People see their home as a direct reflection of themselves. But if your tastes are extreme, it can increase your listing time.
When it's time move or simply redecorate, beige is beautiful. By ensuring your home is as inviting (and neutral) as possible, you stand to substantially increase your home's appeal, not to mention the selling price.
If you're in the midst of staging your home or just remodeling, consider how the following will ensure it sells quickly at or above the asking price.
1. De-cluttering your clutter
Everything in your home has a home - your job is to find it. If the space is cluttered, buyers won't see your home's full potential. While showing your home, consider renting a storage area or borrowing some space in your neighbor's garage. Remember, selling your house involves showing the buyer the possibilities of the space.
2. Keep it clean
A messy space with grime and grit is a distraction for a homebuyer. Walk through the house with your Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate sales associate and make a list of the spaces that need cleaning. If you can't do it yourself, hire a professional crew and get it done.
3. Stage(ing) matters
Adding fresh flowers around the house, especially to the front hall, creates a more welcoming environment in your home. Try placing some beautiful books, pillows, fresh fruit, a cozy blanket or other items around the house as well. Little touches will go a long way when buyers are envisioning life in their new house.
4. Let there be light
Replacing lamps and other fixtures with more up-to-date models can take a home from shabby to chic. Increasing the bulbs from low to high wattage can make all the rooms brighter and spacious. Adding wall sconces can make ceilings seem larger. If you have a dark room, think about paint color and light as a way to enhance it.
5. Splash and spruce it
Look at your home with new eyes and see the places that need a splash of color or need some sprucing up. Adding a fresh coat of paint to the walls can instantly turn a dark or a small room into an inviting space. One of the better tips for selling a house fast is to take a walk around the home and find places in need of repair. Then make a list of home improvement and decorating projects to do before listing your home.
For assistance with any of your real estate needs, please contact me by email, phone or visit me at my office, whether it's to get started on helping you realize your goals and dreams, or just to ask a question - no pressure, no hassle, no obligation - just a friendly conversation. I would welcome the opportunity to make a difference for you.
Taste in art is incredibly subjective. If your home even slightly resembles a museum, consider that one person's treasure can be another's trash. When getting ready to sell your home, it's important to keep the artwork simple so you can get the best selling price.
Before listing your property, consider having a candid chat with your Better Homes and Gardens Rand Realty Real Estate sales associate, or a close friend. Both can give you a better sense of pieces destined for the Guggenheim, and those better suited for the basement. Remember, it's the walls that are for sale, not what's on them.
Remove extra pieces
Overcrowded walls can make a room feel smaller. Many people cluster together family photos and art in groups-a design strategy that sings in some spaces and sinks in others. Take a critical look at the pieces in each room and consider if they add or subtract from the overall buying potential of the home.
Posters
Children typically have posters in their rooms of their favorite bands, artists or sports heroes. It's a good idea to limit the amount of posters on children's walls to give potential buyers a better sense of the room's possibilities. You want to emphasize the versatility of each space. No matter how difficult (for you or your child), it's also a good idea to remove any stickers and adhesives on the bedroom doors.
Family photos
People like to see who is living in the home-but only to an extent. Take a look in each room through the eyes of a stranger. Are the pictures from last summer's sojourn in the Grand Canyon a little much?
Valuable art collections
In most cases, art is a phenomenal investment. During any open house, make sure your best pieces are featured prominently. Valuable artwork can lend an air of prestige to a home, and be a great point for discussion amongst potential buyers.
Using art to create a mood
Art sets the mood for a home. Landscapes, black and white photography, sculptures, and other tasteful pieces do wonders, but try to avoid leaving out anything that's overtly religious, sexual or controversial. Pieces of that nature can detract from the overall feel of your home and give potential buyers a reason to keep looking.
For assistance with any of your real estate needs, please contact me by email, phone or visit me at my office, whether it's to get started on helping you realize your goals and dreams, or just to ask a question - no pressure, no hassle, no obligation - just a friendly conversation. I would welcome the opportunity to make a difference for you.
Color plays a big part in selling a house. How you decide to dress your walls can convince a buyer that your home is move-in ready or leave them looking elsewhere. If the goal is to see the sparkle of "love at first sight," consider picking the right paint palette to suit a range of buyer tastes.
Proper Preparation
When you paint your walls, make sure you prepare the walls properly. Before you start, use a pre-made crack filler or drywall compound to fill in minor cracks and old picture hook holes. Lightly sanding baseboards, window frames and doors is also a great way to ensure that your paint will adhere to the surfaces properly. Make sure you are using the same base paint that currently exists on the surface you are repainting. Latex on latex, and oil base on oil base.
Picking The Magical Colors
Color choices are plentiful, as are the types of paints. When selecting interior colors, consider how you use each room or the feeling that you want to create for the space. White is a great accent, but for walls it is a harsh and cold color. Instead of white, choose warm, inviting and neutral paint colors such as yellows, warm beige and olive tones.
The best rule of thumb for home remodeling is to stick to a color palette that isn't too bland but also isn't too bold. For smaller spaces, such as bathrooms, choose colors that make the room look bigger such as warmer whites. For the bigger rooms, select a paint that is a couple shades darker to create a cozy atmosphere. For bedrooms, calming paint colors work best.
Make sure the palette you create flows from room to room. At paint stores, purchase a smaller can of paint and test it on the walls before committing to the color for the entire room.
Wallpaper Can Be A "Turnoff"
Potential homebuyers don't always like wallpaper or at least the wallpaper you may have chosen 15 years ago. They want simple, clean, warm and inviting rooms and not the potential headache of steam cleaners and wallpaper removal. It is a good idea to consider removing wallpaper or at the very least painting over it where necessary in order to open the space and make the room feel fresh and clean.
Don't Forget To Look Up
Potential buyers notice water stains and old-fashioned ceilings. If you have a home with a stucco ceiling, it can date your home to a buyer. Before you show your home, consider painting the ceiling with flat white paint. If you have crown molding, make sure you use the same ceiling paint for a consistent professional look.
Learn From The Experts
Choosing a wall color can be overwhelming. If you don't know or are unsure, ask the professionals. A Better Homes and Gardens® Real Estate sales associate can help you make some of these decisions. Additionally, the mega hardware and home decorating locations have experts who are ready to help you with your decorating dilemmas. When reading magazines, tear out photos of rooms that look appealing and inviting and match the wall colors at the store. Paint color can help you sell a house faster. A fresh coat of paint makes the walls fresh and clean to create an inviting environment for a homebuyer.
For assistance with any of your real estate needs, please contact me by email, phone or visit me at my office, whether it's to get started on helping you realize your goals and dreams, or just to ask a question - no pressure, no hassle, no obligation - just a friendly conversation. I would welcome the opportunity to make a difference for you.
Bought a fixer-upper that you are turning around both inside and out? Looking for an effective and inexpensive way to look after your landscaping design needs while fooling those who see your home into thinking you've broken the bank? Here are some key considerations for keeping your landscaping costs from running out of control.
Plan
Once you've established your budget, start considering your needs for your landscaping project. Don't be too concerned if your plan looks a little sparse at first; it'll take time for your yard and plants to fill in. Expect to see impressive results by the second year. If you are willing to be patient, spacing your plants out will save money.
Lawns
While many homeowners obsess about their lawns, the truth is that these green areas can be kept more effectively and inexpensively than many consider. For the most part, homeowners cut their lawns too short. By cutting lawns at 2 inches and above, root structure will be stronger and the result is a lawn that is more resistant to weeds and needs fewer costly treatments to look great. If you are starting from scratch, seeding your lawn areas is far less expensive than more costly sod.
Flower beds
Perennial flowers are often slightly more expensive, but over time, prove to be a more cost effective way of filling flowerbeds. Try combining perennials with a mixture of smaller shrubs that work well with the sunlight/shade and soil composition in your yard. Your local gardening center can help you decide which plants are right for the particular space in your garden.
Make sure you have sketched out a rough plan with dimensions and compass points when visiting the garden center. Sun exposure plays a key role in determining their suggestions and your success. When you have finished planting, draw a garden map marking down where and what you have planted. This is a nice feature to have when selling your home as it allows potential purchasers the opportunity to identify the plants in the garden.
Make sure you keep a record of your purchases (most garden centers will guarantee their perennials for a period of up to two years) and keep in mind that many perennials are often sold cheaper later in the season. Be sure and check with your local garden center for deals and after season planting tips.
Avoid concrete
While the pros often work with expensive and messy concrete, DIY types can utilize sand to create walkways and patios. Careful planning will eliminate the need to cut many bricks or stones.
Less water means less money
Depending on where you live, the cost of watering your lawn and garden can cost a fortune - especially if your landscaping needs excessive amounts of water. This can be avoided by taking the "xeriscaping" approach to landscaping, which leads to the use of drought-tolerant plants.
Look for opportunities
Plant sales, especially at the end of season, are a good way of picking up perennials inexpensively. Additionally, keep your eyes open for plant swaps and other opportunities to acquire plants for your project.
Less can mean more
If you are planning on selling your house, you can add inexpensive shrubs and a lot of mulch. This will look attractive, but is a cheap way of disguising any landscaping shortcomings. Potential buyers will find it attractive and will likely want to put their own personal landscaping design in place.
Think Local
Local quarries can provide decorative crushed rock at a fraction of the cost typically associated with traditional landscaping and garden shops. It may be cheaper, but it usually looks great and can cover a large area for little money.
For assistance with any of your real estate needs, please contact me by email, phone or visit me at my office, whether it's to get started on helping you realize your goals and dreams, or just to ask a question - no pressure, no hassle, no obligation - just a friendly conversation. I would welcome the opportunity to make a difference for you.
Many Americans look back fondly at the years they spent in their youth lounging in their parent`s backyard pool, but does having a pool on your property help or hinder when it comes time to sell your home? The answer is neither simple nor straightforward. Truthfully, investing in a pool can benefit one homeowner while not adding an ounce of value to the next.
Pool Market
Experts say the biggest market for pools consists of buyers who skew toward middle age with teenage children. However, there are some homeowners, specifically those with younger children, who might view a home with a pool as an accident waiting to happen. Experts say pools increase a property's desirability if the home is in an area that has a large number of pools.
However, in recent years, pools have become part of a trend that places more emphasis on backyard landscaping, including fencing, walkways, decks, and other options.
Pool Myths
There is a longstanding belief held by many that pools don't add value to one's property when you are selling your home. That may be the case in some instances, experts say, however, there are plenty of examples of pools adding value to your property, according to the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (NAR). NAR statistics show that pools add approximately 7.7 percent to the average property value, and more than 11 percent to homes in the Southwest U.S.
Costs
The Wall Street Journal reports that while some companies in the United States advertise in-ground pools at prices around $16,000, the real price is likely double that. But costs don't stop with the pool. Landscaping a backyard through a landscaping service can add anywhere from $3,000 to more than $100,000. While in-ground pools return approximately 50 percent of their initial investment, be sure to keep service records that show it's in good working order.
Location, Location, Location
Before installing a pool, consider where you live. If your neighborhood has a community pool that can be easily accessed, you'll likely struggle to attract buyers for your home with a backyard pool.
Above-Ground Alternatives
If you are concerned about the cost of a pool versus the amount it adds to your property's value, then consider an above-ground pool. These pools have become increasingly easy to install and maintain, and cost only a fraction of the tens of thousands of dollars that a homeowner must pour into an in-ground pool. Most pool companies now say they install significantly more above-ground pools versus their in-ground models.
For assistance with any of your real estate needs, please contact me by email, phone or visit me at my office, whether it's to get started on helping you realize your goals and dreams, or just to ask a question - no pressure, no hassle, no obligation - just a friendly conversation. I would welcome the opportunity to make a difference for you.
Going green in your new home is much easier than you think. These tips will help you make changes in your home to benefit both you and the environment. Moving into a new home is the perfect time to make some important changes. You can build a home that is based on environmentally friendly and energy-efficient solutions. Ditch the old appliances and invest in those carrying the Energy Star symbol. Fill the light fixtures with compact fluorescent light bulbs. Making a clean and green start will be healthy for you and the environment. It can also lead to cost savings.
Health-Smart Approaches
One common concern for parents in recent years has been the effect of dust and residue from lead in paint. Radon has also been a big issue. Evidence of how important both of these home health issues has become is that disclosures are now typically required as part of any residential real estate transaction.
Creating and maintaining a healthy home environment is obviously important for anyone with allergies or heightened sensitivity to noxious odors or pollutants. But today's consumers are becoming more attuned to these issues regardless of special needs, and that's a good thing for everyone. Consider these highly effective product solutions for a healthy home.
Eco-friendly paints, such as Benjamin Moore's Aura Paint, are less harmful to the environment because they release fewer volatile organic compounds than regular paint.
Low- or no-VOC (volatile organic compounds) paints
Central dehumidification to reduce mold and mildew
Central air purification and ventilation systems
Central-vacuum system
Flooring that doesn't harbor dust
For a special emphasis about dealing with health hazards that affect children in the home, visit the first Web site listed below.
For assistance with any of your real estate needs, please contact me by email, phone or visit me at my office, whether it's to get started on helping you realize your goals and dreams, or just to ask a question - no pressure, no hassle, no obligation - just a friendly conversation. I would welcome the opportunity to make a difference for you.
Going green in your new home is much easier than you think. These tips will help you make changes in your home to benefit both you and the environment. Moving into a new home is the perfect time to make some important changes. You can build a home that is based on environmentally friendly and energy-efficient solutions. Ditch the old appliances and invest in those carrying the Energy Star symbol. Fill the light fixtures with compact fluorescent light bulbs. Making a clean and green start will be healthy for you and the environment. It can also lead to cost savings.
Earth-Smart Materials
Minimizing the use of nonrenewable resources usually involves the intentional selection of alternative materials in building and remodeling. This is partly behind the upsurge in the popularity of bamboo flooring, for example. Such products have to be attractive, durable, and reasonably priced to attract attention -- and many companies are working to provide these products. Here are some other examples.
Installing blown-in insulation efficiently fills nooks and crannies in your home.
Engineered structural wood products are manufactured from fast-growing trees and recycled wood chips, thus helping to safeguard old-growth forests.
Rapidly renewing wood flooring also protects old-growth forests. Examples include lyptus (a fast-growing eucalyptus that looks like cherry or mahogany), cork, and bamboo.
Recycled content carpet, commonly known as "pop bottle carpet," uses plastic and recovered textiles and is more resilient and colorfast than conventional carpet.
Cellulose attic insulation is made from recycled newspaper and sprayed in for superior sealing.
See this Web site for a comprehensive list of earth-smart products.
For assistance with any of your real estate needs, please contact me by email, phone or visit me at my office, whether it's to get started on helping you realize your goals and dreams, or just to ask a question - no pressure, no hassle, no obligation - just a friendly conversation. I would welcome the opportunity to make a difference for you.
Going green in your new home is much easier than you think. These tips will help you make changes in your home to benefit both you and the environment. Moving into a new home is the perfect time to make some important changes. You can build a home that is based on environmentally friendly and energy-efficient solutions. Ditch the old appliances and invest in those carrying the Energy Star symbol. Fill the light fixtures with compact fluorescent light bulbs. Making a clean and green start will be healthy for you and the environment. It can also lead to cost savings.
Energy-Smart Products
Many products that reduce harmful effects on the environment are on the market now. Often they are simple and inexpensive, offering green benefits whether you're planning to build or remodel. Others are practical only when the cost can be incorporated into a mortgage; this way the upfront cost can be spread over time and made up for in savings on your monthly utility bill. Here's a short list.
Programmable thermostat
Compact fluorescent lighting
Adequate insulation and home sealing
Energy Star appliances
Energy-saving home electronics
Solar water heater
Tankless water heater
Energy-efficient windows and doors
High-efficiency heating and cooling
Photovoltaic solar panels
Check out these two links, which are excellent Web-based resources to help you find and evaluate energy-smart products.
For assistance with any of your real estate needs, please contact me by email, phone or visit me at my office, whether it's to get started on helping you realize your goals and dreams, or just to ask a question - no pressure, no hassle, no obligation - just a friendly conversation. I would welcome the opportunity to make a difference for you.
Going green in your new home is much easier than you think. These tips will help you make changes in your home to benefit both you and the environment. Moving into a new home is the perfect time to make some important changes. You can build a home that is based on environmentally friendly and energy-efficient solutions. Ditch the old appliances and invest in those carrying the Energy Star symbol. Fill the light fixtures with compact fluorescent light bulbs. Making a clean and green start will be healthy for you and the environment. It can also lead to cost savings.
Goo news for you, Kermit: It's not that hard being green anymore. Products claiming green status seem to be popping up all over, and support for the concept has almost become a given. In fact, the only hard part now is pinning down exactly what it means to be green.
Energy Star compact fluorescent light bulbs use two-thirds less energy than standard incandescent bulbs to provide the same amount of light. They last up to 10 times longer.
Joyce Mason, vice-president of marketing for California's Pardee Homes, has an answer. The company built its first Energy Star home in 1998 and has built 3,000 energy-efficient houses with environmentally friendly materials since 2001. Here's this residential builder's definition of green:
Minimizes the use of nonrenewable energy, water, and other natural resources.
Provides a house with a healthy indoor environment built in a community with a healthy outdoor environment.
Uses products that reduce harmful effects on the environment.
Controls house size.
Designs appropriately for the climate zone.
Treats a house as a system of interrelated components.
The company matches products with these principles in four categories (more to follow on each):
Energy smart
Earth smart
Health smart
Water smart
For assistance with any of your real estate needs, please contact me by email, phone or visit me at my office, whether it's to get started on helping you realize your goals and dreams, or just to ask a question - no pressure, no hassle, no obligation - just a friendly conversation. I would welcome the opportunity to make a difference for you.
Moving into a new home is the perfect time to make some important changes. You can build a home that is based on environmentally friendly and energy-efficient solutions. Ditch the old appliances and invest in those carrying the Energy Star symbol. Fill the light fixtures with compact fluorescent light bulbs. Making a clean and green start will be healthy for you and the environment. It can also lead to cost savings
The main water issues in the home are purification and conservation. Great strides have been made in both areas in recent years. One of the more interesting advances is permeable pavement, which is especially effective at helping filter chemicals that leak from cars parked in the driveway. Here are more examples.
Front-loading washers are gentler on your clothes and cut water use by half compared to conventional top-loading machines.
Drought-tolerant plants reduce the amount of time and money you'll spend on irrigation.
Xeriscaping challenges the assumption that grass should always be the dominant design element of a yard and lets the climate determine what makes the most sense.
Water-saving appliances such as front-loading washing machines have attracted great consumer interest, and low-flow showerheads and toilets have been mandated by law.
Water purification devices that use carbon to remove contaminants and reverse osmosis systems are effective in the home.
Permeable pavement lets rainwater seep through, which reduces runoff and allows the soil underneath to act as a natural filte
For assistance with any of your real estate needs, please contact me by email, phone or visit me at my office, whether it's to get started on helping you realize your goals and dreams, or just to ask a question - no pressure, no hassle, no obligation - just a friendly conversation. I would welcome the opportunity to make a difference for you.
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
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