Buying and Selling Tips For the Fall

Buying and Selling Tips For the Fall

REALTOR Magazine and HGTV released some helpful tips when buying or selling a home in the fall.

By: House Detective Home Inspections and Appraisals

According to REALTOR Magazine and HGTV, from now until the end of the year is the perfect time to find the perfect bargain.  Here are some great tips for buying and selling a home this fall:

Selling in the Fall Tips: 

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  When selling your home play up the fall season, replace the summer plants with fall blooming flowers and decorations to the home. 
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  Think like a buyer when selling your home.  Buyers are now looking for a bargain. Be prepared for low ball offers and lower counter offers.  Remember you still want to get the best possible price for your home. 
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  Freshen up the listing pictures by changing out the ones from last season when selling.  This will in return make you listing appear like it hasn't been on the market for a long period of time. 
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  Price your home to sell.  Even pricing your home a little low may help bring offers by weeding out the competition.  When your house is priced to high buyers won't even give it a second look.  Right now inventory is up and sellers need to place their house on the market to sell. 
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  Be willing to make your home available to be shown around the buyers schedule. 

Buying in the Fall Tips. 

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  Look for motivated sellers when buying a home in the fall.  Some sellers are testing the market, others have a deadline to sell their home before the winter. 
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  Consider new construction when buying in the fall.  Builders tend to start to offer incentive and discounts on their inventory around September. 
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  Be aware of fall maintenance problems.  Look for overflowing gutters and leaf covered lawns.  These are simple warning signs that maybe the house has not been maintained.  If sellers have overlooked simple tasks, what else have they missed.
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  Shape an offer carefully when buying in the fall.  While sellers are expecting low offers, try not to completely turn the seller away by offering too low.  

 

For all your Home Inspection needs contact House Detective

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Top 10 Tips To Have A Successful Online Newsletter

Top 10 Tips To Have a Successful Online Newsletter

Online Newsletters are a cheap, efficient, and effective marketing tool for small businesses.

By:  House Detective Home Inspections and Appraisals

Why is the there a sudden increase of online newsletters in your inbox?  Because it is a free and easy way to market your business through the Internet.  Well, aren't online newsletters just spam? Not if done correctly and if your users are signing up for them. 

Do online newsletters work?  Absolutely!  Creating an online news letter is just another way to keep your name in front of your Center of Influence (COI) and prospects.  By keeping your name out there, your (COI) and prospects will remember you when it is time to make a buying decision.    

Ten Tips to Creating a Successful Email Newsletter

1. Make your online newsletter meaningful.  Readers should be able to benefit from the online newsletter.  
2. Keep it short!  Generally people are busy and do not want to read a 1000 word online newsletter.
3. Have a descriptive subject line.  Something that pops out to readers.  
4. Maintain your company branding.  Make sure your readers know your company name.
5. Send the online newsletter regularly.  Once a month or every two weeks is ideal.
6. Only send the online newsletter to people who have signed up or given you a business card.  
7. Provide an unsubscribe button at the end of the email.  
8. Try an online newsletter service.  This will save you many hours.  A few inexpensive services include Constant Contact, Vertical Response, and Emma.  Mail Chimp is a free service if you are sending it to fewer than 500 contacts.
9. Use Analytics!  Track how many people are opening the newsletter, how many are clicking on links, etc.  Look to continually improve the effectiveness of your online newsletter.
10. Encourage people to sign up.  Put links on your websites, ads, and emails.  

For all your home inspection needs and appraisals contact House Detective:

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What is the Actual Cost of Home Ownership?

What is the actual cost of home ownership?

Take a look at total costs not just mortgage payments when buying a home.

By: House Detective Home Inspections and Appraisals

Most potential buyers begin to plan for their down payment and monthly mortgage payments in mind.  This is an excellent start, however buyers should keep in mind the total cost when purchasing a home and not just the mortgage. 

Buyers can effectively determine the total cost of purchasing a property by considering the following factors:

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  Real Estate Taxes
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  Home Owners Insurance
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  Home Owners Association fees (if any)
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  Landscaping
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  Maintenance costs
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  Electric Bill
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  Gas or Oil Expense
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  Trash Removal
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  Water and Sewer Bill
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  Snow Plowing Costs
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  Miscellaneous Expenses (cable, phone, etc.)

The home owner does not have an obligation  to provide the buyer with the cost of their utilities.  The responsibility falls on the buyer and the agent to request copies of utility bills. 

Buyers should take into consideration maintenance costs.  Ongoing maintenance costs for home owners include changing the filters in the heating system and cooling system, furnace upkeep, gutter cleaning, chimney sweeping, and blacktopping the the driveway.

Occasional maintenance costs for home owners to consider are repainting, replacing the roof, replacing appliances, refinishing hardwood floors and other potential problems that can occur. 

As a home owner you should keep records of all items replaced and maintained along with a copy of the cost of utilities.  As a buyer you may ask for these items.   

For all your home inspection and appraisal needs contact House Detective.

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Top Ways to Beat A Slow Market. Sell Your Home Today!

Top ways to beat A slow market. Sell your home today!

Don't let today's market slow you down.

By: House Detective Home Inspections and Appraisals

 

1. Give the house a makeover.   Which not only adds value but "keeps ups with the Joneses." That does not mean to install Italian marble, but if hardwood floors are the norm in your area replace the shabby rugs.

2. Staging your home by hiring an expert. Staging could be as easy as a fresh coat of paint or new hardwood cabinets.
3. Find out what is wrong with the house by getting a pre-listing inspection. Don't wait for the buyers to find the problems. Be proactive.  This will also increase the homes appeal to a buyer.
4. Come up with an aggressive strategy with your agent to sell your home today! Selling your home in a buyers market requires a well thought out plan with accurate pricing, targeted improvements, and focused marketing and exposure.

Receive a Free Market Comparison: Find out how much your home is worth in today's market.

5. Offer incentives to the buyer. This could be offering sellers concessions or even offering seller financing to sell your home quicker.
6. Make the house feel "move in" friendly. Throw in the appliances,washer, and dryer. The less the buyer has to shell out when moving in the better.

Top Ways to Beat A Slow Market

 

For all your Home Inspection needs contact House Detective

 

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In the mood to redecorate

: : something about the beginning of fall always makes me want to redecorate. This year I'm in luck, since our Swedish friends are moving in down the street from us (tjohooo), and they really have no choice but to hire me as their personal decorator (for a small fee of meatballs and tube caviar).

The inspiration above comes from Swedish interior magazine .Elle Interiör. I want the colorful textile lamp cables, love that cool table and adore the 'acorn looking' seating puffs.

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Google Releases the Benefits of Blogging

Google releases the benefits of blogging

By: House Detective Home Inspections and Appraisals

Google has released a search engine feature that allows you to search "up to date, relevant" information through blogs.

You may have noticed the Google Blog search for awhile, however Google's new launch allows people to search blogs on an exact topic giving different results based on relevancy and date.  It now also searches other blogs such as active rain, wordpress, etc.   

To access this feature simply go to Google and put in your search terms.  Look on the left side and click more.  Then click blogs.  Another way to access this feature is by going to Google and clicking Advanced Search.  In advanced search you can search by author or specific topic.  

This allows for up to date information.  Instead of doing a search and getting information from 2002, which may or may not be relevant, you can narrow it down by date.  The information you recieve with a blog is now based more on opinion rather than data. 

Google's goal is to have every blog included in the search.  So how do I sign up?  Google Blog Pinging Service.    Enter your blog into the the feed and google will consider it. 

Google will also allow others to subscribe to your blog with a RSS Feed.  You can also compare other blog posts that are similar to yours.  This will help in Search Engine Optimization.  The key to Search Engine Optimization is using relevant up to date information and linking.  Always keep that in mind when writing a blog post. 

 

For All Your Home Inspection Needs Contact House Detective

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Family is how a house becomes a home

Family is how a house becomes a home

Major trend in new buyers habits

By: House Detective Home Inspections and Appraisals

Buying a home is often timed around a life's milestone.  Things change when you get married and begin a family.  Buyers begin to look at things differently.  It is no longer a bachelor pad or roommate situation.  Buyers are now looking for a place to call home and maybe raise a family.

Buyers tend to look for a good school district and something close to family and friends when having children.  Family and friends can become a good source of support when raising children.

Coldwell Banker recently conducted a nation wide study among homeowners with children under the age of 18.  The study showed 70% of homeowners bought a home within 30 minutes to their extended family and 42% of homeowners bought a home within 10 minutes.

The study also showed that 65% of buyers, purchase their first home before getting pregnant or within one year of their child's birth.  43% of buyers purchase their first home before becoming pregnant with their first child, 7% purchase during pregnancy, and 15% bought their first home before their first child turned one.

The survey is just a reminder of how family is a big part of turning a house into a home.  Buying a home goes beyond mortgage numbers.   It is about family and community.

For all your home inspection needs contact House Detective.

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Red and White Living Room Designs

Red and white combination attractive living room design,for living room interior designs Red & white is pefectely suitable, i think is very useful for your living room design time..

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Modern Style Kitchen Interior Designs

Modern kitchens are more keen on aesthetics these days than they are on practicality. But perhaps the clean line simplicity of this style calls for hidden contraptions regarding all things functional. Either way, our friends at deviant art hooked us up with a creative perspective of the contemporary modern kitchen.

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Seasonal Maintenance Guide

Seasonal Home Maintenance Guide

Home Maintenance jobs to prevent costly repairs and keep your home in top condition.

by: House Detective Home Inspections and Appraisals

Certain home maintenance tasks should be completed each season in order to prevent structural damage, save energy, and keep all your home systems running efficiently.  Below are some major issues a home owner should be aware of.

 Seasonal Home Maintenance Tasks to Perform

Follow up on moss treatments for the roof.  It may be time to apply moss killing granules or  a liquid solution for your roof top.  Be sure to buy granules that are made for roofs and not lawns.   

Tackle vegetation. Trim back shrubs and brushes that are close to the roof.  Be sure to keep vines away from the house.  Although some vines are attractive, please note they can do costly damage to the exterior of the house by holding in moisture.  This can result in rot, introducing insects, or even rooting into the mortar between bricks. 

Inspect the roof and chimney.  Look for shingles that are missing, brittle, cut, curled or damaged.  For safety reasons, wait for  dry weather before walking on a roofing surface or stand at close distance on the ground and examine the roof through binoculars.   

Check the roof and chimney to see if they have sustained any damages to the brick, boards, and flashing.  If you use the fireplace on a regular basis, have the chimney swept by a Certified Chimney Sweeper.  Chimney sweeping prevents flue fires and creosote build up.  Creosote build up may allow dangerous amounts of carbon monoxide to enter the home. 

Check gutters.  Check for areas where the gutters could have pulled away from the house.  Also look for areas where the gutter may have twisted or bent, causing water to puddle. 

Check drainage.  In the fall, when the weather is still nice, walk around your home and inspect where the ground meets the foundation.  Soil should not be touching siding and should slope away from the home. 

Schedule bi-annual HVAC checks.  In preparation for the winter, schedule a HVAC professional promptly.  The services will include checking fuel connectors, burner combustion, and the heat exchanger.  Check your furnace filters monthly and change them out when dirty. 

Check weatherstripping and caulk on doors and windows.  Examine where window, door, and corner tirm comes together with the siding.  Caulk any gaps found.  Check the weatherstipping foam for crumbling.  Remove it and apply new if necessary. 

For All Your Home Inspection Needs Contact House Detective

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