• ---------BETTER JUDGEMENTS---------
  
  Better Judgements eZine
  Terria Judge, Realtor
  CRS, ABR, GRI, Broker Associate
  
  Better Judgements is a newsletter on home matters, from Terria
  Judge, your Garden City, KS real estate agent!
  
  Contact Terria Judge at 620-271-2129!
  
  Terria Judge
  Home Town Real Estate P.A.
  1135 College Dr. Suite A
  Garden City, KS 67846
  
  
  620-271-9500
  http://terriajudge.com
  http://gardencityksrealestate.com
  http://gardencityksrentals.com
  
  Terria@TerriaJudge.com
  
  Subscription Management at end of newsletter.
  
  Thanks for your subscription to Better Judgements, the
  newsletter from your Garden City Kansas Realtor, Terria Judge.
  
  ---------BETTER JUDGEMENTS---------
  
  In this Issue
  =============
  
  Special Issue! Let's Focus on Getting Your Home SOLD!!
  
  1. Article: Do It Yourself Home Staging
  2. Featured & New Listings
  3. Article: Why Isn't Your House Sold?
  4. Article: 9 Tips To Get Your Home Sold Fast
  
  
  ---------BETTER JUDGEMENTS---------
  
  Do It Yourself Home Staging
  By Danielle Stone
  
  Professional staging can make a big difference in the value
  people see in your home and in the speed of the sale. However
  there are many things you can do yourself to get started. You
  need to set the stage properly.
  
  Your home has a wonderful floor plan, lots of room, even a new
  up-graded kitchen; so what’s the problem? You have lived here
  ten years and love the place. It has all the “right” stuff in it
  to make your family feel warm and fuzzy: Your favorite paint
  colors, carpet, window treatments, and art.
  
  Sometimes, home owners need a little help----prodding----in the
  right direction to get a home sold and do it in a cost effective
  time frame. The problems begin when home owners can’t understand
  why everyone doesn’t love all the work and creativity they have
  put into their homes.
  
  Here is where it would be nice to have one of those television
  personalities come in and help you out a bit. Unfortunately,
  they are not available to us all. So, maybe with a few
  guidelines, home owners can figure out for themselves just how
  to correctly stage a home for a quick sale. A few helpful hints
  might be all you need.
  
  Obviously, presenting a clean house is imperative. Now before
  you get upset, I know the house is clean; this is not intended
  as an insult. But, you might be surprised how dust under a bed,
  grease on the stovetop hood, or pet dander can be so apparent to
  some. Remember, you have been living in your home for ten years,
  and the scents of your daily life are welcoming to your family.
  So, start your staging with a good spring cleaning.
  
  Next, take an inventory of each room in the house. Put yourself
  in a complete stranger’s shoes (one who doesn’t have your same
  stuff) and ask the question, “If I were moving in here, where
  would I put my……”? The best way to help others see your home as
  a great buy for them is to clear as much of your personal items
  out of the room as possible. Give them as much of a blank canvas
  as you can. Think of a really great hotel room. Different people
  stay in the rooms day after day, and each feels comfortable in
  the room because the décor is universal and the color scheme
  soothing. So, put away those cute country ruffles, or that heavy
  dark Mediterranean furniture, and give the potential buyers a
  chance to imagine their own belongings in your space.
  
  Then, go to the paint store and get a nice neutral paint color
  that goes with everything and paint the house, yes the entire
  house, the same color. Pick a color that best enhances your
  carpet color. I know Susie loves her hot pink bedroom, but she
  will soon be moving, so console her and let her help pick the
  new paint. If you have used wall paper, go ahead and remove it,
  or if that is too time consuming, see if you can paint over it.
  
  With the walls painted and your style-specific bric-a-brac
  packed safely away, go through the house and change any outdated
  light fixtures or cabinet hardware. Again, go for something
  universal that would fit any style.
  
  Presuming you are not replacing carpet, clean it and use a
  light airy room freshener allowing it time to defuse several
  hours before people arrive to see the house. Pick up all clutter
  that might be on the carpets, like cat toys, plant debris, or
  magazines and newspapers. Hide all extension cords or stereo
  wires.
  
  In your kitchen, clear the counter tops of all appliances and
  unnecessary items you usually store there. Make the kitchen seem
  larger buy removing refrigerator magnets, coffee pots, or items
  usually stored on the window sill
  
  On the day of your showing, turn lights on in all the rooms and
  open the windows, if the weather permits. Fresh air and light
  are great selling points. You may want to put higher wattage
  bulbs in your light fixtures, so it brightens the room more. Our
  sense of smell is the one we most often recall, so try baking
  cookies and let the aroma waft through the house. Or put a
  saucepan on the stove top and simmer some apples and cinnamon.
  
  Now, remember to add some life to your home. A vase of flowers
  on the dinning room table or some colorful placemats adds
  warmth. Lighted candles in a bathroom add the right ambience.
  
  Remember, staging your home doesn’t have to cost a small
  fortune. A little paint, some colorful flowers, removing
  clutter; and your home can make a great first impression, which
  will insure you get the best price and the quickest sale.
  
  About the Author: Danielle Stone is the luxury real estate
  marketing director for El Dorado Hills real estate where you can
  find local school information, MLS listings, and much more. For
  more information visit: http://www.luxuryrealestateca.com
  
  Source: http://www.isnare.com
  
  Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=67327&ca=Real+Estate
  
  
  
  ---------BETTER JUDGEMENTS---------
  
  FEATURED & NEW LISTINGS
  ========================
  http://terriajudge.com/garden-city-ks-real-estate/index.php?main_page=index&cPath=1
  
  
  ---------BETTER JUDGEMENTS---------
  
  Why Isn't Your House Sold?
  By Jeanette Joy Fisher
  
  If your house for sale isn't generating offers, there a few
  actions you can take to make up for the slow real estate market.
  
  Check Your Sales Price
  
  Your home may be overpriced. Listen carefully to your listing
  agent who knows better than the folks at the office, your
  relatives, or friends at the club about the listing price of
  your home. Agents are paid to know their markets, and they work
  with real estate every day, so they have informed opinions on
  the latest market conditions and home prices.
  
  On the other hand, if you are certain that your home is NOT
  overpriced, don't be persuaded to lower your price. Many homes
  sit on the market for other reasons. According to a report by
  the Christian Science Monitor, staged homes sell twice as fast
  as homes just cleaned up and listed. Staged homes sell for an
  average of 7.4 percent more, as well.
  
  Check Your Internet Listing
  
  There should be a strong Internet marketing presence nowadays
  if your home is going to compete against all the others in your
  area. A recent study by the National Association of Realtors
  showed that more than 70% of all home buyers now begin their
  home search by going online and doing some preliminary
  investigation--before they ever contact a real estate agent.
  It's also important to insist that the agent offer at least
  eight indoor and outdoor photos of your home, so prospective
  buyers can get a genuine feel for it.
  
  Add Buyer's Incentives
  
  Since the market is changing, it may be well worth your while
  to offer prospective buyers some help with closing costs. It's
  been a seller's market for quite awhile, but more and more,
  sellers are being asked to help with closing costs and points on
  mortgages. If you can carry some of the mortgage on your home
  yourself, that's an even bigger draw.
  
  Don't Dissapoint Buyers
  
  Remove anything you want to exclude from the sale before you
  list the home. That will prevent confusion in buyers' minds--and
  remember, the confused mind always says no. If a particular item
  is important to you, get it out of the home before it becomes a
  bargaining point--and a possible obstacle to selling your home,
  even to a qualified buyer who truly wants it.
  
  Make an Action Plan
  
  If your home isn't moving, don't be afraid to ask for your real
  estate agents' advice and suggestions. You'll sometimes be
  surprised that they have quick responses to your questions,
  because they've heard similar comments about your home from a
  number of sources over the course of your listing. Listen to
  those comments, and then take action on them, because they'll
  often mean the difference between a home's sale and continuing
  to sit on the market.
  
  Copyright © 2006 Jeanette J. Fisher
  
  About the Author: Free "21 Proven Action Steps to Make More
  Money from the Sale of Your Home" http://preparehome.com
  Jeanette Fisher teaches interior design and is the author of
  Home Staging books http://homestaging.us
  
  Source: http://www.isnare.com
  
  Permanent Link: http://www.isnare.com/?aid=57001&ca=Real+Estate
  
  ---------BETTER JUDGEMENTS---------
  
  9 Tips To Get Your Home Sold Fast
  By Bruce Swedal
  
  The housing market has changed. Not too long ago you could put
  a home on the market and it would sell in a reasonably quick
  time. This is no longer the case. Now more than ever, you must
  follow these steps to understand the market if you want your
  home to sell. You need to do your homework.
  
  Understand your reasons for selling: Your reasons for selling
  affect everything from setting a price to how much time and
  effort you will invest in preparing your home for sale. You
  need to understand what is more important: the length of time
  your home is on the market or the amount you walk away with?
  Your motivation will dictate the sales strategy.
  
  Research the market: Your real estate agent should do this for
  you. Find comparable homes that have sold in the last three to
  six months. Also check into where current comparable homes on
  the market are priced. This is what potential home buyers will
  do and you need to do this before setting your price.
  
  Price your home based on the market: This step should not be
  taken lightly. In setting your price you are stating this is
  the maximum a buyer needs to pay for your home. Pricing too
  high and pricing too low are equally dangerous. An average home
  buyer will look at anywhere from 15 to 20 homes as they shop.
  Your home needs to compare favorably with the competing homes
  available. If your home does not compare favorably to the
  others available, you will create the wrong impression with
  buyers and their agents. This will cause your home to sit on
  the market longer than average. As your home ages on the
  market, buyers will begin to think there is something wrong with
  it.
  
  Get a good Realtor: Many home owners will tell you that they
  wouldn’t use the same Realtor who sold their last home again.
  Often this is due to poor communication and lack of feedback.
  Make sure that everyone understands the communication
  expectations from the beginning. On my website you can get a
  free report on the 10 questions to ask before hiring an agent.
  
  Make your home shine: Appearance is a crucial element in any
  home sale. Corporations spend billions of dollars every year in
  packaging products and skipping this when selling your home
  would be a huge mistake. Major changes may not be financially
  feasible, but do everything possible to improve the appearance.
  Make sure that you prepare your home for showings by cleaning
  like you have never cleaned before, straighten, pick-up,
  
  Provide easy access to good information: When home sellers are
  first asked what they feel is going to be most effective in
  selling their home most answer with an open house. Less than 1%
  of homes are sold because of an open house. Nowadays home
  buyers value their time just as much as you do. They want
  information and they want it now. Be sure that your Realtor
  offers a 24 hr recorded hotline that allows buyers access to
  information about your home. With this tool as many as 3 times
  more buyers will call for information. More buyers can create
  an auction like environment for your home giving you a position
  of strength.
  
  Know who the buyer is: Motivation is a key element of the
  negotiation process where the objective is control. Does the
  buyer need to move quickly and can they pay asking price? Key
  information like this can give you the upper hand through
  negotiations.
  
  Put it in writing: Sellers that understand the process will go
  above and beyond to disclose all the properties defects to the
  buyer in writing. If a problem is disclosed properly the buyer
  cannot come back later to sue. All the terms and
  responsibilities should be spelled out in writing. Resist the
  temptation to make unnecessary last minute changes.
  
  Sell first and move later: Vacant homes look forlorn and are
  more difficult to sell. The home has a forgotten, vacant
  feeling. Moving before selling could also cost you thousands
  during negotiations. Buyers will think you are highly motivated
  because you have already moved on. This will give the buyers
  the negotiating edge.
  
  About the Author: Bruce Swedal of ReMax provides professional
  real estate services to the Denver Real Estate market including:
  Highlands Ranch, Littleton, Castle Pines, Castle Rock, Parker,
  Lone Tree, Englewood, Centennial, and the entire metro area.
  Please visit http://www.bruceswedal.com for a Free Home Search.
  
  Source: http://www.isnare.com
  
  Permanent Link:
  http://www.isnare.com/?aid=162882&ca=Real+Estate
  
  ---------BETTER JUDGEMENTS---------
  
  This newsletter is compiled and published by The Perfect Pair,
  http://freshncrispy.com

  October 30th, 2009 at 11:37 am

Powered By GetResponse Email Marketing