Staging For The Spring

It's Spring ! It may not feel like spring just yet, but mother nature will be getting with the program in the next few days bringing us some warmer weather! All those homeowners who have their homes on the market, and those who are getting ready to make their debut here are a few tips to get your home ready for the spring rush of buyers !

Update Your Pictures - If your home was listed in the winter you will want to update the pictures this way it showcases your homes spring look ! This is not only important to keep your listing from looking outdated, but if your anything like me I love my outdoor space and buyers should get the opportunity to see it too !

Create Your Outdoor Space - Having an inviting outdoor space whether it is a inviting front porch, or a great entertaining space in your backyard can really set you apart from your competition.  Here are a few quick tips for creating that space !

• Decks/Porches/Railings always look a bit nicer with a fresh coat of paint or a good power washing ! 
• Inexpensive solar lighting to help light walk-ways not only make things safer, but also gives you great curb appeal ! 
• Brightly colored potted plants add to your curb appeal, and the best part is even someone without a green thumb can maintain these with very little work ! 
• Update your outdoor furniture, if your moving into your new home and were going to upgrade this furniture this season take the time and do it now. Since it will be going with you to your new home it will help showoff what that space offer to your buyers ! 

Lighten Things Up - Many people enjoy switching out their winter attire when the spring arrives you should do the same for your home !  Many people overlook the fact that we tend to use darker heavier fabric on things like our bedding and curtains so giving your home a new "wardrobe" for the spring is a great idea ! 

• Sheer curtains will allow the extra day-light to stream into your home, which tends to also make your room look larger and more inviting.  Sheer curtains are also a great alternative for those who have large sliding doors, it allows you to keep your privacy but let the buyers see the outdoor space combined with indoor space ! 
• Removing your darker colored linens (ex:bedding, throw pillows, blankets) also work wonders for changing the feeling or the atmosphere of a room, and again these items are coming with you to your new home ! 

Give Your Home A Spring Cleaning - This is the perfect time of year to make any of those minor repairs or changes to your home, if your anything like me the last thing you want to do in the winter is pull out the paint, or spend hours cleaning when you can't open up the windows.  Any home can show a bit better with only a days worth of work ! 

• Touch up your paint - white moldings often change color a bit a fresh coat of white high gloss paint give the room a fresh/clean feel ! 
• Letting the air in is of course important so your home doesn't feel stuff, but don't forget cleaning those windows can really showcase a picture or bay window ! 
• The best part of spring is obviously the fresh air and flowers, but you want to be careful because of allergies during this time of year.  Burning a light scented candle before your home is shown is always a nice idea especially if you have pets ! 
• A fresh coat of paint on your front door, new house numbers, or replacing broken window screens is another great way to increase your curb appeal.  

If your unsure what you should be doing to stage your home for the (hopefully) nearing spring season, take the time to call your Realtor.  Many times we will see things that could be improved simply with a bit of re-arranging or much simpler fixes than you may think ! 

What To Do When Your Homes NOT Selling !

Now you might be thinking, here is another real estate agent trying to get a price break but I am actually going to give your some other insight onto why your home might not be selling ! Price is just one aspect but condition and availability are just as important !

So let's begin with the "Condition" this does not only apply to what your home looks like when it is seen in person, but also about how your listing presents itself to those looking online !


Pictures

• Prepare For The Photos: You want your home to show well so before your photos speak to your Realtor about some staging.  This doesn't mean you need to hire a professional or rent furniture many times simply re-arranging your existing furniture and a bit of de-cluttering can go a long way.  

• Professional Photos: I am a firm believer in spending the time and having a professional photographer come and take pictures of your home.   They are able to showcase your homes attributes with angles, and staging that can make a huge difference.  

• Updated Photos: - Keep your photos up to date with the changes in season, this is very important for those homes listed in the winter because spring gives you the opportunity to show off your "outdoor living space"! 

Take a look at some before and after pictures of one of my personal listings before and after photos !

Keep in mind the only thing we did for this home was paint in the living room, and virtual 

staging which was included in the price of the photography !  

Now "Availability" this covers much more than just "How easy it to show your home", so let's take a look at some of the other aspects you as the homeowner may not think of.  

Internet Presence

• Where Does Your Home Place? This is a very simple thing to check and correct, go on as a buyer and search for homes that share the same basic characteristics (style, bedrooms, baths).  If your home does not show up within the first 10-15 houses than you should consider finding a way to get your home up to the top.  You should do this with your agent so they can rule out homes that may come up before you, but are not the "competition" you may think.  

• Where Is Your Home Listed?  The most common place you ask about your home being listed is Multiple Listing but where else are they being promoted ? Many buyers from the city & the boroughs look at publications like New York Times and Redfin.  Others will utilitize quick apps while they are around town viewing other properties or open houses on websites like Trulia or Zillow.  You should also be tracking how many views your home is getting on at least the top 6 or 7 sites that are used which also include Optimum Homes, Realtor.Com, and Yahoo Homes to name a few.  

Coldwell Banker decided to keep a close eye on our listings and partnered up with these top sites to be able to track your homes views on a weekly basis ! Here is a example ! 

• How Quickly Do Buyers Receive Information: Buyers who make online inquiries expect a timely response. Statistics show that buyers who do not receive a response within an hour of placing the inquiry will likely not return the call of your agent.  Your agent simply calling them immediately to at least acknowledge the inquiry and than setting up a time to speak with them more about the home can be the difference ! You will want to find out what set-up they have to receive these leads do they receive it via email, voicemail, or does the office handle the inquiries.  

• Who Receives The Inquiries On Your Home? This is often a big problem for most homeowners and they don't even realize it.  No matter what site your home is on with the exception of MLS SELLS the ad space surrounding your listing ! If your agent has not purchased this space they will not be the contact person for inquiries ! 

• How Often Do You Invite The Buyers? How do you invite the buyers your asking, its very simple you hold an advertised open house.  Often times buyers will spend their weekends visiting open houses so why not take the opportunity and the chance to let them see yours !  

If your home has been on the market for over 6 months and did not receive any offers, than unfortunately the only remaining factor is the price.  There are very rare exceptions where this is not the case, but you should take the time and speak with your Realtor for their professional opinion.  

What Your Should Ask Before You List Your Home

Many of my listings happen to come from expired listings, because of that I meet a lot of homeowners that are hoping a new Realtor will get their home sold.  Let me first off by pointing out that I am going to list the questions you should be asking in order and the most important !

1.  What Kind Of Company Do They Work For ? 
The very first question I hear from a homeowner is "What Is Your Commission" ? This should actually be your LAST question, it does not matter what a Realtors commission rate is if they don't do what needs to be done to sell your home.

• Is the company individually owned, or is it owned by a company ? In most cases bigger is always better because they are affiliated with other companies that can help get your home sold.  You can't just assume that because they have the named Century 21, Coldwell Banker, or Prudential does not mean owned by a company because these are franchises.   Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage is company owned, that is why and how we are able to offer so many options like in-house mortgages, home warranties, insurance, and a title agency. 

2. What Is Their Internet Presence, and How Do They Create Your Listing ? 

• What do they do for online advertising ? Everyone puts their listings onto MLS, what you want to know is how many other sites will your home be on, and who will be the point of contact on each of those websites ! Many homeowners don't realize but the ad space around all listings need to be purchased by your agent otherwise the point of contact is not your agent, but rather the agent who did purchase it.  Another important part of Internet presence is do you know if your listing is actually coming up in a search and being viewed, you should find a company that can track at least the number of views your getting or how many times your home came up in someones search.  

• What do they do to create your listing ? The first impression your house gives is by it's listing does the agent stage your home or professional photos, buyers are very visual so you want to be sure that you catch their attention right away ! Another often overlooked aspect is what your listing will actually have written on it ? You want to make sure that it has a detailed description and directions many buyers look to the directions to figure out the area that it is in.  The best way to gauge all of these things is to ask to see the agents other listings and see how they present ! 

3. How Available Would Your Agent Be ? 

• How available are they to you ? This is another question that homeowners often forget to ask, you want to know how often your realtor will be following up with you to give you updates on your home, feedback from Realtors, and most importantly what is going on with other homes that are selling and coming onto the market while your on the market ! You want a realtor who has a system to keep you up to date on all of those things going on in the market around you, this way you know how and when you will hear from them.  

• How available are they to buyers ? This is a very important question to ask because how quickly they respond to inquiries will decide how many buyers stay interested in your home.  Statistics show that 60 minutes after an inquiry is sent, the chance of reaching that potential buyer decreases to less than 50% !  The best way to find this out is after your appointment place an inquiry with them about one of their listings and see how long it takes for them to get in touch with you !  You will also want to see if they will attend showings that are being done by other brokers.  Granted the other brokers will be the ones talking to the buyers you want any questions they have, or any pertinent information about your home to be answered accurately and the only way they can be sure that happens is if your agent is there.  Now, this is my disclaimer, even the best agent will not be able to attend all showings but you should make sure they have a follow up plan in place for the ones they won't be able to attend.  

4. What Technology Do They Use To Help Their Listings ? 

• This question is more of a general question, you want an agent who uses all the tools that are available out there to help get your home sold.  You also want someone who understands the basic technology that is being used in today's market such as the social marketing, virtual presentations, online newspapers and forums ! These are the tools that bring buyers to your home, the more places your home and your agent are the more chance the right buyer for your home will come across it.  I happen to offer some additional tools for buyers who look at my listings like that ability to chat with me online, or giving them the ability to actually schedule an appointment anytime at their convenience! 

5. What Is Your Home Worth ? 

• I am sure your wondering why this at the bottom of the list, the reason why is because as long as the agent has provided you with a Comparative Market Analysis than the price of your home should not vary by very much.  If the agent has not performed an actual CMA and presented it to you, than that should make your decision for you ! The one part of this you do want to make note of is what kind of pricing style they would suggest for your home and area Market Priced or Action Priced !

These are the most important questions you should be getting the answers too, and the very last question should be that of "What Is Your Commission", don't discount a company or agent because of this answer decide who you think will do the best job and get your home sold ! If you hire an agent that your not sure can actually sell your home to save 1% on commission you will only end up spending more time and money living and maintaining it rather than moving onto your next home ! 

Tips For Selling During The Summer

It is that time of the year again, with every change in season I write a blog for homeowners who are selling or thinking of listing.  Although the weather we have been having seems more like spring with all of the rain lately, summer is only a few days away.

Now some Realtors will tell you that summer isn't the best time to sell, this is another one of those myths that I don't know how it started but it is false.  If your selling during the summer months you can expect a few more "tire kickers" but you can also expect to see some very aggressive buyers.

Bring The Outdoors In 

• The simplest way to help your flow from the inside of your home to your outdoor entertaining is very simple.  If you have a patio door or sliders make sure that you remove the blinds if they are not inside the glass, and place a shear curtain up instead.  This allows the light to still shine through, while still giving you privacy.  

• Your patio is almost as important as your dining room to buyers during the summer time, if you have a patio set take the time to arrange it on the patio, spruce it up with new cushions or an umbrella.  Show buyers that they will have the space and area to entertain in your yard.  If your patio is smaller they do sell small bistro sets that you can purchase, these are great for condo's and townhouses ! 

• Outdoor lighting is becoming a very popular trend, it really does make the yard look very inviting and adds some ambiance.   You can pick up sets of 4 from your local home improvement store for under $40, and they are solar so they require no wiring and generally last 3 years before they need new batteries. 

Water Works

• Water your lawn regularly !!  I can't tell you how many homes during the summer months including mine, get those large patches of brown straw like grass.  A brown lawn is never appealing, this is a big part of curb appeal be sure you invest in good sprinklers if you do not have the luxury of in ground sprinklers.  

• Time your sprinklers for times when buyers will not be walking around your yard. I know that the best time to water the lawn for most people is the middle of the day, but take the time to perhaps either run them in the early morning hours or later in the evening.  I am a big fan of strappy sandals and I can't help but not want to walk on a wet lawn, many women will understand this and you want the buyers to spend time in your home taking it in, not avoiding parts of it.  

• If you have a pool be sure to open it up, make sure your water is clear most buyers will assume if your pool is closed that something is not working properly.  You want to showcase this kind of amenity, if you have decking or fencing around it be sure you make sure that it is in the best shape possible a simple power washing, or fresh coat of stain can go a long way.  

Comfortable & Cool 

• Don't skimp out on the air conditioning this time of year, if you have air conditioners turn them on ! Now you don't want to freeze your buyers out but keeping it at a school 68 degrees allows buyers to be comfortable walking around your home.  I can't tell you how quickly a showing will end if a home is hot and stuffy on a summer day, no matter how great the home is no one wants to be in a sauna. 

• Now I do tell most of my homeowners to leave during showings of their home, many buyers no matter how nice the homeowner, still feel as if they are intruding.  What you can do is in a small bowl put some ice and a few bottles of water, it is a nice gesture that will often allow buyers to relax, cool off and really take in your home rather than rush through it.   

Clean Up & Organize 

• This is the simplest thing to do, and surprisingly very important to buyers. Outdoor areas are very important to buyers but where they are going to store all the things they don't want to leave out in the weather is also important.  If you have a shed or a garage with an entrance/exit into the backyard take the time to clean them out and organize. 

• Make sure any chemicals you have (Ex: Pool chemicals, pesticides, gas containers)  are locked up, many buyers will have their children with them since there is no more school, and camps usually let out early.  

These are just a few of the tips for the summer selling season, and there are additional tips that were covered in the Spring Season blog. If you are looking for suggestions on what you could do to spruce up your yard I am always more happy to help.  You can email me pictures of your "problem areas" and I will make some simple/inexpensive suggestions that may help.  

Spring Has Arrived !

Now I know what your saying, spring is not quite here yet but all you homeowners who decided to go ahead and wait for the spring market to put your house on the market ...... it is here NOW! 


We have seen a ton of buyer activity, I personally think it is because we had such a mild winter everyone is more than ready to go outside into the great weather and start their search.  I can't blame them, but these are smarter buyers than last year many have been looking for quite some time, and have seen countless homes.  They know what they are looking for and chances are they have a pretty accurate idea of what your home is worth!

So here goes another blog with some helpful tips on ....................

Spring Staging Tips

Get Ready For Entertaining ! 
Now you might be wondering why who are you entertaining ? BUYERS ! 
Outside spaces are a great area to "play up" during the spring.  Plant some colorful flowers, put out some comfortable chairs, perhaps some solar lighting to give it character! 

Spring Cleaning 

Take down those heavy winter curtains put up some light colored sheer curtains and let the air and the sunshine come in! Take a good look around your home could your doors or trim use a quick coat of crisp white paint, sometimes that fresh white trim can really make a house look a little more appealing.  Box up your winter wardrobe. Bulky winter clothes take up lots of space, so move them out as you de-clutter your closets. You'll impress buyers with all that space.


Curb Appeal
I would say that you only get one chance at a first impression but the truth is when your home is listed you actually get two chances.  The first is when they find your home online, and the second is when they finally come to your front door.  Make sure that your entryway is inviting ! Make sure that your pathways are clear, your grass is green and well kept, and a few potted plants to add color! If your home has vinyl siding please take a good look at it  if you can see the dirt and pollen than spend a weekend and give it a good power-washing not everyone can see passed those things.  


Lighten The Mood 
Tuck away the heavy, winter flannel comforter and pull out crisp linens with coverlets for color. Bring in the spring with floral-designed spreads or colorful solids. Don't forget accent pillows for added style and comfort.


Open House
What do buyers spending their weekends doing in the spring? I will tell you what, they are out with their open house "schedule" in hand, checking out houses that they spent all week long searching for on MLS! Even if you don't like having alot of open houses, at least allow your agent to occasionally hold one, and take that time and go and snoop on your competition.  Attending others open houses will allow you to look at your home from a buyers point of view when you get back home.  


IF YOUR HOME WAS LISTED IN THE WINTER

Update Your Photo's ! 
I can't tell you how many homeowners list their homes in the winter but than come spring they don't change the photo's of the home or add additional photos of their outside space! Change your pictures with the season, this is something you should ask your agent to do for you if they don't suggest doing it on their own! 


Update Your Listing ! 
You are going find yourself with a whole lot more competition than you did in those winter months! I don't know who started the rumor that homes don't sell in the winter, or why for that matter but all of that no longer matters.  


You must take a good look at your home from the buyers point of view and adjust your price accordingly, if you don't update your price to the new market conditions in 6 months you will still be on the market, and all of those homes priced aggressively will have sold!  

How To Make Sure Your Home Sells At The Right Price !

COLDWELL BANKER® SHOWS YOU HOW TO MAKE SURE THE YOUR HOME SELLS AT THE RIGHT PRICE

Establishing a reasonable and profitable listing price for a home is perhaps the biggest challenge for every home seller. Before coming to a final figure, many sellers ask themselves: "That home down the block went for a lot; can I just price my home in the same ballpark?" "Can I jack the price up in a hot market?" These and many other factors must be considered before settling on a listing price. The professionals at Coldwell Banker Residential Homes recommend taking the following steps before setting an asking figure.

         

Choose the Right Sales Associate
While many people use a friend or relative's referral to select a sales associate, it is smart to interview many prospective agents. Invite several sales associates to show their listings presentations. Pay attention to how they plan to market the home, and find out the reach of their company's Web site. Also, make certain they plan to list the home on the multiple listing service (MLS) and inquire about how broad their real estate contact network is.

 

Do The Homework.
Ask a real estate sales associate for a written comparative market analysis (CMA). This will provide a list of recent sales prices of similar homes in the area (with comparable numbers of bedrooms, baths, square footage and lot size), the asking prices of homes currently for sale nearby and other important information. Then a sales associate will provide a professional estimation of a legitimate selling price.

Take the Emotion Out of It
While the seller likely has great affection for the home, the sales associate will not set the price based on the seller's emotion. Instead, he or she will evaluate the location, condition and size of the home. A house in a secluded, exclusive area may appeal to some, while others will want to be closer to schools, shopping and health care facilities. What is the physical condition of the home? Is it a fixer-upper? Does it make a good first impression (the ever important curb appeal)? Will it appeal to a growing family, or is it better suited to empty nesters?

Determine If It Is a Buyers/Sellers Market
Home inventory, mortgage interest rates and the economy play a role in determining whether the buyer or seller has a negotiating advantage. Interest rates remain at historically low levels even as the economy shows signs of improving, putting buyers in a good position to shoulder "good" debt of homeownership.

     

Do the Math
Do not forget to figure in closing costs, legal fees and other selling expenses when determining the selling price. The sales associate should be able to provide cost estimates, and negotiate with a potential buyer to ensure a good sale price.

                                                           
Give It the Once Over
There is one more step to ensure that the house sells for your price, or more. Do as much as possible to improve the home's appearance: touch up the paint, fix leaks, seal any cracks, clean up the clutter, and eliminate pet odors. The house has only one chance to make a first impression.

Are Full Service Real Estate Agents Worth The Money ?

Consumers are always looking for ways to save money, and paying real estate commissions can amount to tens of thousands these days. Not an insignificant sum to most people. Is it worth it to hire a full-service real estate brokerage over a discount service? Reasonable question. It's one I hear often. And the answer is it depends.  

Type of MarketplaceIf you're in a seller's market right now, homes are probably selling the minute they hit the multiple listing service. A one-eyed sheep with two paws tied behind her back could plop a home into MLS and get an offer. Will it be the highest price you could get?
Buyer's markets exist when inventory exceeds the supply of buyers. In these markets, some homes aren't selling at all. This is where expertise and extra work pays off. Listings that sell at top price are typically those exposed to the most buyers, which are priced well, marketed well and show well. 
MLS and the Internet
I cringe when I see new listings hit MLS without a photograph because I know that agents and buyers are passing them over without a second thought. Many multiple listing services accept 8 to 12 photographs nowadays. For that reason, many full-service agents hire professional photographers and shoot double the photos required.                      * The pros spend considerable time sorting through photos to select those with the most light, the best angles, sharpest contrast & color.
                    * Photos are cropped and resized to accentuate positive attributes.
                    * Each photograph is entered into MLS with a full-length enticing description.

When I see a photograph taken by the multiple listing service instead of a pro or the agent, I also see a lazy real estate agent who doesn't care enough or isn't getting paid enough to properly market her client's property.  
Signage
Lots of mom 'n' pop operations and discount brokerages don't spend money on professional signs because they don't believe in it or they can't afford it. Good signage is free advertising. Many full-service firms will advertise:
                    * Main office phone number
                    * Agent's personal cell phone or voice mail number
                    * Web site for more information
                     * Virtual tour links

Marketing Materials
Full-service companies tend to project quality, and that means four-color flyers and four-color direct mail pieces. The days of hiring neighborhood kids to toss photocopies on neighbors' front steps are gone. Full-service marketing is first class.  
Open Houses

Not all homes are right for an open house, but those that are require finesse. This means working the buyers who come through by pointing out impressive features of the home without making the buyer feel oppressed or hounded, and that in itself is an art. It requires the service of an experienced sales person. Many discount brokers refuse to hold homes open.
Full-service agents counsel sellers. They find out what made the seller decide to buy the home and how that moment happened. Then, they employ that knowledge at open houses. For example, suppose a seller said that moment came when she first stood gazing out at the pool. When she turned to her husband and gasped, "I can't believe we can afford to buy this home." Good sales people at an Open would ask buyers to stand in that same spot by the pool. Then, they'd share the seller's first experience verbatim.  

Negotiation
Real estate is an extremely competitive business, and there are many agents fighting for the same listings. A full-service agent who wins the listing is probably a good negotiator, a person you want on your side during offer negotiations. Think about it. Agents who can persuade you to pay what they feel is reasonable, will probably persuade a buyer to pay your price. Ultimately, that means more money for you.
Final Sales Price

Sometimes full-service agents lose listings because the seller was promised a higher price based on hot air and a lower commission. It's these listings that often show up in MLS a month later with reduced prices. The amount of the price reductions, not surprisingly, tend to exceed the difference in commissions between the dualing agencies! In these scenarios, sellers received fewer services and ended up losing money on the sale as well.
If you can't decide between an agent who charges 1 or 2 percent less than another, think about how you would feel if you had to reduce your sales price, say five percent, to get the house sold. Ask the agents to show you their last 24 months of price reductions and compare them.

How Much Do Agents Make?
Agents are paid by brokers. Brokers retain a portion, sometimes 50%, and pay the balance to the agent. From that, the agent pays her overhead and taxes, which can easily amount to 50% of the net. A listing agent's true salary ranges from 20% to 30% of one-half the commission. Full-service agents typically spend more on overhead than their competitors; by refusing to compromise service, they tend to charge more.

Key Elements To Get Your Home To Sold

I recently was going thru some key points during a listing appointment, and have decided to take the time to put "pen to paper" so to speak.

When someone list's their homes I like for them to have a clear understanding that I don't just want the listing, I want the home to sell.  That is our purpose, and believe it or not many people do not realize that if you are going to list your home with a Realtor you should be ready to move within 60 - 90 days.  Not all homes take a 6 month period of time to find a qualified buyer, not if they are marketed properly and priced at what the market calls for.

I have decided to take the time to elaborate on some of the tools and resources I use to help my listings get to sold.

Professional Photo's and Videos 

This is a great tool, your home will not always have perfect light when buyers come to see it, or some homes are vacant.
The company I work with for the pictures, also does a Virtual Tour which is uploaded to YouTube allowing your potential buyers to feel as if they are walking thru your home, all the while they are sitting in their living room.  This does 2 things, it catches the buyer and makes you that memorable listing because virtual tours are not yet common, and gets more serious buyers into your home !

** Sellers Tip **

Buyers in todays market, spend most of their time searching for their new home on the internet.  Those pictures are your very first impression, if there is not enough or they are not well taken you could be overlooked.  On more than one occasion I have had to push for a buyer to go see a home that they didn't like the pictures on MLS, after some prompting they agree to go and almost all the time they can not believe how the home showed in person.  

Another inside tip for sellers, many websites have their own way of how the homes they show in their search results show up to the potential buyer.  Many first go by what kind of account the listing agent has with the company, second they go by how many pictures you have of the home ! Let your listing agent take pictures, trust us we spend 90% of our time in people's homes we know what they are looking to see ! 

Here is an example of a home I personally have listed, and used professional photography to give it an edge on the competition.

                                                                                                                                                        

Staging

Any home can benefit from staging, a professionals eye will be able to give your home a un-biased opinion.  

Realtors will know what can distract a buyer, even though what distracts them has nothing to do with the home they are potentially buying.   

Sometimes simply moving around things in a room, can give it the illusion that it is bigger than it is, some de-cluttering is always recommended you don't want your home to be cold or sterile feeling there is always a happy medium.  

** Sellers Tip **

Begin your packing the moment you list your house on the market, not the everyday necessities but the things you can do without. 

If your home is on the market your ultimate goal is to be moving, it will help de-clutter the home for the prospective buyers that will be coming in to view your home, and you will need to pack those things at some point, I look at it as positive thinking ! Many storage facilities offer specials for very low rates, and the benefit to you will be priceless.  

Now some people have decided to buy their new home first, and than list their home for sale.  Vacant homes can be a wonderful thing, but buyers are visual, I work with a wonderful company who does staging, it is at no cost to my sellers.  Their is no pesky rentals fee's it is all done virtually, and again it is a benefit of using a professional photographer.  

                                                              After                                                                   Before

This home was bought by investors, renovated but they did not want to have to rent furniture for the pictures.

Online Marketing 

The absolute best marketing tool you could possibly have today is the internet.  I don't mean just Zillow, Trulia, or Realtor.Com.  

Social Marketing is the best exposure you could ever ask for, you know how you re-united with past colleagues, classmates, or even extended family.  You will never know if they or someone they know is looking to a buy a home, you want your home to be blogged, twittered, and facebooked as much as possible.  Not only does it attract prospective buyers it will catch the eye of other agents we all network together and it is the easiest way to let other realtors know about our listings all over Long Island.   

On any given day you can look at my Twitter feed and know exactly what I am doing, and where on Long Island I am.  The same goes with other realtors, if we are having an open house we like everyone to know.   When I first list a home I will often blog about it, conveying the excitement I have about this new listings to my network and many people will share this with others.  Remember you never know where your buyer will come from !!