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It’s Always Good to Ask: Questions for Your Listing Agent

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It’s Always Good to Ask:

Questions for Your Listing Agent

Selling your home? Need a listing agent but not sure what questions to ask? It’s not simple, and you probably already have enough on your plate getting your house ready to sell. So, where to begin? You don’t know what you don’t know. That’s why we’re here today to offer some tips on asking questions once you sit down with your potential real estate agent.

 

Numbers do matter

Don’t be shy. Ask your real estate agent how many sales they closed last year. Don’t judge them solely on this information but at least find out if they have a moderate rate of sales. Additionally, ask about the price of the homes they sold to see if they are similar in range to what you want to sell. It’s better for everyone if you and your agent are on the same page. A better match for you means a better match for them, so it’s a win-win situation.

 

Marketing

Like selling anything today, a good sales plan depends heavily on good marketing. Inquire about your potential listing agent’s sales plan. Do they plan to create a video of your house and surrounding area? Professional photography is a must. While you don’t need to be involved in every detail of this plan, it is smart to be in the loop. Stay informed with these questions:

  • What will I need to do?
  • What marketing materials will you create (i.e. mailers, video, etc.)?
  • Can you give me an estimated time frame for the listing to sell?

 

Credentials

You might wonder why this item wasn’t the first in the list? Well, it’s simple. If you sat down with a real estate agent long enough to discuss the first two points of this post, you’ve likely already identified this agent’s credentials. More importantly, you’ve determined their knowledge far beyond just their credentials. Of course, it is recommended to ask about an agent’s qualifications just to be sure they have the minimum requirements. However, a cursory discussion of your first few questions should say almost everything about a listing agent. Trust your gut. If you don’t feel comfortable with a particular agent after talking about your concerns, move on.

 

How much will this cost?

With all the expenses of fixing up those pesky little issues with a house and moving, it’s a good idea to know how much your listing agent is going to cost you. In some cases, you’ll only pay your agent a percentage when the house sells, but it is smart to clarify that before getting involved with a marketing and sales plan. You don’t need any surprise fees added to your plate. Keep everything out in the open about your budget and avoid unnecessary expenses.

MUST-DO MAINTENANCE:

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The quickest fix is to not have the problem in the first place. Here’s a checklist of items every homeowner should get to regularly.

1. Test your garage door opener monthly to ensure that it reverses when it hits an obstruction or when its sensor beam is interrupted.

2. Vacuum the clothes dryer’s exhaust duct at least once a year. If the duct is plastic, replace it (it’s a fire hazard). Rigid sheet-metal ducting is best.

3. Replace furnace filters quarterly, or as recommended by the furnace manufacturer.

4. Test all GFCI (ground fault circuit interrupter) outlets monthly. Press the test button and use a voltage tester to make sure the power goes off.

5. Clean leaves and debris from the condenser of a central air conditioner seasonally.

6. Once a year, vacuum the refrigerator coils underneath the appliance.

7. Have the fireplace chimney inspected and cleaned annually.

8. Inspect window and door caulking and weather stripping yearly.

9. Replace the batteries in smoke detectors yearly. And remember, even recent hard-wired smoke detectors have backup batteries that must be replaced. If you have never checked yours, do so.

Finding a Listing Agent

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Finding a Listing Agent

With just a cursory glance, you probably find a dozen different local real estate agents in your area. You want to sell your house, but how do you know which agent is right for you? Like choosing anything, a little research goes a long way in getting better results.

Credibility

The first step in choosing a listing agent begins with credibility. Let’s start with a little information on the types of representatives that are out there. There are real estate agents, brokers, and Realtors, but what is the difference between all of these? And why do Realtors get capitalized?

To put it simply, a real estate broker has completed a broker’s exam and therefore has the right to work independently or with others whereas a real estate agent must work for a broker or Realtor.

Back to the question of why a Realtor gets their title capitalized— well, it’s simple. “Realtor” is a trademark and indicates an individual who is a member of the National Association of Realtors. This distinction does assure that he or she has the extra training and knowledge on realty-related issues beyond a state’s particular laws, but it is not necessarily the criteria by which to choose a reliable agent.

 

Ask Others

When it comes to finding a listing agent, it’s hard to beat good ol’ word-of-mouth. There’s no credibility like first-hand positive experience. Ask your friends or co-workers who sold their houses. This will at least give you a starting point and even if you don’t like the agent your friend used, you’ve got a foot in the door of a real estate office where you can get a feel for the other agents working there.

While not as trustworthy as a friend’s word, testimonials on a website are a great source for determining a listing agent’s reliability. As long as there are more than just a couple testimonials available, it won’t be too difficult to get a cursory idea about someone.

 

Experience

Perhaps more important than anything else, experience says the most about a listing agent. Whether a real estate agent, broker, or Realtor, an individual’s track record conveys the most about them. Find out how long an agent has been licensed and what their typical time-frame is for sales.

Take a look at your house inside and out and consider what kind of potential buyers you might have. Does your property have enough space for an RV lover? Maybe your home is ideally suited for a large family. In whatever way your house can be highlighted, find out what kinds of listings your prospective listing agent has successfully sold. Someone who has proven themselves selling similar listings is likely a good match for you.

 

Make Your Move: 4 Tips for Moving Out & Moving In

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Make Your Move: 4 Tips for Moving Out & Moving In

 

One of the biggest undertakings when buying a new home is moving. From packing to getting your previous home cleaned up, the list just goes on and on. So today we’re here to give you some moving tips to make the haul into your new home a little easier.

1) Strategic packing materials

Many soft items can be used to protect your dishes and fragile items. Tee-shirts work well for individual breakables like plates. Towels are great for larger delicate items and can be shaped any way you need. A large beach or bath towel can line a box of glasses or other fragile items. If you just look for soft objects in your house, you can find a variety of things to insulate your moving boxes, save on space and packing material costs.

2) Getting rid of stuff

Moving is a great opportunity to flush out the things you no longer use or wear. The less stuff you have to pack and haul around, the easier your move will be. So, it’s time to go through the closet and the garage to dig out those things that have been lying around unused for years.

Have more winter coats than you ever use? How about the shoes that have only been worn once? Get a box of donations together from your closet and take it down to your local thrift store. There are probably some tools in the garage that don’t get used and there are probably a neighbor or two that would take these off your hands. Whatever way you pare down, when it comes to moving, less is definitely more.

3) Timing

Moving is a big job. Even if, after you’ve packed everything up, you get moved into your new home in one day, it’s likely going to take a few days just to create a scintilla of order. Also, you probably aren’t going to feel up to going to work the following day so planning a three day weekend could alleviate some of the stress of your move.

4) Have what you need

Because it’s unlikely to unpack everything in your new home right away, it’s a good idea to have a bag or even a single box of essential items you will need for your first few days after the move. Toiletries, a few dishes, and any other essentials will make your post-move days smoother. If you plan on going to work within a day or two of your move, it’s convenient to have a couple work outfits nicely packed in a separate case, ready and waiting.

Moving is exciting. It means you’re starting a new chapter! Make turning this new page of your life a fun experience by eliminating extra stress with a little planning ahead.

Fix it Up: Tips for Selling Your Home

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Fix it Up: Tips for Selling Your Home

Where to begin? This is always the challenge when thinking about fix-up jobs to improve the look of your home listing and, ultimately, to increase its chances of selling. Here are three tips to make this process a little easier.

1) Plan it Out

The first step to a successful remodeling project is a list of objectives. It’s far more efficient to lay out specific things you want to improve in your home to increase its value than to randomly spend time on impulsive repair jobs.

2) Light it Up

A great way to boost any room in a house is through good lightning. This is not just about the quality of the light but also the fixtures themselves. Attractive fixtures that match the overall interior color of the house naturally boost the appeal of the interior. For ceiling sockets where there is not much you can add to the aesthetics, you can use some Eco-friendly bulbs to boast a green aspect to the home.

Non-electric lighting improvements that you can do to brighten a room could include lighter-colored accents or a fresh coat of white paint for the walls. A simple mirror can open a room up so that it feels more spacious.

3) Build it Up

Most of the unattractive bits of a house are often not too difficult to fix up, it’s just that they add up and can be overwhelming when you take note of them all. Start with a list of the run-down things that are most obvious to you as you walk through the home you want to sell because these things will most likely be the details that will stand out to potential buyers.

Simple things that can give your house a facelift are improved walkways and steps in or around the home. If you have a series of stone steps leading to the front door that are getting old, replace those cracked stones with some new ones to give it a fresh appearance.

Porches get worn and those splintered boards with holes make a house look neglected, even if the interior of the home is in good shape. A moderate investment will breathe new life into a porch but you can also get the job done with a basic level of carpentry or help from a friend.

4) Start it up

Even if you’re on a budget, there are a lot of little things you can do to touch up your house listing. Whichever way you choose to tackle your fix-up projects, begin with a clear list of jobs you can do. Completing just a small repair job will feel great and inspire you to cross-off more items on your fix-up list.

If you need any local professionals to help you with your home fix-up projects, just check ouy the helpful numbers page on my website.

Presentation Matters

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Presentation is Key!

Much like choosing the right words for describing your house listing, putting some effort into the details of your home presentation can also be very persuasive. The arrangement of furniture is like a well-composed sentence in a listing that entices potential home buyers to look at your property.

We’ve all heard the old saying, “A picture is worth a thousand words.” This holds true for just about anything but it is especially important advice to follow for selling a house. The pictures that you display online need to be worthy of a home and garden magazine. Thanks to the advancement of high resolution cameras being commonplace in cell phones today, with just a little skill in framing it is easy to take quality images. If you have or know someone willing to lend you a DSLR camera, that’s great! Use it and put your pictures over the top.

As great as a DSLR can be, the key to great pictures is not in the camera equipment but in the presentation of the home itself. It takes a special eye to bring each room together in the most attractive way possible. Most of the trick in creating knockout photos is in two things:

1) Your target home buyer

2) Presentation of the home

Once you identify the first item, you will have a clear goal with arranging your house. If you’re setting your listing up for a “normal” suburban neighborhood, you’ll probably be best off decorating with a typical modern style in mind. You want the house to look inviting. Give the potential buyers an idea of what the home looks like furnished while giving them the “space” to add their own personal aesthetic appeal. Essentially, you’re displaying the house much like a furniture store arranges dozens of mini “bedrooms” in their store.

Alternatively, niche homes are great to present in their intended look. For example, homes in the mountains are generally for more specific buyers, often times as a summer retreat home. These houses usually fall into one of two categories: rustic cabins or luxury mountain homes. The traditional log cabin is simple to deck out in good old fashioned frontier decor. When it comes to the high end mountain homes, a more contemporary spin on a combination of country charm and upscale elegance goes a long way in enticing buyers.

Whatever kind of home and in whatever neighborhood or location you are trying to sell, always think about presentation. Websites like Pinterest are a great way to get inspiration on decorating and presentation styles for house listings. Just think about the types of potential buyers that will likely be interested in your house and consider what they would like to see when they walk through their front door.

Watching the Details – A Couple Home Buying Tips

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There are as many things to consider when buying a house as there are tips offered on the subject. For first-time home buyers, this topic seems to multiply with each new issue that arises. Like learning anything, the more information you can find the better prepared you will be for your house hunting experience. Here are a couple of useful pointers that can make a big difference in your ultimate home purchase.

 

 

Know the kind of home you want

This might seem ridiculous because we all know what we want in a house, right? Well, we probably do on the surface. The most essential elements of a house are probably in the forefront of our minds already, but the annoyances that can cause regret are usually discovered too late. Hindsight isn’t useful when we’ve already made that down payment. Knowing your house needs in more depth can avoid this pitfall.

Take a moment to visualize what a great day in your future house looks like. What things do you do at home on a daily basis? How much room do you need in a home office? Do you need space in your yard for outdoor projects? Another consideration are stores or services that you like. How important is the proximity of these businesses?

A good house should match your lifestyle. Identify your core needs and wants in a home and start looking for places that align with those elements.

 

Watch your purchases prior to buying a house

If you feel like you are honing in on the house of your dreams, pay attention to your spending. Not only is it a good idea to save up some money for those unforeseen expenses that creep up after moving in to a new home, but there is also the down payment and your credit to consider.

Making a large purchase such as a new car can affect your credit score in ways that aren’t favorable to your future mortgage payments. Hold off on starting an auto loan until you’ve completed your house purchase. The other advantage to giving your credit score breathing space prior to home buying is flexibility with your down payment. You may have a number of options for this expense and having a little more cash on hand will alleviate the pressure of what could be limited choices. There are a variety of down payment calculators available online and using them can help you have a clearer idea where you stand when buying a home.

 

Real Estate Market Payson AZ – Inside & Out: Checking Out a House

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Real Estate Market Payson AZ Inside OutReal Estate Market Payson AZ – Inside & Out: Checking Out a House

You can’t judge a book by its cover and you shouldn’t judge a house by its exterior either. Whether the prospective house looks great or run-down from the outside, there are a lot more things to consider before making a decision. Just like a book, we need to “read” further on a potential home to get the whole story.

While the exterior of a house is of course important to any home buyer, it’s probably the area that a seller spends the most time making pretty. After all, they want to sell so they are going to present the most obvious part of the house in its best light. If not, that doesn’t bode well for how much effort the seller has put into the unseen portions of the house.

Besides the obvious exterior of the house, a good thing to examine about a prospective house is the roof. Does it look nice and well-maintained or ratty and unkempt? A roof might have a lot of repairs layered onto it, which is okay, but a healthier roof is one in which the owner has replaced it entirely at one time or another.

Plumbing is another chapter of a house that requires careful reading. The best things to take note of in this department are any unusual smells, particularly of mold. Testing each faucet, shower head, etc. is a great way to see if those plumbing areas are in good shape, but listen to your nose when searching for hidden plumbing perils.

The interior walls of a house say a lot about the care that has been given to a home in general. Fresh paint is always a good thing, but it may also be hiding damaged walls. Give close attention to areas of a house that have recently been painted over. Check for signs of damage or neglect. A thick layer of paint may temporarily glaze over holes in the wall, but a more careful examination might reveal a need for more than cosmetic care.

Each room of a house is like a page of a book. Together they can give you a bigger picture of the prospective home you are looking at. The more you are prepared the better-informed you can be about your purchase.

Homes for Sale Payson AZ – Your House is Not Your Home: Emotionally Detaching from the House You Want to Sell

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Payson Homes for Sale DetachmentHomes for Sale Payson AZ – Your House is Not Your Home: Emotionally Detaching from the House You Want to Sell

When it comes to selling a house, the first thing any potential seller needs to come to terms with is separating their emotional attachment from the house they are trying to sell. Once you can detach from the “home” you have put on the market, the selling process can truly begin. It can be difficult to disentangle from all those memories made in a home, but those thoughts subconsciously discourage a seller’s ultimate goal: to sell their house.

Detachment is definitely number one when it comes to selling a home. A reliable Realtor is essential, but it will be difficult to get the ball rolling until the emotional chords have been cut. Think of this detachment like clearing out a messy garage. As soon as you make room, you can work on that project you’ve been putting off for weeks or now you can finally park your car out of the sun. Our emotions can be like rooms in a house, places that suddenly have all kinds of possibilities when we “clear” them out.

Of course, thinking about your home this way can be challenging. After all, there had to be good reasons for purchasing the house that you are currently trying to sell. Now, the focus just needs to be shifted so you can proactively put energy into a successful sale.

A good way to do this is to look at your house not as your home but as something else you might sell like your old car. After all, selling a car probably means a new car is on the horizon, so it’s actually something to be excited about, just like looking forward to moving on and into a new home soon.

Another way to sever the emotional connection with the house you’re trying to sell is to list all the great memories you’re thankful for and have experienced in that place. It might feel silly at first, but acknowledging all the good times you’ve had and that you’re moving on to bigger and better things can make an invisible shift in your mind that transforms the whole selling process. Besides, nothing puts our minds in a more positive, can-do state than gratitude.

Payson Realtor – 3 Out-of-the-Box Things to Consider When Looking for a Home

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payson realtor looking for home

Payson Realtor – 3 Out-of-the-Box Things to Consider When Looking for a Home

With all of the details to pay attention to when buying a house, it can be difficult to think of everything. There are plenty of “top 10” lists that cover critical issues for house hunters to remember, but here are a few extra thoughts on not-so-obvious house concerns that could end up being just as essential.

1) Imagine a potential house with your furniture in it

Assuming the home you are looking at is not displayed with a full range of chairs, tables, and the like, visualize the furniture that you either have or want to put in the various rooms and spaces. A charming home can quickly transform into a cramped cage once you insert your favorite sofa, coffee table, and a recliner into it. What about that gorgeous armoire which stands taller than you do? Don’t forget the dog’s chew-proof bed. Making a list of key furniture items and their dimensions and bringing a tape measure with you can make a big difference in planning ahead for your potential purchase.

2) Neighbor noise

When you moved into your first home, you probably thought you had left the noisy dorm days of college behind. In some cases, people never grow up and it would be very unfortunate for those people to turn out to be your new neighbors. This can be a difficult irritation to weed out, since the neighborhood in which you are visiting a house for sale could seem all nice and serene when the Realtor is showing it off. But, with a little research online or some friendly inquiries to someone you may know in the general vicinity, a situation with unruly neighbors might be prevented.

3) Open land next to your dream home could be a shopping mall next year

There have been many stories of new home owners who buy a house next to a lovely open field without knowing there are plans to put a road through it and a convenience store on the corner. Of course, there is not always a way to know who will purchase open land and develop it, but just being aware of potential construction in vacant lots or land can help avoid an unpleasant surprise down the road. Once again, a little extra research can go a long way.