Real Estate Properties Staging Advice and Photography in Ventura and Los Angeles Counties

Gotalot

The most important mistakes that cause high vacancy costs.

Acces to the unit. Someone must be able to show the unit if you want somebody to rent it.

Favorable fotographs. We have seen a ton of ads where the property is great, but the photos are taken by amateurs and they are lousy.

Neglect of the common areas. Despite what the cavemen among us think, nobody wants to live in a dump. Clean common areas strengthen the impression that someone takes good care of the property.

Unpleasant smells in the unit. Cover animal or other unpleasant smells with a scent, avoid exotic, polarizing smells, stick with vanilla-variety.

Apartments

Replace outdated light fixtures.

Remove yellow light panels in the kitchen and replace them with a modern light fixture. The cheaper solution here is to at least replace the yellow plastic for new clear plastic, replace the ballasts and get the fluorescent bulbs with 4500-6500K white light (as close to daylight as possible)

Invest $15 into nice bathroom vanity lights.

Clean the sticky hardwood floor so that the apartment feels clean.

Install the blinds correctly so that they work properly.

Paint the rusty fence so that the rust is not visible at the facade of the building.

Fix the sprinklers in the front lawn so that the grass in the building's front becomes green.

Severly trim the tree blocking the "For Rent" banner on the building. or Rehang the banner.

Cover up the grafitti on fences and poles with multiple coats of variously-colored reflective paint.

Call the city and have them repair the sidewalk which is a hazard.

Put a professional "For Rent" signs in the front lawn with the correct phone number of a person who can show the vacancies.

Fix Window screens for the windows facing the street at the front of the building.

Pressure-wash the facade of the building once every 5 years; and paint at least once every 10-15 years. Keep in mind that darker colors fade more slowly but heat up the house. While lighter colors get dirty quickly and reflect more of the sun's energy.

Higher-End Properties and Sophisticated Clientelle

Very often these clients have downsized for a house to a luxury apartment and they often don't understand the restrictions and obligations of living in a multi-family home. They try to have private pool parties. Some ask if they can move their personal equipment into the common areas, while others don't ask and just do it. Many ask about the BBQ area. These are luxuries that they are used to, may not be available even in the upscale multifamily property. It is your job to explain this to them without turning them off.

These are some seriously spoiled folks, and they are usually a lot more impulsive than the folks at the bottom; what this means for you is that if they want it, they will take it. But don't be offended if they are low-balling your apartment by $300/per month on their offer, they are used to making a bunch of low-ball offers and getting someone desperate to bite. Don't take their low-ball offer!

Don't make promises when showing the unit that you are unable to keep. If they want a side by-side parking, but you only have tandem, don't promise them side-by-side parking. Not having luxuries they are used to, like a water line running to the refrigerator's ice-maker, could be a deal breaker for them, even if it is a brand new stainless steel fridge that you are offering them.

Often these people not only picture in their mind where the furniture will go in the apartment, but how they will modify YOUR apartment to make their environment comfortable for them. Some begin by describing how they will paint every wall a different color of the rainbow, others, how they will remove your light fixtures and replace them with $300 ceiling fans, still others talk about rewiring the electrical circuits and running things their way, getting their own washer and dryer because yours is too small, removing shower doors because it is difficult for them to bathe their baby, the list goes on and on. It is best to be upfront about the costs of these modifications. Tell them that the tenants must leave the apartment in the condition they found it, otherwise the tenants are responsible for the costs of all repairs.

Apartment Buildings, Condominiums with HOA

Facade, Common areas like lobby, laundry room, BBQ pit, front lawn, sundeck, gym room, recreation room, pool furniture, lighting in the stairwells, and hallways, elevator's cleanliness -- these are the first impressions -- the deciding factors on whether the client will make an offer.

First is the monthly HOA fee: can we afford it? (in the case of investors, can we pay this in addition to our mortgage and rent it out while still having a positive cashflow after expenses?)

Second to the additional monthly cost is: how is it spent?

One of the HOA we recently dealt with charged almost a $500 monthly fee, but replaced the street's pavement in the entire HOA community. Then, within a year of that it replaced common fences with new ones. Therefore the second important consideration is: how is the HOA fee spent?

When staging these, make sure it is clear where the cash is going: keep all of these areas in tip-top shape.

Staging advice given to owners & managers of residential properties:

The Fundamentals of Displaying Real Estate.

The most important mistakes that cause high vacancy costs.

Apartments

Single Family Homes

Higher-End Properties and Sophisticated Clientelle

Apartment Buildings, Condominiums with HOA