Image provided by: University of Oregon Libraries; Eugene, OR
About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (March 23, 2016)
18 Wednesday, March 23, 2016 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon R e a l E s t a t e S p e c i a l R e p o r t Staging your home to sell Jim Cornelius News Editor Home-selling is a com- petitive sport. Just as on the court or in the field, if you take some time and put a little extra work in to prepare, you can give yourself a competi- tive edge. “Staging” your home can make a substantial difference in time on the market and your final selling price. “It helps people who are interested in buying homes to visualize themselves in your home,” Ali Mayea of Ponderosa Properties, explained. Jodi Satko, of Keller Williams Realty Oregon Lifestyle Property Group, says, “Staging a home is going to create more value for a home. It’s going to make a home more inviting to poten- tial buyers.” Successful staging does not require huge amounts of effort or a big cash outlay. The median cost for staging is $675, Mayea reports. And good staging can increase home value by an estimated five percent. “I have found that every dollar that might be spent on staging is value-added,” Satko said. Sellers often overestimate what is required to get their home ready for the market. “They think they need to do more than they really do,” Mayea says. Expensive kitchen and bathroom remodels are not a good play. You are unlikely to recover the full cost, and there’s every chance that your remodel won’t be exactly what the buyer wants anyway. “A lot of it is just getting rid of things ... so you can walk through the home and it flows,” Mayea said. Satko concurs. And that means sellers need to be objective about how their home looks to potential buy- ers. Changing up the look of your home is not a criticism of your taste or your style. It’s not personal; it’s just business. “Sellers should keep an open mind when selling their property to present it well on the market,” She said. “It’s definitely to their benefit and they have to look at it that way.” Clean and organize the garage neatly, too. “If you can’t walk eas- ily through the house or the garage, you need to get a storage facility or sell (some stuff),” Mayea says. Of course you’ll want to fix noticeable things, like replac- ing missing trim or a ripped screen. Replacing blinds can have a beneficial effect. But cleanliness may trump repairs. A clean house is an attractive house — and clean kitchens and bathrooms are most important of all. Be thor- ough — it’s worth it. “Each time you clean I think it’s worth $1,000,” Mayea says. A nice coat of paint can do a lot. Satko encourage muted, neutral colors. “Curbside (appeal) is most important,” Mayea notes. Again, it doesn’t require all-new landscaping; just get things trimmed up nicely, remove dead vegetation and eliminate weeds. Your house should stand out on your block. istoCkphoto.CoM/hikesterson A clean house is an attractive house — and clean kitchens and bathrooms are most important of all. “If you can make it pret- tier than your neighbors’ that should be the goal,” Mayea says. Staging is not just for the potential buyer who actually visits your home. Photographs on your Realtor’s website are increasingly important to bring buyers your way. The first impression of your home nowadays will often come from what they see on their tablet or smart phone. Mayea cautions that, while it’s great to make a house look its best in online photo- graphs, it’s a mistake to exag- gerate or fake anything. Some photographs exaggerate a mountain view, for instance. That just creates disappoint- ment when a buyer visits the home and discovers that that mountain view isn’t quite that spectacular after all. “I will not size up the mountains!” Mayea says Staging is a relatively low- cost, effective means of mak- ing a quick sale at the price you want. It’s also a good way to get a head start on the next phase of your journey. “It helps them get ready to move, too,” Satko notes. “It’s kind of a psychological cleansing.” Professional Spotlight Your pet/people friendly Realtor in Sisters, Oregon! Ali Mayea Broker, GRI, SRS, CNE Cell: 541-480-9658 alimayea@bendcable.com aliofsisters.com OREGON LIFESTYLE PROPERTY GROUP Jodi Satko Broker, Resort, Residential, Luxury & Ranch Specialist 541-550-0819 satkosellsoregon@gmail.com Lawn maintenance to major renovation, fences, ponds, etc. Ryan Vohs Owner 541-515-8462 vohsey@gmail.com vohslandscaping.com CCB# 188594 | LCB#9264 Ponderosa Properties LLC REALTORS AND PROPERT Y MANAGEMENT Upon first visiting Central Oregon as a teen- ager in the 70s, I always knew Sisters would be my home one day. As a permanent resident since 1985, my knowledge of the area and former work experi- ence has been invaluable in helping people relo- cate, which is important to Sellers when helping Buyers outside of our area. I love matching people AND their pets — from alpacas to felines — with properties most suitable for their budget. As an experienced Real Estate Negotiator my goals are to make transitions enjoyable and stress-less. Contact me at Ponderosa Properties in down- town Sisters, Oregon, for an hour of sharing my staging techniques to help you prepare your home and property to sell. If you would like to check out the adoptable pet of the week, see my feature on page 12. “Live Your Life...Oregon Style!”™ Whether you are looking for a custom home, golf resort retreat, ranch with a view or thinking of upsizing or downsizing, Jodi Satko is the local Real Estate Broker to call! Jodi offers her clients over 25 years of nation- al experience working with both buyers and sellers as a Certified Sales Professional. Jodi and Oregon Lifestyle Property Group have a proven reputation for client satisfaction and RESULTS! Just ask Katie & Ian: “…We would very highly recommend Jodi Satko to anyone looking to buy or sell their house in Central Oregon; Jodi went above and beyond in every aspect of our transaction!” Contact Jodi Satko, Broker, Oregon Lifestyle Property Group, at 541-550-0819 or satkosellsoregon@gmail.com. Servicing ALL of Central Oregon. Ryan Vohs grew up around turf-seed farming in Stayton. As a young adult, he found a love for the game of golf. It was only natural for him to pursue a degree in turf-grass management. He graduated from Oregon State University in one of the top horticulture programs in the country. He has helped manage some of the top golf courses in the Pacific Northwest. Along with that, he has won several awards in recognition for his ability to train and manage workers and provide high-quality results. Moving to Sisters in 2008 allowed for change for Ryan, his wife, and their two children. In 2009 Ryan started his own landscape business. Vohs Custom Landscaping maintains land- scapes, taking on projects big and small. They build fences, construct ponds, install and repair irrigation, do site clean-up and overall renovations of all kinds of landscapes, ranging from small front yards to pastures, HOAs, and sports fields.