Dianne Drinkwater, Berkshire Hathaway Homeservices Florida Network RealtyPhone:
Email: [email protected]
Email: [email protected]
Image by ErikaWittlieb from Pixabay
Home staging used to be a novelty you watched on the HGTV network. At the end of the program, the hosts would show up with a truckload of furnishings and a bunch of landscaping plants, and presto — a home would be transformed before your eyes.
Today, home staging is a thriving bicoastal industry making inroads everywhere across the United States, with companies devoted both to renting furnishings and doing the actual staging. The Real Estate Staging Association (RESA) even offers courses to train professionals.
There's a reason for all this interest. Staging sells homes faster — up to seven times faster in some markets — and attracts more buyer interest. Here's the why and how.
Home staging is a form of marketing designed to show off your home's benefits to potential buyers. While part of that process is to purge the visual space of oddities that might be a turn off for most buyers, it's not just about decluttering and tidying.
One of the main purposes of staging your home is to show prospective buyers how they would use the space.
Suppose, for instance, that you have a spare room that is right now filled with junk. Whether to stage that space as a bedroom or an office depends on current buyer trends in your neighborhood. Is it mostly families? Young professionals? Your staging goal is to appeal to the buyers most likely to be at your open house and show them why your house is a functional space.
Though functionality is key, you also want to follow basic design principles when staging your home.
Neutral colors appeal to most people, as do rooms that are brightly lit. If shade or orientation is blocking the sun, make sure to invest in light bulbs that mimic natural lighting. The higher on the Kelvin rating scale, the more you'll achieve a daylight look.
Floating means pulling your seating arrangements into the center of the room to create the illusion of a cozy gathering space. An area rug helps to complete this illusion.
Most prospective buyers who enter your house are going to have already seen the pictures online. This is perhaps the best reason to avoid visual clutter. Spaces that are sleek and minimal look larger and more inviting in photos.
Your landscaping should be freshly maintained, with no dead or dying plants. Make sure that your gutters are clear and the front of the house has been powerwashed, especially window sills. The approach creates a strong first impression that excites buyer interest in the house.
Dianne is a full time, full service, state licensed Realtor®, member of Northeast Florida Regional Association of Realtors® (NEFAR), St. Augustine/ St.Johns County Board of Realtors, National Association of Realtors® (NAR), Florida Association of Realtors® (FAR), and Northeast Florida Regional Multiple Listing Service And St. Augustine/St. Johns (MLS), Shearwater Certified, and Military on the Move Designation.
She provides a unique blend of leadership, sales acumen, project management, technology, and world class customer relation skills to enhance Watson Realty Corporation's values in the real estate sales and mortgage marketplace. She is a decisive take action solution-oriented professional with 25+ years of progressive business experience who efficiently utilizes technology to improve results. She has lived in the St. Augustine/Jacksonville area since 2005 and has seen the area continue to flourish and stays well informed of future growth plans within Northeast Florida.
Let's take a look at the lighter side of Dianne. She loves life is artistic loves music, the arts, yoga and genealogy! She loves to explore and hates to be bored. She loves the outdoors, especially plant life and wildlife. She has been a Master Gardener in Florida and Maine; as a photography enthusiast she has the eye to spot the perfect shot, which spills over to the photos she makes of the properties she markets AND frequently hires the best specialized real estate photographers/drone and videographers who make the difference in the sale. And, she loves to share her knowledge of the local real estate market and all aspects of the process to guide you through each step as a coach rather than a salesperson.
So, let's sum it up. Buying or selling your home is an important life decision. Reasons can vary greatly from change of lifestyle, to relocation or life challenges. You need someone you can trust, count on, respect and help shoulder the stress, anxiety and time commitment involved. Doesn't this sound like someone you want working for you?
So, what's the next step? Contacting Dianne of course. It is all about YOUR needs, goals, timeline and DREAMS! She's here to help you achieve them and she looks forward to hearing from you.
What are you looking for in a Realtor? - Someone who will really listen to your wants and needs? Someone who will expertly market your home until the SOLD sign adorns your front lawn or if you are a buyer tirelessly researches your wish list to find that perfect home? - How about someone who will always be honest, holds ethics in high regard as a realtor, who works aggressively to get you the best price for your home and someone who knows the market?
Selling or buying a home is a partnership with your trusted advisor- Dianne Drinkwater