The Top 5 Tips For First Time Homebuyers !

I decided to spend a moment and focus on buyers for a moment.  I have a lot of information for my sellers, but when it comes to working with buyers I would have to say first-time home buyers are my favorite.  Perhaps I like the "challenge" but it is a different kind of reward when you hand someone the keys to their very FIRST new home ! 

Get Your Finances In Order

Before you start working with a buyer broker, getting a mortgage pre-approval is a must.  I have seen too many homebuyers starting looking before they find out what they can afford.  The result is disappointment that you may have looked at some wonderful homes that turns out does not fit into your budget.   Most licensed brokers will have reliable, and attentive mortgage brokers they work with that they will be able to refer you to. 

Know The Language 

Know the terminology of real estate, you want to understand what brokers are talking about.  Short sales vs Foreclosure, there is a very big difference.  You want to be sure even when you are looking without an agent you have a good understanding of what everything is.  You need to understand the difference between Listing Agents, Buyers Brokers, and disclosure.  Listing agents obviously list the house, and work for the sellers.  Every first time home buyer should work with a Buyer Broker, they will provide you with information about the homes in the neighborhood your looking for, make sure everything the seller is representing is true !

Find A Good Buyers Agent

This is the most important part for a first time home-buyer, you are going to be depending on this person to help you make a life changing purchase.  You need someone who is okay with having to “hold your hand” so to speak during the process, not because you need it but it is a resource that is available to you.  I once stayed in a closing with my first time buyers for 5 hours, it was a short sale and the bank was having its own issue with paperwork which held us up.  Before leaving the attorney, pulled me aside to thank me for staying and explaining what was going on to his clients.                  

Decide What You “Must Have” And What You Would “Like To Have”

I had a home buyer once tell me that she would never purchase a ranch they would never give her the space she needed.  For the most part she was right, almost every single home that was a ranch would not meet what she needed to have.  Before we began looking I asked her to make me a list of her “must have”,  and “like to have list”.  Must haves are the number of bedrooms, a school district, or a price range.  These are things that if they did not have them it would be impossible to move to that home.  Fireplaces, pools, central air, these are all things that you would like to have but, you could live without.  These lists are different for everyone, in this clients case the home she purchased ended up being a ranch.  If we had limited the search she would have missed out on her “perfect home”. 

Should I Spend The Money To Have A Home Inspection?                                                                                                                                  

Absolutely. The $200 to $500 that a professional home inspection costs could be the best money you ever spend on your house. Not only does the home inspection seek out any defects (and gives you some peace of mind), the home inspector will often give you tips on maintaining and repairing your house. See the section on Home Inspections for tips on what to look for and how to choose a home inspector.

For more information on Buyer Brokerage Take a look at my virtual presentation ! 

What To Do When Your Homes NOT Selling !

Now you might be thinking, here is another real estate agent trying to get a price break but I am actually going to give your some other insight onto why your home might not be selling ! Price is just one aspect but condition and availability are just as important !

So let's begin with the "Condition" this does not only apply to what your home looks like when it is seen in person, but also about how your listing presents itself to those looking online !


Pictures

• Prepare For The Photos: You want your home to show well so before your photos speak to your Realtor about some staging.  This doesn't mean you need to hire a professional or rent furniture many times simply re-arranging your existing furniture and a bit of de-cluttering can go a long way.  

• Professional Photos: I am a firm believer in spending the time and having a professional photographer come and take pictures of your home.   They are able to showcase your homes attributes with angles, and staging that can make a huge difference.  

• Updated Photos: - Keep your photos up to date with the changes in season, this is very important for those homes listed in the winter because spring gives you the opportunity to show off your "outdoor living space"! 

Take a look at some before and after pictures of one of my personal listings before and after photos !

Keep in mind the only thing we did for this home was paint in the living room, and virtual 

staging which was included in the price of the photography !  

Now "Availability" this covers much more than just "How easy it to show your home", so let's take a look at some of the other aspects you as the homeowner may not think of.  

Internet Presence

• Where Does Your Home Place? This is a very simple thing to check and correct, go on as a buyer and search for homes that share the same basic characteristics (style, bedrooms, baths).  If your home does not show up within the first 10-15 houses than you should consider finding a way to get your home up to the top.  You should do this with your agent so they can rule out homes that may come up before you, but are not the "competition" you may think.  

• Where Is Your Home Listed?  The most common place you ask about your home being listed is Multiple Listing but where else are they being promoted ? Many buyers from the city & the boroughs look at publications like New York Times and Redfin.  Others will utilitize quick apps while they are around town viewing other properties or open houses on websites like Trulia or Zillow.  You should also be tracking how many views your home is getting on at least the top 6 or 7 sites that are used which also include Optimum Homes, Realtor.Com, and Yahoo Homes to name a few.  

Coldwell Banker decided to keep a close eye on our listings and partnered up with these top sites to be able to track your homes views on a weekly basis ! Here is a example ! 

• How Quickly Do Buyers Receive Information: Buyers who make online inquiries expect a timely response. Statistics show that buyers who do not receive a response within an hour of placing the inquiry will likely not return the call of your agent.  Your agent simply calling them immediately to at least acknowledge the inquiry and than setting up a time to speak with them more about the home can be the difference ! You will want to find out what set-up they have to receive these leads do they receive it via email, voicemail, or does the office handle the inquiries.  

• Who Receives The Inquiries On Your Home? This is often a big problem for most homeowners and they don't even realize it.  No matter what site your home is on with the exception of MLS SELLS the ad space surrounding your listing ! If your agent has not purchased this space they will not be the contact person for inquiries ! 

• How Often Do You Invite The Buyers? How do you invite the buyers your asking, its very simple you hold an advertised open house.  Often times buyers will spend their weekends visiting open houses so why not take the opportunity and the chance to let them see yours !  

If your home has been on the market for over 6 months and did not receive any offers, than unfortunately the only remaining factor is the price.  There are very rare exceptions where this is not the case, but you should take the time and speak with your Realtor for their professional opinion.  

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 ! 

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 ! 

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.  

What You Must Know When Selling Your Home !

Many homeowners listed their homes back when our spring market started, which was early this year around February when we started seeing alot of buyer activity.  With the summer market quickly approaching those same homeowners are starting to wonder why their home may not have sold yet.  Now some of you may be thinking that is has only been 4 months since buyer activity picked up, but with a home correctly priced we will normally see them go under contract within 60 days.  There are only 3 things you & your Realtor have control over, and if your home is not selling than you should look at those 3 things first and foremost !!

Price

• When a person is searching for a home with the same characteristics as yours (bedrooms, baths), where does your home fall in the list? Look at the homes as if you are a buyer, if you are finding all the homes are priced below yours offer more you may want to consider adjusting your price. 
• Ask your Realtor to pull recent comps, meet with them and discuss market conditions.  This is also important because your Realtor will need to have these to support the price of your home once you have accepted an offer.  

Myth: Not all homes are created equal, sometimes your home may not be selling as quickly as you would like not because of price but because it is for a particular kind of buyer.  An example of this is if the home your selling is a cottage, or a high-end home because there is a smaller buyer pool for that kind of home.  The most important part of selling a home with a small buyer pool is making sure that you have the best exposure, and easy availability to make sure your don't lost out on any buyers.  

Tip: If your home is priced above market value, it will be impossible for your Realtor to get potential buyers to come and view your home.  Many homeowners will agree to taking a much lower offer than the listing price, but there is no way to convey that to buyers who are viewing your house online, they will rule it out simply because of the price.

Availability

• If your home has very strict restrictions on when potential buyers can come and see it, you may want to reconsider how/when you are showing it.  If you are unavailable to show your home during the week because of your work schedule, you should speak with your Realtor about allowing them to accompany showings during the week to take the burden off of you, and allowing more buyers to be able to get in.  
• This next one is something that not all Realtors agree with, but I am a big believer in open houses.  I schedule all of my open houses for the month in advance because I want to give buyers an open invitation to come in and see your home the moment that they see it online.  
• Taking it a step farther you will want to make sure your Realtor is getting back to those that are inquiring about your home in a timely manner. Sometimes it is not always about how quickly buyers can see your home, bu how long it takes for your Realtor to get back to them! 

Myth: Some sellers believe that by requiring 48 hours for their home to be shown gives them a better chance of preparing their home to make sure it shows well.  Unfortunately, not all buyers give their Realtors 48 hours notice that they want to see your home, it is better to ask for a reasonable amount of time to prepare than possibly lose that buyer. 


Tip: When potential buyers are viewing your home whether it is a private viewing, or an open house do not follow them around.  Often times buyers will feel as if they are intruding on the homeowners by being there, you want to give them space to take it all in! 

Condition

• First thing you should do is look at  your pictures, if you took pictures before the spring flowers and grass became green you should ask your Realtor to update your pictures.  Remember you need to sell the house first via the pictures to get the buyers to want to come and see it in person.  
• Spruce up your curb appeal, give the front door a fresh coat of paint or add some solar lights and plants.  Buyers spend their weekends driving around looking for open houses, even if your home is not having one you still want to catch their attention!  
• If you have broken screens/doors/cabinets/tiles take the time the time and replace them if it is not a huge expense those are the things that make buyers look at your home and think of "projects" although they have quick fixes.  

Myth: Many homeowners think fixing up your home is a waste of time and money when you are attempting to sell it. Now this is only somewhat of a myth, doing major renovations may not be the best idea, but doing small projects to fix or update your home is normally recommended to help your homes chance.  

Tip: Take the time to look at your home objectively, remember although you can not make every buyer happy you can help the chances of your home selling quickly by doing some small projects.  The best place to start is by doing all those things that were on your "honey do list" that you hadn't had time to get to! 

There are so many different factors that come into play when getting your home sold, but these are the top 3 that are the most important ! Over the next few weeks I will be blogging more about some tips for sellers, but as always if you have a question I did not cover please feel free to comment or email me directly! 

Spring Has Arrived !

Now I know what your saying, spring is not quite here yet but all you homeowners who decided to go ahead and wait for the spring market to put your house on the market ...... it is here NOW! 


We have seen a ton of buyer activity, I personally think it is because we had such a mild winter everyone is more than ready to go outside into the great weather and start their search.  I can't blame them, but these are smarter buyers than last year many have been looking for quite some time, and have seen countless homes.  They know what they are looking for and chances are they have a pretty accurate idea of what your home is worth!

So here goes another blog with some helpful tips on ....................

Spring Staging Tips

Get Ready For Entertaining ! 
Now you might be wondering why who are you entertaining ? BUYERS ! 
Outside spaces are a great area to "play up" during the spring.  Plant some colorful flowers, put out some comfortable chairs, perhaps some solar lighting to give it character! 

Spring Cleaning 

Take down those heavy winter curtains put up some light colored sheer curtains and let the air and the sunshine come in! Take a good look around your home could your doors or trim use a quick coat of crisp white paint, sometimes that fresh white trim can really make a house look a little more appealing.  Box up your winter wardrobe. Bulky winter clothes take up lots of space, so move them out as you de-clutter your closets. You'll impress buyers with all that space.


Curb Appeal
I would say that you only get one chance at a first impression but the truth is when your home is listed you actually get two chances.  The first is when they find your home online, and the second is when they finally come to your front door.  Make sure that your entryway is inviting ! Make sure that your pathways are clear, your grass is green and well kept, and a few potted plants to add color! If your home has vinyl siding please take a good look at it  if you can see the dirt and pollen than spend a weekend and give it a good power-washing not everyone can see passed those things.  


Lighten The Mood 
Tuck away the heavy, winter flannel comforter and pull out crisp linens with coverlets for color. Bring in the spring with floral-designed spreads or colorful solids. Don't forget accent pillows for added style and comfort.


Open House
What do buyers spending their weekends doing in the spring? I will tell you what, they are out with their open house "schedule" in hand, checking out houses that they spent all week long searching for on MLS! Even if you don't like having alot of open houses, at least allow your agent to occasionally hold one, and take that time and go and snoop on your competition.  Attending others open houses will allow you to look at your home from a buyers point of view when you get back home.  


IF YOUR HOME WAS LISTED IN THE WINTER

Update Your Photo's ! 
I can't tell you how many homeowners list their homes in the winter but than come spring they don't change the photo's of the home or add additional photos of their outside space! Change your pictures with the season, this is something you should ask your agent to do for you if they don't suggest doing it on their own! 


Update Your Listing ! 
You are going find yourself with a whole lot more competition than you did in those winter months! I don't know who started the rumor that homes don't sell in the winter, or why for that matter but all of that no longer matters.  


You must take a good look at your home from the buyers point of view and adjust your price accordingly, if you don't update your price to the new market conditions in 6 months you will still be on the market, and all of those homes priced aggressively will have sold!  

Winter Safety Tips

The holidays are in full swing, and I am sure we are all enjoying the holiday season since Long Island has gotten quite lucky and we have had some unusually warm days, considering this time last year we had already had 3 or 4 snow storms by this time!

Buyers are also taking advantage of this warmer winter weather, I have personally had some amazing turn outs to my open houses, and many clients who are still very active in the search for their new home, so I wanted to take a moment and talk about some safety pre-cautions that both home sellers and buyers should be doing during since this season has been quite busy!

1.  Christmas Decorations Are NOT Meant To Be An Obstactle Course To Your Front Door!
Let me start by saying I always tell my homeowners that they should put out their decorations, it will make your house feel like a home, and it does wonders to sell your neighborhood.  I put out a ton of Christmas decorations out, which also means a ton of extension cords, timers, and outlets but  if you have cords running across your walkway, you need to be sure that they are placed where potential buyers will not trip or fall!

2. Let There Be Light
Make sure that buyers can see where they are walking, this is a simple fix many people have lights in the driveway that are triggered when someone walks up and it will usually illuminate the walkway as well.  This is not the only area that you need to be able to see, home buyers need to be able to see your HOUSE NUMBER, I can not tell you how many calls I get from a buyer who happened passed a home with a for sale sign, but have no idea what house number it was! This also is necessary so people who are coming to view your home can easily spot your home, not all streets have only 1 house for sale, and some seller choose not to have signs, so make sure that numbers stands out!

3. Be Prepared For The Snow Trail
This has got to be the biggest pet peeve for home sellers in the winter, and that is buyers will often track snow and salt into their home.  I say this for both buyers and sellers, put a winter mat in the front hall of your home, and agents wipe your feet normally the buyer will be sure to clean off their shoes if they see the agent do so, and sellers and if you choose not to have a mat, be prepared for the trail, and a good chance someone will slip and fall.  I often carry one in my car, this is for when I have open houses to make sure my homeowners come home to a semi-clean floor!

4. Let It Snow
Of course if it begins snowing right before your homes showing or open house, there is not much you can do except shovel and home not too much accumulates between the time you leave, and the buyer arrives.  A simple suggestion is leave a smaller shovel, and container of salt next to your front steps.  This gives the buyers agent the ability to throw a tiny bit of salt down to make your walkway or steps easier for the buyer, and in the case of an open house allows them to keep the walk clear.  Not all agent will do this, but personally I do, I want the buyers to feel comfortable coming in even if it is flurrying out. 

5. Don't Open Your Door To Just Anyone
It is oddly alarming that I have had numerous homeowners if they should just let "people" not agents just come thru their home if they knock on the door! The answer is NO, NO, and NO! This is not just a rule for the winter time, but all year round.  This is also why I always have a open house advertised thru-out the time a home is listed with me, obviously you do not want to be rude, simply say that it is not a good time, and be sure to tell them when your next open house is scheduled, or give them your listings agents direct number to schedule the appointment! You do not want to turn off these potential buyers, but our company believes in safety anyone that enters your home we want to have some sort of information before they go walking thru. 

Now some homeowners have chosen to sell their home after they have moved into their new home, and if your home has not gone under contract by the fall, I always suggest taking some steps to winterize your home to protect it for the winter time.  So here are a few tips for those whose home are vacant!

1) Furnace Inspection

• Call an HVAC professional to inspect your furnace and clean ducts.
• Consider switching out your thermostat for a programmable thermostat.
• If your home is heated by a hot-water radiator, bleed the valves by opening them slightly and when water appears, close them.
• Remove all flammable material from the area surrounding your furnace.

2) Get the Fireplace Ready

• Cap or screen the top of the chimney to keep out rodents and birds.
• If the chimney hasn't been cleaned for a while, call a chimney sweep to remove soot and creosote.
• Buy firewood or chop wood. Store it in a dry place away from the exterior of your home.
• Inspect the fireplace damper for proper opening and closing.
• Check the mortar between bricks and tuckpoint, if necessary.

3) Check the Exterior, Doors and Windows

• Inspect exterior for crevice cracks and exposed entry points around pipes; seal them.
• Use weatherstripping around doors to prevent cold air from entering the home and caulk windows.
• Replace cracked glass in windows and, if you end up replacing the entire window, prime and paint exposed wood.
• If your home has a basement, consider protecting its window wells by covering them with plastic shields.
• Switch out summer screens with glass replacements from storage. If you have storm windows, install them.

4) Inspect Roof, Gutters & Downspouts

• Check flashing to ensure water cannot enter the home.
• Replace worn roof shingles or tiles.
• Clean out the gutters and use a hose to spray water down the downspouts to clear away debris.
• Consider installing leaf guards on the gutters or extensions on the downspouts to direct water away from the home.

5) Service Weather-Specific Equipment

• Service or tune-up snow blowers.
• Replace worn rakes and snow shovels.
• Clean, dry and store summer gardening equipment.
• Sharpen ice choppers and buy bags of ice-melt / sand.

6) Check Foundations

• Rake away all debris and edible vegetation from the foundation.
• Seal up entry points to keep small animals from crawling under the house.
• Inspect sill plates for dry rot or pest infestation.
• Secure crawlspace entrances.

7) Prevent Plumbing Freezes

• Locate your water main in the event you need to shut it off in an emergency.
• Drain all garden hoses.
• Insulate exposed plumbing pipes.
• Drain air conditioner pipes and, if your AC has a water shut-off valve, turn it off.
• Leave the heat on, set to at least 55 degrees.

 

Safety Tips For Sellers

We are lucky to live on Long Island where crime is not a big issue. However, I still stress to all of my sellers to play it safe while their home is listed for sale. Here are some very important tips to remember:

1. All Buyers Must Be Accompanied By An Agent.

Sure, some people may see your sign and take it upon themselves to knock at your front door. Do not let them walk through on their own or give them information about the home. Most agents have their cell numbers on the sale sign.  Tell them for more information or to schedule an appointment, to call your agent.

2. Put All Valuables Away.

When you list your home for sale, please put away or better yet, lock up all valuables. Most real estate agents have a comfort level with their buyer but it is impossible to screen every person that wants to look at your home. Most Realtors never leave their clients alone but it can still be easy to slip a piece of jewelry into a pocket. Also, make sure ALL valuables are safely put away during a public open house. If we get a good turnout, it is nearly impossible to keep an eye on everyone that walks through.

3. When Returning Home After A Showing Check Every  Doorway. 

Agents are responsible for securing a property when leaving however, they may be so intent on showing the property that they forget to lock a door.

4. Stay By The Door

If you are going to be home during a showing we always recommend you stay out of the way of the agent and their buyer so they do not feel pressured.  There is another reason and that is because you are opening your doors to strangers, always make sure there is nothing between yourself and your front door.  It is always better to be safe than sorry, and it will allow you to keep an eye on who else could be coming in (ex. Family/Friends). 

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.

What To Do When Your Homes Not Selling

So your homes been on the market, you haven't received many showings and you haven't had any great offers come in.  

Well make sure you take a look at some key points, and take sometime and set up a meeting with your Realtor to discuss what more can be done for your home! 

Pictures 

Your very first impression can never be changed so make sure your home stands out!

Are your pictures updated for the season?

Play up your selling season ! 

Out of season pictures, can make a home look less appealing.

Do you have pictures of each room, and are they quality photos? 

You should be able to see from the floor to the ceiling corner to be sure potential buyers get the best view of the room. 

Internet Presence & Price 

Sometimes you need to take an objective look at your home, and how it stacks up against the other homes in your neighborhood.  

How many homes in your neighborhood will come up in your search criteria, and are you priced aggressively enough to compete?

This is a very simple thing to check, and correct! Search for your home if you come up and your close to the last home in a search with more than 10 homes it is time to do what you have to, to get your home on the top! 

I also utilize a great website that allows you to track your home, and your competition.  You are able to access it at anytime that you would like, and it will also keep you up to date on others price changes, new listings, and what has come off the market.

How many websites and hits is your home receiving?

This unfortunately is not an easy thing to correct, many times the company you listed with, does not have the ability to add you to any extra websites, and so you are limited, this should be a deciding factor when you are listing your home with a company.   

                

In order to be sure this is never an issue for our clients Coldwell Banker Residential advertises your home on over 30+ websites, and I personally have your home as a branded listing so it also gets top spots on these websites. 

                                                   

We also have taken full advantage of technology many of our websites we are able to track how many times you have shown up in a general search, and we can track how many detailed views your home has had.    

                   

How does your agent respond to buyer information requests? 

Prospective buyers for your home can come at anytime day or night, this again is where technology is key.  Your agent should be responding to these buyers immediately, even if it is to schedule a tentative appointment for them to see your home.    

Coldwell Banker also has the lead-router system which immediately calls your agent within minutes of the inquiry being made with all the details of the prospective buyer.                                                                                                                                            

Taking it a step farther, I personally have set up a chat feature that allows, buyers and sellers to IM me directly, and I have online scheduling so that the buyer can just go ahead and set up their appointment online anytime of the day or night.  

Availability

How easy is it to get into your house?

How easy is it for a buyers agent to show your home to their buyers?

I always try and put myself in others shoes, when I take a listing I like to discuss what times are good for my homeowners to show their home, and requesting 24 hours notice is a reasonable time frame.  By setting up times that other agents will know it is “easy” to show, you are setting yourself apart from the other listings. 

I always suggest putting a lock-box on any home I list, no one is given access to the lockbox without calling our office, and we verify each Realtors license is current, before they are given the code.  If the homeowner is not available the lock-box allows me to be their with the buyers broker, for again an easy showing. 

How important are open houses?        

 In my own opinion, I believe it is always good to have an open house scheduled and available for clients to see.  This gives them an open invitation and a no pressure to see the home.  In today’s market many buyers will do the research on their own, and will spend most of their weekends out without their Realtor, and many websites are becoming much more sophisticated allowing buyers to create an itinerary for their weekend, you want to make sure you become part of that!