While Google is researching more effective ways for people to find local real estate information, they offer other options to home-seekers: you can still access other information in Maps such as local businesses, directions, and transit times, as well as aerial and Street View imagery to explore where you might want to move. One might use Google search results to find helpful real estate information and websites.

When you go to Google Maps, type in the city and state in which you are looking for property in and a list will come up on your left. A map of your area will come up to start your search. You can click on the balloon in the area you want to search, and a window will come up. This will give you the option to get directions, search nearby, save to map, and much more. Bing search is another option with a nice neighborhood view option.

When you search specifically for Real Estate Companies in an area, agency reviews can help in your decision of selecting the right agent to work with. You will also be able to tell what type of properties they list and be given contact information to connect with them.

Once you select the company you want to start your search with, select the website link. This will take you to the home page of the agent. One option is to look through the featured listings of the agent. This will give you ideas of properties and price ranges offered.

Another option is to search listings. This will give you the ability to refine your search according to the property type, city, county, price, bedrooms, etc. that you are looking for. You will also be able to sign up for Instant Listing Alerts. This is a service many agents use to keep you updated of any new listings that match your criteria.

Another useful section that many agents offer is Real Estate Stats. This section will give you valuable information comparing cost of living in the area of your search compared to other areas in the United States. In fact, you can find a number of real estate stats on the D.C. metro area, Prince William County, Fairfax County, and Prince Georges County on this blog.

The average sales price of a home sold in November was $279,824, a 2% decrease from a year earlier.  374 homes were sold in Prince William County in November, that’s 22% less than last November. Those homes took on average 62 days to sell. While it’s a 26% increase from a year earlier –it’s still a relatively short sales time. Based on 394 homes being sold in October there is a 3-month supply of homes in Prince William County. This means that if buyers continued to buy at the same pace as they did in October each month going forward and there were no new homes placed on the market for sale, the supply of houses for sale would run out in 3 months. Any monthly supply number under 5 usually indicates a Sellers Market. Additionally, sellers are getting on average almost 96% of what they list their home for. So if the seller listed their home for $100,000 they would, on average, end up selling it for $96,000. The number of homes for sale decreased 15% from a year ago to 1,285 while the number of homes that came on the market decreased 16% to 501 homes.  The number of new contracts that buyers placed on homes for sale decreased about 2% from a year ago. Most of the above factors indicate a very healthy real estate market in Prince William County. If you have any questions about this information or selling your Prince William County house fast, please call us at the number above.

The average sales price of a home sold in November was $465,527, an increase of almost 2% from a year earlier. 841 homes were sold in Fairfax County in November, that’s 13% less than last November. Those homes took on average 61 days to sell. This is the same number of days from a year ago and 61 days is still fairly healthy. Based on 815 homes being sold in October there is roughly a 3 month supply of homes in Fairfax County. This means that if buyers continued to buy at the same pace as they did in October each month going forward and there were no new homes placed on the market for sale the supply of houses for sale would run out in 3 months.  Any monthly supply number under 5 usually indicates a Sellers Market. Additionally, sellers are getting over 95% of what they list their home for. So if the seller listed their home for $100,000 they would, on average, end up selling it for $95,000. The number of homes for sale decreased 11% to 2,747. The number of homes that came on the market 1,017 is down over 3.5% from a year ago.  The number of new contracts that buyers placed on homes for sale decreased for the second straight month -this month by nearly 5% from a year ago. This is concerning and puzzling. As interest rates remain near an all time low, one would think there would be more buyer activity to take advantage of these low rates. While buyer activity has slowed, overall most of the above factors indicate a very healthy real estate market in Fairfax County. If you have any questions about this information or selling your Fairfax County house fast please call us at the number above.

The average sales price of a home sold in November was $514,274, a decrease of 7% from a year earlier. 447 homes were sold in the District in November, a 9.5% decrease from last November. Those homes took on average 73 days to sell – this is an increase of nearly 16%. Based on 421 homes being sold in October there is a 5 month supply of homes. This means that if buyers continued to buy at the same pace as they did in October each month going forward and there were no new homes placed on the market for sale, the supply of houses for sale would run out in 5 months.  A 5-6 month supply is considered healthy for supply. Because supply isn’t as low as it once was, sellers are getting on average 94% of what they list their home for. So if the seller listed their home for $100,000 they would, on average, end up selling it for $94,000. The District currently has 2,007 homes for sale. This number has decreased almost 24% from a year ago, while the number of homes that came on the market in November – 587 – decreased by over 14%. The number of new contracts that buyers placed on homes for sale increased from 497 to 565 – that’s up over 13% from a year ago. This is an indication that buyer activity has increased significantly from a year ago. This could be a combination of extremely low interest rates coupled with average sales prices declining and buyer’s perception that we are at the bottom of the pricing cycle and prices will likely increase. This is what we have been seeing for most of the year, with October being the exception – new contracts were actually down in October. If you have any questions about this information or selling your DC house fast please call us at the number above.

Since 1929, the county has qualified as an Urban Entitlement County by the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, which makes it eligible to receive housing funds to benefit low and moderate income households. Two programs of note to help new buyers, including ones who qualify for rental assistance, are active in area.

First Time Homebuyer’s Program (FTHP) With applications available on January 9, 2012, the FTHP offer no cash down loans with closing help for Prince William County buyers. The requirements for these are:

• You are first time homebuyers (which means that your or co-borrower have not owned a home in the past three years.).
• You can qualify for mortgage through a reputable lender.
• You complete state-sponsored credit and responsible owner’s counseling.
• Your income cannot exceed $97,500 for two person or $112,950 for three or more.
• Your credit score is 620 or more.
• Your loan amount does not exceed $450,000.

The benefits vary by area. Some areas qualify for 100% financing and all closings costs paid: Alexandria, Arlington, Loudoun, Prince William, Clarke, Fauquier, Spotsylvania and Stafford counties.

Other towns offer 100 percent financing and all closings costs paid: include: Haymarket, Gainesville, Manassas, Manassas Park, Bristow, Occoquan, Woodbridge, Dale City (part of Woodbridge), Quantico, Catharpin, Dumfries, Nokesville and Triangle.

Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) Home Ownership Program: Current participants in the county’s rental assistance program can use their voucher to purchase a home in Prince William County if they meet several criteria:

• You are first time homebuyers (which means that your or co-borrower have not owned a home in the past three years.).
• You can qualify for mortgage through a reputable lender.
• You can put up 3% of the downpayment or find help through a down payment assistance program.
• You are willing to obtain a home inspection at your own expense.
• You have a household income of at least $40,000.
• You have been employed at least one year.
• You complete state-sponsored credit and responsible owner’s counseling.

HCV will contribute toward the mortgage payment for up to 15 years on loan terms of more than 20 years or up to 10 years on a mortgage term of up to 20 years.

Aside from what is available to help homebuyers in Prince William County, there are other area resources available to homebuyers:

• U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development
• National Association for County Community and Economic Development
• National Association of Housing and Redevelopment Officials
• Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments

If you are interested Prince William County homeowner resources, please contact your Realtor® or visit one of the sites mentioned.

Bordering Arlington, Loudoun, and Prince William counties in Virginia, Fairfax is right across the Potomac from Bethesda, Maryland and right across the Chesapeake Bay from Princes George County, Maryland. Fairfax County is over 395 square miles. Within the county, there are three incorporated towns (Clifton, Herndon, and Vienna), two independent cities (Falls Church and Fairfax), and about 34 unincorporated CDC’S (unincorporated census places.)

In 2011, the population of Fairfax County is 1.3 million, a population growth of over 6% since 2000. It reigns as the most heavily populated jurisdiction in the state, the Washington metropolitan area, and the Washington-Baltimore area – and one of the most congested. Delay in traveling the 13 miles to the District or coming into Tysons Corner are legendary, which accounts for ongoing roadwork to expand the use of HOT lanes as well as recent expansion efforts of the Metro Line to Dulles National Airport. Tysons Corner will gain four stops.

Fairfax County is a wealthy one, with an average individual income of $67,909 and household income $107,075. The first county to have a six figure per capita income, Fairfax County is now the second highest household income in the U.S, right after neighboring Loudon County. Residents receive good value for their tax dollar, as the city spends over $4,300 per resident, while its top-ranked schools receive an allocation of 52.2% of the county budget and spend about $7,272 per student. Unemployment is often half than of the U.S. average, while about 3% of citizens have incomes below the poverty level. One trade-off for the high income is a cost of living about 50% higher than the U.S. average.

The area has the biggest concentration of high workers next to Silicon Valle and is home to seven Fortune 500 headquarters, 11 Hispanic 500 companies, and five companies on the Black Enterprise 500 list. Many of the nearly 900,000 jobs in Fairfax County are in high tech application for the U.S. government, including the CIA and the Pentagon, or in industries that support them. Large employers include Freddie Mac, Sallie Mae, Booz Allen Hamilton, Inova Health System, SAIC, Lockheed Martin, Northop Grumman, ExxonMobil, and Capital One, plus the Fairfax County Public Schools, Fairfax County, and George Mason University. In Tysons Corner retail workers are in big demand, but they need to be techies too, as stores such as the Apple Store and the Microsoft Store are located there.

The research firm Sperling’s Best Places ranked D.C. as the top place in the country for teleworking, allowing people to work anywhere at anytime, due to the availability of broadband internet access, fuel prices, commuting time, and high percentages of telework-friendly jobs. Teleworking saves Fairfax county workers nearly $500 in transportation costs and over $2,700 in time per year.

Whether you work at home or in the many businesses in the area, Fairfax County living offers an exciting employment landscape.

When you think of D.C. neighborhoods, Georgetown may be the first one that comes to mind. Characterized by historic row-homes, cobblestone streets, steep inclines, and nearness to the Potomac River, it is a destination for shopping and nightlife. Today, Georgetown is one of the most affluent neighborhoods in D.C. and the home to many politicians, lobbyists, and wealthy citizens. The main campus of Georgetown University occupies the western edge of the neighborhood and may historic building dot the landscape.

You don’t have to actually live in Georgetown to enjoy shopping at Georgetown Park at Wisconsin and M Street, where you can visit the stores of designers Betsey Johnson, Hugo Boss, Kate Spade, and Ralph Lauren, and others, then dine at a variety of restaurants to site every taste. In homage to Georgetown’s former shipping days, you can cruise the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal on a tour boat or walk or jog along the canal’s adjacent trails.

President John F Kennedy put the spotlight on Georgetown when lived there as a congressman and Senator in a townhouse at 3307 N Street; the area became the scene of many parties that diverted the prominent political nightlife from downtown. However, Georgetown always attracted politicians, from the early days when men like Thomas Jefferson lived there and George Washington drank in its taverns, including the City Tavern, which still exists at the corner of Wisconsin Avenue and M Street. Georgetown was the fashion and cultural center of young Washington, D.C. but eventually it lost its luster as wealthy residents moved to new Victorian homes around DuPont Circle. The area fell into disrepair, but has been restored and gentrified.

Property in Georgetown is always in demand, although many of the historic Federal townhouses are small enough that people joke you can stand in the living room and touch both walls with your outstretched arms. It is one of the few areas that was unaffected by the housing slump. Limited new building is currently underway but there are several exciting restorations of historic buildings in progress. The average price of property in Georgetown is often double the average listing price of properties elsewhere in D.C. About 78 percent of properties in the area are single-family homes.

Though its housing prices may not be for the faint of heart or many young first time buyers, there are many affordable properties in the neighboring vicinities. Even those who don’t live in Georgetown (whose boundaries are Whitehaven Street, Rock Creek Park, Potomac River, and the Georgetown University campus), you can live in a neighboring area (such as DuPont, Palisades, Glover Park & others) and be there in a 10-15 minute walk to enjoy its many attractions.

Glover Park, for example, just northwest of Georgetown and west of Observatory Circle, is a tight-knit residential community and a “destination” for those in search of vibrant nightlife options. It is also home to the US Navy Observatory, the Vice-Presidential Mansion, and several embassies, but the young professionals who flooded into the area a few years ago were more interested in nightclubs and trendy new restaurants than embassy tours. This new population, often known as “DINK’s”- double-income-no-kids – tried to blend into a close-knit residential neighborhood with residents of all age.

Part of the long-term appeal of Glover, (pronounced like “clover”), Park stems from the surrounding parks. The community has a very green, suburban feel – with smaller residential streets and a number of shady trees. Many residents enjoy that this community is surprisingly quiet, especially considering its close proximity to the rest of the city. There is a Farmer’s Market and a Whole Foods in town, plus a hardware store that is a member of “A Few Cool Hardware Stores” co-operative that offers residents nearby options for home repair supplies.

Housing in Glover Park is a mix of apartment buildings and porch-front row houses built in the 1930s, and housing is actually very affordable. The neighborhood’s elementary school, Benjamin Stoddert Elementary, is one of the most highly-rated schools in the District; its athletic field is home to the Glover Park Co-ed Softball League, and D.C. Stoddert Soccer. Even though Glover Park does not have a Metro station, several bus routes run through the area and provide access to Georgetown, DuPont and downtown, as well as several subway stations.

Georgetown and Glover Park are D.C. neighborhoods worth a look.

Although titles, offers, and purchase contracts are legal documents, experienced real estate agents are familiar with these documents and can answer questions about them. And many real estate agents will feel comfortable giving advise on legal issues as well, if and when they arise. So when is the right time to hire a real estate lawyer and what are the advantages and disadvantages to hiring one?

Pros of Hiring a Real Estate Lawyer

Perhaps the biggest advantage to hiring a real estate lawyer when buying a home is that you are paying someone to represent you. While it is your realtor’s job to represent you and not the seller, keep in mind that the seller will ultimately pay your realtor’s commission. Since your realtor won’t get paid unless the sale goes through, he may ill-advise you just to seal the deal. An agent may push you to make a higher offer in order to beef up their commission.

The other main advantage to hiring a real estate lawyer is that you can rest easy during an often stressful time. Your lawyer will review your contract, title, inspection papers, mortgage, and any other paperwork specific to your house purchase. In addition, you will already have a lawyer to council and represent you if any legal issues arise during the process.

Sometimes special circumstances warrant hiring a real estate lawyer to represent you when buying a home. For example, if you have no realtor and are representing yourself, if your realtor is very inexperienced, or in the unusual circumstance that your realtor is dually representing the seller, you may wish to hire a real estate lawyer so you have an industry expert on your side.

Disadvantages of Hiring a Real Estate Lawyer

There aren’t many cons to having a real estate lawyer when buying a house, aside from the obvious downside that you’ll have to pay this person during a time when you may be financially taxed. You might find it unnecessary to pay a lawyer if you already have a realtor representing you, but since the buyer doesn’t usually pay their realtor’s fees, some homebuyers feel that it’s worth paying a lawyer to represent them as well. Will you hire a real estate lawyer to oversee your home purchase?

The average sales price of a home sold in August was $532,992, an increase of almost 7% from a year earlier. 566 homes were sold in the District in August, a 4% increase from last August. Those homes took on average 70 days to sell – this is an increase of almost 23%. Based on 586 homes being sold in July there is a 3.5 month supply of homes. This means that if buyers continued to buy at the same pace as they did in July each month going forward and there were no new homes placed on the market for sale, the supply of houses for sale would run out in 3.5 months. Sellers are getting on average 94% of what they list their home for. So if the seller listed their home for $100,000 they would, on average, end up selling it for $94,000. The District currently has 2,055 homes for sale. This number has decreased about 19% from a year ago, while the number of homes that came on the market in August – 653 – decreased by over 14%. The number of new contracts that buyers placed on homes for sale increased from 506 to 564 – that’s over 11% from a year ago. This is an indication that buyer activity has increased from a year ago. This could be a combination of lower interest rates –which are currently at an all time low – coupled with buyer’s perception that we are at the bottom of the pricing cycle and prices will likely increase. All of the above factors indicate a very healthy real estate market in DC. If you have any questions about this information or selling your DC house fast please contact us at the number above.

All of the above factors indicate a very healthy real estate market in Washington, D.C. If you have any questions about this information or selling your house fast please give us a call.

If you are a homeowner who is getting divorced, there are three likely scenarios:

• One partner may decide to stay in the home and buy the other person out.
• One person may occupy the home for a given time.
• The home is sold at the time of the divorce.

Keeping the home may seem like a great idea, especially if it means not uprooting the kids. Getting the soon-to-be ex partner to agree is only one concern. If you want to stay and not sell your home, are you able to afford the payments and other associated costs? Can you qualify on your own to refinance? If the last days of your marriage have been characterized by financial problems, your joint and personal credit record may repel potential lenders, especially when mortgages are harder to qualify for.

You may want to stay in the home only until your kids are 18 and off to college – or agree to have your ex stay there. Remaining in the home with joint ownership is easier in an amicable relationship. Who will pay the mortgage? If you both agree to contribute, can you afford to pay the whole thing if your ex misses a month or stops paying? Regardless of what your divorce decree says about how responsibilities are split, have a gameplan if your ex starts missing payments.

As a homeowner, when you get a divorce, selling your home may be an option to consider, especially if you want the divorce to sever most ties with your former partner. You can sell your home and move on to affordable housing devoid of memories.

The current housing market may make it hard to sell your home and realize enough to help finance your new life. According to current law, there may be tax benefits if you sell your home while you are still married that you may lose if you defer the sale. You need to talk to both your real estate agent and your tax advisor to help you determine how you will come out.

When both parties need to sell a house fast, either due to financial strain or because the divorce is so bitter you need to separate assets and move on, you can sell your home to a company that buys houses. Reputable companies will give you cash for your home in a short time frame. While it may be hard to separate the memories from your home, dividing the cash can be one of the few black and white decisions you face.

Would you want to keep your home after divorce?

Are you ready to sell a home fast? Call us today at 1-888-835-4758 or have your client contact us to get an offer in hours from Express Homebuyers.

What’s the first thing I should do when selling my house?

Clean it!
Cleaning your home before you move out requires both elbow grease and reducing clutter. Floors, walls, cupboards, windows, basements, and garages should all be spotless and free of stains and odors. True or not, buyers regard dirt as a sign that you have not kept up the house.

What are other cleaning tips for selling my house?

Once your walls, doors, and woodwork are clean, spruce them up with a coat of paint – starting at the front door. When you prepare for selling your house, go neutral.

As for floors, take a good look at the carpets. If they’re shabby or worn, consider replacing them. Depending on the age of your home, you may find wood floors under old carpet that don’t need much refurbishing to be saleable – a great alternative, given the popularity of wood floors.

Must I declutter before selling my house?

Though exhausting, cleaning is less traumatic to many sellers than decluttering. If your home has wall-to-wall furniture and overflowing closets, buyers might see your home as too small. Remove some of your prized possessions so prospective buyers can see the lines of your home, as well as the amount of storage space you have. The same approach applies to clothes and other things you have accumulated. Reduce volume so buyers see spacious closets. Sell or donate the rest.

Once you have decluttered, depersonalize by removing your photos, trophies, collections, etc. A buyer might not be turned off by a picture of Jimmy on the piano, but dozens of pictures of your family are distracting.

Is there a way of selling my house without spending a dime?

Some homes need more than cleaning and decluttering, which can be a problem if you are selling your home because you are being foreclosed on or have other financial problems. These initial steps take time, but repairs take money. If you don’t have the time or money to do either, you may wish to sell your home to a company that buys homes. They will pay you for your home as is, in record time. This approach can eliminate the time, elbow grease, and money you spend on preparing the house for sale.

Do you think it is necessary to remove your personal items to sell your home?

Are you ready to sell a home fast? Call us today at 1-888-835-4758 or have your client contact us to get an offer in hours from Express Homebuyers.

Buy Out Your Spouse: If you want to stay in the home and can afford the full mortgage payment on your own, you may be able to buy out your ex-spouse by taking out a second mortgage for half the remaining amount owed on the first mortgage, paying this amount to your ex, and then consolidating your first and second mortgages into one payment. If you’re receiving child support and/or alimony, these payments count as part of your income and can help you qualify for a loan more easily.

Maintain Joint Ownership: If you are on good terms with your ex and neither of  you can afford to buy the other out, it may be in your best interest to continue to own and pay for the house together while only one of you lives there, or you can rent it out and split the profits.

Sell Your Home: When you sell your home, both you and your ex are released from the mortgage contract. The money from the sale is used to pay off the remaining mortgage balance and, depending on the terms of your divorce settlement, you will probably split the remaining profits. If you need to sell your home quickly in order to begin renting or pursuing the purchase of a new home, a homebuying company can buy the home and pay off your mortgage balance in less than a week.

If you’ve divorced while in joint ownership of a home, what did you do?

Are you ready to sell a home fast? Call us today at 1-888-835-4758 or have your client contact us to get an offer in hours from Express Homebuyers.

Whether you are proactive and sell or wait for the foreclosure, you will no longer have your current home. This can be painful, especially if you worked many years to buy it and then lose it for reasons outside your control. But “home” is more than four walls, so you can create a loving home for your family elsewhere and then one day become an owner again.

If you wait for foreclosure, you will endure months of harassing mail and a decimated credit score. You may be “allowed” to stay in the house until things are finalized, but you pay a big price for a few months of “free rent.” Maybe you stay because you hope circumstance will turn around, but this is long shot.

Your other choice is to sell your home at a loss, either through a short sale or by selling to a home buying company. The short sale route can alleviate your mortgage debt, especially if the lender agrees not to pursue the shortfall you owe. According to some analysts, your credit report takes a hit equal to foreclosure – but not everyone agrees with that. Most likely, you will be able to buy another one more quickly after a short sale if you get your credit back on track and have the proper downpayment. In a short sale you live in the house until closing just as in a regular sale.

If you are unable to make the payment while you are waiting for the house to sell, you still risk foreclosure. In addition, if your finances are shaky, you may not be able to recover quickly once the sale goes through. This is why, when you need to sell a house, selling to a company that buys houses is a solution that beats either short sale or foreclosure when you must sell. Short sales and foreclosure take time. Reputable home buying companies can buy your home within a short timeframe (usually about a week) and pay off the loan.

Don’t go down with the ship. When you need to sell a house, using a company in business to buy them can save time and money in real estate fees, mortgage payments, and repair costs. You will come out ahead by taking the proactive step of working with a home buying specialist.

Would you rather sell your home at a loss now or endure foreclosure in hopes of saving it?

Are you ready to sell a home fast? Call us today at 1-888-835-4758 or have your client contact us to get an offer in hours from Express Homebuyers.

Strategic default or walking away. Some underwater homeowners just stop making payments, move away, and send “jingle mail” (the keys) back to the bank. Wealthier homeowners whom find folly in paying a mortgage worth more than the house, plan for alternative housing, and abandon the property. In some cases though, if homeowners advise the bank they wish to abandon the property, may settle with a deed in lieu and return the property to the lender.

Deed in lieu. Deeding your property to the lender in exchange for being forgiven the entire amount of the mortgage is called a deed in lieu of foreclosure. The lender then sells the property and recoups a portion of the unpaid mortgage.

Foreclosure. When the bank does not get paid, they may file foreclosure on the homeowner, who is forced to leave after a court judgment. Timing varies, so many foreclosure victims are left with great uncertainly as to their futures. If they are also out of work, they may have difficulty finding other shelter.

Short sale. A homeowner can ask the bank to accept less than the loan’s balance through a short sale. This is still damaging to credit, but allows the owner more control over the sale. As widespread short sales become the norm for handling property that current owners cannot afford, the stigma and the impact on credit may diminish. With a short sale, the bank may try to hold the borrower liable for the difference between the mortgage value and the sale price.

Rent out the house. Those temporarily in bad circumstances can rent out their home and live elsewhere until they can afford to live in the house again. This approach works well in areas where rental property is in high demand and rents are substantial. The homeowner becomes a landlord, which changes the picture for both taxes and insurance. If considering this option, check with your insurance company and accountant.

Sell to a company that buys houses.  There are legitimate companies in business that buy homes to fix up and sell. This can be a fast way to eliminate your mortgage obligation. You receive a discounted amount for the house, but pay NO money out of pocket to sell it. This means no real estate fees and no renovation costs normally associated with preparing a home for showings. Since the process can be completed in a week or so, selling your home to a company allows you to beat a foreclosure filing, resolve an estate, or liquefy assets quickly.

When you owe on a mortgage, you must settle with the bank in some way. Your goal should be to sell your house in the way that costs the least in cash and time.

If you couldn’t afford your mortgage, what would you do to get out from under it?

Are you ready to sell a home fast? Call us today at 1-888-835-4758 or have your client contact us to get an offer in hours from Express Homebuyers.

When you want to sell your home, first declutter it.

1. You give the buyers a clear view of what they are looking at. Some buyers can see potential though clutter. Most can’t.
2. You show off the assets of the room, including windows, molding, fireplaces, built ins, and other features. This encourages the potential buyer to start mentally arranging his furniture there.
3. Free wall space allows the buyer to get up close and personal so he can measure an area to see if his couch fits between windows.
4. Whether you have decorator taste or thrift store taste, minimizing the furniture and knickknacks allows the buyer to react to the house, not your taste.
5. Your buyer wants to create his own memories there. Seeing endless displays of your family pictures and memorabilia is distracting.
6. Especially in the kitchen, buyers want to see the amount of work space, counter space, and storage space the house offers. You need to have a minimal number of appliances and other things on the counter to let the space shine through.
7. With fewer of your possessions on display, you reduce the chance of theft during open houses. Realtors® do their best to be good stewards of your home, but why invite problems?

Some of the decluttering suggestions benefit you.

1. When you declutter, you downsize so you have less to move. This makes the process quicker and cheaper. If some of your stuff has been in boxes over the last few moves, it’s time to cut it loose.
2. If you are downsizing your living space, oversized pieces or an excessive amount of furniture might not fit in the new space anyway.
3. Bringing less to your new home will allow you to start fresh there.

More is less when it comes to presenting your home to prospective buyers. When it is time to sell your house, put Goodwill on speed dial, organize a yard sale, put some pieces in storage if necessary. Consider a professional stager to show off what’s left to good advantage. Your decluttering efforts may pay off in selling your house faster.

Do you think it is necessary to take down all your family pictures?

Are you ready to sell a home fast? Call us today at 1-888-835-4758 or have your client contact us to get an offer in hours from Express Homebuyers.

When you sell a house, you want to “sell high” to someone who hopes to “buy low.”

Many homeowners over-value their homes because they try and factor in much more than area comps (comparable home prices). What they paid, money they’ve put into the home, and emotional investment in the home color the asking price. Real estate agents often face an uphill battle when encouraging owners to price according to the current market. Correct pricing helps sell houses faster.

Sometimes owners say, “Let’s price it higher to see if it sells.” This can be a risky game. The longer the home is on the market and the more often it is marked down, the more people question why it has been sitting and why the price keeps declining. Repricing the home too soon or too often gives off signals that the seller is playing with the price and might be willing to go even lower.

The pricing strategy is akin to the 99 cent pricing in the store. Just as consumers perceive they are getting a better price at 99 cents vs. $1.00, home buyers on a budget may be more willing to look at a home priced at $199,999 rather than $200,000. Though it is only a dollar difference, buyers whose up upper range is just shy of $200K would look at the one home and disregard the other as “out of their range.”

Even with realistic pricing, a seller should have high, medium, and low price points based on the market, not on what the seller paid for it or what he owes on his loan. According to HelpingHomeSellers.com, after the initial price has been set, you should have a couple open houses and guage the traffic. Following a couple open houses or a dozen showings without an offer, consider reducing the price in a month, or a bit sooner if you are short on time.

No seller wants to “give their home away”, but if you want to sell houses, you have to look at the consequences of not pricing it right in the first place, and then not lowering the price when it is not moving.

Would you sell your home at a loss if the market price was below your loan value?

Are you ready to sell a home fast? Call us today at 1-888-835-4758 or have your client contact us to get an offer in hours from Express Homebuyers.

Home inspection. Though not mandatory, sellers who have their own inspection have a heads up as to what they need to do to get the house ready for sale and anticipate what problems buyers might find. If the inspection reveals a crack in the foundation, you have the option to fix it or disclose it.

Repairs and renovations. Most homes need a faucet fixed or some minor repairs, but often, updating the kitchen or bath, replacing the carpets, refinishing the floors, or resealing the driveway are bigger ticket repairs that can increase your selling price.

Freshening up. Even if there are some repairs you can’t afford to do, repainting gives a fresh look that makes the home inviting. The buyer might want another color in the future, but if the room is newly painted, the buyer knows he has the option of moving right in.

Curb appeal. Since buyers develop their favorable or unfavorable first impression about your home in 30 seconds, you want to make sure it’s a good one. Cleaning up your yard, repainting the trim, and planting some flowers can do the trick.

Real estate sales costs. Average commissions might be 5-7% for full service agents and 3% for discount brokers if you use an agent. Even if you sell yourself, you will have advertising costs. You may think you are saving money by not using an agent, but you are paying for knowledge you may not have to price and present your home to the market.

Negotiated sellers’ costs. Buyers often expect, or at least request, that sellers pay part of the closing costs and ask for allowances for undone repairs or upgrades. Refusing to pay can be a deal-breaker even though your agent will help you counter-offer any demands you don’t accept.

Closing costs include lender closing costs, title fees, up-front interest (if any), escrows, transfer taxes, and real estate commissions (if any).

Payoff costs. Does your home value exceed your current mortgage? If you are like many underwater homeowners, you may have to pay the excess back to the bank when you sell. Does your lender have a pre-payment penalty?

Opportunity costs. Remember Economics 101? You pay opportunity costs in money and time while you wait to sell. If you make renovations or repairs of any kind, you divert your funds in hopes of getting a return you may not see when you sell your house. If you handle the repairs yourself, you sacrifice your time. The more time you wait for your home to sell, the more you are postponing moving on to the next step. If you want to buy a new house contingent on selling your old one, you may lose it if your sale drags.

You must factor in both time and money when you calculate the true cost of selling your home. If you want to sell your home in a competitive market, prepare to expend one or the other.

What home selling expense do you think sellers are most likely to forget?

Are you ready to sell a home fast? Call us today at 1-888-835-4758 or have your client contact us to get an offer in hours from Express Homebuyers.