Posts Tagged ‘Home Sellers’

Preparing for your Open House

Tuesday, August 4th, 2009

You’ve heard it before – you only have one chance to make a first impression! And that goes for open houses, too!

Your open house is the time to make your home shine and to impress every potential buyer that walks through the door. It is therefore of the utmost importance that you prepare your home for your open house so that you can maximize your home’s potential and increase your chances for a quick sale.

The following list will guide you when preparing your University Park home for your open house:

  • Clean, clean, clean! This may seem rather obvious, but it is important to pay close attention to the details when cleaning your home for your open house. In other words, clean the windows, scrub the grout in the bathtub, wipe down your appliances (especially if they are staying with the house), and steam clean your carpets – and that’s just for starters! Remember: your potential buyers will be scrutinizing every part of your home, so make it shine!
  • Organize your closets and make your beds. Your home should be neat and tidy so potential home buyers feel comfortable and at home in your Highland Park home.
  • Get rid of the clutter. A home free of clutter shows better and appears larger. If you can, pack away knick knacks, collections and family photographs, and get rid of stacks of magazines, piles of toys and excess furniture.
  • If possible, open the windows and let fresh air circulate throughout your home. Opening the blinds, pulling back the curtains and throwing open the windows allows sunshine and fresh air to enter the home and make it feel more inviting and comfortable.
  • Take Fido or Fluffy with you and hide their things. Remember: not everyone is a dog and cat lover, and the last thing they need is to be reminded of them the moment they walk into your Highland Park house.
  • Create an inviting entrance with potted flowers and a pretty wreath. Make sure the entrance is clear of any tripping hazards and make sure to hide all of your family’s shoes, coats and other clutter.

The Top Five Home Improvement Projects to Take on Before you Sell

Thursday, July 16th, 2009

So, you are ready to sell your home and you desperately want a quick sale. What home improvement projects should you take on and which ones should you abandon?

We all want top dollar for our homes, but we also don’t want to make home improvements that will not produce a healthy return on our investment. Although the area in which you live will likely dictate which home improvements are well worth your time and investment, there are five home improvements that are sure to benefit sellers everywhere:

1.

What Every Seller Should Know about Today

Wednesday, June 17th, 2009

As a seller, it is extremely important that you have a firm grasp of the conditions of the real estate market in which you are selling. Understanding market conditions and being prepared to deal with them is the best way to sell your home in a reasonable amount of time.

What you Need to Know to Sell your Home in Today’s Market:

  • Price your home right – from the beginning. This is not the time to price your home according to what you think it is worth, instead of what the local market is bearing (unless, of course, you are in no hurry to sell your home). Instead, it is vital that you price your home right from the beginning so that you can attract a wide group of buyers. Listen to the advice of your real estate agent, take cues from the other homes in your neighborhood, and pay attention to local market trends so that you can price your home to sell.
  • Be prepared for low ball offers. Unfortunately, sellers in today’s market must deal with buyers who think that, because the real estate market is fairly stagnant, that they can make ridiculously low offers on your home. However, instead of firmly rejecting a low ball offer (and shooting yourself in the foot at the same time), put your ego aside and counter offer. A counter offer may very well let the buyer know that you aren’t prepared to accept a low ball offer. At that point the buyer can either submit a reasonable offer or move on.
  • Get your home in tip-top shape and be prepared for serious competition. Unlike the seller’s market of even just a few years ago, homes are sitting on the market for a much longer period of time, which means that you must be prepared for plenty of competition. A great way to compete against other homes for sale in your area is to make sure your home is the best looking one on the block. Clean it up, clear out the clutter and make it shine. Take care of upgrades and renovations, and entice buyers with new appliances or extra features and amenities.
  • Remain open minded and flexible. If you want to sell your home in a buyer’s market, you will need to first remember that it is vital to remain flexible during the process. This essentially means that you will want to be accommodating during showings and open houses (even if the times aren’t particularly convenient for you); you will want to entertain all offers and remain flexible regarding the buyers’ terms and conditions; and you will want to always remember that the ultimate goal is to sell your home, so egos have no place during the selling process.

Although a buyer’s market may prove to be challenging for many homeowners, it is important to realize that there are still plenty of buyers out there, just waiting to purchase your home!

Myths about Selling your Home

Friday, May 15th, 2009

There are plenty of things to consider when selling your home, and there are plenty of careless mistakes to be made if you don’t come armed with the right knowledge and the best advice.

With that in mind, there are plenty of myths out there that sellers fall prey to, time and time again. They include:

Myth #1 – I will make more money if I remodel my home.

This is a tricky one, as there are home improvements which will raise the value of your Los Angeles property. There are also many home improvements that will allow you to see a return on your investment. With that said, you also must know that there are many improvements that will simply do nothing in terms of resale value.

For example, you will likely see a return on your investment in a kitchen remodel, provided you don’t go overboard with custom features and high-end, commercial appliances. Other areas that will see very little return on your investment include home offices, master bedroom add-ons and custom bathroom designs.

Good bets in terms of resale value typically include: carpeting and flooring; roofs and windows; heating and cooling systems; kitchen cabinets and countertops; and basic bathroom remodels.

Your real estate agent should be able to guide you regarding which projects will produce a nice return on your investment.

Myth #2 – I can list my home according to what my neighbor’s house recently sold for.

Although your neighbors’ home prices are often a good indicator of what your house is worth, it is important to remember that, unless the houses are nearly identical, there are a wide variety of factors that come into play when figuring out a home’s value, including upgrades, add-ons, improvements and the overall condition of the property.

Your home’s features, amenities, square footage, bedrooms, bathrooms and upgrades will all play a part in determining the sales prices for your home, which is why the services of a qualified real estate agent are vital when pricing your home for sale.

Myth #3 – I can price my home high, and then lower it later, if necessary.

One of the biggest mistakes many sellers make is to inflate the price of their home and then lower it if it hasn’t sold in a predetermined period of time. The best time to pique buyers’ interest is when the house first hits the market; and there is no better way to make a big impact than with a competitive price, especially in today’s tough real estate market.

A home that has been sitting on the market for an extended period of time will become “old news,” so to speak. A reduced price on a home will also cause many buyers to wonder is something wrong with the house.

The best course of action to take when selling your home is to remain honest, open and straightforward. It is also important to educate yourself about the process, and to have a qualified, dependable real estate agent in your corner.

Preparing Your Home for Sale

Friday, August 29th, 2008

Don

Preparing Your Home for Sale

Wednesday, August 20th, 2008

You only have one chance to make a first impression. Clich

Home Improvement Projects – Getting a Return on Your Investment

Tuesday, July 29th, 2008

Preparing your Coppell home for a quick sale often means making minor, and sometimes major, home improvements. Before giving the green light for another home remodeling project, however, make sure that you

Staging Your Home for Maximum Impact

Monday, July 21st, 2008

Selling a vacant home in North Dallas can be tricky. One might think that a home free of furniture will sell quicker because it is a blank canvas of sorts. But many studies have proven that this is not the case.

Effective staging accomplishes many things. First, it gives a home warmth and character and evokes emotion from potential buyers. Secondly, it gives potential buyers an idea of possible furniture placement and allows them to better gauge the size of the room based on the furniture placed in it. Lastly, it creates an often-magnificent first impression and therefore encourages a higher asking price (which typically more than offsets the costs for staging).

Effective staging can emphasize a home

Don

Monday, July 7th, 2008

Does your Irving home offer a positive, first impression? Or does it fall flat? If the old adage about potential buyers making up their minds about a home in the first 30 seconds holds true, then a home

Tips for Getting Your Dallas Home Sold

Friday, June 27th, 2008

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