Preparing to sell: Taking care of your home during the winter months

Spring is right around the corner, and consumers are ready to pound the pavement looking for the next Open House. If you are thinking about listing your home for sale in time for the spring rush, it’s a good idea that you get prepared now. There are small things that you can do now in order to get your home ready to show. Just a few simple things each week can save you from being bombarded and strapped for time once showing season gets into full swing.

Winter lawn care: One of the things that buyers look for is a picture perfect yard. If your grass is dry or discolored if gives off the impression that the home has been abandoned, or that the owners have not taken care of their investment. One of the simplest things that you can do is to pick up any leaves that are in the yard. Leaves that are left in the yard for long periods of time can create unsightly dead spots in your lawn.

It is also important that you let your lawn “breathe”. Leaving clutter such as toys and equipment on the lawn will prevent the lawn from being able to breathe and absorb sunlight. 

Cosmetics: The first impression that a buyer gets is when they first drive through your neighborhood. You want to make sure that you never give them a chance to turn around and drive away without stopping to see the inside of your house. While small cosmetic changes may not dramatically increase the financial return on your sale, they may in fact have an impact on how fast you sell your home. Replace any broken or discolored shutters or overhangs, fix the screens in all of the windows, and make sure that your mailbox is in decent shape. By spending a few dollars at the hardware store, you could possibly change how fast your home is sold. 

Clear out that clutter:  It’s a good idea to go ahead and prepare your house for the first showing appointment. Depending on how long you have lived in your home, you may have amassed a great deal of clutter. Instead of going through the house and boxing up everything to go in the attic or in the garage, separate it and prepare to have a yard sale at the first sign of spring. Buyers who tour your home will want to see how much space you have. Filling up your garage or attic with tons of boxes does the buyer no good when they are trying to judge how large of a space you have. Do yourself a favor, and make sure that your garage and your attic are just as clean and neat as the rest of your house. Buyers will appreciate the extra time and attention that you put into showing off your space.

In a competitive market, it’s always good to stay one step ahead of the rest. Taking these small steps can make a world of difference, and potentially put more money in your pocket than you bargained for.

Historic interest rates give buyers hope

As we move into 2011 interest rates continue to remain low. The National Association of Realtors' Pending Home Sales Index reports that pending homes sales rose in November by 3.5 percent. With interest rates as low as 4.6%, what better time than the present to purchase a new home?

Buyers across the country are taking advantage of the opportunity to lock in low monthly payments that are sometimes lower than your average monthly rental fees. This also gives buys a chance to improve upon their credit history will building up equity in their home. However, many homebuyers are still skeptical due to the economic downturn in the US. But the coming year offers the promise of the creation of new jobs which will help stabilize the economy. For homebuyers who are still hesitant due to fear of losing their jobs or defaulting on their loans, economists suggest that homebuyers purchase a home that is equivalent to one week’s salary. This prevents the homeowner from getting in over their head in the case of unemployment or financial crisis. Homebuyers also need to take into consideration other bills such as taxes, insurance, and monthly maintenance fees when setting their budget for their new home.

Low interest rates also allow current homeowners to take advantage of the equity they have built up in their homes. Instead of relying on credit cards or emptying out savings accounts, many existing homebuyers have found that initiating a refinance or home equity loan at a fixed rate is a much better move. New homebuyers can add this advantage to the list of reasons why homeownership is a smart investment.

What many of the skeptics don’t realize is that there are many reasons why buyers sometimes default on their loans. Having a clear understanding of how much you can afford before buying a home can determine whether or not buyers default on their home loans. Having a Realtor that is well versed in current market trends can take the fear out of buying a home, and allow you to take advantage of the low monthly payments now available.

For more information on how you can take advantage of these historically low rates contact David Lever at 252-714-8827

http://www.davidhlever.com/