What is home staging and how does it affect the sale of a home?
Kona
Real Estate
Management
Joseph A. Garcia, BIC
Christina Sotelo, BA
808-329-3121
www.konahomesandrentals.com
“A small but professional
father-daughter run
company, (father licensed
since 1972 and daughter
since 2004) both Hawaii
real estate brokers,
specializing in long-term
rentals, as well as listings
and sales and home
check services. Call us
today for more details on
how we may be of service
to you.”
REDUCED
Alii Lani 2 bed/ 2 bath upgraded kitchen and fl ooring
MLS# 616957 • $310,000
West Hawaii Real Estate | July 6, 2018 13
YOU CAN COUNT ON US
Want maximum efficiency in your kitchen?
Consider forgoing the old-fashioned triangle in favor of task-specific work zones.
When I began studying kitchen design many (many!) years ago, I learned all about the muchvenerated
kitchen work triangle — in which the refrigerator, range and sink are placed 4 to 9 feet
apart, forming a roughly equilateral triangle.
This design principle was developed back when most
people had smaller, closed-off kitchens, where only one
person prepared and cleaned up meals. It’s an efficient
way to layout appliances and the sink in a small closed or
semi closed kitchen. The work triangle is still useful today,
but with kitchens that now run the gamut from tiny singlewall
galleys up to large open-plan kitchens, it’s more
useful to think in terms of work zones instead.
Work zones are really just the natural evolution of the
kitchen work triangle. As kitchens grew in size and opened up to other rooms in the house, it
became more of a challenge to place appliances in a neat triangular layout.
We also have more appliances than ever before — dishwashers, extra sinks, microwaves, separate
cooktops and wall ovens — not to mention more people working and socializing in the space. By
sectioning off your kitchen into work zones, you’ll maximize efficiency in a larger space. More cooks,
as well as their guests, will be better accommodated.
329-5836 Please come and visit our showroom
73-5620 Kauhola St. #3 • Kailua-Kona, HI 96740
www.kitchencabinetshawaii.com • kci@aloha.net
MARKET
TBy Karin Shaw ake a drive across America
and along with the mountains
and rivers, a big part
of the passing scenery is of
self-storage facilities.
Did you know, in America there
are 50,000 self-storage facilities, more
than Dunkin Donuts (8,500), Subways
(28,000) or McDonalds (14,027) combined?
And that’s just for the stuff we
cannot fit inside our homes, where
there’s more stuff piled in closets,
bedrooms, garages, and basements.
As the late comic George Carlin
said, “That’s the whole meaning of
life, isn’t it? Trying to find a place for
your stuff. That’s all your house is; a
house is just a place for stuff.” What
does this mean when it comes to selling
your home?
Most home sellers know the
importance of keeping their house
clean and clutter free while it is on
the market, but sometimes, taking a
few extra steps can make all the difference.
It is often difficult to evaluate
your own home. That’s where a Realtor
can help. Realtors offer tips, hints,
thoughts, and ideas for sprucing up,
cleaning out, decorating, staging,
creating a great first impression, and
making a house appealing to buyers.
Home staging has emerged as a
powerful sales tool because it transforms
a “nice” home into a remarkably
desirable product. Mortgage-
NewsDaily.com indicated that most
professionally staged homes end up
bringing in about three percent more
than the anticipated price. This means
that a homeowner who dedicates
$3,000 to a home staging project, and
who sells their home for $500k, will
have earned $15,000 for their effort.
Clearly, this indicates that such a project
is well worth the expense. Not to
mention that 62 percent of sellers say
staging a home decreases the amount
of time their home is on the market.
The costs associated with a professional
home stager will vary widely
and can begin as low as $0-150 for a
consultation, and range well above
$6,000 for a massive undertaking.
Stagers may charge by the hour, while
others request a flat fee. The biggest
factors affecting cost are the size
and condition of the home as well as
the geographical area in which it is
located. When it comes to paying for
home staging, it is usually the seller
who pays before listing the home.
West Hawaii Association of Realtors
member Kelly Shaw states,
“I have used Jackie Sun’s staging
services for several of my vacant listings.
She makes a house look like a
home by using inviting furniture and
accessories. I believe home staging
improves the marketability of my listings;
helping them to sell quicker and
at a higher price point. I strongly recommend
Jackie and will continue to
use her to make my listings sparkle.”
Jackie Sun is an affiliate of The West
Hawaii Association of Realtors and
can be reached for consultations by
emailing suninbp@yahoo.com.
“Realtors know how important it is
for buyers to be able to picture themselves
living in a home and, staging
a home makes that process much
easier for potential buyers,” 2017 NAR
President William E. Brown, a Realtor,
said. “While all real estate is local,
and many factors play into what a
home is worth and how much buyers
are willing to pay for it, staging can
be the extra step sellers take to help
sell their home more quickly and for
a higher dollar value.”
The West Hawaii Association of
Realtors (WHAR) represents over 700
members involved in all aspects of
the residential real estate industry.
For more information contact
admin@konarealtors.org.
link
/www.kitchencabinetshawaii.com
/www.konahomesandrentals.com
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