Real estate negotiations can get deep. Even just after 3 years in the industry, I have seen transactions fall apart over just $2,500. 

Emotions are high. The seller is at bottom dollar and the buyer is at maximum budget, neither of them willing to budge.

Let's break it down.

Scenario: You and the seller are stuck. You have been negotiation for a few days. You have finally come to a stand still that you won't pay more than $220,000 and the seller won't go any less than $222,500. That is a $2,500 difference.

Emotions are high. 

The sellers really want to sell because they are building their dream home out in the country. They need every last penny to go towards their down payment. They have a put a lot of time and money into the updates in their home and hate to leave, but they have outgrown the home. 

You as the buyer really, really want this house. It's perfect. It has enough room for your family to grow, has a fenced yard for your golden retriever pup, its updated to that farmhouse feel, and it even has a tiled shower! How can you make this work with your budget?

Let's break it down.

(This scenario does not say how much the seller has already come down on the price. It also does not include mortgage insurance, down payment, homeowner's insurance, utilites, etc. This is just a broken-down mortgage payment. For an accurate monthly payment, please visit with your mortgage lender.)

$220,000 at 4.25% interest over 30 years = $1,082/month

$222,500 at 4.25% interest over 30 years = $1,095/month

YES YOU READ THAT RIGHT! $13 difference. Break that down over 30 days. We are talking 43 CENTS A DAY. So, $13 extra dollars a month is all it would take to purchase your dream home. Compare it to your own life. For myself that would be:

• Two less Caribou Coffees a MONTH

             OR

• One less plate of buffalo chicken nachos at Buffalo Wings and Rings

            OR

• One less movie ticket at the movie theater

I could definitely give one of those up if it meant owning my own home and having a place for my family to grow, run, and live.

All this to say, yes emotions can be high when buying/selling but sometimes you just need to take a step back and say "what does this really mean for me?" 

Would you give up your dream home for $13?

They say 'dress for success'. Why should selling your home be any different? As a seller, you want your home to sell fast, and for the most amount of money. To sell your home faster, it must stand out from the competition and create a strong first impression, especially when the internet is where the buyer will more than likely see your home first. A survey found that once staged, homes spend an average of 73% less time on the market. Dress your home up for success. 

With 95% of home buyers hitting the internet to start their home search, it is of utmost importance to stand out from the crowd. Of the 95%, 51% actually purchased a home they found online- talk about capturing their emotions enough to make them want to come see your home in person! 

Home staging works because it considers the wants and needs of the buyer and taps into their emotions when they are searching for a home.  81% of buyers say home staging makes it easier to visualize the property as their future home. 

Lets cut to the chase. Should you hire a professional home stager or do it yourself? As a real estate professional, and an interior decorator by hobby, I would tell you if your home is vacant, hire a professional. If you are still living in the home, add a few touches of your own. Let me expand on those thoughts.

Hire a professional. Whether you have moved out of the home you are selling, selling your rental property, selling your parents estate,  or whatever the case may be, the home is vacant and you have a pretty large blank canvas. Hiring a professional is very logical and you will definitely get your return on investment (staged homes sell faster, and for more money vs homes that sit on the market longer, with no offers). Your hired home stager will stage the most important rooms of the home which speak volumes to buyers: 

1. Living Room

2. Kitchen

3. Master Bedroom

4. Dining Room

Most importantly, she will have the expertise on color schemes and placement, and the furniture to use. 

DIY home staging. If you are still living in the home you are selling, what better way to speak to buyers than bringing out the character and love that resides in your home. You already have your furniture, now it is a matter of adding a few fresh touches.  As talked about in previous blogs, cut the clutter. It makes spaces look smaller than they actually are and doesn't stand out from the 15 other homes on the market you are competing with. Remember, you want to stand out! Tuck all the toys in an ottoman, put those snowman blankets in the closet, and put remotes in a basket.  Pictures speak 1,000 words, right? I'll let this one speak for itself.

1. Remove pet toys, beds, and blankets. 

2. Remove "stuff" off the end tables.

3. Adjust shades so they are the same length.

4. Remove blankets off the couch.

If you saw both of these pictures on the MLS, which one would you want to see? I, without second thought, would keep scrolling if I saw the first picture. The second picture brings out the gorgeous colors and windows in the home, who wouldn't want that view? And, by the way, it cost $0 to go from before to after!

We don't live in a perfect world. There is going to be dishes in the sink and "stuff" piled in corners - that's life! But when it comes to selling your home, you want to put the maximum effort in. It could make the difference between your home selling in a week vs 6 months! 

When selling your home, walk through it as if you were going to purchase the home again for yourself. When clients call to list their house with my team, I love walking through the house with them and give them tips on how to stage their home for success. Whether it would be packing a few things up, or moving a few things to another room in the house. All in all, you want your home to express the love, care, and shelter it will provide to the next family.

Sources: 2017 National Association of REALTORS® Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers, Profile of Home Staging, 11 Incredible Home Staging Statistics, Infographic: Effectiveness of Home Staging