Uniting Your Online and Offline Real Estate Efforts

In a recent analytic study, Denver, Colorado came in second place for the fastest selling real estate market, meaning that most homes being sold in Denver are taken under contract within a very small time frame.  The average is about 1 month.

This is both good and bad news for sellers looking to put their homes up for sale in the Denver area.  Though it’s nice to see that it has the potential to sell quickly, other real estate agents have seen the same market trend, which means there’s a lot more competition.  If you want to really bring in a sale for your recently listed home, you’ll need to follow some guidelines.

Right now, the average selling price for a home in Denver is around $235,000, a figure that has risen by several percent in the last few months.  People seem to be more lenient on paying the price of a new home, but don’t think just because the prices are going up that you can inflate the value of your real estate.  It’s important to keep the price somewhere around this figure because if not, another real estate agent will and then a potential sale is lost.

Try to offer things that other real estate agents aren’t, especially if the selling price is a little higher than the others.  Offering local storage in Denver isn’t something real estate agents typically do, so giving the buyers the opportunity to have somewhere to place their valuables as they move will greatly increase interest.  A package that includes a moving truck for the new homeowners’ belongings could go a long way in generating a quick sale. Never underestimate the power of stress levels.

Putting a “for sale” sign on the house isn’t enough these days.  List the property everywhere imaginable to get as many people as possible to see it.  There are a lot of websites dedicated to selling homes in the Denver area that are really popular with prospective buyers.  You also have the option of listing the property in the local newspapers and on Craigslist.

Think about people who aren’t local in the area.  Every year, thousands of people move to Denver for various reasons and they’re all in need of homes as well.  After your ad is placed all over the town locally, branch out.  Put your listing in newspapers from outside the area, list it in some other websites that aren’t specifically for Denver, and spread the news about it via social media.  People moving into an area like this are more likely to buy quickly since they don’t want the hassle of constantly traveling back and forth, so getting the information out to them will drastically quicken the selling time.

Before putting any kind of house on the market, take a look at the trends, do some research, and see what other real estate agents are doing.  If you plan for the sale, you’ll stand a greater chance of succeeding.

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HOW TO MAKE A BETTER FIRST IMPRESSION

Want to know how to make your home more inviting with memorable curb appeal? Of course you do. It’s called creating a better first impression. So not sure where to start?

Begin with the lawn. Remove any clutter such as kid’s toys and bikes, excessive lawn sculptures and flower pots, as well as garden tools and put them in an orderly fashion inside the garage or shed. Additionally, park the car in the garage as well as the lawn mower. Now look for ways to spruce up the landscaping such as repairing any bare patches on the lawn itself with plugs or patches of sod, make sure the lawn is well manicured and that all shrubbery and trees are trimmed; add color and texture to flower beds choosing plants or flowers that are not only low maintenance but give dimension and add interest to the home. Add additional interest and timeless appeal by installing attractive edging along gardens, or by installing pavers or stones for walkways. Be sure to weed in flower beds and breaks in walkways as well.

Now it’s time to enhance the entry of your home. The front entry is the main focal point of a home’s exterior. The way it is designed and enhanced must exude ‘welcome’ and that it is an inviting home to come into. Place topiaries on either side of the door, or proportionate pots planted with small palms or tropical foliage, or put an arbor in front of the entry with lovely passion vines meanderingly winding throughout. Look at the condition of the front door. Does it need a slight makeover? Just applying a new coat of paint, stain, or sealant can really give a homes’ entry a boost. In addition, look at the hardware making sure that it sparkles and is free of tarnish. Observe the entry’s exterior light fixtures and replace with more modern ones the compliment the entryway.

One element that is often overlooked in the home is the driveway. Often there are grease stains, cracks or pits that need to be repaired. By simply pressure washing a driveway, and filling in these cracks and holes, can make quite a difference in the outward appearance of the home. For a wow factor, consider replacing the entire driveway with pavers, which are available in a variety of colors and materials such as brick, stone, slate and marble. Another item of concern related to the driveway is the garage door. Just like the front door of the home, a splash of color can make a big difference as well as framing the garage door with trellis and planting attractive vines such as mandavilla’s or alamanda’s that are perfect for the Florida tropical climate.

Is the paint on the exterior of the home chipping, peeling or cracked? Is the roof showing a bit of wear and tear or damaged from fallen tree limbs or is it missing shingles? These items must be taken care of with importance being put of course on the roof, then the painting of the home to be addressed afterwards.

Think lighting next. Enhance your home’s appeal in the dark hours by installing solar lights or lights that align a driveway, showcase a particular tree or trees, which will create such luminosity giving your home a more inviting feel.

Have unsightly or bulky items that cannot be moved anywhere out of sight such as an air conditioner or trash receptacles? You can keep these from view by installing lattice fencing around them or by planting shrubs.

Create an outdoor sanctuary. Place a cozy sitting area out in the garden under the shade of an oak tree with colorful weatherproof pillows and perhaps a water feature and tasteful yard art that not only are welcoming, but show your sense of design and flair.

Simple ideas such as these not only help to boost a home’s first impression but create a most memorable and unforgettable one helping you get the best possible price for your home.

Tim Ryan specializes in helping buyers find Naples real estate.  Tim particularly focuses on the Vanderbilt Beach area.

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Having Trouble Closing? Ask Yourself, ‘How Would Buyers Rate my Home Staging?’ (Part Two)

Welcome back!  In my second part of my four part home staging post I want to talk about the exterior of the home.

Sit down with your client or agent and go through this list of home staging tips:
Tips on staging the exterior of your house/listing:

1. First you need to step outside with a pen and paper and jot down anything that jumps out at you – then have a friend do the same
2. Give your home a new paint job is the existing color is chipping or faded
3. Are your shutters and door the same color? Think about a more neutral color to appeal to the majority of home buyers
4. Always keep a neatly mowed lawn to enhance curb appeal, granted the season permits!
5. You can never go wrong with laying mulch. Creating new flower/plant beds can make a huge difference in the appearance of your home.
6. Again, weather permitting, plant some flowers – particularly outside the front door.
7. Make sure all the windows are spotless, inside and out!
8. If possible power wash walk ways and drive ways of debris and weeds.
9. If you have railings leading to the front door make sure they are rust free or have a fresh coat of paint.
10. Lastly, if you have a nice front porch to make it welcoming! Position a nice bench or a pair of chairs in a way that in inviting.

Tips on staging the entryway of your house/listing:

1. The entryway of any home will always be one of the most critical areas to stage, because it represents the home buys first impression of that home.
2. Always keep the entryway open and free of clutter, this is a trick in making the home seems larger right from the get go.
3. Make sure the entryway has plenty of light; this creates a warm and inviting feeling.
4. Purchase a new welcome mat. Your $20 investment will be well worth it – trust me!

In a buyer’s market, you will need every advantage you can get in order to sell your home for a decent sale price, so it is very important to stage your home effectively. But even in a seller’s market home staging can help you achieve a quick sale for the maximum sale price.
Next I will be writing about staging the family or living room and kitchen. Please follow our blog for more Real Estate tips and tricks from RE/Advantage.

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RE/Advantage specializes in Real Estate Website Design, IDX Solutions, and Internet Technology. We have been working with the Real Estate Industry for over 10 years so we understand what makes a site work for you and your buyers and sellers. After all we have been developing real estate web sites, Internet tools and marketing strategies since 1997. No one provides a more comprehensive, well-thought-out site and tool set for your Internet presence. We provide you with not only the tools to manage and customize your site, but the peace of mind that comes from knowing we are here to help if you need us.

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Having Trouble Closing? Ask Yourself, ‘How Would Buyers Rate my Home Staging?’ (Part 1)

Home Staging

Home staging is the act of preparing a home, and the contents of the home, for sale with a special emphasis on presentation and appearance. It’s important to realize that preparing a home for sale and staging a home is not always the same thing. For example making small repairs and touch-ups is part of the preparation process in selling a home; staging a home typically involves changes to that home of an aesthetic nature, such as design, organization and overall appearance. Small touches like new bathroom towels, a well-placed bouquet of flowers or an accent color can liven up your listings!

First ask yourself how will staging my home benefit me?

1. Home staging forces you to think like a buyer
2. Home staging forces you to organize and de-clutter
3. Home staging increases the likelihood of a sale, and therefore reduces the home’s time on the market
4. Home staging helps justify the asking price
5. Don’t forget home staging can be fun!

One tip I keep hearing everywhere is “lucky number 3” – meaning grouping the right accessories in odd numbers, especially in a group of three, is preferable and pleasing to most home buyers. Remember to vary the height and width of each object and group by color, texture or shape!

In a buyer’s market, you will need every advantage you can get in order to sell your home for a decent sale price, so it is very important to stage your home effectively. But even in a seller’s market home staging can help you achieve a quick sale for the maximum sale price. As an agent the way you market your property is key in getting a significant return – thus leading to a sale. By investing in home staging with your seller you will then have an easier time marketing such a beautiful listing.

RE/Advantage’s IDX solution coupled with their product leading website solutions will help you launch your marketing efforts to the 87% percent of home buyers that start their search on the internet. For more information please contact us at 877.791.4825.

Next I will be writing about staging the exterior and entryway of you listing. Please follow our blog for more Real Estate tips and tricks from RE/Advantage.

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

RE/Advantage specializes in Real Estate Website Design, IDX Solutions, and Internet Technology. We have been working with the Real Estate Industry for over 10 years so we understand what makes a site work for you and your buyers and sellers. After all we have been developing real estate web sites, Internet tools and marketing strategies since 1997. No one provides a more comprehensive, well-thought-out site and tool set for your Internet presence. We provide you with not only the tools to manage and customize your site, but the peace of mind that comes from knowing we are here to help if you need us.

Read Full Post »