Rent a storage unit – You need to make your home feel as spacious as possible so that people can envision how much space there will be for their possessions. You will need to pack for the move anyway, so think of it as getting a jump on the move. You will probably need to pack or get rid of about 25% to 50% of the items in your home. Pack up all valuables, collections, personal items, clothes you do not need in the next few months, toys, seasonal items etc. Haul all of these boxes to the storage facility along with any furniture that you want to save but doesn’t enhance the look of the home.
Curb appeal 101 –The initial impression of the front of the home sets the tone for what buyers believe they will see inside. Paint the outside of your home a current color. Visit new home developments to see what is popular in your area.
First Impressions Count - You never have a second chance to make a great first impression. They say that buyers judge a home within the first 15 seconds of walking through the front door. Will buyers fall in love with your home in that 15 seconds or will it leave a bad feeling that may not be corrected no matter how good the other rooms are.
Clean, Clean, Clean – Have a professional cleaning crew thoroughly clean the house after you have packed up and hauled off the excess belongings. Have the carpets, windows, and grout cleaned. Many companies will do all 3 at one time
Adjust your attitude – It is no longer “your home”. It is now a house for sale. You must “detail” your home the way you would “detail” a car you have for sale. The way you sell a home is different from the way you live in a home. It is temporary. The faster the home sells the faster you be able to find your new “home” and make it fit your personal lifestyle. Try to not be sentimental about what you need to do or how you need to change the home to sell it. Continue reading →
Sun City has the distinction of being the first original active retirement community for the over 55 set. Started by Del Webb in 1960 it was the model for many communities throughout the nation. The homes were built in the 60’s and 70’s and are generally ranch homes with desert landscaping. This is our parent’s style of retirement and though many baby boomers are starting to retire there the average age is still on the high side.
What I like best about Sun City is that it is affordable. For $432 per year a homeowner gets full use of the seven recreation centers and eight golf courses. There are also three country clubs, 2 bowling centers and 2 small lakes. The golf courses are laid out in narrow “fingers” so that there is an abundance of reasonably priced homes on golf course lots. The homes are currently in transition with many being updated to the tastes of the younger owners. There still is an abundance of colored gravel in the yards which passes for desert landscaping and you see the occasional gnome, windmill, flamingo, and painted yard art that can only be described as “kitschy”. There are also what are called Twin homes or Gemini homes that are basically 2 attached homes in the same building. These are many times more affordable than the single family detached homes and many homes start under $100K.
Sun City is a self contained little city of about 40,000 and has it’s own hospital and medical complexes. Every activity, social group, craft group and hobby group exist in this little city. It is one of the only places where golf carts travel the roadways along with the cars. Recent growth in the northwest Valley make this area close to stadiums, museums, zoos, and shopping.
You are getting ready to retire. How do you know that living in a active adult community would be right for you? A good way to see is to rent in the community you are considering for several months so you really get a feel of what the daily life would be like.
Another way to check out a community is to see if they offer any short term stay opportunities. I recently took advantage of a program at my favorite active adult community, Trilogy at Vistancia, called Taste of Trilogy.
Shea Homes started the Trilogy concept and they have Trilogy developments in popular retirement areas (AZ, NV, FL, CA and WA). They have developed the Taste of Trilogy program so you can experience what living there is actually like. For $200 I received a 2 night stay at one of their homes, 2 hour long treatments at their spa, $100 to spend at the golf club restaurant and 2 bikes and a golf cart to get around in. It was a great opportunity to see what was going on in the community. I happened to be there on a Tuesday night which is happy hour night in the community center so there were specials on food and a wide variety of drinks. We happened to have a rare Arizona rainstorm that night so I thought it would deter most of the local residents from coming over but the place was packed. It was a great turnout for the middle of the summer in a rainstorm. They were selling tickets for an upcoming wine tasting, a play and a trip in the lobby so it was easy to get a feel for who lives there and what events were coming up. It is a weekly event that seems to draw a lot of people in the community and was a great way to meet people and socialize.
Other active adult communities that are selling new homes may have similar programs. To view other Trilogy communities and to learn more about their “test drive” go to www.trilogylife.com.
I’m a Baby Boomer. So are 76 million other people. On January 1st , 2011 the first Baby Boomers started to turn 65. Every day more than 10,000 of us will reach the age of 65 and that will keep happening every day for the next 19 years. As we retire about 55% of us say we will move. For those moving to the metro Phoenix area, I want to give an overview of some of the active adult communities we have available and my personal take on each one. Each article will deal with a different community.
My personal favorite is Trilogy at Vistancia. It is located in the northwestern part of the metro area, close to Lake Pleasant. It is part of a master planned community called Vistancia which includes Blackstone Country Club, many developments geared for families with children and then Trilogy is for ages 55 and up. I has a much younger demographic than most of the long established 55+ communities and is definitely geared to appeal to retiring Boomers. This is a Shea Homes concept that has been developed in many areas along the west coast. What I love about this community is that it is nestled in an area surrounded by mountains and has amenities that make you feel like you are living at a first class resort.
The center overlooks a beautiful golf course and boasts an indoor lap pool, huge outdoor pool and spa area, exercise area with personal trainers, yoga and spinning room, and a spa on premises where you can book your massage or facial. It also has every club in the book and rooms where the clubs meet and even an education and computer center. So if you want to meet other people with similar interests, join the wine club, the art club, the Texas Hold’Em club, the hiking club, or any of the other multitude of clubs they have available.
The homes are beautiful with choices of Tuscan, Santa Barbara, and many other design styles. All are one story homes and range from 1300 sq ft to around 3000 sq ft so there is a size for everyone. The pricing for resales currently ranges from $200K to $700K. As a Realtor it amazes me what great homes my clients have been able to get for the prices they paid. Everyone knows that Arizona prices have tanked in the last 6 years and we are now down to prices that haven’t been seen the 90’s. That is terrible for all of us already living here as the equity in our homes has evaporated, but it is great for anyone buying at this time. I also like the fact that there is retail right at Vistancia so your grocery store, bank, wine store, dry cleaners is two minutes away. Also, just down the road is every big box store you will ever need so you can stay within a 10 minute radius of home and have everything available to you. Then when you want to go to a ballgame, theatre, dinner, etc. you can drive wherever you want in the Valley as highway 101 and 303 are easily accessible from there. To view the amenities at Trilogy at Vistancia, one of the Valley’s premier active adult communities just click here.
Living near a vacant home doesn’t have to mean putting up with overgrown grass and unshoveled snow. Does your community use these eight common local laws, programs, and regulations to force owners to maintain vacant homes?
With the foreclosure crisis, you may have noticed a vacant home or two on your block. Rather than see the home free-fall into disrepair, push local officials to take action before the untended house lowers the value of your own home. Continue reading →
Buyers only get one first look at a property, and they don’t want to use their imagination. They assume the house they see is as good as it’s going to get. If you want your home to sell, step out of your comfort zone and think like a buyer. Here are three ways to help you turn your house into the home of someone else’s dreams. We’ve broken down each category into low-cost, “Basic” tips and tricks, and an “All-Out” blow-the-budget transformation. How far you take it is up to you. Continue reading →
Have a plan for reviewing purchase offers so you don’t let the best slip through your fingers.
You’ve worked hard to get your home ready for sale and to price it properly. With any luck, offers will come quickly. You’ll need to review each carefully to determine its strengths and drawbacks and pick one to accept. Here’s a plan for evaluating offers. Continue reading →
According to a study conducted by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) in 2001, 97 percent of home buyers who received home inspections believe they received a good value for their money. A home’s history gives it character and charm, but also takes a toll.
Over time, roofs sag, mortar cracks, and furnaces lose efficiency. Beyond this normal wear and tear, older homes can harbor mold, water damage, termites, or other structural threats that can cost tens of thousands of dollars to fix. Continue reading →
Here’s how to clean up your credit so you get the least-expensive home loan possible.
Getting the loan that suits your situation at the best possible price and terms makes homebuying easier and more affordable. Here are seven ways to boost your credit score so you can do just that. Continue reading →
A home is the single biggest investment most Americans will ever make. Protecting that investment is not just a legal responsibility, but the smartest move you can make. Here are 7 tips for getting the most out of your homeowners insurance for the smallest premium.
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HOW TO SELL YOUR HOME!
By: Mariwyn Evans
Buyers only get one first look at a property, and they don’t want to use their imagination. They assume the house they see is as good as it’s going to get. If you want your home to sell, step out of your comfort zone and think like a buyer. Here are three ways to help you turn your house into the home of someone else’s dreams. We’ve broken down each category into low-cost, “Basic” tips and tricks, and an “All-Out” blow-the-budget transformation. How far you take it is up to you.
By: G. M. Filisko
According to a study conducted by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) and the American Society of Home Inspectors (ASHI) in 2001, 97 percent of home buyers who received home inspections believe they received a good value for their money. A home’s history gives it character and charm, but also takes a toll.
By: G. M. Filisko
A home is the single biggest investment most Americans will ever make. Protecting that investment is not just a legal responsibility, but the smartest move you can make. Here are 7 tips for getting the most out of your homeowners insurance for the smallest premium.
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