Deborah Ward – Page 16

Why YouTube Works So Well For Real Estate

October 27, 2021 By Deborah Ward

If you’re a realtor and you’re not using YouTube to market your business, you’re missing out on a great opportunity to market yourself and the properties you are selling.

As social media goes, YouTube is a big deal. It has billions of visitors a day. It isn’t just for cute baby or pet videos, or music videos. YouTube is a great way to demonstrate techniques for business. In the real estate business, it’s a great way to do two things: preview a property and share your extensive real estate knowledge.

Using YouTube will make you a popular realtor, meaning more people will be willingly listening to you as you share what you know. And isn’t that what you want? A willing audience?

It’s also handy to use to preview properties. Of course, nothing will ever replace an actual showing of a home, but your prospective buyers will call you because of your videos. People like video tours done by actual realtors because they not only showcase the property, but do it in a way that provides pertinent information. It also provides them with great information about the neighborhood the property is in.

A few tips. First, make an effort to make your videos look, if not professional, competent. Nothing is worse than a video obviously done on a cell phone with poor lighting, whiplash inducing scene changes and a jumpy screen. Invest in an inexpensive video camera. Make sure you have good lighting and pan through slowly. Narration should be natural, but full of information that will make people want to see the property in person.

YouTube is a great way to place yourself as a real estate expert, while getting your properties in the public eye. Make it part of your marketing plan for your business to make it, and you, the name people think of in real estate.

4 Bathroom Remodeling Tips That Will Help Sell Your Home Faster

October 27, 2021 By Deborah Ward

You know the old saying, kitchens and bathrooms sell houses. If you walk into your bathroom and you are underwhelmed with how it looks, buyers certainly will be too. That means it’s time to do some remodeling. It doesn’t have to cost an arm and a leg, but making your bathroom a welcoming retreat will sell your home.

Update without breaking the bank

Did you know that the average bathroom is between 400 and 800 square feet? So while it isn’t the biggest room in your house, it certainly is one of the more expensive to update. In fact, an average bathroom remodel is $10,000 or more. Obviously the more high end you go the more expensive it will be. There are ways, however, that you can make your bathroom look fabulous without breaking the bank.

A stand up shower

One way to update without going super high end is to install a stand up shower. These days bathtubs aren’t always a necessity, especially if there is more than one full bath in the home. When installing a shower, think about things like shower heads with adjustable settings and temperature controls. Remember that putting them up higher isn’t a bad thing, but if you can’t consider choosing a shower head that you can hold as it can help taller people.

Update the tub

Bathtubs are still a big deal. If you only have one full bath, don’t remove the tub. Choose a new one that has things like in-line heaters, adjustable jet speeds, foot massage jets and foot rests. You don’t have to get an oversized tub, even a standard sized tub with jets are a luxurious upgrade.

Change out the faucets

Remember to update all the faucets. Make sure that your tub faucets are at least similar metals as the sink. Don’t mismatch! If you have noticed mineral deposits on faucets and shower heads, think about adding a filtration system, water softening or neutralization (depending on your water type) to your home.

Flooring and quick bathroom remodeling tips

Also look at the flooring and consider an update. If you have old vinyl on the floor, think about putting down bamboo or tile. Bamboo will appeal to the environmentally conscious crowd.
Some quick bathroom remodeling tips and fixes for the bath that is in good shape but just looks in need of some TLC, try regrouting tile walls and floors and recaulking existing tubs and showers, updating light fixtures and maybe a new medicine cabinet or mirror.

Survival Tips For House Selling With Kids | Selling Your Home

October 27, 2021 By Deborah Ward

For one reason or another it’s time to pack up the family and move. That means selling your home with kids around. It doesn’t have to be the nightmare that it sounds. Here are some survival tips for parents.

Clear out the clutter

Before you put the house on the market go through and seriously clear out the clutter. That means all those boxes of keepsakes stored in the attic or garage as well as the clutter in the kids rooms and rest of your home. If you can’t part with some, put them in storage temporarily. Whatever can go should go and if that means multiple trips to Goodwill, good! Then put away in storage the bigger toys from the yard, bedrooms and toy room, artwork on the fridge and most of the things that personalize your home. You can leave a few family pictures up, but thin them out.

Time to stage and photograph

Once things are clean and decluttered call your realtor to have him or her stage and photograph. If that means that you take the kids to the park or out for a treat, do it. Let the realtor have free rein to make your home look like a showplace for your listing photos. Don’t forget that you need to stage the playroom as something else. You can have a small area that is “kid friendly” that buyers will see, but make sure that kids bedrooms and playrooms are made more neutral. The playroom can be staged as a home office, kid decorated bedrooms should be repainted.

Have a checklist

Now that your home is listed, there are more things to do. One is having your Realtor give you enough notice to tidy up the house and get the kids packed up and out of the way for the showing. That may mean requiring an hour or two notice. Discuss it with your Realtor. In order to make sure you get everything back in tip top shape, have a checklist. List everything! In a rush you don’t want to forget anything.

Write a note detailing your home and neighborhood

So how can you let the prospective buyers know how awesome your home and neighborhood is? Write about it. A quick, one page note will be enough to expound upon the details in your listing. Talk about the neighborhood, schools, shopping and so on.

Last tip?

Keep your truck empty so you can “dump and run” with clutter that you can’t successfully put away.

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

October 27, 2021 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 Deb Ward Team a call!

727-410-0336

Should You Ask For Seller Concessions In A Hot Market

October 27, 2021 By Deborah Ward

It’s a hot seller’s market and you finally found the right home for you. When walking through it you noticed some issues that you might want to ask the seller to fix, or know you need some help with closing costs or want a home warranty.

Should you ask the seller for those concessions? Probably not. Concessions dig into the profit the seller will be making on the sale of the house.

Clean offers

In a hot seller’s market there are others who will be willing to make an offer without any requests for concessions. Those clean offers will definitely compare better to yours, even if you are offering more money.

Replacing carpet, fixing a roof or fixing other items in the home can be expensive. Paying a portion of the closing costs is as well. So even if your offer is a few thousand dollars more than a clean one, the savings to the seller in taking a lower clean offer can mean more money in their pockets.

So what can you do?

See if you can live with the needed fixes. Carpet is a mess? Have it cleaned before you move in. Even renting a carpet cleaner is only $30-$40 for a day. If the flooring is worn, see if it could be covered with a throw rug or furniture until you can afford to get it fixed.

See what the inspection report says about the roof or other fixes. No home is perfect. If it isn’t feasible, or the fixes are necessary and more than you can afford, it might be time to look for a different, lower priced home.

Home buying is always a negotiation, but knowing the market can mean starting off with the best offer you can give. Be smart and purchase the home that is best for you!

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

October 27, 2021 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!