Lee Morof's Real Estate Blog

When you are preparing to list your home for sale, you may take various steps to stage the interior so that it is appealing to a potential buyer. In addition to various steps you may take with staging the interior, you want to pay attention to your yard as well. During the spring months, many yards look fresh and vibrant, but they also need some extra care in order to boost curb appeal and make a great first impression on buyers.

Focus On Your Flower Beds

Whether you have one small flower bed or several sprawling areas of beds, you should ensure that all of the vegetation looks fresh and tidy. Trim bushes, and add bright spring annuals to brighten up the space. Pull weeds, and add a layer of fresh mulch to your flower beds to give them a finished, well-maintained look.

Keep The Lawn Neat And Tidy

During the spring months, your lawn may revive from its dormant winter state, and you may find it growing rapidly. The green hue of a spring lawn can have a powerful benefit to curb appeal, but you want to keep the lawn trimmed and edged regularly to give it a manicured appearance. This can also minimize the impact of the look of weeds that may occasionally crop up throughout the spring months.

Pay Attention To Your Patio And Entryway

While your vegetation will require some effort to maintain while you list your home, you do not want to overlook your patio and entryway. These are often visible from the street, and they will be viewed up-close when buyers tour your home. Ensure that the area is clean, and power wash it if necessary. Consider updating front door hardware and the entry mat if they appear worn or dated. You may also need to sweep these areas regularly while your home is listed for sale.

Staging your property can help you to sell your property more quickly and for top dollar, but your staging efforts should not be focused entirely on the interior of your home. Your landscaping also requires extra effort when you are getting your home ready to sell, and these tips can all help you to spruce up your landscaping with beautiful results. You may seek more customized information tailored to your property when you speak with a real estate agent about listing your home.

One of the more common steps that homeowners will take when preparing to list their home for sale involves repainting the walls. Walls can easily give the home a worn, drab look when they have visible signs of dirty, smudgy fingerprints and other unsightly blemishes.

While repainting the walls can have a whitewashing effect that instantly makes the home look cleaner, brighter and more appealing, the color combinations that you choose for your home should be considered with care. You have a rainbow of possibilities for your space when preparing your home for sale, but you want to choose colors that will have broad or universal appeal to buyers and that will showcase your home in the best possible light.

Neutral or Muted Hues are Ideal

Many homeowners love to paint their walls stylish or trendy colors, and they may dislike the banal look of beige walls throughout their home. While this may or may not be what you prefer for your home, keep in mind that you are trying to transform your home so that it has broad appeal to the buyers. The colors you choose should not reflect personal taste or preference. Instead, they should be selected based on colors that may be more likely to appeal to most and that may go well with the color of furnishings most already own. Neutral or muted hues are ideal. These lighter colors can also make smaller rooms seem larger, and they can make your entire home seem cleaner.

Avoid Bold, Dramatic Color Combinations

You may have some colors on your walls that you absolutely love, and you may be sad to see them go. However, when you have a bold, dramatic color combination in a room, a buyer may instantly be taken aback by such an intense color scheme. The buyer’s attention may then be focused on your interior design efforts rather than on the home itself, and this is not beneficial to your goal of selling your home. In addition, some may love your bold choices, but many may not. They may think about how those colors would not go well with their furnishings, and they may instantly start thinking about how they would need to work hard to repaint the walls after moving in. The last thing you want is for a buyer to think about your home as needing work.

If you are preparing your home to list for sale, repainting one room or several may be at the top of your to-do list. When you are selecting your paint colors, lean toward neutral hues that may have better appeal toward a larger group of home buyers.

Your home may be one of your largest assets, and you certainly want to take steps to get the highest price possible for it when you list it on the market to sell. In addition, you may have plans to purchase a new home or to take other similar steps when list your home, so you may need to your house to sell quickly. Staging your home is a great way to present it in the best possible light for potential buyers to see. While there are dozens of staging tips and ideas that you may use, there are a few that are rather simple and affordable for most to complete.

Give Each Room a Single Purpose

If your home is like most, there may be several rooms that have multiple uses. For example, you may have a work desk placed in the master bedroom, or a section of the living room may be designated as a kids’ play area. While this may be functional for how your family lives, it can confuse buyers. Buyers need to be able to walk into a room and imagine their own family living in the area. They may not have a need or use for a desk in the master bedroom, and this can confuse the use of the space. In addition, it also can make a room look smaller and more cramped than it is.

De-Clutter Your Rooms

In addition to defining a single use for each room in your home, you should also de-clutter your rooms. Depending how long you have lived in your home and how significant your periodic spring cleaning sessions have been, this can be a major undertaking. As a good rule of thumb, items that have not been used in more than six months may need to be donated or tossed away. The exception to this rule is seasonal items, like winter coats, pool toys or holiday décor. Keep in mind that buyers will open cabinets, drawers and closets, so your cleaning session should be thorough and not superficial.

Pack Away Personal Belongings

A final step to take is to pack away personal belongings. Everything from religious symbols like crosses to a family photo over the mantel should be packed in boxes. Your goal is to make your home look like any family could live there rather than to make it look like your home. Only decorative items that have a broad or universal appeal should remain.

When a home is properly staged, it may feel as though your home is not your own and even as though you are camping out in your own home. Keep in mind that staging can help you to sell your home as quickly as possible and to get the highest bid possible. Therefore, your effort is well worthwhile.

Listing a property is a delicate dance. From the initial marketing to the final price negotiations, everything needs to be tailored to the type of home being sold. However, because of their main differences, this process can look very different when selling a condo versus selling a house.

Reason #1: The Homeowners Association or HOA

As all condo owners will know very well, almost all condos come with some type of HOA, or homeowners association.

The HOA generally handles common areas like swimming pools, the exterior of the building, and landscaping. Sometimes, the HOA is also responsible for holding social events throughout the year.

However, all of this comes at a few costs. The first is money; a HOA cannot operate or pay necessary expenses without charging residents a monthly fee. The second is freedom; most HOAs have rules that need to be followed.

When selling a condo, potential buyers will balance the costs of each HOA with the benefits.

Reason #2: Real Estate Investors

When selling a condo, it’s reasonable to expect a larger number of investors considering the property than when selling a home. After all, renting out condos is a big business.

As a result, selling a condo could mean a faster closing, a cash offer, or even competing bids if the condo is on prime property.

Reason #3: The Type of Buyer

Different types of buyers look at a condo versus a home. For starters, condos are generally smaller, don’t have yards, have all landscaping handled professionally, and frequently come with amenities like a swimming pool or fitness center.

While a good majority of potential buyers with children would love a swimming pool with zero maintenance, they aren’t willing to make the trade for a smaller space. This means that when selling a condo, potential buyers will generally be single adults, newly married couples, or retired professionals looking to downgrade to an easier property.

Reason #4: Location, Location, Location

Every real estate agent knows that one factor, above all others, is most important when selling a property: location. Being close to town versus far away from traffic, near downtown excitement versus in a quiet neighborhood, or near shopping centers versus on the edge of nowhere all come into play for a property’s value and desirability.

Generally speaking, condos tend to be closer to urban areas, shopping, and entertainment. This also means that their price per square foot is frequently higher. As a result, owners looking to sell their condo should carefully consult with their real estate agent about the best way to market their property and a fair listing price.

Today’s home buyers are savvier about their buying options than ever before. They are able to research prices, browse listings, and investigate other important factors before even making the first call to a real estate agent. So professional photography and video can make the difference between your home getting a second look or getting skipped. In today’s blog post we’ll explore how professionally-shot aerial photos and videos can help you get your home sold that much quicker.

Buyers Love Having a Birds-Eye View

It’s increasingly likely that buyers will look for aerial photography to help them make their buying decisions. Just like professional ground-level photos of the home and property, and like the video tour that really gives that first-hand feel, aerial shots are something buyers like when evaluating properties.

People enjoy looking at aerial content because it gives them a new perspective. That helps them feel good about their choice to pursue a property. Plus, they take you seriously when you take marketing your property seriously using quality material.

Quality Material Makes Your Property Look Good

Professionals create quality products. They have the skills, tools, and professional eye to make your property and its best features look amazing. Quality marketing materials can even shorten sale time and raise the final list price, too.

Aerial footage is especially effective when topography, land features, and amenities are best displayed from above. Professional aerial shots can really enhance the overall impression of your property.

Professionals Are Certified

The use of unmanned aerial systems – what we commonly call “drones” – is becoming more frequent in the production of commercial photos and videos. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t issues.

Current Federal Aviation Administration regulation requires that UAS equipment be certified and operated by a certificated pilot when used for commercial purposes. This means that you can’t just buy a drone and take pictures to sell your house. You can’t pay your real estate agent to take them either, unless they also meet the FAA regulations. Hiring a certified operator can save you fines or even legal trouble down the road.

When you’re ready to take marketing your home to the next level, contact a reputable real estate agency to get started. Professionally shot aerial photos and videos can really make the difference for a prospective buyer when they make the list of “must-see” listings.

Are you thinking about selling your house or condo? If you’re in a market that has a lot of newly constructed homes, you’re going to be competing with those listings for buyers’ attention.

In today’s post we’ll share a few tips that can help you attract buyers and convince them that your pre-owned home is just as good as a brand new one.

Upgrade And Modernize Your Home Prior To The Sale

Numerous studies have shown that buyers who prefer brand new homes are mostly interested in the new appliances and fixtures throughout the home.

If your home is more than a decade or so old, you’ll want to invest some time and money in upgrading your appliances and fixtures before trying to list your home on the market.

If you have newly constructed homes very close to yours it might be worth installing these items after you’ve moved out so that the buyer is the first person to use them.

Focus Your Marketing On A Specific Buyer

Depending on which neighborhood your home is located in and the local amenities, you may want to consider focusing your marketing on one particular buyer. For example, a downtown condo would be marketed to a completely different prospective buyer than a large four-bedroom home out in the suburbs. Take some time to consider the “persona” of your target buyers, and craft your messaging around what these individuals or families will be looking for in their dream home.

Shine The Spotlight On Your Home’s Strong Points

As with any major sale, you’ll want to ensure that you spend as much time as possible highlighting the strong points in your listing. Be sure to mention any local community amenities as well, such as schools, parks or community centers. If you’re selling to a family, your proximity to these amenities will be a significant point of comparison with brand new homes in the area.

If you have the budget, you may also want to consider having your home professionally staged, as staging is an excellent way to show a potential buyer just how good your home can look with tasteful furnishings, art and other finishing touches.

Selling your home is a challenging proposition that shouldn’t be faced alone. When you’re ready to sell your home be sure to contact your local real estate agent, who has experience selling in your local market and can help to ensure your sale moves along smoothly.

Are you selling your house or condo? Once you place your home up for sale you’ll start to receive interest from prospective buyers, many of whom you’ll meet in person and invite in to take a look around. In order to ensure your sale goes smoothly you’ll want to avoid making any slip-ups that can spook the buyer and cause them to drop their interest in your listing.

Let’s take a quick look at three ways that you can scare buyers off and how to avoid finding yourself in these circumstances.

Pricing Your Home Too High

One of the biggest mistakes made by home sellers is setting the initial listing price too high. If your price is significantly higher than those of similar homes in the local area, you’ll find that buyers will be hesitant to make an offer as they are worried about a lengthy negotiation process.

Instead, aim to have your home priced fairly from day one and you’ll find that you receive far more interest.

Being Pushy Or Overbearing During The Sale

Selling a home will require a lot of personal interaction between you and the home buyer, and it’s important to make them feel welcome and to build a rapport with them. The last thing you’ll want to do is to come off as pushy or overbearing, which can sour your negotiations and cause the buyer to decide they may want to work with someone a little more friendly.

Neglecting Important Maintenance Or Renovations

Finally, if you’ve neglected any sort of major home maintenance or if your home has significant damage in an area you may end up scaring the buyer off if these issues are uncovered during a home inspection. As part of the final due diligence process, your buyer will have the home inspected at least once from top to bottom looking for any possible issues that they may inherit after buying the home.

If the inspection was to uncover a structural problem like a crack in the foundation, at best you can expect that the buyer will expect a significant discount on the home and at worst they’ll walk away from the deal.

If you’re serious about selling your home, one of the best ways to ensure that your relations with buyers go well is to have a professional real estate agent represent you during the selling process. When you’re ready to sell your home, contact your local real estate agent to arrange consultation where they can explain how home selling works and what you can expect.

Have you decided to sell your home, perhaps to make an upgrade to a newer, larger house? Whatever your reasons for selling, you’ll have a number of decisions to make as you craft your listing and begin receiving offers from buyers but few are as important as your initial selling price.

Let’s take a look at three reasons why setting your listing price is the most important factor in your home sale.

Reason #1: You Can Scare Off Potential Buyers With A High Price

You’ll receive the majority of your buyer interest in the first few days and weeks after you place your home up for sale, so it’s critical that your price isn’t set so high that it scares a number of buyers off.

While some sellers believe that it’s better to price high and let buyers submit lower offers, this can actually work against you. It’s better to have your home priced fairly from the beginning as you can always refuse offers that you deem are too low.

Reason #2: Your Price Directly Impacts How Long Your Sale Will Take

If you’re interested in seeing your home sell quickly it’s going to be in your best interest to have it priced competitively. Buyers will be shopping around for similar homes in your community and if there are other listings with lower prices on the market you may find it takes you a while to get your home sold.

Also, if you do find a buyer that is interested they’ll likely try to enter into price negotiations with you which can extend the length of the sale by a week or more as you go back and forth to reach an agreement.

Reason #3: A Low Price Means Leaving Money On The Table

While pricing too high can cause issues with your sale, pricing your home too low isn’t going to benefit you either. While you’ll likely find that you receive a high number of offers very quickly, you’ll end up leaving some of your home equity on the table – equity that you could easily have realized as buyers would have been willing to pay the difference.

Remember – the best way to ensure your home is priced competitively is to have it valued by a real estate professional. Contact your local real estate agent when you’re ready to sell your home and they’ll be able to determine the true value of your home.

Have you listed your home up for sale? If so, you’ve likely spent a lot of time crafting your listing and highlighting the many features of your home and property – but have you focused on the community around your home as well?

Let’s take a look at a few ways that you can promote the qualities of your local neighborhood as you’re working to convince a buyer that purchasing your home is a great decision.

Give Your Buyers The A Tour Of The Neighborhood

After your listing goes live it won’t be long before potential buyers and their agents are calling to set up viewings so they can see what your home looks like in person.

When a buyer tours your home, offer to spend a few minutes giving them a quick tour of the local community as well. Have a quick route determined beforehand which takes you past schools, medical facilities and other amenities that will help to reinforce that your area is a great one to live in.

Highlight Local Community Centers And Parks

Do you have a community center, fitness center or large park nearby? If so you’ll definitely want to ensure that your buyer knows about these – especially if you’re selling your home to a family with children.

Modern buyers are very appreciative of green space and local cultural amenities as in many areas they’re becoming a bit harder to find. Point out just how close those local running trails are or how the recreation center is just a short jog away.

Have A List Of Local Restaurants And Shops Handy

Whether you live in the suburbs or the downtown core of your city, it’s likely that you have a number of restaurants, cafés and shops nearby. Consider making a quick list of these, highlighting any favorites or popular spots that are well-known to everyone who lives in the area.

Virtually everyone likes to dine out on occasion, and many buyers will prefer to live in a community that has what they need within a short drive.

If you’re unsure of what community features you should be telling potential buyers about, be sure to ask your real estate agent as they have been through the selling process numerous times before and will know how to market the community around your home.

Millennials are finally starting to enter the real estate market after delaying home purchases for several years. With a completely new client base looking for homes, it is time to start making your home more appealing to these young buyers.

Millennials are used to using high-tech gadgets every day, so they are going to desire these things in their new home. While there are several high-tech upgrades you can make on your home, these three will appeal the most to young homebuyers.

Keyless Entry: Security for the New Millennium

Keyless entry doors are becoming a popular way of keeping a home secure while adding that great “wow” factor. These keyless entry systems mean there’ll be no more fumbling for keys when all you want to do is get in the door. It may seem like something out of a sci-fi film, but several companies have mastered the art of keyless entry doors that you can use in your home today.

The door automatically locks when it is shut, and you will need the correct fingerprint to unlock the door. If you could show off a keyless entry system at your open house, you would immediately pique the interest of every young buyer interested in technology.

A Home Security System is a Great Practical Addition

A high-tech home security system will certainly make your home more appealing to young buyers, who may even be thinking about having children in the near future. No matter how safe your neighborhood is, everyone is always looking to feel more secure at home. Placing a few security cameras around the exterior of your home will allow you to know what is happening outside at all times, and buyers will love having that peace of mind.

Home Energy Monitor: For the Eco-Conscious Generation

Young people are extremely conscious of the environment, so they would love seeing a home energy monitor when shopping for a new home. A home energy monitor is able to track the energy use of every aspect of your home.

If you think your air conditioner is not running efficiently, a home energy monitor can tell you whether or not you’re right. Since young people know about the dangers of improper energy use, they will want to make the home as efficient as possible.

Millennials are slowly entering the real estate market, and although they are starting to look at homes, you’ll face a lot of competition from other homeowners looking to pass properties onto this new generation. These three upgrades will increase your home’s value and make it more appealing to Millennial buyers. For more information about selling your home, contact a trusted real estate professional today.