Every home has a number of fragile items that must be protected during a move. Each individual item must be treated with care and needs to follow a certain process in order to ensure that nothing is broken, lost or damaged while the less fragile items in the house are being moved. It is usually best to collect fragile and valuable items from around the home before moving begins. Each piece needs to be assessed so that it can be safely packed away. All delicate objects should be packed together away from boxes that contain heavier items that could cause damage.

The first step for moving valuable and fragile items is to use sufficient packaging materials for each individual piece. Different types of packaging materials have different properties. Newspaper, brown craft paper and newsprint can all absorb moisture that could damage items made from porous materials like wood. Newspaper can also be crumpled into a ball so that there is some shock-resistance. Valuable plates and glasses can be wrapped in newspaper to help prevent chips and scratches that could occur when the plates are moved. Bubble wrap can be used for large items and to line boxes because it provides excellent protection from sharp impacts. Packaging plastic wrap can help to bind stacks of fragile items together for more strength after each individual piece has been wrapped in paper.

Fragile items should be placed in a box and surrounded by a packing material like bubble wrap or packing chips. The boxes that are used should be fairly small. Each box should be packed so that there is no open or empty space inside that could allow a piece to move and potentially break. Boxes full of fragile items should not be stacked because the weight can distribute unpredictably at times and could break valuables in the lower boxes. Stacking boxes also creates the risk that a stack could tip and fall over.

Once the valuables and fragile items in a home are packaged firmly into boxes those boxes need to be removed from the home so they are not damaged or accidentally placed under heavier boxes from other areas of the house. A good solution is to rent a storage unit for valuables. This will keep the boxes safe and secure during the move. Another option is to store valuables in the home of a friend or family member. If storing fragile items in another home then it is important to place the boxes in an area where they will not be disturbed by regular daily activities or pets.

Casey Haslem is a writer. In her spare time she loves to hike and craft. She writes often about storage and organization. If you’re in need of help with storage, contact Palmdale self storage units or

What You Never Knew About Entrance Mats

For many property owners and managers, the floor mat in front of the entrance is, at best, an afterthought. If you fall into this camp, you are missing an excellent opportunity. Floor mats come in a variety of materials to suit your needs and they can do a number of things to help your building look and run better.

What Mats Do

Most people think of entrance mats as tools to keep their floors clean, and they are right. An entrance mat does an excellent job of keeping dirt and moisture from the outside out of your building. Mats typically have a surface that is abrasive enough to clean the bottoms of people’s shoes and absorbent enough to trap water. This keeps dirt, salt and moisture out of your building.

The most immediate benefit of this is cleaner floors, but good mats actually go further. Not all of the dirt and moisture that people bring in ends up on your floors. A great deal of it makes it into the air where it gets dispersed throughout your building. A mat at the entrance will actually reduce your cleaning bills throughout your building and keep dirt out of your HVAC system, reducing your heating and cooling costs.

Keeping dirt of your floors has another benefit, too. A dirty floor is one that is covered with abrasive dirt particles. The only way to clean it is to use cleaning chemicals, some of which are also abrasive. These two things combine to reduce the life of your floors. Floors that are protected by entrance mats will last longer.

A good entrance mat does more than just take good care of your floor, though. It also helps to build an image for your building and for the businesses located therein. Whether you are looking to project a practical industrial image, a conservative corporate look, or to create a luxurious image with a carpeted custom logo mat, entrance mats can all help.

Types of Mats

Mats come in a range of different materials. Choosing one is simply a matter of matching your building’s specific needs to the available choices. Here are some of the many options available:

Carpet Mats

Traditional carpet mats are very attractive while still doing an excellent job of cleaning shoes and absorbing moisture. This category ranges from utilitarian mats made of olefin fibers to elaborate mats with special woven-in patterns to enhance their shoe cleaning ability.

Waterhog Mats

Waterhog mats are a special type of elevated mat made with strong polypropylene fibers. They are designed to be extremely attractive but to also have excellent water absorption capacity and to trap both dirt and moisture below their surface.

Rubber Mats

Rubber mats not only clean shoes, but also can withstand a great deal of weight. They are also easy for wheelchairs to transit, making them a great tool for ADA-compliance.

Vinyl Link Mats

These mats scrape shoes and allow dirt and moisture to fall through. They can also handle heavy weights passing over them.

Entrance mats can also be made of recycled material to help your building boost its green credentials. They can also have special anti-microbial properties to help keep the people in your building healthier. Given all that they can do, consider looking into a new mat that meets your building’s exact needs.

I don’t care what you hear about moving, it’s stressful.  Not only do you have to deal with selling a home, buying a home but the physical aspect of moving you, pets, belongings and if your wife will let you come along, yourself.  I’ve moved too many times and am just completing the process again.  This time from over 4,000 sq. feet into 1,900 sq. feet. I started 8 weeks prior to my move date.  This choice made this move my easiest.

Plan Your Move

even if you take a legal pad and scratch out a rough plan that includes, times, dates, materials, things to do etc., it will help you with the process.  Home Depot was my best helper. If moving yourself you will find some of the least expensive moving materials that you will need.  Use this checklist as a guide.  Every situation is different so adapt the list to work for you.

Start with least used and needed items first.

I rented storage bins to get stuff out so the last week wasn’t crazy.  I moved a little at a time into storage and used the extra time I gave myself to weed out the junk.  I suggest packing those items you seldom use and seldom need.  For example, if your moving in 8 weeks do you need all the artwork on the walls?  The 3 extra beds and dressers and lamps that no one is using?  Start thinning and pack as you go.

Designate an area in your home for a staging place.

Use a room that is large and not used a lot, start moving items in to that room and have plenty of packing materials and boxes waiting there for you.  Pack, label the boxes carefully and get it to storage, a POD or even your garage. Then start again.  Do this over a period of weeks and before you know it, your house will be close to empty and you’ll be much more relaxed.

If Selling your current home and buying another

Please contact me.  There is a fine art to making this work.  I’ve helped others and can help you make a smooth move.

Recent surveys of renters indicate that fewer are renewing their leases and jumping in to the, buying a home mode.  About 59.5 percent of tenants recently surveyed say they intend to renew their leases this year, which is the lowest rate since early 2009, according to a study by Kingsley Associates.

Right now in Anne Arundel County, the inventory of homes for sale has dropped about 25% compared to March of last year.  These statistics from Long and Foster’s market report for the county.  Prices are up just 2 % for the same period.

So why sell now?

Well, there is good buyer activity in the marketplace, but they have fewer homes to choose from, for sellers this means you may not see the low ball offers we have seen in recent years.  More competition for your home, thats a good thing.  Interest rates are very low, but there is talk that we will begin to see some small upticks in those.  The cost’s associated with loans have increased and there may be more costs ahead. FHA has increased their mortgage insurance monthly premiums as well as the upfront fees. There is also still a large inventory of properties in the foreclosure pipeline.  They are coming and when they do hit the market, the competition for your home will drop.

The sellers window of opportunity could slam shut

Picture 6 months from now, right around election time or a few days after.  The political pressure drops and Bang, here comes the avalanche of foreclosed inventory that’s been hiding.  Your home selling gets tougher.  Then to add insult to injury, the interest rates that have been held low for political and economic reasons start to move up.  Your home may  become out of reach for some buyers because the monthly payment goes up.  The short sale competition is still there, but the fear of getting tied up for months waiting on a bank to answer, could push buyers to homes that are ready to move into.

Here are the  current statistics for Anne-Arundel-County Real Estate.  Here you will see the market advantages if you are trying to sell your home in Anne Arundel County.  Review the statistics and read some of the many articles out there that reflect what I have been saying for months.  Late in the year and into 2013 we are going to face some real estate sales challenges for non REO and short sale homes.

Contact me today to discuss your unique housing situation and let’s get moving to sell your home fast for more.

Short Sales continue to grow in numbers as lenders push the process instead of forcing foreclosure.  In recent months there has been a lot of pressure on lenders to shorten the time-lines on Short Sale decisions.  Beginning in the middle of June, two of the biggest lenders are promising to reduce time-lines for approval to 60 days.  This would be a remarkable improvement. After reading a title attorney’s take on short selling,     Review my Knowing your short selling options page.

The below email came to me by way of a well respected Title company owner.  John Brennan of Brennan title sent this to real estate agents.  Much of his email deals with Short Sale information.  I have great respect for Mr. Brennan and what he says about the process and seller options is similar to what I have been saying here for months.  He discusses the Short sale process some and also touches on deeds in-lieu of foreclosure as alternatives for sellers to escape foreclosure.  He also states as I have in the past, that sometimes we are left no options except to let the property be foreclosed upon.  It’s sad that some lenders remain so disconnected from reality.  If you get a fair offer after months of marketing a property, then, it’s probably all the lender will end up getting 2 years later when they offer the property as a foreclosed asset.

I do suggest that anyone facing foreclosure attempts a short sale. I also continue to suggest that sellers discuss their options with an attorney.  Real Estate agents do not, should not and can be prosecuted for practicing law without a license.  Yes, an attorney can be an expense, in an already bad situation.  If you want closure to the nightmare, it’s best to do it right.  Right, can be different for every persons situation.  Contact a qualified real estate agent and an attorney if you are in a distressed housing situation.

If you are in a potential short sale situation, it’s time to get started, the tax laws may change    Contact me now to get started

Reprinted with permission of John Brennan

Brennan Title – April News 2012

BTC Newsletter – April 2012 To: Realtors AND Loan Officers           From: John M. Brennan, Attorney – President, Brennan Title Company   Here are some recent issues that may be of interest to you!       BRENNAN TITLE COMPANY LAUNCHES NEW (INTERACTIVE) WEB SITE Last month BTC launched its new web site which allows Realtors and Loan Officers to obtain a GFE quote, order title, and track their file as it moves toward the closing table. You can upload title orders and contracts. While we are processing your case, you and your client will have daily access to your file and track its progress online. You can also e-mail other parties in the transaction directly from the website so that everyone has a record of the conversations related to the file, and download title commitments, preliminary HUD-1′s, and other documents. Finally, once the settlement is completed, all parties will have access to their documents online for seven years! You can also obtain transfer and recordation rates, necessary forms for buyers and sellers in Md, DC, VA, and Delaware, get directions and maps to our offices, and contact each of our managers through our website. Please visit us online at www.brennantitle.com and give us a call if you’d like help navigating! We would appreciate your comments and suggestions after you have had an opportunity to view our website.   BRENNANTITLE.COM QUICK LINKS – HOME       |       GET A QUOTE       |       ORDER TITLE       |       LOCATIONS       |      CONTACT US     LEGAL: For those of you who operate as an LLC and wonder about individual protection from liability, a recent Maryland Court of Appeals decision applied the “Corporate Shield” protection to an individual operating as and LLC, stating that, absent Fraud, the court makes no distinction between an LLC or any other type of Corporation. The court stated that “Maryland is averse to disregarding the entity shield in a business situation in the absence of fraud.” (This ruling was provided to BTC by the Baltimore law firm of Gordon Feinblatt, LLC.).   SHORT SALES - We are receiving short sale approvals in less than 45 days on average. The key is giving the Short Sale Lender what they want – a complete package. We will be happy to negotiate your short sale, contact Lisa Borza at 410-224-1400 or 301-261-8999. Some of the issues we have faced recently involved sellers who change their mind and think that somehow they are better off going to foreclosure. You may want to consider having this be part and parcel of your short sale listing presentation and having your favorite Loan Officer assist in explaining the credit consequences of a Short Sale versus a Foreclosure.     In some situations, the property is just not going to work for either a Modification or Short Sale. In those cases a Deed in Lieu of Foreclosure may be in the best interest of your seller and may prevent you from spending your time and talent on a listing that just will NOT sell. In this situation the property owner deeds the property back to the lender in return for the lender agreeing to accept the property and forgive any claim for a deficiency. Since there are numerous legal ramifications of a Deed in Lieu, I suggest that your seller seek legal counsel!   We have seen some instances where despite the market analysis you have done, the lender insists on a higher negotiated price. Where the differences are not too great, the buyer will sometimes agree to the counter offer. In other cases the lender is just not in touch with the market and you may be just delaying the inevitable.     If you are working on your Short Sale, you may want to have your title company do a records check and check with the HOA or Condo Association. We have seen instances where the Short Sale lender has approved the proposed sale and preliminary HUD-1. The title company then finds out that there are outstanding liens and judgments which affect the title, only to be disappointed to learn that the lender will not revise its approval to allow for these items. BTC WILL BE HAPPY TO DO THIS FOR YOU IF WE ARE HANDLING YOUR SHORT SALES.  FORGIVENESS OF SHORT SALES DEBT - in our last letter we told you that the exemption of forgiveness of debt for homeowners in short sales would expire at the end of 2012. We are still not hearing anything about an extention of this exemption. Remember also, that to qualify for the forgiveness of debt exclusion, the debt must have been to buy, build or substantially improve your PRINCIPAL RESIDENCE, AND, if the debt is for refinance purposes it must be used to substantially improve the residence. Proceeds of refinance debt used to pay off credit cards, for example, do not qualify. Debt on second homes or business property does not qualify for the exclusion. (This was provided to us by Askey, Askey and Associates, CPA, LLC 301-475-5671).       MARYLAND EMPLOYMENT increased by the addition of 5,000 jobs in January according to the Baltimore Business Journal. The unemployment rate dropped to 6.7%. The Washington Business Journal reported that the Washington, D.C. area had the 9th largest growth in its job market, increasing by 1.2% year over year.    HOUSING AFFORDIBILITY – In an article written by Bob and Donna McWilliams and published by The Sunday Capitol, the housing affordability Index was published demonstrating that housing affordability is now at its highest ever since records were kept on this issue going back to 1970.     BRENNAN TITLE COMPANY OPENS IN WEST VIRGINIA. Our newest office, managed and directed by Attorney Kim Gilbert-Toelle, is located in Martinsburg, West Virginia. This means that we can now handle your real estate settlements in Maryland, Virginia, Delaware, West Virginia and Washingto n, D.C. If you have something going in any of these areas, you can go on our new web-site and find the office and manager of that area!!     LIMITATION ON RESALE OF FNMA – POST FORCLOSUE DEED - Fannie Mae is frequently the recipient of a property following a foreclosure sale. It is typical for Fannie Mae to deed out to a buyer in a post-foreclosure sale via Special Warranty deed. Relying on the conveyance via Special Warranty Deed is acceptable; however, please note that many of these deeds contain a restriction prohibiting the Grantee from conveying or encumbering (i.e., a Deed of Trust or Mortgage) the property for a period of three months from the date of the deed. The restriction typically provides a specific dollar amount associated with the restrictions. For example, the deed may state that “the Grantee is prohibited from conveying the property to a bona fide purchaser for value for a sales price of greater than $100,000 for a period of 3 months from the date of this Deed.”  It may also state “Grantee shall be prohibited from encumbering the subject property with a security interest in the principal amount of greater than $100,000 for a period of 3 months from the date of this deed.” Dollar amounts will vary, and they are not necessarily consistent with the consideration amount paid for by the new owner. In these instances, the buyer’s owner’s title insurance policy will typically carry an exception for any conveyance that violates this restriction.   THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA DEPARTMENT OF INSURANCE (DISB) continues to make changes to it’s rules regarding title insurance and fee concessions. The latest bulletin restricts the discounts that title agents are able to offer clients, either directly or indirectly. Any credit or discount of settlement fees that effectively serves as a discount of title insurance premium, even if it is not explicitly stated, or by virtue of the credit or discount exceeding the amount of settlement service fees charge, would violate the District’s anti-rebating provision.   The DISB continues its work on amending and finalizing DC foreclosure regulations; in the meantime, foreclosure of DC loans have essentially stopped, as the sale of DC properties foreclosed after November 17, 2010 are currently uninsurable.   Need a lawyer’s point of view on something you are working on? Brennan Title Company has attorneys who are admitted to practice in Maryland, Virginia, Delaware and Washington, D.C.   Are you working on a transaction in Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C. or Delaware? We have offices in each of these jurisdictions with personable and experienced managers who will be very happy to handle your closing!!   Call me at 301-261-8177 for any of your closing, settlement or other needs! I will be happy to speak with you at any time!! Letter prepared by,     John M. Brennan   Attorney

Forward this email This email was sent to john.day@longandfoster.com by jbrennan@btc-ann.com | Update Profile/Email Address | Instant removal with SafeUnsubscribe™ | Privacy Policy.   Brennan Title Company | 116 Defense Highway | Ste 205 | Annapolis | MD | 21401

It’s nice to know what your buyer costs are going to be before entering into the process.  On the buyer’s side of the transaction, fees can add up quickly.  Many of the fees may be associated with lenders fees to you.  The fees vary from state to state and counties within those states.  Remember that each situation is different.

Example of Buyer’s Expenses on a Purchase in Anne Arundel County

For this example I chose a sales price of $225,000.  I made the assumption that the minimal down-payment for FHA was going to be used.  I also included a deduction to the buyers expenses in the form of a sellers credit to the buyer closing costs.  I’ll run through an brief explanation of charges, then I suggest you open the document below entitled Buyers Estimated Expenses.

A house location survey may be required by the lender, it shows where the house is situated on the lot.  There is also the option of purchasing a more expensive boundary survey which is more detailed.  The lender requires you have homeowners insurance on the property to cover loss in case the property gets damaged.  The lender will be added as a loss payee so they are covered.  This fee may or may not show up on the HUD 1, it may be paid by you prior to settlement but it is required.

When you obtain a mortgage on the property ist must be recorded in court records and the same with the deed of trust.  The title company may require judgement reports to see if any judgements are against the buyer.  The title company who prepares the deed and handles the settlement portion of the transaction charges a few for their services.  There are some misc. fees to the buyer as well.

Buyers Title examination, Abstract, Title insurance and binder are all fees charged by the title company.  Title insurance, the most expensive of these fees protect you against future claims from past owners regarding ownership.  The Lenders portion of the title insurance is required where the buyers portion is not.

Transfer Taxes and Recordation Tax for home buyers is based on the sales price of the home.  The seller pays a share of this however in the attached example you will only see the buyers share.  In this example I assumed the buyer was a first time Maryland home-buyer. A first time Maryland Home-buyer is exempt from the state portion.

The lender will charge some sort of loan originating fee or points, the house needs to be appraised and the buyers will be charged for a credit report.  A flood certification will determine if the property is in a flood zone and may affect your insurance coverage requiremnts.

That covers most of the closing costs for the buyer.  There are additional cash outlays called escrow or accruals.  These items are collected upfront to be deposited in your mortgage escrow account so the real estate taxes and homeowners insurance can be paid by the lender when they are due.  After the upfront fees they are collected monthly in the mortgage payment.

See This Buyers Estimated Expenses Form   for a detailed look at the estimate I used to demonstrate the buyers expenses when purchasing a home.

Lets Get Started…..you want to buy…..I know how to help…..Contact John for an easy, straight forward discussion

According to recent housing data provided by Lender processing Services.  Their statistics show that in January of this year short sales made up almost 24% of home purchases while foreclosures make up only 16%.

Speculation is that banks are more and more open to short selling homes for several reasons.  One is they tend to sell for about 6% more than foreclosures do.  They still sell below what the lenders believe to be “fair market value” but at a better price than foreclosures.  In addition, there is less cost and chance of litigation surrounding a short sale.

They did not mention that banks have held foreclosures for months and months, waiting for Congress and regulators to determine how to handle the mass of issues surrounding foreclosures.  Its nuts!  The foreclosures sitting in the wings, what we call shadow inventory is building again to excessive levels.  The floodgates are going to have to open, and when it does the statistics will change.

We are told, banks are eager to do short sales, I don’t buy it.  Sure, with the magnifying glass from government regulators the large lenders probably feel that this is a safer way to go.  There is a lot of talk of lenders working things out.  I don’t see it.

Recently I submitted a very fair short sale offer to a national lender and they countered the offer at 100% higher.  The value of the property just isn’t there and won’t be worth what they want for more than 5 years. So I asked them, now what?  The answer was, let us refer you to the department that handles deed’s in lieu of foreclosure.  They “may” or may not accept that.  This property was marketed for months with incremental price reductions until we got an offer.  That is the value of this property in the buyer’s eye.  The lender says no.  I reminded them that in Maryland it could take 600 days to complete the foreclosure process.  They don’t seem to care.

I know, this is one incident but I have others where lenders refuse to deal with short sales, modifications and eventually sellers find themselves in foreclosure.  It’s down right stupid.  I even read that some lenders are offering sellers cash rewards to do short sales.  Wow!  How about just taking a reasonable offer?  My seller wasn’t offered anything but a hard time.

I would love to share your experience with a short sale you are involved with.  Contact me to post your story.

Contact me to get started on marketing your home.

Short Sale approval times may be changing in June according to directives by the Federal Housing Finance Agency.  This agency is the regulator for Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, two of the nations largest lenders.

They are striving to enhance procedures for expediting short sales, deeds-for lease and deeds-in-lieu of foreclosure.

The agency is also trying  assert additional changes that will focus on borrower eligibility for the process as well as simplifying documentation and keeping an eye on fraud mitigation.

The nations biggest lenders are requiring servicer s to try and get time-frames to 30 days but will require a solution in 60 days.  For those of us that have experienced 6 month waiting periods this would be a relief.

I am skeptical.  Both lenders have been under the microscope for years and have not really improved the process. Open communication with agents in the field trying to solve short sale issues for clients remain a tremendous roadblock.

If you are facing a difficult housing situation, don’t panic, things move slowly.  You should take the time to educate yourself on the process.  Talk openly with your lender and understand your options.  Contact an attorney who specializes in this area of the law. Patience is key and as slow as the industry moves, time is on your side.  Read my blog post regarding short sales and attorneys.

To Short Sell or Deed-In Lieu

If you have tried selling, tried negotiating, tried to restructure your loan and have had no luck, it may be time to offer the lender a deed-in-lieu of foreclosure.  Basically you are nicely saying, “here, take the house, here are the keys, I want out”.  Closure is important in this tragic process of loosing a home.  Many people I have talked to are so fatigued by the process of trying to get a short sale approved, they just want to throw up their hands and walk out.  Maybe thats ok, but there is a process in place to attempt that type of walk away.  It’s a legal process where you the seller sign the deed to your home over to the bank without the bank having to go through the foreclosure process.  With the proper legal counsel you may find that is the right course of action for you.

If I can help you in anyway, I will be glad to discuss your situation by phone or in person.  Feel free to call.

In one week a family that had seen my home in the past came back for a second round.  Within two days I had an offer for my home.

Read the staging tips below to sell your home fast in any market.

10 Home Staging Tips to Make Your Listing Look like a Model Home

By Julea Joseph, Reinventing Space

[Reposted with permission from Reinventing Space blog.]

What is it about model homes that make them so appealing? Is it the freshness of all new; is it the sassy paint colors, the perfectly placed furniture, art and accessories or the beautiful groomed backyard that makes you want to plop right down on that comfy club chair?

Well…. Yes to all the above.

From blue print to drawer pulls, that model home is meticulously planned by builders and skilled professionals to make it beautiful.

Models homes are lovely because they have the latest and the greatest, are fresh and new, and are meticulously detailed. Psychology–more than decorating–is applied to make them look so fabulous.

So how can you make your next listing as appealing as a model home? Here are 10 ways.

1. Clean. Those nice angled vacuum lines, gleaming windows, and perfectly manicured lawns in model homes speak to a potential buyer: You don’t have to do a thing. Translate that into: A little elbow grease goes a long way.

A super clean home says “turnkey” to the potential buyer. Have every inch of the home, blind slats to porch light glass, super clean and perfectly coiffed. According to a national 2011 survey done by Home Gain, a $290 cleaning investment gives a $1,990 price increase, or a 586 percent return!

2. Fresh and smells good. People buy homes on emotion, and your five senses are a direct path to your brain. If a home smells and looks “funky,” “doggy,” “smoky,” or if the stove is coated with cooking gone bad: The home is off their list.

Just like you would detail your car to sell it, invest in clean and spotless carpets, patched, repaired and freshly painted walls, and new appliances if the old have seen better days. Be wary to skip this step and take the low road with room refreshers, candles, and stove burner covers. Potential buyers are not fooled.

3. Color. Any advertising executive will tell you color is a key to properly packaging a product, and a listed home is just that, a product. Throw away the off-white manta of old school home staging rules. Welcome to the era of HGTV. Using color is a powerful and inexpensive way of making that home stand out from the rest, and with so many decorating TV shows boasting the benefits of color, you better get hip to hues.

From the first Web impressions to curb appeal, color is a strong emotional tug for the potential buyer. Update yourself on the latest color trends in wall color, appliance, fixtures, etc., and apply it to your target buyer. For home staging, use earthy, calm tones for the bigger areas, such as wall color, and add pops of saturated colors in the details; such as front doors, accessories, or annuals.

4. Make space. The joy of a model home is the acres and acres of unused storage space and beautifully organized closets. Reduce, organize, upscale, and edit all of the home’s spaces when it comes to closets and storage areas. If the home’s price point dictates, upscale the closets with custom organizing options.

5. Clear a path. Consider that many people with be walking through the home. Make sure traffic patterns, entrances, and exits are well established. Too much furniture, undefined entrances, and awkward walkways confuse and discourage buyers from moving about the property. Follow a model home’s lead and create a concise walking pattern for potential buyers starting at curbside to back fence.

6. Lovely layouts. From the landscape to furniture placement, take a clue from models homes that continuity and flow make for a good mix. Create curb appeal with nicely maintained landscaping, added annuals and perennials, an inviting stoop and well-groomed walkways and driveways. Inside, make sure each room depicts what its function is, enhances the highlights of the room (i.e. fireplaces or upgrades), and allows the buyer to envision themselves in the space.

7. Set the mood. Create ambiance and character in the home with well-thought out placement of sensory and lifestyle components. Soft music, lighting on dimmers, candles lit, and fresh floral are all great ideas for broker or open houses. If you have a concern about candles, battery operated candles that even have timers built in are now readily available. Stage the dining room table tastefully, or set the stage in a back yard with a detailed patio retreat. Offering helpful lifestyle hints has always been a tool in the model home arsenal and always is a huge hit.

8. K.I.S.S. On the opposite note, don’t over accessorize, go over-board with the lifestyle tips, or create “store bought theme” rooms (i.e. Chef-with-a-Hat Kitchen or Anniversary Bathtub vignette complete with Champagne bottle and fake ivy).

9. Appeal to a target buyer. Model home builders hire tony marketing companies that create campaigns to market that home. Consider “WHO” the ideal buyer that will be interested in the property is, and market the property accordingly. From advertising photos to furniture, consider who will find this appealing and desirable.

10. Market, market, market. Model homes have great marketing incentives inside and out. From clear address markers, great signs, to small exit giveaways, to an exit survey. Market that listing to the fullest.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Interior stylist Julea Joseph produces the blog “Reinventing Space” and is a home stager and interior designer based in Chicago. Joseph launched her home design business, Reinventing the Space, in 1999. She also stages model homes for builders and has appeared on HGTV’s “My First Place.” Learn more about Joseph at her web site and blog.