The decision to put a home on the market is often a weighty emotional strain. Even more difficult may be the emotional strain. Even more difficult may be the preparation work needed to get a timely and value-based sale. The carpet with some wear; the bright purple painted walls of a girl’s bedroom the older but use-able curtains or the garage heaped with generations of tools all need
attention before a home is ready.
It’s a lot of work!
A method that works well combines clutter removal, preparation and focused staging, leaving the home ready for listing. This method works best with some help from an listing. This method works best with some help from an observant, ruthless and energetic friend.
To start, get a notebook and list on separate pages each room and major area of the home and property, including the attic, garage, shed, garden, pantry and every closet. Under the area name list its chief purpose (dothing storage,
attic, garage, shed, garden, pantry and every closet. Under the area name list its chief purpose (dothing storage, the area name list its chief purpose (dothing storage, dining, home office). With the friend, walk through every
part of the home and outdoor space as they are. Note on the area’s page everything that either of you notice, both area’s page everything that either of you notice, both good and bad. Include odors, light, colors and condition of walls, floors and major furnishings This will frame the size of the preparation job needed.
Write a list of tasks for prep work and make copies, one for each noted area of the home. The tasks will be used as a checklist. Include on the checklist remove clutter, discard older furnishings, thorough cleaning, painting,
deodorizing, replace carpeting, replace curtains (shower curtains, too), repairs, staging and review. You might have other work needed, too. Review the notebook and note the work needed In each area. The work could entail any or all of these tasks.
Removal of clutter, older and worn furnishings, carpet, etc. will be first. Do this in every area you have listed. A driveway dumpster can be very helpful If the household is larger. Some things night be saleable — yard sale or larger craigslist or given to a charity or freecycle.
Ruthlessness is important in purging each area. Anything not attractive and useful to serve the purpose of the area should be removed. Don’t overlook small touches such as wastebaskets, lamps and floor mats. These also leave an impression on anyone looking at the home. When an area is done, check it off on the task list.
After purging, clean thoroughly. Windows, floors, shelves, trim and major appliances; carpeting, hallways and bathrooms demand special attention. Again, check off if cleaning as each area is done.
After cleaning, patch, paint and replace curtains and carpeting anywhere this would make a difference in appealing to a buyer. Again, be ruthless. Replace older curtains with newer Inexpensive sheers. Replace old shade paint chipped doors and woodwork. Outdated or wont paint chipped doors and woodwork. Outdated or wont furniture should be removed and replaced If needed. Check off the work done.
Multiple listing services, also known as MLS systems, are the database systems real estate agents use to market homes, apartments, land or other types of property. Without MLS systems, home shopping would not be possible due to the sheer volume of homes in the marketplace. Houses that show up on the Internet are due to MLS systems. Let’s explore these systems, first from how homes enter the MLS Houses, condos and apartments enter the M LS through a licensed real estate agent. Once the home owner signs a contract with a real estate agent, the agent inputs the home into the MLS. The home is now called a ‘listing!’ Listings are reviewed by M LS staff members and are published on thousands of websites almost Immediately. Most home shoppers start their home searches online, not realizing that properties posted online come for a local or regional MLS.
Apartments as Businesses: Advertising Is Key
Next to buying a house outright or paying on a mortgage, renting an apartment is the most popular method of securing living accommodations. Not all apartments are what a person might want, however. People who need an apartment thus ha‘ to shop around systematically before they sign a lease.
Apartment complexes provide housing for individuals and families, but first and foremost, they are businesses similar to your grocery store, bank or theater. Their primary goal is to coiled profit via the rents they charge. Similar to any good business, apartment complexes run promotions to entice potential renters to view the property and sign a lease.
The promotions apartment complexes run depend on occupant. Most apartment managers determine the lowest the complex’s occupancy ratio can go before profits truly start to sifter. If a complex has many units available, the complex will invest more time and money into advertising because it loses money as the apartments remain unrented. Thus, when you are checking out a complex, ask the manager what the current occupancy ratio is. If they tell you only a handful of units are available, this tells you demand for apartments in the complex’s area is good and that you likely will not be able to negotiate much with the manager about your rental price.
Mother tip related to advertising is timing. Many complexes have winter policies that prevent leases from ending during the winter months. They thus have a lot of move-outs in the spring and pump up their advertising at that time. Your odds of finding a vacant unit thus are better around March or April.
Initial Calls or Emails
An initial call or other electronic correspondence tells you a ton about what the apartment complex is like. A good office manager or leasing agent should respond to an apartment within 24 to 48 hours, although a little extension is normal during holidays
The following are some questions to pose during your initial correspondence
- What utilities are included?
- Do you charge for parking?
- What kind of pets (if any) are allowed? Is there a fee per pet or pet rent?
- Where is the nearest …. (grocery store, bus line, etc.)?
- Do you have on-site maintenance and emergency workers?
- What type of units are available (studio, 1 bedroom, etc.)?
Think of this process as if the apartment is a job candidate and you are the job interviewer — initial calls screen out apartments that absolutely won’t work before you see anything in person. Be upfront about special requests or needs, such as wanting a first floor unit or asking about Section 8 and cosigners. This helps the leasing agent or manager look through their available units and find the best unit for you quickly. It helps to make a simple spreadsheet of the complexes you’ve contacted and how they’ve answered you.
Talk It Up
Leasing agents and managers are trained to give a good impression of the complex That is their Job, because if they don’t portray the complex positively, rentals don’t happen, the complex loses money, and often commissions are not issued. The only vvayto get an accurate picture of life at the complex Is to talk to people with experience with the property. If you don’t know any of the residents, use apartment reviewwebsites and read the comments from previoustenants.
Enhancing Real Estate Search With Live Mapping Features
When it comes to purchasing real estate, whether for a primary residence, vacation home or investment property, the three most important things are location, location and location. We have all heard this some real estate-dot-com, but what does It really mean for your own real estate search?
Have you ever looked at a home In a neighborhood that looked great In the real estate brochure but not so great when you saw it in person? Have you ever spent all day hying to find an address, only to go back home in frustration? If so you may be able to benefit from the power of live mapping. Living mapping allows real estate shoppers to get a good look at the property In question before they even leave their homes House hunters can sit In front of their own computer screens and zoom in on the neighborhood, the street and the home that is for sale.
This live mapping feature allows home shoppers to carefully examine the home, and the neighborhood, without wasting time on properties that are not right If there is an over gown weed filled lot next door you will be able to see that. If the neighborhood appears to be unsafe you can see that as well. Conversely you will be able to examine the most chaining neighborhoods In town and hone In on properties for sale in those neighborhoods. Unlike traditional street map real estate services, live mapping allows you to get a true picture of the neighborhood — both the good and the bad.
Street mapping technology also provides a great many advantages for thosewho are selling a home. Marketing is an Important part of any real estate transaction, and street mapping technology provides a great marketing tool for sellers of real estate. In today’s challenging real estate marketplace it is essential for those with homes for site to pull out all the stops and get the word out about their great property. With street mapping technology home sellers can show off their homes to potential buyers, and those potential buyers will be able to explore not just the home for sale but the rest of the neighborhood as well.
So whether you are buying a home or selling one street level mapping technology can be an extremely valuable tool. Sites like Microsoft’s new bing search engine allow both home buyers and home sellers to explore cities, streets, neighborhood and individual properties from the comfort of their own home.
This powerful technology is a great way for potential home buyers to make the most of their time while shopping for their next home from virtually anywhere. By using live mapping technology home buyers can look at hundreds of different properties In the time it would take to look at only a few using traditional methods. Instead of driving aimlessly around the neighborhood In search of the perfect house, home buyers can do a virtual tour of every neighborhood in time. This will allow home buyers to get a real feel for each neighborhood, including both their good points and their challenges By using street mapping technology potential buyers can also take a look at the properties on either side of the one they are considering, as well as what types of businesses are in the neighborhood.
For instance, street mapping technologies like the ones provided by Google/Yahoo/Bing can let you know If there Is a bar or restaurant right dawn the street. Some buyers may see this arrangement as a bonus, while others may be wary of those potential neighbors. No matter which camp you fall into street mapping technology can give you a heads up and help you determine whether or not a closer look is warranted.
Street mapping technologies can also give home buyers the ability to shop from the office, certainly not something that Is possible with traditional home search methods. All buyers need to do Is connect to the virtual map, roam the virtual neighborhood and note the locations of the properties they want to see. Then armed with that smaller list of properties home buyers can head out to the best neighborhoods In town In search of a home that truly meets their needs. Street mapping technology allows potential home buyers to whittle their list of potential properties down to a manageable level, making the most of their time and making the home search process a great deal easier.
How to Evaluate a Neighborhood Before You Buy
There are many factors to consider when buying a home. The price, the home’s condition, age and upgrades all come Into play. Yet equally Important is the neighborhood. Assessing play. Yet equally Important is the neighborhood. Assessing a neighborhood Is not a major challenge if you’re at all familiar with the area, but what if your potential dream home is located somewhere you’ve never been or know little about?
There are a number of resources that will help you examine everything from the quality of schools to past and examine everything from the quality of schools to past and current crime rates. A Google search gets you started. Look for neighborhood blogs and association websites, too. While you’re at it, Google the street address and check out the for neighborhood blogs and association websites, too. While you’re at it, Google the street address and check out the you’re at it, Google the street address and check out the street view. You’ll get a snapshot of what home looked like at another point in time.
Neighbors Vs Fences — Good, Bad & Ugly
We bought our starter home nearly twenty years ago. It was a good neighborhood populated by a diverse selection of people with basically one thing in common. We wanted to maintain our property value in the area we shared. We could look out our kitchen wind ow facing the quiet cul de sac and see a large tractor trailer double parked and maybe even a family butchering in their driveway. These were not in the in the same driveway. That would have been very strange.
We began our venture in real estate with the purchase of a zero-lot home. That meant that if I fell off of the side of the roof where the house is actually on the property line dividing our lot from our neighbor’s, then technically I’ll be trespassing. “Thankfully this never happened and I had friendly neighbors”.
Affable neighbors are an asset when it comes time to do some common work such as repairing a fallen fence. On one occasion high winds took down the fences dividing our back yard from our neighbors on both sides. It was decided that the neighbor to the right would repair the fence himself, considering he was a contractor. He politely declined any form of payment except for a case of twenty-four adult beverages of his choice. It was a fine deal for us.
How to Spot an Up and Coming Neighborhood
Whether it’s a buyer’s or a seller’s market. America is filled with neighborhoods that went from shabby to chic in the blink of an eye. But how do you spot the next hot spot before everyone else does? According to real estate agents and those who’ve bought into the upturn, the pointers below are among the most reliable indicators.
Start with Your Realtor
Tell your realtor that you’re looking for a turnaround neighborhood, and outline which compromises you’re Wiling to make in exchange for future value. You may be eager to take on a house that needs a lot of updating, or won’t mind living In a neighborhood that lacks amenities like gyms and big box stores. Most realtors are willing to share their knowledge and will help you find what you want, but do your own research as well. If you feel a realtor is but do your own research as well. If you feel a realtor is telling you what you want to hear just to make a sale, find a new realtor.
Follow the Artists
Artists have pioneered so many neighborhoods they deserve a homestead act of their own. They need space and are among homestead act of their own. They need space and are among the first to spot price-per-square foot bargains in overlooked places. Better yet, because they tend to colonize en masse, the transformation from ho-hum to hip can happen rapidly. Coffee shops, art supply stores and galleries featuring experimental and not-yet-known artists are good si g,ns to look for.
Look Next Door
When the neighborhood you want is too expensive, check out the surrounding areas People who see what you saw in the neighborhood often look nearby on the theory that a short drive to their paradise will do. Retailers and restaurateurs make the same decisions and soon the spillover spot is the new place to be. Look for funky boutiques small restaurants, businesses run by young entrepreneurs and an absence of chain stores.