Renovations

How you present your home is how others will perceive it. When selling, you’ll have to do a bit of tinkering here and there and not just mowing the lawn or cleaning the sink. Home buyers want to know that you took good care of the home; they want to know that they can trust their decision if they buy your home. Small things like a splashy faucet or old carpet can set people off. Remember, they have a price range and if your home’s price doesn’t leave much leftover money for them to renovate, they will not be interested. Of course, doing a renovation such as tearing up the carpet can add value to your home. Carpet absorbs stains and smells much better than hardwood or tile.

If you do so choose to “update” your home after ten or twenty years of living there, your money will always get paid back in the end. The home value goes up because it is newly updated, taken care of, and it appeals to a wider range of buyers; older buyers would probably be looking for small, carpeted apartments. The money that you will get from selling your home will be like the renovations paying for themselves.

Also, as a home buyer, you should be asking all the right questions. Here are a few examples:

How old, approximately, is the home?

When was the last renovation done?

What appliances will be sold with the home?

Can we take a look at the gas meter?

Just by asking these types of questions will allow you to unravel the story of the home. You don’t want a home that floods too often, right? So ask about issues like that. However, don’t overbear the agent with these questions, the home owners may not have wanted to tell the agent about any issues. That alone plus any spotted issues that you saw during your showing, should tell you that this particular home is not for you. Unless, of course, you’d like to do a bit of work to the home or if it is too perfect of a price to pass on.

So, if you ever in the neighborhood, either wanting tips like this or you’re wanting to get more for your money on a home, just call me and we can set up an appointment as soon as possible!

 

-Sarah

Rainy Days and Real Estate

We all know that a nice looking car can seem so much more appealing when water runs down the side of it and washes all the dirt off. Question is; how can rain benefit the real estate business? Houses that have siding instead of brick tend to look a lot cleaner in the rain. Make sure, however, to always clean the siding when selling your home. No one wants to move into a place that always looks dirty. Rainy days also hit a home with a certain natural light. Your home needs to look good in both the sun and in the rain.

If you’re interested in gardening, take advantage of that on the warmer, sunnier days! Small flowers and trees along with statues can make a house look so much more inviting. Rain gives gardens plenty of water which makes plant life look much livelier. As for statues, like cherubs and engraved pathway stones, they become cleaner and stand out more on a gloomy day. Just like today!

Not to mention, the interior must also look good in the rain. You want a feeling of softness and warmth, not an empty, harsh lighted head ache. Try getting a light dimmer or put some lamps in a few rooms to give more variety for a buyer to look at. On rainy days let the lamps be the winner, not the overhead fixture. This goes for both light and dark rooms. Darker rooms need a yellower light to tone it up but in a lighter room setting, they look good in anything, just make sure it looks inviting. The lighting inside should not overly clash with the sun outside, whether it’s rain or shine. Let the lights blend and the house might as well sell itself!

So, if you’ve got a couple of buyers coming in for showings or you’re out looking at homes, both you and them should be able to stop by a place that looks happy in the rain and enjoy your once gloomy day!

"Lazy" Houses on the Market

When to Know Your House is “Lazy”

Let’s face it, it’s a new century and as we come up to the end of 2012, we might all start to rethink about our choice of living space. Some questions to ask are:

Do I feel happy to come home?

Is my commute too far?

Can I afford to move?

Am I too old to be on my own?

Can I afford to keep this house now?

If you start feel excited about the idea of moving, it might be time to. These questions can help answer this gloominess that you’ve felt for so long in your home. First you have to start by searching for a new home, or a few to get an idea of where you want to go in your search. Then, you call a realtor (like myself) and start talking about all the options. You will eventually get through an easy process of finding the perfect place, when suddenly; you think “I have to sell my place now, too!” Over time, some houses don’t stay as appealing asthey were at first which means the house is “lazy”. Feelings of surprise andconcern arise when the flow of other buyers stop wanting to look at your place. Have you considered small renovations? A small action, such as painting can mean a lot to the market value and appeal. In the time that you have lived atthis home, you’ve essentially come to be a part of it. The décor and rooms have caught the fever of your personality and that can be hard to pass on to someone else. You have to make the space neutral, a place to spark ideas and to stir up an other’s imagination. Let’s face it; it is no longer your place. Being a smart seller doesn’t mean that updating your home will be cheap, but it will benefit everyone. And if you are in fact too elderly for these DIY jobs,explain this to your realtor and they will get the house on the right track. Ask and you will receive!

That’s also what I’m here for. My creativity and motivation will get us both far. Visit my Pinterest, Twitter, and Facebook pages for some ideas and give me a call assoon as you can. There is always an answer for any buyer or seller. Have a great day to all!

-Sarah