During the month of December, homes up and down neighborhood streets are decorated from the roof line to the mailbox in Holiday lights, statues and the latest inflatables.  For a home on the market, a more scaled back approach should be taken.

Remember that your home is a product that is being marketed to a wide range of people – some of which may or may not share your beliefs or traditions for the Holidays.  To maximize your curb appeal this December, avoid large yard and tree ornaments, fake snow and candy cane bordered driveways.  Keep it simple – a few lights on the exterior and maybe a wreath on the door is enough to bring Holiday cheer without distracting potential buyers.

Keeping it simple on the inside of your home this Holiday Season is just as important.  Remember less is more when it comes to Real Estate Staging!  Some families like to collect and display Nativity Scenes, Holiday Villages or Santa, his reindeer and elves; these should be kept at a small scale or not displayed at all.  Do not clutter the shelves, countertops or stairways with decorations – you want to maximize the “space” in your home.  If you display a tree, make sure that it is set up in an out of the way place and the size is proportionate to the space.  A tree that is too large or intrusive to an entry or walking path can make these spaces seem smaller than they really are.

The Holiday Season is a great time to use cinnamon or vanilla scents in your home for a cozy and welcoming feel for potential buyers when they walk in the door.  Remember to only use a few of these strategically placed scented air fresheners in your home.

Remember that all Holiday decorations should be packed away by New Year’s for optimal selling success.

Home Staging – 6 Tips for Great Curb Appeal

First impressions are so important for Home Staging in a saturated market!  Make sure your home stands out from the rest starting with the view of your home from the street.  If you follow these tips,  you are sure to have great curb appeal and will bring more buyers to your door.  It is important that you complete these things before your home is listed and photographed to ensure the best results.

-Make sure the yard is in good condition – the lawn is green and mowed, keep the bushes and trees trimmed and the weeds pulled. Don’t forget those ant hills – nobody likes fire ants!

-Make sure there aren’t any items lying around like toys, tools or even the garden hose.

-Extra vehicles or boats and RV’s should be temporarily parked in storage so that the view of your home remains un-obstructed.

-Keep your trash cans and recycle bins hidden from the street and far away from the front door so smells don’t greet your potential buyers.

-For those homeowners with a pool, make sure the water level is right, the water is clear and blue and that any debris is removed from the bottom and from floating on top.

-Make sure to have any repairs complete and if necessary power wash the siding, fence and driveway, remove rusty water stains or paint the exterior before the home is listed.

If you follow these 6 tips,  you are sure to have great curb appeal for Home  Staging and will attract more buyers to your door.

Property Management Services



Weekly Check Up

Our Property Managers perform a weekly 25-point inspection from the roofline to the foundation making sure that your home is in perfect condition while you are away.  Any issues that are found will be immediately taken care of by licensed and insured local professionals.

Hurricane Season Prep and Breakdown

The months of June through November are Hurricane Season in Florida.  Our team will help you prepare your home by hanging hurricane shutters, trimming trees, bringing in patio furniture and a host of other things that should be checked or maintained before a storm.   If a storm does hit our area, our team will arrange for clean up and repair of any damage to your home.  When Hurricane Season is over, our team will remove shutters, clean your windows and replace your patio furniture.

Property Maintenance

Owning a home has many responsibilities – we can make life easier with a Maintenance Package that suits your specific needs.  Whether you’re in town or away for the summer we can provide lawn and pool care, A/C filter maintenance, housekeeping, laundry and much more.

Concierge Services

Are you too busy to take care of the little things?  We’ve got you covered!  Our Property Management team can stock your refrigerator, arrange for airport pick up/drop off, take care of your dry-cleaning, make appointments, mail and package pick up and almost anything else you can think of.  Take the hassle out of your visit and relax!

Selling a home in today’s market can take longer than expected if you don’t devise a plan to make your home stand out from the rest.  Make the commitment to view your home as product that is in competition with other products, and it will pay off.  Our professional Real Estate Staging service will give you the competitive edge needed for a faster sale with a higher asking price. CALL US BEFORE YOU PUT YOUR HOUSE ON THE MARKET!

What is Real Estate Staging?

Contrary to the popular belief that Real Estate Staging is just about adding furniture and accessories to a home, it actually involves more about knowledge and expertise on how to make your home more marketable and desirable.

Key elements to staging a home involve fixing issues that detract buyers, enhancing the important features of your home as well as creating a feeling of warmth and welcome.

What can Staging do for you and how can it help to sell your home fast?

Reduce your monthly expenses: By making your home a marketable product that appeals to many buyers increases your chances of finding a buyer faster and reduces your expenses sooner rather than later.

Get their attention: Making your home memorable and inviting helps your home stand out among the many homes available in today’s saturated market.

Get a higher price for your home: Investing a few dollars to improve the look of your home can mean big returns in the price your home sells for. When buyers “LOVE” a house they will pay more money for it over another house that didn’t create that same feeling.

Listen Now to our Real Estate Staging Tips on the Real Estate Hot Sheet with Kelly Fisher on WTTB am1490

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STATISTICS SHOW STAGING WORKS!

• Homes that were staged spent 78% less time on the market than non-staged homes.

• Staged homes spend on average 60 days on the market compared to non staged homes which spend on average over 200 days on the market.

• Sellers saw on average a 586% return on their investment in Real Estate Staging.

• 98% of Real Estate Agents recommend Staging to their sellers.

• 63% of Buyers are more likely to purchase a home and will pay more for a home that is move-in ready.

• Average asking price of a home increases 8% to 10% after improvements are made.

This is the fun part of the job!  Paint colors, fabrics, furniture and window treatments – just to name a few – are all part of the Interior Decorating aspect of a project.  Knowing how to blend colors, patterns, textures and styles together for a flawless look is just as important as being able to interpret our client’s personal style into a design.

Interior Decorating focuses on harmonizing interior finishes and styles with each other and the existing architectural space.  The goal is to create a certain “feel” for the room that meets the client’s personal style and needs.  Clients are often unsure of what their personal style is – this is where the talents of the Designer come in handy.  Spending time talking about likes and dislikes about color, patterns and styles help the Designer determine your individual style.

It takes a lot of skill to design a room without it looking “designed”.  A common mistake is to make everything match.  This technique has been encouraged by big box stores that sell “room packages” for a single price.  A good design has a well balanced eclectic look with a common thread of design style.

Another common mistake in decorating is to follow design trends and to disregard the classic and timeless designs that have remained the same throughout the years.  A talented Designer will blend in a few of the trendy pieces with the timeless pieces so that the look isn’t dated in five years.  Longevity of your investment is important – unless of course you have a new budget every few years to change your space.

Don’t make costly mistakes!  Hire a professional to assist you in making your investment remain timeless.  Contact Designer Tiffany Sweeney to begin the process at 772-226-7035.

Involving more than just the pretty things, Residential Interior Design requires knowledge and experience in project management, space planning, construction, materials and building codes.  When combined these tools help to provide a comprehensive plan that will make a project run more smoothly with fewer costly mistakes.

Interior design involves thoughtful integration of every aspect of the home’s functionality, aesthetics and architecture.  Thus creating an environment that improves the quality of life, increases productivity and protects the health, safety and welfare of the client.

Too many times hiring a Residential Interior Designer is the last thought for homeowners when renovating or building a home.  The idea that hiring an architect or builder is enough can lead to forgotten aspects that were never considered.  Architects are trained to make sure the overall structural design of the home is safe, proportionate and pleasing to the eye.  Licensed Contractors and Builders are focused on following local building permit regulations and providing a good quality finished product on time and within budget.

Residential Interior Designers ensure that details like windows, walls, electrical and plumbing locations along with durable materials will work well for the client and easily integrate the furniture plan and window treatments designed for the home.  Getting a Residential Interior Designer involved early on in the project can ensure that these details are not overlooked.

Residential Interior Designers are not Architects or Engineers and cannot design a building or provide drawings for permitting.  Residential Interior Designers are not required to carry a State License to practice Residential Interior Design.  An Interior Designer is only required to have a State License if they are to perform Interior Design on nonresidential structures.

To learn more about Florida’s Interior Design Licensing laws and regulations visit http://www.myfloridalicense.com/dbpr/pro/arch/index.html.