Filed under: Home Maintenance, Home Staging, Selling a Home | Tags: Cheryl Brenna Group, Home Staging, Selling Your Home, Preparing Your Home for Sale, Twin Cities Metro Area, home sales
Tips for Making Your Home More Photogenic
According to re
cent statistics, up to 85% of prospective homebuyers are turning to the internet first to view their local real estate market. Therefore, good photos are essential! Great houses can be overlooked due to poor photography that does not represent how the home really looks. Listings without photos or only with an exterior photo are often overlooked. Buyers are visual and without good photos your home could be passed over or ignored.
They way you present your home to prospective buyers can make all the difference towards the successful sale of your home. Buyers don’t always have a vision so sometimes it is necessary to help them. First impressions are all too important. You want buyers to have an immediate sense of pride of ownership as they approach your home. Here are some helpful tips to make your home look great while preparing your home for sale and for taking attractive home photos:
1) Curb appeal:
- Have a clean, manicured lawn.
- Paint or stain your front door and update trim.
- Maintain an impeccable front entry.
- Update exterior light fixtures.
2) Get rid of clutter:
- Have clean, 
de-cluttered counter tops.
- Streamline shelves and built-ins. Visually place items in groups.
- Minimize! Less is more!
- Pristine condition is a must.
3) Paint:
- Update paint colors.
- Neutralize paint colors.
4) Lighting:
- Update light fixtures.
- Clean all light fixtures.
- Have all lights on.
- Have a glowing fireplace.
5) Windows:
- Windows should be clean and sparkling.
- Replace broken or cracked windows.
- Replace broken hardware.
6) Accessories:
- Update cabinet hardware.
- Have new towels and shower curtains.
- Have flowering plants.
- Add pops of color with fun pillows.
- Get rid of all dried flower arrangements.
7) Other things to remember: 
- Take summer exterior photos. It is nice to be able to display these photos when listing your home in the winter.
- Your home should smell clean and “homey”.
- Carpet should be clean and fully stretched.
- Wood floors should be clean and scratch free.
As the saying goes…”A picture is worth a thousand words!” All of these tips will help you prepare your home for sale and make it more appealing to all of the potential home buyers that will see your home on-line. It is important to create a neutral, inviting environment in which buyers can picture themselves. Our Home Composing team at the Cheryl Brenna group understands what buyers are looking for. We don’t get bogged down with emotional attachment. More importantly, we do create meaningful spaces buyers can’t resist. Give us the chance and watch us transform your home into a buyer’s showplace!
Filed under: Buying a Home, Home Staging, Home Values, Selling a Home | Tags: Cheryl Brenna Group, woodbury minnesota realestate, Home Staging, Selling Your Home, Preparing Your Home for Sale, Twin Cities Metro Area
Do Home Improvements Really Pay Off?
We have found that many people are wondering where their money will be safest during these uncertain economic times. When homeowner’s turn to the Cheryl Brenna Group for our expert advice, we counsel them but some things never change…investing in their home still pays off. Despite home drops in the Twin Cities area updating projects are holding their own as a way for homeowners to add value.
When selling your home in today’s market, it is critical
for seller’s to understand that selling their home is like a beauty pageant and a price war combined. In order to be competitive and to position yourself in the top five buyer choices it is more important today than ever to put your best foot forward when preparing your home for sale.
By renovating before selling, homeowner’s get to enjoy the new “space lift” themselves, not just make the home more appealing to buyers! Not only is your home going to be perceived as having a higher home value, it is going to make the buyers decision easier because your home will be move-in ready and your home will be on the top of their list. Buyers will focus on the positives versus the negatives of having to spend additional money once they purchase the home and bring it up-to-date.
These are the improvements that we believe continue to be your best investment in this market:
1) Updated Kitchen – counter tops, appliances, cabinetry hardware, light fixtures.
2) Bathrooms – cabinetry hardware, plumbing fixtures, light fixtures, sinks, tubs, showers, and water closet.
3) Flooring throughout the home should be up-to-date, fresh and clean.
4) Paint colors throughout the home should be in warm tones and up-to-date.
As an added value to our clients, the Cheryl Brenna Group offers free home composing and assistance in making selections. We also have the right professionals to get the job done in a timely manner for the right price! If you have any questions, we welcome them. Please feel free to email us or leave a comment below and we will circle back to you.
“A comfortable house is a great source of happiness. It ranks immediately after health and a good conscience.” ~Sydney Smith
Filed under: Green Living, Home Maintenance, Home Staging, Selling a Home | Tags: Cheryl Brenna Group, currenty home inventory, existing homes, home sales, Home Staging, new listings, Preparing Your Home for Sale, Real Estate, Selling Your Home, Woodbury Housing Supply, woodbury minnesota realestate, Woodbury Real Estate News
5 Easy Steps to Increase Interest in your Home
Traditionally, spring is the most popular home buying season of the year. Which means, with spring just around the corner, now is the time to think about sprucing up your house before putting it on the market.
It’s true that the housing industry is in a slump right now, but people are still buying homes. Buyers are taking advantage of the record low interest rates and lower home values. The goal is to make sure that your home stands out from the crowd to get your home sold!
Should you invest in large makeovers and major updates? That depends on the condition of your home. The challenge is to choose home improvement projects that will not only add value to your home, but will also make it stand out in a crowd. If you are unsure, it might be a good idea to consult with a real estate agent. The Cheryl Brenna Group has over 20 years combined in the real estate business, diverse backgrounds and Cheryl comes from a building family. When you list your home with the Cheryl Brenna Group, you receive two free hours of Home ComposingSM. Our approach is to make the best of what you have without making costly replacements and changes.
Here are 5 easy steps for homeowners preparing to sell their home:
1) First Impressions: Curb appeal plays a major role in creating a favorable 
first impression. Your front porch is often the first thing a potential homebuyer will see. It should be in perfect shape. Add a fresh coat of paint, touch up the trim, add charming chairs and bright flowers in colorful pots.
2) Look Behind You: Don’t neglect the backyard. Outdoor living spaces grow in popularity each year. Impress potential homebuyers with a backyard to die for. Add overflowing garden boxes, nice wooden furniture, a new deck or perhaps a gazebo.
3) Molding: Adding decorative wood molding or a simple chair rail can completely change the look of a room. High ceilings with deep crown molding are highly popular and can make an amazing impact.
4) Floor them: If your flooring is worn or dirty, consider new plush carpet or real wood floors. This does not have to be an expensive undertaking with all the current flooring options available.
5) Add a visual surprise: A little visual pop that no one expects can make your home stand out among the rest. For example, you could add bead board paneling or paint your kitchen island a fun accent color.
The most important thing is to update the most visible areas. When doing any home improvement projects it is smart for homeowners to select “green” building materials. Today, most consumers are being conscientious about buying sustainable, natural building products.
Article Source: St. Paul Pioneer Press and Metro Creative Graphics
Filed under: Home Staging | Tags: Add new tag, Community of Woodbury, Home Staging, MN, Preparing Your Home for Sale, Selling Your Home, Woodbury
Reap the Benefits of Home Staging
It is no secret that the real estate climate has changed dramatically in these past three years. In the more than two decades I’ve been in business in Woodbury, the last few years have been the most challenging. Sellers in particular have felt the pinch. They bought in a community they loved and counted on having a solid investment when it came time to move on.
But the real estate slowdown has hit Woodbury — indeed, the entire Twin Cities metro area. There is a large inventory of homes in every price range. That’s why it’s more critical than ever to enhance your house before putting it on the market. The answer — in real estate lingo — is “staging.”
The ranks of professional home stagers are growing. They’re the ones who have that gift, allowing them to walk into a room, look around and transform the surroundings with a few deft steps. They’re the ones (I’m a prime example) whose basements and garages are filled with props — everything from furniture to art to live plants.
Some home stagers will simply move furniture, clear off the coffee table, and rearrange the potted plants. Still others will ask for a budget and free rein to hire a professional home decorator, painter, or landscaper. At the very least, a real estate agent should be able to give a seller advice on how to show off a home’s best features. If an agent is decorating-impaired, he or she should suggest an experienced home stager.
The main benefit of hiring a professional to stage your home is that they will look at your surroundings with an experienced and objective eye. They won’t feel compelled to include things that have sentimental value to you, but don’t work in a neutral decor. They will be able to tell you which items should be removed, what should be added, and how best to show off your home.
While it may seem an unnecessary expense, there probably isn’t a single home that couldn’t benefit from a bit of careful staging — even if it’s a simple matter of reorganizing, freshening and removing clutter.
Often, a professional’s suggestions and changes can result in a significant increase in bottom-line profit when selling your home. Invest a bit up front, and you just might find that the benefits of staging can greatly outweigh the cost. Stagers typically work with furniture and accessories the owner already has, but custom furnishings can also be incorporated as needed. The goal: Showcase the architectural features to allow buyers — from the moment they open the door — to envision themselves living in this wonderful home.
If you choose to list a home with Cheryl Brenna Group, two hours of Home ComposingSM are included for no extra charge. After that, the fee is $70 per hour, plus any additional purchasing budget.
Our approach is to make the best use of what you have — composing the space without making costly replacements and changes. Our Home Composers are fast and professional, with a strong eye for design. They can transform any room in no time!
