Tag Archives: home improvement

Mortgage Finance

How Do I Get The Most Cash For My House?

Planning to sell your home soon? If you are, then you want to take every step to insure you get top dollar. Luckily, there are some pretty simple steps that will produce improved results. Here are the top five:

Tip #1: Improve Its Condition

First of all, make a good first impression on buyers by making it look great from the curb. Paint is cheap, compared to most home improvements. So, I always recommend exterior trim paint or even painting the whole house. Certainly get the exterior doors painted, including the garage door. Then, plant flosers and trim bushes and trees. Make the yard look clean and healthy.

Tip #2: Get Good Exposure for your Home

Let’s face it – no one is ever going to buy your property if they don’t know it is on the market. To that same end, you will not be able to enjoy top dollar for your home unless you reach the right potential buyers. The simple truth is that, the more people who see your home, the greater the chances will be of getting the price you are after. Therefore, it is important to develop a solid marketing plan that includes ample local and national advertising.

Tip #3: Pick the Right Time to Sell

Of course it’s best to wait for a seller’s market. But, that’s not likely these days. Still, you can maximize your profits by selling at the most active time of the year. That’s always in the spring and summer months as well as early in the fall. You’ll want to stay informed about mortgage interest rates and terms in order to be on the market when conditions are best for your potential buyers. Just a small drop in rates can increase the number of buyers in your price range significantly.

Tip #4: Don’t Stay on the Market Too Long

Price and market the home to sell quickly. It’s the only smart strategy in a declining market. In fact, agents and buyers view homes that linger on the market longer than average as “stale”. That is, they immediately wonder why others have not purchased the home and they often do not even tour. If you do “miss the mark” on price or advertising, and the home remains on the market longer than average, you may want to take it off the market for a time and start over with a fresh price and marketing effort.

Tip #5: Price it to Sell

Resist the temptation to overprice. It’s a winning strategy in an expanding market but it’s the kiss of death in a declining or flat one. First of all, you will not get the number of viewers online and live tours that you want. Internet auto-searches are entered by price-range and you’ll simply miss out on contacting some appropriate buyers if you price it higher than is reasonable.

Getting the top dollar on your home sale is within reach. It’s not a secret formula and it’s certainly not just luck. These Five Steps will help you succeed.

About the Author: John Allen represents buyers and sellers of fine Sarasota real estate, including condos. Also, special thanks to Yorba Linda Homes for Sale.

Buying A House

Reasons To Buy Used Moving Boxes

Anyone who has moved knows how time consuming and strenuous the moving process can be, especially moving all of the belongings from one home to a new home. As well, moving can also be expensive because of such tasks as buying packing supplies, renting a moving truck, and travel expenses. Because of the time and expense, most people will look for ways to cut costs and make their move much easier. One way of making the moving process easier is to acquire used moving boxes.

Below is a list of reasons why it makes sense to buy used moving boxes:

– Buying used boxes helps contributes to a cleaner and greener environment. It helps lessen the amount of boxes being made which reduces energy use and it reduces the amount of boxes going into landfills. This helps reduce the amount of land being cleared for landfills. The U.S. Department of Energy has reported that “each ton of recycled paper saves approximately 17 trees. As well, you can acquire eco-friendly packaging such as recycled plastic wrap and bubble wrap, newspapers, and biodegradable packing peanuts.

– Buying used boxes will save you money. When you buy used moving boxes, you can save up to 25% than if you bought a brand new box. As well, there are moving companies that have a buy-back policy where they will buy the boxes back at a reduced price.

– Used moving boxes are made of quality, strong, and durable materials so you will not have to worry about the boxes breaking apart when you move. Used boxes are equal in quality and strength to brand new boxes As well, there are a variety of different size used boxes to meet anyone’s moving needs, from small document size boxes to jumbo size boxes. You can pack just about anything in a used box, from utensils to floor lamps.

– Used boxes can be used for other things after the move. They can be used to store items in the home and garage such as tools, paints, clothing, toys, loose screws and nails, and more. Used boxes are an affordable solution to clear up the clutter in their home. As well, used boxes come in various sizes so you can store pretty much any thing. There are boxes that will even sit neatly on shelves so you can reduce clutter in a neat and organized manner.

When packing for a move or looking for a place to store unused items, used boxes are a practical and affordable solution. There are many online companies that sell quality and durable moving boxes in various sizes to match any mover’s needs. The used boxes that are sold by these companies are normally from factory surplus boxes, previously owned boxes, national moving companies, storage facilities, and boxes that contain a minor defect such as a misprint on the box. When you purchase used boxes for moving or storage, you will save money and make an eco-friendly contribution that will positively impact the environment.

If you are looking for used moving boxes San Antonio, then we provide the most convenient and affordable moving boxes in San Antonio. Visit Ecobox at 18130 US Hwy 281 North #100, San Antonio, TX 78232 (210) 267-1614.

Mortgage Finance

Open Houses: A Good Way To Sell Your Home?

Holding an open house might help you sell your home, but it is not the most important factor to consider. An open house is usually not the major marketing tool that agents rely on when they are trying to sell property. In fact, most agents no longer consider holding an open house a viable option. Many agents feel that having an open house might get a lead or two, but not potential buyers.

And yet, a number of homeowners and real estate agents continue the traditional practice of open houses, still firm in the belief that it will lure even a few prospective clients. Studies on the effectiveness of open houses have shown that it takes the agent and homeowner at least 65-75 hours of work to hold the opening, before a deal is ever closed. A lot of time, effort, and fuss goes into the preparation for an open house event, and yet some people still choose to go through the process for all sorts of reasons.

But your agent may not be as eager as you are to sell your house, so they won’t make it a priority. They may also have to deal with other listings, and they may not show your property to a prospective buyer because they don’t believe it is suitable for them. Buyers have also been know to change their minds, and most of the time they do it without telling the agent. But some buyers still believe in buying a house on their own, and when they do, it usually happens in an open house. If a buyer doesn’t think the details in the listing are what they’re looking for, they usually won’t take the time to call for an appointment to see the house. Open houses are different. Open houses give people a chance to see a house without having to make a commitment, so people are more likely to view the property.

Homeowners often question if the cost of arranging for an open house – and the time spent on the event – is worth it. And it’s typical for sellers to gripe about their real estate agents, complaining that the agents are using the open house as a vehicle for bringing in new clients, not prospective buyers for the house itself. Sellers also have the very legitimate concern for the safety of their home and possessions during an open house event. They fear that some of their belongings could be stolen during the open house, or that the house may be vandalized at a later date by someone who attended the event. For some homeowners, opening their house to strangers is just a bad idea. Some sellers are only willing to open their house to buyers who have demonstrated a genuine interest in buying, hoping to discourage nosy neighbors from dropping by, and any potential thieves from taking advantage of the situation. The choice is up to you, but remember that sometimes not having an open house is the best thing for both the real estate agent and the homeowner.

Here’s a bit of advice: when the real estate market is hot and houses are selling well, an open house simply isn’t necessary. And if you are posting photos of your house online in hopes of attracting buyers, again, why have an open house?

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