Size Matters

First impressions do count.  Of course I'm talking about your home.  The first impression most people have is when they see your home from the outside.  That is "before" they even get to the front door. Making your home stand out from the rest, is just one of the many reasons to make sure you have the best outdoor lighting, and that means don't undersize it.  The size of your outdoor lights should be an important factor.  Remember an outdoor light looks a lot larger in a showroom than it does on the actual home.  A fixture also looks about half it's size from 30 feet away, from the street.  It should be in proportion to your home, so consider your home's architecture, style & size and any outside angles where there are dark corners and amplify them.  Highlighting the front entry, door and driveway are other areas you should also consider.  

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Choose the correct proportion & style

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Lastly when choosing the lighting most outdoor fixtures use a 60W bulb but if you have multiple lighting that's a lot of wattage and much too bright to light the outside of your home.  The idea with outdoor lighting is to create a soft glow, but bright enough so that guests, etc. will be able to see and for security reasons.  A 15-25W bulb is just the right amount of lighting to create this if there is more than one outdoor light.  40W maximum is best if one is only used.   

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There are many ways to incorporate lighting, but just remember, size does matter. So if you are considering reinvesting some money into the outside of your home, consider the exterior lighting.  One that will bring you a high visual return on your investment. 

The Value Of Staging

Staging works.  Delivering a big punch and tangible results.  Staging has changed the real estate market and when that market is good, Staging brings in top dollar, which often means an amount over the asking price;  when the market is slow, Staging keeps it moving.  

Increasing numbers of sellers are beginning to understand that Staging can increase the sale price of their home.  A carefully staged home can sell for 6 to 20 percent more than the list price in a modest neighbourhood.  In a high-end neighbourhood, this can be as much as 20 to 25 percent more. Staging does in fact create a ripple effect:  It impacts homeowners, the real estate agent, the neighbourhood, and the mortgage company, which in turn affects the economy in general.  

Your Return On Home Improvement Investments

Investing as little as $80 or as much as $3,000 will bring you closer to the sale of your home.  Below are some home improvements that are sure to increase your home's value.

Lighten and brighten.  Cost, $86-$110, increasing the sale of your home by $768-$935, bringing you an average return of 769%.  84 percent of agents recommend this improvement. 

Clean and de-clutter.  Cost, $305-$339, increasing the sale of your home by $2,093-$2,378, bringing you an average return of 594%.  91 percent of agents recommend this improvement. 

Fix plumbing and electrical.  Cost, $338-$381, increasing the sale of your home by $922-$1,208, bringing you an average return of 196%.  63 percent of agents recommend this improvement. 

Staging.  Cost, $212-$1,089, increasing the sale of your home by $2,275-$2,841, bringing you an average return of 169%.  76 percent of agents recommend staging.  

Kitchen and bath upgrades.  Cost, $1,546-$2,120, increasing the sale of your home by $3,823-$4,885, bringing you an average return of 138%.  83 percent of agents recommend this improvement.

Repair flooring.  Cost, $1,531-$1,714, increasing the sale of your home by $1,714-$2,267, bringing you an average return of 50%.  62 percent of agents recommend this improvement. 

Paint exterior walls.  Cost, $2,188-$2,381, increasing the sale of your home by $2,907-$3,233, bringing you an average return of 34%.  57 percent of agents recommend this improvement. 

Replace carpeting.  Cost, $2,602-$2,765, increasing the sale of your home by $3,585-$3,900, bringing you an average return of 39%.  65 percent of agents recommend this improvement.  

(Proven strategies from the creator of Home Staging, Barb Schwarz and costs are typical and based on geographics only.)