Realtor Tips – Page 3

Home Seller Tips – How To Pack Up and Sell At The Same Time

May 1, 2018 By Deborah Ward

Whatever the reason, you need to pack up and get your home sold. Well, since you also need to get your home into saleable shape, kill two birds with one stone and declutter while packing up.

Start as early as you can so that maybe have a yard sale and also to give yourself enough time to get everything done. Even if you have to rent a storage unit or pod for the short term, do it. Your decluttered home and packed up stuff finished will take a lot of stress from your eventual move.

Start with your furniture. Make sure that rooms are easily moved through, that each room has good flow. Store the extra away. If you are moving immediately and need all your furniture, get a few things for each room on the cheap so it looks lived it.

Next, go room by room and clean out closets. Obviously, out of season things can be packed up and removed immediately. Whatever you need to leave make sure it is neat and sparse so the closets look bigger. If you have bookshelves, parse them down as well. You can leave some personal photos, but parse them down as well. Buyers need to imagine pictures of their own family on the walls, tables and shelves.

Then in the kitchen and bath pack away just about everything on counter tops, leaving only what you need, toaster or microwave, coffee maker in the kitchen, soap dispenser in the bath. Clean out the junk drawer!!! Yes, people go through cabinets, closets and drawers. Make them all look spacious. That means pack up all the extras.

Now that things are packed, yard saled out or given away, stash the boxes and stage the house. Clean towels for the bath, etc. Not sure what to do? Check out how homes are staged in the shows on HGTV. It doesn’t need to be expensive, but make your home look inviting, spacious and clean.

5 Tips To Attract Out Of State Buyers For Your Home Sale

April 17, 2018 By Deborah Ward

If you have to move away before you can sell your home, some unique problems may crop up! Find a Realtor who is used to working with out of state sellers.

It happens. You get transferred to a new position out of state and have to move, or move away for whatever reason. In a perfect world you would have time to sell your home before having to move away. Well, the world isn’t perfect and sometimes you have to move before you can sell. So here are some tips to make your sale the best it can be from states away.

First and most important, carefully hire a Realtor to assist you. It would be incredibly hard to clean, stage, show and sell your home yourself from so far away. Choosing the best Realtor to help you will mean you will hire someone who will show and market the home, hire contractors to handle upgrades and repairs, and ensure that there is a smooth sale of your home.

Be sure that you personally interview Realtors for the best fit. Choose one who has a great track record for sales and getting the best price, who communicates well and is comfortable with how you communicate (I.e. phone, text, email) and has a good reputation in the community.

Next, be sure to price the home correctly. Trust your Realtor to understand the market, the neighborhood and the condition of the home to get you the best price. Get it right the first time. Start with the best price, because if you miss that crucial first 30 days, repricing won’t help you sell for the best price. People will wonder why it didn’t sell and will low ball you with offers. Also, be sure that your Realtor is aware of the lowest price you are willing to accept. Be open to negotiation and other considerations for a lower price, but make sure there is an understanding.

No one will buy your home if it looks like an episode of Hoarders. They certainly won’t give you the best price if it is a cluttered mess. Before you move, pack up all of your belongings and those things you don’t want give away or throw away. If possible, leave a small amount of furniture to make sure the home doesn’t look vacant.

Then clean. Clean as if your life depended on it. If you can’t due to the impending move, or just don’t want to, hire a cleaning company to do a serious deep clean on the home. Also have any necessary repairs made, and any updates your Realtor recommends. Have the home staged for the best effect.

If you are looking for a Realtor in the Tampa Bay area who works often with out of area seller, give Deb Ward a call today! 727-216-9247

How To Make Your Home More “Florida-y”

April 3, 2018 By Deborah Ward

Whether you live in the Sunshine state or just want to feel like you do, adding touches to make it feel more “Florida-y” will do the trick. Whether it’s paint or just decorations, making your home feel open, airy, sunshiny and bright will lift your spirits and make you think of the beach.

Start with paint colors

Think of what surrounds you and paint accordingly. Cool blues match the ocean or Gulf and beige or tan for the sandy shores. Add touches of bright lemon yellows of the sunshine or citrusy lemon or oranges, perfect for a closed in room that needs brightening. Think of the beautiful sunsets over the ocean or gulf and use pinks, pale salmons and lavender. For that cool calm try pale blues and greens. A butter yellow or light peach can add an airy feeling to a room.

Add pops of bright colors

Now that your paint has set the tone for the room, add pops of bright colors like fuchsia, lemon yellow, orange and lime. Use throw pillows or area rugs to bring in the fun colors. In the kitchen find bright colored small appliances to add that colorful touch. Many manufacturers now make things like coffee makers, blenders, mixers and toasters in bright yellow, purple, turquoise and red. Make them the functional part of your Florida vibe.

Beach theme

If that isn’t your taste, then start thinking beach theme. Find fun wall hangings that convey beachy messages. Use shells to decorate tables or shelves. Make a tasteful candle holder with glass containers with sand and shells surrounding the candle. Use your imagination and feel like you’re on the beach.

Disney charm

And what’s Florida without Disney? Add some fun Disney characters to your décor. They aren’t just for kids rooms anymore! A little Mickey or Minnie in the guest room, or Pooh and Tigger in the bath brings in some whimsy and Florida fun.

So go on, make it feel like Florida!

5 No Fail Tips For Selling Your Home Fast For The Most Money

March 20, 2018 By Deborah Ward

When selling your home it’s safe to say that you want to sell it fast and for the most money. I mean, doesn’t everyone? So what do you have to do to get both?

Let’s start with before you list

You need to make sure your house looks it’s best, inside and out. Have a friend or Realtor walk through your home and be brutally honest about where it needs improvement. Make a list and then tackle it. The yard needs work? Clean it up. Plant any needed foliage and do something like adding or updating a family/entertaining space outside.

Declutter, deep clean and update

Inside needs paint? Paint but stick with lighter, more neutral colors. You don’t need to go white or eggshell, but nothing that might turn off prospective sellers. You can add color with accents, like pillows or items on shelves or tables. Kitchen and/or bath need updating? Do it. They sell houses. Declutter, deep clean and thin out furniture and personal items.

Price it right

Now that the house is ready the next and most important thing is to price it right. I can’t stress enough how important this is for selling quickly. It’s not out of line to say that most homes that sit on the market are over or under priced. Pricing is so important. If you price your home incorrectly it won’t show up in searches that your best prospective buyers are shooting for. If you underprice it, thinking it will end up in a bidding war that will get you the price you want, it will backfire. Remember that those looking in the range you priced probably can’t afford to stick with a bidding war that will get you the price you really want. Overpricing it means those who see your home will find it below what the standard home is in that price range.

Lastly, hire the right Realtor and pay them a fair commission

The right Realtor, as opposed to a discount broker, will keep you on the right track. They will help you price correctly, keep emotion out of the process, present you with advice on all offers, lowball or otherwise, and will earn every penny of the higher commission. They will most likely have you do a pre-inspection so you can find and correct any issues prior to selling, which will keep the process much less complicated down the road.

There you have it!

First Time Homebuyer Tips

March 1, 2018 By Deborah Ward

First time home buyer? There is so much to do. So much to know and remember. Here are some quick tips to break it down into smaller bites.

Credit score repair

Let’s start with what you need to do prior to even stepping foot into a home for sale. What is your credit score? Do you know that even if you can get financing with a less than stellar credit score, your interest rate will be higher?

So take some time and find out your score, then see what needs to be worked on and fix it. That may take time so start now. If you don’t want to use one of the “free” sites, go to the big three, Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, and request a copy of your credit report. You are entitled to one per year for free.

Down payment: How much?

Another prior to looking, save money for your down payment. How much will you need? Depends on the amount of money you are looking to spend on a home. The best bet is at least 20% of the amount of the home. So this goes hand in hand with another tip: figuring out what you can afford.

The general guideline that experts advise is that your mortgage shouldn’t be more than 1/3 of your pre-tax income. Keep in mind that your total mortgage payment will include your real estate taxes and homeowner’s insurance. The mortgage company pays these bills from an escrow fund they hold for you. The 1/12th of the tax and insurance bill is collected each month and put in the escrow.

If you have hired a real estate agent that is trying to talk you into more home than you can realistically afford, find another agent. An ethical, responsible buyers agent should never push you into buying a house that pushes your budget to its limits.

Ok, next is what you want in your house

This becomes the battle of the “must haves” versus the “would like to haves”. Working electric, plumbing, solid home with no leaks, cracks or other structural problems and the specific number of bedrooms and at least one bathroom are must haves.

Granite and marble countertops in the kitchen and baths, a man cave, pool or bath for each bedroom are would like to haves. If you can get them in your price range, great, but don’t go over budget just to have extras.

Bidding on a house

Found your house? Well the next tip is do not, under any circumstances, make a bid so low the seller won’t even entertain it. Seriously, don’t insult the seller. Pay attention to what your Realtor is telling you about your best bid. No, it doesn’t matter that your Dad or brother-in-law said to low ball the offer. They may have your best interests at heart, but in this instance they will not be helpful.

If your Realtor says offer full asking, do it. If they think you can make an under asking bid, do it. You hired your Realtor for their help and expertise. Use it.

Do not start buying things!

Lastly, now that the seller accepted your offer, it’s not time to go furniture shopping, switch jobs or buy a car. If you do anything to affect your credit, you may not get your mortgage. WAIT! Go and settle on the home, sign on all the lines, dot all the i’s and cross all the t’s and get the keys. Wait a few days to make sure all the paperwork has been recorded at the local land records office and that the mortgage company has all your paperwork. Now you can go buy furniture and use your credit.

Buying your first home is exciting and a bit terrifying. Follow the tips above, listen to your Realtor and it will be smooth sailing!

Why You Should Pick A Real Estate Team As Your Listing Agent

February 13, 2018 By Deborah Ward

You decided to sell your home and you know you need a Realtor to help you. Good decision. The next question is do you go bigger firm or smaller? Well, what you need to consider isn’t size so much as team. You need a real estate team to help you sell. Each team member has a part in making sure your sale, from listing to closing, goes off without a hitch.

Let’s start with getting ready to list and listing

The team member to help you here is the Realtor. Your Realtor will help you with two important things at this stage; preparing your home for sale and pricing it correctly.

A good Realtor will come and walk through your home, taking critically important notes. She will honestly tell you what needs to be updated and cleaned, decluttered and so on.

They can also help you find a contractor for needed repairs or updates, and a cleaning company to help you get your home thoroughly deep cleaned. They will help stage your home to have it look its best.

Then he or she will price your home for the best marketability.

The next team member markets your home

Speaking of marketability, the next team member is the one who markets your property. This team member will make sure that your home shows up on all of the right websites and on MLS. They will make sure that great photos of your home, room by room, inside and out, are with the listing and that there is a fantastic description making your home hard to resist. These photos will show your home at its best.

Their marketing will draw in prospective buyers to schedule a time to see your home.

Buyer’s agent may also be part of the team

The team may have a buyer’s agent. That buyer’s agent? They could also be a part of the team. They will be there to be sure that your listing is seen by their buyers who are looking for properties like yours. They will help market it while they are assisting their clients. Rounding up great listings for their clients is their job.

Dealing with offers

Now that there are buyers, your Realtor will make sure the process of dealing with offers is seamless. Whether it is one offer or several, she will make sure that the paperwork for those offers is correct and give them to you for consideration.

Making a counteroffer? A great Realtor will make sure it is complete and correct and send it to the buyer or their agent. Once the offer or counter offer has been accepted the team’s fantastic administrative specialist will make sure that the contract is ready for signature, initials and then onto the next step.

Contract signed and onto closing

Your Realtor is key here as well. Settling on a home is complicated. Whether there is a lawyer involved or just a title company or both, your Realtor will help you with all of the details.

Different inspections are scheduled, any required repairs are completed and necessary paperwork provided to the title company. There is also a lot of documents that can be very confusing. Your Realtor isn’t. He or she knows the ins and outs of sales that involve HUD, FHA and other buyer assistance programs, as well as typical financing with a bank or mortgage company.

Not to mention that you have to deal with moving. Your Realtor should know reputable moving companies to get you moved to your new home.

Have a solid team

Don’t try to sell your home without a solid team behind you. Each has their own specialty in helping you sell for the best price as quickly as possible.

If you are looking for a great real estate team in the Clearwater FL area, make sure to give the Deborah Ward and Associates team a call! 727-216-9247