Getting the Exterior of the House Ready to Sell

The big decision is whether to paint or not to paint. When you look at your house from across the street, does it look tired and faded? If so, a paint job may be in order. It is often a very good investment and really spruces up the appearance of a house, adding dollars to offers from potential homebuyers.

When choosing a color, it should not be something garish and unusual, but a color that fits well in your neighborhood. Of course, the color also depends on the style of your house, too. For some reason, different shades of yellow seem to illicit the best response in homebuyers, whether it is in the trim or the basic color of the house.

As for the roof, if you know your roof leaks, repair it. If you do not repair a leaky roof, you are going to have to disclose it and the buyer will want an entire new roof. If you know your roof leaks and you don't repair it and don't disclose it, look forward to hearing from lawyers at some point in the future.

Otherwise, wait and see what the home inspector says. Why spend money unnecessarily?

The 10 Minute Showing Drill

You may receive a call requesting a showing in the next ten minutes. The decision to allow the prospective buyers in is yours. If you elect to cooperate with the showing, the following punch list may help:

•Sound - Turn off the television. Soft classical musical is okay, but some people find it distracting.
•Sight - Turn on overly light in the house - day and night. Every window covering should be open (unless the view is unattractive).
•Smell - Heat a pan on the stove and drop in a few drops of vanilla
•Kitchen - Make sure dirty dishes are out of sight
•Bathrooms - Close toilet lids.
•Living/Family rooms - Hide clutter, magazines, newspapers, etc.
•Bedrooms - Make the beds, don’t use the closet as a hiding place - try underneath the bed.
•Exterior - Keep the walkway clear, put away trashcans and toys.
•Children & Pets Outside - You too! Let the Realtor sell your home. If you are there the buyer may feel uncomfortable voicing objections and their Agent won’t be able to respond to these objections.

Taming Soaring Bills

Some of the simplest ways to save money during energy spikes include weather stripping and programmable thermostats. But you may also want to consider more expensive attic fans, high-efficiency windows, and reflective roofs.

Rising fuel costs ripple through the economy, and could spark inflation in the price of materials and labor. Home equity loans are an attractive way to finance costly home projects, and the ability to write off the interest paid on home equity loans and lines of credit may make these loans palatable for you and your family. Other benefits include possible tax credits and low-interest loans for energy-saving home projects; check with your state government to see if you qualify.

Improvements to boost energy efficiency offer other benefits. Insulating pipes reduces energy lost during hot-water delivery and prevents freeze-up damage in case your main heating system fails. And a high-efficiency natural-gas fireplace can become a valuable backup to oil or electric heating systems.

Halloween Stencils

With Halloween just around the corner, I thought it would be fun to share some stencils for Jack-o-lanterns that I found. Click this to find them.

Happy Haunting!!

Putting Smell Back In

Just as important as getting bad smells out is putting good smells back in. There are three important smells to know about: fresh bread, cinnamon and coffee. Most houses are up for inspection over a two or three week period and people can often return for a second look, so varying your smell can be the clincher.

The fresh bread smell is achieved by buying a large white loaf and opening up its belly and pouring a bottle of vanilla essence into it and popping it into the oven at medium heat for half an hour before the inspection begins.

Remove it before the real estate man or lady arrives. The result is a home that smells of freshly baked bread which, as you know, is the warmest, cleanest, most home-caring smell there is.

Another smell that kills any other smells that might have been left behind by the cat or the parrot, is cinnamon. Simply warm a couple of tablespoons in a pan and allow the smell to invade the house.

If your home is a bit upmarket or in a trendy area, then use the famous coffee-bean ploy. Half a cup of coffee beans roasted in the oven will fill the house with the aroma of fresh coffee.

Smell to Sell

Home Selling Advice to Make Your Home Smell Great



1. Take out the trash before showing. That simple.

2. Tell the children to keep stinky shoes in the garage.

3. Sprinkle baking powder on the carpet before vacuuming.

4. Vinegar - your new best friend. Use vinegar to clean floors, countertops, and bathrooms. (1/2 cup to one gallon of hot water.) A stronger vinegar mix dissolves hard-water scum on shower tile and glass enclosures.

5. Add essential oil drops to final rinse for floors.

6. Use essential oils in a diffuser instead of artificial sprays that some home shoppers may find offensive; they may think you're trying to mask a bigger problem like mildew, or even worse, they may be allergic to the artificial product and think your house makes them teary-eyed and sneezy.

7. Keep up with the laundry. Wash sneakers with a half-cup of added vinegar.

8. Wash all bed linens, even blankets, which hold odors. Use non-allergic scented fabric softener.

9. Check window coverings for musty smells.

10. Run a grapefruit or orange skin through your garbage disposal for a refreshing clean smell a few minutes before showing.

You don't want to attract low offers from real estate investors. Prepare your home for sale by ridding the house of offensive odors and then add fresh scents like gardenias to stage the perfect setting - one that feels like home to buyers.

Ceilings, Walls, and Painting

Check all the ceilings for water stains, whether the leak is caused by plumbing or a faulty roof. Find the leak and repair it and make sure a proper job is done. Nothing irritates a buyer more than finding out-after the fact-about plumbing or roofing leaks. They will be talking about calling a lawyer faster than your car engine starts when you turn the ignition key.

If a water stain is left after something you have already repaired, do the cosmetic work necessary to improve the desirability of your home. That means painting.

You may have to paint anyway, especially if dirt has accumulated in spots or you have an outdated color scheme. Painting makes a home look fresh and new on the inside and never fails to impress.

Painting can be your best investment when selling your home. It is not a very expensive operation and often you can do it yourself. Do not choose colors based on your own preferences, but based on what would appeal to the widest possible number of buyers. You should almost always choose an off-white color because white helps your rooms appear bright and spacious.

Kitchen Clutter

The kitchen is a good place to start removing clutter because it is an easy place to start.

First, get everything off the counters. Everything. Even the toaster. Put the toaster in a cabinet and take it out when you use it. Find a place where you can store everything in cabinets and drawers. Of course, you may notice that you do not have cabinet space to put everything. Clean them out. The dishes, pots and pans that rarely get used? Put them in a box and put that box in storage.

You see, homebuyers will open all your cabinets and drawers, especially in the kitchen. They want to be sure there is enough room for their "stuff." If your kitchen cabinets, pantries, and drawers look jammed full, it sends a negative message to the buyer and does not promote an image of plentiful storage space. The best way to do that is to have as much "empty space" as possible.

For that reason, if you have a "junk drawer," get rid of the junk. If you have a rarely used crockpot, put it is storage. Do this with every cabinet and drawer. Create open space.

If you have a large amount of food crammed into the shelves or pantry, begin using them - especially canned goods. Canned goods are heavy and you don't want to be lugging them to a new house anyway-or paying a mover to do so. Let what you have on the shelves determine your menus and use up as much as you can.

Beneath the sink is very critical too. Make sure the area beneath the sink is as empty as possible, removing all extra cleaning supplies. You should scrub the area down as well, and determine if there are any tell-tale sings of water leaks that may cause a homebuyer to hesitate in buying your home.

Pricing

Set your price carefully. Too high and buyers may not consider your house, too low and you're selling yourself short. Realtors often give a free home market analysis if you ask. This gives you an idea of how your home compares financially with similar, recently sold homes in your area. The analysis may also include how much you might expect to earn after closing.

Below I have included a sample home market analysis to show you what is included. I offer a free home market analysis to my clients. Call me today!

7 Green Supplies You Need

Linda Mason Hunter, author of Green Clean, recommends these easy switches to your normal cleaning routine to make it more planet-friendly.


green supply closet


Many "green" cleaning supplies are available in your local stores -- you just need a little label savvy to spot them.

Here are her pointers:

Paper Products

When shopping for paper goods, choose those with the highest "post consumer waste" content you can find, either unbleached or whitened without chlorine.

Candles

Replace paraffin candles, which are made from crude oil, with cleaner-burning soy or beeswax ones.

Trash Bags

Select biodegradable bags or those made with at least 65 percent recycled content.

Lightbulbs

Compact fluorescent bulbs use one-quarter the energy of incandescent bulbs and last 10 times longer.

Cleaning Stuff

Buy prepared basics or mix your own cleaners using common ingredients.

Reusable Cloths

Flannel cloths, for dusting or wet cleaning, can be washed and reused.

Natural Scrubbers

Try cellulose or natural sea sponges instead of plastic ones. Old toothbrushes come in handy for cleaning grout.

New Listing

This beauty is a dream come true. This custom home was built with a family in mind. It has 6 bedrooms, 3 baths and lots of upgrades. There is hardwood all through the home. It is situated on a .77 acre lot in lovely Highland. Call me to schedule an appointment today!

New Listings

These are new construction CUSTOM homes that I have listed in an area in Highland called Mercer Hollow. They are BEAUTIFUL homes just waiting for you. There are many upgrades and wonderful features in each of these houses. No two houses are alike. You will not be disappointed.

Two of these homes will be featured in the much anticipated Once Upon a Christmas Home Tour on December 4th and 5th, 2008. For more information on the home tour, look at Signs of Hope International's website.

Call me today to look at these homes!

Odor Control

For those who smoke, you might want to minimize smoking indoors while trying to sell your home. Actually it is best to move smoking outside. You could also purchase an ozone spray that helps to remove odors without creating a masking odor.

Apologies to pet owners, but pets come with odors. You may have become used to them, but they are immediately noticeable to those with more finely tuned olfactory senses.

For those with cats, be sure to empty kitty litter boxes daily and use plenty of baking soda.
For dog owners, keep the dog outdoors as much as possible, even those adorable lovable little dogs. you might also try sprinkling carpet freshener on the carpet on a periodic basis.

Kitchen Improvement Tips

If you are thinking about selling your house, take a good look around. Is your house something that you would want to buy? Take a look at your kitchen. A really good kitchen can sell a house. Is there something you can do to make your kitchen more appealing?

Appliances and cabinets are typically the most expensive items to replace in a kitchen. If you don't HAVE to replace them, you will save a ton of money. However, if your cabinets are dated and beat-up, your house might not sell if the cabinets aren't replaced.

Kitchen remodels return nearly 100%. According to Remodeling Magazine, the high-end kitchens don't return as much as the mid-range or minor kitchen remodels. So don't go crazy! Most buyers won't pay extra because you just put in a built-in Sub Zero refrigerator, professional 8-burner stove, undermount sink or travertine floors.

• Cabinets---Resurfacing is your best option. This involves attaching a thin veneer to the surface of the cabinets and replacing the doors and hardware. If your cabinets are painted, add a fresh coat of paint and new hardware.

Here is a link to new affordable ideas for cabinets: http://www.bhg.com/home-improvement/kitchen/cabinets/new-looks-in-cabinetry/

• Counter tops, sinks & faucets---Granite counters are NOT necessary. Although they look great, laminates, newer faucets and sparkling sinks sell. Buyers don't want leaky faucets or stained sinks.

LOOK FOR MORE SELLING TIPS SOON!!

Adding Curb Appeal to Your Home

In a Day

Create perfect symmetry

Symmetry is not only pleasing to the eye, it's also the simplest to arrange. Symmetrical compositions of light fixtures and front-door accents create welcoming entryways. This door is flanked by two sidelights. The black lantern-style sconces not only safely guide visitors to the door, but also coordinate with the black door and urns.

-Taken from Better Homes and Gardens

Getting Your House Ready to Sell

Have you ever noticed when talking to a real estate agent, they refer to y our purchase as a "home." But if you are selling, they will often refer to it as a "house." There is a reason for this. Buying real estate is an emotional decision, but when selling real estate, you need to remove the emotion from the picture.

You need to think of your house as a commodity. Property. Real Estate. You want others to view it as their home, not yours. If you don't consciously do this, it may take longer to sell your home.

The first step to getting your home ready to sell is to "de-personalize" it.

LOOK FOR MORE SELLING TIPS SOON!