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Making A Good First Impression When Selling Your Home
January 30, 2014 - Real Estate

(VMS Source) Imagine you have always wanted to work in a particular job for a particular company. After years of education, you have finally received an interview for the position. How are you going to present yourself at the interview? Are you going to wear jeans? A t-shirt? Of course, not. You are going to get out your best professional outfit, go get a haircut and so on. Why? You want to make the best first impression available.

Selling a home is no different that going for a job interview or a first date. You must spiff up your home so it makes a great impression on potential buyers. For many buyers, the decision to purchase a home is an emotional one. Recognizing this fact, you want to make it love at first site. This issue is so important that an entire industry has evolved to help you do so.

The home staging industry is exactly what it sounds like. A person comes in and reviews your home from an objective perspective. They will then reorganize the home to make it more buyer friendly. They often will ask you to leave before doing this so they can get the job done without objections.

You must let a staging professional do their job. They are going to help sell your home. They will organize the home in a manner that facilitates this. You, on the other hand, have organized the home in a manner that makes it livable for you. The two goals are very different and you must realize as much.

Once you make the decision to sell a home, your personal tastes are no longer relevant. You will suffer less if you can come to grips with the fact the home is emotionally no longer yours the moment you decide to sell, not when escrow closes. From the moment you make that decision, the property is no longer where you live. It is an asset to be sold for as much money as possible and as fast as possible. You must learn to let go. Don?t worry, you can start looking for a new home to get attached to!

Independent parties that spiff up your home are not all that widespread. It is a growing service sector, but has a lot of room to grow. If it is available in your area, you would be wise to give it a try.

(Sign up for your FREE monthly e-issue of the LifeandHomes Magazine. There is No-cost, No-obligation. Each monthly issue features informational articles, local real estate listings and our exclusive "Ask the Expert" business directory where you can find local resources to answer your how-to questions. Just Click on the FREE Magazine Tab at the top of this page)

 
Staging Your Home for Sale
January 24, 2014 - Real Estate
There are some basic steps that you can observe in order to give your home the showing that it deserves.
(PK Source) In the effort to get top dollar when selling your home, staging; or the art of showcasing your home is vital. But how to emphasize the selling points of a home while making sure that it is attractive to a wide selection of buyers? There are some basic steps that you can observe in order to give your home the showing that it deserves.

It is usually a good idea to try to disassociate yourself from your home. This may be a difficult thing to do but remember, your favorite aspects may not appeal to all buyers. Try to see your home as something that simply needs to be sold, much like any other product. Removing your precious photos and curios can help viewers to place themselves in your home. It is important that the prospective buyer can see themselves living in your home. Your home should be as warm and welcoming as possible. It should make people want to live there.

Now take a quick look through your home, is there a fair amount of unused things lying around? This is a great point to clean up any outstanding clutter and junk. During a showing your home should be clean and simple. A minimalist approach is good for it will allow viewers to visualize their own possessions in your home. Another good thing to remember is that buyers are likely going to open all closets and cupboards. Its a good idea to ensure that these areas are clear and organized. This will also speak highly of you as a homeowner.

Small repairs can make a world of difference. Cosmetic fixes can also raise the value of a home and increase your bargaining power. However do not rely on a cosmetic fix for a problem that requires a more permanent solution! Make sure that drawers and closets open and close smoothly and without a hitch. Ensure that faucets do not drip and that there are no water stains in the sinks and tubs. The more time you spend cleaning and detailing your home, the better it will show.

Do not forget the exterior of the home either. There are a variety of things that you can easily do to improve the curb appeal of your home. Ensuring that the yard is neat and tidy with mown lawns and clear walkways makes the home more inviting and more likely to grab a viewer's attention.

It is a good idea to remove any decorative items such as drapes or fixtures that you will be taking with you. This can save a lot of time and heartache when closing time comes and the buyer wants certain items that were seen during the viewing, but were not for sale.

Now it is simply a matter of your home showing to interested buyers. This is where your choice of Realtor really makes a difference. Hopefully this list will help your home to show to its full potential!

(Sign up for your FREE monthly e-issue of the LifeandHomes Magazine. There is No-cost, No-obligation. Each montly issue features informational articles, local real estate listings and our exclusive "Ask the Expert" business directory where you can find local resources to answer your how-to questions. Just Click on the FREE Magazine Tab at the top of this page)

 
Apply New Home Trends to Your Existing Home
January 23, 2012 - Real Estate
(ARA) - A significant shift in consumer preference in new home purchases is the latest by-product of the still-struggling economy. The residential construction market is shrinking and so are houses.

Homebuilders expect newly constructed single-family homes to average just 2,150 square feet by 2015. That's 10 percent smaller than previously, according to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), which conducted the survey.

To maintain this compact size, luxuries will be out and practicality will be in. Formal living rooms are going by the wayside, NAHB says, making way for smarter, multi-function layouts. What we'll see more of: eat-in kitchens that eliminate the need for a separate dining room; and great rooms that can accommodate entertainment as well as office space.

Homeowners looking to remodel existing homes - that they will someday put up for sale - would be wise to pay attention to these new home construction trends, which signal what the competition will look like down the road. Choose the right improvements today, and you may be better positioned to sell your home when the economy picks up.

Keep the following tips in mind if you're thinking of investing in an addition or a significant remodel:

* Choose your remodeler with care: Select a professional contractor with experience, knowledge of local codes and a good reputation for quality work, says the National Association of the Remodeling Industry (NARI). NARI calls this the single most important step in your project.

* Focus on tried-and-true performance: Remodel to your needs, of course. But before you finalize your decisions, research the improvements that will likely bring you the highest return on your investment. A minor kitchen remodel should return more than 70 percent of its cost at resale, according to the 2010-2011 Remodeling Magazine Cost vs. Value Report. Adding a bathroom pays back more than 53 percent.

* Practicality makes perfect: During the latest housing boom, remodels were all about big and bold. Now there is less emphasis on luxury and appearances-for-appearances-sake. Take advantage of that trend with a focus on practicality in your remodeling project. You'll make your home more competitive at resale, and your dollars will stretch a lot further.

* Multi-function = broader appeal: For today's busy families, efficiency is essential. Can you repurpose an existing room to make life easier? Add a laundry room to save going downstairs? Increase the size of your kitchen, so you can convert the dining room to a guest suite? If you're thinking of creating a family room in the basement, complete the project with a convenient bathroom addition.

Never enough baths
If you've ever waited in frustration for your turn in the bathroom, you know that just about every home could use a spare bath. A macerating toilet system is a great alternative to conventional (gravity) plumbing in situations where no below-floor drainage exists. Macerating, or up-flush, plumbing gives you unlimited flexibility, because there is no need to break through the floors to install drainage piping, which adds substantial cost to the project.

From the attic to the basement, up-flush plumbing lets you create a full bathroom anywhere you like. "It's a pretty good concept," says Otis Dardy, a general contractor and owner of Dardy Construction in Conyers, Ga.

Dardy recently used Saniflo up-flush plumbing for a residential customer's remodel and is now incorporating Saniflo in bids for other jobs. "This saves a lot of time, and it's nice and neat," he says, noting that his bids for the up-flush plumbing are around $5,000 less than their conventional counterparts, thanks to the ease of installation.

In an up-flush system, waste and water are pumped from the toilet, sink, and tub or shower up, rather than flowing down, as with conventional plumbing. This technology is also different from sewage ejection systems, which temporarily store plumbing waste in a nearby tank, which can cause odor problems. With up-flush plumbing, the waste is removed to the sewer line or the septic tank with every flush.

What could be more practical or efficient than an extra bathroom? This is one remodel project guaranteed to improve comfort and convenience in the near-term, while delivering a strong return on investment when your home is sold.

 
The Smart Way to Go From Renting to Owning
June 08, 2011 - Real Estate
For those want to become owners rather than renters, it's vitally important to make smart decisions.
 
Five Keys To Selling In A Slow Market
September 01, 2010 - Real Estate
If you're forced to sbuy/seel outside of peak season, you might have to work a little harder.
 
Four Ways to Improve The Resale Value of Your Home
July 01, 2010 - Real Estate
Add beauty, functionality and resale value to your home.
 


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