Real Estate Information Archive

Chances are, if you are getting ready to sell your home, you are also preparing to purchase a new home. So, the last thing you want to do is spend more money on your current property.  However, you certainly want to get the best price possible when selling it, and per the National Association of Realtors, for every $100 invested in staging, the potential return is $400. As you can see, it will pay off in the end to stage your home to entice potential buyers.

Some people will hire a certified staging professional to get the job done. While it might seem easier than doing it yourself, it is not the only way to get that SOLD sign planted in your front yard.

Here are some simple, yet effective home-staging hacks that won’t break the bank:

Roll Out a Welcome Mat

Sounds simple, right?  It is!  First impressions mean everything when selling your home.  Also, prospective buyers tend to linger by the front door before the real estate agent opens the home for viewing, so an inviting entrance is crucial. A new welcome mat can cost as little as $15.  Purchase a modern mat that compliments the style of your home.  To further enhance the entryway, add a little green with some fresh plants. An enticing entrance will make buyers want to see more!

Mount Mirrors in Strategic Spots

Every home has spaces like a dim hallway or small space that lacks natural light. To spruce up these areas, hang a few mirrors. They add extra light to rooms that look dark and create an illusion of space. They will pack an extra punch if placed next to or directly across from a window because they will pull in more sun.  For a more decorative look, create a collage of several mini mirrors in different shapes and sizes rather than just slapping one large mirror on the wall. You can find inexpensive mirrors at craft stores and discount home stores.

Set Tables and Serving Areas for Entertaining

A home filled with friends, food and laughter is a happy one! Paint a picture of what entertaining in your home will be like for potential buyers. Keep it simple, but aesthetically pleasing. Lay out cloth napkins, wine glasses and solid plates in the dining room. Use matching mugs and bowls in the kitchen to produce the feel of family meals.

Replace Personal Photos with Artwork

Over the years, you have turned your house into a home by decorating it with family portraits and personal mementos. But potential buyers are going to want to be able to envision themselves living there and that is hard to do with your family members present in the form of pictures in every room. So, get a head start on packing up your house by putting your pictures away and replacing them with artwork that compliments the style of the home.  You can find inexpensive art at discount stores, or you can print beautiful landscape photos to put in frames.

Make the Bathroom Look Elegant with White Linens

Spruce up your bathroom with crisp, fresh, all-white linens. White towels, bathmats, and shower curtains give the room an instant update. They inspire the feeling of a luxury spa without spending a lot of money. Take it a step further by including some "spa like" displays. Simple additions like an orchid, candles and special soaps will go a long way.

Arrange Decorative Scenes

Decorative displays can give a cozy, lived-in ambience to a house. Assembling classy vignettes of colorful vases, lanterns, books, plants, baskets, and other items atop dressers, counters and bookshelves will make a house feel more like a home. Group items in odd numbers and in varying heights and shapes while keeping them in the same color family. You will be amazed at what you can find to use in your house, but if you need to buy some things, you can mix in inexpensive pieces from craft and discount stores. Done properly, these displays will have people feeling like they are looking at rooms right out of home décor magazines…and that is a sure way to impress prospective buyers.

If you are in the market to buy or sell a home (or both), let me, Sandra Nickel and my Hat Team of Professionals assist you with all your real estate needs! Call us today at 334-834-1500 and check out https://homesforsaleinmontgomeryalabama.com for more information.

Photo Credits: thisoldhouse.com, houseandhome.ie, susiedenton.com, professionalstaging.com

It’s a seller’s market in Alabama right now folks. Demand for homes is high and inventory is low, which has led to prices going up and sellers getting multiple offers. So, it seems like the perfect time to list your house, right? Slow down. The market may be prime for selling, but you need to look at your personal situation. Before you put that for sale sign in your yard, it would be wise to consider all the factors that will determine if you are ready to sell.

Here are signs that you are ready to sell your house:

• YOU HAVE POSITIVE EQUITY 

It’s vital that you are financially prepared to sell your house. If you have built up equity, that means your home is worth more than you owe on it. Ideally you want to have enough equity to pay off your current mortgage and to make a down payment on a new home. It’s even better if you have enough to cover closing costs and moving expenses. If you don’t have positive equity, it is a bad idea to sell.

• YOU HAVE CASH IN THE BANK WITH ZERO DEBT

It’s important to have all your financial ducks in a row before selling your house. Remember, you’re not just selling a house, you are likely buying one as well. Take time to analyze your finances and budget. If you have paid off your non-mortgage debt and have funds saved, you are ready to enter the home selling/buying process again.

• A HOME THAT BETTER SUITS YOUR NEEDS IS IN REACH

Perhaps you are downsizing, but you want a nicer home, or you are looking to move up into a larger home for your growing family. Either way, there is no point in selling your current home if you can’t afford a new one that better suits your needs. Remember that, ideally, your mortgage payment should be no more than 28% of your income.

• YOU ARE AWARE OF THE EXTRA COSTS INVOLVED IN MOVING

It’s exciting to get approved for a mortgage. Chances are you will get approved for more than you thought you would. But there is a lot to think about before deciding to sell. Remember that you will need to probably do some work on your house to get it ready to put on the market. You will also have to pay the moving expenses. Make sure consideration of these costs go into your decision-making process.

• YOU ARE EMOTIONALLY READY TO SELL

Hopefully you are selling for the right reasons. You have to be ready to put the work into your home that it will take to sell it. You must be committed to keeping it “show ready” for as long as it takes. You must be prepared for what might be a tough negotiation. And finally, you need to be ready to let go of the home where you have created memories with your family.

• YOU HAVE AN EXPERIENCED REALTOR

Real estate transactions should be handled by experts. The professionals at Hat Team Realtors understand the market and can provide you with a clear picture of what goes into selling a house. Their advice will assist you in making this very important decision.

If you are in the market to buy or sell a home (or both), let me, Sandra Nickel and my Hat Team of Professionals assist you with all your real estate needs! Call us today at 334-834-1500 and check out https://homesforsaleinmontgomeryalabama.com for more information.

Photo credits: entrepreneur.com, princeton.edu, mastermovers.com

While summer is considered by many to be the hottest time for selling a house (both literally and figuratively), sometimes circumstances require you to sell during a different time of the year. If there is a season for everything, autumn just might be exactly the right season to sell this year. Homes are still in demand and there is a good chance you will find a buyer before the end of the year. 
 

Here are some perks to selling in autumn:

1. HOMES SHOW WELL IN AUTUMN

The autumn season lends a beauty to homes that can’t be found in any other season. Colorful leaves, fall décor, and seasonal flowers provide a gorgeous, cozy aesthetic that draws a lot of positive attention to the appearance of a home. For sellers, this means prime curb appeal will draw buyers’ interest.

2. SERIOUS BUYERS

Buyers who are looking at homes in Autumn likely want to buy before the end of the year, so they are serious buyers. They likely want to get settled into a new house before the holiday season begins. The pressure is on for them to find their new home quickly and this puts you (the seller) in the driver’s seat when it comes to negotiations.

3. LESS COMPETITION

There is less competition in autumn. Many sellers need to close and move before school starts, so fewer houses are for sale. With less to choose from, buyers can’t afford to be quite as picky.

4. DIFFERENT TYPES OF BUYERS

You will be dealing with different types of buyers in Autumn. Families often move in the summer to accommodate school schedules. Empty nesters and Millennial home buyers are more likely to be looking in the fall. In addition, employers who need to relocate their workers often wait for fall to avoid the hot market during spring and summer. A speedy closing is the goal of most of these buyers, which means you are more likely to get the best price possible for your house.

5. LOWER MOVING COSTS

Since autumn is not peak moving season, movers will be less in demand than they were during the summer. This means prices for moving may drop as demand drops. So, for those moving in autumn, you may possibly be able to save quite a bit on moving costs. You can maximize your savings choosing to move mid-month and/or mid-week when rates are often even lower.

6. BETTER (SWEATER) WEATHER

It can still be pretty warm during autumn in the south, so while it might not actually be “sweater weather”, it definitely will be “better weather” for moving than it is in the heat of summer.

Autumn is pretty. The weather is cooler; the leaves are changing colors and fall décor can make homes look and feel warm and cozy. This is a great time of year to dress up your house to entice buyers!

If you are in the market to buy or sell a home (or both), let me, Sandra Nickel, and my Hat Team of Professionals assist you with all your real estate needs! Call us today at 334-834-1500 and check out https://www.homesforsaleinmontgomeryalabama.com for more information.

Photo credits: realtor.com, titlefirst.com, mymove.com

Millennials (or Generation Y) have emerged as a preeminent force in the housing market.  Per the National Association of Realtors’, “older millennials, buyers aged 30 to 39 years, made up the largest share of home buyers by generation at 25 percent of all home buyers in 2019.” In fact, this group, born between 1980 and 1989 comprised the largest share of buyers for the seventh consecutive year. Older Millennials: Forming Families, Establishing Homes

That being said, when selling your home, it would be wise to think about the wants and needs of millennials as potential buyers.  Here are 10 must-haves for selling a home to millennials:

1. Updated kitchens and baths – Millennial homebuyers seek out updated kitchens and baths because they are on a budget.  Most of their money will go toward down payments and furnishings, and kitchens and baths are the most expensive spaces to update, so millennials will want a home that requires little to no work in these rooms.  As a seller, you want to find ways to update your bathrooms and kitchen as inexpensively as possible. While these updated rooms will attract younger buyers, you want to avoid losing the money that you put into them.
    
2. Big kitchen, open floor plan – There was a time when a formal dining room was on every buyer’s wish list. But this generation of buyers would rather eat and hang out in the kitchen, along with the family room. And because of how this generation of homeowners entertain, they prefer an open floor plan for easier flow throughout the house.
    
3. Home office – per recent US Census data, over 13 million Americans are working from home and it is a trend that is expected to continue.  Even if a room is currently staged as a bedroom, a real estate agent can point it out as a potential office space.  And it’s not just for those who work full-time from home. With ever growing technology making us increasingly mobile, a home office is a dedicated space for making phone calls, skyping or face-timing clients or even just paying bills.
    
4. Good location -  Millennial buyers seek out locations with easy access to public transportation and a good walk score. Montgomery Alabama Walk Score
    
5. Low maintenance – young buyers want low maintenance homes.  Things like wood floors and granite countertops appeal to them because they are both attractive and easy to take care of.  They also like smaller yards. They want to spend their weekends doing activities that don’t include mowing the lawn or doing housework.
    
6. Technology – internet and cell phone service matter a lot to this generation.  Many millennials don’t even use a landline.  You may not be able to control the strength of cell service at your home, but you can be sure that young buyers will be asking about it.
7. Energy efficiency – With a growing interest in protecting the environment, younger buyers look to buy homes that are green.  While energy efficiency is not the top reason to purchase a house, it can certainly be an advantage when dealing with millennial buyers. 8 Simple Ways to Turn Your Home From Toxic to Green
    
8. The reality TV effect – Real estate reality shows on channels such as TLC and HGTV have had an impact on how buyers view homes.   Staging has become a crucial part of the selling process. It is not unusual to hear a younger buyer speak about a room being staged or not staged.
    
9. Low HOA costs – when considering a property, younger buyers sometimes find that while the price is within their budget, homeowners association fees or condo fees make it unaffordable.  They seek homes in neighborhoods with low, or preferably, NO monthly assessments.
    
10. Online photos – Technology strikes again!  If you are serious about attracting young buyers, you need to consider how your home shows online. Millennials start their home searches online and if the photos don’t look good, they will likely scroll on by without ever stepping foot in the house. How to Take the Best Photos to Sell Your Home

If you are in the market to buy or sell a home, let Sandra Nickel and her Hat Team of Professionals assist you with all your real estate needs! Call them today at 334-834-1500!

Photo Credit: wsj.com

Once you have decided to sell your house, there are a lot of steps to take to get it ready and listed on the market.  The goal should be to get the best possible price for your home with the least amount of stress and disruption.  Manage possible financial dangers by avoiding these home selling risks:

• Selling your current home before closing on a new one.  This is a risk many people take because they need the money from the sale to make the down payment on the new home. But it can be a big mistake. It could mean that you have to move not once, but twice. Once to your temporary abode and then again to your new place once you buy. The financial burden of having to move twice along with the emotional toll it takes (because moving is no fun) can make the whole process very stressful.  If you have not found a new home when it’s time to close on the one you’re selling, at the very least make sure you are pre-qualified for a mortgage.
   
• Moving out in the hope that it will make your house sell more quickly.  Some people think that a house will sell faster if it is vacant. But what if it doesn’t?  What if you have spent the money to move out, and you are paying rent and a mortgage?  That is a huge risk that may add to your financial burden along with the whole moving twice thing mentioned above.  The truth is that a staged home that is lightly furnished attracts more buyers than an empty house. So, be sure to consider the pros and cons of moving out when selling before you start to pack up your house. Reasons Empty Rooms Are a Bad Idea When Selling Your Home
   
• Asking too much for your home.  It may seem like a good strategy to ask for a high price so that there is room for it to come down to an acceptable amount.  But by doing this you may scare off buyers. It can cause a home to sit on the market for too long which can be very detrimental to its selling potential.  When a house sits on the market too long, people start to think there is something wrong with it and they avoid looking at it at all, even if the price comes down. How to Price Your Home For Sale
   
• Skimping on home improvements.  Just don’t do it. Remember that you are trying to sell your home and make a profit. While you may not want to invest a ton of money into improvements, you will want to be sure that what improvements you do make are well done.  Shoddy work will be noticed and will scare off potential buyers.  The right improvements, if done well, can increase the value of your home and enable you to sell it for a higher price. The Best (and Worst) Projects to Improve Your Home Resale Value

While it may be challenging to avoid all risks when selling a house, you can certainly minimize the financial peril you may find yourself in if you take steps to avoid the risks above.

If you are in the market to buy or sell a home, let Sandra Nickel and her Hat Team of Professionals assist you with all your real estate needs!  Call them today at 334-834-1500!

Photo Credit: ericbrown.com

We are in the thick of Autumn, and you may think that you should wait until next spring or summer to sell your house.  While it is true that the warmer months are popular for home sales, that doesn’t mean autumn is a bad time to sell.  Some buyers, such as empty nesters and millennials, prefer shopping for a home when there is less competition from people trying to move before the beginning of the school year.  So, if you would like to sell your house before winter, here are some pointers for making it attractive to buyers during autumn:

1. Keep the exterior of your home neat and clean.  Curb appeal matters…a lot. It doesn’t matter how pristine the interior is if prospective buyers never walk through the front door.  The first impression is made when they first see the property and if it doesn’t look good on the outside, they may not want to look inside.  There are unique challenges to keeping your yard looking nice when the weather is cooler and the days shorter. If you have a lot of trees dropping leaves, raking will be a full-time job.  You want buyers to see your grass!  Any dead or dying plants and flowers need to be removed or cut back.  Use a fall maintenance checklist to make sure you have your property in the best shape possible.  And if you really want to impress, plant some fall flowers in bold hues to add pops of color to your yard. Fall Home Maintenance Checklist
    
2. Stage your house for the season, but don’t go overboard.  There are holidays to look forward to during the autumn season.  Potential buyers will enjoy seeing your home decorated accordingly. It will help them picture celebrating the holidays with their own families there. Keep it simple though, because you don’t want to take the focus away from the home itself.  You risk having your house look cluttered if you have too many decorations.  Embrace autumn and the warmth and coziness it exudes.  The smell of a freshly baked apple pie, the crackle of a fire in the fireplace and tasteful autumn décor might be all it takes to seal the deal on a sale! 16 Simple Home Staging Tips for Fall
    
3. Make sure lighting is sufficient.  There will be prospective buyers who want to see your house after work and with the days being shorter, it might be dark outside when they get there.  You are not going to want them walking into a dark, unlit home.  Turn on the lights inside and out. Exterior walkways and entertainment areas, such as patios and decks, should be well lit.  If you know your house is going to be shown, leave lights on in every room.
    
4. Price your house appropriately.  It’s important to know what homes are selling for in your area and to price yours accordingly.  Utilize the current marketing analysis to determine the value of your home.  A professional Realtor can help you set the right price for your home taking into account the season and market in which you are selling.  You don’t want to scare buyers away by overpricing your house. How to Price Your Home to Get the Highest Offer

If you are in the market to buy or sell a home, let Sandra Nickel and her Hat Team of Professionals assist you with all your real estate needs!  Call them today at 334-834-1500!

Photo Credit: homesrulz.com

It’s a seller’s market right now folks. Demand for homes is high and inventory is low.  So, it seems like the perfect time to list your house, right? Slow down. The market may be prime for selling, but you need to look at your personal situation. Before you put that for sale sign in your yard, it would be wise to consider all the factors that will determine if you are ready to sell.

Here are signs that you are ready to sell your house:

• You have positive equity.  It’s vital that you are financially prepared to sell your house.  If you have built up equity, that means your home is worth more than you owe on it. Ideally you want to have enough equity to pay off your current mortgage and to make a down payment on a new home.  It’s even better if you have enough to cover closing costs and moving expenses.  If you don’t have positive equity, it is a bad idea to sell.
• You have cash in the bank and zero debt.  It’s important to have all your financial ducks in a row before selling your house.  Remember, you’re not just selling a house, you are likely buying one as well.  Take time to analyze your finances and budget. If you have paid off your non-mortgage debt and have funds saved, you are ready to enter the home selling/buying process again.
• A home that better suits your needs is within your reach.  Perhaps you are downsizing, but you want a nicer home or you are looking to move up into a larger home for your growing family. Either way, there is no point in selling your current home if you can’t afford a new one that better suits your needs.  Remember that, ideally, your mortgage payment should be no more than 28% of your income.
• You are aware of the extra costs involved in moving.  It’s exciting to get approved for a mortgage. Chances are you will get approved for more than you thought you would.  But there is a lot to think about before deciding to sell.  Remember that you will need to probably do some work on your house to get it ready to put on the market.  You will also have to pay the moving expenses.  Make sure consideration of these costs go into your decision-making process.
• You are emotionally ready to sell. Hopefully you are selling for the right reasons. You have to be ready to put the work into your home that it will take to sell it.  You must be committed to keeping it “show ready” for as long as it takes.  You must be prepared for what might be a tough negotiation.  And finally, you need to be ready to let go of the home where you have created memories with your family.
• You have an experienced Realtor.  Real estate transactions should be handled by experts. The professionals at Hat Team Realtors understand the market and can provide you with a clear picture of what goes into selling a house. Their advice will assist you in making this very important decision.

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When trying to sell your house, you want to make the best possible impression on potential buyers.  While some buyers will say that they knew a house was right for them the minute they walked in the door, other buyers will tell you they knew immediately that a house was NOT right for them. Sometimes deal-breakers are personal, but often they apply to many and can damage your chances of a profitable sale (or any sale at all).  Avoid these deal-breakers to get the best deal when you sell:

• Pests - It seems obvious that people would be turned off by seeing bugs in a home, right?  But sometimes homeowners get used to having “bug problems” and don’t think about how they might negatively influence buyers.  Seeing one or two bugs, like maybe a fly or random little spider, might not be that big of a deal. But if a roach crawls out while people are looking at your house? Forget it.  They are out of there!  If you have any kind of infestation, you need to nip it in the bud before you start showing your house.
• Pets - Just because you love your pets and consider your home very “pet friendly” does not mean other people feel the same way.  There are a myriad of reasons why having pets can ruin a home sale. Sometimes it’s simply that animals make people nervous.  Taking your pets out of the home during showings can solve that problem.  But other things, such as visible food bowls, kitty litter boxes etc. can turn off people who don’t live with animals.  And any kind of pet odors can do a lot of damage as well.  It is a good idea to make sure your house is free of any pet paraphernalia and pet odors before opening it up to buyers.
• Small/Outdated Kitchens - Big, open kitchens are one of the most desirable features for homebuyers.  If you have a cramped, closed off kitchen, updating it before you put it on the market will be well worth it.  Not only will you be able to sell it faster, you will get a better price for it and odds are you will likely recoup the money you spent sprucing it up and then some.
• Cheap Upgrades - Poor quality shows.  While you don’t want to spend a ton of money on a house that you are leaving, you also don’t want to hurt your chances of selling it by making cheap upgrades and repairs that are poorly executed.  Unless someone is looking for a “fixer upper”, they are going to lose interest quickly if they see a lot of shoddy upgrades.
• The Roof - A roof in bad condition will scare away potential buyers quickly.  The idea of buying a house and immediately having to foot the bill for a new roof is not appealing.  If your roof is old or in need of repair/replacement, take care of it before putting your house on the market.  Otherwise, expect to have to lower your asking price. If your buyer is obtaining a loan, the lender may well require you replace the roof before closing.  A new roof will not only improve resale value, it will also boost curb appeal, both of which will increase your chances of selling and getting the best price possible!

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If you are planning to put your house on the market, there is no time like the present to start getting organized for the process of staging, showing and moving out of your home.

Begin now by following the tips listed below and you won’t feel so overwhelmed when it’s time for that first open house!

• Eliminate Piles before you sell.  Some of us suffer from "flat surface syndrome" .  If there is a flat surface, it’s covered with “stuff”.  Now is the time to eliminate any of the “stuff” cluttering the horizontal surfaces in your home. Things such as mail, magazines and other odds and ends that are piled on the tops of tables, desks and shelves should be removed. 
• Clear out storage areas.  If your closets, bookcases, pantry, and other storage areas are overstuffed, this is a red flag for potential buyers that screams, “not enough storage!”.  Keeping a minimum number of items in your house will leave the impression that there is a generous amount of storage in your home.
• Get rid of excess. Eliminate or pack up items that you won’t need before you move.  For example, only keep enough dishes, towels, sheets, toys etc. that you will use during the time your house is for sale. Why have ten sets of sheets in your linen closet when you will only need one or two?
• Remove seasonal items.  Pack away things that are only used during other seasons.  If you are selling in the fall/winter, pack away your spring/summer clothes.  You can also pack away off-season holiday items. 
• Throw things away. If it’s worn out, broken, rusty, stained, torn or incomplete, it is time to let it go.  If your belongings look shabby and old, your house will look that way too.  Don’t hesitate to throw such items away.
• Donate items you no longer want or need.  When you are cleaning and sorting items, if you come across things that you don’t use now and won’t use in a new home, donate them.  There is no point in packing and moving something you will never use.  But if it’s in good shape, someone else will get use out of it.
• Sell before you sell. If you find that you have many items to eliminate from your home, think about selling what you don’t store, throw away or donate.  You can sell at a yard sale, bring items to a consignment shop, or list items online.  But have reasonable expectations regarding how much money you can make; don’t overprice.  Remember the goal is to dispose of as many things as possible.
• Rent a storage unit.  Move large items/equipment that you don’t use often to a storage unit.  It can also provide space for packed boxes to give you a head start in preparing for your move.
• Improve curb appeal.  Remove any clutter (toys, lawn ornaments, garbage bins) from your yard.  The outdoor spaces provide the first and last impression for potential buyers and as such, it is important that they look neat and tidy.

Moving can be stressful, so don’t wait to start preparing.  Get a head start before putting your house on the market!

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So you have your house on the market and you are eager and ready to sell it as quickly as possible?  Here are a few tips for keeping your house ready to show at any given moment throughout the day or night. 

1.  If you are a busy working person in society it is likely that you don’t have time to keep your house spic and span twenty four seven.  However you CAN make the house look as if it is clean all the time by simply getting rid of some of the clutter.  Two of the main rooms you should concentrate on to accomplish this are the bathrooms and the kitchen.  Make sure that all counter space is clean and free from any clutter in each of these rooms.  Also a good way to make the kitchen look less cluttered is to take any and all items you have posted on your refrigerator off while you are trying to sell your home. 
2. Another way to keep your house ready to show at any time  is to clean eye catchers first.  Items you should clean first are such things as the ceiling fans, floors, countertops, stovetops, ovens, trash cans and bathroom fixtures.  These places can get dirty quickly and will be noticed by folks who come to tour your home so make sure they are clean at all times. 
3. Do a few extra things like adding a touch of color to each room with pillows to make the space pop.  Also if there are any beds left unmade or any areas of the house that need a quick pick me up do your part to make that happen on a daily basis before you head out the door.
4. Another tip for keeping your house ready to show at anytime   might be to use an essential oil diffuser in the main room of the house so that it always smells fresh and clean. 

These are just a few tips for keeping your house ready to show at any time of the day or night.  You never know when you might get a call to show your house at the last minute and by doing these simple things you will always be ready.  This doesn’t mean you will be guaranteed an offer by any means but it does mean that your chances may be greater!

Courtesy of Montgomery AL Real Estate Expert Sandra Nickel.