FAMILY & HOME
REAL ESTATE QUESTIONS AND
ANSWERS WITH TRACY ELLIS
By TRACY ELLIS
Gazelle: Are people still buying upscale homes?
Tracy: Yes, the demand for upscale homes continues to
grow. Buyers realize high-end homes are likely to be more
affordable than they will be in the future. The luxury
housing market was the first to recover after the housing
crisis and has been going strong ever since, benefiting
from low interest rates and an improving economy and
investments. A lot of my clients look at their luxury home
purchase as an investment and part of their portfolio as
much as a lifestyle purchase.
G: How should my home be staged while on the market?
T: I always tell all of my clients that living in your home
and selling it are two completely different things. It’s rare
that I go to a home for the first meeting without offering
a list of recommendations before potential buyers enter
the home. Recently, I entered the perfectly staged home
at 4 St. Libory Court in O’Fallon, Missouri. This home
shows as if it were professionally staged. Here are a few
tips to ensure your home shows its best!
Clean! Clean! Clean…. Nothing turns a buyer away
more than a dirty home. Walls should be wiped down,
handrails, doors, air return vents, floor vents and door
knobs, and basically, anything you can see should be
cleaned. A grimy glass shower door can really wash out
your sale. Buyers open everything, so clean your oven.
30
D e-clutter! De-clutter! De-clutter…. Less is more! If
it’s sitting on the floor and it’s not a piece of furniture,
it doesn’t need to be there. Everything in your home is
taking away square footage and you want your home
to appear as large as possible. If you have chairs with
ottomans, remove the ottoman. You don’t need a table
next to every piece of furniture. Reduce your kitchen
and dining room tables and remove excess chairs. Please
remove all artificial plants and flowers. If you have real
plants, keep them to a minimum. It shouldn’t look like
a plant nursery in your home. I know we all love our
children, but remove all photos and calendars from your
refrigerators. Rugs define a space and make most rooms
appear smaller, remove rugs and show off your flooring.
Photo courtesy of toprealestatedeals.com
Make it light and bright!…. If you have ceiling fans
without light kits, add one. Lighting is very important.
Open your blinds and make sure your windows and blinds
are clean. If you have burnt out light bulbs, replace them.
Tracy Ellis I RE/MAX EDGE
Direct: 636-299-3702 Office: 636-720-3833 Fax: 636-300-3038
Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.tracyellis.com/
Tune into the Tracy Ellis show on FM News Talk 97.1 Sunday morning at 10 a.m.
GAZELLE STL