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 property in the most favorable and inviting light, in order to grab the attention of the viewer, and entice them to want to view the home in person.
Almost 90% of potential home buyers look to the internet first before deciding to visit, and they base their decision on whether a property deserves a second look mainly on the photographs.
Your property has only a few seconds to stand out from the rest of the list and the only way to ensure that it does, is to have professional looking photographs.
Here’s how you can do that:
Photograph your home with as wide a lens as you can can “beg, borrow or steal”. Or you may have your own!
Photographs taken in the “magic hour”, just after dawn and just before sunset, will have low contrast and lovely lighting. The next best is overcast weather which also reduces contrast and makes it easier to view your home.
Turn all the house lights on for a warm, homely feel.
Get rid of all non essentials and clutter. This also applies to pets, cars, garden hoses etc.
Take lots and lots of photos and only choose the best once they are downloaded.
Photograph each room from at least two different angles.
Look at the photographs with the critical, uninvolved eyes of a stranger.
Use a tripod to prevent camera shake, especially indoors.
Experiment with turning off the camera’s inbuilt flash, especially when there are no windows in your frame.
Read up on “staging” your home on the internet.
When all else fails – my link in the author box below will give you all the information you need, backed up with before and after photographs.
Good luck and great sale!

Lisa Trocchi is a real estate photographer living in Johannesburg. See her DIY real estate photography guidelines at http://www.realestatephotographytips.info to make your property stand out in the real estate listings.
No photo editing software of editing skills are necessary – just plenty of before and after photographs to help you choose the best angles, best lighting and best perspective to make your home look amazing.

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 how much these homebuyers know about you.

Here are some tips you can do in order to protect your privacy after your decide to market your home.

Before relocating to a new home, make sure to remove all pertinent documents in all the drawers especially built-in cabinets. Check thoroughly before leaving the house. Remember that buyers tend to open drawers out of curiosity as they roam around houses for sale.

As a seller you must avoid leaving any mail that maybe seen by others. Many sellers leave lots of mails piled up on the counter or on the table. This may include credit card accounts, utility bills, mortgages, collection notices, and other personal correspondence.

Make sure to collect your mail on your vacant home so as to avoid any unauthorized persons reading any of your mails. You can also write or inform your friends, credit companies, banks and others about your new mailing address so they can forward all the mails to your new residence.

Even if reading someone else’s mail is a bad habit, many buyers still have the possibility of reading these mails. These mails will tell a lot about you when read by anyone. The buyer will have an idea on your spending and lifestyle just by reading those mails. If a buyer knows a lot of information about you, he or she can easily haggle for the price that is often unfavorable on your side as a seller.

Many home sellers do not mind leaving their diplomas, awards, certificates and citations hanging on the wall. Do you know that these items can give enough information about who you are? It simply tells the story of your profession that might affect the decision of the buyer. For instance, you are from the military, and there are buyers who might not want to buy homes from military people.

The same way when you leave photographs of your wedding on the wall, these photos can tell what religion you are affiliated with. Such pictures can tell many things about you. You must never give a buyer an idea of who you are and what you do. Don’t let them know what you like and dislike because they will take advantage of these information to convince you or negotiate for a lower selling price. In this case, it is best to remove pictures, diplomas, awards, and other similar items before selling your home. These items won’t help anyway in selling out your home so better keep it or hang it on your new home.

There are also instances where home sellers who were divorced or separated couples would want to sell their house quickly because of pressure. But of course such information should be private. But sometimes the buyer will know such information. This is by merely looking at the contents of the closets.

Because of the pressure, sellers who have just separated just leave their home and have it marketed without even bothering to empty their closets. It doesn’t really matter whether the seller had just separated or not but once the buyer learned about it and knows that the seller is very desperate to sell the house, the buyer will offer the least price possible. In this case, you must never leave any personal belonging that may give a clue on your intentions of selling your house.

Leaving any personal belongings behind your house for sale will leave traces that will give the buyer an idea and information about your personality. The buyer may use such information for his or her own advantage.

So before putting your home in the market you must have time to prepare everything. Pack up anything that is not included for sale. Even old letters, utility bills and other correspondence should be emptied from the drawers. Remove all personal items on the closets.

With these simple steps, you are assured that your privacy is well protected.

For more tips you can ask for help at  San Jose CA Realtor.

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 may be easy for you to overlook cracked tiling in the kitchen, holes from your son’s errant baseball, that dripping faucet in the laundry room, but for a prospective buyer, these are red flags that may indicate your home hasn’t been well maintained.

Here’s a list of some easy fixes to problems that you might overlook:

Open and shut. Make sure that each door in your home closes and locks properly. Buyers may mistakenly think that a sagging door signals a serious foundation problem.

Light work. Put in new light bulbs in every room. The clean, bright light from a new bulb will make your home shine.

Squeaky clean. Clean your home from the attic to the basement! Don’t forget to dust blinds, vacuum out light fixtures, and wash fingerprints off odd spots – like the ceiling. Pay particular attention to the windows. Recently, I found myself frantically cleaning some dirty windows at a home that I listed and that house sold in a week. (Your mileage may vary – but clean windows won’t hurt!)

Under pressure. Pressure wash the exterior of your home. Make sure you clean all of the exterior of the house itself – bricks and siding, foundation and eaves. You should also pay particular attention to the steps, porches, decks, sidewalks, and driveways. Every inch of your home should be pristine.

Worn out. Replace anything worn. Take a look at faucets and other plumbing fixtures. Check your light fixtures; make sure your switches aren’t cracked or dirty. Examine rugs in entry ways, carpet on the steps, handles on your cabinets.

Yard for sale. Get your yard in shape. Trim bushes and weed your flower beds. Make sure your lawn is edged and mulched nicely. It’s been really dry lately in Chapel Hill, so if you have plants that look anemic, water and fertilize them – or replace them as needed. Remove any branches or leaves from your yard.

Up on the roof. Check your roof and gutters for damage, dirt, leaves, and debris. Give a good initial clean out, and then keep your eye on it after any rain or wind.

Got your number. Make sure your house number is easily visible from the street. You want every buyer to find you easily!

So go ahead. Sweat the small stuff. These little things may just make your home sell a whole lot faster!

Vivian Olkin sells homes in Chapel Hill, NC, and is crazy about helping individuals get their homes sold! Visit her website for her real estate wisdom and wit, including great tips on staging a home for sale.

]]> http://www.byowneruniversity.com/selling-your-home-2/feed 1 http://www.byowneruniversity.com/group-legal-plan http://www.byowneruniversity.com/group-legal-plan#comments Mon, 03 May 2010 13:50:01 +0000 Jill McIntire http://www.byowneruniversity.com/?p=1303 Despite the fact that group legal plans have been around for years, many people have never heard of them.  Perhaps it’s because they are often used as part of an employee benefit package (i.e. medical, dental, legal).  Still as an individual, anyone can sign up for a legal plan separate from an employee benefit program.  Budget around $20-$30 a month for membership fees.

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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 lot of items that all need to be cleaned, organized and packed in a short amount of time makes moving more stressful and overwhelming than it has to be.

Packing Tip 2 – Stay Organized

Keep a marker out to label boxes with the items they contain, the rooms they need to be moved to and whether or not they are fragile. This makes unpacking once the move is finished much easier. Don’t tape the boxes closed until the last possible moment. Leaving them open allows you to add to the boxes if you’ve forgotten something, as well as take items out that you didn’t realize you would need to use again before the move.

Packing Tip 3 – Get the right materials

Before you start packing for a big move, choosing the right materials is important. Make sure you have cardboard packing boxes that vary in size. Use smaller boxes to pack heavier objects, like books, and large boxes to pack lighter items, like pillows and clothing. For heavier boxes, it is a good idea to double up on packing tape to support the bottom of the box.

Keep markers to label your boxes, bubble wrap and newspaper for packing fragile items and packing tape to close the boxes before the move.

Packing Tip 4 – Follow a Timeline

Budget your time thoughtfully and start packing the things you don’t use often first, that way you aren’t faced with packing away items you might end up needing before you move.

Start with things like pictures, knick knacks and collectibles that you don’t use on a regular basis. Follow that with out-of-season items like clothing, holiday decorations, camping equipment and serving dishes and utensils.

Packing tip 5 – Electronics

If it is possible, pack electronics in their original boxes before putting them all into one larger box. If you don’t have the original boxes, use packing wrap or newspaper to pad the item before placing it in the box. When packing electronics into boxes, place heavier items on the bottom and lighter items on top. Make sure each box weighs no more than 50 lbs.

Before you pack away DVD and CD players, remember to take out any discs that may be inside to avoid them being scratched during the move. For electronics such as computers, label each wire and plug in with a piece of tape to make it easier for setting everything up again when you are ready to unpack.

Packing tip 6 – China, silverware and stemware

The most important packing rule for fragile items is to use as much protective wrapping as you see fit. Layer the bottom of each moving box with newspaper or bubble wrap, wrap each item separately and finish by filling the top of the box with newspaper for a tight fit. Just like with electronics, when packing dishes and serving items, put heavy items on the bottom and lighter ones on top.

Packing for a big move can be stressful and overwhelming, but if you follow our tips, your next move can be completed efficiently with less stress. You can also have you items professionally packed by using a storage and moving company. That will give you peace of mind that your most important possessions will be handled with care and brought to your new place safely.

Look no further for a San Diego moving company or Boulder movers, Johnson Storage and Moving has been in the business over 100 years.

Additional Resources

Uboxes.com is the #1 supplier of factory direct moving boxes, direct to consumers and businesses. They also offer a full line of moving supplies, including packing tape, stretch wrap, bubble wrap, packing paper, bubble bags, and other packing supplies.

UsedCardboardBoxes.com doesn’t cut down any trees at all. They rescue truckloads of quality used boxes from large companies that might otherwise recycle them or simply throw them away. They are guaranteed to work just as well as a new box.  They have moving supplies and lots of different sized moving kits.

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 actions to undertake to make the appraisal of the home better

o Things to be done when the appraisal does not go well

Clarifying Issues About Appraisal Of Homes

The process of home appraisal revolves around the opinion of professional appraisers on the market value of a home based on a survey done using a standard method of practice. The appraisal is usually done by a professional at the instance of a bank for a mortgage loan that is being approved for a home buyer.

The determination of the value of the home considers several aspects of the home which include the overall condition of the home and the neighborhood, the price trends especially of similar real estate properties, and how fast the homes of the same type or class are selling in the open market. In general, the home appraisal is a report that incorporates a professional opinion on the value of a home for sale based on the physical aspects of the property and the prevailing conditions in the market.

The appraisal is not all about home inspection! The report is a comprehensive study of factors that make a sale of a particular home.

Things To Do When Faced With A Low Appraisal

The lender normally chooses the appraiser who will do the appraisal of the value of the home. However, the lender may also consider an appraiser chosen by the seller if the appraiser is well known. Sellers may opt to get their own appraisal, which will cost them $300-$500. The lender, however, may not recognize the appraisal report done by the one selected by the seller and will still rely on the report made by their preferred appraiser.

A mortgage loan may be jeopardized by an appraisal of the home for sale if it comes out lower than the asking price. The mortgage loan, in general, is only equivalent to 80% of the home value appraisal. It would be good if the seller is willing to adjust his price to reflect the result of the appraisal report. In some instances, the buyer and seller negotiates for a middle ground where both will be comfortable to proceed with the deal.

In instances where the buyer is willing to cover the amount corresponding to the difference between the appraised home value and the seller’s asking price, the lenders may not see this as a favorable arrangement. Such terms of negotiation between the buyer and the seller is seen by lenders as a negative equity and will have a negative effect on the approval of the loan.

Another option that is open to you is to dispute the results in the appraisal report. You can check on the prices of similar homes sold in the last six months and compare the results of your own survey with that of the appraisal report done for the lender. It would help greatly if you have a comparative market analysis or CMA even before the appraisal is done, as you can use this to defend your case when confronted with a low appraisal of home value. In such instances, the lender will usually ask another appraisal to be done by another appraiser.

The home appraisal is an important aspect in getting a mortgage and is usually the most confusing aspect of the entire process. The appraisal report is the expert’s opinion on the actual value of a property in the open market. It is important that you fully understand the elements that go into the process of appraising a home.

Learn more about the Anchorage Real Estate market or search Anchorage Homes For Sale on Ryan Tollefsen’s Alaska Real Estate web site.

Let’s review some common scenarios:

Neighbors Know Things – They often know asking prices, but rarely are privy to the actual sale price unless they are an agent involved in the transaction, if so, that information is confidential until closing in some states, confidential for good in others.  Neighbors can be a great source of information, but it should always be verified before using it.
Motive to consider: Your selling price affects their home’s value, and everyone wants to appear knowledgeable.

Everyone Knows An Agent - A gentleman called our office that had four agents give him a free market analysis.  The values they came back with were all over the map ranging from $350,000 to $450,000.  Some agents are good at pricing homes, some aren’t.  The trouble is, there is no way for the general public to see the list price versus the sale price ratio for an agent’s listing history and see for themselves who’s good and who’s not.  It’s locked up in the private MLS database.  Also note that agents have different pricing strategies based on their marketing style.  Some will undervalue a home for a quick sale to keep their average market time numbers low.  Others overvalue when competing with other agents to earn a listing.
Motive to consider: A Commi$$ion is a big motive!  Also know that commissioned sales in general is very competitive, and real estate is no different.  When an agent sees a home go up for sale, especially a neighbor or friend, and they didn’t get the listing, it pokes at their competitive ego.

Self Proclaimed Experts: I have a fabulous carpet cleaner.  I gave his name to one of my clients, who proceeded to ask his opinion on the price of her (seriously overpriced) home.  After all, he saw a lot of homes and worked for several real estate agents, “he should know,” she figured.   He told her that it was priced just fine, and his word was golden.  No one could convince her otherwise after that.  Seriously!!!  The carpet guy!!!
Motive to Consider: This is a two part train wreck.  First she stroked his ego and he confidently gave her his opinion.  Second, she was only open to people that told her what she wanted to hear.  The truth supported by fact is irrelevant.  It’s a common disease that affects home sellers and teenagers.  Sadly, this rarely resolves itself quickly.

When you decide to sell your own home, you’ll find there are plenty of people that will offer to give a FSBO help, just run it through the ‘motive’ filter.  What’s in it for them?  Do they benefit any differently if you follow their advice, or not?  Are they qualified in the topic they are advising you on, and can you check their track record?

How do you evaluate your potential advisors?  Add your experience in the comments section on our website.

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 thinking about selling your home in as is condition, think about your bottom line. If you sell a home in less than perfect condition, you most likely will sell to a rehab investor who will only pay you about 70% of your property value. That’s a steep discount for selling your home in its current condition.

Sell to home buyers who want to live in your home and you will make more money.

Most buyers make up their minds the minute they walk inside a home. Your curb appeal and living room are more important than the bathroom. However, if your home is for a first-time home buyer, they usually have little money set aside to do repairs. These buyers don’t have experience owning a home so they get turned off by defects. Move up buyers look for luxury and upgrades. These buyers, usually working professionals, don’t have time to make repairs and expect perfection.

Exceptions to this occur in desirable areas with older homes. If you see many nearby houses being remodeled–almost torn down–then you might be able to sell your home based on location and property value alone.

You will sell your home for more money and quicker if you make repairs. Check and see if you have a ReStore near you. (http://www.habitat.org/env/restores.aspx ) The volunteers who manage Habitat for Humanity’s thrift store often have a working knowledge of construction and can guide you through the process. I’ve found the volunteers extremely helpful. Also, home improvement centers have free printouts on how to make repairs and replace fixtures. If you go at a time when they’re not too busy, the sales staff will help you with the supplies needed and do it yourself directions.

Many unseen problems can be fixed during escrow and paid for from the sale proceeds. You can also disclose the problem to the buyers and let them live with it or fix it themselves. Offer a home warranty with your sale so the buyers feel protected in case of future problems.

Home buyers choose the house that “feels most like home.” Take a look at the type of buyers moving into your neighborhood and create a buyers’ “dream home.” Spending a little time and money can make a difference in your closing check instead of selling your home in as is condition.

Copyright ©  Jeanette J. Fisher  Jeanette Fisher, America’s “Dream Home” Maker, helps home sellers with five ways to use interior design secrets to make more money selling their homes. Home Staginging Information and free home selling tips at http://sellfast.info

Home Sellers:  What have your experiences been in this area?  Buyers:  We want to know how you feel about buying property “as-is.”  Add your thoughts below.

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, motivating, and fun to have me there and that it’s easier making those ruthless decisions about what to keep and what to let go of.

It’s best to let a professional moving company do your packing. Their packers are trained to do the job efficiently – and your household items will be insured by the company. Items labeled “packed by owner” (meaning anyone other than the mover) are not insured during the move.

When it comes to unpacking, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and do it yourself. Keep in mind that when you pay movers to unpack, they don’t put anything away. So everything you own ends up on all surfaces, including the floor.

With so many things to consider in the process of relocating, here are some helpful ideas:

• Create a moving notebook or folder. That way, all of the paperwork related to your move is in one place. Make notes, create a checklist, and keep receipts and documents.

• Create a moving calendar to schedule and track all aspects and tasks required for a successful move, such as change of address notification, contact utility companies, make hotel reservations, defrost the refrigerator, etc.

• Do your research, or ask a professional organizer, about resources such as housekeepers who clean empty homes, carpet cleaners, reputable van lines and technology specialists.

• It’s time for The Great Give-Away. Why move things you no longer need or use? Find another home for them: favorite charities, recycling centers, family members, and garage or estate sales. People want what you don’t need.

• Don’t forget that all-important survival box packed with your bed linens, coffee pot and other must-have items. This box should be last-on and first-off the moving van.

• Cash for tipping the packers/, loaders and driver. You want them to take good care of your belongings.

Congratulations! You and your stuff made it to your new digs. Now, save your back by using furniture moving pads to slide heavy furniture around – it’s a cinch and doesn’t scratch the flooring.

Sally Allen, a certified professional organizer, is CEO and owner of A Place For Everything®. Since founding her company in 1997, Sally continues to help individuals and companies around the country effectively arrange space and efficiently manage time. Her professional, friendly, approach to organizing for stress-free living is evident in her guest appearances on HGTV and the ABC TV-affiliate in Denver, in the pages of Real Simple magazine and Better Homes and Gardens magazine, The Wall Street Journal, The Denver Business Journal and in other media.
http://APlaceForEverythingLLC.com

Have you noticed how online auction sellers frequently use the phrase “from a non-smoking home” in their marketing? It’s a key advertising phrase that attracts non-smokers.  With more cities and states passing stricter non-smoking laws, the topic of passive smoke on people and things is being brought up more often.  The effect of the economy on real estate is like the effect of cigarette smoke on a home.  Who knew it could affect so many different things and hang around this long?  In a market where competition is tough, values are painfully low for sellers and buyers are scarce, every little bit counts.

Most homes have a subtle odor that’s part of the lifestyle of the owners.  It may be from pets, cleaning products or last night’s dinner.  But if anyone in the home is a smoker, lingering tobacco smoke may be noticeable as well.  Most smokers will step outside before lighting up, but some smoke indoors, and should they ever need to sell their home, there is a pool of buyers sensitive to tobacco smoke that may exclude the home from consideration due to the smoke residue.

Smoke goes everywhere, and tobacco odors can be re-activated by heat or humidity, so cleaning the residue is a major undertaking. Enough that in a buyers’ market, many will choose to move onto the next home on the list when faced with the work it takes to remove cigarette smoke from an entire building. There’s more than man hours to consider.  There’s considerable expense as well.  Carpeting and window coverings will need to be completely replaced for someone who is sensitive to the smoke.  For less sensitive buyers, a professional cleaning may do the trick.

It’s not just the carpets and window coverings that need cleaned.  Tobacco residue builds up on the walls, and especially the ceiling.  These surfaces will almost always require complete repainting.  Before painting, the surfaces must be washed, rinsed and dried.  Then the stains must be sealed with a primer designed to cover stains and seal in odors.  Without it, nicotine stains can seep through several coats of fresh paint overnight.

Other surfaces that need to be scrubbed include: cabinets and drawers (inside and out), furnace ductwork and filters, windows and closets.  Light fixtures and ceiling fans will also need cleaning.  Smoke tends to be drawn towards lights, so the bulbs may need to be swapped out too.  Tile grout is a challenge.  The porous surface makes it difficult to get completely clean.  It may need to be replaced, especially if it’s in a bathroom where steam from a hot shower can aggravate the problem.

After cleaning, you can check to see if the odor is gone by closing up the house and leaving for a few days, leave the air conditioning off in the summer, or set the furnace to be toasty warm in the winter.  Check back a few days later and have someone that is sensitive to cigarettes walk through.  This is the ultimate test.  In a slow market when you are selling your home, take every step you can to keep your home in the running with the buyers that come through.  By eliminating cigarette odors, you can avoid having non-smoking buyers scratch your home off their list.

What do you think?  Are buyers with allergies passing up homes being sold by smokers?  Add your experiences below.