5 Home Projects You Can Finish During Your Staycation
By BobVila.com on 7 Jul 2016 Originally posted on http://www.zillow.com/blog/5-projects-finish-staycation-201050/ Balance R&R with a little DIY for total staycation satisfaction. With the return of summer Fridays and a stockpile of unused vacation days, you might be ready to jet off to anywhere but home. But before you pack your bags, consider the long-term benefits of a staycation. Twelve, 24, or 48 hours of extra free time in a long weekend provides all you need to reenergize, refuel, and recommit to that straggler project on your to-do list. In fact, devoting your time off to tackling a highly anticipated home upgrade or a lengthier maintenance project can pay off all summer long. Squeeze any of these five summer projects into your time off, and every weekend to come will feel more relaxing. Painting interior trim While the weather is nice enough to air out paint fumes through open windows, breathe life into spaces that have grown stale with fresh color. One way to get a whole-room update for a fraction of the effort: Zero in on the trim. Painting baseboards, chair rail, window trim, and crown molding in either complementary or contrasting tones to your walls really wakes up ordinary rooms and hallways. Before you brush on your new color, cut the sheen of the old enamel with a liquid sanding product so that the new paint adheres well. Apply two or three light coats of interior latex enamel paint, allowing a full day of drying time between each. For an ultra-smooth finish, buff lightly with micro-grit sandpaper and follow with tack cloth before each successive coat. Building a backyard fire pit A landscaping addition that extends outdoor hours by offering light and heat well into the evening is one you won’t regret — especially when it’s too easy to skip. Your backyard fire pit doesn’t have to be a large, lavish model picked from a catalog to be entertaining. In fact, you can assemble an attractive one in just a day from a kit with no-cut blocks from your home improvement store. Courtesy of Zillow Digs. Set the blocks end-to-end to form a perfect circle, then stack them two or three high and slip on an iron fire pit ring. All that’s left to do is check your s’mores kit and round up spare seating. Ensure every guest gets a front-row spot by placing chairs a minimum of four feet away from the pit. Resurfacing the concrete driveway Concrete driveways are known for their durability, but years of use and exposure to the elements can leave them looking worse for all that wear. If your driveway flakes or shows fine cracks, one sunny, 80-degree weekend spent resurfacing may help you avoid the cost and labor of completely replacing the hardscaping. The most time-consuming part is the preparation, which includes a thorough pressure-washing and patching large cracks and holes. Afterward, you’ll mix a resurfacing product to a semi-liquid form, apply with large squeegees, and then brush it for a consistent finish. Containing a polymer-based cement, a resurfacer forms a strong bond with the existing driveway and adds a layer of protection against future damage. Just 24 hours later, you can pull cars back into your now like-new driveway. Organizing the garage If you can’t pull your car into the garage without bumping into...
read more3 Weird Things You Can Ignore When Home Shopping
By Brendon DeSimone on 4 Jul 2016 Originally posted on http://www.zillow.com/blog/weird-things-home-shopping-200991/ Ugly paint colors? Treadmill in the kitchen? Creepy family portraits in every room? Don’t let it bug you. In 15 years of real estate, I can honestly say that I’ve seen it all. Toilet seats up in listing photos, shag carpet covered with dog hair, bedrooms doubling as marijuana growing centers, and avocado green appliances from the ’70s. Sellers aren’t required to get their homes in their best condition before showing them — let alone cleaning their home before listing. But one seller’s laziness can spell a giant upside for the right buyer. Here are three sights that may be off-putting when you’re shopping for a home, but shouldn’t stop you from considering making an offer — particularly if you love the home, layout or location. Odd wallpaper and dirty carpet Today’s buyers generally prefer a home that’s turn-key or move-in ready. They’re too busy with their day-to-day lives to take on a renovation — and this is especially true for the continuously connected, mobile-ready millennial home buyer. But painting walls and replacing carpets isn’t always time-consuming or expensive, and you can do these projects before moving in. If a seller won’t replace their shag carpet or paint the interior a neutral color, they’re shooting themselves in the foot. A fresh coat of paint and finished floors or new carpet won’t break the bank or take more than a week, and the end product will be a like-new home for you to move into. Rooms being strangely used It’s not uncommon to see a home’s dining room transformed into a full-fledged office. Some homeowners even have a bedroom doubling as a walk-in closet. I once saw a first-floor bedroom turned into a wine-tasting room. Just because the homeowner uses these spaces in a way that suits them, doesn’t mean you have to. These rooms might stand out as odd to you, but try to forget that the seller lives there. Once they’ve moved out, the dining room will be a space that just needs a great light fixture and table. The walk-in closet can be turned back into a bedroom in less than a day. A too-strong seller presence It’s difficult for a buyer to imagine themselves in a home if it’s full of the seller’s photos, diplomas and other personal belongings. The best homes for buyers are those that are neutral and lacking any items specific to the owner. What’s worse is when the seller is present at a showing. It makes everyone uncomfortable. The buyers feel like they need to be on their best behavior and can’t explore the house, dig deep into closets or cabinets, or feel free to talk out loud about what they see. A home that is too personalized or where the seller is always present can sit on the market and get a bad reputation over time. A smart buyer will use that to their advantage and snag it below the asking price. Sellers who sabotage their home sale — whether intentionally or not — leave money on the table for the buyer. But typical consumers today have a hard time seeing through a seller’s mess, personalized design style or custom changes. If you see a home online that’s in a great location with a floor plan that’s ideal, go see it. Ignore the things you can change, and think about whether you can make the home your...
read moreHow to Prepare Your Home for an Appraisal
By Jamie Birdwell-Branson on 11 Jul 2016 Originally posted on http://www.zillow.com/blog/prepare-home-for-appraisal-200936/ What you need to know about the process, from a veteran certified appraiser. Getting your home appraised can often be a nerve-wracking experience. Your home and your handy work will be on display to be judged and valued so that you can move forward with selling your home. But it doesn’t have to be a stressful experience. With the right tools, tricks and savvy, the appraisal process can not only go smoothly, it can also help you make a giant financial leap toward a future in a new home. Do your homework “Just like anything else — for example, if you’re going to select a doctor, dentist, or lawyer — you do your homework to find out the appraiser’s market knowledge of the area,” says Rick Singh, a property appraiser in Orange County, FL. Ideally, your appraiser will be a local who knows the area well and who has been around long enough to see changes in the market. It’s also crucial to hire an appraiser who is state certified. Check your maintenance Whether it’s a loose shingle, chipped paint or dirty carpet, be sure to take care of it before the appraiser comes. Anything obvious that needs work could potentially eat away at your home’s value. Also, keep a list of maintenance work that has been done on the home. Have a running list of what you have fixed and upgraded in your home as well as the amount of money you have spent. Courtesy of Zillow Digs. Maximize curb appeal When you’re getting your home appraised, remember that your house should look like the nicest one on the block. “Landscaping plays so much into making a good first impression,” Singh says. “And remember that a first impression is a lasting impression. Make sure [your yard] is tidy and up-to-date. Trim or replace dead plants, and make sure it’s nice and green.” Ensure appliances work Do you have a dishwasher that only works when you give it a little kick, or a refrigerator that doesn’t keep your food as cool as it used to? These malfunctioning big-ticket items in a home could be a huge disadvantage to your home’s appraisal value. Show pride in ownership Although your home isn’t necessarily valued on the interior decor, it doesn’t hurt to show that it’s well cared for. This doesn’t necessarily mean you have to trade in your T.J.Maxx finds for a pricey interior makeover, but make sure your home is neat, tidy, and exhibits that you generally have an interest in keeping your home looking its best. Courtesy of Zillow Digs. Know your neighborhood Before you get your home appraised, be sure you know what comparable nearby homes are going for, because that can be a huge predictor of your home’s value. Also, inform your appraiser of any extraordinary circumstances, like if someone in your neighborhood had to sell their home quickly. Sellers may have to lower the price of their home to get out in a timely fashion in the event of death or job relocation in another state. It’s extremely important that both you and your appraiser are knowledgeable about your neighborhood to get as accurate a value as possible. Understand that cost does not equal value When you make improvements to your home, you hope that everything you’re upgrading will...
read moreWhy You Should Have Your Home Inspected Before Selling
By Brendon DeSimone on 23 Aug 2013 (an oldie but a goodie!) Originally posted on http://www.zillow.com/blog/why-you-should-have-your-home-inspected-before-selling-132363/ Here are three reasons why a pre-inspection may be a good idea. Ordinarily, a serious buyer would pay to have a home formally inspected. The goal is to uncover any potential problems before signing on the dotted line, while there’s still time to negotiate. But sometimes, sellers will have their homes inspected before they even put them on the market. Here are three reasons why a pre-inspection may be a good idea. 1. It shows your home is ‘an open book’ A pre-inspection is a goodwill gesture. It demonstrates a willingness to go beyond what’s expected, and that sets you apart from other sellers. You’re sending a signal that your house is an “open book,” and that you’re being upfront about the property. All of this can give potential buyers peace of mind and confidence. 2. It can save you money in the long run A pre-inspection gives you, the seller, a heads-up if there are problems that a potential buyer will likely want repaired. Once you know what’s wrong, you can have those issues fixed before you list. The cleaner and more problem-free you can make your home, the faster it’s likely to sell. Because a pre-inspection lets buyers know what they’re getting from the beginning, they can factor any needed repairs into an offer. And by disclosing all known issues upfront, you’re protecting yourself against claims the buyer might make later — which sometimes result in lawsuits. On the other hand, let’s say you don’t have a pre-inspection. During escrow, the buyer’s inspector discovers problems you didn’t know about. You can be sure the buyer will try to negotiate a lower price, which will cost you money and can delay the sale. The buyer might even cancel the contract. 3. It can highlight your home’s assets Assuming you’re not trying to sell a fixer-upper, a pre-inspection can shine a spotlight on your home’s selling points, such as any electrical upgrades you might have had made. When not to have a pre-inspection If you’re trying to offload a fixer-upper that would give even the Munsters reason for concern, there’s no point in paying for a pre-inspection. But if you’ve maintained your home and want to sell it as quickly, and as profitably, as possible, a pre-inspection is almost always a good idea. Related: 5 Options for Staging Your Home How to Avoid Seller’s Remorse 5 Home Renovations That Could Hurt Resale Brendon DeSimone is a Realtor and one of the nation’s leading real estate experts. His practical advice is regularly sought out by print, online and television media outlets including FOX News, CNBC, Good Morning America and Forbes. Brendon is the co-author of “Next Generation Real Estate: New Rules for Smarter Home Buying & Faster Selling” (Wiley Publishing – January 2014). An active investor himself, Brendon owns real estate around the U.S. and abroad and is licensed to sell in California and New York. You can find Brendon on Facebook or follow him on Twitter or Google Plus. Note: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the opinion or position of Zillow....
read moreSelling a Home: Your Legal Checklist
By Avvo on 23 Mar 2015 Originally posted on http://www.zillow.com/blog/selling-a-home-legal-checklist-172292/ Selling a Home: Your Legal Checklist By Avvo on 23 Mar 2015 Know-How Blog Topics Celebrity Real Estate Market Trends Home Improvement First Person Unique Homes Tips & Advice Featured Post Home Improvement / story 5 Home Projects You Can Finish During Your Staycation By BobVila.com on 7 Jul 2016 Balance R&R with a little DIY for total staycation satisfaction. Read Full Story Zillow Tools Find homes for sale Search for rentals Check the latest mortgage rates Get home design inspiration Connect with a local agent Blog Topics Celebrity Real Estate Market Trends Home Improvement First Person Unique Homes Tips & Advice Featured Post Home Improvement / story 5 Home Projects You Can Finish During Your Staycation By BobVila.com on 7 Jul 2016 Balance R&R with a little DIY for total staycation satisfaction. Read Full Story Zillow Tools Find homes for sale Search for rentals Check the latest mortgage rates Get home design inspiration Connect with a local agent There’s more to getting your house in order than boosting curb appeal and finding a real estate agent. By Stephanie Reid, Avvo attorney and NakedLaw contributor If you’re thinking it’s time to sell your home, there are a few legal issues to consider before posting that “For Sale” sign. Whether you are parting ways with your spouse, planning to upgrade or downsize, or selling out of financial necessity, you should protect yourself from pitfalls awaiting the unsavvy seller. Here are four steps you can take to avoid common issues that pop up during the residential home sale process. Resolve debts, encumbrances and liens If your property has incurred any sort of debt, encumbrance or lien, you will need to take care of this prior to settling with your buyer. This obstacle can arise in any number of ways, including through: Federal, state or local tax liens Civil court judgments Child support or spousal support missed payments General unpaid debts Failure to pay homeowners association dues Of course, the outstanding amount will vary greatly from homeowner to homeowner, but one thing is certain: The lienholder will get paid. If you are facing a major tax lien or civil judgment attached to your property, selling your home will not get you out of trouble, especially if you try to hide the debt or defraud the buyer. The lien will, without question, appear on a title search ordered by the buyer and will become a deduction from your sale proceeds on the day of closing. Get joint tenants on the same page The ownership structure of your property may impact your ability to sell, especially if you inherited the property with several family members as joint tenants. If this is your situation, your options for selling the property are limited. You can either gather consent from all owners or try to divide the property in your state’s court of equity, which is usually a lengthy, expensive and highly combative process. In other words, before you attempt to sell jointly owned property, you need to get everyone on the same page and agree on how to split the net proceeds after the sale. The same holds true if you and your spouse are going through a divorce and have mutually decided to sell the marital home. If the property was...
read moreSplurge or Save? How to Furnish Your Space on a Budget
By Natalie Wise on 7/5/2016 Originally posted on http://www.zillow.com/digs/guides/living-rooms/splurge-save-furnish-space-budget/ Furnishing a new house or apartment can be a challenge, especially if you’re working with a small budget. Sometimes it’s hard to know where to spend your hard-earned money. We put together this guide so you know what to splurge on, and what you can get at a lower price — without sacrificing quality. Here are eight pieces of furniture to get you started. Splurge: Couch It’s time to get rid of that couch you “inherited” from your mom’s basement. A good quality couch is the first investment you should make as you collect furniture for your new space; a sturdy, comfortable couch is worth the money. You can Scotch Guard upholstery to give it extra life and protect the fabric from stains and spills. If it’s in your budget. real leather is preferable to faux leather, as faux leather will split and crack. A sectional couch is a great option for entertaining, if you have the space. Save: Coffee Table Coffee tables run the gamut from sleek and slim to heavy double-duty storage pieces. Regardless of the style you choose, look for one that is made of real wood or thick glass, stable and able to withstand some wear and tear. Don’t be afraid to think outside the box: instead of a traditional coffee table you can use an old trunk or crate, or a large tufted ottoman that can also serve as seating. Thrift and vintage stores are great places to find unique and durable coffee tables at low price points. Splurge: Loveseat A loveseat is a small, two-person couch. The loveseat is traditional in a living room to create the classic “L” shaped furniture arrangement. This shape allows for easy conversation and lets everyone see the focal point of the room, be it a television or fireplace. Loveseats generally match the couch, but could also be a surprise decorative element in more contemporary or eclectic spaces. If loveseats are out of your price range, or simply don’t fit in your space, consider purchasing an armchair or two to create a similar living room feel. Save: Dining Table and Chairs A dining table and chairs may not be a top priority investment for you right away. Still, it’s nice to have a place to eat, so a small table (square or round) and at least two chairs will be a good place to start, even if they’re inexpensive. A table that folds down on both sides is a smart space-saving option if you don’t have a lot of room. As you accumulate more furniture over the years you can prioritize saving up to get a nice dining set in the future. Splurge: Rugs Rugs are expensive, but worthy of investing some of your budget. While not technically furniture, rugs help “ground” furniture and define spaces in large rooms. They are also a decorative element that greatly enhance a space and as a bonus, feel nice underfoot. You get what you pay for when it comes to rugs. Cheap rugs wear out, pill, pull and curl quickly. Find a rug you love and pay a bit more up front for years of enjoyment down the road. Save: Bookcases Bookcases not only add storage space, they fill out a room...
read moreDoes DIY Apply to Buying a House?
Posted in Commercial Real Estate, Consumers, Economics, Mortgage Financing, Technology, by Robert Freedman on February 29, 2016 36 One of the side effects of digital communication is it can make people slow to get out from behind their screens to talk to someone face-to-face. Maybe you’ve noticed it with people you know, particularly young people who’ve grown up with technology. Research conducted for NAR last year found that young people experience a high level of anxiety when it comes time to move from online home shopping to talking to a real estate professional. As long as they’re gathering information on their phone, tablet, or laptop, they’re fine. But as soon as they want to talk to someone in the business, they find themselves outside of their comfort zone. That’s an interesting finding from a sociological standpoint, but from a business standout, it’s a problem. That’s why NAR did something different this year with its national ad campaign. Instead of focusing on the benefits of home ownership or why now is a good time to buy, it focused on this tension-point for young people. It did this in two ways: First, it designed content that speaks directly to people who are comfortable gathering information online but less so picking up the phone. Second, it designed a digital-first strategy for placing ads. That means focusing on what people see on their phones, tablets, and laptop and putting less emphasis on what they see on their TVs. Traditional media like TV, radio, and print remain important, but because young people live their lives online, the campaign places a new emphasis on the digital side. NAR’s ideas behind the ad campaign are explored in The Voice for Real Estate, NAR’s news video. The video also looks at an effort that is gaining ground to let veterans using federally backed, zero-down financing buy their house without having to worry about loan caps. Right now, VA loans are capped based on market area. That makes it hard for veterans to buy a house that costs more than $417,000. That amount goes far in many markets but there are also markets where that doesn’t even reach the median home price. In good news, the House passed a bill that would eliminate loan caps for VA loans. That’s a move NAR supports, and now the Senate needs to act on it. NAR played a role in getting the House to pass the bill. A REALTOR® from the Orlando area in Florida recommended changes to the loan caps in testimony before a VA subcommittee, and lawmakers heard the recommendations loud and clear. The video also looks at an interesting development in commercial real estate finance. Real estate professionals say loans for most property types in most markets remain very difficult to get. The only real bright spots are multifamily loans, which benefit from Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac guarantees. But office, industrial, and retail loans remain a tough sell, especially in secondary and tertiary markets. And yet some federal regulators are saying commercial lending is getting too loose. It’s a disconnect that NAR is watching closely, and the video reports on that as well. It also looks at another interesting issue: airplane landing patterns. The Federal Aviation Administration wants airlines to use a single landing pattern if an airplane...
read moreHow Much Space Buyers Really Crave
Daily Real Estate News | Tuesday, March 29, 2016 For the majority of home buyers, they want a home with about 9 percent more space than they currently have. A new study translates that to a median of 2,020 square feet. Read more: New Homes Are Getting Bigger and Pricier But the amount of desired square footage can vary quite a bit among the different age groups, according to findings from the National Association of Home Builders’ “Housing Preferences of the Boomer Generation: How They Compare to Other Home Buyers.” For example, millennial and Gen X buyers desire the most space, at more than 2,300 square feet. Baby boomers and seniors, on the other hand, mostly would be happy with homes that are under 1,900 square feet. Take a look at this chart below from NAHB that shows the gap between current and desired home sizes among the various age segments: NAHB’s study also found that more than half of all home buyers across all age groups would like to have a home with three bedrooms. Thirty percent of respondents say they’d prefer four bedrooms or more. Millennials and Gen X’ers are most likely to want a home with at least four bedrooms. Source: “Housing Preferences Across Generations (Part II),” National Association of Home Builders’ Eye on Housing (March 17,...
read moreFour Ways to Help a Home Seller Tackle Clutter
Posted in Staging Tips, by Blog Contributor on January 18, 2016 641 By Tori Toth One of the most cost-effective ways to prepare a home for sale is to organize it, but I know for many home sellers it’s no easy task. It’s important to contain and, in fact, erase clutter for three reasons: Gain more square footage. Showcase the positive features in the home. Buyers can visualize living in the space. Clutter comes in all different forms and it lingers in most homes. So if you see piles of paperwork, clothes on the floor, stuffed closets — it’s time to declutter! Here are some tips: 1. Start small. Organizing is an evolving process that changes as the needs of a home owner change. Start small: One room, one closet, one corner. Just start somewhere! To make it count, tackle the first cluttered area a home buyer would see as they walk into the home. 2. Schedule it. Many times a home owner never starts the decluttering process because of time constraints. Schedule blocks of time (2-4 hours) or even just 15 minutes a day depending on what needs to be organized to make your goal a reality. 3. Find a home. One reason why clutter can build up in a home is if an item is homeless. Creating a place for each item in your home is a crucial part to obtaining an organized home. Of course, keeping the space in order only happens when you return an item back to it’s home after use. 4. Adopt “good habits.” By always returning an item home, you’re building in a maintenance system in your organizing process. Another good habit to adopt is to take 5-10 minutes every night and put items away. This way when you wake up in the morning, the house is ready to show off. For more tips on how to organize a home, view: “Lose the Clutter: Habits That Could Make or Break Your Home Organizing Goals.” ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Tori Toth is an Amazon best-selling author who wrote “Feel At Home: Home Staging Secrets for a Quick and Easy Sell.” She is also the founder of The Stage 2 Sell Strategy, the world’s first online home staging video course for home sellers. Toth opened her staging company, Stylish Stagers, Inc. in New York City back in 2009. Her book, how-to videos, newsletters, products and appearances now inspire hundreds of thousands of home owners and real estate experts worldwide. Meet Tori by visiting her website or Facebook Fan page....
read more5 Ways to Jump-Start a Whole-House Decluttering Effort
If the piles of paperwork and jampacked closets have you feeling like a deer in the headlights, take a deep breath and a baby step… It’s a common problem. You know you have way too much stuff for your available space, but you become paralyzed at the thought of decluttering. One solution is to start with something that takes minimal effort but makes a big impact in your home right away. From carving out a bit of breathing room in your closet to making a dent in the junk drawer, these five ways to begin the decluttering process are relatively painless. You can do this! Priestley + Associates Architecture Where Not to Begin Don’t plan to start with a major weekend-long purge. Plan to start being the key phrase. A big decluttering weekend can be a great way to make progress, but carving out such a large chunk of time may not be easy to arrange — and if you keep putting off getting started because you’re waiting for a big space to open up on your calendar, you could be waiting a very long time. A Darling Felicity Photography Don’t start with other people’s stuff. Oh, it is so tempting, I know! But although you may be dying to bag up your least favorite items from your spouse/significant other/kid/housemate’s space, resist the urge — it’s not likely to go over well. Even if you have way less clutter than the other members of your household, it’s important to take responsibility for your own part. If you’re lucky, the clutter-clearing bug will be catching! California Closets Don’t start at the front door. In theory, the entryway is a wonderful place to begin decluttering. But guess what tends to accumulate around the front door? Stuff you actually use a lot. That means that while there could be a few things to get rid of in this area, it’s more likely that the stuff just needs to be put away. But if everywhere else in the house is packed, there’s nowhere for the entryway clutter to go. Le Michelle Nguyen Where to Begin 1. Discard a few clothes. Removing some of the clothes and shoes you don’t wear from your closet and drawers is a good first step. By clearing out a bit of space in your bedroom closet, you can then tuck away some of the extra items (jackets, scarves, shoes) cluttering up your entryway, in effect clearing two areas of your home at once. If you’re following the Marie Kondo method of tidying, this is also where she recommends beginning. How to: Try not to get hung up on winnowing down your entire closet right now; just grab a few no-brainer items that obviously need to go (socks without mates, worn out sneakers, ill-fitting pants), toss them in a bag, and get them out of there. Next step: If there is now enough room to do so, take the extra coats and shoes from the entryway and put them away neatly in your closet, lightening up the entry. If space is still too tight to add anything, make another pass at your clothes and shoes, and fill a bag with items to sell or give away. Organised Chaos Ireland 2. Sort a pile of papers. For as much...
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