Originally posted on https://www.thebalance.com/selling-your-home-during-the-holidays-1799068 By Elizabeth Weintraub Updated October 07, 2017 Selling your home during the holidays is loaded with pros and cons, don’t make any mistake about it. If you ask a real estate agent, “Should I keep my home on the market over the holidays?” an agent will tell you, “Yes, absolutely, because then you know buyers are serious.” You know what I think about that? I’ll cut to the chase. It’s hogwash. If you don’t really have to sell between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, take your home off of the market, and enjoy some peace and quiet with your family. Now, we can expect that hundreds of thousands of real estate agents want to argue. That’s because real estate agents always want your home on the market, regardless of whether it’s the right time to sell or not. Don’t blame them for being blindsided. It’s the way of the profession. If your home isn’t on the market during the holidays, agents won’t get a sale, and it’s as simple as that. Not to mention, you might decide to list with another agent if the listing is canceled. That’s a real possibility for many agents, and it’s a real fear. On the other hand, some people really do need to sell over the holidays. And some buyers do need to buy a home during the Christmas season, for example, and they don’t have any other alternative. But the fact remains there are not as many buyers in the market in December. Whether holiday season buyers  are more “serious” than springtime buyers remains to be seen. Reasons You Might Not Want to Sell Your Home Over the Holidays First time home buyers, not knowing any better, could think you are desperate. Buyers might try to negotiate. It’s inconvenient during the holidays to always be ready for home showing at a moment’s notice. Not everybody wants to keep the house spic and span when cooking, wrapping gifts, throwing parties. The offers you receive might be for less than list price, and you could receive a lowball offer. You’re appealing to a much smaller inventory of buyers who have very specific needs that your home might not match. It’s almost impossible to close a financed transaction in December if the offer is received mid-month. Buyers who want to close after the New Year will probably make offers in January. If you remove your home from the market, it can return as a brand new listing in January, thereby drawing more traffic because it’s fresh and exciting. Your agent might be on vacation in December and unavailable as the market moves into a seasonal slowdown. Other real estate professionals might be unavailable when you need them as well. Some sellers insist on leaving their homes on the...

Re-posted from http://styledstagedsold.blogs.realtor.org/2017/07/17/hot-home-trend-to-watch-the-two-toned-kitchen/ July 17, 2017 by Melissa Dittman Tracey Two-toned colored kitchens are gaining popularity this year. White and gray painted cabinets are dominating kitchen color schemes, according to the 2017 Kitchen & Bath Design Trends survey conducted by the National Kitchen and Bath Association. Particularly gray-toned kitchen cabinets are seeing a surge in popularity lately.     Other colors are getting mixed in too, adding a little more pizzazz to kitchen design. For example, the surrounding kitchen cabinets may be white and then the center island may feature gray cabinets. Or, white cabinets may be on the top and then gray cabinets on the bottom. Other materials are getting mixed in the kitchen too.  The combinations, however, are mostly muted and simple. “Clean lines with no fussy moldings or trims,” one NKBA survey respondent said. “White kitchens are never going away, but I’ve recommended mixed countertop materials, mixed cabinet colors and frequently use lots of light/dark materials for contrast.” That said, for the more daring, blue or black-toned cabinets as well as high-gloss finishes are gaining popularity in kitchen designs too, according to NKBA’s survey.            ...

Re-Posted from http://realtormag.realtor.org/home-and-design/feature/article/2017/05/how-make-big-statement-small-yard Here’s how to make a splash in even the most compact outdoor spaces. May 2017 by Melissa Dittman Tracey Not everyone dreams of a lush and sprawling backyard. So playing down diminutive outdoor space in your listing could be a missed opportunity to connect with a buyer who sees a postage-stamp lawn or a compact front stoop as a plus, says Meridith Baer, owner of Meridith Baer Home, a staging firm based in the Los Angeles area. “Actually, it’s sometimes easier to make a small space charming. It might be as simple as adding shutters in a pretty hue and painting the front door, or putting that perfect set of chairs on the front porch,” she says. Whether you’re dealing with a small backyard in a single–family home or simply a balcony or patio for a townhouse or condo, these tips can help homeowners or stagers make a bigger statement. Watch the Scale Decluttering is just as crucial for outdoor spaces as it is the rest of the house. “It’s important not to do too much and overcrowd a small space,” says Dennis Hammett, sales associate with Ebby Halliday, REALTORS®, in Dallas. Too many chairs around a table or even too large a tree can make a smaller yard feel confined. “Placement and size of plants becomes very important with a small front yard. You want to make sure that none are so big that they will block any of the home’s architectural features,” says Jason Evans, marketing manager for The Davey Tree Expert Co. in East Bay, Calif. Keep garden statues and ornaments to a minimum, Evans adds. Set a Focal Point Smaller spaces often benefit from an attention-grabbing feature, such as a water fountain, outdoor fireplace, or a restful nook in a compact garden. “If you have a small space, pick a focus to start with,” says Justin Hancock, garden expert with Costa Farms in Miami. “You might want to rent or borrow a small patio set or fire pit to get buyers thinking about how great the backyard will be for entertaining or outdoor living.” You can also draw attention verbally to a focal point. For example, call out the benefits to the home’s outdoor plantings—if they, for example, attract butterflies or hummingbirds, Hancock says. “A quick handout that highlights the upsides to areas of the yard can be helpful to consumers who may not realize those benefits on their own.”  Outdoor Reflections “Try a trick borrowed from interior designers: Hang an outdoor-friendly mirror on an exterior wall to reflect light and to make these yards feel more open,” says Missy Henriksen, spokeswoman for the National Association of Landscape Professionals. While there’s no wrong...

Re-posted from http://realtormag.realtor.org/home-and-design/architecture-coach/article/2016/01/put-cool-back-in-ranch-style-homes This common, one-story house with a low profile has a distinguished American pedigree. Yet, for decades it’s been overshadowed. As the ranch again attracts attention, learn about its best features and how older, dated examples can become strikingly modern.   January 2016 by Barbara Ballinger Cliff May, considered the father of the ranch house, drew his inspiration from Frank Lloyd Wright’s Prairie-style and Usonian homes, as well as later Arts & Crafts designs. May designed and built these ranch homes in Southern California from the 1930s on with a goal to develop a prototype that would suit home owners in a warm climate who favored informal living and easy outdoor access. After the Second World War, developers borrowed May’s concept to construct small variations quickly and affordably and meet growing housing demand. Some ranch-style homes were cranked out, cookie-cutter-style, in large tract developments such as Levittown on New York’s Long Island. Yet at the same time, other iterations grew into more sophisticated “California Modern” designs in the hands of developers such as Joseph Eichler, who had lived in a Wright home. Hot, Then Not In more recent times, the popularity of ranches has waxed and waned, depending on typical homebuying criteria: location, condition, and price. In Southern California, they remain a favorite that can command top dollar, especially if they’re near the ocean and good schools, says Kelly Morgan, sales associate with Troop Real Estate in Westlake Village, Calif. “A single-story in Thousand Oaks, closer to water, will bring a higher price than in Santa Clarita,” she says. Back East, they remain popular on New York’s Staten Island because they’re among the more affordable options and offer relatively open plans as opposed to Colonial- and Victorian-style layouts, says broker-owner Holly Wiesner Olivieri of Holly’s Staten Island Buzz. She and her husband bought a ranch 17 years ago for its private cul-de-sac location, proximity by ferry to Manhattan, and handyman-special price. In other parts of the Northeast and Midwest, ranches can be a tougher sell, as more home owners typically prefer a two-story Colonial or Cape, says Connecticut architect Duo Dickinson. Who’s Buying Now? Overall, the greatest interest nationwide is coming from two demographics: Young couples find them an affordable entry-level option that they see remodeled and decorated often, thanks to HGTV shows and hipster home magazines. “It’s the style that appeals to the young ‘hip’ L.A. buyer who’s interested in simplicity,” says Kate Guinzburg, a partner at Deasy/Penner and Partners, a Los Angeles real estate firm that specializes in mid-century modern and other styles of homes. And in certain markets like Austin, Texas, it’s a style that’s prevalent in neighborhoods that are close to downtown, which appeals...

Re-posted from http://realtormag.realtor.org/home-and-design/feature/article/2017/05/4-surefire-tips-for-better-listing-photos [Editor’s note: This article is addressed to real estate brokers. But who says the homeowner him- or herself can’t take the photos? Our recommendation is to hire a professional but, if that’s out of the question and you’re broker isn’t a professional photographer, you can take on the challenge yourself. Just read and follow the steps below!] Simply understanding how to use a few key camera settings and pieces of equipment can make all the difference. May 2017 by Erin Vaughan             It can’t be stressed enough: Great photos help sell homes. The National Association of REALTORS®’ own research shows that well over 90 percent of home shoppers look online for at least a part of their search. For almost half of all buyers, accessing digital listings is the very first step in their process. And while there’s been much speculation as to the homebuying behaviors of millennials, this much is known for sure: Digital natives are much more comfortable with browsing home listings from mobile devices. None of this is breaking news, but it does highlight just how important digital representation can be when you’re trying to show a home. One industry study found that when listings were accompanied by high-quality photos taken with professional equipment, they spent significantly less time on the market and fetched a premium of $3,400 on average. Unfortunately, interior shots pose a variety of photographic challenges that are difficult for amateur photographers. Real estate pros shouldn’t be expected to transform overnight into professional camera wielders, but you can certainly benefit from a few tricks up your sleeve and some decent equipment. Don’t Turn Toward the Light   This scenario might feel familiar: You want to show off the new windows in your client’s living room, but every time you snap a photo, the image is totally blown out. Photos with dark foregrounds and overexposed windows are a common problem that happens when ambient light from the outdoors tricks the camera’s light meter into overcompensating. A flash will balance out the lighting in the room, giving you a better shot. Alternatively, you can use your camera’s manual controls and settings. The right settings depend on the kind of equipment you have, however. For many point-and-shoot digital cameras, it’s mainly a matter of adjusting the ISO, although you may want to set the aperture to f/2.8 as well, if your camera offers that flexibility. For shots near a window, typically an ISO setting of around 400 to 800 works well, although you may want to go higher if you have particularly low light in the foreground. If you have full manual control of your camera, you can increase the shutter speed, which...

Re-posted from http://realtormag.realtor.org/home-and-design/feature/article/2017/04/staging-for-cozy-minimalist-look Real estate agents often have to work with either barren rooms or sloppy, overstuffed spaces. But what’s truly attracting the most buyers right now is a deft balance of tidy austerity and a comfortable, lived-in feel. April 2017 by Barbara Ballinger While decluttering a listing before putting it on the market will help sellers keep their homes cleaner and get a head start on packing, this practice also helps the product that’s for sale shine through more clearly. “Staging isn’t about decorating, but putting a room and its architecture in the best light,” says Chicago-area designer and stager Paula Winter. But stagers also caution against stripping too much away, which can make a space feel stark and uninviting. The happy medium is instead a modern, minimalist look that permits buyers to imagine how their furnishings may fit in spatially while exuding warmth from some carefully added accessories. Staging, once mostly for vacant homes or high-priced listings, is now more widely used. Meridith Baer, who stages more than 140 properties a month through her eponymous California firm, says the practice can help increase the sales price and decrease the listing time for homes. The Real Estate Staging Association pegs the average time on the market for homes sold after staging at 21 days, an estimated 90 percent less time than unstaged properties. Bear in mind that different generations have slightly different design tastes and tolerance for clutter or spareness, as do buyers in different geographic markets and price points. “Many in the greater Los Angeles area have been asking for a more minimal look, but in Orange County and Northern California, high-end properties still reflect a rich layering that shows a well-lived, well-traveled life,” Baer says. Here are five recommendations to strike the right balance. 1. Set the stage. It’s called staging for a reason. The idea is to set the mood in the same way that a theatrical backdrop does. Think of how to use furnishings and accessories to tell a story about how a buyer may live there. You want the listing to look modern and gender-neutral to show a home’s bones, not to remind buyers of an antiseptic hospital or laboratory, says Winter. Certified stager Susan Batka of Aerie Interiors in suburban Atlanta suggests adding a few textured pillows, a rug, and maybe a large piece of modern, colorful artwork to give the space the necessary warmth so it looks alive but isn’t overwhelming or too personalized. 2. Declutter. This is still the number one mantra for stagers. “The key to the desired Zen feel is to pick interesting but fewer decorative items and keep upholstered pieces clean and lean,” Baer says. She describes the goal as leaving “some breathing...