Buyer & Seller Tips

Tips for Buyers

Run your credit and be sure you have the capital to begin house hunting.
Find a Real Estate agent whom you trust to work diligently in your best favor.
Do not be hesitant to ask the unknown. Fill your curiosities with concrete answers from Real Estate professionals.
Once you have found a home that interests you, be sure to inspect the neighborhood. Do not feel reluctant to ask the neighbors specific questions regarding the area and its schools.
It is essential to conduct a home inspection. Ask your agent to refer a trusted home inspector to explore the “ins and outs” of the property.
Inquire about various financing options. Keep in mind that interest rates and mortgage fees can change on a daily basis so ask your loan officer to put quotes on paper.

Benefits of Owning a Home

One beneficial element of owning a home is the ability by law to deduct property taxes and mortgage interest paid, thus reducing your taxable income.
Real estate has proven itself as a lucrative long term investment. Despite its tendency to fluctuate, real estate prices have appreciated over time.
Borrowing power is another benefit of owning a home. As properties appreciate over time, home owners build equity, thus giving themselves an opportunity to borrow against the value of their home in order to make improvements or purchase investment properties.
Owning a home is a solid hedge against inflation. In other words, with a fixed rate mortgage your cost of ownership is locked. Whereas renters would have to contend with increased rents, homeowners can enjoy the benefits of stable payments.

Find a Real Estate agent with market knowledge and the willingness to help you during each step of the way.
The most important aspect of selling your home is to disconnect yourself emotionally. Your home is now an item that needs to be marketed in order to obtain its maximum value.
Research the internet and look for comparables in the area. Determine your home’s selling points and plan to market them.
Consider purchasing a professional appraisal of your home to determine its true market value.
Be sure to hold an open house and invite all of your neighbors and friends. After all, your neighbors are ideally the best promoters of the area and can advertise your home to their families and friends.
Keep in mind, the highest priced offer is not always the most suitable offer. Today’s economic hardships highlight the importance of financing which is an essential instrument to consider prior to accepting an offer.

Staging Tips

Curb appeal, curb appeal, and curb appeal! Try and limit the amount of money spent on prepping the home, but keep in mind that a home’s curb appeal is its selling point. If buyers are not impressed with its look from the outside, they might be hesitant to step inside.
Invest in low cost rehabs such as applying a fresh coat of paint over stained walls and washing your windows. Be sure to trim your front lawn and sweep up old leaves and branches.
Remove the clutter! Buyers do not care to swim through your excess items. The less clutter in a home, the larger the space will appear.
Try to maximize the amount of natural light entering the home. Dark rooms and hallways can be depressing for home buyers. Be sure to open the blinds and curtains throughout the house.
Make your home all about the home and less about you. Remove personal photographs and allow the buyer to visualize the home in his or her own light.
The kitchen and bathrooms of a home are extremely vital in attracting buyers. Remove the clutter around these areas to make them more presentable. Be prepared to get your elbows dirty as this might make or break the sale.
Consider borrowing or even renting furniture to spruce up the image of the home.