Tips For Buying A House In The Fall

Tips for Buying a House in the Fall 

Surprisingly, fall is a great time to buy a home. There are still homes on the market which did not sell during the summer months, some at deep discounts. There are also homes newly listed by sellers trying to beat the slower winter months. At the same time, there are fewer buyers out searching, which makes it the perfect time to buy a home. 

 • Fall home buyers should be ready to move when they find the right home and at the right price. Get pre-qualified so that you can jump at the right opportunity. You don't want to lose the home you just fell in love with to another buyer who was pre-qualified first.

 • Notice the imperfections. With windy or rainy weather, homes can show their scars. Look for evidence of water intrusion and evaluate the yard debris with the falling leaves. Look at gutters and ceilings for both. 

 • Visit the local school. With school in session, this is a good time to visit and ask questions from teachers and administrators. 

 • Wait for winter if necessary. Buyers all but evaporate in the winter months, so while the competition seems low in the fall, wait for the right home to come along, even if it’s in January.  Buying a home this fall is exciting. By using the season to its advantage, home buyers can get a great deal. 

6 Reasons Your Home Won't Sell

Are you ready to sell your home and want it to have a great first impression on the market? Or maybe your home has been listed for a few weeks or months, and you can't figure out why it won't sell, and you know your agent is working hard to market it. I’ve listed below the top 6 reasons your home may not make a good impression and end up stagnant on the market.

1. IT'S OVERPRICED

To be clear, an overpriced home is the #1 reason a home won't sell. We often times want our homes to be worth a lot more than we may see based on the data, but if you put your home on the market for the number you wish it will bring instead of the price it actually needs to be, your home can sit on the market for months without getting a single showing. If you're thinking you need to price high to leave room for negotiations, statistics show that views for your property, for buyers in your price range, can drop a whopping 90% if it's priced too high. Discuss with your broker or me what the market says the value of your home is, then price it competitively to potentially get a bidding frenzy instead of low offers or having it expire.

2. LOW SHOWING AVAILABILITY

Making sure the house is clean and having to leave on a daily basis for buyers to tour the home may get a little overwhelming, but it is crucial to have open availability to have your home shown. You could end up missing out on the perfect buyer if you decline too many showings. The longer it sits on the market, the less value buyers will see in it. Talk with me or your broker about having a 24-hour notice period if the extra time is needed, but make sure your home is available to be shown as often as possible.

3. CLUTTERED SPACE

Buyers want to walk into a house and envision their lives in that home. This is difficult to do if your home is cluttered with personal belongings. They are instantly given the feeling of invading someone else's personal space, instead of the satisfaction of being able to see a future in your home. Make sure your property is clutter free before putting it on the market; and store away any family photos.

4. UNPLEASANT ODORS

If you smoke or have pets, it's easy to get used to the smell to the point that you don't even notice it anymore. But it's important to understand that the scent can be picked up by new people visiting your home, and it can really turn them off from making an offer. Before a showing, make sure to dispose of any garbage, don't cook fish or other strong-smelling food, and ensure the home is freshened up so there are no pet or smoke odors.

5. UNWILLING TO MAKE REPAIRS

Selling your home as-is may sound appealing at first but being unwilling to make repairs could cost another mortgage payment that far exceeds the cost of repairs if you refuse to work with the buyer on their requests and the home goes back on the market again. It's wise to be open to repair requests, and simply go over with your agent what you can afford to do and make a reasonable counter offer during the repair negotiations.

6. UNWILLING TO NEGOTIATE WITH BUYERS

It's important to have an open mind about requests that will come from buyers when it comes to purchasing your home. These requests can come in the form of price negotiations, repair requests, or even requests to cover closing costs or home warranties. With your agent on your side advising you of the best steps to take, it's best to be open to working with the buyers on some of their requests to ensure a successful closing.

SIMPLE SPRUCING TIPS FOR YOUR HOME

Simple Sprucing Tips For Your Home You don't need thousands of dollars to fully refurbish your home to make it feel like new again. Instead, you can DIY a lot of features in your house to help spruce it up for the upcoming season. Whether you plan to sell your home, have guests over, or are just tired of how drab it's been feeling lately, here are a few tips and tricks you can use to refresh your space:

CLEAN + DECLUTTER
Throw out all of the junk taking up space! You'd be surprised by how much more you'll fall back in love with your home when you take out the collection of accumulated stuff that has piled up over the years and finally get to see your home's features for what they are. Store what you don't need/use in either the attic, basement, or in a storage unit. After you've decluttered, be sure to finish it off by cleaning your home. Clean windows, walls, and the floors for the best results. 

BRING IN NATURAL LIGHT
Do you have heavy curtains covering your windows? Bring them down! Not only will this make your space feel bigger by removing stuff off the walls, it'll also feel alive again with all of the natural light that pours in. 

ADD FRESH PAINT
Nothing refreshes a home like a new coat of paint. If you have dark dull colors, opt for lighter tones. Covering up stains on the walls, or drab old paint, can help your house feel brand new all over again. 

ADD TILE
Consider adding a tile backsplash in your kitchen or bathroom. You don't have to spend a lot of money to get beautiful results. Be sure you get tiles that compliment the colors in the space, so it doesn't clash and look unappealing.

ADD COLOR
Although neutral colors are always recommended as the base of any home decor, don't be afraid to compliment your neutrals with a pop of color. You can add it throughout the home by using flowers, pillows, decor, or even light curtains that are staged on the sides of your windows. 

CHANGE OUT FIXTURES + HARDWARE
You'd be surprised by how much more a kitchen can look different just by replacing the hardware on the cabinets. A bathroom or living room can come alive again by installing a brand new light fixture. If you moved into a place that still has the same stock hardware or fixtures, replace them and add a little creativity with the new pieces you have installed. 

REARRANGE FURNITURE
Head to Pinterest and get inspired for new living room, bedroom, or dining room arrangements. Most homeowners decorate "incorrectly" when it comes to standard staging rules. View a variety of furniture set-ups on social media and let it motivate you to rearrange your space. You don't have to buy a bunch of new furniture to make a drastic change. Whether your are ready to list your home or just get ready for company for the holidays these tips are a great starting point to freshen up your space. If you are ready to list your home but not quite sure where to even begin? Use these steps to get started and remember you are listing your home to move into that new home you've been wanting. Start packing your things away for the move, it helps to get that energy out and keep you motivated to have your home ready. Especially, for those potential buyers who come through wanting to make your house their new home. Call me to help you with the process of getting started.

Tips To Get Settled In A New Home

Tips To Get Settled In A New Home

CHECK MAJOR APPLIANCES

Be sure to check all the appliances to ensure everything is still in working order after the move. You want to make sure nothing was broken in the move or stopped working suddenly. Look at things such as your stove, dishwasher, washer and dryer, refrigerator, and microwave. If you brought any appliances yourself and you used movers, you’ll want to make sure everything still works with them, since mover’s insurance companies give a limited timeframe for when you can make a claim.

CHECK ALL OF YOUR BOXES & FURNITURE

Be sure to go over all your boxes and furniture to make sure nothing got damaged during the move. Be sure that everyone has arrived and didn’t get lost in the process. If you notice something is missing a month later, it may be too late to file a claim with the moving company. Even if you don’t plan on unpacking everything as soon as you move in, just do a quick review and inventory everything you brought to protect yourself and your belongings.

SET UP UTILITIES

Did you remember to set up your utilities before moving in? There’s nothing more frustrating than moving into your home to realize the lights don’t work. Make sure you’ve gotten with all of the necessary utility companies to have everything turned on in time for your move.

REGISTER INTO A GOOD SCHOOL

You may have already known to look for a school for your kids prior to your move, but if you haven’t yet found one, be sure to research all the schools local to you to find the right fit for your family. The sooner you can find the right school and register, the easier and less stressful it will be to get them in and settle.

REGISTER YOUR CAR

If you’ve moved to a new state or country, you’ll want to make sure to register your car in your new hometown and update your driver’s license, tags, and plates.

CONNECT TO YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD

Join sites like Nextdoor.com or get a subscription to your local magazine/newspaper to stay in touch with what’s going on in your neighborhood. Be sure to also join local community Facebook groups. You can find out about events or concerns relating to your community.

GETTING YOUR MAIL

Have you updated your address from all the people you’ll be expecting to get mail from? Like your bank, friends, family, and services you still pay for after your move. Check with the post office to have things redirected to your new address while you work to update your info with everyone else.

FIND THE RIGHT PROFESSIONALS

If you’re moving far from your last home, you’ll want to have the right connections. Find a new doctor, dentist, vet, handyman, plumber, etc. Add them into a contact book that’s easily accessible.

EMERGENCY CONTACT LIST

If you’re moving to a new country, 911 won’t be the local emergency number. Make sure you have all the correct numbers in the case of an emergency. This can also include doctors, the local police station, a vet, etc.

INSURANCE COMPANIES

More than likely, you handled home insurance and home warranty during the purchasing process. If you haven’t, be sure to get those taken care of right away. You’ll also want to get your auto, health, and any other necessary household insurances sort for your move.

                            

2019 Can Cost You Ten's of Thousands

"I'll hold off buying a home until next year." If you've thought of purchasing a home, but don't want to deal with the process now, you've probably had this thought cross your mind a time or two. A pretty common tendency to hold off things on our to-do list, especially the ones that seem like a lot of work. But would you hold off the task if I told you that waiting could make a difference of tens of thousands of dollars? Meaning it could cost you a $10,000-$50,000 (or more) difference to get the home you want today, in 2019's market.

It's anticipated, by the national historical trend report, that homes are on the rise by over 5% each year. That house you've been eyeing online, listed for $225,000, could be listed next year for $236,250. That is over $10,000 more just for waiting till 2019. This isn't even bringing into question the rising APR rates for mortgages, that can increase your monthly payment amount on a home pretty significantly, as well.

I get it, the home buying process can seem pretty intimidating. But with an experienced agent on your side, it can go pretty smoothly. Let's get in touch. It won't hurt to connect you with a preferred lender and run the numbers through to see what you qualify for. The right time is always right now, I want to help you save the money you deserve to keep, by avoiding the wait.

Residential Property Disclosures

Residential Property Disclosures

When selling your home, you're obligated, by law, to disclose certain information about your property.

 Most states require that all sellers complete a written property disclosure form. Majority of the forms have a required set of questions that must be answered.

THE BASICS

Most states require sellers to complete this form when listing for sale. Nearly all of the questions are a basic yes/no/unknown response. The questions will address material facts, major defects, special disclosures, and federal disclosures. All forms vary by state and require different information.

MATERIAL FACTS

These include the age of the property, it's condition, known problems, and defects. These are all of the information that would influence a buyer's decision to purchase your home. These disclosures require you to address known defects, things that are reasonably apparent, to ensure you don't knowingly hide a major defect.

MAJOR DEFECTS

All major defects MUST be disclosed. For instance, fire or flood damage. If your home's electrical system isn't up to code, and you're aware of this, it must be shared with potential buyers. Repairs you have completed, as well as improvements and upgrades, should be noted as well.

Since all states have varying federal and special disclosure laws, it's imperative that you reach out to a local real estate agent or in the Illinois Tri-State Area I’m happy to assist you to get assistance with the sale of your home. I will have a copy of the required disclosures and can assist you to ensure you don't find yourself in hot water, legally, if an important disclosure isn't shared with buyers.

If you have any questions with any forms or questions about how to get started selling your home please reach out and I am happy to happy with any questions you have. 

FALL LEAVES BRINGS SOLD SIGNS!

FALL LEAVES BRINGS SOLD SIGNS!

Summer has come to an end and you probably are thinking you've lost the opportunity to sell and need to wait till next summer. But that's far from the truth! Although it's not as hectic and crazy with the swarm of buyers on the market, the fall season brings out the most serious of lookers. They are the pool of buyers that waited out the summer frenzy to find their perfect home in the fall, and you don't want to miss these buyers! They are ready to make a move, today! And selling in a slower period does not equate to less money. That's a misconception that home owners have based on untrue data that floats around. With ME, and your home being priced correctly, you can get a great deal selling your home during the fall season. And might actually prefer it.

Here are the top 3 benefits to listing during the fall season:

1.   Serious Buyers - Let's be honest, if buyers are out during the busy season, looking for homes, they are serious and ready to buy. Although the summer brings in a large crowd, that crowd contains a lot of people that are excited by the season and fall into the "trend" of house hunting. These people end up not really being serious about the process and tend to hold off for another time. If people are investing time to look during the fall season, they are more likely to be interested in actually buying your home, instead of touring it.

2.   Less Competition - Selling in the fall isn't something many families can accomplish due to personal schedules. That's why a significant amount of homes get listed during the summer season. Which means that summer time brings in a lot of competition. Selling in the fall means the potential house next door that has slightly more perks that may have been listed during the summer, doesn't make your home sit stagnant, since everyone wanted your neighbor's house. It also doesn't devalue your home because of the house that could go up next door that could be underpriced in your neighborhood and draw all of the attention. With a slower season, you get dedicated attention to your property, which increases the chance of a sale.

3.   Easier to Find Your Dream Home - Not only do you get to benefit from a slower season during the selling process, but you can also benefit on the buying side. With less competition on your dream house, you can get a better deal. The summer brings a lot of missed opportunities for buyers on their dream homes, because they go off the market instantly. This will give you the opportunity to get your home on the market and take your time to find the right one to resize into. A much calmer pace to the transaction will make it less stressful, and everyone all around happier. Don't feel rushed into buying a home overnight during the summer, it could turn into a headache. If you want a far more peaceful transaction, that has calmer pace, then selling during the fall is perfect for you.

Don't let your dreams come to an end just because summer has, contact me today to find out how to get your home of your dreams listed or get your home priced right to sell on the market today.