Curb appeal is the first impression that your home will have on potential buyers, so it’s important to make it a good one. Try these simple budget upgrades to give your home the “WOW” factor that buyers are looking for!
Crystal Clean
As simple as it sounds, it is extremely important to make sure that your house is nice and clean on the outside. This is overlooked by sellers more than you’d think as they become so focused on perfecting the inside of their home that they forget about the exterior!
Dirt streaks running down stucco or siding give the impression that your home isn’t well kept, and smudges on windows will prevent them from sparkling in the sun. Remember: you want your home to be their dream home. Spruce up the outside to impress buyers before they even set foot in the door.
Knock Knock
Another important design feature of your outer home is the front door as it is one of the only features of the exterior that buyers will be forced to look at up-close. A new door will not only look great from the curb, the details of its quality will inevitably be seen by anyone who enters the home. Make sure your door is in tip top shape before you start your showings!
Raise The Roof!
If your roof isn’t in good condition;or looks like it isn’t in good condition, then upgrading it is an absolute must. Most buyers are quickly turned off when they see a roof that’s in poor condition because it can be an expensive fix. It’s important that when buyers first see your home they don’t see more dollar signs than they expected.
Fantastic Furniture
Patio furniture is an easy and inexpensive way to differentiate your home from the rest! Add a pop of color to a neutral-colored house by placing vibrant chairs and planters on the front porch as featured pieces, or add a cute table and chairs to your lawn to show how useful the space can be.
That being said, be careful not to overdo it, as too much patio furniture or potted plants may give the illusion that your home is cluttered, which is a major no-no in the real estate world.
Need more advice on how to better prepare your home for a sale? Contact your local trusted real estate professional today.
Are you growing tired of paying rent each month and not building your net worth? Being stuck in the ‘rental trap’ isn’t much fun, but if you are determined, you can break out. Let’s explore some of the steps that you can take to make 2018 the year that you become a homeowner.
Rent Money Is Lost Money
First – why homeownership? As you may already understand, money spent on rent is ‘lost’ money. Each month you pay your rent, but you do not build any equity, own any property or get any other benefits in return. When you own a house, the money you spend each month is being invested in the home. You are building value in the home over time which you can then realize if and when you decide to sell.
Choose Your Home And Location Wisely
Do you know where in the local area you want to live? And what kind of home you want to live in? If you are a single young professional, a condo or apartment might be the perfect starter home. However, if you are married and have a family, there will be other factors such as schools and amenities to take into consideration. Invest some time in going through local real estate listings and making a short list of communities that seem like a good fit.
Polish Up That Credit Score
Ask yourself: how is your credit score looking? Is it perfectly spotless? Or do you have some past issues that need cleaning up? It is worth checking in with one of the major credit reporting agencies to find out your credit score and if there are any blemishes that need to be taken care of. You can request a free credit report once per year, so take advantage today.
Get Your Down Payment Saved Up
Finally, if buying a home in 2018 is going to be realistic, you will need to ensure that you have your down payment saved up. Although it is possible to buy a house or condo with no down payment, there are pros and cons to this approach. If you can save 10 or 20 percent of the cost of the home, it will go a long way in helping to get your mortgage approved and the sale closed.
If you are ready to break out of the rental trap and start down the path to homeownership, contact us today.
Do you know the difference between a mortgage pre-approval and pre-qualification? Take moment to watch this short video, it will help you understand the basics of pre-approvals and pre-qualifications. If you still have questions contact our office or the real estate professional who shared this link with you.
National title insurance underwriters are now setting policies and procedures for transactions involving Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin or any other cryptocurrency (collectively, “Cryptocurrency”).
Title insurance companies prohibit their agents from accepting funds in Cryptocurrency or holding Cryptocurrency in escrow. Additionally, title insurance agents (closing attorneys) are not authorized to make payoffs, commission payments, or any other payments in Cryptocurrency in insured transactions. Title insurance companies will not accept payment for services or title premiums in Cryptocurrency.
Because title insurance companies will not allow their closing attorneys to conduct escrow services in Cryptocurrency, completing such transactions would necessitate utilizing outside escrow services or no escrow services at all (i.e. a direct transaction between the parties), and necessitate additional safeguards, including confirming receipt of payment, obtaining authorization to close/record, etc. Cryptocurrency transactions also raise concerns about IRS 1099-S reporting obligations, Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) reporting obligations, transfer tax calculations, and other issues.
Title insurance companies will insure real estate transactions in which Cryptocurrency is converted to U.S. dollars prior to closing so that the closing may be conducted entirely in U.S. dollars. However, cash transactions must be processed according to existing rules governing true “cash transactions.”
In contrast to the coin and paper money of the United States, Cryptocurrency does not have legal tender status in any jurisdiction in the United States. Nevertheless, Cryptocurrency has become increasingly popular in recent years due to price appreciation, novelty, anonymity and a decentralized governing structure.
Although Cryptocurrency has legitimate uses, it can also be used to finance illegal activity or evade anti-money laundering laws and regulations. As such, Cryptocurrency poses additional challenges for title insurance and escrow service providers beyond the often- cited problems of:
extreme price volatility relative to the U.S. dollar,
the difficulty of converting Cryptocurrency to U.S. dollars, and
the tax consequences associated with trading Cryptocurrency.
Furthermore, like many taxing authorities, private parties, and lenders, most title insurance companies and attorneys lack the infrastructure necessary to receive or disburse Cryptocurrency. Recently, several news organizations have reported about Cryptocurrency real estate listings and successfully completed Cryptocurrency real estate transactions. However, many of these transactions utilized unusual or complicated maneuvers, such as converting the Cryptocurrency to U.S. dollars prior to the closing or transferring the sale proceeds outside of escrow. Although “true” Cryptocurrency real estate transactions are conceptually possible, they are extremely rare at this time.
Rest assured that title insurance companies and the title industry will continue to work to meet the demand as the operational, legal, and regulatory landscape surrounding Cryptocurrency evolves. But for not buying a home with BitCoin will be somewhat of a challenge.
Are you focused on dollar producing activities or is your time being occupied by administrative tasks? It’s the difference between being busy and being productive!
Selling residential properties is never simple, especially if you are struggling in a down economy or a competitive market. Learning how to manage your time for better results is a way for you to work efficiently and productively.
Carry a Schedule Book
Carrying a book to track and maintain a schedule is your first step toward better focus.
Having a planner or even a simple notebook with you while showing listings and setting appointments ensures you are as organized as possible while you are managing your time and improving your overall professional image.
At the end of each calendar day is a chance to review your performance. You can learn where you lost time and decide its cause so you improve your discipline. You can see instantly how much progress you’ve made with your goals.
Utilize Free Programs
Utilizing free programs such as schedule creators and time trackers ensures you are not wasting any time. It is also possible to install applications to monitor and track the usage of your time every day while you are showing houses or working on promoting your listings to ensure you are truly making the most out of your time.
Research one of these two online programs:
RescueTime – Helps you understand your daily habits so you can focus and be more productive.
iDoneThis – Reply to an evening email reminder with what you did that day. The next day, get a digest with what everyone on the team got done.
Get Enough Rest
When you get a good night’s sleep, your body stays energized longer. You’ll have more drive and motivation to work harder too!
Sleeping at least 6 to 9 hours each night can significantly improve your mood and positively impact the overall health of your body mentally, physically and even on emotional levels.
Wake Early Each Morning
Want an edge over your competitors? Get started earlier each day! As the original saying, “the early bird gets the worm” goes, the quicker you are capable of finding listings and pitching your services to potential clients, the more likely you are to generate leads and sales.
Keeping your body on a regular schedule is also a way to stay mentally and physical healthy and balanced at all times.
Allow Downtime
Even when you are showing multiple listings each day and hosting various open houses, allow yourself some downtime each day or at least once to twice each week to prevent yourself from becoming burnt out or overwhelmed altogether.
Taking time to relax, unwind and spend time with family, friends and loved ones is a way for you to ultimately get more enjoyment out of your everyday work.
Exercise
Want more energy and a boost in confidence? Exercising and a proper diet can give you it!
Because you are likely to be on your feet, showing houses and setting up open houses and appointments all day, ensuring your body is physically fit and nourished at all times is essential.
Be sure to always drink water on the go and avoid sugary and acidic drinks.
Time Blocking
If you want to truly take control of the time you have to manage each day then set blocks of time aside for simple, but necessary tasks to complete each day.
Setting blocks of time aside allows you to get a visual and written representation of the amount of time you should spend at work, relaxing and completing other activities you need done.
Having a better grasp on your time should be your first step toward higher production. When you take control and put your energy into dollar producing activities you’ll generate more leads. The more leads you are capable of gaining due to time management skills, the more revenue and income you are able to generate annually.
Curb appeal is the first impression that your home will have on potential buyers, so it’s important to make it a good one. Try these simple budget upgrades to give your home the “WOW” factor that buyers are looking for!
National title insurance underwriters are now setting policies and procedures for transactions involving Bitcoin, Ethereum, Litecoin or any other cryptocurrency (collectively, “Cryptocurrency”).