Staging a House That Will Turn Lookers Into Buyers
June 30th, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed
Matt Sheuerman asked:
In order to find a buyer for your home, you must make a house-shopper absolutely fall in love with your house. Most house-shoppers will start falling in love or out of love within the first 30 seconds of arrival. It is critical to know the factors that create “buyer attraction” in order to find the buyer as soon as possible. After all, every month that goes by translates into another mortgage payment and utility bill for you to pay.
When you’ve moved out all of your “clutter” - or wisely stored it in a self-storage facility - call your Realtor up and have him/her meet you at your place to walk through it together. Your Realtor has likely walked through many homes and may know what qualities about your home will appear unattractive to buyers. Use this session with your Realtor to purely focus on “things to make better”.
One gigantic rule of thumb to staging a house is to “create light and space” in every room. These are two generalizations that buyers tend to love about homes. Pull back drapes, rearrange furniture towards the walls, create easy walkways between rooms, clear off your front porch, and do whatever else you can to create both light and space everywhere. You may have to keep lights on in some rooms to make this happen. Consider installing motion-activated light switches in these always-dark rooms.
Next, focus on the scent of every room - does every room smell nice? Strategically place air fresheners, candles, etc. throughout your house. To a buyer, a good-smelling home is the smell of a home that was well-cared for.
Check all of the light fixtures in the house. Are they dusty? Are some of the bulbs burnt out? Make sure to keep an extra pack of light bulbs in a kitchen drawer in case you need to change one during the duration of your home’s listing.
Remember - first impressions are critical - especially to house-shoppers. Tend to the front porch and front room aggressively. Buyers should feel excited to see the rest of the house when they approach and enter through the front door. The porch, surrounding plants, welcome mat (buy a new one), door, and even the doorknob should all be in perfect shape. Some people even buy new address numbers that attach to the house. Also, the front room should be absolutely immaculate. Create an ambiance that makes visitors to the house say “wow” out loud.
Ensure that any visible wastebaskets are empty - all trash should be removed from the property prior to marketing the house. The same applies to tools - the only tools that should remain in the house are cleaning supplies, which should be stored under the kitchen sink.
Make that bathroom look new: purchase a new shower liner/curtain and dress the rest of the bathroom up with a new towel and bath rug set. Keep plenty of toilet paper in the bathrooms in case visitors need to use it.
Finally, take plenty of pictures of your beautiful home. Your Realtor has likely created in-house flyers for you, but that doesn’t mean you can’t create your own. Make your own flyers with various pictures and descriptions (if you aren’t good with a computer or flyer designing, find someone who is) and attach your flyer to your Realtor’s flyers. Have your Realtor review them first. Thereafter, check in on your house frequently (if you aren’t living there) and do any necessary cleaning and touch-up work. Good luck!
For more free articles and previews to The Field Guide to Flipping Homes, visit the official site at www.homeflippingfieldguide.com
Create a video blog…instantly.
In order to find a buyer for your home, you must make a house-shopper absolutely fall in love with your house. Most house-shoppers will start falling in love or out of love within the first 30 seconds of arrival. It is critical to know the factors that create “buyer attraction” in order to find the buyer as soon as possible. After all, every month that goes by translates into another mortgage payment and utility bill for you to pay.
When you’ve moved out all of your “clutter” - or wisely stored it in a self-storage facility - call your Realtor up and have him/her meet you at your place to walk through it together. Your Realtor has likely walked through many homes and may know what qualities about your home will appear unattractive to buyers. Use this session with your Realtor to purely focus on “things to make better”.
One gigantic rule of thumb to staging a house is to “create light and space” in every room. These are two generalizations that buyers tend to love about homes. Pull back drapes, rearrange furniture towards the walls, create easy walkways between rooms, clear off your front porch, and do whatever else you can to create both light and space everywhere. You may have to keep lights on in some rooms to make this happen. Consider installing motion-activated light switches in these always-dark rooms.
Next, focus on the scent of every room - does every room smell nice? Strategically place air fresheners, candles, etc. throughout your house. To a buyer, a good-smelling home is the smell of a home that was well-cared for.
Check all of the light fixtures in the house. Are they dusty? Are some of the bulbs burnt out? Make sure to keep an extra pack of light bulbs in a kitchen drawer in case you need to change one during the duration of your home’s listing.
Remember - first impressions are critical - especially to house-shoppers. Tend to the front porch and front room aggressively. Buyers should feel excited to see the rest of the house when they approach and enter through the front door. The porch, surrounding plants, welcome mat (buy a new one), door, and even the doorknob should all be in perfect shape. Some people even buy new address numbers that attach to the house. Also, the front room should be absolutely immaculate. Create an ambiance that makes visitors to the house say “wow” out loud.
Ensure that any visible wastebaskets are empty - all trash should be removed from the property prior to marketing the house. The same applies to tools - the only tools that should remain in the house are cleaning supplies, which should be stored under the kitchen sink.
Make that bathroom look new: purchase a new shower liner/curtain and dress the rest of the bathroom up with a new towel and bath rug set. Keep plenty of toilet paper in the bathrooms in case visitors need to use it.
Finally, take plenty of pictures of your beautiful home. Your Realtor has likely created in-house flyers for you, but that doesn’t mean you can’t create your own. Make your own flyers with various pictures and descriptions (if you aren’t good with a computer or flyer designing, find someone who is) and attach your flyer to your Realtor’s flyers. Have your Realtor review them first. Thereafter, check in on your house frequently (if you aren’t living there) and do any necessary cleaning and touch-up work. Good luck!
For more free articles and previews to The Field Guide to Flipping Homes, visit the official site at www.homeflippingfieldguide.com
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Rugs: More than a Carpet
June 30th, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed
search rankpros asked:
Today when furnishing your new home, you will probably go and buy a rug from a High Street shop and place it on your floor. However, it has not always been this way. Rug making has been traced back to ancient times and it is thought they were first made and used by nomadic tribes in Asia. The oldest rug that has been discovered was found in 1949 in Southern Russia. It dates back to 500 B.C. and is known as the Pazyrk carpet.
However, when rugs were first made, they were not just used as a floor covering. The tradition was to use rugs to decorate walls, ceilings and tables. This type of usage was particularly prevalent in Asia. The rugs would be made by hand on a loom, which was a laborious and time-consuming process. To begin making a rug a loom must be set up with warps, which are thick and strong pieces of (usually) cotton of wool that run the length of the rug. Wefts run the width of the rugs and are normally weaved in and out of the warps to form the foundation. Knots of the material the rug is being made from are then tied around the warps to form the pile of the rug.
Luckily, in the present day, machines have been invented that can do this job much more easily and quickly. Modern rugs are normally made in factories on mechanical looms, which means the process is much less laborious. One of the first mechanical looms invented was the Jacquard loom, so called because Joseph Marie Jacquard invented it. The loom works by creating designs from a pattern that has been placed onto a card in the form of punched holes. This is then placed into the loom and the hooks that create the design are either raised up or down depending on what is punched on the card. This began the process of revolutionising the way rugs were made, by cutting out the hours of labour.
Despite this, there is still a niche in the market for handmade rugs and it is still a profitable trade for some people. One of the reasons for the interest in handmade rugs today can be traced back to an event in Vienna in 1891. The Austrian Trade Museum held an exhibition of handmade Oriental rugs that came from major traders and Austrian royalty. The exhibition also displayed the famous Ardabil carpet, just after it had been restored. This carpet was purported to have one of the most famous Persian carpets. It can be seen today on display in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
This, and other public displays of carpets resulted in an increased interest in handmade carpets and Persian rugs in particular. Books were produced which contained pictures of particularly beautiful carpets. In addition to this, information was given about the designs and weaving and production techniques. This made handmade rugs into something of an art form and wealthy people all over the world began to purchase them to decorate their homes. Today, people are still buying handmade rugs to enhance the décor in their homes and handmade rugs are still being made all over the world.
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Today when furnishing your new home, you will probably go and buy a rug from a High Street shop and place it on your floor. However, it has not always been this way. Rug making has been traced back to ancient times and it is thought they were first made and used by nomadic tribes in Asia. The oldest rug that has been discovered was found in 1949 in Southern Russia. It dates back to 500 B.C. and is known as the Pazyrk carpet.
However, when rugs were first made, they were not just used as a floor covering. The tradition was to use rugs to decorate walls, ceilings and tables. This type of usage was particularly prevalent in Asia. The rugs would be made by hand on a loom, which was a laborious and time-consuming process. To begin making a rug a loom must be set up with warps, which are thick and strong pieces of (usually) cotton of wool that run the length of the rug. Wefts run the width of the rugs and are normally weaved in and out of the warps to form the foundation. Knots of the material the rug is being made from are then tied around the warps to form the pile of the rug.
Luckily, in the present day, machines have been invented that can do this job much more easily and quickly. Modern rugs are normally made in factories on mechanical looms, which means the process is much less laborious. One of the first mechanical looms invented was the Jacquard loom, so called because Joseph Marie Jacquard invented it. The loom works by creating designs from a pattern that has been placed onto a card in the form of punched holes. This is then placed into the loom and the hooks that create the design are either raised up or down depending on what is punched on the card. This began the process of revolutionising the way rugs were made, by cutting out the hours of labour.
Despite this, there is still a niche in the market for handmade rugs and it is still a profitable trade for some people. One of the reasons for the interest in handmade rugs today can be traced back to an event in Vienna in 1891. The Austrian Trade Museum held an exhibition of handmade Oriental rugs that came from major traders and Austrian royalty. The exhibition also displayed the famous Ardabil carpet, just after it had been restored. This carpet was purported to have one of the most famous Persian carpets. It can be seen today on display in the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
This, and other public displays of carpets resulted in an increased interest in handmade carpets and Persian rugs in particular. Books were produced which contained pictures of particularly beautiful carpets. In addition to this, information was given about the designs and weaving and production techniques. This made handmade rugs into something of an art form and wealthy people all over the world began to purchase them to decorate their homes. Today, people are still buying handmade rugs to enhance the décor in their homes and handmade rugs are still being made all over the world.
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Everything You Need to Know About Karastan Rugs
June 27th, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed
Vikram Kumar asked:
Karastan, the leading manufacturer of rugs, is always known for innovation and excellence. Here are some of the breakthroughs that this “wonder company” has done in the carpet business.
Karastan Rug styles and patterns
Here are some of Karastan rugs’ different styles and patterns.
· Peshawar. This is the current rug style in home furnishings, famous for its softened palettes and subtle color shades out of vegetable dyes on a specially hand-twisted wool.
· Captiva. This is a variation inspired from Peshawar wool rug, which is cheerfully woven in a saffron yellow, bringing brightness and warmth to your interior. It’s pattern is relaxed and occupies the full frame of the rug. Subtle striations are detailed thus stimulating visual effects of natural dyes.
· Shapura. This is a masterful collection, inspired by aesthetic elegance of versatile rugs. All tones are totally striking, and every rug is made of lavishly full beaten wool from New Zealand, very practical and beautiful as well.
Three patterns of Shapura:
1. Athena. This features weathered brick shadow w/ fine accents of blue and green
2. Tiana. This has gentle patterns on a turf of bottle green shading
3. Tiana Ivory. This is an incorporation of elegant lines but with a subtle ivory background
Tempting Textures from Artworks Collection
Karastan always surprises you with a collection of tempting textures. The collection was made to appeal to consumers who are more conscious about fashion and modern textures. With these, you might want to consider decorating your second home with a personalized style.
Plum Blossom
Branches of leaves are overlapped in a graphic coated arrangement.
It creates a convincing design with intensity and dimension.
A color combination of blue robin’s egg, teak, and mocha, with the accents of maize yellow and pearl.
Zen Garden
Modern and fresh, features organized stripes of shapes that are like stone.
Protecting your Rugs
Here are some tips from Karastan on the importance of protecting your rugs with pads:
It protects your rugs from the heavy traffic.
It makes your vacuuming easier.
It provides you safety by preventing your rug to slip.
You will enjoy having your rugs for longer years.
It reduces your furniture from puckering.
Take your pick from the Karastan rugs collection
Animal skin. If you want to give your home a touch of nature, this set will accent your interiors naturally.
Contemporary. It offers the highest quality of rugs inspired by fashion and art.
Floral. If you go for themes inspired by nature, this set of collection is for you.
Green Rugs or Eco-friendly. It gives the interiors of your home a healthy beauty.
Luxury Rugs. If you are looking for a good combination of striking contemporary designs, then this is for you.
Southwest Rugs. If you go for intricate designs inspired from American traditions, this collection is for you.
Traditional. Choose this collection and you will capture the ancient traditions of artistic beauty.
Transitional. If you go for a good combination of traditional designs with modern elements, this collection is for you.
Choose your type of Finish Process
Antique Wash finish. The final look is so aged, a perfect antique match for your vintage furniture.
Lustre Wash finish. A soft finish antique look.
Tea Wash finish. Adds bright color in white wools.
Create a video blog
Karastan, the leading manufacturer of rugs, is always known for innovation and excellence. Here are some of the breakthroughs that this “wonder company” has done in the carpet business.
Karastan Rug styles and patterns
Here are some of Karastan rugs’ different styles and patterns.
· Peshawar. This is the current rug style in home furnishings, famous for its softened palettes and subtle color shades out of vegetable dyes on a specially hand-twisted wool.
· Captiva. This is a variation inspired from Peshawar wool rug, which is cheerfully woven in a saffron yellow, bringing brightness and warmth to your interior. It’s pattern is relaxed and occupies the full frame of the rug. Subtle striations are detailed thus stimulating visual effects of natural dyes.
· Shapura. This is a masterful collection, inspired by aesthetic elegance of versatile rugs. All tones are totally striking, and every rug is made of lavishly full beaten wool from New Zealand, very practical and beautiful as well.
Three patterns of Shapura:
1. Athena. This features weathered brick shadow w/ fine accents of blue and green
2. Tiana. This has gentle patterns on a turf of bottle green shading
3. Tiana Ivory. This is an incorporation of elegant lines but with a subtle ivory background
Tempting Textures from Artworks Collection
Karastan always surprises you with a collection of tempting textures. The collection was made to appeal to consumers who are more conscious about fashion and modern textures. With these, you might want to consider decorating your second home with a personalized style.
Plum Blossom
Branches of leaves are overlapped in a graphic coated arrangement.
It creates a convincing design with intensity and dimension.
A color combination of blue robin’s egg, teak, and mocha, with the accents of maize yellow and pearl.
Zen Garden
Modern and fresh, features organized stripes of shapes that are like stone.
Protecting your Rugs
Here are some tips from Karastan on the importance of protecting your rugs with pads:
It protects your rugs from the heavy traffic.
It makes your vacuuming easier.
It provides you safety by preventing your rug to slip.
You will enjoy having your rugs for longer years.
It reduces your furniture from puckering.
Take your pick from the Karastan rugs collection
Animal skin. If you want to give your home a touch of nature, this set will accent your interiors naturally.
Contemporary. It offers the highest quality of rugs inspired by fashion and art.
Floral. If you go for themes inspired by nature, this set of collection is for you.
Green Rugs or Eco-friendly. It gives the interiors of your home a healthy beauty.
Luxury Rugs. If you are looking for a good combination of striking contemporary designs, then this is for you.
Southwest Rugs. If you go for intricate designs inspired from American traditions, this collection is for you.
Traditional. Choose this collection and you will capture the ancient traditions of artistic beauty.
Transitional. If you go for a good combination of traditional designs with modern elements, this collection is for you.
Choose your type of Finish Process
Antique Wash finish. The final look is so aged, a perfect antique match for your vintage furniture.
Lustre Wash finish. A soft finish antique look.
Tea Wash finish. Adds bright color in white wools.
Create a video blog
Game for a Bath: Completing the Bathroom Set-up With Good Quality Linen
June 27th, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed
andrew.regan.2006@googlemail.com asked:
Whilst many house-holders will agonise for weeks or even months over that much-needed new bathroom suite, a considerably less amount of time – if any at all - will be spent selecting the bathroom accessories that are every bit as important.
Choosing the bathroom linen isn’t exactly a science, but there are a few points worth bearing in mind when selecting those bathroom towels and mats.
Firstly, consider the material. Cotton is superior for absorbency and resilience, and if the user has sensitive skin or allergies, then it might even be an idea to opt for 100% organic cotton towels, which are made from cotton grown on pesticide-free farms.
Secondly, towel-density is another factor that influences absorbency. Luxury towel density is normally around 800 grams per meter. It’s worth paying a little more for high quality towels as they will last a lot longer.
On a more aesthetic level, the style and design of the bathroom towels should also be taken into account. Popcorn towels, for example, are a great contemporary towel designed to augment a more modern, city-style bathroom. Then there are luxury embroidered border-towels, which are soft, durable and highly absorbent.
Furthermore, many people tend to overlook the importance of towelled bath mats. Not only are they useful as an additional means of drying upon leaving the bath or shower, they also perform an important ‘health and safety’ function, helping to keep water of the floor and reducing the likelihood of anybody slipping and injuring themselves. Most bathroom linen sets will include matching bath and hand towels as well as bath mats.
It’s also possible to buy individual heavy-duty bath mats, however, that probably have more in common with a rug than a towel, but they are incredibly absorbent. Stylish and contemporary mats are available and they are usually machine-washable.
And let’s not forget the kids. A notoriously difficult time in any family home is getting the children into the bath or shower. Colourfully designed ‘skittles’ towels are available which are made of a soft, highly-absorbent velour cotton material, which should brighten up any bath-time.
Finally, once new bathroom linen has been bought, it really is worth taking care of them. When laundering bathroom towels, it’s best not to use fabric-softener, as the chemicals contained within it are known to make the towels less absorbent and will ultimately be less durable. A good bathroom needs good accessories, and it seems a little care can go a long way to ensuring this.
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Whilst many house-holders will agonise for weeks or even months over that much-needed new bathroom suite, a considerably less amount of time – if any at all - will be spent selecting the bathroom accessories that are every bit as important.
Choosing the bathroom linen isn’t exactly a science, but there are a few points worth bearing in mind when selecting those bathroom towels and mats.
Firstly, consider the material. Cotton is superior for absorbency and resilience, and if the user has sensitive skin or allergies, then it might even be an idea to opt for 100% organic cotton towels, which are made from cotton grown on pesticide-free farms.
Secondly, towel-density is another factor that influences absorbency. Luxury towel density is normally around 800 grams per meter. It’s worth paying a little more for high quality towels as they will last a lot longer.
On a more aesthetic level, the style and design of the bathroom towels should also be taken into account. Popcorn towels, for example, are a great contemporary towel designed to augment a more modern, city-style bathroom. Then there are luxury embroidered border-towels, which are soft, durable and highly absorbent.
Furthermore, many people tend to overlook the importance of towelled bath mats. Not only are they useful as an additional means of drying upon leaving the bath or shower, they also perform an important ‘health and safety’ function, helping to keep water of the floor and reducing the likelihood of anybody slipping and injuring themselves. Most bathroom linen sets will include matching bath and hand towels as well as bath mats.
It’s also possible to buy individual heavy-duty bath mats, however, that probably have more in common with a rug than a towel, but they are incredibly absorbent. Stylish and contemporary mats are available and they are usually machine-washable.
And let’s not forget the kids. A notoriously difficult time in any family home is getting the children into the bath or shower. Colourfully designed ‘skittles’ towels are available which are made of a soft, highly-absorbent velour cotton material, which should brighten up any bath-time.
Finally, once new bathroom linen has been bought, it really is worth taking care of them. When laundering bathroom towels, it’s best not to use fabric-softener, as the chemicals contained within it are known to make the towels less absorbent and will ultimately be less durable. A good bathroom needs good accessories, and it seems a little care can go a long way to ensuring this.
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Some Amazing Bathrooms Statistics On Elderly Injuries
June 27th, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed
Dror Klar asked:
Statistics show that more than one half of all accidents occur in our homes. Most of the accidents are due to falls. While the stairs pose their own difficulties, the bathroom is the room that accounts for the greatest number for falls in the home.
Data indicates that one of every three senior citizens in the United States will fall annually. Of that number, at least half will fall again within the same year. Eighty-seven percent of all fractures in people over the age of sixty-five years old are caused by a fall. Accidental falls account for at least twenty percent of injury related deaths in this age group.
These falls result in loss of independence and dignity. Perhaps most tragic is the loss of the person’s mobility and sense of well-being. A fall can leave an elderly person in chronic pain, with permanent disabilities, and limit their physical activities. Once the physical activities have been limited, a person looses muscle strength and flexibility. It then becomes a struggle for the person to recover.
With most of these accidents occurring in the bathroom it becomes of vital importance to make this room safer. Any area where water may spill or accumulate on the floor should have low-pile, absorbent rugs with a non-skid rubber backing. These should be placed around tubs, sinks, and the toilet.
Light bulbs should be changed from bright lights to frosted bulbs to reduce the glare. This will enable a person to see water or other liquids that are spilled on the floor more easily.
Grab bars must be installed in and near bath tubs and toilets. These bars must be placed at the correct height specific to the user. If placed too low there is little leverage gained and if placed too high there is the risk of a person loosing their grip.
The grab bars should not be made of a slick finish, but should be textured. The premium grab bars have a rubber coating that provides a more secure grasp.
Bath tubs and shower floors should have high-quality, slip-resistant adhesive strips installed to prevent falls in the tub. The floors and other surfaces should been cleaned frequently to prevent the build-up of slippery substances such as soap scum, shampoo and bath gels.
A quality shower chair should be placed in the tub or shower so that a person can bathe in a seated position or for anyone who may not have the physical strength to stand for over a few minutes.
With minor preventative measures the bathroom can offer peace of mind for our aging family members and can keep them physically active and independent for a much longer time.
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Statistics show that more than one half of all accidents occur in our homes. Most of the accidents are due to falls. While the stairs pose their own difficulties, the bathroom is the room that accounts for the greatest number for falls in the home.
Data indicates that one of every three senior citizens in the United States will fall annually. Of that number, at least half will fall again within the same year. Eighty-seven percent of all fractures in people over the age of sixty-five years old are caused by a fall. Accidental falls account for at least twenty percent of injury related deaths in this age group.
These falls result in loss of independence and dignity. Perhaps most tragic is the loss of the person’s mobility and sense of well-being. A fall can leave an elderly person in chronic pain, with permanent disabilities, and limit their physical activities. Once the physical activities have been limited, a person looses muscle strength and flexibility. It then becomes a struggle for the person to recover.
With most of these accidents occurring in the bathroom it becomes of vital importance to make this room safer. Any area where water may spill or accumulate on the floor should have low-pile, absorbent rugs with a non-skid rubber backing. These should be placed around tubs, sinks, and the toilet.
Light bulbs should be changed from bright lights to frosted bulbs to reduce the glare. This will enable a person to see water or other liquids that are spilled on the floor more easily.
Grab bars must be installed in and near bath tubs and toilets. These bars must be placed at the correct height specific to the user. If placed too low there is little leverage gained and if placed too high there is the risk of a person loosing their grip.
The grab bars should not be made of a slick finish, but should be textured. The premium grab bars have a rubber coating that provides a more secure grasp.
Bath tubs and shower floors should have high-quality, slip-resistant adhesive strips installed to prevent falls in the tub. The floors and other surfaces should been cleaned frequently to prevent the build-up of slippery substances such as soap scum, shampoo and bath gels.
A quality shower chair should be placed in the tub or shower so that a person can bathe in a seated position or for anyone who may not have the physical strength to stand for over a few minutes.
With minor preventative measures the bathroom can offer peace of mind for our aging family members and can keep them physically active and independent for a much longer time.
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How do I get my chihuaua to stop peeing on rugs?
June 25th, 2009 Subscribe To Our Feed
Brandy T asked:
I just rescued a 4 year chi. She is wonderful, but she keeps peeing on my rugs. She does good for several days and pees on her pee pads and then out of nowhere pees a rug. I can’t afford to keep replacing my rugs. Also, I walk her twice a day and she does her business. Help!
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I just rescued a 4 year chi. She is wonderful, but she keeps peeing on my rugs. She does good for several days and pees on her pee pads and then out of nowhere pees a rug. I can’t afford to keep replacing my rugs. Also, I walk her twice a day and she does her business. Help!
Caffeinated Content - Members-Only Content for WordPress
