Tag Archives: houses for sale

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.

Why You Should Use Janet Anderson & Co. to Purchase a New-Construction Home

The advantages of having us help you purchase a new home are the same as those for purchasing a resale home. We can provide you with valuable insight into the new construction industry, help you find the perfect home quickly, and then provide you with expertise in contract writing, negotiation, and closing assistance. The builder has a professional real estate representative who watches out for his or her best interests, and you need and deserve the same expert representation watching out for yours.

Buying a new home is a little more difficult and time-consuming than buying a resale home. We can professionally guide you through this process. Having spent years working with builders, Janet Anderson & Company has a rapport with them and a database of information about subdivisions, floor plans, etc. We are also very familiar with new home warranties and the nuances of the builder’s purchase contracts and various home inspections.

It is very important that your interests be professionally represented when you are entering into a contract for a semi-custom or a build-to-suit home. These transactions are complex and the contract details must be exactly in order to protect you and to ensure that you get exactly the home you want!

And when it comes to the home inspection, we will explain to you why it is essential to hire an independent home inspector to thoroughly inspect a newly constructed home.

Are there any advantages to not using an agent to purchase a new home?

There is no financial advantage for you to buy directly from the builder. Builders have a “single price” policy, meaning that you will be charged the same price whether your interests are represented by an agent or not. Just as in any resale, the seller pays your agent’s fee. Most builders will make you give up your right to representation if you visit their model homes without an agent on the first visit. Therefore, please call us if you would like to look at some model homes, so you are given the representation you deserve!

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.

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.

"When is a Good Time to Buy?"

It is a Great Time to Buy!

Owning a home is an investment in your future.  A home not only provides financial benefits but it also provides shelter and security to families.  Here are some of the reasons why now is such a good time to buy:

Motivated Sellers and Inventory – In the Baton Rouge, LA area affordability is high and there is an abundance of inventory.  There are many options out there for buyers and sellers who are willing to negotiate and work towards a win-win situation that works for both parties.

Home Buyer Tax Credit for first time home buyer up to $8,000 until April 30, 2010.  Also expanded to include a credit up to $6,500 to home owners who have lived in their primary residence for 5 of the last 8  years and purchase a new or existing home between November 7, 2009 and April 30, 2010.  Other factors affect the size of the credit and purchaser eligibility so talk to your real estate agent or visit www.realtor.org/home_buyers_and_sellers , and consult a tax expert for full details.

Mortgages are at Historically Low Rates for buyers who qualify.  Go to ww.FreddieMac.com and view the primary mortgage market survey for more information on the latest rules.  In addition, low interest rates, coupled with recent price declines, give people looking to upgrade a unique opportunity to take advantage of market conditions.

So why wait?  It is a great time to buy!

"Should I Sell First or Buy First?"

Homeowners who are planning to make a move wrestle with the dilemma of how to get the home sold so that they can purchase a home.  Which comes first depends on the market — is it a buyer’s or a seller’s market — and your personal motivation.  However, for most sellers and buyers, the smart thing to do is to sell before you buy.  Currently the Baton Rouge real estate market has several months of inventory that is not selling right away and buyers are wanting to negotiate.

Let’s first talk about what would be some good reasons to sell first and then buy:

Negotiate Your Terms

First, by selling before you buy, you get to take your time and do not necessarily have to take the first offer that comes along.  You have the ability to negotiate terms without as much pressure since you have a place to live.  It is your home.  Also, since you are not under pressure to sell, you often obtain a higher sales price because the buyer does not think you are desperate.

Closing Contingent on New Purchase

When you do get a buyer for your home, make sure you negotiate that the sale is contingent on you closing on your new purchase.  That way if you can’t find a home to buy, you are not under any obligation to sell your home.  You may be required to put a time period of 7-21 days for you to locate a replacement home or cancel the contract.

Renting After Closing

If you want to wait for that perfect home, another alternative is to opt to rent after closing.  If the buyer does not require immediate occupancy, you might want to request to rent back your home for the amount of the buyer’s new mortgage payment.  One other choice is to move out, put your belongings into storage and rent a furnished, short-term apartment.

An Offer You Can’t Refuse

If the deal is too good to pass up, it may be especially good to buy before selling your home.  There could be a number of reasons that the sellers are extremely motivated to sell, and you might want to be the first offer before word spreads across town.  In this case it makes sense to buy before you sell, because the money you make walking into the deal is worth making double payments until your home sells.

If a seller is not willing to accept a sale-contingent offer, you may want to then consider if your home could sell soon enough for you to be able to close on the new purchase or look for alternative financing.

Each sale faces different circumstances and it is not always easy to know what is the right choice.  If you gather enough information, you can be comfortable in negotiating your contracts to state what is in your best interest.