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Is Home Staging Worth Paying for When Selling?

By U.S. News & World Report

Sell quickly and make more money.

Those are two very important benefits that outweigh the initial investment of home staging, but those are not the only benefits when preparing a home for sale. Let’s take a deeper look into why so many sellers and real estate agents are turning to home staging before putting a “For Sale” sign on the property. Here are four notable home staging benefits to consider.

[See: 10 Ways to Save Energy and Reduce Utility Bills at Home.]

Supplying a Move-In Ready Home

Many of today’s buyers are looking for specific homes that won’t necessarily require a ton of work before moving in, because honestly, who has the time to gut and renovate? Hence, buyers want move-in ready spaces they can enjoy instantaneously.

According to a Maritz Research Staging poll, 63 percent of buyers are willing to pay more for move-in ready homes. So why not get your home ready for its new owner? Home staging concepts can show sellers how to prepare and showcase their homes for sale so that buyers are able to move right in.

Stand Out Among Neighborhood Competitors

While the market isn’t as competitive as in years past, homeowners still find themselves up against neighboring homes on the market, including new construction. How will you differentiate a home from those other homes for sale?

One way is to stage the space by playing on emotional connection points that will appeal to buyers and stand out in their minds when it’s time to make an offer.

Consider this, if two identical homes were for sale on the same block at the same price, but one homeowner staged their space to showcase the potential lifestyle the buyer could have if they moved here, and the other home looked dirty, cluttered and poorly maintained, which home would the buyer choose? The Real Estate Staging Association National Statistics Report found, when staged first, the vast majority of homes spend less time on the market.

[See: 10 Unorthodox Ways Your Real Estate Agent May Market Your Home.]

Staged Homes Are Easier to Market

Once a home is staged, the space will look like a cover spread in a home magazine, so why not take advantage of the light, spacious, well-designed space created and photograph each room with a wide-angle lens to market the home. Over 90 percent of homebuyers start their search online, and photos of newly staged homes will not only attract buyers to information about the home, but to the front door.

Here’s proof: How are you currently searching for a new home? Do photos determine your perception of the home? Would you go visit a home that had no pictures listed or had clutter center stage? Photos are just one way to easily market a home. With a staging plan in place, a seller will also have systems to keep the home looking like those online snapshots.

Increase Offers and Price

Home staging often requires that some minor repairs be made to the space, which can prevent buyers from making low-ball offers because of the work involved to improve the home. Whenever a seller makes strategic repairs or updates to a home, they’re adding value that could be tacked onto the overall sales price. A staged home creates more buyer interest, and with more interest comes more offers, so as a seller you could even find yourself in a bidding war.

Can you imagine making a goal to sell your home a reality that reaps these benefits? Selling a home is no easy task. In a perfect world a homeowner wouldn’t need to be living in the home while on the market. However, the list of reasons why someone sells is endless and in many cases forces a homeowner to stay put when selling.

The experience can be grueling for sellers when personal lives become public displays to strangers and their criticisms. If the seller is going to be living in the home when selling they have to willingly be inconvenienced–not only emotionally, but physically. So what’s the best way to get out from under the microscope? Sell fast with home staging.

[See: 10 Tips to Sell Your Home Fast.]

Seems simple, but those who have been on the market already for months with no buyer leads can testify that many factors play a role in the final sale. The home has to be researched and priced right, it needs a great marketing strategy and the home has to entice buyer demands.

Whether new to the selling process or the home is already listed on the market, it’s never too late to prepare and showcase the home properly for sale.

More from U.S. News

13 Photography Tips When Shooting Your Home to Put It on the Market

Current Design Trends That Will Date Your Home

The 20 Most Desirable Places to Live in the U.S.

Is Home Staging Worth Paying for When Selling? originally appeared on usnews.com

Don’t Settle for Student Loans to Pay for Online Education

By WTOP Staff
Online college programs are becoming a more popular choice for prospective students, with one study finding that more than 6 million students enrolled in at least one online course in fall 2015. The popularity of these courses can be attributed in part to their flexibility with working adults' schedules, students' ability to progress more quickly through online programs and, oftentimes, cheaper tuition. [See 10 low-cost online bachelor's programs for out-of-state students.]Online degrees can be beneficial to many college students, but some studies have shown online learners complete their programs at lower rates than students at traditional brick-and-mortar campuses. Individuals with student loans but no degree comprise two-thirds of defaulted borrowers. Though these numbers are not encouraging, just like for traditional programs, there are ways to reduce how much you'll need to borrow for an online program to ensure you won't become one of these statistics. Don't just settle on borrowing student loans to cover the whole cost of your program and living expenses. Instead, start thinking about how to cut costs and cover your balance in different ways, such as the following. -- Grants and scholarships: Even though you are taking an online course, you can still apply and receive grants and scholarships. But your first step should be to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid, commonly referred to as the FAFSA, which will allow you to receive a Pell Grant if your expected family contribution is low enough. The EFC criteria and award amounts are adjusted annually, but the 2017-2018 academic year awards range from $606 to $5,920, which could significantly lower the amount you borrow annually. Your next step is to apply for scholarships. You can start by checking online scholarship search engines, such as the Salt Scholarship Search, College Board's BigFuture and Peterson's. But don't forget to take advantage of local organizations and your school's financial aid office. Both may offer scholarships that you can't find with a national scholarship search. [Review these 10 sites to kick off your scholarship search.]For instance, organizations like the Elks Club, Knights of Columbus or the Rotary Club typically offer scholarships annually to local students. Just because you're going to school online doesn't mean you're ineligible. Visit your local library for scholarship listings, and ask around town. You might be surprised how many local organizations offer scholarships. While these scholarships typically aren't large, every little bit counts. Each dollar you receive in a scholarship is a dollar you don't have to borrow and pay interest on. -- Work-study: Another option for online students may be work-study awards. Not all students enrolled in online programs are eligible, but students at some schools -- including, for example, SUNY Empire State College and Liberty University -- are. Work-study awards are not given upfront like scholarships and grants. In most cases, they are an offer to earn up to the awarded amount if you secure an eligible work-study job. While there is a misconception that all work-study jobs must be on campus, students can work for off-campus, nonprofit or public employers as long as the work is in the public's interest. You may be able to work for a for-profit employer if the job is relevant to your course of study. No matter who the outside employer is, it will need to have an established agreement with your college for you to receive work-study funds. Remember, to be eligible for federal financial aid, you must be enrolled and pursuing a degree or certificate. If you're not working toward a credential, Pell Grants and work-study won't be option, but you may still be able to take advantage of private scholarships -- just be sure to read the eligibility criteria carefully. [Explore what to know about financial aid in online programs.]-- Pay as you go: One of the great benefits to enrolling online is the flexible schedule, which can allow you to complete your college coursework around your responsibilities. But prospective students often overlook using their part- or full-time job earnings as an option for paying for college. Almost 80 percent of college students in 2015 worked at least part time while attending classes, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. By budgeting and thinking strategically about your college costs, you can likely reduce your dependence on student loans by paying a portion out of pocket. Many -- but not all -- online programs are less expensive than traditional programs and often have shorter payment periods. Six, eight or 10 weeks are common course durations. Because of the frequency of payments in an online setting, you may be well-placed to pay as you go and possibly avoid borrowing altogether. Attending college online and avoiding student loans may be challenging, but if you are willing to put in the effort, you can limit the amount you need to borrow. More from U.S. News Q&A: Understanding Student Loan Discharge Eligibility Student Loan Refinancing Isn't Right for All Borrowers
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