The Real Estate Blog - seller advice

Fall Home Maintenance to Get Ready For Winter

Don't FALL Behind!

Home Maintenance TIPS

Just because you're set to sell your home doesn't mean that you can neglect to maintain it, especially with winter fast approaching. Not only can prepping for the winter season help showcase some of the features which make your home unique (like a cozy fireplace), but the failure to adequately prep it for the season can result in home hazards that could impact the sale of your home, even after you've accepted an offer.

Here are some winter maintenance tips that you need to be thinking about this fall:

Plumbing Prep:

Your home's pipes can be a big issue during the cold winter months, so blow out your sprinkler system and take any outdoor hoses indoors. Don't forget to shut off the water to…

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Worried About Buying and Selling in Today's Market?

Are You Worried About Buying and Selling in Today's Market?

Perhaps the most common concern that I've been hearing from homeowners lately, is that of uncertainty in regards to finding a new home after committing to the sale of their current one. "Where will we go, and what if we can't find a new home in this market?" The fact is true that the market has been interesting to navigate over the last two years, but that should never prevent you from your real estate goals.

Thinking about selling your current home, but worried about buying your next one?

- The Purchase -

The market has been a bit crazy over the past two years, but things have started to settle down. As more homes hit the market this Spring and average selling prices begin to…

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Home Selling Mistakes to Avoid: Outdoor Edition

Home Selling Mistakes to Avoid:
OUTDOOR EDITION

One of our most popular blog posts was about home selling mistakes to avoid. Since this post was so popular, we thought it was a good idea to make a similar post, this one dedicated to the home selling mistakes that happen outdoors. You know, the cluttered lawns, unkempt gardens, and peeling paint-type of outdoor problems. Read on to make sure you don't make these common mistakes when selling your home!

Leaving Out The Trash

One common thing that sellers often overlook is keeping their outdoor garbage areas in good shape. If your garbage bins are overflowing with trash and your recycling bins are scattered with empty soda cans, it might make people think you've neglected the rest of your home too.…

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Is It Time to Downsize Your Home?

How To Know When It's Time To Downsize Your Home

As a realtor, I help people in all stages of their lives buy and sell their homes. One common question I get is when it’s time to downsize your home. While you are the best judge of whether or not it is the right time to downsize, here are some things to think about to help you make your choice.

Do you have extra, unused space in your home?

If you are an empty nester whose children have moved out, you're probably faced with a few extra rooms that don't get the same use that they used to. Maybe you don't need that third bathroom or second family room in the basement. As your children move out and start their own families, it's a good time to think about downsizing. Getting rid of that unused…

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Selling Your Home: You Have Received An Offer! Now What?

You Have Received an Offer! Now What?

You never truly know what buyers are thinking when they make an offer, but, the ease of negotiations will be directly linked to the amount of preparation you've put into listing your home.

Below are your main areas of focus.

Working with the Price

If you get your asking price, or even over it, that's fantastic! If you don't find the price appropriate you can sign the offer back. This means you're refusing the offer and would like to make changes. One thing to remember is that buyers ultimately decide what your house is worth. If the showing feedback & offer history shows that your price may be high, then be flexible. There may be other ways to save money.

Working with the Closing Date

When do you…

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Increasing Curb Appeal & Getting Buyers in the Door

Increasing Curb Appeal and Getting Buyers In The Door

Before you put money in to your home, the exterior should be taken care of. The first impression is made when potential buyers drive by your home or pull into your driveway. If it doesn’t look good, they are approaching with skepticism or they may just keep on driving!

While exterior improvements may not have a large ROI, compared to Interior improvements, they are essential. Anything on the outside of your home that needs improvement or replacement could significantly affect an offer price or the desire to place an offer at all. Some exterior items can have large price tags to fix and the average buyer won't be willing to assume major repairs. I know everyone has a different budget when…

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Selling Your Home in the Winter

Selling Your Home in the Winter

Winter may be upon us, but the local real estate market is still hot. With many sellers holding off until the spring, this is a perfect opportunity to take advantage of a demanding housing market. The last thing in-the-know home sellers want to do is to slack off on their home’s curb appeal during the winter months. Those trying to sell a home during the winter should take extra care of their property’s exterior to help stand apart from other listings. A little bit of holiday cheer can go a long way when making a first impression with potential home buyers. Here are some tips to help increase your home’s winter curb appeal:

Walkways

There is no way to sell the home if buyers cannot make it to the front door. Take…

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Staging Your Home

Staging Your Home

Before you place your home on the market you should try to achieve a show home quality. You want to highlight your home's strong points and minimize the weak points. You are trying to persuade someone to spend Hundreds of Thousands of Dollars on your home, so you should try to deliver a quality product.

Get your Home Ready for Showings by focusing on these areas:

Lighting.

Open blinds & drapes, make sure all light fixtures are on & have working bulbs during showings. Many houses don't have enough lighting to begin with but you can go to any big box store and buy beautiful fixtures or lamps for minimal investment.

Living Areas.

Make sure furniture isn’t blocking the flow of a room. You might have a great sectional…

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