Home Selling Tip for the Week of January 05

Making Home Improvements Before the Busy Spring Home Selling Season
make sure the landscaping looks nice: a well defined landscaping look is the first impression a home buyer will make when then come visiting your home. Your lawn, garden, garden decor, etc., must be in showing condition.

tip: view our outside garden for ideas

7 Street Home Selling Sense

If you are planning to sell your home, then you know that you only have one chance to make a good first impression. If the people pulling up to your home don't like what they see on the outside, then they won't be bothered with stepping inside to see what the interior looks like -- you've already lost a potential buyer.

When real estate agents talk about staging a home, they are referring to arranging the inside of the home in a certain way to maximize its appeal. On the outside, "street presence" or "curb appeal" are two terms commonly used and that is what I'll cover with you here.

Please read on for some valuable tips that can make a difference for you, especially in a  slow-selling housing market:

• Luscious Landscaping -- You may enjoy the gardens in front of your home, but a potential buyer may not, especially if what you are growing could mean a lot of work for them. Trim back all unnecessary shrubbery and if that maple tree in the front yard looks sickly, cut it back or remove it.
• Paint or Replace Siding -- Peeling paint or loose siding can be a drag on any possible sale -- you need to make sure that your home doesn't scream immediate repairs needed when offered for sale.
• Update the Garage Doors -- If your garage is behind your home, then how it looks isn't too much of a concern. However, if it is attached to your home and facing the street, what sort of impression do the doors make? Replace that drab, windowless garage door with a contemporary or classic design that includes windows.
• Make a Grand Entrance -- Your home's front door and surrounding railings and trim could possibly use some updating. If a door is peeling, then paint it, if lighting is dated, then update it, and if molding is lacking, consider adding it. Thinkflair when redesigning your homes exterior.
• Fix Those Fixtures -- Broken or drab light fixtures should be replaced. Installing one outdoor post light can have a profound affect on the way your home looks; consider replacing older doorway lights and security lights if they have not aged gracefully.
• Replace Gutters and Downspouts -- They may not leak and they could still do a decent job of directing water away from the house, but rusty gutters and downspouts can detract from a home's appearance. If paint won't do the job, then replace.
• Update the Roof, Replace as Needed -- Your current roof may pass home inspection, but will it pass the scrutiny of a buyer? The shingles may be fine, but updating the entrance way to incorporate a gabled roof could be a wise move on your part.

Of course, these recommended changes could cost you several thousands of dollars to carry out, but it could be the investment needed to move your home. In a slow-selling market, you need every advantage you can get. Don't scare off potential home buyers with a home that isn't attractive to them.

Resources

• View our outside garden for ideas
• Home selling checklist

What Is Your Home Worth?

If you are planning to sell your home or simply curious as to what it may be worth, finding out its current market value is something that is easy to do. You need this information before listing your home, but getting your's value can help you drop private mortgage insurance (PMI) if this is something you currently must pay.

There are plenty of free websites and online tools available to give you a ballpark figure including Zillow, Yahoo Real Estate, and Bank of America's Home Value tool, but for accurate information you'll need to obtain a CMA or competitive market analysis report to learn what your home is worth.

Components of a CMA

Your CMA will list certain information about your home, some of which might not be accurate. Therefore, it is important that you go over this information with your realtor, making corrections as needed. Your CMA will include:

• The number of bedrooms and baths in your home.
• Size of major rooms in the house.
• Total square footage.
• Property size.
• The home's amenities, i.e. porch, screened deck, fireplaces, garage, etc.
• Age of the home.
• Property taxes.
• Listing agent when the home is on the market.

In addition, your CMA can include information about other homes in your area:

• Other homes on the market.
• Other homes which have recently sold.

CMAs can cover one or two blocks in your neighborhood or encompass a wider marketing area.

Of course, other factors which can determine a home's worth are not included in the report, subjective information which can determine its worth:

• Street presence, including shrubbery, landscaping, and home facade.
• Interior decoration including your choice of colors, windows, doors, layout of rooms, etc.

A potential buyer's emotional appeal is something which isn't easily measured. You could have a stand out item -- such as window seats -- which would appeal to one buyer, but also find that your choice in room colors is a turn off to another buyer.

Although the CMA is a tool, professional input from an accomplished real estate agent can help narrow down the price range to a specific number that you, as the seller, will use when listing your home.

Please keep in mind, that the CMA is also available for the buyer to review, therefore it is important that the information presented is accurate.

Resources

• Estimating The Home Values