Choosing a Home Stager: 10 Things You Should Consider

December 29, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Donna DazzoWhile not every home seller and real estate agent believes in the power of home staging when selling a home, there are those who do, thanks to the proliferation of shows on television and real life success stories.

So, if you have made the decision to hire a professional (and that is a key word, “professional”) home stager, then what should you be looking for?

There are a number of things you should consider:

1. Portfolio – every home stager should have a website (this in itself is something you should look for) where you can view his or her portfolio of homes they have staged. There should be before and after photos for occupied homes and at least the after photos for vacant homes.

Choosing a Home Stager - Before and After

And make sure it IS their portfolio, not some stock photos they purchased, or worse, photos they have stolen from another home stager’s website (this has been known to happen). While it may be difficult to prove the photos are really the stager’s, one way you might be able to tell is if some of the photos look amateurish and others look totally professional and expensive.

You can also meet with the stager and ask to see their printed portfolio of before and after photos. And in particular, ask to see pictures of homes that are in a similar market and style as yours.

2. Experience – This goes hand-in-hand with number one. While every newbie deserves a break, experience and longevity should be given high consideration. All things being equal, it is better to go with someone who has been a home stager for a while and has the portfolio to prove it as they have more experience dealing with any stumbling blocks. Also, think “survival of the fittest”.

3. Decorative Style – one of the goals of staging a home is to make it less taste-specific and less personal, and instead make it appeal to the target market of buyers. Having said that, every stager usually has some unique decorative style.

However, what you want to make sure of is not every home they stage looks just like every other home they stage. Each should be decorated and accessorized for the type of home it is, the location and the profile of the buyer for this type of home.

Some stagers have their own inventory of furniture and others use a furniture rental company. The advantage of using a furniture rental company is that there is a wide selection in terms of both price and style.

However, some home stagers are forced to use their own furniture because there are no furniture rental companies in their area. So make sure they have an extensive inventory.

Lesson: Beware of the cookie-cutter stager.

Choosing a Home Stager - Cookie Cutter

Also beware of the home stager who seems to do primarily small vignettes, such as a totally empty room save for a corner with a chair, lamp, artwork and tiny rug. This accomplishes nothing in getting a buyer to fall in love with the home and want to live there.

4. Education and training - home staging as a profession has a low barrier to entry, meaning that anyone can call themselves a home stager. And don’t be fooled by those home stagers saying they are “certified”. There is no universal certification or licensing of home stagers. One thing you do want to see however, is that they did take some interior decorating or design and/or home staging education as this shows seriousness on their part and a commitment to this profession.

Beware of the home staging hobbyist, e.g., the wife of a friend of yours who likes to decorate. Staging involves much more than that. It’s about downplaying the negative features and emphasizing the positive features of a property. It’s about emphasizing the focal point of the room and making sure there is proper flow within a room and between rooms so it’s easy for buyers to navigate.

5. Testimonials and Referrals - some home stagers’ websites have testimonials from homeowners and real estate agents, but go beyond just reading them. Ask for the names and contact information of their past clients who are not listed on the website.

Contact them and ask them these questions:

  • How did you like working with_________?
  • What do you think he or she did best?
  • What are some of the things you feel he or she could have done better?
  • Was he or she responsive, professional and reliable?
  • Was the project completed in a timely manner?
  • Were you pleased with the results?
  • Overall, how satisfied were you?
  • Any advice for me in working with_____?

6. Fees – don’t choose a home stager because they are the cheapest of the ones you have called. Seriously consider all of the things listed here. And don’t think that the one with the highest fee also means he or she is must be a great home stager. It could just mean that they have found they can charge this price and only deal with a certain clientele.

If they offer free consultations, you have to ask yourself, why would they want to give away advice for free? Is it because they are desperate for business, or are you really going to be getting any good advice?

If their bid for a vacant or occupied staging comes in much lower than others, it may be because they will be using inexpensive accessories or furniture or cutting corners to cut their time in the project.

7. Insurance - make sure your home stager has insurance. They should at least have general business liability insurance. Some even have professional liability insurance, also more commonly known as errors and omissions insurance. Those companies that have employees should have workmen’s compensation insurance. Ask for a copy of their insurance certificate(s).

8. Personality and Traits- Whether you’re a homeowner or a real estate agent, you want to make sure you will be able to work with the home stager.

  • Do they have the type of personality you would get along with or one that might annoy you?
  • Do they appear to be professional and serious?
  • Have they been responsive to you so far? Did they return calls and emails promptly?
  • Do they seem organized?
  • Are they a good listener?
  • If you are a real estate agent, how do you think they might talk to your clients when it comes to providing advice on sensitive things they need to change in order to get the home sold?

9. Written Agreement - an agreement in writing between the homeowner and the client will protect both parties. And it also points to the professionalism and seriousness of the home stager.

10. Resources – particularly if you have an older home that needs to be sold and particularly if you don’t have your own resources, a home stager who knows good house painters, handymen, landscapers etc. can be very valuable.

© Copyright 2012 Designed to Appeal, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Filed Under: Interior design and home staging, Seller information Tagged With: ,

Ten No Cost Ways to Easily Improve a Home For Sale

December 3, 2011 by Leave a Comment
No Cost Ways to Improve a Home For Sale

No Cost Ways to Improve a Home For Sale

Staging a home for sale, or even sprucing one up that’s not on the market, doesn’t mean money has to be spent.

Here are ten things you can do that won’t cost you a dime:

  1. Curb Appeal Enhancement – first impressions are critical, and curb appeal, or lack thereof, is the key. If you are lucky enough to own a townhouse in the city, sweep away leaves and debris, hose down (or power wash) the exterior, clean windows and store garbage cans neatly.

In a suburban environment, make sure you mow the lawn, weed, rake, trim edges and overgrown bushes and trees, clean windows, hose down (or power wash) the exterior, entry way area and walkways, remove cobwebs, clean the gutters, store garbage cans neatly, and remove children’s toys and bikes.

  1. Declutter – most people have too much “stuff”. Whether you are moving or not, divide things into four piles: Keep, Discard, Donate and Store. If you are selling, now is the time to begin packing because you will need to do it anyway. Also, this is the time to pack away family photos, artwork and trophies – buyers can’t imagine themselves living there when it seems like somebody else lives there! Do one room at a time if it feels overwhelming, and don’t forget closets, kitchen cabinets, garage, basement, shed and attic.
  2. Clean, clean, clean – no one wants to walk into a dirty home, not a buyer nor neighbors or family. Especially if the home is on the market, clean everywhere, not just the surfaces – windowsills, lighting fixtures, behind the toilet and sink, moldings, bookshelves. Bathrooms and kitchens are particularly important.
  3. Lighten and Brighten – beginning with cleaning the windows, do all you can to let in as much natural light as possible. Trim overgrown bushes and trees that are blocking the windows. If the home is for sale, one trick is to remove the screens. Replace all burned out bulbs, and swap out lower wattage ones for higher wattage ones (of course, using compact fluorescent lighting where possible).
  4. Eliminate Odors – just as no one wants to walk into a dirty home, no one wants to walk into a smelly one either. Asking a good friend to come over for a smell test is a good idea since our noses get used to odors. Cleaning is a good start to eliminating odors, but if the home is for sale, refrain from smoking, minimize cooking and bring pets and their belongings to a friend or a kennel during showings.
  5. Depersonalizing – You may be proud of photos of your children, their artwork, your trophies and diplomas, as well as your collection of antique salt and pepper shakers, but buyers will not be able to imagine themselves living in your home if your home reminds them too much of YOU!
  6. Define the Space – while the dining room works perfectly well for you as your home office, once the home is on the market, you don’t want buyers to be left to figure out that the space with the desk and computer in it is actually a dining room or dining area. And the living room should be just that, a place to entertain and relax – not a play or storage area for children’s toys. This will lead buyers to think there’s inadequate space or storage for their children.
  7. Basic Maintenance and Repairs – don’t think that buyers won’t notice a light switch that doesn’t work, a drip in the tub, or a cabinet door that doesn’t shut properly. Buyers will think two things: 1) “If the owner can’t fix these minor things, what larger problems does this home have?” and, 2) “I wonder how much I can deduct from the asking price because of all of these needed repairs?”.
  8. Master Bedroom – Bedrooms should feel like sanctuaries for rest and relaxation. Think HOTEL when reviewing and enhancing yours. Make sure it’s easy to walk around the bed, so get rid of excess furniture. Clear nightstands and dressers of clutter. Make sure linens are clean and fresh and the bed neatly made. Closets must be clean, organized and as sparsely filled as possible. Let in the natural light.
  9. Kitchens and Bathrooms …sell houses. We’ve all heard this before. Both should be sparkling clean. Clear the kitchen counters of clutter, including appliances. It will make the counters appear to be more spacious. Go through the kitchen cabinets and discard or pack away unused items, neatly place remaining items and even go so far as to organize pantry items such as jars, boxes and spices by type and size, with labels all facing out. Take the magnets and everything underneath them off the refrigerator. Bathrooms should appear as if they belonged in a hotel, so that means storing away your shampoo and toiletries during showings, and displaying the nice, fluffy show towels. Toilet lid down and wastebaskets emptied. Plungers and cleaning supplies off the floor.

Staging a home for sale doesn’t mean money has to be spent.

Copyright © 2011 Designed to Appeal, LLC – All Rights Reserved

Donna Dazzo is president and owner of Designed to Appeal, a home staging company serving New York City and the Hamptons. Designed to Appeal helps homeowners and real estate agents sell homes quickly and profitably, by expertly creating an environment that buyers want to live in. Designed to Appeal also helps homeowners not looking to sell with interior redesign, which involves using mostly what the homeowner already has. For more information, call 917-297-1528 or send an email to donna@designedtoappeal.com.

Filed Under: Interior design and home staging, Seller information Tagged With:

NYC One of Few Markets to See Housing Price Appreciation

November 9, 2011 by Leave a Comment
Core Logic National Housing Prices

Core Logic National Housing Prices

According to a report released by Core Logic this week, national single family housing prices have declined on a year-over-year basis – but not in New York City.  Here, we experienced a 2.2% increase in prices from 9/10 – 9/11.  That increase reflected the effect of distressed sales on the marketplace.  With those sales excluded from the data, NYC posted a 2.9& year-over-year increase.

Nationwide, prices were down 4.1%.  That number reflects the persistent distress that has beset many markets.  Short sales and REO sales tend to weight the market down.  Had those been excluded, the national market was only down 1.1%.  This seems to suggest that the nation has largely reached the bottom of the market but many areas are still bouncing along it with little hope of appreciation in the near term.

Washington D.C. was the only other major market to post price increases (1%).

Filed Under: Buyer information, Investor information, Market data, Seller information

Tips for Living in a Staged Home

November 4, 2011 by Leave a Comment

So you’ve had a professional home stagercome to your home that’s for sale and you’ve implemented everything that he or she recommended to get your home sold fast and for top dollar.

You’ve removed your family photos so that buyers can imagine themselves living there rather than feeling they are encroaching on your private space.

Closet after home staging

Closet after home staging

You’ve decluttered and have discarded, donated, given away or stored off-season clothing, extra furniture, toys, files, papers, books, magazines and other items so that buyers will feel like there’s adequate storage in your home.

You’ve organized your kitchen cabinets and closets so that buyers will get the impression that you are a homeowner who really takes care of the home.

But now what? You’re thinking “We live here. How can our home possibly continue to look like it’s show-ready all the time?”

Well, relax, it doesn’t have to look show-ready ALL the time, but there are some things you can easily implement so that you can become show-ready at the last minute.

  • Now that you’ve pared down to what is necessary for living in your home for the next few months, this is not the time to be buying more toys and kitchen and electronic gadgets, etc.
  • Don’t shove everything you don’t want to be visible into kitchen cabinets and closets at the last minute. Buyers will open every drawer and door unless it’s a piece of furniture. Remember, we want buyers to think that there is adequate storage and you are an organized homeowner.
  • Purchase a basket or box with a lid that you can put keys, today’s mail, bills, calendars, unread newspapers, etc.
    Basket for home staging

    Basket for home staging

    into and keep it in an out-of-the way place such as a shelf in a closet, or in an appropriate place, like on a desk. Besides eliminating a cluttered appearance, doing this will also protect your privacy.

  • Buyers don’t want to see your toiletries or hairdryer on the sink vanity in the bathroom. If you don’t have a closed cabinet under the sink in which to store these, purchase baskets to store these items.
  • Buyers also don’t want to see your half-used bottles of shampoo, conditioner, body wash and soap bars in the shower or bathtub. Think “hotel”. Would you want to check into a hotel room and find that? Purchase one or two of those plastic or metal shower totes with a handle so that you can easily put all of these items into it and store away under the sink or in a linen closet.
  • Your home stager most likely recommended that nice, new and fluffy towels be displayed during showings (remember, think “hotel”). So, you have two options:

- Keep the “nice” towels, neatly folded, on the towel bars, and hang your towels on a hook or hooks on the back of the door. Remove the latter and put in the washing machine or laundry bin prior to a showing.

- Fold the “nice” towels neatly and then roll them up. Store them in a linen closet or under the sink. Then prior to the

Storage bins for home staging

Storage bins for home staging

showing, remove your daily towels from the towels bars; then unroll and hang up the display towels.

  • Since children only play with probably 20% of their toys, and you’ve pared them down (the toys not the children) at the suggestion of your home stager, make sure you have storage bins or chests in which to put these items. They make for a much neater appearance.
  • Whether you’re selling your home yourself, or have enlisted a real estate agent, pets and all evidence of pets, need to be removed before a showing. Not every buyer is a pet lover, and some are allergic to pets, so for these and other reasons, take the pet and food bowls, leashes, beds, litter box, toys, cages, etc with you if possible or bring to a neighbor’s, friend’s or family members’ home while yours is being shown.
  • If you make the beds and fluff up the pillows every day, you don’t have to scramble at the last minute in case you get a call that someone wants to see your house.
  • If you and your family get in the habit of putting dirty dishes in the dishwasher immediately after using them, this makes for a much quicker last minute clean up of the kitchen.
  • Another suggestion is to take a laundry basket and walk through the home and put everything in there that you don’t have room to store away. This works best for a home in the suburbs rather than for a city apartment. The laundry basket can be stored in the basement or garage.

There are many other things that should be done after the staging of your home and prior to showing it. Keep our Home Staging Open House Checklist handy so that you know exactly what to do.

© Copyright 2011 Designed to Appeal, LLC. All Rights Reserved. 

Filed Under: Interior design and home staging, Seller information Tagged With:

Do-It-Yourself Home Staging Returns 299% of Your Investment

June 2, 2011 by Leave a Comment

NYC home staging, DIY home staging, Selling NYC propertiesLow cost, do-it-yourself home improvements produce a significant return on investment when a home is sold.

HomeGain just released the findings of their survey of 600 real estate agents nationwide to determine the top 10 low-cost (less than $5,000), do-it-yourself  home improvements for people getting their home ready to sell.

Based upon return on investment (ROI), Home Staging ranked 3rd as the most profitable improvement that can be made to a home, yielding a 299% ROI. An average investment in home staging of $550 produced a $2,194 price increase.

Home staging as defined by the survey includes adding fresh flowers; removing personal items; reducing clutter; rearranging furniture; adding new props or furniture to enhance room/s; playing soft music; and hanging artwork on walls.  A home staging checklist compiled by HomeGain offers more tips for making the home attractive to buyers so that they can envision themselves living there.

Cleaning and Decluttering ranked number 1, with a 586% ROI.  Almost every real estate agent (99%) recommended this in the survey.

Cleaning and decluttering was followed by Lightening and Brightening which produced a 313% ROI.  Lightening and Brightening include opening windows; cleaning windows and skylights inside and outside; replacing old curtains or removing curtains; removing other obstacles from windows blocking light; repairing lighting fixtures; and making sure windows open easily. 97% of real estate agents recommend this step.

80% of agents surveyed recommended home staging to their clients. Here are what a few had to say:

“We believe staging is so critical. We own our own staging company and provide a $3,000 staging for free as a part of our listing package.” – Carl Medford, California Prudential Realty, Castro Valley, California

“Staging, I think, is the most important item when selling a home. I usually give my clients a free consultation, so no need to hire anyone. But if they hire someone, I think it’s the best money they will ever spend. You need a neutral party who knows what homebuyers focus on when looking at homes.” – Harry Martin, RE/MAX United, Escondido, California

“Homes that are “Priced to Sell” and “Staged” to look better than all other competitive listings are the homes that are selling in this challenging housing market.” – David Jaffe, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, Arlington Heights, Illinois

“I always tell clients to stage. It’s more effective than price reductions and usually costs less in the long run.” – Edward Sullivan, Massachusetts

Here are the full results of the survey:

NYC home staging, DIY home staging, Designed to Appeal

For more information on this survey, as well as for definitions and homeowner checklists for each improvement, click here.

© Copyright 2011 Designed to Appeal, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Filed Under: Interior design and home staging, Seller information

Taking Home Staging to the Next Level With Lifestyle Merchandising

May 8, 2011 by Leave a Comment

home staging, target staging, Donna Dazzo, lifestyle merchandising

Did you know that home staging is all about “lifestyle merchandising?” Yes, when you are selling your home, you are actually merchandising a lifestyle to potential buyers.

Recently I graduated from an advanced staging course given by Matthew Finlason, host of HGTV’s ”The Stagers”. It was an intense, two-day course attended by only a handful of New York City area home stagers.

This is what I learned:

  • Casting a “wide net” with staging in order to attract the broad range of buyers is a Home staging nyc, Donna Dazzo, lifestyle merchandising, target staging, HGTV The Stagers, Matthew Finlasonthing of the past.
  • Crafting a “perfect lure” to attract the right buyer with staging represents a paradigm shift.  While it’s fine to neutralize a home of its occupant’s personality, don’t sterilize it.
  • Home staging is now known as Target Staging.
  • Before you stage, it’s important to first learn the demographics of the potential buyer (age, income, marital status, etc.).
  • It’s also important to focus on the psychographics of the buyer (the industry they’re in, their leisure time activities and interests, the profile of retailers in the area which will be an indicator of the profile of the residents).
  • Donna Dazzo, HGTV The Stagers, Target staging, Lifestyle merchandising, NYC stagingStage this buyer’s dream house with colors, shapes, textures, objects and artwork that will make them emotionally connect with the space.
  • Stage in order to “tell stories” based upon the buyer’s profile.
  • Staging is “lifestyle merchandising” and “dialing in the buyer”.
  • Stage to create a life that buyers can aspire to and relate to.
  • Target staging, Lifestyle merchandising, Donna Dazzo, HGTV The Stagers, NYC stagingStage so that your company aesthetic shines through but not to the point where every staging looks like every other staging you do, and most importantly, doesn’t look like every other staging out there.


©Copyright 2011 Designed to Appeal, LLC.  All Rights Reserved.

Filed Under: Interior design and home staging, Seller information Tagged With: , , , , ,

Top 10 Mistakes Sellers Make When Presenting Their Homes for Sale

April 21, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Donna Dazzo Designed to AppealMost home sellers make the mistake of believing that buyers “can see past” the flaws in their home.  Well, it’s simply not true.  Only 10% of prospective buyers can visualize the potential of your home.

Do you know the Top 10 Mistakes home sellers make about how they present their homes to prospective buyers?  As you will see, ameliorating these mistakes costs little or none.

1.  Paint Problems - too often prospective buyers can’t get past the ugly shade of greenTop 10 staging mistakes that the house is painted or the purple in the bedroom. For both the exterior and interior it is best to stick to neutral colors, EXCEPT 1) you can use a bright contrasting color like red for a front door, and 2) DON’T use white on the interior walls as it’s stark and cold (it’s fine for trim and ceilings).  Paint issues involve both color and the condition of the paint. Paint is one of the most inexpensive ways to freshen up any space.  Walls and floors are the “bones” of any interior space and both should be in good condition.

2.  Dirty or worn carpet and/or floors – as just stated, walls and floors are the “bones” of the house or apartment and should be in good condition.  If carpets are old, outdated and badly stained, it’s best to remove them.  Sometimes a beautiful hardwood Top 10 staging mistakesfloor awaits underneath. If not, replace with inexpensive wall to wall carpeting.  Hardwood floors in bad condition should be refinished.  You don’t want to give your buyer a mental checklist of repairs they need to do so that they either walk away or bid lower.

3.  Pets and their “accoutrement” - you may love your pets, but not every buyer will.  Leaving your pets in the house while it’s being shown is a BIG mistake.  Removing them but leaving behind pet bowls, kitty litter boxes, leashes and dog cages is also a BIG mistake.  Remove all traces of your pets including hair and odor.

4.  Personalized Decor - displaying family photos, children’s artwork, trophies, awards,Top 10 staging mistakes collections and your prized deer head on the wall does NOT allow the buyer to imagine living in your space.  Plus these items are also a distraction.  You want the buyers to look at your house, not your children’s baby photos.

5.  Dated or worn hardware and fixtures – if floors and walls are the bones of the house, then hardware and fixtures are the “jewelry”.  Outdated or tarnished door handles on kitchen and bathroom cabinets, and outdated lighting fixtures and faucets are a turn-off to prospective buyers.  Replacing these can update the look of a bathroom or kitchen very inexpensively.  And don’t forget to replace scratched doorknobs on doors and broken or non-matching light switch plates.

6.  Dirty, Cluttered or Untidy Interior or Exterior – Despite what sellers might think, buyers cannot see past dirt and clutter.  It’s extremely important that both the interior and exterior of the home, including the yard, be clean and tidy.  Kitchens and bathrooms need to be whistle-clean.

7.  Dated or Inappropriate Window Treatments - Anything dated in a home is a turn-off to a potential buyer and window treatments are one of them. If the drapes are from the early to mid-90s, chances are they are too heavy and too dated.  Remove them and replace them with panel drapes on a rod – inexpensive ones can be found at Target and JC Penney.

8. Bad Furniture Arrangements – Furniture that doesn’t highlight the room’s best features are doing the seller a disservice.  For example, a fireplace is usually THE focal

Top 10 staging mistakes

point in a room, and the furniture should be arranged around it so that the eye is drawn to the fireplace.  Also, furniture should not block the flow of being able to walk through the room. It should not block being able to open a door.  Lastly, the furniture in the room

should define the purpose of the room.  In the picture below, is this a guest room, an office or a game room?

9.  Blocked Lighting/Dirty Windows – Buyers treasure natural light and sellers need to do everything to maximize it.  Trim back or remove overgrown bushes and trees that are blocking the windows, clean the windows, open up the drapes, and even remove the screens while the home is on the market to let in more natural light.

10.  Too Much or Too Large Furniture – Think LESS IS MORE!  Remember that the purpose of furniture when selling a home is to define the purpose of the room (e.g., dining

Top 10 staging mistakes

room, not home office or children’s playroom) and to show what will fit where (e.g., king size bed).  It is not meant to show that you can provide seating for 15 in your living roomand every seat has a side table to rest drinks on and the bedroom is large enough to hold 3 dressers. Also, the size of the furniture needs to be in balance with the scale of the room and the other furniture in it.

Donna Dazzo is president and owner of Designed to Appeal, a home staging company serving New York City and the Hamptons. Designed to Appeal helps homeowners and real estate agents sell homes quickly and profitably, by expertly creating an environment that buyers want to live in. Designed to Appeal also helps homeowners not looking to sell with interior redesign, which involves using mostly what the homeowner already has. Donna writes frequently on home staging and interior decorating and design topics. Copyright 2011 Designed to Appeal, LLC. All Rights Reserved.

Filed Under: Interior design and home staging, Seller information Tagged With: ,

Consumers Can Check a Map to See Average NYC Price Reductions

April 15, 2011 by Leave a Comment

West Village average price reductions, days on market, market data

Trulia has released a new tool that allows consumers to check a number of interesting data points in any zip code they are interested in.  The tool displays the average listing price, the average number of days listings were on the market before a price reduction, the average amount of the price reduction, and the probability of a second price reduction before the property sells.  The data was culled from all active, non-foreclosure listings on the market between March 31st 2010 and March 31st 2011.

The 10014 zip code (the West Village) showed average listing prices of $2.9mil, 93 days on the market before a price reduction, an average reduction of 5%, and a 34% chance of a second price reduction.  This type of data can help sellers and their brokers decide when to consider making price adjustments with their listing and can assist buyers in determining if a listing that has been marketed for a while should be visited by the price chopper.

 

Filed Under: Brokers' corner, Buyer information, Market data, Seller information

Jonathan Miller Says Housing Will Lag Economic Recovery

April 1, 2011 by Leave a Comment

Historically, the U.S. housing market has lead the country out of recession. But that has not happened during the Great Recession of recent years.  In an interview with CNBC (video below) Jonathan Miller, CEO of Miller Samuel Inc., said the housing market “will be one step behind the economy” because tight credit conditions related to legacy lending conditions are preventing consumers from taking advantage of market opportunities.  He did point to a few bright spots with relatively strong markets such as Manhattan and metro D.C.  That being said, we should not expect to see substantial price increases in Manhattan either.  In a different interview, Mr. Miller said of the local market, “We’re not seeing prices rise very much . . . 2011 will be rather boring.”


Filed Under: Buyer information, Economic news, Investor information, Market data, Seller information Tagged With: , , , , ,
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