Aug 19, 2020 | Home Seller Tips
those interested in making their home an attractive option for buyers. Nowhere is this more evident than for homeowners who were former smokers.
While it’s truly commendable to quit smoking, removing the smell of smoke from a home can feel like an impossible task. With that in mind, here are some of the most effective ways to make smoke smell and paint stain removal as effortless as possible.
Make Preparations Beforehand
Cigarette smoke has a nasty habit of permeating through every facet of a home. As such, it can be difficult to pinpoint the areas that are most problematic. Before starting the cleaning process, open all of the doors and windows throughout the home to help it air out naturally.
It’s also worth mentioning that many longtime smokers have difficulty picking up the odor that they’ve become accustomed to. If you know someone that isn’t a smoker, invite them over and ask them to point out any problem areas.
Treat Your Home Like a Quarantine Zone
Unfortunately, a home that is infested with smoke can create a cyclical effect on anything that is washed. If you want your clothing and linens to stop carrying the smell, you’ll need an alternative to your own washer and dryer. Of course, you’ll also need to keep them away from your home for the remaining duration of the cleaning process.
In particular, carpets have a habit of retaining smoke smells long after you’ve quit. With this in mind, taking care of any carpets or curtains in your home should be a top priority.
Account For Deeper Problems
Once you’ve given your home a steam cleaning treatment and washed all of the stained surfaces down with a mixture of water and bleach, you may still discover that some areas of the house are still affected. At this point, it’s time to simply accept your losses and purchase a replacement. A nice smelling home will be far more attractive to buyers than one that inexplicably reeks of smoke.
If you’re unsure of any further steps to take in preparing your home for a sale, don’t hesitate to contact your real estate agent and request more information. Your home deserves a high price for all of the effort you’ve put into cleaning it.
Sep 2, 2018 | Home Seller Tips
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.
Apr 4, 2018 | Home Seller Tips
Before an owner can market a property to buyers that want to use a FHA loan, he will want to familiarize himself with the FHA’s standards. FHA won’t insure loans on just any property. While their standards aren’t as stringent as they used to be, a home needs to be in relatively good condition to qualify for FHA financing.
Location and Lot
To qualify for FHA financing, the property has to be located on a road or easement that lets the owner freely enter and exit. The access also has to be paved with a surface that will work all year — a long dirt driveway that washes out in spring won’t qualify.
The FHA also wants the lot to be safe and free of pollution, radiation and other hazards. For that matter, it also needs to provide adequate drainage to keep water away from the house.
Property Exterior
The FHA’s requirements for making a loan start with the home’s roof. To pass muster, the house must have a watertight roof with some future life left. In addition, if the roof has three or more layers of old shingles, they must all be torn off as part of the replacement process.
The property’s exterior has to be free of chipped or damaged paint if the home has any risk of having lead paint. Its foundation should also be free of signs of exterior (and interior) damage. It also needs full exterior walls.
Property Interior
The property’s interior also needs to be inspected. FHA standards require that the home’s major systems be in good working order. Bedrooms should have egress routes for fire safety and the attic and basement should be free of signs of water or mold damage.
The bottom line is that the FHA wants to make loans on homes that borrowers can occupy. This doesn’t mean that a home has to be in perfect condition to be sold to an FHA mortgage-using borrower. It just needs to be a place that they can live.
Contact your trusted real estate professional to discuss these issues as well as any other questions regarding the sale of your home.
Feb 13, 2018 | Home Seller Tips
Are you thinking about placing your home up for sale in the near future? If you dwell too much on the process itself, selling your home may seem a bit daunting. You have to deal with photos, listings, open houses, bids, counteroffers and much more. One of the decisions you will be faced with is setting the selling price for your home. In today’s blog post we will discuss pricing and how to set a price that will attract potential buyers.
You Are The Most Important Factor
It might seem a bit strange to think of it this way, but in many cases, the homeowner is the most important factor in finding the right price. For example, do you need a quick sale because you are moving for work? If you want a fast sale, you may need to list your home at a bargain price. Conversely, if you can afford to have your home on the market for a few months while you field offers you may price closer to market value.
Researching The Local Market
Next, you will want to research local market conditions to get a feel for the right pricing range. Are there other recent home sales in your neighborhood? On average, did they sell above or below the asking price? Are there many listings on the market now or is there just a few listings which may indicate intense buying pressure?
The market will play a significant role in choosing the right price. Don’t overlook it.
Don’t Get Greedy
The best possible real estate sale is ‘high and fast’, meaning your home sold quickly and for a high price. The reality is typically much different. You may get some buyers bidding, but all with low offers. Alternatively, you may only have one potential homebuyer come to your first open house. Whatever the case, keep in mind that you do not want to get greedy. Yes, it is great to sell high. However, you also want to close the sale so you can move on.
Too Much Trouble? Enlist Professional Help
If you feel that all of this is just a bit too much to bother with, don’t fret. Your best course of action is to enlist the help of a professional real estate agent who has extensive home selling experience. When you’re ready to sell your home, give us a call. We’re happy to share our insight into the local market and advise you on the best listing price to get your home sold quickly.
Feb 6, 2018 | Home Seller Tips
Has a loved one or family member recently passed on and left you with their home? Inheriting a house can be a delightful gift, but it can also present a significant number of challenges that you must navigate. Let’s explore how to deal with an inherited house and, should you decide to, how to sell it without incurring too much stress.
Are Emotions Involved?
The death of a family member or other loved one can be a trying time emotionally. Depending on how the deceased left the property, you may also have to deal with cleaning out personal belongings and reviving old memories. A battle over a will or the proceeds of an estate can compound the situation, making things worse.
If you are emotionally involved, it is best to work with a real estate agent who can do much of the heavy lifting. That way you can focus on supporting your family and keeping your stress levels down.
Understand Your Legal Obligations
Although real estate inheritance is common, there are still some legal issues that must be considered. As such, you will need to understand what your legal obligations are regarding the will or estate process. Are you the executor of the will, or is someone else? Is the property included in a trust, or is it free-standing and gifted directly to you? Has the probate period passed, or can a family member or relative still challenge the will? If you haven’t already, it is best to speak with a real estate professional or experienced lawyer to get their advice.
Consider The Tax Implications
As with any financial windfall, there are going to be tax implications that need to be considered when selling an inherited home. For example, it’s unlikely that you will qualify for the home sales tax exclusion unless you have been living in that house as your primary residence. Once you sell the home, you will also need to report the proceeds of the sale to the IRS. There are also a variety of different taxes that need to be factored in, including estate taxes, inheritance taxes and more.
Consult An Experienced Real Estate Agent
Selling a home that you have inherited in a will or as part of an estate can be an emotionally draining process. Before you make any moves, it is best to speak with a real estate professional. Contact our offices at your convenience and we will be happy to meet with you and share our guidance.
Jan 23, 2018 | Home Seller Tips
Are you thinking of selling your home this year? If so, you are almost certainly going to interact with millennial homebuyers. This generation numbers around 80 million and are the fastest-growing consumer demographic in the country. As their earning power continues to increase, millennials are now turning their attention to real estate. In today’s post, we’ll share three tips that you can use to help make your listing more attractive to younger millennial homebuyers.
Minimalize As Much As Possible
Is your home full of trinkets and other clutter? If so, it might be best to box all of that up and store it during the home selling process. This generation tends to lean more towards a minimalist lifestyle and a ‘quality over quantity’ mentality. They are also highly social, which means that open space for mingling is more important than having large, clunky pieces of furniture all over the place. If you have large living areas, try to stage them with more of an open concept in mind.
Embrace Technology And Make Upgrades
As you might imagine, millennials are very tech-savvy and gravitate towards homes that already have their technology interests in mind. Of course, you do not need to run out and invest in a massive solar panel setup for your roof – although solar is certainly popular. Smaller, more thoughtful investments like strong WiFi signals, Internet-connected thermostats and video-based home security options are all useful tech upgrades.
Highlight The Local Community And Amenities
Finally, you will want to highlight your local community as much as possible. Everything from the local elementary and middle schools to walking trails to community centers and shopping is important to the millennial crowd. Many of this generation prefer walking and cycling over driving and aren’t interested in long, horrific commutes to work each morning. If you have a nice coffee shop or bakery that you like to frequent, try to have some of their products on hand at your open house as well.
Following the selection of tips above is sure to make your home more attractive to millennial homebuyers. To learn more about how to sell to younger buyers, or to list your home for sale, contact us today. Our professional real estate team is happy to meet with you and share how we can get your home sold quickly.
