By Lisa Trocchi Most people are familiar with taking photographs of people and do not realize that real estate and architectural photography is a whole new ballgame. In the course of several years of photographing homes to sell, I have used many techniques which I would like to share with you. The primary purpose of real estate photography is to present the... Read More
Is It Time To Switch Your Listing Photos?
If you’re in a market where things aren’t moving very quickly, and if the seasons have changed, then yes – it is. In fact, even if the seasons haven’t changed, if that listing is beginning to get stale, or if you’ve had a good price reduction, it’s time to switch. Outdated photos can prevent showings: Now that 80% or more of... Read More
Protecting Your Privacy While Marketing Your Home
By John Bretthauer Are you sure your privacy is protected while your home is out on the market? Most homeowners who want to sell their homes bring along with them their precious belongings including confidential documents when relocating to a new home. But this does not guarantee that their privacy is 100% protected from homebuyers’ eyes. You will be surprised... Read More
Why Is My House Not Selling? — Will the Real Estate Market Turn Around Soon?
By Janice J. Charles This is a question that is certainly repeated by many a frustrated seller in this “down” real estate market. So you’ve prepped your property for sale. You’ve de-personalized it, de-clutter it, rearranged the furniture, cleaned out the basement and the garage, rented a storage unit and still nothing! WHY IS MY HOUSE... Read More
Selling Your Home – Sweating The Small Stuff Pays Off
By Vivian Olkin When it comes to selling a home, ignore the old adage. You really do need to sweat the small stuff. No matter where you live, every home has little things that need to be fixed – things that detract from the value of the home. Little things that need to be fixed will make the value of your home go up – along with your asking price. It... Read More
Must You Hold an Open House to Sell Your Home? The Debate Continues
By Abby Johnson Some real estate agents today opt not to host an open house for every home they list. The reason is because more and more home buyers are finding their houses online. Time and technology have drastically shifted the way we do business and the real estate industry is no exception. Review these pros and cons to help determine whether or not you... Read More
How to Pass a Home Inspection
By Jim Troth Selling a home can be a long tough ordeal. Once you and your agent have located a potential buyer you want to avoid having the home inspector find many things that are concerning to the buyer. Below are some tips to help home sellers. One of the purposes of the home inspection is to help remove the normal fears, doubts and concerns a buyer has. Anyone... Read More
A Basic Clarification of the Short Sale
By Jennifer Vollmer I’ve had a few people ask me about short sales, what they are, and how they work. So I’m going to take a few moments here to clarify the short sale process. It’s really quite straightforward when you grasp the basics. The general definition is simply this: A short sale is a sale of real property in which the proceeds from... Read More
Six Important Tips on How to Pack For a Big Move
By Lawrence Reaves When it comes to packing, the common consensus is that people don’t realize how much they really own until it is time to pack it all. Here are some of our packing tips when it comes to packing for a move effectively and efficiently. Packing Tip 1 – Start early It is important not to leave packing until the last minute. Facing a... Read More
Choosing Your Home Value – The Appraisal Process
By Ryan Tollefsen The process of appraising your home involves developing a value from an opinion of an expert using a standard practice. When done accurately, it will help sell a property in an open market. It is important that we know how the valuation is derived. In determining the important elements of the home appraisal, the following should be considered: o Important... Read More
Are You Ready to Accept an Offer on Your House? It’s Not Just About Price!
By Deane Alban Whether you are selling your house with an agent or “for sale by owner” you need to be prepared for what to do next when you get an offer on your house. There are 7 terms to be agreed upon between you and your buyer. It’s not just about the price! If you are are using an agent, they will guide you through the process. If you’re... Read More
Creating That Elusive Curb Appeal
By Paula Stone Virtually every house is some variation of a box. So, WHAT makes houses attractive? Picture a long characterless ranch. It has a low-pitched roof without gables. The windows are small. The siding may be either brick or lap siding. It’s probably boring. If it has a for sale sign in front of it, NO ONE CARES! But there may be a house just down... Read More
Negotiating With the Buyer When It’s For Sale By Owner
By Jan McBee One thing to remember when you begin to negotiate with a buyer is that it’s business and not personal. Sure, there are personal aspects of the sale of the home for both buyer and seller, but keep in mind they’re separate from the deal itself. Your objective is to sell your home at a fair price. Do your best to keep feelings and emotions to the... Read More
Decluttering Your Home Before You Put it on the Market
By David Sporleder Putting your home on the market can be a pretty big project, particularly when it’s done right; there are repairs to make, painting, cleaning, packing, and staging to do all before prospective buyers come through your home. The less amount of stuff you have in your home, the easier it will be for you to make repairs to your home and... Read More
Home Selling Help: Should You Sell in As Is Condition?
By Jeanette Joy Fisher Home sellers often like to sell their home in “AS Is Condition.” Selling a home in as is condition happens because the home seller doesn’t: have the money for repairs or upgrades know how to fix broken feature have time because of moving pressures lacks desire to work on the home because of personal problems. If you’re... Read More
A Professional Organizer’s Tips to Make Moving Easier
By Sally Allen If you’re planning to pull up roots, here are some moving tips to get you through the process as seamlessly as possible. Keep in mind that being organized is the most important element for a stress-free move. Consider having a professional organizer handle your relocation. I’ve had clients tell me that they find it more energizing,... Read More
Home Staging For Your Kitchen
By T. J. Lashley When people are buying houses these days, one of the big considerations is the kitchen and for some people, the kitchen will be the primary deciding factor. The kitchen is the central hub of the house, host to much of a days activity from cooking to washing dishes to grabbing a midnight snack. This is why, when your home is on the market, kitchens... Read More
The Offer to Purchase Real Estate Form
A Seller’s Most Important & Anticipated Form in Real Estate By Brendan Leahy Anyone involved in the real estate process is aware that transferring property ownership can be a very sensitive matter. From the point homeowners put their home on the market to when the new owners take possession, every step is recorded and formalized through various real... Read More
Painting Your House to Sell – Tips For Picking the Right Paint Colors
By Anne West One of the easiest and least expensive things you can do to make your home attractive to potential buyers is to give your rooms a fresh coat of paint. If you have painted within the last couple of years, and the colors are fairly neutral, then you can probably get away with some touch-ups here and there. On the other hand, if you have wallpaper or... Read More
