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I Need to Move Into Assisted Living, But I Can’t Sell My House!

The downturn in the U. S. housing market has impacted all of us, but perhaps has been the most painful for some of the nation’s seniors–those needing to make a lifestyle change. Here’s more:

The current housing market has especially hit those seniors who are ready to move into a senior facility but who need to sell their current homes to be able to do so.

The fact is, seniors personally pay for most of their housing needs, and the payments required to move into retirement communities can be staggering. This means that the move is typically contingent upon the sale of a single-family home.

“The idea is that a senior has built up equity in [a] house, and this assures that they can have care for the rest of their lives,” says Larry Minix, of the American Association of Homes and Services for the Aging.

But what if they can’t find a buyer? And, with the current glut of unsold houses in many markets, even reducing the asking price may not solve the problem. The clogged housing market, coupled with the over-building of seniors’-oriented housing in many metropolitan areas, has resulted in rising vacancies in these facilities–particularly where the housing market is most distressed. Tampa, Florida, for example, is experiencing a 12 percent vacancy in senior housing units, up dramatically from four percent last year.

Some enterprising retirement-home operators have turned to real estate agents to help their prospective residents to sell their old homes. The problem with this strategy, of course, is that elders’ homes are frequently dated or need substantial repairs and renovations in order to make them marketable. Outdated wallpaper, old appliances and poor maintenance, all characteristic of these houses, often deter buyers.

A 2008 survey by the American Seniors Housing Association found that nearly a quarter of seniors haven’t made a home improvement during the last decade, and nearly one-half report that they won’t spend money to attract a buyer. For many seniors, just as the real estate bust has depreciated the value of their primary asset–their homes–the value of their retirement accounts has recently plummeted as well.

A new national survey has found that 84 percent of Americans over age 50 expect that a family member will move into an assisted living facility during the next 10 years. Here are some details:

According to a recent study by the Coalition to Protect Choice in Senior Living, 84 percent of Americans over the age of 50 expect that one of their immediate family members will move into a senior living community within the next 10 years.

Fully 24 percent of Americans over the age of 65 expect the same for themselves. The poll found just more than half (51 percent) expect their parents will be living in a senior living project within the next decade; 15 percent expect the same for their spouse, and 10 percent for a sibling.

Prospective assisted living residents and their family members rank cost and quality of care as the most important factors when choosing an assisted living community.

They are also extremely budget-conscious when making assisted living decisions, and they’re looking to keep costs as low as possible. When asked which is more important when deciding on an assisted living community, 78 percent of respondents agreed with the statement, “It is difficult to find the quality you desire at the price you can afford.”

Prospective senior living residents and their family members cite the following community attributes as the five most important when choosing an assisted living community:

76%: The quality of personal care in the community

76%: The personal safety of the residents

74%: Cleanliness of the community

68%: Staff quality

57%: Management quality

Laurence Harmon is a principal of http://www.greatplacesinc.com, the leading source for Baby Boomers who are responsible for helping their aging parents. http://www.greatplacesinc.com offers real-time advice and on-demand assistance, including various senior housing products, healthcare, insurance, legal and other senior-related subjects.

Real Estate in Beaulieu, Villefranche-sur-mer, Cap Ferrat

Prestige properties on the Cote D’Azur are numerous, let’s face it, but where would you really want to buy your luxury property on the French Riviera. Famously you might choose glitzy Cannes, prestigious St Tropez, or the sleek properties in France’s 4th city of Nice. However there are some prestigious properties on the Cote D’Azur that are not so renowned. We take a look at property for sale in Beaulieu-sur-mer, Villefranche-sur-mer, and St Jean Cap Ferrat. Not far from nice and its transportation hubs, this ‘golden triangle’ contains some of the most luxury property on the Cote D’Azur.

The ‘golden triangle properties include Beaulieu, Villefranche-sur-mer, and St Jean Cap Ferrat, and we could include Eze. These seaside towns are already famous with the world’s elite for their outstanding properties overlooking the sea.

Real Estate Beaulieu

Beaulieu is famed as an all year round destination to live, with a year-round mild climate, a gorgeousl little marina, and a pleasant village centre with delightful Provencal restaurants and cafes. With its Roman history people from all over the world are coming to value the real estate in Beaulieu. There are numerous immobilier in Beaulieu either online, or in the village. You can make an appointment to visit some of the contemporary villas, houses, or provencial estates in Beaulieu-sur-mer, South of France.

Real Estate Cap Ferrat

Not far from Beaulieu-sur-mer, St Jean cap Ferrat is a wooded peninsular that juts out into the sea and is not far to Nice by car. Most of the real estate in St Jean Cap Ferrat cannot be priced, as there is nothing to compare it to. Cap Ferrat properties here are enourmous prestigious estates whith lush Provencal gardens, overlooking the Mediterranean. There are cute little private beaches fantastic restaurants and walks along the peninsula. There are immobilier in St Jean Cap Ferrat but reservations are taken when wanting to view the property for sale here in Cap Ferrat.

Real Estate Villefranche-sur-mer

Next door to Nice Villefranche-sur-mer has a fantastic location overlooking the sea. Close enough to the shops in nice, but in the peace and quiet of the seaside, Villefranche-sur-mer property has seen a huge rise in popularity over the last five years. Real estate in Villefranch-sur-mer varies from provencal apartments in the village or larger properties with glorious lawns outside the centre. Immobilier in Villefranch-sur-mer is not hard to find, and there might be more than twenty alone in the area with Villefranche-sur-mer property for sale; online many more.

There are choices when deciding where to buy a home or holiday home on the Cote D’Azur. Properties on the French Riviera are very varied, and the whole Mediterranean coastline in the Provence Cote D’Azur region of France can offer you some splendid houses, villas, or estate to buy. You will have enough of a problem deciding whether you buy contemporary, or a provencale property, then you must decide where. Property in Beaulieu-sur-mer, Villefranche-sur-mer, and St Jean cap Ferrat is exceptional, so it might well be worth popping into an immobilier when you are around that way; but don’t get a shock when you see the prices.

Real Estate Beaulieu-sur-mer, Real Estate Villefranche-sur-mer, Real Estate Cap Ferrat are all available on www.groupeinvestimo.com and www.groupeinvestimoluxury.com Immobilier Beaulieu-sur-mer, Villefranche-sur-mer, and St Jean Cap Ferrat

Live in Mexico and Save Using the INAPAM Card

You have worked hard your entire life and have finally decided to retire. The warmer climates of the south are appealing to you, but the United States retirement communities often are categorized by high prices making the retirement years financially stressful. Because of this, many Americans are opting to retire south of the border in one of Mexico’s beautiful communities that are ideal for retired people ready to enjoy the fruit of their years of hard work.

While Mexico is still less expensive than the United States and Canada, there prices are raising and closing the gap in expense. No one wants to have to come back out of retirement because the cost of living has become too high, so saving money where ever possible is a must.

The Mexican government, in an effort to help keep Mexico an appealing place for retirees and expatriates around the world, has a card especially created to give senior citizens a discount on many services and products that they are likely to need. The INAPAM card can be used for all legal residents of Mexico over the age of 60 years old. INAPAM, which is an acronym for Instituto Nacional de las Personas Adultas Mayores, is a federal program that is sponsored and administered by the Desarrollo Integr

How to Rent to Own a Home

The main aim of this article is to assist the people in how to buy a home for your own. There are various financing owners and rent to own options to get your own home. Home ownership is where you can afford and rent to own a home or use owner financing. There are certain developers and organizations where they help you in finding a home for rent and if you later decide to own the house the still help you in owning the house after completing the formalities. They will also offer you owner financing so that at the end of the lease or rental period you need not be struck as to what to do. You can take your own time and can also refinance whenever you wish to do so. Most of the home buyers find this financing as the easiest one. They do all the financing and you need not go to bank because the bank will not provide such financing.

By this way you will be the owner of the house even before you really buy it with the lease option. You will be given two to three years to take the pros of lease option. The lease option does in any way compel you to buy the house. If you are not interested you can just leave the home at the end of the lease period. It is only the offer given by the owner to benefit you to purchase the house but if you are not interested you can just walk out. We help you in all ways to own a house if you really wish to. We help in financing and refinancing. Only think you will need is a small amount in hand for down payment and a job that can make it possible to buy you a house. The builders provide you option and give a list of the owner financed homes and you can choose one among them and inform them. They will themselves personally assist you regarding the lease option and home financing and clear your doubts before you actually enter into the lease option. They also find you a house that will suit your request.

Calculate your payment

Firstly you will have to calculate the payment for the house. The general monthly payment is one percent of the price amount. For example, if the house cost one hundred and ten thousand dollars then your monthly payment will be one thousand one hundred dollars. This will not be the same for everyone and will differ according to the down payment, taxes and other variables than will differ from home to home and from buyer to buyer.

How it works

The organizations give their website address. All you will have to do is to browse and choose a house that will suit your needs. You can mention in it whether you would like to rent a home or rent to own with the lease option and other details. If you don’t find a home that suits you, the builder will help you find one. Once these are made clear they will discuss regarding the finance or the lease option. After this the application process and the house is handed over to you. There will be many persons and counsellors helping and guiding you to get the finance or loan that you will need. The lenders will guide regarding the loan process, answering your questions, and taking you step-by-step to home ownership.

Thus this method of getting a home for your own will benefit you and will also be less burden and you need not run from pillar to post for getting loans and finance since the builders themselves provide for the same. It is also optional so that you can lease it for certain period or buy it at the end of the lease.

Rent to Buy is a new approach which provides home buyers the opportunity of home ownership without taking on debt. It works like a normal rental agreement within a normally 20%-30% rental payment which is put towards the price of the home. OwnYourHome.com.au can help you find a rent to buy house that is right for you.

Mortgage Plan Expected to Ease Rates Pressure-Easy Plans to Ease Rates Pressure

The federal government has been planning to boost the mortgage sector to meet the increased interest rates among much expectation. However, lenders apart from the bank have been banned because the funds provided by them have been dried up due to the global disaster.

The Government Treasurer Wayne Swan has recently announced a plan where nearly 4 billion dollars have been made available to meet the stress as a substitute for high value mortgages. But critics say that it will only further increase the pressure on interest rates. On the other hand this may help in secured market thus improving the market and cost of finance. They also feel that Four million dollars will not be enough. He said that the people are positive that the pricing and cost of the finance market will improve significantly with the government injecting four billion dollars into the securitization markets.

The Mortgage and Finance Association (MFA) is of the opinion that the interference of the government in this subject is a good thing. The association also says that this will retrieve the non banking sector. This will give the borrowers a huge number of products in the market and will also have competition on the interest rates. But some of the members of the association says that it a mixed view of the plan. Phil Naylor, Chief Executive of the association says that this move by the Government’s is sure to revive the non banking sector.

Thus this scheme on the one hand will benefit the liquidity in the market but it will create possible cost. The scheme will represent taxpayers to the housing market even though this coverage must be small if properly managed. The government is trying to ensure the survivability of small organizations by allowing them to admit funds. The government has laid rules by only accepting top rated and high quality mortgages. By this scheme the government feels that the increased interest rates can be curtailed and the lenders and the borrowers will benefit. Since the federal government has come forward to provide $4 million to meet the demand the high value mortgages will benefit a lot. As some of the members of the association say that the amount rendered by the government will not be sufficient the government is sure that this will do well to the products in the market. The government can allot more funds for the same if it finds that it will not be sufficient for the market. This plan will not only help the non banking sectors but also the borrower who will have safe hands to borrow or to mortgage. The banks will also benefit from this because of the increased global crisis. Economist feels that the federal government has taken correct step at the correct point of time to control the rate of interests.

Thus on the whole the above scheme of the government will benefit all sectors of the people and will also benefit the survival of the market and will generate potential costs.

Rent to Buy is a new approach which provides home buyers the opportunity of home ownership without taking on debt. It works like a normal rental agreement within a normally 20%-30% rental payment which is put towards the price of the home. OwnYourHome.com.au can help you find a rent to buy house that is right for you.

Rates Cut Unlikely to Improve Sales-Can the Cut in Interest Rate Improve Sales?

Rates cut will not improve the property sales; this article will give details of the reason.

The recent interest rate cut will not improve the property sales in anyway, according to the ACT Real Estate Institute (REI). The Reserve Bank of Australia had reduced the rate of interest by 0.25 per cent and almost all the banks have also come forward to cut the interest rates on the mortgage customers. But these steps will in no way help the improvement of sales of property, says the REI.

Nearly every sector wanted the Government to cut down the charges and the bureaucratic procedures involved to encourage the developers and investors get back into the housing market. They also say that the government should, in addition, reduce the infrastructure taxes and charges that too in the new areas in the south-west and north-west centres. The crisis in the suburbs is the worst with 0.1 per cent to 1.2 per cent drop. The low income group is put to lot of stress and because of this some people are turning towards agricultural lands. It is very good to note that the Reserve Bank of Australia has taken steps to cut down the rates. But even then the government along with the Reserve Bank of Australia has to take steps to further cut down the interest rates so that we can find more potential buyers coming forward in the housing market.

On the other hand, the real estate agents are hopeful that the property market will surely improve by the spring season. The REI says that it will have to make further more cuts to enable and persuade the people to buy houses. The property market will not respond like the money markets where skilled sellers react right away or wait to know the reaction of the Reserve Bank of Australia. The housing market will surely take a little longer time to come out all the way from this stressful situation.

This is, however, an encouraging sign and is pleased to see it starting to go down but one more move would be an immense help to both the buyers as well as the sellers.

Some of the economists are of the view that it is not enough if the Reserve Bank of Australia reduces the interest rate by 0.25 per cent and that, as already stated, will not help the improvement of the housing market in any way. But they suggest that the Reserve Bank of Australia will have to make a 0.5 per cent cut to make sure that something is being passed on to the mortgage stressed customers. Because of the higher cost of money, the bank costs are rising and they are likely to hold on to some of the reduction.

Thus the act of the Reserve Bank of Australia in making cuts in the interest rate has in one way or another helped the persons who have been stressed out for repayment of the mortgage loan and hence the buyers will surely come forward to buy the property.

Rent to Buy is a new approach which provides home buyers the opportunity of home ownership without taking on debt. It works like a normal rental agreement within a normally 20%-30% rental payment which is put towards the price of the home. OwnYourHome.com.au can help you find a rent to buy house that is right for you.

A Realtor’s Secret to Selling Your Home For Top Dollar

Selling your home could be one of the most important decisions you will make in your lifetime. And if you are like most sellers, your ultimate goal is to sell your home for the most money in the shortest possible amount of time.

If your home has been on the market and you have not received any offers you’re probably facing the question of what to do. If your house stays on the market too long without selling it can begin to appear “stale” and can actually damage your future chances of a sale.

How long is too long? If your home has been on the market for as much as 45 days and you have not received an offer, you need to pay special attention to these tips from a longtime professional Realtor.

• How is your curb appeal? Is the lawn weedy or the garden bare? Many home buyers will judge the inside of your home by the tidiness of the exterior. Pay special attention to the front door and entrance.•

Sparkle and Shine. Sparkling -clean houses sell faster than those that look too lived-in or show an abundance of the owner’s personality. Home buyers are looking for uncluttered open spaces and clean interior. Put your home in tip top condition.

• Take a second look at your listing price . Visit open houses in your neighborhood. Are similar homes priced lower? Selling prices may have dropped since your first comparative market analysis. In a hot market, if you haven’t sold your home within one month, chances are good that you’ve overpriced it. If you do lower your asking price, consider a figure slightly below those of other comparable homes if you are interested in a speedy sale.

• Do whatever it takes to be away from your home during showings and open houses . The presence of sellers makes it difficult for prospective buyers to take their time or talk openly with their partner and agent. Leave some treats out to make potential buyers more comfortable: beverages, nuts, cookies — anything that won’t lose freshness or be too messy.

• Pay close attention to feedback from showings. The feedback can guide you in making home repairs, toning down your decor, making landscaping improvements and the like.

• You can offer perks to buyers , such as cash bonus, closing costs or buy down their interest rate to lower monthly payments. You could also consider owner financing.

• Neutralize your color scheme . Most buyers prefer pale, neutral colors that make it easier to imagine a new home as their own. Houses with white exteriors are the highest sellers; for interiors, try whites, off-whites or pale grays.

• Expose Hardwoods and buff them until they shine . It is amazing how many buyers will not even look at a house without hardwoods.

• If you have dogs, cats , old carpeting, mildew or smoke problems chances are that a potential buyer may offended by the odor. Ventilate the home and invest in an air cleaning and deodorizing product to remove odors. Another option is a cleaning product with living enzymes that consume the odor causing agents and remove the smell permanently.

• Staging your home is one of the very best ways to sell your home the quickest and for top dollar. Staging sets the scene throughout the home to create immediate buyer interest in the property. The way you live in your home and the way you sell your house are two different things. One idea is to pack up several large pieces of furniture and as much clutter in each room as possible. Don’t just shift to another room or garage, rent storage space and get it out of the house before showing.

• Pay attention to lighting . Make sure light sources are clean. Cleaning them isn’t enjoyable, but the sparkling lighting will pay off. You may even increase the brightness factor of your rooms by adding brighter bulbs, or by placing accent lamps or cabinet lighting. Be sure and pull back the curtains and lift the blinds. For the best effect, use a balance of natural, overhead, and table or floor lighting.

• Try readjusting your sights . Determine the lowest price you find acceptable, and consider anything more as icing on the cake. In a longstanding dry market you may even have to sell at a loss, so it’s important to take every offer seriously. You don’t want to alienate a potential buyer who has solid financing because you’ve set your sights unrealistically high.

• If the market is underwater, consider offering an increased commission or a bonus for your listing agent as extra incentive. If you do sweeten the pot for your agent, amend your listing contract to reflect the change, and be sure it’s added to the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) book — buyer agents will also be inspired.

Kay Baker , a life long Top Realtor in Wilmington, NC brings local knowledge and experience to her valued clients. With her decades of experience in the Wilmington, NC real estate market, she can greatly benefit her buyer clients in choosing the perfect Wilmington NC neighborhood, in the negotiation process, obtain the best financing, obtain a home inspection and negotiate the repairs, and assist with the final closing preparations. Her sellers can also reap the rewards of a successful and aggressive Realtor that is always eager to sell their home at a record pace and for the most money possible. Kay has a long track record of selling homes quickly and exposes her listings on over 100 websites. Kay has earned numerous awards for her outstanding production over the years including the prestigious Coldwell Banker President

The Importance of Your Garden When Selling Your Home

Over 80% of buyers have reported that having an outside area or garden is the most important feature when house hunting. Here we look at how to make the most of your outside area and make your property stand out from the crowd.

In the UK gardening is a national passion and should not be overlooked when attracting potential buyers to your business proposal. Buyers can be put off by poorly maintained gardens and it shows a general lack of care for your property. Unless your property is priced to renovate, this is not an attractive proposition.

Firstly you need to view your outside as an extension to your house – another room for a particular purpose. Generally it would be an area to relax in, entertain friends and play with the family. It could also be an area for hobbies such as gardening and vegetable growing.

The front garden will be the area that a buyer will see first. If it has a lawned area ensure that it is mowed and has neat borders. If it is gravel check that there is enough gravel to make an attractive covering. Old gravel can sometimes be thin enough to show unattractive mud patches or have weeds growing through. Borders need to be weed free and you could have wood chip amongst the main shrubs and flowers to avoid more weeds growing. This would help to keep the garden low maintenance. Pots and hanging baskets with colourful seasonal flowers can add warmth and a welcoming atmosphere to your house. Remember, first impressions count – you need to make the best impression you can.

If you want to add a lawn to the garden you could either sow seeds or lay turf. Laying turf is more expensive but immediately improves your garden. Remember you will need to water a new lawn in the early morning and late afternoon to avoid scorching it. You will need to mow it about once a week between March and October and when you mow, it needs to be dry. Remove the cuttings and trim the edges to keep it tidy.

In choosing your flowers try to ensure that you have colour throughout the year and shrubs should be low maintenance. Examples are lavender which is a perfumed shrub with flowers in the summer. Its delicate leaves add shape and interest to the garden throughout the year. However, do be careful where you position it as it attracts bees. Bay trees or box topiary at the front door or at carefully placed points in the garden adds a sense of care and tidiness – again this encourages the feel-good factor. Evergreen shrubs are useful to give shape and definition in the garden throughout the year. Add seasonal interest and colour with bulbs and bedding plants. Herbs in pretty pots show an interest in cooking and well-being, which could add to the attractiveness of your house and lifestyle.

Define a sitting area with an inviting table and chair set. Position benches and arbours carefully so that you show how inviting the outside area is. Storage benches can be useful not only for relaxation but to tidy away garden toys or unsightly clutter.

A shed is generally welcome and can be painted or stained to make it more attractive.

You want to remove any clutter, tools or bikes from the garden to create a smooth, uninterrupted line. Investigate bin tidies or trellis to hide away any bins. The eye will be immediately drawn to protruding objects and any mess. Keep the buyers eye on your lovely garden and keep it interested.

Ask your estate agent to view your garden and ask how it can be further improved. If you are targeting a specific market you will need to cater for their needs accordingly.

A garden is like another room to your property. Treat it with the same care and turn it into an excellent selling point, one which your potential buyer will remember positively.

Susy Copus writes about all aspects of the property market. Her work has featured the UK Property Search Engine, Wheres My Property, Renovate Alerts who find property to renovate and Property Money Maker.

Are You a First Time Home Buyer? Here’s $7500

Have you ever heard of the Housing and Recovery Act of 2008? Well today we are going to focus on one of the benefits, the $7500 First Time Home Buyer IRS Tax Credit.

Even with interest rates at historical lows and with a wide selection of discounted homes on the market, people still weren’t buying, so the government came up with this tax credit to stimulate and provide financial assistance for First Time Home Buyers to buy now rather than wait.

The $7,500 First-Time Home Buyer IRS Tax Credit only applies to first-time home buyer purchases of a primary residence between April 9, 2008 and July 1, 2009. It is important to understand that this is a TAX CREDIT and not a TAX DEDUCTION. Now a tax credit is a reduction in income taxes owed! In other words, when a buyer files their income taxes for the year the home was purchased (April 2008 - July 2009), they may be able to subtract $7,500 from the amount of federal income tax liability, which will either put more money in your pocket as you will get an increased tax refund or reduce the amount of tax still owed.

However, this tax credit is not FREE. Yes, this is not a hand out from Uncle Sam; it is a loan that has to be paid back. Repayment will begin 2 years after the credit is claimed, and must be repaid within 15 years. So that’s a $500 payment per year. It’s an interest-free loan for 15 years.

Now before you get turned off by this “LOAN,” lets take a look on the benefits this $7500 tax credit may provide. Majority of first time home buyers have walked away from the closing table with an empty savings and or checking account once the purchase of their home is complete. Now they have a home to decorate, furnish and in some cases repair and paint. Majority of these first time home buyers will now turn to their credit cards to pay for these expenses, which will come with pretty high interest rates. So when compared to have a credit card payment which comes with interest charges, versus and an interest free $7500 loan…..it now seems a little more attractive.

Now for those of you first time home buyers that are a little more well off financially, this can still benefit you….here’s how.

Let’s assume a $200,000 mortgage was needed in the home purchase at 6.0% interest rate fixed for 30 years. What if the $7,500 tax credit was a refund which you used to pre-pay the mortgage? Using simple math that would be an annual interest savings of $437.50; which is actually less than the $500 payment per year on the $7500 Tax Credit Loan.

The main benefit here is not just the payment savings but the outstanding mortgage balance will be reduced by $7,500 and each future mortgage payment results in savings in mortgage interest and increased reduction in principal mortgage. As each monthly mortgage payment go to reducing the mortgage balance and less is applied to interest. Together these savings will exceed the $500 cost of repayment of the tax credit. The benefit over the long term in interest savings and principal reduction will be quite amazing. Talk about good old Uncle Sam helping you payoff your mortgage early!

Marlon Baugh is a nationally-known mortgage expert. Since 2003, he has specialized in FHA Mortgage Loans for people with Bankruptcies, Foreclosure or with other credit issues, as well as Commercial Mortgages. If you would like a Free Copy or to get instant access to the remainder of this Insider Mortgage Report, please visit http://www.specializedfinancialsolutions.com/own-a-home.htm or Call 954-678-5796

Sell Your Home in a Bad Market With Home Staging

With the current state of the economy and the almost daily news being reported about how bad things are or could get, it can be a frightening time for those whom either need or want to put their home up for sale. However you can still be able to sell your home quickly and for a good price through the effective use of home staging. This technique could be the cure for the ailing home seller.

When it comes to home staging there are basically two types of homes you could be dealing with. The first type of home would be a vacant property. Some people have the impression that a vacant home should show quite well since it is devoid of clutter and allows buyers to to get a real sense of the space. However this is often not the case. Many buyers can have a hard time imagining where furniture or decorative items would be best placed in the home and rooms can sometimes appear smaller when not furnished. Also strong wall colours can be left out of context without the accompanying pieces in the room. The home may be great but just lacks the proper packaging.

It is important to remember that buyers do not buy houses, they buy homes. This is why unfurnished houses usually sit on the market five times longer than furnished houses. Harsh colours should be removed and rooms should at least be partially furnished. This will help to create a flow through the home and an emotional connection with buyers. By using a professional home stager you will be able to rent furniture that helps to showcase your home.

The second type of home that may require staging is the occupied home. In this case you may or may not need to rent furniture but you may have to deal with other issues. Clear the clutter and remove any family portraits and pictures. While we know you love your family, having a more generic feel to your house will help buyers connect with your home better and help them to visualize themselves living in your home.

Repair any maintenance issues that could distract buyers from seeing the full beauty of your home. And do a little landscaping to give your house some curb appeal. You can even dress up the outside of your home in the winter with some potted evergreens. Try to come at it from the buyers perspective in mind. If you notice that something it not quite right chances are the buyers will notice as well.

While the initial cost of of staging a home can be a barrier to many sellers the cost of not properly showcasing your home to the fullest can be even more. Sellers who choose not to stage their houses could see offers that are thousands of dollars lower or stay on the market for weeks or months longer than if the property were to be properly staged. Remember that the more effort you put in to your home before you seller the more you will get back in the way an higher selling price or a faster sale.

Harry Saggu is a Mississauga real estate agent for Century 21 Peoples Choice Realty Inc. with a background in economics. If you are in search of a Mississauga home for sale please feel free contact Harry of visit the site.

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