Wow! Sell NOW!

Today’s inventory shortage and low rates (less than 4%) are driving prices up! Without many listings to choose from, competition is fierce. A strong listing strategy is more important than ever. Just because selling a home is easier today doesn’t mean you should rely on an internet listing and a yard sign to get the job done right. Powerful staging, marketing and negotiation skills are key to drumming up the very best offer and taking full advantage of this seller’s market.

Not selling? Help spread the word! If you know anyone who’s been contemplating a move, do them a favor and tell them inventory is low and demand is high. Now is the time!

Whether you are looking to sell, refinance or remodel, if you own a home, you should know what it’s worth. Call us for your free market analysis or check out www.roostinmadison.com/sellers.

Five Reasons to List with Roost

Looking to sell your home this spring? Here are five reasons to hire Roost!*

1. Our snappy writing and clever marketing draw the utmost attention to your home.
2. We tell everyone why your neighborhood is the cream of the crop! Buyers aren’t only looking for the perfect home, but also their ideal location, which is why we get out to play in our community. What better way to showcase your fab locale than to visit, photograph and blog about your local hotspots?
3. Our popular blog and social media sites are bursting at the seams with a wide array of real estate info. We not only have the attention of current buyers, but also their friends, family, co-workers and even their Realtors. We can’t think of anyone better to help us spread the word about our next hot listing!
4. We limit our workload to ensure you the very best customer service.
5. We consistently go the extra mile to make our clients’ home-selling experience a smooth and positive one.

Listing a home? Net more with Roost Realty! We'll market your home with style, vision and boundless energy. Looking to buy? Let us be your property matchmakers! We'll get you in the community, lifestyle and home of your dreams - because we know a home is so much more than a house.

*Not intended to solicit active listings.

The Dirty Secrets Behind Zestimates

A while back, we uncovered the truth about the accuracy of our beloved Zillow's "Zestimate."A recent article by the Washington Post made us wonder, are Zestimates totally invalid or do they still provide value to home buyers and home sellers seeking the hard facts behind the Madison, WI real estate market? Read on to draw your own conclusions and if you're a homeowner asking "But what can I do to improve my Zestimate?" - don't fret! The answers are just a click away! Read more >

Spruce Up! Designer Home Decorating Tips

Did you know that the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development reports that a staged house will sell, on average, 17% higher than an empty or unstaged house? Did you know that an investment of 1-3% of the asking price results in an 8-10% return, according to the National Association of Realtors? Well you do now! So what can you do with this vital yet somewhat overwhelming piece of information? Check out our blog series where we discussed home staging tips and tricks with one of Madison’s most creative interior designers, Katie Rusch!

Part 1: Home Staging: Expert Q&A Part 2: Home Staging: Common Mistakes & Success Stories Part 3: Home Staging: 10 Commandments Part 4: Home Staging on a Budget

Why the “Off Season” is a Good Time to Sell

The spring is a wonderful time of year. Snow and ice melt away yielding to the beauty of green grass, budding flowers and "for sale" signs springing up in yards across town. Yes, spring is the time of year when the Madison real estate market really rocks and rolls. At Roost, we predict this spring to be no exception. And while it is common to wait until the spring to list a home, it's not necessarily the most ideal season to do so! What most home sellers don’t realize is that winter is actually a great time to list a home (see previous blog post, 5 Reasons to Sell in the Off-Season). Winter is a magical time of glistening snow, barren landscapes and troves of serious homes buyers combing a real estate market that contains significantly less listings for them to choose from as compared to other times of the year. Still skeptical? Check out these recent articles in the LA Times and Huffington Post that further support this claim.

If you’re thinking about selling your home this year, consider doing it sooner rather than later and contact us. We'd love to help you get the most out of your listing!

Declutter! You'll Be Glad You Did

Decluttering is a topic we here at Roost think about often (see here, here and here). And it’s no wonder! Whether preparing to be a home seller or gearing up to simplify your space, eliminating extra stuff can be hard. When items feel too valuable to donate, not only is it time consuming to sell them (determining value, taking photos, marketing, etc.), but it can also be emotional. Recently, I decided to take the plunge and liquidate my collection of mid century modern goodies. The first to go was my most prized treasure, a beautiful pair of mid century sofas. It was kind of like losing a family member. That said, they’d been in my garage for months, so it was time to find them a new, loving home.

As listing agents, we take great pride in our work. This work includes (on top of many things) staging, which is just one of the ways we maximize client profit. This process of decluttering opened my eyes to what our clients may feel as we walk through their homes identifying possessions that must go (or get packed up) in order to make buyers swoon. You may ask: Is it really worth it? You bet. It’s just another reason why our listings sell 2% higher than the average listing.

Starting with the sofas was like ripping off a bandage; painful at first, but soon enough it was like it never happened. The end result felt great; less can be more! If you’re preparing to sell your home, here are a few simple ways to declutter, inspired by the folks at becomingminimalist.com:

1. Make it manageable. Give away just one item each day, every day. This will create momentum without overwhelming you away from getting started.
2. Turn it into a game. See how quickly you can find 10 items to toss, 10 items to donate and 10 items to put back where they should go. Enlist your family members to play!
3. See your home in a new light. We develop a blindness to our everyday surroundings. Take photos and evaluate your space objectively or invite someone new over to get their two cents. Simply preparing for their visit may spark changes!

9 Mini Home Makeover Tips

Whether preparing your home for sale or the parade of holiday visitors, here is our list of 9 tips to make your home shine.

1. Commit to the deep clean. It may not be spring, but a deep and thorough cleaning will make you see and feel a difference in your home! Tackle these often neglected areas or consider hiring a pro to do the dirty work. --Steam clean carpet --Wash windows, sills and trim --Wash walls --Wash baseboards and floors by hand --Take down overhead light shades and globes and wash them up in hot soapy water --Clean cabinetry, especially around the hardware --Do a cobweb sweep of ceilings throughout the house
2. Eliminate the clutter. Donate or sell what you don’t absolutely need. You will appreciate what remains more and it may even free up some mental space too!
3. Hide the necessities. Stash your to-do piles and everyday gadgets like phone chargers and keys in decorative containers. Making the functional more beautiful may not only brighten your mood but also help keep your life organized everyday of the year. (Pictured right: Wood boxes hide countertop clutter and cloth napkins.)
4. Pare down the furniture while making the most of what you keep. Can a cedar chest also serve as seating in an entryway or under a window? Can you use a bookcase for storage and as a room divider?
5. Touch up your walls, trim and baseboard if you still love the colors. Consider painting your ceilings if it’s been a while, it can make a giant impact! You could freshen up your white or get adventurous with the color.
6. Repaint if you're ready for a whole new palette. Choose complementary paint colors for rooms that connect to improve the flow of your home and make spaces feel larger and more cohesive.
7. Update your window covers, rods and/or brackets. Hang rods slightly higher than and farther out from the window trim to give the illusion of bigger windows. Floor length curtains also make ceilings feel taller.
8. Update your lighting. I love Cree LED bulbs. They give the appearance of higher wattage. I recently put these bulbs in all of my ceiling fixtures and lamps. What a difference!
9. Replace bland artwork with pieces that make you happy and help tell your story. Consider framing snapshots from your last vacay, favorite cards from friends or even your child's artwork. (Pictured left: Collages made from items collected on an extended cross-country road trip.)