Home selling science, psychology and secrets that will make you huge money! (Part 2)

In part oneof this blog, we introduced the hidden science to selling a home, based on mountains of data, copious independent research, a combined centuries of home selling experience, and the psychology of perceptions and human behavior. Based on this information, we’ve extracted the best tips, secrets, and scientific principles that will help you sell your home for top dollar. Here 10 more home selling secrets, and contact us if you have any questions or need help selling your home!

1. First impressions

Just how important are first impressions when a potential buyer looks at your home? Research shows that 80% of all prospective buyers know within a seconds if a home is right for them. It’s probably happened to you, too – that feeling that a home has the “it” factor when you first walk in the front door. Based on that data, it’s important that home sellers focus on enhancing the elements of that first impression. Start with the curb appeal of how your home looks from the street when first pulling up, the walkway to the front door, the entryway itself, and of course the foyer and first impression when they walk inside. Luckily, fresh paint, flowers, landscaping, air fresheners, new lighting, etc. are all relatively inexpensive ways to boost your home’s first impression.

2. Light and mirrors

Small rooms or spaces that frequently lack natural light or sit in shadows can be a real turn off for prospective buyers, as they’ll gauge them as smaller than the actual square footage, unappealing, or downright uninviting. To help enhance a room’s brightness and openness, make sure you don’t have heavy curtains, but window coverings that allow as much light in as possible. Mirrors that are strategically set up to reflect natural light during certain times of day are also effective for re-shaping homebuyer perceptions.

3. Smoking is bad for you (and your sale)

If you’re a smoker and regularly lit up inside your house, selling can be a big challenge. Even if you can’t whiff even a trace of cigarette or cigar, homebuyers can almost instantly sniff the remnants in your house – making them cringe, and probably walk right back out the front door. Since smoke particles can be 1/1000 the width of a human hair, smoke tends to permeate into walls, wallpaper, curtains, rugs and flooring, and even the heat and air system, and is hard to eradicate. It’s not enough to open the windows and place a lot of air fresheners in the house, but there are ways you can permanently treat the smoke particles. Replace heat and air filters, steam clean carpets, repaint walls with special odor-blocking primer, thoroughly wash curtains and bed coverings, and even change light bulbs. Then, place bowls of vinegar around the house for three days (you can also try this with baking soda). Once you open the windows after that, the vinegar should extract the cigarette particles and send them right outdoors!

4. Access should be easy

Is it easy for a buyer to view your home? And just as importantly, is it easy for a buyer’s real estate agent to set up a showing and prioritize your home as they go out house hunting? Research and anecdotal evidence shows that if a home is hard to get into, certain rooms are off limits, dangerous pets are home, has restrictive showing hours, is only available by appointment, or has other special instructions, it will probably go to the bottom of the stack of homes they are looking at that day. Of course your own convenience and privacy as a homeowner is first on your mind, but if you’re serious about getting top dollar for your home, you’ll prioritize the buyer’s experience and make it easy to display “your product.”

5. Clean out storage - but not all the way

You may have heard the advice (including from us) to de-clutter your home before listing it for sale by empting out closets, cabinets, and other storage areas. In fact, the perception of a potential buyer is that a home is larger, more inviting, and even lighter when there are less effects and possession around, and they can even subconsciously project their own things in the space. But you also don’t want a home to be completely devoid of furniture and decorations. A great tactic is to take out 80% of your stuff out of closets and storage areas and out it in off-site storage (not packed into your garage.) But by leaving a few choice items in your closets, cabinets, and on countertops, those areas and surfaces will look even bigger and more spacious, enhancing the buyer’s perception of utility.

6. A picture is worth a lot more than 1,000 words

When selling real estate, you can never have too many attractive and professional quality photographs. Since the vast majority of buyers and agents will first be exposed to your listing online, the first thing people do is look at the main photo and then start clicking on a few more. In fact, a recent study showed that listings with more than 6 pictures are twice as likely to be viewed by buyers as listings that had fewer than 6 pictures! It’s also worth to have your photographs taken by a real estate photography professional, and for higher-end and luxury listings, video tours and drone footage will yield great results.

7. Relocate the pets

Fido The Dog may be a beloved member of the family, but it would be wise to remove them from your home during the period when you’re selling. Buyers may be allergic to dogs or cats, annoyed by incessant barking, scared or have traumatic memories, or just turned off by the smell. It’s a certainty that having non-traditional pets like snakes, weasels, etc. will turn away a large chunk of your perspective buyers – and drop your price. You can bring them back into the home once you have a signed offer and you’re in escrow, but make other arrangements for the few weeks when you’re trying to attract buyers.

8. Stainless and uniform in the kitchen

Kitchen appliances should definitely be uniform (not mismatched between black, white, and stainless.) A brand new stainless steel refrigerator won’t be viewed as a positive if the rest of the appliances are different, but only highlight the fact that they’re not updated. For most properties, stainless steel appliances are well received because they are universal and perceived as higher quality. White appliances should be a second option and you probably want to avoid black kitchen appliances.

9. Incentivize those who are helping you

Your home may be priced correctly, immaculately staged, and even blow away the competition, but if you are offering a reduced commission for the buyer’s agent, it probably won’t sell. Of course everyone wants to save money, but reducing listing and buyer agent commissions only guarantees that you are de-incentivizing the exact people who can help you sell and net the highest profit. In fact, if your buyer’s agent commission falls below a certain acceptable level, most agents won’t even bother showing your home! Conversely, research shows that offering full commission or even .25 or .50% above the norm yields a much higher rate of showings, quality offers, asking price, and net profit for the seller.

10. Sell the lifestyle and amenities

Remember that you aren’t just selling your home, but selling the experiences, amenities, and lifestyle a buyer will have access to if they buy your home. Be sure to feature information/photos/and anecdotes about outdoor living areas, neighborhood schools, nearby parks, shopping, great restaurants, community amenities, and any gyms, sports fields, jogging trails, etc.

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We actually have even more home selling secrets and tips to share with you, so stay tuned for part three of this blog, and contact us any time you have questions about selling your home!

Neighborhood and City Spotlight: Granite Bay, California

Granite Bay is one of the most desirable places to live in all of northern California, with a high quality of life enjoyed by residents that includes a fantastic location, affluent neighborhoods with luxury homes, a strong school system, low crime rates, and easy access to fine dining, golf, and plenty of outdoor recreation.

A Profile of Granite Bay

The beautiful community of Granite Bay is a census-designated place (CDP) in Placer County, California. Spanning a total area of 21.6 square miles, Granite Bay lies in the foothills only 25 miles from the Sacramento capital, an easy commute for those who wish to work downtown.

22,204 residents call Granite Bay home as of 2014, a rise of 13.67% since the 2000 census.

Granite Bay enjoys a reputation as one of the nicest communities to live in both California and the United States. In fact, it just ranked highly for:

Ranked #6 Best Cities for Teleworking - Large Metro Areas

Ranked #7 Best-Rested Cities 2011

Ranked #7 Healthiest Cities

Ranked #8 Stressful Cities 2012

Granite Bay’s Golden History

The community where Granite Bay now sits was first sprung forth in the 1850s as a Gold Rush settlement. In fact, it was first known as “Granite Bar,” a mining and panning community just south of Horeshoe Bar. Roads were developed to connect the camps, and irrigation provided by the North Fork Ditch allowed workers to settle down in the area and start planting almond and olive orchards.

By the 1950s, two large cattle ranches encompassed Granite Bay, enjoying its green pastoral hills and abundant water. Building of subdivisions like Granite Bay Vista started in the 1960s, but the area didn’t get its official name until July 28, 1987.

Granite Bay derives its name from both the area of water in adjoining Folsom Lake and its unique geological origins. In fact, the entire area sits on a foundation of granodiorite from the Cretaceous age. Fossils from ocean sediment dating back 80 million years have been discovered in Granite Bay, often during construction.

Affluence, Income, and Employment in Granite Bay

Granite Bay is one of the mist affluent communities in Sacramento and Northern California. The average household income is $160,578 and the median is $123,631, well above the U.S. household median of $51,393. The economy of Granite Bay is always thriving, providing a strong tax base for community improvements. The medical industry is the leading employer in the area, accounting for 2.3% of all jobs, with plenty of careers in finance, computer tech, and tech manufacturing.

However, living in Granite Bay comes with a high price tag, as it’s been named one of the 25 American cities in the nation with the highest cost of living, a whopping 97.9% higher than the U.S. average.

Safety and Community in Granite Bay

Granite Bay is considered a very safe, family friendly community with low crime rates. In fact, the overall crime rate there is 36% lower than the national average and Granite Bay is safer than 56% of all cities in the U.S. Crime is actually diminishing, not increasing, in Granite Bay, as the number of total crimes in Granite Bay has decreased by 3% this year.

Part of the reason Granite Bay is so safe and family oriented can be attributed to the positive impact of the Granite Bay Community Association, of GBCA. Established in 1987 by residents who wanted to preserve the rural quality of life of the community, the volunteer organization still is highly active in many facets of life there, issuing newsletters, aiding residents, providing information and developments, and coordinating meetings, gatherings, events in conjunction with local government.

Education and Schools in Granite Bay

Granite Bay is one of the state’s highest performing districts for standardized test scores, with only one public high school, Granite Bay High. Residents of the community are extremely well educated on a whole, with 96.8% of all residents over 25 years old having earned their high school diploma or higher, 54.2 earning Bachelor’s degrees or more, and an impressive 23.5% achieving a graduate or doctoral degree.

Real Estate, Sales, and Home Ownership in Granite Bay

Due to the high quality of life in the area and prosperous community, Granite Bay real estate always moves quickly and sells for top dollar. The median home cost in Granite Bay is now approaching $660,000, which is still down from the high point when home values were well into the $700s during the boom. But the market has rebounded nicely, with 24.3% appreciation over the last year.

There are 7,694 households in Granite Bay, with 89.8% owned by the occupants, 12.1% rentals, and 4.1% vacant. While it may seem like many of the neighborhoods in Granite Bay consist of newer, modern homes, in fact, 42% of homes in the area were built between 1970 and 1989, and another 26% between 1990 and 1998.

Granite Bay is a hot bed for luxury real estate and million dollar homes, with approximately 25% of all listings priced over $1,000,000 at any given time, and 1% over the $2,000,000 mark.

Recreation and Entertainment in Granite Bay

There’s no shortage of fun and healthy activities for the whole family in Granite Bay, including visits to Quarry Ponds, Otow Orchards, Rickey Ranch Pumpkin Patch, local farmer’s markets, fun runs and races, and swimming, hiking or boating at Folsom Lake. American River recreation will set you up for a day of rafting or kayaking, and golf enthusiasts can swing away to their heart’s content at the Sierra View Country Club, Granite Bay Golf Club, or public 9-hole Rolling Greens Golf Course

Chez Daniel, Farm Haus Fresh, Back Wine Bar and Bistro, Hawks, Vaiano Trattoria, Source, and Bernardos are just a few of the signature fine dining venues in Granite Bay

Notable Granite Bay Residents

Maureen Reagan - Daughter of Former President Ronald Reagan lived in Granite Bay until her passing

Eddie Murphy – Actor and comedian

John Travolta and wife Kelly Preston - Actors.

Summer Sanders - Multiple gold medalist in swimming at the 1992 Summer Olympics, TV Sports commentator and personality

Steve Sax - Retired MLB baseball player (primarily second baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox, and Oakland Athletics)

Tobin Esperance - Bassist of band Papa Roach

Jeff Keith - Singer of band Tesla

Chris Webber - Retired Sacramento Kings power forward and center

Jason Williams - Orlando Magic, former Sacramento Kings point guard

Shareef Abdur-Rahim - retired National Basketball Association (NBA) player and current Assistant GM for the Sacramento Kings

Rick Adelman - former Sacramento Kings head coach

Dusty Baker - Cincinnati Reds Manager, former San Francisco Giants and Chicago Cubs manager and MLB player

Steve Cook - Former professional ten-pin bowler and member of the PBA Hall of Fame

The Alfano Group's special relationship with Granite Bay, California.

 We are proud to announce that Anthony Alfano of The Alfano Group recently won the award for Best Real Estate Agent from the 2015 Roseville Granite Bay Press Tribune’s Best of the Best Awards. It’s the second year in a row the Alfano team has won the award, as recognized by the California Legislature Assembly.

While there are many great real estate agents our there, part of the pursuit of excellence that earned us the Best Real Estate Agent award is an authentic knowledge and love of the communities we serve. And there is no better example than our respect and admiration for the community of Granite Bay, one of the most prestigious, desirable, and breathtakingly scenic places to live in all of California. We sell a whole lot of houses in Granite Bay and represent plenty of buyers who want to live there, but most importantly, we fully believe in that community and its residents.

Here is some basic information about our beloved Granite Bay:

Profile:

Granite Bay isn’t actually a city, but a census-designated place (CDP) in Placer County, California. With a total area of 21.6 square miles, it lies in the foothills only 25 miles from the Sacramento capital.

As of 2014, 22,204 residents call Granite Bay home, a rise of 13.67% since the 2000 census.

Granite Bay enjoys a reputation as one of the nicest communities to live in both California and the United States. In fact, it just ranked highly for:

Ranked #6 Best Cities for Teleworking - Large Metro Areas

Ranked #7 Healthiest Cities

Ranked #7 Best-Rested Cities 2011

Ranked #8 Least Stressful Cities 2012

History:

The community where Granite Bay now rests was first formed in the 1850s as a Gold Rush settlement, like many in the area. In fact, it was first known as “Granite Bar,” a mining and panning community just south of Horeshoe Bar. Roads were developed to connect the camps, and irrigation provided by the North Fork Ditch allowed workers to settle down in the area and start planting almond and olive orchards. By the 1950s, two large cattle ranches encompassed Granite Bay, enjoying its green pastoral hills and abundant water. Building of subdivisions like Granite Bay Vista started in the 1960s, but the area didn’t get its official name until July 28, 1987.

Granite Bay derives its name from both the area of water in adjoining Folsom Lake and its unique geological origins. In fact, the entire area sits on a foundation of granodiorite from the Cretaceous age. Fossils from ocean sediment dating back 80 million years have been discovered in Granite Bay, often during construction.

Affluence:

Granite Bay is one of the mist affluent communities in Sacramento and Northern California. The average household income is $160,578 and the median is $123,631, well above the U.S. household median of $51,393. The economy of Granite Bay is always thriving, providing a strong tax base for community improvements. The medical industry is the leading employer in the area, accounting for 2.3% of all jobs, with plenty of careers in finance, computer tech, and tech manufacturing.

However, living in Granite Bay comes with a high price tag, as it’s been named one of the 25 American cities in the nation with the highest cost of living, a whopping 97.9% higher than the U.S. average.

Real Estate and home ownership:

Granite Bay real estate is highly desirable, so homes sell quickly with stiff competition. The median home cost in Granite Bay is now $653,900. That’s still down from the high point when home values were well into the $700s during the boom. But the market has rebounded nicely, with 24.3% appreciation over the last year.

There are 7,694 households in Granite Bay, with 89.8% owned by the occupants, 12.1% rentals, and 4.1% vacant.

Granite Bay is a hot bed for luxury real estate and million dollar homes, with approximately 25% of all listings priced over $1,000,000 at any given time, and 1% over the $2,000,000 mark.

Education:

Granite Bay is one of the state’s highest performing districts for standardized test scores, with only one public high school, Granite Bay High. Residents of the community are extremely well educated on a whole, with 96.8% of all residents over 25 years old having earned their high school diploma or higher, 54.2 earning Bachelor’s degrees or more, and an impressive 23.5% achieving a graduate or doctoral degree.

Things to do and see:

There’s no shortage of recreational activities in Granite Bay. Quarry Ponds, Otow Orchards, Rickey Ranch Pumpkin Patch, local farmer’s markets, fun runs and races, and swimming or hiking at Folsom Lake provide weekend entertainment for the whole family. American River recreation will set you up for a day of rafting or kayaking, and golf enthusiasts can swing away to their heart’s content at the Sierra View Country Club or Granite Bay Golf Club.

Chez Daniel, Back Wine Bar and Bistro, Hawks, Vaiano Trattoria, Source, and Bernardos are just a few of the amazing fine dining establishments in Granite Bay.

Notable and famous Granite Bay residents:

Eddie Murphy – Actor and comedian

John Travolta and wife Kelly Preston - Actors.

Tobin Esperance - Bassist of band Papa Roach

Jeff Keith - Singer of band Tesla

Chris Webber - Retired Sacramento Kings power forward and center

Jason Williams - Orlando Magic, former Sacramento Kings point guard

Shareef Abdur-Rahim - retired National Basketball Association (NBA) player and current Assistant GM for the Sacramento Kings

Rick Adelman - former Sacramento Kings head coach

Dusty Baker - Cincinnati Reds Manager, former San Francisco Giants and Chicago Cubs manager and MLB player

Steve Cook - Former professional ten-pin bowler and member of the PBA Hall of Fame

Maureen Reagan - Daughter of Former President Ronald Reagan lived in Granite Bay until her passing

Summer Sanders - Multiple gold medalist in swimming at the 1992 Summer Olympics, TV Sports commentator and personality

Steve Sax - Retired MLB baseball player (primarily second baseman for the Los Angeles Dodgers, New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox, and Oakland Athletics)