WHAT IS A HOME MANAGER?

A Showhomes Home Manager is a person or family with beautiful home furnishings who lives in a vacant home for sale. In exchange for keeping it clean and letting Realtors show the home, Home Managers get dramatically reduced monthly fees, far below the market rate.

Home Managers are professionals who are:

- Relocating

- Building a New Home

- Seeking Temporary Housing

- Going Through Family Changes Such As Divorce

- An Individual or Family Looking To Reduce Expenses

- An Individual or Family Looking to Maintain Their Currently Level of Living or Lifestyle

- Looking To Get Familiar With An Area Before Purchasing

- Looking For Flexibility As There Are No Long Term Lease Requirements

WHY stage?

Competition. With 9 out of 10 buyers previewing or finding their homes online, presentation has never been more important. Staging your homes gives you a competitive edge over your competition. It also reduces low ball offers that buyers associate with vacant properties.

"Price Gets you Interest, Staging Gets you Offers." (Gary Keller, Keller Williams)

Owner Occupied Homes

Known for our success in staging vacant homes, we also help sellers with owner occupied homes. Whether it's a home on the market for sale or a new home, we can provide staging expertise to showcase your home. For occupied homes on the market for sale, we can re-design and re-purpose the existing furniture and decor of the home, and using your furnishings, create a "model home" look that buyers respond to. Staging enhances the presentation of your home and makes it more competitive in the market place, helping to capture a faster sale at a premium price (vs. a non-staged home). A professional stager can also provide useful information and often resources to help with packing, moving, de-cluttering and organizing, making your move easier and preparing the home for staging. Staged homes sell faster and for premium prices, bringing a greater net gain to the table for sellers.

Paint

While that favorite shade of purple was perfect for you, it may be a turn-off for that potential buyer. With a Showhomes Update we can provide the perfect changes with our Exclusive Color Palettes which are on-trend neutrals that will not distract from the outstanding features of your home and will provide mass appeal. Your Showhomes staging professional will help select the perfect palette for the look and feel that will place your home above the competition of similar homes for sale.

Home Managers are professionals who are:

- Relocating

- Building a New Home

- Seeking Temporary Housing

- Going Through Family Changes Such As Divorce

- An Individual or Family Looking To Reduce Expenses

- An Individual or Family Looking to Maintain Their Currently Level of Living or Lifestyle

- Looking To Get Familiar With An Area Before Purchasing

- Looking For Flexibility As There Are No Long Term Lease Requirements

WHY SHOWHOMES?

Showhomes is America's Leader in the Home Staging Industry. With over 30 years of experience, and a network from coast to coast, the Showhomes network has helped sell over 30,000 homes worth over $10 billion. We're proud to have partnered with many local and national real estate brands such as Keller Williams, Coldwell Banker, Berkshire Hathaway, Re/Max, Century 21 and more. We've successfully helped thousands of realtors, homeowners, investors, banks and builders market and showcase their listings for a faster sale and higher price. Our service speaks for itself. Our results pay for the service.

NEW HOMES

But we don't just do homes for sale, we're happy to help you with your new home too! If you're craving a new look, hungry for some new ideas or inkling to have a "makeover" of your own, we can help. Showhomes staging experts can design, ReStyle and provide DIY information or a full service "makeover", transforming your home in as little as 1 day. Showhomes is the leader in decorating and staging; we can help you create the home you'll fall in love with which suits your lifestyle and personal preferences.

REPLACE OLD CARPET

Worn or dated carpeting is the #1 turn-off for home buyers. The thoughts of selecting, purchasing and dealing with installation will have a potential buyer quickly check the home off their list. With a general 3 to 1 return on investment, fresh and new carpeting can be the key to a faster home sale. Coordinating with our Exclusive Showhomes Color Palettes, our light neutral warm and cool tones of carpeting will not only be pleasing to your budget but will give your home a true designer look. All home sellers want multiple offers and a quick, profitable sale. A Showhomes Update can be the answer to what you've been dreading. From palette selections through job completion and installations, we not only provide staging design but bring in qualified contractors to quickly and painlessly prepare your home for sale. The value Showhomes brings and the return on investment is why Showhomes is the nation's leader in Home Staging and Design.

PRIVACY POLICY

This Showhomes Franchise Corporation Privacy Policy (this or the "Privacy Policy") explains our practices, defines our users' ("you" or "your") privacy options and describes how your information is collected and used by Showhomes Franchise Corporation ("we," "us," "our," or "Showhomes").

By using the Showhomes website or any of our features or resources you agree to the terms of this Privacy Policy.

We reserve the right to modify this policy from time to time and will mark new versions with a corresponding effective date. We recommend you visit the Showhomes website to review any changes in our practices.

This Privacy Policy governs your use of the Showhomes® website at www.showhomes.com, www.showhomesfranchise.com ("Sites").

Our Sites may contain links to other websites. These links are not endorsements of any products or services on such websites. These websites may have privacy policies different than our Privacy Policy.

What Information is Collected?
We may collect personal information from you on our Sites or through any other digital or personal communication with you. Information collected by us is voluntarily provided by you and may include information such as your name, email address, and physical address. Our Sites may also collect general information about your technology interface or preferences (such as the type of browser used or the files requested).

The information we may collect includes, but may not be limited to:

• Your contact information, such as your first name, last name, phone number, and email address, to allow us to respond to submitted inquiries;
• For potential franchisees, your contact and financial information, such as your first name, last name, email address, physical address, cash/liquid capital to invest, and net worth, to allow Showhomes to respond to submitted inquiries;
• Information regarding your browser and other technical specifications required to use our Sites;
• Computer data or files, often called "cookies," which may be sent by your web browser and stored on an individual computer to allow our server to "recognize" you through the navigation of the Sites;
• Computer data files, often called "web beacons" that are collected from emails or links on third-party sites that allow our server to evaluate the popularity of those links or the information contained in emails or on third-party sites; and
• Your IP address to measure our website traffic and to help provide a more personalized experience.

Children Under the Age of 13
Our Sites are not designed for children and we do not knowingly collect information from any person we know is under the age of 13.

How is User Information Used and Shared?
We collect information about you in order to provide you with services and also collect information that is necessary for our Sites to work properly. We use personal information about our users for a variety of purposes related to our business, including but not limited to:

• Allowing you to receive information from us regarding Showhomes services;
• Adding information from social media platforms to our Sites where you discuss our services or use a hashtag related to our services;
• Sharing information with our local franchisees regarding your request to become a Home Manager or other request on the site;
• Tracking information about your visits to our Sites to allow us to provide better service;
• Sending or initiating direct marketing programs, such as newsletters or information about new products or services we (or any of our affiliated companies) are offering;
• Contacting you regarding an inquiry on our Sites that you have initiated; and
• Providing information about your usage or preferences to our third-party vendors and providers.

We may share information, in the aggregate, regarding your online browsing preferences to evaluate our services or allow third parties with whom we work to better serve our users. We will not share personally identifiable information in these instances, other than described in this Privacy Policy. We may, however, share personally identifiable information with franchisees or our local business partners regarding inquires you have made for a specific Showhomes® market. All financial information submitted in connection with a franchise inquiry will be kept confidential and will not be shared with third-party vendors.

We may provide user information to third-party service providers or vendors for purposes of, including without limitation, initiating direct marketing programs on our behalf, data tracking, maintenance or development of our Sites, development of online services or customer service, or other contracted promotional opportunities provided to our users. We will not share your information with third parties to directly market their products to you. We may share this information with any subsidiaries, licensees, suppliers, distributors, affiliates, assigns, successors, or other related entities and their respective owners. We may also share your personal information in connection with law enforcement requests or in response to investigations, subpoenas, court orders, or other legal process to establish or exercise our legal rights or defend against legal claims or as otherwise required by law.

Business Transfers
We may also disclose your information to a third party as part of the reorganization or a sale of the assets of Showhomes, or its subsidiaries, divisions or franchisees. Any third party to which Showhomes transfers or sells the Sites or related assets will have the right to continue to use the personal and other information that you provide to us.

Behavioral Advertising
We may also use third-party vendors, such as Google Analytics, to advertise to our users online. These third-party vendors may display Showhomes advertisements on other websites based on your internet usage. More specifically, these vendors use first-party cookies (such as the Google Analytic cookie) and third-party cookies (such as the DoubleClick cookie) together to inform, optimize, and serve ads based on your past visits to the Site or another site affiliated with Showhomes. Any information that these third parties collect via cookies is not linked to any personally identifiable information (name, address, email address, or phone number) we collect or you provide on the website. You can opt-out of Google Analytics for Display Advertising by using Google's Ads Settings.

How is User Information Protected?
We maintain administrative, physical, and technical safeguards for all user information collected on our Sites.

How Can Users Limit Information Collected?
By providing information to us or browsing our or our franchisees' Sites, you are consenting to our use of your data as outlined in this Privacy Policy.

While we work hard to use and disclose our users' personal information only for the purposes identified above, you can choose not to provide personal information or limit the personal information obtained by us as follows:

• You may have your contact information removed from our marketing lists that are used to inform users of new or relevant products, services, and special offers by clicking on the unsubscribe link in any communication received from us or by emailing us at [ADD EMAIL ADDRESS]; and
• You may limit the collection of "cookies" from your Site usage through your browser settings. However, this may disable our ability to provide you with the most relevant information regarding the Sites.

Your California Privacy Rights
California Civil Code Section § 1798.83 permits users of our Sites that are California residents to request certain information regarding our disclosure of personal information to third parties for their direct marketing purposes. To make such a request, please contact us via the Sites.

Contacting Us
For additional information pertaining to our Privacy Policy, please contact:

Showhomes Franchise Corp
2110 Blair Blvd
Nashville, TN 37212

Blake Hillegeist: Sold in 5 Days

When price, promotion, and presentation come together

---

Blake skillfully pieces together the home selling puzzle in getting a Southampton home multiple offers and a full price sale, in only 5 days.

"Getting a home under contract is just the first piece of the puzzle."

DOM: 5  

Sale/List: 100%  

Neighborhood: Southampton Place

Style of Home: English

Type of Stage: Vacant

Listing Price: $799,900

What challenges did you expect prior to listing?

Prior to listing 2228 Robinhood Street, I knew that today's real estate market is challenging.  A property must be priced correctly and in good shape in order for a property to sell.  

How did you decide on the initial list price?

$799,900 is entry level for a cute, livable home in the Southampton neighborhood. Having a 7 as the first number in the sales price of the home made the list price attractive to potential buyers.

Did you target a specific buyer demographic when promoting?  

The buyer demographic for the 2228 Robinhood Street property was the high dollar entry level buyer or the successful empty-nester buyer. Southampton is a desirable place to live.  The size of the home (2051sqft) drove the buyer demographic.

*The buyer was a young family.

How did you promote the home?  

Great professional pictures, signage, and open houses are the best way to promote a home.  Knowing the home inside and out also helps promote the property when replying to phone calls, texts and emails.

*The buyer was procured at an open house.

Besides staging, what other updates made the home more marketable?

Interior and exterior painting, Cleaning up the homes landscaping. Removing all features in the home that reminded buyers that the home was old, tired and dated.  Charming, cute, adorable, fresh, and livable are all accurate descriptions of 2228 Robinhood Street after the make-ready was completed!  Staging the home was the  final touch that the home needed for a successful sale.

Did your Seller need convincing to pay for updates and staging?

This seller was a seasoned real estate buyer/seller so this seller needed no convincing on the make-ready or staging that was recommended.

Why do you think this property sold so quickly?

Careful planning of the home's updates, including interior painting, electrical updates, lighting updates, landscaping and a very deep cleaning made 2228 Robinhood Street adorable, charming and popular for the Southampton neighborhood buyer.  Making needed repairs on items that could cause a problem during inspections is also always considered and highly recommended.  The location also played a major part in the home selling quickly with multiple offers and a full price contract.   

Getting a home under contract is just the first piece of the puzzle. Keeping the buyer in the contract for the ultimate goal of purchasing a new home (and the seller selling the property) is behind every decision.  I want every sale to be a win-win situation!  

 

Marie Dupres: Sold in 6 Days

Marie beats Goliath: Selling a small home amidst giants

 
 

DOM: 6

Sale/List: 97%

Neighborhood: Memorial Bend

Style of Home: Traditional

Type of Stage: Vacant

Listing Price: $479k

 
What challenges did you face prior to listing?

The square footage of the home was quite a bit smaller than the neighboring houses, so I was worried that it wouldn't appeal to a wide audience.

I looked at recently sold homes, homes currently on the market, analyzed days on  market, and why the home didn't sell when it was previously listed by another agent. Then I crunched some numbers!

Yes: empty nesters, retirees, and young professionals.

PS: It was bought by an empty nester.

How did you promote the home?

Landscaping. Trimming trees, hedges, adding mulch etc.  The home owners had already renovated/ painted so it didn't take much time. 

They did not need convincing. I wanted to  encourage them to put their best foot forward, especially since it had already been on the market un-staged for a few months, without selling.

Staging, curb appeal, well priced, great location, and negotiation strategies! The fact that  thehome sold for as much as it did had a lot to do with the staging and updates.

Haha!! My daughter would fall off her chair if she heard someone calling me cool!  Well, I've been involved in so many sides of real estate over the years (landlord,  investor, developer, builder) that I try to bring this experience to every transaction.  In any market, try to have the home move-in ready so that when potential buyers come to visit, they can see themselves living there. 

Cleaning, tidying and de-cluttering also go a long way!

Phone:  (832) 978-3380

HAR:   https://www.har.com/marie-dupres/agent_mariefra

Facebook:   https://wwe.facebook.com/mariedupresrealestate

How Sellers can save in a Buyer's Market

A buyer's market can be a tough time for sellers. 

The longer your home sits on the market, the more you spend on carrying costs each month (HOA fees and utilities) - these can add up fast.  

 

When a seller stages with Showhomes Houston, we not only set the home up for marketing success, we minimize these carrying costs- saving sellers money while giving them peace of mind until the home sells. 

How do we do it-  With our trusted and insured Home Manager program.

What is a Home Manager-

A Home Manager is a live-in caretaker who maintains your staged home and let's Realtors show the home while also paying a monthly fee to stay in the home with no lease. 

Showhomes painstakingly selects and trains each Home Manager in accordance with the system we've developed through three decades of experience.

How can I benefit from a Home Manager-

A Home Manager benefits the Homeowner by caring for the home and reducing the Homeowner's carrying costs. Some examples of carrying costs that a Home Manager would cover would be electricity, gas, and water- plus you have the ability to take advantage of our national insurance program.

The Home Manager also assists the Realtor's efforts by readying the house for showings. Homes staged with live-in Home Managers typically out-perform vacant homes by large margins.

Benefits include:

• The home is ALWAYS show-ready (cleanliness, temperature, and odor are under control)
• Peace-of-mind in knowing the home is clean and secure
• Full Vacant Staging at reduced cost
• Utilities & minor maintenance items are paid by the Home Manager
• Vacant Home Insurance is not required
• The home stays staged until it sells - no renewal fees after initial setup
• Showhomes and the Home Manager carry damage and liability coverage

• NO SURPRISES - the Home Manager performs a detailed checklist before every showing
• The Home Manager is required to vacate for every showing and open house

Being a Home Manager: Luxury living at half the cost

What is a Home Manager 

A Showhomes Home Manager is a person, couple, or family who live in and maintain a beautifully furnished show home, which is currently for sale. 

As a Home Manager, you benefit from flexible, short-term living in a furnished luxury home at a lower monthly cost. In doing so, you help Showhomes Houston help the seller.  

Staging Savings Calculator: Do you know the value of staging your home-

Staging can save you monthly costs like HOA fees, utilities, and mortgage by reducing your time on market.

Click on the Home Staging Savings Calculator to find out how much staging can save you: 

 

Note:  play with the "reduction in months" (time on market) to get a range of possible savings.  

If the home is priced right, you can aim for a sale anywhere from 1 to 3 months.

Seven Sins That Sink a Sale

SETTING THE STAGE
Seven Sins That Sink a Sale
By Marsha Canright

This article originally appeared in House & Home 

Savvy home sellers know that seven deadly sins can undercut a home's value and keep it on the market indefinitely. If you are selling your home, beware of the following pitfalls: lackluster listing photos, dirt and clutter, an unkempt exterior, poor lighting, personal items, maintenance issues, and brightly painted wall treatments. 

One way to avoid these hurdles is to enlist the help of a staging professional. In a 2018 survey by the National Association of Realtors, 62 percent of agents reported that staged homes spent less time on the market and about half said staged homes drew a higher selling price.

"There's a misconception that staging means arranging nice furniture and a few accessories to make your home look desirable. That's part of it, but there's a lot more to the overall process," says Pratt Barndollar, a local home staging expert. "Staging is everything you do to sell your house."

Over the past four years, Barndollar and his wife Shelley have prepped hundreds of local homes for sale via their custom staging company, Showhomes Houston. They still take delight in scoring a quick sale.

The Barndollars have their own inventory of furnishings and accessories. This gives Shelley, who is a certified interior designer and home stager, all the tools she needs to dress a house. "We stay with creams and grays and white and we add color with pillows, rugs and accessories. Also, we try not to be specific on furniture: By keeping it more open and generic, it appeals to the greatest number of buyers," she says.

RIGHTING THOSE WRONGS

1. Real estate photos need to be absolutely stunning to get potential buyers into your home. 

Most buyers who are browsing online will look at the first three to five photos and that's as far as they go, unless the photos are outstanding and focus on the home's best features.  "Today's buyers look at 11 listings before they pick a house to visit," Shelley says. Photos are the first step in putting your best foot forward.

2. De-clutter by packing up half of your possessions, including extra lamps and tables, and send them to storage. 

This makes it possible for buyers to see the bones of the house and all of its best features. Tidy the closets.

"Last year we staged a home that was owned by a prominent Houston family that were big game hunters," Shelley says. The residence had a dedicated addition to show their collection of big game trophies, including a giant elephant head. "When we went in to help them, these trophies were literally the elephant in the room," she says.  The sellers knew they had to get rid of the taxidermy and focus on the nice, airy space, which they did. However, the elephant was too large to move so the Barndollars worked with lighting to draw the focus away from the animal. The final makeover is one of their favorite projects.

3. House colors should be in a neutral tone like cream or gray or white. 

You can accessorize with color, just not red. "Red is a love or hate color and if your eye is drawn to the color, you don't see other aspects of the home," warns Shelley. 

4. Update and repair all the systems including electrical, HVAC and plumbing. 

If a cupboard is missing a knob, fix it. If a door sticks or a window frame is chipped, a buyer will notice. Your bathrooms and kitchen should be updated, even if that only involves paint and new fixtures. Try to eliminate any item that a buyer could negotiate on. You want to take all that off the table. Buyers will always overestimate the costs of needed repairs and updates.

5. If you cannot keep the home squeaky clean, have professional cleaners come in every couple of weeks. 

Most potential buyers equate a dirty home with poor maintenance. They see a dirty air vent and think, "Am I going to have to worry about mold in this house or what else has not been done?"

6. Make sure your rooms are well lit and have the same tone of lighting. 

Check to be sure that all light bulbs are working. Also, take down heavy drapes and get those windows clean. Shutters and blinds are fine, but nothing heavy; you want as much natural light as possible. It's important to update lighting fixtures, especially in the dining room and kitchen. Old fixtures will date the home and make it seem like grandma's house.

7. Curb appeal is important. 

Plant flowers and trim trees and shrubs. A patio and pool may be one of your home's best features, so make sure these are cleaned, power washed, and free of clutter. If your fence is old and shabby, replace it before you put the house on the market.

STAGING A VACANT HOUSE

In a higher end home that's empty, viewers will stay ten to 15 minutes. However, if it's staged, they spend closer to 40 minutes. The longer someone is looking at the house, the better, he says.

The Barndollars do professional consultations and makeovers but they also offer a home manager service for people who have already moved from their home and are living outside the city or state. "Having someone live in the home to make sure it's secure and clean and always available to show is great for homeowners who don't live in town," says Shelley Barndollar. "The home manager also pays the utilities. It's a good option for those who need an onsite caretaker."

When selecting a home staging consultant, do your homework: Review the portfolio, verify recommendations from previous customers, check certifications, and make sure they are insured for workers compensation so you won't be on the hook if someone falls down the stairs.

"There's a lot that goes into staging so your contract should be more than one page. If you are working with someone who is qualified, it will probably cost a bit more, but a lesser price may correlate to lesser quality," adds Shelley.

[Realtor Corner] When Rebels get in the way of selling

 "I've asked my seller to do x, y, or z-  but

   he refuses, even though it will 

  benefit him in the end!"  

[Homeowner Haven] Making the Transition: A guide for dog owners

Homeowner Haven: Resources for Homeowners

Making the transition: A guide for dog owners

Photo Credit: Pexels

Words: Cindy Aldridge @ Ourdogfriends.org

It's an exciting time to begin looking for a new home to buy, and there are so many things to consider throughout the process. You may be looking at a certain size home within a specific price range. You may have your heart set on a particular area of town, or you may be hunting for the right house with a pool. Whatever it is your heart is set on, if you have a pet, then you need to keep their needs in mind as well. Let's take a moment to discuss some things to look for in a new home with your pup and how best to help them transition.

What to Look for in a New Home

One of the most important things that your new home will need is a good size yard for your doggo to run around in and a secure fence surrounding it. Typically, the larger the dog you have, the larger the yard you need. However, you really need to also consider your pup's breed and energy - some smaller breeds may have a lot of energy to burn, while some larger breeds may be lazy and slow; only you know your dog's needs best.

Another important factor to consider when looking at a new home is the flooring. Carpet tends to be the dirtiest option, clinging to your pet's dander and outdoor debris. Find a durable, hard floor that will be easy to clean. If your dog is older, you may also want to consider finding a house that is one story, as climbing stairs may be hard on their joints.

Planning Your Move

Once you have found and purchased your dream home, you will then need to plan and prepare for your big move. One of the first things you will need to do is deep clean and pack up your current home. A deep clean is especially important in a house with pets, as your pup has likely left fur, dander, and even urine at some point. Focus especially on the floors, using enzymatic cleaners on carpeted areas and work to buff out scratches on hard floors. You'll also need to consider how to best pack up your home. If you are moving to a new home close by, you could choose to save money by packing and moving yourself. If you are moving farther away and choose to hire a moving company, make sure to set aside your pup's necessities - their bed, food, leash, and medications - and keep them with you.

Moving Day

When moving day arrives, it's going to be a busy and stressful day. With people constantly coming in and out of the house, not only is it stressful for your pup, but there's also a risk of him getting out and running away. The best plan for your doggo is to make arrangements to have them dropped off with a friend for the day. According to I Heart Dogs, it's important to make sure that all of your dog's ID tags are up to date and leave the contact information for your veterinarian in case of emergency. If you don't have a friend that is able to watch your pup for you, there are pet sitters available that you may want to consider. Research your options thoroughly online to make sure that you're leaving your pet in good hands.

Help Your Pup Adjust

Once you're all moved into your home and settled in, it will likely take your pup a little longer to adjust. According to Bark, you can help the adjustment by trying to keep a few things familiar. Keep your same routines of waking, feeding, and playtime. Keep their same bed and familiar lovies and toys. Take the time to give them extra attention and love. Moving into a brand new home is a big change, and it's not uncommon for a dog to experience anxiety. While your veterinarian can prescribe medication to help with anxiety, it's best to use that as a last resort.  Instead, try soothing your dog and giving them lots of exercise.

Moving with your pet can take a lot of work, it might often seem stressful. However, with the right preparation, you and your dog will be happy in your new home!

STAGING 101: The Story Behind 213 Memorial Parkview Dr

Watch the video at https://youtu.be/EoXUSjBn9ok.

Tips To Make Your House Shine This Home-Selling Season

When it comes to selling your home, the devil is in the details. No one knows this better than Nancy Jones and Pratt and Shelley Barndollar of Showhomes, the nation's largest home staging franchise. For sellers unfamiliar with staging and who may feel unsure of where to start, Jones and the Barndollars offered their top tips just in time for this year's busy selling season. First and foremost, said the Barndollars, "Declutter, depersonalize and edit. Be harsh!" "It's difficult," said the Barndollars, "but treat this as an important first step to moving out. It's important to help the buyer envision living in the space." Jones echoed the point. "When a person walks into a room, if their eyes can't settle because too much is going on, it's that much harder to really fall in love with the space," she said. To help show off the size of a room and highlight the potential, Jones recommends "finding one main focal point in the room and enhancing it." To really make that focal point shine, as the Barndollars pointed out, sellers must declutter their space, and diligently. Jones emphasized that a clean and minimalist space is especially important given modern home-buying trends.

"Today, 90 percent of buyers are looking online first, and if all they can see are things instead of space, it's unsettling. Your space has to be fresh, crisp and clean so that the buyer can fall in love and want to see more," Jones said. "Initial photos spark that interest."

To achieve that crisp and clean feel, the Barndollars recommend keeping at least a third of the space on shelves, bookshelves, closets and pantries empty. Items of sentimental or personal values, such as diplomas, photos and certificates, should be removed, and homeowners can show off square footage by packing away smaller rugs and objects-anything that draws the eye down instead of up, they said.

Additionally, minimizing the frequency of bright colors and patterns helps to cultivate the feel of a "blank canvas" onto which buyers can project their own design preferences, the Barndollars said. For this reason, they said, updated appliances and a fresh coat of paint are key, and while they are man's best friend, dogs and other pets should visit friends or relatives during showings.

"Remember, you want buyers to see themselves living there, not as a guest in your home," the Barndollars said. "The intent is not to show off your interesting decor, but to highlight the potential of your home and evoke an emotional offer from the buyer."

So just how important is staging your home to make it market-ready?

"A recent client whose home we staged got $10,000 more than the asking price," Jones said.

Staging is all about emphasizing the positive and minimizing the negative, which is why it's crucial to stage your home before putting it on the market, Jones said.

Homes that haven't been staged run a higher risk of languishing on the market, Jones said, "and by the 21-day mark with no movement, buyers start to wonder, 'What's wrong with this house?' Especially in today's market, with homes moving quickly, it's a major issue if a home sits. People want to know why."

Spending the money to update and stage one's home before putting it on the market may seem daunting, but doing so can benefit in the long-term and help expedite the sales process, Jones said.

"The cost and labor involved in changing your paint colors, updating your home and staging it before you go to market are minimal compared to waiting to see if it moves and then, if it doesn't, making the changes then," Jones said. "Buyers will then be in a position to ask for three times more off of the price point than it would have cost you if you had staged in the first place."

Finally, staging also helps assuage buyer concerns about any uniquely shaped rooms the home might have.

"So many homes have quirky rooms that are being used for something other than the purpose they were designed for," Jones said. "Staging is all about defining a space and making a room make sense. It helps people understand the layout and just how they can utilize a space."

KATIE LATOUR
Katie LaTour is a staff writer for ESTATENVY.
See article at https://estatenvy.com/details/776/Tips-To-Make-Your-House-Shine-This-Home-Selling-Season

The Biggest Eyesores in your home - and clever ways to offset them

To read full article click https://www.realtor.com/advice/home-improvement/clever-ways-to-hide-biggest-eyesores-in-your-home/

Real Producers Magazine: Profile Showhomes Houston

Read the full article at https://drive.google.com/file/d/1JQFe2cgUfLL6p_9UwWTTzQLFhotcivBO/view?usp=sharing

Successful Living with Bill Knapick - On location with WInfrey Design Build

view at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9XfdzcUCay8

Showhomes Houston's Shelley Barndollar voted one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in Real Estate Staging

Local Business Woman Voted Top 100 Most Influential People in Real Estate Staging Atlanta, GA, June 13, 2018 --(PR.com)-- Shelley Barndollar is a professional real estate stager and an industry influencer, as well as the Houston Chapter RESA President. 

The Real Estate Staging Association® (RESA®) is pleased to announce, Shelley Barndollar, Showhomes Houston has been voted by her peers and colleagues, as one of the Top 100 Most Influential People in Real Estate Staging. 

Texas Lifestyle: Hot Home Tips to Attract Buyers

See full article at https://texaslifestylemag.com/lifestyle/3-hot-home-staging-tips-to-attract-home-buyers/