Category Archives: Property Styling

Papillon Interior Kitchen
Property Makeover, Property Styling

Property Makeover Dilemma – To Renovate Or Not To Renovate?

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As a Property Makeover Specialist I regularly speak at property presentation seminars, and often hear the same questions.

 
Last time I shared with you a very common dilemma people can have – should I renovate or do a property makeover if I’m in a popular development area? You can read that article here.
 
Another very popular question is: “A friend of mine has recently made-over their place to sell, they put in a kitchen, they painted and landscapers were there for days. Then someone bought it and they are now pulling the house down or they are now installing their own kitchen – isn’t that a waste of money?”
 
The first thing I say is; if you made those changes in your home without listing for sale and you decided to pull them out or you chose to demolish the property, then I would agree with you!
 
However, it is important to understand what the actual expected reward from the makeover investment was. It actually really wasn’t because the kitchen would be used for the next 15-20 years, it was the fact that the kitchen was a drawcard to get more people through their home and created competition – that is how it has paid them back.
 
downsizing
Property Presentation, Property Styling

Vendor Dilemma – Downsizing From The Family Home

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Downsizing does not have a  ‘one size fits all’ solution and needs handling carefully.

The mere thought of a downsize is daunting and can overwhelm any retiree. Coming to the realisation that it’s time to move on from the family home may take many years. The difficulty is, as an agent, how do you approach and discuss this topic while maintaining respect and understanding?

Questions such as:

Is your home too big?
Are there rooms you just never go into?
Do you worry about the maintenance?
Do you want to reduce your efforts in the day to day upkeep?

The big one for me is:
Does this home still serve the purpose you bought it for?

Just the idea of going through the process of packing away a lifetime of belongings and getting a property ready to list and sell can be overwhelming.

We’ve project managed hundreds of downsizes and have seen it all! With the correct approach to a downsizing makeover project, your vendors can have a more profitable and lower stress outcome to begin the next phase of their lives.

Most people just think of the option and term of ‘downsizing’, but I like to think that there is a more beneficial result from the term ‘rightsizing.’ The key is to make the solution ‘optimal.’ To ‘downsize’ implies simply moving to a smaller place while to ‘rightsize’ is to convert to a more optimal space.

This could mean a vendor initially converting an existing home, adding a granny flat, or extracting hidden value from their current property to maximise options, before scaling down into a smaller property.

The rightsizing trend now is commonly tied to lifestyle-improvement goals. Often, a homeowner is motivated to rightsize post the family growing up; post the realisation of spending too much time maintaining a big house and yard; or post paying off a home loan.

Higher motivators also involve the desire to retire and to live closer to the beach, on the mountains, or just about anywhere that offers cosiness with the amenities of life. Rightsizing is all around us.

The most important step to rightsizing is maximising the sale value of what a vendor has. We work out the best strategy according to their individual requirements and will:

  • Talk through their needs, desires, and budget to help them to decide whether they should stay on the same property or sell the property.
  • Get to work deciding on a strategy from de-cluttering the home, implementing small renovations, or totally maximising the development potential of their home before selling.
  • Perhaps convert that little office into a bedroom for added value, declutter and restyle, if needed, to attract a more affluent market, or totally update the landscaping and paint colours to attract a younger more affluent client.
real estate market
Property Presentation, Property Styling

Spring to Summer Real Estate Market Styling Ideas

It’s time to get planning for the busy months ahead in the real estate market.

Spring school holidays are about to begin and Christmas is also on the radar, so time is of the essence to work on styling and presentation as the market picks up.
 
We’ve just finished working on a hugely intense project, released to get on an auction schedule prior to the September School holidays, and it worked really well! With only 13 weeks to Christmas, there is still time to time to work on that auction date prior to the summer holidays.
 
So as styling & renovation makeover specialists, what do we focus on at this time of year as the weather warms up? My favourite part of the Spring /Summer period is the opportunity to enhance a morning sun aspect and work the indoor/outdoor transition to best advantage. Where you can’t logistically transition in and out, you can use items of colour and nature to set the scene, tie both areas together and create flow through.
 
There are easy and affordable items that you can seasonally change, like cushions going from more muted and warm colours, to greens and citrus for example.  Throws would change from the heavier faux fur to a lighter cotton or knitted.  Nature items such as large fronds, beautifully shaped sticks, leafy indoor plants or blooming potted orchids can work beautifully.
 
winter real estate market
Housing Market, Property Styling

Advantages Of Listing In The Winter Real Estate Market

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A lot of our clients believe there is a code of pre-sale protocol – wait until spring! 

 
I’m sure yours do too and you’re finding that this is a general understanding across the board with regard to the winter real estate market. My thoughts are entirely the opposite, well in fact two thoughts on that one:
 
Firstly, selling your vendors home is about making sure it fits into when it’s right for their family, lifestyle and financial plan. 
 
So encouraging your vendors to sell when it is ‘right for them’ rather than trying to second guess what will happen through the seasons and the future, spring, summer, autumn or winter.  My thoughts are that if it is right for your vendor to prepare and sell in the current winter real estate market, then why not benefit from less property competition?  
 
Secondly, preparing a home for sale in spring is certainly a more traditional approach, which can put pressure on many of the support services.  So there are certain things to organise early for that plan if they are keen to wait for the warmer months and also some insights from pre-sale planning.
 
Prepare their property for market
Property Market, Property Styling

Helping Vendors Prepare Their Property For Market

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How can you help your vendors work out what to spend to prepare their property for market?

As an agent you have to wear many hats when working with vendors and walking them through the process of listing and selling their property.

Here are some tips to help them to work out the best approach and budget for that. Before we talk about a magic figure, think about suggesting that they split it into three sections:

  • Money for the maintenance jobs they should have spent money on every year – ‘catch up money’.
  • Money for items they can re-fresh, upgrade and take with them – ‘take with you money’.
  • Everything else should be for the items required purely for presentation – ‘pre-sale presentation costs’.
As home owners, we always have a list in the back of our minds of ‘things I should have done around my house’. I believe that any owner we stop to ask could recite that list instantly! Homes absorb money every month of every year and if your vendors haven’t kept up with regular maintenance there will be a requirement to budget for catch up money.
 
This would normally go towards things like painting, general home repairs, replacement of cracked windows and the like. At BG Property Styling our owners can spend anything from nothing towards painting and just some man hours of maintenance, to hundreds of thousands of dollars – as an agent you will be well versed on what is required for the state the home is currently in and can help educate your clients towards fixing things up.
 
There are certain items we would always recommend that vendors buy and take with them. There are things that can be purchased with a professional’s help, which may save hire costs and look fantastic in their next home. 
property makeover
Property Styling

The Difference Between a Pre-Sale Makeover and Styling

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We are often asked what the difference is between property styling and a pre-sale makeover.

In a lot of cases you need both and in general a ‘makeover specialist’ has the concepts and ideas behind adding value for the entire property.  A property stylist  is normally the term for a furniture hire company representative, someone who puts the ‘icing on the cake’, as I call it.
 
Like most things in life, a solid foundation is a good start and so I’m going to concentrate on talking about the makeover specialist, which is what we do, prior to the final ‘icing’. 
 
As an agent, when your vendors want the opportunity to add value and for constructive independent feedback about their entire property, a pre-sale makeover specialist would be the professional to suggest calling in.
 
We work to increase profit through identifying and creating value add opportunities, and a furniture hire  ‘stylist’ may in fact be one of those key stakeholders we call in, as is a painter or a carpet layer etc. 
 
A makeover specialist’s role, is to give constructive and objective feedback regarding the presentation of the property.  This feedback will cover everything from the front gate and the outdoor areas, to the layout of the master bedroom then all the way to the condition of the garden pots at the back fence.  Your makeover specialist should be detailed and thorough about every opportunity of enhancement.  
Home Makeover
Property Styling

Home Makeover: Kitchens – How and When?

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Kitchens, they say, are the heart of the home. We all know that! Taking potential buyers emotions into consideration, kitchens rank as an important priority in a home makeover.

Potential purchasers often value a kitchen replacement as double its actual cost and will use it to their negotiation advantage, so here’s what to do.

As home makeover specialists we have been faced with all sorts of properties and all sorts of kitchens. Essentially, the only kitchens we don’t suggest to touch (aside from a deep clean – compulsory in all) are those that are in an imminent knock down or one with serious immediate renovation requirements.

Your vendor may have a 20-25 year old kitchen. Ideally, you might suggest they update the entire kitchen and bench top, but a well made wooden kitchen with a good carcass and with a number of years life left offers a budget option to re-paint. Unfortunately you can’t really hide that it’s a re-paint, however, it will likely present much better for pre-sale than the old version. Here is a great example of how well this 1970’s kitchen was improved with a re-paint and new appliances:

Set A Kitchen Before

Set A Kitchen After

Bg Property Styling Property Makeover Mosman Deck
Property Styling

Styling Tips – Investing In Outdoor Spaces

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Investing in creating outdoor spaces can help your vendors to add value to their property.

Plus a beautifully presented home will help you to a quicker and better sale result.
 
We constantly have the discussion of spend and return with our clients and of course, when we are talking pre-sale, of course we should.  However sometimes we identify the opportunity for a larger investment and even more return.  
 
Promoting space and light is one of the most important things your vendors can do and this can be taken to the next level. For example I’m working on a house right now with a lovely level rear yard, a stunning outlook and the only access is through a laundry door!
 
In this example, we are currently organising approval of a deck coming out from the rear of the house and dining area. This will give the feel that the property is double the size of living areas.  
 
For a $20k investment, vendors can potentially earn a minimum of double the investment through increasing buyer appeal to target markets.
 
Extending spaces onto a deck area and creating that ‘indoor-outdoor’ feel is very appealing with our Australian climate, and these areas can be beautifully staged and dressed as if they were an additional room.  Vendors can consider creating a lounge or dining area, an outdoor kitchen or offer warmth with some clever heating options.
 
Spring Market
Property Styling, Real Estate Agent

Styling Tips for the end of Winter and start of the Spring Market

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Winter is a great time to sell property, before the Spring market takes off and is flooded with listings.

As a busy Property Makeover Specialist there are two weeks of the year where I normally try to grab a quick break, during the July school holidays, prior to being rushed off our feet preparing properties for the oncoming Spring market. This year I only managed four days and they’ve become a distant memory already!
 
We have had a number of owners who’ve recently sold with great results, who now believe me when I say ‘don’t delay’! Winter is a fantastic time to sell. Why wait until everyone else is on the market and purchasers are more in the driving seat? At BG Property Styling we are smack bang in the middle of preparing for auction campaigns that are booked for the last available Saturday prior to the Spring holidays.
 
There are differing opinions about how to manage an early Spring sale. I’ll share some must haves from a presentation perspective; gardens are coming into their finest. Remind your vendors to attend the maintenance and presentation schedule a.s.a.p, as gardens will benefit from nurturing early. It’s also important to pay attention to the aspect and time of day for the Spring sun. 
Property Presentation
Property Styling, Real Estate Business

The Method Behind A Property Makeover

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As a real estate agent, you’ll know the right kind of value-add strategies undertaken to transform a property and to create buyer appeal.

These value-add strategies are accomplished through coordinated appraisal, planning, and implementation with the help of a Property Makeover Specialist.

So what’s the method behind a successful makeover? This is something you can share with your new and prospective vendors.

Initial Appraisal

Every job needs to start with an initial appraisal.  It allows the Makeover Specialist to cast an objective eye on a property and get the first impressions. This step involves a needs analysis, a comparison between vendor ideas and prospect preferences, and the creation of an actionable plan. It’s the stage where the hidden gems of a property are identified, and the initial methods of polishing them are suggested.

Project Planning

Project planning solves the challenge associated with not knowing trusted trades and service providers. That’s because a Property Makeover Specialist functions as a Project Coordinator – a liaison between the vendor and the agent and accredited tradespeople. Through consistent quality delivery, the Makeover Specialist knows just who to tap for specific work.

Project Implementation

This stage is where the property makeover project is undertaken. With the different and specific tasks already scoped out during the Project Planning stage, everyone involved in the project will be guided by a calendar of works. The calendar of works is a tool that specifies what kind of work needs to be done, who will do them, when to do them, and how to do them.

Property makeover One Agency Belinda Grundy
Property Styling, Real Estate Brand

Property Makeover – The Challenges for an Agent and Vendor

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A well presented home helps an agent to sell a home more efficiently and more profitably.

That is undeniable. But behind every property makeover lies a tried-and-tested framework that will lead towards a more successful sale.

This framework is every Property Makeover Specialist’s mix of knowledge, methods, and principles, and is responsible for establishing a successful relationship between the Real Estate Agent, the Vendor, and the Property Makeover Specialist.

So what are the challenges that face both vendors and agents in successful property presentation?

Without prior experience of a property makeover, vendors may be confronted with a dilemma: they don’t know how and where to start. As an agent, you may not always know what to say, especially as you might not have secured the listing and don’t want to put vendors offside.  If you’re lucky, the vendor may know how a property makeover can help in terms of generating a profitable sale; they just don’t know the steps to take.

If they don’t see any value in a property makeover, this is where you can offer a quick reality check by showing examples of recent sales and how they were presented to help the vendor understand that their property is not in a competitive position to yield the desired sales results. However with some professional help from a Property Makeover Specialist, you can help your vendor to achieve a faster and more profitable sale.

Prepare their property for market
Property Styling, Real Estate Business Network

How to Convert your Vendors to a Property Makeover

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PROPERTY MAKEOVER 101 FOR REAL ESTATE AGENTS

As a real estate agent, with each listing you sign, you will deploy all the usual traditional and digital marketing strategies to get the property seen by every potential buyer possible. A property makeover can mean a more profitable and efficient sale, increased purchaser competition and a shorter time on the market. We all know how much easier it can be to sell a beautifully presented property.

Here are some of the questions and answers that your vendors may have about property styling and ways to help sell the idea of some professional styling services.

What exactly is a pre-sale property makeover?

A pre-sale property makeover is the carefully developed strategy and then the practical implementation of the steps required to transform a property into its best light. It is designed to uncover the hidden gems of an individual property, and to create buyer appeal to the right market along with the guidance of a real estate agent.  These value-add strategies are accomplished through coordinated appraisal, planning, and implementation with the help of a property makeover specialist and can make tens or even hundreds of thousands of dollars difference to the sale price.

Why is it important to prepare a home for sale?

A property should never go stale by sitting on the market for too long. When a property is first listed, if marketed properly, presented well and of course if vendor expectations are realistic and within current market conditions, to it should generate enough interest to sell within a fairly short period of time. Timing is a crucial factor, market sentiment is a great influencer, and profit maximisation depends on the property’s appeal and value to the prospective buyer at the best time to sell – when it first goes on the market.

Property makeover
Property Styling, Real Estate Brand, Real Estate Business

Relationship Dynamics: Real Estate Agents and Property Makeover Specialists

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In a busy market, taking advantage of favourable trends is key to staying competitive. Today, we look at the relationship dynamics between Real Estate Agents and Property Makeover Specialists.

In the real estate market, this means selling a property while the market is active and doing so as soon as possible. It looks simple but there’s a functional relationship – between Real Estate Agents and Property Makeover Specialists – at work which is integral to the competition-time-value component.

Real Estate Agents and Property Makeover Specialists share a common goal: working for the vendor to achieve the maximum competition to bid for the property, with the most effective marketing plan, and with the very best sales outcome.  With the dawn of in-depth sales disciplines, it’s become apparent that value-add transformation is key when marketing and selling a property.

Since Real Estate Agents cannot implement value-add changes on their own, they turn to Property Makeover Specialists to do the job. Hence the birth of what we call ‘property makeover to sell.’ But how exactly is this relationship mutually beneficial?

Property makeover One Agency Belinda Grundy
Property Styling, Real Estate Business Network, Real Estate Franchise

How To Help Your Vendors Prepare For Market Presentation

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The bulk of any property success in the market lies on pre-sale strategies. With thorough planning and thoughtful execution, any property can be sold as soon as it enters the market.

So what’s the secret? It’s a combination of many things, location, street appeal, price point, current stock levels and quality marketing. A key factor can be in the vendor recognising the power and the rewards of a property makeover. But between the vendor and the property makeover specialist, what’s your role as an agent?

The Function of Detachment
You’ll come across vendors who believe that their property can be sold as it is. The challenge for you is to help them transition from being a homeowner to a seller. How? By helping them to change the way they approach the process. They are selling their home and therefore the property becomes a product rather than a home. Detachment involves dissociation – the act of distancing the owner from the property.

Homeowners value their home based on the emotions they invested on it. To start their transition, help them strip their home but leave the bare essentials intact. A little decoration won’t hurt but personal effects have to go.

The function of detachment is simple: it creates an opportunity for potential buyers to feel at home in the property. With personal effects an impediment, the property will only stay appealing to its original owners. The key is to allow buyers to feel emotional towards the property.