Staging For The Spring

It's Spring ! It may not feel like spring just yet, but mother nature will be getting with the program in the next few days bringing us some warmer weather! All those homeowners who have their homes on the market, and those who are getting ready to make their debut here are a few tips to get your home ready for the spring rush of buyers !

Update Your Pictures - If your home was listed in the winter you will want to update the pictures this way it showcases your homes spring look ! This is not only important to keep your listing from looking outdated, but if your anything like me I love my outdoor space and buyers should get the opportunity to see it too !

Create Your Outdoor Space - Having an inviting outdoor space whether it is a inviting front porch, or a great entertaining space in your backyard can really set you apart from your competition.  Here are a few quick tips for creating that space !

• Decks/Porches/Railings always look a bit nicer with a fresh coat of paint or a good power washing ! 
• Inexpensive solar lighting to help light walk-ways not only make things safer, but also gives you great curb appeal ! 
• Brightly colored potted plants add to your curb appeal, and the best part is even someone without a green thumb can maintain these with very little work ! 
• Update your outdoor furniture, if your moving into your new home and were going to upgrade this furniture this season take the time and do it now. Since it will be going with you to your new home it will help showoff what that space offer to your buyers ! 

Lighten Things Up - Many people enjoy switching out their winter attire when the spring arrives you should do the same for your home !  Many people overlook the fact that we tend to use darker heavier fabric on things like our bedding and curtains so giving your home a new "wardrobe" for the spring is a great idea ! 

• Sheer curtains will allow the extra day-light to stream into your home, which tends to also make your room look larger and more inviting.  Sheer curtains are also a great alternative for those who have large sliding doors, it allows you to keep your privacy but let the buyers see the outdoor space combined with indoor space ! 
• Removing your darker colored linens (ex:bedding, throw pillows, blankets) also work wonders for changing the feeling or the atmosphere of a room, and again these items are coming with you to your new home ! 

Give Your Home A Spring Cleaning - This is the perfect time of year to make any of those minor repairs or changes to your home, if your anything like me the last thing you want to do in the winter is pull out the paint, or spend hours cleaning when you can't open up the windows.  Any home can show a bit better with only a days worth of work ! 

• Touch up your paint - white moldings often change color a bit a fresh coat of white high gloss paint give the room a fresh/clean feel ! 
• Letting the air in is of course important so your home doesn't feel stuff, but don't forget cleaning those windows can really showcase a picture or bay window ! 
• The best part of spring is obviously the fresh air and flowers, but you want to be careful because of allergies during this time of year.  Burning a light scented candle before your home is shown is always a nice idea especially if you have pets ! 
• A fresh coat of paint on your front door, new house numbers, or replacing broken window screens is another great way to increase your curb appeal.  

If your unsure what you should be doing to stage your home for the (hopefully) nearing spring season, take the time to call your Realtor.  Many times we will see things that could be improved simply with a bit of re-arranging or much simpler fixes than you may think ! 

Tips For Showing Your Home

So I often get asked by my homeowners what should or shouldn't they do while their home is being shown when I am not able to be present for the showing.  There are some general rules that you should always follow because their will be 2 kinds of agents that will be showing your home and that is a Brokers Agent or Buyers Agent, keep in mind a Brokers Agent is working for you - a Buyers Agent is working for the buyers.  The rules for where and what you should be doing when your home is being shown is generally the same for both, but I will also touch on some rules for your general safety as well.

• All Buyers Must Be Accompanied By An Agent - Never allow a buyer into your home without an agent present, you will from time to time have someone see the home and decide they are going to "pop in".  You can speak with them but don't let them into your home, this is not about your agent trying to "control" a possible sale but about your safety ! 

• Put Away Your Valuables - This doesn't mean to bolt down your flat screen TV, but simply put things away.  Don't leave jewelry, or money laying out.  Agents will always accompany their buyers and it is rare that anyone is left in a room unattended but sometimes children will pick up what they see and parents may not notice.  

• Let The Agents Do Their Job - If your going to be home during a showing stay out of the way, their agent will review the listing with the clients.  Often times buyers will feel rushed if they are being followed around by the homeowner, if your concerned about them getting all of the information about your home take the agent aside and let them relay the information that you feel they should know.  Also stay in the front of the house, you will always want to be aware of who is coming in or out of the home during a showing.  

• Check Your Doors - Sometimes homeowners will opt to have a lock-box put onto the home, and leave for showings.  When your coming back home you will want to just check that all your doors sometimes a agent can leave a back door unlocked by mistake.  For my listings even if the home is vacant I take the keys out of the lock-box after a showing is complete, this is a good option for those homeowners who are hesitant to have a lock-box on their home.

• Clear The Way - Although we will be getting a bit more sunshine now it is still important that you make sure that your pathways and the number on your home is well lit and visible from the street.  Clearing the walkway does not end at the front door, if you have small tables or an abundance of small items (shoes,jackets,laundry baskets) in your halls take the time and tuck them away this way the buyers can walk thru without obstacles. 

• Be Inviting To The Buyers - While you don't want to follow the buyer and the agent around the home, you can still make them feel comfortable.  If you have a fireplace, have it lit it is a great time to show off that kind of feature ! Put out some bottles of water, or candies sometimes that is enough to get them to stay a bit longer in your house and notice something they really like about it. 

These are just some of the things you should be doing when your home is shown, personally I like to be at my listings during the showings but it is not always possible for your agent to make it to every showing.  If you want to make sure the buyers are receiving all the information that you think they need, talk to your agent about creating a buyers packet to give to buyers that come to your home.  That is a great way for you to know they received all the information without making the buyers feel pressured ! 

Value VS Features In Real Estate

As promised from last week it is time to explain what are things that you can add an actual value to your home verse others in your area, and what items are more of a feature that doesn't necessarily add "value" to your home.  Keep in mind when I refer to the word "value" in this blog it is strictly about the price of your home or the ability to have a higher price because of the "valued" item.

Let me start by giving you a quick overview of what things add "Value" to your home:

• Renovations Or New Construction 
• Legal Add-Ons (EX: Basement, Extensions, Dormers)
• Bulkhead/Private Beach/Docking Rights
• Property Size 
• Number Of Rooms (EX:Bedrooms, Baths) 
• Heating System Upgrades Or Conversions

Now let's talk about features, you might be surprised even if you are a buyer what some are:

• Pools, Heated Pools, Sauna's, Hot Tubs  
• 3 Car or more garage
• In Ground Sprinklers, Brick Pavers, Lighting, Elaborate Fencing & Gardens
• Fireplaces, Hi-End Appliances, Wood Floors, Imported Flooring

There are of course some exceptions where the rules will change slightly, it is not always as simple as adding and subtracting based on this "value", "feature" criteria because each homes value is based on the comparable homes in the area.  

Here are some examples: 

1. When comparing homes in a specific area if a home has bulkhead or docking rights, you can not add an additional value above those in the same homes in the area.  If the surrounding homes have bulkhead, and yours only has water view you can not take the added value of those that have bulkhead there will be a slight difference in the "value".
2. There is also an interesting twist with bulkhead, you can add value for someone who has recently upgraded the docking space, this is a big question for homeowners who are trying to decide to repair or leave bulkhead as is after the devastation of Hurricane Sandy.
3. If your comparing homes in an area that the majority do not have basements/garage you can not reduce the value of a home because it also does not although you still can add value for it.  This is common in certain areas of the village of Babylon where basements are not common South of Montauk.  
4. Renovated and new construction homes are homes where the all the items are truly new and never been used.  New construction will rarely ever be comparable to a home that was updated 10 years ago, you must add value to the new construction build but you can not penalize an updated home for not being new construction if the majority of the homes in the area were built or updated in earlier years. 

When it comes to updating your home many homeowners wonder how far should they go with the renovations so they don't "lose" money when they decide to sell.  The best rule of thumb is to keep the kitchen and bathrooms up to date by using common items not necessarily renovating every time a new appliance or building material comes onto the market.  

It is always good idea keep an eye on your market and your neighbors even when your not selling.  Even reading the sold section of your local online paper this will give you a good idea of the condition and upgrades that homes in your area have done, and you can invest wisely in upgrades for your home! 

Home Sweet Home Improvement

If your thinking about putting your home on the market, and you want to get top dollar from your home the saying you need to spend money to make money is often the last thing you want to hear.  There are plenty of inexpensive ways to help improve your homes chance of selling, you don't necessarily need to spend thousands of dollars by doing a complete overhaul but certain key changes can really change the overall appearance of a room ! 

• Kitchen makeover. The kitchen is the most popular room in the house to remodel. Most in the industry will tell you money spent upgrading a kitchen produces the highest return on investment. One of the best things you can do in a kitchen is replace the countertops, sink, and appliances.  Depending on the size of your kitchen you can get remnant pieces of granite, or another great option is butcher block counters they always give a kitchen a great clean look ! 

• Bathroom fixer-upper. Upgrading a bathroom is another sound choice and will often provide a significant return on investment, as large bathrooms typically top the list for those seeking a new home. A quick change of a vanity, toilet, lighting, and fresh paint can cost under $500 and give your bathroom a great facelift ! These are simple things that can really give a buyer a fresh look at your space ! 

• Flooring updates. Many homes on Long Island have hardwood floors if they were built in the 60's or 70's whats amazing is the builders than covered them with carpeting ! If you have hardwood floors pull up that carpeting and show them off ! If you have bright colored carpet trade it out for more neutral colors this can help the buyer visually picture their furniture instead of thinking about what exactly would match your carpet ! 

• Create Outdoor Living Space. This is another great trick, and the best part is normally you will get to take your upgrades with you.  If you have a nice patio you can buy some new furniture, solar lighting, and a few potted plants can show the buyer the potential in even the smallest yard plus that new patio set will come with you to your next home ! Solar lighting and bright colored plants are also a great option for your front yard to help your curb appeal ! 

Whether or not you choose to update your home there are some things you should do and I can not stress this enough but de-clutter your home.  Pack up what your not going to be using (seasonal clothes, holiday decorations ect.) and put them into your attic or storage facility ! I can't tell you how many times homeowners de-clutter the home but put it all into their closets and than we have an avalanche when the buyers open them up ! You want the buyers to have the space in your home to see what it will look like with their furniture and their family living there ! Almost every buyer whom I have had buy a home, always took the time to figure out where there things would fit before making the final decision ! 

What Your Should Ask Before You List Your Home

Many of my listings happen to come from expired listings, because of that I meet a lot of homeowners that are hoping a new Realtor will get their home sold.  Let me first off by pointing out that I am going to list the questions you should be asking in order and the most important !

1.  What Kind Of Company Do They Work For ? 
The very first question I hear from a homeowner is "What Is Your Commission" ? This should actually be your LAST question, it does not matter what a Realtors commission rate is if they don't do what needs to be done to sell your home.

• Is the company individually owned, or is it owned by a company ? In most cases bigger is always better because they are affiliated with other companies that can help get your home sold.  You can't just assume that because they have the named Century 21, Coldwell Banker, or Prudential does not mean owned by a company because these are franchises.   Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage is company owned, that is why and how we are able to offer so many options like in-house mortgages, home warranties, insurance, and a title agency. 

2. What Is Their Internet Presence, and How Do They Create Your Listing ? 

• What do they do for online advertising ? Everyone puts their listings onto MLS, what you want to know is how many other sites will your home be on, and who will be the point of contact on each of those websites ! Many homeowners don't realize but the ad space around all listings need to be purchased by your agent otherwise the point of contact is not your agent, but rather the agent who did purchase it.  Another important part of Internet presence is do you know if your listing is actually coming up in a search and being viewed, you should find a company that can track at least the number of views your getting or how many times your home came up in someones search.  

• What do they do to create your listing ? The first impression your house gives is by it's listing does the agent stage your home or professional photos, buyers are very visual so you want to be sure that you catch their attention right away ! Another often overlooked aspect is what your listing will actually have written on it ? You want to make sure that it has a detailed description and directions many buyers look to the directions to figure out the area that it is in.  The best way to gauge all of these things is to ask to see the agents other listings and see how they present ! 

3. How Available Would Your Agent Be ? 

• How available are they to you ? This is another question that homeowners often forget to ask, you want to know how often your realtor will be following up with you to give you updates on your home, feedback from Realtors, and most importantly what is going on with other homes that are selling and coming onto the market while your on the market ! You want a realtor who has a system to keep you up to date on all of those things going on in the market around you, this way you know how and when you will hear from them.  

• How available are they to buyers ? This is a very important question to ask because how quickly they respond to inquiries will decide how many buyers stay interested in your home.  Statistics show that 60 minutes after an inquiry is sent, the chance of reaching that potential buyer decreases to less than 50% !  The best way to find this out is after your appointment place an inquiry with them about one of their listings and see how long it takes for them to get in touch with you !  You will also want to see if they will attend showings that are being done by other brokers.  Granted the other brokers will be the ones talking to the buyers you want any questions they have, or any pertinent information about your home to be answered accurately and the only way they can be sure that happens is if your agent is there.  Now, this is my disclaimer, even the best agent will not be able to attend all showings but you should make sure they have a follow up plan in place for the ones they won't be able to attend.  

4. What Technology Do They Use To Help Their Listings ? 

• This question is more of a general question, you want an agent who uses all the tools that are available out there to help get your home sold.  You also want someone who understands the basic technology that is being used in today's market such as the social marketing, virtual presentations, online newspapers and forums ! These are the tools that bring buyers to your home, the more places your home and your agent are the more chance the right buyer for your home will come across it.  I happen to offer some additional tools for buyers who look at my listings like that ability to chat with me online, or giving them the ability to actually schedule an appointment anytime at their convenience! 

5. What Is Your Home Worth ? 

• I am sure your wondering why this at the bottom of the list, the reason why is because as long as the agent has provided you with a Comparative Market Analysis than the price of your home should not vary by very much.  If the agent has not performed an actual CMA and presented it to you, than that should make your decision for you ! The one part of this you do want to make note of is what kind of pricing style they would suggest for your home and area Market Priced or Action Priced !

These are the most important questions you should be getting the answers too, and the very last question should be that of "What Is Your Commission", don't discount a company or agent because of this answer decide who you think will do the best job and get your home sold ! If you hire an agent that your not sure can actually sell your home to save 1% on commission you will only end up spending more time and money living and maintaining it rather than moving onto your next home ! 

Easy Energy Saving Costs

It is official Winter is upon us, after having a moderately mild fall other than our visit from Hurricane Sandy mother nature has reminded us that we are very much into winter.   In today's economy we are all trying to find ways to save a little where we can so I decided to write a blog about some simple tips to save some money on your heating bills.  These are all low or no cost ways so it is great for those who are not looking to invest in a whole new heating system because they are selling the home  or perhaps just renting ! 

Give Your Room A New Look

• Many people switch curtains come the winter time to a heavier fabric, which is obviously a good idea you should also take advantage of the daylight sun still being able to provide some heat.  I will give you a quick example, I have very large windows and doors in my home specifically from my dining room into my living room.  Instead of putting 4 heavy panels on each I use 2 on each end, and leave sheers on the middle which allows the heat from the sun to get into these rooms during the daytime.  

• Another easy way is to move around your furniture, instead of just pulling the furniture a few inches away from the radiators or vents spend the time and rearrange the space. Actually moving the large furniture like sofas or beds that are nearby allow the heat to radiate freely and remember this is only temporary so it may not work all year round but this is temporary !   

• If your home has bare floors like wood or tile, invest in a few throw rugs to put down they can add a bit of style and they help make things a little bit cozier if you decide to keep your thermostat at a lower temperature ! 

• Light a fire ! Well if you don't have an actual fireplace that can be a bit hard to do but there are some great inexpensive faux fireplaces that take up little space, but can produce a great amount of heat if one room just gets a bit chilly ! The other great thing is that they don't require a complicated installation and you can take them with you onto your next home.   There are a variety of kinds from ones that look similar to a flat screen TV complete with crackling wood sounds & remote to large wooden ones with mantles ! 

     

Give Your Heating System A Once Over

• One of the most overlooked parts of your heating system is often the air filter, it is a good thing to change periodically and if your in a rental most landlords will be happy to either allow you to change it or do it themselves.  You should also take a look around and make sure there are no leaks where the joints are meeting this is something that is very important for those who have forced hot air/CAC units that run through attics and basements.  

• Change out your thermostat to a programmable one or even a simple upgrade to a digital can help you be aware of how high your heat actually is.  I am very guilty of getting a bit chilly and turning up my thermostat and going just a little bit farther than I thought because I have the older "dial" thermostat.  The newer digital thermostats can also be programmable so the heat will go up once it is closer to the time when you will actually be using it.  

• Check what temperature your hot water heater, often times we don't even realize what this is set at but 120 degrees is the best place for it to be.  

• Look at the average temperature you keep your thermostat on, if you lower it 1 degree it can save you between 1% - 3% less fuel, as well as heating costs.  Another way is to actually leave your heat on one temperature lowering your heat drastically when your not home and than hiking it back up can often times cost more because of how high you raise it to "get rid of the chill" 

These are just a few of the easy ways to save a few bucks and keep a bit warmer on these chilly nights ! 

Open House 101

Lets take a minute and talk about some Open House etiquette for those homeowners and buyers !! I am an agent who believes it is better to hold an Open House and have only 1 or 2 people attend than not have one at all and possibly miss out on a prospective buyer for my client. Every agent has their own opinion and way of running their business if you want your agent to have open houses on your behalf you must discuss it prior to listing your home with them. If they don't agree with your opinion simply move onto an agent does !!

Homeowners
Lets take a minute and discuss where a homeowner should be during an open house and their is only 1 correct answer and that is OUT ! You should trust your agent to protect your home and its belongings during an open house, if you don't have that comfort level I would suggest re-thinking why your trusting them to sell it at all. Buyers will always feel like they are intruding on a homeowner when they are present during an open house, it's human nature to feel a bit awkward judging someone's home with them sitting in the living room ! I won't try and say that some buyers aren't a bit nosey during open houses they will open up a fridge or medicine cabinet, but you never know what parts of a home are going to be important-if your agent sees them going a bit extreme with being nosey we of course put an end to it.

I am always amazed by the difference between what one homeowner will do to prep their home verses what others will do. I want to take a minute and set up some general guidelines of what you should do to help your home present well !

• Vacuum & Light Dusting - Don't go crazy with the cleaning products and waxes many times the smell of those cleaning products can be overwhelming and the sticky waxes can make surfaces feel dirty to the touch. Swiffer Dust Pads are really the best thing to use for a bit of light dusting they don't leave any marks or and it's quick and easy !

• Empty The Appliances - Sounds silly but the most common thing a buyer will look inside of is washing machines & dishwashers, run them thru a cleaning cycle before your open house it doesn't need to be sparkling as if its a brand new appliance just clean.

• Laundry - Always the enemy and impossible for it to ever all be clean I know this because I think in my entire life all my laundry was clean once in 30 years. Just make sure none of it is sitting in the washer or dryer, put the hampers in the closet or invest in some that have covers so they aren't so visible, simple fix but you'd be amazed how awkward a conversation can feel in a laundry room surrounded by strangers dirty clothes !

•  Bedrooms - I sometimes feel like a mean mom when I arrive at an open house, your bedroom does not need to look like its not being lived in BUT you do still need to make your bed and clear the debris off of the floor ! 

• Garbage - Put it out in cans that have covers !! There is nothing like a funky smelling garbage pail to turn a buyer away from a otherwise gorgeous kitchen, or showing off your perfectly kept backyard while trying to combat the flies that are circling your garbage.  

Just as important as what the house looks like is what your buyers will receive when they come to your open house.  Ask your agent to show you what they will be setting up in your home to give to prospective buyers, make sure all the information about your home is on the hi-lite sheet.  I also give out town information for those buyers who are not from the area.  You want to make sure your home is memorable for every buyer that comes to view it ! I also have Virtual Tour DVD's this way the buyers can share it with their friends and family as if they were walking them thru it in person ! 

Buyers 

Many buyers feel a bit overwhelmed by the agent who is hosting the open house, this is why I recommend that you work with a Buyer Broker !! When you have your own Broker you still can attend open houses but your agent should give you a large stack of their cards to hand out to the agents of the homes you see. You will no longer need to sign in other than your name, your broker becomes your middle man to deal with the listing agent! Now, as a courtesy to both your agent and the listing agent if your working with you own Broker don't wait to tell us that until your leaving ! We won't treat you any differently but during busy open houses we need to know so we can focus on those people who have no one working to keep them fully informed.

Buyers also need to take somethings into consideration when your attending an open house, I don't care if you come by yourself or bring your entire family the more the better ! But, when you bring your children please keep an eye on them ! This is mainly for their safety, but also for the homeowners belongings that may be interesting to a child to want to pick up and play with.  My job as the listing agent is to show you the house, not watch your children while you mosey around the house.  If you are bringing your child I always recommend having yourself and another adult with you so that someone is able to keep a close eye on them.  I am a mom a very rambunctious 4 year old and I understand that they will touch things, and open and close cabinet doors because they are curious but you still must keep an eye on them.

You will also want to come up with a plan of how to remember the open houses you have attended, I usually recommend that my buyers shoot me a text or an email so I can track them for them.  If your opting to not use a buyers broker than you should have a folder or some place to organize all of the hi lights sheets and information your going to receive.  Remember we are limited on the amount of space we are given on websites so sometimes there will be important information on those Hi Light sheets that aren't listed on the Multiple Listing Service.  It will also give you a place to keep the information you find out about the towns your looking, such as school information this way you can find it all in 1 place ! 

Garage Sales Made Easy !

Real estate agents often talk to homeowners about clearing out some of their belongings from their home before putting it on the market, and many people will decide to try the yard sale route.  This sometimes works great, but alot of people who decide to go that route are often disappointed by the outcome selling things for $1 or $2 after spending the better part of their day pulling things out than having to put it back into their house.  Some homeowners, including myself don't even get to that point I've been planning my garage sale for the past 5 years !

Trust me I can understand why it is such a daunting task, and because of some much needed renovations to my home and a "suggestion" from my contractor I was put in a position that either A. this garage sale I'd been planning needed to happen or B. My garbage men and neighbors were about to hit the jackpot!

I still couldn't see myself spending a week pulling everything I didn't want out to get prepared for the garage sale, and than spend an entire day trying to sell it with my son underfoot. I looked into the Ebay store route but it still involved packing it all up in my car and taking it to the store for them to sell it.  Even doing normal Ebay, than I would be going out and having to ship and weigh everything and than pay for it to be advertised on the site whether it sold or not.

After a bit of brainstorming, I realized that I could have a "Virtual Garage Sale" with a little bit of help of Facebook, Craigslist, & EBay.  It would be a garage sale everyday for as long as I wanted, plus it would cost me minimal time and effort plus I would sell alot more in 3 months than doing a 1 day garage sale.

Here are the steps to making your "Virtual Garage Sale" successful !

• The first step is of course deciding where your storage area for your items will be.  If your like me there is not 1 area of the house to put everything you don't want or need anymore and be able to navigate thru it on a daily basis, I unfortunately do not have a basement.  If you are lucky enough to have one than that will usually make your life a bit easier.  I borrowed some fold out tables from friends and families and decided to set shop up in my garage lining the garage walls with the tables.  

• The next step is deciding what you are going to sell in order to make the most of your time, you don't necessarily want to put 50 different items online because maintaining the ad can become time consuming and you will stop keeping up with it because it will become tiresome.   Instead you will want to consider starting with something like 10 ads with 3 or 4 different categories, or think about grouping them so they cross advertise one another.   If your selling things like DVD's your best bet will be to sell them in bulk, putting up the full list of what you have available and sell them in lots of 5 letting the buyers choose which 5.       

• You will want to decide what the best kind of site you want to advertise on.  An Online Ebay Store was a bit much for me to undertake, so I opted for the Craigslist route.    When you use Ebay you will need to decide if you want someone to be able bid or buy immediately with their Buy It Now feature, you will also need to set up a PayPal Account in order to receive payment.  Ebay also allow you to re-list without having to redo the entire ad week after week, but they do charge you to advertise on their website whether the items sells or not. 

• Another option is Craigslist, which is the route which I chose because I was more comfortable not having to be responsibility of making sure the items got delivered.  The upside to Craigslist is the fact that you are not charged per ad, but the downside is you will get quite a few bogus buyers who have no intention of buying.  This site also allows you to simple renew your ad with one simple click, bringing you back up to the top of the list.  

• You will want to share what your selling, you never know who knows someone looking for items for cheap.  I created an entire facebook album where I have what I am selling, and I have sold a few things to friends of friends because of it. 

• Once you have your area set up, and your ads are running you simply sit back and collect your profits ! Because your only running a handful of ads, after you have items sold simply put up whatever you would like to sell next.   

Now, there is some safety & privacy precautions you will want to take if your using Craigslist, which is usually best for large or heavy items.  

• Never believe anyone who offers you a money order because they are "out of the country" or "buying for a relative", they are scams ! 

• Never allow someone to go into your home when they come to pick up the item unless it is absolutely necessary .  

• Always have someone in the house with you, or offer to meet them in an area that you know during the daytime! 

• Do not put your actual home address in the "location" area, just put the town, and never give them your home phone number always use your cell ! 

I've been doing my Virtual Garage Sale, via CraigsList for about 2 weeks and I've sold about $200 worth of items with less than 3 hours worth of work to get it done, and the only reason it took that long was because I had alot of small items I need to sort and group before posting my ads.  I've sold things from an old microwave for $10 to $75 for a old video game system ! Happy Selling !   

                                                                                                                                            

What You Should Look At Before Extending Your Listing !

If your home has been on the market throughout the spring and summer the listing is likely to expire soon, but it may not be in your best interest to pull it off the market just yet.  Now I am not saying to stick with the broker that your using in order to keep it on the market if your not happy with your broker or you want to interview others than by all means do so.  

Anytime I take a listing that will be on the market during the fall/winter season I always let my clients know that business does not stop during these months but you will see less activity.  This is actually better for homeowners, you may not have the quantity of buyers but you will have a better quality of buyers.  If someone is out in snow and cold weather you can bet that they are serious buyers, they aren't just out in the cold for no reason.

Now if you listed during the "busy" season, take into consideration how hard did your broker work for you while he/she had your listing?

• Did you recieve feedback after your home was shown ? It is not always easy to get feedback from other Realtors or Buyers but it is our job to get it for you, a week is more than enough time for your Realtor to inform you of what they thought of the home.   

• How often did you review your market position ? The spring and summer months provide alot of inventory for buyers to choose from so keeping on top of your market is very important.  How often did you and your Realtor discuss your homes position compared to others that were on the market, and those that had come off ? 

• How many open houses did they do, and what was the status of those buyers ? Each Realtor has a different opinion on open houses, I personally think they are important because it gives your buyers an immediate way to see your home.  You should have discussed this with your Realtor before you listed, if you didn't I suggest you do so before extending your contract with them.  You can not be angry if there are none or not enough if you did not discuss what your expectations are.  

• Did you recieve any offers ? Not all offers are good offers, just because your home received an offer does not necessarily mean it was worth you taking.  Did your broker try to work that offer ? Just because someone offers is very low does not mean that this is all they are willing to give.  Sometimes you have to work an offer for quite sometime to make it worhtwhile, but you will never know unless you have someone who is willing to put in the time. 

Before you extend your contract with your Realtor you should take the time to review in detail all of these things regardless.  Pulling your home off the market isn't necessarily a good idea, even 2 or 3 months off the market doesn't change the fact you were trying to sell it. Thanks to technology it takes about a half a minute to find out how long someone has been trying to sell for and buyers do quite a bit of research on their own.  

There are a few things you will need to do if you plan on extending that you may not have thought of, it is not just about signing the report of change form, you will want to update your listing.

• Perhaps re-word the description sometimes less is more, if you have a lengthy description it may be too much or visa versa.  
• Update your pictures, the change of seasons will be upon us sooner than we would like to think so be ready to take updated pictures of your home so your listing doesn't look dated. 
• Update your show instructions with your Realtor, if you think you will need your agent to attend more showings discuss it so when those quality buyers want to see your home they can !

If your new to selling a home than you should refer to my blog which explains the common terms and paperwork that you will need to understand Click Here For Blog.

I will be writing another blog this week reviewing exactly what the difference is between a full service real estate agent, and what other brokerages will offer, I will link it to this blog once it is completed.

Tips For Selling During The Summer

It is that time of the year again, with every change in season I write a blog for homeowners who are selling or thinking of listing.  Although the weather we have been having seems more like spring with all of the rain lately, summer is only a few days away.

Now some Realtors will tell you that summer isn't the best time to sell, this is another one of those myths that I don't know how it started but it is false.  If your selling during the summer months you can expect a few more "tire kickers" but you can also expect to see some very aggressive buyers.

Bring The Outdoors In 

• The simplest way to help your flow from the inside of your home to your outdoor entertaining is very simple.  If you have a patio door or sliders make sure that you remove the blinds if they are not inside the glass, and place a shear curtain up instead.  This allows the light to still shine through, while still giving you privacy.  

• Your patio is almost as important as your dining room to buyers during the summer time, if you have a patio set take the time to arrange it on the patio, spruce it up with new cushions or an umbrella.  Show buyers that they will have the space and area to entertain in your yard.  If your patio is smaller they do sell small bistro sets that you can purchase, these are great for condo's and townhouses ! 

• Outdoor lighting is becoming a very popular trend, it really does make the yard look very inviting and adds some ambiance.   You can pick up sets of 4 from your local home improvement store for under $40, and they are solar so they require no wiring and generally last 3 years before they need new batteries. 

Water Works

• Water your lawn regularly !!  I can't tell you how many homes during the summer months including mine, get those large patches of brown straw like grass.  A brown lawn is never appealing, this is a big part of curb appeal be sure you invest in good sprinklers if you do not have the luxury of in ground sprinklers.  

• Time your sprinklers for times when buyers will not be walking around your yard. I know that the best time to water the lawn for most people is the middle of the day, but take the time to perhaps either run them in the early morning hours or later in the evening.  I am a big fan of strappy sandals and I can't help but not want to walk on a wet lawn, many women will understand this and you want the buyers to spend time in your home taking it in, not avoiding parts of it.  

• If you have a pool be sure to open it up, make sure your water is clear most buyers will assume if your pool is closed that something is not working properly.  You want to showcase this kind of amenity, if you have decking or fencing around it be sure you make sure that it is in the best shape possible a simple power washing, or fresh coat of stain can go a long way.  

Comfortable & Cool 

• Don't skimp out on the air conditioning this time of year, if you have air conditioners turn them on ! Now you don't want to freeze your buyers out but keeping it at a school 68 degrees allows buyers to be comfortable walking around your home.  I can't tell you how quickly a showing will end if a home is hot and stuffy on a summer day, no matter how great the home is no one wants to be in a sauna. 

• Now I do tell most of my homeowners to leave during showings of their home, many buyers no matter how nice the homeowner, still feel as if they are intruding.  What you can do is in a small bowl put some ice and a few bottles of water, it is a nice gesture that will often allow buyers to relax, cool off and really take in your home rather than rush through it.   

Clean Up & Organize 

• This is the simplest thing to do, and surprisingly very important to buyers. Outdoor areas are very important to buyers but where they are going to store all the things they don't want to leave out in the weather is also important.  If you have a shed or a garage with an entrance/exit into the backyard take the time to clean them out and organize. 

• Make sure any chemicals you have (Ex: Pool chemicals, pesticides, gas containers)  are locked up, many buyers will have their children with them since there is no more school, and camps usually let out early.  

These are just a few of the tips for the summer selling season, and there are additional tips that were covered in the Spring Season blog. If you are looking for suggestions on what you could do to spruce up your yard I am always more happy to help.  You can email me pictures of your "problem areas" and I will make some simple/inexpensive suggestions that may help.  

How To Make Sure Your Home Sells At The Right Price !

COLDWELL BANKER® SHOWS YOU HOW TO MAKE SURE THE YOUR HOME SELLS AT THE RIGHT PRICE

Establishing a reasonable and profitable listing price for a home is perhaps the biggest challenge for every home seller. Before coming to a final figure, many sellers ask themselves: "That home down the block went for a lot; can I just price my home in the same ballpark?" "Can I jack the price up in a hot market?" These and many other factors must be considered before settling on a listing price. The professionals at Coldwell Banker Residential Homes recommend taking the following steps before setting an asking figure.

         

Choose the Right Sales Associate
While many people use a friend or relative's referral to select a sales associate, it is smart to interview many prospective agents. Invite several sales associates to show their listings presentations. Pay attention to how they plan to market the home, and find out the reach of their company's Web site. Also, make certain they plan to list the home on the multiple listing service (MLS) and inquire about how broad their real estate contact network is.

 

Do The Homework.
Ask a real estate sales associate for a written comparative market analysis (CMA). This will provide a list of recent sales prices of similar homes in the area (with comparable numbers of bedrooms, baths, square footage and lot size), the asking prices of homes currently for sale nearby and other important information. Then a sales associate will provide a professional estimation of a legitimate selling price.

Take the Emotion Out of It
While the seller likely has great affection for the home, the sales associate will not set the price based on the seller's emotion. Instead, he or she will evaluate the location, condition and size of the home. A house in a secluded, exclusive area may appeal to some, while others will want to be closer to schools, shopping and health care facilities. What is the physical condition of the home? Is it a fixer-upper? Does it make a good first impression (the ever important curb appeal)? Will it appeal to a growing family, or is it better suited to empty nesters?

Determine If It Is a Buyers/Sellers Market
Home inventory, mortgage interest rates and the economy play a role in determining whether the buyer or seller has a negotiating advantage. Interest rates remain at historically low levels even as the economy shows signs of improving, putting buyers in a good position to shoulder "good" debt of homeownership.

     

Do the Math
Do not forget to figure in closing costs, legal fees and other selling expenses when determining the selling price. The sales associate should be able to provide cost estimates, and negotiate with a potential buyer to ensure a good sale price.

                                                           
Give It the Once Over
There is one more step to ensure that the house sells for your price, or more. Do as much as possible to improve the home's appearance: touch up the paint, fix leaks, seal any cracks, clean up the clutter, and eliminate pet odors. The house has only one chance to make a first impression.

Fall In Love With The American Dream & Open House Tips

Let's take a moment and talk about open houses, over the passed few weeks that seems to be a very common question that sellers have been asking me about.  Perhaps it is brought about my the event Coldwell Banker is holding, called "Fall In Love With The American Dream".  Everyone wants to know what it is, and why is it something only we are doing.


This is our effort as a company to stimulate buyers for the fall season, those people who just couldn't find the right house over the summer will now want to make a deal and be in their new home for the holiday!   While most realtors and companies simply sit back and wait for the buyers to come back for the spring market, we are actively pushing the fall market! This open house event is promoted via email, print mail, television, and social media (ex-You Tube, Facebook).  For our event in October which is this weekend, the numbers are in and we have twice as many open houses as any other company!


People buy houses all year round, there is no cut-off date to when your home will sell!  I personally have found for my buyers shopping during the fall season is almost always more pleasant.   The most obvious reason is because who really wants to walk into a home that is vacant with no AC on, when the temperature outside is 90 degrees, I know that isn't my favorite house to go into, and I know that it isn't for my buyers either.


Here are some tips for what to do for your open house!

1. Pick the right date. When planning your open house, be sure to check the calendar for major holidaysand local events. Last thing you want is to have your open house scheduled on Mothers Day, City Festival date or the date of other important event. If you do, you will be disappointed.  If your company holds large campaigns (Like the Fall In Love With The American Dream Event), make sure your listing agent has an open house.   Also please do not call your agent on Thursday, for an open house that Saturday, you need to promote your open house for atleast a week to be able to take full advantage of advertising it! 

2. Create a welcoming feeling before they get to your front door. That front door that you never use... there are spiderwebs there (I'm not gonna tell anyone, don't worry. Just get rid of them!) Tidy up, get rid of those tired looking plants and replace them with freshly planted ones. With the fall and winters holiday's approaching most home-owners will be decorating, for more tips on how to sell your home in the fall and winter, there is another blog dedicated to just that. O

3. Take a look at your walls. Not everyone will love your dusty rose and hunter green. Even the yummy chocolate brown has to go. Light and airy is the way to go, you need it to be a blank canvas for buyers 1 not to be distracted, and 2 to picture their belongings in your house.  This doesn't mean your home needs to become sterile and bland, we don't want that either.  Neutral colors, on the walls and splashes of color in accent pieces will still give your home style and personality! 

4. Create a specious feel in your home. Move furniture around to create space and direct traffic and attention of your potential buyers to where you want it.  You want them to see the space not stuff!  This does NOT mean to get rid of your dresser and put your mattress on the floor, you want them to see the space being used efficiently.  

5. Get rid of stuff! Now your probably saying what are you talked about you just told me not to, I told you not to put your mattress on the floor, and live out of a laundry basket for the sake of space, if you did that you would have space, but it would have clutter.  You want key pieces of furniture to stay so they can see what can fit.  

Here are some examples.  In the bedroom you would want them to see it fits a bed, dresser, and even some nightstands.  You do not want them to see clutter on top of the nights stands, and un-made bed, the collection of your every picture of your 18 year old son from the time he was born on your wall!  The dining room is another always interesting space, you want them to see the dinging room table ONLY if it is in the dining room, do not advertise a formal dining room if your using it as a den!  Books, pictures, clothes on the floor, don't just store these in a closet because trust me they will be opening those doors too!

n house tips

10.Remove yourself, your family and your pets from the house and your cars from the driveway prior to the Open House.  Open houses are much different from when a realtor calls to show your home.  Sometimes you will need to be home, or the dog will just have to go into the yard because that is the only place for him/her.  But open houses are a different ballgame all together, and I will say it for you, moving a pet out of the house for 2 hours isn't always easy!  Trust me I know I have pets.  My suggestion take your dog to get groomed, schedule their appointment as the same time as the open house!  Take the kids to grandma and grandpas, tell them the open house is longer than it is and get some good alone time in while they are there, I won't tell! Or better yet pack up the kids, dogs, family and go and see other properties in your area that are having an open house! 

How To Prepare Your House For Sale

By Elizabeth Weintraub, About.com Guide

Prepping and staging a house. Every seller wants her home to sell fast and bring top dollar. Does that sound good to you? Well, it's not luck that makes that happen. It's careful planning and knowing how to professionally spruce up your home that will send home buyers scurrying for their checkbooks. Here is how to prep a house and turn it into an irresistible and marketable home.

Difficulty: Average

Time Required: Seven to 10 Days

Here's How:

Disassociate Yourself With Your Home.

• Say to yourself, "This is not my home; it is a house -- a product to be sold much like a box of cereal on the grocery store shelf.
• Make the mental decision to "let go" of your emotions and focus on the fact that soon this house will no longer be yours.
• Picture yourself handing over the keys and envelopes containing appliance warranties to the new owners!
• Say goodbye to every room.
• Don't look backwards -- look toward the future                                                                                                                                   

De-Personalize

Pack up those personal photographs and family heirlooms. Buyers can't see past personal artifacts, and you don't want them to be distracted. You want buyers to imagine their own photos on the walls, and they can't do that if yours are there! You don't want to make any buyer ask, "I wonder what kind of people live in this home?" You want buyers to say, "I can seemyself living here."

De-Clutter!


• People collect an amazing quantity of junk. Consider this: if you haven't used it in over a year, you probably don't need it.
• If you don't need it, why not donate it or throw it away?
• Remove all books from bookcases.
• Pack up those knickknacks.
• Clean off everything on kitchen counters.
• Put essential items used daily in a small box that can be stored in a closet when not in use.
• Think of this process as a head-start on the packing you will eventually need to do anyway.

Rearrange Bedroom Closets and Kitchen Cabinets.


Buyers love to snoop and will open closet and cabinet doors. Think of the message it sends if items fall out! Now imagine what a buyer believes about you if she sees everything organized. It says you probably take good care of the rest of the house as well. This means:

• Alphabetize spice jars.
• Neatly stack dishes.
• Turn coffee cup handles facing the same way.
• Hang shirts together, buttoned and facing the same direction.
• Line up shoes.

Rent a Storage Unit. 


Almost every home shows better with less furniture. Remove pieces of furniture that block or hamper paths and walkways and put them in storage. Since your bookcases are now empty, store them. Remove extra leaves from your dining room table to make the room appear larger. Leave just enough furniture in each room to showcase the room's purpose and plenty of room to move around. You don't want buyers scratching their heads and saying, "What is this room used for?"

Remove/Replace Favorite Items.


If you want to take window coverings, built-in appliances or fixtures with you, remove them now. If the chandelier in the dining room once belonged to your great grandmother, take it down. If a buyer never sees it, she won't want it. Once you tell a buyer she can't have an item, she will covet it, and it could blow your deal. Pack those items and replace them, if necessary.

 Make Minor Repairs.

• Replace cracked floor or counter tiles.
• Patch holes in walls.
• Fix leaky faucets.
• Fix doors that don't close properly and kitchen drawers that jam.
• Consider painting your walls neutral colors, especially if you have grown accustomed to purple or pink walls.
(Don't give buyers any reason to remember your home as "the house with the orange bathroom.")
• Replace burned-out light bulbs.
• If you've considered replacing a worn bedspread, do so now!

Make the House Sparkle!

• Wash windows inside and out.
• Rent a pressure washer and spray down sidewalks and exterior.
• Clean out cobwebs.
• Re-caulk tubs, showers and sinks.
• Polish chrome faucets and mirrors.
• Clean out the refrigerator.
• Vacuum daily.
• Wax floors.
• Dust furniture, ceiling fan blades and light fixtures.
• Bleach dingy grout.
• Replace worn rugs.
• Hang up fresh towels.
• Bathroom towels look great fastened with ribbon and bows.
• Clean and air out any musty smelling areas. Odors are a no-no.

Scrutinize. 

• Go outside and open your front door. Stand there. Do you want to go inside? Does the house welcome you?
• Linger in the doorway of every single room and imagine how your house will look to a buyer.
• Examine carefully how furniture is arranged and move pieces around until it makes sense.
• Make sure window coverings hang level.
• Tune in to the room's statement and its emotional pull. Does it have impact and pizzazz?
• Does it look like nobody lives in this house? You're almost finished.

Check Curb Appeal.

• 
If a buyer won't get out of her agent's car because she doesn't like the exterior of your home, you'll never get her inside.
• Keep the sidewalks cleared.
• Mow the lawn.
• Paint faded window trim.
• Plant yellow flowers or group flower pots together. Yellow evokes a buying emotion. Marigolds are inexpensive.
• Trim your bushes.
• Make sure visitors can clearly read your house number