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Posts Tagged ‘Selling’
Preparing Your Home for Sale
Monday, December 15th, 2008Fix it up or Sell it As-Is
Wednesday, December 10th, 2008You are getting ready to list your property on the market and you are just not sure what to fix and what not to fix. Will you get a return on your investment? Does it make sense to make certain home improvements or is it easier to just sell your home in as-is condition?
Many sellers are faced with these questions, yet there is no clear-cut answer. A seller’s market, for example, is usually in a seller’s favor regarding home improvements. Yet in a buyer’s market, when there is a large inventory of homes on the market, your house may be passed over for another one which needs no improvements.
The first thing you can do before embarking on a costly home improvement project is to research other Dallas homes and visit them during open houses. If most of the homes in the area have updated kitchens, for example, it may be well worth your while to spruce up your kitchen. And this doesn’t have to mean granite countertops and maple cabinets, either. Often a change of hardware and a fresh coat of the paint on the cabinets can make all the difference.
Most real estate experts will tell you that kitchens and bathrooms offer the highest rate of return, which is true. However, tearing apart your bathroom and completely updating it with a Jacuzzi tub and overhead skylights could cost you thousands of dollars, some of which you may not see again. Scale back any renovation projects and instead opt for a neutral, updated look without the fancy extras.
Some home improvements, however, should always be tended to before listing your home. These include:
- Repairing, patching and painting walls
- Repairing or replacing any broken appliances
- Repairing or replacing the HVAC system
- Repairing leaky faucets
- Replacing old or outdated light fixtures
- Replacing worn carpet or torn linoleum
- Repairing the roof
- Replacing any broken windows
The Top Five Mistakes Sellers Make When Showing Their Home
Thursday, December 4th, 2008Creating the right atmosphere and making potential buyers feel comfortable and welcome is essential during a showing. Opening the door, though, is just the first step in a successful showing for your Fort Worth real estate.
Below are the top five mistakes sellers make when showing their home:
1. Being inflexible or difficult about scheduling. Sure, leaving the house at 9am on a Saturday morning (when you’d rather be laying in bed reading the paper) isn’t convenient for most people, but saying no to showings will cost you a potential sale.
It is important to understand that if you are inflexible about scheduling, buyers will simply go onto the next property and will not likely head back to your property at a later time or date. A scheduling conflict is often a missed opportunity for a sale. Remember: be flexible and as accommodating as possible when it comes to showings.
2. Hovering around during the showing. There are no rules regarding leaving during a showing, but most real estate agents will agree that a present homeowner is often a big turn-off for potential buyers.
The bottom line is that most potential buyers feel uncomfortable with a present homeowner and are less likely to spend a fair amount of time in your home. They are also less likely to ask questions to the real estate agent and are certainly less likely to open closets and cabinets. Remember: the best way to sell your house is to leave during a showing.
3. Returning to the house too soon. Just like hovering, a homeowner popping back in the house in the middle of a showing is surely the quickest way to lose a potential sale. If you see cars still in the driveway, just keep driving, and don’t come back until the coast is clear!
4. Not cleaning your home. This may seem like a no-brainer, but it just needs to be mentioned. By all means, take the time to clean the house and tidy up before a showing. Your home will appear a lot less inviting if there are dirty dishes in the sink and dog hair on the carpet.
5. Not taking the pets. When you leave, take your pets with you, if possible. No one wants to be greeted at a showing by a barking, panting, jumping dog. Some people are pet lovers; some are not. Don’t gamble with a potential sale by keeping Fido or Fluffy at the home during a showing. Plan ahead and make arrangements regarding the pets before a showing arrives.
Seller Tips: What Not to Forget Before your Open House
Tuesday, December 2nd, 2008An open house can play a very important role in marketing and selling your Highland Park home. With this in mind, you will want to make sure that every detail has been tended to, and that no stone has been left unturned, so to speak.
Here are the following tips that every seller should remember before opening their doors for an open house:
- Don’t forget to clean! That means vacuuming, dusting, clearing the dirty dishes out of the sink, sweeping the floors, making the beds, and cleaning the bathrooms.
- Don’t forget to clear out the clutter! Remove piles of newspapers and shoes by the front door. Clean up and organize the kids’ toys and put away any mail, bills and catalogs.
- Don’t forget the home’s entry! Your buyers begin to form their opinion of your home as they walk toward the front door. Is your front entry warm and welcoming, or do unruly weeds and a dying pot of flowers stand out?
Sweep the porch and add a burst of color with potted plants of annuals. Add a wreath to the front door and clean the glass of the storm door.
- Don’t forget the backyard! Most buyers will want to take a walk through your backyard. Therefore, this is the time to make sure any animal droppings are cleared, and that toys aren’t strewn about the lawn. Sweep off the back porch or deck and make sure the porch furniture is cleaned and nicely arranged. Consider adding more colorful pots of flowers to spruce up this space.
- Don’t forget the closets! Buyers will look through your closets, whether you like it or not. Are your closets neatly organized, or are they overstuffed and cluttered? A neatly organized closet gives the impression that there is plenty of storage in the home, while a cluttered, messy closet screams lack of space.
- Don’t forget the windows! If the weather permits, open the windows and let the fresh air and sunshine stream through the home. And by all means, clean the windows so they sparkle! Fresh air and sunshine always help create a welcoming atmosphere.
Selling in a Buyer
Friday, November 21st, 2008A savvy seller in today’s market must be proactive and plan ahead to stand out among the competition. With a larger inventory of homes on the market, a buyer may be inundated with a slew of Coppell homes from which to choose. Therefore, it is in your best interest to take the extra steps necessary to be the house that buyers don’t forget.
The following tips will help you prepare your home for sale in a buyer’s market:
- Price your home competitively. Now is not the time to play games with the price of your home. Price it competitively – right from the start – to attract more home buyers. This involves collaboration between you and your real estate agent. Research the homes in your area that have seen action in the last six months – that includes active listings, sold properties and price reductions – and use that information to accurately set your price.
- Improve your home’s curb appeal. If it’s true that most buyers make up their mind about a house within the first 30 seconds, then it’s especially important that you tend to the front yard and entrance of your home.
Creating great curb appeal includes pulling weeds, planting colorful flowers, trimming back hedges and tree limbs, painting shutters and trim, painting or replacing the front door and adding new hardware, replacing or painting your mailbox and repairing any cracks in your walkway or front porch.
- Clean and stage your home. Give your home a thorough, deep cleaning and then focus your attention on staging your home. Remove clutter and excess furniture, and use the remaining furniture to play up the features of each room. For example, the living room fireplace is best showcased when you frame it with a sofa and two chairs. And the deck furniture works best when it is facing your wooded backyard.
Remember the old adage – you only have one chance to make a first impression!
Marketing Yourself with Confidence
Wednesday, November 5th, 2008Often the biggest hurdles for real estate agents is the process of marketing themselves. Whether you feel as if you are bothering people, are difficult at promoting yourself or simply have a fear of rejection, the many reasons for hesitation when it comes to marketing yourself can mean the difference between a highly successful real estate career and one that seems to never take off.
What to do?
- The first order of business is to transform the task of marketing yourself from a difficult one into a pleasurable one. Approach it as an exciting, positive experience and soon you’ll find yourself enjoying yourself, instead of cringing every time you pick up the phone. A positive attitude really does go a long way when marketing yourself.
- Know that you are offering a valuable service, not bothering people, when you place your first phone call. Focus on the many things you have to offer, and concentrate on relaying that to people. If you show confidence and offer to give valuable helpful ideas and suggestions that people need, you will soon find that people will generally be receptive to you.
- Make a point to understand your unique selling points, and relay those to people. Eliminate the mindset of “I’m bragging,” and learn about your unique qualities that make you a valuable addition to any real estate transaction. The biggest hurdle you may face may be the need to downplay what you have to offer. But once you overcome this, you can let people know what you have to offer and radiate confidence while you’re doing it.
- Always remain visible. People need to know who you are and how to reach you. Becoming very visible is often the best, first step when marketing yourself. You can’t talk to people about your qualities and talents if they don’t know you’re there!
Gehan Homes Announces New Forth Worth Residential Communities
Wednesday, September 17th, 2008Gehan Homes is currently marketing and selling homes in its three, new home communities in Fort Worth.
They include:
- Manor Hill – Premium and Classic
Manor Hill Premier and Classic are both master planned communities, located in Fort Worth, in Tarrant County.
Manor Hill offers new homes in 12 distinctive floor plans ranging from high $120’s to the $210’s with square footages of 1,675 to 3,475 Manor Hill is also part of the Keller ISD school and this beautiful neighborhood boasts a lovely swimming pool and scenic trails.
This community is located within 20 miles of Texas Christian University, University of Texas at Arlington, University of North Texas, Texas Women’s University, Tarrant County Junior College, and Texas Wesleyan University.
- Chisolm Ridge – Premier
Chisholm Ridge Premier is situated in North Fort Worth, only 15 minutes from Downtown Fort Worth. It is also within minutes to I-35 & Hwy 287.
This beautiful community, in Tarrant County, offers new homes in 6 distinctive floor plans ranging from 1,675 to 2,575 square feet with prices from the high $120’s to $150’s. In addition, Chisholm Ridge is part of the Eagle Mountain-Saginaw School District and close to great shopping at Ridgmar Mall. This master-planned neighborhood also has two swimming pools and a children’s playground. The new homes in this community are surrounded by tree lined greenbelts.
- Stone Creek Ranch – Premier
Stone Creek Ranch is located in Fort Worth, which is part of Tarrant County.
This master planned community of new homes offers breathtaking views, rolling hills and a large community park. Stone Creek Ranch offers new homes in 11 distinctive floor plans ranging from low $100’s to the $140’s with square footages of 1,334 to 2,731square feet. In addition, Stone Creek Ranch is minutes from Highway 820 and I-30 and part of the Eagle Mountain-Saginaw School District.
Gehan Homes is a privately owned company based in Texas. They have built, for the past 35 years, high-quality, single-family homes which are competitively priced. Gehan Homes has built homes in Fort Worth, Houston, Austin, Dallas, San Antonio and the surrounding communities. They offer a limited, ten-year warranty on all their homes.
How a Seller can ensure the Speed of a Home Inspection
Saturday, February 2nd, 2008Dallas Realtors recommend that home sellers perform the following tasks in order to speed up the process of a home inspection. At times, a home inspection can seem to slow down a real estate transaction, sometimes to a tortoise
Easy Property Enhancement Ideas for Sellers
Friday, February 1st, 2008Real estate agents recommend that sellers take advantage of a number of property enhancement ideas. When a seller enhances the overall property of their home, they are dramatically increasing the value of their home, oftentimes by thousands of dollars. Dallas Realtors have complied a list of the top property enhancement ideas that can ensure the successful sale of your home.
1) Have the home professionally cleaned for showings.
2) Repaint or touch-up the exterior and interior paint of the home. Try to choose a neutral shade with an attractive white trim.
3) Sellers should have the walkways, patio area and exterior siding pressure washed to create a fresh, clean look.
4) Repaint the shutters, front door and exterior trim to create a fresh new look.
5) At the front door there should be a brand new Welcome mat.
6) Have all of the windows cleaned by professional cleaners.
7) A seller should take the time to repair any bent window frames or broken windows.
Sellers can increase the
The Importance of Curb Appeal
Thursday, January 24th, 2008Fort Worth Realtors recommend that people interested in selling their home need to take into consideration the importance of curb appeal. We have all driven through neighborhoods and seen houses that