There’s no doubt about it–the kitchen is one of the most important rooms in the whole house for many prospective buyers. Smart sellers will take a close look at how they can make their kitchen a real asset when it is time to sell.

Your kitchen doesn’t need to be state-of-the-art to be attractive. The first step toward enhancing your kitchen’s appeal is a thorough cleaning. This includes the walls, cabinets (inside and out), floors, and appliances. Keep the counter tops as clear as possible of small appliances and gadgets. Consider low-cost improvements which can make a big difference, such as a coat of paint, fresh wallpaper, or new floor covering. Be sure to keep the kitchen sparkling when the house is being shown. This means no dirty dishes in the sink or moldy cucumbers in the refrigerator. This extra effort will pay great dividends! As one of America’s #1 Real Estate Experts™ I can help you with your real estate needs. Please call me at 888-736-2917, or email me.

INSIDE

CLEAN!  CLEAN! – Have the carpet shampooed; wax the floors, wash the walls, windows, blinds, drapes and lighting fixtures.  Consider engaging a cleaning service, recognizing that it is a justified moving expense.

KITCHEN AND BATHROOMS – Clear off counter tops.  Leave your canisters and little else.  Maximize the available counter space.  These rooms should be gleaming.  If unsightly, have the tub re-caulked and remove mineral deposits and grime from the shower walls.  Clean the stove, microwave and refrigerator.

PRIMARY STORAGE AREA – like the garage, its time has come to be liberated.  Remember, you can do it now and benefit with a more attractive home on the market, or you can do it several months from now, in the process of moving when there is no advantage.  Do it now.

REPAIRS – Identify and repair dripping faucets, sticking or creaking doors, etc. 

When people see areas of disrepair they begin to wonder whether there may be other unseen problems. 

CLOSETS – Remove out of season clothing.  Organize your clothing and the shoes on the floor.  Remove all clutter from cabinets and closets.

FURNITURE – The less furniture, the larger a room appears to be.

A LIGHT APPEARANCE – As a rule, do everything to lighten the appearance of the home.  Raise the blinds, open the drapes and use light colors.  Repaint any room beginning to look shabby.

OUTSIDE

Walk the property with a pad and pencil. List anything that you think is less than satisfactory without regard to cost or time.  You can review the list afterwards to determine what you can and can’t repair.

THE HOUSE – Take a close look as you walk the property.  Clean anything that looks unkempt or dirty; repair or replace anything that looks loose, dingy, rusted or broken.  Make sure the door bell works.  Replace a tired-looking mailbox; clean the exterior light fixtures and wash the windows.  Try to spot hanging or rusty gutters, crooked antenna, loose shingles or shutters.

THE YARD – Turn and weed the beds; trim the trees and shrubs.  Lay in ground cover.  Mend the fence, fix the gate latch.  Pick up litter.  Consider a landscaping/lawn service. 

OUTDOOR FURNITURE – Examine and spot paint your out door furniture.  If it’s rusty or un-repairable consider disposing of the pieces. 

FRONT ENTRY – It’s the first thing our buyers see as they stand and wait for the door to open.  It’s worth the extra effort to spruce it up.

THE GARAGE – The time has come.  Discard virtually everything in the garage that hasn’t been used for a year.  Wash it down.

NOTE:  Think in terms of a home that is sparkling clean and uncluttered.

Good curb appeal is a major plus when it comes to marketing a home. A little bit of work on the front of your home can pay big dividends.

When a potential buyer pulls up in front of your house, their first impression is absolutely crucial. Sometimes buyers won’t even look at a home with droopy shutters, sagging gutters, peeling paint and a bumper crop of dandelions in the front yard. Or they might go in expecting to find a “fixer-upper” that could be purchased at a bargain price. If a house looks neat and cared for from the street, the initial good impression will carry over as the buyers step inside. It is not necessary to hire a professional landscaper, but listen to your real estate agent’s suggestions when you list your home. Local nurseries can help you select blooming plants that will thrive in your area. Keep the lawn mowed, and regardless of the season, take care of exterior maintenance. Strong curb appeal will help your home sell more quickly and for top dollar. As one of America’s #1 Real Estate Experts™ I can help you with your real estate needs. Please call me at 888-736-2917, or email me.

If you are like most buyers who sign a purchase agreement on a new home, you will almost certainly feel a wave of overwhelming anxiety. You may begin to question your judgement — did I pay too much? Is it the right home? Can I really afford the mortgage payments? How can I get out of it? This response–referred to as “Buyer’s Remorse”–is completely normal!

Call your friends who have owned a home for a few years if you experience an attack of buyer’s remorse. Are they bothered by rapidly escalating home prices? Probably not, because that means the value of their home is increasing. Did they feel anxious when they first signed the agreement? They may tell you that they felt just as anxious as you are feeling, but now are really glad that they went through with the purchase. Have they made improvements to the property that heightened their enjoyment of the home? They will probably say they much prefer the creative freedom of being a homeowner compared with having to ask the landlord’s permission to put in a garden or paint the living room.

When you experience a buyer’s panic attack, be strong — you have a great deal to gain! As one of America’s #1 Real Estate Experts™ I can help you with your real estate needs. Please call me at 888-736-2917, or email me.

Everything is going to be fine.  The agent has called in advance and you have made your last minute preparations as indicated in “Preparing For A Showing”.

RELAX  There is nothing more to do.  Pick up a magazine while you are waiting.  Try to understand; the agent may have several home showings scheduled and he or she may be a bit early or late.  It’s very difficult to be perfectly precise.

THE DOG  Keep Fido away.  Pet lovers will be distracted by your fun pet.  For those who do not have pets, it may be bothersome.

CHILDREN SHOULD BE SEEN AND NOT HEARD  This is a new experience for the kids.  Naturally, they are excited, but they will disturb the professional flow of the showing.  Ask them to remain away from the agent and buyers, to go outside, or to watch TV.

DING-DONG  Answer the door as you would for any welcome guest.  The agent will take care of the introductions.  If there is a situation that needs mentioning, perhaps a sick child in the second bedroom, do so now.  You may invite the agent to begin showing the home and then you may excuse yourself.

LOW PROFILE  Discreetly remain away from the buyers.  As helpful as you wish to be, your presence will be intimidating.  They need to be able to discuss the home freely with one another.  And the agent needs to learn from the buyers how they are responding to your home.  Your presence can limit that free communication.

WHAT SHOULD YOU DO?  Read a magazine; watch a TV program; take a walk outside; continue with a chore.  Pick a room and settle down.  When they stop to preview that room, you may leave, but it’s not really necessary.  After all, they don’t want to feel that they are chasing you around the house.  If there’s a room that you should try not to be in, it would be the kitchen since buyers, generally, spend more time there as they evaluate appliances, counter space, cabinets. etc.

CONVERSING WITH THE BUYERS  If you are asked a question about the neighborhood, schools. etc., by all means answer pleasantly.  However, avoid becoming engaged in a conversation.  Questions regarding terms of sale should be referred to the agent.  If the agent is a cooperating broker and does not have the answers, advise him or her that I, your agent, will contact him. 

INCLUSIONS  The listing sheet should clearly identify items that are included and excluded in the offered property.  Don’t initiate conversations about other personal property that you may be interested in negotiating.  It rarely is a deal clincher, may be distracting, and besides, there will be time to discuss this at the offer presentation time.

LET THE “PRO” WORK  As much a you love your home, don’t be tempted into doing the agent’s job.  He or she has been working with the buyers and should know what is important to them.  Whether the agent mentions your new refrigerator now, or after they leave, is in his hands.

NOTE:  You’ve done all that you can.  Now, relax as we do our job. 

Soon, I’ll be calling you to say, “Congratulations…we have an offer

to present to you.”

Are you in default of your FHA-insured loan? Homeowners who have an FHA-insured mortgage should know about the Mortgage Assignment Program if they are in default and the lender intends to foreclose. If these conditions are present, the FHA will ask the homeowner for some pertinent information to determine eligibility.

To be eligible for this FHA program, the home in question must be the borrower’s primary residence, the homeowner must be at least three full payments behind on his mortgage, and the reason for the failure to make payments must be due to circumstances beyond the homeowner’s control, such as unemployment or illness. After the FHA has made these determinations, it will ascertain whether the payments can be resumed at the end of 36 months and accrued deficiencies will be paid back. If so, it will take over the loan.

The Veteran’s Administration also has a mortgage assistance program for people with VA mortgages.

Perhaps you have no plans to buy or sell a home right now, but you are curious about your possibilities. Real estate professionals can answer any questions you may have about the complexities of a real estate transaction and provide you with information to help you make a decision.

Call or send an email if you would like to discuss the local real estate market and determine whether it is a good time for you to buy or sell. If you are a first-time buyer, you may have questions about legal descriptions, fair housing laws or sources of financing. You may be curious about how sales prices are set.

A real estate agent’s job is diverse, and the best agents are excellent sources of information. Each day, real estate agent’s are actively involved with mortgage lenders, attorneys, surveyors and taxing authorities, discussing the latest developments in our ever-changing marketplace. Finding the right real estate agent is like finding the right physician. The help of a professional can help satisfy your curiosity. Call or email with your real estate questions. As one of America’s #1 Real Estate Experts™ I can help you with your real estate needs. Please call me at 888-736-2917, or email me.