4 Reasons to Sell this Fall

4 Reasons to Sell this Fall

Traditional lore says that the best time to list your home for sale is spring and if it hasn’t sold by the end of summer, you’re out of luck. Along the same lines, homeowners across the country are often advised not to list in the fall and wait until after the holidays to list. The truth is that a great home will sell at any time of year and in fact there are some very good reasons to list in the fall, while everyone else is busy doing other activities.

4 Reasons to Sell this Fall

1.     Less Competition – As mentioned above, most sellers list in spring so as a seller, fall provides you less competition which increases the opportunity for buyers to view your home.

2.     Serious Buyers – Home buyers in fall often have a timeline to move before the holidays. They tend to take the home search seriously and move to write offers faster and avoid wasting time.

3.     Curb Appeal – Fall is a beautiful time of year and homes always seem cozier as the weather turns. Fall colors in the trees and the scent of baking entice buyers to feel “at home” which encourages offers.

4.     Closing is Easier – The pace of home sales slows during the fall; as such lenders can move faster and the process tends to take less time.

The last and best reason to sell this fall is that it’s the right time for you and your plans. Regardless of whether you are relocating, moving up or scaling down, if this is the right time to sell, then this is the best time to sell.

Items to Check Before a Home Inspection

Items to Check before a Home Inspection

Selling a home can be a stressful time, there is so much to think about; keeping the home clean, heading out on a moment’s notice to accommodate last minute showings, not to mention planning a move. It’s natural to feel overwhelmed.

Then you get that great offer and you’re under contract. You’re relieved until you realize there’s a home inspection coming. Even a home meticulously maintained can have hidden issues. The good news is that you can prepare for the home inspection and make sure you pass with flying colors.

Items to Check before a Home Inspection

·      Doors, windows, cabinets and drawers – check that they slide smoothly

·      Run water in sinks, tubs and showers – snake any that drain slowly

·      Evidence of water leaks – Garage ceiling, under sinks, around water heaters, etc.

·      GFIs – check your local code and put GFI plugs where required

·      Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors must be in working order

·      Gutters and Roof – replace any missing roof tiles and clean gutters

·      HVAC – Consider a HVAC servicing to replace filters and check for problems

·      Water Heater – is it properly strapped and vented

·      Deferred maintenance – anything that has been neglected should be addressed before the home inspection

The best defense is a good offence. This is true in home inspections too! The best way to ensure you have a great home inspection is to have a pre-listing home inspection. It could be the best couple hundred dollars you can spend – uncover the issues before the buyer does.

What to Repair in Your Home Before You List

What to Repair in your Home Before you List

A lot of money goes into buying a new house so it is understandable if a seller feels hesitant investing even more money to fix up their current  house prior to selling. However, sellers may not realize that some of the issues they live with everyday and consider minor, such as the hallway light switch or the kitchen sink that has plumbing issues, may actually be considered major to home buyers. These issues may even prevent buyers from making an offer on a home or making a lower offer. It’s crucial to keep your house presentable and in good shape before you list it on the market.

That being said, read on to find out what repairs you might want to consider before you list on your house on the market.

Roof Problems

A roof is one of the most important components of a home, protecting all that is underneath. Additionally, roofs are major expenses to replace.

Therefore, it is imperative to keep the roof well maintained and free of damage and leaks. Issues like water and sun damage, clogged gutters, and rotting will lead to bigger issues if not fixed timely. Tending to these items immediately will help prevent further damage and help present the home well.

Poor Maintenance

Minor issues such as damaged flooring, paint chipping, and old carpeting can be easily fixed to give your home a renovation. Your goal is to make your home appealing so start by replacing anything that is heavily worn and adding a fresh coat of paint. And these minor upgrades can be inexpensive because you’ll most likely see a return on investment.

Plumbing

Plumbing problems can result in minor or major issues and it is very important to take care of these issues right away as they can lead to further problems. Bigger problems such as water damage can lead to mold and easy fixes to leaky faucets can be replaced inexpensively.

Wiring

Electrical problems can cause a wide variety of problems. Smaller fixes such as faulty switches, missing wire nuts, or damaged junction boxes can be fixed with a good electrician. Replacing a circuit breaker might be needed if they don’t match the amperage of your home. Some repairs are obvious to see and others aren’t so it’s a good idea to run a pre-inspection of your house before listing. After, review it with your realtor because they can advise on which ones are the first priority.

Maximizing Your Home's Value

Maximizing Your Home Value

Are you ready to list your home for sale? One of the first questions you might have is, “how can I maximize my home value?” Every seller wants to get the best possible price for their home; fortunately there are ways to make sure your potential buyers see the true value of your property and allow you to receive top dollar when you sell.

• Clean, declutter, depersonalize – The first thing every home seller needs to do is take a critical look at the home and clear out the distractions. Cleaning the home/yard is a must. Remove anything that can draw a buyer’s eye away from the beauty of the home.

• Redecorate – Professional home stagers will often advise clients to remove and/or replace furnishings. Even if you love oversized furniture, it can make the room look small; consider renting more neutral pieces during the listing.

• Perfect Condition – No home is perfect, but before you list take care of deferred maintenance issues. Replace missing roof tiles, repaint any area that is worn or dirty, and re-sod your lawn; remember; buyers want to know the home has “good bones.”

• Update carefully – It’s not important for home sellers to have the latest countertops or custom bathtub to get a good value for their home. Often the home updates/improvements sellers undergo cost more than they would lose in sales price without them. If your home is very dated, consider a seller credit instead to allow the buyer to choose their own upgrades.

Homes retain value based on a few factors; the location, the condition and the features. Before you list, speak with your agent, then make any necessary repairs and changes to ensure you get the best value for your home when you sell.

Home Improvements with High ROIs

Home Improvements with High ROI

Is your house a little dated? Do you want to make some improvements or upgrades but also want to make sure that you get the best bang for your buck if you decide to sell? Not all home improvements bring a good return on investment when selling, so unless the improvement is simply for your own style and enjoyment, choosing projects with higher ROI just make sense.

Home Improvements with High ROI

• Add square footage – The best return on investment is adding space. Converting an attic or basement into a family room, adding a room or bathroom or even installing a garden room or outside kitchen will bring solid returns when selling.

• Bathroom and Kitchens – Remodeling a bathroom or kitchen will always bring more than their cost when selling. Create simple and soothing environments where a future owner can imagine themselves. Avoid heavy period-style cabinetry and surfaces.

• Doors and Windows – Upgraded doors and windows can really add impact to a room. Not only do current options save energy, they come in a wide variety of styles and finishes to accentuate the space.

• Garage Doors – If you have an old or weathered garage door, this is a relatively inexpensive way to dress up your home.

• Paint – Fresh paint is inexpensive and makes the home appear new and modern. Choose calm tones which compliment any décor.

Regardless of whether you’re considering a weekend project or a major remodel, understanding the return on your investment can help you make the best choice for your project. Home improvements can be costly and if you’re considering listing your home for sale in the future, make sure you can recapture your cost.

Seek A Consultation with me prior to doing any major renovations for selling your home,

Negotiating for Top Dollar

Negotiating for Top Dollar

Selling your home? Every seller wants to make sure they sell their home for the best possible sales price. Getting top dollar for your home is not as complicated as you might think. By using a simple negotiation strategy, you can make sure receive the best price for your home listing.

The first step in a negotiation strategy begins before you even list your home. Choosing the right real estate agent and listening to their advice regarding home value is important. Choose a realistic list price; over-pricing to “test the market” is not only a waste of time, but as the listing ages on the market, buyers are more likely to write lowball offers.

Once you receive an offer; review and respond to all reasonable offers. Never assume that a buyer isn’t serious just because the offer is lower than you’re willing to accept. Make a reasonable counter offer; if you are motivated to lower your price, you can, but if not, countering with a full price number is acceptable also. Just make sure your price is fair for the actual value of the home.

Consider compromising on terms. Often you can negotiate a higher sales price if you are flexible on other terms. Does the buyer need extra time to close/move? Would they like to have the garage shelves or patio furniture? Win-win situations do not have to involve compromising on price.

All negotiations are different, but by setting the proper stage and calmly navigating through offers, you can make sure you sell your home for the best possible sales price. Getting top dollar for your home is a simple strategy of fair pricing and unemotional negotiations.

Should Sellers Offer A Home Warranty?

Should Sellers Offer Home Warranties?

If you are selling your home, one of the most common requests with the buyer’s offer is to pay for a home warranty. As a seller, you might be wondering if it’s something that’s worth the expense. Some agents suggest that the seller purchase a listing warranty as well as part of the sales process. Understanding the benefits of a home warranty is the first step in deciding if it’s worth the cost to you, the seller.

A home warranty is a policy which covers the cost of repairs to a number of critical systems in the home. While coverage varies, most cover electrical, plumbing, heating, air conditioning and appliances. Some optional coverage could include pool and spa, roofing and code protection among others. In the event that a home buyer has a problem with any of the covered systems, the warranty would send a service person out to make the repairs for only the policy deductible – usually between $65-100 per problem.

The home warranty provides peace-of-mind to the buyer that if an undetected problem shows up after the close; their out-of-pocket cost is limited to the small deductible. While this does not negate the need for a professional home inspection, it can push a transaction to close with buyers who are nervous about unexpected problems. As an additional bonus, most warranty companies offer a free listing warranty which covers unexpected issues during the listing; often saving the home owner hundreds of dollars in repairs arising from the inspection.

Offering a home warranty in the listing is one way to demonstrate to potential buyers that the condition of the home is important to the seller as well. You take maintenance seriously and they can rest assured that they are making a good investment.

Tips For Selling in Summer

Tips for Selling in Summer

Summer has traditionally been the best time to sell a home. Not only do many families take advantage of moving when the kids are out of school, but in climates where winter weather is unpredictable or severe, the warmer months make it easier to be away for showings. With more homes on the market, how can you maximize your potential for a great offer among the options? Fortunately, you can take a few steps to ensure your home stands out from the crowd.

Tips for Selling in Summer

• Control the Climate – The first thing a buyer will notice when they walk into a home is the temperature. If the weather is warm and humid, it’s critical you keep the home cool. A larger air conditioning bill is a small price to pay for a top dollar offer.

• Let in the Sun – It might be tempting to close the blinds to save money on air conditioning, but bright, sunny rooms are always more appealing; leave enough open to showcase natural light.

• Extend Outdoors – Today’s lifestyle includes the outdoor areas and more and more homes feature outdoor living and dining areas. Regardless of your home’s features, maximize the impact of your yard with furniture, BBQs and manicured landscaping.

• Spring Clean – A fresh, decluttered home with a lighter, seasonal color scheme will be visually appealing to your buyers. Replace dark pillows, linen and accents with softer colors which make the rooms seem larger.

The summer selling season is here. Make sure your home is dressed for success. Welcoming outdoor spaces and bright sunny rooms combined with inviting an air conditioned rooms will ensure you get the best possible offer.

Should You Get An Appraisal Before Listing Your Home For Sale?

Should You Get An Appraisal Before Listing Your Home For Sale?

The most important thing on every seller’s mind is the listing price. No one wants to leave money on the table by pricing a home too low. At the same time, pricing the home too high will also likely result in lost dollars either from wasting valuable time on the market or once stale, selling for below market value in desperation.

Getting a professional appraisal ahead of time might seem like the solution, but is it?

An appraisal can be defined as an opinion of value at a given moment in time. If you are in an ascending market where listings are selling quickly, the appraiser can only use closed sales as a reference in the appraisal, so you might be tempted to list too low for the market, but not accounting for the increase in sales activity and prices. Contrarily if the market is slow and prices are declining, an appraisal received in May could be too high for the erosion of prices seen over the summer, and your listing will be overpriced for the reality of the neighborhood.

More than just these scenarios, a pre-listing appraisal means nothing to the buyer or their lender. They will still use market data to write their offer and their lender will order a new appraisal regardless. While you can reference your appraisal in negotiations, the buyers will still only offer what the property is worth to them and you might miss out on a great deal by trying to stick to your price.

In the end, a pre-listing appraisal is probably a waste of time and money. Your agent has access to the latest market data and can show you the same comparable properties the appraiser would use. Find a good local agent you trust and work with them to price your home correctly.

The Cost of Home Staging

The Cost of Home Staging

Have you wondered if you should consider professional staging for your home before you list it for sale? Most of us have wandered into new home developments and enjoyed the ambiance of a perfectly styled model home. Of course we would all like our homes to give that same impression to potential home buyers, but what would that cost? Understanding the options available to you for staging can help you decide what, if any, professional staging makes sense for you and your budget.

What is Staging?

First it’s important to understand what professional staging includes. The best answer is, “it depends”! Staging can be as simple as a consultation or as involved as removal of existing furniture and replacing it with designer furnishings.

Needless to say, the cost of the two extremes are drastically different. Most homeowners who hire professional stagers are somewhere in the middle.

Staging begins with a tour of the room or home. Often simple placement of furniture can make a huge impact. The stager might also bring in elements to enhance the décor, such as colorful pillows, lamps, wall art or carpet. These are loaned to the homeowner for the duration of the listing.

Cost of Staging

Most stagers charge a flat rate for the initial consultation; this ranges from about $250-500, depending on the size of the home. If the homeowner determines that they also need furnishings, these are rented by the month and can range from $300-500 per room, per month. Additionally, there is often a minimum number of months required, typically 3 months.

Professionally staging your home is one option home sellers have to ensure their home is seen in its best light. Just as buyers fall in love with model homes, staging your home can bring a modern feel and entice buyers to write the offer. The best way to start is with your agent, to understand your market, competition and needs.

As I hold a Home Staging Certification, I do include staging as part of our marketing consultation. Make your appointment today!