How does a BUYER choose  YOUR PROPERTY?  How do they decide YOURS  is  right   for them?

It can happen in the  blink of an eye… in literally seconds …  

Your first opportunity to make a sale is online … with your photos and marketing…. so make the photos captivating .  Keep them scrolling through your listing rather clicking to another property.

Your second opportunity is  the when your potential BUYER  sees or actually enters the property.

IF your place has anything in the way of a view:   Whether it’s those online photos, or that fist impact as the buyer initially steps foot inside   …  capitalize on the view … DON’T HAVE THEM WALK INTO A BLOCKED VIEW!   

Choose photos that will entice  buyers  to linger on online (on YOUR listings) for long enough to ‘get interested’.   (Blurry shots and dark or miniscule photos  deter buyers - and  buyer’s agents!)

I showed a slew of  luxury ocean-front condos on Miami Beach to buyers this past weekend.  And  the #1 resounding mistake  I noted were just how many were ‘caves’ … with blinds that were closed tight … and lights that were off … and shutters that were sealed tight.   

If your prime selling point is the view, keeping the drapes closed or the windows shuttered is a mistake!  If there’s a water view, that’s worth showing off!   Most people looking for waterfront property want to see the view  …  

Open the blinds or drapes … Capitalize on that  fist impact.  Your home can literally sell itself within seconds of the  buyer stepping foot inside … if not sooner.  

If you’re thinking of buying or selling  propery in Miami (or anywhere else!), the Restivo Team would love to work with you (and/or recommend a really top local agent in the area you’re moving to).    Contact Alexandra or Vicki at 305 793-1363 or at restivo.v@ewm.com – anytime.  We’d love to work with you !  Look forward to helping you buy, sell, or lease  … and making your next move the best one!

What I wanted was a condo on the Upper East Side, one that the owners had converted from a studio into a phenomenal one-bedroom condo.  It was furnished impeccably…  and looked as though it came from the pages of Architectural Digest   …   but the price tag reflected that.

What I bought instead was the same exact unit,  one floor down… for half the price. 

Mine was an estate sale …  in it’s original condition … (It was dark and dingy … in need of  considerable TLC)…   for half the pricetag of the one I’d really wanted, upstairs.

Having had the opportunity of seeing the one upstairs first … I could envision exactly what could be done with the ugly one downstairs.  I knew  that with a minimal investment in time and labor,  and the right contractors, I could convert the ‘dump’ downstairs  into an even better version of the one I’d drooled over, upstairs …   

All it took was plasterboard … to turn that studio into a one bedroom.  

And by adding  lighting… re-tiling the bathroom in marble, installing kitchen countertops, painting,  changing various fixtures, hiring a cabinet maker for a custom piece, and installing blinds and flooring …  investing literally a fraction of what  I’d have spent to buy the unit upstairs, I had a better version of that one, and didn’t have to pay  an arm and a leg for it.   And when I  eventually sold my downstairs unit several years later, it sold for well over double what I’d paid and put into it.  

Alterations and cosmetic fixes tend to play with our emotions.  They are what lure us into paying more for a property.   But without a ‘sample’  property to base our ‘template’ on, it’s often hard to envision taking a fixer-upper and making it fabulous.  If you are a buyer who is willing to put in the work to upgrade a place,  there is money to be made by investing that way.

So many buyers today are looking for a phenomenal deal  …  looking  for a short sale or foreclosure property in pristine condition.    There are opportunities for those  -  without a doubt.  But there are opportunities too to create something out of what other people don’t have the vision for…. finding a fixer … and  fixing it up.

Restivo Team @ EWM Realtors International …  Miami Real Estate Agents 305 793-1365. 

Call us if you are looking to buy, sell, build, lease, or relocate.  We can help -with any of your real estate needs - whether here in South Florida or elsewhere.   And if you are looking to relocate, we have a solid network of real estate experts internationally to refer you to!   Vicki and Alexandra  restivo.v@ewm.com   EWM Realtors.

Buyers react viscerally  to sights, smells and sensations.  The right first impressions often can (and do) sell a house.

Imperceptably, buyers will react positively toward the smell of jasmine by the front door, freshly baked cookies, birds chirping in the trees, crisp linens… or a very subtle candle scent. 

Lingering cooking odors,  musty odors,  pet smells, clorox or amonia,  heavy air fresheners and insence may be interpreted as being there to mask other odors, and more often than not  fall into the negative category. 

Seeing your own home through the eyes of a prospective buyer can be a challenge for many sellers.  Have a friend or neighbor (or your Realtor) offer a fresh perspective.

And, anytime you are in the market to buy or sell real estate,  contact the Restivo Team at EWM Realtors :  Vicki and Alexandra  305 793-1365 or restivo.v@ewm.com.

Then you start thinking:  ” What furniture should I bring (and what should I ditch)? … how  am I going to arrange the stuff I have already,  in my NEW HOME …  and what am I going to have to buy?”   

Most of our home buyers aren’t interior decorators …  With a little help (graph paper … room dimensions… and some furniture pieces cut to scale) arranging furniture is less stressful … less back-breaking …  less trial and error…  and a whole lot easier than hefting bulky furnishings from one side of the room to another and back again.    

It’s not always possible, but Alexandra and I try to get a set of floor-plans for our buyers … It  beats having them  guess at dimensions and openings …  and it’s better than imposing on the sellers,  trekking  back and forth to measure and visualize spaces in the home that will become the buyers (once we close on it).

I remember when I was getting ready to move into one of my very first homes. I was toying with how to arrange furniture in my head and finding it a challenge … so I cut furniture pieces to scale, and using graph paper I manupulated the pieces of  ’furniture’ around, arranging them on photocopied blueprints till the rooms ’worked’.  

Someone  apparently coined my concept … and came up with a way to simplify moving … on paper.  Whether  you want to come up with your own  home-made version, or  use a more professional version like the one the Miami Herald reports on in their Home & Garden section, you may find playing house on paper worth the effort …  It’s less work than manually moving heavy furnture :   

A tool for room makeovers – Home & Garden – MiamiHerald.com#storylink=fbuser#storylink=fbuser.

Next move,  please call us … We would love to help you find you next home!  Vicki & Alexandra Restivo …  Moving to or from Miami …  or relocating across country or internationally   305 793-1365.   We look forward to working with you!

Last week,  I was scouring through  a couple hundred listings online.   I excluded properties fast.   My search criteria was specific to the buyers we were working with …   

I’d  read through  120 (or so)  property descriptions…. then narrowed it to the top  45-50…    looking for value.   

Once I clicked over to  the online  photos  ….  it took me only a second or two to scratch  potential properties.   I needed  the top 10 in my buyer’s price point…  and was  narrowing it …  based on curb appeal and “house pride”.  

It’s easy to sell a home when you have photos and descriptions that tell more of a storythan a single blurry shot of the front.  Some of the pictures  online  (for half-million dollar homes) were so miniscule as to require a magnifying glass  …  There were photos that looked as though they’d been taken decades ago.  Some make the properties appeared  unkempt or unattended to (and even a blower or a rake could have rectified that)…  heaps of debris…  clutter … nothing was needed other than  some boxes and a bit of staging…   

First impressions count.    Sometimes you get one shot at selling your property.   A single blurry shot of the garage door taken from the middle of the road isn’t going to entice buyers to take a second glance, let alone  drive by or ask for an appointment.  The buyers we were working with … they found their house.

I may be able to see past the cosmetic fixes…  and pick out the diamonds in the rough.   Often those are the homes I’ll choose to show my clients…   But when a buyer has 120 choices,  if you don’t have  good photos, your house may not make their list of  “must see”.  It only takes 3 seconds for a buyer or their Realtor to eliminate your house …   Photos and descriptions give you the upperhand, because they make your house a contender, or eliminate it in a matter of seconds,  in the eyes of  buyers  (and Realtors) who are scouring the MLS. 

Looking to buy or sell real estate in Miami?  Call me:  305 793-1365.   The Restivo Team would love to make your next real estate experience a positive one!

There is nothing inherently wrong with  flipping  property… nor anything wrong with having it staged.   What about “covering up” though?   … Let me tell you…  If  a seller moves an area rug to hide a water mark on the wood floor, I’m going to wonder what else that seller is hiding!

Staging is great.  Staging a home allows  buyers to envision themselves living there.  With the clutter and distractions  gone,  each room is defined and recognizable.  You know where the living and dining rooms are, and you know where the bedrooms are. The purpose of staging  property is to make it visually appealing to the person wandering through  …   Staging removes clutter, allows the eye to continue moving, and create flow.     

Staging and decorating  differ, and serve two separate purposes.  

Staging is for someone passing through.

Interior design or interior decorating are for the benefit of someone sitting or staying… and to be experienced from that vantage point.  

If you stage a house,  look through the eyes of your buyer…  who will  walk through the house … not sit down for dinner.

Whether you’d like  tips on staging a home (*You can actually take  a staging class www.StagedHome.com )   or whether you would like the expert eye of your Realtor (me)  to help you get your house ready to sell,   I’d love to talk with you about listing and selling your home … 

You are welcome to contact the Restivo Team anytime at 305 793-1365 or 305- 632-0164  or contact us here, whether you’d like to buy, sell, lease  property in the Miami area … or relocate elsewhere .   We look forward to chatting with you. 

Have 2 people walk through and jot down what needs doing.    Your Realtor can be one of those 2 people.   (Helping you figure out what needs doing is part of we do when we list your house.  It’s free … and the insight you’ll get can prove to be invaluable.)  

As far as you TO-DO LIST is concernted, you might be surprised at what others see as needing fixing.   Often, it’s the little, inexpensive things that catch the eye of a ‘stranger’ (ie.  ”buyer”)…    You don’t want to miss those, because they are often the deal-breakers.   Start with the inexpensive fixes first.  You don’t necessarily want or need to spend big bucks on things buyers won’t care about. 

Whichever real estate agent you think you are going to hire to sell your house, have that person come.  It ought to  be one you trust  will give you the blunt truth.  Skip having multiple Realtors come by before you list and avoid using any agent who’s going to  tell you what you want to hear …  and make the market  smack you in the face because they are afraid not to get the listing.

There are without a doubt many Top Realtors in Miami, all of whom are competent and dedicated.   I hope when the time comes for you to sellthat you will call  The Restivo Team - Vicki 305- 793-1365  …   Alexandra  305-632-0164.  Please feel free to contact us here or on our cellular numbers.

We received two letters over the past couple of weeks  (from homeowners who recently bought property through us, and  have been doing major  home remodeling projects for  several months now) … I’m going to go ahead and share their recommendation with you : 

“We have used your list of contractors, that you referred, for several items around the house.  There is one person that is responsible for the kitchen:  Dan Piel from Trimline is beyond belief - much more than “just a cabinet” guy.  He is creative, pays attention to your suggestions, and oversees the entire project from start to finish. He is more than capable, demands perfection from his contractors, and gives unequaled service.  You need to add his name to your list of referrals.  Maybe even mention him to the other agents at EWM.”   Jim – Pinecrest

Contact information: Dan Piel Trimline Kitchen Design - in Miami, Florida -  10001 S. Dixie Hwy  (305) 666-7609

Thanks, Jim!   We like to update and revise our list of  Recommended Service Providers (The Restivo’s Little Black Book) … and appreciate your input and feedback… pro and con.  

In Miami, pretty much any top realtor will provide you with recommendations of workers and reputable service providers.  And Alexandra and I certainly look forward to working with you whenever you are ready to buy (or sell)  real estate in Florida  (or need relocation advice - moving elsewhere)..  Please don’t hesitate to contact us anytime -  Vicki Restivo (305) 793-1365  -  Alexandra Restivo (305) 632-0164.    

A picture is worth a thousand words …  or so they say.   Of the homes pictured here, which would you take a second look at ?  Which would you pass by, not seeing the investment potential ?   These are before and after shots… the home is ONE home.

Pinecrest is one of a handful of  neighborhoods in Miami that particularly appeal to families relocating to Miami-Dade.  Buyers are drawn to Pinecrest because of the top public and private schools, making Pinecrest one of the premier housing markets in South Florida… 

In Pinecrest, where acre lots are the norm, selling prices have averaged $245.00 per square foot – on single family homes sold between January and August 2010.  

This 3 bedroom 2 bath ranch style home sold for $151,500  as a short sale in 12/2009… $69.62 a square foot…  It’s far from being an acre property.  The lot measures 11,161 square feet, and the house itself  2,176 square feet… Not for every buyer, it’s situated on the corner of  a fairly busy residential intersection with a flashing traffic light.  And it  stands out now… and has curb appeal.

The buyers were able to envision what the property would be worth once it was remodeled, painted, landscaped, windows changed and re-roofed.  A house like this one could easily sell for close to $500,000  in Pinecrest … Whatever the cost was to renovate this property,  I am sure it left a substantial  margin for profit. … and potential future return on  investment. 

I can’t  tell you how many potential buyers are kicking themselves now … having passed by this house … discounting it because they couldn’t see the potential.

 

 STAGING AND DECORATING DIFFER  -  AND EACH  SERVES AN ENTIRELY DIFFERENT PURPOSE.

DECORATING  IS CREATING A  VISUALLY ATTRACTIVE AND COMFORTABLE SPACE IN WHICH TO LIVE  (ENTERTAIN, RELAX, SIT DOWN, SPEND TIME).

‘STAGING’ IS NOT ’DECORATING’.  INSTEAD, STAGING  CREATES AND DIRECTS THE EYE TO WHAT YOU WANT THE BUYER TO SEE  (FEEL. EXPERIENCE).  STAGING CREATES  FOCAL POINTS FOR POTENTIAL BUYERS.  IN OTHER WORDS, STAGING IS NOT MEANT FOR THOSE WHO WILL BE SITTING.  IT’S PURPOSE IS TO CREATE VISUAL IMPACT  FROM A STRICTLY TRANSIENT ( UPRIGHT POSITION).  BY STAGING A HOUSE YOU AIM  TO INTRIGUE BUYERS AS THEY MAKE THERE WAY THROUGH THE HOME, AND YOU INTENTIONALLY DRAW THEIR EYE (EMOTIONS)  TO WHAT YOU WANT THEM TO REMEMBER.

IN GETTING A HOUSE “READY FOR SALE”,  STAGING IS A PROCESS  THAT BEGINS WITH:

1)  DECLUTTERING.

2) REARRANGING  FURNISHINGS.  DEFINING SPACES.  

3)  POSITIONING ACCESSORIES  AND ARTWORK TO DRAW  THEIR ATTENTION, CREATE A FLOW, AND DRAW THEM THROUGH THE HOME.

IF YOU HAVE LIMITED RESOURCES AND TIME,  PRIORITIZE:

4)  FIRST AND FOREMOST COMES CURB APPEAL

5)  SECOND ARE YOUR KITCHEN AND EMTERTAINMENT AREAS

6)  THIRD WOULD BE YOUR MASTER BEDROOM AND BATH.

STAGED HOMES SELL FASTER AND BRING HIGHER PROFITS.  HERE ARE A FEW TIPS: 

7)  A SEASONAL WREATH ON THE FRONT DOOR, POTTED PLANTS AND SOME COLOR:  CREATE INTRIGUE AND ENTICE BUYERS INSIDE.  

YOUR ENTRY & EXIT SHOULD BE UNCLUTTERED AND OPEN. 

9) COUNTERTOPS  (KITCHEN/BATHS) SHOULD BE  APPLIANCE-FREE  & WITHOUT ANY HINT OF  PEOPLE RESIDING THERE. 

10) WHEN YOU ARE SELLING , THINK IN TERMS OF A ‘MODEL LOOK’ AS OPPOSED TO A ’LIVED IN LOOK’. 

11) PLAY UP YOUR PROPERTY’S STRENGTHS.  MINIMIZE WHATEVER WEAKNESSES THERE MIGHT BE. 

12) YOU WANT BUYERS TO BE ABLE TO ENVISION LIVING THERE.   HOMES THAT FEEL INVITING ARE  HOMES THAT SELL.

ANYTIME YOU OR SOMEONE YOU KNOW IS  WANTING TO BUY OR SELL, AND LOOKING FOR AN EXPERIENCED LOCAL REALTOR, WE WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU.  PLEASE CONTACT US  AT 305-793-1365 OR 305-632-0164 OR  LEAVE US A NOTE HERE.