Passing Your Home Inspection

Home inspections cover numerous systems within the house, but there are a handful of hot-spots that can worry buyers. By making needed home repairs before the inspection, you maximize the value of your house.

• Mildew stains and odors scare buyers, especially now that black mold is such a hot topic. Chances are you won't even get an acceptable offer if mold and mildew are present.

• Cover exposed earth in basements and crawl spaces with plastic to help keep moisture levels down.

• Clean the gutters and make sure downspouts are positioned so that water runs away from the house.

• Flashing around the base of chimneys should be watertight. Mortar and bricks should be in good condition.

• Fix leaks and clogs long before the home inspection takes place.

• The electrical panel and circuit breaker configuration should be adequate for the needs of the house.

• The inspector will look for receptacles with ground fault circuit interrupters (GFI) in bathrooms and kitchens. The inspector will check the heating and cooling systems and take a close look at the structure and foundation of the house. All appliances will be checked. The inspection report will include details about smoke detectors. By addressing any issues before the inspection, you'll have a strong negotiating position, so be prepared!

Five Things to Consider as You Prepare to Sell Your Home

1. Get Pre-Approved for a Home Loan
Before you decide to sell the house, get pre-approved by a lender you trust. This makes moving once the house sells much easier. If you don't know a lender then I can recommend one to you. .

2. Check Your Mortgage Payoff
Call your lender to check the payoff for your current home mortgage.

3. Determine How Much the House Is Worth
Determine your home's fair market value. I will help you determine value as a courtesy by doing a CMA.

4. Estimate Your Costs to Sell and Acquire a New Home
I deal with transactions every day and can give you a very close estimate of seller closing costs. Be sure to total your costs to acquire a new home: moving expenses, loan costs, downpayment, home inspections, title work and policy, paying for a new hazard insurance policy. Your lender should give you a disclosure of estimated costs when you apply for pre-approval.

5. Make Necessary Repairs and Cosmetic Changes
Make all needed repairs unless you want the house to be regarded as a fixer-upper. A new coat of paint will go a long way in helping to increase the appeal of your house. Make list of changes that you can make to maximize the value of your home and estimate the costs involved.

By estimating your expenses and preparing yourself financially for a move early, you have a better grasp of your real needs and can avoid mistakes and problems.

 

 

The Importance of Curb Appeal

A large percentage of home buyers drive by a house before deciding to schedule a showing. Having good curb appeal can greatly increase your chances of selling your house quickly. Most buyers cannot visualize changes, and often won't take a second look at a house if the first look isn't appealing to them.

Start with these basic curb appeal tasks:

• Kill mold and mildew on the house, sidewalks, roof, or driveway. Remove driveway stains

• Stow away unnecessary garden implements and tools.

• Clean the windows and gutters.

• Pressure wash dirty siding and decks.

• Edge sidewalks and remove vegetation growing between concrete sections and bricks.

• Mow the lawn regularly. Get rid of weeds. Rake and dispose of leaves..

• Trim tree limbs that are near or touching the roof.

• A fresh paint job and new front door does wonders for any house.

The trick is to find the spots where improvements are needed, then follow through to complete the tasks as best you can.

Top 5 Issues that Discourage Buyers.

1. Odors
House odors are number one on the not-to do-list. Smoke, pets and mildew can all send a potential buter on to the next house. Eradicate the odors so that you can present buyers with a clean, fresh atmosphere.

2. A House Full of Busy Wallpaper
Busy wallpaper in every room turns off most buyers, and even people who love wallpaper rarely like what you've chosen.Take a hard look at your wallpaper and decide if it should be removed and replaced with paint. Don't paint over it.

3. Damp Basements
Any dampness (or damp smells) in the basement throw up a red flag to buyers that the basement leaks! Even if it doesn't truly leak. Look for drainage issues. Most problems are caused by rainwater that's being diverted towards the foundation instead of away from it.

4. Bugs
Roaches, spiders, any type of insect that shouldn't be in the house. Get rid of them.

5. Poor Curb Appeal
Buyers often refuse to go into a house with an unkempt yard, sagging doors or peeling paint.

Most of these problems are issues you can correct without spending a lot of money. Do it now, before you put the house on the market to make the most of every selling opportunity.

Making Your House a "Model Home"

Have you visited a show home lately? What you will find are some beautifully, sparsely furnished homes that anyone could live in. You want buyers to view it as their potential home. Put away family photos, sports trophies, collectible items, knick-knacks, and souvenirs. Put them in a box. Do not just put the box in the attic, basement, garage or a closet. Part of preparing a house for sale is to remove "clutter." A storage facility may be your best bet for removing the clutter temporarily.

Closets are great for accumulating clutter, extra clothes and shoes – things you rarely wear but cannot bear to be without. Do without these items for a couple of months by putting them in a box, because these items can make your closets look "crammed full." Better yet, have a yard sale.

Many people have too much furniture in certain rooms – not too much for your own personal living needs – but too much to give the illusion of space that a homebuyer would like to see. I will be happy to give you some pointers that can help you.

Basements, garages, attics, and sheds accumulate not only clutter, but junk. These areas should be as empty as possible so that buyers can imagine what they would do with the space. Remove anything that is not essential and take it to the storage area.

By removing clutter and depersonalizing your home, you increase your chances for a quick sale.

Make Sure Your Price is Right


Care and time should be taken when establishing the original listing price of your house for several reasons. If the house is overpriced, it won't sell. If it sits on the market the listing becomes stale. If you overprice the house just to "see what the market will bear", when the price of the house is lowered, it signals to buyers that it was overpriced. They may think it is still overpriced. If the house is underpriced, it most likely will sell quickly and put a large dent in your pocket.

So what should you consider when setting the value of your home? A top factor is location. If your house is located in a desirable area that is in demand, you will be able to get a higher price than you can for the same house in a less desirable area.
Also, a house that has been maintained well and shows well will always sell for more than one that needs work. If a house has amenities that are currently popular in the marketplace, it will bring a higher price. Such amenities might include a split floor plan, fireplace or pool area.

A comparison of similar properties in the same general area that compares actual sold prices is known as a CMA. I will do a CMA for you absolutely free as a courtesy. Call me today or click here to get a CMA for your Louisville KY home and learn the true value of your property.. This complimentary service will put you ahead of the game.

You're Selling Your House in Louisville, KY. Now what?

First, contact me for a FREE Comparative Market Analysis (CMA). This first step could save you months of time and frustration. Setting the proper value of your property will mean the difference between a house that sells quickly and a house that does not. When a house sits on the market for too long, its value is deflated. Don't make the mistake of overpricing. With a CMA, you can rest assured that your price is right and have confidence in your prospects for a quick sale.

Next, allow me to walk through your house and advise you on possible improvements to your house's value even more. With my experience, I can not only tell you what needs to be done, but also advise you on the easiest way to make the changes. With some straight talk and a bit of elbow grease, you're sure to get the best possible price.

As your agent, I will show you what Southern-style service is all about. I will ensure that all paperwork is properly filed in a timely manner. I will list your home with the Multiple Listing Service and create a personalized notebook to be displayed in your home, with photographs. I will post the RE/MAX yard sign and also post pointer signs where they can be easily noticed. I will place a box for personalized fact sheets on your yard sign, a flyer for Buyers driving by to pick up, with detailed information. I will advertise in the places that will receive the best response possible. Your property will be advertised 24 hours a day on the world wide web. I will do open houses and also send out direct mail to advertise your property.

Still have questions? Click the topics to the right for more information and answers, or contact me directly for answers today.