New things & trends

Jello, anyone?

(wonderful work by artist Liz Hickok)

Have a delightful and yummy Friday

xoxo,

Cindy

With market conditions being what they are and houses sitting on the market longer, many people are turning to the Ancient art of Feng Shui to sell a home. Both Realtors and Homeowners alike are trying this and some are seeing astounding results.

For many years people have believed in the Power of St. Joseph Statues, buried in the backyard (upside-down) to make their homes sell and many still use this method as well. But with the new consciousness of Energy, more and more people are turning to Feng Shui Methods to help sell a home.

Everything around us is Energy. We are surrounded by it every single day by every single place that we occupy. Have you noticed that some homes just “FEEL” better then others? Although they may be similar in both location, price and amenities, one may just have a different feeling to it that draws us in.

Feng Shui is literally translated to mean “Wind/Water” and its methods seek to change the energy flow in a space to a positive one; to make a home feel warm and inviting and give it a sense of peace and harmony. Often times Realtors will work with Feng Shui Consultants to get that home off the market and get those moving trucks moving.

Feng Shui adjustments do not need to be expensive. We believe in the thought process as well so present owners need to Intentionally “let go” of their home before it can sell. What might be some of the adjustments a Feng Shui Consultant might use to achieve the goal of selling a home? We first look at the outside “forces” : Street energy, T Junctions and Cul de Sacs can be addressed easily and inexpensively with mirrors. The Front door, also know as “The Mouth of Chi” is also very important, it is considered to be the place where all good energy enters. A good pathway to the front door, a fresh coat of paint, a welcome sign are all wonderful additions.

Inside we seek to instill a good flow of Energy in the home. Using the furniture that is presently there, we may often rearrange it to allow the energy to flow smoothly through the space. Changing the energy flow has a deep and profound impact on people as it’s what helps instill positive feelings that we can create in a home. We also look at the Five Elements. Color selections and lighting to achieve a feeling of harmony and balance that draws new occupants IN and makes them want to stay there.

One thing that is often not discussed quite often in Feng Shui that absolutely helps clear a home of the old and stuck energy and infuses it with new energy are blessings. They are non-denominational and rid the home and the grounds of any negative energy from former occupants or anything that occurs on the land.

Remember, there’s a reason why some homes seem to reach out to you and you just “have to have it” because you’ve fallen in love; and that reason may very well be Feng Shui!

By: Carole Provenzale
Certified Feng Shui Consultant
http://www.FengShuiLI.com

Dial Directions is an amazing service that is free (except long distance charges may occur depending on your service plan) You don’t need to give them anything or register. All you need to do is dial the number and give them the directions, then you receive a text message (see the nifty comics above). Pretty cool, huh?

Do you have any other excellent tips for finding your way on the road? If so, jot it down here in the comments box.

This is a continuation of the Wednesday Series: Can [this] sell houses? Read the previous 2 posts here:

• Buy This Home and Get a New TV + Free Trip to Hawaii
• Can Brad Pitt Sell Houses?

I recently spent 2 weeks at home in Taiwan for Taiwanese New Year (Gong Si Fa Tsai to everyone!) and it’s always interesting to go back because the values of both California and Taiwan differ a lot.

There is no staging in Taiwan except for model homes. Agents show homes vacant or cluttered and people are used to it (The houses are tiny there, we all live very cluttered lives). Homes are a lot smaller and storage is always a hot topic in Asian homes. Feng Shui is also big, not only for people who are alive and also with people who are dead. People often jokes that it’s more expensive to live in Taiwan as a dead person than a live one since feng shui is a key ingredient in selecting an appropriate plot for every individual.

Feng Shui, fad or true?

(photo by Room With A View)
Feng Shui has always been sort of trendy. Feng Shui has become a trendy thing to hear about in the staging field. As I progress in the industry, I often encounter people who are on both sides. There are even publications on feng shui for cats, it’s really difficult to take something like so seriously. Some believe in staging with feng shui, some think it’s a sign of desperation.

But does feng shui really sell houses?

Luopan compass used in feng shui
(photo by musicvisionary2000)

Feng Shui expert Carole Provenzale told me that “Feng Shui is literally translated to mean continue

I recently came across this and thought this was an INGENIOUS way to involve your kids (or your inner child), recycle, reuse some colorful waste and to make something fun for your home that can serve as a conversational piece at dinner parties.

Some junk mail facts for you:

Do you know that

# Each year, 100 million trees are used to produce junk mail;

# 250,000 homes could be heated with one day’s supply of junk mail; and

# Americans receive almost 4 million tons of junk mail every year.

Here are a few sites that you can help reduct junk mail:
Do-it-yourself: Stop junk mail, email and phone calls
Bay Area Junk Mail Reduction Campaign
MSNBC Article: Consumer expert Sid Kirchheimer’s tips for ending unwanted mail

Are there any other way you can recycle, reuse or stop junk mails that you would like to share? If so, please do at the comment area below!

I came across an article by Amy Chorew recently and she literally took the words out of my mouth. This is something every seller & agent should know (I took the liberty of highlighting the key points to look at by underlining the text):

What Do Consumers Want?

Every year NAR publishes its Profile of Today’s Homebuyer and Seller and one section focuses on the “Most Valuable Features of Web Sites” – items consumers demand when they are on your web site. Here is the breakdown:

• Photos: 83% [note how Photos are more important than Property Details!!!]
  
• Property Details: 81%
• Virtual Tours: 60%
• Maps: 43%
• Area info: 37%
• Agent info: 31%

NAR says that 96% of consumers start with a property search. If you don’t have a search button predominantly displayed, allowing the consumer to drive the experience they will search somewhere else. A consumer will stay on your web site for just a few seconds if they can’t find what they are looking for.

When they find listings, do you have the featured items above? If not the consumer will eliminate properties from their home search. If they do a search and half of the listings only have one photo, those listings are eliminated immediately.

Do you have more than 10 photos per listing? Even shoe web sites like Zappos has ten photos of shoes. Shouldn’t your listing client at least enjoy the same amount of photos that a pair of shoes does?

Staging is key with today’s photos. Martha Webb author of “Dress your House for Success” says “With all the emphasis on staging, it’s important to remember that preparing a home for market is a process that starts with the basics of cleaning and uncluttering. Clean, clutter-and-odor-free account for 35% of a buyer’s first impression. This can be accomplished in a few hours and at almost no cost. Next, a coat of paint will create a clean, fresh feeling for minimal cost. These simple steps show buyers your house has been well cared for, and that translates into value!”
Just by uncluttering a listing will make your photos more appealing. You listings will have more staying power on the internet. Take time to revisit your listings and the photos. If your photos need help, consider hiring a professional. If you can, investigate a staging course like Certified Home Marketing Specialist and learn the dialog to help the consumer partner with you to make their home look the best it can in photos.

Twenty-four percent of homes sold last year were found directly on the Internet. That means after filtering through home after home the Internet consumer found the actual house they wanted to buy. They called or emailed you and you showed it to them, and SOLD it to them. The first showing for many buyers is happening on line.

New standards of performance are simple. Give the consumer what they want, photos, lots of them. Make sure they can reach you by email, phone or text messaging – in the time and way they require.

Technology can help streamline your communication process and your marketing efforts. Welcome to the new millennium.

Here is the link to the entire article: New Standards for Modern Real Estate Professionals.

When I first started blogging about real estate & staging, it was only a year ago, and about 80% of the buyers start their search first on the internet before they go to the open house. Now, it’s at 96%!!! If another agent tells me that internet presence doesn’t matter, I would think they are insane!

Like Amy said, staging can help to clean up the online presentation dramatically. Moreover, as stagers, we should constantly think what’s the best photographic angles while we stage.

I would love to hear about your thoughts on this article! Do so by commenting in the white blank box below.

Cheers,

Cindy

So after my post of cardboard furniture for staging, I found cardboard rugs! These rugs are the brain child of Dutch designer Wendy Plomp, whose artist statement is :

“Cardboard is probably the cheapest industrial packaging material available on the market. Any image that is printed onto this typically throwaway material can turn into a streetwise design object; something that can have a glorious second life if left to the street where it can be spontaneously employed in new applications.For instance, it could be reborn as a disposable carpet that could instantly provide you with a clean space wherever you are, almost like a home.To prolong the lifespan and usefulness of boxes, informative messages or ornate arabesque patterns reminiscent of precious carpets could be printed on the inside surfaces. An example could be the food parcels dropped in disaster areas; this unexploited space could be used to provide valuable information which, especially in those conditions, might be enormously helpful.”

What do you think? Do you think this is stagable? Share your thoughts below at the comment section!