Secrets of Professional Home Stagers

by admin on March 19, 2012

Secrets of Professional Home StagersIt‘s a buyer’s market these days; that is no secret. Due to our recent floundering economy, if you want to sell your house, you will need every bit of help you can get. In my experience, homes that are professionally staged tend to get more offers than homes that are not.

While it can be expensive to hire a professional stager, you can at least borrow some of their tricks to give your house that extra edge. Here are some of the top secrets of professional home stagers:

  • Curb appeal

The front of your house is the first thing a potential buyer sees, so you want to make a good impression. Make sure your lawn and landscaping is neat and well maintained. Put away any bikes, scooters, or lawn care items. Consider investing in a new front door, or freshening up your current one with a new coat of paint. Now is the time to make extra efforts to enhance your home’s appeal from the drive-by road.

  • Foyer

The foyer is your buyer’s second impression, so make sure it is neat and inviting. Visitors can get a feel for your home just by walking in the front door. Keep your personal items out of view. Hang your coats in the closet, don’t leave your keys and purse on the front table, and please no shoes kicked off to the side of the door. You want your foyer to be neat and minimally but tastefully decorated.

  • Remember the ¼ to ½ rule

In my experience, most homes for sale have too much furniture. You want your home to look spacious, so consider putting ¼ of your furniture into storage, keeping only the pieces that truly show off the advantages of each room. You should also pack away roughly ½ of your knickknacks. Use the same rule with cabinets and closets. Think spacious. Your buyers need to be able to imagine their belongings in this now “neutral” space.

  • Clean, clean, clean

Keep your house spotless at all times. I know this can be a hassle, but let me tell you, I’ve never heard a potential buyer comment that a house was too clean–too dirty, yes, but too clean, never. It might be worth the investment to hire a professional cleaning crew.

  • Arrange furniture to highlight the architecture

If you have any fireplaces or great views, highlight them. Place tall objects (vases, furniture, paintings, plants) against tall walls. Don’t block the flow of traffic through your house. You might want to experiment with moving your furniture around until you find an arrangement that really highlights the high points of each room.

  • Use rooms as they were intended

Get the exercise equipment out of the guest room and the home office items out of the dining room. You want potential buyers to see each room’s intended use.

  • Fix what’s broken

If the floor squeaks in that one spot, fix it. Fill in any nail pops or cracks in the walls. Even if the problems aren’t structural, they are not attractive, and potential buyers will wonder whether they are harbingers of bigger problems.

  • Update what you can

Neutral paint is generally pleasing to everyone. Love grandma’s ancient love seat?  Put it in storage. Start by moving out any outdated furniture. Next, look at your kitchen and bath. Consider updating your cabinets and countertops. If you can’t afford to change it, keep it clean and sparkling.

  • Erase your personality

You want potential buyers to picture their things in your house. This is difficult if they are forced to look at your Lladros or art deco collection. And please, hide your toiletries. No one wants to know what brand of deodorant you use, so put it away.

If you take these steps, your house will be viewer-ready in no time. It is worth the time and effort to make your house stand out from the rest.

Jim Klein is a Realtor in Timnath CO. You can check out his website where there is some useful information for both home buyers and home sellers in the Northern, Colorado areas.

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How to Size up a Real Estate Agent When Buying and Selling

by admin on February 3, 2012

How to Size up a Real Estate Agent When Buying and SellingHiring a La Quinta real estate agent can be tricky. Whether you are buying or selling, you want someone who is knowledgeable, professional, and has your best interests at heart. As an agent myself, I work hard to gain the business of my clients, and I know many other agents will be doing the same.

In my opinion, good real estate agents know how to sell homes, but they also do a good job of communicating their available services to you. Obviously, you want an agent who tells you the truth rather than uses tricky tactics to get your business. How can you tell the difference?

As a real estate agent, I strategize to get your business. Think of it this way:  when we are selling your house we stage it to highlight the positive qualities and minimize the negative. Real estate agents also know how to stage themselves when pitching potential clients. I will share some of these strategies here, to help you determine if you are speaking with a quality agent, or a smooth talking salesperson. Here are some signs to look for:

  • Multiple property listings

When I was starting out, I wanted potential clients to believe that I had experience, so I showed them a huge pile of papers with listings. I do the same thing today, but the listings are more likely to be on a web site. While this big list of homes looks impressive at first glance, it is possible that many of the listings do not actually belong to the agent you are interviewing. Read the fine print, usually in tiny letters at the bottom, to make sure these listings actually belong to the agent, and are not just listed to other agents from the same office.

  • Claiming to be a specialist 

Sometimes agents will claim to be a specialist in a particular neighborhood or a specific type of transaction. Some are, but others are simply making a sales pitch.  Ask how many homes in this particular neighborhood the agent has closed on.  Can the agent describe some of the special transactions that were successfully completed, including names of clients and addresses? If the agent cannot answer these questions, it’s a good sign that they can’t truly back up these claims.

  • How many years of experience are on the agent’s marketing materials?

A truly experienced agent will make sure that the number of years they’ve been in the business is clearly stated. If this information is not on the agent’s card or flyer, chances are good that they have not been in the business very long. This does not necessarily mean that they are incompetent. Newer agents who are making a name for themselves will often go the extra mile for clients. However, be cautious of any agent who implies years of experience without backing it up.

  • Do you get vague answers to specific questions?

While a good sales pitch is part of the package, you should be getting hard data on numbers like key median prices, inventory, and days on the market.  If an agent is long on generalities but light on specifics, move on to someone else.

  • Can you talk to previous clients?

A testimonial from a previous client can be a good recommendation for a real estate agent. If marketing items include such testimonials, but do not list the names of the happy customers, ask if you can contact them yourself. There are dishonest people in every profession, and some agents might fabricate a glowing testimonial. Most happy customers are thrilled to share their experiences with potential clients. If the agent refuses to give you contact information for references, this could be a red flag.

Talk It Out 

When considering who to work with, take these things into account; then, I encourage you to go with your gut. A little “chemistry” between us can be a good sign that we will work well together and enjoy working together; this, in my experience, leads to a successful real estate experience.

Guest blog written by Kimberley Kelly who specializes in selling in and around La Quinta including La Quinta Golf Homes, Palm Desert Golf Homes, and Palm Springs Golf Homes.

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Surprising Reasons to Sell First and Then Buy

by admin on January 26, 2012

Surprising Reasons to Sell First and Then BuyBuying a new home can be exciting, but if you are already a homeowner, you might be wondering if you should buy first and then sell your existing home, or sell your current home and then buy the home that you like.

Surprising Reasons to Sell First and Then Buy

There are different schools of thought on the subject, and there are some great arguments for both scenarios.  Buying and then selling definitely appeals to the realtor.  After all, realtors make their money by selling homes.  But most real estate professionals will agree that there are some very compelling reasons that selling first and then buying is best.

If you sell first, then time is, literally, on your side.  You do not have to go for the first offer that you get, since you already have a place to live.  Further, you can make the sale of the home contingent upon closing with a new home purchase.  What this means to interested an interested buyer is that you can stay or you can go, but you don’t have to sell your home at a discount because you have bought another. After all, buying before selling means making two mortgage payments, and who can really afford that?

At very least, if you sell before buying, you should ask for a contingent period that gives you the right to effectively cancel out the contract if you choose to do so, within a period of time that ranges from ten days to a month, so that you can close on the home that you are looking to purchase.

Other sellers make an arrangement to rent their home back from the buyer for a particular number of months following the sale so that they can find the best home for them. This is often a good option.  The rent amount is typically the buyer’s mortgage payment each month.

So as you see, selling before buying means that you will probably get more for your home!  Buyers can see that you are not desperate to sell, and you will stand a better chance of getting your asking price or close to it.

There are some disadvantages to selling right now. Inventory is high.  That means that your home faces a lot of competition, including many foreclosures and the possibility of short sales.  Still, if you are looking to move up but want to err on the side of caution, then it is best that you sell first so that you don’t get caught in a bad financial trap of making two mortgage payments, paying the home insurance on two homes, and paying property taxes for two different properties.  That can really eat into any cash that you might have stashed away.

And since analysts predict that housing prices may decline even further this year, selling your home in the first half of the year still gives you the opportunity to take advantage of lower home prices when the shoe is on the other foot and you are the buyer instead of the seller!

This guest blog was provided by Allison Klein who helps home buyers purchase real estate Fort Collins and other areas in the Northern, Colorado area including real estate Loveland and real estate Windsor.

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Top Celebrity Homes For Sale Including The Spelling Manor for $150 Million

by admin on January 17, 2012

Top Celebrity Homes For SaleThis is truly the stuff that Lifestyles of the Rich and Famous are made of. For just under $900K a month, you can own Spelling Manor, a huge estate that is on the market right now for a cool $150 million dollars.

Owned by Candy Spelling, widow of Aaron Spelling, mega-millionaire television producer, this lavish compound sits on just under five acres and is made even more appealing by an two-lane bowling alley, billiard room, game arcade, its own orangery, and a mansion that would make the kings of the world envious – not to mention the fact that it boasts a mind-boggling 56,500 square feet of living space. The thought of the property tax alone on a property like this makes most regular folks, including this writer, cringe.

Top Celebrity Homes For Sale

That’s not the only lavish real celebrity real estate being discussed over the water cooler at your local real estate office. Tongues were wagging when a property associated with the late Michael Jackson came on the market. Yes, some super fan of Michael Jackson is sure to snap up the residence where the King of Pop’s life ended.

The Holmby Hills home is on the market for just $23.5 million and has everything that you need to live the secretive type of lifestyle that Michael Jackson was infamous for along with some unexpected amenities like its own elevator, a lush home theater, and an in-house spa.

Not surprisingly, just like regular homes, the inventory for luxury homes is bountiful. And in fact, some celebrity real estate just doesn’t seem to be moving at all.  Perhaps no celebrity home has been on the market longer than the Belleair, Florida home of former wrestling star Hulk Hogan.

This five bedroom home has just over 17,000 square feet of living space and eight full bathrooms, but doesn’t seem to be going anywhere too soon. It’s been listed for over five years.  Maybe the Hulk needs to rethink his listing price: $8.8 million and some change.

And while Hulk’s holdout on lowering his asking price may be keeping his home from selling, actor Val Kilmer has recently reduced the price on his New Mexico ranch, which first came on the market in 2009 with a price tag of $33 million.

Today’s price for the ranch shows that the former Batman star is not afraid to slash prices – $18.5 million.  Ricky Martin is also in the same type of struggle to sell his mansion in Miami.  Martin listed the mansion a few years ago, took it off the market, and then put it back on the market in 2010.

I’ve had a number of people ask me if just regular people can view these homes for sale. The short answer is no.  Realtors representing celebrity clients go through a lot of work to qualify a buyer to look at a celebrity property, since there are many people who want to look at it just because it is associated with a particular star.   Because of this, not everyone who wants to look at these homes will get a chance.

This article was provided by Vickie Nagy a San Ramon CA Realtor who specializes in helping home buyers find luxury homes for sale in Danville, California as well as other areas including homes for sale in Dublin, Califonria.

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Buying an Older Home? Tips for Choosing Exterior Paints and Stains

by admin on January 17, 2012

Buying an Older HomePurchasing an older home comes with a unique set of challenges. You want to be sure your décor matches the period and style of the house for the most striking results. Here are some dos and don’ts to ensure you get the very best look:

  • Matching Siding and Trim Colors: Must your siding and trim colors match, or should they provide vivid contrast? As a matter of fact, this is a choice that is entirely according to your taste. Older homes can be gorgeous with a monochromatic scheme, but contrasting colors are equally appropriate. Don’t use more than three colors for your exterior, and limit these to the trim, siding, and door. On rare occasions, you can choose a fourth for your shutters, but proceed with caution when considering this paint solution.
  • Choosing Your Palette:  Do some research to better understand the colors that will best complement the style and era of your new home. Earth tones are fitting for any architectural design, and wood is beautiful when stained with both pigmented and clear finishes. Traditional homes lose some of their integrity when splashed with bright, modern colors, so think twice before going with a dramatic look. Your home will look better if you avoid extreme changes and cover old paint with a similar color. Big changes from dark to light, or vice-versa, will show through when the inevitable scratches or peeling occur.
  • Masonry: Concrete, brick, and stucco should be left unpainted for authenticity. They are already complete with their natural color. As an extra bonus, you can look forward to significantly reduced maintenance when you skip this extra, unnecessary step.
  • Finish Your Woodwork: The wear and tear of weather, no matter the climate, will ruin your wood if it is left untreated. Moisture pulls color pigment out, leaving unattractive stains, making protection critical. Speak with your paint specialist for the specific brands that will best suit your local conditions.
  • Preparing to Paint: The work you put in to preparing your surfaces before you paint will directly impact your end results. Quality prep will influence approximately 90% of your satisfaction with the finished exterior look. All of the old paint, particularly when blistered or peeling, must be scraped off and the wood sanded to remove any loose particles.  Prime the bare wood, and then be sure to apply two coats of quality exterior house paint to ensure long life.  Skimping on this step will guarantee your need to repaint in just a few years.
  • Oil or Latex: Both oil and latex paints have great advantages, and your decision will be based on personal preference. However, if you choose to paint over old oil paint with latex, you absolutely must cover the surface with a special primer designed for this special purpose. Neglecting this step will guarantee your paint to failure.

There is so much to love about purchasing an older home – the history, the building materials, and the design. Make the most of your experience by selecting paint and stain colors and techniques geared exclusively to traditional styles.

This article was provided by Mitch Ribak who specializes in Cocoa FL real estate. If you’re interested in buying a home in paradise, you may want to check out Mitch’s Indian Harbour Beach Real Estate website where you have access to all Palm Bay real estate and surrounding areas.

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Improving Home Elegance Through Spring Cleaning

by admin on January 14, 2012

Improving Home Elegance Through Spring CleaningEven after the winter season is over, there are times when you feel like your house is still stuck in winter blues. This is where you should consider spring cleaning to freshen up your home and get in the right gear for the spring and summer seasons. To make things easier, you can come up with a checklist of everything to be done and this can include:

Cleaning carpets and upholstery- Winter weather brings rain, sleet, snow, even mud into your home. As time goes on, it becomes harder and harder to keep some high traffic areas clean, so these things begin to accumulate. At the beginning of the spring season, you should consider deep cleaning your carpets and upholstery fabrics. To save time and energy, you should just move the furniture slightly or move them towards one wall rather than moving everything out of the room all at once.

Clean walls and floor-  As dust or soot falls to the floor, some of it actually clings to the walls. At the end of the winter season, a lot of dirt and dust will have accumulated on the interior walls. Use a sponge and mild detergents to clean the walls. You can use a sponge mop to reach higher spots. Then, you should give your floors a thorough cleaning, applying wax or sealer, especially in the kitchen, for protection throughout the spring season.

Clean and open the windows- It is a common thing for people to keep their windows closed during the winter season in order to avoid the outside chilly weather. Once the spring season kicks in, you should open the windows for fresh air and commence to giving them a good cleaning. You can prepare your own spray cleaner, using household products such as vinegar and water. Spray the solution on the windows and use a cloth to clean them, inside and outside. For window sills, use diluted rubbing alcohol on a piece of cloth and rub on the surface. This will get rid of the old dust that accumulates in the window sills over the winter season.

Other General Spring Cleaning Tips

Clean One Area At A Time – Sometimes, the idea of spring cleaning can be exciting for some, while being overwhelming to others. These feelings can cause you to become distracted with other unfinished projects in your house. That’s why it is easier to work on one room, even one area, at a time. As you clean one room, many things will be moved to other rooms for organizational purposes. Worry about those things when you get to that particular room.

Remove Clutter Before Cleaning – If you try to clean before removing clutter, you may find yourself backtracking over and over. In the middle of dusting an area, you realize that the figurines sitting there are in the say. Now you have to move them to continue. This rule also applies for junk papers, old tissues, broken pencils and other trash that may have accumulated on the floors, under beds, in closets, etc… Throw away all the garbage before you start cleaning so that you don’t have to stop later to do it.

Other activities that you can carry out during spring cleaning include changing some accessories for a new look, taking care of appliances, dusting your furniture and cleaning light fixtures among others. To maintain the elegant look of your home, you should design a cleaning schedule and get the entire family involved. This will help you and your family continue enjoying some warm, relaxing moments in your home.

About the Author – Paula Henry is an Avon Real Estate agent. Visit her website to search hundreds of Avon Indiana Homes for Sale and find more information about buying or selling a home at her Indianapolis Real Estate Blog.

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5 Home Buyer Resolutions for 2012

by admin on January 12, 2012

5 Home Buyer Resolutions for 2012It’s now time for potential homebuyers to get our financial situations together so that we can buy a home. Even though the current housing market is not fully recovered yet, that shouldn’t stop us from owning our own homes. All you need to achieve this is a good plan to prepare for your new goal. Here are some ways to prepare yourself so that you can someday achieve homeownership:

1.      Get your paperwork together.

Start gathering up the documents you will need to present to your lender. January is the month to spend time pulling up your last two years of federal income tax returns and W2s or 1099s. Your lender will also want you to submit your last two months worth of check stubs, bank statements, asset statements, retirement and investment statements. Include debt statements such as credit, automobile and student loans that are still outstanding. Marriage certificates, separation agreements and divorce statements are also helpful.

2.      Keep up with new documents.

Be sure to keep a collection of your accumulated check stubs and financial statements throughout the 2012 year. As soon as you find the home you’re looking for, your lender will ask for these up-to-date documents. These current documents will be added to your portfolio in order to complete your mortgage application package

3.      Get your cash together.

If you truly plan to purchase a home in 2012, the time to start saving for your closing costs is right now. You should have already started saving for your down payment, or figured out how you are going to get access to the cash you’ll need. Make an appointment with your real estate agent and mortgage lender to get a better idea of how much cash you’ll have to possess. This will be based on the price of the home you are hoping to buy. They will help you calculate your expected down payment and closing cost amounts.

4.      Set yourself a time line.

Sit down and put together a time line to ensure that you have the cash you need when the time comes. This is very important if your cash will be coming from various sources. Some of these sources may include cash gifts from loved ones, trust fund disbursements, 401K plans and retirement accounts. You will need some time to get all your funds together. Your lender will require documents that prove that these funds exists, where they are and how much will be available to you. It may take months to compile all of this information. So start now. Don’t wait until the lender is ready to move forward with your financing. That may delay your home buying experience.

5.      Check your credit again.

If you’ve been planning to buy a home in 2012, you’ve probably ran your credit reports from the three major credit bureaus. Have your real estate agent run your Experian, Equifax and TransUnion credit reports again to ensure that no negative surprises have popped recently. This is important because when it’s time to actually work with your mortgage lender, they will run these reports before making a decision to move forward with your loan. If you happen to find an error on one or more of your reports, your broker may be able to order a Rapid Rescore so that the error won’t slow down your progress.

This article was provided by Real Estate Broker Jolenta Averill of Lake & City Homes Realty. If you’re interested in learning more about Jolenta, you can visit her Madison news blog or you can follow her on Facebook.

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Things Buyers Should Know About Short Sales

by admin on January 8, 2012

Things Buyers Should Know About Short SalesAs a buyer, it is important to weigh your options before purchasing a home. Although short sales can get you a great home at an excellent discount price, these purchases aren’t for everyone. If you’re an investor with access to cash for improvements, short sales could be the basis of your new housing venture.

But, for the buyer looking for a home for family to live in, the entire short sale process could be more trouble than it’s worth. This is especially true if all of your savings will go into the purchase, leaving nothing available for home improvements.

Do you really know what you’re getting Into?

This rule used to apply specifically to foreclosed (Real Estate Owned, REO or Bank Owned) properties, it’s now very common with short sales, as well. It’s not surprising that people who are about to be evicted from their homes, don’t go out of their way to leave the home in beautiful condition. The six month old pictures taken by the listing agent no longer reflect the current condition of the property. These are the pictures snapped back when the owner thought they would be able to save their home somehow.

The condition the house is in depends on whether or not the property was occupied when the short sale took place. If the sellers still reside in the home, there is a great chance it will be in livable condition, depending on the way they like to live. If it’s a vacant property, the buyer may be in a world of trouble. It’s not unheard of for these sellers to take anything and everything they can on the way out. They have been known to take windows, doors, sinks, toilets, fixtures, moldings, cabinets… You name it, it’s been taken during the vacating process.

Vacant properties can also come with other problems. Without normal maintenance and TLC, property structures can begin to crumble. It is not common for these homes to be taken over by insects, pets, mold, and sometimes homeless people. The plumbing begins to rust, due to non-usage. Wiring issues also begin to arise. But, with non-short sales, sellers tend to take pride in maintaining the property until the sell if finalized, even after they vacate.

Sellers are human beings.

Sellers are human beingsIt would be nice if short sale sellers could get a little empathy. As the buyer, try to remember that your amazing deal is the seller’s lost dream. These sellers are not bad people. They are just people who have come into some bad luck (job layoffs, expensive divorce, long-term illness, death of a supporting spouse, etc…), which caused them to get behind on their mortgage payments.

Keep in mind that these sellers are desperate to keep a little of their dignity in tact while they attempt to move on with their lives. Don’t take advantage of that fact. They are in a rush to close the deal before the bank completes the foreclosure process. That leaves them very little room to negotiate. Be sympathetic to the situation the sellers are in. This will help keep positive karma coming your way.

Get Assistance

As a buyer, you need to be sure that this is the right investment for you. If you have any concerns, contact your Realtor for assistance. Just remember that if it seems too good to be true, there’s a large possibility that it is.

This guest blog was provided by Linda Hare a Satellite Beach real estate agent who knows that many home buyers are looking for a great deal in today’s market and she makes it easy for you to find fantastic deals on Indialantic real estate in the Melbourne FL real estate market.

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Timeline Following an Offer on Your Home

by admin on January 5, 2012

robot filing documentsOnce your home has been priced right, has been marketed well, and you’ve had a few showings, you may start to get some serious interest in your home. What happens when you get an offer? That is probably even more stressful than getting it ready to sell in the first place. Here is an example of the timeline you can expect.

Offer presentation: Your agent will present you with the offer from the potential buyer. There are a few key points you need to pay special attention to. First thing is what is the offer price? Have they asked for you to pay any of their down payment or closing costs? What is the sale contingent upon? (Inspections, appraisal, financing.)

What kind of loan are they getting or are they paying cash? When do they want to close and take possession? These are things you need to consider carefully, and remember you can always counter offer. Try not to take anything too personally. You need to remember that to the buyers, this is a business deal.

Acceptance of contract: Once you and the buyer have agreed upon the terms of the sale you are officially under contract. At this point the buyer will start moving forward with their loan and inspections. Be prepared to let inspectors and the appraiser have access to your home. After these two things are done, be prepared for the buyer to ask you to fix a few things. This doesn’t always happen, but it is better to be prepared.

Remove contingencies: Once the appraisal and inspection are done, and deemed satisfactory to the buyer, they will remove all their contingencies. This means that at this point they are fully committed to purchasing your home. (This is assuming that there are no issues with their financing.)

Loan Approval: The next step in the process is full loan approval from the lender. This means that the buyers and your home have met all the requirements for the loan to be approved.  The lender will send the loan documents to the escrow officer to prepare for closing.

Closing: Yeah! You’ve made it to the closing table. Depending on what state you are in, this will either be at a title company or a lawyer’s office. Your agent should give you a copy of the HUD 1 settlement statement so there are no surprises. This will let you know what your costs are to sell your home, and any proceeds you may be receiving. The HUD 1 settlement statement will also let you know if, unfortunately, you have to bring any cash to closing.

Moving day: Time to clean it, pack it, and load up the truck. Make sure the home is “broom” clean and in good condition for the new owners. The home needs to be in the same condition it was when the buyers first looked at the home.

Hopefully this information will help make selling your home a little less stressful.  It always seems to be a smoother process when you know what to expect.

Guest blog provided by Kimberley Kelly a real estate agent in La Quinta, CA. You can learn more about Kim by visiting her Palm Springs CA real estate website where you can also search Indian Wells CA real estate.

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