Lee Morof's Real Estate Blog

The idea of impressing potential buyers can be a matter rife with stress, but there are a few things you can do before a viewing to ensure your home is seen in the best light. If you’ve recently put your house on the market and you’re looking for some fast and easy fix-ups, here are a handful of ways you can be sure to create a positive first impression.

It’s All About the Smell

It may seem like purchasing a home is all about appearance, but you shouldn’t underestimate the power of scent when it comes to the overall impact of your home viewing. Instead of leaving this invisible factor up to chance, consider giving the house a quick light spray with a pleasant scent or even baking something that will be sure to remind potential buyers of the familiar comforts of home. Make sure you dont over do it though, having too much sent may make potential buyers uncomfortable or even sick.

Take Away the Family Portraits

While it won’t be necessary to clear away everything of personal value, a large number of photographs in the home can actually remind potential homebuyers that it’s not their home and may make them feel like they’re a visitor in a place they want to live. By removing the photos that adorn the fridge and the side tables, you can eliminate distractions for potential homebuyers and keep them focused on what the home might come to mean for them.

Clear Away Any Clutter

This might seem like the most common sense of points, but it’s very important that your house is clean so that viewers can see your home in its best light and will easily be able to imagine themselves living in it. While it’s important for giving your house the best possible presentation, it will also make your house look more spacious than it would with a lot of unkempt clutter.

Highlight Your Favorite Features

With potential homebuyers viewing a lot of different houses, having a few key features in your home that will help it stand out from the pack can be a definite benefit. Whether you have a fabulous Jacuzzi in the master bathroom or unique kitchen tiles that you installed yourself, ensuring that these features are noticed, and even accentuated, may help your home stick in the mind of its viewers.

Showing your home can be a stressful matter, but a few quick tips can ensure success with potential buyers. If you’re curious about other ways to impress viewers of your home, you may want to contact your trusted real estate professional for some valuable insights.

The real estate market is in a state of constant flux, and if your home has been for sale a little while you may feel vulnerable if you’ve recently rejected an offer. If you’re starting to change your tune on what you want and you’re wondering how you can re-make a deal, here are a few pointers for how to approach a new negotiation.

Did You Do a Follow-Up Call?

One of the rules for selling your home is to follow-up with all potential buyers as a matter of courtesy, whether you’ve accepted their offer on your home or not. If you’ve done this with a potential buyer you want to re-negotiate with, then you’re in a good position to contact them. Whether you choose to do this directly with the buyer or through your real estate agent, make sure that you know exactly what you want to say so the second time around can be more promising for both parties.

Re-Consider the Buyer’s Point of View

If you’re contemplating a former offer, looking at the way the buyer sees things may help you come to more of a consensus in terms of price. While you’ve paid for your property, and you’re aware of all that you’ve invested into it, a buyer may be looking simply at the going price of other properties in the area. By re-considering the market value in your area and being clear on the buyer’s concerns regarding your price-point, it’s possible you may be able to meet somewhere closer to the middle when it comes to a renegotiated price.

Be Prepared to Change Your Tune

You likely won’t be able to successfully negotiate anything with your potential buyer unless you and your family re-consider your asking price. While re-negotiating an offer that seems unfair certainly isn’t something worth stressing over, you’ll want to think about what the additional money you might be making is worth and if the difference is going to make up for potentially having your house on the market for a few more weeks or months. If it’s worth it to you to re-negotiate, you may just have home sale on your hands in short order

Selling a home can be a matter of significant stress, and missing out on an offer can add even more difficulty to the proverbial pile. Whether you’re wondering how you can renegotiate an old offer or successfully sell your home, you may want to contact your local real estate agent for more information.

Selling a house in a slow market is like playing the world’s worst waiting game. But for sellers who want to make a deal quickly, there are ways to boost your offers and close a bid in short order – even if the market isn’t that hot. If you’re struggling to sell your home, try these four strategies to boost buyer interest and start bringing in offers.

Choose An Agent With Strong Marketing Skills

In a slow market, your choice of real estate agent may make or break the sale. When there simply aren’t that many people looking for homes, you’ll need to make a strong case for why your home is the ideal choice. And that means you need a great marketing campaign.

Look for an agent that has a marketing presence and appears to keep their ear to the ground when it comes to the realestate world.

The right agent can implement a great marketing strategy to line up buyers all the way down the street.

Invest In Great Staging And Curb Appeal

In a slow market, you need to offer as much value as you can – and that means making your home look amazing. A fresh coat of paint can do wonders for your décor, while a professional staging can make your home more appealing to potential buyers. You can quickly boost your curb appeal by painting your door, installing some outdoor light fixtures, or adding pieces of outdoor art like birdbaths and sculptures.

Price Your Home Around The Median

Of course you want to get the highest price you can for your home, but keep in mind that in a slow market, there’s a limit to how much you can reasonably ask for. Overpriced houses tend to sit on the market for quite a while, so talk with your real estate agent to see whether your home is overpriced. Ideally, your home should be around the median figure of what’s considered fair market value.

No Immediate Interest? Cut The Price Sooner Rather Than Later

Even if you’ve done everything right, you may not see immediate interest in your home – and if that’s the case, you’ll want to address the problem sooner rather than later. The longer a house sits on the market, the less likely it is to sell, as people may start to think there’s something wrong with the house. If you’re starting to come up on the average sale time without any offers, talk to your agent about cutting the price.

Selling your home in a slow market isn’t easy, but it is possible. With the right strategy, you can bring in the offers and find a buyer. Contact your local trusted real estate agent to learn more about selling your home.

When it comes to buying a home people are more apt to consider a newer model. After all new homes are more energy efficient; require less maintenance the perks many buyers want. For homeowners with older homes getting a competitive edge can take a lot of extra work, especially in today’s real estate market.

Give Older Homes A Fresh Look

But there are ways to make older homes stand apart from newer homes on the market. Start by sprucing up the outside out the house. It’s amazing how a fresh coat of paint and a newly paved driveway can improve the curb appeal of an older home. Also, it’s good to remodel any room that could use a fresh, updated look like the kitchen and the bathroom for instance.

Homeowners of older houses don’t have to spend a fortune to make their homes look like new, but it helps to help the prospective buyer feel easy about not having to commit to a heavy remodeling job if they buy the house.

Staging Works Wonders For Selling A Home

While cosmetic touch-ups are wonderful, there’s one thing the serious home seller should apply and that’s home staging. The ultimate goal of staging is to make a home as attractive to as many potential buyers as possible. More interested buyers means the home could potentially sell for more and sell faster. Staging isn’t new but has become more popular in this tough market.

Home staging is often mistaken for decorating, but it’s much more than that. Expert home stagers know how to present homes in the best possible light. This often means suggesting paint colors, or rearranging and moving items to make a particular space more appealing to buyers.

For instance, most lived in homes have one thing in common, clutter. Showing a house with clutter can make a buyer feel a home is too small. Expert home stagers know how to open up a home so the perspective buyers can see themselves living there.

According to the Real Estate Staging Association, home staging reduces listing time by as much as 81 percent. Also, there’s an up to 10 percent return on investment when home staging technique is implemented.

It is true that staging a home can be a bit of a challenge. Some homeowners may be bit put off by a stager’s suggestions, and by the inconvenience of the process itself. However, the result can be well worth it if it results in a quick sale.

Homeowners should call their trusted real estate agent, right away before deciding on a home staging professional. A real estate agent may even have a list of professional home stagers he or she regularly refers.

With the real estate game in a state of constant flux, getting an offer on your house or condo might seem encouraging enough. However, there’s always the possibility that your property might hit the market hot, and this could mean more than one offer on your home. While having multiple offers can be the best of all outcomes, there are a few ways to handle this situation and make the most of your home sale.

Communication Is Key With Potential Buyers

The occurrence of having multiple offers on your home may put you in the power position, but you’ll want to keep potential buyers in the loop and aware that you’re fielding other offers. Ensure that each buyer supplies you with a pre-mortgage qualification letter and an offer by a deadline you choose, and let them know the tentative timeline on making a decision. This will keep your buyers aware of the situation, and reduce the chance of missing out on a potential sale.

Weigh Your Offers Before Making A Decision

Right off the bat, it may be tempting to go with the offer that seems the best on paper, but make sure to carefully consider the reliability of each potential buyer. It’s important to look over each buyer’s offer and determine if they seem like a consistent candidate that won’t change their mind. Once you’ve determined your ideal buyer, you can move on to negotiating the sale of your home, just do this in a timely manner because any serious buyer will expect a timely response!

Don’t Forget About Following Up

It can sometimes happen that the seller will get so excited about an offer on their home that they’ll forget about everything else and prep for the moving vans. However, it’s important to follow-up with each potential buyer to ensure selling success. Not only will this instill good will with each potential buyer, it may even provide a back-up offer in the event that the initial deal falls through.

Having a number of offers on your home is a great situation to be in, but you’ll want to make sure you handle it appropriately so you don’t miss out on the best deal. By keeping your potential buyers in the loop and following-up in a timely manner, making the sale might end up being the easiest part of your move. For more information on selling your home successfully, contact your local real estate professional today!

Selling a home is more than real estate listings and making the home appealing to potential buyers. One factor to take into account when buying a home is its location, meaning the community surrounds the home.

For sellers as well as buyers, it’s important to highlight the benefits of living in a particular community. After all, neighborhoods will have an enormous impact on the future buyer’s living experience.

It’s All About Walkable Neighborhoods

According to a Portland, Oregon-based company, City Observatory, there’s a growing demand for homes located in walkable neighborhoods. A decades-long love affair with commuting from suburban areas to work in the city has greatly lost its appeal.

Also, the growing demand for walkable neighborhoods is fueled by people desiring convenient access good schools as well as to entertainment options like movies, restaurants, and shopping. There’s also an appeal for easy access through reliable public transportation.

This trend has been around for a while now. In 2013, the National Association of Realtors found that 57 percent of study participants wanted smaller homes and shorter work commutes.

Fifty-five percent of participants said they would gladly get a small house with a small yard if it meant easy access to stores, schools, and restaurants. Plus, a walkable neighborhood also significantly increases property values. So play up the nearby community benefits that would entice potential buyers.

Great Neighborhood Amenities

Other favorable community amenities bicycle paths and libraries, parks. These are great bonuses for neighborhoods to attract fitness-minded individuals and promote a family-friendly atmosphere for buyers with kids. Speaking of kids, living in an excellent school district usually yields higher home values.

According to a survey conducted by the Demand Institute, almost half of participants wanted a pet-friendly neighborhood. In fact, this factor ranked higher than easy access to public transportation and even public schooling.

Neighborhood Safety

Safety is a top concern for most homebuyers. Although, there’s little one can do to quell neighborhood violence there are things an owner can do to make their home safer. They may want to consider studying security features on homes in their neighborhoods and adopt what they can, within reason.

What Potential Home Buyers Don’t Want In A Neighborhood

According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), fewer home buyers were least impressed with communities with golf courses, a high population, gated communities, and mixed-use communities.

Homeowners, when listing a home, seek the help of a professional real estate agent experienced in listing the best features of both the home and the community surrounding it.

Selling a home is more than real estate listings and making the home appealing to potential buyers. One factor to take into account when buying a home is its location, meaning the community surrounds the home.

For sellers as well as buyers, it’s important to highlight the benefits of living in a particular community. After all, neighborhoods will have an enormous impact on the future buyer’s living experience.

It’s All About Walkable Neighborhoods

According to a Portland, Oregon-based company, City Observatory, there’s a growing demand for homes located in walkable neighborhoods. A decades-long love affair with commuting from suburban areas to work in the city has greatly lost its appeal.

Also, the growing demand for walkable neighborhoods is fueled by people desiring convenient access good schools as well as to entertainment options like movies, restaurants, and shopping. There’s also an appeal for easy access through reliable public transportation.

This trend has been around for a while now. In 2013, the National Association of Realtors found that 57 percent of study participants wanted smaller homes and shorter work commutes.

Fifty-five percent of participants said they would gladly get a small house with a small yard if it meant easy access to stores, schools, and restaurants. Plus, a walkable neighborhood also significantly increases property values. So play up the nearby community benefits that would entice potential buyers.

Great Neighborhood Amenities

Other favorable community amenities bicycle paths and libraries, parks. These are great bonuses for neighborhoods to attract fitness-minded individuals and promote a family-friendly atmosphere for buyers with kids. Speaking of kids, living in an excellent school district usually yields higher home values.

According to a survey conducted by the Demand Institute, almost half of participants wanted a pet-friendly neighborhood. In fact, this factor ranked higher than easy access to public transportation and even public schooling.

Neighborhood Safety

Safety is a top concern for most homebuyers. Although, there’s little one can do to quell neighborhood violence there are things an owner can do to make their home safer. They may want to consider studying security features on homes in their neighborhoods and adopt what they can, within reason.

What Potential Home Buyers Don’t Want In A Neighborhood

According to the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB), fewer home buyers were least impressed with communities with golf courses, a high population, gated communities, and mixed-use communities.

Homeowners, when listing a home, seek the help of a trusted real estate agent experienced in listing the best features of both the home and the community surrounding it.

Moving is stressful. Don’t worry. There is an app for that. Technology makes moving easier than ever. Here are three mobile apps that help sellers manage their moves efficiently and with minimum stress.

App One: Move Advisor

First on the list is Move Advisor. This app not only received top reviews from users, it is free. The easy-to-use interface walks sellers through the moving process with four features.

Move Advisor provides users with a comprehensive moving timeline, a home inventory checklist, a moving company locator, and a moving quote.

The moving timeline lets users put in their moving date and any other information. The app then creates a personalized to do list. Each week is broken down into tasks to ease stress and prevent last minute panic.

The home inventory helps itemize the household. The app allows users to easily map out their homes room by room. The app keeps track of what needs to be moved, the volume and weight of the shipment, and how many boxes, furniture blankets, and moving vehicles are needed to move.

Finding a mover is easy with this app. It provides a list of local movers and quotes to make the selection process stress free.

App Two: My Move

My Move is another free app that streamlines the moving process. It focuses on informing users about what to expect from a move, finding a moving company, and properly organizing the move.

Information is invaluable. The app provides access to blogs about moving as well as an in-depth article about what to expect from a move on the app homepage.

The professional relocation assistance searches the top moving companies by state or name and includes reviews to help users make informed decisions. The quote process is as easy as a few taps of a finger. The relocation checklist is easily customized and straightforward, simplifying the packing process.

App Three: State Farm Move Tools

State Farm insurance company offers a highly interactive and visually appealing moving app designed to provide organizational assistance during the move. It comes with a to-do list, a packing tool, a label tool, an inventory, and many helpful moving tips.

Moving is easy with these three apps. Simplify the moving process by downloading one or all today. For more useful tips, contact a real estate agent for professional advice about moving, buying, and selling a home.

With all of the time and money that can go into moving, spending money on one more thing can seem like a bank account drain. However, when it comes to selling your home, investing in a professional photographer can mean the difference between getting a buyer and making a sale you’ll be proud of. If you want to get the deal your house deserves, you might want to consider the skills of a professional who will make your house look like someone’s dream home.

“Lighting” Up Your House

If you’ve ever noticed how dull a room can look when it’s cloudy outside, you’ll quickly realize how important the right lighting can be in complimenting the appearance of your house. A professional photographer will be able to determine what hours and what types of flash will work to highlight the rooms in your house the best. Not only that, they will go above and beyond what your smart phone can do to correct the issues that can impact a potentially perfect picture.

Capturing The Perfect Panorama

In the right light, it’s possible that you’ll be able to get some great pictures of your house on your own, but a photographer will be able to go beyond that. It’s a proven fact that people are most often lured in by façade photos when searching for homes online, and it’s these the right photographer will be able to perfect. By using a professional who understands what size of lens to use to compliment your home, your photos will easily optimize the way your home looks.

Diving Into The Details With Expertise

Beyond the panorama shots that might convince a potential buyer into considering your house for their next home, a professional photographer may be able to hone in on details that differentiate your house from the rest. With their keen, curious eye, they’ll not only notice intricate details, they’ll be able to highlight them in a way that makes them look interesting, expert and one-of-a-kind. They’ll also be able to beautifully capture the special features that you love about your home!

It can be tempting to be cost effective when it comes to showcasing your home, but just like wedding photographs, you don’t want to skimp on real estate images. If you’re interested in learning more about positive ways you can highlight your home, you should contact your local real estate professional for more information.

Whether you’re getting prepared to buy a new home or just curious about upcoming trends in housing, there are a bevy of features gaining momentum on the real estate market. From top to bottom and room to room, here are five popular features that homebuyers will be sure to notice this fall.

Bigger Is Not Necessarily Better

There was a time when a bigger home meant a better home, but with the cost of maintenance and heating, bigger homes are experiencing a decline in popularity. Instead of sizeable mansions that look the part, buyers are becoming more interested in houses that are more economical to maintain and possess a warmer, cozier vibe.

A Modern, Up-To-Date Kitchen

Where a living room and a bedroom can often be fixed up with a layer of paint, the costs that can go into updating an old kitchen can be quite prohibitive for a new buyer. Instead of a space they’ll just have to renovate, buyers are interested in a sleek, modern looking kitchen with stainless steel appliances that offer modern conveniences.

Energy Efficient And Environmentally Friendly

While older homes can offer character and the history that goes along with them, new homes are winning when it comes to energy efficiency. With people becoming more conscientious of the environment and their impact, energy efficiency in a home is not only popular right now, but will come to be a necessity in the next few years.

Options For A Smart Home

Technology has become so ubiquitous these days that it makes more sense for buyers to invest in homes with smart features. From thermostats that can be adjusted with mobile devices to doors opened via Bluetooth, smart features are a huge part of what makes a modern home.

A Burst Of Bright Color

Muted tones can often be the best for allowing a potential buyer to envision a home as their own, but color here and there can definitely draw in the younger crowd. With bright color making a design comeback, a brilliantly bold sink or appliance can be the type of risk that pays off and has the potential to sway the right kind of home seeker.

The features that grab a potential buyer can change all the time, but certain popular trends will not be going out of style anytime soon. If you’re curious about trends that will be hitting the market in your area, contact your trusted real estate professional for some inside tips.