selling tips

Freshen up your home with neutral colors

Most home sellers know it’s a good idea to “freshen up” their house before they put it on the market. And they probably know that one of the least expensive changes they can make that produces positive results is painting. There’s nothing like a fresh coat of paint to really make a room look fresh and new.

But be careful. While you may have exquisite style, your potential home buyer probably has their own sense of style. In fact, they will most likely personalize and paint the rooms to their own preferences regardless of what you have done.

That’s why real estate agents and home staging professionals highly encourage using neutral colors like white, cream and beige. Yes, these colors are a bit boring. And yes, your home could probably look even better if only the dining room was painted in “baking stone” red. But color is subjective, so if you’re going to put in the time and effort to paint your home, it’s best to stick with neutrals.

Keep in mind we all have different visions, and many buyers have specific furniture in mind when buying. So neutral colors make the best match. They also reflect the most light and make most rooms appear larger.

selling tips

3 solutions to your closet nightmare!

Is your closet so full and disorganized that it has essentially become a useless waste of space? Do you have shoes or clothes from the last century stored away in there? Do you waste a lot of time looking for things in your closet because it’s so messy?

If you answered “yes” to any of these questions, you’re not alone. For many people, the closet becomes a dumping ground for anything and everything, and soon becomes so disorganized you don’t even know what’s in there. Well, fortunately you can clean up the situation with these simple solutions.

But first, if you don’t have an adequate closet organization system — such as shelves, shoe stands, hooks, baskets or drawers — go invest in what you need. It doesn’t have to be expensive, just functional. Now, depending on the size of your closet and amount of clutter, choose the best closet solution for you and get to work.

1. Take everything out of the closet, slowly go through it, and after careful consideration only put back things you really want or need. If you haven’t worn clothing or a jacket or a pair of shoes in the past 12 to 18 months, you probably don’t need it. If it’s broken and you haven’t repaired it yet, take it to a repair shop or get rid of it. Sure, there are certain items you don’t use often but still need, such as a rain coat or umbrella, but for the other stuff — sell it, donate it or throw it away.
2. If you have a very large closet or storage room, tackle the problem in sections. Visually break up the closet space into four sections, and go through each section — one at a time — as described above. By using this method, you can take care of a big chore over several days and end up with a well-organized closet.
3. Make organizing your closet part of your house cleaning regimen, just like vacuuming, dusting and cleaning the bathroom. By adding “organize the closet” to your chore list, your closet will stay functional and won’t turn into a wasteland for the unwanted.

By keeping your closet organized, you will save time, get better use out the items you keep, and spare yourself the frustration that comes from a cluttered lifestyle. Just because something is “still good” or “barely worn” doesn’t mean it has to clutter up your closet. Just let it go now — and in a few short days, or less — you won’t ever think about it again.

If you have any friends or family that need a real estate agent in the Lewisville, Flower Mound, Highland Village , including the general Dallas area, any referrals will be greatly appreciated.

selling tips

Check out this staging video. Good Info for sellers!

selling tips

Here is a new Home Office Makeover

selling tips

4 Easy Steps to Installing Weather Stripping

Applying weather stripping around doors and windows is a low-cost way to stop drafts and cut down on heating and cooling costs. Here’s what you do:

1. Learn the different kinds of stripping — adhesive-backed V strips that can be cut with scissors or a utility knife; compression strips; tubular gaskets; magnetic stripping for metal- or steel-clad doors.
2. Measure the length of all seams to be weather-stripped, add a couple of inches for each seam and add the numbers together to determine how much you need.
3. Cut the weather stripping to fit each seam. Apply the stripping all the way around a window by using adhesive, nails or screws. Attach the stripping to the jamb or the stop.
4. Apply the stripping to the sides and the tops of doors. Use a weather-tight threshold or door sweep to seal the bottom. (A door sweep is a metal or wood bracket with a plastic or vinyl flap that hangs to the floor to stop airflow.)

Other Tips

* Choose the weather stripping best suited to your needs. Ask store personnel for recommendations.
* Clean the surface to which you’re going to apply adhesive-backed weather stripping (if it’s dirty or damp, the adhesive won’t stick for long).
* Foam and felt varieties of weather stripping don’t apply easily and don’t seem to last nearly as long as alternatives.

selling tips

5 Tips to Staging Your Home Like a Professional

Are you considering putting your house up for sale, but not sure where to start? Afraid it will take too long to sell, or that you won’t get the price you want? If this is the case, you should definitely think about “staging” your home — or in other words — setting the scene for immediate buyer interest. Following are five tips to get you started:

1. De-clutter — This is one of the most important things you can do. It might be easier to think of de-cluttering like this: You’re moving anyway, so why not start packing now?
2. Storage — Pack up everything you don’t need and store the boxes out of sight in the garage, or better yet, an offsite storage facility.
3. Organize Your Closets — Put similar colors together, pants together, skirts together, shirts together, etc. Why? Because an organized closet looks bigger, and you want your closets to look as spacious as possible.
4. Make It Look Like a Model — You want to de-personalize as much as possible so potential buyers can imagine themselves and their own belongings occupying the space in your house. That means minimizing – putting away everything you don’t need or use. Clear off the kitchen counter and stash all appliances you don’t use on a daily basis.
5. Your the Buyer — Imagine yourself as a potential buyer looking at the property for the very first time. What impressions are you getting? Would you buy the house? What would you like to see changed before you put an offer on it?

Don’t worry about spending a few hundred, even thousands, of dollars to get your house ready to sell – you’ll likely get it all back, even more, when your home sells. Proper staging helps you sell your house in a shorter time and at the price you want.

selling tips

4 Hardwood Floorings Tips

Hardwood flooring remains a popular choice for home owners because it’s durable, easy to clean, and offers a classic beauty that’s hard to match. Originally introduced in medieval times, hardwood flooring today has evolved into a superior choice due to improved installation techniques and innovative sealants and finishes. Even though there are literally thousands of choices, some basic guidelines to selecting hardwood flooring remains fairly simple.

1. Know the Room’s Purpose — In most cases you wouldn’t want to install wood floors in a bathroom because of potential moisture problems, but other rooms may have mixed uses. A den may be a place to study one day, and a toddler’s playroom the next. This is important to know before you select a hardwood.
2. Traffic — A busy room is going to require a different hardwood and finish than a room that is seldom used. For example, hallways and kitchens get lots of traffic so you’ll want a more durable wood with a tougher finish than a guest bedroom with little use. Note that wood flooring with very dark or light finishes don’t wear well in a kitchen environment.
3. Installation Options — Certainly you can install hardwood flooring yourself, but like most projects — do your homework and strictly follow the manufacturer’s installation instructions. If you contract a professional, get references. Common hardwood flooring installation problems include moisture, unprepared sub-floors, improper planning, bad racking and under-nailing.
4. Color and Style — For most people, choosing the flooring is the best part. Just keep in mind that hardwood flooring is expensive, so unless you plan to live in the house the rest of your life, make sure you choose a flooring that won’t go out of style too quickly.

selling tips

How Much Should You Invest to Prepare Your Home

Most home sellers realize how important it is to properly prepare their home before putting it on the market, but with all the TV shows emphasizing cleaning up, remodeling and home staging, it might leave you wondering how much you’re going to need to spend.

The quick answer: Invest as little as possible to prepare your property for sale. Of course you should de-clutter, clean up and repair everything that needs fixing, but what about remodeling the bathroom? Or, putting new flooring in the dining room? Or landscaping? Yes, those upgrades will make your home stand out and help get it sold, but will they put more money in your pocket at close of escrow? Probably not.

The idea is to make your home as presentable as possible without spending any money that you won’t get back. If you invest $50 to thoroughly clean a bathroom, put new fixtures on the cabinets, and paint it, you’ll likely get that back plus some.

But, if you spend $15,000 on a bathroom remodel, only to get $12,000 back, that’s a losing proposition. You not only lost money, but you wasted time and effort with the remodel. And, even worse, a potential buyer may not like the choices you made.

When the time comes to sell your home, keep in mind you don’t have to spend a ton of money to make your home presentable. Just make each dollar count!

selling tips

44 Money Making Tips for Preparing your Home to Sell

Thank you for requesting your Free Report “44 Money Making Tips for Preparing Your Home to Sell”.
You will be recieving an e-mail that will give you a direct link to download your free report. If you are getting ready to sell your home, I have many other valuable resources that can be helpful. I also have a guaranteed home selling program that can get your home sold in the quickest time and for the most money. If you are interested, please call me, Phil Kretchmar, at 214-244-8159. If for some reason you do not recieve your e-mail with the link, let me know and I will make sure that you recieve it.

If you want to Request your Free Report, Please fill in the form below

Phil

selling tips

Recognizing Common Insect Infestations

It’s that time of year: lawn care, gardening, and — bugs. No matter how diligent you are and how hard you try, when it comes to lawns, insect infestation is a likely possibility. Just like weeds, insects can turn your lush green lawn into an embarrassing eyesore. Following are some common infestations:

Ants — We might think ants are a natural part of the yard, and they are, but be aware that ants can kill your lawn too. If you see lots of large ant hills in the same area as your dying lawn, there’s a good chance the hills are smothering the grass or an ant nest below is smothering the roots and prohibiting growth.

Sod Webworms — This insect prefers new lawns and feeds on the grass leaves at night, leaving ugly brown spots or patches across your lawn. If you notice new brown patches quickly taking over your yard, sod webworms may be the source.

Mites — If your grass leaves appear spotted or blotchy, it may be because mites are sucking the sap and damaging your lawn. If several of your neighbors lawns are dotted with brown spots too, mites could be the problem.

Leafhoppers — If your recently planted lawn suddenly takes a turn for the worse, or your older lawn starts getting whitish patches, consider the leafhopper. With an estimated 20,000 to 30,000 species, this insect sucks the sap from your lawn’s stems and leaves. The leafhopper is very small and green, gray, yellow or brownish in appearance.

Ticks — OK, ticks don’t kill your lawn, but they can stop you from enjoying your yard. If your property is adjacent to a heavily wooded area or you have lots of deer, dogs, rabbits, or other small critters running through your yard, be sure to check for ticks as they can cause various health problems, including Lyme disease.

These are a few of the most common insect infestations, though there are dozens, if not hundreds, of other possibilities. The good news is that if you can identify the infestation you can go down to your local gardening center and purchase the solution.

Next Page »