Articles by John D. Mangano on ArticleSnatch.com

Prepare your Home for Sale

Thu, 09 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Home Staging is not just about decor and design. It is about presenting your home to its very best appearance while on the market. A nicely staged home is not going to look good if it has years of deferred maintenance. Use the preparation checklist below to address problem areas of your home. Exterior 1. The Yard Remove all weeds from flowerbeds, rocks, & cracks in concrete. Add new mulch in all beds around the yard. Monkey hair is easy to use and gives the yard a fresh sophisticated look. Plant yellow flowers or group flowerpots together. Yellow evokes a buying emotion. Cut the Grass Diagonal- by cutting in a diagonal pattern, it makes the lawn appear longer and wider. Trim bushes & trees removing all dead limbs & debris. Add fertilizer/ greening agent to lawn & plants. 2. Decks, Patios, Driveways, Porches & Fences Power wash driveways & sidewalks. Patch holes & cracks. Remove stains. Replace any broken areas. Paint or stain fences & decks. Arrange outdoor furniture & firewood neatly. Put away all lawn equipment, bikes, & toys. 3. House Inspect all exterior elements of home: gutters, downspouts, siding, windows sashes, trim, & shutters. **End Summary** Topics: home staging]]> staging]]> stager]]> stagers]]> house staging]]> home stagers]]> staging to sell]]> staging-house]]> ]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Author, John Mangano, is a professional home staging author for the Home Staging Channel.com. The Home Staging Channel.com is a website dedicated to offering the do it yourselfer home stagingÂ tips andÂ ideas on how to stage a home for sale. To learn more about home staging visit us on the web.

Home Staging Tips: What Buyers Need to See from the Curb

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Increasing curb appeal does not always mean adding elements and sometimes necessitates removing them. Take pictures of your house and view them in color then black and white. Doing this helps to see things differently and spot problem areas. An element of home staging is creating curb appeal that makes a home stand out from the rest of the competition. Step 1 Tackle all of the cleaning projects first, then repairs, and lastly, accessories. In this way you won't end up working over problem areas and merely cover them up but will actually restore your home to the way it was meant to be. Step 2 Let's start at the street and walk in with our guests to see what they see. One of the first things that will catch the eye is a mailbox. If yours is shabby, fix it up. This can be done by simply getting a new one or by painting the old one, adding new house numbers, topping the post with a metal post cap or surrounding it with flowers. Step 3 If you're going for quaint, nothing does the trick better than a white picket fence. **End Summary** Topics: Home Staging]]> Staging]]> Stager]]> Stagers]]> house staging]]> designed to sell]]> design to sell]]> home stager]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Take advantage of the great home staging and home decorating articles and videos we have on our site. They'll help you create a home that looks great right from the start. Subscribe to our feeds so you get all our new content as soon as it goes live on the site.

Home Staging Fundamentals

Fri, 03 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Professional home staging has become big business in recent years. Professional stagers can charge fees ranging from $500 for consultations to $5,000 for a full service staging. If your budget is too tight to fit a professional stager, there are a few simple ways that you can stage your house yourself. Step 1 Remove clutter from your home. If possible, pack up everything that you are taking with you, aside from essentials like your clothes and furniture; rent a storage locker or store items in your basement or garage. Now is the time to pack up all your knickknacks, photos, souvenirs and fridge magnets. Step 2 Clean from top to bottom. If possible, hire professional cleaners to do this. Otherwise rally together friends and family and make a concerted effort to clean everything in the house. Don't forget those dusty corners, baseboards and appliances. It is important to make sure that everything shines, including your windows. Step 3 Make minor repairs. Now is the time to patch holes, fix leaky faucets, replace light bulbs and any other of the little annoyances that you have gotten used to. **End Summary** Topics: home staging]]> staging]]> stager]]> stagers]]> house staging]]> home stagers]]> staging to sell]]> staging-house]]> ]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Take advantage of the great home staging and home decorating articles and videos we have on our site. They'll help you create a home that looks great right from the start. Subscribe to our feeds so you get all our new content as soon as it goes live on the site.

Home Selling: Top Selling Mistakes

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400

My Home Just Won't Sell 1. Over Pricing •By far, the worst home selling mistake a seller can make is hanging the wrong price tag on a home. If the home is priced too high, buyers won't look at it. If it's priced too low, sellers worry that they'll give away profits. •Pricing a home to sell is an art. Part of the market value is based on comparable sales, but other factors to consider include market movement, demand, the home's location and its condition. •If the home is overpriced, buyers might submit lowball offers, which tend to result in an immediate offer rejection. These extremely low offers tend to infuriate and insult sellers. •Some agents deliberately overstate the value of a home and push a seller to sign an overpriced listing. There are many reasons why agents do this, but the bottom line is sellers lose a competitive edge when later reducing the price. Sellers who "test the market" get stung. 2. Property is Not Properly Staged •In the real estate industry today, there is a much greater awareness than ever before of the need for home staging. **End Summary** Topics: home staging]]> staging]]> stagers]]> home decorating]]> homestaging]]> designed to sell]]> design to sell]]> stag]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Take advantage of the great home staging and home decorating articles and videos we have on our site. They'll help you create a home that looks great right from the start. Subscribe to our feeds so you get all our new content as soon as it goes live on the site.

Cleaning Tips: Green Carpet Clean

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Carpeting can be a beautiful and comfortable addition to a house, making it look fancy and giving your feet that happy feeling they deserve. But when that carpet gets dirty it can be a scarlet letter on your entire house, not to mention a hazard to your lung health. It's very important to keep your carpeting clean. Professional cleaning is worthwhile but how does one choose what type of cleaning to get? Not all cleaners are healthy and safe. Some commercial carpet-cleaning companies use products that are very dangerous. These are particularly risky for young children, elderly people, pets and people with diseases. These products can be so harmful that it would be better to leave the carpet filled with dirt and bacteria. You may be wondering what could be so bad about these products. Well, a lot of traditional cleaners have alkalines, bleach, dye, disinfectants and/or harsh enzymes. These can all be toxic. Dry carpet cleaners use butyloxy ethanol which is also called buytl cellosolve. Butyl, has been found to cause damage to the central nervous system, liver and kidneys. Dry carpet cleaners may also include perchloroethylene, which can also damage the liver and kidneys. **End Summary** Topics: home staging]]> staging]]> stagers]]> home decorating]]> homestaging]]> designed to sell]]> design to sell]]> stag]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Take advantage of the great home staging and home decorating articles and videos we have on our site. They'll help you create a home that looks great right from the start. Subscribe to our feeds so you get all our new content as soon as it goes live on the site.

Home Staging Checklist

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Home Staging is not just about decor and design. It is about presenting your home to its very best appearance while on the market. A nicely staged home is not going to look good if it has years of deferred maintenance. Use the preparation checklist below to address problem areas of your home. Exterior 1. The Yard * Remove all weeds from flowerbeds, rocks, & cracks in concrete. * Add new mulch in all beds around the yard. Monkey hair is easy to use and gives the yard a fresh sophisticated look. * Plant yellow flowers or group flowerpots together. Yellow evokes a buying emotion. * Cut the Grass Diagonal- by cutting in a diagonal pattern, it makes the lawn appear longer and wider. * Trim bushes & trees removing all dead limbs & debris. * Add fertilizer/ greening agent to lawn & plants. 2. Decks, Patios, Driveways, Porches & Fences * Power wash driveways & sidewalks. * Patch holes & cracks. * Remove stains. * Replace any broken areas. * Paint or stain fences & decks. * Arrange outdoor furniture & firewood neatly. * Put away all lawn equipment, bikes, & toys. 3. **End Summary** Topics: Home Staging]]> Sell my house fast]]> Stage my home]]> Real estate tips]]> easy furniture]]> home design]]> desi]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Take advantage of the great home staging and home decorating articles and videos we have on our site. They'll help you create a home that looks great right from the start. Subscribe to our feeds so you get all our new content as soon as it goes live on the site.

Home Cleaning Tips: How to Eliminate Pet Odors

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400

When showing a house to potential buyers, you want it to not only look good but smell nice, too. If your house has lingering pet odors, that alone could turn buyers away. One of the first things to handle when doing a home staging project is pet odors. Here's how! Start at the beginning. Always try to clean up pet messes right away. However, if it's already gotten out of hand, have no fear, for we are here to give you the solution. For carpeting - First you need to locate the specific problem areas. Sometimes this is easier said than done. If so, a good way to find them is to turn off the lights and use a black-light to illuminate them. After you've found the spots, clean your carpet. There are a few methods here. You can rent or buy a water-extraction machine or a carpet-shampoo machine and use this with cool water (don't use chemicals or cleaners). Then there's also the usual steam cleaning for non-urine pet odors. Now that your carpet is clean, put a light coating of an enzyme-based odor neutralizer on it. **End Summary** Topics: Home Staging]]> Sell my house fast]]> Stage my home]]> Real estate tips]]> easy furniture]]> home design]]> desi]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Take advantage of the great home staging and home decorating articles and videos we have on our site. They'll help you create a home that looks great right from the start. Subscribe to our feeds so you get all our new content as soon as it goes live on the site.

Home Selling Strategies. What Buyers Need to See from the Curb

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Increasing curb appeal does not always mean adding elements and sometimes necessitates removing them. Take pictures of your house and view them in color then black and white. Doing this helps to see things differently and spot problem areas. Tackle all of the cleaning projects first, then repairs, and lastly, accessories. In this way you won't end up working over problem areas and merely cover them up but will actually restore your home to the way it was meant to be. Let's start at the street and walk in with our guests to see what they see. One of the first things that will catch the eye is a mailbox. If yours is shabby, fix it up. This can be done by simply getting a new one or by painting the old one, adding new house numbers, topping the post with a metal post cap or surrounding it with flowers. If you're going for quaint, nothing does the trick better than a white picket fence. There are different styles that each have their own unique feel. Taller style fencing can be used to give more privacy in a neighborhood where one is very close to one' **End Summary** Topics: Home Staging]]> Sell my house fast]]> Stage my home]]> Real estate tips]]> easy furniture]]> home design]]> desi]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Take advantage of the great home staging , home decorating articles and videos we have on our site. They'll help you create a home that looks great right from the start. Subscribe to our feeds so you get all our new content as soon as it goes live on the site.

Home Staging Tips: Spruce Up the Entryway

Thu, 02 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400

When staging your home to sell, focus on getting your door in tiptop shape. This is the first door that buyers will walk through when viewing your home. Studies have shown that the one place buyers stand the longest is at the front entrance, waiting for their agent to open the door. Potential buyers have a chance to glance around and form an opinion even before the door is open and they step a foot into the house. The following home staging ideas will help you upgrade the look of your front door so that you offer a great first impression of your humble abode. Step 1 Cleanliness makes a good first impression. This is a cheap fix that can make a big difference and only requires some soap, water, and elbow grease. Wash down the front door as well as the storm door. Don't forget to clean the handles and trim to a nice shine. Wash the front windows and the screens, too. Dirty windows and screens can make your house look instantly dark and dingy. Clean the porch light, mailbox, even the siding! Step 2 Repaint or stain the front door. **End Summary** Topics: Home Staging]]> Sell my house fast]]> Stage my home]]> Real estate tips]]> easy furniture]]> home design]]> desi]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Take advantage of the great home staging , home decorating articles and videos we have on our site. They'll help you create a home that looks great right from the start. Subscribe to our feeds so you get all our new content as soon as it goes live on the site.

Home Staging Tips: Lawn and Garden

Wed, 01 Jul 2009 00:00:00 -0400

Home Staging isn't just about the interior, its also about the exterior as well. Outdoor staging is one of the best ways to bring buyers into your home, as most buyers will drive by your house first to see if they want to check out the inside. A mowed lawn and some shrubbery or flowers will go a long way! There are some gardening tips you should know before you get started. A yard with many trees will have a lot of leaves falling, making work for you in raking. This can get expensive when you have to buy all those leaf bags. A great way to cut down the amount of bags you'll need is to fill an outdoor trash can halfway with the leaves you've raked. Then, insert your grass trimmer into the trash can and shred the leaves. This gives you more room in the leaf bags, about twice as much actually, saving you money! In any yard, insects can pose a major problem. Ladybugs are a natural insect control system that can save you money on insecticides. Make sure they have a place to hibernate so they'll stick around for next year. **End Summary** Topics: Home Staging]]> Sell my house fast]]> Stage my home]]> Real estate tips]]> easy furniture]]> home design]]> desi]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Home Staging Channel has a wealth of useful home staging tools, tips, videos, and much-much more!Â Â Peruse threw our articles and even "stage a room" with our room planner.Â As home sales decline and a record number of for-sale houses cram the market, more sellers are turning to home staging to make their properties stand out.

10 Green Updates that Buyers Want

Tue, 23 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0400

1. Compact Fluorescent (CF) Lights One inexpensive and easy-to-implement idea is to consider converting the light bulbs in the house from incandescent to compact fluorescent (CF). CF lights will save the homeowner $30 in energy costs over the lifetime of a single bulb. CF bulbs use 75% less energy to produce the same amount of light. Because they are also cooler, producing only 25% of the heat of a conventional light bulb, they save even more energy by decreasing the workload on the air conditioner. 2. Programmable Thermostats Programmable thermostats can save $150 in energy costs per year by adjusting temperature settings to save energy while homeowners are away or sleeping. 3. Ceiling Fans Ceiling fans can reduce heating and cooling costs. Ceiling fans that are reversible can either draw warm air up to the ceiling, or push warm air near the ceiling down lower to the floor. Running the air conditioner less means decreased energy consumption, and therefore lower utility costs. In winter, with the fan circulating the air in a downward motion, the fan does circulate warm air downward. The benefit may be offset, however, by the air movement. **End Summary** Topics: Home Staging]]> Home Staging Tips]]> Home Staging Ideas]]> Real Estate Tips]]> Real Estate]]> Home Selling Tip]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> View â 10 Home Updates that Payoff â at the Home Staging Channel.

10 Ways to Increase Traffic

Tue, 09 Jun 2009 00:00:00 -0400

After your home is prepared and staged for sale. Consider some of these marketing tactics for a quik sale. Do not do these tactics without properly preparing and staging your home for sale- These marketing tactics wll not work. Step 1 Make Your Home Easy to Show At a minimum, your MLS listing should read "call first, lockbox." The "call first" is to let you know that a buyer or agent is coming over. If you request appointments hang a "by appointment only" sign on your sign post or ask that agents / buyers tour only during certain hours, agents will likely show another listing that isn't so restrictive. Don't require that your own agent be present to show because your agent cannot possibly be available 24 hours a day. Step 2 Use a Lockbox Lockboxes allow agents to show your home if you are not home. If you do not answer your phone, the agent should leave a message and go directly to show. If you live in a gated complex, put the lockbox on or near the outside gate with the gate code inside. Step 3 Offer a Competitive Buyer' **End Summary** Topics: Home Staging]]> Home Staging Tips]]> Home Staging Ideas]]> Real Estate Tips]]> Real Estate]]> Home Selling Tip]]>]]> About the Author: ]]> Home Staging Channel has a wealth of useful home staging tools, tips, videos, and much-much more!Â Â Peruse threw our articles and even "stage a room" with our room planner -Â save, print or email to a friend.