Easter weekend....with glorious weather, azaleas and wisteria and bridal wreath and a host of other flowers in bloom. What a lovely time of year. But the clock is ticking - the tax credit available to first time home buyers (up to $8,000) and to current home owners (up to $6,500 for those who've been in their home at least five of the last eight years) calls for buyers having a home under contract by April 30th, 2010, and closed by June 30th, 2010.
If you'd like more details, please contact me at aduhe@vaneatonromero.com, or call me at 337-254-7812.
Sunday, April 4, 2010
Thursday, December 31, 2009
A New Decade
As 2009 segues into 2010, we reflect on the past decade - was it really 10 years ago that we worried about the Y2K Bug? - and look forward to what the new decade holds.
For me, personally, the decade which began with Y2K brought a challenging and rewarding new career, and quite literally changed my life from one in which I went to work to one in which work is no longer "work," but pleasure. Being a Realtor has brought new friends, new challenges, and new rewards. For the most part, it has been the most pleasant part of my life, to date.
No doubt, 2010 will bring new challenges, new friends, and new rewards. Interest rates are predicted to rise (which makes home buying now a prudent decision), and in April, 2010, the tax credits for first time home buyers and some home buyers moving from existing homes will expire, which will definitely impact the real estate market. Even so, I expect that 2010 and the years following it will offer new goals, new rewards, and a host of new experiences to make life interesting and rewarding.
For those of you with whom I've worked during this past decade, thank you for your patronage, and for your friendship. Please remember that referrals from you are what keep me at the top of the success ladder, and I thank you for them.
And to those of you I'm yet to meet, thank you for taking the time to read my blog, which contains information about home buying and selling, with updates on market conditions; I'm looking forward to meeting and hopefully working with you during this new decade.
Happy New Year, everyone!
For me, personally, the decade which began with Y2K brought a challenging and rewarding new career, and quite literally changed my life from one in which I went to work to one in which work is no longer "work," but pleasure. Being a Realtor has brought new friends, new challenges, and new rewards. For the most part, it has been the most pleasant part of my life, to date.
No doubt, 2010 will bring new challenges, new friends, and new rewards. Interest rates are predicted to rise (which makes home buying now a prudent decision), and in April, 2010, the tax credits for first time home buyers and some home buyers moving from existing homes will expire, which will definitely impact the real estate market. Even so, I expect that 2010 and the years following it will offer new goals, new rewards, and a host of new experiences to make life interesting and rewarding.
For those of you with whom I've worked during this past decade, thank you for your patronage, and for your friendship. Please remember that referrals from you are what keep me at the top of the success ladder, and I thank you for them.
And to those of you I'm yet to meet, thank you for taking the time to read my blog, which contains information about home buying and selling, with updates on market conditions; I'm looking forward to meeting and hopefully working with you during this new decade.
Happy New Year, everyone!
Friday, October 2, 2009
Time Is Of The Essence!
The November 30th deadline to take advantage of the First Time Home Buyer's $8,000 tax credit is fast approaching. These days, it takes approximately 45 days to get a loan closed, and to qualify for the tax credit, your loan must close by November 30th, 2009. With super-low interest rates and a tax credit yours for the taking, now is the time to buy!
Sunday, June 7, 2009
House Hunting Made Easy!
If you want to make life easier for yourself when you go house hunting, here are some easy-to-follow tips:
BEFORE YOU MEET WITH AN AGENT:
BEFORE YOU MEET WITH AN AGENT:
- Make a list of "must haves." This can include a geographic area or neighborhood, square footage, number of bedrooms/baths, proximity to work, and/or school districts you prefer
- Get pre-approved! Call a mortgage broker or bank to get a pre-approval letter; offers accompanied by a pre-approval letter are viewed more seriously be sellers and their agents. This also lets you know what you can best afford, and what your monthly payments are likely to be
- Make a list of "It would be nice to have" items. Bear in mind that a house which meets 99% of the "must have" items is great to find; including a few "nice to have" items is what the French call "lagniappe" - something a little extra
- Surf the MLS on the net! Narrow your possibilities by looking at active listings on the internet; most sites offer all the MLS listings available on the internet - they just stick their own logo on them so you'll call the agency through which you're browsing, rather than the listing agency. You can find all homes currently listed through our MLS system's internet listing service by using my site: http://www.justaskallen.com/ It isn't necessary to browse more than one site; what's on one is most often on all of them
- Use the Virtual Tours when they're available! Why not do a "walk-through" of a house before ever having to drive out to see it?
- Be flexible; if you make too many demands in what your "idea" home will have, you are likely to be house hunting for a long time, and not overly satisfied with your final decision
- Work with an agent in whom you have confidence, and trust that they know they local market. Remember that their advice is generally based on prior experience in that market. Also remember that your agent works for you; his or her goal is to help you make the best deal on the property which best works for you.
Saturday, May 16, 2009
Staging Your Home For A Quick Sale
Elsewhere in this blog, there are tips on how to prepare your home for sale. Here, though, let's talk about "staging" the house....making it more appealing to buyers. Why stage the house? Simple...a cluttered house full of personal items distracts potential buyers - it makes it harder for them to see how they can personalize the house. Unclutter, unclutter, unclutter! Take the personal photos down, pull the graduation announcements off the refrigerator (along with the magnets!), and take a critical look at your house.
WHY STAGE?
How we live in our house and how we sell it are two different things. To compete with other similar listings, your house must stand out. People must be able to see how the house would "live" yet they need to visualize their own things in it. Which seems a contradiction, perhaps, but the answer is easy...keep things simple, but with a bit of pizazz.
Will an empty house show better than a staged one? Not necessarily. While it isn't advisable to have too much in a house to show it, a bit of warmth here and there never hurts, and sometimes furniture can actually better show the scale of a room. Recently, a client looked at a builder's spec house which was empty and said "Nope, not for us." A week later, I had occasion to go back and saw that the house had been staged. I cajoled them into going back (since the house met all their requirements) and their reaction was totally different. They bought the house - and wanted to buy the builder's staging items (the builder graciously supplied them with the sources for all the items, although she declined to sell her staging accessories)
Staging need not be a "big" thing. Sometimes a bit of furniture (minimal) can help define a room. Sometimes it's just a few items to add warmth and color (a painting propped up on the mantel, a vase of flowers, some towels in a bathroom, a lamp, etc.)
STEPS TO STAGE A ROOM:
1. Stand and try to see what a potential buyer would see. What's the first impression they would have? Do you want to go into the room and take a look? The room should literally invite you in.
2. What's the purpose of the room?
3. Decide what furniture, if any, should stay in the room; remove what isn't necessary
4. If need be, rearrange the furniture to present the room in a more favorable light (take out furniture, turn the arrangement at an angle to break the severity of the space, etc.)
5. Take out an over-abundance of accessories; keeping counter tops and table tops uncluttered gives a clean look to a house, yet the accessories which remain add warmth to the room
6. Stand in the doorway. Look at the room now that you've made changes. Is it more inviting? If so, you've accomplished your goal!
WHY STAGE?
How we live in our house and how we sell it are two different things. To compete with other similar listings, your house must stand out. People must be able to see how the house would "live" yet they need to visualize their own things in it. Which seems a contradiction, perhaps, but the answer is easy...keep things simple, but with a bit of pizazz.
Will an empty house show better than a staged one? Not necessarily. While it isn't advisable to have too much in a house to show it, a bit of warmth here and there never hurts, and sometimes furniture can actually better show the scale of a room. Recently, a client looked at a builder's spec house which was empty and said "Nope, not for us." A week later, I had occasion to go back and saw that the house had been staged. I cajoled them into going back (since the house met all their requirements) and their reaction was totally different. They bought the house - and wanted to buy the builder's staging items (the builder graciously supplied them with the sources for all the items, although she declined to sell her staging accessories)
Staging need not be a "big" thing. Sometimes a bit of furniture (minimal) can help define a room. Sometimes it's just a few items to add warmth and color (a painting propped up on the mantel, a vase of flowers, some towels in a bathroom, a lamp, etc.)
STEPS TO STAGE A ROOM:
1. Stand and try to see what a potential buyer would see. What's the first impression they would have? Do you want to go into the room and take a look? The room should literally invite you in.
2. What's the purpose of the room?
3. Decide what furniture, if any, should stay in the room; remove what isn't necessary
4. If need be, rearrange the furniture to present the room in a more favorable light (take out furniture, turn the arrangement at an angle to break the severity of the space, etc.)
5. Take out an over-abundance of accessories; keeping counter tops and table tops uncluttered gives a clean look to a house, yet the accessories which remain add warmth to the room
6. Stand in the doorway. Look at the room now that you've made changes. Is it more inviting? If so, you've accomplished your goal!
Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Selling Your House? Some tips for you!
Today's market is very competitive; although we in Acadiana are fortunate in having high employment and strong home sales, the market has changed in recent months. So being aware of what you're marketing and how it should be marketed is even more important than ever.
Even though there's more room for negotiation these days, and people are being more adamant about getting concessions, homes are selling well. Still, there are some traps you'll want to avoid:
1. Try not to be emotionally attached to your home. While it may be your palace, to others it's yet another home for sale. Be realistic about your house...it may be lovely, it may have great features, but it IS another home for sale.
2. Don't price your home without knowing the competition. Nothing stops a house from being shown more than price. Even the greatest location is no guarantee that your property will sell, if it's over-priced. And bear in mind that appraisers must work with comparables - recent sales within the last six months. If your home is over-priced, it may languish on the market, and give the impression that you're vulnerable to low-ball offers because you must be getting desperate to sell.
3. Check your agent's references. Does he or she have a good track record with pricing and marketing properties? Do you know others who have used this agent successfully? Your home is one of your major assets - put it in the hands of someone who will treat it as such.
4. Don't fail to prep your property! A house with peeling paint, rotten facia, or out of control shrubs is a turn-off to potential buyers. Most buyers these days want move-in condition - they don't even want to paint a room, much less do major repairs. A house which isn't in good condition is vulnerable to low offers.
5. Do NOT be present during showings! Your presence is a turn-off to potential buyers - it makes them uncomfortable to think they're inconveniencing you by looking at their house. Also, your presence makes you open to having to answer questions about the house which would be better left to your agent; even the most innocent comment can send off alarm bells in a buyer's mind, if they interpret it incorrectly. Let them bond with the house by giving them the privacy to spend time there.
6. Don't take the negotiations personally. It's business, pure and simple. Instead of being insulted by a low offer, just make a counter-offer. Never cut off the negotiations. Keep the posibilities open and your home stands a much better chance of selling.
Even though there's more room for negotiation these days, and people are being more adamant about getting concessions, homes are selling well. Still, there are some traps you'll want to avoid:
1. Try not to be emotionally attached to your home. While it may be your palace, to others it's yet another home for sale. Be realistic about your house...it may be lovely, it may have great features, but it IS another home for sale.
2. Don't price your home without knowing the competition. Nothing stops a house from being shown more than price. Even the greatest location is no guarantee that your property will sell, if it's over-priced. And bear in mind that appraisers must work with comparables - recent sales within the last six months. If your home is over-priced, it may languish on the market, and give the impression that you're vulnerable to low-ball offers because you must be getting desperate to sell.
3. Check your agent's references. Does he or she have a good track record with pricing and marketing properties? Do you know others who have used this agent successfully? Your home is one of your major assets - put it in the hands of someone who will treat it as such.
4. Don't fail to prep your property! A house with peeling paint, rotten facia, or out of control shrubs is a turn-off to potential buyers. Most buyers these days want move-in condition - they don't even want to paint a room, much less do major repairs. A house which isn't in good condition is vulnerable to low offers.
5. Do NOT be present during showings! Your presence is a turn-off to potential buyers - it makes them uncomfortable to think they're inconveniencing you by looking at their house. Also, your presence makes you open to having to answer questions about the house which would be better left to your agent; even the most innocent comment can send off alarm bells in a buyer's mind, if they interpret it incorrectly. Let them bond with the house by giving them the privacy to spend time there.
6. Don't take the negotiations personally. It's business, pure and simple. Instead of being insulted by a low offer, just make a counter-offer. Never cut off the negotiations. Keep the posibilities open and your home stands a much better chance of selling.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
About that curb appeal....
Thinking of putting your house on the market? Have you considered how others see it for the first time? You should - curb appeal can make or break a potential buyer's decision to view a particular property.
To insure that you see your house the way others see it, take the Curb Appeal Test. Walk across the street, then look objectively at what your home looks like from that vantage point. Then ask yourself a few questions:
1. Are the gutters clean and in good repair?
2. How does the driveway look?
3. Do the shrubs need pruning, or the trees need trimming?
4. How do the flower beds look?
5. How inviting is the walkway leading to your house?
6. Does the lawn look clean, neat and trimmed?
7. Is the lawn uncluttered, or are there toys, hoses and tools lying about?
8. How visible are the house numbers? Can Buyers even FIND your house?
Here are some ways to improve the Curb Appeal:
1. Clean the outside - pressure wash, if necessary - including shutters
2. Clean the gutters
3. Remove and replace dead plants; add fresh mulch
4. Prune overgrown shrubs
5. Update your house numbers with more stylish ones
6. Mailbox looking shabby? Paint it!
7. Replace dated exterior light fixtures with new ones
8. Put away garden tools, hoses, toys, etc.
9. Create an outdoor living room for Buyers with porch furniture
10. Add color to your beds. Red makes things pop and says "Welcome!"
To insure that you see your house the way others see it, take the Curb Appeal Test. Walk across the street, then look objectively at what your home looks like from that vantage point. Then ask yourself a few questions:
1. Are the gutters clean and in good repair?
2. How does the driveway look?
3. Do the shrubs need pruning, or the trees need trimming?
4. How do the flower beds look?
5. How inviting is the walkway leading to your house?
6. Does the lawn look clean, neat and trimmed?
7. Is the lawn uncluttered, or are there toys, hoses and tools lying about?
8. How visible are the house numbers? Can Buyers even FIND your house?
Here are some ways to improve the Curb Appeal:
1. Clean the outside - pressure wash, if necessary - including shutters
2. Clean the gutters
3. Remove and replace dead plants; add fresh mulch
4. Prune overgrown shrubs
5. Update your house numbers with more stylish ones
6. Mailbox looking shabby? Paint it!
7. Replace dated exterior light fixtures with new ones
8. Put away garden tools, hoses, toys, etc.
9. Create an outdoor living room for Buyers with porch furniture
10. Add color to your beds. Red makes things pop and says "Welcome!"
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