Pasadena CA Real Estate

Home staging (the art of preparing your home for sale and arranging your furniture to best showcase your home) has been proven to sell homes faster and for more money in any real estate market.  Feng Shui (the art of purposefully placing the things within your environment to create positive results) can help achieve even greater results faster.  Feng Shui creates harmonious rooms that feel good because they are in the flow with nature and there is balance among the elements.  Combining home staging with the principles of Feng Shui is a sure fire way to get greatest positive impact from your efforts.

Have you ever walked into a room and although it was gorgeous, it felt cold or somehow just off-putting?  Chances are that with a few Feng Shui adjustments, the room would feel warm and welcoming instead of stuffy.  It may be the arrangement of the furniture is the problem or it could be that one of the five elements is missing or is too overwhelming. 

The same principle applies to staged homes.  The furniture and accessories might be fabulous, but if the arrangements are off they are not doing the home justice.  I’ve seen luxury homes with fantastic items in them, but buyers just walk in and walk right back out.  After making the adjustments, the reaction is completely different.  The positive energy created by a space that is in harmony draws people in.  It feels safe and comfortable.  Buyers will linger longer in a space that is balanced and calm.

So if you find that your home is staged beautifully, but is not getting the reaction from buyers that you are looking for, evaluate whether or not you need some Feng Shui adjustments.  A few simple changes can make all the difference between sitting on the market for months and sold.

For more information, visit www.GetStaged2Sell.com/stageblog/ or call Nickie at 818-383-7502

Yesterday, we talked about why a Pasadena home seller should order a home inspection before listing their home with a Pasadena Real Estate Agent.

The following checklist will help you prepare for that home inspection or your buyer’s home inspection.

The items below should be done PRIOR to the home inspection:

• Turn on all services including water, gas and electricity.
• Make sure that attic is made accessible.  If your real estate agent will be meeting with the home inspector, make sure she knows where the entry to the attic is!
• Make sure that under floor crawl space is accessible.  Again, make sure that your real estate agent knows where the entry point is.
• Heater(s) should be accessible
• Electrical panel needs to be accessible.
• Take your pets out of the house or backyard.  Have a friend pet sit them for awhile.
• Disclose any and all problems that you know about the property.
• If you have documentation like building plans, guarantees, operating instructions, etc, have it available.
• Write a note explaining any special operations of things especially if you have special switches operating certain lights, etc.  Don’t forget about the pool and spa area, if you have one and any special instructions for these amenities.

Items that could enhance the outcome of the home inspection:

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Usually, when a buyer purchases a Pasadena home, one of the first things that their Pasadena real estate agent will recommend that they do will be a home inspection.

A common home inspection usually takes anywhere from 3 to 5 hours depending on the size of the home and after the inspection, a buyer will receive a pretty complete report identifying both small and large items.

The home inspection also takes place in the first week or ten days of the escrow AFTER an offer on your home has been accepted.  The buyer will review the list of items on the inspection report and will submit a list to you the seller of items/conditions that they will want you to repair, replace or give the buyer credit for.  This is a perfect opportunity to re-negotiate the price of the home for many a savvy buyer. 

This is usually step 2 in home price negotiations. 

As a seller, you can prevent further negotiations AFTER the home sale price has been set and accepted by ordering your own home inspection report PRIOR to listing your Pasadena home for sale.

By having this inspection done in advance, you can take steps to repair as many items as you and your Pasadena Realtor feel necessary to ensure a quick sale of your home.  In most instances, these repairs will cost you less to do up front with your choice of contractors.

Seondly and most importantly, your Pasadena Real Estate Agent will be able to present this home inspection report to all potential buyers for review BEFORE the price is negotiated and accepted.  This way, items that have been repaired can be pointed out to the buyer and they can sign off on the review and the receipt of the report so there are no surprises later on when they hire their own inspector.

A pre-inspection of your home can save you lots of money and take away some of the stress in selling your Pasadena home.

If you would like to get a list of CREIA (California Real Estate Inspection Association) approved home inspectors, please do not hesitate to call me at 626-627-7107 or email me at Irina@Irina4RealEstate.com.

For a private consultation on how you can get the most money for your Pasadena home, please give me a call.

When you have a home for sale, whether it is here in Pasadena CA or elsewhere, you want it to both show well and to be seen by as many buyers as possible.  So there are a few key things to keep in mind as you place your home on the market to ensure that your home will be seen and shown to its best advantage.

Here are the Top 5 Tips for Showing Your Home:

• Make It Available-Allow buyers to see your home at times that make sense.  Limiting showing hours to a couple hours a day or making appointment times difficult turns buyers and their agents off.  Houses can only sell when buyers are able see them.
• Let the Real Estate Agents Show Your Home-Resist the temptation to show your home yourself.  Buyers will be more comfortable exploring and getting to know your home when they don’t feel like they are invading your space.
• Take Your Pets With You-If at all possible, take your pets with you during showings.  During the day while at work, consider leaving your pets with a neighbor, friend or family member. Hiring a pet sitter is always a great option as well.
• Leave the Lights On-Even during the day.  A home shows better when it is well-lit.  Be sure to leave all of the curtains and blinds open to let in as much natural sunlight as possible.  Remember climate control too.  You want the temperature in your home to be comfortable so that buyers will want to linger. 
• Do a Quick Tidy Up Each Morning & Evening-Keeping your home tidy and fresh is imperative to having it show well.  Now that you have packed your extra items, thoroughly cleaned your home & yard and staged it to perfection, you will want to give it a daily dusting, vacuuming and wipe down.  Pick up and tidy up every evening before bed and be sure to take out all trash.  Each morning before you head out for the day, toss the used towels in the washing machine and be sure all remaining towels are neatly folded.  Do not allow any laundry to accumulate.  Keep all toiletries in the drawers and cupboards.  Keep the sinks empty and if you are using fresh flowers, be sure to change the water daily.

Keep these simple tips in mind each day while your home is on the market and make it easy for buyers to see your home.  The easier it is for buyers to see your home, the easier it will be for you to get it sold!

For more information on staging your home and preparing it for sale, contact Nickie, 818-383-7502, or visit Get Staged 2 Sell.

When you buy or sell a home in Pasadena, California, you will incur closing costs.  Real Estate closing costs are generaly expenses associated with buying or selling your property.

Pasadena Home Seller Closing Costs usually include:

• Real Estate sales commission - usually the biggest chunk or expense.  Each real estate agent and company sets their own real estate commission fees generally based on the services that they provide.  Pasadena Real Estate agents market properties differently, belong to different real estate boards and each has their own streangths and weaknesses.  Interview your real estate agent carefully to find the right one for you.

• Escrow Company Charges - each escrow company has a fee schedule.  I prefer to use Landmark Trust Escrow in Pasadena.  Tammey Bazinet of Landmark Trust Escrow is an excellent and knowledgeable escrow officer.  She is certified by the state of California since 1993.  Landmark Trust charges $185 standard fee plus $1.75 per each thousand of the home sales price.  Price your escrow companies.  Each has a different fee schedule and a lot of escrow officers are NOT certified.

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