Monday, August 31, 2015

Maximize Your Home’s Curb Appeal with These Home Improvement Projects

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Improving your home’s curb appeal is the number one way to create a buyer’s interest in your home, plus you improve your odds of really getting the price tag the property deserves.

Curb appeal projects can range from the simple to the complex, and even the smallest improvements can have big results in a buyer’s eye. However, if you really want to maximize your home’s curb appeal, a total property makeover might be in order. These home improvement projects are great for a range of budgets and DIY know-how, and can give you the results you really need to sell your home fast.

Getting in at the Front Door

The front door: so humble, and yet so symbolic. Your front door will draw the eye of anyone looking at your home, and will say a lot about the house itself: dark and bronzed hardwoods with metal accents gives off a sense of elegance and sophistication, while a more simple door painted in timeless whites will have a more classic and welcoming aesthetic. First impressions are vital, so make sure that your door is a pleasing sight to see.

Front door and entryway improvements are some of the simplest and most rewarding curb appeal projects you can take up, and should be one of the first things on your list as far as improvements go. Repainting a door will only take an hour or so out of your afternoon, as will replacing it entirely with a new piece. Door-knockers, knobs, and bells should be in line with the style of the rest of your home – they’re subtle nods at the style you’re going for, so make them count. Accent the door and entryway with a seasonal floral wreaths and planters for color and charm. Extending the planters down your steps and into your walkway can bring the look together, and direct buyers’ eyes the way you want them.

Lawn and Garden Redesign Projects

When the phrase “curb appeal” comes up, what most people think of is a lush lawn and garden. Fields of gorgeous green grass and a lush garden are certainly appealing to buyers looking at your home, and a unique and well-designed estate will catch the eye (and fetch a nice price tag). So, when redesigning your lawn and garden for max curb appeal, think big: the most popular gardens on today’s real estate market merge beauty and functionality for a complete package. But don’t forget, here in California we need to remain mindful of our drought situation and plant drought tolerant plants.

Popular garden designs today go for a rustic look: cobblestone paths and aged wood are great materials to gravitate towards, with aged brass or copper fixtures. However, don’t count out stone tiles. Geometric designs and patterns are huge in today’s design market, and a tiled geometric centerpiece for your garden can really catch the eye.

Bring your garden around your whole property to bring your lawn project together with your home itself – you don’t want your painstakingly-prepared garden to stand out like a sore thumb in an otherwise blank and boring property. Your whole property is your canvas, so make sure you home is appealing right to the curb. Front yard improvement projects should tend toward the minimalist: you don’t want to take attention away from your home, but rather, accentuate its good traits. Frame your home with flowering or evergreen trees for lasting and low-maintenance results, or add some planters to your front lawn for color and interest.

A fence and terraced entryway adds charm and privacy, and allows you to extend your gardening canvas even further: climbing ivy will take to wooden fences well, and edging any fence with floral and green elements adds visual interest. With all of this improvement, don’t let your mailbox be left behind: a drab aluminum standing mailbox will stick out against an otherwise lush and well-designed yard. Bring your mailbox in line with the rest of your aesthetic, in material and color both, and bring it in on the garden party by planting some greens and florals around it. Be careful that these additions don’t block your mailman’s sight, though – a beautiful mailbox won’t get much use if your mailman has to rustle through a jungle to get to it.

Home Exterior Improvement

While garden and yard design gets most of the attention when it comes to curb appeal, don’t forget to dress up your home itself. A well-designed property might draw in buyers, but a home with bad siding and peeling paint will stand out like a rotten tooth in an otherwise beautiful smile. This is a prime time for you to completely revamp your home’s look and update it to be in line with the market’s current tastes, so make good use of the opportunity. Complex re-siding and re-roofing projects should generally be left to professional contractors to ensure that your home remains in code, but if you’ve got the DIY itch, they can be done with a bit of elbow grease, some research into your local housing laws, and a few YouTube tutorials.

You can make your home feel more connected with your property by bringing accents from your yard and garden to it. Climbing ivy is always an elegant touch, and window boxes are quick and easy-to-maintain ways to add a splash of color to your home’s exterior – add colorful shutters to really complete the classic look. Match your home’s aesthetic to your lawn and garden’s: a rustic home can have the same aged wood and brass accents as your garden, while a more contemporary home will benefit from more sleek and modern pieces. When you’ve got a complete look, it will bring your property’s whole package together, and will work with your interior design and staging to get buyers’ interest piqued, and their wallets opened.

Prepping your property for prospective buyers is just as important as prepping your rooms indoors, and great curb appeal can really set the stage for a solid sales pitch. These projects will get you real results on the real estate market, and will make your property sell faster – and for a bigger price tag overall. They’re a solid investment, and one that any home-selling hopeful should try. If you would like to talk about how to enhance the curb appeal of your home … just give me a call … I would love the opportunity of speaking with you and answering any questions that you might have.

ALLISON VAN WIG – VAN WIG & ASSOCIATES

562-882-1581  Allison@SuperBroker.com

Friday, August 21, 2015

What Family Buyers Are Really Looking for in Your Home

FAMILY BUYERS

Selling your home is all about knowing what your target buyer’s market wants, and appealing to it. Different types of buyers require different approaches to best appeal to their needs and wants, and one of the most common buyer types is the family buyer.

These people are interested in how your home will work for them and their loved ones, and how well the house will grow with them over the years. Check out what families will be looking for when they’re on a visit to your home.

Location, Location, Location

It’s common knowledge that real estate is all about location, when it comes to family buyers, it’s still true. Families want to know that your home is in an appropriate and convenient area for their needs: for example, is it along bus routes, or will their children have to walk or be driven? What is the quality and reputation of the local school district? Is it right next to a busy street or highway? How far is it away from local conveniences, such as grocery stores, doctor’s offices, and more fun locales such as movie theaters and malls? Family buyers have busy lives, and want to make sure that their new home’s location doesn’t make things more stressful – and want to make sure that their children have the entertainment and socialization opportunities that they deserve.

If your home is in a prime location, be sure to talk this topic up. A great location can make for a real boost to your home’s value, so it’s an opportunity that shouldn’t be missed. However, if your home doesn’t measure up in this regard, it’s not the end of the world: it just requires a different sales pitch. More remote homes can easily be sold on their peaceful, natural surroundings, and conversely, homes located on busy streets can be sold on their proximity to local amenities. Play to the strengths of your home’s location, and don’t ever talk it down – stay positive, and your pitch will be stronger

Space to Live, and Room to Grow

A spacious house is an easy sell for any buyer, but it’s especially important for families. More members of the household means more space needed, and if your home has extra bedrooms, multiple bathrooms, and spacious outdoor yardage, you’ll find yourself with a host of interested applicants. Having the space to begin with is a plus, but having room to expand further can be even better; especially if your buyers are considering adding to their family at any point in the future. A spacious lawn is a great feature for buyers with children, pets, or just a real passion for gardening.

Unfortunately, not all homes can be the spacious dream houses these buyers are looking for, but you can do your part to stage your home properly to give the illusion of more space.

I have always offered staging services to help my seller clients but here are some tips to consider when getting your home ready to sell.

Clear clutter from your rooms and yard: pack up personal knickknacks and decorations (you’re going to be moving soon anyway, after all), and clear your lawn of debris.

Staging is essential when trying to sell any home, but is all the more important when you’re trying to sell something small. Small rooms benefit from plentiful lighting, minimal clutter, and furniture that’s suited to the size of the room. Pull that oversized couch out and replace it with a loveseat, and replace a large, heavy coffee table with a lighter, glass-topped number to give the illusion it’s taking up less space. Staging is the next best thing to a proper expansion, so instead of knocking down walls, speak to your real estate agent. They often provide staging consultation services to interested applicants.

A Home Ready to Be Lived In

The home-buying process is a tedious and stressful one, and your buyers want to make sure their new home is ready to be lived in right away. While DIY enthusiasts might be charmed by a fixer-upper, most buyers will be scared off by a house that requires a lot of work to measure up to their standards – or one that requires a lot of work to live in comfortably, period. Even a low-impact project like painting or retiling rooms can scare off families who are strapped for time, skill, or cash – home-buying takes a lot of resources from a person. They want a house that’s up to code, up to speed, and ready to give them the comfort they need to live their lives.

Thus, it’s your duty as a seller to get your home up to speed as far as maintenance and beautification goes. Get your home professionally-inspected, especially in areas where it really counts regarding utilities and structural integrity: such as getting your basement inspected for water damage, having your electrical work tested, or getting upper rooms and attics inspected for drafts and holes. If anything has been bothering you in your house now, it’ll start bothering your buyers too, so take the initiative to get it fixed now. These projects will not only protect you against potential lawsuits, but further beautification and improvement projects will add a few extra digits to your home’s price tag on the market. It’s a sound investment that any seller should consider.

Appealing to family buyers is a smart move as a home seller, as they make up a solid portion of the buying market. With a little work and a well thought-out sales pitch, you’ll be able to appeal to their needs in a new home, and give them the help they need to find that perfect house to grow old in.

If you would additional information on how to get your home ready to sell or would like my professional advice on how I would stage your home just let me know. I would welcome the opportunity of speaking with you …

Until next time … all my best!

Allison Van Wig  562-882-1581

Allison@SuperBroker.com