Seller Tips – Page 3 – Cooper Realty Associates

Five Bathroom Fixes On A Budget

If you’re looking to add value to your bathroom without doing a total remodel, consider some (or all!) of these ideas:

1. A new sink. A new sink is a great way to add both form and function to your bathroom. Sinks can be stylish, whimsical, luxurious, and more. And there are plenty of affordable options. Be sure to pay attention to the faucets and handles too… not only do they update your look, those details add value.

2. Light it up. Updating your lighting can give your room a whole new feel. For the bathroom there are many options including task lighting, recessed lighting, and track lighting. Be sure to consider the function and ambiance that you’re going for.

3. Update the floor. Porcelain, ceramic, and natural stone tiles add both value and design to your bathroom. Using simple designs instead of detailed ones to save even more money.

4. Shower yourself. Installing a luxurious shower head will add instant value to your room. A rain head is a simple update that buyers love.

5. Give your cabinets some love. If it’s not in your budget to replace your cabinets, refacing them by replacing just the doors and drawers can give your room a whole new look and a lot of value. Of course, if that’s not in your budget either, giving your cabinets some TLC in the way of cleaning and a facelift can work wonders too.

Thinking of buying or selling a home in Sussex County? Give us a call at Cooper Realty Associates and put us to work for you – 302-856-6434.

Make Your Entrance Grand

Whether you believe it or not, the front door of your home is a powerful tool to help you sell. Your front door provides the first impression for everyone who comes to your home and helps them form an opinion of your home before they ever even come inside. To help give your home the grand entrance that architecturally appealing homes have, first you need to be sure that your entrance is apparent from the street. This doesn’t mean it has to be magnificent, just that any old person passing by needs to be able to identify it. Some ways to do this are add a pediment, trim it out, or place it under a roofed porch. An unsheltered front door should never be flush with the house – that will give it the look of a side door. At the very least the front door should be recessed or projected from the house a noticeable bit. For the most welcoming atmosphere, provide a separate path for walking to your front door and keep electric meters and other utilities, garbage cans, or other unfortunate outdoor storage areas out of the path and vision of your entrance area. Remember, a great front entrance means a better first impression, which can mean an easier sale!

Thinking of buying or selling a home in Sussex County? Give us a call at Cooper Realty Associates and put us to work for you – 302-644-2266.

Why Your Home Isn’t Selling

If your home has been on the market for a while with no interest there are several factors that could be holding you back. Of course, before you assume that your home is taking forever to sell, discuss local real estate trends with your realtor and get their opinion. The biggest reason that your home may not be selling is because it is priced too high. You may think that a buyer will just offer a lower price for your home, but many sellers don’t want to waste time and energy on offers they aren’t confident in. If you aren’t getting any showings, or you aren’t getting repeat showings then your home may not be priced correctly for the market. Ask for feedback from buyers who see you home. If they are positive about your house but indicate that the price is too high consider their feedback. Another reason that your home may not be selling has to do with condition. If your home has maintenance issues or is dated you will either need to fix the issues or lower the price to account for them. If you have researched it and are confident that the price of your home is accurate for both your local market and the condition of your home consider talking with your agent about new ways to market your home. And finally, if you don’t have a trusted agent, the best way to sell your home is to find one.

Thinking of buying or selling a home in Sussex County? Give us a call at Cooper Realty Associates and put us to work for you – 302-644-2266.

3 Tips for Less Stressful Selling

Selling your home can be stressful. Here are a few tips to help it go smoothly…

1. Detach yourself. Most sellers are far too emotionally involved with their home. Of course, that’s understandable. After all, your home is the place where you’ve built memories for many years. However, you must remember that the strangers that come through your home don’t have the same attachments. The faster you can make yourself think of your home as a product to sell rather than your own, personal home the better off you will be.

2. Plan your exit. Have a strategy in place to make your sale as smooth as possible, especially if you are purchasing another home at the same time. Research short-term housing options in case you need them, and be sure that you realistically understand how much money you will be taking away from your sale so that you can have the best understanding of what type of housing purchase you can afford to make.

3. Hire a real estate agent. Finding a real estate agent you like and trust as early in the selling process as possible can ease the entire process. A good agent will not only show and sell your home, but he or she can advise you on the best strategies and tactics for selling your home, making the whole process less stressful.

Thinking of buying or selling a home in Sussex County? Give us a call at Cooper Realty Associates and put us to work for you – 302-644-2266.

3 Tips for Selling Your Home in 2013

If you are looking to sell your home in 2013, here are three tips to help you, adapted from a list published by Zillow Real Estate Blog:

1. Know what your home is worth. In the neighborhood, that is. If you are going to sell you definitely want to know the comps for your home. Your real estate agent can help you with this. You can always start going to open houses to see what’s selling in your neighborhood, and utilize online listings to help you learn more. Just remember that “comps” are comparable sales, not comparable listings. It doesn’t matter what people are asking for their homes, only what the homes actually sell for.

2. Get inspected. Of course, inspection falls to the buyer, but if you want to give yourself a leg up consider paying for an inspection yourself. If you do you will know what needs to be repaired before you begin negotiating. If you can plan for repairs in advance you will be able to fix them for less money than they would cost you in buyer credit down the road, or you can price your home with the repairs factored in. Either way you will save money for the long run.

3. Stage your home. By hiring a designer or stager, you will be able to show your home in the best possible light. Again, even though this is an up-front cost, it will save you money in the long run!

Thinking of buying or selling a home in Sussex County? Give us a call at Cooper Realty and put us to work for you – 302-644-2266.

Five Tips for Selling Your Home During the Holidays

If your home is on the market during the holiday season consider these tips for taking advantage of the opportunities you have:

1. Price to sell. Just like always, if your home is priced right it will get the attention that it deserves.

2. Pay attention to curb appeal. Again, this is a year-round tip, but at this time of year in particular be sure that leaves a raked, stairs and walkways are kept free of ice and snow, and gutters are cleaned.

3. Decorate reasonably. If you decorate during the holidays be sure not to go overboard. Keep things scaled to your home and decorate to emphasize your home’s best features, not cover or detract from them. If you want to avoid offending potential buyers it is best to decorate with general winter themes rather than religious items.

4. Focus on motivated buyers. People who house hunt during the holidays are generally motivated buyers. Work with your agent to target buyers who are on a deadline and looking to buy before the end of the year.

5. Hire a trusted agent. At this time of year in particular it is important to have a real estate agent who is reliable and not someone who will disappear during the holidays. Some who will go above and beyond to work for you will help get your home sold.

Looking to buy or sell a home in Sussex County? Give us a call at Cooper Realty Associates and put us to work for you – 302-856-6434.

Tips for Selling During the Holiday Season

With Thanksgiving just a few days away, one of the busiest times of year is getting under way… the holiday season! Selling a home during the holiday season can be tough, and there are advantages and disadvantages to both leaving your home on the market & pulling it off and relisting in January. You might want to keep your house on the market because buyers who look for a home during the holidays are serious buyers looking for a home during a time when there are less homes on the market than after the new year. Additionally, many buyers want to close the deal before the end of the year for the tax advantages. However, you might want to pull your home off the market if you love to go overboard with the holiday decorations, have lots of company during the holidays, or want the advantages of relisting your home in January to generate new traffic during a home-shopping period that it usually busier than the holiday season. What is best for your home depends on your neighborhood, home, family schedule, and your agent’s advice.

Looking to buy or sell a home in Sussex County? Give us a call at Cooper Realty Associates and put us to work for you – 302-629-6693.

Out of the Box Ways to Market Your Home

If you’re trying to sell your home it is in your best interest to market it in several ways. A good realtor will be able to help you this and will offer advice and options for your particular situation, but to get the ideas flowing, think about some of these out of the box ideas. One way to get your home international exposure is to post a classified ad on eBay. You can also put your home up for auction on eBay, but keep in mind that eBay real estate auctions are not legally binding so after bidding closes the parties still need to work out the details of the transaction. Another idea that certainly isn’t for everyone is home swapping. There are several online home swapping sites and some of them have the intention of creating matches between buyers and sellers. Like with eBay, the site does not sell your home, but can be a unique way to generate interest. A third unique way to generate interest in your home is to throw an open house party. Open houses are often slow and inefficient in the current market. By stepping up your open house and offering food, wine, entertainment and door prizes you can market your home through word of mouth and people will see the home in a different light, which can help them picture living there. You can use a party to showcase your home’s best features too. Like I said, these are definitely out of the box ways to generate interest on your home, but of course your real estate agent will have advice of their own too, so use their expertise!

Thinking of buying or selling a home in Sussex County? Give us a call at Cooper Realty Associates and put us to work for you – 302-629-6693.

Buyers’ Biggest Turn-offs

If you are trying to sell your home then you definitely don’t want to turn off potential buyers as soon as they walk into your home. In order for your home to show as well as it possibly can, there are several things you should clean up and put out of sight (out of the house, if possible!) to help your home show off its best features. According to a survey of house hunters and their agents, pet stuff and toys/baby stuff top the list of things that buyers don’t want to see (or smell!) when they walk in your house. When it comes to pets, they really shouldn’t even know that you have one. Potential buyers with allergies may not even give your home a fair shot if they know about your animals. Even though it’s inconvenient to make arrangements for your pets and their things every time there is a showing, it really is important if you want to get your home sold. When it comes to the baby stuff, you should have a dedicated area for storing your children’s things, such as a large toy chest or two. Then, when you have a showing you can just shove everything in, close the lid, and be done! Clear baby clutter such as bottles, sippy cups, pacifiers, etc. off counters and tables and put it out of sight!

Speaking of clutter… that’s another big turn off. I know I’ve said it before, but it really is important to clear clutter off the kitchen counter, including any small appliances, wash and put away dirty dishes, and put away personal items. It is equally important to clear clutter and stow personal items in the bathroom. And when it comes to the bathroom, keep the sink and toilet cleaned at all times, and keep the toilet seat and lid down! Nobody wants to see a dirty toilet when they are imagining their dream home!

Of course, its difficult and sometimes impossible to keep your house in tip-top shape when you’re trying to sell, but it really is worth the time and effort invested to get the best offer on your home and quickly as possible!

Thinking of buying or selling a home in Sussex County? Give us a call at Cooper Realty Associates and put us to work for you – 302-644-2266!

Prepping Your Home To Sell

When you’re prepping your home for sale there are a few things you can do to give yourself a “leg-up” in this market. Things such as improving your landscaping, cleaning your gutters, pressure washing your siding and driveway, and keeping your lawn manicured all add to your home’s curb appeal and can ultimately help improve its chances at selling. Painting your door with a fresh coat of paint that contrasts with your home’s exterior color and replacing worn house numbers with new, easy to see alternatives will also help increase your home’s appeal. You should also consider making necessary repairs such as changing broken windows, fixing a leaking roof, or replacing cracked flooring. You want your home to make its best first impression, and to do that you need to maintain it so that buyers will be interested in a second look. When staging your home, be sure to remove all unnecessary clutter. Removing at least one piece of furniture from each room and clearing out clutter will not only simplify your life, it will help your home sell. While you’re decluttering, you should also remember to clean out closets and drawers. When your closets and drawers are stuffed to the brim or disorganized it makes your home appear as if it is short on storage space, which doesn’t work in your favor when trying to sell.

To give your home the best chance in today’s market, you should definitely consider these and other staging and sprucing tips. The difference between homes that sell and homes that don’t are often in the small details.

Thinking of buying of selling a home in Sussex County? Give us a call at Cooper Realty Associates and put us to work for you – 302-644-2266.

5 Home Improvements for Under $1000

Yesterday I looked at three updates you could make to your home for under $200, but today we’re going to open that budget up a bit. Here are five for under $1,000:

1. Replace worn carpeting. Nothing makes a home look grungier than yucky carpeting. If you’ve got worn or stained carpeting, or other floor issues in your home, consider replacing the flooring. If your budget prevents you from redoing all the floors, start in the rooms that have the most wear.

2. Get a new water heater. A tankless water heater is more environmentally friendly than older models and saves energy and money by heating only the water you use, as you use it. This update will pay for itself in the long run, and will give your home added value if you put it on the market.

3. Update the bathroom. Bathrooms add value to a home, and you can easily do a minor remodel for under $1000. Simple updates like replacing old plumbing, updating light fixtures, replacing tile, or switching out a vanity will update the whole room without a huge price tag.

4. Update the kitchen. Obviously you can’t do a whole kitchen remodel for under $1,000, but you can swap out one old appliance for a shiny, new, energy efficient model. Another kitchen update to consider for under $1,000 would be replacing the flooring or updating the backsplash. Any kitchen update adds value to your home. You don’t necessarily have to redo the entire room to update it.

5. Add curb appeal. Lush, green grass sells homes! Depending on the size of your yard, about $1,000 and some hard work will allow you to replace a weedy, patchy, or dead lawn with lovely, thick, green sod. Just remember that landscaping requires follow-up commitment to get the full value!

Thinking of buying of selling a home in Sussex County? Give us a call at Cooper Realty Associates and put us to work for you – 302-644-2266.

Thursday Three: 3 Improvements for a Tight Budget

If you want to increase the value of your home, but you only have a little bit of cash, try any of these ideas which should each cost under $200.

1. Scrape the popcorn. Popcorn ceilings seriously date your home, so if you’ve currently got them spending the time to scrape them away will add instant value without a whole lot of money. All you need is something to soften the texture and some time to dedicate to scraping!

2. Plant a tree. As a shade tree matures over time it will add curb appeal (and value!) to your home. Not only are shade trees desirable, but properly placed it can actually cut your cooling costs significantly.

3. Filter your water. Installing a water filtration system in your kitchen allows you to get the luxury of bottled water right from your faucet. It’s an inexpensive addition that adds value because it seems luxurious!

Thinking of buying of selling a home in Sussex County? Give us a call at Cooper Realty Associates and put us to work for you – 302-856-6434.

Pricing For Multiple Offers

A seller’s dream is to have multiple offers come in on their home. One way of driving multiple offers is to list your home at a lower price than it might be worth.

A seller’s dream is to have multiple offers come in on their home. One way of driving multiple offers is to list your home at a lower price than it might be worth. When this happens, competing offers can drive the price up and often result in a higher selling price than if you just listed your home at the right price to begin with. However, this pricing strategy is inherently risky. There is always a chance that you could end up with a single offer at or below the already low (in your opinion) asking price. If this is a strategy you are considering I encourage you to be smart about it. To make it work you should consider pricing your home at the low end of the range your comparables uncover. The risk of pricing your home 2 or 3 or 4 percent below estimated market value may seem like a risk worth taking, but listing 20 or 30 percent below market value probably isn’t. If you think this is something you may be interested in your agent should definitely be able to talk you through other pros and cons of this pricing strategy and let you know if they feel it is right for you and your home. Just remember, the bottom line is that you should never agree to list your home at a price you’d be upset to accept.

Thinking of buying or selling a home in Sussex County? Give us a call at Cooper Realty Associates and put us to work for you – 302-629-6693.

5 Ways To Provide Easy Access For Showings

Selling a home is not necessarily a convenient prospect. The best sellers keep their homes neat, clean, organized and smelling fresh and are also willing to vacate the property at a moment’s notice. Here are some tips to help you, as a seller, be a dream to work with:

1. Keep off hours. Remember that most potential buyers have to work, so if your home is only available to show during “business hours” you are cutting out a lot of potential buyers. Consider extending your hours until 8pm or so at least a couple of times a week.

2. Allow a lock box. If you insist that your home not have a lock box, many agents will forgo your home altogether to show more convenient homes to their clients.

3. Consider the details. The details count. For example, if you live on a road where street parking is difficult, make sure your driveway is clear so that potential buyers and their agents can park there. You don’t want potential buyers to be thinking of the downsides of purchasing your home before they even walk in the door.

4. Don’t be too restrictive. It’s a pain when buyers want to see your home on short notice, and it is within your rights as the seller to say no or ask to reschedule, but keep in mind that some of the most motivated buyers are moving from out of town and may not have too much flexibility. Try to accommodate potential buyers as often as possible.

5. Take care of your pets. Just because you love your pets doesn’t mean a prospective buyer will. In fact there’s a good chance a prospective buyer might be allergic, so having your furry friend roaming free is not going to help the home appeal to them. If at all possible, make arrangements for your pets to leave your home during showings too. If that’s simply not feasible ask your agent for suggestions. Chances are they’ve shown lots of pet friendly homes in their career, so they can give you more tips.

Thinking of buying or selling a home in Sussex County? Give us a call at Cooper Realty Associates and put us to work for you – 302-644-2266.

Three Ways To Time The Sale Of Your Home

If you’re selling your home to move to a new one the most dreaded situation of all would be to be stuck with two mortgages. To avoid this, consider these tips:

1. List your current home for sale and wait for some action before you go house hunting for a new home.

2. Don’t make an offer on a new home until your current home is under contract. It is even better to wait until it is well into the escrow process.

3. If you do make an offer on another home, make sure the contract states that your purchase is contingent on the sale of your current home.

Thinking of buying or selling a home in Sussex County? Give us a call at Cooper Realty Associates and put us to work for you – 302-856-6434.

Tips for Evaluating An Agent

If you’re thinking of putting your home on the market and you aren’t going the “for sale by owner” route, you need a listing agent. There are many choices when it comes to real estate agents, so here are a few tips to help you evaluate the agents you are considering. First, considering asking the agent’s for their data. Looking at the sale-to-list ratio (how much the homes your agent has listed have sold for as compared to what they were listed for) as well as how long their homes have been on the market will give you a good idea of how well they know the local market. Just remember that there is no absolute rule here since everything is relative so there is no “magic number” you are looking for when you look at these statistics, but if you are comparing several local agents this information can help you.

At Cooper Realty Associates we would be happy to share our experience and local stats with you. Feel free to give us a call and put us to work for you – 302-644-2266.

The Truth About Driveway Repair

Driveway repair can be costly, and unfortunately is considered to be a maintenance issue of home ownership. Believe it or not, a damaged driveway can be a deal-breaker on an otherwise marketable home, but offers extremely low (and often no) return on investment. If you’re thinking of selling your home and your driveway needs some repairs you should ask your agent if they feel your driveway is going to hurt the sale of your home. If you decide that you need to go ahead with repair, or if you aren’t selling your home and just want to fix up the driveway for yourself, speak with several contractors and get multiple bids (ask friends, family, and even your agent for recommendations!). Finally, depending on how damaged your driveway is, consider resurfacing instead of replacing, which is likely to be much more affordable.

Thinking of buying or selling a home in Sussex County? Give us a call at Cooper Realty Associates and put us to work for you – 302-629-6693.

Thursday Three: 3 Things Sellers Must Disclose

If you want to sell your home federal, state, and local laws require you to disclose any information that affects the value or desirability of your property to potential buyers from the get-go. Here are three pieces of information you must disclose:

1. Physical condition: This refers to the overall structure of the home and includes the foundation, roof, electrical system, plumbing, insulation, sewage, etc.

2. Health & safety hazards: This includes environmental hazards and disclosures about past damage from natural disasters as well and includes disclosers about lead-based paint, asbestos, radon.

3. Legal concerns: This includes disclosing any pending lawsuits and compliance with local building and zoning codes.

As always, your agent can guide you through this process, so you want to be sure you have a great one… give us a call at Cooper Realty Associates and put us to work for you – 302-856-6434.

Understanding Escrow

Escrow basically means to place something important in the custody of an impartial third party. In real estate, an escrow account is utilized after an offer has been accepted and while the buyer and seller are working to meet the conditions of the contract. This is the state of being “in escrow.” The escrow officer could be an attorney, title company, specific escrow firm, or other qualified and impartial third party. The escrow officer orders a title search, requests payoff information for the existing mortgage and any other liens on the property, prepares all documents including the grant deed to transfer ownership, prepares the closing documents, and takes charge of all funds involved in the transaction, such as paying off the existing mortgage.

Of course, like all things confusing things, the term escrow also has a second meaning in the real estate world. It can also mean an account that your mortgage company requires you to keep a certain balance in to cover the cost of property taxes and insurance when they come due.

Thinking of buying or selling a home in Sussex County, give us a call at Cooper Realty Associates and put us to work for you – 302-644-2266.

Personal Items In A Home Purchase

Whether you are a buyer or a seller, you want to be sure that when you buy (or sell) a home your contract is definitive when it comes to what comes with the house and what doesn’t.

Whether you are a buyer or a seller, you want to be sure that when you buy (or sell) a home your contract is definitive when it comes to what comes with the house and what doesn’t. Even if there is a spoken agreement about what comes with the house, be sure to get everything you care about in writing, otherwise it is not binding. For example, if you are a buyer who desires the washer and dryer that were in the house during the showing, ask for it in writing. Typically, items that are permanently attached such as flooring, light fixtures, built in bookcases are included unless they are specifically excluded in writing. If, for example, a seller excludes the fireplace mantel because it’s a family heirloom that would need to be in writing. Be sure to ask in writing for the buyer to replace the fixture before closing. Likewise, if the house is equipped with a wall mount for a flat screen television that you don’t want, write it into the contract for the sellers to remove it and make any necessary repairs to the walls, etc.

If you’re a buyer don’t make the mistake of thinking that everything you saw when you viewed the house is coming with it just because it “goes with the home.” For example a fountain, potted plants, custom bar stools, or a table that fits so perfectly in the breakfast nook that it seems like a built-in may or may not come with the home. So, what’s the moral of the story? If you’re a buyer and you want it, you need to ask for it. And if the buyers agree, be sure to write it into the contract! If you’re a seller and you’re planning to take your items with you, making that clear to the buyers from the get-go can make your life easier, but whatever you do, be sure to write everything that you care about into your contract.

Thinking of buying or selling a home in Sussex County, give us a call at Cooper Realty Associates and put us to work for you – 302-629-6693.