Topics For Home Owners, Buyers & Sellers

Staging is an increasingly important component, not only in selling a home but also in attracting would-be buyers. Even with all of the commonly accepted advantages of staging, only about 1 in 3 sellers stage their home.

• The average increase in list-to-sell in stages homes: 1.07%
• The average cost of staging: $250
• Potential benefit based on a $200,000 home: $3150

The Internet is one of the main sources of information buyers use during the home search process, and staging is key to showing the home at its best online.

Rooms that sellers stage most often:

1.  Living Room: 73%
2.  Kitchen: 64%
3.  Master Bedroom: 58%
4.  Dining Room: 49%
5.  Master Bath: 45%
6.  All Rooms: 37%
7.  Office: 16%

The cost of staging is minimal compared to the benefits: more showings and ultimately a higher percentage of asking price.  

REALTOR® Magazine-Daily News-5 Markets Ripe for Appreciation

REALTOR® Magazine-Daily News-5 Markets Ripe for Appreciation

5 Markets Ripe for Appreciation
Realtor.com recently unveiled a list of markets where property values are stabilizing, buyer traffic is picking up, and prices will likely appreciate soon. Here are the top five “turnaround towns” on its list.

1. Buffalo-Niagara Falls, N.Y.: List prices are increasing, and days on the market for inventory is shrinking (87 days, which is nearly half the national average).

2. Los Angeles-Long Beach, Calif.: While housing values here have fallen 378 percent compared to the its 2006 housing peak, a turnaround is underway with list prices showing signs of stabilizing month-over-month and homes spending fewer days on the market. This area is also the third most-searched at Realtor.com, so buyer interest appears high.

3. Fort Myers-Cape Coral, Fla.: Vacation homes here are getting more pricey here: The median list price has risen 24.12 percent in March — the highest median price increase nationwide. However, distressed sales have weighed heavily on this market so prices are still 60 percent lower than the 2006 housing peak.

4. Dallas, Texas: Median list prices are down only slightly by 1 percent year-over-year, and the median age of Dallas' inventory stands at 100 days. While home values here have dropped about 10 percent from their peak (national median drop was 31 percent), Dallas has not faced as steep of property value declines as other bigger cities.

5. Boston, Mass.: Demand for homes here is starting to pick up. The median age of inventory is 130 days, which is 30 days below the national average. Median list prices are down just slightly — 0.26 percent — year over year.