First impressions are vital in the world of real estate. In today's market, the buyer almost always begins his or her home search online which means that the first impression begins with homes' interior photos. Many buyers will skim over listings without interior photos because they want to see what the home looks like before they take the time to visit the property.
As agent's we know the importance of a home that "shows well". One way to achieve this is for the seller to hire a professional stager. The role of the stager is to advise the seller on ways to improve the look and feel of their home through decor. The goal is for a buyer to walk into the home and imagine themselves living in the space. Vacant homes are perfect candidates for staging as statistics show that staged homes sell faster and higher in price.
It sounds like a great idea and many sellers see the value in this but what happens when money is tight and the seller cannot afford to hire a professional stager? Enter the "Virtual Stager". According to Sara Hoffman-Lines, owner of Semblance Staging, virtual staging is an affordable and convenient alternative to traditional staging that allows the photographer to de-clutter homes or add furniture to vacant homes all with the click of a mouse. They can work with photos you have already taken or take the photos for you. They will also measure the space so they can accurately add the appropriate furnishings. The designer will add furniture to vacant room photos or eliminate the pile of dirty clothes next to the bed. This is a perfect option for units with tenants or vacant spaces. It allows the buyers to see the home photographed at its best and gets the phone ringing for agents.
You can see examples of before and after photos on www.semblancestaging.com
Monday, February 27, 2012
Sunday, February 12, 2012
Beware School Zone Speeders
Quinn signs Emanuel speed cameras bill into law
Agents: Watch Out!
On February 6th, Governor Quinn signed a law that allows Mayor Emanuel to install and utilize red-light cameras to fine speeding drivers in school zones and parks. According to a Chicago Tribune article, the city generated $69 million in 2010 from red light cameras alone. I would assume that this number would grow exponentially with the addition of these school zone and park cameras.
The cameras would be rolling on all school days Monday through Thursday from 6am to 830pm and Fridays from 6am to 9pm. For parks, they're on one hour before and after parks close. The law takes effect on July 1st.
What does this mean for us? We'd better slow down across the board. This past week while I've been driving to and from showings, I've started to take notice of where these school zone signs are. They are everywhere. It's one thing to drive 20 mph down a side street where there are speed humps, but quite another driving down Western Avenue past Lane Tech. How on earth is this going to work?!
I'll tell you. If you are caught on camera traveling between 6 to 10 mph, you'll be facing a $50 ticket. Anything over 11 mph in these zones, you'll be donating $100 to our fine city.
My only advice to you is to start noticing where these signs are, use alternate routes or find an app that alerts you to these cameras.
Agents: Watch Out!
On February 6th, Governor Quinn signed a law that allows Mayor Emanuel to install and utilize red-light cameras to fine speeding drivers in school zones and parks. According to a Chicago Tribune article, the city generated $69 million in 2010 from red light cameras alone. I would assume that this number would grow exponentially with the addition of these school zone and park cameras.
The cameras would be rolling on all school days Monday through Thursday from 6am to 830pm and Fridays from 6am to 9pm. For parks, they're on one hour before and after parks close. The law takes effect on July 1st.
What does this mean for us? We'd better slow down across the board. This past week while I've been driving to and from showings, I've started to take notice of where these school zone signs are. They are everywhere. It's one thing to drive 20 mph down a side street where there are speed humps, but quite another driving down Western Avenue past Lane Tech. How on earth is this going to work?!
I'll tell you. If you are caught on camera traveling between 6 to 10 mph, you'll be facing a $50 ticket. Anything over 11 mph in these zones, you'll be donating $100 to our fine city.
My only advice to you is to start noticing where these signs are, use alternate routes or find an app that alerts you to these cameras.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)