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: David Hill PhD,ePro,SFR,CIAS,BPOR,CNE Chicago Real Estate Agent
: David Hill PhD,ePro,SFR,CIAS,BPOR,CNE Chicago Real Estate Agent's Blog
: Tag "home selling"
home selling: How should I prepare my home for sale? - 04/27/12 06:11 PM
You want your home to show well, which means getting rid of clutter and making sure it is clean, neat and well maintained both inside and outside:
Remove all clutter. Pack or store anything you do not need. Donate the rest to your favorite charity or having a garage sale.
Store your valuables or lock them up in a safe place. This includes jewelry, collectibles, artwork and medicines in your medicine cabinet.
Eliminate smoking odors and pet odors.
Paint the inside and outside with neutral colors, steam clean carpets or replace with new carpeting or flooring. … (2 comments)
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home selling: How can I use container plants to give my home curb appeal? - 04/22/12 12:36 AM
Here are four essential tips: Use big containers: Don't be afraid of using big, bold containers. They will have more impact and will be easier to care for because they won't dry out so easily. Smaller containers tend to get lost in the landscaping, so you'll lose the visual impact you're trying to achieve. Use quality containers: Avoid plastic containers, as these can look cheap. Terracotta, wrought iron, or zinc containers look great. Choose a container that complements your house and your landscaping. Fill them with plants: For immediate results, fill your containers with more plants than you normally would. Otherwise, you will be … (3 comments)
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home selling: Why Due Diligence Is Important for a Seller - 03/22/12 06:13 PM
If you're selling a property, you need to do your due diligence. It not only protects you from the unexpected, but the information might help you sway a potential buyer.A seller who knows every detail about a property can influence a buyer's perception of the value. Following are four areas you should check before you list a property for sale:
Environmental Investigation of Your Property: Regular monitoring should be considered, as it serves as proof that the area is free of harmful contaminants.
Deed, Survey and Legal Description: Ensuring that the deed is, in fact, in your name ahead of time will save … (1 comments)
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home selling: Nine Easy Ways to Make Your Home More Attractive - 03/15/12 07:28 PM
These days, staging your home involves more than de-cluttering and inexpensive fix-ups. You can spend big bucks…Or not! The following tips can help you add value to your home:1. Listen to your real estate agent. He or she views hundreds of houses a year and knows what works.2. Watch the trends and incorporate them in simple, effective ways. In 2012, buyers will be looking for extra storage and great laundry rooms. De-clutter all your closets and add inexpensive but attractive storage in the laundry area. Fresh paint and attractive baskets can go a long way.3. Position one of today's colors - … (1 comments)
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home selling: Green Your Home: Save Now and Profit Later - 02/16/12 10:16 PM
With apologies to Sesame Street's Kermit the Frog, it is easy being a green homeowner. And it may be profitable, too.To green your home you need to invest in a number of energy and water-saving measures that result in lower energy costs. While the initial cost of your green investment may be higher, greening your home can give you an immediate saving of 30% to 60% off your energy costs. Incentives offered by government and local electricity distribution companies will help too.Best of all, when it's time to sell, you've increased your home's resale value - some say by as much … (2 comments)
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home selling: How to Prepare for the Spring Housing Market - 02/15/12 08:09 PM
Spring is just around the corner. It is the time of year when sellers and buyers gird up for what has traditionally been the most important season for buying or selling a home. The following are some ways to prepare:
Sellers
Sellers should be aware that there's a lot of competition for buyers in the spring. That means sellers should do everything possible to differentiate their home from others, including the following:
Polish windows and floors, rake the yard, mow the lawn, and add flowers in containers. Wash blinds and curtains and have carpeting cleaned. If a seller has spent the … (0 comments)
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home selling: Selling Your Home? How to Make it Appeal to Buyers - 01/17/12 06:50 PM
Today's buyers love vibrant accent walls, usually in contrast to earth-toned neutrals. However, be careful not to be too bold and too personalized with your color choice. A fresh coat of neutral paint is often a cost-effective solution and an accent wall can make a space look bigger, feel warmer and more up to date.
Kitchens and bathrooms sell houses, so it makes sense to spend the majority of your renovation dollars to upgrade these spaces. In the bathroom, new fixtures, a soft color for the walls and sconce lighting will make a world of difference. Add fluffy white towels, flowers and … (0 comments)
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home selling: What are the Secrets to Attracting FSBO Business? - 12/21/11 08:14 PM
With a flood of properties on the market driving down resale prices, sellers are looking to save money by selling their homes themselves.
The theory of this is that they can pass on the amount of commission they’d give to a real estate agent to prospective buyers. But most owners who sell by themselves have little or no knowledge of how to market or stage a home for a successful and timely sale. That’s where a real estate agent can help.
Building relationships with owners who are attempting to sell by themselves is in a real estate agent’s best interest, as … (2 comments)
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home selling: How to Help Your Agent Sell Your Home - 12/15/11 02:49 PM
While your real estate agent may be working flat out to sell your home, you - as the seller - also have an important role to play.It's up to you to prepare your home for sale.While your real estate agent may suggest, recommend and even cajole, selling your home is your job, and no one else can do it for you.You have only one chance to make a first impression.It's so true.A recent survey indicated that more than 60% of buyers knew the property was for them the minute they walked in the door.So make sure you put a lot of … (1 comments)
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home selling: How to Sell Your Home Quickly - 11/19/11 10:47 AM
Perhaps you've just purchased your dream home and have to sell it because you’ve been transferred to another city or you’re overmortgaged and sinking fast. Whatever the reason, there are a few things you should do and a few things you should not do. First, don't go it alone. Second, take care not to overprice your home. Sellers are often tempted to sell their homes themselves FSBO, particularly if money is tight. It really is best to resist the temptation, though, especially if you are in a hurry to sell a home. It's a fact that homes that … (1 comments)
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home selling: How Do They Figure Out the Value of a Home? - 11/04/11 11:04 PM
An appraiser will use a variety of methods to determine the fair market value of a property.
The definition of market value is the highest price reasonably expected at any given time when an interest in land is sold by a willing seller to a willing buyer after adequate time and exposure to the market.
A real estate appraisal offers an independent, impartial opinion of a home’s value based on selective market research.
Appraisers are specifically trained and have sufficient experience to develop a realistic opinion of the value of a property. When trying to determine the value of your home, … (1 comments)
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home selling: Should You Make Those Repairs Before Selling Your Home? - 10/15/11 11:28 PM
Just how much should you invest in repairs to sell your home?It comes down to how desperate you are to sell and what changes are needed.Significant structural problems or major electrical or plumbing repairs must be disclosed to potential buyers. If you are unaware of these problems and they are discovered during the home inspection, they will have to be fixed at your expense or you'll have to hand over an equivalent amount to allow the buyers to fix them themselves.So if you are aware of significant repairs that need to be made, why not avoid the hassles and fix them … (7 comments)
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home selling: How is your real estate agent paid? - 09/19/11 08:23 PM
As a seller, you list your home through your agent's broker, and the agreed-upon commission goes directly to the broker. It's usually a percentage of the sale price but can be a flat fee.Your real estate agent incurs all the expenses, which ultimately he or she will recoup through the commission.Typically, your buyer will have an agent, and the commission will be split between that agent's broker and yours.It's not always 50/50. Both the seller's and buyer's agents will receive their commissions from their respective brokers.Their cut can vary.Your agent might list and sell your home, in which case he or … (0 comments)
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home selling: Market Analysis: It's More Than Just Picking a Price - 09/17/11 11:13 AM
So, you're selling your home.To decide on the right selling price, your real estate agent will have used information available through the Real Estate Board's Multiple Listing Service (MLS) system to compare your home to others that have sold recently in your area.Together you've gone through the comparables and opted for a price you're happy with.You know that he or she will now start marketing your home through the MLS system and advertising it in newspapers and online.Your real estate agent may also hold an open house and contact other agents to promote your home. But what you may not know … (0 comments)
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home selling: How Your Bedroom Can Help Sell Your Home - 09/16/11 11:28 PM
A great master bedroom will help sell your home. But you don't have to spend a lot of money, time and effort trying to impress buyers. Following are 11 easy ways to spruce up your master for little money:
De-clutter and de-personalize. Buyers want to see themselves in the master bedroom. Don't surround them with the trappings of your life. Clean, clean and clean some more. Make necessary repairs. Paint. You don't have to go for beige (or gray, which is the new beige), but emphasize the room's spaciousness with lighter colors. Don't forget the ceiling. Move some of the furniture … (3 comments)
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home selling: Should I let the buyers of my home take possession before closing? - 08/30/11 08:30 PM
While it may be convenient for you and a relief for them, there are many reasons why you should think twice about renting to your buyers.
1. The deal might fall through. Then you’re stuck with tenants who might be hard to remove.
2. Buyers might want to make changes. If the deal collapses, you may be stuck trying to sell a home with a black bedroom or pass-through from the kitchen.
3. Living in the home, your buyers might start a list of repairs they hadn’t noticed previously and ask you to pay for them. Win or lose, neither … (3 comments)
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home selling: Selling Your Home? Avoid These Costly Mistakes - 08/17/11 07:30 PM
You often hear about naive buyers and the mistakes they've made, but what about the slipups by sellers? Yes, believe it or not, sellers also make mistakes. And sometimes those mistakes mean lost sales and longer days on the market. The most prevalent mistake by sellers is insisting on too high a price. Sellers may want a big return on their investment because they've invested time, money and emotion in a home. However, sellers may have to lower their expectations, as things like upgrades or a home's location on a busy street may not be to everyone's taste. Sellers should listen … (1 comments)
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home selling: Five Ways to Build Your Home's Curb Appeal - 07/16/11 04:21 PM
A sexy front yard can ramp up your home's curb appeal without costing a fortune. If you're planning to sell - or even if you're not - it's a good idea to keep the outside of your home spruced up. Following are five ways to up your yard's sexiness quotient: 1. Think like a drive-by viewer. Your home may tell a very different story when seen from across the street. Is there an attractive transition from road to front porch? Does it feel welcoming? 2. You don't have to splurge on a landscape designer to create a new look … (2 comments)
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home selling: Multi-Unit Properties Offer Stable Income Stream - 07/06/11 06:15 PM
The real estate recession that swept across the United States has created an opportunity for those with the means and desire to invest.
Multi-unit residential buildings typically offer a lower per-unit entry point than traditional single-family homes.
Each unit offers a long-term income stream for the property owner.
In addition, more units mean a reduced impact on you when there are vacancies.
When a tenant vacates a single-family home the vacancy rate jumps to 100%.
By comparison, a 10-unit complex shows a vacancy rate of 10% when a single tenant vacates.
Investors can see value in a stable … (1 comments)
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home selling: Boost Your Home’s Appeal with Outdoor Summer Projects that Sell - 07/03/11 10:01 PM
Everyone loves summer and with good reason: after a long winter, the bright sunshine beckons young and old alike to sit by the pool, enjoy a little music, and soak in the warmth. Summer is also the most popular time to buy or sell a home; and by investing a little time and energy into these summer projects that sell, your home will look its best whether it goes on the market next week or next year.
Fencing: Families with pets, young children or those just seeking a little additional privacy will appreciate the functionality and appearance of an attractive … (1 comments)
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David Hill PhD,ePro,SFR,CIAS,BPOR,CNE Chicago Real Estate Agent
Gurnee,
IL
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Midwest Premier Realty, Gurnee IL 224-321-0699
Address: Gurnee, IL, 60031
Office Phone: (224) 321-0699
Cell Phone: (224) 321-0699
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