Mortgages Real Estate Investments Plus
Home Loan Deals & Mortgage Refinancing Tips
|
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
Be A Successful Loan Officer - Insider Land Secrets - Building Business Credit - Mortgage Secrets - Personal Loan - Bad Credit Loans | |
|
You are free to use content from this page in your blog or website, in return for a link back to this page from that blog or website.
Curb Appeal
First impressions do make a difference when selling your home. Oftentimes, before making the phone call to schedule an appointment, a homebuyer will drive by your home to determine if they may be further interested. If the house presents a good impression, then you receive the phone call for an appointment. Many homes are eliminated from a potential homebuyer's list because they do not give a good first impression. The work you put into sprucing up the inside will be in vain if the exterior of your home does not draw people in. In the real estate world this is known as "curb appeal", that is, your home should be appealing to potential buyers from their initial curbside or drive-by viewing. Achieving curb appeal is not very difficult, nor does it have to be very costly. Assuming your roof, gutters, etc? are not in obvious need of repair, most of your efforts will be focused on cosmetics. Step back from your home or better yet, go to the curb and take a long objective look at your home. You may want to take a look from different angles. Compare your home to others on your block. You will be focusing on two main areas; the house itself and the landscaping surrounding your house. When observing your home, start at the top of the roof and work your way down. Write down areas that need attention. You are striving for a look that makes observers feel that your home is neat, clean and well cared for. The following areas of your exterior deserve special attention: Roof and chimney - Shingles should be intact with none missing and mortar between the bricks should be secure. Although expensive to replace, a roof or chimney in disrepair often discourages potential homebuyers. Exterior siding - If your siding needs to be painted, it is well worth the expense and time. Choose a color that is fairly neutral and that coordinates with homes in your immediate vicinity. Power washing dirty siding can make a house look almost new again. Gutters ' You should repair and clean gutters. Weeds growing from your gutters are a good example of a negative first impression. Nothing says "poor maintenance" like weeds in a gutter. Windows and Trim - If the paint on the trim or windows is peeling, scrape and paint. Replace any broken glass and finally clean the windows inside and out. Front Entry Door - If your front door has not been painted in 3-4 years, consider a fresh coat of paint. Depending on the style of your home, a contrasting color from your siding may add visual interest. The front door should welcome buyers into your home. A nice looking wreath in tune with the season gives a warm homey touch. Shutters - If applicable, repair and paint if needed. Usually, a contrasting color matching the front door or a neutral color works best. Foundation ' You should repair visible cracks. Basement windows should be repaired if cracked, cleaned and trim painted if necessary. It sometimes helps to paint the exposed foundation on the exterior of your home but you should avoid loud colors. Porch ' Once again, repair and paint railings, posts and steps. Place a few nice chairs and a table with plants if space permits. Place a welcome mat by the door. Hanging flower baskets add a nice touch but don't forget to water them. An inexpensive idea to dramatically enrich your curb appeal is to add a brass mailbox, a new brass porch light, brass house numbers and a brass kick plate. For less that $80.00 dollars you will transform the look of your home. Now that the house's exterior is in good shape it is time to concentrate on the landscaping around your home. Your goal is to have the landscaping complement your home, not detract from or compete with it. Homebuyers should not have to look through overgrown shrubs or trees to see your home. Anything overgrown or so large that it blocks windows, doorways or sidewalks should be trimmed back or removed. Any diseased or dying plants should be removed. Aim for a few plants that serve as a focal point, and fill in with other smaller plants. Make beds deep enough to accommodate shrubs when they are fully grown (usually 5-6 feet). Visit a local nursery for ideas. You can get great ideas by simply driving around the neighborhood as well. After trimming and planting, cover the soil with a thick 3-4 inch layer of mulch. Keep the beds free from weeds, and depending on your location and season, add a few annuals for color interspersed with the bushes. Keep everything trimmed and neat so the focus is on your home. Keep your lawn cut, apply fertilizer and weed control if needed. Remember, your landscaping should enhance your home, not overpower it. Keeping everything trimmed and neat will give your home the "curb appeal" needed to make someone want to take a closer look. Once you get the potential buyer inside'well that's the subject for another article! Stay tuned. Bruce Andrews has been in the real estate business for over 20 years. He has experience in real estate investing as well as practicing real estate as a broker for several years. He is currently President of Fifty States Realty. http://www.fiftystatesfsbo.com
Cat 10542 |
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Make Money As A Slumlord Be a slumlord? Okay, I got your attention, now the truth. I really don't recommend that anyone endanger their renters with unsafe housing. Much of what people call slumlording though, is simply providing reasonable housing for those with low incomes. It is of benefit to the renter AND the landlord. Advantages and Disadvantages to Selling a House on Your Own As with any business transaction, there are pros and cons to selling your own home. Many people are intimidated by the whole process, but if you know what you are up against, and if you are aware of what needs to be done, you will be more effective at selling on your own, or you will be better at making sure your agent does what you prefer. No matter how you decide to sell your home, involvement in the process is important to ensure that you get the best deal possible. Buying Land For Development Requires Careful Planning and Execution From the desk of Colm Dillon ... Selling Your Home: The Power of a Great Sales Flyer Even though its importance is often overlooked, a great sales flyer is one of the most effective tools for selling your house. Whether your home is listed with an agent or not, make sure that you have a dazzling flyer. Most agents will appreciate your help, since it's also in their best interest to sell your house. Hurricane Katrina And The Impact On Real Estate Prices In the wake of Hurricane Katrina's wide path of destruction, the real estate market will be affected perhaps in ways not fully understood or expected. If recent hurricane recovery history holds true there will be several good things to come out of all destruction. Let's hope so as those who live in the Delta region have suffered immensely. How to Become a Successful Real Estate Investor Many folks dream of becoming real estate investors, but not everyone has what it takes. If you're dreaming of becoming an investor, here are several important questions to consider, long before you buy your first investment property: Buying and Selling Real Estate in Florida Florida is known as the "Sun Shine" state, and the reason is clear. People move to Florida for many reasons, but most that move there stay there. Florida is known for the warm weather year around and beautiful landscaping that surrounds its cities. Florida weather and lifestyles vary significantly depending on which side of the state you move to. How to Show & Sell Your California Home Seller's Showing Instructions Housing Froth Creating Imbalance for Consumers and Investors Home buyers and sellers should think twice before jumping into over-heated real estate markets. Fed chief Alan Greenspan feels the housing boom is economically imbalanced or uneven. New liquidity in real estate assets could disappear if interest rates raise on feelings from investors that risk levels are growing in the real estate sector. So, You Wanna Buy Pre-Foreclosures' So you wanna buy pre-foreclosures? or at the courthouse steps? So many people ask us about this. Here's our '30 second seminar' on it. If you're going to buy PRE-foreclosures--after the seller is behind on her payments, but before the lender's auction date-then there are some pros and cons to consider. Real Estate Investing - So You Want to be a Landlord! Is landlording the way to go if you are starting into real estate investing today? Buying Property in Spain - How to Avoid Paying over the Odds Spain has a lot to offer Northern Europeans and until recently there was a marked difference between the price in their home country and a similar Spanish property. However many buyers have found to their cost that they paid way over the odds. How to Sell Your Home Without a Real Estate Agent Considering the rapid rise in home prices over the past several years, home sellers are taking a hard look at the commission they have to pay to a real estate brokerage to market and sell their home. Real estate commissions vary across the country; they average in the four to seven percent range. 10 Ways To Find Investment Properties If you really want the best deals in investment properties, you have to increase your odds by finding more deals. Who is more likely to get a cheap apartment building, an investor that looks through the MLS listings and calls it a day, or the one that uses ten resources? Here are the ten: Buying a Home in Westminster The city of Westminster is centrally located in the Denver metropolitan area. Its easy access to amenities in both Denver and Boulder really coax investors into buying a home in Westminster. The eclectic region is also the center of attention because it possesses a variety of natural landscapes including mountainous views, rolling hills, flat plains and plateaus. Westminster is known as the city of choice for over 100,000 residents who are fortunate enough to utilize numerous major highways, corporate businesses, and beautiful housing. 10 Top Considerations For Those Buying Property Abroad Are you one of a growing number of people considering buying a second home in the sun, an idyllic home from home abroad or a lucrative investment property overseas? If so you're not alone! Statistics show that globally we're all on the move with a recent survey by YouGov revealing that 55% of adult Britons were "seriously considering settling in another country" and the British Centre for Future Studies predicting that by 2020 one tenth of the current British population will be living or working abroad! How Can I Stop Foreclosure on My House' We understand the being in foreclosure is a scary thing. You are probably wondering how can I stop foreclosure on my house. There are many options available when facing foreclosure. They may include reinstating the loan, forbearance, loan modification, mortgage refinancing, sale of the property, deed in lieu of foreclosure, or bankruptcy filing. Important Facts For Home Buyers If you are considering buying a home or have spent many years saving in preparation of buying a home, the questions and process involved in buying a home can be extremely stressful. As exciting as it is to begin looking for your new home, there are many unexpected costs and details to be considered before contacting a real estate agent. Home buyers should be aware of every aspect involved in purchasing a home before they take that big step towards home ownership. Selling by Owner Escrow or Closing Checklist Home sellers should keep on top of their pending sale; especially when selling without the assistance of a real estate agent. Sometimes busy real estate agents forget to monitor all aspects of a pending sale. Real Estate Investing Is A Better Gamble Than The Lottery Real estate investing begins when you move to the starting point.
|
 |
| Copyright © 2009 www.dovada.net.au |
