Auburn Real Estate Articles
In this blog we share our secrets for successful buying and selling real estate in the Auburn-Opelika Alabama market.
Posted December 26, 2011
Home sellers are advised to create the illusion that everything is new and fresh in their homes, but when pets are involved, it’s not always easy to keep things clean and orderly.
The simplest solution for a pet owner who is selling a home is to relocate the pet to a friend’s or family member’s home or to pet daycare while the home is on the market. Keeping a pet in the backyard, the garage or in another room that you keep locked is insufficient, and is certainly not fair to the pet...
Tags:
Selling, Pets
Posted December 12, 2011
Most homeowners claim to be eco-friendly and want to help the environment, yet they worry that making changes in their home will be costly or inconsequential. This is especially true for someone who is in the process of selling their home and doesn’t want to make any substantial changes to a place they hope to be leaving soon.
However, making-energy efficient home improvements doesn’t have to mean sweeping changes and, by creating a better carbon footprint for your house, you will attract green-conscious homebuyers...
Tags:
Green, Selling
Posted November 30, 2011
A stressful part of putting your home on the market is trying to figure out what to fix and upgrade to get the very best price. An experienced agent will recommend projects to consider and ones to avoid. After all, just because you put money into a renovation project doesn’t mean you will recoup the money in a sale.
You may also want to consult Remodeling Magazine’s annual Cost vs...
Tags:
Selling
Posted November 17, 2011
Let’s say that you inherited an old house in a distant location and want to put it on the market. You may not have the time, resources or energy to make it perfect and just want a quick sale.
Or, maybe you had renters at your property who did substantial damage and you don’t have the money to make necessary renovations.
Fear not. Just because the house needs work doesn’t mean you can’t sell it...
Tags:
Selling, Staging
Posted November 7, 2011
“You never get a second chance to make a great first impression.”
This saying strikes a chord in the real estate industry, where many buyers are quick to jump to a conclusion about a potential home after just one glance. That’s why an increasing number of homeowners are employing professional home stagers to prepare their homes for sale.
“Much of what staging accomplishes happens on a subconscious level,” said Carla Grammatica, a consultant with Stage Setters in New York’s Westchester County...
Tags:
Staging, Selling
Posted November 1, 2011
Home sellers spend so much time preparing their interior for the sale that they can easily overlook what’s going on outside of the home. Yet great curb appeal can increase the value of a property by as much as 15-20%.
Mario Garcia, a landscaper in Bethesda, Md. who helps prepare homes for market, says a well-manicured lawn is a magnet for buyers. On the other hand, overgrown trees or large bushes hiding the house are a no-no...
Tags:
Selling, Outdoors
Posted October 19, 2011
The ancient philosophy of feng shui, which translates as “the wind and the water,” is the Chinese art of correct placement. In real estate, those who prescribe to feng shui believe that home sales can be better achieved by arranging furniture and décor to establish harmony and energy.
“In feng shui we evaluate a house and its property for sufficient qi (pronounced chee), the living energy of all beings, but also for the land and even a house,” says Werner Brandmaier, a consultant at the Institute of Feng Shui & Geopathology in Portland, Maine...
Tags:
Selling, Staging
Posted September 2, 2011
Today’s prospective homebuyers are increasingly interested in a property’s outdoor living space as they are its interior. Savvy agents understand this powerful trend and are staging homes on two fronts – the terrific indoors and the great outdoors.
The following tips will help ensure that your backyard is as distinctive at your home itself.
Make your Backyard Homey: Create a conversation area with some furniture...
Tags:
Selling, Outdoors, Staging
Posted August 27, 2011
Good things come in smaller packages. At least that’s the feeling today among many homebuyers, who are increasingly interested in smaller spaces instead of the gaudy, sprawling homes that were popular in the ’80s and ’90s.
Many agents believe that smaller homes are more in demand because the Baby Boomer generation is starting to downsize. Boomers no longer need four or five bedrooms and are looking for spaces that are more in tune to their lifestyles as empty nesters...
Tags:
Buying, Selling
Posted August 15, 2011
One of the most important jobs for your real estate agent is to determine the value of your home by developing a Comparable Market Analysis, which will be used in pricing the home for the right amount.
If your property isn’t attracting serious shoppers, your agent may recommend that you invest in an appraiser to get a second pricing opinion, as the appraiser will come in with an independent, unbiased opinion to help ensure your price is correct for the market...
Tags:
Selling
Posted August 9, 2011
A time-honored business principal maintains
that consumers generally base their buying decisions on emotion. Only later do
they use logic, often to rationalize their emotional decisions.
Homesellers,
working closely with their agents, will prepare their homes to evoke positive
and personal emotions for those who come inside. They should also create
“takeaways” that will keep those fond memories resonating in prospective buyers...
Tags:
Selling, Marketing
Posted August 1, 2011
Good things come in smaller packages.
At least that’s the feeling today among many homebuyers, who are increasingly interested
in smaller spaces instead of the gaudy, sprawling homes that were popular in
the ’80s and ’90s.
Many
agents believe that smaller homes are more in demand because the Baby Boomer
generation is starting to down. Boomers no longer need four or five bedrooms
and are looking for spaces that are more in tune to their lifestyles as empty
nesters...
Tags:
Selling, Buying
Posted June 30, 2011
Agents frequently suggest that
homeowners paint before placing their homes on the market. Don’t be offended!
Agents
understand “color psychology,” which focuses on color’s effect on human
behavior and emotion. Since people’s reaction to color is immediate, color has
a tremendous influence on the choices they make every day.
“Color
choices are very personal and when selling your home, it’s critical to appeal
to the greatest number of potential buyers,” said Allegra Dioguardi, president
of Styled and Sold Home Staging in New York...
Tags:
Selling, Marketing
Posted June 20, 2011
Homeowners with young children face a
common challenge when their house is on the market: How do you keep the home
clean and ready for prospective buyers while maintaining a kid-friendly and
safe environment?
Keeping
that “staged look” as the kids create instant messes can be overwhelming. Your primary focus should be the kids’
bedrooms, according to two home stagers.
“Children’s
bedrooms are often problematic when getting a home ready to sell,” said Külli
Yee, founder and president of Ilus Design Home Staging and Re-design, Port
Coquitlam, B...
Tags:
Selling
Posted April 12, 2011
When real estate professionals work with sellers and buyers, “agency” relationships are established. As you start working with a real estate professional, please ask for a clear explanation of the current agency laws in Alabama, so that you understand these important issues.
There are three kinds of agency relationships:
Seller’s agent
A “seller’s agent” represents the interests of the seller and has a fiduciary responsibility of reasonable care, loyalty, confidentiality and disclosure to the seller...
Tags:
Buying, Selling, Prudential Preferred, Auburn
Posted April 12, 2011
More than 85 percent of home buyers begin their search on the Internet.1 Online Seller Advantage (OSA) brings together the collective brand strength, marketing clout and technological capabilities of Prudential Real Estate and Yahoo! It's like an open house with one million potential buyers.
Your property will be highlighted by a distinctive Yahoo! sign rider with an exclusive Web ID. When potential home buyers drive by your property, they can enter the Web ID into the search box on Yahoo!, click on Web Search, and be connected directly to the listing details...
Tags:
Selling
Posted April 12, 2011
By providing peace of mind to prospective buyers, these steps can enhance the saleability of your property:
Written disclosure
A written property disclosure statement will give buyers a clear understanding of this property and the surrounding neighborhood.
Home warranty
A home warranty can give prospective buyers peace of mind by providing repair-or-replace coverage of major home operating systems and appliances...
Tags:
Marketing, Selling
Posted April 12, 2011
It is important for a property to make the best possible impression on prospective buyers. The following can interfere with a buyer’s appreciation of a property:
Exterior
Clutter
Lawn needs mowing and edging
Untrimmed hedges and shrubs
Dead and dying plants
Grease or oil spots on the driveway
Peeling paint
Anything that looks old or worn
Make sure everything is up to neighborhood or HOA standards
Interior
Worn carpets and drapes
Soiled windows, kitchen, baths
Clutter
Pet and smoking odors
Peeling paint, smudges or marks on walls
A comparatively small investment in time, money and effort to remove these distractions can lead to stronger offers from buyers.
Tags:
Selling
Posted April 12, 2011
These tips can help your house make the best impression, every time it is previewed by sales professionals or shown to prospective buyers in Auburn and Opelika:
Exterior
Remove toys, newspapers, yard tools and other clutter.
Tidy up; pick up after pets.
Park vehicles in the garage or on the street; leave the driveway clear.
Add color with flowers and potted plants.
Interior
Make beds; clean up dishes; empty wastebaskets...
Tags:
Selling
Posted April 12, 2011
No one has a more important role in the home selling process than you. Here are some ways your participation can contribute to a successful sale:
Maintain the property in ready-to-show condition.
Ensure that the house is easily accessible to real estate professionals (lock box and key).
Try to be flexible in the scheduling of showings.
When you are not at home, let me know how you can be reached in case an offer is received...
Tags:
Selling
Posted March 3, 2011
When people enter your home they usually look down before up, so that first step is vital for attracting a homebuyer and making a great first impression. This is one reason why more people are installing hardwood floors in their homes.
Hardwood flooring enhances the look of any room and can create a classic ambiance that will beautify the interior design of your home. Residential real estate agents agree that homes with wood floors hold their value better, sell faster and fetch higher prices...
Tags:
Selling
Posted February 18, 2011
Spring is a season of renewal – this year in particular. Just as the birds are chirping and flowers are starting to bloom, the U.S. economy is moving forward with real estate sales percolating in many markets. Indeed, the days grow longer in spring, allowing more time for consumers – especially those motivated by current, historically low interest rates and attractive home prices – to shop for their American dream...
Tags:
Selling
Posted February 10, 2011
Home sellers face a new reality as they look to move up, down, in or out of their American dream in today’s market. Consumers, particularly those who purchased their homes within the last five years, often find their options limited by a lack of equity. Those who can sell are sometimes numbed by deflated home prices and find it difficult to justify yesterday’s valuations with today’s reality...
Tags:
Selling, Price
Posted January 10, 2011
Every homebuyer has a vision of their perfect house and the rooms that are most important to them. Because of their relatively small size in comparison to the rest of a home, bathrooms are often overlooked in the staging process, but for many, it could be the most important room in a buying decision.
A bathroom is more than just a place for grooming; it’s a sanctuary. It’s a place one can relax in a hot bath and escape the stresses of daily life for a few moments at a time...
Tags:
Selling, Bathrooms
Posted January 1, 2011
Professional home stagers consult with homeowners on ways to sell their homes quickly and for the most money possible, but often lost in the design process is the fact that men are involved in buying decisions as well.
When having your home staged, it’s important to remember to appeal to both sexes and do some things that will pique a man’s interest just as much as a woman’s.
Professional stagers take into account buyer demographics, buying psychology, and utilize design elements in planning out the rooms and space and the use of lighting and its effect on the space...
Tags:
Selling, Staging
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