Selling Your Home?

So you're thinking about Selling Your Home

Once you start to think about selling, it can seem like information and advice are popping out everywhere.  But, the truth is, most of it may not be the best information or advice for your situation.  For instance, home values on websites such as Zillow, can be tens of thousands of dollars off in either direction.

Before you list Your Home

The best thing you can do first is to have good advice.  Without a trusted source, it's hard to separate truth from fiction.  Just because you find a valuation on the internet, doesn't mean it's the right valuation for your home. The difference between accuracy and generalization can either save or cost you money.  Selling your home is a process, not a single event.  Knowing a few simple facts will speed that process.

3 MYTHS about Selling Your Home

1. It's Only What's Inside that Counts:  The reality is that home buyers are visually reactive, and if the home does not have curb appeal from the outside some buyers will literally refuse to get out of the car!
2. You Don't Need a Home Stager:  Your dog's in a crate and your dirty dishes are in the dishwasher safely out of sight.  Who needs the expense of a stager, right? Wrong! A clean, but well lived-in home, is not a home that is ready to sell.  Staging is a low to moderate expense that is well worth the money.  The stager is not emotionally connected to your home, so her opinions and expertise are developed by experience of what sells, and what inhibits sales.  Most stagers offer varying levels of service, so you can pick the level of staging that works for your family and your budget. 
3. The Paint on the Inside is Not Important:  Applying a fresh coat of tasteful paint is always a great selling point. When you do it well, paint can be one of the best returns on investment of any simple home improvement. Moving is a hassle and home buyers don’t want to spend time painting before they move in.  Your teen may have talked you into painting their bedroom black, but buyers, especially those over 30, aren't going to think it's cool. There's a reason homebuilders' favorite paint color is fondly referred to as Buy Me Beige.

Do You Really Need a Realtor When Selling Your Home? 

Sure, you can find articles written by homeowners who sold without an agent, and think they saved tons of money and had a great experience.  I even read one article that said real estate contracts are "nothing".  To put this in perspective, try googling "FSBO horror stories".  You'll think twice about representing yourself when selling your home after reading the nightmare tales of "for sale by owner".  Be smart and enlist a professional local Realtor. Sellers that choose to go it alone, more often end up wasting time and money. Don’t be unwise, hire a local Realtor for the best advice, information and outcome.

Local Realtors know the market.  Full-time Realtors tend to know more about neighborhoods they specialize in, as well as trends and history, which can add to your bottom line dollars.  Our team is dedicated to helping you get the most money possible from the sale of your home.

Andra Oyler, 281-814-2184

Steve Oyler, 281-814-2203

Keller Williams Clear Lake/NASA

Sources:

realtormag.realtor.com

Hidden Gems

Data provided by ActiveRain.com. ActiveRain is an online community of real estate professionals who exchange best practices, write real estate blogs, and get free education from the industry and their peers.

Help for the Rainy Season

The thought of water inside a home is one of the top concerns for every homeowner.  Besides the cost of cleanup and repairs which can skyrocket out of control, the mere fact that something beyond our control might invade our private space is unsettling.  But, with a bit of preparation and precaution, you can limit the possibility of disaster.

Having personally lived on the Gulf Coast for most of my adult life, I have been up close and personal with the plywood suggestion.  We remained in our home during Ike (I don't recommend this to anyone!). Even though we live about a mile from where Ike made landfall in Clear Lake, we had no damage, thanks in large part to plywood.  Every window in our home has cut-to-fit plywood coverings which take only a few hours to install on preset posts.  (Thankfully, no rising water threatened our home.)

According to Barbara Ballinger, contributor to Realtor Magazine, there's no need yet to acquire an ark, but water certainly has become a bigger menace in many parts of the country.  To prevent damage and avoid large out-of-pocket expenses, homeowners should stay on top of maintenance and repair needs.  The average water damage insurance claim between 2008 and 2012 for a worst-case flood event, totaled more than $38,000, according to National Flood Insurance Program data.  Here are a few steps that all homeowners should consider to protect their property from the ravages of water.

• Roof shingles that are missing, torn, curled or cupped should be replaced now.  Rusty nails can also allow water to seep in.
• Make sure gutters and downspouts are performing properly before the rain starts.  Remove all debris and verify that fits the house property.  According to Wayne Owczarzak, owner of Mr. Handyman in Wheaton, IL, improperly fitted gutters and spouts can actually do more harm than good.
• Fix any broken or cracked glass in windows and doors.
• Warning signs of seepage problems at the foundation include white haze, baseboard warping, and cracking paint.
• If you use a sump pump, be sure to give it a spring cleaning before clouds gather.
• French drains should be cleared of all winter debris as well.
• Though we don't have many boilers in the south, Jeffrey Colle of East Hampton, NY, suggests elevating boilers, furnaces, as well as hot water heaters to save them from flood hazards.  Locally, hot water heaters on the ground floor must be elevated 18" above the floor.
• Don't forget your window wells.  A quick cleaning of accumulated debris can save $$$ by allowing the wells to drain and not fill with water.
• Pre-cut plywood is a staple on the Gulf Coast.  This take advance preparation, but is priceless in its ability to save window and doors in a hurricane.  
• Buy the right flood insurance before you need it.