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3 Things To Do Now To Make a Move in 2014

By
Real Estate Broker/Owner with Green Light Real Estate

3 Things To Do Now to Make a Move in 2014


 

You’ve decided that 2014 is the year you’re going to make a move. Congratulations! Making the decision was tough. Now it’s time to start making a plan. Here are three things to do NOW to be ready to buy or sell a house in the Montpelier/Barre real estate market this year.

3 Things To Do Now to Sell Your House in 2014
 

1. Get your house pre-inspected. Buyers are going to do this anyway, and it can give you a real advantage if you’ve already seen what might come up. There are probably some easy fixes and small repairs that you could knock out before a buyer has a chance to bring them up.


 

There also might be some big items. You can’t disguise or hide them. But if you know about them you can make your plan. Fix them? Compensate for it in price? Something else?


 

2. Clean and declutter. You’ve heard this before. It’s very important, if you want to get top dollar, and get the buyer before they go to another house. Make a dynamo of a first impression. It might take a lot of work, but there’s no better use of time than doing the deep cleaning, and maintaining it.


 

It might even be a good idea to rent a storage space and/or hire someone to clean for a few months. Honestly, if you’re going to ask someone to spend $200,000 or more on your house, it’s a good idea to spend $150 for the next  few months to make your house shine.


 

3. Learn as much as you can about the process. Of course, being a Realtor, I think working closing with a professional real estate broker is critical. But you might be able to get good advice and guidance elsewhere too. Please call or email for more information.


 

You’ll want to know about the current inventory, recent sales, contracts, negotiations, possible pitfalls, and more. Start watching the Barre/Montpelier real estate market very closely. It’s kind of fun.


 

3 Things To Do Now to Buy a House in 2014


 

1. Get pre-approved for a loan. No, it’s not the most exciting thing to do. Gather your paystubs, account statements, and tax returns. You might already be doing that as you prepare for filing your taxes anyway.


 

Talk with a trusted lender (I can give recommendations if you need), and find out not only what you can spend on a house, but what you want to spend on a house. Once you have those numbers in mind, looking for houses is a ton more efficient. I’ve seen people start looking at houses at $325,000 only to find out that they’re pre-approved for $250,000. Buyers became dejected (even though the $250,000 houses were great!)


 

Your lender might also have some good ideas on things you can do to improve your credit score. Sometimes just working from a plan for two or three months is all it takes to bump a credit score into the “good” zone.


 

2. Think and talk carefully about what you want. When I meet with buyers in a initial consultation, we go through a detailed “Target Property Profile”, also known as “Whatcha Want?” This helps to hone in on what are the most important things you want in your house.


 

It also helps to talk about any features or design elements that you definitely don’t want in your house.


 

With that plan in front of you, you might be able to narrow the field of possible homes from dozens to three or four. And for those of you who have full schedules, it’s a heck of a lot more efficient to look at three or four houses than dozens.


 

3. Become a student of the market. Look online at homes for sale in the areas you want. Do drive-bys. If you can, get a list of similar homes that have sold recently (this is one place working with a professional Realtor can be very valuable). Do drive-bys of those places too.


 

Then, armed with your pre-approval letter, your clear idea of what you’re looking for, and your growing expertise, you’ll be ready to find, view, and make an offer on your next home.  Of course, that’s where another set of work comes in…


Make 2014 the year you make your move. Develop a plan, do the research, and bring in experts that you can trust. For more information about any of this, for recommendations of people who can be part of your team, or just to talk, call or email.
 

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