Tag Archives: home sellers

Selling an Inherited Home

A for sale sign in front of an inherited house.

Selling an inherited house is challenging on many levels. The first is the emotional impact of dealing with the death of a loved one. Then there’s paperwork, legal responsibilities, and financial considerations to take into account. That’s why we compiled this guide to help you with the process of selling an inherited house.

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Five Home Remodeling Ideas for Increasing Curb Appeal

If you’re considering putting your house on the market, it’s never too early to start figuring out what it will take to make your home irresistible to prospective buyers. Amping up curb appeal isn’t all about the outside, as making your home more marketable is an inside job, too.

When you’ve got a longer list than budget, what are the must-do remodeling projects and what do you skip?

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What Does a Seller Agent Do For You?

A real estate agent that works for a property seller is called a listing agent or a seller’s agent. They have a number of functions, but they can all be summed up in the fact that they are supposed to represent the best interests of the seller in all they do. 

Knowing what listing agents do is quite beneficial, especially if you’re at the point of making a decision on whether or not to hire an agent to help sell your property. 

This article will explain the functions a listing agent performs for a property seller. 

Set a List Price

It is only logical to set a price for your property, one that you believe is worth the value of the property. Your listing agent would typically use a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) to determine the list price of your house. 

The list price would be based on an analysis of the local real estate market, its prevailing market dynamics and recent sales of the property in your area.

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Best Ways to Make Your Home Appeal to Potential Buyers

When the time comes to sell your home, there’s a lot that needs to be done. Many people get too overwhelmed and scared by the whole process. However, trying to make your home more appealing to potential buyers isn’t as complicated as it sounds at first. Here are some suggestions that might help take the edge off.

Don’t be subjective

The number one rule when trying to make your home more appealing to potential buyers is to avoid being biased. Try to objectively view the situation and understand the market and what sells. Don’t let your personal taste interfere with what the potential buyers will see.

A great way to do this is to ask someone who’s been in the business for a while. Taking advice from your real estate agent or broker is a good route to take. And there are surely some ways that you can let your own style shine through without it being overpowering. Balance is key.

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What to Consider When Moving For Retirement

Usually, the only thing you’d think about when moving is location, location, location. However, when you’re moving for retirement, it’s never the same thing – you have to consider several factors because things will never be the same once you retire. For one, you won’t be earning the same money you usually earn from a regular day job. This means that when you retire, you should be keen on your expenses. Healthcare will also become a necessity during this phase of your life. To ensure that your move during retirement will become beneficial to you in the long run, consider these questions:

 How much is your monthly budget?

This is probably one of the most important things to consider when you’re planning to move for retirement. For you to have a successful retirement, you should have an idea of how much are you willing to spend on it. You can budget for retirement by looking into your monthly expenses. Determine how much you’re spending for mortgage payments, car payments, and other recurring bills. You should also keep track of how much are you spending on leisure activities such as dining out, groceries and shopping. If you need assistance in doing all of these, you can use a mobile app (there are a handful of apps online) or hire a financial advisor. All of these can help you in your budgeting, especially if you don’t have any idea of how to do it. After considering your expenses, take note of all the possible sources of income every month. Once you have these numbers, it’ll be easy for you to come up with a monthly budget which is suitable for your needs and wants.

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Five Home Remodeling Ideas For Increasing Curb Appeal

If you’re considering putting your house on the market, it’s never too early to start figuring out what it will take to make your home irresistible to prospective buyers. Amping up curb appeal isn’t all about the outside, as making your home more marketable is an inside job, too.

Even if HGTV is your favorite channel, chances are you’ve got at least a few home remodeling projects you’ve been putting off. It’s ok. We know it’s a lot easier to watch than to actually do.

So where do you start? Should you finally update those dreadful kitchen cabinets? Redo the outdated master bath? Replace the carpet in the kids’ room, where the color can best be described as Rainbow Swirl?

When you’ve got a longer list than budget, what are the must-do remodeling projects and what do you skip?

Rank curb appeal ideas based on ROI

If your main goal is selling a home, a good way to prioritize your curb appeal ideas is to figure out first where you’ll get the most bang for your buck. On the other hand, if you might be staying in your home for a while, it’s a lot better to focus on remodeling what matters most to you and your family, while still factoring resale value into the equation. In other words, make the improvements you know you’ll enjoy. Just be smart about it by not over-personalizing or going over the top.

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Upgrading Your Loft for Resale

When you are trying to sell your home, there are a great many factors that you need to have in mind. A lot of things will influence the buyers’ decision, as well as the price you can get. One of the things that can increase the appeal of your home is – the shape your loft is in. With that in mind, we’ve prepared this article on loft upgrades that will help you sell your property faster and at a better price. Consider implementing them, as doing so will certainly work in your favor.

Bringing in Natural Light

As lofts usually come with sloping ceilings and unusual angles, bathing them in natural light can be tricky. Still, this is an essential thing to do, as a loft without natural light will be much less attractive to buyers. Dormer windows are a good solution to this problem. Not only do they allow for natural light to break in, but they also provide additional headroom. Unfortunately, you may need to get planning permission before installing these windows. Because they change the way your property’s exterior looks like, you could be instructed, for example, that you will have to use sash windows instead of sliding ones, or that the windows can only cover a certain part of your property’s width.

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Five Common Mistakes First-Time Home Buyers Make

Contemplating buying your first home can be stressful. With so many things to consider and decide on, where do you start and what obstacles may you face along the way? Here are a couple of pitfalls you should try to avoid if you are a first-time home buyer.

Not Visiting Enough Properties Before Deciding to Buy

One mistake you should never make is purchasing a house on a whim. This is not one of those decisions you get to be spontaneous about. Think about it from the perspective of making any random purchase e.g. buying clothes. You’d probably try out three to four shirts before picking the best when shopping. If you’d do that for a minor purchase, then it’s perfectly logical to go through at least 20 properties before settling on the best house to buy! The good thing about checking out several properties is that it gives you better insight about different types of homes, the neighborhood you want to settle in and what amenties best fit your lifestyle that each listing offers. Of course, if you fall in love with one of the first homes you see, don’t lose out on it because you are worried you are making a decision too quick. If it’s your dream house…go for it!

Working with a Rookie Real Estate Agent Because He’s Your Friend or Relative

This is not the time to help out your cousin who just qualified as a real estate agent last year. When you realize that the house you buy will be one of the most important assets of your life, you know that you should work with only the best local real estate agent you can find! Finding an experienced real estate professionals might take some more research, but with a little bit of patience you’ll figure out who the best agent is for the job.

Financial Missteps

Before you consider buying a house, you need to check how much mortgage you can afford and also learn about the hidden costs of buying a home. This way, you’ll be able to tailor your search towards houses that are within your budget instead of wasting valuable time visiting properties you can’t afford. Also never underestimate the closing costs and use a reliable closing cost calculator to not be surprised by a huge closing costs, which can be 2-4 percent of your home price. There also the regular homeownership costs after you get your home – you don’t want to buy a home and then find out you can’t afford the monthly mortgage payments, let alone your maintenance fees and property taxes. It’s a good idea to check your future monthly mortgage payment by using an accurate mortgage payment calculator as well as check your annual property tax

Not Giving it Enough Time

Setting aside enough time to process all the important aspects of buying a house is one of the wisest things a home buyer can do. Because the buying process is time consuming, the time interval between when you start looking and when you close on a house can be as long as five to six months. This is essential if you want to find the right property. Also remember that it usually takes between two and three months after putting out an offer for you to close in on a property.  

Choosing the Wrong Property Type

Buying a house should never be based solely on emotions. You need to purchase a solid property type which can serve your needs for at least the next three years. This is one decision that’s solely yours, as you are the only one who knows the right property type that would serve your and your family’s needs properly. For instance, if you have a couple of kids, or you plan to have more kids within a short time span, a small condo apartment would not be the best option for you. Instead, you would need to consider detached homes with more space and freedom for your kids to play in. Live with grandparents who find it difficult to climb the stairs? You’ll need to look out for properties that are easily accessible from the ground floor. Practicality should be the bedrock of your decision making when buying a house.

Making Your Decision

Ultimately, it’s up to you to choose what kind of house would best serve you over the next couple of years. If you choose to be a rational buyer, you would belong to the class of satisfied buyers who have bought the right kind of property. This is the best place to be!

Five Outdoor Features That Will Boost Your Home Value

Home buyers are more than responsive and attracted to open, livable spaces that are both earth-friendly and stylish. Other than energy-efficiency, outdoor living features are another trend that’s changing the landscape of home design. 

Not only do these features optimize the home life of your family, they significantly boost the value of your home as well. So, if you want to turn your property in a home buyer’s dream and future money make, these are the five outdoor features you should consider adding to your home.

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How to Increase Your Home’s Resale Value

People are always asking how they can get more money for their house when they put it on the market. While some of the things that determine your home’s value are out of your hands (location, age, layout), many buyers are willing to fork over a little more when certain upgrades have been made. Below are some suggestions for projects and improvements that can increase your home’s resale value. 

Invest in Energy Efficiency

It’s the 21st century, and green is the name of the game! Not only do energy-efficient updates help protect the environment, they also save you more money by reducing utility bills. Now we’ve all heard of those little energy-saving hacks like unplugging your phone charger and washing your clothes in cold water — but those aren’t the kinds of things that are going to add value to your home. If you want a greater resale value, you have to think bigger. Consider one of these upgrades:

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