March Issue
New, High-Tech Staging Technique Helps Sell Vacant Homes
Lisa Sweeney was trying to sell a vacant three-bedroom raised ranch. She knew the home would sell faster furnished, but the sellers weren’t willing to spend the money for a full house of furniture to stage it. So Sweeney, a broker-associate with CENTURY 21 1st Class Homes in Schaumberg, Ill., tried something new: virtual staging.
She provided photos of the empty rooms to Cranford, NJ-based Virtual Staging Solutions, and voila! A few days later, she received digital images of those same rooms – fully furnished.
“They even composed a fire in the fireplace,” Sweeney says.
She used the photos online and for brochures. The result: Additional showings and a sale within 60 days, all for the $197 price for the three photos.
Experts say that staging a home helps it sell faster and for more money. But staging can be pricey. Virtual staging is a lower-cost alternative for generating buyer interest.
“We furnish homes at a fraction of the cost,” says Dennis Miller, co-owner of Virtual Staging Solutions. “And we allow people to see the true potential of a home.”
While virtual staging has its advantages, it’s important to disclose to buyers that the images are computer generated to avoid deceiving them.
Some industry experts say virtual staging has limitations. “It’s a great idea for vacant properties only,” says Antonia Banewicz, owner of Touch of Class Staging in West Orange, NJ. “Virtual staging could be a significant tool for that all important first impression. The problem comes when the buyer actually goes to see the property. It will still be vacant, and vacant homes can appear to be cold and sterile.”
Banewicz says that the success of virtual staging depends on whether a buyer can keep the memory of the “virtual staged look” alive while viewing an empty property.
For more information about staging, call (203-481-7247) or contact Nancy Orlando today.
Rebates Help You Save Money When Upgrading Appliances
In the market for a new appliance? Then think Energy Star. Not only will you be helping the environment by purchasing an energy-efficient appliance, but you’ll be helping your budget as well, thanks to a $300 million “cash for appliances” program funded by the U.S. government and being rolled out state by state. .
The Energy Star program is a partnership between the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy. According to the Department of Energy, by using Energy Star, Americans saved enough energy in 2008 alone to avoid greenhouse gas emissions equivalent to those from 29 million cars – and also saved $19 billion on their utility bills.
The appliance rebate program differs in each state, but the basics are this: Buy an Energy Star appliance and receive a rebate of between $50 and $250. You must be replacing an existing appliance to qualify. Depending by state, the program covers boilers, air conditioners, washers, dishwashers, freezers, furnaces, heat pumps, refrigerators and water heaters.
Each state runs its own program with funding from the Department of Energy. Dates and program details vary by state. Check out www.EnergySavers.gov for details on your state’s program.
One piece of advice: Act quickly. The rebate program will continue only as long as each state has the funds to support it. Once the funds are exhausted, so is the rebate program
Is Your State a “Magnet State”?
More people chose to settle in Texas than anywhere else in the U.S. in 2009, according to Allied Van Lines’ Annual Magnet States Report. Texas attracted more movers for the fifth year in a row. Arizona placed second, followed closely by North Carolina. Colorado and Florida placed fourth and fifth.
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Nancy Laggis Orlando