Albert Rodriguez

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Selling Your Home? Give Your Bathrooms a Facelift with These Three Quick Tips

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Selling Your Home? Give Your Bathrooms a Facelift with These Three Quick TipsAre you getting ready to sell your home? As soon as your listing goes live you’ll begin entertaining potential buyers who will be inspecting your home from top to bottom to ensure it meets their needs perfectly. Your bathrooms will be a key area of focus and you might be surprised to learn that the look and feel of these small rooms can make or break a sale.

In today’s blog post we’ll share three quick tips for renovating or upgrading your bathrooms to freshen up their look before potential buyers start viewing your home.

Clean Your Bathroom Out and Start Fresh

Before you begin, take a close look at your bathroom. Is there wallpaper on the walls? Are the sinks and faucets a bit dated and stained? Does the bathtub have a crack in it or is there some discoloration in the tiles or grout?

If your bathroom hasn’t been renovated in the past few years, there’s a good chance that the entire room needs a top-to-bottom overhaul. Clean all of the fixtures, materials, cabinets and even that dated flooring out and start from scratch.

Choose Your Color Palette Wisely

Before you begin you’ll want to have some sort of color palette in mind. Does the bathroom receive some sort of direct sunlight? Is there a skylight or a window in the room? Is there a color theme in other rooms in the house that you’ll need to match up with? Having some color ideas in mind will greatly assist with painting and adding shower curtains, mats, towels and more.

Don’t Skimp on Fixtures and Accessories

Remember that you’re selling the home and that you’re likely to recoup some or all of the costs of your bathroom renovations in the form of a bump in your selling price. Don’t buy cheap faucets or fixtures as buyers will be looking closely and they’ll want to ensure they’re buying a home that has quality building materials used throughout. If you’re going to upgrade your bathrooms, use materials that are high-quality but avoid anything too luxurious unless it fits with the rest of the decor.

Breathing some new life in to your bathrooms won’t break the bank, but it might just help secure your home sale. For more tips and strategies on how to ensure a quick and successful sale, contact your local real estate agent today.

Four Ways You Can Enhance Your Home’s Value Before You List It for Sale

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Four Ways You Can Enhance Your Home's Value Before You List It for SaleWhether you’ve decided it’s time for an upgrade or you’re moving on to a new city, if you’re selling your home you may be wondering how you can boost its value before listing it up for sale.

In today’s blog post we’ll share four ways that you can spend a bit of time and money upgrading your home before it hits the local real estate market.

Spruce Up Your Landscaping

You’ll want your home to make a great first impression, and as such a great place to start is by sprucing up your lawn, gardens and other landscape features. Your grass should be a healthy green, free of weeds and freshly trimmed.

If you can, look to add seasonal flowers in your front gardens as this can add a bit of color to your home. Keep any shrubs or trees trimmed away from the home so that buyers can get a good look.

Apply A Fresh Coat Of Paint

Another excellent way to increase your home’s “curb appeal” is by applying a fresh coat of paint to the house, the trim around the windows and the front door.

Of course, painting a house is a big job so this might be one that is best left to a team of professionals. For added effect, replace the fixtures on the front door and pick up new house numbers.

Upgrade Your Kitchen Appliances

Many buyers will focus intently on your kitchen and the condition of everything from your flooring to your cupboards. If you have an older refrigerator or stove you’ll want to replace those with newer stainless-steel models.

You’ll also want to ensure that you have quality countertops – if you’re replacing them, consider going with granite as it’s popular with younger buyers.

Install A New Set Of Bathroom Fixtures

Finally, if you haven’t renovated your bathroom recently you’ll want to invest in modernizing your faucets, mirrors and other fixtures. The decor of your bathroom should match that in the rest of your home, but also stand out in its own unique way.

If you have an old bathtub with stained porcelain, consider replacing it with a glass-enclosed waterfall shower. Don’t forget about your light fixtures; if you find the bathroom is a bit dark, replace these with something that adds brightness.

For more information about the home staging and selling process, contact a local real estate professional today. Real estate agents are your best source for expert advice when selling a home, so don’t hesitate to pick up the phone and call if you have questions.

Four Surefire Ways to Irritate Potential Buyers and How to Avoid These Costly Mistakes

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Selling Tips: Four Surefire Ways to Irritate Potential Buyers and How to Avoid These Costly MistakesIrritating any potential buyers is the last thing you want to do when selling a house because it is can be a challenging and sometimes lengthy process.

The buyer is going to have a wide array of options when deciding on a new home, so they have no problem going somewhere else if they see something they do not like.

While there are a plethora of ways for a seller to irritate a potential home buyer, these are the four most common – and most costly.

Pricing The House Too High

There is nothing worse you can do when trying to sell a home than pricing it too high. While you may think that it gives you room for the buyer to counter at a lower price, they are more likely to simply ignore your listing entirely even if the home is a good fit. The best way to keep this from happening is by pricing your home in the same price range as the rest of the neighborhood.

Not Making Home Repairs

Buyers are going to be immediately turned off if they walk into the home and see a state of disrepair. Not taking the time to make small visible fixes is going to make the buyer think that the house is going to have major issues. Taking the time to get the house in great shape before showing it at an open house will ensure the house sells faster.

Leaving Your Stuff Everywhere

Buyers want to feel like they could move into the house as soon as the purchase is finalized. They also want to envision themselves living in the home, and this is almost impossible if you have your personal items throughout the house. This is more difficult to pull off when selling a home you are currently living in, but it is best to stage the home with as few personal items as possible.

Getting Emotionally Invested

While you may have lived in your house for years, you have to drop any emotional attachment to the home the second it hits the market. You can’t take it personally if the buyer wants to make a major change to the house after the purchase. Their idea of a perfect home is not going to be the same as yours. The best way to make sure you do not insult the buyer when they bring up their vision of the home is by letting your agent handle home viewings. If you have become too attached to your home or are guilty of any of the other three things on this list, then you make sure they are corrected before your next open house.

Selling to Millennials: High-Tech Upgrades That Will Increase Your Home’s Appeal to Young Buyers

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Selling to Millennials: Three High-Tech Upgrades That Will Increase Your Home's Appeal to Young BuyersMillennials are finally starting to enter the real estate market after delaying home purchases for several years. With a completely new client base looking for homes, it is time to start making your home more appealing to these young buyers.

Millennials are used to using high-tech gadgets every day, so they are going to desire these things in their new home. While there are several high-tech upgrades you can make on your home, these three will appeal the most to young homebuyers.

Keyless Entry: Security for the New Millennium

Keyless entry doors are becoming a popular way of keeping a home secure while adding that great “wow” factor. These keyless entry systems mean there’ll be no more fumbling for keys when all you want to do is get in the door. It may seem like something out of a sci-fi film, but several companies have mastered the art of keyless entry doors that you can use in your home today.

The door automatically locks when it is shut, and you will need the correct fingerprint to unlock the door. If you could show off a keyless entry system at your open house, you would immediately pique the interest of every young buyer interested in technology.

A Home Security System is a Great Practical Addition

A high-tech home security system will certainly make your home more appealing to young buyers, who may even be thinking about having children in the near future. No matter how safe your neighborhood is, everyone is always looking to feel more secure at home. Placing a few security cameras around the exterior of your home will allow you to know what is happening outside at all times, and buyers will love having that peace of mind.

Home Energy Monitor: For the Eco-Conscious Generation

Young people are extremely conscious of the environment, so they would love seeing a home energy monitor when shopping for a new home. A home energy monitor is able to track the energy use of every aspect of your home.

If you think your air conditioner is not running efficiently, a home energy monitor can tell you whether or not you’re right. Since young people know about the dangers of improper energy use, they will want to make the home as efficient as possible.

Solar Panels

Solar power only costs around 5 to 6 cents a kWh to produce, making it a no brainer that it makes your home more appealing to young buyers.

Millennials are slowly entering the real estate market, and although they are starting to look at homes, you’ll face a lot of competition from other homeowners looking to pass properties onto this new generation. These three upgrades will increase your home’s value and make it more appealing to Millennial buyers. For more information about selling your home, contact a trusted real estate professional today.

Former Smoker? A Quick Guide on Getting Rid of Smoke Smells and Paint Stains Before a Home Sale

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Former Smoker? A Quick Guide on Getting Rid of Smoke Smells and Paint Stains Before a Home Sale

those interested in making their home an attractive option for buyers. Nowhere is this more evident than for homeowners who were former smokers.

While it’s truly commendable to quit smoking, removing the smell of smoke from a home can feel like an impossible task. With that in mind, here are some of the most effective ways to make smoke smell and paint stain removal as effortless as possible.

Make Preparations Beforehand

Cigarette smoke has a nasty habit of permeating through every facet of a home. As such, it can be difficult to pinpoint the areas that are most problematic. Before starting the cleaning process, open all of the doors and windows throughout the home to help it air out naturally.

It’s also worth mentioning that many longtime smokers have difficulty picking up the odor that they’ve become accustomed to. If you know someone that isn’t a smoker, invite them over and ask them to point out any problem areas.

Treat Your Home Like a Quarantine Zone

Unfortunately, a home that is infested with smoke can create a cyclical effect on anything that is washed. If you want your clothing and linens to stop carrying the smell, you’ll need an alternative to your own washer and dryer. Of course, you’ll also need to keep them away from your home for the remaining duration of the cleaning process.

In particular, carpets have a habit of retaining smoke smells long after you’ve quit. With this in mind, taking care of any carpets or curtains in your home should be a top priority.

Account For Deeper Problems

Once you’ve given your home a steam cleaning treatment and washed all of the stained surfaces down with a mixture of water and bleach, you may still discover that some areas of the house are still affected. At this point, it’s time to simply accept your losses and purchase a replacement. A nice smelling home will be far more attractive to buyers than one that inexplicably reeks of smoke.

If you’re unsure of any further steps to take in preparing your home for a sale, don’t hesitate to contact your real estate agent and request more information. Your home deserves a high price for all of the effort you’ve put into cleaning it.

Selling Your Home FHA? Learn These Tips To Ensure A Smooth Closing

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What Are The Requirements To Sell A Home Using FHABefore an owner can market a property to buyers that want to use a FHA loan, he will want to familiarize himself with the FHA’s standards. FHA won’t insure loans on just any property. While their standards aren’t as stringent as they used to be, a home needs to be in relatively good condition to qualify for FHA financing.

Location and Lot

To qualify for FHA financing, the property has to be located on a road or easement that lets the owner freely enter and exit. The access also has to be paved with a surface that will work all year — a long dirt driveway that washes out in spring won’t qualify.

The FHA also wants the lot to be safe and free of pollution, radiation and other hazards. For that matter, it also needs to provide adequate drainage to keep water away from the house.

Property Exterior

The FHA’s requirements for making a loan start with the home’s roof. To pass muster, the house must have a watertight roof with some future life left. In addition, if the roof has three or more layers of old shingles, they must all be torn off as part of the replacement process.

The property’s exterior has to be free of chipped or damaged paint if the home has any risk of having lead paint. Its foundation should also be free of signs of exterior (and interior) damage. It also needs full exterior walls.

Property Interior

The property’s interior also needs to be inspected. FHA standards require that the home’s major systems be in good working order. Bedrooms should have egress routes for fire safety and the attic and basement should be free of signs of water or mold damage.

The bottom line is that the FHA wants to make loans on homes that borrowers can occupy. This doesn’t mean that a home has to be in perfect condition to be sold to an FHA mortgage-using borrower. It just needs to be a place that they can live.

Contact your trusted real estate professional to discuss these issues as well as any other questions regarding the sale of your home.