There are so many things to be aware of when it comes to buying and selling real estate. One topic that most buyers and sellers are not experts on is the topic of permits. The lack of knowledge on this topic can cause challenges in the buying and/or selling process. Given the potential legal nature of this, getting attorney guidance is important. Below is some guidance shared from one of our area real estate attorney's, Don Ross, related to un-permitted work and how that is handled.

There is good reason that people are attracted to model homes decorated by professionals who have a knack for interior design. You will typically will find wonderfully furnished and decorated rooms that anyone could live in. Wait, did you notice that the operative word here is “anyone”.

Even when they add certain features to visualize subsets of buyers like the computer screen on a desk in the den or a child’s doll sitting in a corner, all the rooms are still fairly anonymous. There is a sense of family, but no specific family… the feeling of personality, but no specific person.

The decorators who set up a model home make it anonymous for good reason. They want buyers to view it as their potential home, not someone else’s. Based on decades if experience, These professionals know that this strategy helps sell houses faster and for a better price.

Why not use this same strategy when showing your home?

It can be done at your home too. And if you need help having a real estate agent like Renee Hahn, who styles homes as a part of her sales approach may be just what you need.

It could be as simple as putting away that soccer trophy, taking down the wedding photo, and boxing those souvenirs from the family vacation at Disneyland. No, you don’t have to completely empty your closets and drawers. Just pack those personal items that can be seen when a potential buyer views a room. Put away toothbrushes, collectibles, even unopened mail. Don’t forget to clear the fridge door, which is often a mosaic of personal items in family homes. It doesn't mean that the home needs to be sterile and void from any warmth and personality, but it does mean that you need to clear cluter, simplify and put your best foot forward for your home.

If you have lots of personal items, consider renting a storage unit for the few weeks that your house will be on the market. It’s worth the investment. You wouldn’t think of buying a birthday cake with a stranger’s name on it. Keep that in mind when you show your home. Make it anonymous!

​Need more ideas for selling your house faster and for the best price possible? Call today.

Knowing which home improvements are more likely to yield benefits when you go to sell is important information even if you just plan to enjoy the improvements for a while. It is also helpful as a seller to appreciate the value of improvements made to properties you are considering. National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) recently released a 2019 Remodeling Impact Report that shares some helpful and enlightening information on this very topic.

In March 2019, The National Association of Realtors shared the top 15 improvements to homes that helped earn top dollar and quicker sales. Given that any of us who may be considering a home sale now or in the future would certainly want to get top dollar and sell quicker, I wanted to share those with you. Read on to learn more about what those 15 improvements are.

Living in Florida often means that the outdoor space is even more important to home shoppers because of the emphasis on indoor/outdoor living. 

Whether you are considering selling in the future or not, it is still a good idea to have a sense of ROI (return on investment) for outdoor improvement projects. Here is a great infographic to share some of the improvements that have the highest ROI.

If you ever need recommendations for service providers that do this or other household related work, give me a call and I am happy to help you.

Painting a home has such an impact. In fact, it is one of the single easiest things you can do to change the look and feel of a home inside and out. So, if you are picking out colors for a new build or you are planning to refresh an existing home, here are some painting tips for you.