So you’re selling a home in Austin. If it becomes possible to review a new home area, or several open houses do so. In this case the size does not matter, neither does type of home. What you are going to be looking at is the design. You will see there are some wonderful, sparsely furnished homes, set for anyone to live in. The key word here is anyone. The house is anonymous in design, they are set for anyone to move in or imagine themselves living in. You may find a ball, or a toy, but no pictures.
You may cross into the home and find it has great personality, but you won’t see the person. It enables the person viewing the home to picture themselves in it, instead of the current owner. This is crucial in selling your home. You are enabling your potential buyers ideal setting, their home.
How do you make your home anonymous?
The easiest way is to take the family pictures off the wall, remove your personal trophies and collectibles. Secure them safely in a box and put them away. It can be on the shelf in a closet outside the home, or better yet put it in a storage room or shed. It will open the house up to the imagination of the home buyers.
Once that is done, remove the clutter so as to keep it all to a minimum. The less clutter the more space the home buyer will see.
Does your home need a remodel? Most homes don’t need a full remodel before going on the market, but there are some things that you can do before you market your home that will increase the overall value. Some of these suggestions are simple and easy to do, and will make a big difference when it is time to sell your home.
1 – Paint outside and inside.
Over time the color of paint loses it luster and vibrancy. A simple re-coat can significantly brighten a home, and clean away any wear and tear that might be visible. Along with the time it takes to lose it color, the color choices may have fallen ‘out of style’ and thus may lessen the value of your home. By reviewing you color selection and updating as needed, you are able to maintain or improve your home’s overall value.
2 – Tile your home
Tile is both durable and easy to maintain. This couple will enable your home to be the best and most comfortable possible for all who will visit, and perhaps to new home buyers. Carpet wears over time, and can diminish a home’s appearance significantly. The change from one to the other can be done easily and far more inexpensively than most people may anticipate. Often it costs the same as or less than laying down new carpet.
3 – Install exterior shutters around the windows.
Although this is a purely cosmetic appeal, it significantly improves your home’s look and feel. Numerous surveys and studies have been done and something as simple as wooden shutters make a home feel more cozy and comfortable, which would make the home both more appealing to new buyers and easy to transition into.
These are only 3 of the most basic options available to you. They can be done with little extra expense. If you would like to improve for a more lasting and complete package, hiring a home inspector would be the best next step. He or she would be able to give you a complete picture and guide you to the best points to focus on. You can check the cost vs value report to see how much you will expect to see back for each remodel.
The weather is getting warmer, so is the itch to move. If you are wanting to sell, now is the time to watch the area and see the market move. This means that now is the time to start planning for the move and the sale. As with everything, advanced planning makes everything move smoothly.
Here are some simple and quick tips for preparing for the home sale that will open the way to your new home purchase.
First things first, find the right Realtor. There are nearly 8 thousand licensed real estate agents and brokers in the Austin real estate arena. Many chose to do this part time, while working another job. This means they may have less experience than you expect they may. When you are looking for your agent, look for experience, and a company that has a proven track record. This is essential especially in this buyers market. Affinity Properties can certainly prove success, even now.
Prepare from the moment you consider listing. That means make sure your house is clean, in good repair and staged. Doing this work in advance will help you and your Realtor, determine what needs to be done for you and for the top dollar sale of your home. When possible have the home inspected before you place it on the market. This will give you an accurate understanding of what your home needs, or doesn’t while determining the asking price.
Listen to your Realtor, if you’ve taken the time to research a little bit you know that your Realtor will be able to tell you when the market is ready for your home. By timing the release to the market to the flow of your area you will be able to sell your home in the briefest time possible. Summer is the busiest time to sell your home, don’t be caught unprepared.
With this combination you will be able to get the best price, in a brisk summer market You will be able to combine these tips for the greatest success.
Don’t forget the home buyers side of this 2 part – it is the next article.
With the cost of energy spiraling out of control and people becoming more aware of an increasingly toxic and depleted environment, homebuyers are looking at the market with an eye toward houses that meet their criteria of addressing these concerns. And the real estate market is responding to this changing market by emphasizing the advantages of their green-built houses and finding buyers, even in today’s soft market. Green building is coming into the mainstream and those seeking new houses are buying it.
As consumers become more informed about climate change, the possibility of peak oil, rising costs of most forms of energy, the increase in asthma and allergies among children, they’re more open to solutions to these ailments. And green builders answer the call with more expensive but environmentally friendly buildings and houses. Consumers are more than willing to pay the initial extra cost if it means they recoup their costs in energy saving and “feel good factor” in the long run.
Today’s homebuyer wants to lessen their impact on the environment and they’re finding a partner in an increasing number of contractors, architects, and engineers. And, with national organizations like the National Association of Home Builders getting behind such green building programs, it becoming easier to brand these programs, get them into the public eye, and thereby create a familiar household name.
The challenge remains for sales agents, however. As a potential homebuyer asks questions and probes deeper into the technology behind a green built home, it’s easy for a sales person to find themselves out of their league. More and better training is, of course, the simple answer and builders are eagerly spending the time and cost to educate their sales force as it’s proving to reap benefits for both seller and buyer.
Read more here.
