Author: Melinda Bartling

Selling Your Home this Spring?

If you are seriously thinking of selling your home this spring, the time is now. Hopefully you’ve been working on it over the winter so you’ll be ready to shine like a diamond.

The real estate market has really changed so if you missed my post on selling in a changing market, you can read it here.

For the latest monthly statistics on the real estate market, check them out on my website here.

Home Selling Shopping Spree

While shopping over the weekend for fresh, new accessories for my upcoming spring listings, I went into Home Goods to see what they were featuring this spring. I’m always looking for inspiration to update my Photo Gallery of my before and after photos.

First of all, I love the feeling I get when I walk into Home Goods. They know how to get you in the mood to shop. It’s the same trick I use for all of my new listings. Home Goods and I both know we’ve got a short time to grab the buyer while they are present and either they’ll buy or they’ll move on. I call it the 10 second rule. It’s based on grabbing the buyer within 10 seconds of entering a house…or a store. Think of Costco. You can hardly put your membership card away and Costco is reminding you of something they want you to buy. January is all about exercise,vitamins and hoodies.

Home Goods is bright, full of happy music, and the colors throughout the store are outstanding. Furthermore, it’s such a pick-me-up and an incredible feeling. I love their bright cheery dishes, pillows, springtime furniture and outdoor cushions. It makes me want to buy everything in the store and give my own home a spring makeover.

I also love Home Goods for doormats and front door wreaths. They are bright, colorful, and full of life. The spring season is the best time for a change. It’s like starting over new again. In addition, you get a new lease on life and your home deserves this as much as anything. For that very reason, you will reap the benefits from your mini spring home makeover.

Stand Out from Your Competition

This week while working on a couple of houses, I thought about what would make us stand out from our competition. Both houses had substantial front porches so I decided with the new season and the energy in the air, I wanted to focus on the porch and really hone in on the curb appeal to draw people inside.

As a result, at one of the houses I added a new spring doormat, a fresh wreath and added new pillows to the homeowner’s glider. The most fabulous part of this house was the screened-in back porch! After all, who doesn’t want a porch? My buyer, Ashley, (what’s a girl to do with a pedestal sink?) bought a house with a porch and without that pedestal sink a few years ago.

Here are My 11 Best Tips for Selling Your Home this Spring

  • Paint your front door
  • Add an expensive pot filled with colorful flowers next to the door
  • Find a pretty new wreath and hang it on your front door
  • Get some new house numbers
  • Change out your mailbox (if it’s on the house) or paint it to match the color of your door
  • Add some dark mulch to your flower beds
  • Shop somewhere like Home Goods and buy a few new colorful accessories for inside
  • Buy some new pillows for your couch
  • Paint a room (or the entire interior of your house)
  • Throw out last year’s outdoor cushions and get some new brightly colored ones that will cheer you up on a daily basis
  • Buy a new umbrella for your outdoor table or buy a table if you don’t have one
  • Amen!
Perfect curb appeal

We had a cold winter in Kansas City. Therefore, it’s time to live life to the fullest and enjoy spring. Whether you’re selling your home this spring and want to create the model home look or merely dwelling and need help zinging your home into spring, you can call me direct or text me at (913) 515-3250 or get started here. Remember…the Realtor you choose determines the results you get. Choose carefully!

Start your home search here and check out today’s new listings below in Overland Park. Let me know if there is anything you’d like to see.

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(all data current as of 3/26/2023)

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

 
 

The State of the 2023 Real Estate Market

The current and predicted state of the 2023 real estate market certainly looks different than it did a year ago. Unfortunately, sellers want to sell like it’s 2022 and buyers want to buy like it’s 2008.

As everyone knows, mortgage interest rates have skyrocketed and are double what they were last year. There are mortgage companies that are closing their doors, sellers who can’t get their homes sold, and buyers who are disappointed that their dream home they didn’t get last year now seems like it will never happen.

Life happens and people move

Many homeowners who have a lower interest rate may choose to stay put for now. But there are also plenty of sellers who may need to downsize, move out of town for family reasons, or relocate due to a new employment opportunity.

Without knowing where interest rates will end up and what that will do to our economy and inflation overall, we have to take real estate a step at a time. And we will! No matter what you may hear or read, the sky is not falling.

One thing about real estate is true. People will always be moving. Real estate happens because life happens. I recently sold a house for a family who moved to Colorado, another past client who got married and moved into his house, as well as a family who moved to California to be closer to family members.

Baby boomers are still going to downsize

I work primarily with baby boomers that are in the process of downsizing. The reasons for their downsizing are many but add a possible recession into the mix and that gets them thinking and moving even faster. Many of my boomers that are on a current 5 Year Plan, have indicated to me they want to move things up and do something by the end of 2023. Some of them are going to get serious about getting rid of their stuff – sooner than later!

Regardless of the current economy or inflation, we have to deal with it is what it is. In other words, I bought my first house in the early 80s when interest rates were 16.75%. I was pregnant with my daughter and we were renting a small 2-bedroom house. I wanted to get situated for the new addition to our family. Had we waited for rates to come down, it could have taken years. We made the necessary adjustments and made it happen.

How to adjust to an uncertain real estate market

First of all, set aside everything else for a minute. Before anything, you need to decide what’s important to you. What are the alternatives if you sell your house in 2023 or don’t? If you’re selling your home, why are you doing that? Do you have the time and the health to wait until the real estate market corrects? And will it ever?

If you’re buying, how important is it to you to become a homeowner? Why are you doing that? If you decide to forge ahead, you need to know that there are many great programs and options out there to get into a mortgage interest rate that works for you.

I’ve been selling real estate for over 35 years and rates had never been at 3- 4% until recently. So live your life and quit trying to predict what’s going to happen. Do what matters to you. Quit listening to others.

The predicted state of the 2023 real estate market – 3 things I know for sure

Rates will remain higher than in 2022

At this time, I would imagine rates will probably end up around 6% or a little bit lower. What can you do about that? Absolutely nothing. I don’t like the price of a dozen eggs either but I can’t change it.

If you’re buying your first home, rates may be higher than you want but your rent will continue to go up as well. Are you going to continue to move every year to save a few bucks on your apartment rent because a new complex offers you a deal?

Home prices will decline

Will home prices decline or readjust? Home prices must re-correct every few years to get the market leveled off. It tends to happen every ten years or so. Trouble is, if you have to sell that house you overpaid for in 2021 or 2022, it’s not worth what you paid for it then so it becomes a real problem when the market shifts.

Home sales will decrease

It’s only natural that people tend to want to hunker down when the going gets tough. If you want to sell in 2023, be a smart seller and understand what it’s going to take to be the best house to choose from. There is no runner-up in the game of real estate. You either win or you lose.

So, if you’re selling, sell smart and do it now because as home sales drop, you’ll have more opportunities. Pick the best agent who has experience in navigating a challenging market. Home staging is more important now than ever. If you are still living in your home, hire the best stager to create that model home look that every buyer wants and will pay more money to get.

And if you’re buying, you’re going to have to lower your expectations a bit. It’s ok. Rates may drop a little later in the year but be smart and buy now while other buyers are waiting for the rates to drop. You’ll be in a better buying position with less competition and won’t be overpaying for a home like your friends did. Don’t despair, you’ll make the home that’s currently affordable for you into your dream home in no time. The state of the 2023 real estate market is not your opportunity for trying to keep up with The Joneses.

In conclusion

We have no idea what might happen with real estate or anything for that matter. Keep your blinders on and focused on what’s important to you. The last few years have proven to be unimaginable in so many different respects. What I know for sure, is once you decide something, do it and do it now. We never know how long we have or what the country is going to experience that could affect our destiny even more. In all actuality, real estate changes with the times, the same as your life!

I want to be your Realtor!

Check out today’s new listings either below or in the sidebar. Call or text me at (913) 515-3250 to see inside one of these homes. I AM NEVER TOO BUSY to show you a house. Real estate is my main hustle after 35 years! Everything else I do is bells and whistles to enhance your experience!

Remember…the Realtor you choose determines the results you get. Choose carefully!

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(all data current as of 3/26/2023)

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

 
 

Preventing Frozen Pipes

This year the cold weather came in like a lion and preventing frozen pipes is something you must do! My pipes froze last year and I was without running water for days. Here are some tips for preventing frozen pipes and what to do if your pipes do freeze.

Locate your water shut-off valve

First of all, do you know where your water shut-off valve is located? Before you do anything else, go to your basement or garage and find your water shut off. Furthermore, be sure to tag it so everyone in your household knows where it is and how to turn it off in the case of an emergency of a burst or frozen pipe.

Did you disconnect your water hoses?

Hopefully, you remembered to disconnect all of your water hoses from your exterior spigots before the freeze this week. By leaving your hoses connected, the water in them can freeze, expand and back up into the spigot and actually burst an interior pipe.

Open your cabinet doors

If you have interior sinks located on exterior walls, it’s normal for your plumbing to be vulnerable because the exterior walls are not insulated. The cold air from the outside can and will cause frozen pipes. Open the doors under your sinks to allow the heat from the room to get in there and keep the pipes warm.

Preventing frozen pipes best tip

When the temperatures drop below freezing, be sure to leave your faucets on those exterior wall sinks at a slow drip. This will keep the water moving through the pipes. It may increase your water bill a little, but that small increase will be much cheaper than burst or frozen pipes.

How to know if you have frozen pipes

If your water pressure is low, you may have a frozen pipe somewhere in the house. A pipe that feels extremely cold to the touch may be frozen. It’s imperative to clear the blockage as soon as possible to prevent a pipe from bursting in some inaccessible area of your home.

If you have no water service, more than likely the main line from the street may be frozen. Call me for a referral to an honest plumber to assist you.

Thawing frozen pipes

Open a nearby faucet slightly so the pipe can drain as it starts to thaw. You can use a hair dryer or heating pad to thaw a frozen pipe. Do not use in standing water as you could be electrocuted. Do not use a blow torch or pour hot water onto frozen pipes.

Need a plumber?

Finally, if you need a referral to a plumber for any regular or emergency service, please call or text me at (913) 515-3250 anytime 24/7.  Heaven forbid you call one of those plumbers that advertise heavily on television. That one mistake alone could cost you thousands of your hard-earned dollars. Please allow me to refer you to someone who is NOT on my own personal DO NOT CALL LIST and will look out for your best interests.

I want to be your Realtor!

Check out today’s new listings either below or in the sidebar. Call or text me at (913) 515-3250 or contact me here to see inside one of these homes. I AM NEVER TOO BUSY to show you a house. Real estate is my main hustle after 35 years! Everything else I do is bells and whistles to enhance your experience!

Remember…the Realtor you choose determines the results you get. Choose carefully!

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(all data current as of 3/26/2023)

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

 
 

21961 W 116th Terrace

For Sale in Olathe, KS – $415,000

SOLD FAST IN 1 DAY!

You’ll love this beautiful reverse story and a half in an established maintenance-provided community. Don’t miss your opportunity to live in this well-maintained, lightly lived-in “Prescott” floor plan. The 1st floor offers soaring ceilings and oversized windows. From the open-concept kitchen and living space with wood floors and a corner fireplace to the outdoor deck and patio, there is plenty of room here for everyone. The amazing kitchen features a large island, breakfast bar, walk-in pantry, granite counters, and stainless appliances. The large primary suite has a pretty bath with double vanities, a big walk-in shower, and a spacious closet. The 2nd bedroom and bath are on the main level opposite the primary bedroom. For additional space to entertain friends and family or simply relaxing there’s a lower-level family room with a 2nd fireplace plus a 3rd bedroom and bath. Enjoy the pretty landscaping on a choice large lot. Lots of extras plus plenty of storage in the basement. Loads of close-by amenities and great highway access. It’s priced to sell and a quick close is possible!

View the photo slideshow here.

Check out today’s new listings either below or in the sidebar. Call or text me at (913) 515-3250 to see inside one of these homes. I AM NEVER TOO BUSY to show you a house. Real estate is my main hustle after 35 years! Everything else I do is bells and whistles to enhance your experience!

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(all data current as of 3/26/2023)

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

 
 

Selling Your Home in a Changing Market

Selling your home in a changing market is the biggest concern for most home sellers and their agents right now. With mortgage rates skyrocketing this year, there are fewer buyers, fewer offers, and fewer houses being sold.

While the real estate market has changed dramatically in the last few months, many newer agents have never experienced this kind of market. Previously houses were flying off the shelf sometimes sight unseen. We are now back in a market that I love. For the past few years, it was about having to come up with the best strategy to be the seller’s favorite offer. Now it comes down to Real Estate 101. It comes down to understanding the market and how your home can stand out from its competition once again. We are finally back to selling homes using the basics of real estate.

You see, selling your home in a changing market comes down to three things. The first and most important thing is your home staging. You can’t sell your home without it.

The art of home staging

In 2006, I learned the art of home staging from the lady that created the concept in 1973. Home staging is not new. It was originally designed for occupied homes to create your best look by using your own things. It was never about furnishing vacant homes. And in 2006, homes weren’t selling. I knew the problem and I just needed a way to fix it. There were houses I would show and be embarrassed about the way they looked. I knew the secret to selling any house in any market was home staging. But I didn’t know how to sell the idea to my sellers. After tracking down the lady that created home staging, I flew to Chicago and worked with her one on one to learn the craft itself and her best-kept secrets.

Overland Park Home Staging was born

When I returned from Chicago after my training and becoming an Accredited Home Staging Stylist, I got busy and started a home staging business. Another Staged Home later became Overland Park Home Staging. In 2006, it was a very new concept to most Realtors but when they saw the difference it made, things really took off!

At that time, there was only one other home stager in the area that I knew of. But as time went on, home stagers started popping up everywhere. Most of them never had any formal training. At that time, I was known as the Queen of Staging.

In the art of home staging, there is a definite home staging concept that I learned and there are strategies to use on every house. I was lucky enough to have the “right eye” to be able to walk into a room and create your home’s best look. It was mostly about what to keep, what to get rid of and the right arrangement of your furniture and accessories. Anybody can come in and tell you to pack up your stuff – that’s called a Home Staging Consultation. What you really need is someone to come in and create your home’s best look using what you have – that’s a Now to Wow Styling Session. Sadly, that’s where most of today’s home stagers fail. They just don’t have the right sense of style that’s necessary to create the look that sells.

To stage or not to stage

The way your home is staged or not staged will determine whether you get showings and offers on your house. All of my listings have to meet the criteria of the Model Home Look before we decide on your actual listing price. I tell my sellers all the time, sometimes I increase the price because I’m so impressed with the end result and the way their home looks.

Pricing your home to sell in a changing market

Pricing is the second most important thing when it comes to selling your home in a changing market. The real estate market changes every day. You can decide on a price for your house and the day before you come on the market, you see a for sale sign in your neighbor’s yard that is less than your price and their house is better than yours! Believe me when I tell you that happens ALL THE TIME!

I have a very specific Home Pricing Strategy that I use with every new listing I take. The seller and I have to agree on the strategy and if we get it wrong, we know when we will course correct it even before they come on the market. Time is of the essence in real estate and every day you’re overpriced is detrimental to your bottom line.

The right price is imperative to sell your home quickly in a slower market. But even with that said, if your home shows well and the buyers fall in love with it, they will make an offer even if it’s lower than the asking price.

Choosing the right Realtor in a changing market

The third most important aspect of selling your home in a changing market is the Realtor you choose. I know, most sellers choose their agent based on their relationship with that person. My last listing was referred to me by a former seller of mine. Her friend was getting ready to sell and she was thinking about using a newer agent that was a friend of a friend. But my friend intervened and suggested that she give me a call – knowing I could turn her house into a fabulous listing that would show well and sell quickly.

My 35 years of experience and home staging expertise came into play when we turned an original kitchen that was not being used, into a mudroom to die for on a shoestring budget. The house sold in September 2022 when mortgage rates were skyrocketing. We sold the 1st weekend, with multiple offers and it sold for $20k over the asking price.

I can’t imagine where they would be had they hired the newer agent with little experience. This house went through a few major transitions. Other agents told them things to do to the house that I told them didn’t matter. Real estate is totally each person’s opinion. Ask 5 agents for their advice and they will all give you a different answer. I always look at it from a home stager’s point of view. My plan must have worked. My sellers are now living in Colorado.

Is your agent right for a changing market?

If the Realtor you are going to hire is complaining about the slowdown of the market, that person might not be the right agent for you. In other words, houses are selling when the listing agent knows how to make it happen. That being said, your house has to look fabulous and be priced right in order to sell.

A changing market is the best time to talk to different agents. I always suggest talking to 3 different agents and making your decision based on their game plan to sell in a shifting market. If they are still using the same plan they were using a year ago, move on. The market has changed.

You see, you can still get multiple offers for thousands over the asking price if your house speaks to the buyers. Instead of reducing your price 30 days into the deal, now is the time to create your home’s best Model Home Look and wow those buyers. You’ve only got one chance to make a first impression. It’s the 10 second rule! Buyers will make a decision about your house within 10 seconds of opening the front door. Give them what they want and they will pay you more money for it every time.

Bottom line

At the end of the day, there are only 3 ways to win when selling your home in a changing market. In real estate, there is no try. Nothing else matters other than:

  1. The way your home looks
  2. The price
  3. The Realtor you choose

Without those 3 things in place, you too could be looking at average days on the market of 30+ with multiple price reductions. It’s your house, your money, and your future. Why not get it right from the beginning and get your home sold now? There are still plenty of buyers out there. Why will they choose your home over your competition?

To schedule a FREE 30-minute home selling consultation with me, call or text (913) 515-3250 to see if what I do will work for you!

Check out today’s new listings either below or in the sidebar. Call or text me at (913) 515-3250 to see inside one of these homes. I AM NEVER TOO BUSY to show you a house. Real estate is my main hustle after 35 years! Everything else I do is bells and whistles to enhance your experience!

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See all Real estate matching your search.
(all data current as of 3/26/2023)

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

 
 

Selling Your Home with St Joseph

I hadn’t thought about selling your home with St Joseph for a while. But with the latest real estate statistics that just came out, I think we might have a resurgence in St Joseph statue sales. The Overland Park real estate market has drastically changed and you’d better take notice if you’re thinking of selling!

What is a St Joseph statue?

  • It’s a little plastic statue that you bury in your yard
  • Rumor has it that it will make your home sell faster
  • But do you bury it in the front yard or back yard?
  • Should it face away from or toward the house?
  • With the cloth or without the cloth?
  • Do you leave it there once the house sells or dig it up?

Seems like too much voodoo to me. Home sellers ask me all the time if this will work to sell their house. Is this a custom in the Overland Park real estate market? My answer? “Don’t waste your time!”

Selling your home with St Joseph

While I’m all about doing everything you can do to sell your home faster, selling your home with St Joseph has never been anything I suggest. If you’ve ever used one of these statues and swear by them, then your house was probably on the market for some time and you probably finally got the price right. But the folk custom came to be that sellers should bury the statue as a sign of prayer asking to find a buyer.

I actually decided to team up with St. Joseph when I asked my seller, Melanie Dillon, if she buried one in her yard. Her response was they didn’t need to because they had St Melinda. Yes, St. Melinda sold their Overland Park house the first day on the market YEARS AGO (it’s what I’ve always done) – when there was actually some inventory to sell.

No matter what the inventory is, there are only 3 reasons your house will sell…

  1. It’s priced right
  2. It looks spectacular
  3. You have the right agent

There really are no gimmicks when it comes to selling real estate. Never have been. Even praying doesn’t work. Me teaming up with St Joseph is a gimmick – and I don’t need him. Too many agents focus on things that don’t really matter.

Here’s my secret sauce

If you start with the price and create a product worth that price, you’ll get more money every time. That’s exactly why I learned the art of home staging 16 years ago. Houses that were for sale didn’t show well. Many of them still don’t show well because sellers and their agents don’t understand what home staging really is and how it works.

The right price and a great look will boost a price every time. But even in today’s market, savvy buyers will not buy a house that’s overpriced. They will however pay you more for a house that’s priced right and that they can see themselves living in. They’ve got to get emotional about your house and if they don’t, they’re not going to buy it. My job, as your home stager, creates that emotion.

Bottom line

If you’re set on selling your house with St Joseph buried in your yard – you need to rethink things. Obviously, your agent hasn’t sold your house. Is there something they aren’t telling you or are you not listening? Which is it?

In life, you either make excuses or get results but you don’t get both. If you want to sell your house, quit making excuses, make the changes necessary and you’ll get results.

There are buyers out there but you’ve got to give them what they want. If your house is on the market and not selling, look at the pictures online. Does it compare to the house you want to buy? If not, get a new price, new look, or new agent.

I get calls from people around the country who can’t sell their house. When I see their photos, I understand why their house hasn’t sold. The time spent selling your home with St Joseph could be time better spent on figuring out why your house hasn’t sold and making necessary changes.

If your house hasn’t sold and you need help understanding why, ask St. Melinda at (913) 515-3250 or contact me here. Time is of the essence in real estate and every day your house is on the market is costing you thousands of dollars!

Check out today’s new listings either below or in the sidebar. Call or text me at (913) 515-3250 to see inside one of these homes. I AM NEVER TOO BUSY to show you a house. Real estate is my main hustle after 35 years! Everything else I do is bells and whistles to enhance your experience!

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See all Real estate matching your search.
(all data current as of 3/26/2023)

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

 
 

9605 Belinder Road

SOLD FAST! For Sale in Leawood, KS – $575,000

Awesome all brick ranch in Leawood Estates! Private .61 acre lot with a parklike backyard! The beautiful add-on of a kitchen and hearth room across the back of the house by the previous owners has huge windows, doors, and vaulted ceiling. The kitchen has maple cabinets, stainless appliances, a gas stove, a breakfast island, and loads of extras. The hearth room includes a 3rd fireplace and walks out to wrap around the Trex deck. Hardwoods throughout, 3 fully updated baths, and a newly renovated mud and laundry room with lots of storage will keep everyone organized and make doing laundry FUN! The finished lower level with a walk-up makes for a perfect game area and includes a 4th bedroom and full bath with a huge shower. Zoned HVAC and sprinkler system. Don’t miss the attached shed on the northeast corner of the house for storage. This home is perfect for entertaining friends and family and is in a great Leawood location!

Check out the photo slideshow here.

Check out today’s new listings either below or in the sidebar. Call or text me at (913) 515-3250 to see inside one of these homes. I AM NEVER TOO BUSY to show you a house. Real estate is my main hustle after 35 years! Everything else I do is bells and whistles to enhance your experience!

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See all Real estate matching your search.
(all data current as of 3/26/2023)

Listing information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Read full disclaimer.

 
 

2022 Kansas City Fall Parade of Homes

The 2022 Kansas City Fall Parade of Homes started on Saturday, September 24th and runs through Sunday, October 9th. This year there are 269 homes on tour throughout 8 different counties.

The parade is designed for home buyers to see the top new homes, learn about premier builders and visit different communities. The houses are open daily from 11:00 a.m. until 6:00 p.m. and the admission is FREE!

Start your 2022 Kansas City Fall Parade of Homes at any new home subdivision and pick up a complete guide there.

How will the 2022 Kansas City Fall Parade of Homes inspire you?

Looking at new homes is part of what I do every day. I absolutely love new construction. If you’re like me and also love interior design, be sure to visit some of the new home subdivisions during the 2022 Kansas City Fall Parade of Homes and wander through the furnished homes.

You’ll either fall in love and want to take action towards buying a new home or go home and be content with what you have. Who knows, you might get some new inspiration to incorporate into your current home. I love getting fresh ideas from the new home designers. It’s always fun to see the latest trends and how you can integrate them into your own home!

You DO need a buyer’s agent for new construction

Please have a buyer’s agent represent you when building or buying a new home. The builder pays for you to be represented so it doesn’t cost you to have representation but can really cost you if you don’t. It’s your protection against the “what ifs.” The agents working at the subdivision work for the builders. They are looking out for their best interests. Without your own buyer representation, you don’t have anyone looking out for your best interests during the building or completion process.

If you see a house you absolutely have to have while on your touring or want to discuss your options with buying a new construction or spec home, call me at (913) 515-3250 or contact me here.  I’m always here to help and answer any questions.

Want to know the latest stats in your neighborhood? Don’t rely on the Zillow Zestimate. Here’s a quick tool that will research your subdivision and provide you with a report within minutes – direct from the local Multiple Listing Service. It’s fast and it’s FREE! Click here and insert your address.

Home Staging Services for Realtors

Home staging services for Realtors vary with the company or home stager you hire. Since 2006, Overland Park Home Staging has been staging occupied homes. We work with what your clients have to create our signature Model Home Look. This is the look we strive for so your listing looks better than the competition. Even if your clients don’t have great stuff, their house will look amazing when we are finished with it.

Hiring a professional home stager for your upcoming listing will make you look more professional to your clients. It sends the message that you are committed to getting their home sold fast and for top dollar. Let them know you work with an award-winning home stager. That can also eliminate any home staging questions your clients may ask. You can just tell your clients that you rely on and trust the advice of your home stager. If they need more information, refer them to OverlandParkHomeStaging.com.

Perhaps you aren’t in a position to pay for these services. Whether you pay or you let your client know that would be one of their expenses in preparing their home for the market, home staging shouldn’t be overlooked.

Home staging is one of the only 3 reasons a house is going to sell especially in a changing market. If you aren’t offering home staging services, or at least having a conversation about it, your competition is.

You have two options to choose from:

Home Staging Consultation

We walk through and around the house and create a punch list of to-dos for your clients of what should be done before the house comes on the market. This includes decluttering, depersonalizing, and rearranging their things.

This typically takes about one hour. Your clients will receive a follow-up email so they have a list to work from. The cost for this Home Staging Consultation is $75.

If rearrangement of furniture is necessary, it would be done in the next follow-up appointment.

Now to Wow Styling Session

After your clients complete their list of to-dos, we will come back and fine-tune things and put the finishing touches on their home. This is to prepare the home for the Photo Shoot. We always recommend professional photos as part of the Home Selling Process.

A Styling Session also prepares your clients for how their home needs to look for showings. They will realize that the way they live in their home and the way they sell their house are two different ways.

This session also takes about one hour. They can contact us directly when they are ready or you can schedule. This appointment should be booked a day or two before their Photo Shoot. The cost is $75.

Sometimes clients need complete room rearranging of their furniture which would happen at this appointment. Should this be necessary, most agents have their clients pay us directly for anything over our one-hour Styling Session. That fee is $75 per hour.

Why us?

Overland Park Home Staging offers home staging services for Realtors based on our real estate experience.

Melinda Bartling, Queen of Staging, and owner of Overland Park Home Staging is an award-winning home stager and one of the first stagers in the Kansas City area. She was formally trained in Chicago in 2006 by the lady that created the concept of Home Staging in 1973. By following the proven 10 Home Staging Guidelines for every home she stages, Melinda transforms homes from “Now to WOW!” She created her 7 little best-kept Home Staging Secrets that she uses on every house and other stagers only wish they knew.

She credits her success to understanding what buyers want in the house they buy. When you give the buyers what they want, they will buy the house faster and pay more money for it every time. That concept begins with the home staging and the way buyers feel when they enter a home. She knows buyers will make a decision about buying within 10 seconds of entering a home.

Melinda is considered to be a home staging expert and is often contacted for professional advice. She was regularly highlighted in The Kansas City Star and recently featured in an article in The New York Times, Dressing Your Home for Success. As a Realtor since 1987, she is also a 15-year recipient of The Five Star Professional Realtor Award in Kansas City.

How to schedule home staging services for Realtors

Either you or your clients can schedule.

To schedule your Home Staging Consultation ($75), Styling Session ($75), or both ($150), call or text Melinda at (913) 515-3250 or contact her here. Your payment verifies your appointment. Once payment is received, your appointment will be scheduled. Our Venmo is @MelindaBartling.

home staging services for realtors

We know you may need to reschedule your appointment for various reasons. Just let us know. We work on a very tight schedule. Should you cancel your appointment, no refund will be issued but a credit will be extended. This is the only way to keep our schedule full and allow us to get to everyone as soon as possible. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.

Pricing Your Home to Sell

The real estate market may be changing but if you’re not pricing your home to sell, you could be in for a huge surprise. There are still lots of buyers who are ready, willing, and able to buy your home for top dollar. But that doesn’t mean you can overprice your home and expect them to come running.

Today’s home buyers are savvy. They have done their research. They have spent hours looking at homes in person and online. After all, there are so many places to check out…Zillow, Trulia, Realtor.com, etc. And they always think one website will have a house and different information than another.

Home buyers that I work with typically know way more about a house I am going to show them than I know about it. They have looked at it online from every possible angle, taken every tour, and know its history. In addition, they know when you bought it, how much you paid for it and they are comparing it to others they’ve seen. They have probably driven by and will rule it out if it’s new to the market and they think it’s overpriced.

You see, it’s about them – your buyers and the experience they will have buying your home. By overpricing your home, it will make them leery. Buyers already think they are overpaying for a home. And then when you inflate the price, they will not trust you or the transaction. Nothing I do or say will change their minds. But price your home right and stage it so they fall in love, they will line up to bid the price up because it’s what they want to do.

Pricing your home to sell

Pricing your home to sell starts with being realistic, looking at the comparable homes that have sold, and trusting your agent. Unfortunately, there are lots of agents who will tell you what you want to hear. Believe me, in over 35 years of selling real estate, many agents are still using the same tired old tactics to get another listing. Overprice it, tell the sellers what they want to hear, and beat them up to lower their price later. That’s the 3P Marketing Plan of the ’90s:

  • Put the sign in the yard
  • Put it in MLS and
  • Pray

What else can you do when you’ve overpriced a home?

The only 3 reasons a house sells are:

  1. The right price
  2. The right staging and
  3. The right Realtor

Which comes first? Any house will sell if it is priced right. The agents who are good at pricing a home to sell are ahead of the rest. But unfortunately, they are few and far between.

The right home staging is important but even I will admit, some attempt at home staging is better than no staging at all. The difference is homes that are styled and staged to look drop-dead gorgeous get you more money – that’s all. It’s your money you’re either making or losing.

But making it all happen is having the right Realtor who can help you understand how real estate works. Selling your home is simple, but it’s not easy. The Realtor you choose will determine the results you get. Make sure the process starts with pricing your home to sell. After all, it’s your money. And the faster your house sells, the more money you will get!

If you’re thinking of selling a home in or around Overland Park and want to know what I do to help you sell faster and for thousands over the asking price, text or call me at (913) 515-3250 or contact me here.

Check out today’s new listings either below or in the sidebar. Call or text me at (913) 515-3250 to see inside one of these homes. I AM NEVER TOO BUSY to show you a house. Real estate is my main hustle after 35 years! Everything else I do is bells and whistles to enhance your experience!

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