David Deem 714-997-3486 Dave@DeemTeam.com Luxurious closets are a popular trend these days. More and more homes have huge room-like spaces for their clothes, complete with lots of shelving, mirrors and even islands and seating areas. But even if your home’s closets are more conventional, there are lots of things you can do to show how they can best be used. Organize Your Wardrobe: Go through your clothes and donate items you don’t wear anymore. If your closet is on the small side, consider putting off-season clothes in storage. Separate business attire from casual wear and save your closet for your nicest clothes—put things like sweatpants and T-shirts in dressers. Buy Storage Items: You can make your closet more efficient with products like a shoe organizer, which looks a lot better than leaving your shoes on the closet floor. Shelving for items like ties, belts, purses and other accessories is also helpful. Shine a Light: Lighting makes your closet more welcoming, and on a practical ...

David Deem 714-997-3486 Dave@DeemTeam.com Homeowners ready to make a move are definitely in a great position to sell today. Housing inventory is incredibly low, driving up buyer competition. This gives homeowners leverage to sell for the best possible terms, and it’s fueling a steady rise in home prices. In such a hot market, houses are selling quickly. According to the  National Association of Realtors  (NAR), homes are typically on the market for just 18 short days. Despite the speed and opportunity for sellers, there are still steps you can take to prep your house to shine so you get the greatest possible return. 1. Make Buyers Feel at Home One of the ways to make this happen is to take time to declutter. Pack away any personal items like pictures, awards, and sentimental belongings. The more neutral and tidy the space, the easier it is for a buyer to picture themselves living there. According to the 2021 Profile of Home Staging by NAR: “82% of...

David Deem 714-997-3486 Dave@DeemTeam.com Carpets can experience a lot of wear and tear from daily foot traffic. If you’re planning to sell your house and want to get top dollar, you need to present it in a positive light. Prospective buyers may notice stained or worn-out carpets immediately and form a negative impression of your home. Replacing the carpets may be a wise investment, but it may not be necessary in some cases. When You Should Replace the Carpets Most homebuyers want a house that is ready for them to move into right away. If potential buyers see carpeting that is in poor condition and needs to be replaced, they may decide to pass on your house, especially if comparable homes with newer carpets are available in the same area. They may not even bother to consider upgrades you have made elsewhere. If buyers make an offer, it may be well below your asking price. Fresh new carpeting, on the other hand, can make your home more appealing. Replace carpets that are worn in areas t...

David Deem 714-997-3486 Dave@DeemTeam.com When people shop for a house, they usually focus on the kitchen. Since most families use the kitchen every day for cooking, eating and socializing, it’s important that the space fit their needs and sense of style. For many prospective homebuyers, a dated kitchen is an instant turnoff. Some could be interested in your house for other reasons, but they might demand that you lower the price. You’d most likely struggle to sell a house with an outdated kitchen if there were plenty of homes with more modern kitchens available in the area and your house didn’t have any other features to make it stand out. Depending on the current design of your kitchen and the local housing market, it might be worthwhile to make some inexpensive upgrades before listing your home. How to Modernize Your Kitchen If your kitchen counters have scratches, cracks, or missing or damaged grout, you might be able to spruce them up inexpensively. If the countertops need to be co...

David Deem 714-997-3486 Dave@DeemTeam.com So you've decided to put your home on the market. Congratulations! Hopefully, you've brought a rockin' REALTOR® on board to help you list your spot, and together you've done your due diligence on what to ask for. As you start checking things off your to-do list, it's also important to pay mind of what  not  to do. Below are a handful of things to get you started. Don't over-improve. As you ready your home for sale, you may realize you will get a great return on your investment if you make a couple of changes. Updating the appliances or replacing that cracked cabinet in the bathroom are all great ideas. However, it's important not to over-improve, or make improvements that are hyper-specific to your tastes. For example, not everyone wants a pimped out finished basement equipped with a wet bar and lifted stage for their rock and roll buds to jam out on. (Okay, everyone  should  want that.) What if your buyers are famil...

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David Deem 714-997-3486 Dave@DeemTeam.com By Patty McNease, VP of Brand Marketing for Homes.com With the start of a new decade, many changes are taking place. In regards to design trends, 2010 brought white kitchens, clean lines and minimalistic decor. Now, there's a shift to older, more rustic looks. While these trends may not peak until later on, now is the ideal time to start working with sellers to prepare their house for new buyers filtering into the market. This includes many Gen X buyers who are starting to reach the age when they're thinking about homeownership. To help you educate your clients, here are some of the top design trends to look for in 2020. Kitchen In 2010, white kitchens were all the rage. In fact, according to interior design company Houzz, nearly 40 percent of homeowners are still installing white cabinets during their renovations. If your clients are part of this group, you may want to tell them to wait. Wood cabinets are projecte...

David Deem 714-997-3486 Dave@DeemTeam.com Having a home professionally staged has many benefits. Staging can help present a property in its best light, potentially making it more appealing to prospective buyers. Many times, staging may help a home sell more quickly and sometimes even for a higher contract price. Bringing in professional home stagers does come with a cost, and sellers may not always be able to assume those costs. In those cases, homes can be staged by the sellers themselves with input and advice from you. Here are some tips you can share that can help get a home ready to show: Prioritize the best features. Ask yourself what will most likely attract buyers to the home, and then focus on those things first. For example, if the home has a beautiful fireplace or a fantastic view, be sure to have sellers arrange furniture and lighting to play up those features. If a large master bathroom is a selling point, have them spend time spiffing it up. Clear clutter a...

David Deem 714-997-3486 Dave@DeemTeam.com  1.) Buyers need to use their imagination to see the potential. Because the rooms are empty, it is often difficult for them to envision how they would look with furniture, décor, rugs, and artwork. 2.) Sometimes it is impossible to figure out the purpose of a particular space. If there is a room or area in the home that is even remotely odd, shaped or sized in an unusual manner, or whose purpose is ambiguous, then buyers will be confused and uncertain. Its purpose must be adequately defined, and this is best done visually. 3.) In vacant properties, buyers tend to focus on every imperfection. And the older the house and the more outdated the fixtures, the bigger this problem will be. Staging the home will distract buyers and minimize the impact of these imperfections. 4.) An empty house feels cold and bleak. Remember, first impressions count. You want it to be warm and inviting so buyers will have an emotional response and es...

David Deem 714-997-3486 Dave@DeemTeam.com By Patty McNease, VP of Brand Marketing for Homes.com Because you only get one chance at a first impression, it’s critical for everything in a home to look its best. When potential buyers look through a house, they need to be able to visualize themselves living there. Staging is a great way to showcase a home’s assets by organizing and decorating it in the most visually appealing way. Staging can be very beneficial to selling a home. In fact, according to the NAR, 83 percent of buyers’ agents said staging a home made it easier for a buyer to visualize the property as a future home. If you’re not sure where to get started or if your sellers don’t have a large budget for staging, here are five staging tips to get started. Highlight Key Areas If your clients are trying to spend the minimal amount when staging, encourage them to only focus on key rooms that are most influential in the sale of the home. A recent NAR report stated ...

David Deem 714-997-3486 Dave@DeemTeam.com By Brentnie Daggett Your home should be a sanctuary that feels welcoming and comfortable to both you and your guests—and that includes the outdoor space! The exterior of your property sets the stage for the rest of your home, sort of like a first impression. If you're thinking of selling your home—now or in the future—curb appeal is exceedingly important and can impact the profitability of your sale. If your home's curb appeal could use a little love, the good news is that there are some easy and inexpensive ways to make major upgrades. Here are a few: Keep the landscaping regularly maintained . Landscaping is like a haircut for your yard—even a minor trim can make a world of difference. Regularly maintaining your lawn will freshen up your curb appeal, and might even entice you to spend more time outside. Keeping a healthy grass height, controlling weed growth, trimming edges and hedging are all quick ways to keep up wi...

David Deem 714-997-3486 Dave@DeemTeam.com Selling your home is a roller coaster ride like none other. Depending on your situation, you are most likely dealing with a range of emotions and pressures. Perhaps you have another home you’re ready to move into and are in a financial crunch until you sell your current home. Or maybe you’re relocating for a job and are under a strict deadline to be in a new state by a certain date. No matter what your situation, when your home is on the market for too long and not selling, it’s stressful. There’s usually a combination of factors contributing to your home not moving off the market, which you should discuss with your real estate agent. But here are some problems that you may be able to address in the meantime: It’s priced too high. While you may believe that your house is well worth the price you’ve listed it for - and it may be - current market conditions may not support this price point. Talk to your agent about the most current ...

David Deem 714-997-3486 Dave@DeemTeam.com By Meghan Belnap It's rare that a person can put a home on the market without doing any work. While you might have been concentrating on the big changes before you put the for-sale sign in your yard, it's important to remember the little things, as well. Below are four things you should consider replacing before you put your house up for sale: Paint Adding a fresh coat of paint is one of the best ways to liven up the look of your home. If you have the time and ability to do so, repainting both the exterior of your home and all of the rooms is a good way to go; however, if you're limited on funds, make sure to repaint any area that has seen significant wear and tear. Broken Locks and Handles If there are a number of broken locks and handles in your home (with which you have grown accustomed to dealing with), these can be major problems for new owners, especially if they make a prospective buyer feel unsafe. As such...

David Deem 714-997-3486 Dave@DeemTeam.com By Katie Kuchta Homes with great curb appeal typically have a well-maintained yard. Taking the time and energy to create a beautiful garden is one of the best ways to bring the best offer. Draw potential buyers through the door by creating an enticing landscape. Consider these seven ways to make your landscape pop this spring: Plant a Tree It may seem silly to plant a young tree in your yard given the fact that it won't provide much immediate shade, but homebuyers will see the potential that new trees have. This can help create an idea of what the home will look like years after they purchase it. Trees are also beneficial because they grow deep root systems which help keep water from running off the soil. Add New Color An easy way to make your landscape pop is to plant new colors in your garden. Choose a bloom that will be in season while your home is on the market. Plant larger flowers, but also include some smaller b...

David Deem 714-997-3486 Dave@DeemTeam.com Longing for a larger living room, kitchen or bedroom? While you can't actually fake more space, you can create the illusion of it. Below are five ways to do just that. Use large center items. Yes, you should have that overstuffed sofa even in a small room. The trick to it is minimization. Choose just one or two large centerpiece items, including large art on the walls and large potted plants. Consider transition. If your small space leads into or off of another space, consider how the spaces transition into one another to give the illusion of more footage. Choose colors and design schemes that blend well.  Avoid patterns. Limit the use of patterns in furniture and fabric to avoid a busy-looking space. If you want to add a pop of vibrancy, consider a loud color instead, like orange or red. Don't block the windows. Big windows in your tiny room? Great! Utilize them by keeping them unobstructed. Frame them with plants,...

David Deem 714-997-3486 The perfectly staged home has every detail covered, from the art books on the coffee table to the hanging plant in the bay window. But whether your home is professionally staged or not, the magic of lighting can work miracles in showcasing your home in a completely new perspective. Here are some ways to utilize lighting to show off your home’s best attributes and cast a spell on potential buyers: Landscape lights . Whether solar powered or the traditional variety, these subtle lights can be used for a variety of reasons—from illuminating pathways to providing a glamorous, sophisticated look when tucked in among plants. Off-season, when flowers and foliage are sparse, these lights help give your yard a warm glow. Floodlights. A great way to illuminate your driveway, patio or backyard, floodlights also offer an added security benefit, which is always a plus to potential buyers. The smart varieties even come with cameras so that you can keep an eye on y...

David Deem 714-997-3486 The five golden rules are: De-personalize : While your family photos are beautiful and your kids’ drawings on the fridge are adorable, buyers want to be able to picture themselves in the house- and that means putting away your photos, clearing your closets from unnecessary clutter, and using matching hangers to give your closet more visual impact. Maximize : Declutter and maximize the area in your home. Stuffed closets make your closet space look insufficient, so consider storing excess belongings offsite. You can also quickly improve your bedroom’s aesthetic by using gender neutral colors when accessorizing so that the color scheme appeals to more people. A headboard, a cohesive color scheme, and a few decorative items also improve the look of a bedroom , while removing extra clutter (office furniture, power strips, televisions, etc) will make the room feel more relaxing. Sanitize : No one wants to move into a dirty home, so clean your home to make...

David Deem 714-997-3486 After an August stalling, pending home sales in September ticked up 0.5 percent, according to the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) Pending Home Sales Index (PHSI). Activity on an annual basis dipped 1 percent. According to the Index, activity broke through in the Midwest and West, where, from August to September, the Index tracked up 1.2 percent and 4.5 percent, respectively. Compared to September 2017, however, the Index was lower, down 1.1 percent in the Midwest and 7.4 percent in the West. Meanwhile, in the Northeast, the Index trickled down 0.4 percent from the month prior, and 2.7 percent below its level in September 2017. In the South, the Index tumbled 1.4 percent from the month prior, but was 3.3 percent above last year’s reading. “This shows that buyers are out there on the sidelines, waiting to jump in once more inventory becomes available and the price is right,” says Lawrence Yun, chief economist at NAR. “When compared to the y...

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714-997-3486 By Stephanie Booth, Realtor.com Once upon a time, my husband and I toured an adorable home for sale in a bucolic New Jersey town. We were thrilled when we walked through the front door. But that feeling dissipated quickly once we entered the kitchen. At least, I think it was a kitchen. There was a sink. The rest was indistinguishable due to the sheer volume of stuff—boxes, newspapers, empty cans, and dirty dishes. As we picked our way to the adjoining living room, we were forced to squeeze past a sullen teenager, who'd apparently just rolled out of bed and was slurping what appeared to be a bowl of milk. The kitchen is the nucleus of any house, and if it's not looking its best, every other part of the home seems icky, too. "Most buyers have a 5-second rule," explains Claire Groome , an agent with Warburg Realty in Manhattan. "If they walk into a [home] and don’t see themselves living there after 5 seconds, it’s not for them. How the ki...