Testimonial
First of all, we'd like to extend our heartfelt thanks and appreciation for Jackie's professional handling of the sale of our house. Before entering the market, we didn't realize that there was such a difference among realtors. Our experience with Jackie has changed our view completely. Jackie showed sensitivity and confidence that far exceeded other realtors we had worked with earlier.
Jackie was very honest, sweet natured and calming.
She gave us a remarkable presentation about her plan to market, list and sell our home. She understood the ever-changing market, did a detailed market analysis and provided us a folder (with a picture of our house on the cover) containing all materials for different stages of house selling. She advised us how best to present our home to prospective buyers. Once listed on the multiple listing service, she immediately notified others realtors of the listing. She gave our listing great exposure through neighborhood mailings and an online virtual tour, which was invaluable for out-of-town lookers.
We are particularly impressed with Jackie's negotiation skills during buyer's offer presentation. She was patient and calm. She spoke softly, but with well-chosen words & full of details/stats. It was obvious that the buyer's agent was impressed as well. We relocated soon after the house went under contract. Jackie ran the rest of home-selling process on our behalf: the inspection, finding handy man/overseeing repairs, pro-actively being present for appraisal, being present for buyer's walkthrough, etc. Everyday she relayed information and feed-back to us. We felt as if we were her only clients because of the many hours and attentions to details she managed to provide. We won't forget our phone calls and her assurance that everything would be all right.
We highly recommend Jackie. She is a very hardworking/ knowledgeable agent who goes above and beyond to help, and would certainly bring successful results to her clients.
Yan Liu and Hong Zhao
Home Staging:
Banish the clutter! Paint the walls! Hide your beanie baby collection! Put away the family photographs! Trim the bushes! What do you need to do to make your home ready to be put on the market for sale? Here are a few tips and ideas for creating a great first impression to buyers.
1. Clean, Organize, De-Clutter. The very first things you have to do. You’re going to be packing when you move, so get a head start. Pack away the things you don’t need right now and give away the rest of them. Organize everything else. The more space in a closet – the bigger it looks!
2. Repairs. Look around your home both inside and out. Mend, repair, repaint, replace. The more pristine your home can look, the higher the return when it comes to your sales price.
3. Kitchens. One of the most important rooms in the house for many buyers. Counter tops should be as clear as possible. Take the magnets and photos off the refrigerator so that it doesn’t draw the eye to it. And don’t store things on top of the refrigerator – it screams to the buyers “we don’t have enough space.” Clean and arrange the cabinets. The kitchen needs to appear large, clean and functional.
4. Bathrooms. Here’s another hot button for buyers. Make it as bare as possible – never leave personal toilet items out. Make it clean and co-ordinated.
5. Depersonalize. Your family photos, personal collections, etc. are your business. Buyers are more attracted to your home when they have room to imagine their things inside the house. You can still make the house look lived in with pillows and ornaments but the trophies, certificates and souvenirs should be packed away.
6. Bring the light in. Most buyers are looking for a bright and welcoming home. Open the blinds and drapes to let in the natural light, turn on lights and make your home welcoming.
I like to give my Sellers my 450 Ideas books which will help with getting your home ready for the market. It’s a guide – you don’t have to do all 450 of them!! Ask me about it.
