Deborah Ward – Page 41

Do Luxury Real Estate Buyers Care About Amenities? Yes They Do!

October 27, 2021 By Deborah Ward

People looking for luxury real estate expect certain amenities, and they really do matter. So if you have a high end home, you have to know that luxury buyers will be looking for the most up to date amenities.

Especially in Florida, certain things are expected in high end real estate. One of those things is a dock. If you have waterfront property, having a dock to keep your boat is a huge plus. More outdoor life in luxury homes also includes a pool and spa, all out on the huge lanai. Pools offer a serene place to relax, or a fun place to entertain. Luxury pools are often surrounded by waterfalls, amazing lighting and a hot tub or spa. One popular luxury pool type is an infinity pool. Many times they are also “indoors” by being contained in a screened lanai, screened to keep out the nuisance of bugs or worse!

Don’t forget the inside either. Luxury buyers are looking for things like high end wall finishes, imported woods for floors and woodwork, stone surfaces like granite for bathrooms, kitchens, bars and even outdoors for built in grills. Kitchens also have plenty of room and high end, chef quality appliances. Baths have double sinks, separate tubs and large showers, high end finishes and spa like qualities.

Large luxury homes also have amenities like custom built in cabinetry, bars, media rooms with top of the line surround sound systems. Others have wine cellars, game rooms, libraries and multiple bedrooms with their own baths.

All of these things are expected and are expected to be top of the line, high end and spotless. If you are looking to sell your luxury home, make sure that all of your luxury amenities are up to snuff. It matters to those who will buy.

Downsizing Your McMansion – When to Sell

October 27, 2021 By Deborah Ward

Are you finding that your home is too big? Your McMansion is becoming too much to handle? When to sell and downsize maybe now, but how do you know? There are as many reasons to downsize as there are people. Families change, children grow up and move out. Financial situations change. Having as big a house as the rest of your friends becomes less important. Whatever the reasons, when you feel that your home is just too much for you; that maybe the “when to sell” and downsize.

Think about your family situation when you bought your McMansion. The kids were young and you needed the space. Kids grow, graduate and leave for college or move out on their own. Do you really still need a 4 or 5 bedroom home with just two people? Most people don’t want that much house to take care of after the kids leave. Downsizing now maybe the answer for you.

What if your financial situation changed? That McMansion may have been within your budget when you bought it, but sometimes things change. People change or lose jobs. Maybe you bought it before the economy tanked. You’ve held on this long, but now it’s time to throw in the towel and move on. The market is changing and even if you are overextended, you won’t sell at or at as much of a loss as you would have just a few years ago. You may even sell at a profit.

Being sure is important. You can do this by contacting a realtor and talking with them about things like what type of market is predominant in your area. If it’s a sellers’ market, more the better. Ask about the value of your home. You may be surprised to find that it is worth more now than it was even this time last year. You can also find out what smaller homes are selling for in your area. What if you found that you could move into something smaller and have a much smaller mortgage, or even not have one at all?

If you find yourself in a place where you think you may want to downsize, call a realtor and talk about your options. It may just help you make your decision.

Why Using Zillow or Trulia for Your Home Search Could End in Heartache

October 27, 2021 By Deborah Ward

The common “wisdom” these days is that everyone searches for their new home online. Sites like Zillow or Trulia make your home search a snap. Easy to use websites and even apps for your smartphone. Mortgage payment estimates right by the listing. Now you just know you can afford that dream home. So if it’s so easy, why not? Why not indeed.

First, Zillow and Trulia are now the same company. Realtor.com has become so expensive that many Realtors don’t use it. There are other reasons why many Realtors are opting out of national sites, reasons that confuse buyers and hurt sellers.

First, none of those sites are part of the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). MLS is the most up to date place for any and all real estate listings. The Zillow/Trulia/Realtor.com listings (or “aggregator sites”) get their information from other websites or by what is input by homeowners or other agents. The problem with that is that listings on them are often out of date. A property may sell or the listing expire, or a pricing change in a property happens and the aggregate listings are not updated.

Another problem? Aggregate sites allow any agent who is willing to pay a fee have their name and photo appear next to any listing in a given region. The prospective buyer may think they are the listing agent, when in reality they know little to nothing about it.

More things that are inaccurate on the aggregate sites? Wrong pictures with listings, duplicate listings with different prices and agents listed. Speaking of pricing, those fabulous tools to figure out if you can afford that fabulous home? Often very wrong.

Finding a house to buy and make a home means setting your heart on it. Relying on aggregate sites, instead of starting your search with a local agent who knows the area, issues and homes for sale will lead to heartache, not home buying bliss.

Staging Your Home Is Important, Even In A Sellers Market

October 27, 2021 By Deborah Ward

Staging your home is as important in a sellers’ market as it is in a buyers’ market. The same reasoning applies when selling real estate at any time or in any market. So let’s look at those reasons.

First, staging makes you declutter and organize your home. Cleaning and decluttering is the biggest part of staging. Depersonalizing the space is important so that buyers can imagine their things in the space. The easier you make it for them to see your home as theirs, the more likely you will be to get offers. You will be moving anyway, so packing up much of the daily clutter and personal items now will make moving later easier. Forces you to organize and get rid of clutter.

Staging increases the probability of a sale. Even in a sellers’ market, you home isn’t guaranteed to sell. Increase your chances by setting yourself and your home up to succeed. Staging not only increases that likelihood, but it decreases the time it will be on the market. Less time on the market means less aggravation in the showing process and a bigger probability you will get asking price or better as well.

Speaking of price, staging will justify that asking price. Clutter and dirt = turned off buyers who see a project home = lower offers. Staged home that looks clean, uncluttered and move in ready = happy buyers who want to pay your asking price to move in. In a sellers’ market it can equal a bidding war that boosts your profits.

You may be thinking that since the market has shifted in your favor as a seller that the amount of work you have to do to sell has disappeared. It really hasn’t. Being lazy won’t benefit you in the end. Go watch one of those HGTV® shows like Property Brothers to see the difference. Watch the buyers when they walk through the professionally staged “everything we want” homes, then their faces as they walk through the unstaged, cluttered or dirty ones. Listen to the reasoning on offers (“it needs work” and “its been on the market for X amount of time”) and see how it affects price. Don’t make those mistakes. Stage your home and walk away a winner.

Why Is Granite So Popular In Gourmet Kitchens

October 27, 2021 By Deborah Ward

Ask any Realtor what one thing makes or breaks a kitchen or bath update and they’ll undoubtedly say granite. Granite is part of any gourmet kitchen. If you are hesitating and may be thinking that a cheaper option may be the way to go, stop. Go with granite. Why? It is a great investment.
Granite countertops are classic. They look classic and give any kitchen or bath a timeless look.

Granite is practical and beautiful. Its gorgeous graining and versatile color palettes seem to make a kitchen more beautiful the minute they are installed. They are also practical. Since they are natural materials, there is little man-made that can hold a candle to it. Granite is tough and durable.

Granite is almost unbreakable, and it is scratch, stain, and mildew-resistant. It is naturally cooler so that it is great for baking. Rolling out dough is easier, cooling hot pans is easier. It isn’t porous, so harmful bacteria won’t find their way into cracks and crevices and make your family sick.

Granite is also versatile. Any style of kitchen will be complemented by granite counters. From modern to craft to country to traditional and everything in between. Between the amazing color palettes available to the styling of the granite itself, it fits every lifestyle. Traditional cabinetry looks amazing with it, as do stainless steel, black or white appliances. The granite only enhances the décor.

Lastly, granite has and keeps its value. It improves appearance and makes the market value of your home higher. When selling, granite helps you sell. It appeals to a wide variety of buyers and their styles. Many demand granite counters, so knowing you have them will mean your property has an ace in the hole. The durability and beauty adds to any home. So when updating, don’t skimp. Use granite and reap the reward.

Home Seller Tips – Selling Your Assets

October 27, 2021 By Deborah Ward

Here are some home seller tips to help you with selling your assets, (your home is an asset). What is the best part of your home? That is the question you should be asking yourself as you start to get it ready to sell. Why? Because the answer will tell you which assets you need to be playing up. You aren’t selling your home, as much as you are selling your assets.

The first home seller tip is to have a Realtor come in and look at your home with you when you are getting ready to sell it. They will be able to give you ideas on what are great selling points and what needs to be spruced up. Have a list ready before they get there of your favorite spots in your home. Is it your deck? How about your pool? The amazing lanai? Where do you spend most of your leisure hours when at home? What would draw you to an area like that in another home? Your Realtor will probably agree with you and have great ideas on how to make these areas shine. Selling your assets like your home is a big deal so get all the help you can from a Realtor.

Most people know to look at the kitchens and baths. Yeah, we all have them and isn’t it great when they are up to date. But what about the great reading nook you have on your lanai? Or the amazing set up around your pool? And who could resist the outside kitchen on your deck? These are the assets you need to play up. These are the areas that will make people want to live in your home.

So, another home seller tip is stage them. Just like every other area of your home. Make sure your deck or lanai furniture is clean, new looking or replace it. If your grill has seen better days, replace it. Even if it’s all going with you, it’s the visual you need the buyer to see to want to be there every day. Fix screening outside. Make sure your pool is clean 100% of the time. If you have safety covers, make sure they are in working order and ON when people come to look. It will be a huge selling point with families.

You know what you love about your home, so make others love it too. Then get ready to pack and move!

The Deb Ward Team