Home Staging & Home Sale Preparation

First impressions can be deal breakers for potential buyers, especially when homeowners do not grasp the significance of staging the home.  It's like missing the forest for the trees, meaning someone is looking at individual things (trees) and missing the big picture (forest).  In house terms, prospective home buyers can be distracted by odd art, personal belongings or loud things which attract attention.  The human eye is drawn to something that stands out, and a potential home buyer can miss an entire room for the visual impact of something very bright, though relatively small.

The National Association of Realtors reports that staged homes sell 80 percent faster and have offers up to 11 percent higher than non-staged properties.   According to Barb Schwarz, president of the International Association of Home StagingProfessionals (IAHSP), a home staged by an IAHSP member is on the market for an average of 29 days compared to 145 days for non-staged homes.  Another study by the Real Estate Staging Association indicates that staged homes sell, on average, 73 percent faster than unstaged ones.

            

Of course, all the staging in the world doesn't do much if the place isn't professionally cleaned and personally de-cluttered.  Lookers do poke in the oven, closets, dryer lint screen and under sinks.  Fresh coats of paint do wonders, as does carpet replacement, deep cleaning and power spraying the exterior.

Curb appeal (check out our past blog) is the first impression, and yet a fair performance outside can be overlooked for a stellar interior.   The hallmark of a home stage professional is a keen eye for arrangement, organization, function and color.   This person understands the kind of neutral environment that has broad appeal.   It's not about decorating or redecorating, but more about transforming the home from personally-you to impersonally-someone else.

Staging can be expensive, but the likelihood of recovering it and more in the final price is high.  It's akin to the business adage: "It takes money to make money."  According to a Duke University study on home staging, some of the most important things to be removed from sight are:

·      used soap, razors, toothbrushes, etc., in a bathroom

·      pet dishes, toys, beds, litter box, etc.

·      personal photographs

·      kitchen counter appliances including coffeemaker, mixer, etc.

Additionally, each room should be used as designed.  A dining room, for example, should having dining room furniture in it.  A spare bedroom converted to a home office works, as long as it doesn't have both bed and desk.

One of the most common stumbling blocks to staging is emotional.  The homeowner is defensive about his or her decor, and for someone to come in and remove and rearrange things in another way can be disheartening.  The home stage professional is not emotionally-invested in the house and simply sees how to present it in the best light, literally and figuratively.  The objective is to sell the house for a great price in a relatively short time frame, and keeping that in mind makes the home stager part of the sales team, not an adversary.

A home stage professional can take your home to its highest level of appeal to prospective buyers, those potential new homeowners who can comfortably visualize their furnishings and personal accoutrements in your attractive, neutral spaces.  Time is money, even in real estate, and a fast nickel is always better than a slow dime.  Who knows, with professional home staging, you might get one fast dime.

So when you get ready to sell, it may be worth considering a home stager as a valuable part of your team.  You may also consider getting your Tampa area dumpster rental from the folks at Bin There Dump That,  they will help you determine what size you need, their courteous drivers will be on time, they guarantee driveway protection, and best of all, their dumpsters are clean & green, you wont have a rust bucket sitting in your driveway detracting from your beautiful home.

 

Providing The Best Tampa Dumpster Rental Experience

This week the Bin There Dump That teams from all across the US & Canada joined together in downtown Tampa to discuss & share ways to provide the best dumpster rental customer service & experience for their customers.   Our local Tampa, Clearwater, St. Pete team of Leah & JC joined with a focus on finding new ways to make the best Tampa dumpster rental experience even better for their customers.

JC noted that taking two days away from the office was hard to do, but Ray & James took great care of our customers while we were in meetings and now we have a number of new ideas & ways to help our customers even more.  Providing the best service to our Tampa dumpster rental customers takes a lot of work & effort, we are continually looking for new & better ways to make our construction partners look good and our residential dumpster rental clients to have a smooth & easy experience.

JC, Leah, Patrick, Claire, Martin, & Ann

Leah & JC were also joined by Bin There Dump That locations down to the south in Sarasota - (Patrick & Claire) & Ft. Myers - (Martin & Ann).  Leah commented that "it was great to see our sister locations to the south and have the opportunity to bounce ideas off each other and learn from each other.  We all have our unique market & area, but we strive to deliver the same great service to our roll off dumpster rental customers.  Hearing about their experiences only helps us to deliver affordable dumpsters with great customer service.   Between all of us, we can pretty much serve the central & south west coast of Florida.  Knowing we all have the same service values, reputation, & rapport with our customers just helps to expand the brand recognition which allows us to keep growing the people we can serve.

Leah & JC

Leah & JC were also excited to learn about some great new vendor partner relationships as well as catching up with our existing suppliers & service vendors.  With out them, we would have a much more difficult job.  They help us do what we do best, which is helping residential homeowners & our contractor partners look good, save money, & save time.

Kitchen and Bath Remodel Trends

As we step into a new year, you can be certain there will be new products, new innovations and new practical - and impractical - ways to update your kitchen and bath.  Many are do-it-yourself kinds of tasks, and other require the professionals in renovation, plumbing and electrical, maybe even an Interior Designer to evaluate function, layout and style.

All home interiors usually embrace a blend of new-and-improved with tried-and-true.  You can't go wrong with an all white kitchen, for example, or stainless steel appliances.   In Florida, where it's warm year-round, popular colors reflect the sea, sand and sky for glorious aquamarine and coral pastels along with ubiquitous, multiple shades of creams and whites.  If you live in an area like St. Pete Beach, Indian Rocks Beach, Clearwater Beach, Apollo Beach or one of our other great Tampa area beaches, you may be looking for just that type of style.

Some kitchen and bath trends have been evolving in recent years and others are new for 2016 

• hanging pendants and task-specific lighting instead of recessed ceiling lights
• quartz and stainless steel countertops
• more curve and angles to islands and counters
• textured surfaces ~ nubby, linen-look, leather-like
• clever pull-out drawers
• open, user-friendly shelves and storage
• mosaic tile and retro furnishings
• farm and under-mount sinks or unique vessels in the bathroom
• Euro-influenced faucets
• minimal cupboard hardware
• no threshold showers, all glass
• he pullout sink faucet in the kitchen
• modern minimalist stove hoods

The fashion world sets the stage not only for clothing and style, but also impacts the floral industry and kitchen and bath design.  You'll find that new, textured surfaces mimic fabrics and strong laminates are sporting patterns like quilt blocks and brocades.  Wood floors harken back to cabin days and never go out of style.  Ceilings are getting a lot more attention with color and recessed portions with trim and even crown molding. An accent wall can create a focal point in your own favorite color -- red for retro perhaps, sable brown for warmth, soft salmon and gentle pinks for seashell hues.

Bronze, copper and brushed brass are replacing the high sheen metallics, and the spa-at-home trend continues as people create a special haven and retreat atmosphere right at home.  Freestanding bathtubs, large surfaces around the tub, whirlpool and deep, soaking tubs and multiple shower heads in oversized, glassed-in showers provide the kind of luxury inspired by resorts and day spas.  The hassles and expense of travel can be dramatically reduced by considering your home the best place for relaxation and renewal.  Elegant lighting, natural stone finishes and handcrafted tile accents contribute to your sense of well-being.

Cruising around the Internet for ideas is easy at websites where you can see and read all about kitchen and bath trends, as well as what works, what looks good with what and how you can update or renovate your own kitchen or bath.   Check out:

• houzz.com
• kohler.com
• thisoldhouse.com
• hgtv.com
• bhg.com
• kitchen-design-ideas.org

And... there is always one of our many home shows you can go to and get some great ideas.  One of the next Tampa area home shows is going to be at the Florida Fairgrounds.  Check out the details at their website http://bighomeshow.com/

Whether you embrace the latest, greatest and trendiest or simply stick with traditional, functional and what you like best, every kitchen and bath update just might call for a Tampa area dumpster rental from the professionals at Bin There Dump That.  They will respond on time for delivery and pick up, and you will save time and energy with the convenience of disposal right outside your door.  Any home kitchen and bath project, big or small, DIY or not, is really sweet ~ once it's over.     

Curb Appeal ~ first impressions matter

Despite our best efforts, we do judge a book by its cover, people by their attire and a house by its appearance.  Like it or not, first impressions set the stage for everything that follows.  Curb appeal can be a deal breaker, and houses with an attractive curb appeal sell for higher prices in less time than those with a bit of sloppy out front.

Many classy neighborhoods, condo buildings and gated communities have homeowner associations with covenants, restrictions and easements to maintain visual attraction of the neighborhoods as a whole.   Even so, cobwebs, mildew, peeling trim paint and rust don't discriminate on where they crop up.

There are buyers out there looking for the "handyman's special" and offering low-ball prices, but just as many or more are looking for the equivalent of a nice home on which they can make an offer, sign a contract and move in without lifting a paint brush.   Many people relocating to the Tampa Bay region maybe in accepting a new position or job promotion, and they intend to focus their energy on the company, responsibilities, co-workers, neighbors and new schools for the kids and not on sprucing up the front porch.

Not everything can be addressed in a litany of covenants, and it may be your responsibility to maintain a nice exterior look. But, if you've slipped a bit on the home front, here are some ways to enhance curb appeal:

• sweep cobwebs, loose dirt
• check gutters and drains for drainage and damage
• replace house numbers with classy, large ones
• touch up or paint trim, porch railings, etc.
• stain decks and natural wood surfaces
• power wash everything (this might dislodge loose paint)
• kill mold and mildew
• replace or repair garage doors
• fill cracks in driveway and seal
• clean windows
• new mailbox
• new porch and garage light fixtures
• paint front door, new door knocker or hardware or polish what's there
• trim shrubs and weeds; add mulch or potted flowers (even just one)
• remove branches close to roof or siding         
• lightscaping along walkways
• neatly edge sidewalks and driveway
• put away toys, bicycles, etc.
• add a color accent ~ chair, flowers, pot, bench
• fences and fence sections in good repair, stain or paint
• repoint bricks which have lost mortar
• replace any cracked glass
• inspect foundation
• clean up after pets
• store trash cans, RVs, boats out of sight or off property

Call Bin There Dump That before you begin your clean-up.   They'll deliver a dumpster, place it neatly in your driveway and pick it up when you ask.   If you don't think you have enough junk for a dumpster, ask the neighbors on either side to go in with you for even greater curb appeal that extends on both sides of your house!

Many buyers cannot see potential, and others are not interested in purchasing potential.  The offer price goes down with every little thing, and they are on the lookout for small stuff to chip away at the price.   Keep your curb appeal at its best, and that first impression may convert quickly to a tour and a contract.