Dressing Your Home for Success
Considering Selling YOUR home?
In today’s market – making sure your home has EVERY ADVANTAGE in terms of salability is a MUST. Spending a few hours beautifying your house can go a long way 
toward a quick sale at top dollar. Taking the time now to look at several key areas will result in a dramatic increase in serious buyers. These few steps are a must for any home seller to follow:
- Take a walk through your house with a “buyer’s” perspective. Is the house warm and inviting, or does it look run-down, old, and cluttered?
- Touch-up paint in all rooms. If the existing paint is especially unsightly, paint the entire room with a neutral color.
- The most examined rooms in the house are the kitchen and the bathrooms. Make sure these rooms shine by removing all clutter, caulking around sinks and tubs, and cleaning all fixtures. Dripping faucets are easy to fix yourself.
- Prepare for a showing the same way you would prepare for friends coming over. Make the beds, pick up clothing, sweep and mop as needed. It should be easy for prospective buyers to move throughout the house.
- Buyers will be interested in storage space in your house. Make sure your closets are clean and clutter-free. If you have clothes that you’re not wearing, consider moving these to a storage facility to make your closets look more spacious.
- Too much furniture can make a room look small and cramped. Consider moving extra chairs or tables to a storage facility as well
- What is the first thing your prospective buyers will see? Your front door. Make sure your door and entry are spotless. Paint if needed, and place a few bright flowers along the sidewalk.
With a wide spectrum of experience in the real estate and mortgage industries – we’re passionate about helping consumers make the most of their investments. If you have questions or need our assistance – please don’t hesitate to call us at 727-787-2299. That’s what we’re here for!
Household Hints for April’s Rainy Days!
April showers can bring May flowers but sometimes they can make adults and children alike a little stir crazy! Here in Florida of course – we’re just on
the EDGE of what will be our rainy season. So having some family fun ideas bookmarked is a good idea all the way through the summer!
Here’s some great rainy day resources for your family!
- Check out the fun at these great kid-friendly websites: www.crayola.com, www.familyfun.com, www.parents.com. You’ll find memory making projects, learning opportunities and seasonal activities for the whole family to enjoy.
- Picture this: Sometimes when it’s too wet to go out and there are a few minutes to spare—having fun with family photos is a creative way to pass the time! Use the Instagram app on your phone or check out Picasa’s features at https://picasaweb.google.com/home
- Hit the road: Planning on hitting the road this spring or summer for a much-needed vacation or holiday trip? The folks over at AAA have been helping people plan ahead and stay safe on the road since 1902! Check out their helpful links, fun destinations, and safety tools at www.AAA.com/GoingPlaces.
- Cool article from Redbook: Loved the ideas shared in this article by Redbook magazine: http://www.redbookmag.com/kids-family/advice/best-rainy-day-activities
At Your Mortgage Source, we like to be the resource families turn to for all of their mortgage and loan needs. We care about you and your kids – this month and every month! Wishing you a wonderful (and fun) April!
How to Help Maintain The Value of Your Home
Maintenance matters aren’t normally top on everyone’s list for a good time, but in terms of retaining the value of what is most people’s biggest asset, their home; it’s a
necessary part of the equation each year. As a mortgage professional, giving homeowners the tools they need to ensure the care and safekeeping of their property is a top priority. That’s why I’ve put together a checklist to help you maintain the highest possible value for your home.
House Exterior: If your house is wood, inspect the paint each year and look to see if the primer is showing. Once that wears off you can damage the wood. A good rule of thumb is to repaint every 5-10 years. Doors, window trim and shutters may need a fresh coat more often.
Brick houses should be inspected for damaged bricks or masonry. Check stucco houses and repair any cracks large enough to slide a nickel into.
Roof: Watch for loose or missing shingles and clogged gutters. Asphalt shingled roofs can need replacing in as little as 15 years, wood shingles can last 35-50, metal 50+ and tile can sometimes last as long as the house does. A trusted roofer can inspect your home and give you an estimated lifespan for your roof.
Heating System: If yours has a filter, change it annually.
Air Conditioning System: Change all filters monthly or as recommended by the filter manufacturer.
Asphalt and Concrete Driveways: Repair any cracks or buckling.
Attic: Check for signs of water leakage from the roof. Also look for any sign of termites or rodents. Squirrels, rats, even bats that nest in your attic can chew electrical wiring, which can cause a fire or damage insulation.
Kitchen: Water damage is one of a home’s worst enemies. Check for leaks under your sink and make sure all of your plumbing is sealed and in good condition. Repair grout and caulking around fixtures and countertop tiles.
Bathrooms: Same here—watch for leaks and regularly check the grout on bathtubs, showers, and tiles. Check around the base of the toilet for leaks as well. You’ll want to replace the inner workings of your toilet every few years as well to eliminate the possibility of it “running,” costing you on your monthly water bill.
Hardwood Floors: Refinish every 5-10 years to prevent permanent damage to the wood.
Smoke Alarms: Units should be tested every few months, and batteries changed annually.
These are just some good rules of thumb for keeping your home in tip-top shape. Here’s to a great spring ahead! If you need us – we’re just a phone call away!
Spring is on the Move…
Spring is traditionally a very busy time in real estate. Corporate moves are on the rise and buyers anxious to take advantage of priced-just right properties and lower
interest rates are plenty. If you’ve ever thought of selling your home, be wary of these five top reasons homes DON’T sell.
1. Location. Over history it’s been said the three things to look for in buying a property are (1) Location, (2) Location, and (3) Location. There are positive and negative factors to almost every location. Let’s pretend your property is right next door to a fire station. You need the kind of marketing professional that can sell the benefits of not having to worry about your new home burning down, or perhaps the savings on fire insurance. Seriously, no matter where your property may be located, there is a ready, willing, and able buyer in the marketplace. You just have to be creative and sell the benefits.
2. Condition. Making a good first impression is important in getting a property sold. Painting the front door and trim, making sure the doorbell works, putting furniture and clothing in storage, and cleaning off counter tops are just a few of the little things to make properties more marketable.
3. Price. How soon you want to sell has a direct relationship to the price you receive for your property. A very important statistic to look at when pricing your property properly is the average sales price to list price percentage. This gives you a realistic guideline as to what’s really happening in the marketplace. It may not be what you want to hear; however, for an honest price analysis of your property, call a real estate professional who can share with you the price they honestly expect you to receive in today’s real estate market.
4. Terms. Are you flexible as to possession dates? Many times serious buyers that are relocating to an area only look at those properties that offer immediate possession. Are you willing to assist the buyer with financing? Sometimes a seller who is willing to assist with financing will help a property to sell. Are you buying another property? If you are willing to consider trading part or all of your equity for another property, that makes your property more attractive in the marketplace. Call your agent directly for a complete analysis of all the terms you could offer to make your property more marketable.
5. The Agent and Company You Select. It really does matter who you have on your side in today’s market. If you’re serious about selling and not just listing your property, call me today. I can refer you to an agent who will give you an honest evaluation of what it is going to take to get your property sold.
Selling your home in any market doesn’t have to be an overwhelming experience. With the right professionals by your side – it can be amazing, profitable and headache free. Call us today to learn more.
Six Ways to Save on Your Family’s Household Budget
By Marlene Crawford, Your Mortgage Source, Inc.
We’re often asked to share ideas for saving money. With so many consumers eager to take advantage of low interest rates and low home prices, many first time home
buyers in particular are looking for interesting ways to start saving for their down payments. Here are six ideas for stretching your family dollar and saving the cash you need to purchase a home.
Be a light miser: I’ll bet you didn’t know that if you spent just a few minutes to turn off all the lights in your home before taking a two hour trip, it would be equivalent to earning $50 an hour! It’s even more if you take the time to unplug unused appliances and energy sources before taking longer trips. Less energy wasted means more money in your pocket every year. So—turn it off!
Tap into your community calendar: Check online for the best source of community calendars for your area. Local news or radio stations often have these links on their websites. What you’ll find is a wide variety of upcoming and often FREE events where you and your family can pack in the fun this summer—without emptying your wallet. Check it out today and line up your own calendar for fun!
Love your local library: Public libraries are some of the most under-used resources we have—yet literally one of the most packed with value. Inside those walls you can read books on just about any topic, check out movies and music, learn a language, discover new skills, and take advantage of a wide variety of free workshops and seminars. So come on, join the ranks of “card carrying members” of your local library. (Just don’t make a lot of noise doing it!)
Tap into top coupon sites: Try these sites for money saving coupons.
- Coupons.com: Coupons are sorted by category and this site has a wide variety of resources available. Print and save!
- Savings.com: This site does some of the homework for you—it lists a wide variety of online store specials and money-saving coupons.
- CouponMom.com: Another great site that sorts by category, and has a variety of helpful hints, how-to videos and more.
- Restaurant.com: Provides deep discount coupons on national restaurant chains!
- eCoupons: Offers a wide variety of coupons for everything from technology products to travel with a rating system in place to let you know what works and what doesn’t.
Put savings on autopilot: So many of us now have our bills on automatic payment plans, why WOULDN’T you do the same for your savings? Talk to your employer or your bank about splitting out a portion of your paycheck to automatically deposit into your savings account.
Never pay full price: If you must shop, do yourself a favor and discover the online world of discount websites. There is no limit to what you can find on sites such as www.ebay.com, www.half.com, and www.craigslist.org or check out a GREAT site for families in today’s economy, www.freecycle.org. This site has grown tremendously as a grassroots and entirely nonprofit movement of people who are giving (and getting) stuff for free in their own towns. It’s all about reuse and keeping good stuff out of landfills!
We’re here if you need us! Want to learn more? Call us today at 727-787-2299!