It’s no surprise to hear in today’s residential real estate market, homes are selling over the asking price and with multiple offers. The West Orange real estate market is no stranger to this very robust, highly competitive real estate market. What’s driving the high demand in West Orange, NJ? Many factors are driving the buyer demand but I would say the proximity to NYC and the ease of commute is at the top of the list for many homebuyers today. Second would be affordable homes for first-time home buyers, offering the updates they desire, nice-sized yards, and great outdoor space. Proximity to nearby parks, recreation, golf courses, restaurants, and shopping makes West Orange a sought-after location to call home.
Thinking of taking advantage of this market?
While this is all great news for homeowners who are thinking of selling and want to take advantage of this unprecedented market, I must caution that it is still very important and crucial to a successful sale to properly prepare your home prior to going on the market. As the saying goes, “You only get one chance to make a good first impression” and today your first impression is your online presence. Today’s buyers are very savvy and have been in the market for a long period of time due to the lack of inventory – they know the marketplace and values! Not sure what improvements should be done to maximize your profit? That’s where a real estate professional can help.
A well-maintained home still needs time to prepare for the market
Let’s take 39 Rosemont Terrace for example. A ranch-style home with four bedrooms and two and a half baths, a partially finished basement, two-car garage, gorgeous hardwood floors throughout all on a beautiful level lot in a desirable Pleasantdale neighborhood. A well-maintained home but the kitchen and baths were older and needed updating. The sellers had already made some nice updates but were not going to gut the kitchen or the baths, and I agreed. In a situation like this, my advice was to completely paint the interior and give it a deep clean. A fresh coat of paint and a deep clean can be the best bang for your buck and pays the best ROI.
The entire main level was painted with a neutral on-trend color for a seamless look throughout the home. The transformation was fantastic! The new wall color and crisp white woodwork enhanced the already beautiful hardwood flooring giving the home a newer and more spacious feel – it seemed like a new home!
Since the sellers had already moved into their new home (which I helped them with too), the house was completely empty. Empty rooms appear smaller and it’s harder for buyers to envision their belongings in the space. I am a big advocate for staging and having done staging for many clients, staging a completely vacant home is not cost-effective. I decided that virtual staging would be the best option for my clients.
Virtual staging before and after photos
Staging helps the buyer envision themselves living in the home
The entire home was virtually staged including the expansive deck. Enlarged photos of each virtually staged room were placed in each room of the house for the open house and showing appointments. Having these photos in the space gave the prospective buyers a vision of how their furniture could be placed in the room and helped the buyers envision themselves living in the home.
In addition to the virtual staging, I provided soft staging for the kitchen, bathrooms, and bookcases in the family room. Staged homes sell quicker and for more money! Staging is one of the services that I provide to my clients.
39 Rosemont Terrace had multiple offers and sold $33,500 over asking. It has been a wonderful journey guiding my clients on the purchase of their new home and helping them prepare for selling a home. This couldn’t have been possible without the full support of my clients and their willingness to prepare the home before going on the market. Most importantly, they priced the home correctly from the start – a crucial step for a successful sale!
If you would like to learn more about how I guide and advocate for my clients throughout the home buying and selling process, contact me below or visit my website to learn more about me and the services I offer to my clients.
WEST ORANGE, NJ – JULY MARKET SNAPSHOT
