Atlanta Housing Source

Why do some homes sell quickly for top dollar while others sit on the market for a long time? The answer is “curb appeal”!

Homes that invoke an emotional response in prospective buyers when they first drive up to the property have what is called curb appeal. Whether you own a town home in the city or a suburban house complete with a lawn, trees, and flowers, you can apply these tips to help you add curb appeal and create a positive emotional response to your home:

* Wash and dry windows until they sparkle.
* Clean the front porch or entryway of all debris.
* Paint your front door, railings, and other parts that need touch-up.
* Open curtains and shutters and turn on the lights.
* Revitalize flower beds with fresh, blooming flowers or plants.
* Keep the garage doors closed, storing bicycles and toys out of sight.
* Confine your pets to keep them safe and out of the way of people who may be afraid of or allergic to animals.

A potential buyer’s first impression is extremely important and can set the tone for the entire showing of your home. When a house has plenty of emotional appeal, it generally sells more quickly and for a higher price.

Please feel free to call or email me if you’d like more information about preparing your home for the market or if you have any real estate questions.

Most of us spend a great deal of time in the kitchen—and not just while cooking. The kitchen is the traditional heart of the home. And with the holidays coming up, you may be looking for fast and easy ways to make your home more welcoming to guests.

Whether yours is a huge kitchen with a family room attached or a cozy convenience kitchen, several quick and inexpensive tricks let you spruce up your kitchen without undertaking a complete overhaul:

Nothing changes a room faster than a fresh coat of paint. It immediately brightens the walls and ceilings.

If your cabinets have seen better days, consider painting them—even if they are natural wood.

Express your style and liven up your cabinets with unique knobs, handles and hinges. Kitchen cabinets are a popular do-it-yourself project and can enhance the beauty of your home.

New linoleum is fairly inexpensive and provides a clean, fresh look.

Get rid of the refrigerator magnets—unless of course, they hold your family’s art gallery.

Select a brightly colored rug and dish towels to provide accent color.

Hang a window valence to tie it all together.

Line the windowsill with pots of herbs grown from seed.

Redecorating your kitchen is an easy way to change the whole look and feel of your home. And here’s something to remember when you decide to sell: the kitchen is considered by many to be the most important room in the house.

These tips can also be used to help stage your home to sell for the best possible price. If you’d like more ideas for getting your home ready to sell, feel free to email or call any time.

At the end of the month, there were 5,529 single family residences actively for sale on the FMLS.   In the prior 30 days 391 homes had sold for an average sales price of $230,305.  The average sales price represents selling at 93.7% of the average listing price.  The average days the homes were on the market before they sold were 91 days.

Brought to you by Mark Lackey, Assoc Broker, EcoBroker with Atlanta Housing Source at Solid Source Realty – 404.886.8789 – mark@AtlantaHousingSource.com

Do you save everything? Are you sentimental about the ill-fitting sweater your aunt knitted five years ago, or your ragged alma mater sweatshirt? If so, your closets may be very full.

Fall is an ideal time to clean out your home. Cleaning out your closets regularly will save you time and energy and keep you from feeling overwhelmed by the task later on. Plus, if your closet is packed with old clothes that you don’t or can’t wear anymore, you may hesitate to update your wardrobe.

Here are some tips to help you organize and unclutter your closet:

Get rid of the clothes you haven’t worn in over a year.
Store out-of-season clothes in a different location.
Try on the clothes you can’t seem to get rid of—it will help you make a decision.
Buy good hangers: wire hangers don’t give good support and leave marks on your clothes.
Hang clothes according to style (i.e., shirts, suits, pants) or color.
If space permits, add a bar for shirts and pants.
When you clean your closets on a regular basis, you may find you don’t need some of the clothing you thought you did. And you’ll actually wear and enjoy the clothes you do have.

What’s more, cleaning out your closets is a small but important step towards clearing the way to move into your next home. If you’d like more information on getting rid of clutter in your home, please don’t hesitate to email or call.

The words and expressions used by doctors, lawyers, and other professionals may sometimes sound like a foreign language. Because real estate terms also can be confusing, here is a mini-glossary of some of the most common ones:

* Agency: The relationship that a real estate agent has with a client.
* CMA: Comparable Market Analysis, a home evaluation based on properties that have sold in the neighborhood similar to the property being priced.
* Disclosure: An oral and/or written communication about agency, property condition, or other key factors.
* Earnest Money: A good-faith deposit provided as consideration when a buyer offers to the seller of a property a contract to purchase the property.
* MLS: Multiple Listing Service, information on properties that is shared among brokers belonging to a specific multiple listing organization.
* Purchase and Sale Agreement: A contract from the buyer to the seller offering to purchase the property for a certain price.

When you’re ready to sell your home, I’ll be happy to explain all the terms and transaction details and walk you through the entire process. Please don’t hesitate to email or call me if I can help you or answer any questions.

As autumn is quickly approaching, here are some areas of your home to inspect and repair now so you can relax and enjoy a safe and cozy fall season:

Pests
Mice are excellent climbers and only need an opening the width of a pencil (¼ inch) to sneak inside your home to search for food. Protect yourself by sealing all cracks and other openings into your home and blocking off ventilation ducts with heavy-gauge wire mesh.

Fire protection
Open your fireplace damper and inspect the chimney flue for any nesting birds or animals. The National Fire Protection Association recommends that all chimneys, fireplaces and vents be inspected every year to reduce the danger of house fires caused by excessive creosote build-up.

Nooks and Crannies
Replace worn or missing caulking and weather stripping to keep energy costs down.

Windows
If you use storm windows to protect against the cold weather, make sure they are clean and free of cracks before installing.

Air Circulation
Clean and adjust ceiling fans so that air circulates more efficiently. This allows fans to gently mix warmer air (which naturally rises) back into the room.

Gutters
Whether you do it yourself or hire a handyman, have your all dead leaves and debris removed from rain gutters.

These are just the basics—but they’re important. And while you’re at it, take care of two more items on your home maintenance to-do list: Clean in and around dryer lint vents and replace all smoke alarm batteries. Enjoy the upcoming cooler weather!

Over the past month I have put up multiple videos blogs on what to do to make your home more sellable. I offered many tips fron the outside to the inside from the prospect of a buyer. The article below from RISMEDIA restates many of my tips and offers some new. Check out the article and check out my video blogs on Selling Your Home.

For Your Clients: 10 Low-Cost Tips to Improve Your Home’s Appeal
By Paige Tepping

RISMEDIA, August 10, 2010–When selling your home, the goal is to sell it quickly for the highest price while investing as little as possible in renovations. With a limited budget and a little effort, you can greatly increase your home’s appeal by focusing on what prospective buyers can see on their first visit. The experts at BuyOwner.com offer the following recommendations for preparing a house for sale and staging it for showings.

Tip #1: Refresh the exterior
First impressions count when it comes to selling a home. Most buyers won’t even leave their car if they don’t find the exterior appealing. The best ways to improve your home’s exterior include:
-Repairing and/or replacing trims, shutters, gutters, shingles, mailboxes, window screens, walkways and the driveway.
-Painting siding, trim and shutters and lamp and mailbox posts.
-Pressure washing vinyl siding, roofs, walkways and the driveway.
-Washing windows.

Tip #2: Spruce up the lawn and landscape
Home buyers associate the condition of your lawn and landscaping with the condition of your home’s interior. By improving the outside, you affect buyers’ impression of the entire property. The best ways to enhance the yard include:
-Mowing and edging the lawn.
-Seeding, fertilizing and weeding the lawn.
-Keeping up with regular lawn maintenance by frequent watering.
-Trimming and/or removing overgrown trees, shrubs and hedges.
-Weeding and mulching plant beds.
-Planting colorful seasonal flowers in existing plant beds.
-Removing trash, especially along fences and underneath hedges.
-Sweeping and weeding the street curb along your property.

Tip #3: Create an inviting entrance
The front door to your home should invite buyers to enter. The best ways to improve your entry include:
-Painting the front door in a glossy, cheerful color that complements the exterior.
-Cleaning, polishing and/or replacing the door knocker, locks and handles.
-Repairing and/or replacing the screen door, the doorbell, porch lights and house numbers.
-Placing a new welcome mat and a group of seasonal potted plants and flowers by the entry.

Tip #4: Reduce clutter and furniture
A buyer cannot envision living in your home without seeing it. A home filled with clutter or even too much furniture distracts buyers from seeing how they can utilize the space your home offers. If you have limited storage space, you may want to consider renting a temporary storage unit to place items you wish to keep. The best ways to declutter your home include:
-Holding a garage sale to prepare for your move, getting rid of unnecessary items.
-Removing clutter such as books, magazines, toys, tools, supplies and unused items from counter tops, open shelves, storage closets, the garage and basements.
-Storing out-of-season clothing and shoes out of sight to make bedroom closets seem roomier.
-Removing any visibly damaged furniture.
-Organizing bookshelves, closets, cabinets and pantries. Buyers will inspect everything.
-Putting away your personal photographs, unless they showcase the home. Let buyers see themselves in your home.
-De-personalize rooms as much as you can.

Tip #5: Clean, clean, clean
The cleanliness of your home also influences a buyer’s perception of its condition. The appearance of the kitchen and bathrooms will play a considerable role in a buyer’s decision process, so pay particular attention to these areas. The best ways to improve these areas include:
-Cleaning windows, fixtures, hardware, ceiling fans, vent covers and appliances.
-Cleaning carpets, area rugs and draperies.
-Cleaning inside the refrigerator, the stove and all cabinets.
-Removing stains from carpets, floors, counters, sinks, baths, tile, walls and grout.
-Eliminating house odors, especially if you have pets.
-Considering air fresheners or potpourri.

Tip #6: Make minor repairs
The small stuff does count, especially with first-time home buyers. Without dismissing the importance of repairing major items such as a leaky roof or plumbing, you do not need to spend money on replacing these items. Instead, focus on the minor repairs that will make your home visually appealing. The best ways to improve your home include:
-Repairing ceilings and wall cracks.
-Repairing faucets, banisters, handrails, cabinets, drawers, doors, floors and tile.
-Caulking and grouting tubs, showers, sinks and tile.
-Adding fresh paint to ceilings, walls, trim, doors and cabinets.
-Tightening door handles, drawer pulls, light switches and electrical plates.
-Lubricating door hinges and locks.

Tip #7: Showcase the kitchen
The heart of any home is the kitchen. If you are going to spend any money on renovations, this is the one area where you will see the greatest return. Even with a modest budget, focusing on a few key areas can make a great difference in getting the asking price for your property. The best ways to showcase the kitchen include:
-Replacing cabinet doors and hardware.
-Installing under-cabinet lighting.
-Replacing light fixtures.
-Replacing outdated shelving with pantry and cabinet organizers to maximize space.
-Baking cookies or cupcakes for a showing, to create a homey smell.

Tip #8: Stage furniture
Furniture placement can enhance the space of your home while giving buyers an idea of how to best utilize the space with their own belongings. Take some time to rethink how different areas in your house could be used. Some ideas to think about include:
-Moving couches and chairs away from walls in your sitting and family rooms to create cozy conversational groups.
-Creating a reading corner in the master bedroom.
-Clearing an empty room to set up a reading space.
-Turning an awkward space into a home office.
-Setting the dining room table with your best china.
-Set wine glasses in front of the fireplace or next to a Jacuzzi tub.

Tip #9: Light up the house
Create a sense of openness and cheerfulness in your home through its lighting. To improve the lighting try:
-Opening shades and drapes to let the sunshine warm and brighten rooms.
-Installing brighter light bulbs in rooms that tend to be dark.
-Adding additional lamps for ambient lighting.
-Turning on all the lights for a showing.

Tip #10: Add fresh touches
You can easily add color and style to your home by adding fresh touches throughout. Some ideas to consider include:
-Placing fresh floral arrangements in the entry and master bedroom.
-Placing bowls of bright-colored fruit in the family room and the kitchen.
-Filling an empty corner with a potted leafy plant.
-Setting new hand soap in the bathrooms.
-Displaying fresh towels near sinks.

Whether you live in a condominium or a single-family house, landscaping can certainly make your home easier to sell. But will attractive landscaping add value? It depends.

Potted plants, freshly edged green lawn, and weed-free garden areas will make your home more attractive and appealing. The more appealing the home or condo, the more marketable it is and the faster it will sell.

Well-manicured landscaping helps frame other elements of curb appeal. It is considered a value-added feature because it helps create a positive first impression. Most buyers, however, will not pay extra for trees and lawn, flowers and shrubs.

But you can almost always get a return on your investment in decks and patios. As decks have become more desirable, their resale value has continued to increase.

In the yard and garden of your single-family home or in pots on your condo deck or patio, use plants, trees, and other landscaping elements freely to make your home more appealing and help you sell it more quickly when the time is right.

If you have any real estate–related questions, please call or email me. I am always happy to help.