The booming real estate market of 2006 has reached a cooling off point for most places around the United States, and for some it has gone cold. Now, more than ever, staging a home for sale can be the most important thing a seller can do. By following a few tips from the experts, a seller can increase the value of their house as well as reduce the length of time it is on the market.
Staging a home can mean the difference of thousands of dollars. The U.S. Housing and Urban Development reports that a staged home will for an average of 17 percent higher than an un-staged home. That means a house listed at $250,000 can see an increase of close to $43,000. And those who spent approximately $500 on staging increased their home’s value by an average of $1,715. Since most homeowners have difficulty seeing their house objectively, it may be beneficial to request help from friends, a realtor, or a staging professional.
Preparing the house for a showing can be a time consuming process, and research shows that the longer a house stays on the market the lower the selling price will be. Staging a house can mean the difference between weeks or months on the market. The New York Village Voice reported that the average number of days an un-staged home is on the market is 30.9 versus 13.9 for a staged home.
Increase Curb Appeal: The buyer’s first impression starts here -Look for chipped paint, especially around the doors and trim, and touch up where needed. -Always keep the yard mowed and edged. -Add touches of color with plants and flowers, and keep garden areas manicured. -Rent a power washer and clean surfaces like brick, siding, sidewalks, and driveways. -Clear spider webs from entry ways, and make sure there is plenty of light.
Kitchens: The heart of a house -De-clutter counter tops; find a cabinet to hide appliances and everyday items. -Keep cabinets organized to make them look as large as possible. -Remove personal items from the refrigerator, like drawings and pictures. -Consider updating a few appliances; this can add a lot of value to the home. -Make sure there is plenty of light. -Clean all surfaces including grout, sinks, corners, and floors.
Living Rooms: Help the buyer picture their family here -Consider the flow of the room and arrange furniture in a way that is functional and inviting. If you have too much furniture you may want to consider renting a storage space. -Remove pictures and personal items. -Bring the outside in by adding a plant or fresh flowers. -Bring attention to wood floors by polishing them, and rent a steam cleaner to make the carpet look as new as possible.
Bathrooms: Clean should be the first thing on the buyers mind -Clean all surfaces, especially grout. -De-clutter cabinets making them look as large as possible. Consider buying organizers to hide personal products. -Replace old faucets and fixtures. This can be a relatively inexpensive way to update the room. -Always neutralize bathroom smells before a buyer arrives. -Add coordinating towels and bathmats to detract from dated counter tops and tile. -Replace light bulbs to brighten the sink area.
Bedrooms: Should be uncluttered and relaxing -Organize the bedroom by arranging furniture in a way that makes the room seem comfortable and spacious. Remove unnecessary furniture items and store them in a storage unit. -Make the bed look like it is in a hotel. Linens should be coordinating and clean. -Remove pictures and personal items. -Store unnecessary closet items to make closets appear as large as possible. Make sure closets have plenty of light. -Consider repainting the room to a neutral tone if the color is bright.
Staging a home may be one of the most important things a seller can do for their home. Following the staging tips above can help ease the stress of selling a home, increase the homes value, and shorten the time on the market.
The sport of fly fishing consists of many specialized skills that come together in a delicate balance of rhythm and precision. Setting the hook is one of those specialized skills. Many times the techniques for setting the hook are neglected by fly fishermen who spend many hours practicing and reading about casting and fly tying skills. Unlike many of the skills of fly fishing, it is almost impossible to practice setting the hook without a live fish on the end of your fly line.
The first step in a successful hook actually begins when you tie your fly, either at home or on the river bank. It is very important to make sure that your hooks are razor-sharp. A dull hook doesn't have a good chance of finding its mark in the mouth of the trout.
In most fly fishing techniques it is important to set the hook as quickly as possible. If the water is fast, the trout usually strikes the fly very quickly and with a lot of force. It won't take long for the trout to realize that he has an artificial fly in his mouth, and he can, and will spit it out in a split second.
Fly fishing in slow moving water is the one exception to setting the hook as quickly as possible. When the water is slow trout feed in a more leisurely fashion. They may require a second or two in order to take the fly. If you set the hook too soon, you'll most likely pull the fly away from the trout. However, if you set the hook too late the trout may have already spit it out. There again is the delicate balance so often seen in fly fishing.
Sometimes while fly fishing the fishermen becomes so excited when he hooks a trout that he sets the hook with too much force. This usually results in broken tippits. Setting the hook quickly, doesn't mean pulling on it with great force. One way to avoid broken tippits is to use a slip strike which cushions the tippit.
If you are fly fishing using an upstream presentation, strip in the line with your line hand at the moment that you set the hook. This will remove most of the slack in the line and improve your chances for a good hook set.
When setting the hook using surface techniques of fly fishing, it is very important that you are able to see your fly in order to get a good hook set. If you are fly fishing using an underwater technique, it is essential that you can see your indicator when setting the hook. In both instances timing is very important.
Many experienced fly fishermen spend a lot of time imagining the strike and thinking about how they will move when they set the hook. They do this because they know that in fly fishing, the more imaginary trout you hook and land in your mind, the better your chances of taking an actual fish.
Both Kim M. Johnson & Bob Bastian are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
Kim M. Johnson has sinced written about articles on various topics from Real Estate. Kim Johnson contributes to a directory that focuses on helping people find the best realtor from a list of pre-screened real estate agents. Fin. Kim M. Johnson's top article generates over 3600 views. to your Favourites.
Bob Bastian has sinced written about articles on various topics from Distance Learning, Phoenix University and Acid Reflux. If you're interested in fly fishing, here's a resource you won't want to be without. Learn the art and craft of fly fishing, and catching the big ones that all anglers dream about!. Bob Bastian's top article generates over 14800 views. to your Favourites.