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improvements (4)

Simple Ways to Get Your Home Ready to Sell

Posted by Michael Collins, CDPE, SFR on February 5, 2014 at 5:25am

Simple Ways to Get Your Home Ready to Sell

photo credit: Neil Kremer via photopin cc
photo credit: Neil Kremer via photopin cc

For those homeowners that have waited to sell their home, heed the advice of Nike: “Just Do It.”  Interest rates are still really low and the upcoming changes in mortgage lending may disqualify some buyers.  Now is the time to sell your home.  In order to help your home sell quickly follow the timely advice offered below.

Spend a Little Now to Get More Later

With so many homes available many buyers are seeking out a property that is move-in ready.  This means that small repairs and maintenance items will possibly turn off some buyers.  Take a walk through the home and pick out the small things that need to be fixed.  Leaking faucets, a chipped tile, a flaky bit of paint and other similar items can negatively impact the appearance of your home.

You should also consider spending a little money to get the carpets thoroughly cleaned and ask a local heating/air conditioning company to service your unit.

Put Yourself in the Shoes of the Buyer

If you are looking for a new home, what items are important to you?  The majority of people want to live in a clean home that smells nice with lots of room in the closets, cabinets and other storage areas.  Therefore, you should put a lot of time in to making your home look clean, neat and organized. Start with the cabinets and closets.  Remove as much clutter as possible and even add some shelves if it helps improve the look.  Go through all the rooms and put everything away in a nice, orderly fashion.  Finally, get a few aroma dispensers and put them throughout the house.

Make People Interested in Coming Inside

So many homeowners spend time, money and a lot of effort improving the inside of the home that they ignore the outside appearance.  It is important to have an inviting appearance.  Homeowners should trim all the bushes, clean out the gutters, make sure the driveway and walkway are clear and clean the windows.  For people that have siding, consider power washing the siding as well.  It is really important that the front door and the surrounding entrance area look clean and homey.

Two Important Rooms: Bathrooms and Kitchens

The bathroom and kitchen will usually have more influence over selling a home than any other part of the house.  It is a good idea to go through these rooms and spend extra time, and even money, to make sure they look attractive and modern.

Many types of cabinets can be painted with a little bit of planning and work.  All bathroom plumbing should be in good working order.  Make sure there is plenty of light with good looking fixtures and that the ventilation to both the kitchen and bathroom is more than adequate.  Also, make sure the counters are clean and devoid of clutter.

It may seem like a crazy idea to spend money on a home that you are planning to sell.  However, spending money in the right areas can greatly improve your chances of selling the home faster and may yield a good return on the investment.

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Quick Selling Tips When Staging Homes

Posted by Pam Maglione on November 12, 2013 at 3:15am
Selling a home is not for the faint of heart, whether done privately or via the services of a real estate company. It takes time, effort, and deeply thought-of strategies to enhance your chances of snagging the right deal in the market. A quick sale is good, but one that comes with sure profits would be much better. One way to ensure a quick profit-making sale is by organizing a home staging initiative accordingly.
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Significance of Home Staging
Staging a home is one lofty preparation of your abode prior to its presentation to the market. Its main objective is to make a home more appealing to more prospective buyers in the shortest time possible. Here, a homeowner or a realtor will get rid of the obvious flaws of a home such as clutter, defects and any sign of dilapidation. It systematizes clean-up, repairs, or home improvements to further enhance the overall aesthetic appeal of a property. From interior to exterior, home staging will make a potential buyer envision the property as her own.
Important Areas to Consider
Staging your home largely depends on your budget. If you can afford major improvements, then, the better leverage you have over its selling price. However, a limited budget is quite common among homeowners selling their homes. With this, it is wise to focus on areas that directly influence first impression of a buyer such as the landscape or exterior aesthetics, front entrance, kitchen, bathroom, masters’ bedroom, and living area.
Don’t Just Clean, Manage Your Clutter
Cleanliness is a must when it comes to home selling. A buyer love spotless properties. From bathroom tiles to kitchen countertops, ceiling, and toilet bowls, it is your goal to make every nook and cranny immaculate. Of course, make sure to remove unnecessary odors, too. Your favorite garlicky smell might not work with everyone. This is even more so for homeowners who love smoking indoors. Scented candles might do the trick in eliminating unpleasant odors.
When cleaning, consider organizing things like furniture, appliances, and decorative elements to generate ample legroom. No matter how pristine the floors and ceilings, if you have knick-knacks lying everywhere, your efforts are for naught. Sell, store or donate unnecessary stuff. Do not hide these in your closet or garage. Buyers check those, too.
Make An Exterior Space Standout
Does your home have a patio or garden? How about a lawn or a backyard? Let any of this space standout. Repaint your patio furniture or change its flooring. Mow grass on your front- or backyard. Try adding vibrant and fragrant blooms. An excellently defined exterior attracts buyers instantaneously.
Exert Efforts on Defining Interior Spaces
Buyers have the tendency to maximize square footage when looking for the best deal. Increase your leverage by creating fluidity in design and richly designed purpose for its space. Transform an attic into a mini-office or a guest room. Make your garage double as a storage room. Your basement can be an entertainment room or an office. A buyer may not use it with the purpose you have in mind, but this will give him a perspective that every inch of your home is functional.  
Play With Paint and Lighting
When thinking of a paint job, keep in mind that colors are highly personal in nature. What could be ideal for you may not apply to everyone. For a limited budget, a repaint using neutral colors will help “de-personalize” a home. To add more life to your new paint, updating interior lighting and fixtures will help enhance its appeal.

Indeed, home staging is of great help in increasing a home’s face value and in quickening its resale. Though preparations are essential, it is important not to invest a lot in the processes involved. By planning carefully the home staging processes, you are guaranteed to get the most bang for your buck.

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Essential Home Improvements for Property Resale Advantage

Posted by Pam Maglione on October 15, 2013 at 4:39am
Are you planning to sell your house or apartment? Would you like to know what can help boost your resale incentives? If you have finally decided to list your property up for resale, you might be inundated by friends or work colleagues on undergoing notable changes to boost results. Though some people may find it easier to sell their homes “as is”, this idea does not apply if you want to gain more out of your hard-earned investment. You do not really have to spend a fortune if you wish to increase the resale value and appeal of your home. All you need to do is exert efforts and a few bucks to guarantee a resale that will put a huge grin on your coffers.
1. Standard Repairs
Aside from location, size, neighborhood, number of bathrooms and bedrooms, and so on, it is important that your property is comfortable and functional. You need to ensure that structure, plumbing, electrical, security system, and other crucial parts of the home are safe and sound. Carefully assess any broken outlets, chipped or cracked tiles, defective electrical and HVAC system, infestation, and other parts of your property. It is your ethical responsibility to sell a home that is functional and serviceable. In cases of serious repairs needed, a professional is one that guarantees a topnotch job, unless you are a master in do-it-yourself.
 2. Organizing Clutter
This may sound tedious at first but, when done right, can give your home a creative facelift without spending a lot. There are many ways to organize clutter nowadays. You can put into storage any unnecessary items which might disrupt a potential client’s interest. You may indulge in simple clean-up but when it comes to de-cluttering, you might want to check out various storage systems nowadays that deliver astounding results.
3. A Paint Job
Paint plays an important role in a home’s curb appeal. It is the very first impression that draws interest from potential clients. If you believe that your home is in dire need of a fresh coat of paint, slap both interior and exterior with a can or two. You may engage in DIY if you have significant experience. Just make sure not to become tacky with wallpaper, odd colors or bad flooring design. When you are not sure, better seek out a trusted local paint contractor to handle the job. Some also have a lot of vinyl siding now. It might be good to paint the exteriors or power wash them to ensure clean appearances for when clients come to view the property.
4. Add a Garden
You can prettify your back- and front yard with a garden. Mowing the lawn can prove to be an exciting chore to both men and women nowadays. A garden full of flowers makes a lot of difference. For small –spaced abodes, AeroGardening or simple recycled container gardening would suffice.
5. Take Note of the Kitchen and Bathroom
Be extra watchful of your bathrooms and kitchen. These areas are becoming highly considered focal points of a home. You might want to invest on new sinks, countertops or cabinets. Replace those with significant marks as this can easily distract a potential buyer.
6. Raise the Roof
Repaint, repair or replace? Carefully assess the problem on your roof. A professional roofer can easily pinpoint essential initiatives that must be done to ensure zero bad credit.
7. Update Security System

Last but not least, make necessary updates on your home’s security. Nothing beats a house that is not only well-kept but also fully secured. Homes with foolproof security system, often, acquire great interest.

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Classic REO Improvements

Posted by Seb Frey on June 24, 2008 at 6:30pm
I don't know how it is in your area, but in my area, a lot of the REOs have illegal improvements. I am currently dealing with one that has two red tags, and it is a total friggin' nightmare. But don't get me started.I was down there a couple of times this week (and it's only Tuesday) with some contractors, trying to figure out what it will take to satisfy the county (they are deliciously vague about this). Anyway, I found a handy diagram showing what the former owners had done to the house:

It should be noted that this is a single-family residence - supposedly a 3 bedroom, 1 bathroom, 1 kitchen house. Ahh well. Ya gotta takes the lemons with the peaches, I suppose.
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