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Real Estate Tips

Must Dos for Sellers

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There are a few things I’ve noticed that are a must dos for anyone selling their home. The market is picking up and I’ve been previewing a number of homes lately. As a realtor, if you are selling your home please follow these few tips to help ensure that you have a good experience.

  1. Don’t leave jewelry or other valuables lying around. Close the jewelry box and keep the dressers clear. Above all, don’t leave cash out in the open.
  2. If you have a pet, please keep them clean. Make sure the litter box is cleaned out and the doggy beds have been washed. Try to keep odors to a minimum. As a pet owner myself, you may not realize that your home has that “pet odor.” I suggest asking a good friend if they notice any odor.
  3. If you have personal collections and collectibles, please pack and put them away. Not everyone’s personal collections appeal to others. I recently saw a house full of clowns, paintings, statues, you name it. Another had dolls, but they just moved the collection to the basement instead of packing away. Quite a surprise when I walked down the stairs. This is true for your photos too. Any way to help neutralize and un-personalize a home, the better. You want the potential buyers to picture themselves living in your house.

For additional tips for Sellers, please see my previous post here: 10 Must-Do’s to SELL Your House Quicker

Spring is Here and Now is the Time to List

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Spring
New England Spring

Spring is here and the snow has melted. After this year, I’m sure everyone in the Greater Danbury Area is glad that meltdown has happened. Showing property over the last month or two has been a challenge, but I’m looking forward to a great Spring.

If you are thinking about listing your house, now is the time to begin that process. Spring is the best time to list a house and the peak selling months are April and May. There are a number of things you can do to get your house ready. Begin by reading the “10 Must-Do’s to Sell Your House Quicker!” for ideas on what needs to get done.

If you are contemplating selling, but you’re not sure, then start with a home valuation and market analysis from your local realtor. You should consider a company that offers extensive marketing, advertising, relocation services, and full real estate services like those available through me at Coldwell Banker.

Our Advantages:

  • Personalized 10 Point Marketing Plan
  • Strong National & International Ties
  • Total Exposure for Your Home
  • Communication the Way You Deserve It
Spring Tulips
Spring Tulips

If Spring is your target, you want to be listed by March in order to get maximum exposure in the Spring Market. Presentation and staging is very important for getting top dollar and a quick sale. In order to make the best of your listing, start today.

Practical Advice for Selecting a Real Estate Professional

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Coldwell Banker
Coldwell Banker

Choose a real estate professional with as much care as you would a lawyer or doctor. Friends, neighbors and co-workers are often a good source for referrals. Ask them about their home buying or selling experience – what kind of service did they receive and would they choose this particular agent or real estate brokerage company again?

In Connecticut, both buyers and sellers have the right to representation in real estate transactions.

Buyers Under CT law, real estate agents must discuss/explain buyer representation with prospective buyers before showing property. A buyer may choose to be represented or to proceed without representation.

A buyer choosing representation will be asked to sign a Buyer Representation Agreement. This agreement is a contract between the buyer and the real estate company and, to be valid, must include the beginning and ending date, the geographical area it covers, a compensation provision, and the signatures of the parties. A buyer who signs the Buyer Representation Agreement can be shown all listings on the market.

A buyer choosing to proceed without representation will be asked to sign the Agency Disclosure Notice for Unrepresented Persons. This document is a disclosure notice, not a contract, and states that the buyer understands that the real estate company represents the seller’s interests and chooses to be unrepresented. This disclosure notice is signed when the buyer wishes to see only that company’s listings.

Sellers Sellers who choose to be represented by a real estate company sign a Listing Agreement, but how does a seller know which company to choose? Some sellers attend open houses to observe listing agents in action, noting their familiarity with the property, their expertise and professionalism, and others look for “sold” signs in the area, read newspaper ads, and then interview several agents.

When interviewing an agent, some questions you might ask include:

How long have you been licensed?

How long have you actively worked in this area?

Are you a member of the National Association of REALTORS®?

Do you work full time as a REALTOR®?

Have you earned any professional real estate designations? Click here to find out why you should choose a REALTOR® with the GRI designation.

How many home sales have you closed in the last three months?

How will you market my home to prospective buyers?

How close are your sales prices to your listing prices?

How long does it take for your listings to sell?

Once you’ve narrowed your choice to two or three professionals, you may wish to check with the Connecticut Real Estate Commission at 860-713-6150 or www.state.ct.us/dcp to ensure the agent you choose has an active license in good standing.

When selecting a real estate professional, be mindful that not all real estate licensees are REALTORS®. The term REALTOR® is a registered trademark which identifies real estate practitioners who belong to the National Association of REALTORS® and subscribe to a strict Code of Ethics.

You can search for REALTORS® by accessing the NAR’s REALTOR® search engine.

In the end, it comes down to trust. Whether you are a home buyer or seller, you have important decisions to make and will be relying on a real estate professional for guidance, so be sure to choose a REALTOR® that you feel has the ability and expertise to help you in your transaction.

5 Common First-Time Homebuyer Mistakes

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  1. First time home buyerThey don’t ask enough questions of their lender and miss out on the best deal.
  2. They don’t act quickly enough to make a decision and someone else buys the house.
  3. They don’t find the right real estate professional who is willing to help you through the homebuying process.
  4. They don’t do enough to make their offer look good to a seller.
  5. They don’t think about resale before they buy. The average first-time buyer only stays in a home for four years.

Reprinted with permission from Real Estate Checklists and Systems (www.realestatechecklists.com)

The Advantages to Using a REALTOR

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Realtor®

Choosing your agent could be the most crucial element of the home buying and selling experience. This is where it is important to realize the difference between a real estate agent and a REALTOR®. While an agent is simply licensed by their state to do business, a REALTOR® has taken the additional steps to become a member of the local board of REALTORS® and has agreed to act under and adhere to a strict Code of Ethics. This membership obligates them to be fair to all parties involved in a transaction.

 

It may seem tempting to try to sell or buy your home without using a real estate professional. But by using a REALTOR®, you have the advantage of information and knowledge through what can often be a complicated and confusing procedure.

With so many resources available, a REALTOR® may be able to help you come out with the same amount of dollars or more than you could command by selling your home yourself.

A REALTOR® is a professional who knows all that needs to be done. They have the experience and resources to advertise, find the homes that suit your needs, and make all of the preparations that save you the time and effort of researching it yourself.

When you are selling your home, an agent who knows the local market can help you set a fair market price. You want to get the most for your home, but overpricing it can prolong the time it sits on the market, making it even more difficult to sell.

A REALTOR® can help you show your home to potential buyers to its best advantage. They will advise prospects of all aspects and conditions of your home and can protect you from later objections.

A REALTOR® can also help you with the home-buying process. Buying a home can be financially intimidating, but an agent can help you determine how much home you can afford and show you some financing methods. The goal of home ownership remains one of the most commonly shared ones, and an agent can show you how to make it achievable.

A REALTOR® is familiar with all the local and current real estate values, taxes, costs and services that could affect your purchase. Your REALTOR® can show you the home best suited to your needs, and can also suggest simple changes that could make a home a good choice. It helps to have someone both objective and knowledgeable when looking for a home to buy!

When buying or selling a home, there are a lot of details that can overwhelm you or be forgotten. Using a REALTOR® is the best way to be sure that you have someone on your side to get you the best deal and see that everyone is satisfied.

Source: NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

Resale Advice: 10 Must-Do’s to SELL Your House Quicker!

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By Lori K. Tate

Fix Leaky Sinks

Whether you have a leaky faucet or a dining room with orange walls that needs to be painted real estate beige, here are 10 smart resale suggestions that can put your house under contract quicker!

  1. Look at your house from a buyer’s point of view. Forget about how cute your 1-year-old looked when she learned to crawl on the living room floor and start thinking about your home as a commodity. This will help you to assess the condition of your home more objectively.  Once you see your house from a potential buyer’s perspective, you can make the changes needed to allow your house to stand out.
  2. Have a home inspection. Marti Hampton, broker and co-owner of Remax One Realty in Raleigh, NC, highly recommends a home inspection if your home is older than 10 years old. “Why not spend 300 or 400 bucks to clearly define what’s wrong or what’s right?” she asks. “You’ll avoid surprises when the buyer conducts their inspection of your home.” With this done, you can be proactive and fix all of the house’s problems beforeit goes on the market, saving buyers time and making their decision to buy your house even easier!
  3. Don’t be the worst house on the block! If the standard in your neighborhood is to have granite countertops and state-of-the-art appliances, then your house should include those features. “If you have a home that is second-rate for the neighborhood you live in and you bring it up to the neighborhood norm, you’re going to get a good return on your investment when it is time to sell. There is so much inventory on the market today, your house will not get a serious consideration if it’s substandard,” says Molony.
  4. De-personalized and de-clutter your home’s décor. Let potential buyers imagine their own possessions and décor choices more easily in the home. This means removing clutter such as toys, exercise equipment, family pictures and mementos. It is hard for a potential buyer to notice the beautiful mantel if it is covered with distracting personal photos. Light and airy is inviting, so you should repaint any colored rooms in neutral beiges or whites. Enlist the help of a staging professional or get advice from your real estate agent if you have trouble making these choices.
  5. Make a good first impression at floor-level. Install fresh carpet or have your carpet professionally cleaned. If you have hardwoods, refinish them if necessary. This will prevent buyers from making a lower priced offer on your home because they feel the floors aren’t move-in ready. Conrad Kuiken, owner of House Hunter Realty in San Diego County and co-author of the “Fast Action Home Sales System”, suggests touching up the trim around windows and baseboards. “It’s like wearing a new tie if you have an older shirt.”
  6. Choose an experienced ‘online’ agent. Choose an agent that will market your home online to reach more buyers 24/7. “Having the correct online exposure is like having a billboard on the interstate showing your house is for sale,” says Hampton.
  7. Avoid being involved in the showing process. Make buyers feel comfortable in your house and allow them to imagine themselves owning it. When your home is being shown to a potential buyer you should not be at home so that they can feel comfortable to look around the house in detail. “I was showing a property recently and the owner and his wife were basically showing my clients around like they were the ushers in a museum,” explains Kuiken. “That’s a big turnoff for most buyers.”
  8. Offer a home warranty as an incentive to buyers. A home warranty is a service contract that covers such things as the air conditioner, furnace, plumbing and appliances. By offering a warranty, you will give potential buyers piece of mind during one of the most important decisions they will make. Home warranties are quite affordable, with annual premiums costing $300 to $600, depending on what is covered.
  9. Make sure your home sparkles inside and out! Show potential buyers what your home looks like at its best! “Sometimes just power washing your house and your driveway can make all the difference,” says Kuiken. “Try to get it as light and bright looking as possible. Just washing the windows is a huge thing for some people.”
  10. Keep your landscaping trimmed or replace it if it’s out of date. If the outside of your home looks like it hasn’t been well-cared for then buyers will assume that the inside hasn’t been either. One thing you can do to improve your curb appeal is to keep the lawn mowed and get rid of those overgrowing shrubs. “If you’ve got large, overgrowing shrubs that look kind of shotty and unkept, that can affect some of that curb psychological impact,” says Molony. You want potential buyers to drive up to your home and think “this is a place I could live in!”