Realtor Tips – Page 3

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

When Is A Good Time For Move Up Buyers To Sell?

January 31, 2018 By Deborah Ward

You knew it would happen when you bought your home: you outgrew it. Now that there isn’t enough space you need to sell and move up. As they say, timing is everything and real estate is no different. So when is the best time to sell so you can make that move?

Trends

There are no absolutes, of course, but generalizations can show trends. It’s generally accepted that spring is the best time to list to sell.

It’s a statistical fact that 50-60% of homes are sold during the summer. Let’s explore some of the reasons that Realtors say makes spring and summer the best time to sell.

Spring

Spring is such a lovely time of year. The grass and trees are green, flowers grow and bloom. Your yard looks better, green and lush. The cold winter warms into a beautiful spring, short days get longer. Let’s not forget that buyers come out in droves to find a new home. There are many factors that contribute to this.

One is just the fact that winter is over and like the growing plants, it’s time for something new. Who wouldn’t want to move out of a small apartment and have a home that they can plant, decorate and treat as their own?

Longer days mean more time to look and let’s not forget that those new smaller families are looking to buy and move during the school break so the kids don’t have a huge disruption in their education. They want their kids to have some time during the summer to start new friendships before heading back to the classroom. It’s also much easier to move when it’s warm!

If someone is coming from a cold climate north of Florida, they sure don’t want to be moving in the snow!

So what does that mean for you, the seller?

Let’s start with a bigger chunk of cash in your bank account. It seems like it’s counterintuitive that high supply will end in higher prices. Economics 101 says that shouldn’t be the case. Economics 101 would be wrong when talking about real estate.

The reason for this is that demand is also high during this season. In other words, since there are more buyers with demands for the supply of homes, that supply is actually considered less, even though there are more than other seasons. That also means that you can ask for more than you would be able to in other times of the year.

Appraisals

Those higher price tags will mean that your home will appraise for more too. How that works is that a home appraiser looks for homes that are comparable to yours. If those homes sold for more, your home will appraise for more as well. Being that there are more sales, there are more homes to compare. In other seasons when the sales are fewer, there are fewer homes to use in a comparable. In other words, more data from more homes is much better for you, the seller.

Did I mention bidding wars?

Yes, with all those buyers looking, your chances of having a few bidding for your home at the same time is higher. Multiple offers mean more money for you, and less headaches due to buyer demands. Demands for what, you ask? Repairs, concessions in price or requests for help paying closing costs, and contingencies for financing. A cleaner sale is a faster sale, so that will give you the time and money you need to buy your next home.

Strategy

Which leads to your last reason that spring is a good time to sell and move up… selling in the spring or summer means you are looking in the late summer or fall, when it is much better for you to be a buyer. Situate yourself to be in the best position to both sell for the most and buy for the best price. It’s about strategy!

Thinking about selling your home? Give us a call today for free information about listing your home! 727-216-9247

5 Things To Do To Make Your Home Show Ready – Clearwater Realtor Tips

January 23, 2018 By Deborah Ward

Time to sell? Then it’s time to get the house ready to sell. There is a lot to be done, so read on so you don’t forget anything.

If your home is in good shape, getting it show ready is relatively easy. If not, do any upgrades your Realtor says are necessary to get the best price first. In the meantime work on the areas of the house not being updated. Can’t hurt to get a jump on it!

Declutter first

First things first, you can’t accomplish anything else on the list unless and until you declutter the whole house. It’s usually quite the project, especially if you’ve been in your home for a number of years. Or if you tend to keep stuff. Or if you have kids.

To do this you need to go room by room. Working on the whole house will be too much and probably discourage you from finishing. You will need to go through closets, cabinets, drawers, EVERYTHING.

Realtor tip! Either have your real estate agent or a friend who doesn’t come by often walk through your house and point out things that you notice. I have a client I listed a house for and she had a HUGE basket on top of her fridge that I suggested putting away until the house was sold. She said she liked it, but agreed that it was large and could be distracting. You (and your bestys) can’t see all the things that are around because you are used to seeing them!

Organize your work

Get three bins: one for things you want to keep and will need to pack up; one for things to be donated to charity or sell in a yard sale; and a third lined with a big garbage bag for trash and things that don’t fall in the other two categories.

The first bin will then become your packing box, so also get a big marker label the bin with the name of the room it came from. Then go to work. Be brutal in your decision making. No, seriously. Yes, you can keep things that are important or necessary. No, you don’t have to throw or give away your great grandmother’s quilt or Bible. But if you are saving things that have been broken for years, it may be time to get rid of it.

Clothing is easy: If you haven’t worn in the last 18 months (leaving time for change of seasons) give it away. No, you aren’t going to fit in those jeans again, give them up.

Realtor tip! If you are moving a large house, it might pay to get two PODS, one for when you are delcluttering and staging and one for your actual move. Our clients are always surprised how much “stuff” is around the house, in closets, under stairs and in the garage that can be packed up and stored by PODS before you put your house on the market. For a a very small fee they will store your belongings until you are ready for your big move.

Depersonalize

As you are decluttering, take time to depersonalize as well. When I say depersonalize, I mean if you have a huge wall of family photos, take them down. If you have tons pictures of family on the fridge and anywhere else, take them down. You can leave a few up on the wall, tastefully arranged, but pack away the majority of them.

Also, if you collect anything like cows or dolls, box them up and get them ready to move. Your cool collection will be a distraction when people are touring your home whether they like it or not. If they love your collection they might forget to really appreciate your home and if they hate it they will not notice how cool your house is!

Time to DEEP clean

Now that the clutter is gone, time to CLEAN. We’re talking deep clean. Move furniture and clean under it. Move appliances and clean around and under them. Use your carpet cleaner, or rent one, and deep clean the carpets, including area rugs. While the area rugs are drying, clean the hardwoods under them. If there is too much or you want help, hire a cleaning company to do it all.

When you put everything back after cleaning, be sparing with furniture. Less is better. It will make your rooms look and feel bigger. If you have an empty room, put something in it. Empty rooms show poorly. So “stage” a spare bedroom with an air mattress and bed frame, or an office with a desk, chair and bookshelf.

Next on the list, lighting

This means natural or otherwise. Make sure part of that deep clean is cleaning windows inside and out. Replace heavy drapes with sheers to give privacy, but let in lots of light. Light = room looking larger, fresher. Change out light bulbs and think softer light is better.

On to … paint

Freshen up paint. Paint over out of date or strange color schemes with a neutral palette. Painting adjacent rooms the same color will give a more open appearance to your floor plan. Clean or replace switch plates and outlet covers. Scrub around door handles or other areas where the walls have gotten grungy from daily use. Use a Mr. Clean Magic Eraser to remove minor spots and scuffs on walls. Paint woodwork around doors, windows and moldings.

Curb appeal is next

Ok, now that inside is done, time to address the outside. Curb appeal is a thing. Don’t ignore it. Spruce up your front door with new paint, or at least a good scrub. Clean up landscaping, walkways and driveways. Add some color to your gardens.

If your not sure if you got everything, invite your Realtor to do another walk through and see if you missed anything. It will take some time, but the reward (higher price) will make it well worth it!

Should You Worry About Flooding If You Buy A Tampa Bay Home?

December 27, 2017 By Deborah Ward

If you are looking for homes in the Tampa area you know that their proximity to water is close. Not only that but hurricanes can be an issue with causing floods. So, should flooding be a worry while you are house shopping? Let’s just say that you should keep it as a checkbox on the list of items to consider.

Intercoastal or beachfront properties

For the most part it’s obvious that there are lots of coastal properties that need flood insurance. If you’re beachfront or a bay intercoastal front property then yes, you’ll most likely need flood insurance. There are also inland areas that have the potential for flooding problems in stormy weather due to tidal surges from the Gulf of Mexico or Tampa Bay. However, there are plenty of properties that are high enough that they don’t require flood insurance.

The best way to be sure depends on where the property or properties you are looking at happen to be located. If it’s in Hillsborough County they have a website that will allow you to enter the street address of a home to see where it falls on the flood zone map:

http://hillsboroughcounty.org/en/residents/property-owners-and-renters/homeowners-and-neighborhoods/find-my-flood-zone#/

The site also has an explanation of which zones require what

Pinellas County doesn’t have that, but you can get an idea from the FEMA website, which has flood zone lists for every state.

In Pasco County their county property appraiser has included flood zone/flood insurance requirement information with each property appraisal. The cool thing with this is that you can view a particular property and have the computer “paint” in any flood zones that might exist.

Go to http://pascopa.com and click on record search, enter the street address for the property in question and get the tax id number for the property. At the top of the page you will see a link that says Show Map. Click that and use the drop-down menus to select additional layers and add the layers for FEMA Flood zones.

Why worry when you can find out for sure?