Tag: home staging in Overland Park

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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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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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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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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Home-Selling Marketing Tips

When it’s time to sell your Overland Park home, there are several quick home-selling marketing tips that can be incorporated to make the process easier, faster and that will net you more money. But it all comes down to your agent’s marketing mindset.

2 marketing mindsets to sell your house

  1. the average agent’s default plan to sell your home – the hope and pray plan and
  2. my “by design” version to sell your house – making sure everything is just right

With over 35 years of selling real estate, I do know selling your home requires a marketing plan. You don’t need an 89-point marketing plan. My plan is 3 simple steps and it works time and time again to sell my houses faster and for more money.

Unfortunately, selling by default is what most agents do. They don’t really have a plan to sell your house other than the hope and pray 3 P plan:

  1. Put a sign in the yard
  2. Put it in MLS and on the internet
  3. Pray it sells

Additional worn-out marketing that doesn’t work

After that they will often hold an open house every week, knock on every door in the neighborhood and put up pointer signs on the corners.

That last one did catch my attention recently. As a real estate agent and marketer, I am always intrigued by other agents’ marketing actions. For sale signs always grab my attention.

On my way to pick up my grandkids at school, I noticed a new “coming soon” sign on a corner house that I pass by. Then the coming soon sign came down and the open Sunday sign went up. A week later, there was a pointer sign on the corner – house for sale. After that, the agent added some balloons to the pointer sign.

I had to laugh. Yes, it caught my attention but do those things really work? The house is still for sale almost 2 months later.

I learned 35 years ago about the 3 P method to sell houses. They are just the wrong 3 P’s.

My 3 P’s come from a totally different kind of mindset but work to sell my average house in less than 3 days on the market, with multiple offers and for more than the asking price.

Fresh home-selling marketing tips

  • Planning my strategy to sell your house
  • Preparing your house to stand out from the competition  – home staging is my area of expertise
  • Pricing your house to sell versus sit on the market

Updated 3 P’s are very simple but they are not easy for most agents. Here’s why:

Agents are typically guided by their company strategies. That in itself, they don’t always work.

The right staging is crucial to selling your home quickly – that means detailing and fine-tuning your home so everything is just right. The proper arrangement of your furniture and accessories will cause buyers to fall in love with your home so they have to buy your house NOW. If they don’t fall in love, they will not buy your house.

Pricing your house to sell is a skill in itself that takes time to master and most agents don’t ever get it right. Most agents will overprice your home and then be embarrassed to ask for a price reduction.

Bottom line

I take one house at a time and create the best strategic home-selling marketing tips and plan that works for your home. Then I will make sure your home has that Model Home Look, is show-ready, and is priced to sell.

If you are thinking of selling your home, now is the time to create a 3 P strategic plan to sell. Call or text me at (913) 515-3250 or contact me here to see how my 3 P’s can 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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(all data current as of 6/2/2023)

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

 
 

January Home Selling Rules

January home selling rules are mandatory so your home appeals to the largest number of buyers. One of my home staging mantras is buyers only see what they see, not the way it’s going to be. In other words, don’t still have your house decorated for Christmas and expect your buyers to see it any other way.

Restaging your Overland Park home now that the holidays are over is of utmost importance. Here are three things you must do immediately as part of the January home selling rules – if you haven’t already.

3 easy January home selling rules

  1. If the effects of Christmas are still lingering in your home, this is a definite turn off for your buyers. It always seems harder to get Christmas put away than getting it out. Now that the holidays have passed, get busy now and take down your tree and all of your holiday decorations. You should box them up and put them in storage for your upcoming move. Be sure to remove your outdoor decorations and lights as well.
  2. Don’t forget about your curb appeal! Restage your front door with a fresh new winter wreath, a new welcome mat and one or two tasteful urns filled with a hardy mix that will take you through the winter months.
  3. Look at your photos online. If any of your photos show your home decorated for Christmas, now is the time to change those out with current photos. As the seasons change, so should the photos of your home. Your exterior photos should always represent the correct season you are in – you don’t want your home to stand out in a negative way.

In conclusion

As a result, restaging your Overland Park home right after the holidays, and by following the January home selling rules, you will be way ahead of your competition and setting yourself up for home selling success.

These January home selling rules aren’t difficult. It’s merely knowing what to do and then doing it. As a Realtor for 35 years, a recipient of the Five Star Professional Real Estate award for the last 15 consecutive years, and a home stager since 2006, I always treat your home like it was my own and will advise you accordingly. Choosing the right Realtor is your 1st step.

If you are considering selling in this upcoming spring market, give me a call or text at (913) 515-3250 or contact me here for a FREE consultation so you make the most money on the sale of your home. The right home staging, using your own things in a fresh home selling way, will help create your model home look that will bring in multiple offers and net you more money. You do want more money, don’t 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 merely bells and whistles to enhance your experience!

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Home Smudging

Smudging your home is an ancient spiritual practice and ritual that we use to cleanse a home, rid it of negativity and prepare it for its new occupants. Above all, it’s an actual sage burning ceremony that works for sellers or buyers depending on their specific needs.

Who is home smudging designed for?

At Fresh Juju, we know our home smudging services can be for sellers who want to rid their home of negative energy, buyers who want to know that the home they bought will be filled with positive energy or residents who want to remove bad vibes from their homes.

The very first smudging I did was in 2008 when I listed a home where a murder with a chain saw had been committed. Needless to say, it was a gruesome situation. Even though a couple of years had passed since the incident, I learned about smudging because I was having bad feelings just being in the home. I studied the practice of smudging and took it upon myself to perform a smudging ceremony once a week while the home was on the market.

Other reasons sellers smudge:

  • There was a break-up or divorce
  • One of the occupants went through a long illness
  • Someone passed away in the house
  • A dramatic event occurred at the house
  • Turbulence in the family
  • The house was the scene of a crime
  • The home had been vacant for a while and had stale energy

Buyers love the art of home smudging for similar reasons:

  • Smudging helps to purify and redirect the energy in the home
  • It’s a natural disinfectant
  • Removes any negative vibrations, pains, fears, anxieties, and uncertainties that could be lingering in a home
  • Sage is known to boost your mood, improve memory, focus and help with insomnia

Smudging is a quick and easy fix to prepare the home for new buyers. Furthermore, they can move in knowing all negativity has been released and the environment is filled with positivity, love, and light.

Our process of smudging your home

We prefer to smudge the home after the sellers have vacated and before the buyers move in. An unoccupied home is a perfect backdrop to rid a home of any previous negative energy. But either way, occupied or not, we can smudge your home to your satisfaction.

Smudging the kitchen!

There are as many different ways to perform a Smudging Ceremony as well as different products to use. We prefer using white sage as our main tool for the ceremony. Our intentions are always set first. Then we ask why we are there and what you want to specifically accomplish with the home smudging. The final preparation step is to always smudge ourselves first before we smudge the house.

The art of smudging can be done with your hands or with a feather. We use a feather to direct the smoke from the sage to clear the space. In our Smudging Ceremony, we say different prayers to rid the house of evil spirits. We will get very specific with the prayers if we know “the story” of the house. We go room to room as we smudge. The process is slow and mindful and each smudging ceremony usually takes about 1 hour.

Will one home smudging do the trick?

That depends. As previously stated, I smudged a house once a week for about a month back in 2008. We’ve had buyers purchase a home where the previous owners had been battling through a divorce for the past couple of years.

With this type of negative energy flowing throughout the house for so long, we would recommend at least 2 smudging ceremonies. The 1st should be once the house is vacant before the buyers move in and the 2nd one about a week after moving in.

Those 2 smudgings will remove any negativity from the house as well as the new owner’s things. Furthermore, that will clear the air of the occupied space by the previous occupants and allow the buyer’s possessions to go through a good smudging as well.

Is smudging your home right for you?

While smudging your home may seem a bit weird and confusing to many people, it’s merely a way to remove bad juju from a home and replace it with light, love, and joy. Especially when buying a home, you never know what went on behind those closed doors. You may discover the previous residents were horrible people who did terrible things.

Smudging is a sacred, religious and spiritual practice to many Native American tribes. For that very reason, we have high regard and respect for the process. We believe smudging works to rid a home of its demons.

You can start off life in your new home with a clean slate knowing the bad energy has been moved out of the house to make way for your positivity, love, and light. It’s a small price to pay for a large investment and a fresh start!

Personal smudging ceremony

Due to the recent chaos with Covid and unrest in the world, we offer our Personal Smudging Ceremony to rid negativity from your mind, body, and spirit. Much like a home smudging, the purpose of the ritual is to allow the smoke from the white sage to carry off all negativity, fears, and attachments and be replaced with light, love, and joy.

We use White Sage, which is a natural healer for your mind, body, and spirit. Furthermore, its leaves are rich in compounds that work to turn on your brain activity, raise your mood, reduce stress, and relieve pain. It’s even been proven to be a solution for insomnia!

The smoke from the sage cleanses everything it touches and has direct communication with our Creator. With your intentions and goals for healing, combined with our Ceremonial Prayer Ritual, you will start a daily practice of reciting your personal affirmations to deepen what we created.

Our most requested service

Our most requested ceremony is smudging the home and one of the residents. On average, about 8 out of 10 personal smudging ceremonies that we perform are centered around health-related issues. Whether it’s a recent diagnosis or surgery, our clients understand the importance of removing all the bad juju from their homes as well as their spirits. In addition, as everyone knows, having the right positive attitude is the most important attribute for healing.

If you or a loved one has encountered ill health, unmanageable stress, anxiety from a break-up, insomnia, or just negativity in general, a Personal Smudging Ceremony can work for you, too!

Get the combo!

Our Combo Personal and Home Smudging Ceremony is the best deal! Likewise, it will remove the contaminated demonic forces, stale or negative energies, fear, sadness, uncertainty or anxiety about the future, or just plain bad spirits that may be lingering in your environment and your mind.

We work with your intentions to promote new beginnings, purify the mind, body, and spirit, and transform all energy from negative to positive.

How much does a smudging ceremony cost?

Personal Smudging Ceremony (for one person) – $95

Home Smudging Ceremony – $95 (average home) – $195 (over $3,000 sf)

#1 Best Offer – Combo Personal and Home Smudging Ceremony – $175 – $275 (over 3,000 sf)

Each extra Personal Smudging Ceremony is $75 if performed while we are there.

ATTENTION REALTORS – ask about our Preferred Realtor Program that can save you $$$ on your next Home Smudging Ceremony. It makes a great housewarming gift for your favorite buyers!

How do I order a personal or home smudging?

Schedule your personal or home smudging by calling or texting (913) 515-3250 or contact Melinda here. For more information, check out our Smudging website at FreshJuju.com.

Search for homes

Don’t search on Zillow for homes for sale and have agents start bombarding you for an appointment. Start your home search here where you’ll find the newest up-to-date active homes for sale…not something that sold 6 months ago.

You can also check out the latest, newest homes just listed for sale in Overland Park below. Be sure to text or call me at (913) 515-3250 and let’s take a look at your favorites!

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The 10 Second Rule

The typical Overland Park home buyers use the 10 second rule when they arrive at your house. What does that mean? It means, that within 10 seconds, the buyers have made a decision whether or not they are going to buy your home.

Unfortunately, I can’t tell you how many homes I see that have terrible curb appeal, porch appeal and entry appeal. Sellers who don’t think these things are important should think again.

What today’s home buyers want

Furthermore, today’s home buyers want to be impressed. Why? They are getting ready to spend their entire life’s savings to buy a home. It’s a place they will make memories for themselves. So many of these home buyers are moving from apartments that are pretty impressive. If they have a gorgeous rental, they certainly expect to be impressed with a house they are going to buy.

Therefore, buyers want to know the home they are considering buying has been well maintained. At a recent panel I was on for first time home buyers, their biggest fear was buying a money pit. That means if you are selling, you had better step up your game because today’s buyers are looking for a reason not to buy your house. They are looking in every nook and cranny for something that isn’t right. They are eliminating all of their options until they find that perfect home with the Goldilocks effect.

Consequently, Overland Park home buyers have already decided about your home long before they reach your front door. Even more, they have researched everything they possibly can online. They’ve done an aerial view, they know what your street looks like and your next door neighbor’s house. When your house is ready, the buyers will come.

Finally, here’s what they really want to see when they get there:

  • A good street
  • A well maintained neighborhood
  • Respectable looking homes
  • Awesome curb appeal
  • Perfection at the front door
  • And a “wow” factor as they enter your house

When home buyers fall in love with your home

In addition, to please today’s Overland Park home buyers you’ve got to have that “you had them at hello” scenario. It all comes down to the details. Let it begin in that first 10 seconds and keep it going as they walk through each room of your house. When they’re done with their tour they’ll be saying, “We have to have this house and we’ll pay more money for it.” That’s how smart sellers are winning at the 10 second rule with today’s picky buyers.

Think this is foolish? As a result, buyers can take your house or leave it? With that attitude you’ll surely be on the market awhile. It’s not the new way to sell your house. You’ve got to change with the times or take your chances of not winning the home selling game. The choice is yours. Remember, not all houses sell. Will you be one that adopts the new rules to sell your home and adopt the 10 second rule as part of your home selling strategy? Selling your home is simple – but it’s not easy.

I’ve been helping home sellers with their 10 second rule since 2006 when I started my home staging business. If you’d like to incorporate it into your home selling strategy, call me direct at (913) 515-3250 or contact me here.

Search for homes

You can start your search for homes here and eliminate being chased down by Zillow.

Check out the latest, newest listings and homes for sale in Overland Park below. Call or text me at (913) 515-3250 when you see your dream home and we’ll go take a look inside!

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(all data current as of 6/2/2023)

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