As a consequence, property sellers and developers who highlight green features are discovering that these attributes can significantly attract buyers. This trend reflects a broader societal pivot towards sustainability, which has become a cornerstone of contemporary living.

Understanding Green Features in Real Estate

Green features in real estate refer to elements of a property designed to be environmentally friendly. These can range from energy-efficient appliances and solar panels to sustainable building materials and designs that reduce the need for heating and cooling. The goal is to lower carbon emissions and reduce the environmental impact of a home.

It is essential to understand that for today’s environmentally-conscious buyer, green features go beyond surface-level additions. These individuals are looking for homes that embody sustainability in their core design and operation.

As a result, properties that offer these green credentials are not only seen as more attractive but also often command a premium in the market.

Energy Efficiency: A Prime Selling Point

Energy efficiency is arguably the most impactful green feature a home can offer.

Properties that boast energy-saving measures, such as high-quality insulation, LED lighting, energy-efficient boilers, and smart home technologies, appeal greatly to prospective buyers. Such features promise lower utility bills and a smaller carbon footprint—a dual incentive that is hard to overlook.

Moreover, in the UK, the Energy Performance Certificate (EPC) provides an energy efficiency rating from A (most efficient) to G (least efficient). Homes with a higher rating can be more attractive to buyers, who are not only looking to reduce their environmental impact but also to save money in the long term.

Renewable Energy Sources: A Step Towards Autonomy

The integration of renewable energy sources, such as solar panels, wind turbines, or geothermal heating systems, is becoming a unique selling proposition. These systems allow homeowners to produce their own energy, reducing reliance on the grid and providing a hedge against energy price fluctuations.

In some cases, excess energy can be sold back to the grid, generating income for the homeowner. Additionally, renewable energy installations can benefit from government incentives, adding another layer of appeal for potential buyers who are looking to invest in homes with these green features.

Water Conservation and Sustainable Landscaping

Water conservation measures, including rainwater harvesting systems, low-flow fixtures, and water-efficient gardens, are becoming increasingly popular. As water scarcity becomes a more pressing concern, properties that offer solutions to reduce water use are seen as more future-proof and responsible.

Sustainable landscaping goes hand in hand with water conservation. Xeriscaping, the practice of designing landscapes to reduce or eliminate the need for irrigation, not only conserves water but also reduces maintenance time and costs.

The Role of Green Certifications

Green certifications, such as LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) or BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method), provide an authoritative endorsement of a property’s environmental performance.

These certifications are a straightforward way to signal to potential buyers that a property meets specific sustainability standards, offering third-party verification of green claims.

Navigating the Market with Green Features

While it’s true that the internet offers numerous platforms like cash house buyers online for quick property sales, sellers with green-certified properties are finding that they can attract a more traditional market as well.

Indeed, the modern buyer’s appetite for sustainable living has expanded the avenues through which environmentally friendly homes can be marketed and sold.

Marketing Green Homes

When marketing a property with green features, it’s vital to educate potential buyers on the benefits. This includes detailing the cost savings, environmental impact, and potential improvements to quality of life. Real estate agents who are knowledgeable about these features can provide invaluable advice to sellers on how to showcase them effectively.

Conclusion

As we move towards a greener future, properties that incorporate sustainable design and technology are not just a trend but a necessity. By highlighting green features, sellers are not only contributing to environmental conservation but are also aligning with the values of a growing demographic of buyers.

These features are not mere selling points but investments in the future of our planet and the well-being of its inhabitants. Thus, the environmental impact becomes a pivotal aspect of property appeal, ensuring that eco-friendly homes are at the forefront of the real estate market.

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First impressions matter – ensure your home’s exterior is well-maintained and inviting.

Making a great first impression is essential when selling your home. Start by ensuring that the exterior of your property is well-maintained and inviting. This could involve giving the front door a fresh coat of paint, trimming back foliage, and planting colorful flowers in the garden. Warm outdoor lighting can also create an inviting curb appeal, appealing to prospective buyers before they even step foot in your home. Use these expert tips and tricks to stage your home for a quick sale and give potential buyers an unforgettable impression when they see your property.

Create a flow throughout your home that is logical and easy for potential buyers to follow.

When selling a home, one of the best ways to make a strong impression on prospective buyers is to create a flow that makes it easier for them to explore and envision their life in your home. Consider the routes they’ll likely take when viewing your home – like climbing stairs, avoiding dangerous angles, and navigating doors. Adding elements such as small rugs or furniture artwork can help guide visitors from room to room. Create a space where it’s easy for visitors to move around freely with no obstructions or distractions that stand in their way. Implement these tips and tricks for staging your home to sell your home fast in Spokane. You’ll be sure to achieve a quick sale!

Declutter every room, including closets, cabinets, and shelves.

Decluttering your home is one of the best ways to ensure it shows its full potential and leads to a quick sale. Every room should be examined for potential clutter-causing items and sorted into three categories: keep, donate, and discard. Your closets, cabinets, and shelves should all have their own ‘purge days’ to eliminate unnecessary items and freshen up the house. Organize everything you keep so your home looks tidy, ensuring nothing is too cluttered or cramped together. This will create an impression of spaciousness which can help buyers picture themselves living in the house.

Depersonalize your space by removing family photos and personal items.

Selling your home quickly is achievable, but it requires you to make changes so potential buyers can envision themselves living in your space. One of the most effective things you can do is depersonalize. Remove any family photos or items specific to you; this will allow viewers to imagine their family members in the house and not yours. Keeping distance from your personal items can also help soften emotions when leaving a place that has been home. Establishing a neutral environment will be beneficial when interested buyers are considering purchasing your property.

Focus on creating a warm and inviting atmosphere with cozy furnishings and décor.

When trying to sell it quickly, creating a warm, inviting atmosphere in your home with cozy furnishings and décor is essential. Start by de-cluttering initial areas so potential buyers can understand how the space might look with their furniture. Make sure to use light colors when making updates, making the rooms appear larger and brighter. Cozy furniture like love seats and chairs should be arranged comfortably, inviting people to sit down and relax. Add decorative pieces such as lamps, rugs, pillows, and throw blankets to create a cozy space that draws potential buyers in. By following these expert tips for staging your home for a fast sale, you can focus on creating a warm and inviting atmosphere that will have buyers falling in love at first sight.

Highlight your home’s best features, whether the updated kitchen or the spacious backyard.

When you’re selling a home, first impressions count. One way to give a great first impression is to make sure your home’s best features are highlighted – from the beautifully updated kitchen to the lush, spacious backyard. By directing buyers’ attention towards these key elements quickly, they’ll fall in love with your house faster, and you’ll have yourself a deal. To help potential buyers focus on your home’s best features, consider talking to an expert stager before listing: they’ll be able to provide advice and tips when pointing out which areas of your house need some extra TLC before putting it up for sale.

When you’re ready to put your house on the market, remember that first impressions matter. With these expert tips, you can quickly stage your home for a fast sale!

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Gathering all the documents – A certified realtor has the holistic information of what documentation is required to actually get your house to sell. The realtor should have all the information regarding any repair work done to the home and about the major mechanics, all these details can prove quite handy for him. A certified realtor is not the one who will put a signboard in front of the house and wait for the potential buyers. He should be proficient enough to project the information about the home in an intriguing manner both online and offline.

So, are you wondering what type of documents you should be having? Allow me to pen down the documents and the paperwork that is actually required for selling your home –

• Instrument survey.
• The age of central air conditioning and instruction manuals (if any).
• Any permits that apply such as – fence permits, deck permits and shed permits, etc.
• The age of hot water heater and instruction manuals (if any).

An Ideal time to sell – Not every real estate market is the same. There are some months that are ideal for selling your home – March, April, and May. These are the months that you, as a seller, can get the best deal for your home. If you want to sell your home in December but on the other hand, your agent insists that this is the right time to earn a quick buck then you might want to hire another realtor. Certainly, it is possible to sell out your home in winters, but in most of the cases, it is the spring season that attracts highest offers, for multiple reasons.

Make sure that you take a decision for selling as per your convenience. Yes, spring time may be suitable for you but there are high probabilities that it won’t suit others. There are so many reasons that support selling your home during the fall and winters instead of waiting for the spring to arrive. Make sure you have analyzed all the advantages and the disadvantages of each selling time frame. A good realtor is the one who will make you aware of selling your home at a particular time period.

Pre-listing inspection – Make sure that you consider getting your home inspected by an experienced home inspector, ensure that the inspector is a member of ASHI i.e. American Society of Home Inspectors. It is important that the inspector has highlighted some issues with the home. If he is not able to find any, chances are that the inspector is inefficient or not a reputable home inspector.

As and when the inspection is done, you should address all those issues highlighted by the inspector. It is the task of the inspector that he should make you aware of the issues, he found during his inspection and make sure that the images are submitted so that you can work out on those issues.

Making the preparations for selling your home – Selling your home is not a child’s play and there are so many factors that go behind the whole process and there are many things that need to be examined. A good realtor is the one who can make out the issues, that needs to be rectified, during a walk-through of the home. The first impression of your house actually makes or breaks the deal. Preparing your home for sale does bear great significance, otherwise, it can lead to poor first impression in front of the buyer. Make sure that you have spared extra time to prepare your home and I am sure that later on, you will not regret your decision.

Having an attractive price – You don’t have to be a scientist to think that it all boils down to the price element. This means that it is the price that you set for your home, that actually decides whether your home sells or not. Make sure that you don’t price your home too high otherwise it will end up costing you more money later on. The pricing that you have decided for your home will do all the marketing, on its own, once it gets introduced to the market.

Make sure that you are aware of the fact that the modern buyers are quite smart and they have all the details on their fingertips. Since the buyers have all the information, they will immediately make out that the house is overpriced and this is where you lose half the battle. One of the common mistakes made by the seller is while hiring an agent. If the real estate agent is asking a low commission, most of the sellers will immediately hire him and this is the biggest mistake that they can make. So, you have to educate yourself so that you don’t commit the mistakes when it comes to pricing your home.

Taking a decision for offering the home warranty – Having home warranties can be a great idea for you as a seller. I have come across so many cases where the sellers inquire whether offering warranty to the buyer is actually worth it. You are the decision maker and you have to take the decision whether to offer a home warranty or not. Once you have hired the agent, you can also inquire him about whether the warranty has the worth or not.

Dealing with legal issues – One of the intricate aspects of selling your home is dealing with the legal issues that commonly comprise of contracts and closings. For this, it is advisable that you take the services of a pro who has years of experience in dealing contracts and should have sound legal knowledge as well. I have seen most of the closing have been marred by legal niceties, owing to which it results in unexpected outcomes and finally leading to a failure in getting the house sold.

Showtime – It is imperative that you have kept a convenient time, preferably weekdays and weekends so that more buyers get to see your home. It would be an added advantage if you have made your home available for the open houses. Ensure that your house gets cleaned, both inside and outside, on a daily basis. Don’t forget to keep the flyers for the convenience of the buyers; it will help in displaying the kitchen counter and other areas of your home.

Wrap up – Don’t you ever think that you can’t sell your home? It’s all about making right decisions and you will surely love the feeling of having those extra dollars in your pocket. Make sure that you consider the above-discussed things before you sell your dream house.

Author Bio

Sophia is a writer by profession. She has a knack for coming up with novel ideas. She currently writes for Investment Bank. She contributes ideas for latest technology and many more. She has also worked for scores of magazines, writing exciting content on various topics.

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But what are the most important things that must be considered when looking at a new house? How can we ensure that the property we’re viewing is the right one?

Location, Location, Location

If you’re a fan of Phil and Kirstie on Channel 4 in the UK, then the chances are that you’ll know this tip already – but it really can’t be stated enough. Whatever you’re buying a new house for, its whereabouts are of paramount importance. You can change nearly anything about a house – whether you’re improving the lack of space in a home by extending or improving its look with a spate of redecorating – but there’s nothing you can do about its location. Therefore, do your research: find out if there are any new developments afoot that could improve or spoil the area, and walk around at different times of day to see if there are any unsavoury activities or a special community feel.

Insulation

With most household bills running into the thousands every year, ensuring that a new house is well-insulated is incredibly important. So ask the current owners how well the property is insulated – from the walls and windows through to loft insulation.

Check for Damp

There aren’t many more unsavoury things in a house than damp. The silent condition can wreak havoc in a home even before it manifests itself in dark spots or an unforgiving scent – and if untreated it can make it unliveable, causing serious damage to a house. Chances are that prospective sellers of a home with damp problems will do their very best to mask it when you visit their property, so you have to be vigilant and keep an eye out for the myriad signs of damp: from rooms with poor ventilation to steamed-up windows, patches above skirting boards and tell-tale damp extraction machines.

Consider Curb Appeal

Before you even go in the house, simply consider how it looks from the outside. If you detect any sort of lean, or notice cracks and sunken areas in the yard, your eyes may not be playing tricks on you – there could be structural problems. Before falling in love with the décor, you must decide whether the bricks and mortar are reliable enough to last the many years you’re living there.

Rate its Systems

Check that everything in the home is in good working condition: from the plumbing and electrical ports to heating and cooling systems. Many homes have a different ‘personality’ and will have different ways of performing the same tasks, so it’s vital to become comfortable with how they work and whether that method will suit you. If a house has malfunctioning or antiquated heating systems, then don’t give up on it – you may be able to drive the price of it down as a result.

Does it Suit You?

Last but certainly not least, the most important thing is to check whether the potential new property suits you and fits your personal needs. If it has the right size for you, with a décor and a space that will complement your lifestyle, then that’s just as important as any other factor. Let’s face it, you’re not just buying a house, you’re buying a home, and it’d be awful if you bought it to find that it didn’t feel like one.

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A critical thing to understand is that a real estate agent is not an expense; a real estate agent adds value and has experience in buying and selling what is your most expensive investment. His or her expertise, time, and technical knowledge and skills are what allow you to carry on with your life, your commitments, and your priorities, while the agent takes care of the complexities of buying a home. A real estate agent maximizes the exposure of your home- through advertising, marketing, showings, and callbacks, etc.- which, ultimately, creates a bigger pool of buyers and results in a higher selling price. Additionally and sometimes even more important is that a great agent knows how to protect your interests, not just financially but legally by ensuring proper documentation, ensuring key items that could lead to legal issues later are addressed up front and you are prepared.  If you think no big deal, well without using Google to find out, do you know the difference between a “ patent” and a “ latent” defect in a home?  If not one could get you very much in legal trouble.

Having said that in most provinces/states compensation, often referred to as real estate commission is usually negotiable, so be sure to find out.  A real estate agent might receive compensation in one of a few ways. He or she is paid either through a fee structure or as a percent commission from the sale of your home or property. Up front, it is important to ask your agent a simple question like, How do your commission fees work? Your real estate agent is obligated to disclose to you how this process and payment looks. As the Seller, you generally will pay fees or commission on the final sale price to your Seller’s agent (their Brokerage), who then will split it with the Buyer’s agent (according to a predetermined formula, but may not always be an equal split so ask about both sides and what the split is). An example: a full commission may be 7% on the first $100,000 of the price, followed by 3% on the balance of the sale price (BOSP).  This is generally split in half with 3.5% and 1.5% going to the selling agent, the other half to the buyer agent.  Generally you pay the full amount to the Brokerage selling your home and they then pay the other Brokerage.  Commission structures vary from geographic areas and from city to city, and ultimately agent to agent.

You do have options. “Is there any way to negotiate your commission fee?” is a great way to open the conversation with your agent. That said, every Agent is bound by guidelines set by the Brokerage that employs them, but the terms of a transaction are negotiable. Generally speaking, a Buyer’s agent fee is an untouchable amount; in a rare circumstance, you may be able to whittle off a 1% discount. Why?  Well if you don’t offer a fair commission to the buyers agent they may not take their clients to look at your house….ethical no, reality at times (remember, good, ok and bad types in all fields) so best to ensure a fair offer to the buyer agent.

However, there is potential to negotiate savings when you list with an agent to sell your home.

Perhaps, you will be able to leverage a “buy & sell” option with a real estate agent, whereby you sell your home and buy a new one through the same agent for a discount in fees. This is more open to the agent as they are making money selling and helping you buy.  Remember though they are spending lots of money marketing your home to sell, if it does not they not only don’t make a selling commission they also lose the buyer commission as you wont be buying, so realize they too take risk and have motivation to sell your home. Or maybe you can offer your agent ‘variable rate’, depending on how or when your house sells.

If it sells by word of mouth or because of a hot market, you can pitch this idea, “If my house sells without the help of a Buyer’s agent, I would like a variable rate of 4% in that case.”  At times an agent listing and selling your home representing both parties is called “ double ending”, and they typically receive the commission from both sides.  Negotiate a win back to you in that happens especially is you are also going on to buy with them. A win-win like this is always worth asking.  Key to remember within all of his however, you generally get what you pay for……sometimes a lower commission percentage is exactly how much effort you are going to get from the agent as well, where as paying full commission you can have very heightened expectations and rightly so.

You will want to seek out a Comparative Market Analysis, or CMA, which will provide a report on the sales of properties that have sold in your area as they (roughly!) compare to your home. This should be requested by both the Seller to know how to price their home, but also by the Buyer to ensure they are not overpaying the market value. A CMA considers current listings, as well as homes that have recently sold in your area. Some simple research on your behalf can provide an advantage for you. For example, when you know the saleability of your home or property, you will have a sense of how hard an agent will have to work to sell your house. In other words, a house that is hard to sell warrants a higher Seller’s agent fee, and vice versa.  Additionally many systems offer history on a property, so list too high and have to drop later and everyone will see the drops…making your house appear to have something wrong with it.  Buyers can note the changes and determine if you are getting more anxious to sell. Another reason to use the right agent.

When negotiating fees with your real estate agent, you will want to consider which services you are looking for. Do you want all of the services that the real estate agent offers? If not, ask if there is any discount in fees for what would be a discount in service. If an agent refuses to negotiate with you in this way, you may want to contact a discount broker who can provide only certain services for a lower price (e.g. less-than-full advertising of your property).  Note concerns above, so do your due diligence carefully and ask for references.

Paying for the services of a real estate agent is an investment in professional services. Being a FSBO (For Sale By Owner) may save you some dollars, but it may also be the worst decision of your life…your selling your most expensive asset. Do you really want to do that yourself? As a direct result of hiring a real estate agent in the sale of your home, you want to ensure market price or higher selling price, in the least amount of time, with the least amount of hassle. A great real estate agent will do just that for you.

Don’t be afraid to ask for what you want, talk to a number of agents, interview them, ask for referrals from friends all before you finalize your decision.  And when you find a GREAT one – hold on to them like you do with all of your other trusted service providers, they are invaluable.

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As you begin, you can be assured that there are a variety of real estate websites available to you, either with or without a cost that you can utilize in your online search for a new home. A simple search- ‘online real estate’- on any search engine will get the ball rolling for you. These sites serve buyers, sellers, renters and real estate agents. A search on a typical real estate site will allow you to set the terms of your search. (Hint: Start broad in your search. You will get more results to view, and you can always remove them if they are not what you are looking for).

Real estate websites offer vastly different services; some will simply list a home with a photo or two, another might also have a simulated negotiating tool to help you practice that process, and still another may offer every service necessary in the chain of events that is home-buying. Be sure to look through a site that you are using….at times it may look like a generic site with many listings, but the listings themselves may be that of other sellers, and the site is actually run by one or a few real estate agents looking to grow their lead base. Nothing wrong with these sites, just good to be aware of who you are giving your information to.

There exists a board spectrum of tools and helps for you on these real estate sites, many are designed to be a one-stop-shop. And often other tools that relate to real estate are offered and are easy to use, like the “Do I prequalify for a mortgage?” button, or a graph showing the ten-year history of home prices in the area, or a selection of possible financing options for you to consider. Some may be extra services offered by the site, others are paid for services either by the consumer or more often the company offering the service (ie: a lender paying for a mortgage calculator on a real estate agent site, the agent gets the buy/sell lead, the lender gets the same lead as a potential mortgage)

With a bit of discernment, it is easy to discover possible finance options online. At the very least, there are some great tools that you can figure out some of the preliminary numbers involved in the home-buying process. For instance, you can discover what mortgage you might prequalify for, or you may be able to roughly calculate what your monthly mortgage payment will be on a certain property. Talking with an actual mortgage broker can be an excellent way to get your personal questions answered so, again, don’t be afraid to enlist the services of someone who knows everything from market value to real estate valuation to coach you in your mortgage requirements.

Real estate websites are set up for making shopping for a home online a little more convenient. They can be helpful in connecting you to the Listing agent (Seller’s rep) , or they can help you find an agent yourself. As a buyer, consider using a real estate agent in a “supplemental” way to your own research and generally the Seller pays so this help may not cost you anything. A real estate agent may have helpful providing inside information on a neighborhood, property, community, values etc. some of which may not be shared by the real estate website. He or she can offer their skills and services while you are busy with your day-to-day life. It is worth noting that the Seller will cover USUALLY cover your agent’s fees- when you buy the home from them but it all depends on the commission amount they offer.  Some agents are now requiring Buyers to sign contracts to work with them to ensure they are paid for their services (Buyer Brokerage Contracts). Buyers usually do not compensate real estate agents for their services; Sellers do, in that your agent’s compensation is taken out of the sale price of the home. However with more pressure on sites like REALTOR.ca, Builders own websites and other FSBO (for sale by owner) sites, the commission may not be enough to cover your agent costs so be sure to clarify how that works.

You may want to go the route of FSBO, or ‘For Sale By Owner.’ There are many solid motives for wanting to do the transaction of a home sale in an unmediated way, but there are several very good reasons to complete this transaction with the help of a skilled real estate professional as noted in the previous article “Hiring a Real Estate Agent”. It is completely up to you.

A few words of caution, however. Because language is not an objective thing, beware of the descriptors you read in listings; know that they are frequently codified as clever ways to say other things. For example, ‘cozy’ may actually mean ‘small’; ‘partial view’ could be a way of describing the building that is in the view out your window, the one that blocks the full view of the landscape. Also, people have been caught fraudulently using real estate websites for financial gain. A common dark act might be to post fake rental properties, asking for a deposit to be sent their way in order to “secure the rental.” Never wire money for this reason; a property owner should always take your cheque and/or be willing to meet you in person. There are ways to make sure that a Seller is legitimate. Some of these ways are built into the website (e.g. a Seller is not allowed to list until they have registered themselves by using a valid credit card as a form of identification). Overall, some discernment is necessary in order to avoid these pitfalls, but it is nothing unnavigable.  The best sites to utilize are those that offer the site as an advertising means to the Seller and are not party to the sale or transaction side of the homes listed.  This should give you the most impartial perspective.

Shopping for your new home online is far less unorthodox than it used to be, some people are now buying their homes “site unseen” from the web and through an agent or Seller.  These types of purchases generally carry final completion clauses like “ subject to the buyer being satisfied upon viewing the property”. Searching for new homes online is growing in frequency and is becoming more user-friendly with each passing day. Done well, it serves many purposes for you, the home buyer. With some research, wise choices and perhaps a bit of consultation from someone with expertise, shopping for a home online can save you a lot of time and money and you will be so much more aware of the marketplace and variety of options available to you

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The Reality of Divorce: Antagonizing Circumstances

Even if you are fortunate enough to be in an amicable separation, the fact is that certain tensions will arise. This is sure to happen when the house comes into question. Keep a close watch on your feelings and make sure that you are not led by emotion into a bad decision, such as signing over your rights to the property or selling prematurely. No matter how acrimonious, it is also important to remember that any deals done under the table will eventually be found out. In this case, rest assured that the individual who performed the sneaky deed will probably lose everything gained an more besides.

Sales Options in a Divorce Situation

Ideally, the parties will agree to split the sale price in half. This situation will be a typical sales one, wherein a buyer is found, the house sold. The only difference is that the money will be split either evenly or by a formula determined by legal counsel. There are other options, however, when it comes to selling a house in a divorce.

The two individuals may agree that one person will retain ownership of the house. This is still a sales situation, the difference is that in effect one spouse buys out the others’ right to the property. A good way to go about this is to have the house appraised by a neutral party, and then divide the estimate in half. The spouse who will be staying in the house will then pay the other party for their half of the house.

In any sales case, both parties should consult separate legal counsel. When it comes to agents, however, it will be best to go with one professional (this will avoid the cost of an even higher commission). Negotiations on who this individual will be can be carried out be the counsel for each party.

The Loss of Income

A big concern in any divorce situation is the loss of the dual income, or the loss of an entire income if one of the individuals happens to be a parent who stays at home. In both cases, there will be a definite interest in selling the house as quickly as possible in order to avoid sliding into debt. If you are getting divorced in a time when the real estate market is not particularly favorable to sellers, you may want to consider a lease option.

A lease option can be negotiated so that the individuals selling the house make sure that their mortgage payments and property taxes are covered by the lease per month. This also allows a whole new market access to the home; people not yet ready to buy but who do need a house will be interested in a lease. The lease option gives the new tenants the opportunity to buy the home within a set amount of time. This can be ideal for a couple selling their home in a divorce; it will cover the major recurring expense that the couple accrued together as well as allowing for the sale of that asset at a better time.

Beware of Fleecers!!

Divorce will mean that you are vulnerable both emotionally and financially. It might not occur to you, but there are hundreds of individuals and companies out there who make a living from exacerbating a difficult situation for their own gain. Look out for companies who offer to buy your house from you in order to alleviate the financial stress of your mortgage payments. These people have identified a market which is easy to exploit; the odds are that if you can just manage to speak to your former mate on civil terms you will come out much better financially than if you let your negative emotions have their way with your decisions.

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If you’ve never sold a house before or don’t know anything about real estate, you can still make a good sale by following certain guidelines. It would be a pity if your asking price was too unrealistic; that is, either you’re outpricing yourself by demanding a high sale amount or you’re giving your house away for a song.

Fact # 1: in any geographical area, there’s always what realtors call a “buyers’ pool.” These are buyers with different profiles and intentions so by knowing about them you can be in an advantageous bargaining position. In this pool, there are buyers who are looking for a house they will live in, buyers who are looking to invest, cash buyers and mortgage buyers. If you know what type of buyer you’re dealing with, you can price your house appropriately.

Fact # 2: to sell your house successfully, always look at your house through a buyer’s eyes. This means, seeing things about your house that you’ve never noticed before, but which buyers notice immediately. One trick, according to a real estate agent, is to look at your house from across the street and scrutinize it. What do you see now that you haven’t seen before?

Taking these two facts into account, here are some tips that we’d like to share with you. You might find them handy when you make the final decision to sell.

Selling Your House Yourself: Valuable Tips

1. Start outside (the outside is what home buyers see first)

Take a look at what might be a sore eye: overflowing garbage cans, wood scraps, junk yard stuff. A tidy exterior speaks volumes of the owners. Does the clutter outside the house mean that the inside will reveal more clutter? What about the roof? Is it in good condition; if not, when was the last time it was replaced? Is the garden attractive and inviting or are there bushes and trees that need trimming? Is the lawn brown and depressed, or is it alive and green? Are the outside lights working? Is the paint falling off?

2. Go inside the house

Again, we’ll repeat the issue of clutter. If your house has hardly any space to walk around and there’s too much furniture, knick knacks and unnecessary items lying about, it is difficult for buyers to visualize how their own furniture will look in your house. By not removing clutter, you’re not allowing them to “mentally move in.”

Repair doors that squeak, faucets that leak and windows with cracked or broken glass. Don’t forget floor slabs that have come loose. If the paint’s peeling off, fix that one too!

3. Environmental concerns

Be prepared when potential buyers ask you about radon, asbestos, lead and energy-efficiency appliances or devices. Be sure to look at a list of asbestos containing materials and other dangerous chemicals so you can identify them on the spot. There’s a heightened sense of the environment right now, and your house will be competing with newly-built homes that bear the mark of energy efficiency. You may want to have your house inspected by a certified inspector for any radon, asbestos or lead content. When you show a healthy inspection report, you stand a better chance of selling your house.

4. No one’s buying

Inexperienced sellers make the mistake of not pulling down their ad after a certain period of time. They think that if they leave the ad long enough, a buyer will show up eventually. Be careful. If your house is still in the market after a year while other houses in your neighboring are being sold within a reasonable period of time, then take a step back. You ought to take the ad out and place it again at another time. When buyers see that your house has not sold yet, they begin to question why (“maybe it’s haunted”) or they could offer a much lower price if they sense you’re desperate.

5. Prepare for Open House

Receiving buyers and answering the same questions over and over again can be tedious. What you can do is prepare a fact sheet about your house: year it was built, if you’re the first owner, how many times the plumbing and roofing have been replaced, what kind of neighborhood it is, how many schools there are, supermarkets, libraries, hospitals and senior citizens’ facilities. Buyers appreciate it when you anticipate their questions. Attach your latest inspection report as well. Some buyers may be seriously considering buying your house because of its proximity to a school or a hospital.

When buyers arrive, ask them if they’d like a guided tour or they’d like to inspect your house on their own. They may be too embarrased to look under sinks or open closets if you’re around. Give them the option to go on their own, but give them a fact sheet anyway.

6. Knowledge of municipality’s zoning laws

Make sure you know what’s going on in your city. If there’s a planned zoning change that could considerably “up” the value of your house, then you’ll be better prepared to ask for a price that’s fair and can even generate a nice little profit. If you sell your house and then a zoning change occurs bringing down the value of your house, the buyers who you sold your house to could file a lawsuit alleging that you should have warned them about the zoning changes.

7. Sharpen those negotiation skills

Speak to realtors or read up on negotiating skills. The basics are: seller always starts high while the buyer will always start low. This way seller and buyer have plenty of room to negotiate. Be flexible so that you don’t turn away a serious buyer; by the same token, know when to stop negotiating. That’s why we have offers and counter offers in real estate. Both seller and buyer want value for their money.

8. Pets Away! Cooking Odors Ayoy!

Don’t nurture the mistaken notion that people love pets like you do. In fact, there are buyers who specifically say that if there’s a pet in the house, the first thing that worries them is invisible pet dander or pet hairs strewn about. We personally have a preference for pet-free homes, so there…

And make sure you eliminate all unpleasant odors from the house, especially if you cook with exotic ingredients that have strange smells.

9. Timing and Reason

It’s common sense not to sell your house when the market is down, unless of course you’re desperate for cash. Also, don’t sell your house for the wrong reasons. If you love your house but want to sell it because you’ve recently been divorced and staying in it stings you with painful memories, wait it out. Time heals all wounds, but a house sold is gone forever.

10. Documentation and all things legal

Protect yourself by requesting that a buyer who is about to buy your house put funds into escrow, or have a third party set this up. You wouldn’t want to be unpleasantly surprised to end up with a house that you took off the market because the buyer said he was “approved for a mortgage loan.” Always ask for proof of the buyer’s financial condition. Do not give him the keys to your house or transfer ownership until you’ve got the money in the bank and all papers are in order.

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Time

As touched on above, time is the most valuable ally you have in an attempt to sell your home. We also mentioned that in some cases, you may not have the time you need to ensure a great sale price. Most of the factors that we will list below are matters of time, and even in pressing situations you should be able to squeeze out a little bit more time to get your house up on the market at a good price. Remember that every day is critical, so planning ahead could mean a great sales price. Some suggestions for stalling the sale of your house until the ideal point in time:

Most moves don’t come as real surprises to the people involved. Many of us will have at least a little bit of warning if a major life decision is going to take place. Start thinking about the sale of your home, including looking into possible agents, as soon as you hear any rumors of promotion or transfer. You don’t have to sign any papers, but doing the groundwork ahead of time (including deciding on an asking price) will save a lot of time should the event transpire.

In the event of a transfer, ask your employer if you can move later in the year. Don’t ask to wait until your house is sold; that aspect is really up to you. The key is to not have to sell your house until the timing is right; in other words, at a time of year when the market is hotter. If you are really on your game, you may even be able to buy a home in your new location during a slow time of year and sell your own house in a good market.

The Time of Year

Time of year is critical to home sellers. One of the most important rules on getting the best price for your property is to have it looking its best when potential buyers come to look. The season has a lot to do with this; almost without exception, houses are at their peak appearance in the summer, when the landscaping shows the exterior to its full effect. Early fall is also a great time to sell a house.

Winter is a bad time to put a house on the market. Not only will your house not look its best, but there are not as many people looking during this season. In addition, people trampling through in boots out of the wet conditions means the house will be a lot harder to keep clean.

Likewise, spring is not a great time to put a house on the market, at least until later. Let the streets clear of slush, and let people have time to shake off the winter cobwebs. People are much more likely to be in a spending mood once the sun starts shining.

The Seller’s Market

Every once in a while, conditions come together perfectly for home sellers, and houses are selling before they even really hit the multiple listing systems. This is called a seller’s market, and usually it occurs when interest rates are low. 2005 represented a perfect storm as far as real estate; salaries and optimism were up, interest rates were low, and there were an unprecedented amount of people seeking a house.

Not all seller’s markets are as hot as 2005, but seller’s markets are nevertheless the ideal time to sell. The problem is that they largely come about as a result of economic conditions; if you happen to be trying to sell in a low point of the cycle, you really won’t have time to wait for the economy to pick back up.

When is a good time to sell your house, of course, is when you will get the most value for the property. Several factors contribute to this, including the appearance of your home and the mood of potential buyers based on both season and economic climate. Always remember that time is the most important factor in achieving maximum value for your property, so try to give yourself as much lead time as possible.

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Home staging has become the norm in today’s uber-competitive real estate market. The homeowner’s equivalent of hiring a celebrity stylist for Oscar night, the stager’s goal is to accentuate all architectural assets, making spaces that could be perceived as austere or intimidating feel warm and inviting.

Staging has a physics defying effect that sakes small rooms larger, outdoor areas more dramatic and expands overall square footage. Home staging is particularly adept at communicating a lifestyle – that elusive symbiosis of good design and subtle luxury that says, “I’ve made it.. Not that I care….” Staging always increases the sale price. It’s a short-term, high yield investment.

Here’s an exclusive peek at how to make staging take center stage in your home for sale.

Right here. Right now…in ten easy scenes.

• Scene One: Appeal. Start with curb appeal, including raking up the fallen leaves, having an attractive front door with updated hardware and exterior light fixtures. Curb appeal should exude an unforgettable first impression that entices buyers to get out of the car and cross the threshold.
• Scene Two: Enchant. The front entry should generate some pomp and circumstance, excitement, drama, maybe a little razzmatazz. Create a focal point with an oversized mirror, a piece of art, lamp on a console table, fresh flowers or scented candles — but not all at once. Add drama, not a graveyard of props.
• Scene Three: Refresh. Sand and refinish hardwood floors. Clean carpets or replace dated flooring or countertops. Remove memories of little goblins handprints off the walls.
• Scene Four: Rearrange. Create appropriate furniture layouts where buyers aren’t dodging around coffee tables and dressers, making for better flow and showing off space. A better set design may be to focus towards the mountains, landscaped backyard, or park.
• Scene Five: Upgrade. Stainless steel appliances are the rage because they add the commercial look of perceived value. If you have space, toss in a glass-front wine cooler for sex appeal. Top a bathroom vanity with a vessel sink.
• Scene Six: Accommodate. Give your bathrooms that “Star” look. Add thick, white, luxury textured towels with extra hand towels at each sink — scented reeds or scented candles, glass jars filled with cotton balls or Q-tips and chrome soap dispensers at the ready.
• Scene Seven: Impress. Likewise treat your master bedroom like a luxury hotel suite featured in the movies. Include fluffy pillows and shams to match a thick duvet or quilt and stack some novels on a tray. Purchase a ceiling height plant to add perceived height and life to the room. If there is space, set up an armchair and reading light or a sofa to bring in coziness. Remove personal photographs.
• Scene Eight: Organize. Clear the set. Remove the clutter. Put in well-designed closets and organize this area. Closets should look good and smell good, not musty. Rack or drawer your shoes and house other accessories in matching wicker baskets. Leave as little as possible on the floor. Add cedar blocks for scent and invest in matching hangers to project a lifestyle of success.
• Scene Nine: Entertain. Add sound track. iPod music to wireless speakers. Install a plasma TV tuned to an eye-catching, replaying, high-density disc of panoramic scenes. You want to present your home as modernized and updated as possible.
• Scene Ten: Dramatize. Add a subplot of square footage with dramatic effects — mirrors in small areas, focused furniture positions, large bouquets of fresh flowers. Turn on all floor and table lamps for spotlighted living.

Stage from the floor up – Seating is limited, so book now.

Article Supplied BY: Karyn
CRAZY HOUSE Home Staging – The Art of Professionally Preparing A House for Sale
403.287.1774 – Website: www.crazyhouse.ca

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