Do you want your property to appeal to a wider range of buyers?

Do you want your home to stand out from the crowd?

Do you want cost effective solutions to your home presentation problems?

Home Staging and Cosmetic Renovation techniques by Houses to Impress will help give you a unique selling point to present your property so it’s ready to sell! Irrespective of the extent of the project, our attention to detail delivers results to our clients that are absolutely outstanding.

Our professional online home staging consult will help you plan a cost effective home makeover that will reap you thousands of dollars PROFIT when you sell. Imagine what you can spend that extra $20,000, $30,000, $40,000 or more on …….

• Your new dream home
• A brand new car
• A family holiday
• An investment property

Don’t just take our word. Read a testimonial from a Real Estate Specialist who regularly recommends our services to her vendors.

“As real estate salespeople, our number one job is to achieve the highest possible price for our vendors. Unfortunately our best efforts can sometimes be hindered by a seller who is unable to view their home objectively. What may seem “attractive” to the owner may look vastly unappealing from a buyer’s perspective. A seller who lives in the home twenty-four-seven, can often find it difficult of see the woods for the trees. Houses to Impress know how to present your home in such a way that buyers have to have it! I would estimate that I have never yet met a client that would not have experienced great benefit from Charyn and Kate’s expert home staging transformations.”

Rebecca Foster – Real Estate Specialist – Ray White Northgate

I was recently browsing the Australian Property Investor Magazine website and was heartened to find an article listing the Top 12 tips to Getting a Great Property Valuation.  Especially when I read that the Number 1 tip was Home Presentation.  It comfirms what I consistently preach to my clients (both home owners and property investors) that a combination of Home Staging and cosmetic Renovation are not only great tools to add value to a home before selling but  you can also squeeze extra equity out of your current home or investment property prior to refinancing.

Please find below the part of the API article written by  Michaela Ryan

It’s quite frustrating to have your home loan application knocked back or the loan amount reduced because the valuation came in too low. Here’s 12 ways to get a good one.

Investors periodically have their properties revalued in order to finance additional investments. For example, just say your property’s value has gone up by $50,000. Most lenders will let you borrow around 80 per cent of that value ($40,000) which you can use as a deposit for another property purchase. In order to work out exactly how much they’ll lend you, lenders will often send a property valuer around. So we’ve asked a couple of industry experts for the insider’s word on property valuations. How can investors get the highest figure possible?

Phillip Grahame from Herron Todd White says, “The main things in a valuation are the size and functionality of the dwelling and the size and location of the land.” So obviously the chances of a favourable valuation mainly come down to your choice of property in the first place. And of course, it also depends on what the property market in general is doing at the time. However, according to our experts, there are a number of things you can do to make sure you pull off the best valuation possible on the day.

1. Presentation

Grahame says presentation is the most important thing to take care of when you have an upcoming valuation.

“(Make sure) the gardens are looking nice and the clutter throughout the house is cleaned up and all that sort of thing. Because first impressions, even with property valuers, do count,” he says. “If it’s freshly painted and really neat and tidy and presents well, as it would to a buyer, then we’re going to be more positive on that particular property.”

Mark Ruttner from First Valuation Group agrees, “The owner should provide a property in a state of repair similar to an open for inspection. “There’s nothing worse than rolling up to value a house and all the clothes for the last two weeks are on the bedroom floor; the toilet seat is up; dishes for the last week are still sitting in the sink.” Ruttner suggests mowing the lawn and trimming the edges. He also says any external painting should be fully completed, as first impressions can be significantly dampened by incomplete paintwork.

to read the other 11 Tips    Click Here

Most people would be really upset if their superannuation fund suddenly dropped ten, twenty, thirty thousand dollars, or more. Yet many homeowners regularly suffer these kinds of losses without a second thought when they sell their home and/or investment property.

Why is that?  Why would homeowners fail to perceive that their home is an important investment, as well as shelter for themselves, their dog and cat?

For the vast home owning majority, building home equity is a critical component of retirement planning and building net worth. So, it only makes sense to get the most money possible when you sell. Think what you could do with those extra thousands of dollars

– A lifestyle reward like a holiday or a brand new car for your family
– A bigger down payment on your new home
– Capital to invest in a business venture or
– Money to create more wealth by funding another investment

It is a sad fact that very few homeowners sell their homes for the most money possible. They end up giving thousands of dollars to the buyers as equity gifts! A common thread I hear from people when they are getting ready to sell is  ”Why do I need to spend money when I am moving out anyway?”  They are unwilling to do what it takes when their home is involved and thousands of dollars in lost equity is on the line.

That’s where we come in. At Houses to Impress we believe in challenging the mindset & actions of home sellers. We believe home owners should think differently about how they sell their largest asset, their home. And most importantly, we believe that any homeowner has the ability to sell their home fast and for maximum price given the right advice.

Our top tips to achieve the most profit when you sell your home

• Change the way you think about your home – it is no longer your home, it is a marketable product
• See your house with a buyer’s eyes
• Repair it before your sell it – inspect your house like an Inspector!
• Get rid of all your stuff – buyers aren’t interested in your personal stuff. They are buying a lifestyle
• Lifestyle upgrades equate to Top Dollar Sales – think Kitchen, Bathroom, Garden
• Create more space by getting rid of excess clutter
• First impressions count – don’t forget your Street Appeal
• Dress you house to impress using home staging techniques

In getting the most money possible from the sale of your home, the condition of your home is what you have the greatest control over. If you ignore the condition or packaging, as the marketing people call it, it will come back to haunt you.

If you are ready to take action to turn your average house into a dream home that potential buyers will fall in love with click here to find out more about our "Sold for Top Dollar Transformation Package"

Landlords often fail to recognise that owning a property is like a business and to get the best results they need to treat it like a business. Most investors know that the performance of real estate as a financial asset is outstanding over the long term, however a lot of property investors, like homeowners, have unrealised equity and potential extra income hidden in their rental properties.  The majority of landlords buy their property, install the tenants as quickly as possible and  leave the property to sit there for years untouched, just sitting back waiting for capital growth to eventually kick in.  They only carry out minor maintenance jobs when the tenant or property manager alerts them about a problem and give no thought at all to regular maintenance.  In fact it is very rare for a landlord to have a planned upgrade and maintenance program set up for their investment. Naturally over time the investment property’s general condition will deteriorate.

I have also heard this story numerous times from landlords – “I have a great tenant who always pays their rent on time and never causes me any problems so I reward them by not raising the rent”.  It is not unusual for a landlord of a long held property, to be willingly receiving 30-40% below market rental!  And yet owning a property investment is supposed to be a wealth creation strategy.

Tenants are your greatest asset

“Properties are just bricks and mortar without bank accounts. tenant’s who are living breathing humans, are the ones with the cheque books”

Have you ever considered that tenant’s are a landlord’s greatest asset because they are paying off your investment for you.  Tenants are just like any other homeowner in that they also want to live in an appealing, well cared for property that gives them a certain standard of lifestyle.  If you can improve the amenity of your rental property, you will attract a higher quality tenant who will appreciate the “extras” and be willing to pay a premium rent to live in your beautiful property.

Making a commitment to adding value to an investment property by investing in a cosmetic makeover, will not only give you instant equity, it will increase your ability to charge a higher rent. If you want to run your property investing like a business instead of a hobby then here is a recap of the benefits

1. Gives you instant equity – don’t wait for the 7 – 10 year property cycle to give you capital growth
2. Increase rental yield
3. Attract a better quality tenant
4. Maximise tax deductions

If Property investors want to ensure their asset is performing at its peak and bringing in the biggest amount of income but don’t want the hassle of organising a makeover themselves, they should consider using the services of a home makeover specialist.

Houses to Impress provides project management and interior and exterior design advice to property investors wanting to transform the appearance of their investment property, add instant equity and increase rental yield. Using both our property renovation and professional home staging expertise, we  show landlords  how to transform their investment property for the most contemporary look and the largest return.

Kate and I were  interviewed by Angelo Meno of Adelaide Property Finders, an Adelaide based Buyer’s Agency about the benefits of adding value to an investment property.

Click here to go view the 30 minute video on Renovation and Home Staging.

For further information about how we can help you to improve your investment property please call us for a FREE 15 minute consult.

Charyn and Kate Youngson

Authors | Professional Home Stagers | Speakers

Waiting for your house or any piece of investment property to sell can cause a fair amount of stress and headache on your part. And not getting decent offers despite your property being listed in the marketplace for months can be a terrible ordeal, right? Well, I believe so, too.

Good thing you don’t have to go through all these – if you plan on having your house or investment property staged, that is.

Why go for home staging when you can sell your house as it is? Well, the answer is really quite simple. Staging homes can make your home sell fast and for a far better value.

As with a lot of things, in selling real estate properties, first impressions count – a lot! Research proves that most buyers usually make up their mind whether or not they are going to buy your house within 15 seconds of walking up your front door. So, it’s up to you on how you can make the most of it, or lose it. It’s your choice.

Now, if you’re ready to take the first step to working that magic called home staging, here are some tips that can help you snag that sale even before your buyers walk through your front door. Start by creating an irresistible curb appeal that your buyers will love! Here’s how you can do it in 4 easy steps.

1. Clean up and de-clutter. Don’t hide your property’s full potentials. Trim overgrown bushes and mow the lawn. Scrub mildew and molds off the sidewalks and that nasty oil spill in the driveway. Get rid of all clutter and unnecessary items, too.
2. Paint it. If you can afford it, why not apply a fresh coat of paint? It can make your house look more appealing to buyers. However, you may want to stay on the conservative side and avoid using very strong colors. Remember, you want your house to appeal to the most number of buyers and strong colors may only turn some people off.
3. Consider landscaping it. Now, if your budget can still accommodate it, you can consider adding fresh sod or some live plants and other interesting focal points to your home’s exterior. Or alternatively, you can remove some elements to improve the looks of your property. Are there any trees or shrubs that are overshadowing some attractive features of your house? Take them off and see how it improves your property.
4. Prettify your front door. Ultimately, all attention leads to your front door. So, why not further improve your chances of closing a great deal for all your efforts? Prettify your front door! You can consider installing a new custom-made door, if your budget allows it. Otherwise, you can consider using what you have and improving on it. You can repaint your existing front door, or flank it with an interesting molding. Or you can simply polish your door fixtures or install coordinated light fixtures and accents to do the trick. Try to be creative and explore all the possibilities!

Staging homes effectively can help you sell your house fast and for far better value than leaving it as it is. Home staging does not need to be expensive or extremely time consuming, as these tips on improving your property’s curb appeal show. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain. Now, are you ready to get your house staged?

Here’s a video that talks about creating great curb appeal and how it can help sell your house.

Video. Home Decorating and Staging Tips - Curb Appeal