Home Staging

I wanted to show an example of how staging could help your home when it is on the market. This home I listed was at a beautiful location on the water. To enhance the interior appeal, unnecessary furniture was removed and many personal items were packed away. The goal was to achieve a simple yet pulled together look without spending much money. We used existing furniture that the seller owned and bought some accent items and decor to complete the look.

 

 

 

As you can see we used a color pallett of blue, gray and yellow in order to use items the owner already had which saved money on the staging budget.

 

 

The overall effect of the staging was a spacious and pulled together living space that appealed to buyers. This home lasted less than 24 hours on the market before it went under contract. Less than $200 was spent to stage this home. For tips or advice on staging, please contact me.

Happy New Year

Had a very busy holiday season and the new year is no different. I am truly thankful for all the great people I get to work with and value the lasting relationships I make with my customers. And of course I appreciate my loving family- thank you to Jennifer Kielich Photography for the wonderful family photos. Hope you all had a great holiday and happy new year.

Clearwater Neighborhood: Feather Sound

If you are look for a great neighborhood in Clearwater, Feather Sound is one to consider.  It is a lovely, well maintained area that is very close to 275 for an easy commute to Tampa yet still less than 30 minutes from Clearwater Beach. Feather Sound offers a club house where you can hold parties or weddings, a golf course and even has a church for the residents to attend.

The neighborhood has single family homes, condos and townhouses with a wide range of values to accommodate most budgets. There are many terrific charter, fundamental and private schools for children to attend. The area is in a prime location putting you close to many great shopping and dining establishments.

Please contact me with any questions you may have about Feather Sound.

Home Inspections

I always, always, always recommend that buyers inspect the home within their allotted time frame. If you don't know of a good inspection company ask your realtor for a referral. There are many companies out there and finding a good one is important. The inspection should take several hours to complete and I strongly urge you to attend if at all possible. This will allow you to gain valuable information while the inspection is happening and also let you learn about any nuances the home has.

You will get a completed report outlining anything found during the inspection. Expect a few minor issues as there are very few homes that have nothing wrong with them. You should use this report to decide if you are comfortable in moving forward with the purchase of the home. Don't be afraid to try and negotiate the costs of these items with the seller as they may be willing to help to keep the deal alive.

If you have any questions regarding the inspection process please contact me.

Buying a home in a competitive market

Gone are the days of making low ball offers in a slow market with many homes for sale. Inventory is incredibly low and although interest rates are on the rise they are still lower than previous years. Homes that are priced correctly are going under contract in days and are receiving many offers. We had one at our office that received 26 offers!

Trying to buy in this atmosphere can be frustrating and disappointing. You may find a home you love and then lose out to another bidder. The best way to be successful buying in a sellers market is to begin working with a Realtor early on. If you don't have a lender already your Realtor can recommend someone to you. Get pre-approved before you start looking at homes online. Since homes are going so quickly the one you like may not be available in the time it takes you to complete the application and get pre-approved. Once you get the pre-approval you will have a letter to submit with offers as well as know how much you can spend on your new home.

Your Realtor can then look every morning and see listings as they hit the system. This will give you a jump on homes as quickly as possible so when you find a home you like you can go see it right away. If you want to make an offer sit down and put it together with your Realtor as early as possible. Go in with your best offer from the start. Since you will likely go up against multiple buyers you want to make sure you are competing with your best offer on the table. Even in this competitive market I never recommend waiving your right to inspect. A better way may be to go with an as-is contract and as quick of a closing date as your lender can manage. The less stipulations as possible will help your offer look more attractive to the seller. It isn't always just about the highest price.

Please leave comments or contact me if you have any questions.

Home Staging

It is very important that you stage your home before you list it for sale. Staging shouldn't be expensive but it will take some work to get your home in top shape for the market.  If you can, apply a fresh coat of paint to each room. Stick with neutral colors by using shades of beige, brown and gray. Remove excess furniture so that the rooms appear more spacious. Remove your personal items like family photos and knick knacks. Most importantly clean everything well especially the kitchen and bathrooms.

The purpose of staging your home is so that is comes across as clean and well taken care of.  But most of all it is so a buyer can envision living there. If a buyer walks into your home and is focusing on your belongings they will not remember the house or may not feel like they belong there. This will mostly likely not cause them to put an offer to buy your home.

A good realtor should give you honest feedback on how to stage your home before it goes on the market. Even in this market you should listen to their professional advice since it makes a difference in how quickly your home will sell.

Contact me if you have any questions on staging and prepping your home for sale.

Selling your home in today's market

The housing market in the Tampa Bay Area has become quite competitive. Inventory is extremely low and homes that are priced correctly are going under contract quickly. Does this mean you don't have to take the time to get your home ready to go on the market? Definitely not! 

Buyers want to walk into a home and feel like it is move in ready. Buying a home for most happens when there is an emotional connection and they can envision living there. To help your home look its best you should consider removing personal items and any collections you have. Decor should be kept simple and welcoming as to appeal to as many people as possible. A fresh coat of paint can go a long way in making the home appear attractive and well taken care of. Also think about removing any excess furniture to make rooms looks spacious. Staging can reduce the amount of time a home is on the market and increase the offer prices.

If you are thinking about selling, start working with an agent early on and they will give you tips to make you home look its best for showings. I like to get professional photos taken so the home is well represented online. The majority of buyers are looking online and a good home can be over-looked due to bad photos.  

Feel free to ask me any questions you have.