Home Staging NJ Luxury Real Estate

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Stagers: Are You Leveraging Your Whuffie to Close New Business?

social capital, online visibility

Do you Leverage Your Own Online Visibility and Your Whuffie, when competing for projects?

 

What's Whuffie?

 

Whuffie is your social capital, included with that is also, your reach.

(There's an excellent book on the topic if you want to explore it in it's original form.)

 

I ask this question, because it's an important asset you may not know you have that can help you close more business.

Since most sophisticated stagers today use social media tools to market their business, many have developed contacts, relationships, friendships and in some cases, even, a following.  The linking, commenting and relationship building has earned goodwill along the way, which can in turn be considered social capital. All of which sums to the concept of "reach".

When you complete a project and begin to share the story with your online "sphere", you are providing exposure for listing and the realtor as well.  Do you offer Online Visibility as one of your value-added services?

You could, you may be able to trounce anything the realtor has, and help promote the property quite substantially.

For example, let's look at your Twitter Reach.  When you visit the little gizmo TweetReach, it will tell you not only how many followers you have, but what your total reach is.  I've been pretty lazy with Twitter of late, and so they don't have a lot of data to analyze for me.  However, my last 13 posts created 50, 261 impressions.

Juliet Johnson's Online Visibility

That's a fair number of impressions, no?

And how many Facebook friends do you have? "Likes" on your page? How many groups do you interact with here, on LinkedIN, on other forums? What about your blog - how many subscribers? And all the other sites you're on?

You see one of the wonderful thing about social media tools and networking sites is the metric capability they offer to go along with one.  So you can always see what your total "reach" is.

The beauty is that you are doing all of this blogging, posting, updating, uploading photo collages, etc. ANYWAY!!  So, why not use it, leverage the time and effort one step further, as a way to close more business?  The new stager-du-jour in your patch can't possibly compete with your whuffie.  He or she can only compete on price.  And we all know what happens when you compete on price...any concept of VALUE goes out the window!!

 

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I'd like to invite you to connect with me on these other places:

Juliet on Twitter Juliet on FacebookLinked In with Juliet JohnsonGoogle Profile for Juliet Johnson

Juliet Johnson serves Jacksonville, FL realtors, home sellers and small business with social media strategy, online visibility and product creation services, that include training if you want to do it yourself. 

"If your social media activity isn't a revenue generator for you, you're doing it wrong."

 

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Stagers ~ Would you get more business if you targeted *older* agents & home-owners

There is a fascinating project underway, courtesy of Deluxe (yea, the check people), where 9 small businesses were selected to receive a marketing revamp, $5,000 marketing dollars, marketing consultant and some coaching from SCORE. 

web 2-0 for stagers

ProjectRev is a "vital read" for anyone intrigued by marketing... and of particular interest to home stagers. Why?  Coz there's one in it!

Felicia Frazier is a creative soul, who was downsized out of Limited 2 and is now a home stager in Ohio.  The biggest surprise about running her own business?

“That I actually had to go out and get the business!” Frazier laughed.

“And the hardest part of that is knowing where to go, determining who that key customer I need to target is. What I learned from Project Rev was that I needed to be going after an older market. I was focusing on late twenties and mid-thirties, and I needed to be targeting homeowners in their late forties and up, along with Realtors.”

This has consumed me this morning!

 

1.  Yes, "asking for the business" is the hardest and least liked aspect of a stager's life.

2.  We have all long been confused as to who the target customer is - the realtor or the home-owner.  After all, the home-owner pays you, yet more often than not it is the realtor that gets you the work.

3.  Then this aging statement -- 'I needed to be targeting homeowners in their late forties and up, along with Realtors.”

Do any of you agree with this?

I put it up on my Facebook page and Michael Fortuna, a man I think of immeasurable discernment, wrote 

     ""IMHO: I get more hands-on business from 50-65, but more vacants from 30-50..."

WOW!  Really?  I never noticed or thought to look at it this way.  My clients were always just folks who wanted to sell their home.  They seemed to be all over the place.  Looking back I can't think of a through line among them!  Except that many became friends along the way.

I'd love to hear your opinions on this ~ 

 

 

 

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I'd like to invite you to connect with me on these other places:

Juliet on Twitter Juliet on FacebookLinked In with Juliet JohnsonGoogle Profile for Juliet Johnson

Juliet Johnson serves Jacksonville, FL realtors, home sellers and small business with social media strategy, online visibility and product creation services, that include training if you want to do it yourself. 

"If your social media activity isn't a revenue generator for you, you're doing it wrong."

 

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July's Numbers Suggest Myrtle Beach Real Estate Market has "bottomed out"!

Myrtle Beach Home Sales May have Bottomed Out, according to statistics from the CCAR (Coastal Carolina Association of Realtors)

"Myrtle Beach" encompasses the entire Grand Strand area

 

Newly interpreted statistics for July suggest that Myrtle Beach real estate is seeing less price erosion but a slow down on volume.  For while we are still up, 24.1% year to date, in volume for July we are 5.3% lower this year over last year - 2009.

 Myrtle Beach Homes For Sale in July


Pricing, for single family homes, seems to have stabilized and in some cases even rebounded some over the summer months.  We all knew this without the statistical reports because at new construction sites, the signs showing base prices have mostly moved upwards, in some cases by as much as 10%. 

 Historical Data on price

Condo sales, however, are down for the 3rd month in a row.  Pricing is thought to have “bottomed out” on the basis of median sales remaining at $120,000.  So we’re selling fewer of them, yet, finally, at similar prices.  Since 40% of condo sales are distressed sales, this might suggest that the banks are standing firm on what they’ll accept.  A responsible position for the banks to take, in my opinion.  Someone had to step in and stop continually declining prices.

 Distressed Home Sales in Myrtle Beach

Inventory levels in both homes and condos remains unchanged.

inventory of Homes for sale in myrtle beach,sc

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I'd like to invite you to connect with me on these other places:

Juliet on Twitter Juliet on FacebookLinked In with Juliet JohnsonGoogle Profile for Juliet Johnson

Juliet Johnson serves Jacksonville, FL realtors, home sellers and small business with social media strategy, online visibility and product creation services, that include training if you want to do it yourself. 

"If your social media activity isn't a revenue generator for you, you're doing it wrong."

 

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Pine Lakes Open House - Sunday, August 1 from 1 - 4 p.m. 2010

5702 Canterbury Lane, Myrtle Beach

Fabulous Pine Lakes 4 Bedroom home for $424,900.

Do join me, I'll be there from 1 - 4 p.m this Sunday, August 1, 2010

 
Juliet Johnson | Prudential Burroughs and Chapin Realty, Inc. | (843) 315-0226
5702, Myrtle Beach, SC
Fabulous Family Home
4BR/3+1BA Single Family House
offered at $424,900
Year Built 1963
Sq Footage 2,600
Bedrooms 4
Bathrooms 3 full, 1 partial
Floors 1
Parking Unspecified
Lot Size 28,298 sqft
HOA/Maint $0 per month

DESCRIPTION

Beautiful 4BR/3.5BA all brick home on Canterbury Lane in prestigious Pine Lakes section of Myrtle Beach. This home has it all. Hardwood floors, familyroom with built-ins and brick wood burning fireplace. Formal living room which is open to a spacious dining area. Large master bedroom and large masterbath with double sinks and whirlpool tub. Large walk-in closet in master bedroom. Huge guest bedrooms with large closets. Security System, lawn well and irrigation, two HVAC units (one specifically for the master suite and the other is approx 1 yr old), two water heaters, side loading garage, and the roof is less than seven years old. Covered front and back porch. 24x10 heated and cooled sunroom/Carolina room. Private setting in backyard with patio. Twoplayhouses in backyard, window treatments, and surfboard ceiling fan in guest bedroom (seller will replace with another fan) do not convey with sale.

see additional photos below
PROPERTY FEATURES

- Central A/C - Central heat - Fireplace
- Walk-in closet - Hardwood floor - Tile floor
- Family room - Living room - Office/Den
- Dining room - Breakfast nook - Dishwasher
- Refrigerator - Stove/Oven - Microwave
- Washer - Dryer - Laundry area - inside
- Balcony, Deck, or Patio - Yard  

OTHER SPECIAL FEATURES

- Much Sought-After Pine Lakes Community

 

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS


Welcome Home!

This is our Living Room

Dining Room

Family Room

Kitchen

Carolina Room
Contact info:
Juliet Johnson
Prudential Burroughs and Chapin Realty, Inc.
(843) 315-0226
For sale by agent/broker

powered by postlets Equal Opportunity Housing
Posted: Jul 30, 2010, 7:40am PDT

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I'd like to invite you to connect with me on these other places:

Juliet on Twitter Juliet on FacebookLinked In with Juliet JohnsonGoogle Profile for Juliet Johnson

Juliet Johnson serves Jacksonville, FL realtors, home sellers and small business with social media strategy, online visibility and product creation services, that include training if you want to do it yourself. 

"If your social media activity isn't a revenue generator for you, you're doing it wrong."

 

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Myrtle Beach - from 48th to 79th - what's selling!

Prices are not exactly coming down; it's just that cheaper stuff is selling!

Every day, someone asks me if the market is picking up. 
What's going on?  What's happening with prices?

I try to explain what I see:  the market is definitely coming back.  There is a lot more activity, but, it's still in the lower end of the marketplace.
  Where in a neighborhood 8 homes sold over the last year, only 2 have sold in the last 6 months, and what did trade was those that were listed lower.

myrtle beach home sales

In this neighborhood here in "midtown" of Myrtle Beach - where there are some modest homes, some very swanky places and all of them are within 1 mile of the beach, within walking distance to the shops, etc. - here what has sold is homes in the upper $200s where within the last 12 months, the average sales price was $50,000 higher. 

While this might suggest prices are falling 11%, it is simply more likely that those homes in the lower price points are the ones that are selling right now.


Another trend we're seeing is a narrowing gap between what a home is listed for vs. what it sells for.  Where 12 months ago, sellers were negotiating on their list price; now -- their list price is cut to the bone, just to get buyers to LOOK at the property.  Therefore, there is much less room to negotiate.
  Sadly, buyers aren't on the same page here....yet.

~

I'd like to invite you to connect with me on these other places:

Juliet on Twitter Juliet on FacebookLinked In with Juliet JohnsonGoogle Profile for Juliet Johnson

Juliet Johnson serves Jacksonville, FL realtors, home sellers and small business with social media strategy, online visibility and product creation services, that include training if you want to do it yourself. 

"If your social media activity isn't a revenue generator for you, you're doing it wrong."

 

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Myrtle Beach Home NOT in a Subdivision - Downtown - you can walk places!!

Myrtle Beach Home for Sale, not in a Subdivision, within easy golf cart distance to the beach!! OPEN SUNDAY!!

This Sunday, I'm going to be holding an open house in one of the houses - downtown in Myrtle Beach - where you can walk to the beach!  I'm so excited!!

Much of what we see and sell here is in sub-divisions.  There are quite a few homes not in subdivisions in the blocks back from the beach, but many - if not most - appear to be dated, rather 50s-ish but not in a cool way - and not terribly fun for today's buyer unless they love the idea of customizing it excatly to their own taste.  This can be a great journey or a nightmare depending upon your tolerance for home improvement stress!!


Walk to Beach home for sale in downtown Myrtle Beach
Enter 610 61st Avenue North - a contemporary, cute 3 BR withing walking distance to lots of things... not the least of which is the ocean!!  OR you could get a handy tax credit on your electric car from President Obama ...for your golf cart / electric car, that is!!

Here's more details on this home.  I'll be here from 1 - 4 p.m. on Sunday, July 18, 2010. 

~ Do stop by!! ~


Juliet Johnson | Prudential Burroughs and Chapin Realty, Inc. | (843) 315-0226
610 61st Ave North, Myrtle Beach, SC
Cute 3 BR within walking distance to beach!
3BR/2BA Single Family House

offered at $279,900
Year Built 1989
Sq Footage 1,900
Bedrooms 3
Bathrooms 2 full, 0 partial
Floors 1
Parking 1 Car garage
Lot Size Unspecified
HOA/Maint $0 per month

DESCRIPTION

Just perfect if you are looking for a home within walking distance to the beach, shopping & a great park for the little ones. This home is in move-in condition. 2 master bedrooms, wood flrs, tile, nice size rooms for entertaining, SS Appliances in Kitchen, granite countertops, a lovely back yard & a large deck for those outdoor parties or just enjoying your own solitude. We have priced this home to sell.


see additional photos below
PROPERTY FEATURES

- Central A/C - Central heat - Fireplace
- High/Vaulted ceiling - Walk-in closet - Hardwood floor
- Tile floor - Family room - Living room
- Dining room - Dishwasher - Refrigerator
- Stove/Oven - Microwave - Granite countertop
- Stainless steel appliances - Washer - Dryer
- Balcony, Deck, or Patio - Yard

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS


Welcome Home!

Lovley Kitchen

Breakfast Area/Dining

Family Room

Wet Bar in Family Room

Garden
Contact info:
Juliet Johnson
Prudential Burroughs and Chapin Realty, Inc.
(843) 315-0226
For sale by agent/broker

powered by postlets Equal Opportunity Housing
Posted: Jul 16, 2010, 5:38am PDT

 

 

~

I'd like to invite you to connect with me on these other places:

Juliet on Twitter Juliet on FacebookLinked In with Juliet JohnsonGoogle Profile for Juliet Johnson

Juliet Johnson serves Jacksonville, FL realtors, home sellers and small business with social media strategy, online visibility and product creation services, that include training if you want to do it yourself. 

"If your social media activity isn't a revenue generator for you, you're doing it wrong."

 

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The Dunes Club - the statistics and the story they tell of homes sold in this exclusive Myrtle Beach Community.

The Dunes Club
Established, exclusive, elegant and yet, a warm family neighborhood.

There are currently 13 homes on the market for sale at the moment in the Dunes Club.  This is an unusually high number for them, given that only 2 have traded in the last 6 months, and only 5 over the last year!!

Home Sales in the Dunes Club, Myrtle Beach

In the last 12 months, 5 homes have sold, ranging in price (original price listed) $445,000 - $649,000.  The average selling price was $414,480, with each home averaging a closed price within 7% of asking.  The average days on market were 128 (range: 32 - 228).

Dunes Club home sales in Myrtle Beach



The majority of homes sold in the Dunes Club, including the 2 that are pending tend to be 4 bedroom properties.   [Those pending transactions, by the way, have an average price of $362,500, with an average of 206 Days on Market!]

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I'd like to invite you to connect with me on these other places:

Juliet on Twitter Juliet on FacebookLinked In with Juliet JohnsonGoogle Profile for Juliet Johnson

Juliet Johnson serves Jacksonville, FL realtors, home sellers and small business with social media strategy, online visibility and product creation services, that include training if you want to do it yourself. 

"If your social media activity isn't a revenue generator for you, you're doing it wrong."

 

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Myrtle Beach Real Estate - the Mid-Year Report

Myrtle Beach Homes For Sale

The Mid-Year Report - 2010

Good news, apparently.


"Market Analyst Tom Maeser says single family home sales have gone up 29%, and condo sales have gone up 19%."  Largely, because we have a lot of 2nd home buyers in on the Grand Strand.

“We’re running 45% cash sales, so these are people that don’t need financing.  They have been helping to make the Grand Strand market not too bad, we’re actually seeing a lot of activity,“ said Maeser.

He says 66% of the Grand Strand market is made up of investor properties with owners who can pay out of pocket."

But don't get too excited, the Banks are thwarting any real growth in the marketplace.

“Because these government regulations are getting tighter, it’s impacting purchasers here.  So it’s hard to get a loan, and hard to get a building to qualify for mortgage,“ [Maeser] said.

So, as one considers short lived success on the Grand Strand, what do the numbers look like, neighborhood to neighborhood?

http://carolinarealproperty.com

 

ARE we doing any better?  compared to the same 6 month period last year?


The black tube is the 2010 total solds which compared to 2009's orange tube shows that gains were only made in Carolina Forest and Surfside.

Sales outpace inventory/supply in Myrtle Beach, Carolina Forest, Surfside and Murrells Inlet - which should help reduce our absorbtion rates.
 The pending numbers look gloomy to me, but that could just be that closing periods have narrowed , which would make sense if most of our current sales are CASH. Those deals can close in 28 days or less!

Bargain hunters?  Why not take a look at Garden City and Surfside - look how much they've got to move!

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I'd like to invite you to connect with me on these other places:

Juliet on Twitter Juliet on FacebookLinked In with Juliet JohnsonGoogle Profile for Juliet Johnson

Juliet Johnson serves Jacksonville, FL realtors, home sellers and small business with social media strategy, online visibility and product creation services, that include training if you want to do it yourself. 

"If your social media activity isn't a revenue generator for you, you're doing it wrong."

 

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Facebook offers ANOTHER brilliant way to interact with friends and clients!

I was happily enjoying the Washington Post's snarky write up of Sweden's Royal Wedding this morning, when suddenly I noticed that friends of mine had also read the Post recently,  "liking" and commenting on various articles. 

I know people in Washington?  Nope.  Just another example of Facebook's clever way of keeping you in touch with your friends, in such a way that you have stuff to talk about!  Sooo clever.  Check it out:-

Juliet Johnson and Facebook Friends

It won't be long, I have been saying for a while now, that Facebook will totally replace email. It's already replaced social emails for my friends and family.

But what a great way to keep track and interact with clients in a non-salesy, yet honestly relational way! By noticing and keeping up with their concerns and interests as you go about following yours. Way cool.

~

I'd like to invite you to connect with me on these other places:

Juliet on Twitter Juliet on FacebookLinked In with Juliet JohnsonGoogle Profile for Juliet Johnson

Juliet Johnson serves Jacksonville, FL realtors, home sellers and small business with social media strategy, online visibility and product creation services, that include training if you want to do it yourself. 

"If your social media activity isn't a revenue generator for you, you're doing it wrong."

 

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55+ communities - 4 "Benefits" that Might Make You Wanna Move!

55+ active adult communities in Myrtle Beach

My new buyers this week thought they wanted to buy a 55+ Active Adult community in Myrtle Beach.

I didn't ask why initially, I just looked for what few were in the price and then what they could afford at other sub-divisions.

It has been a surprising journey; if there wasn't a beautiful home on a fabulous lot with water and golf course views my guys would not be up for 55 + at all!

My folks thought they wanted the following benefits:-

  1. quiet
  2. no kids next door practicing their garage band in the, um, well, garage, right next door
  3. organized activities
  4. lots of like-minded retirees
And while they are only just both into the demographic, they are thinking they'd like to take advantage of great pricing right now rather than wait for when they're fully ready.  

We soon discovered all 55+ communities are not created equally.  We needed to check the Covenants and Restrictions!  In each case, the good news was also the bad news... as it so often is in real estate.  (e.g. the good news is the home is near a major connector-highway.  The bad news is the home is right next to a major connector-highway.)

1.  While "quiet" sounds nice, there are restriction the kinds of accouterments you can put in your yard.  No swing sets.  One swing, maybe,if behind the neighbor's 45 degree angle of vision might be ok.  A sand box, also, needs to be behind the line. How they handle decibel levels of patio speakers is also something that needs to be identified.

55+ active adult communities2.  As to no kids, there are restrictions on the length of time grandchildren can stay, and if, God forbid, something were to happen where the grandparents get custody, special dispensation would have to be applied for.  And depending upon the age of the child, there are no guarantees....

3.  Organized activities --  Lovely to have lots of fun things to do, but in a community, those things only keep being offered if folks keep doing 'em.  A full calendar can feel like the same straight jacket one is retiring from, especially when your social life is tied in so closely with those you're letting down by not showing up.

4.  Like minded retirees -- aka nothing but old people... gets old ... if you'll pardon the [horrendous] pun.   Plus, look at your current friends' pool right now, at church, at the club, wherever.  Chances are, if you're mid-50s, you've got more friends in the 60, 50s and 40s than you do in their 90s, 80s and 70s.

Not that there isn't a market and a huge demand for the 55+ Active Adult communities.  They ARE a lot of fun, especially if you find a great group.  But my advice is, don't rush into them when you're JUST 55 and get a copy of the covenants before you make an offer so you know what you're getting into.
55+ Active Adult Communities

 

 

 

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I'd like to invite you to connect with me on these other places:

Juliet on Twitter Juliet on FacebookLinked In with Juliet JohnsonGoogle Profile for Juliet Johnson

Juliet Johnson serves Jacksonville, FL realtors, home sellers and small business with social media strategy, online visibility and product creation services, that include training if you want to do it yourself. 

"If your social media activity isn't a revenue generator for you, you're doing it wrong."

 

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Pee Dee, not P. Diddy...and you'll see 'coons before you'll see Combs here!

P. Diddy vs. the Pee Dee Region of SC"...and here in the Pee Dee, the weather will be..."  When you're living in Myrtle Beach you hear about "the Pee Dee" all the time.  However, it is unclear where it is.  Nor shat is the Pee Dee?  Is it anything to do with P. Diddy Combs is it?

No.

It's a River.  A big one, and then there's a little Pee Dee River, called the Little Pee Dee River. Yeah.

It was the local indians, whose language is Sioux based but are more likely to have been related to the neighboring Cherokee in NC.

And in regular parlance, the Pee Dee is a grouping of the 8 north eastern counties of South Carolina... i.e. it's a region.  The region's hub is Florence, a sweet town that started out as a rail road town and feels much the same way today...though it's becoming a hub for pharmaceuticals and other light industry.

living in Myrtle Beach

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Like so much of SC, there is controversy however.  In this case, is Horry County included? Not according to Pee Dee Tourism's website, who lists a map excluding them.

Living in Myrtle Beach

Here you will notice only Darlington, Dillon, Florence, Lee, Marion, Marlboro and Williamsburg counties.  No-one will comment, but my guess is that Myrtle Beach and the Grand Strand needed their own separate identity and the Pee Dee couldn't compete.  If you do know, please comment below.

The rivers around here tend to be black.  There's even a river called Black River, and a bunch of local "black creeks".  So-called because of the tannins in the water caused by fallen cypress trees.

And y'all thought geography was a snore, huh?  Doesn't always have to be about Land Grabs and blockades and such.  However, it is usually always about money.  

That's something Diddy could teach the Pee Dee quite a bit about.

 

 

 

 

~

I'd like to invite you to connect with me on these other places:

Juliet on Twitter Juliet on FacebookLinked In with Juliet JohnsonGoogle Profile for Juliet Johnson

Juliet Johnson serves Jacksonville, FL realtors, home sellers and small business with social media strategy, online visibility and product creation services, that include training if you want to do it yourself. 

"If your social media activity isn't a revenue generator for you, you're doing it wrong."

 

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10 Home Staging Tips to Make Your Next Listing Look like a Model Home

Superb summary, from one of the best!

Via Julea Joseph, Interior Stylist (Reinventing Space):

Creekside_FamilyWhat is it about Model homes that make them so appealing?  Is it the freshness of all new; is it the sassy paint colors, the perfectly placed furniture, art and accessories or the beautiful groomed backyard that makes you want to plop right down on that comfy club chair, or light the grill on the patio?  Well.... Yes to all the above.  A builder hold hosts to an array of skilled professionals to make that Model beautiful.  From blue print to drawer pulls that Model home is meticulously planned.

Beyond the nicely placed furniture, Model homes are the current reflection of the home environment needs of the target market of the Builder.  They are a turn-key product, designed & packaged for the desires of perfect buyer.

Models homes are lovely because they have the latest and the greatest, are fresh and new and are meticulously detailed.  Psychology, more than decorating is applied to makes them look so fabulous.  From architecture to floral arrangements, Model homes are planned with "YOU" in mind.  

So how can you the Realtor make your next listing as appealing as a Model Home? - Here are 10 ways.

•1.)    Clean.  Those nice angled vacuum lines, gleaming windows, and perfectly manicured lawns in Model homes speak to a potential buyer - You don't have to do a thing.   A Realtor can translate that into - A little elbow grease goes a long way.  A super clean home says "turn-key" to the potential buyer.  Have every inch of the home, blind slats to porch light glass, super clean and perfectly coiffed.  According to a national 2009 survey done by Home Gain (www.homegain.com,) a $100-$200 cleaning investment gives an 872% return!

•2.)    Fresh & Smells Good.  People buy homes on emotion, and your 5 senses are a direct path to your brain.  If a home smells and looks "funky," "doggy," "smoky," or if the stove is coated with  cooking gone bad - The home is off their list.  Just like you would detail your car to sell, invest in clean and spotless carpets, patched, repaired and freshly painted walls and new appliances if the old have seen better days.  Be wary to skip this step and take the low road with room refreshers, candles and stove burner covers - Potential buyers are not fooled.

•3.)    Color.  Any advertising executive will tell you color is key to properly packaging a product; and a listed home is just that, a product.  Throw away the off-white manta of old school home staging rules - Welcome to the era of HGTV. Using color is a powerful and inexpensive way of making that home stand out from the rest, and with so many decorating TV shows boasting the benefits of color, you better get hip to hues.   From 1st Web impressions to curb-appeal, color is a strong emotional tug for the potential buyer.  Update yourself on the latest color trends in wall color, appliance, fixtures, etc... and apply it to your target buyer.  For home staging, use earthy, calm tones for the bigger areas such as wall color and add pops of saturated colors in the details; such front doors, accessories or annuals.

•4.)    Make Space.  The joy of a Model home is the acres and acres of unused storage space & beautifully organized closets.  Reduce, organize, upscale and edit all the home's spaces when it comes to closets and storage areas.  If the home's price point dictates, upscale the closets with custom organizing options.

•5.)    Clear a Path.  Consider that many people with be walking through the home.  Make sure traffic patterns, entrances and exits are well established.  Too much furniture, undefined entrances and awkward walkways confuse and discourage buyers from moving about the property.  Follow a Model Home's lead and create a concise walking pattern for potential buyers starting a curbside to back fence.  

•6.)    Lovely Layouts. From the landscape to furniture placement, take a clue from Models homes that continuity and flow make for a good mix.  Create curb appeal with nicely maintained landscaping, added annuals and perennials, an inviting stoop and well groomed walk and driveways.  Inside, make sure each room depicts what its function is, enhances the highlights of the room (i.e. fireplaces or upgrades,) and allows the buyer to envision themselves in the space.

•7.)    Set the Mood. Create ambiance and character in the home with well thought out placement of Creekside_Diningsensory and lifestyle components.  Soft music, lighting on dimmers, candles lit, and fresh floral are all great ideas for Broker or Open houses. If you have concern about candles, battery operated candles that even have timers built in are now readily available.   Stage the dining room table tastefully, or set the stage in a back yard with a detailed patio retreat.  Offering helpful lifestyle hints has always been in the Model Home arsenal and always a huge hit.

•8.)    K.I.S.S. On the opposite note, don't over accessorize, go over-board with the lifestyle tips or create "store bought theme" rooms (i.e. Chef-with-a-Hat Kitchen or Anniversary Bathtub area complete with Champagne bottle.)

•9.)    Appeal to a Target Buyer.  Consider "WHO" the ideal buyer is that will be interested in the property, and market the property accordingly.  From advertising photos to furniture, consider who will find this appealing and desirable. 

•10.) Market, Market, Market.  Model Homes have great marketing incentives inside and out.  From clear address markers, great signs, to small exit giveaways, to survey - market that listing to the fullest.  

 

Julea Joseph of Reinventing Space has created her own recipe for success with her signature Interior Stylist Philosophy.  Always a few steps ahead, Julea launched her home design business in 1999 when interior redesign & home staging were just in their infancy.  Rather than offering just redesign and staging, she developed a menu of blended services that fully embraces and captures the lifestyle of a home - She Celebrates the Soul of a Home. 

~

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Juliet Johnson serves Jacksonville, FL realtors, home sellers and small business with social media strategy, online visibility and product creation services, that include training if you want to do it yourself. 

"If your social media activity isn't a revenue generator for you, you're doing it wrong."

 

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What Buyers Want NOW! Are you seeing the same thing?

Inman News published a summary this week of a nationwide study on what buyers want NOW! The thing that surprised me most was BIG kitchens.  It's certainly what my new customer is looking for, even in a second home.

Kitchen Staged

I was wondering what other folks were experiencing in their local market ~

Other things buyers think they can do without:-

  • The Clubhouse/Amenity Center
  • Whirlpool Tub
  • Home Theater
  • Traditional living and dining room
  • Mud Rooms

Having recently downsized, I do miss our home theater, and formal dining room - even if I did use that dining room only 4 or 5 times a year for festive celebrations it was a great, large horizontal surface for lots of other things. 

And a home theater is a really nice luxury:  you can turn the volume up and down;   pause the thing;  it's a visual feast in your own home.  We loved it.

I might like the lower payments better....

What's been your experience?

Kitchens Staged for Sale

~

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Juliet Johnson serves Jacksonville, FL realtors, home sellers and small business with social media strategy, online visibility and product creation services, that include training if you want to do it yourself. 

"If your social media activity isn't a revenue generator for you, you're doing it wrong."

 

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The Oil Spill

The Oil "spill" in the Gulf has dominated the news for three weeks now, if not longer. Periodically there is concern about some the oil-dispersant mixture entering the Loop Current which would then bring the mix around the corner to the beaches of South Carolina. I looked at the crystal, clear water on our beach yesterday...the wide open, pristine white sand and soothing relentless pounding waves...and just ached for those in the Gulf. And then got really worried about his Loop Current.

Here's Sam from GMA swimming through the mix of oil and dispersant:-

 

And here is our beach, in the middle of Myrtle Beach, SC in the heart of the Grand Strand -- 60 miles of oceanic splendor:-

Myrtle Beach Ocean Front Property

 

Myrtle Beach Ocean Front Property

 

~

I'd like to invite you to connect with me on these other places:

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Juliet Johnson serves Jacksonville, FL realtors, home sellers and small business with social media strategy, online visibility and product creation services, that include training if you want to do it yourself. 

"If your social media activity isn't a revenue generator for you, you're doing it wrong."

 

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Black Bike Week 2010 -- here, happening and...WHAAT DIDDDD YOU SAAAAY?

So Memorial Day has traditions most places.  On the Grand Strand, in and around Myrtle Beach, Memorial Day Weekend is the culmination of Bike Week.  Not just any bike week, though... Black Bike Week!  

Black Bike Week

  This celebration is often subtitled, Bikinis and Bikes -- 

 

Black Bike Week in Myrtle BeachThere are conflicting estimates as to how many bikes will actually show up this year; Myrtle Beach's city fathers are determined that the bikers should wear helmets.  This is not popular among bikers, for some reason - dozens were ticketed earlier in the month when the Harley owners were here for their celebration.  This year, we are to expect between 150,000 - 175,000 according to the press.  However years passed have seen upwards of 350,000 total attendees. (Can you imagine the thunder of so many bikes in one place?! I absolutely can not and am hoping to see this year's event at some point.)

 

This from http://blackbikeweek.com ~

Black Bike Week is not only the largest black bike festival in the world but its also the largest black beach week event period. Every Memorial Day Weekend ( May 27-May 31, 2010) over 350,000 bikers travel to Myrtle Beach, South Carolina for fun, food, festivities and more. If you love bikes and the people who ride them, you cannot miss this event.

Black Bike Week tends to happen all around Atlantic Beach, where the parties go long into the night and many famous rappers are expected to appear.  Our local paper, the Sun News announces that    

this year's Atlantic Beach Bikefest can expect bike builders, stunt shows, food vendors, music, concerts and the unveiling of newly designed bikes in the town during the Memorial Day weekend event, according to town officials.

Not for the faint of heart (or hearing) the sheer audacity of such an event is exciting all on its own!

 

Black Bike Week 2010Black Bike Week 2010Black Bike Week Online

~

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Juliet Johnson serves Jacksonville, FL realtors, home sellers and small business with social media strategy, online visibility and product creation services, that include training if you want to do it yourself. 

"If your social media activity isn't a revenue generator for you, you're doing it wrong."

 

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3821 Masters Court, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577 ~ Myrtle Pointe, to the left of Central Myrtle Beach

3821 Masters Court, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577 located at the graceful townhouses of Myrtle Pointe!

Turn left of 17 Bypass at 38th Avenue North and you're suddenly in the delightfully green Myrtlewood community. Here there are townhouses, condos, single family residences - any variety of living you'd like - all tucked around two championship golf courses, PineHills and Palmetto, that make up the Myrtlewood Golf Club... set along the beautiful Intracoastal Waterway. Myrtle Pointe features wood-frame 2 -3 story low-rise townhouses, each with parking assigned. This area is a favorite among many Prudential Burroughs and Chapin folks, who love the variety, the convenience, the styling and the "community" that has grown up in Myrtlewood.

Juliet Johnson | Prudential Burroughs and Chapin Realty, Inc. | 843-315-0226
3821 Masters Court, Myrtle Beach, SC
Myrtle Pointe - 5 minutes from anywhere you'd want to go!
3BR/2+1BA Townhouse
offered at $183,500
Year Built 1990
Sq Footage 1,750
Bedrooms 3
Bathrooms 2 full, 1 partial
Floors Unspecified
Parking 1
Lot Size Unspecified
HOA/Maint $357 per month

DESCRIPTION

3BR/2.5BA plus a loft for office or rec area. Centrally located in Myrtle Beach. Less than 5 minutes to the ocean and Broadway at the Beach. Smooth-top range, eat-in kitchen and dining area. Step down into your living/family room with fireplace. (Notice the wet bar, for stylish entertaining!) Sit outside on your balcony or sit in your screened porch overlooking the lake. Tile and carpet throughout. Vaulted ceilings in living room with nobody above you. This listing is being marketed by Juliet Johnson and the O'Brien Team.

see additional photos below
PROPERTY FEATURES

- Central A/C - Central heat - Fireplace
- High/Vaulted ceiling - Walk-in closet - Tile floor
- Living room - Bonus/Rec room - Office/Den
- Dining room - Dishwasher - Refrigerator
- Stove/Oven - Microwave - Balcony, Deck, or Patio

COMMUNITY FEATURES

- Swimming pool(s) - Golf course


OTHER SPECIAL FEATURES

- Vaulted Ceilings with no-one above!
- Gentle Water View~

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS


Charming Exterior

Water View

LR w/ hearth & wetbar

Separate Dining Space

Kitchen

Breakfast Nook
Contact info:
Juliet Johnson
Prudential Burroughs and Chapin Realty, Inc.
843-315-0226
For sale by agent/broker

powered by postlets Equal Opportunity Housing
Posted: May 22, 2010, 10:36am PDT

~

I'd like to invite you to connect with me on these other places:

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Juliet Johnson serves Jacksonville, FL realtors, home sellers and small business with social media strategy, online visibility and product creation services, that include training if you want to do it yourself. 

"If your social media activity isn't a revenue generator for you, you're doing it wrong."

 

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5601 N. Ocean Blvd, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577 ~ Ocean Views and Great Location!

5601 N. Ocean Blvd, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577

Located just a few blocks from Pinelakes Country Club, the Ocean Forest Villas offer gorgeous ocean views with the utmost of convenience. More specifically, south of 63rd Avenue where Poinsett, Porcher Drive and Calhoun intersect. The villas are named after the well known Ocean Forest Hotel that served vacationing families for decades. There are 2 outdoor pools, 2 heated whirlpools and a kiddie pool. With 1,000 feet of white sand, these villas are considered prime beachfront property!

Juliet Johnson | Prudential Burroughs and Chapin Realty, Inc. | homes@julietjohnson.net | 843-315-0226
5601 N. Ocean Blvd, D-204, Myrtle Beach, SC 29577
Nicest Condo ~ Never Been Rented!
2BR/2BA Condo
offered at $209,900
Year Built 1982
Sq Footage 835
Bedrooms 2
Bathrooms 2 full, 0 partial
Floors 1
Parking Unspecified
Lot Size Unspecified
HOA/Maint $200 per month

DESCRIPTION

This is probably the nicest condo on the market. Never rented in mint condition. New heat & air, water heater in Sept 09. The appliances were replaced in '98, but the condo has had very little use. The Master bath has new shower, sink & tile. Furniture is in excellent condition. The property is being marketed by Juliet Johnson and the O'Brien Team.

see additional photos below
PROPERTY FEATURES

- Central A/C - Central heat - Walk-in closet
- Living room - Dishwasher - Refrigerator
- Stove/Oven - Balcony, Deck, or Patio

COMMUNITY FEATURES

- Swimming pool(s)


OTHER SPECIAL FEATURES

- Ocean View

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS


Ocean Forest Villas

Living Room

Kitchen

Eating Areas

2 Ample BRs

Some place to park, huh?!
Contact info:
Juliet Johnson
Prudential Burroughs and Chapin Realty, Inc.
843-315-0226
For sale by agent/broker

powered by postlets Equal Opportunity Housing
Posted: May 22, 2010, 9:52am PDT

~

I'd like to invite you to connect with me on these other places:

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Juliet Johnson serves Jacksonville, FL realtors, home sellers and small business with social media strategy, online visibility and product creation services, that include training if you want to do it yourself. 

"If your social media activity isn't a revenue generator for you, you're doing it wrong."

 

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Open House Blitz - this weekend - May 22 & 23, 2010

 

Myrtle Beach Open House Blitz - hosted by Prudential Burroughs and Chapin - May 22 and 23, 2010

 

Prudential Burroughs and Chapin will be holding an Open House Blitz this weekend that dovetails nicely with the first annual Coastal Uncorked Festival.

 

I will be in Carolina Forest on Saturday, at 144 Centennial in Walkers Woods from 1 - 3 and then in Wildwood Dunes on Sunday at 411 Wildwood Dunes Trail from 1 - 4.  Do come by and say hello.

 

Saturday Sunday
1 - 3 p.m. 1 - 4 p.m.

~

I'd like to invite you to connect with me on these other places:

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Juliet Johnson serves Jacksonville, FL realtors, home sellers and small business with social media strategy, online visibility and product creation services, that include training if you want to do it yourself. 

"If your social media activity isn't a revenue generator for you, you're doing it wrong."

 

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8121 Amalfi Place, a Grande Dunes Condo, offers a luxurious Myrtle Beach Lifestyle!

8121 Amalfi Place, #4-702, Myrtle Beach, SC 29572

Grande Dunes - a master plan of every variety of intricately luxurious living - is in my opinion the best a resort town can offer. Lush, rolling golf course, majestic vistas, the intracoastal waterway, the Ocean Club, lots of swimming and blating alternatives, elegant shops mixed in with fun, novelty stores and restaurants.... Some call it Heaven on Earth; some their vacation haven; and a lucky few revel year-round in calling Grande Dunes, home.
Juliet Johnson | Prudential Burroughs and Chapin Realty, Inc. | 843-315-0226
8121 Amalfi Place, Myrtle Beach, SC
Marina Inn ~ a Four Diamond Resort
2BR/2BA Condo
offered at $139,900
Year Built 2008
Sq Footage 1,450
Bedrooms 2
Bathrooms 2 full, 0 partial
Floors 1
Parking Unspecified
Lot Size Unspecified
HOA/Maint $1,220 per month

DESCRIPTION

Four Diamond Resort with gorgeous Intracoastal Waterway views and views of the Grande Dunes Championship Resort Course. Indoor/outdoor pools, fitness center, indoor/outdoor dining, conceirge service, fine dining, designer furnishings, full service marina, Ruth Criss Steakhouse next door and so much more. Condo faces southwest for gorgeous sunsets over golf and waterway views.

. Internet,electric, phone and insurance all included in HOA fee. Ocean Club membership included as well.

This home is a "short sale" and is represented by the O'Brien Team, with whom Juliet Johnson is in training.

see additional photos below
PROPERTY FEATURES

- Central A/C - Central heat - Walk-in closet
- Tile floor - Dishwasher - Refrigerator
- Stove/Oven - Microwave - Balcony, Deck, or Patio
- Swimming pool

COMMUNITY FEATURES

- Covered parking - Guest parking - Clubhouse
- Swimming pool(s) - Golf course


OTHER SPECIAL FEATURES

- Breathtaking views of the Intracoastal and Grande Dunes Golf Course
- Concierge Service included AND a membership to the Ocean Club!!

ADDITIONAL PHOTOS


Aerial View

Living Room

Kitchen

The Indoor Pool

The Outdoor Pool

The Marina
Contact info:
Juliet Johnson
Prudential Burroughs and Chapin Realty, Inc.
843-315-0226
For sale by agent/broker

powered by postlets Equal Opportunity Housing
Posted: May 17, 2010, 6:09am PDT

~

I'd like to invite you to connect with me on these other places:

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Juliet Johnson serves Jacksonville, FL realtors, home sellers and small business with social media strategy, online visibility and product creation services, that include training if you want to do it yourself. 

"If your social media activity isn't a revenue generator for you, you're doing it wrong."

 

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Ducklings - Spring in Carolina Forest/Myrtle Beach, SC

Mallard Ducks at Waterford PlantationAll Spring, a couple of duck would gently swim from one end of our pond to the other, gracefully gliding along, oblivious to the world around. I started to have hopes. Expectations.

Then for a long 2 weeks, maybe more, she was nowhere to be found. He, meanwhile had picked up 3 buddies and the 4 of them would fly over and do a loud buzz landing just outside our window. I was not amused. Our gentle husband had become a biker, and while this is Myrtle Beach….

Ducklings in Waterford Plantation, Myrtle Beach, SC(photo taken at a distance; apologies for the lack of clarity)

But last Monday, in their maiden voyage, the family appeared. A huge family now. Mum, Dad and EIGHT ducklings! So small, so sweet, so fassssst. HE keeps his distance, but a watchful eye all around as she tenderly ushers these little fluffanuttas along the shore line. She keeps them mainly in the shadows. There’s lots of pollen on the water in our pond, despite the efforts of 2 ferocious aerating fountains, and these ducklings are almost missable. Which is how come I’m not sure how many there are yet. All are quite fascinated by an errant golf ball floating near the edge. This is Myrtle Beach, after all.

And I love it. Myrtle Beach. So would you. C’mon down and see us.

Update

Here they are - 1 week later - Amazing how fast they're growing.  And we've lost 2 to the Herons, or something....Waterford Plantation Ducklings

~

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Juliet Johnson serves Jacksonville, FL realtors, home sellers and small business with social media strategy, online visibility and product creation services, that include training if you want to do it yourself. 

"If your social media activity isn't a revenue generator for you, you're doing it wrong."

 

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