This month is National Realtor Safety Week. In light of a recent arrest in the Baton Rouge area, NBC 33 interviewed Janet Anderson about how sellers can keep their home safe when showing it to the general public. Click the link below for the video and article.
NBC 33 News – Consumer Alert: Protect your “for sale” home from theft
Tag Archives: home sellers
Tips to Keep Your Home Safe During Showings and Open House
As real estate agents we take special precaution to make sure that while showing a home we are looking out for both the interests of the person looking, as well as the homeowner and their valuables. However, we are only human and professional criminals have devised tricks that even the most experienced agents may not realize are putting the home in jeopardy. For Sale by Owners are especially vulnerable as they are left with the responsibility of showing their own home without turning off the potential buyer by smothering them with attention. If you are a For Sale by Owner, here are some tips to make sure that you and your home are safe when opening your home to strangers.
1. It goes without saying, lock up all of your valuables in a safe or a cabinet. Keep expensive jewelry, money, or keepsakes out of view and while showing the home try to avoid wearing flashy jewelry. Never tell anyone that you have recently had surgery or anything that would indicate you have medication in the house. Criminals will ask to use your restroom and then steal them from your medicine cabinet.
2. Have an “escape” route from your home. Make sure all deadbolt locks are unlocked to facilitate a faster exit.
3. When prospects begin to arrive, jot down their car description, license number and physical description.
4. DO NOT, under ANY CIRCUMSTANCES, allow a stranger to tour your open house BY THEMSELVES! Stay alongside them at all times. Direct them, by gesturing for them to lead and saying things like, “the kitchen is on your left.” Keep a watchful eye on how they act and what they touch. Especially note anyone who opens and closes cabinets. This could indicate they are looking for things that may be hidden such as medications or jewelry. You don’t want any of your possessions walking out the door.
5. Never show people through your open house on your own. However, if that is unavoidable then consider these options:
– Make appointments and open your house by appointment only.
– Let your spouse, friend or neighbor know when you have open house appointments.
– Arrange to ring your spouse, friend or neighbor as soon as the open house appointment is finished.
– Have a prearranged time for your spouse, friend or neighbor to phone you
if you haven’t already phoned them back.
– Have a prearranged PASSWORD you can use on the phone if you are in any way uncomfortable with the situation. The password code might be something as simple as “don’t forget the birthday cake.”
6. Never tell a stranger that you can’t show them the house because you won’t be home. That is an open invitation to any criminal. Simply say something like “I’ll be busy then… how about 10:30 instead?”
7. While showing the home, try to avoid answering distractions like children or phones. These provide great opportunities for criminals to steal things while you aren’t paying attention.
8. After showing the home, check every window and door to make sure they are locked. Sometimes criminals will unlock windows and break back into the house later.
Go with your gut instinct. If you feel anything is suspicious try to coax them out as calmly as possible or call the police. Remember, your life is more valuable than your belongings so if something does go wrong, get out immediately!
Tips to Help Owners Spot Foreclosure Scams
According to an article by the REALTOR Daily Real Estate News, “Last year, the U.S. Federal Trade Commission identified 71 companies running suspicious foreclosure rescue ads. This year, the Better Business Bureau named foreclosure rescue rip-offs among its top 10 scams.
Here are just two common scams identified in the September “Foreclosure Resource Guide” now available at the REALTOR® Content Resource:
1. A representative of a so-called foreclosure rescue company promises to negotiate a deal with your lender, instructing you not to contact your lender, lawyer, or credit counselor during the supposed negotiations. Once you pay an up-front fee or a few months of mortgage payments, the scam artist will disappear.
2. A scam artist promises to fend off foreclosure in exchange for an up-front fee. Instead of getting you legitimate relief, the fraudster will pocket the fee and secretly file a bankruptcy case in your name.
Losing your home is hard enough, make sure you don’t get caught in a foreclosure scam. When looking for options to avoid foreclosure you should always contact a Certified Distressed Property Expert (CDPE) like Janet Anderson. She is professionally trained and certified in dealing with foreclosures and short sales. If you or someone you know is possibly facing foreclosure, you can’t afford to wait another minute. Contact Janet today and let her get your life back on track. Go to our contact page here to send an email requesting information or call 225-368-3237. And for more information visit our CDPE website at www.BatonRougeForeclosureHelpNow.com
Quick Tips for Boosting Curb Appeal
Many homebuyers will drive through a neighborhood to catch a glimpse of a home for sale and decide on the spot whether it’s worth touring. This “curb appeal,” or first impression, is very important to attracting qualified buyers who are more interested in what they see now as opposed to the home’s potential.
It is important to attract as many qualified buyers as possible. One way to do this is by boosting the curb appeal. In preparing your home for sale, it is necessary to envision your home through the buyers’ eyes. There are many ways to freshen up the appearance of your home that doesn’t require remodeling the kitchen or finishing the basement. Below are some helpful suggestions that can make a big difference in how your home is presented to qualified buyers.
- Mow the lawn; trim trees and shrubs away from the house.
- Clean and repair all gutters and downspouts.
- Take out window screens and wash all windows.
- Remove dead plants, flowers and shrubs.
- Clean or repaint outdoor furniture.
- Put away tools, garbage cans, hoses, toys and building materials.
- Keep patios and decks clear of planters, flower pots, charcoal and barbecues.
- Power wash the home’s siding or brick to remove any excess debris.
- Repaint or refinish trim around windows and doors.
- Check for broken roof shingles.
- Seal or resurface driveway.
- Clean or repaint the mailbox.
- Dress up front yard shrubs & flower beds with fresh mulch.
The Impact of Over-Pricing
• Serious buyers look in the price range determined by their down payment and monthly payment ability. Unless your property is priced correctly, the down payment and monthly payment requirements will not be competitive.
• A buyer who is seriously looking will soon become very knowledgeable in his or her price range. An unreasonable asking price only discourages the buyer from looking at and considering your property.
• Buyers purchase by comparison and a property that is priced above the competition does not compare favorably. Inviting a buyer to make an offer can indicate that a fair price has not been established.
• If you plan to adjust your price at the time of sale, it is better to adjust the price now and attract serious buyers from the beginning. This often places you in the favorable position of having more than one buyer interested in your property.
• It is very difficult to obtain a reasonable offer on an overpriced property. The buyer feels he or she should be just as unreasonable as the seller, and so a very low offer, if any, will be written.
• By contrast, multiple offers are much easier to obtain on a reasonably priced property. You can then choose which offer to accept, with no obligation to one that does not meet your requirements.
• It is a mistake to believe that you will get more for a property by asking more. You usually get less because fewer buyers will consider it when it is placed on the market. The right buyers will not see it. The property usually stays on the market so long that it tends to become shopworn.
• To obtain proper market exposure, it is an absolute necessity to be competitive in price, terms, and condition with similar properties so yours will sell faster. You will also have greater peace of mind and less frustration with selling your property.
Foreclosure vs. Bankruptcy: Which One Hurts Most?
Foreclosure reduces the value of a home by 27 percent on average, according to a new study from Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
Other kinds of forced sales have less dramatic impacts, the study found.
An estate sale after an owner’s death reduces the price of the home by only 5 percent to 7 percent. A bankruptcy filing cuts the value by an average 3 percent.
Foreclosure discounts are especially large in neighborhoods that are low-priced already, researchers point out, apparently because of concerns over vandalism.
Source: The Wall Street Journal, Nick Timiraos (07/26/2010)
If you or someone you know is facing foreclosure, contact Janet Anderson & Company today. 225-368-3237
For more information on the short sale process and other foreclosure avoidance strategies, visit our website at www.batonrougeforeclosurehelpnow.com
Avoid Foreclosure with Short Sales
A short sale can be an excellent solution for homeowners who need to sell, and who owe more on their homes than they are worth. In the past, it was rare for a bank or lender to accept a short sale. Today, however, due to overwhelming market changes, banks and lenders have become much more negotiable when it comes to these transactions. Recent changes in corporate policy and the Obama administration have also improved the chances of getting a short sale approved.
But to be technical, here’s a more official definition:
* A homeowner is ‘short’ when the amount owed on his/her property is higher than current market value.
* A short sale occurs when a negotiation is entered into with the homeowner’s mortgage company (or companies) to accept less than the full balance of the loan at closing. A buyer closes on the property, and the property is then ‘sold short’ of the total value of the mortgage.
For homeowners to qualify for a short sale, they must fall into any or all of the following circumstances:
* Financial Hardship – There is a situation causing you to have trouble affording your mortgage.
* Monthly Income Shortfall – In other words: “You have more month than money.” A lender will want to see that you cannot afford, or soon will not be able to afford your mortgage.
* Insolvency – The lender will want to see that you do not have significant liquid assets that would allow you to pay down your mortgage.
This seems simple enough, but it is a complicated process that takes the expertise of experienced professionals. I hold the CDPE® Designation and am ready to identify all possible options and, when possible, assist in the quick execution of a short sale transaction.
If you have questions or feel you may qualify for a short sale, please contact me for a free consultation.
Understanding your options now could mean all the difference in the world.
For more information on foreclosure solutions visit our website at www.batonrougeforeclosurehelpnow.com
Upgrading Your Home on A Shoestring Budget
From REALTOR.com’s Daily Real Estate News
Homeowners who want to sell but don’t have a lot of cash to spruce up their properties might consider these tips from Bankrate.com for upgrading a property without spending a fortune.
- Polish up the kitchen. Add new cabinet door handles, replace lighting and update the faucet set. Unless the cabinets are mica, give them a fresh coat of paint. Order new doors for kitchen appliances.
- Tidy up the bath. Replace the toilet seat. Clean up the floor with vinyl tiles or sheet vinyl applied over the old floor. Re-grout the tub and, if the tub is dingy, add a new prefabricated tub and shower surround.
- Paint the walls.
- Add closet systems to all the bedrooms, pantry, and entry closets.
- Hire a plumber and an electrician to fix anything that is loose or that leaks.
- Clean the carpets or, if they are worn, cover them with area rugs.
- Replace ceiling lights with inexpensive but attractive fixtures.
- Refinish or repaint the front door and replace the hardware.
- Mow the lawn, edge the sidewalks, mulch all the beds and put two big planters at either side of the front door.
For more information on how to fix up your home, go to our Media section and Download our Home Seller’s Handbook.
Selling Your Home
Selling your home involves much more than just placing a “For Sale” sign in your yard and going to the closing. As a REALTOR®, we are here to help you prepare your home for sale, market your home, and guide you through the sale process to ensure you sell your home within your time frame and get the best price possible.
As your REALTOR®, we will determine the correct price range for your home, point out things you should do to make your home more appealing to buyers, and devise the most effective plan of action. Here are some of the steps we will take to sell your home:
- Review the selling process–without the technical jargon
- Perform a comparative market analysis
- Determine the list and target prices
- Market your property
- Keep communication open
- Present the purchase agreement
Factors That Affect Your Home’s Sale
There are three main factors that determine how marketable your home–price, financing, and time.
Price – If your home is priced too high, you must be willing to wait much longer for your home to sell. Either it will take that much longer to find someone to pay more than the home is worth, or the market will eventually catch up to the asking price of the home through inflation.
Financing – You may not realize it, but the financing of your buyer can have a tremendous impact on the success of selling your home. Try to offer very attractive financing options. Consider carrying the financing yourself at a below-market interest rate or preparing your home for government financing. This could open the door for many buyers that otherwise wouldn’t even consider your home.
Time – If your time frame is important then you must be willing to lower the price.
How Much Should You Ask for Your Home?
Of course you want to get the full market value for your home. The first step to getting the best price is to determine your home’s value. As your REALTOR®, we can help you set an asking price by taking the following factors into consideration:
- Your home’s value may depend on recent selling prices of comparable homes in your area. After reviewing the selling prices for such homes, the price is adjusted according to current market trends.
- Buyers most likely look in the price range determined by their monthly payment ability and down payment. Buyers are often very knowledgeable in their price range and purchase by comparison. Unreasonable asking prices are an immediate turn-off.
- Inviting a potential buyer to make an offer shows that you are willing to bargain. However, if your asking price is outrageous, the buyer’s offer will most likely also be unreasonable.
- It’s necessary to offer pricing, terms and conditions that are competitive in your market. This will help you sell faster and get the full market value.
Downsizing a Home Requires Downsizing Contents
You find that the children have moved out and you do not need that big of a home anymore. Another thought is that you are going through a life change such as financial distress, divorce, death of a loved one, or illness. You want to move to something smaller, but the task seems overwhelming. Every closet and room is full and it is overflowing in the storage building. What to do with all the STUFF that makes up the years you have been in the home.
You can get experts to help you get moving or sometimes incorporating good friends and family. The key to downsizing is to sort through your stuff regularly and get rid of what you no longer use. You’ll thank yourself on moving day. There is a lot of trash when you have been living in the same place for many years.
Emotional Effects
Think about how much storage space you will have in the place you are moving to. Space gets even tighter if you are moving to a condominium, nursing home or assisted-living site. You have to think about the emotional impact of going through your belongings. There are a lot of memories packed into those boxes in the attic. It is easy to feel “overwhelmed” and to procrastinate and then become frozen.
Sometimes it is just the act of “getting started” that is the most difficult. One way to get going is to have a family get-together. Make it a party where each of the children puts Post-its on what he or she wants. If you want there are also companies that specialize in helping with downsizing. They help organize estate sales or auctions, line up items for donations and assist with packing. Having someone to walk you through the process is a big help.
Since there is less room for boxes of old belongings in a smaller home, there is also going to be less room for the person moving in. You have to learn to live in a smaller space. Before moving try to think about the practical aspects of everyday life. How much will you miss a yard or having a garden? Can you get by with a one-car garage or no garage instead of the two-car space you always had?
You will find often times that letting go and making room for that new chapter in your life is quite exciting. Time to make some new memories!