The Importance of Photographing Your Home when Selling

Once you decide on an agent, they will want to take photographs of your home and property. Do not allow them to take photographs of your home until it is completely ready, because the photographs will appear online and in other marketing materials and you will want pictures that reflect your home at its absolute best to show potential buyers.

The vast majority of buyers look on the Internet for homes. Real estate agencies list their homes online, and there are sites, like www.Realtor.com that list the millions of homes on sale with agents who are members of the National Association of Realtors. Photographs are used extensively in these listings to show and describe homes.

The key feature on the real estate sites are photographs. At Realtor.com, once you input your search requirements, a list of homes appears. Under the address appears a photograph, and to the right is a blurb about the home. Click on the address or photograph for more information on a particular home. On the vast majority of listings, four large photographs appear and dominate the screen, with only the address, price, and briefest description above. You need to scroll down to see the specific features. In the center of the photographs is a circle with the number of additional photographs of the home to be viewed. Most of the nicest homes feature 25 photographs.

The quality and ease of use of digital cameras makes taking photographs easy—but your home better look good, or those photographs will turn off buyers. If you do the work in this book, you will be able to show off your home to its best advantage and you will get interested buyers.

Because it is so easy to do so, I recommend that either you or your agent take at least 100 shots inside and outside your home and property. Take pictures on a sunny day, as buyers love light-filled rooms.

Make sure you capture all the best views from inside or outside your home, including focal points, great architectural details, and nature.

Take the same pictures you took as before photographs, too. This will enable you to compare before and after shots, making you more objective, allowing you to see if there are still any problems. It's also interesting to see what you have accomplished!

The Most Popular Home Features in Different Regions

Wendy Transon Broker, Re/MAX Winning Edge

Certified Residential Specialist (CRS), Accredited Staging Professional (ASP), Seniors Real Estate Specialist (SRES), Accredited Buyers Representative (ABR)

Chapel Hill, North Carolina

Condition is critical in today's market. With such an extensive inventory of homes available to current buyers, if your home isn't in top condition, buyers will move on to the next property. Most of today's buyers don't have the time, energy or inclination to make significant repairs. In addition, if the home feels beat up, with needed repairs readily evident, a buyer will wonder what additional repairs may be needed that are beyond what they can see. It will reduce their level of confidence in the home.

• Spacious kitchens, with granite or quartz counters and natural wood cabinets. The kitchen remains the epicenter of the home, and buyers, regardless of price range, want large workspaces, ample storage and light-filled rooms. Most buyers also prefer a kitchen that is open to the breakfast area and family room, for effortless flow and ease in entertaining.
  
• A room that can be used as an office. The home office has, to a large extent, replaced the living room as a "must have" space in the home. Most popular is a first-floor room with French doors that can be used as an office, sitting room, music room or other. Other buyers are content to have an upstairs room, whether extra bedroom or otherwise, to use as an office. What's key is having such a space in the house.
  
• A "mud" or laundry room. Buyers in our market love space to organize the clutter, store the backpacks, drop the shoes and ditch the coats. A separate mud room or laundry room located off the garage is very popular with buyers for this reason.
  
• A place to take in the outdoors. Whether a deck, patio or screened porch, having a dedicated space to relax and entertain outside is increasingly in demand. Screened porches are particularly popular in our area; with our temperate climate, they can be enjoyed year round and in addition, keep out those pesky mosquitoes. Among higher-end homes, we're also seeing greater use of dramatic outdoor hearths, stonework patios and grill stations.
  
• Bountiful natural light. Buyers are increasingly requesting open, bright spaces. An abundance of windows, great flow among rooms, and high ceilings are all popular with buyers in our area.
  
• Universal design features. With the aging of the population, and the recognition that universal design benefits homeowners of any age, features such as low threshold entries, levered doors, wide hallways and first floor master bedrooms are increasingly popular.
  

Wayne Kohl

ReMax Broker, CRS, GRI

Greeley, Colorado 80634

Kitchen and bathrooms are the two keys to selling homes. Kitchens should be open, light, bright, warm and inviting. The kitchen island, eating area, granite countertops, along with upgraded appliances are very popular. Another trend in kitchens is to change the cabinet finishes on the island to make them different but complimentary to the other cabinets.

Master bathrooms are the other item of high resale. The popularity of a separate shower from the tub is very popular. A make up area for morning preparation is also a hot item along with upgraded counters of granite or tile. Dual shower heads and jetted tubs are also very popular.Philip Kent Kiracofe
resident, Manhattan Association of REALTORS

New York City

Years in business: 6

Stainless steel refrigerator and dishwasher, exotic stone or granite counters, an island kitchen, lots of glass and stone in the bathroom, earth-tone soft colors, open floor plans combining living rooms with kitchen and dining area, workout space, and sleek modern fixtures are all very popular features.

Melissa Galt

Lifestyle Expert/Speaker/Author

Highlands, North Carolina

Years in business: 5

Women are the primary decisions makers and look for:

• Up-to-date bathrooms
  
• Up-to-date kitchens
  
• Ample storage
  
• An inviting color scheme (it doesn't have to be builder beige, but not grape or Caribbean blue either!)
  
• Clutter free, including closets
  
• Tailored window treatments as in blinds, shutters, woven woods (ditch the ruffles, flowers, and loud prints)
  
• No smell or an inviting smell (get rid of the pet scents, the mustiness, and others)
  
• Layers of light (this goes way beyond overheads which are best used for cleaning, but creating pools of light draws people, invites and welcomes)
  
• Well laid out furniture for family and friends
  
• A place to hide the TV
  

Men look for:

• Ample garage
  
• Basement build-out opportunities
  
• Man cave options
  
• A place to showcase the TV!
  

General Cleaning Tips to Get Your Home Ready to Sell

Unless you are a cleaning fanatic, when you clean your home to sell it, you will need to do more than your standard cleaning. Walls, ceilings and floors should be immaculate. Check things like vents, fans, radiators, exhaust fans, fireplaces, glass-covered lights, chandeliers, and anything in hard to reach places. Clean all light switches. Make sure all light switches and light fixtures work and replace burned-out bulbs.

• Use microfiber cloths for cleaning kitchens and bathrooms, dusting, cleaning mirrors, and polishing. Microfiber cloths actually pull dirt to itself, and they don't streak or leave behind lint. They can be washed hundreds of times. Just do not dry in dryer with anti-static cloths, as the anti-static molecules coat the cloths, cutting down on their effectiveness. Air-dry instead..
  
• Clean from the top to bottom. Because dust settles, start with dusting the ceiling, including fixtures or fans, then walls, then objects on furniture, then furniture and molding. Then vacuum and wash the floors.
  
• To reach the high spots, use a long-handled telescoping pole with attachable tools. I attach a lamb's wool duster to the telescoping pole to reach high spaces. Have two dusters available; one for inside and one for outside work like taking cobwebs off the house and for other really dirty areas.
  
  • Clean hanging lights and chandeliers. Dust and clean off bulbs.
    
  • Remove and clean ceiling mounted fixtures that accumulate dust and bugs.
    
  • Dust ceiling fans. Use a lubricating spray if squeaky. (See Resources section for non-toxic products.) If a fan is still noisy, tighten any loosened parts.
    
• Use a spray bottle of all-purpose cleaner. Spray floor, counter tops—whatever—makes cleaning fast.
  
• Replace your mop with a Microfiber floor mop. They glide over floors making washing easy. Remove cloth, wet it, put back on mop, and spray a bit of cleaner on it. When it gets dirty, rinse and repeat. These are great on all hard floors.
  
• If you have a mold problem or have black mold, consult an expert.
  
• Clean the creosote on glass fireplace windows with rubbing alcohol and a straight edge razor, see chart. When I moved into my home, the creosote was so thick on fireplace doors that I didn't think I could remove it. Rubbing alcohol really cut through the grime. Alcohol does leave a film, so follow up with a glass cleaner like vinegar and water.
  
• Clean curtains in washing machine or at dry cleaners.
  
• Blinds can be cleaned fairly easily in the bathtub with warm soapy water. Allow them to dry outside or on some old towels or a drop cloth.
  
• Dust everything on walls and all woodwork, including picture frames, banisters, molding, baseboards, around windows and sills and above doors.
  
• Clean all glass surfaces, including glass picture frames and mirrors with glass and mirror cleaner.
  
• Don't forget to sweep or vacuum an unfinished basement, attic and garage. Wipe down handrails and hot water heater, furnace and other stationary objects.
  
• Clean cobwebs inside and outside house, garage, and on any other buildings.
  
• Keep cars in your garage clean.
  

Kitchens and Bathrooms Must Sparkle!

These rooms must be spotless or it will turn buyers off. With clutter gone, it will be easier to maintain the kitchen and bathroom. If you follow the advice in the book, you will clean cabinets, pantries, refrigerator, closets and whatever else holds stuff when you remove clutter.

Kitchen

• If you didn't clean inside cabinets and pantry when removing clutter, do so now.
  
• Clean vents and hoods.
  
• Get in the habit of regularly cleaning counters and walls.
  
• Clean refrigerator. First, turn off the refrigerator. Fill a container with warm, soapy water and begin with shelves inside doors. Going shelf by shelf, remove and wipe down all contents, wipe shelf, then put food back. Throw away anything that is past due or that looks nasty. Remove drawers and wash. Remove everything that can be removed and clean. The interior of the refrigerator is easy to clean once the moveable parts are removed. Turn refrigerator back on. To prevent odors, keep all food covered, and add a container of baking soda to be on the safe side.
  
• Clean freezer. Turn off the freezer and remove contents. Allow freezer to warm up a bit then clean as you would refrigerator. Replace contents neatly. Put freezer back on. Note: If you have a freezer that does not self-defrost, it's time to buy a new one. Put a container of baking soda in freezer.
  
• Remove the grill from the front of refrigerator and pull out the pan that collects excess water and wash. Unplug refrigerator and vacuum coils. Pull refrigerator out and vacuum floor.
  
• Keep sink empty and spotless.
  
• Clean the kitchen from top to bottom.
  
• Clean lighting fixtures. Remove bulbs to clean them and wait until they are thoroughly dried before screwing them back in. Keep fixtures off when removing and replacing bulbs.
  
• Unless room was painted recently, a fresh coat of paint is recommended. Unless wallpaper is in pristine condition and is a neutral color or pattern, remove and paint.
  
• Clean curtains or get new ones. Better yet, remove to allow more sunlight into room.
  
• Keep floor spotless.
  
• Clean oven and stovetop. If the stove has stains, or baked on food that cannot be removed, or is damaged, consider replacing those dirty parts or buying a new stove.
  
• If a garbage can must be in sight, use one with a cover and change regularly to prevent odors.
  
• Empty recyclables regularly and keep neat.
  

Cabinets

Natural wood cabinets should be polished and any marks or spots removed. Handles, pulls and any other hardware should be cleaned or polished.

Cabinets with washable surfaces should be clean of all marks with an all-purpose cleaner.

Tile and Grout

If tile is in good shape, simply keep it clean. If not, consider replacing. Grout can be "cleaned" with paint meant for this purpose.

Once the kitchen has been thoroughly cleaned, maintenance is fairly easy. Get in the habit of keeping kitchen clean at all times and ready to show.

Bathroom

Like the kitchen, everything must be spotless.

If toilet, vanity or tub is a funky color, stained or damaged, replace with new.

Walls and Ceilings

While you might not notice how dingy the walls in your house look, buyers will see walls that need to be painted immediately. How to choose paint and repair walls and ceilings will be discussed later in Step 6 and paint colors in Step 9.

Cleaning Windows

Your windows need to be absolutely clean and in good condition. Seriously consider replacing windows with new ones if windows:

• are too old to get clean
  
• fog up with condensation
  
• have cracks
  
• open and close with difficulty or not at all
  

Either hire a professional window washer or clean windows yourself.

If you clean windows yourself, buy a professional squeegee. I used to buy squeegees from the big home improvement stores, and they drove me crazy, because they would leave streaks. I found affordable, professional-quality ones in The Clean Team Catalog and they work great! (See "Resources" under Cleaning Supplies. They also carry microfiber cloths and other good cleaning supplies.) Makes cleaning windows almost painless!

Wash windows with a microfiber cloth or rag or window scrubber using solution shown on page 92.Try an extension pole instead of a ladder to make work easier. Dry the top inch of the window with a rag and then run squeegee down window, starting at the top on the dry section. Wipe squeegee dry with a clean, dry cloth. Continue until window is finished, then wipe rag along three sides of window to mop up any remaining water.

Don't forget to clean around sills, frames and hardware. Squeaky or hard to open and close windows can be lubricated with eco-friendly BPL™, Bio-Penetrating Lubricant by Renewable Lubricants. WD-40™ works, too, but isn't eco-friendly. (See Resources, under Lubricant.)

If you are selling your home when screens are in windows, make sure they are in great condition, too. You can easily clean screens with a microfiber cloth and water. Just wipe them and the dust and dirt comes right off.

Cleaning Flooring

Flooring should be free from debris, clean, odorless, and in great shape. Replace or restore any flooring that is not in good condition. (More details on replacing flooring in Step 6.) After vacuuming, wash floor.

Bye Bye, Bad Energy!

Just as every home has some odor, every place has an energetic "feel." And, as you seek to minimize odors, you can also minimize negative energies and raise positive energies.

If you have been cleaning, removing clutter, and organizing, you have already greatly reduced negative energies. For that matter, simply opening the window and allowing fresh air into your home reduces negative energy. Using eco-friendly products also reduces negative energy.

Arranging your furniture to allow for a good flow of traffic increases the positive energy in your home. Adding houseplants and fresh flowers adds even more positive, vibrant energy—these are the things that make your home feel great. How to arrange furniture and more about plants and flowers are explored in the next chapter.

Negative Energy

This section goes one step further than simply adding objects to make your home positively vibrate with life-affirming energy; it shows you how to eliminate any leftover negative energies. You can choose to think of this section as "extra credit," as it is certainly not imperative to do the exercises in this step to sell your home. But, it might just sell it that much faster.

That said, if anyone in your home has been ill, or there has been a death, an angry divorce, or other devastation, I highly recommend that you clear your home, as these situations bring negative energy into the home and buyers can often feel or sense it.

An explanation of energy follows, then a guide to clearing your home.

Everything on and of the earth has energy—a continuum from the highest vibrational positive life-force energy to the lowest vibrational negative energy. The earth itself has positive and negative energies that affect its living inhabitants. Buildings and other structures have energy and absorb either negative or positive energy, or a combination of both. Plants are able to absorb negative energy (such as toxins) and convert them to clean, fresh energy in the form of oxygen (air). Animals, including humans, can pick up and create both positive and negative energy.

Some animals, including dogs and cows, seek out positive energy. Cats, conversely, prefer negative energy. If you have ever wondered why your cat is drawn to friends or family who dislike them, this is the reason. Given the opportunity, cows in a pasture will graze in the areas that emit positive energy.

I had my own validation of the difference in energy early on in my practice of dowsing. Several years ago, by dowsing, I cleared (removed negative energy) a client's newly purchased condo. The next day, she called me and told me that her dog, who had always slept in a particular spot on her bed in her old apartment, but had refused to sleep in that spot in the new condo—was now back to sleeping in "her spot" on the bed. When I had doused my client's bed, I had detected and cleared negative energies. It was a wonderful validation of dowsing. Obviously, the dog could not understand what I was doing, but recognized the difference in the energy afterward.

Like dogs, humans feel best when surrounded by positive, life-force energy. And, just like dogs and cows, we know when we are surrounded by positive or negative energy. For many of us, this knowing is hidden from our general state of awareness and may be consciously ignored. But our bodies are paying attention and understand shifts in energy.

When we enter a place that is filled with negative energy, our instinct is to leave the area as quickly as possible. But, when we are somewhere that emits positive energy, we want to stay and soak up the good energy.

It's common sense, really. What buyer would want to spend time in a dilapidated, dirty, dark, cluttered, and creepy feeling home? If you were a buyer, wouldn't you rather spend time looking at a light-filled, clean, organized, and beautiful space that feels great?

Tips to Improve Your Property to Make it Sell

If you have a lawn, keep it well maintained. Once weeds, overgrown or dead bushes, trees and other eyesores have been eliminated, you can easily and inexpensively enhance your property to draw buyers.

Annual Flowers

Nothing beats annuals for the warm months, because they bloom continuously, adding vibrant color. You can buy them in flats, cell packs of 6 or 8, or when larger, individually.

If you are not familiar with annuals, read the description and care tags that come with the plant. The majority of annuals thrive in full sunlight, which is six or more hours of sunlight per day. The easiest annuals to grow in the shade are impatiens, which come in many different colors. The directions will tell you how far to space annuals and the size they grow. If you are in a hurry to make them look good, just space them closer together.

Annuals can be planted directly in the ground, in hanging planters, and in containers. If there is space for hanging planters, like on a porch, readymade ones are handily available.

If you have removed shrubs or other plants and have empty areas in your gardens, planting annuals will quickly and inexpensively fill the space—and with the added bonus of color.

A few large planters, filled with annuals, can make a huge difference in the appearance of your property.

Landscaping

• Add fresh mulch to your garden beds. Use natural cedar mulch, as the artificially colored red and black ones are a real turnoff to many people.
  
• Keep edging between transitional areas like grass and gardens or grass and stone pathways, neat and crisp.
  
• If you are feeling creative, you can add stones or rocks around trees and shrubs. Garden centers and masonry stores carry a variety of decorative rocks. If you choose to use rocks, select ones that are local, for a natural look. I use river rocks that come in shades of grey and are dredged from local rivers. Do the next owners a favor and put landscape fabric down first, to discourage weeds.
  
• If you are using rocks on areas that get walked on, use ones that are two inches or less for ease of movement. Larger rocks—two to three inches—are best around shrubs and trees. To keep rocks in place and give them a finished look and to help keep them in place, you can edge them with rocks that are about six inches or larger.
  
• Make certain that you have adequate outdoor lighting along walkways. If you don't, consider adding solar lights, as they are less expensive than hiring an electrician to install and they are eco-friendly.
  

Outdoor Living Spaces

Outdoor living spaces are becoming increasingly popular. A key element is some kind of patio or deck. If you don't already have one, consider adding a patio or deck to your property.

Decks are raised off the ground and are made with either wood or wood polymer composite. The composites are a mix of wood fiber and recycled plastic. Composite boards are more expensive than natural or pressure treated wood, but they last longer and require virtually no maintenance. The environmental advantage in using composite decking is that less wood is used in production, replacement time is less than what is needed for wood decks, and the recycled materials end up in the deck, not in landfills.

A patio is built directly on the ground. Patios are made from bricks, concrete, pavers, flagstone, slate or other natural rock, or even gravel and small rocks.

Depending on your budget and the value of your home, you may wish to install an outdoor kitchen, or simply add a built in barbeque grill. Both are currently very popular. Outdoor kitchens can be elaborate, complete with refrigerator/freezer, sink, counters, electricity, stove, oven and a bar.

If you do add a patio or deck, include a few pieces of outdoor furniture to help buyers visualize themselves enjoying their outdoor refuge. If you don't own any outdoor furniture, but want pieces for your next place, now would be the time to buy. Even a couple of chairs and a table adds ambience. If you are not interested in furniture for your next home, you can buy very inexpensive chairs and a table—or use any board set on something to resemble a table. Add a colorful tablecloth or sheet and you have created a terrific space for relaxation.

8 Clutter Removing Tips for Bathrooms when Selling Your Home

• Remove contents of all cabinets and drawers. Clean cabinets and drawers. Discard expired or no longer used items. Put back items you regularity use neatly, with labels facing forward. Box and store backup supplies elsewhere. As with closets, less is better, as it makes cabinets and drawers look spacious if stuff isn't overcrowded.
  
• Remove reading materials and other non-essential items.
  
• Keep garbage can empty and preferably hidden in a cabinet.
  
• Remove anything that doesn't belong in a bathroom.
  
• Keep surfaces clear of personal care products and belongings. If some items must remain in view, keep them neat.
  
• Keep medicine in cabinet, not out.
  
• Remove bath toys.
  
• Remove or store medical equipment when buyers are coming. Buyers do not want to buy a home they associate with illness and it can make them uncomfortable.
  

Preparing to Sell Your Home

Preparing to sell your home includes deciding what needs to get done, hiring an agent (unless you do it yourself), agreeing on a price, and listing your home, which includes taking photographs.

As you are reading, I suggest you record what work you plan to do in the "Notes" section at the end of the book. Before you contact agents, complete the list of changes you would like to accomplish.

I find a fresh perspective really helps people determine what changes to make in their home. To really "see" what your home looks like, try the following at night: turn the lights on inside your home, go outside and look in through the windows of your house. Doing this exercise will give you a new point of view and truly captures what your home looks like. My husband and I do this periodically; it feels as if we are looking at a TV or movie set and it helps us to determine if we want to make any changes.

Looking inside your home in this manner will help you see the clutter, the outdated kitchen, the oversized furniture, the worn-looking sofa and other problems. Write down all the changes you would like to make.

I also recommend that you take photographs of your property and inside the home as this will also help you decide what needs to be altered.

You may be tempted to sell your home on your own, thus avoiding paying an agent, but I strongly advise against that practice. An agent can market your home far better than you can, and in this buyer's market, you need all possible advantages.

Additionally, after reading this book, you will be pretty certain about what you need to do to make your home sell. However, if you are considering any major renovations, I strongly advise you to seek the advice of a real estate professional before you do anything. The agent can tell you what condition comparable homes are in and what renovations will help sell your home.

An agent will also know what specific home improvements are trendy and hot in your market. Most importantly, an agent will give you a realistic price to sell your home. Also, you can ask what the selling price would be if sold "as is" and then after the changes you plan to make are implemented.

If you don't have a budget yet, this might help determine what you choose to spend, especially when it comes to major renovations.

However, you may be discouraged that your planned improvements might not raise the value as much as you would like. However, keep in mind that in a buyer's market, selling your home is the goal. By improving the look and feel of your place it will make it sell much more quickly. Homes that sell quickly get closer to—or more—of the asking price than homes that languish on the market.

Before you hire an agent, you can get an idea of what your home is worth by using a real estate appraisal website. Here are several:

• www.HomeGain.com
  
• www.ElectronicAppraiser.com
  
• www.HomeInSight.com
  
• www.ValueMyHouse.com
  

You can also look for comparable homes to yours at sites that list homes, like www.Realtor.com.

You can begin the process of finding an agent while still doing homework on what changes you need to make in your home. Your homework involves seeing what comparable homes look like and what they are selling for.

Visit homes for sale when they have their open houses. In addition to seeing prices on homes, study the features inside and out. During an open house, listen to what potential buyers are saying about the different features, what they like and dislike.

Go to online sites like www.Realtor.com for even more information. You can insert your zip code in the search box and compare houses similar to yours. The key is to see what type of features they have and how long the house has been on the market.

Study what is hot or trendy in decorating. While buyers know they aren't buying your possessions, having a stylish look—as opposed to an outdated one—will make your home look current. Buyers will assume that if you keep your look up to date, you will also have maintained your home. In addition, a great looking home will be associated with increased status and good taste—something buyers seek.

Put another way, imagine your home is decorated with doilies, teacup collections and plastic covered furniture. Potential buyers will see an obsolete home. Nobody wants to move into a home that will make them feel old and behind the times!

You can also flip through magazines for what's hot in decoration and eco-friendly features. Here are some good magazines to read:

• Natural Home
  
• Dwell
  
• Better Homes and Gardens
  
• InStyle Home
  
• Oprah's Home
  
• Home
  

Things to look for in magazines include trendy colors. Every year has its hot colors and they show up in magazines. You can use trendy colors with things like pillows or candles. Trendy colors feel fresh and people will respond to them.

Note that magazines never feature homes crammed with stuff; rather, there will be minimal amounts of objects, and you will likely see only a couple beautiful accessories and lots of space between furniture.

As you study homes in your price range, see what features they have. Do the homes have granite countertops or tile? Is there carpeting or hardwood floors? In this market, make improvements to be on par or even a notch above comparable homes, especially if there is a glut of homes in your area.

Introduction to Sell Your Home Fast in a Buyer’s Market, Continued

Buyers are also looking to move into a home in pristine turnkey condition. "Turnkey" means that the home is ready for occupation, that no changes are necessary for the new owners. Many families are already overwhelmed with children and jobs and have neither the time nor extra money to make changes. Make your house completely turnkey and priced right and it will sell quickly.

Ways to make your home eco-friendly will also be found throughout the book. A green home, you will discover, is healthier for you and the environment. Eco-friendly features are also becoming increasingly sought after by buyers.

You may be familiar with the concepts of "staging" and Feng Shui. The term "Home Staging" was coined by a woman named Barb Schwartz, who understood that a clean, organized home without the seller's "memories" sold faster than ones that were left untouched. I depart from traditional staging in that I don't like the literal "staging" part, as it seems fake. Instead, you will discover how to create an environment that feels and looks authentic. You will create a home that feels like a sanctuary. Buyers will gravitate to your home because it looks and feels so good. They will want to step into the lifestyle that you have created. Furthermore, you can apply what you learn about making your home look and feel good to your next place.

I have studied and practiced Feng Shui for many years, and if you are familiar with the practice, you will see principles of Feng Shui applied in this book. You will discover the importance of how energy flows throughout your home and how the placement of objects will help sell your home. Specific Feng Shui principles will help you get the most money possible for your home.

Central to understanding how to sell your home quickly is to understand what it is the buyer does when they shop for a home. When a buyer looks at a home, they invoke four senses:

• Sight
  
• Sound
  
• Smell
  
• Sixth sense: "how it feels"= the energy of a place
  

This book will explore the many ways to make your home delight the buyer's senses. When all four senses are positive, your home will sell quickly.

Currently, the overwhelming majority of buyers shop online for homes, finding places they will ask their agent to see. Buyers are not going to ask to see homes that don't look great, so it is crucial that you make your home look as inviting as possible and that good photographs are taken.

I wanted this book to be as current as possible, with input from real estate professionals working in this economy. Therefore, in 2009, I interviewed dozens of agents, staging professionals, interior designers, mortgage bankers and others in the real estate field around the country. They are quoted throughout the book for their expertise.

Keep in mind that above all other matters, price is the key factor that will sell your home and Step 2 is devoted to the subject.

To sell your home in a buyer's market, it is a given that it must be clean, clutter-free, and looking its absolute best. Additionally, you will need to decide what upgrades, home improvements and appliances to buy based on comparable homes in your market. For instance, it makes no sense to put a professional grade refrigerator, granite countertops and top-of-the line cabinetry in the kitchen you are selling if you own a starter home.

Making upgrades using eco-friendly choices will give your home a competitive advantage over similar homes in your market. Your home will sell faster than the competition because buyers are seeking out what is now becoming increasingly desirable. As the trend toward "green" renovations grows, buyers will feel as though they are hip for buying a home that features these cutting edge upgrades.

If you read and follow the advice in this book, you might end up transforming your house or condo into the home of your dreams! In fact, this book has a dual purpose--as a designer, my hope is that this book both helps sell your home and enables you to create your dream home in your next place. So, think about the project you are about to embark on—selling your home—as practice for your next place!

Instead of viewing this process as a chore, consider it a life-changing adventure. Once you have created the space that will sell your home, you will experience what it is like to live in it; even for a short period of time. You will understand what it is like to reside in a really clean, clutter-free, organized space with vibrant energy. If you are like most people, you will feel liberated, be more organized and calmer with less stuff in your life.

You can choose to read the book in its entirety and then do the work, or read and do the work Step by Step. Preparing a home for sale can be overwhelming. Try to give yourself plenty of time to get your home ready and focus on the task at hand, instead of worrying about everything that needs to get done.

Selling Your Home?

The purpose of this blog is to give you the information you need to sell your home quickly in a buyer's market. Please feel free to comment or ask questions. The following is an excerpt from the introduction of my forthcoming book, Sell Your Home Fst in a Buyer's Market: Secrets from an Expert Green Feng Shui Staging Designer.

By definition, a buyer’s market means that the buyer has the advantage over the seller. It means that the buyer gets to be highly selective among a large inventory of homes and can pick the best house that they can afford. This puts the seller at a disadvantage—unless they have one of the best homes compared to similar homes in their market. Think of it this way: buyers know how much they can spend and are looking at lots of choices in homes on the market within their price range. The buyer will pick the home with the most value added to it; the one that looks and feels the nicest.

The purpose of this book is to explore the steps necessary to make your home chosen over the competition.

But first, you need to understand the psychology behind what goes on in the buyer’s mind when they are shopping for a home. Virtually everyone wants to maintain or improve their lives and desire health, wealth and happiness. The expectation is that in buying a new home, their dreams of a better life will be realized.

A buyer is not going to feel like their dreams will come true in a poorly maintained, dirty or cluttered home. Most buyers cannot (or simply won’t) look beyond the clutter and dirt to visualize what a home would look like if it were in great shape. Your job is to make your home a space that conveys to the buyer that their dreams will come true if they live there.

This book will show you how to turn your home into a “dream magnet.” It goes beyond the obvious chores of cleaning, removing clutter, and organizing. You will do those things, but you will also add touches that will make your home look and feel fantastic. It will be that look and feel that will sell your home, because that is the feel of possibilities. You will create a space that conveys a lifestyle that a buyer desires, a home that promises to make them happy, content, and financially comfortable.

9 Steps to Sell Your Home Fast

This is the first post for my new blog, 9 Steps to Sell Your Home Fast! In the future, I will be posting tips on how to do just that, as well as excerpts from my soon-to-be-released book on the same subject.

My name is Norma Lehmeier Hartie, and I am an award winning author and an expert in Green Feng Shui Design.

Future postings will include cleaning, clutter removal and clearing tips; green home improvement and features to add to a home to sell it; Feng Shui and staging tips; creating great curb appeal and more!

Email me at: norma@HarmoniousEnvironment.com or sign up for newsletter to get notification of book release.