Sharon

Thinking of selling your home?

30 September, 2013 by Sharon

Here are 5 good reasons to put your property on the market today!

As the old saying goes, the best time to buy property was yesterday so congratulations on having a foot hold in the real estate market. There may be many reasons why you are considering selling your home. Sometimes these reasons are out of your control, but if you can sell and buy in the same market then you can realize many advantages.

Here are the Top 5 Reasons Living Edge Interiors believe now may be a perfect time to put your house on the market.

1) Housing Demand Is High

According to Statistics New Zealand the growth in new housing developments appears to be slowing – just at a time there’s huge concern about housing shortages, particularly in Auckland.

Any continued slowing in the rate of growth in housing developments could put further upward pressure on house prices.

The Reserve Bank’s already concerned about rising house prices and the impact that a ‘housing bubble’ could potentially have on the financial stability of our major banks.

The number of new houses approved in August, excluding apartments, rose a seasonally adjusted 0.8%, according to Statistics New Zealand.

2) Supply Is Beginning to Increase

As interest rates rise it is not unexpected to potentially see more properties listed on the market as sellers begin to understand that current price levels may not be able to be maintained. Selling now while demand is high and before supply increases may garner you your best price.

3) Interest Rates could rise next year

Whilst interest rates are low, now could be the time to upgrade to a bigger home or property – just make sure you look at the interest rate movements and secure a term loan that you know is going to be affordable and suit you the best.

According to Bernard Hickey from interest.co.nz “whilst RBNZ held the OCR, increases are forecast for interest rates. This would imply floating mortgage rates rise to around 7.5% by early 2016 and suggests interest rates would rise around 100 basis points by the end of 2014 as the next election approaches”.

The central bank warned again that house price and construction cost inflation could spill over into wider inflation pressures and it was likely to increase the OCR next year. Its forecasts for the 90 day bill rate suggest it has bought forward its first expected rate hike from the September quarter of 2014 to the June quarter.

4) It’s Time to Move On with Your Life

Look at the reason you are thinking about selling and decide whether it is worth waiting. Is the possibility of a few extra dollars more important than being with family; more important than your health; more important than having the freedom to go on with your life the way you think you should?

5) What is the value of my home?

Selling your home and knowing it’s true value before you buy another house is certainly advantageous! Ultimately your home is worth what someone is prepared to pay for it. So putting it on the market and selling it before you buy another is certainly powerful!

You already know the answers to the questions we just asked. You have the power to take back control of your situation by putting the house on the market today. The time may have come for you and your family to move on and start living the life you desire. That is what is truly important.

So what are you waiting for. Call us today for a consultation on (09) 630 0066

Home staging tips from the experts

11 September, 2013 by Sharon

When you have been in the business of home staging for as long as we have, you get to know some tricks of the trade. Here’s our top tips when you are considering selling your home.

Selling Do’s

Find a reputable Real Estate agent and let them price your home based on their market knowledge, research and comparable homes in your area. Defer to your Realtor and trust they understand the market and are experts at pricing homes!
Take out the guess work for buyers and give every room a purpose. If you’re selling your home as a 4 bedroom, but have been using one for an office, playroom or home gym, return it to a bedroom.
Paint the interior of your home in neutral colors. Nothing cleans, deodorizes and brightens up a home more effectively than a fresh coat of paint. Moreover, it yields the highest return on investment at 150%.
Take down heavy, dated window treatments. Buyers love natural light and it’s better to have no window treatments than dated curtains that block the light.
Open all your windows and air out your home even if it’s cold out. 20 minutes is all it takes to rid your home of musty, stale air and replace it with fresh, clean air! And yes maybe pop the coffee machine on as everyone loves the smell of newly ground coffee beans!
Shampoo your rugs (area and wall to wall) so they are clean and order free. You can hire a local carpet cleaning company or rent one from your local grocery store.
Invest in a LivingEdge Homestaging Consultation! Home stagers are experts on preparing your home for the market. We understand and can implement all the necessary changes that will yield the best for your investment, while giving your home the competitive edge it needs in today’s market.

Here’s our selling Don’t!

Play Realtor and insist you know what your home is worth. Hire a professional Real Estate Agent and let them do their job! They are the experts and know the market. This is the most important “don’t” when selling your home.
Neglect curb appeal – it’s a buyer’s first impression of your home . Hire a landscaper or do it yourself. Don’t forget to trim hedges, add fresh mulch and blow debris clear from walkways, porch and driveway.
Clean your home by stuffing your junk into every available storage space. Once your home is on the market, it’s a given that buyers will look in your cabinets, pantry and open closet doors to determine storage space. If your storage areas are crammed with “stuff”, you’re giving the impression that their things won’t fit either.
Wait until the week of open house to discard or store unnecessary furniture, personal collections and family photos. Storage units are available for short term hire.
Assume buyers are going to take on your deferred maintenance like, leaky taps, broken doorbells, chipped skirtings, running toilets and/or torn blinds. You don’t want to give buyer’s the impression your home isn’t well maintained.
Assume buyers are pet lovers – many aren’t or are allergic to cats and dogs. During open houses, temporarily take pets and all traces of them out of the home. Yes, this is a hassle, but it’s temporary and your goal is to sell quickly.
Make buyers guess a room’s purpose. If you’re selling your home as a 4 bedroom, return an office, playroom or a gym back to a bedroom.

Connect with your buyer through home staging today!

16 July, 2013 by Sharon

Like ‘setting a stage’, property styling uses proven techniques to entice buyers into your home, and create that ‘wow’ factor that is so important in today’s market. Potential buyers shop on logic and location, and buy on passion and emotion.

Home Staging is all about ‘enticing’ the buyer and creating that important emotional connection that connects the buyers to your home.

As we all know, a first impression is a lasting impression. Always invest in good photography! A potential buyer will make a judgment about your home in the first few minutes, so it is important that they form the right opinion about your home as soon as they arrive at the property or see it online!

Real Estate Agents are aware that selling your home is most likely to be your biggest investment and asset, so why not invest in your home, and present it in the most attractive way, to potential home buyers?

At Living Edge Interiors, our experienced interior stylists can help you in presenting your property to create the best visual effect and appeal to the widest range of buyers. Would you clean and polish your car down to the last detail before selling it? Most people would say yes, so why wouldn’t you do the same for your biggest asset, and show it off in its best possible light?

Our expert team of stylists can review your property through ‘buyers eyes’ and suggest the best and most economical way to improve your home, without over capitalizing.

Our in-home consultations can assist you in identifying the key areas in your home to highlight, and the areas that need attention. We cover all manner of homes right through to complete styling of lived-in and vacant homes, organizing contemporary rental furniture and accessories for the duration of your home being on the market.

At Living Edge Interiors we create interior spaces that buyers will aspire to. We use proven interior design and home staging techniques to create warm, inviting updated spaces that will appeal to the home hunting audience.

Make your home stand out from the competition, and make that vital first impression to buyers really count. Whatever your situation, Living Edge Interiors can work with you and your budget to achieve significant results, and create substantial return on your biggest asset.

Let Living Edge Interiors reveal your home’s true potential. Every home can use an edge and that’s what Living Edge Interiors is all about!