Bend, Or Real Estate Podcast with Stellar Realty NW

Tips for Holiday Decorating on a Budget

info@stellarrealtynw.com (Stellar Realty Northwest) — Wed, 9 Dec 2015 08:50:00 -0800

Looking to buy a home in the Bend area?

Click here to perform a full home search

Looking to sell a home in the Bend area?

Click here for a FREE home evaluation

You may also call me at (541) 508-3148 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

The holidays are approaching. Today, we thought we'd do something a little different and share this festive video on holiday decorating tips from HGTV. Designer Angelo Surmelis shares several great ideas to spread holiday cheer throughout the home. Here are some of our favorites.

Pay attention to the mantle. If you don't have some already, buy some kind of garland to drape over the mantle. Next, use leftover ornaments and candles to add light and texture. When choosing ornaments and candles, ensure they are in the same color-palette. This helps make your mantle a great focal point!
Use smaller Christmas trees. Every house has their main Christmas tree. In addition, you can also purchase smaller, inexpensive, eco-friendly trees to place throughout the home. Decorate these trees with strips of fabric from a T-shirt in holiday colors to save money for the main tree.
Use what you have. Be resourceful. Adding a plate charger and place mat to your everyday dining set adds some jazz to your table. Fresh-cut flowers and candles will help finish the look. You don't need grand, expensive candles -- a little candlelight goes a long way!

As you can see, it doesn't take much to make your home feel more festive. If you have any questions, give us a call or send us an email. We would be happy to help you!

How Can Decluttering Help Sell Your Bend Home?

info@stellarrealtynw.com (Stellar Realty Northwest) — Thu, 29 Oct 2015 13:30:00 -0700

Looking to buy a home in the Bend area?
Click here to perform a full home search
Looking to sell a home in the Bend area?
Click here for a FREE home evaluation
You may also call me at (541) 508-3148 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

When it comes time to sell your home, there is no understating the importance of home staging. Getting the clutter out and maximizing the space within your home is key to appealing to a broad range of buyers. On open house day, sometimes all it takes is a few flowers on the table, or a lit fire in the fireplace to really change a buyer’s perception of a home.

Today, we have a great video to share with you from HGTV’s YouTube channel. It’s from the show Get it Sold hosted by Sabrina Soto, a staging expert who suggests simple fixes to get this particular family’s home ready for an open house.

To get the home ready for its open house, much needed to be done. The big task was decluttering, as toys and other child-centric objects needed to be cleared out to maximize the space. Before, the living room looked like an oversized playpen, now the furniture has been rearranged, and they were able to create a family-friendly entertainment area for under $100.

After two weeks with this new and improved staged home on the market, the sellers actually decided not to sell. The simple home staging techniques they used to get their home ready for sale actually made them fall in love with the house even more. They still plan to sell in the near future, but armed with the expert home staging knowledge offered up, they are confident they will get top dollar when the time comes.

If you have any questions for us, give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to speaking with you!

The Top 10 Renovations that Are Sure to Save You Money

info@stellarrealtynw.com (Stellar Realty Northwest) — Mon, 10 Aug 2015 08:44:00 -0700

Today I'd like to share an interesting video I found on HGTV. It documents the ten best renovations that you can make on your home that won't cause you to go broke! Renovations can get expensive, but here are some ideas to help you get more bang for your buck.

10. Using subway tiles is an inexpensive way to redo your kitchen and add a retro feel to it.

9. Speaking of a retro feel, using vintage furniture and fixtures can look and feel great on your wallet.

8. You can create an 'art wall' by collecting used wood. This hand-crafted, old-school look is sure to impress your guests.

7. Instead of ripping out your hardwood floors entirely, just replace the ones that cannot be used anymore. Lacing new boards in with old ones has an eye-catching look.

6. Changing the knobs on your cabinets and doors can create a whole different feel in a kitchen.

5. Instead of updating your entire bathroom, just refinish your tub. It makes everything else look new again.

4. Painting your home by yourself can be a huge money-saver.

3. Hiring a good Realtor can save you money as well. They know how to negotiate deals and get you the best price on a home that you're buying or selling. Talk to me about this!

2. Waterproofing your roof can save you tons and tons of money down the road. Being proactive about major structural issues in your home is always a good idea.

1. The last couple saved nearly $20,000 renovating their home because they knew a good mill-worker. While I can't promise that you'll save that much, I do know good contractors that can offer you discounts on their services!

So, there you have it. Ten easy ways to save money while renovating your home. While these are all great ideas, I'd prefer if you spoke with me before you went about ripping up your house.

Not all renovations are necessary if you're trying to get top dollar before a sale. Often times the most expensive renovations will not make you the most money back - if you get any money back at all.

Please don't hesitate to reach out to me if you have any questions about this video, or if you have any Bend and Central Oregon real estate needs!

How do Market Conditions Affect Your Home's Value?

info@stellarrealtynw.com (Stellar Realty Northwest) — Tue, 25 Nov 2014 07:07:00 -0800

There are many great Bend area homes for sale. Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call me at (541) 508-3148 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

How do Market Conditions Affect Your Home's Value?

Welcome back, everyone. We are here to talk to you today about the current state of the market in Central Oregon and why right now might not be a bad time to sell your home.

Keep in mind that real estate is local. When you read a national report talking about home values and whether it is a good or bad time to buy or sell, they are speaking generally. Every real estate market is different, and ours is no exception.

Right now, the average sold price for a home in Bend is $361,000, up considerably from the $315,000 average we saw in 2013. As you can see, there has been plenty of appreciation in the last year.

The average days a home is on the market is at 135 days. However, properties that are priced well and have good showings are selling much, much, quicker, some within a few days.

Determining whether or not it is time to sell is based on the basic economic principle of supply and demand. Right now in Bend, we have about 3.3 months of inventory, our lowest supply of homes all year. Buyer demand is still out there, but with less inventory, they don't have a lot to choose from. Putting your home up for sale in this market guarantees that a lot of eyes are going to be on your property. If you market the home well and price it right, there is no reason you shouldn't be able to take advantage of the low supply of homes out there.

Buyers that are looking at this time of year tend to be more serious. If someone is going to go out in the cold to look at homes, they aren't just doing it for fun. Combine that with low interest rates, and it looks like right now is a great time to buy or sell in Bend.

If you have any questions, feel free to give us a call or send us an email. We'd be glad to help out!