What are Seven Personal Items You Should Never Leave Out During an Open House?

When your open house is scheduled, you already know not to leave out any money.  You also know you should not leave any piles of dirty laundry. But there are a few items you may not think to put away.

Personal documents- Papers that list your full name and numbers like your social security card, checkbook, or credit cards should be put away in a locked cabinet or taken with you.  

Mail addressed with your name- The last thing you need is a potential buyer having access to your personal life and uncovering items about you.  Keep your identity secret and put away your mail.

Space heaters, fans, and more- Items you may use every day could give the buyer the impression something is wrong.  Your space heater could indicate your heater does not work as well as it should, or a fan could indicate you’re a/c doesn’t cool your home.

Your pets- Some people aren’t pet fan so putting away your pet snake or dog kennel could help sell your home.

 Political posters- You may be proud of your political posters but others may not agree with your views.  Putting them in the of your papers on your desk or filing them away until your home sells will be for the best.

Delicious food in your fridge- Guests may be tempted to help themselves to your food or snoop in your cabinets.  Try tidying up your fridge and pantry before someone comes to view your home so they aren’t tempted to help themselves.

What Renovations are Worth It?

If you are planning to remodel your kitchen, bathroom, master, suite or more, you may want to check to see if your renovation will be worth it in the end.  Not all home renovation pay off like they did in the past so do your research to ensure you aren’t wasting your money.

Research has shown that in 2018 American should expect to make back only a little over half of the money they spend on their renovation.  That is down from previous years.

Current events such as new tax laws and property taxes might affect your home improvements and how much you can expect to make back from them.  Natural disaster can also increase the cost to do your remodel.

A new garage door might surprise you as the improvement that will pay for itself by earning 98.3% of your money back.  A new back patio will only allow you to earn back 48% of your expenses.  Minor kitchen remodel, siding replacement, window replacement, bathroom remodel and roof replacement will allow you to earn back well over half of your investment. 

Are You Afraid to Sell Your Home Too Early?

Selling your home for a profit is always ideal but what happens if you sell your home then it doubles in price a year or two later?  You may then kick yourself for not holding onto your property for a little longer. 

This feeling you may have is called seller’s remorse- a feeling most people get who have sold their home.  There’s no time limit to when seller’s remorse will hit after you sell your home. You may ask yourself, when is the right time to sell my home?

You can’t predict the housing market- Just like stocks, you never know what the housing market might do.  You can’t beat yourself up for selling your home when you did to find out it doubled in price a year or two later.  To snap out of your seller’s remorse always remember, home prices could drop in price.

Home prices could go up- You may get more money for your home; your new home could cost you more.  With the extra cash you are receiving for your home, you may have to invest more into your new home.

Sell your home when you have to- Chances are you aren’t selling your home just because, there is a reason you need to move.  Don’t hold onto a home that doesn’t fit your family or you aren’t comfortable in.  

-->

Real Estate Etiquette- How to Respect Others When Purchasing/Selling a Home?

If you are a buyer or seller there are certain “guidelines” you should follow to keep your experience positive and prevent any issues later like legal action.  Even if it is your first time buying or selling a home, you’ve had social interaction before. 

If you are looking for real estate- If you are wanting to purchase a new home but you aren’t quite sure where or what your budget may be- you should do research before contacting a realtor.  Once you’ve established the area and budget of your new home, contact your trusted realtor.  Once you’ve contacted your realtor consider asking them: their fees, if they work on a team, methods of communication, if they are familiar with the are you are looking in, what info they have to provide for the new area you are looking in like comparative market analysis, and your preference on open houses or touring houses

Honesty- Be honest, if you don’t like the home let your realtor know so he or she can find something in your style.  If you are selling a home, be open to feedback- taking personal pictures off the wall or removing personal items.

Respect Time- Time is something people don’t have enough of, try not to call at all times of the night and day with every detail you can think of. Jot your thoughts down and make one call or one email.

Making an Offer- If you fall in love with a property, make an offer right away.  Chances are someone else likes that property too but don’t except to hear back right away.  The seller may take some time to review your offer or other offers as they come.  If you are the seller, you should show the same respect.  When you are presented with an offer make sure you are aware of the amount of time you are given to respond.

Don’t forget to send your realtor a “thank you” note once you have found a house, make an offer, closed, and moved or if your agent has sold your home.

How to Declutter Your Closet

With spring comes spring cleaning and what better place to start than your closet! Decluttering your closet will not only make yourself feel good by accomplishing a task but you can also help those in need by donating your clothes.

Tackling your closet doesn’t have to be done all in one but can be spread out over a course of a few days or even weeks.  Start by focusing on one area of your closet and have a box to fill with the items you no longer need or want.  If you still can’t decide what you want to donate, establish a new rule “one in and one out.”  For every new item you purchase, you must donate one.

Establish another rule- if you haven’t worn the item in over 6 months or a year chances are you aren’t going to wear it ever again.  It’s time to get rid of that piece.  If you have holiday outfits you knew you were only going to wear once but still have them- toss those in the box as well.

The more items you can get rid of the better you will feel, and you may even reward yourself with a few new items!

What are 10 Things You Need to Know When Buying a Home?

Purchasing a home can be your biggest financial purchase in your lifetime.  In fact, recent reports have shown that Americans have about 40% of their wealth tied up into their home.  But some people may not understand everything that goes into buying a home.

Buy a home for long term- On average, you should stay in your home for at least five years to build equity.

Improve your life by buying a home, not to speculate with your money- Your home is a place where you sleep, eat, host friends, get married and ever raise your kids.  It where your life happens.  It’s not intended to be a place to live for a short amount of time and move to make some extra cash.

 Focus on what’s important to you and your family- With inventory being so low, try to focus on finding a home you can afford that meets your needs and not get distracted by things that might break the budget.

Stick to a budget- It’s very important to establish a budget and stick to it before you even start looking. 

 A 20% down payment may be ideal but it’s not required- Buyers are not required to put down 20% when purchasing a home.  Some loans may even allow you to put as little as 3% down with a premium. Putting less than 20% down may require you to pay private mortgage insurance or PMI.

Set aside money for improvements- It’s no secret, owning a home comes with more responsible and issues.  Set aside money in case some major breaks at your home.

Get pre-approved- Get pre-approved before you start looking at homes.

Shop around to get the best rate- Compare rates from different lenders to see which lender can offer you the best rate.

Spend no more than one third of your after-tax income on housing- It’s always better to spend too little than too much on your home in the long run.

Always be willing to walk away- If the deal doesn’t go the way you want or it’s too much- walk away.  There will be other homes.