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Denver Real Estate and Mortgage Today |
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January 31st, 2012
What Does Warren Buffet Think About Buying A Home?
Warren Buffet is seen by many as the greatest investor of our time. When he speaks, people listen. Like anyone else in his position of influence, he is criticized by some for using his bullhorn to promote his own business agendas at times. That makes it very interesting when we occasionally learn of how he privately advises those closest to him.
Such a situation occurred this week. Debbie Bosanek, Warren Buffet’s secretary of 37 years, recently purchased a second home in Surprise, Arizona.
In an article in the Omaha World Herald, Mrs. Bosanek discussed her reasons for purchasing a second home and the personal advice she received from Mr. Buffet.
“I just thought it was time to buy a home. Warren tells me that it will be the best opportunity in my lifetime. Mortgage rates are low and prices have dropped dramatically… I share Warren’s view about the future of America, and we believe that our country will do just fine. I’m happy to make this investment.”
The greatest investor of the last century privately has told the people closest to him that buying a home right now “will be the best opportunity in [their] lifetime”.
That’s good enough for us. How about you?
by The KCM Crew on January 30, 2012
December 6th, 2011
The No Highrises in West Highland is a neighborhood group comprised of home owners, renters, and businesses who call the West Highland their home. We have organized to help ensure the historical character and the state-of-health of our diverse business base that is uniquely West Highland is not jeopardized by projects that do not share the neighborhood's values of respectful and intelligent development. Our goal is to provide a clear voice for our constituents with our elected officials and all developers who hope to also call West Highlands their neighborhood.
Go to www.nohighrises.com for more information and sign the petition! Any Denver resident can sign. Remember, these developments can happen ANYWHERE, including your own neighborhood.
October 25th, 2011
Denver home prices are on the rise. Average residential home sale prices (not including Condominiums) in the City and County of Denver over the last 12 months, according to Metrolist data, are up 18% over the 12 months following the stock market crash of 2008, bringing the average sales price to $280,826.
Across the country, sales of previously occupied homes (the largest segment of all home sales) increased by 11.3% on a year-over-year basis according to the National Association of Realtors. Sales did decrease 3% from the previous month which was close to market expectations.
Inventories declined 2% to 3.48 million units, representing 8.5 months of supply at current sales rates.
"It's in a holding pattern. When it does break out, it will break out upward, but it hasn't broken out yet," said Lawrence Yun, chief economist of the NAR. A separate report from the Labor Department showed that rent of primary residences is up 2.1% on a year-on-year basis. In time, rising rents should help boost sales of homes, Yun said.
Distressed home sales fell from 31% to 30%. All Cash Sales held steady at 30% suggesting continued interest by investors, and first-time home buyers accounted for 32% of the sales.
With the lowest interest rates that you will likely in your lifetime, and prices at the bottom beginning to rise, now is a fantastic time to buy!!!
September 28th, 2011
Existing-home sales increased in August, even with ongoing tight credit and appraisal problems, along with regional disruptions created by Hurricane Irene, according to the National Association of Realtors?. Monthly gains were seen in all regions.
Total Existing Home Sales, which are completed transactions that include single-family, townhomes, condominiums and co-ops, rose 7.7 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 5.03 million in August from an upwardly revised 4.67 million in July, and are 18.6 percent higher than the 4.24 million unit level in August 2010.
Investors accounted for 22 percent of purchase activity in August, up from 18 percent in July and 21 percent in August 2010. First-time buyers purchased 32 percent of homes in August, unchanged from July; they were 31 percent in August 2010.
All-cash sales accounted for 29 percent of transactions in August, unchanged from July; they were 28 percent in August 2010; investors account for the bulk of cash purchases.
Total housing inventory at the end of August fell 3.0 percent to 3.58 million existing homes available for sale, which represents an 8.5-month supply at the current sales pace, down from a 9.5-month supply in July.
-information provided by The Mortgage Network.
September 16th, 2011
IT'S CHEAPER TO BUY THAN RENT!!! - by Corey Wadley
For those of you that have been paying close attention, rents in Highland and West Highland are on the rise. That's great news for those of you that own, or plan to own rental property, and certainly a great topic for a future Nostalgic Homes Newsletter, but not great news for you renters out there.
How do a lease and a mortgage compare? According to HotPads.com, the median rent in Highland and West Highland for a 3 bedroom home is $2496/mo. There are 112 3-bedroom detached homes for sale in zip codes 80211 and 80212, which is comprised of both Highland and West Highland neighborhoods, with a median price of approximately $322,000. According to Matthew Hibler of Cherry Creek Mortgage, with 10% down and approved credit, that would equate to a monthly mortgage payment of approximately $1797/mo including principal, interest, mortgage insurance, home owner's insurance, and taxes - the whole enchilada! And, if you are working with a Nostalgic Homes Buyer Agent, approximately $2500 in appraisal, underwriting, and processing fees will be waived at closing. Yep, that's another $2500 savings to you just for using a Nostalgic Homes Broker!
Are there any tax benefits to home ownership? Yes, of course! A homeowner you can typically deduct monthly mortgage interest from their gross income, which, depending on your tax bracket, this could be a substantial windfall every year. Talk to your tax advisor more details.
Will my home gain in value? If you've been holding out for prices to go down before you buy, that ship has sailed. Residential home prices in Northwest Denver over the last twelve months have risen 3.5% over the previous year, and up 9.3% over 2008-2009 pricing. Even if interest rates remain the same for a while, and they may, the desire to live in Highlands and West Highlands continues to gain momentum. Appreciating home values are a natural consequence. That appreciation is yours to exercise as you see fit.
For those with reasonable credit and as little as 3.5% for down payment, buying makes far more financial sense right now than renting, hands down! Call Nostalgic Homes direct at 303-455-5535 or contact us at www.nostalgichomes.com now for more information.
June 6, 2011
Despite the latest New York Times report, residential homes prices in Denver have been rising for years...
New York Times: Bottom Near for Housing
For real estate, some economists say, an end to the seemingly endless decline in housing values might be in sight.
Few analysts expect housing prices to rebound anytime soon. But quite a few are predicting that the market is close to the moment when things will stop getting worse, which will be a major improvement all by itself. ?By far the bulk of the downturn of housing prices is beyond us,? said Paul Dales of Capital Economics.
?There are some amazingly favorable signs. Housing is the most undervalued it?s been in 35 years,? Mr. Dales said. ?At some point, it?s going to do very well.?
Peter Muoio, senior principal of Maximus Advisors, says he thinks the market has already bottomed, although he expects it to bounce around in a narrow range for a few years rather than recovering. And James F. Smith, chief economist for the investment firm Parsec Financial and a rare housing bull, is predicting a 25 percent climb from here by mid-decade.
?There?s a lot of pent-up demand for housing and someday it will be unleashed,? Mr. Smith said, adding: ?Your guess is as good as mine when it will come.?
What Happened to Rates Last Week:
Mortgage backed securities (MBS) jumped another +44 basis points last week after rising +47 basis points the prior week which pushed 30 year fixed mortgage rates to their best levels of 2011.
U.S Treasuries and Mortgage Backed Securities both saw very strong demand as another rating agency once again downgraded Greece's credit rating which heightened concerns over the very real threat that Greece and a couple of other counties in the European Union will have to default on their massive debts. We also got a huge dose of much weaker than expected U.S economic data. The national Unemployment Rate increased and Factory Orders, Vehicle Sales, and other reports were much weaker than expected which also helped MBS pricing and helped to improve mortgage rates.
What to Watch Out For This Week:
The following are the major economic reports that will hit the market this week. They each have the ability to affect the pricing of Mortgage Backed Securities and therefore, interest rates for Government and Conventional mortgages:
Date Time EST Economic Event
6-Jun 3:30 Philadelphia Fed's Plosser speech
6-Jun 13:15 Treasury's Geithner Speech
6-Jun 17:30 Fed's Fisher's speech
7-Jun 10:00 IBD/TIPP Economic Optimism (MoM)
7-Jun 12:30 Fed's Lockhart speech
7-Jun 15:00 Consumer Credit Change
8-Jun 7:00 MBA Mortgage Applications
8-Jun 10:30 EIA Crude Oil Stocks change
8-Jun 14:00 Fed's Beige Book
9-Jun 4:00 Philadelphia Fed's Plosser speech
9-Jun 8:30 Continuing Jobless Claims
9-Jun 8:30 Initial Jobless Claims
9-Jun 8:30 Trade Balance
9-Jun 10:00 Wholesale Inventories
9-Jun 14:00 Philadelphia Fed's Plosser speech
10-Jun 8:30 Export Price Index (MoM)
10-Jun 8:30 Import Price Index (MoM)
10-Jun 8:30 Import Price Index (YoY)
10-Jun 14:00 Monthly Budget Statement
It is virtually impossible for you to keep track of what is going on with the economy and other events that can impact the housing and mortgage markets. Just leave it to me, I monitor the live trading of Mortgage Backed Securities which are the only thing government and conventional mortgage rates are based upon.
May 16th, 2011
Northwest Denver residential homes prices over the last 12 months are up an average of 2.8% over the previous year, according to Metrolist MLS data, and up 6.2% over 2008-2009 pricing.
Additionally, City of Denver residential home prices over the last 12 months are up an average of 8.7% over the previous year, and up 20.7% over 2008-2009 pricing. Rates are phenomenal, but prices are readjusting rapidly. Now is undeniably the time to buy!
December 20th, 2010
Housing Starts Rise:
U.S. Housing starts rose more than expected in November. The Commerce Department said that housing starts rose 3.9 percent to a seasonally adjusted annual rate of 555,000 units. They also revised October's numbers upward to a 534,000 unit pace, it was originally reported at 519,000 units.
Ground breaking for new homes last month was lifted by a 6.9 percent rise in single-family home construction which continues to shows strength. The multi-family sector continues to struggle and fell 9.1 percent.
What Happened to Rates Last Week:
Mortgage backed securities (MBS) gained +12 basis points last week causing 30 year fixed rates to move sideways from the previous week. This was the first week out of the last seven where pricing improved. However, it was a bumpy ride. MBS reached their worst levels on Wednesday which drove 30 year fixed rates to their highest levels since last May. We clawed our way back as the 10 year Treasury started to rally on very light volumes which skewed the rally somewhat.
What to Watch Out For This Week:
The following are the major economic reports that will hit the market this week. They each have the ability to affect the pricing of Mortgage Backed Securities and therefore, interest rates for Government and Conventional mortgages. I will be watching these reports closely for you and let you know if there are any big surprises:
Date ET Release For
22-Dec 7:00 MBA Mortgage Applications 17-Dec
22-Dec 8:30 GDP - Third Estimate Q3
22-Dec 8:30 GDP Deflator - Third Estimate Q3
22-Dec 10:00 Existing Home Sales Nov
22-Dec 10:00 FHFA Home Price Index Oct
22-Dec 10:30 Crude Inventories 18-Dec
23-Dec 8:30 Personal Income Nov
23-Dec 8:30 Personal Spending Nov
23-Dec 8:30 PCE Prices - Core Nov
23-Dec 8:30 Durable Orders Nov
23-Dec 8:30 Durable Goods Orders - ex Transportation Nov
23-Dec 8:30 Initial Claims 18-Dec
23-Dec 8:30 Continuing Claims 11-Dec
23-Dec 9:55 University of Michigan Sentiment - Final Dec
23-Dec 10:00 New Home Sales Nov
It is virtually impossible for you to keep track of what is going on with the economy and other events that can impact the housing and mortgage markets. Just leave it to me, I monitor the live trading of Mortgage Backed Securities which are the only thing government and conventional mortgage rates are based upon.
December 6th, 2010
Smart Buy - Northwest Denver residential home sale prices up 6.9% since December '07-'08. Stable, solid investment... Don't miss out!!!
November 15th, 2010
There will never be a better time than now to buy!
Consumers Point to Stronger Housing:
Consumers drive the housing market. So when we see improvement in consumer behavior, it paints a prettier picture for housing.
Retail Sales rose more than expected in October to post their largest gain in seven months. The Commerce Department reported that total Retail Sales increased 1.2% which is the biggest increase since March. They also upwardly revised last month's data.
This report follows the much better than expected Consumer Sentiment report published by Reuters/University of Michigan. They reported that their preliminary consumer sentiment index jumped to a reading of 69.3 in November compared to 67.7 the month prior, putting in on track to be the best results since June. The release beat out analysts?expectations of 69.0.
Both of these reports show that consumers are back on track and coupled with very low mortgage rates could lead to more demand in housing.
What Happened to Rates Last Week:
Mortgage backed securities (MBS) lost -147 basis points last week causing 30 year fixed rates to increase from the previous week. The sell-off in mortgage backed securities started with much weaker than anticipated demand for the U.S. 10 year and 30 year Treasury auction. We had our second straight week of positive economic data with stronger than expected Initial Jobless Claims, Consumer Sentiment and Wholesale Inventories which also pressured MBS pricing.
What to Watch Out For This Week:
The following are the major economic reports that will hit the market this week. They each have the ability to affect the pricing of Mortgage Backed Securities and therefore, interest rates for Government and Conventional mortgages. I will be watching these reports closely for you and let you know if there are any big surprises:
Date ET Release For
15-Nov 8:30 Retail Sales Oct
15-Nov 8:30 Retail Sales ex-auto Oct
15-Nov 8:30 Empire Manufacturing Index Nov
15-Nov 10:00 Business Inventories Sep
16-Nov 8:30 PPI Oct
16-Nov 8:30 Core PPI Oct
16-Nov 9:00 Net Long-Term TIC Flows Aug
16-Nov 9:15 Industrial Production Oct
16-Nov 9:15 Capacity Utilization Oct
16-Nov 10:00 NAHB Market Housing Index Nov
17-Nov 7:00 MBA Mortgage Applications 12-Nov
17-Nov 8:30 CPI Oct
17-Nov 8:30 Core CPI Oct
17-Nov 8:30 Housing Starts Oct
17-Nov 8:30 Building Permits Oct
17-Nov 10:30 Crude Inventories 13-Nov
18-Nov 8:30 Initial Claims 13-Nov
18-Nov 8:30 Continuing Claims 6-Nov
18-Nov 10:00 Leading Indicators Oct
18-Nov 10:00 Philadelphia Fed Nov
It is virtually impossible for you to keep track of what is going on with the economy and other events that can impact the housing and mortgage markets. Just leave it to me, I monitor the live trading of Mortgage Backed Securities which are the only thing government and conventional mortgage rates are based upon.
From Jaxzann Riggs,
Owner - The Mortgage Network
October 18th, 2010
City and County of Denver vintage residential home prices up 12% over last year, and 6% since the recession began! Rates are beginning to rise. Now is the best possible time to buy!
October 11th, 2010
The time to Buy is Right Now! You have more buying power today than you have ever had in the past - more than you will likely ever have again in the future, and the key to American economic recovery is in your hands.
Opportunities like the one you have Right Now are cyclical and only come around once or twice in a lifetime. For the majority of you reading this today, Right Now is likely the only remaining opportunity you have to reap the rewards of an economic downturn of this magnitude.
If you have been following vintage resale market trends over the last few years like I have, then you know that the average resale prices for residential vintage homes in a great many of our Urban Denver neighborhoods, especially in Northwest Denver, has held steady during the recession and are on the upswing.
Average sales prices for pre-1950 constructed residential homes in Northwest Denver have risen an average of 5.4% from last year, and 4.8% since the recession began. Here are some neighborhood highlights; Western Sunnyside up 4.8% over last year, Potter Highlands up 4.1% since the recession began, Jefferson Park up 9.7% since the recession began, north shore of Sloan's Lake up nearly 5% since the recession began, and so on.
Additionally, rates are at phenomenal all-time lows. If you wait until next Spring to buy, you'll pay more for the house, and there is no guarantee of what rates will look like as the economy improves, except to say that they will inevitably go up.
None of us have a crystal ball, but let's consider that rates rise 1% by the Spring; A 5.25% APR is still a great rate, and a very real possibility in the very near future. At 5.25%, a $350,000 loan will cost you $211/month more than it does right now. What if your maximum qualification currently is $350,000? It will drop to about $310,000. What will that $40,000 difference mean to you? Smaller house? Outdated kitchen? 1 bath instead of 2 and no garage? An unfinished basement? How much are you willing to risk to wait it out?
Right Now is really and truly the best time imaginable to buy, and American economic recovery depends on it! Rates are kept low purposely to stimulate economic growth in one of the most powerful sectors of our economy - Home Sales. Low rates are designed to inspire us all to become active participants in our nation's economic recovery.
Waiting for the sky to fall is not part of the answer. Seize the moment, take this incredible opportunity that is before you to reap the immediate and future rewards of home ownership, and be part of the driving force behind economic recovery... Right Now!
Call or email your Nostalgic Homes broker today for details.
Corey Wadley
Managing Broker/Owner
Nostalgic Homes
October 7th, 2010
Western Sunnyside, Denver, CO - Vintage residential resales up 4.8% over last year! What are you waiting for? Time to jump in!
October 5th, 2010
Potter Highlands Historic District, Denver, CO - up 4.1% since the recession began. Rates and prices will rise. Time to get off the fence!
October 4th, 2010
Jefferson Park, Denver, CO - Vintage home sales up 11% over '09! 9.7% overall through the recession. Super affordable. Great Investment!
Sloan's Lake, Denver, CO - nearly 5% gain since recession began. Rates are fantastic! Better call your Realtor!(One of ours, preferrably)
October 1st, 2010
I feel for the masses of the real estate professionals out there who have to shift their marketing attention to wheeling and dealing foreclosures, bank owned, and short sales or face the loss of their career. We are very fortunate here at Nostalgic Homes and many other urban brokerages to still have regular transactions represent 90% of what we do, and to have had the luxury of working in what has proven to be a very stable market in the midst of a national firestorm.
by Corey Wadley
Managing Broker/Owner
September 13th, 2010
Although Nostalgic Homes has been well known for 25 years throughout urban Denver, Colorado, for its vintage residential specialty, the focus is, and always has been Northwest Denver and its primary neighborhoods of Highland Square, Potter Highlands, LoHi, Jefferson Park, Sunnyside, Grand View, Harkness Heights, Berkeley, Cottage Hill, Witter & Cofields, Sloan's Lake, and Sloan's Lake Heights.
If you are thinking of selling your Vintage (pre-1950) home, there are only 3 firms that have a market presence in Northwest Denver. Of those 3, Nostalgic Homes has had an average sales price of over $33,000 higher than either of our two closest competitors. In fact, our average is up 3.3% over last year while the others have stayed flat or dropped by up to 1.1%.
Part of the secret to our success is our tremendous presence in web and print media advertising. From our own in-house edited Nostalgic Homes Newspaper that goes out bi-monthly to 17,000 homes and 23 newsboxes throughout the city, to our strong presence in local print advertising with the Denver Daily News and North Denver Tribune, to our web presence at NostalgicHomes.com, Zillow.com, Trulia.com, Realtor.com, REColorado.com, Twitter, and Facebook - no one paints marketing with a broader brush.
Another secret is tenure; our Brokers have an average of over 6 years in the business working full time in real estate. Many of our competitors are comprised largely of part-timers who have yet to experience great success in the field. Would you want to be operated on by a part time surgeon, or represented in court by a part-time attorney? How about entrusting the wealth in your home to someone who is the barrista at your favorite coffee shop, or served you cocktails at the bar the night before? How about a friend who only does a few transactions a year strictly for friends and family? The result could have devestating financial consequences.
Think about it - unless you like the idea of giving away thousands upon thousands of dollars, another firm would have to PAY YOU handsomely to list your house and get it sold in order to make up the deficit... and let's be frank, no firm is going to pay to work for you.
Be wise. Be informed. Call, click or come in today to speak to one of our quality, professional, full-time Brokers.
Corey Wadley
Broker/Owner, Nostalgic Homes
3737 W 32nd Ave at Historic Highland Square
Denver, CO 80211
303-455-5535
corey@nostalgichomes.com
February 18th, 2010
Nostalgic Homes Celebrates 25 Years of Success Northwest Denver
Where were you in 1985?
Ronald Reagan was President, The Cosby Show was America's favorite TV program, Wham! and Madonna dominated the airwaves, the favored interior colors were mauve and blue, and the average single family home sale in Northwest Denver was $64,000. That's right folks, $64,000!
In 1985, Tom and CarolAnn Sinclair, the founders of Nostalgic Homes, were thinking about Northwest Denver. How could they bring attention back to a seemingly forgotten neighborhood with tremendous cultural diversity, immense architectural character, beautiful parks and lakes, mature streetscapes, and endless commercial possibilities, yet with a strong gang presence and a high crime rate?
The key to bringing Buyers back to Northwest Denver was first to educate the real estate Brokers. Nostalgic Homes arranged for Broker bus tours of the area along with Ruth Eloise Wiberg, the well-known Denver historian and author of "Rediscovering Northwest Denver," Pruett Publishing, Boulder, 1976. In later years, Nostalgic Homes arranged public bus tours to bring Buyers to listed homes that they may not have otherwise had taken the opportunity to see.
Nostalgic Homes worked with Sellers to improve the quality of their blocks, and helped in the clean-up, painting, and the hanging of curtains in what was at that time a great many HUD-repo homes so that it looked as if they were occupied and cared for.
Along with the support of a local redevelopment company, Nostalgic Homes would choose one house per year from a long list of elderly applicants to do necessary repairs, painting, and the addition of handicap access.
Nostalgic Homes created the Neighborhood Esteem Program at North High School, sponsoring neighborhood cleanups with local teens. We supplied paint to local groups for graffiti abatement, and began a promotion that became a joint campaign between the City of Denver and the Denver Board of Realtors called "Keep Denver Beautiful Neighborhood by Neighborhood".
Nostalgic Homes also took part as volunteers in the Partners Organization to sponsor adjudicated youth. We have also given a great deal of volunteer time and donation dollars to the renovation of the Historic Elitch Theater.
In 1985, with the help and support of the community at large, Nostalgic Homes put plans into action to help revitalize what was then an ailing Northwest Denver. Today, Northwest Denver is highly sought after for its vibrant, charismatic vintage neighborhoods, retail centers, parks, lakes, and unbeatable access to downtown. Accolades from print and internet publications such as Denver.com and 5280 Magazine attest to the tremendous desire Buyers have to live in our niche neighborhood.
If you are a Buyer or a Seller and haven't chosen a brokerage just yet, call upon Nostalgic Homes to serve all of your buying and selling needs. No one knows or serves this niche neighborhood like we do. Call, click, or come in today!
Corey Wadley
Broker-Owner, Nostalgic Homes
February 18th, 2010
Now is the time to buy?
If you are like many Coloradan?s who have been thinking about purchasing your first home, or perhaps moving up to your dream home, you can?t afford to wait any longer.
There is a unique opportunity occurring right in your own backyard. While interest rates remain at historic lows, property values have begun to rise in Colorado. The Federal Government continues to provide substantial cash payments; $8,500 for qualified first-time buyers and $6,500 to qualified move-up purchasers of existing or new homes.
The Federal Government has made significant contributions to the housing industry in the past year. The Federal Housing Administration (FHA) which was established in 1934 has helped over 37 million families finance their homes... and they continue to offer a wide range of very affordable loans with low or no down payments. Yes, you read correctly... in certain instances your down payment and closing costs can be gifted or borrowed. If you need assistance qualifying for your first home loan, FHA will also allow you to increase your purchasing power by adding a family member as a co-signor on the loan. Finally, one of the most valuable aspects of an FHA loan is that the rate is fully assumable without escalation of the rate to a qualified buyer. That means that when the time comes for you to sell you home, your low interest rate mortgage will add even more value to your home.
It is undeniable that interest rates will rise in the near future. The Federal Reserve Board has emphatically stated that they will stop purchasing mortgage backed securities at the end of March. The Federal tax credit that you have heard about is scheduled to end in April and home prices are rising as you read this article. The Federal Housing Administration has recently announced specific policy changes that will increase the cost of buying and make qualifying more difficult beginning in the Spring... and that is why now is the time to buy!
We understand that your first home purchase might feel daunting, but the reality is that when you work with an experienced, licensed Mortgage Loan Originator and a Nostalgic Homes Realtor, the process will be both fun and educational and one of the wisest investments that you will ever make. Call, Click, or Come in Today!!!
Jaxzann Riggs, The Mortgage Network
Staging to Sell - February 1st, 2010
Staging is an emerging submarket in the real estate industry and rightly so. Staging gives Sellers an advantage against competing homes that are not prepared properly for showings on the open market. Most Sellers would tell you that they want to sell their home for the highest possible price in the timeliest fashion. In order to achieve that goal your home must show like a model home, a term that automatically brings up beautiful images in your mind. That's because model homes are using the technique that retail stores have always employed - virtual merchandising. We need the buyer to have an experience in your home; an experience so pleasing that they want it to last forever. That's how you capture a Buyer. In order to do so it does takes some hard work up front. The first step is making your peace with your decision to sell your home and then throw yourself into the project. Consult with your agent about bringing in a professional designer or stager to do a walk-thru and create a laundry list of tasks necessary to bring your property up to the model home standard. That list will likely include packing, cleaning and even bringing in some new accessories to illuminate the unique character and distinct features of your home. It's true that when you list your home for sale it is no longer your own, but more importantly a product searching for a new owner. It sounds like a lot of work, but I promise it will not go unrewarded. And since selling your home ultimately means moving, you will save yourself trouble in the long run by doing most of the packing before your house even hits the market. It can be a lot of fun too. Styling your home is a source of instant gratification, accomplishment and it sets the tone for a successful selling process. Staging is a critical element of the home marketing process. The difference in a home staged for sale is self evident. Ask me about this special service I provide. It's worth its weight in gold.
Michael Madsen
Staging Checklist
General
Put away all photos of a personal nature
Put away all calendars
Wash Windows
Clean cabinets
Wash woodwork
⌂ Clean and organize all closets
Remove as many clothes, shoes etc?as possible and store
any articles of clothing or other stored items on
shelves, fold neatly
Space out hanging clothes
⌂ Clean and organize all cabinets
The Kitchen is especially important! Remove as many items as you can live without. The goal is to make your kitchen look as though it has a lot of cabinet space
Under sink cabinets: clear out and clean up. Clean up any spilled liquids
Bathroom Cabinets: remove as many personal items as possible. Put them in a tub or easily accessible container that you can use and then store when you have a showing.
⌂ Clear off all counter tops
Clear off all counter tops. Your stager and I will help arrange decorative items. The fewer items on your counter the better.
Kitchen counter tops ? remove all appliances that plug in.
Bathroom counter tops ? remove all personal grooming products
⌂ Bedrooms
Put away (out of sight) all personal items
Keep the beds made
⌂ Garage
Clean clutter out of garage
Any necessary storage items should be put in tubs and stacked neatly
⌂ Bathrooms
Clean Clean Clean
Clear out medicine cabinet ? put everyday items in a convenient east to get to tub
Hang towels neatly
Put shampoos etc? away ? do not leave in shower.
⌂ Basement
Organize any storage items in tubs
Make as bright / light as possible
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