When Selling a Home you need good curb appeal

Good curb appeal is a major plus when it comes to marketing a home. A little bit of work on the front of your home can pay big dividends.

When a potential buyer pulls up in front of your house, their first impression is absolutely crucial. Sometimes buyers won’t even look at a home with droopy shutters, sagging gutters, peeling paint and a bumper crop of dandelions in the front yard. Or they might go in expecting to find a “fixer-upper” that could be purchased at a bargain price. If a house looks neat and cared for from the street, the initial good impression will carry over as the buyers step inside. It is not necessary to hire a professional landscaper, but listen to your real estate agent’s suggestions when you list your home. Local nurseries can help you select blooming plants that will thrive in your area. Keep the lawn mowed, and regardless of the season, take care of exterior maintenance. Strong curb appeal will help your home sell more quickly and for top dollar. Go to http://www.ratesarehot.com for free mortgage tools tips and advice.

Maximize Your Homes Appeal

Sometimes a real estate agent will walk into a home that is basically attractive, yet communicates the feeling that something is lacking. Then the agent notices that all of the drapes are closed, interior lights are off and there is a lot of overgrown shrubbery blocking the sunlight that might otherwise pour through the windows.

A dark house is not as appealing to most buyers as one that is flooded with light. As a part of your preparations to market your home, try to maximize the light in your home. Make sure that all the windows are clean and the drapes are open when the house is being shown. A fresh coat of light paint can do a lot to brighten up the interior. If your house has very dark paneling, and you do not wish to repaint the walls, you may want to consider adding additional lamps. Your real estate agent may be able to provide other simple and cost-effective ideas about how to maximize your home’s appeal. for more tools, tips and prequalification advice, visit: http://www.ratesarehot.com

First Impressions Count when buying a Home!

First impressions count! Do you remember your first impressions of your present home? What made you want to buy it? The features or amenities that first attracted you are probably the same ones that will sell your home.

Prospective buyers’ first impression of your home is the feeling they get when approaching your property. Each home has its own unique features–trees and shrubs which soften structural lines, unusual architectural features, such as bay windows, or a beautifully landscaped entrance. Whether your home is modern or elegant traditional, the approach to your home makes a statement. Since most buyers are looking for a home that has both charm and class, it pays to keep your grounds well-maintained and attractive. If the exterior appearance of your home and yard is pleasing, buyers will want to see the interior. For more tools tips and advice visit: http://www.ratesarehot.com

Yard Beautiful

Many people wait until they are about to sell their home before they put energy and attention into improving the landscaping. Then in a desperate attempt to create instant curb appeal, they call in a professional landscaper and spend a lot of money making the yard beautiful for the next owners to enjoy.

Why wait until you are ready to move to enhance your surroundings? Even if you don’t want to take on a major project, you can plant a few bushes and bulbs each year. You can get plants that bloom at different times of the year, many of which don’t need a tremendous amount of care. There are several benefits to this approach. You will be able to enjoy your improvements yourself, and you will profit more from your sale if you haven’t invested a lot of money in your yard right before the transaction. Well-landscaped lawns tend to increase the real estate values in the whole neighborhood, and can result in a more rapid increase in the equity you have in your home!

For more tools and tips visit: http://www.ratesarehot.com where anyone can prequalify themselves for a mortgageloan.

House Odors

House Odors
What is “H.O.”? You can probably guess–it means “home odors”.

Be careful of odors in your home. If your family room smells stuffy and stale, or if your cat or dog has left a distinctive odor in the hallway, take action by eliminating the source of the odor rather than merely treating the effects. Smells have a powerful effect on the way people react to a house, and no amount of room freshener or vanilla on the light bulbs can mask a serious odor problem. In fact, such remedies may draw attention to the problem. We have seen homes with an odor problem languish unsold on the market for months or sell for significantly less than comparable homes in the neighborhood.

If you think that you may have a problem, talk candidly with your real estate agent. Your agent should be able to offer some constructive suggestions, and perhaps refer you to a professional who can help banish H.O. from your home! It and easy fix to a potential big problem with selling your house.

“Houses and Pets”

Houses and Pets
Many home owners are animal lovers and have cherished pets that are part of the family but you can’t afford having potential buyer’s fingers or ankles nipped by furry creatures during a showing. You have opened the front door to the home only to have a purebred Persian kitten scoot toward the nearest busy street.

If you have pets and are going to put your house on the market, be sure to work out the showing arrangements carefully. It is rare for pets to pose significant problems, but big dogs can be menacing. Buyers or agents may be allergic or even a little phobic about dogs or cats. For more tools, tips advice and to get prequalified for a mortgage visit: http://www.ratesarehot.com

It is difficult to get a buyer excited about your home if he or she is sneezing continuously or unwilling to cross the threshold because your dog is barking away intruders. If your agent knows there might be a problem, they can arrange ahead of time for you to walk the dog, vacuum the cat dander or do whatever is necessary to make sure that the showing goes smoothly.

Get Rich Quick with Real Estate

Get Rich Quick with Real Estate
You see them on cable TV, sitting around a swimming pool, sharing stories about how they got rich quick by buying valuable real estate for give-away prices. They took a course on how to invest in real estate and became millionaires overnight–with nothing down and no credit hassles from mortgage lenders. The course worked for them, and they say it will work for you, too.

If all this sounds too good to be true–it is! These “get-rich-quick” courses and schemes are being investigated by consumer fraud agencies around the country. This does not mean that you can’t become a millionaire by investing in real estate. But investing in real estate requires one important thing from you–an investment of cash. You can’t build an empire overnight, but you can do very well over the long term by selecting property in a good location that is priced well, and which can provide a reasonable cash flow. To find a good home and get prequalified for a mortgage visit http://www.ratesarehot.com

A freshly painted house makes a big difference when selling your home!

Cosmetic Flaws
Many buyers make home buying decisions based primarily upon emotional reactions to the homes we show them. A freshly-painted house with clean windows and waxed floors will sell for top dollar, while a nearby home which needs a lot of cosmetic attention may languish on the market, even with a much lower asking price.

If you find yourself in the position of comparing two such houses, put your imagination to work. If the only difference is paint, cleaning, and carpeting (or getting unsightly furniture moved out), remember that these are fairly low ticket items that you would probably choose to do even if the house is in good shape. If you focus your attention on the location and the condition of the structure and you may be able to get a “not-very-rough” diamond at a great price. If cosmetic problems make you nervous about the home, the structural inspection can answer most of your questions. visit http://www.ratesarehot.com/purchase-home/ to get hot rates and free mortgage underwriting advice.

“When selling your home use a critical eye”

When a home goes on the market, it should look great. Often there are improvements that must be made before a house is ready to show well. When you are preparing to list your home, it is strongly recommended that you go through each room with a critical eye.

What are you looking for? Start with the ceiling, and look for any cracks or water stains, then inspect the condition of the paint and wallpaper. Make sure that the windows are clean and window treatments are attractive. All of the closets and storage spaces should be neat and organized (a cluttered closet looks smaller!). If the rooms seem crowded with too much furniture, you can create a more spacious look by storing your “overflow”.

A well-maintained house tends to sell much more quickly than one where buyers must use a lot of imagination to see it in a positive light. The condition of your house will help to determine the selling price. The better the house looks, the better your chances of selling it at the best price. A real estate agent can help you by recommending the repairs and cleaning that will increase your home’s marketability. To get a great rate and to get pre-qualified for a home loan visit: http://www.ratesarehot.com

When selling your home “maximize the lighting”

Brighter is Better
Sometimes a real estate agent will walk into a home that is basically attractive, yet communicates the feeling that something is lacking. Then the agent notices that all of the drapes are closed, interior lights are off and there is a lot of overgrown shrubbery blocking the sunlight that might otherwise pour through the windows.

A dark house is not as appealing to most buyers as one that is flooded with light. As a part of your preparations to market your home, try to maximize the light in your home. Make sure that all the windows are clean and the drapes are open when the house is being shown. A fresh coat of light paint can do a lot to brighten up the interior. If your house has very dark paneling, and you do not wish to repaint the walls, you may want to consider adding additional lamps. Your real estate agent may be able to provide other simple and cost-effective ideas about how to maximize your home’s appeal. To get pre-qualified for free for a new home visit: http://www.ratesarehot.com