Home Staging: Three (3) Things To Consider Before Hiring A Home Staging Professional

Selling homes is more than just employing the help of a realtor in enlisting your property, finding a buyer and sealing the contract. It also entails prepping your house in the most appealing way possible for a quick and successful transaction.

What To Consider Before Hiring A Home Staging Professional

There are several reasons why you should hire a professional. One is that his expertise can showcase the finest features of your residence in a way that it can compete with other new houses for sale in the Philippine market. If implemented properly, the value of your PH property can increase consequently. He can make the buying process faster too with his recommendations and technical suggestions.

If you’re a seller who is having second thoughts about seeking a home stager, here are some items to consider before you make a final decision.

1.       Identify the current condition of your residence. When was it built and how long has it been inhabited? How big is your space? Its physical state and size can very well dictate the amount of work that needs to be done. Are your interiors and exteriors still in good form? Do you need to repaint the walls or will cleaning and de-cluttering do? Assess the volume of required repairs. Do you need to change the carpet? Are the rooms suitable enough or do they need to be furnished too? Determine the areas that call for an upgrade and renovation. What do you do with the items you do not use anymore? Can you make big cash out of it? Gauge when is the best time to hold a garage sale.

2.       Evaluate which tasks you can do by yourself. Do remember that the whole procedure may demand a lot of your hours and skills as well. Can you handle the stress? For instance, have you set a target date of showing yet? With the bulk of work ahead of you, can you ready it on time if you were to do it all alone? Have you given thought on how you can highlight each room with minimal cost? What paint colors should you choose? Will it complement well with the rest of the interior?

3.       Determine your budget. While it seems easy to let a professional take care of the entire scenario, the question remains – can you afford his fee? Perhaps, you can do away with a consultant as a cheaper alternative.

Home Staging: Five (5) Steps In Turning Your Personal Photo Collection Into An Artwork

Anybody in the real estate industry knows the importance of prepping the home for a sell. It can easily seal the deal if prospective buyers see the property pleasant and homely enough or it can quickly break the transaction if they find something undesirable about it. Needless to say, it has become a requirement nowadays for future homesellers to stage their houses in the best ways imaginable.

Home Staging: How To Turn Your Personal Photo Collection Into An Artwork

One mistake to avoid during this phase is putting too much personality around the house. Keep in mind that each and every buyer must be able to visualize himself/herself as the owner and he/she will not be able to do that if he/she is surrounded with family photos as constant reminders that this is your residence. One trick then is to remove these traces and create a neutral vision similar to those applied in a luxury hotel that are both comforting and attractive yet depersonalized.

Learn how you can turn those photo collections into an artwork. Here are five (5) steps to follow through.

1.       Create a quick inventory of your personal mementos. Survey your surroundings and inspect which corners of your new house for sale have evidence of the current inhabitants – picture frames in the living room, photo albums in the entertainment section, picture collage in the library and so on. 

2.       Take them down and segregate. If there are wall pictures in the bedroom, put it down. Or set aside in one corner all framed photos of your kids in your home office. Bring them altogether and categorize according to usage and frames. For instance, those that go into the walls as decors, put them on one side. Those that can be found on top of side tables, place them on the other side. Separate based on the types of frames used – some may be made of metallic materials, others, of wood.

3.       Stick to one type of frame. Since the objective is to convert it into an artwork, consistency is the key then. Find one type that is neutral and consistent both in color and design and focus on using that to display all over your PH property for sale. Get their dimensions – is it 4 x 6, 5 x 7 or 8 x 10?

4.       Find pictures in the internet, resize and print them depending on the size of the frame. Stick to images that highlight landscape, nature, trees and flowers all in black and white. You may opt for colored ones if it works better with your interiors. Use software like Photoshop to edit them so it will fit the generic frame that you have on hand.

5.       Set these images on top of your personal portraits and position them strategically all over your residence. Do remember to keep them as balanced as possible. For example, your wall collection is all about beautiful settings in the country side – rivers, mountains and trees. Then out of nowhere, there’s a big-eyed baby included in the collage. Avoid inserting items that are out-of-theme and do not go well with the concept you are trying to depict.

Home Staging: Four (4) Secrets To Staging Your Bathroom Like A Luxury Spa

The golden rule when staging a house is to make it as appealing as possible to prospective homebuyers. This includes keeping it clean, neat and homely with enough storage space and legroom to give a comforting feel and atmosphere. How your house looks can give a lasting impression to every person who visits it and buyers are no exception.

How To Stage Your Bathroom To Feel Like A Luxury Spa

Bathrooms are one of the many home features that a potential buyer initially checks on when searching for properties for sale. It is safe to say then that it can be a deal breaker if not staged properly.

Here are some tips to transform your bathroom into a luxury spa. Learn how you can maximize each element to portray a simple and tasteful yet soothing spa-like experience.

1.      Decorations and Ambience. The secret lies to the decorations so as to create an aura similar to those found in spas. When you think of spa, you usually associate it with water and nature.

o    Plants. Start by incorporating life and adding greeneries to your condo bath – put in some fresh flowers like orchids or aloe vera on transparent vases and have them placed by the sink, tub or window. Scatter decorative twigs and berries on the top shelf.

o    Sea-inspired items. Bring in the feeling of being by the beach through shells, starfish and pebbles decoration.

o    Curtains and rugs. Get rid of the traditional shower curtains and replace them with something more flowing and relaxing to the eyes. Cover the floors with rugs that have ethnic vibes on it.

o    Toiletries. Ideally, there should be no trace or indication that there is someone living in your residence during the tour. However, you can give an illusion of being in a luxurious suite or resort by organizing the bath products on one corner. Ensure that they are all new and unused. Have a basket or glass jars for unwrapped soap bars and cotton balls. You can also drop some flower petals around the area.

2.      Towels and Robes. Pick towels that are ultra-white and organic during the touring event. You can roll them like in real spas and situate them near the sink; store them up in baskets by the floor or fold them up on a bamboo or wooden tray. Have some wash cloths readily available too. Slip a fluffy white robe on a padded hanger and place them within reach.

3.      Scents. Putting scented candles in various heights and sizes creates a serene mood. Also, get some natural aroma oils like rose, vanilla or lavender that can be added to the water for a more romantic smell.

4.      Lighting. Position some lamps that have soft lights in a couple of corners around the room. If your window needs replacement, opt for something where the glass can let in the light but can protect your privacy at the same time.

Home Staging: Five (5) Kitchen Upgrades For Homesellers

The kitchens always lead the top of the list in every buyer’s must-see home features. Many want theirs big enough so they could move around quickly and have access to different sections with ease. Others prefer greater storage capacities for their stock, kitchenware and food paraphernalia while some like the integration of new technologies such as big-screen TVs to make cooking enjoyable. Needless to say, the list could go on and on and the fact remains that it is an aspect that one should not overlook no matter how simple or extravagant the plan is to update this area.

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If you are a homeseller who is looking to upgrade the kitchen in your property for sale, this guideline is tailor fit for you. Learn how you could increase the resale value of your PH condo or house by applying the tips stated below.

1.       Cabinets. According to statistics, cabinets top the lion’s share of upgrades for homesellers. Forget about outdated ones. It would only leave a very bad impression to prospective buyers. Instead, here’s something that you could do: Spray paint the exteriors and select neutral colors. Replace handles with long stainless steel ones or knobs with shiny brass hardware to add sleeker look. Consider sliding shelves and organizer inserts. Be current. Check out the market for popular styles and trends.

2.       Countertops. Aside from the first item, countertops also play huge in giving visual appeal in the kitchens. Best choices include granite, quartz or marble countertop. Whichever material you pick, keep in mind that homebuyers want them easy-to-clean, solid-surfaced and as much as possible, low maintenance.

3.       Appliances. It is essential to match the appliances with the two items mentioned above. This pertains not only to color but usability as well. Ensure that your fridge, oven, dishwasher and stove are all within the same level. If it doesn’t work with the styling, it could deter prospective clients. In terms of materials, you could opt either for shiny/matte black or stainless steel. Pay attention to their sizes too. Bigger hardware means bigger spaces so make sure that you would not crowd the area with elements that would prevent the owner some legroom and breathing space.

4.       Flooring. When it comes to flooring, go for higher-quality vinyl, ceramic tiles or hardwood. If you cannot afford professional refinishing, try painting them instead. Choose pale gray or blue over leaning towards white.

5.       Accessories. Show off classic white dishes and clear glasses. Display woven tray full of fruits on the counter. Line up the pantry items in creatively to give a lasting impression.

Safety Tips For Mall Weekend Sales

Mall wide sales during payday weekends have long been a common occurrence in the Philippines. This is a time when a lot of people troop to the malls with their hard-earned money to take advantage of the many items that are on sale. These mall wide weekend sales are not infrequent events in the Philippines; in fact, it has become a regular thing for most shopping malls in the Philippines and people have come to expect these kinds of sales.

However, because of the huge number of people who go to these mall sales, a lot of care and precaution should be taken to avoid any untoward incident from happening. Below are some tips to ensure a safe and secure shopping time for you.

• Bring as little as possible. If your only destination is the mall to shop, try to bring as little as possible. Just the essentials such as your wallet and mobile phone are good enough. Just put them in a small bag that you can hang around your body. This way, there will be little chance of you misplacing or losing anything.
  
  
  
• Wear comfortable clothes and shoes. Mall wide sales do not mean leisure shopping. If you want to shop without getting bumped and hustled a few times by other people, then shop during other times when there is no sale going on. Otherwise, be prepared to go into the battle zone with comfortable clothes and shoes that will help you move easily. This kind of outfit will also allow you to endure standing and walking around for a longer time.
  
  
  
• Bring recyclable bags. Once you have bought items from several shops, it might be difficult to monitor the number of shopping bags that you should have. To prevent you from forgetting or misplacing a shopping bag, bring several big recyclable bags that can hold more items. Not only will you cut down the number of bags you have to carry around, using these bags is also more environmentally friendly.
  
  
  
• Do not bring kids. Unless really necessary and cannot be avoided, do not bring your kids to these mall wide sales. Bringing them along would not only make it more difficult for you to move around, you also make the risk of them getting lost because of the number of people in the mall. If it cannot be helped, make sure that you keep them beside you at all times. Let them wear a harness if possible especially if your child is still very young.
  

Tips For Becoming An Effective Real Estate Agent

When looking to buy a real estate property, getting a real estate agent is often the most efficient way to do it. There are lots of lands and houses for sale in the Philippines and most of them are sold through these real estate agents. However, because of the high number of real estate agents offering houses and land for sale in the Philippines, it is very important to have an edge over the others.

To be able to set yourself apart from other real estate agents, you need to be effective and efficient. Below are some tips to help you become this kind of real estate agent.

• Connect with your clients. Although of course, you are offering your services for a fee, it will go a long way to make sure that you connect with your clients. They will appreciate it if you make them feel that you are not just out for the money you will potentially make with a sale. Treat them as partners with you acting as their guide in the field of real estate. Take the time to explain various things to them, particularly contracts and legal documents.
• Be honest. The relationship of a real estate agent and a potential buyer is based on trust and so you will have to be honest to your clients if you want them to trust you. Do not make false promises and avoid misrepresentations.
• Go techie. In this highly technological world, it pays to be a “techie”. Do not limit your business to the real world. Instead, bring your career online to be able to connect better with your clients. Make use of various means of communication such as email, social networking, chat messages, and the likes.
• Be patient. It takes a lot of waiting to purchase real estate properties. All the paperwork associated with buying and selling real estate can sometimes take time to finish so a lot of patience is necessary. You will have to deal with a variety of people and personalities so it is always best to learn how to patiently wait for things.
• Stay updated. The real estate market is also a very dynamic field. What you know now may not be true or applicable a month or less than a month from now. To be constantly relevant to your clients, you have to stay on top of things when it comes to real estate news. Constantly read real estate news both offline and online.

What To Do With Your Flood-Prone Property

The Philippines has experienced serious flooding year after year in the recent decade. The most recent flooding instances were brought about by Ondoy in 2009 and the Habagat in 2012. Whenever flooding happens in many parts of the country, a lot of homes and other Philippine properties are often included in the destruction.

Unfortunately, many property owners have to decide on what to do with their real estate properties after a flood because chances are it will happen again in the future. If you are one of these property owners, below are some of your options.

• Sell it. For some of those who experienced really bad flooding in their property, the only answer may be to sell it. The popularity of this option can be seen by the usual increase in the number of Philippine properties for sale after floods. Aside from not wanting to experience the same thing, some owners cannot get over the memory of what happened and they refuse to be reminded of it. However, you will have to accept the fact that you will not get a good price for your property especially if your area has experienced flooding frequently.

• Rent it out. For owners who do not want to sell their property but also do not want to continue using it, renting it out is a good option. An advantage is that you can still earn from your property even if you do not want to make use of it anymore. However, it might be difficult to get someone interested in renting your property especially if a flood just recently happened. You can remedy this by setting a good price that will be attractive for those who are looking for a place to rent.

• Renovate it. If you do not want to part with your property despite the flood that happened, the next best thing you can do is to make renovations and repairs that will help minimize the damages that future floods will do. You can add levels to your house if it does not have any yet so that you have a safe place when flooding occurs. If possible, you may also want to raise the level of your property by adding soil and cement. Planting some trees around the area will also help as well as making drainage paths bigger, cleaner, and more accessible. It will also help to have a plan of action whenever a storm is expected.

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Paypal Philippines 101: Things You Need To Know About Paypal

This three-part series aims to give a brief background on Paypal, its features and benefits and how you can get verified here in the Philippines. On the first installment, let’s look into what Paypal is, what you can do with it and why you should consider having one in the first place.

Paypal Defined.

Paypal is an e-commerce business that allows payments and money transfers to be made through the internet. In simple terms, it is one of the most preferred payment methods over the web.

Five (5) Things You Can Do With Paypal.

1. Shop online. Buy practically anything with just a simple click.
2. Pay bills. Settle your monthly bills at the comfort of your home.  
3. Get paid. Earn cash and get paid from anywhere in the world.
4. Transfer money. Send and receive money here and abroad.
5. Start an e-commerce business. Expand your business and satisfy your clients by providing online services.

Four (4) Reasons Why You Should Open A Philippine Paypal Account.

1. It’s secure. Your financial detail is never released. You can shop on Ebay without having to input your credit card information. All you need to type is your email address.
2. Fast and easy. No need to go to a shopping center just to purchase your favorite book or gadget. Order them in the net and have them delivered right to your doorstep.
3. Affordable. Compared to other merchants, Paypal offers low fees upon doing a transaction. No annual membership nor processing charges. Shoppers can enjoy the service at no extra cost.
4. Global. You can make international money transfer to over 190 countries worldwide. Paypal saves you a trip from your financial service office and having to visit the nearest shopping mall in the Philippines just to send remittances to your loved ones.

Three (3) Basic Things You Need To Know About Paypal.

1. Paypal requirements.

·         valid email address

·         valid credit or debit card

·         valid bank account

2. Type of Accounts. You can either have a Personal, Premiere and Business accounts.

·         Personal. For personal payments and online purchases

·         Premiere. For casual sellers or non-businesses who wish to get paid over the web

·         Business. For merchants who operate under a company group.

3. Ways to get verified. Here in the Philippines, you can get verified in two ways.

·        Via Union Bank EON card

·        Via BPI ePrepaid MasterCard