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Don't Sell Until You Are Ready!
Selling a home is an emotional experience with heavy financial repercussions attached. If you try and sell before you’re truly ready to move, you could find yourself in a stressful, costly situation which wastes a lot of time. Here’s how to ask yourself if you’re really ready to sell.
I love to sell homes. It’s a privilege and an honor to be a part of the process. I get great satisfaction from making my living helping people move on to the next phase of their life, whether it’s upsizing, downsizing, or simply relocating to a new neighborhood.
But there is one sort of home seller I can’t really help: The seller who’s not really ready to sell.
If you’re thinking about selling your home, don’t enter into the process lightly. It’s a big deal. There’s some stress and there’s a great opportunity for joy. There’s a big investment at stake. This, along with a lot of other reasons large and small, is why you want to be 100% sure you’re ready to sell your home. If you think you’re ready to sell, but it turns out you’re not, you waste a lot of time and energy (and sometimes money).
So how do you know if you’re really ready to sell your home?
1. You’re fine with the process. You must have no problem with the idea of a stranger poking around your house, talking about renovating it, or treating it like a used car. If you’ve lived in your house a long time, it’s natural to have emotional attachments. So if the process of selling the house makes you feel protective or defensive, you may not be ready.
2. You are flexible on the right price. Motivated sellers understand selling a home involves negotiation and competitive market pricing. If you have a number “you must get” in order to sell, then you might want to think again. Also, if all of the agents who price your home come back too low for your standards, take a breather and ask yourself if it’s go time or not.
3. You know where you’re going next. Prepared sellers have plans, even if those plans aren’t 100% firm. They’re anticipating the move and they are probably even shopping for houses, if only casually at the moment. If you can’t clearly answer the question, “Where would you like to live after you sell?” then you’re not quite there yet.
If you’re iffy on any of these, take a step back and consider how you feel. While some markets favor sellers more than others, a home can sell in any market for the right price. Don’t jump into something before you’re ready.
However, when you’re ready, I’d be happy to help. Give me a call when the time is right:
Laura Key
310-866-8422
Laura@LauraKey.net
Home Values - Who Do You Trust?
When you are sick, you go to a doctor! When your tooth hurts, you go to a dentist! And when you are ready to buy or sell your home and move, you call Laura. Probably the biggest question on the mind of every homeowner is “how much is my home worth”. You may be surprised to know there are several different ways you can find out: Here are some of them:
Free Online Estimates: Free appraisal sites offer quick estimates of home values based on analysis of publicly available information, such as tax records. However in my professional opinion these sites are very inaccurate. I have put in addresses of properties in neighborhoods where I KNOW the values and I have never gotten a correct value! STAY CLEAR!
Fee-Based Online Appraisals: Some online sites offer property valuation reports you can download for a fee. These are computer-generated analyses based on publicly available information, so they may be useful only if you don't want to spend time looking up records yourself. But once again, you do not want someone who does not know your living area to give you a general price quote!
Real Estate Comparative Market Analyses: Comparative market analysis, or comps, are reports prepared by real estate professionals that estimate a selling price for your house. They're based on the agent's knowledge of the area as well as asking prices and recent sale prices for comparable properties in your neighborhood. Th
Home Appraisals: A full professional appraisal is a must if you're applying for a loan and is always going to be the most precise evaluation of your home's worth. Keep in mind that a good appraiser isn't in a position to profit from the appraisal, and his or her fee will be based purely on time and expertise.
Unexpected Benefits of Repainting Your Home
Unexpected Benefits of Repainting Your Home
As a homeowner, you understand the importance of updating your property from time to time. Whether you plan on putting your house on the market or are ready to embark on a home improvement project, repainting your home both inside and out is a great way to personalize your living space while also adding value to your home. Read on to discover 5 unexpected benefits that accompany a fresh paint job!
Cleanliness
The first benefit that comes along with a newly painted interior is a dramatically cleaner house. Over time, interior walls get scuffed, scraped and smudged and often times we don’t even notice. Highly trafficked walkways receive the majority of this damage, but doorways and walls near furniture often find themselves in danger as well. Recently painted walls also take some of the age out of the appearance of your home, and anyone who visits will take notice of how new your home feels.
Cost Effectiveness
When considering potential home improvement projects, there are few options that provide as much benefit as a new paint job in the same price range. Other common ventures such as remodeling a kitchen or bathroom can cost thousands of dollars between the work, materials, and appliances necessary to complete them. Renewing interior wall paint can be done by the homeowner with the only cost being painting materials, and hiring a local house painter would still be cheaper then other home renovation undertakings.
Air Quality
Thinking about the cleanliness of the air within your home should be a top priority, and recently painters have become more aware of the effect that their paint has on home environments. This had led to an increase of paints that contain little or no amounts of ‘Volatile Organic Compounds,’ which are carbon-based chemicals that can easily evaporate at room temperature. These compounds, known as VOC’s, are known by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to cause eye, nose and throat irritation, frequent headaches, nausea, and can also damage the liver, kidney and central nervous system. If you live in an older home or you are not sure about the level of these compounds in your current paint, it is imperative that you repaint your interior for your own health.
Environmental Protection
Having a fresh coat of paint on the exterior of your abode is nearly as beneficial as updating the paint on your interior. The first and most obvious reason that exterior house painting is advantageous is the boost in curb appeal. Whether your house will be listed for sale or not, visitors and passerby will notice the improved aesthetic of your external walls. Beyond just impressing the people who see your home, refreshing the paint on the outside of your house will also protect your building materials. High-quality paint on the exterior of your home will decrease the risks imposed by inclement weather conditions. Repainting the exterior of your home will simultaneously improve the look of your house and save you money by preventing expensive repairs!
Increased Home Value
The final, and most obvious, improvement that comes from repainting your home is the bump that your property receives in value. I have already discussed the boost in curb appeal and that fresh paint makes a home feel newer, which are both reasons why your home’s worth will increase. Most realtors advise against starting large renovation projects prior to listing your house for sale out of fear that you will not see a return on your investment, but the low cost associated with a repainted home makes this a safe bet to provide tremendous return on investment.
Curious to know how much your Southern California home is worth! Get an instant report now! www.CaliOnTheMove.com
Bio: Matt Lawler is an Internet marketing specialist from Tempe, Arizona where he attended Arizona State University. Whenever he can step away from the computer, Matt enjoys playing sports, traveling and exploring the great outdoors. Follow him on Twitter.
Laura Key, REALTOR®
Cal BRE 01908085
310-866-8422
Laura.A.Key@gmail.com
The Balance Between Packing and Staging When Trying to Sell a Home
Staging your home is basically decorating it for showings. The idea is to make your house look like a house other people would like to live in, and make the house appeal to as many people as possible. While this seems easy enough for most people, it does make packing your home up for a big move complicated. Of course, a full-service moving company such as these full service movers could come and pack everything for you after your house sells, but if hiring a mover isn’t in the budget then there is a complicated issue.
The balance seems impossible. If you pack up your stuff there will be boxes everywhere and your house will look like a mess while it’s for sale. If you leave it as is until the day before you move you will be rushed, stressed, and less careful. So how do you find the sweet spot? Hopefully the following tips will provide you with some valuable insight.
De-clutter Your Space
De-cluttering will be the most helpful thing in achieving this balance without a doubt. Not only will less junk make your house appear larger and more open, but less messy without unused furniture. Gather up everything that wont have a place in your new home and donate what you can, otherwise call these furniture removal specialists.
Repaint the Interior
This is something you will likely have to do for the next owners anyway. Putting a fresh layer of paint over every room will make the room seem much cleaner and brighter. You will want to stick to neutral colors to really chase mass appeal. This is a great home staging idea that can be done easily (and quickly with the help of these one day painters).
Use Packing to Help Stage
Pack each room individually and put away anything not necessary for staging. Pack up all your family pictures, souvenirs and mementos and place them in the closet. Basically half-packing each room will actually make your home feel more organized and clean while also removing remnants of the past owner. Taking your personal style out of the house will make sure that more people can visualize themselves making it their own home. Once the extra things are packed (or thrown) away you should have more space available inside the house. Take advantage of this to show a room’s full potential rather then just leaving all your furniture where it is.
Continue Minimizing
There are still ways to continue minimizing. Take all of your child’s wall decorations down and pack them up. I recommend putting all of the extra boxes neatly in the garage to maximize space inside the house. Continue purging the house for items that show the previous owner, as these must be packed prior to showing the house. Extra mirrors, wall decorations and small appliances are also great things to pack away ahead of time. People viewing your house may open up some cabinets in the kitchen so if they are partially packed they will look extra spacious.
Written by Matt Lawler www.zogdigital.com
Laura Key, Realty Goddess
310-866-8422
HOW MUCH IS YOUR HOME WORTH?
Laura.A.Key@gmail.com
Home Underwater and You Feel Trapped?
What if I told you there is a legitimate program that will allow you to short-sale your current home and buy a home the next day? Yeap, I bet that got your interest. Some peoples homes are underwater due to no fault of their own. Yes, my friend....we can help! No crazy fills or frills...a honest to goodness solution for those who need help.
Contact me today for more details.
Laura Key, REALTOR® Laura.A.Key@gmail.com
Need Real Estate Help?
To all my friends and family. I got a phone call from someone who wanted to know if I could help list their home even though I am in California and they were in KY. The answer is YES!!!! I actually have partners in many states that work with me to help take care of my loved ones. So if you are thinking of buyer, selling or just have questions, do not hesitate to call me because I can take care of YOU!
Laura Key 310.866.8422 Laura.A.Key@gmail.comWhite House Rolls Out 3 Foreclosure Prevention Efforts
Even though the market has become of hot bed in these last few months. There are still homeowners struggling to keep their homes. Here are some new programs that may help. Are YOU facing foreclosure? Call me! Laura Key 310.866.8422
The Obama administration announced the extension or debut of three programs aimed at helping distressed home owners avoid foreclosure. The three initiatives are:
Increasing outreach in the Making Home Affordable Program: The U.S. Department of Treasury is partnering with NeighborWorks America as well as the National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling program to increase support for struggling home owners who seek assistance through the Making Home Affordable Program, which includes the Home Affordable Modification Program (HAMP). HAMP reduces monthly payments by more than $540 each month, on average. “Through the new initiative, housing counseling agencies will help struggling home owners successfully complete and submit application documents to their mortgage company free-of-charge,” according to the White House blog.
Informing the unemployed about programs: The Department of Labor will be encouraging American Job Centers to inform unemployed home owners about federal foreclosure prevention options that are available to them. For example, there is unemployment forbearance through HAMP that allows qualifying home owners who are unemployed to reduce or suspend their mortgage payments for up to 12 months.
HUD’s new Housing Counseling Office: The Department of Housing and Urban Development has launched a Housing Counseling Office, which offers at-risk home owners free or low cost information about foreclosure prevention and loan modification programs. It also offers general information on buying or renting a home, handling foreclosures, and how to avoid scams. The office is made up of a network of 2,500 HUD-approved housing counseling agencies.
“While we are encouraged that the housing market is on the path to recovery, our job is far from finished,” according to the White House blog. “There are still many struggling home owners who need assistance. By connecting eligible home owners with existing foreclosure prevention programs, our new counseling initiatives will enable more borrowers to remain in their homes and go a long way in ensuring a brighter economic future for these families.”
Source: The White House Blog
Unique Homes of the World - Windsor England
The Crooked House of Windsor
Background: Construction of this house dates back to 1592, but it didn’t acquire its trademark slant until 1718, when the structure was rebuilt using unseasoned green oak.
Why It’s Unique: Sure it’s slanted, but what really makes the house stand out is that its basement had a secret passage to Windsor Castle, one of the official residences of the UK’s royal family. According to the house’s website, the passage was allegedly used for trysts between King Charles and a mistress, as well as for running supplies to the castle’s kitchen. The passageway has since been sealed off. Through the centuries, the crooked house has been the home to various businesses, including a brewery and jewelry shop. It is now a restaurant.
Ready to sell your unique home so you can start a new project. Give me a call and let's see how much your home is worth. Laura Key 310.866.8422 or visit me on Facebook and Like my page and obtain valuable info about the market. www.Facebook.com/RealtyGoddess