Staging is about appealing to a broad range of buyers. It’s about creating an image of a lifestyle that buyers can’t resist. They need to be able to imagine themselves living in your house.

Staging doesn’t require a big budget either. Although, if you have the budget to make your home a showpiece, go for it! In general, though, successful staging means paying attention to the details.

Here are 10 secrets of staging that can help your home sell.

1. Declutter. Clutter can be one of the most distracting aspects of showing a house. Instead of a buyer focusing on the unique architectural details of your room, they focus in on your trinkets and trash. You don’t have to toss your decor, just put it away for now.

2. Furniture: Large, oversized furniture can makes rooms look smaller than they are. The converse if true as well. Small furniture in large rooms looks disproportionate.

3. Room true to purpose: You may have your dining room set up as an office or a second bedroom set up as a craft room, but buyers need to see homes true to their purpose. They want to see the formal dining room that was advertised on the MLS. They want to see 2 bedrooms, not one and a craft room.

4. Proper lighting: Good lighting makes everything look better. CFL lights in “daylight” color makes rooms look light and bright even during the evening hours. Be sure all rooms are well lit, including laundry rooms, garages, and closets.

5. Repairs: Most buyers aren’t interested in fixer-uppers. They want homes that have been well-maintained. You may have to spend a little time and

money to fix broken doors, drawers, and windows. Buyers will notice every loose board and trim piece. Fix it before you start showings!

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Call MetroWest Realty on: 407-290-3408, or visit our site for more information on MetroWest (Orlando) real estate and homes for sale.

In all cases, you can expect a full written report back which is usually accompanied by photos of any offending items.  A word of warning: There WILL be offending items – it’s their job to find them – and you can expect a long laundry list.

TIP: Every single thing that’s noted will be listed. If they don’t point them out, then they could be accused of not doing a thorough job so you’ll find a lot of “petty” stuff on there. Do not feak out and blow the sale. This is normal. Most of the items are small and repairable from missing door handles to missing light bulbs. No house is perfect. The stuff to look out for are the major items such as HVAC repair, Chinese dry wall, roof repair, extensive wood rot and the like. These items can be costly, although if the price is right, it may not matter.

A word on mould. Mould (mold) is everywhere and in every house, whether you can see it or not. There are different types of mould but where there is moisture you will likely see it. It’s not the end of the world and it’s not unusual to find. You don’t need to run a mile at the mention of the word, but you do want to check it out and make sure that a.) it’s not extensive and b.) it can be quickly and inexpensively remediated.

If you have any questions on Orlando home inspections or would like a referral, please feel free to contact email your MetroWest real estate specialists or call: 407-290-3408. If you’re looking for a condo inspection, you’ll find some useful information on our  Orlando condo inspection page.

The last unit available for rent is a 1/1 with 967 SF and is priced at $1192 per month. Call us at: 407-290-3408 to rent it asap!

On the sales side, there is a beautiful 2/2, banked owned priced at just $124K. This last sold for $444K in 2008. If you’re looking for a steal on one of the best units in town, this is it. For more info on this community head over to the Orlando condo blog and look up Veranda Park condos. The entire building is up for grabs at the bank for those with the funds to handle a bulk deal call us on the number above or email Info@MyMetroWestRealty.com

MetroWest Orlando continued to promote its community sprit this weekend with its annual easter egg hunt.

Local kids ran around the local park (aka the roundabout) with their little bags scooping up the prizes. Weather was perfect - and a good time was had by all!

The Isles of MetroWest consist of about 3 single family home communities and are located behind the MetroWest public golf course. Most of the residents of Metro West don’t even know these tight-knit neighborhoods exist at the end of the Westpointe Boulevard cul-de-sac, and those of us that live there are happy to keep it that way!

Easter Egg Hunt, The Isles at MetroWest

For more information on buying or selling your home in MetroWest Orlando call Metro West Realty on: 407-290-3408 or email Info@MyMetroWestRealty.com

In other news:

• The Isles at MetroWest will have it’s annual election on April 13 2011. There are three vacancies to be filled.
• The security camera housing which was crashed into last month is being repaired courtesy of the accused driver’s insurance.
• The next community garage sale will be on April 30th 2011.

You can search MetroWest real estate by using our MLS search engine or call us on 407-290-3408.

“I was one of the original residents,” Biddle said.

She hasn’t had a real complaint, until three years ago when she got a notice about her homeowner association’s assessment fees. “So when I got my dues bill in late ’05, ’06. Kelli, I was stunned that we had a 30 percent increase in dues, couldn’t believe it and I started asking questions,” Biddle said.

She, along with several other residents, went straight to the property developer and then head of the MetroWest Masters Association Kevin Azzouz. The group sued to get a look at his financial records, and what they found was shocking.

“Mr. Azzouz, who had a commercial development, was taking the money from the homeowners fund and using it for his commercial development to the tune of $2.5 million,” said Phil Snyderburn, the homeowners’ attorney.

Snyderburn contends in the 45-page lawsuit that it cost just over $700,000 for the yearly upkeep of the homeowners’ common areas. However, Azzouz was taking in around $2.5 million. An audit showed the extra cash was funding Azzouz’s new and financially troubled project at Veranda Park.

Watch the News 13 Video here

Credit scores range from 300 to 850 and are a buyer’s key to attaining loans. From cars and homes to everything in-between, if you need a loan, you need good credit. The way it works is simple. A high score is a door to lower interest rates and larger sums of credit. The higher your score, the less of a risk your pose to a lender, and therefore the more likely they’ll be to approve you for a loan.

The score is compiled by analyzing the following:

1. Length of Credit History: The longer you’ve had credit the better. The agencies will be looking at the time that’s passed since accounts were opened, the time since account activity, and then the time passed since accounts were opened based on what type of accounts (myfico.com).

2. Payment history: Do you make your payments on time? Have you missed payments or filed for bankruptcy? If you’ve defaulted on an obligation, your credit score will drop. On the other hand, if you pay faithfully each month, your credit score will rise to reflect it!

3. Percent of Credit Used: Think of it this way. You have two lines of credit open with credit limits of $5,000 each. That means you are able to use a total of $10,000. If you have a $2,000 balance on one card and $3,000 on the other, you are using 50 percent of your available credit. The smaller percentage you are using the better. Fifty-percent is very high.

Many people ask if they should close an unused card. If you are paying monthly or yearly usage fees to the credit card company for a dormant card — then the answer is probably yes. But keep in mind, if you close one of those $5,000 credit limit cards, your new credit limit is just $5,000. If you now are using $3,000 of your $5,000 limit, you are using 60 percent of your available credit. This is bad news for your score.

And on top of this, how much do you owe total? If you are carrying a large amount of debt, banks and lenders may see you as at risk for default. This means no new loan for you.

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