preparation: 5 Tips for Selling a Detached Home Quickly - 04/26/18 07:46 AM
 I recently wrote a post, 5 Tips for Selling a Townhouse Quickly and For The Most $. It was well received, so I thought I would delve into some things that buyers look at a little differently in single family homes. 
 For the most part, buyers who are purchasing a detached home, are at least 2nd time home owners (there is an exception to every rule, but this is often the norm in Northern Virginia). They are a more well-versed on the expenses associated with owning a home. They are usually more in tune with what their lives are going to look … (0 comments)

preparation: 5 Tips for Selling a Townhouse Quickly--and for the MOST $ - 04/09/18 12:13 PM

Northern Virginia has a lot of Townhouses. They are an affordable option to the sometimes very expensive single family homes in our area, so they are very popular with buyers. When you are ready to sell your townhouse, what are some easy things you can do to get it sold quickly--and for the most money?  Update fixtures. Often, people buying a TH are stretching their budget to purchase. If the property looks updated and contemporary, it will immediately be more attractive. Fixtures to include in your update: lighting, plumbing, cabinet knobs, and sometimes door hardware.  Paint. Inside: figure out what the most … (0 comments)

preparation: 5 things to expect when you list your home - 07/23/15 04:59 AM
Listing homes is one of my favorite parts of real estate. I love helping people figure out the best way to prepare their homes, I love pulling together the marketing, I love guiding them through the process and I love going to settlement with them.
  With all the exciting things I enjoy about listing a home, for the seller, there are some really specific 'not fun' aspects to listing your home. The more you understand this ahead of time, and come to terms with the challenges, the easier the process will be for you. Inconvenience: Having your home for sale is not … (2 comments)

preparation: Advice for Sellers - 08/15/13 01:05 AM
 
Too many sellers believe that a 'seller's market' means that you pop  a sign in the ground and start collecting offers. Unfortunately, in many cases, there are still some very important things that sellers must do to secure a good contract.   Price: Pricing your home is both an art and a science. The 'science' is based on a thorough and comprehensive review of recent comparable sales. As a Realtor®, I understand what appraisers value and how to provide them the information they need to justify the price.  I spend a lot of time analyzing the data, examining the nuances of your home … (52 comments)

preparation: The Devil is in the Details - 11/13/12 10:18 PM
If you are thinking of putting your house on the market, you have probably decided that you need to do some updates. You might be getting the indoors or outdoors painted, you might be replacing the flooring or doing a quick kitchen or bath update.   One area that homeowners overlook is taking care of the small details. After all, most sellers believe that buyers will be focused on the big stuff. While that is true, I would contend that the small details can be a big deal to a buyer.   As I walk through a house with buyers, we … (4 comments)

preparation: Sell Your Home: A Series of Posts, Part 4 - 10/09/11 06:21 AM
You've done the hard work and the heavy lifting. Your house is on the market and you may be getting anxious because you did not get a contract on the first day.  Here are some posts that can help you understand things you might consider to improve your chances of getting a contract and how buyers who are looking at your home are reveiwing the information that is available to them.
An informed seller is a seller who is in a good postion to get a solid contract with a  high chance of getting to settlement. Make sure YOU are an … (0 comments)

preparation: 10 Things to Do Before You List Your House - 02/18/11 02:14 AM
You have decided to list your house. Frankly, you are tired of the maintenance and expense and are looking forward to something that requires less of you. Don't lose your motivation...you are not done yet! Think of this as the last stretch to the finish line and once you cross, you can move on. A well-prepared home presents as a well-maintained home. You think that potential buyers won't notice the little things? Think again! Here are 10 things I tell my sellers that they must do:
Have the HVAC serviced. Nearly every  inspection report recommends it and most sellers end … (7 comments)

preparation: Hard work is the new BUZZ! - 11/09/10 03:51 AM
For those of you who do not live with a  14 year old boy, you may not know that Call of Duty: Black Ops went on sale at midnight. My son, thankfully, did not push to be one of those in line (so I did not have to say 'no'), but he told me last night that he is sure that at least one of his friends (and likely more) were in line!Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows  will be released on November 19, 2010. My son HAS asked to go to the midnight show. Like any good parent, I responded … (0 comments)

preparation: Is Your (Lovely) Wallpaper Costing You a Sale? - 02/21/10 08:06 AM
One of the hardest conversations I have with clients, and potential clients, is that they need to remove the wallpaper prior to listing their homes (and yes, borders count).  I know that your wallpaper is lovely and I can tell that is designer quality, but the number one complaint I get from buyers is that they don't want to deal with wallpaper removal!
Sellers don't want to remove it because
They paid to install it Removal can be time consuming and/or costly Walls often need to be repaired After the paper comes down, the walls need to be painted Buyers … (12 comments)

preparation: Selling Your House Series: Money Doesn't ALWAYS Talk - 02/02/10 06:42 AM
Nearly every listing I have ever marketed has initially had at least one item that does not operate correctly or is not in desirable condition. Examples include, but are not limited to, broken ice makers, stained or damaged carpeting, broken Jacuzzis, wall paper (a big problem for most buyers),  and unattractive light fixtures. In virtually every situation, the seller has asked me if we can just offer a credit at closing. In virtually every situation, I recommend against this for a couple of reasons:
Lenders don't like credits for repairs. They like to know that the house they are taking … (2 comments)

preparation: Why You Should Start Now for Spring Move - 12/02/09 02:33 AM
For many of us, the time between mid-November and January 2, is a blur of activities, events, and family gatherings.  Surprisingly, it is also a great time to begin planning for a move in the Spring.  You may find yourself needing to use up some stockpiled vacation. What better way to use it then to begin planning for your next big investment? For Buyers: This is a great time to pull your credit report, review your findings and begin the process of correcting any problems.  Contacting a reputable Lender at this time also makes sense. They can review your credit report, … (4 comments)

preparation: Sell Your Home: A Series of Posts, Part 3 - 11/15/09 01:09 AM
If you are planning to sell your house, the time to put in the work is BEFORE the property is listed. In my previous post, Sell Your Home: A Series of Posts, Part 2, I discuss how important it is to look at every aspect of your home with a critical eye. The posts below deal with very specific areas and may help you to get started with this process. Getting Your House Ready to Sell Series:What the Mailbox Might Be Saying About Your Home Getting Your House Ready to Sell Series: Plants & Shrubs by Front Door Getting Your House … (3 comments)

preparation: Home Energy Audit: Does it Help or Hurt the Sale? - 11/12/09 12:58 AM
As a Realtor and EcoBroker, I have been giving a lot of thought to what the role of  a Home Energy Audit should be in the process of selling a house.  Unlike a Home Inspection or a Radon Inspection, a Home Energy Audit does not affect the safety of living in a property, but improvements resulting from an audit can also have immediate impacts on health and safety as well as comfort and energy savings. So how should a Home Energy Audit be considered in the sales process?
You may or may not have heard of a Home Energy Audit.  While … (7 comments)

preparation: Sell Your Home : A Series of Posts, Part 2 - 11/11/09 10:46 PM
Now that you have decided to sell your home, it is critical that you look at your property objectively and make the necessary improvements.  If you have read any of my previous posts, you will know that one of my favorite sayings is, 'you only get one chance to make a first impression.'  This is the time to prepare your home as thoroughly as you would prepare yourself for an important interview. Look at every corner of your home and ask yourself is it 1) clean, 2) well maintained, 3) dated (and replace offending items if necessary).  Just as you may … (3 comments)

preparation: Sell Your Home: A Series of Posts, Part 1 - 11/11/09 05:12 AM
Are you are thinking about selling your house? If you have talked about this to friends and family, you are probably getting a lot of advice--much of which you find conflicting. For the past several years, I have written a number of  blogs for sellers which I have called the Getting Your House Ready To Sell Series. I hope that you can benefit from some of these posts. Selling your home is different from many other life decisions because it impacts not only your net worth, but is usually a very emotional transaction. It is a rare seller who can completely … (1 comments)

preparation: Getting Your House Ready to Sell Series: What the Mailbox Might Be Saying About Your Home - 02/15/09 02:44 AM
This morning I walked the neighborhood where I will be holding an Open House this afternoon. I always like to invite the neighbors (who presumably like where they live and have friends and family) to come in and see the listed property.  As all Realtors know, Open Houses are primarily attended by curious neighbors.
My plan was to personally invite each neighbor by knocking on the door and giving them an invitation yesterday afternoon. Of course, real life got in the way and I wasn't able to to that. My alternate plan was to string each of these postcard invites with … (4 comments)

preparation: Unwitting Ways You May Be Sabotaging Your Sale - 01/13/09 06:38 AM
The first thing to remember when you list your house is that this is a business transaction. You must vow to remove your emotion from it and listen to the advice that you receive (easier said than done, I know!) about how you can make your house more attractive to the most number of buyers. Make sure that you trust your listing agent because the advice that he or she provides for you will not always be easy to take; it is much easier to implement, however, if you trust their motivation.I do not have any clients right now that have … (1 comments)

preparation: Getting Your House Ready to Sell Series: A Letter to My Seller after our Pre-Listing Walk Through - 08/15/08 07:31 AM
This is a generic letter to a client after a pre-listing walk through.  It is a combination of many situations I have come across in these walk throughs over the years. I would, obviously, never address my clients this way.  But for fun, I put this letter together to showcase some of the situations that I run in to again and again.
If you are an agent, I am sure you will recognize these scenarios. If you are a seller, keep in mind that I am satirizing the situation, but that there is a grain of truth in each of my comments.
Dear Seller,
… (3 comments)

preparation: Getting Your House Ready to Sell Series: Help! I have been in my house forever! - 06/20/08 09:17 AM
As I knock on the door, I notice the lovely, well-tended and mature gardening around the front door.  I meet my potential client and I can tell they are more nervous about the listing appointment than usual.  It turns out they have been in their house for 30+ years.  This is not an unusual situation.  The question is always, 'where and how do I begin?'
There is an organization that formed in 2002 called National Association of Senior Move Managers.  This organization provides resources to help seniors make housing transitions. Sometimes the preparation can be overwhelming, and having a 'manager' can … (0 comments)

preparation: Getting Your House Ready to Sell Series: Deal with the Paint Cans! - 06/08/08 08:29 AM
I was walking with a friend today and lamenting the fact that my husband decided yesterday was the perfect day to sort through our many cans of paint. Yesterday, it was close to 100 degrees in the garage!
I bring this up because part of the reason we have so many different cans of paint--besides the fact that I am a serial room-color-changer--is because as a Realtor® I am often the last resort for sellers who need to get the paints out of their garage. Most movers won't take paint cans, they can't be thrown away (without drying them out first) and many … (1 comments)

 


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