Category: C21 Lady of the Lakes - page 10

Get Your Home Sold With These Tips

Posted on by Creative Programs and Systems

Hire an Agent

This is the most crucial step in getting your home sold; hire an agent who is experienced in selling homes in your location.  Spend time researching agents that are licensed, experienced and motivated to sell your home.  This may take some time but it is time well spent.  Check around and talk with people who have recently sold their homes.  Check out the references of agents you are looking to work with. You will want to make sure that your initial feeling about the agent transfers to their ability to sell your home.

Research Similar Homes for Sale

Take time to look at homes that are similar to yours that have recently sold or are up for sale.  Look at the amenities that the home offers as well as the asking price.  The quickest and easiest way you can do this is by checking out homes online and in local publications.  This will help you come to an agreed upon asking price for your home.

Look at Your Home from the Buyers Perspective

Put yourself in potential buyer’s shoes.  Come up with a list of all of the positive features of your home and enhance them to their fullest.  You want the most affirming reaction possible for buyers when they enter your home.

Update Your Home’s Exterior

Curb appeal is something all agents stress to their clients.  It is a key element in getting your home sold quickly.  You want the first impression of your home to be one that evokes a feeling that puts the buyer in motion to be thinking about them living there.  Your landscape should be well manicured, maintained and thriving.  Treat the exterior of your home as an extension of the interior.

Remove Clutter

Your home may look lived in when you see it but to potential buyers it can look cluttered.  You want your home to be at its fullest potential.  Remove extra clutter and place it in storage.  Your home should be free of anything that is not needed to live comfortably.  Too much furniture makes a room look small so try to clear out larger pieces that take up an abundance of space.

Get the Little Jobs Done

Spend time taking care of the little things you have been putting off.  Cracked tiles are a simple fix and without it can deter some potential buyers.  The small things that need to be done around the house can really add up in a buyers mind.  Take those worries away, spend a day and with less than a hundred dollars get the little jobs done.

Repaint in Neutral Colors

Make your home desirable for the masses and this means painting all of the rooms the same neutral color.  Fresh, neutral colors allow buyers to visualize themselves in the space.  It also allows them to see their belongings filling the room.

Keep Your Home Clean

Your home needs to be clean thoroughly.  Never let a viewing occur without first tidying your home and taking the time to really de-clutter the space.  It is better to postpone a viewing opportunity a half hour over showing a home that is not clean.

Bake and Brew

During open houses start a pot of coffee and throw in a frozen pie.  The scents filling the home will make the home feeling cozy and warm.  Helping to increase the appeal of your home with smells of familiarity and warmth will only help to sell your home.

Lady of the Lakes Real Estate is Livingston County’s premiere realtor; out of Pinckney, Michigan helping buyers buy and sellers sell homes that provide a recreational lifestyle including golf courses, lakes and the Huron river chain of lakes, throughout Brighton, Howell, Pinckney and the surrounding area.  More information can be found at http://www.ladyofthelakes.com.

C21 Lady of the Lakes

, , , , , , , , ,

Buying Your First Home

Posted on by Creative Programs and Systems

After years and years of renting apartments the thought of buying your first home can be exciting and a bit terrifying.  Though the process itself can be a bit challenging the satisfaction at the end is a feeling that nothing in your life will ever compare to.  Buying a home, your first real estate transaction, is an exhilarating experience.  Your first home purchase will be the biggest investment you make up to this point in your life.  It is crucial to be wise and employ the best approach possible to ensure you are making an intelligent investment.

Hire an agent

The first piece of advice all first time home buyers should consider is to hire an agent that specializes in the location you are looking to move.  Having an experienced, certified realtor will help to ensure you have the widest selection of homes to view.  Knowledge and experience are two key characteristics that are must haves when selecting a buyer’s agent.   They must offer an extensive familiarity with the location you are looking to find a home.  This allows them to view listings and evaluate if they are over or under priced for the area, saving you both time.  Looking at homes that are a solid investment with room to build equity is especially important when buying a first home.

The agent you hire must also have experience and connections within the industry.  These connections are what help agent’s scope out listings before they are even advertised.  Having first dibs on a home is a terrific advantage in a competitive real estate market.  This is especially important when you have exhausted the available options within your criteria and are feeling hopeless about finding a home.  The process of buying a home can be long and tedious which is why it is crucial you hire an agent with both experience and knowledge.

Get Pre-Approved

Once you have found an agent that you are comfortable working with it is time to get a concrete idea of exactly what you can afford.  Many real estate professionals can help you find a company to work with in getting pre-approval.  Once that number is established getting a seller to accept your offer is better.  Sellers like to commit to buyers who are going to be able to get home loans.  Sellers do not want to commit to a buyer only later to learn that they do not qualify for the amount that was offered.  This is a waste of valuable time in selling their home.

With pre-approval a buyer is guaranteeing that they have met the qualifications lenders need to secure a home loan.  It means that your criterion, income verse debt, matches the needs of a mortgage lender thus you can commit to the purchase of a home.  Without pre-approval sellers are gambling on you and cannot be positive that you will be able to secure a loan for the required amount.

Starting out looking for your first home can be a bit tricky.  With a pre-approval in hand, a knowledgeable and experienced agent at your side the process is simplified significantly.

Lady of the Lakes Real Estate is Livingston County’s premiere realtor; out of Pinckney, Michigan helping buyers buy and sellers sell homes that provide a recreational lifestyle including golf courses, lakes and the Huron river chain of lakes, throughout Brighton, Howell, Pinckney and the surrounding area.  More information can be found at http://www.ladyofthelakes.com.

C21 Lady of the Lakes

, , , , , , , ,

Should You Buy A Home Or Rent One

Posted on by Creative Programs and Systems

There are many things that need to be taken into consideration when you are thinking about buying or renting a home.  Forget asking friends and family because they are biased in giving advice.  Even though renting may have been a good option for them it may not be for you.  It is crucial to consider where you are, what you want and the economy as it stands currently.  Below you will find some questions to ask yourself when coming to an end decision in the great debate between buying to renting a home.

1)      Ask yourself how long you plan on being there?

If you aren’t planning on staying in your home for more than a few years it may not be a good option to purchase a home.  Consider your job situation.  Are you planning on being promoted?  With the promotion will you be required to relocate to a new work location that will require you to move?  No one can predict a housing bubble.

There are no guarantees that the value of your home will increase significantly in just a few years of ownership.  Often times the market can see a decline.  If you plan on living in your home for more than a few years you will be able to sit these ups and downs in the market out.  However if you will faced with a move in a few years you make end up selling at a loss.  Buying a home is a gamble if you aren’t looking to stay put for more than a few years.

2)      What will be the total costs associated with owning the home?

When buying a home take into consideration all of the costs associated with the process and compare them to the costs of renting.  You will also need to consider the possibility of market increase or decline within your equation to consider if you will lose money, break even or profit on the endeavor.  Consider the taxes, insurance, utilities, maintenance, mortgage payment, interest costs and anything other amount of money that will go into the home.  Average this amount out amongst the number of months you plan on living in the home you will get the monthly amount it will cost you to live in your home.  Then consider the following question.

3)      What are the total costs associated with renting the home?

To compare you need to take into the cost of your rent payment, insurance, utilities and other expenses associated with renting a home or an apartment.  Once this is added up through the same process that you applied above you will have a comparison on which to base your monthly outlay.  This financial difference will give you an understanding on where you will be further ahead with renting or buying.

The difficult part will be knowing what the value of the home you are renting or buying will be at when you need to move.  Will it be astronomical to buy a home after renting for a few years? Will your home have doubled in price in a few years when you go to sell?  This element is based off of past averages so it is a rough estimate at best.

4)      Are you ready for the responsibility that comes with home ownership?

This is only something you can answer.  Owning a home is a big deal but then so is renting a home.  In both situations you need to upkeep the property, pay your bills and create a space that is your own.  To do this there will be some expense involved.  The main difference between owning and renting is this; when renting you are not building equity however someone else is paying for the major repairs while when buying you are more likely than not building equity and have the expense of repairs that come up.

Only you and you alone know whether buying or renting is the right decision.  Most often buying a home is advantageous over renting especially if you plan on staying in the home for more than a few years.

C21 Lady of the Lakes Real Estate is Livingston County’s premiere realtor out of Pinckney, Michigan serving homes that provide a recreational lifestyle including golf courses, lakes and the Huron river chain of lakes, throughout Brighton, Howell and Pinckney.  More information can be found at http://www.ladyofthelakes.com.

C21 Lady of the Lakes

, , , , , , , , ,

Choosing A Real Estate Agent To Sell Your Home

Posted on by Creative Programs and Systems

Have you decided you need to sell your home?  Are you relocating to a new area for a new job?  Are you downsizing now that your children are out of the house and off to college?  Are you retiring and looking to move to an ideal retirement location?  Whatever the reason you have chosen to move it is time to sell your much beloved home.  Most of us do not have experience selling our own homes this is why we look to hire a real estate agent to list our home.

The first and most important step in selling your home is to choose the right selling agent.  No matter the home you must find an agent that specializes in selling it.  If you have a luxury home it is best to work with a seller that is accustomed to selling luxury homes.  Selling a home on the water requires a selling agent familiar with selling homes in recreational settings.  Homes that are within a golf community require a selling agent familiar with golf courses and recreational areas throughout the area.  Selling a home within a community subdivision; it requires a realtor with knowledge of the areas different subdivisions.

Here are two important tips to consider when hiring an agent to list and sell your home.

Find An Agent Who Is Friendly

You make know many area realtors that know the area and you believe would be perfect to sell your home.  The problem lies within the problem that comes from mixing business with pleasure.  Be careful when considering a realtor you know on a personal basis.  Better than working with someone only because you know them find someone who is friendly and involved within the area.  Choose someone who is reputable and well respected in your community.

Prepare an interview and make sure that all of the realtors you are considering are asked the same questions in order to keep them all on an even playing field.  All of the listing agents should understand exactly what you expect as a seller as well.  Find an agent who is friendly, responds well with the community, is reputable and fully is committed to working with your expectations as a seller.

Find An Agent Who Is Knowledgeable

Depending on the type of home you are selling your agent should fully understand that sector within the real estate community.  For instance, if you are trying to sell your waterfront home it is pertinent that you choose a selling agent familiar with selling lakefront homes as well as the recreational package that comes with living on water.

Check with the realtor about data that supports the market value of your home including absorption rates and the time frame at which it could potentially take them to sell your home.  If the agent is unwilling or not able to give you an honest home appraisal considering the current market conditions they are most likely not the agent you are looking for.

Choosing the right agent to sell your home can turn a hectic, long term process into one that is simple and quick.

C21 Lady of the Lakes Real Estate is Livingston County’s premiere Realtor out of Pinckney, Michigan serving homes that provide a recreational lifestyle including golf courses, lakes and the Huron river chain of lakes, throughout Brighton, Howell and Pinckney.  More information can be found at http://www.ladyofthelakes.com.

C21 Lady of the Lakes

, , , , , , , , ,

The Final Steps To Buying Your New Home

Posted on by Creative Programs and Systems - Updated

After you have gotten your financial house in order, met with a realtor and narrowed down your objectives it is time for the fun part of buying a home.  It is time to sort through the list of inventory available that meet your criteria and actually start to scope houses out.  Your realtor will get a list of homes currently on the market for sale with your objectives in mind and the process of finding the perfect home will begin.

Your realtor will begin showing you houses that meet the criteria.  These homes will be homes that have most everything you are looking for, in your price range while staying in the area that you are hoping to purchase in.  When looking at these homes keep a detailed log of each home. Bring a camera along to document the good and bad points in all of the homes you are seeing.  It can become overwhelming to keep track of everything if you don’t document it somehow along the way.  The first day out is especially taxing; there is so much to consider.

If you have exhausted the list of homes that met your criteria but aren’t meeting your expectations it may be time to reevaluate.  This happens more often that one would think in buying a home.  At first you make think it is so important to have a lake front home however when searching lakefront homes you realize what is really important is land.  To find land and a lakefront might take time; time might not be an option for you.  Priorities change when you are actually exploring different homes.

Make sure that you keep open lines of communication with your realtor.  If the real estate that you are being shown is in the not what you had envisioned you need to tell your agent sooner rather than later.  It is a waste of your valuable time to be shown homes that you are totally not interested in.  This also may be the time when you start doing driving by the property before your realtor sets up viewings.

Before you know you have found the home of your dreams!  Now comes the part that most home buyers and sellers for that matter dread; the offer and acceptance process.  Thankfully real estate professionals are there to guide you through this process.  This process goes much smoother if both the seller’s agent and the buyer’s agent work with their clients on bring reasonable demands and expectations to the table.

After your offer has been accepted you move on to the final steps in the home buying process; inspection, title, appraisal, insurance, escrow and closing.  The final step moves fairly quick as you are preparing to move, setting up utilities and handling all the unexpected events that come with buying a home.  A lot of the final steps are behind the scene and won’t involve a lot of input from you as the buyer.  Your agent and mortgage lender will handle many little details in order to make the transition of ownership easier.  Before you know it you will have the keys to your new home in your hand and will be knee deep in excitement making your new home yours!

Lake and Land Real Estate is Livingston County’s premiere realtor out of Pinckney, Michigan serving homes that provide a recreational lifestyle including golf courses, lakes and the Huron river chain of lakes, throughout Hamburg, Pinckney and Howell. Information can be found at http://www.lakelandmi.com/buyers-resources.php

C21 Lady of the Lakes

, , , , , , , ,