Your Saint Louis, MO Home Not Selling

Your St. Louis, MO Home Not Selling? Take these Steps Now!

Even in today's St. Louis, MO real estate market there are still a surprising number of homes that have been on the market for a few months with no obvious signs of activity. If your St. Louis, MO home has been on the market for a while without any serious offers, it’s probably time to take another look at your strategy and your home to make it more attractive to buyers:

1. Review your asking price

1. The number one reason I see St. Louis, MO homes sit on the market is because of listing price. If your home is priced above the market the likelihood of selling it are greatly reduced. Your Realtor® should have provided you with a list of comparable recent home sales in your area along with a professional analysis to figure out the proper selling price (if your Realtor didn't provide this, CONTACT ME  and get your free home value 

Drive by the homes on the comparable sales list your Realtor provides to get a feel for what's been selling.

• Are those homes really comparable to your home?
• Are they in the same condition as your home?
• Are the schools of the same quality as the schools in your neighborhood?

Pay particular attention to any differences (or in any variances in size or amenities) as they can significantly impact your home's value versus the St. Louis, MO marketplace. A good comparative market analysis will help you figure out the RIGHT listing price for your home.

2. Take a video of your home

Shoot a video of your St. Louis, MO home both outside and inside. Then watch the video (preferably on a computer or larger screen) objectively as if you were a potential home buyer. What do you see? Look for negative elements such as weeds growing in the yard, dirty carpets, or a cluttered interior. It's important to notice negative elements you can quickly fix to make your home more appealing to buyers. It may surprise you to see what your home looks like when viewed on camera.

3. Leave during your home’s open house or showings

It is vitally important that you leave the house when buyers are touring your home. Potential buyers will not feel comfortable looking in closets or in drawers with you standing over their shoulder. They will also be less likely to express their true opinion about your home. Therefore, do everything you can to be scarce during showings. Additionally, if you have pets, take them with you along with items like food bowls and litter boxes. The last thing you want is for potential buyers to contend with your pet pit-bull or the odors coming from a litter box.

4. Hold an open house on a weeknight
While most buyers in the market for a St. Louis, MO home are accustomed to attending open houses on weekends, there are those for whom weekends just don't work. By holding an open house on a weeknight you face less competition than on a weekend and may draw in buyers who normally would not have seen your home.

5. Consider staging your home

To stage a home simply you can just remove all personal items, add neutral window coverings, paint in neutral colors, and take down most decorations (most homes are over-cluttered). Ask your Realtor for advice. For example, you may love zebra print and red accents; however, that's not going to appeal to most buyers. Loud designs and bold colors can easily detract from the positive aspects of a home. If you feel you can handle the staging project yourself, have at it. However, if the process of staging your home seems overwhelming there are companies that can professionally stage your St. Louis, MO.home for you. Contact me for a reputable referral.

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If you find yourself in a position where your house just won't sell, DO NOT just sit and wait for things to change. Take action before market conditions change!  Feel free to give me a ring if you'd like some advice.

The Helderle Team 2014 © All Rights Reserved

November is Home Staging Awarness Month

STOCKTON, Calif., Oct 31, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- The Real Estate Staging Association (RESA), the Trade Association for Professional Home Stagers, has announced that November is Home Staging Awareness Month. RESA's goals are to facilitate positive interactions within the home staging industry, provide support to professional stagers in addition to promoting the benefits of home staging to the consumer. The Interior Redesign Industry Specialists (IRIS), and American Society of Home Stagers and Redesigners (ASHSR) are also partnering with RESA as National Co-Sponsors of Home Staging Awareness Month in a unified effort to bring industry professionals together. All professional stagers are invited to attend and participate in this ground breaking event.
These leading Staging Professional Organizations have partnered with members of "Stage it Forward" (SIF) a powerful internet blogging community that is hosted by the Real Estate Blogging website called Active Rain. ( www.ActiveRain.com) SIF is conducting "Home Staging Round Table Discussions" throughout North America during the month of November, "Home Staging Awareness" month, in order to bring home stagers together to discuss vital industry issues. If you would like to attend a Round Table Visit www.RealEstateStagingAssociation.com and click on the event calendar to find a location near you.
Other industry partners such as BEKINS PODS, IKEA, THE PLANT ATRIUM, CORT FURNITURE RENTAL, BROOK FURNITURE RENTAL, KELLER WILLIAMS and THE ENERGIZED SELLER, are sponsoring the events. For a full list of industry partners and sponsors please visit www.RealEstateStagingAssociation.com and click on the SIF button on the menu.
RESA has released "The Consumers Guide To Real Estate Staging", free publication that explains the benefits of staging and how to choose a professional stager. The publication is available to homeowners and Real Estate Professional. To download a free copy visit www.RealEstateStagingAssociation.com.
For more information on home staging, or to join a Round Table, find a professional stager, or sponsor a future event, please contact one of these organizations: RESA -The Real Estate Staging Association visit www.RealEstateStagingAssociation.com or call 888-201-8687 speak to Shell Brodnax; IRIS - Interior Redesign Industry Specialists www.WeReDesign.com or call 877-674-8667 speak to Sandy Dixon; ASHSR - American Society of Home Stagers and Redesigners www.ASHSR.com or call 888-563-9271 and speak to Audra Slinkey.
Should you desire a local staging company contact The H Team
SOURCE: Real Estate Staging Association

10 Easy To Do Ways to Increase Your Home Value

Home sellers can raise their property value in a down market by making a few changes and adding a few things prior to placing their home on the market.

1. Paint the exterior – Painting the exterior of your home can give your home a facelift, and can be done for a lot less than you may think. Choose a neutral color that blends in with neighboring homes. Make sure eaves, gutters and drains may also need painting or updating.

2. Complete all needed repairs – Your Realtor should be able to refer you to an Ashi Certified Home Inspector who will be able to provide a list of items you need to repair prior to placing your home on the market. We also suggest a Radon test.

3. Purchase a home warranty – A Realtor can provide a Home Warranty Company. They will increase the new buyer’s peace of mind, knowing that most major components of your house are covered should they fail. Normal cost ranges from $350.00 to $450.00, dependent on the size of your house.

4. Stage the home to sell – Hire a Realtor who can help you stage your home to sell. By staging the property it allows the potential buyer to visualize the property as their own. Removing things like clutter, personal photographs, monogram towels, etc.

5. Increase front yard curb appeal – People are more likely to tour a home when the front yard looks inviting. Adding color, landscape lighting and replacing dead grass areas with sod will make your home more inviting and increase your visitors.

6. Easy inexpensive kitchen makeover – Most decision makers base their decision to buy a house on the kitchen. Although you can’t make it larger you can upgrade a bit. New stainless steel appliances, cabinet fronts, hardware, flooring even replacing dated countertops will increase the ohs and ahs when potential buyers are touring your house.

7. Update your bathroom - Your master bath is very important in determing a home’s value... By turning the bath into a spa, it will become a welcome relaxing space. Upgrade the faucets, fixtures, lighting, cabinetry, and mirrors. Adding some plants, candles and luxiourious towels will also increase the buyer’s interest.

8. Replace the carpets - Instead of cleaning old, used carpet, replace it with fresh, neutral-toned carpet with an upgraded pad for an extra luxurious feel, or install pergo flooring to really increase the WOW factor.
9. Upgrade doors and hardware – Replace old doors with modern 6 panel doors. If replacing the doors is out of the question at least change out the old hardware with an updated look of pewter, anything other than brass.

10. Clean - Your house has to look and smell fresh. Clean all the appliances, including the oven, make sure all fixtures gleam. Place a basket of potpourri in the bedroom and light a few candles. Vacuum and dust everything. A clean house projects a well taken care of home.
By following these 10 easy to do ideas will result in more visitors viewing your house which will greatly increase your possibility of selling the house. Contact The H Team today for your free Home Staging report.

Staging Your Bathroom to Sell

Real estate agents will tell you that kitchens and bathrooms are the most important rooms in your home, that determine a sellers decision to make an offer on your home. Staging your bathroom is essential to appeal to the prospective buyer. By doing a good job staging your bathroom, will result in buyers remembering your home over other homes they’ve viewed.

Fixtures & Details
Be sure all fixtures are in good condition with no leaks or drips. If your plumbing fixtures are outdated, replacing them with sleek modern fixtures. Replacing the fixtures is an inexpensive and easy to do fix. Brass fixtures are outdated, choose pewter or stainless steel. How bout your lighting fixtures? Replace them too if they’re outdated.

Color & Décor
Color coordinate some fluffy towels with your bathroom color scheme and place them on the towel racks just before buyers arrive. Add a matching bathmat, a floral arrangement and some floating candles in a pretty bowl. Open any blinds to allow natural light in. Painting your walls with some color will help improve the appearance also.

Scrub & Replace
Shower doors should gleam. Remove all lime and soap scum deposits, scrubing it with a scouring pad and a mixture of ten parts water and one part muriatic acid. If it still looks dull and lifeless, replace it with a new one. This method also works well for cleaning tile. Thoroughly clean tile grout or replace it. Also make your mirror shine or update it with a round or oval shaped one.

Clean & Deodorize
Always clean your bathroom thoroughly before your home is shown. The room needs to sparkle from top to bottom. It should have sufficient lighting but not be overly bright. Keep counters and shelves clear of clutter. Put away all blow dryers, curling irons, combs and brushes. Remember to empty, clean and deodorize wastebaskets. Also, clean the exhaust fan. Leave no sign of dust or dirt. A spotty or messy bathroom will turn prospective buyers off.

Making your bathroom a “WOW” experience for the prospective buyer may result in receiving an offer to purchase your house.

For a free evaluation of your property and your own "Get it Staged Correctly" report contact The H Team today.