

"Realizing that you only have one opportunity to make a 'good first impression' in today's over-supplied real estate market is a compelling reason for home owners to properly clean, paint, de-clutter, and stage their single greatest financial investment for introduction to the marketplace. In this market, buyers have many choices and are the engine driving the real estate train. Sellers must look at their property through the eyes of prospective buyers, see the shortcomings, and correct as much as possible as quickly as possible. In this way, sellers will ensure their home is prepared for introduction into a real estate market that is not as favorable to them as it once was.

Here are some specific suggestions on preparing a home for sale:

• Minimize furnishings and accessories to showcase the size of the home.


• Wash all windows (inside and out) to let as much sunshine in as possible.


• Remove old carpeting and shine up those hardwood floors.


• Scrub the tub and replace loose caulking and grout.


• Invest in paint! Buyers today don't appreciate wallpapered walls.


• Sweat equity is now the responsibility of the seller -- not the buyer!


• Perhaps re-purposing some furnishings to different rooms will give a fresh look.


• If you aren't Martha Stewart inspired, contact a staging specialist to get the job done.


• Make certain all systems are in good repair.


• If the seller isn't the best dressed for the ball, they'll end up the wallflower!

Remember ... the presentation of the property is something that you can control. Take charge and invest some effort and a bit of capital. You will increase your dividends many times over!"

Mary Ellen Galaris
Web Site: www.megsteam.com
Email: maryellen@MegsTeam.com
Phone: (978) 882-4464

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"In this new market, it is important than ever to make sure your home shows nicely so it will sell quickly. These are the helpful hints that I tell sellers that they need to do to make their home show well and sell:

1. If your home is decorated in dark or unusual colors, you will need to paint it neutral colors.


2. Clean or paint appliances. The kitchen is one of the most important rooms in the house.


3. Paint the front door and make sure you have a nice pot of flowers near the entryway, especially if spring is in the air.


4. Make sure there is no clutter in the home. Make sure the closets are organized.


5. Have a garage sale, or start packing unwanted items to make the home feel spacious.


6. Clean all windows so that they sparkle.


7. When showing your home, if you have curtains or drapes that are closed for privacy, make sure they are pulled back to let in light.


8. If your home has any history or some unique features, write them down, and also tell us about the neighborhood. This creates an image in the buyer's mind of how it would be to live in your home.


9. If you have furry family members, make sure they are out of the way when a buyer is looking at your home. Even if the buyer is an animal lover, it might take away from showing your home.


10. Make sure that your home is priced correctly in this market. Buyers are very educated today with prices of homes for sale, and if you are overpriced you will only help sell your competition.


11. Help the buyer with some closing costs. That will make your home stand out.


12. In the warmer weather, make sure your lawn is green and the yard is not full with clutter, and if your shrubs are overgrown, cut them back to feature the home.

The most important principle to understand about selling your home is that 'presentation is everything.'"

Sean K Connelly
Web Site: www.MoveInNewEngland.com
Email: sean@seankconnelly.com
Phone: 781-479-4479

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"I consistently give sellers this advice on preparing a home for sale:

Don't put your house on the market until it is 'show ready.' To me this means: take care of those repairs you never got around to, make sure the furnace has been serviced recently, that the dripping faucet has been fixed, that the yard is weeded, and free of junk. De-clutter!

I usually bring in an interior designer who will walk around with the homeowner and make suggestions on what should stay and what should go, maybe re-arrange some of the furniture, and suggest paint colors if painting is recommended.

Sometimes I will suggest a pre-sale inspection if the house is old or in poor shape. This pre-sale inspection would be so that we know what the issues are and the homeowner can make repairs or price the house accordingly.

Also, de-personalize the house, which may mean putting away a lot of those family photos or personal collections. Buyers want to visualize themselves in the space, which is hard to do with too many reminders of the current occupants.

Finally, clean! Make it shine. The reason we call it 'staging' is because your house is 'on stage' - competing with other homes for the hearts and minds of the potential buyers. All that work up front will put you in the best position for a successful sale."

Tina McManus
Web Site: www.YourNorthShoreHome.com
Email: TinaMcManus@Remax.net
Phone: 978-882-4387

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"Here are some tips for preparing a home for sale that we tell our sellers:

• Decluttering is the most important.


• Kitchen counters should be clear of everything.


• Basements, garages and attics should be cleaned out and items condensed.


• Store away most personal belongings ie photos, toys, knick knacks.


• Clean out closets and arrange them in an orderly fashion.


• Clean the carpets and windows.


• Keep the paint colors neutral and touch up any areas.


• Yard should be mowed and shrubs trimmed.


• Keep animal scents under control."

Jennifer Anderson and Ron Goulart
Web Site:www.jenandron.com
Email:jen@jenandron.com
Phone:978-281-1260

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Things to Love About Salem, Massachusetts

1. Halloween. Every year in Salem, Halloween is a month long celebration known as “Haunted Happenings.” The Haunted Happenings celebration bills itself as “America’s Halloween Festival,” and kicks off in early October with a parade known as the “Grand Parade.” It’s not unusual to see people dressed up in costumes any day in October, at any time. Halloween itself is like one big outdoor costume party with street vendors selling Halloween-related items as well as food and drink.

2. Salem is a walk to everything city: the train, the bus, the grocery store, the bank, restaurants and live music, the park, the common, the dog park, the waterfront, you name it!

3. Dogs! Believe it or not, Salem is very dog friendly! You can walk through the city and see that the local businesses have water bowls out for dogs!! Salem has a dog park with a large fenced in area, and many wonderful other parks.

4. Salem has culture! Music and lots of it; Salem is going to have its first annual Soul and Jazz Festival at Salem Willows this summer. The Peabody Essex Museum is a world class museum; we have a thriving art community: art galleries and Artists Row (where local artists have formed a co-op to sell their wares). Don't forget the Picklepot that sells items made by local artists.

5. Tremendous night life. Many Salem bars and clubs have excellent live music. Specific recommendations include Rockafellas, Dodge Street, Edgewater Café, and Bangkok Paradise. For a more low key evening, take in a movie at Salem’s own movie theater, Cinema Salem.

6. Salem has exceptionally wonderful restaurants! Indian, Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Seafood, American, Mexican, Italian, and neighborhood restaurants. You name it, Salem’s got it. Specific recommendations include Strega, The Old Spot, Passage to India, The Grapevine, The Lyceum, Finz, Bella Verona, Red’s Sandwich Shop, In a Pig’s Eye, and the Front Street Coffee House.

7. History. Not just the famous Salem Witch Trials of 1692, but also the rich maritime history (including pirates). And don’t forget the colonial history either.

8. Stunning, must-see architecture. Some highlights include the McIntire Historical District and many of the homes located near Salem Common. One great way to view some architectural highlights is to go on the annual Christmas House Tour run by Historic Salem. Be sure to visit the House of the Seven Gables and the Witch House also.

9. The waterfront area, including the Custom House, Pickering Wharf, and Salem’s own tall ship, “The Friendship.”

10. The cobblestone streets give Salem a historic feel.

11. Salem is one of the most affordable communities on the North Shore.

12. Salem Common. Also known as Washington Square, this 9 acre park of public land is primarily used for concerts and other large public gatherings.

13. Convenient transportation options. Salem Ferry runs to Boston. The MBTA Commuter Rail travels from Salem Depot to Boston as well.

14. Education. Thousands of students attend Salem State College every year and it doubles as one of the largest employers in Salem. For younger students, Salem has an abundance of public and private schools. Foundation for Salem Public Education holds an annual Spring Auction each year at the Hawthorne Hotel. This year's date is Thursday, April 5th, 2007. Channel 5 anchor Susan Wornick will return for the 2nd year as the celebrity auctioneer. Silent Auction is from 6:00-8:00 PM and then the Live Auction is from 8:00-9:00 PM.

15. The Essex Street Pedestrian Mall and the many unique shops throughout the city.

16. Winter Street during a snowstorm.

17. Winter Island (Marine Recreational Park).

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The following RE/MAX Advantage agents contributed to this list:

Maggie Gibson
Buyer Agent for the Sullivan Team
Web Site: www.sullivanteam.com
Email: maggie@sullivanteam.com

Jenny May
Web Site: www.jennymay.biz
Email: jenny@jennymay.biz

Karyn Reardon
Web Site: www.megsteam.com
Email: karynreardon@comcast.net

Staff members Nikki and Alice also contributed to the list.

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RE/MAX Advantage Real Estate's Salem, Massachusetts office is located at:
143 Washington Street
Salem, MA 01970
978-740-2333

Thoughts on the current state of the real estate market on Massachusetts’ north shore from RE/MAX Advantage real estate agents

"I think there is more buyer inquiry in January 2007 than there was in January 2006. It seems as though sellers are beginning to adjust to a declined market in regards to pricing of new inventory. There is still an abundance of inventory on the market. Homes which have been on the market for 6 months or longer are now competing with new to the market properties. I think it is a more level playing field for buyers and sellers. It is still a great time to be a buyer and sellers must adjust to market changes in regards to price."

Margaret Belmonte
Web Site: www.margaretbelmonte.com
Email: margaret@margaretbelmonte.com
Phone: 978-927-2737

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"Based on the inventory currently on the market now, which is over 5,000 more homes as compared to last year at this time and with anticipation of an increase in property coming on the market for spring, I see no change in the direction of prices in our declining market. If interest rates go up, the price decline will be even deeper.

I see no change in this price direction until our inventory does a drastic decline and I see no signs of this happening in the near future. Therefore, pricing in this market is all important."

Pat Fenton
Web Site: www.patfenton.com
Email: pat@patfenton.com
Phone: 978-524-8717

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"Here is the latest on the streets of Beverly, MA as it pertains to single family housing with a price range between 260 and 460. The new year sparked a ton of interest with potential buyers looking to purchase a home in 2007. Potential buyers have increased dramatically with over 40 people at some of our open houses in a 2 hour window. This is positive for sellers, however the buyers can be patient and will make sure they are getting the best deal possible. Sellers need to do the extras on the home while preparing it to sell, otherwise the house will not achieve its full value or worse will not receive any offer.

The market appears to be stabilizing with inventory not being as large as it has been in the past. 2007 is a good year for buyers as many sellers understand the market has come down and are willing to still sell their property. Many buyers are still cautious and are constantly watching the market as well as keeping up with the latest trends in housing. 2007 should be slightly better than 2006 based upon the number of potential buyers looking so early in 2007. It appears that we may have a productive spring market if sellers listen to professional real estate agents and not listen to their friend who sold their house two years ago and received a large sum of money. Like the great Kenny Rogers sings about, 'You got to know when to hold ‘em and know when to fold ‘em.'"

Mike Cotraro
Web Site: www.teamcotraro.com
Email: cotraro@teamcotraro.com
Phone: 978-882-4425

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"A positive change in the perception of our current Cape Ann market can be gauged by comparing the number of under agreement (UAG) properties now vs. the same time last year. It's what I like to call 'the pipeline.' I'm happy to say that in Gloucester, the number of UAG single families is up from 2 to 20 (+900%), condos from 5 to 14 (+180%) and multis from 0 to 3 (+300%).

Buyers last year were afraid to buy because many were worried about a 'bubble': 'if I buy it today, it might be worth substantially less in the very near future.' According to the current number of under agreement properties, those fears have all but disappeared and, once again, real estate is going 'under agreement' and selling. And, as most of us in the trenches said, 'There is no bubble. The market will correct, but not drastically.'"

Kenny MacCarthy
Web Site: www.kennymaccarthy.com
Email: kenny@kennymaccarthy.com
Phone: 978-758-0983