How to get your home ready to sell

     When selling your home, presentation can be everything.  I see it all the time.  Buyers have a hard time envisioning living in a home that is cluttered, dirty, dark etc.  What this can mean for a seller?  Less traffic, less offers and lower priced offers when they do come in.  Thankfully, there are simple solutions that can yield big returns.

     

     Before deciding to sell, consider getting the landscaping in order.  If you have grass, make sure you get it nice and green.  Prune bushes, trees and any other plants that require it.  If there is a pool on the property, get it cleaned and skim it before all showings.  Lastly, clean out all gutters.  When selling you home, the last thing you want is for someone to pull up, glance at your home, and take off.  By doing these little exterior fixes, your home will be more enticing for people to come view it. 

     When buyers arrive at the doorstep, they will often spend some time there.  Reason being, the agent could be unlocking the lockbox, could be opening the door, whatever reason the buyer will spend some time on the doorstep.  Make sure that area is pristine.  If your home is anything like mine, the porch light will be susceptible to moths and spiders.  Keep it clean.  You want the buyer to focus on how nice the surrounding area and how tranquil the porch area can be. 

     

     Now we have finally made it through the doors.  If possible, keep all lights on and all of the curtains open.  Food for thought, before listing, get those windows and screens professionally cleaned.  You want the buyer to focus on what’s outside the windows, not how dirty they are.  Make sure the floors are clean and the carpet is vacuumed.  Keep the kitchens and bathrooms immaculate because most of the time those two things are what sells the home.  I will share something that was told to me when I first started in this industry.  If there are any switches and outlets that are cracked or damaged, replace them with a nice new one. You may be thinking who cares?  It is such a minor thing. When a buyer sees a damaged switch or outlet, it can get them to think if the seller lets something this small go, what large problem could they be hiding?

    

      By doing these small fixes, you will hopefully have a much easier time selling your home.  Good luck and happy showings!

Brad Harry

www.BradHarry.com

How to buy a home in a competitive market

In todays market, buying a home can often be tough for your average family.  There is a lot of competition out there making it hard for a buyers to get into a home.  You have the many all cash investors who are willing to pay significantly higher than the asking price.  So what are home buyers to do?

Don't get caught up with any one particular home and fall in love with it.  Homes are an investment and most likely the largest one we will make in our life time.  Emotions are not a good tool to use in making decisions on investments.  Now first thing is first, get pre approved!  Then you will know what price range you should be looking in, as well as the expenses you are about to incur.  Search for homes that match your criteria in terms of specific features.  For example, bedrooms, bathrooms, lot size etc.  Another large factor are school districts.  Pick the right one and selling in the future may be easier.  Pick the wrong one and selling may be slightly tougher. 

When placing an offer, consider making your initial offer your highest and best.  In this market, people are making initial offers at much higher levels.  Look at it this way.  What is the maximum price for the home and if it sold for a penny more you would be fine with losing it.

It's a tough market out there but I do not believe this will last forever.  We have gained an impressive 12% y o y which will bring down affordability.  Also, rates have increased to 4.5%  which will also decrease affordability.  Investors are well aware of these things and will eventually back off once cash has been put to work.  Once they do, I believe that we should see a more normalized increase in equity y o y of 4-6%.  Currently first time home buyers make up approximately 20% of the market when compared to a more normal rate of 40%.  The market will be more normalized once this occurs.

So stay positive, work diligently with your agent and you should be moving into escrow soon!

Brad Harry
www.BradHarry.com