Looking to buy a home? Here are five essential tips for making the process as smooth as possible.
Get your finances in order.
Start by getting a full picture of your credit. Obtain copies of your credit report. Make sure the facts are correct, and fix any problems you find. Next, find a suitable lender and get pre-approved for a loan. This will put you in a better position to make a serious offer when you do find the right house.
Find a house you can afford.
As with engagement rings, there’s a general rule of thumb when it comes to buying a home: two-and-a-half times your annual salary. There are also a number of tools and calculators online that can help you understand how your income, debt, and expenses affect what you can afford. Don’t forget, too, that there are lots of considerations beyond the sticker price, including property taxes, energy costs, etc.
Hire a professional.
While the Internet gives buyers unprecedented access to home listings and resources, many aspects of the buying process require a level of expertise you can’t pick up from surfing the web. That’s why you’re better off using a professional agent than going it alone. You really should have an agent that will represent only you in the transaction who will have only your interests at heart and can help you with strategies during the bidding process.
Do your homework.
Before making a bid, do some research to determine the state of the market at large. Is it more favorable for sellers or buyers? Next, look at sales trends of similar homes in the area or neighborhood. Look at prices for the last few months. Come up with an asking price that’s competitive, but also realistic. Otherwise, you may end up ticking off your seller. Of course, I’ll help you with that. I can provide a CMA for each property that you’re seriously looking at.
Think long term.
Obviously, you shouldn’t buy unless you’re sure you’ll be staying put for at least a few years (if only for capital gains reasons). Beyond that, you should buy in a neighborhood with good schools. Whether you have children or not, this will have an impact on your new home’s resale value down the line. When it comes to the house itself, you should hire your own home inspector, who can point out potential problems that could require costly repairs in the future. I have several inspectors that I have worked with in the past and trust to do a great job for you.
When you’re selling a house, you should bake cookies before a showing or an open house. I guess you could say the answer is a hard and fast “true” because, after all, it can’t hurt. Who doesn’t like the smell of freshly baked cookies? But it’s also kind of false… It isn’t like you can Betty Crocker your way to a sale, let alone at the highest price possible. Your entire house still needs to be appealing. A batch of cookies isn’t going to hide bad odors enough or divert people’s attention from a messy house that needs repairs.
If only it were that simple…
Picture (and smell) this — a buyer shows up to a house and the homeowner has:
~ Two dogs laying on the sofa (wet from being in the rain). ~ Five cats roaming around. They share one unclean litter box and use every piece of furniture as scratching posts. ~ A well-used ashtray in each room. ~ A teenage son who has a pile of gym clothes under his bed. ~ A freshly-baked batch of cookies on the table with a sign that says “Enjoy a warm cookie while enjoying our house!”
Think the buyer’s gonna want to grab a cookie, let alone buy the house? Nope. There’s more of a chance their son will figure out how to do his own laundry. You’d think that’s far-fetched, but we real estate agents and our buyers actually walk into houses not too far from this reality.
The one smell that does sell…
Cookies won’t cut it. Nor will a cookie-scented candle. (Or any other candle scent for that matter.)
Pro tip: Some candles can actually turn a buyer off. Even if someone likes the smell of a particular candle, it may trigger curiosity about what the owner is trying to hide.
However, there is one smell that will help your house sell… It’s called “clean.” But you can’t get it in a store, online, or from a late night TV infomercial. You can get the products that’ll get your house smelling clean from any of those places… but there’s no substitute for a good, thorough cleaning to create an aroma that will appeal to any and all buyers. Whether you do it on your own, or hire a professional cleaning service, giving your house a good deep cleaning before (and while) your house is on the market is one of the most important things you can do. That doesn’t mean it should smell like ammonia or “Spring Breeze” cleaning solution. It should smell like nothing, actually. Or at as close to it as possible. Obviously there’s more to it than that… A clean (and clean smelling) house is a good start, but there’s more to think about when preparing your house for sale. Lots of homeowners do very little to prepare their house for sale, yet they expect their house sell quickly and for top dollar. On the other hand, some homeowners go bonkers and do way more than they have to, or even should, to prepare their house for sale. These folks end up spending more time or money than they’ll receive in return.
The bottom line:
There’s a fine line between not preparing your house enough… and preparing your house too much. ASK ME about preparing your house just the right amount.
I’m sure you don’t need another reminder that Daylight Saving Time is this weekend.
Like we even need a reminder to set our clocks anymore. Most of them adjust on their own nowadays anyway.
The hard part is adjusting ourselves!
Did we lose an hour, or gain an hour? Do I get to sleep in? Or, do I lose an hour of sleep?
And there’s always a good chance that we’ll slip up and oversleep, or simply show up an hour late, or an hour early, for something.
Not a big deal for the most part. You get into the swing of it in a day or two.
But what we see in real estate around this time can be a big deal…
Right around now is when the Spring market is just around the corner. It’s kind of here already, but not in full swing. Real estate agents are always on top of the shift and ready for it, because it’s our business. But to give an exact date that the Spring market begins, and set a clock to it is impossible.
Many homeowners and homebuyers miss out on critical time and opportunities, because there isn’t really a formal reminder that Spring market is coming, and that you should plan accordingly.
Consider this your reminder…the Spring market is coming!
So, if you’re planning on buying this Spring, let’s start now.
If you’re considering selling this Spring, let’s get things rolling in the next couple of weeks.
Because you need to be in full swing already when the Spring market hits.
Jumping in mid-way through can hurt you. Other buyers have already gotten their bearings, and are jumping on the best houses and deals. And other sellers who are on the market at just the right time are the ones who get the best buyers in the market.
Getting your house ready for open houses seems like a total pain, especially after you’ve already done so much work to get ready to list your home. This is when your house meets real people, though, not just the Realtor Mafia. These are neighbors who will tell their friends, people who are just starting on their house hunting journey, and clients wandering through with agents. This is the time for your home to shine!
Here are a few tips to get your house ready to impress: Clean up the clutter. All of it. Even if you don’t think it’s clutter, pick it up and put it away.
Lower the toilet seat lids. Please.
Open all of your blinds all the way, not just to the “open twist”. If you can, remove your curtains (but leave the sheers) so they don’t bring any hint of darkness into the room. Make sure your windows are clean, too! Use a newspaper or microfiber towel to avoid lint.
Unlock your doors so people can venture into the yard and garage.
Turn on all the lights. ALL of them. Use warm colored light bulbs to warm up the space. The bright white cool colored bulbs that I love so much highlight flaws. You don’t want to allow any dark corners or “atmospheric” rooms. You want rooms to be light and bright and look bigger! Hopefully your ceilings are bright white (you did that, right?) and shining a light onto the ceiling will open up the room. Check out your lights, if they have dead bugs in them, vacuum them out! If your lampshades are dusty, replace them.
Use white in the bathroom. As much white as you can. Hotels use white to “prove” that rooms are clean and white in the bathroom will show that the bathroom is bigger and make it look new. After you clean the bathroom until it gleams and make sure the counter is bare of everything but a nice milled soap or fancy lotion and hand soap, add a white shower curtain; fresh, fluffy white towels folded in thirds, and clean white bathroom accessories. You can skip the bathmat, just make sure the floor is spotless. If your bathroom lighting fixtures are dated, a quick trip to Home Depot or the like for a new light can update the whole room. Also, if your cabinet handles are dated, update those with something fresh. You can also pick up some shiny brass or brushed nickel knobs from the hardware store. (Hint: this also applies to the kitchen!)
Even though we took all of those family photos and distinctive artwork down when we were getting ready to list your house, give some serious thought to replacing some of your wall art with mirrors. They will make each room look lighter and bigger, especially if they face a window or a small collection of house plants. Speaking of walls, scrub your light switch plates or replace them.
Polish those wood floors and store your rugs. You don’t want your pristine rugs to get ruined and you never want to have shabby ones on display. Remove area rugs from the kitchen to create an illusion of more space and showcase that spotless floor.
Set your table with white dishes, sleek silverware, and new looking glassware atop a neutral tablecloth or placemats IF you have a giant table. Leave smaller ones almost bare, though. A bright runner or napkins will liven it up. A vase of fresh flowers will make the room smell great and look pretty and welcoming.
Open all of the doors and windows for an hour or two to let fresh air in and stale air out. Make it easy on yourself and don’t cook “fragrant” food the night before. Also, take out the trash in all rooms.
Remove all of your fridge magnets – even the cute ones or the ones holding up pictures of your grandkids. Clean out the fridge. Scrub it down. They will look in there. Trust me. I’ve seen it. Make sure the outside has no fingerprints or smudges, especially if your appliances are stainless. Don’t forget to give the stove hood and back splash a once over, they get gunky. Give your kitchen cabinets a once over, while you’re at it. You don’t need to organize them, but if there is anything that you’re never, ever going to eat, get rid of it.
Clear off the counters. All food, appliances, pens, notepads, the cute duckies, the canisters, rubber bands, even the pretty bowl of fruit should go. “Appliances” means the coffeemaker and toaster, too. Do it and stop complaining that everyone drinks coffee and eats toast. Put it all away. Keep your houseplants in one corner. Bare counters are good counters. Totally bare, not just shoved to the back to line the wall. Naked counters. The counters should gleam. If you have granite, invest in some granite polish.
Remove your jewelry, valuables, prescription drugs, and anything that would pain you to lose. Unfortunately, not everyone is honest. We wish they were, but we are dealing with the public.
Any other questions on how to prep for your open house? Drop me a line at [email protected]
There’s no right or wrong answer to that. Other than, “more than one” probably. Even two is pretty skimpy.
So, let’s say three is minimal for argument sake. (But, four or more is better.)
The number of layers probably just boils down to using up all the lasagna noodles and sauce you have, or getting to the top of the pan you have to use. No exact amount. Use what you’ve got.
But, if all you’ve got won’t stretch to make three layers in the size pan you have, perhaps you should use a smaller pan. At least have the three layers.
This isn’t a lasagna lesson.
You could say that it doesn’t really matter how many layers there are, as long as it tastes good.
And, there really isn’t any rule that you can’t have a one or two layer lasagna. So, you’d be “right”.
It just wouldn’t look exactly right. Not a big deal. It’s lasagna.
But, this article isn’t really about lasagna, it’s about real estate. Specifically, the critical “layers” you need to have when you list your house for sale.
Like we were talking about above with lasagna, for the sake of argument, you definitely need three layers. More would be better.
So, let’s look at the three most important layers when listing your home for sale.
The 3 layers
The three “layers” you need to have when you list your home for sale are:
1- Price 2- Exposure 3- Ease of access
Price
The price of your home is the first, and most critical layer when you are listing your home. If you don’t nail the pricing, the next two layers won’t matter a whole lot.
It won’t matter how much exposure your home has if the price isn’t in line with the market. Buyers have a good handle on values, and they won’t waste their time looking at a house if the price is way out of whack.
There’s certainly a little room to be on the “high” side. You don’t need to “give your house away”. But, you really need to be priced well against the current competition, and justifiable against similar homes to yours which have recently sold.
Exposure
Exposure has gotten easier over the years because of the Internet. But the easiest way to ensure you reach every single buyer in the market is to make sure you’re on the local multiple listing service (MLS).
Beyond that, you want to make sure your listing “populates” or “syndicates” to all of the real estate sites out there. Again, the easiest way to do this is typically to list your home on the local MLS. Most agents have a system that then allows your listing to be picked up by more real estate websites than you can imagine.
Beyond that, it doesn’t hurt to have some other exposure in terms of marketing. This will vary from agent to agent, and company to company.
But the bottom line is this — your home needs to be easily found. And since most buyers are actively looking online, make sure it’s on there as “everywhere” as possible.
Ease of access
Your home needs to be easy for buyers to come and see.
Sounds simple enough…
You want your home sold, so of course you figure you’ll make it easy to come and see.
But not everyone does. More people than you can imagine make real estate agents and buyers jump through hoops to schedule a showing.
Saying no to a showing, or trying to corral every showing into a tight window of time during the week is going to hurt you.
So, just make sure you keep your house ready to show at any given moment, and say yes to any request to come see the house. (Within reason, of course…)
If you just do all three of those things, you’re in pretty good shape to get your home sold for as much as the market will bear, in as short a time as possible.
But, it won’t necessarily be as good as it could be if you were to add just a few more layers to your “listing lasagna”.
The “extra” layers.
While the first three layers are more or less non-negotiable, and will most likely get you as close to the highest offer as possible, as quickly as possible, you may want to consider these extra layers.
Adding these into your mix will increase your chances of getting the highest and best offer possible, as quickly as possible.
1- Hiring an agent who knows and understands the market. 2- Hiring an agent who is a strong advisor. 3- Hiring an agent who can negotiate. 4- Hiring an agent who keeps things together.
Knows and understands the market
It’s easy enough to hire a real estate agent. There’s plenty of them. But, you should really make sure to hire one who truly knows and understands your local real estate market.
You want one who can analyze the activity on your house, and the overall market, so that the agent can…
Advise you
There’s a lot of talk about selling homes “as quickly as possible”. The key words there are “as possible”.
Sure, you and your agent want your home to sell, and sell quickly. But “quickly” depends on the market. And you want an agent on your side who, after analyzing the market and activity, can advise you on what to do…
Should you stay firm on your price and just be patient?
Should you lower your price? If so, how much?
Is there something you can change about your house that buyers are getting hung up on? If so, is it worth doing, or will the cost be too much for it to make sense?
There’s way more than that to list, but those are just a few examples of advice your agent should be relied upon for, and be able to provide to you.
Negotiate
This is another thing that gets a lot of lip service. But an agent who negotiates well is a huge asset.
Sure, you want one that will negotiate a “win-win” enough to make a deal come together. But, you really want one that gets you the fatter end of the win. And that isn’t always just about price.
A good negotiator will get you the best price and terms.
And, more importantly, it’s important to have an agent who will…
Keep the deal together
There’s a lot of time, and a lot of things that can lead to a deal falling apart between signing the deal and a closing.
Things go wrong. People get cold feet. Buyers get greedy and ask for credits and repairs, or threaten to bale on the whole deal. Appraisers throw their opinion into the mix.
Again, just to name a few examples… but there are so many things that can make a deal fall apart.
Having a strong agent on your side, who can almost predict and nip problems in the bud before things get out of control, is a huge layer to add to your listing lasagna. And, if things do get dicey, you want an agent who can wrangle it all in and get things back on track.
Looks can be deceiving.
People often look at selling a house as pretty simple. And the truth is, it is pretty simple…in terms of the first three layers.
But that doesn’t necessarily make the best “lasagna” possible. It might look OK enough to be called lasagna, but it’s not gonna be quite as tasty as it could be, if you take enough care to add the next four layers.
And, as promised on my Facebook page, here’s my mom’s lasagna recipe. This creamy Italian dish came from a family friend while we were living in Milan, Italy. The key ingredients are the besciamella and the sofritto in the Bolognese sauce.
Bolognese sauce
2 tbs. olive oil 1 onion, chopped 4 carrots, sliced thinly 4 stalks celery, sliced thinly 1.5-2 lbs. ground beef or veal 1 can chopped tomatoes (or a similar substitute) 2 cans tomato sauce 1 tbs. oregano 2 cloves garlic, chopped finely 1/4 tsp. cinnamon 1 tbs. thyme 1 tbs. basil 2 tsp. salt 2 tsp. pepper 1 bay leaf
Saute the onion, carrots and celery until onion is tender but not golden. This is called a soffrito. Add the garlic and saute briefly. Add the meat and brown it. Drain the fat. Add remaining ingredients and one can of water. Simmer 1/2 hour. Remove bay leaf.
Bescimillia sauce
1 pint heavy cream 2 cups milk 4 tbs. butter or margarine 4 tbs. flour 1tsp salt 1tsp white pepper (if available, if not use black pepper) 1 tsp. nutmeg
Melt the butter and blend in the flour, salt and pepper. Add the cream and milk. Increase heat to high and whisk constantly until mixture boils. Remove from heat and stir in nutmeg.
Assembling lasagna
15 lasagna noodles 1 cup Parmesan cheese
Boil 3 quarts of water. Determine how many noodles will fit in one layer in your pan. When water boils, cook that many noodles until they are flexible, but not quite al dente. Use tongs to lift them from the water and place in a layer in the pan (this assumes a 10 x 14 pan). Layer 1/3 of the meat sauce and then 1/3 of the bescimellia sauce. Repeat twice. Top with cheese. Bake in a 350 oven for 45 minutes.
Do you believe whether a groundhog sees its shadow or not is a true indication of when Spring will come?
A lot of people aren’t even sure, which means we’re going to have more winter.
But even if you do, it doesn’t make a whole lot of sense. If it’s sunny, and he sees his shadow, that means a longer winter. If it’s cloudy and he doesn’t see his shadow, it means Spring will come sooner. That seems totally backward.
And then there are lots of different groundhogs… which are you supposed to believe?
Groundhogs Don’t Predict Spring
Truth is, Spring never actually comes sooner, even if every single groundhog doesn’t see his shadow. It begins on a specific calendar day.
Now the weather on the other hand, that’s a different story. The weather will be what it will be. Weather is something people make small talk about.
But a groundhog predicting it!? Meteorologists can barely do it.
So, most people don’t put a whole lot of stock in what the groundhogs “say” on Groundhog Day. However, a lot of people do put stock in the “Spring market” when it comes to real estate.
Is Spring The Best Time To Buy And Sell Real Estate?
So many people believe it is the “best” time to buy or sell real estate. Not necessarily.
Sure, there is a definitely a “Spring market”.
But, first of all, to even say exactly what day it begins is impossible. Some real estate agents even say the Spring market begins in January. Others may say March. Or April. Maybe May.
And while there is no definite answer as to when the Spring market actually begins, it’s even more inaccurate to say that it’s the best time for you to buy or sell a house.
It might be for some clients… but certainly not for everyone. It depends on so many variables, and upon the client’s specific scenario and needs.
My Advice To You
Don’t put stock in the “Spring market”, no matter what you hear, or who you hear it from.
Do not base your decisions about when to buy or sell upon something people talk about as lightly as the weather… or whether the Groundhog saw its shadow or not.
There is no one-size-fits-all answer.
But, if you are thinking about buying or selling, or both, then we should chat. And strategize.
Is now a better moment for you to begin buying or selling?
Or is it better for you to wait until Spring is “officially” here?
Or perhaps Summer…
Or Fall…
Or Winter…
Like I said, it depends on a whole lot of variables.
So, if you’re thinking of buying or selling, let’s just chat.
If not, just stick this in your head for future reference!
