Father’s Day Facts for Ludlow VT

In honor of Dear Old Dad, we are taking a week off from discussing Ludlow VT real estate. Father’s Day is coming up this Sunday, and there is plenty to do around Ludlow VT and Okemo Mountain to celebrate with the special father in your life.

Here are some little-known facts about Father’s Day:

- There are approximately 66.3 million fathers in the United States.

- The word "Dad" dates back to the sixteenth century, or possibly even earlier. It may have originated with the Welsh word "Tad" (meaning father), which later mutated to Dad. The word "Father" is derived from the Old English "Foeder".

- A father ocean catfish carries the eggs of his young in his MOUTH until they are ready to be born (which may take several weeks!). During that time he cannot eat anything.

- Father penguins remain on their feet in arctic temperatures for 60 days or more to protect his eggs, he also cannot eat while guarding his eggs.

- Neckties lead the list of Father’s Day gifts, and there are 10,416 men’s clothing stores around the country.

- Other items high on the list of Father’s Day gifts include those you may find in dad’s toolbox, such as hammers, wrenches and screwdrivers. You could buy some of these items for dad at one of the nation’s 14,755 hardware stores or 5,280 home centers.

- There are 23,018 sporting goods stores. These stores are good places to purchase traditional gifts for dad such as fishing rods and golf clubs.

- There are approximately 98,000 “stay-at-home” dads. These are married fathers with children under 15 years old who have remained out of the labor force for more than one year primarily so they can care for the family while their wives work outside the home.

- Nearly 69 million Americans have participated in a barbeque in the last year — it’s probably safe to assume many of these barbeques took place on Father’s Day.

We’ll be back next week to discuss Ludlow VT real estate. Meanwhile, enjoy a fantastic weekend with dad and call me at 802-353-1983 or visit ISellVermontRealEstate.com to begin searching Ludlow VT real estate now!

Why Stage Your Ludlow VT Real Estate

“Staging” Ludlow VT real estate for sale has become a hot trend in the industry. Unlike some trends that are more trouble than they’re worth, however, this is one trend that can really pay off! Here are 12 reasons why you should consider staging your home on the market:

1. Turbo Boost Sales Time
Experts all agree and studies show staged homes sell quicker – sometimes up to 50% faster - than non-staged homes. Typically, when a home has been on the market for some time, buyers and agents will assume there must be something wrong with it or that the seller will be anxious to sell and will take much less than the asking price.

2. First Impressions Are The Most Important
People’s first impression of your listing is critical. Staging gives you the best opportunity to make a positive first impression rather than a negative one. The stronger the impression, the less likely a potential buyer will be bothered if some things aren’t perfect.

3. Gone In 60 Seconds…
Psychology experts have proven that people react based on emotion and then seek logic to back up the feeling. From a real estate perspective, a buyer will make an initial reaction in less than a minute whether they like your listing or not. Then, after the potential buyer's initial decision has been made, they will either confirm that decision or rescind it in the next 6 to 20 minutes as they tour the property. This is why proper staging is critical for any listing.

4. Ready, Set, Go – Move-In Ready Sells Faster

A properly staged listing not only appears to be in “Move-In Ready” condition, but it really is. Staging a house for sale means that every component of the house is as close as possible to model condition. All buyers prefer to buy a home where they can just move-in and start enjoying life. This is especially true for vacation homes, where buyers may not have a lot of time to devote to “updating” the property.

5. Imagination Not Included
Did you know that only 5% of the population can truly visualize how beautiful a home can be or see past the clutter, grime and so-so appearance? It’s true. Help potential buyers see themselves happily living in your listing and let the offers come pouring in. For vacation homes, help buyers envision themselves enjoying a family vacation in your property and reaping the rewards of renting it out to others on vacation.

6. Be the Needle In The Haystack

Staged homes have a much greater competitive advantage over houses that are not staged. Experts are predicting that more and more listings will be sitting on the market for sale in the next few years. Some areas have already seen a 100-300% increase in available inventory and average time on market. A staged home stands apart from other listings because it has been properly merchandised to bring out the best qualities of the listing.

7. No Skeletons In The Closet

Staged homes project an image of being well maintained and well cared for. The underlying psychological message that is sent to potential buyers is that it’s worth more. More importantly, staging helps remove a certain degree of risk that a potential buyer might have about buying a house that is in disarray.

8. Appraise It High Or Go Home

As more and more homes become available, you need every advantage possible. One marketing advantage you might overlook is to create instant loan to value (LTV) by getting an appraisal after the house is staged. If you can show a potential buyer how much the home is worth i.e. appraised value and the sales price is less….instant value. It will sell faster because it appears to be a better deal.

9. Move To The Head Of The Class

Real estate professionals never like to show a house that’s not going to impress their buyer. A well-staged home could easily be described as “staged to sell” which means that it’s going to impress their buyer. Staged homes are always at the top of the list when it comes to which properties an agent will show.

10. The Exception To The Rule – The Buyer’s Rule

Would you show a house to a buyer that didn’t meet their exact criteria? Maybe…but ONLY if the house is staged properly and gets clients excited. If an agent knows that a listing shows really well, but doesn’t match the buyer’s criteria exactly, it’s possible they’ll show it anyway. A well-staged home could be the one to get a buyer excited enough to make an offer.

11. Peace, Love and FREE Advertising

Brokerages love showcasing beautifully staged homes because they draw more business to their firm. They usually invest considerable money to advertise a well staged listing to generate leads for other agents. Why not use this to your advantage – the more advertising your home can get, the better!

12. Show Me The Money!

The better a home shows, the higher it will sell for - which means more dollars in your pocket. Non-staged homes are more likely to require price reductions in order to sell as opposed to staged homes, which are more likely to enjoy a number of offers, or even a bidding war or a sale above the asking price. Information provided by AHS.