5 Tips from Real Estate Photographers

Contrary to what you might have heard, a buyer’s first impression is no longer the moment when they drive up to check out your curb appeal. In fact, more often than not, they’ve already seen your home inside and out online.

Most buyers spend weeks perusing online listings, texting must-see homes to their agent, and making judgements about homes purely based on images they've seen on the Internet.

Photos are the curb appeal of the digital age, and those shots have to be good.

Here are 5 tips from real estate photographers to ensure your home has online curb appeal.

1. Don't take your own photos

To get a good photo, you need the right equipment, including a high-end camera and some full-featured editing software  results in richer, more flattering photographs.

2.   Go for a simple and decluttered look

Your home will appeal to more people if it is depersonalized and has a 'model home' feel. Pack away family photos, knicknacks, counter clutter and small appliances. Go for a sleek, simplified look.

3. Dirt does show

A missed stain on the kitchen floor, dust on the mantel, slight discoloration in the carpet—it’s all going to show in the photos. The good news is, a pro can edit most of those things out, but your house should be as clean as possible before the shoot.

4. Check the weather

If a big storm is due to hit on the day of your photos, it may be wise to reschedule, especially if your newly tidied yards take a hit. A good photographer can turn a cloudy sky blue with editing software but can't easily remove leaves, branches and other debris littered across your lawns, or enhance a photo to remove a downpour. Having your yards in perfect condition for the photographer is definitely key.

5. Do a final sweep

Now that you've packed those extra items away and had your house and yards tidied, it's wise to do a final sweep. Pay extra attention to blinds, curtains, bedspreads, and shower curtains, making sure they are in place and smooth. Make sure the toilet lids are closed. Refresh the toilet paper rolls. All those little touches make a big difference.

Article excerpt from realtor.com

If you have a need for a real estate professional, please contact me. I would also appreciate your vote of confidence by passing my name to anyone you may know who would benefit from my services.

                      408.687.2026 |  Julie@JulieWyss.com | www.JulieWyss.com

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6 Staging Tips for Sellers

Professional stagers are designer/decorators charged with making your house more marketable.

Prepping your home for getting the best offer possible means decorating rooms, walls, floors, and ceilings in a way that encourages potential buyers to imagine themselves in your home. Stagers favor neutral walls, simple layouts, and minimal artwork.

“There’s a big difference between designing for someone’s tastes and remerchandizing a home to appeal to as many people as possible,” says Kathy Burke of Sensational Home Staging in Danville, CA. Getting it right is a critical and enigmatic art. Don’t panic! We got some stagers to reveal their secrets to help you navigate the process.

1. Don’t take it personally

We know you love the way you set up your living room. That eclectic collection of wicker baskets from all your European travels stacked up in the corner? It’s the perfect detail for you—but not for your stager. Not even close.

So here’s the thing: When they tell you what to change (and they absolutely will), don’t be offended. It doesn’t mean they think your style is awful. Not necessarily, anyway.

“It’s not about whether I like something or not,” Burke says. “It’s about how we’re going to present it. I know what photographs well and what looks dated.”

Her favorite clients are the ones who know tough feedback is coming and don’t care: “I walk in and they say, ‘You can’t hurt my feelings. Do whatever you want.’”

2. Toss your stuff, and disconnect emotionally

For many sellers, home staging will be the first time they realize they’re really, actually moving. Family pictures come down, the sofa goes into storage, and suddenly this place you called yours is looking less and less like you.

If you need to do some emotional processing, we understand: It’s hard to put your family home on the market. But don’t subject your stager to your stress. Detach. Chill out. Help the process, don’t hinder or fight it. Keep your eye on the prize: selling your home at the right price, to the right buyers, within the right time frame.

What does that really mean? Try removing as much of your stuff as possible before the stager comes. By tackling spring cleaning you’ll not only accomplish some necessary decluttering before your move, but you’ll also get used to the idea that this is no longer your home.

“We need to make sure that they’re truly ready to sell their house,” says David Peterson of  Synergy Staging based in Portland, OR. “That’s a big part of emotionally disconnecting.”

3. Move out (if you can)

Both Peterson and Burke find staging a home vastly easier when it’s vacant. If you can afford to move out when the home goes on the market, do it.

“It’s easier for them, it’s easier on their pets, and it’s easier on the buyer,” Burke says. “We can create one cohesive look and don’t have to blend anything.”

Occupied houses present more of a challenge (and take substantially more time): Stagers have to accommodate daily living, as well as risk the homeowner not preserving their layout (or any rented furniture).

Occupied homes can even cost more to stage. “It’s just a lot more work, timewise, when the owners are still living in the place,” Burke says.

4. Stay out of the picture(s)

According to the 2014 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, 92% of buyers use the Internet to look for homes—meaning the pictures posted alongside your home’s listing are wildly important.

“Much of what I’m doing is to appeal to people through photographs,” Burke says. “I hope that photo will touch people and they’ll say, ‘That’s going on my short list.’”

Peterson aims to be the “last person in before the photographers. We want those pictures to look great.”

But no one wants the buyers to be disappointed with the home’s real-life presentation after seeing photos online. So here’s a bonus: If you’re staying in the property, make sure to keep it in tiptop shape.

5. Get your money’s worth

Staging isn’t a last-minute addition before your home officially goes on the market. Stagers work far in advance and can’t always fit in last-minute work. Costs start around $1,250, depending on your state of residence, square footage, and what—if any—furniture you rent, according to the Real Estate Staging Association.

That might seem like a lot of money to spend on a home you’re about to sell, but both Burke and Peterson say staging is an investment with a very high return. “Anything we put in, we want to make sure you’re getting your money back,” Burke says. Some realtors include staging as part of their budget to market your home.

6. Stay on schedule

Don’t dillydally on making the recommended changes for your stager, who can’t begin rearranging until you’ve finished renovating. Usually the requested changes are small (new paint, fixing chipped tiles in the bathroom, etc.).

Not finishing small jobs on time can push the entire project back.

“If we get there and a place hasn’t been cleaned, or there’s still a painting crew, we can’t do our jobs. Then we have to charge them a fee, leave, and then reschedule,” Peterson says. “If we’re booked out several weeks, it really makes it hard.” And maybe even more expensive. So get moving.

If you have a need for a real estate professional, please contact me. I would also appreciate your vote of confidence by passing my name to anyone you may know who would benefit from my services.

          408.687.2026 |  Julie@JulieWyss.com | www.JulieWyss.com

Selling Your Home During the Winter

The winter can be one of the best times to sell your home. Below are a number of reasons selling during this season makes sense.

1. Buyers are looking because they need to move

Those in the market for a home during the winter generally need to move, which gives sellers an edge in negotiating.

2. Less inventory means less competition

Fewer homes on the market means yours has a better chance of attracting a buyer. 

3. Sellers have more time to evaluate offers 

Unlike the frenzied spring selling season when sellers have to review offers hastily, they are afforded a more relaxed timeframe during winter to evaluate offers and possibly negotiate more favorable terms.

4. Price more ambitiously

Though pricing your home at that sweet spot is always crucial, since competition is slim during the winter, coming in at a more ambition list price tends to work better during the off-season.

5. Holiday curb appeal

Curb appeal is always important and during the winter, creating an inviting, holiday feel can attract buyers. Be sure the exterior of your home is tidy and clean, wash windows and decorate your front porch with festive greenery and seasonal flowers. Keep lights on, window shades open and the inside temperature cozy.

If you have a need for a real estate professional, please contact me. I would also appreciate your vote of confidence by passing my name to anyone you may know who would benefit from my services.

        408.687.2026 |  Julie@JulieWyss.com | www.JulieWyss.com

3 Ingenious Moving Tips

When it comes time to move from the old place to the new one, everyone could use a few handy moving tips.

Sometimes, there are things about moving that we don’t consider until it’s too late: duct tape, bubble wrap, etc.

Moving can be a headache, and no one likes it—but with a few good friends and a few handy tricks, it makes the task mush simpler.

1. Snacks as Moving Hacks

Not only are snacks like Pringles and popcorn tasty, they can also come in seriously handy when it comes time to move.

Once you’ve polished off the chips, those Pringles cans are indispensable for packing up pens, pencils and the conglomeration of stuff in your “junk drawer.” These handy cans can hold a number of loose items that would otherwise end up rolling all over of the floor of your moving truck.

And when you run out of packing peanuts or bubble wrap, good ol’ fashioned popcorn—which is also dirt cheap—is a terrific substitute. Pop a few kernels and use it to fill up the empty space in your boxes of fragile items.

2. Stretch It!

When you’re carrying stuff down to your truck, going in and out of the house, few things are as annoying as having the door slam on you over and over—potentially even locking you out of the house!

Your best bet to fix that problem? A simple rubber band. Hook one end over the inside knob, turn the knob so it’s in the “open” position, and then you twist the band in an “X” over the latch and hook the other end to the outside knob.

Rubber bands also come in super-handy for keeping small boxes closed or binding clothes hangers together by their hooks.

3. Plate It Up

When you’re packing up your kitchen, you have to be extra careful with plates and glasses, so they don’t get broken en route to your new home. Sure, you could buy those foam squares that are meant to separate your plates and keep them safe, but that can be expensive.

Instead, buy a party pack of foam plates at your local grocery store. They cost just pennies, and they’ll protect your dishes better than foam squares or newspaper.

And when you get to your new place, you also will have something to eat off of while you’re unpacking.

If you have a need for a real estate professional, please contact me. I would also appreciate your vote of confidence by passing my name to anyone you may know who would benefit from my services.

                       408.687.2026 |  Julie@JulieWyss.com | www.JulieWyss.com

It's a Great Time to Buy a Home

The time between Thanksgiving and the end of the year is a perfect time to purchase a home.

Why?

1. There is less competition during this holiday period. Fewer potential buyers are active during this time, which provides you with a fantastic opportunity.

2. There are fewer properties for sale because not many sellers want to open their homes during the holiday season. But those who have decided to sell are highly motivated!

3. Sellers tend to be concerned when there are less frequent property showings due to fewer buyers. As a result, they will be more willing to negotiate.

If you are considering buying a home, this holiday season is an excellent time to get a fantastic home at a great price without going up against a lot of competition.

If you have a need for a real estate professional, please contact me. I would also appreciate your vote of confidence by passing my name to anyone you may know who would benefit from my services.

408.687.2026 |  Julie@JulieWyss.com | www.JulieWyss.com