Virtual Staging a Home

A house should be presented at its best to fetch the best price and attract buyers. But the cost of staging a house can be excessive, well outside the reach of a prospective seller, especially for a vacant property. Props and furniture will need to be hired which makes the staging cost prohibitive.

Many home sellers and realtors are resorting to virtual staging, resorting to computer technology to adorn their potentially listed homes for sale with furniture, photos and other décor. Many buyers today use online photos to narrow their choices, so this method makes sense. Today professional stagers can create staged images of a home at a fraction of the cost of physical staging and in double quick time. The images, which are stunningly realistic, veer away from the idea that they are computer generated.

Dale Warfel for Bay Area Listings

Dale Warfel is in the business of buying and selling homes in San Jose and other surrounding neighborhoods in California. He is an experienced realtor who knows the area intimately and keeps his ear to the ground for Bay Area homes, condos and general real estate that are up for sale. Dale Warfel offers advice on buying and selling and staging a home for sale. His website, www.dalewarfel.com is a fund of information. This Bay Area realtor can be contacted by calling 408.624.6202.

Federal tax incentives for upgradation of homes

With today’s increasing energy costs, it makes sense to live in an energy efficient home. If you are contemplating a shift to the San Jose area and the home of your choice is not energy-efficient, there is no need to rule it out.

Under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009, federal tax incentives are available for upgrades to existing homes. Such incentives have been increased to $1500 based on 30% of the improvement cost. These cover heating and air-conditioning upgrades and building envelope improvements including window insulation. 30% credits are available without any ceiling for on-site renewable products like solar hot-water, solar photovoltaic systems, geothermal heat pumps and small wind-powered systems.

The additional expenditure in upgradation of a home is worth it, in terms of savings in utility bills. Upgradation to energy-efficient standards is generally focused on improved performance and efficiency of lighting, heating, cooling, water usage and appliances. A professional energy auditor could conduct a study and furnish a report with suggestions and possible cost savings.

Get a realtor to help you find an energy efficient home

Dale Warfel is a realtor who has been working in the Bay Area for nearly 13 years. He is aware of the shift towards environmentally-friendly, energy-efficient homes and the benefits in such an investment. Dale Warfel will recommend a reliable energy audit company to study a home in San Jose or a neighborhood of your preference and evaluate the savings against increased cost of upgradation. Talk to him at 408.624.6202 or visit his website at www.dalewarfel.com. Above all, if he shows you a home you like and its not energy-efficient, don’t let that deter you.