Selling Your Home - Staging Matters!!

I recently sold a home in Woodinville, WA, a family home for many years. When my client became the sole dweller in the home, she decided to downsize and sell the house and surrounding acreage. (I helped her find a super cute home in a 55+ community!)

Clients have thoughts about staging their homes to sell; some would like to use their own furniture, others don’t feel the need to stage at all. My job as your real estate agent is to help navigate you through this process and to get you the highest sale price we can. I also firmly believe that a home that is staged in a neutral fashion helps potential buyers imagine living in the property.

The following pictures show three separate scenarios: 1) my client staging with her furniture, 2) the house empty and 3) the house professionally staged.

While this client wanted to use her own furniture (she’s not alone in that, many do. I mean she loves the way her home looks, who wouldn’t?), her furniture and decor are very specifically suited to her (as it should be!) However, when we show a house, we don’t want the decor to lean in any direction. You might love antiques or ultra-modern or anywhere in between, but the folks touring may not only not like it, but it stop them from even touring your home. We want the listing photos to speak to every person (which is also why I have professional photos taken!), to not sway them into not considering your home.

Just as we don’t want a lot of individuality in furnishings, being empty isn’t perfect either. The space feels cold and deserted; people like to have an idea of how the space might be used, how furniture might be laid out.

More than 80% of real estate agents representing buyers said staging made it easier for their buyers to see themselves in the home, according to a 2021 survey by the NAR. And 23% of agents said that home staging led to increased offers between 1% and 5% compared to similar homes that weren’t staged.

Staging can get your home sold faster, too. According to HomeAdvisor, homes that have been staged spend between 33% and 50% less time on the market. That not only means getting the proceeds of a home sale faster but also spending less money on added expenses such as a rental or storage unit while you wait for the sale to happen.

I have never regretted a client having their home staged, not once. If you have questions about selling your home and how best to get it ready for the market, please give me a shout. I’m more than happy to help you understand the best practices for selling your home in the Seattle real estate market!

FAQ - What do I need to do to get my home ready for selling?

Buyers approach the process through the prism of emotion, and visualizing themselves inside the home – but many also want to make a wise financial investment that will not force them to pour additional money into repairs for years to come. With that in mind, prepare your home for selling by minimizing personal items and distractions, prioritizing any necessary repairs, deep cleaning your home, and boosting your curb appeal.

Tip #1: Clean, de-clutter & paint - If you’ve toured homes before, you can probably think back to one (or two?) homes that left you speechless. Or maybe just wondering when they cleaned last? Buyers definitely notice dirt and grime EVERYWHERE - baseboards, windows, appliances, floors, bad paint. First impressions only occur once, make it count!

Tip #2: Finish home projects - When it’s our home, we tend to overlook that trim work we keep meaning to get to, the missing downspout or gutter, cracker outlet faceplates, leaky faucet, etc. Buyers notice EVERYTHING and if they don't, their inspector will. Take the time to walk through your home and check everything and get it fixed before your home goes on the market.

Tip #3: Create curb appeal - Again, first impressions only happen once. If a buyer arrives to an overgrown yard, broken railings, chipping paint, etc., it may not matter what the inside looks like. Take some time to mow, rake, weed, and repair - it will pay off in the end!

Most importantly, allow me to use my expertise to efficiently and effortlessly guide you through the selling process. The right listing agent can make all the difference in your experience!

Current Real Estate Stats for Ravenna, Seattle

Shows a little decline in prices, but I just closed on a listing in Ravenna and home went pending in TWO DAYS and sold for over list price. We’ll see how the fall lines up!

Seattle Real Estate Market Highlights - July 28 through August 2nd

A client asked me where the Seattle real estate market was headed for the year and you know, I’m just not sure? If I had to say, I’d say it’ll hold steady as is. My last 3 listings have all sold quickly, w/ multiple offers and for over asking. If new listings continue to be low, why would things change? There are speculations (of which I’ve posted about on Facebook) that there might be a slight balancing favoring buyers coming up this fall. Could be, but it hasn’t made that turn yet in this area.

If you’re a buyer, all I can say is be patient, stay calm and continue searching…your home is out there and I’m here to help you get it!

Seattle Real Estate Market Highlights for July 20 - July 26th, 2021

More Tips for Sellers!

I've shared my strategy for selling my client's homes before - tried and true methods to sell as quickly as possible and for as much as possible (see below).

Here are a few new, and every bit as important, tips that I'm adding...

• Do Not unplug or turn off your refrigerator - Everyone opens the fridge when touring a home and finding it warm and smelly is a turnoff.

• Do Not stop your utilities - I know, you aren't living there, so of course you don't want to pay for these services. But, the handyperson, painter or carpet install folks need your utilities (electricity, water and garbage) to do their jobs so that we can sell your home for top dollar!

• You need more time than you think - We can't sell your home until everything is out (everything), the home is cleaned, painted, new flooring installed, etc. Packing up and moving everything you own out of your house is a huge undertaking and one that many think will go faster than it actually does . It doesn't go fast, it takes forever and I just want you to be prepared.

My Full-Service Approach to Selling Your Home

• Experience - My years of experience listing and selling homes on BOTH sides of the lake (Seattle, Bothell, Redmond, Woodinville, Bellevue & more) gives the advantage to my clients.

• Real Estate Market Analysis - I will review recently sold similar properties in the same area as your home. This analysis is performed to help you determine the best price to list when selling a home.

• Home Evaluation - In addition to market analysis, I look at your home based on its characteristics and design details. Having local market knowledge helps me gauge what your home can sell for in today's market.

• Professional Photography & Floor Plan Renderings - Prospective buyers LOVE to see images of homes they are interested in. That is why we want to show your home in its best light by providing professional photos & floor plans.

• Home Staging Consultations & Services - Having viewed thousands of homes, I know that a well-staged home will always sell faster and for more money. I will provide a complimentary home staging consultation and if needed, refer you to a proven home staging service.

• Make Necessary Updates & Improvements - Neutral paint colors, new flooring and updates where needed will help you sell your home quicker and for more. We'll discuss which improvements will benefit the sale of your home and which to avoid.

• Best Home Sales Practices - To achieve success in selling your home, I focus on all of the above PLUS providing excellent communication, negotiation, and problem-solving skills.

If you're thinking about selling or have any questions at all, feel free to reach out to me!

Happy Client, Happy Me!

What a week! 3 homes in contract - aka 3 happy clients! Okay, I'm ready to help more clients buy or sell, feel free to reach out or pass on my contact info!

Homebuyer Class - March 13th at 10am

Join me for my first virtual Homebuyers Class! As usual, I’ll be joined by a home mortgage lender from Wells Fargo and we’ll welcome all of your home buying questions!

This class is free and full of information, see you there!

RSVP at Saviya@KW.com, (206) 334-8348, or register on Eventbrite

Will Seattle become a "15-Minute City?"

From NWMLS - December 7, 2020

Like many urban planners and metro government leaders, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan has embraced the "15-Minute City" concept as one way to recover from the economic fallout of the coronavirus pandemic. Critics say that notion is unrealistic.

The "15-Minute City," as envisioned by French academic Carlos Moreno, who is credited with coining the idea, is "simply a way to help shift priorities." Formulated in response to the climate crisis, it is based on a human-centered design with neighborhoods retooled so they meet daily needs while being sustainable and connected.

According to Moreno, the scientific director at Pantheon Sorbonne University and an advisor to several government and non-governmental agencies, the framework of a 15-Minute City has four key characteristics. Urbanist Dan Luscher, writing in Publicola described these traits as:

• Proximity: Things must be close.

• Diversity: Land uses must be mixed to provide a wide variety of urban amenities nearby.

• Density: There must be enough people to support a diversity of businesses in a compact land area. Note that Manhattan-level density is not needed, as many low-rise neighborhoods in San Francisco and other U.S. cities prove.

• Ubiquity: These neighborhoods must be so common that they are available and affordable to anyone who wants to live in one.

Once implemented, these characteristics would enable six essential social functions: living, working, supplying, caring, learning, and enjoying.

Luscher said broad public engagement and buy-in are essential to implementation, along with detailed measurement and analysis, cost-effectiveness, and the involvement of "all types of actors" - not just urban planners or government agencies. Among the organizations and groups he listed are neighborhood leaders, nonprofits, entrepreneurs, investors, business organizations, and academia.

Seattle is among members of the international C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group that pledges to move toward a 15-Minute City model as a key action that is "critical to achieving a vision for a green and just recovery - and a future that works for everyone."

In her "Durkan Digest" published in mid-September, Seattle Mayor Jenny Durkan reported she had directed the city's Office of Planning and Community Development to "explore the concept of a 15 Minute City as a potential framework for the next major Comprehensive Plan.

Durkan is a member of the Global Mayors COVID Recovery Task Force, which over the summer adopted an agenda for a "Green and Just Recovery." The group recognizes the 15-Minute City as an idea that can shape efforts to mitigate the worsening climate crisis, as well as a "potent and powerful concept for cities that are serious about addressing livability, urban isolation, and housing inequality."

Seattle architect Mike Eliason, who focuses on passivhaus buildings, social housing and livable cities, expressed reservations about Seattle's ability to become a 15-Minute City in a guest editorial in Publicola. He asserts Seattle has no "fully realized" pedestrian zones and the city's low-traffic "Stay Healthy Streets" are located mostly in single-family neighborhoods "away from businesses, parks, and apartments." Additionally, he references Mayor Durkan's proposed 2021 budget that cuts tens of millions of dollars for safe streets and nonmotorized transportation, saying, "This is not climate leadership."

Noting Seattle's next major Comprehensive Plan update won't be adopted until 2024 and a decade thereafter to be realized, Eliason said such a "framework that delays the transformation cities need to adapt to climate change (and COVID 19) for this long is neither climate action nor a path to economic recovery."

Eliason also criticizes Durkan for a lack of action and leadership, saying Seattle's mayor "like nearly every other U.S. mayor, is not making a city for my children." He contends the 15-Minute City must be "fast-tracked today, and implemented in full, ideally with strong support from the state and federal levels."

Among other detractors of the 15-Minute City are NIMBY groups, many historic preservationists, and "anyone else who fears his home value will collapse without the exclusive building and zoning standards that have historically perpetuated segregation," according to Kea Wilson, senior editor at StreetsBlogUSA.

In her July 31 blog, Wilson quoted Flavio Coppola, program manager for urban planning at C40 Cities, who said there are several key indicators that contribute to a premise underlying the concept of a 15-Minute City. Cities could ask themselves questions like: Do your residents have fresh food outlets in their neighborhoods? Is there a presence of critical public infrastructure, like good grade schools, within 15 minutes of most places? If you can't reach the high school in a 15-minute bike ride, can a high-schooler at least reach it on transit? As envisioned by Moreno, public school buildings would be repurposed on evenings, weekends, and periods when school is not in session and used for cultural and civic events, or  other programs.

Zoning reform will be needed for most cities to achieve 15-minute cityhood.

While Seattle boasts a few "urban villages," they constitute only a fraction of the city. Notwithstanding its steep hills and large bodies of water, Seattle's more daunting challenge would be zoning changes to allow more housing and a broader mix of housing in single-family zones. (Currently, of Seattle's 36,884 total acres, 24,699 (approx. 67%) are in the single family zoning group, according to research by Rachel Ludwick at Fancy Beans. She notes several caveats when calculating depending on which sources and zoning groups are included. Other sources peg the percentage of Seattle's land zoned to only allow standalone, single family homes at 75-to-80 %.)

Paris is considered the "poster child" for a shift that accommodates bikes and walkers. With the onset of pandemic induced lockdowns, it installed what is dubbed "corona cycleways" to ease transit crowding. The city installed 50 kilometers of pop-up bike lanes as a deliverable championed by Mayor Anne Hidalgo as part of her platform while campaigning for re-election this year.

Other cities are reimagining their infrastructures and touting green stimulus plans in their quest for a post-pandemic recovery. In a roundup of far-ranging examples, Bloomberg City Lab cited projects in Milan, Italy; Tallinn, Estonia; Ottawa, Canada, London, New York City and Portland, Oregon.

Some homes take four years to find...

…while others only take two showings!! Congrats to my clients who found their new home on the second showing! But whether it takes four years or two showings, I enjoy every moment (day, week, year!) of helping my clients find the right home for them.