Oct 9, 2013 | Home Selling Tips
Home inspections are a tense time for everyone. Sellers are fervently hoping that nothing major is wrong with their home that could hold up the transaction.
Buyers are eager to hear that their new house is in prime condition. Whatever the wishes, one thing is for sure; any news from an inspector is usually bad news.
Home inspectors have a tough job. They have to be trained to spot hundreds of potential issues with a home and be knowledgeable of local codes, community restrictions and residential permit parameters.
Stay one step ahead of your home inspector by reading the list of common home inspection issues below. Then hopefully your inspection won’t reveal any unwelcome surprises.
Electrical Wiring
This is a common bubble-busting issue, especially in older homes. Wiring might have been up to code when the home was built, but it now violates code and is a fire hazard.
Look for ungrounded outlets, shoddy wiring or a mass of confusing connections in the electrical panel. Replacing an entire electrical system can be expensive, but it’s worth it not to risk a fire.
Plumbing
Look for signs of water damage in the ceilings. This could be a sign that something above, like a bathtub or sink is leaking into the floor or walls. Look around toilets and inside kitchen cabinets for traces of wet flooring or wood.
While external leaks are easy enough to fix, interior pipes might require you to rip up flooring.
Foundation And Framing
Examine the foundation and framing of your home for any structural issues. You’ll want to keep an eye out for cracking in the foundation due to water runoff or settling. Also, look for signs of wood rot or termite damage.
These issues affect the framing of your home and could cause scary structural problems if left unattended.
Roofing
While it’s probably too difficult for you to inspect the roof yourself, just stand back in the yard and see if you can notice any bare spots. Also, check for water damage around the roofline from rain leaking in. Don’t get too discouraged about roof issues. It might not call for a complete replacement, but just a repair on one section.
These common home inspection issues affect both sellers and buyers. As a buyer, you’ll want to keep a eye out for these problems so that you know what you’d be getting for your hard-earned money.
As a seller, it’s good to stay one step ahead of the home inspector so that whatever price is agreed upon goes through.
Oct 3, 2013 | Home Selling Tips
When you own a home, there are additions that you can make to the property that will improve the value of your home. For example, a newly renovated kitchen or bathroom is a popular choice that will really make the home more desirable to buyers.
Also, adding storage space or a well-thought-out family room or other practical space can be a very good investment that will bring up the home’s value.
However, there are other projects that are not really worth your time or money and will allow very little opportunity to recover your costs when it is time to sell the property. Here are a few examples of things that you think might add to the value of your home, but really don’t.
An Elaborately Landscaped Garden
A beautifully landscaped garden might make the home more visually attractive to buyers when they are looking at the property, but it will not likely add to the selling price.
This is especially true if the new buyer is not interested in putting in the effort to keep the garden well-maintained and sees it as a burden. If they don’t have time to do the landscaping, they will need to hire a gardener which will add to their expenses.
A Hobby Specific Room
Are you tempted to convert a bedroom into a room that is specific to one of your particular interests, such as an art studio, a library or a wine cellar? This will not add a lot of value to the home, because the next buyer is not likely to share your passions.
It might even make the home less than desirable, because the next owner will not want to spend the time and money renovating the room back into a bedroom.
You can create a hobby room; just make sure that you make non-permanent chances to the room so that you can quickly and easily switch it back to a bedroom.
A Renovated Garage
Redoing your garage and turning it into a family room or a play room might give you a short term benefit, but you might regret it when you go to sell the home. Most people want a garage to serve its original purpose – as a place to protect their cars from the elements and store their shovels, garbage cans, leaf blowers and other outdoor things.
These are a few examples of home additions that will not add to the resale value of your property. To find out more about selling your home, contact your real estate professional.
Sep 5, 2013 | Home Selling Tips
When it comes to selling your home, curb appeal refers to the “first impression” that your house gives when a buyer approaches it from the driveway or the street.
Does your house look attractive and inviting, or does it appear rundown?
First impressions are important and even if the inside of the home is perfect, the outer appearance can really affect a buyer’s perception.
If you are trying to sell your property, you have probably mowed the front lawn and even planted flowers in order to improve your curb appeal. However, could you have over looked one of these common curb appeal mistakes?
Cheesy Garden Gnomes
You might think that your decorative lawn ornaments are cute, but your potential buyers don’t necessarily have the same taste. If you have a few gnomes living in your garden, you might want to hide them away for a while when your home goes on the market.
Dark Pathways
Your potential buyers might want to visit your home in the evening, so make sure you invest in some outdoor lighting to guide their way to your front door. A poorly lit front walkway will not make a good first impression.
Dying Flowers
Adding flowers to your front yard can improve your curb appeal, until the seasons change and they begin to go brown and whither. Do your best to keep up with the garden maintenance throughout the year so that everything still looks fresh.
Children’s Toys
If you have little ones, your yard is probably filled with discarded Frisbees, tricycles, skipping ropes, sidewalk chalk and other toys. Before showing your home, make sure that all of these are tidied away.
Your potential buyers might not have children and might not be fond of them, so they want to be able to see what the lawn and the garden will look like when it is not covered in brightly coloured plastic.
These are just a few of the curb appeal mistakes to avoid, so that your home looks as appealing as possible. For more home real estate tips, feel free to contact your real estate professional.
Sep 4, 2013 | Home Selling Tips
Words are powerful and when you are selling your home, the words that you use in your real estate listing can really impact the first impression that the property makes on potential buyers.
Whether you are writing the real estate listing, or the house is being promoted by a real estate professional, it is important to use the right words to convey the meaning that you intend.
This is especially true when you only have room for a short description, as every word counts.
Here are a few words to use in your description that will really bring positive attention to your real estate listing:
“Within Walking Distance Of…”
Can you walk from your home to the supermarket, the local pub, the shopping mall, the elementary school or the dog park? If so, make sure you advertise this on your real estate listing!
Buyers are looking for homes that are accessible to the major amenities that they use in their everyday lives, because this saves them time and money on fuel and is more convenient.
“Plenty of Storage Space”
Let’s face it, as a nation we tend to be hoarders. Many people have an incredible amount of stuff and they need a house that has enough room to store it all.
A home with plenty of well organized closets and storage space will be desirable, because it will suggest a comfortable and well organized living environment rather than a cramped and cluttered existence.
“Move Right In”
If your home is fully finished and doesn’t require any renovations, make sure that potential buyers know this. A home that is in “move in condition” will be very desirable to some people who don’t want to take on the headache and hard work of a fixer-upper.
“Light and Spacious”
We are attracted to bright open spaces and floor plans that have a comfortable flow, rather than small and dark compartmentalized hallways and rooms. If your home has a lot of natural light and an open floor plan, this is a great attribute that you should highlight in the listing.
To find out more about listing your home and generating interest in your property, contact trusted real estate professional today.
Jul 10, 2013 | Home Selling Tips
Does the time of year when you put your home on the market affect how well it will sell? What about the final sales price?
According to many studies in housing trends, the answer is yes. The time of year when you sell your home can have an effect on how many people are interested and how much the home will sell for.
Of course, if you need to move and sell your home at any point of the year, you will still be able to find buyers and negotiate a price that works for you. In some areas of the country, the currently swift moving housing market can help overcome poor timing.
However, if you have the ability to plan for a more advantageous time, it makes sense to make the most of your flexibility.
The Best Times Of The Year To Sell A Home
One of the best times of the year to sell your house is in the late spring and early summer — like right now.
The school year is over for most families, and many people will be looking to purchase a home that they can move into over the summer and get settled before school begins again in the fall.
Housing sales peak during this time, as studies show that 60% of people tend to move during the summer.
If you can sell your home during the spring or early summer period, it will typically be on the market for a shorter amount of time and you may have many more offers to choose from.
The Worst Times Of The Year To Sell A Home
One of the worst months of the year to sell a home is December. There are a number of reasons why trying to sell a home during the Christmas holidays can be difficult.
Most people aren’t thinking of moving this time of year. Their energies are focused on decorating their houses, preparing for the holidays, visiting friends and family and enjoying their time off work.
Another difficult time is the beginning of the school year, typically in September.
Children will have just started school and most families will not be considering moving at this point. If you attempt to sell your home during this time of year, you will be much less likely to get the the same pool of buyers that you might see in a more “move friendly” time of year.
Of course, these are just guidelines to help you plan your next home sale. No matter what time of year it is, if you need advice on selling your Worcester County area home, call your trusted real estate professional right away.
Jul 3, 2013 | Home Selling Tips
Want to sell your home this summer?
With the help of a real estate professional, you could be signing a closing agreement and on your way to a whole new housing world before winter sets in.
So, get inspired this Fourth of July to liberate yourself from your current home.
A local real estate agent who is an expert in his or her field might be the spark needed to get you motivated, strategically market your home and have potential buyers seeing fireworks at your first open house.
To help with your quest for the perfect home-selling expert, here are three questions you should ask during initial interviews:
What do you know about the local market?
Make sure your agent is up to date on the area’s current listings. He or she needs to know what’s happening in your neighborhood in order to market it and ensure it beats out the competition.
How will you market my home?
Make sure you’re on the same page when it comes to spreading the word about your property. You’ll want to confirm that your agent is Internet savvy and has fresh ideas on how to make your home stand out. It’s always a good idea to ask agents you’re interviewing to provide examples of how they’ve marketed other homes.
What will you do to help me prepare my home for sale?
Successful agents should do a walk-through with you and use their past experience and buyer feedback to give advice on how to stage your home. It benefits both of you to have your home looking its best, so that it sells fast!
In honor of the Fourth of July, take a cue from our forefathers and enlist the services of a good real estate agent to help emancipate you from your current home.
If you’re looking for a Massachusetts real estate professional, I’d appreciate the opportunity help you. Give me a call today or email me to get all of your questions answered.
