Thursday, November 20, 2014

Home Seller's "Honey- Do" List

Rick, we have time during these winter months to get our house ready to list it with you ASAP. My "honey-do" list is long! What should I focus on?


Sorry about the list! It can all be kind of stressful, right? I will put you directly in contact with our
in-house stager, Kim, who can come back out and really itemize those things you need to conquer. She is awesome and we call her "The' House Whisperer!" But in a nutshell, BE REALISTIC. Plan and organize to do what is feasible given time frame, budget, scope of repairs. Fix what needs fixing and don't start something insurmountable.

Meanwhile here is a good list to work with meanwhile.

1. First impressions are the most important so focus on general repairs or replacing- walkway cracks, wood floor scratches, broken seals on windows...If cabinets and drawers need help, get new doors/fronts only and freshly paint. This is also where you really need to consider new, updated kitchen and maybe bathroom counter tops like granite slab. It's cheaper to fix now than to take a price reduction later.

2. De-clutter by removing everything by about half including furniture, books, nick-knacks, art/things on walls, all counter tops. Closets need to be thinned out or empty. Good storage helps sell houses. Store your things off-site, donate, sell, recycle, pass them on... just don't show it!

3. Cozy up your home by grouping your furniture into liveable pockets throughout the house. This creates more room to navigate the rooms and creates friendly, warm, intimate living hubs.

4. Think outside the box with both furniture and art. Use an old chest as a coffee table and use a coffee table as a low art table in a kids' room or playroom. Use a colorful art poster in a humdrum bathroom. Remember to break up a line-up of art & things hanging. This keeps your buyers' eyes moving around. Unconventional makes for a hip, eclectic and fresh take on your home.

5. Make every room count by giving it importance and a purpose. This adds value to your home. Create a comfortable reading spot on a funny corner of your bedroom or a yoga studio in the de-cluttered extra bedroom or a craft nook in that huge closet under the stairs.

6. Make the lighting right to make your rooms glow. Increase wattage in bulbs up in cans, sconces and chandeliers, in all lamps and even small accent lights so make every room as warm and welcoming as possible. Remove heavy, dramatic curtains or swags and show off nice blinds, shutters and natural light.

7. Fresh paint does wonders. Use warm, pretty neutral tones for large and main room spaces. Go with bolder colors on an accent wall, small room, inside built-in shelves & niches to add variety and POP! Add deep, rich color tones to make a wall dramatic, like in your master bedroom or study. Make a small room or annex bigger by painting it the same color as the adjacent room.

8. Bedrooms should be sexy! Well, especially the master suite. Keep it serene, luxurious and soothing with softer colors in general and maybe a dramatic wall.

9. Add "the fluff" (but not the clutter) but adding good-looking rolled up linens, soaps, baskets and candles in the bathrooms... Think "spa." Keep all counter and wall surfaces shiny. One tables and one shelves, keep decorative items at a minimum and place them in groups of 3 or other odd number for visible impact and group in themes of shape or texture or color.

10.  Add fresh life with vases filled with curly twigs, fresh cuttings (hard to find right now in the yard!) or really high-end silk branches, springs or flowers. Keep proportionate to table and surroundings. A touch of nature says a lot about you as a seller and rounds out the look.

Good luck and we are sending help!!!

Rick Bennett
208-407-0532
Your Best Boise Area Real Estate Agent
ID-BUY Real Estate with Keller Boise Realty Boise



Wednesday, November 12, 2014

Smart Sellers Stay Listed Over Holidays... or List

Rick, we really want to take our home off the market for the holidays for the obvious reasons. What do you recommend?


Don't do it! Tow the line and stay listed. Here are 11 solid reasons why you should remain on market or even list a new home when the season is upon us.

Holiday lights lead buyers to finding your Home for Sale.
1. Only serious buyers look for homes over the holidays. Just like only serious sellers are on market over the holidays, right?! Now, put your feet in a buyer's shoes- there is obviously a fairly urgent need to find a house if they are sacrificing holiday shopping and family time to view homes. You wasted some time showing your home to casual lookers; now let the serious buyers in!

2. You haven't had many showings? More reason NOT to go off market. Waiting for agents to show your home and not getting many appointments is very stressful. Now you can draw in those really serious buyers who need to be looking for a home rather than enjoying the holidays. (Maybe a slight price adjustment at this time is the icing on the Christmas cookie?)

3. Your Listing Agent can adjust your showing  preferences to accommodate your holiday schedule. That's easy to do. Work with him/her to put special showing instructions in your MLS listing. "No Show" dates, hours that work and don't work, blocks of time that you can or can't have showings. Let them know what works for you as the seller, because real buyers really need to know!

4. Listing inventory NOW is lower than other seasons. Why? Because sellers who did not get or follow good advice like this pulled out of the market, giving buyers less of a choice thus increasing the "value" and attractiveness of your home.

5. Buyers have more free time to look. They are on vacation, have more flex time or time off from work, can visit the city they might want to live, or may be visiting family/friends and have fallen in love with an area.

6. The internet search is always on! And a great real estate team/agent is always ready to show a home to a motivated buyer! 42% of buyers find a home via the internet. 34% tap their agents. It's the holidays and buyers have even more time to search the internet (anywhere, anytime) & work with their buyer's agent to find the right house.

7. The Holidays are very emotional! We know a big portion of a buyer's decision is emotional so tap into that over the holidays. It may mean a buyer paying a higher price for a home they love.

8. The Holidays create an extra special look & ambiance. Holiday decorations increase curb appeal and again tug on the emotional side of house-shopping. Not only is your home highlighted but most likely your whole neighborhood is "glowing!"

9. Relocation does not stop over the holidays. Companies are transferring employees year round, business & life continue on, and there is a push to get things in place for the new year. So why would you stop showing your house?

10. If you sell now, you will be a non-contingent buyer later. Selling your home now frees you up to make an attractive offer on a purchase. Perhaps you can sell higher now and then buy lower, rather than the opposite, during the spring. Get ahead of the game...

11. Go PENDING and relax over the Holidays.  If you sell your home within the next month, you will most likely close in 45 days.  Plan to look for a home, buy and pack up after the first of the year.

Call me if you have any other insights or questions. We would love to help you list and/or buy a house during this wonderful season!

Rick Bennett
ID-BUY Real Estate with Keller Williams Realty Boise
208.407.0532
Your Best Boise Real Estate Team & Agents