September Video Market Update

Clutter Downsizing: a Continuing Challenge

From the moment you unpack the last carton after moving into a new home, an inexorable process begins. I’m talking about the inevitable accumulation of things: useful things, pretty things, things with little more than sentimental value -- and a lot of things that actually have no value at all!

It really doesn’t matter how long you have lived in your house. After the first few months, every busy family collects a mountain of stuff. Then, when it comes to selling a Lawrence area home, dealing with it in earnest is a real chore. It has to be done for at least two reasons.

First off, a junk-free home is more attractive to potential buyers. It helps avoid the impression of a ‘too lived-in’ house. It makes rooms seem larger, and by downsizing the personal clutter, makes it easier for would-be buyers to picture their own belongings and lifestyle in place.

Second, whether you call it “practical downsizing” or just “clearing the junk,” it also ensures that the later move to your new digs goes more smoothly. But you don’t have to be moving or selling your Lawrence area home right now to see how downsizing clutter can breathe fresh life into your living space immediately.

Then again – let’s face it – it’s a task we would prefer to put off until tomorrow. Or maybe the day after. So I did some research on practical approaches people agree make it easy to get the ball rolling: 

- Item by item, go through everything: estimate how long it has been since its last use. More than three months? Try to justify why it is needed right there in your everyday living space. If you can’t, you’re looking at yard sale inventory.

- Partially broken? Ask yourself how long it’s been since you figured out what it would take to mend it. Longer than six months? More expensive to fix than a new one would cost? You’ve been kidding yourself: this is junk pile material.

- Stand back far enough to picture each room empty. Now, would you place things where they are? If subtracting a major item (piece of furniture, bookshelf, desk, etc.) would open an area up, ask yourself if it is really needed. Shedding major items (or moving them elsewhere where they are more needed) is an idea no one thinks about every day.

This kind of ‘practical downsizing’ is important when you sell your Lawrence area home, because most real estate is aspirational. Buyers hope to move into a home that is better, more beautiful. But it’s also worth considering to take a weekend day for some ‘practical downsizing’ for your current home. It can make a world of difference. The side benefit is that if you later decide to give me a call to put your home on the Lawrence market, it will be that much more ready to go!

A Tool Worth a Million Words

 

If a picture is worth a thousand words, how many words might a video’s flood of pictures be worth? The scientists at George Washington University approached the topic a few years ago in connection with real estate virtual tour s. To those of us whose profession is helping our clients buy and sell homes in our area, their findings were --to say the least-- interesting:

They arrived at this conclusion: “Adding a virtual tour decreases the expected marketing time by about 20% and increases the expected sales price by about 2%."  I’ve added the italics, but you get the idea: those are some serious stats. Since today’s fast-paced world rewards being able to get information quickly, it’s small wonder that video tours are so powerful. But to be useful, video tours need to be well executed. Lawrence homeowners who are preparing for a video shoot can keep some general guidelines in mind.

For openers, it’s important to remember that the camera will be acting as the eyes of a first-time visitor, so prepare for virtual tour s as you would for an open house. Remove all personal effects like toothbrushes and medications from bathroom countertops, kid's artwork from refrigerator doors, and collectibles throughout. Stage furniture to look inviting, making certain that rooms are not overfilled. Just as in an open house, clutter can give buyers the impression that the house is smaller than it actually is.

Today's high-quality, 360-degree digital imaging can capture even tiny details, so be certain to thoroughly clean everywhere. Pay particular attention to reflective surfaces like mirrors, windows and appliances – the tiniest mark on these can pick up light and dominate an otherwise perfect scene.

Homes that are bright appear inviting and lead to greater buyer interest. Before shooting a virtual tour , be sure to replace any blown or dim light bulbs, clean all the windows, and open any window coverings to let in natural light. Don’t worry about too much light blinding the lens – the camera operator will ensure that doesn’t happen.

By keeping these ideas in mind, Lawrence homeowners can help insure that their virtual tour  encourages buyer interest -- hopefully leading to the kind of shorter listing time and higher selling prices the university study indicated.  That’s why I always strive to include some form of virtual or online tour for your Lawrence listing. If you are thinking of offering your property this summer or fall, call me to discuss how we can make the most of the market.

The Real Estate Market is Beginning to Shift!

May is Prime Time to Prevent Property Maydays

There’s nothing like being able to bask in the warm glow of well-being a Lawrence homeowner gets after finishing a thorough spring cleaning. It's especially true when you realize how important the annual ritual can be in protecting your greatest asset: your Lawrence property.

That warm glow results from doing more than just cleaning your home's interior, though. It involves maintaining the property in the ways that will prevent having to take more costly steps later. There are three different tasks you can complete to get your home ready for the warm weather that's on the way. If you follow these basic tips, your home will be looking its best – and the resulting beauty will be more than skin deep.

One of the most overlooked areas for most Lawrence properties is its foundation. It is important to check your foundation for damage, and to patch and seal any cracks as soon as you discover them. The foundation is one of the first areas potential buyers (and their inspectors) examine when they get serious about writing an offer on a home. A sound foundation is essential for the obvious structural reasons -- and it can even have an impact on utility bills. 

May is also prime time for cleaning out all of the gutters on your property. When gutters clog, you can end up with leaks inside walls and into basements.  For the ladder-shy, the cost of a once-yearly gutter clearing service can be a prudent and cost-conscious choice (as anyone who's experienced the major costs that result from neglecting the gutters will tell you)! 

Spring is also a great time to paint the outside of your home. A fresh paint job gives your local property the fresh look nothing else can. You don't have to be selling your property to appreciate the 'curb appeal' – the real difference a fresh coat gives to any house. That paint job will also be more than just attractive: it will also prevent premature aging of the whole exterior. 

Whether your current plans are to sell, rent, or stay put in your Lawrence property, you’ll be rewarded by taking a day or two each spring to focus on these preventative care details.  If you need a referral for a handyman or other maintenance service, I'm always happy to recommend some of our reliable local vendors. Call me anytime!

Prep Your Property: Pre-Sale Checklist

All of life’s major projects take preparation, and selling a home in the Lawrence area requires just that.  Contacting my office is a pretty good place to begin, because selling a home efficiently and within a reasonable amount of time most often takes extensive knowledge of the Lawrence market. A checklist is a good way to introduce the steps you can take to prepare for selling a home. Here’s a quick overview of five of the items I include in that checklist:

1. The obvious first step is identifying any major problems and determining what should be done about them. Decide whether you are going to fix items like roof leaks, rewiring, insect infestations or the presence of asbestos -- or whether you are going to reduce your asking price to reflect any unremediated issues.  I can provide input to help you establish where possible value may be added or lost, and what is worth your time and investment to fix.

2. Whenever you return home, take a moment to pause and visualize what someone driving by for the first time will see. Make a solid first impression by tidying the front yard and keeping the lawn neatly cut and edged. Strategically place colorful flowers in planters where that is appropriate. Repair fences and gates, and be certain that they look freshly painted. And if Fido has the run of the place, be sure that his (ahem!) evidence is nowhere to be seen.

3. Stage your home to maximize its appeal – and keep in mind that staging needs to be fresh for every prospect. Remove any unnecessary furniture. That may well mean renting a storage unit to place it and all other clutter into (it’s bound to be a better solution than trying to jam everything into closets or the garage!). Paint walls in light, neutral colors. Remove heavy window treatments to let in as much light as you can (the ‘cheeriness factor’). Keep the kitchen and bathroom as spotless as possible. Make sure that your home smells fresh by opening windows and using flowers, candles or air fresheners; but be careful not to overdo it.   I can be especially helpful at this stage, and if it’s indicated, we can discuss whether it makes sense to hire a professional stager.

4. Have the property's value appraised, and educate yourself about the competition. For a bank to issue a loan, your home must compare favorably with similar properties on the market. When we sit down to establish a list price, we’ll need to keep that research and the recent and best comparables in mind. 

5. This is my favorite to-do item: Be prepared to go!  If a move is going to be in your future, you should begin the hunt for a new home, and be prepared to move quickly once you have an executed offer!

These are just a few of the steps I help my clients take before listing to get top dollar for their properties.  If you are considering selling a home in the Lawrence area, call me today to see how I can put my marketing experience to work for you.

Lawrence Property Listings Heed the Call of Spring

With spring in the air, notions of fresh starts and new horizons have a way of pushing into just about everybody’s consciousness. It’s only natural, whether because of the weather, school schedules, or everything else around us that seems fresh and new. And something else is in the air, too: if past history is any guide, now is also simply the most popular time of year to sell or buy Lawrence property.

For those with a home to sell, this is traditionally the most active time to be in the real estate market. Homes entered in Lawrence property listings during springtime can be expected to attract buyers more quickly, and they stand a better chance of fetching a good price. With 60% of moves in America taking place during the summer months (most likely a reflection of the school year schedule), it stands to reason that spring is a great time to get your Lawrence property onto the market.

 For potential homebuyers expecting to shop for a new home sometime this year, there is ample reason to swing into action sooner rather than later. Lawrence property listings can be expected to conform to the national trend: at a rapidly rising rate, Realtors® expect constant or higher residential prices in the coming year (73% vs. 62% just three months ago, according to the NAR). Following the past few years of price declines, it won’t be surprising if the market’s recovery brings a rapid rise in prices. Then the bargains people have begun to take for granted could quickly become tomorrow’s regretful “I could have bought that house for only $---” stories…that happens again and again. Those who know they are going to be in the market this year should seriously consider getting in the market!

For both buyers and sellers, spring is the most popular season for a number of reasons. Especially for families with kids in school, or anyone whose business is geared to encourage summer vacations, it’s also the most sensible time to act. Whether you will be adding your own contribution to Lawrence’s property listings, or beginning to comb those property listings to zero in on a new home, do get in touch with me to help make this spring the one that makes 2012 your Year of the Big Move!