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Preparing Your House for Sale in Less Than a Week

April 13, 2015

prep-house-in-1-weekIt’s great when you have lots of time to prepare for something important. But life doesn’t always happen that way. Sometimes you have to move quickly, and do the best you can with the time you have.

Say, for example, you had to get your house ready for sale, and you only had a week to do so. What could you do in those few days to make your home as attractive as possible to potential buyers? Here are some ideas…:

  • Clean the house from top to bottom. Make it look “guest ready”.
  • Get rid of as much clutter as possible. If necessary, put some things in storage. Try to make every room look organized and spacious.
  • Get all minor repairs done.
  • Paint. It’s the fastest and cheapest way to dramatically improve the look of any room.
  • Don’t forget the outdoors. Prune the hedges, sweep the walkways, and deal with any potential eyesores — such as a rusted old bike stowed in the side yard.
  • Place some fresh flowers in the dining room and outside next to the front door.
  • Depersonalize your house as much as possible. For example, stow away family pictures. You want buyers to imagine themselves living there, not you.

This is just a partial list of ideas. A good REALTOR® can help you with more tips on preparing your house so that it sells quickly and for the right price.

Want help? Call today.

Filed Under: Selling your Home, Uncategorized

Lighting Matters When Selling Your House

March 31, 2015

lighting mattersRemember the last time you were in a furniture store or other major home retailer? Remember the fully decorated displays of furniture, appliances and other products? Some of those may have even been organized as model rooms.

What did most of those displays have in common?

Chances are, they were well lit.

In fact, in the retail industry, there are professionals who specialize exclusively in display lighting. It plays such an important role in showcasing and selling home products successfully that the stores are willing to absorb the expense.

And the same holds true for your house.

If you want to show your house well, and sell it quickly and for the best price, make sure every room is well lit.

There are probably some rooms in your house where the lighting is adequate, such as the kitchen and bathrooms, and perhaps the foyer. But there are other areas where the lighting may be mediocre. Take a close look at:

  • Closets
  • Storage areas
  • Bedrooms
  • Laundry rooms
  • Hallways
  • The garage

If there are areas in your house that are dark or shadowy, the solution may be as simple as installing higher wattage bulbs, provided your fixture can accommodate them. Keep in mind that brightness can vary significantly from one type of bulb to another. For example, a 40-watt energy efficient bulb may not give off as much light as a comparable standard bulb. So do some experimenting. Your goal is to make the room feel bright yet comfortable on the eyes.

Also, don’t forget to open drapes and blinds. Often the best and most pleasant source of light for a room is the sun shining through a window.

Want more tips on showing your house well? Call today.

Filed Under: Selling your Home

Increasing Foyer Appeal

March 24, 2015

foyer-appealYou’ve heard of curb appeal. It refers to the good impression buyers tend to get when they first see your house “from the curb”. The greater the curb appeal, the more enticing your house will seem.

But there’s another type of appeal you may not be aware of: Foyer appeal. That’s the impression buyers get when they first walk in the door.

Think of what happens when someone visits your house for the first time. Chances are, they stand in the foyer for a few moments, look around, and take in the view of your house from that perspective.

That’s why, if you’re preparing your property for sale, it’s important to make the foyer look as attractive and inviting as possible.

Obviously, you want to make sure it’s clean and free of clutter. You don’t want potential buyers to trip over shoes or catch a glimpse of an over-stuffed coat closet.

If you have a welcome mat, make sure it’s clean and in good shape. Or, better still, buy a new one.

Finally, make sure that the rooms that can be seen from the foyer look attractive.

The impression you want to make is, “Wow. I can’t wait to see the rest of the house!”

Filed Under: Selling your Home, Uncategorized

Understanding Market Value

March 17, 2015

market-valueIf you were going to sell your car, what would you do? Well, you would probably check to find out how similar vehicles to yours are priced. Then you would set your advertised price within that range.

What you would be doing, perhaps without knowing it, is determining the “market value” of your car.

Market value is simply what buyers today are willing to pay for a particular product.

When you decide to put your house up for sale, one of the first things you and your REALTOR® will do is determine the market value of your property. That’s important to know because if you price your home too much above its market value, you probably won’t get any offers. Alternatively, if you price your property too low, it might get snapped up quickly but you’ll have left a lot of money on the table.

How does a REALTOR® help you determine your home’s current market value?

He or she will look at a variety of factors, such as the desirability of the neighbourhood, the features of your home, how well it has been maintained, renovations and other improvements you’ve made, and of course, its location.

Your REALTOR® will also review what similar homes in your area have sold for recently – which is, perhaps, the strongest indicator of current market value.

Once you know the market value of your home, you can make an informed decision as to how to price it so that it will attract the right type of buyers and the best possible price.

Should you price your home high above its market value in the hopes that some unwary buyer will purchase it? Unfortunately, that rarely works.

The good news is, your property may be worth more than you think. One of the best ways to find out is to invite a good REALTOR® to your home to do an assessment.

Looking for a good REALTOR®? Call today.

Filed Under: Selling your Home

Be Ready To Move

October 2, 2014

ready-to-moveYou’ve spent a lot of time shopping for the perfect property. You made an offer, held your breath and – hurray! – you got the home! But now you’ve realized that you have to move in four weeks – and you’re far from prepared.

Don’t add stress to what was otherwise a smooth process. Make sure you have these things in place well in advance:

A good real estate lawyer. Selecting the right lawyer can take time, so you don’t want to leave this task to the last minute.

A reputable moving company. Start looking into moving firms right away to ensure you pick one that’s reputable, timely and will do a good job.

A contractor. Your new home may require some repairs and renovations that you want to get done right away.

Insurance. This is an easy detail to overlook. Don’t. Insurance costs can vary widely, and you want to make sure you take the time necessary, well in advance of your move, to select the right policy from the right company.

Getting these things in place in advance of your move will make the entire process go more smoothly. A good REALTOR® will help.

Call today.

Filed Under: Selling your Home, Uncategorized

Home Renovations That Pay Off

September 20, 2014

home-renosThere are two main reasons why homeowners invest in a home renovation or major redecorating project: They want to enjoy the results of the new kitchen, bathroom, flooring or other improvement they’ve made; and/or, they hope that the money they spend will come back to them – at least in part – when they sell their home.

So which projects are most likely to increase the resale value of a home? A story by Joanne Cleaver, featured on MoneyWatch.com last year, identified five renovation projects that give you the most bang for your renovation buck.

Floors. Old, scuffed or dated flooring tends to get noticed by home buyers, regardless of how well the rest of the room is decorated. New flooring — especially stone, ceramic tile and hardwood – can make any room look larger and more inviting.

Kitchen. When it comes to selling your home, the kitchen is one of the most important rooms. The more modern, new and spacious it looks, the faster your home will tend to sell. That’s why you can expect a pay back of up to 80% of the cost of a kitchen renovation.

Bathrooms. Who isn’t impressed by a new and gleaming bathroom with a big shower, modern faucets and other attractive décor? That’s why hotels spend so much time and money making their bathrooms look great. According to the Cleaver article, homeowners tend to get a pay back of up to 75% of the cost of a bathroom upgrade.

Closets. Any improvement that makes a closet look roomy and organized tends to result in a pay back of most of its cost. Even something as simple as installing a good closet organizer can have a dramatic effect.

Energy-saving upgrades. In this age of increasing energy costs and environmental concerns, home buyers are drawn to such features as energy-saving windows, lighting, thermostats and more.

Keep in mind that home improvements don’t just have an impact on the selling price of your home, they also help to sell your home faster.

For more information, call today.

Filed Under: Renovations, Selling your Home

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From the Blog

  • Preparing Your House for Sale in Less Than a Week
  • Lighting Matters When Selling Your House
  • Increasing Foyer Appeal
  • Understanding Market Value
  • Stay or move? How to decide

As a first time home buyer I was so happy to work with Fiona.
I was searching for a place for a year and she never pressured me, and throughout was patient and exceptionally professional.
She assured me that the right property would pop up, I continued to look at all the listings she would send me thru her client focused newsletter. Finally I found a place and although the price was higher than I was hoping she fought and went way out of her way to fit it in my budget.

I can't say enough wonderful things about her, I personally have friends that are realtors but Fiona by far out shines them in her knowledge of the market, her wonderful pleasant character and her genuine work ethics

Thank you for making it all happen for me!!!!

Ricky Reddy

Fiona Bratvold I am now following my dream of being a real estate professional, helping people find the house of their dreams all over the Lower Mainland of BC

Call Me: 604-831-0099

Team 3000 Realty Ltd MSL Medallion Club Member - top 10% in BC Great Vancouver Real Estate Board

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