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.

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!