"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." -Confucius

"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." -Confucius 

I know from experience that for some people, the process of finding a home is mostly work, and little joy. The road can seem long and winding.

As a RE/MAX Premier Customer Satisfaction provider, my goal is to create a situation where I do all the work and you can relax and enjoy the process. I'll be sorting out the ads, finding the addresses, and timing your home viewing appointments. In this way I can help eliminate hassles and save your time.

I'll show you homes you can afford with the features you want, in the areas you want. When you see the right home, you can take action, with my professional assistance. You have everything to gain as a result of leveraging my experience and contacts with your own efforts. Let's go on this adventure together.

Just contact me by phone, by email, or by visiting my website at http://www.lisabear.remax-northcentral.com/. Together we'll take an important step towards your new home.

Welcome to Wisconsin Real Estate
RE/MAX REALTY CENTER, Real Estate in Wisconsin

Thank you for visiting our REMAX REALTY CENTER, Real Estate in Wisconsin website.
Please feel free to contact us for any of your residential or commerical real estate needs including an online market if you are a seller, or finding a home if you are a buyer.

Our real estate focus in the  Waukesha County, Milwaukee County, Lake Country, Jefferson County, Dane County, Dodge County and Washington County areas. Several agents in the office also their IRES designation (International Real Estate Specialist) so they can assist you with all your real estate needs in Wisconsin, the USA or anywhere in the WORLD!

When you are seriously looking or just browsing at real estate in Wisconsin, RE/MAX REALTY CENTER, Real Estate in Wisconsin, is the BEST resource to help you with all your needs and questions, whether a first time home buyer, relocating to or from the beautiful LAKE COUNTRY area, looking to invest or explore foreclosure opportunities or just thinking ahead to the future. 

Lisa Bear is the broker/owner of RE/MAX Realty Center, Real Estate in Wisconsin (262-893-5555) is an experienced real estate agent in Waukesha County and the entire Milwaukee Metro area. Lisa thinks "outside of the BOX" and encourages her agents to do so as well. If you want creative options and exceptional marketing and service - look no further! 

The RE/MAX Realty Center Office, has experienced agents with expertise in luxury home marketing, lake property experts, foreclosure and short sale specialists, investment and property management brokers and commercial brokers. 

Our agents areas of service include, but are not limited to:
The prospering communities of Waukesha County including Delafield, Waukesha, Oconomowoc, Pewaukee, Waukesha, Sussex, Wales, New Berlin, Dousman, North Prairie, Mukwonago, Chenequa, Menomonee Falls, Brookfield, Elm Grove, Okauchee, Eagle, Muskego and Merton. 

Great municipalities in Milwaukee County including Milwaukee, South Milwaukee, Wauwatosa, Hales Corners, Greenfield, Glendale, Franklin, Bayside, Brown Deer, Cudahy, Fox Point, Greendale, Shorewood, Oak Creek, St. Francis, West Allis and Whitefish Bay. 

The hometown favorites of Washington County, Jefferson County and Dodge County including Watertown, Hartford, West Bend, Germantown, Jackson, Richfield, Ashippun, Lake Mills, Jefferson, Johnson Creek, Slinger and Erin.

There is no place like "WISCONSIN LAKES"

If lake living is what you desire then Lake Country is the place to be! If you are thinking about buying waterfront property in Wisconsin, a little time invested in learning about waterfront living will pay back sizeable dividends in matching your expectations to realities. 

 Lake Country Living on one of Waukesha Countys great lakes as a full timer or vacationer is a must and there are some great lakes to choose.  Nagawicka Lake, Pine Lake, Oconomowoc Lake, Beaver Lake, Okauchee Lake, Pewaukee Lake, Moose Lake, North Lake, Lake Keesus, Lac La Belle, Upper Nashotah, Lower Nashotah, Upper Genesee, Lowe Genesee, Middle Genesee, Upper Nemahbin, Lower Nemahbin, Fowler Lake, Golden Lake, Pretty Lake, Silver Lake, Waterville Lake, and Crooked Lake. Great lakes of the surrounding area also include Lake Michigan, Rock Lake, Big Cedar Lake, Little Cedar Lake, Pike Lake and Lake Ripley.

Your best source for Lake Country Living is RE/MAX REALTY CENTER, Real Estate in Wisconsin

RE/MAX REALTY CENTER, Real Estate in Wisconsin, 262-567-2455 or 262-893-5555,  offer online markets, listing package and FOR SALE BY OWNER (FSBO) options, MLS search access, buyer agency and marketing that will exceed your expectations, all with outstanding service!  

Your home purchase or sale is likely your largest investment, be sure you have an good agent you can trust! Real Estate in Wisconsin is an excellent investment, prices are superb, selection is great and rates are outstanding!!!

Ask us about our preferred vendors -- from lenders to help you finance your new purchase to contractors to help maintain!

Surprising Insider Secrets For the 5 Stages of Buying Your First Home

Surprising Insider Secrets for the 

5 Stages of Buying Your First Home

Buying a home is not a discrete event; it's a process - a sequence of events that happens over time, sometimes over as long as several months or even years!  While general guides to buying a home are a dime a dozen, I'm excited to share with you some insider secrets you may not have heard elsewhere - one for each stage involved in buying a home. Here's to helping you make the best decisions at every phase of your home buying process!

Stage One: Deciding Whether It's The Right Time to Buy. 

Insider Secret: The market is the least important factor you should consider when deciding whether and when to buy a home.

Why: Everyone knows affordability is at an all-time high.  Home prices are low, and so are interest rates. But trying to time the market is a fool's errand; many who get caught up in that game of trying to make sure they buy at the absolute bottom will end up losing out on very, very favorable conditions.

Beyond that, the most important considerations when deciding whether and when you should buy a home are personal, not market driven. On today's market, it only makes sense to buy a place if it's going to be sustainable and work for you for at least the next 4-5 years [if your town's real estate market has been fairly recession-proof] or 7-10 years [if the housing/foreclosure crisis has hit your area pretty hard].

Against this "smart holding period" backdrop, smart buyers decide to buy when it makes sense for:

• their life plans (i.e., they are comfortable making the commitment to live in the same town, and the commitment to )
• their family plans (i.e., whether they plan to get married, have children or empty their nest in the time they plan to own the home - and the implications of these plans on their space needs and location priorities)
• their career plans (including, but not limited to: whether they have job or income security, whether they feel they will be working in the same area for the foreseeable future, and whether they want to work less or start their own business in the months or years to come)
• their financial plans (including foreseeable changes in income and expenses, e.g., kids going to college or making partner at the firm).

Stage Two: Getting Pre-Approved.

Insider Secret: Working with a mortgage broker referred by your real estate broker or agent may save you money.

Why: Bolstered by the real-life stories of a couple of bad apples, TV pundits and some consumer advocates have spun the tale of a real estate industry cartel, whereby sinister agents hook unsuspecting buyers up with shady mortgage brokers, who place them in crappy loans and kick back some bucks to the agent. I'm here to tell you, in my experience, the opposite is true the vast majority of the time. 

When you work with a mortgage broker who has a strong track record of helping your real estate agent's clients out, you end up in a best of all worlds situation, nine times out of ten. First off, your agent will take you much more seriously once a mortgage broker they know and trust has run your credit, checked your income and approved you for a loan, as well as communicated with your real estate pro about your qualifications and what you can afford.  Secondly, your agent can help you communicate with your mortgage broker, sometimes helping get past appraisal glitches or facilitating other workarounds, as they come up. Third, you get the assurance of working with a mortgage pro who has been vetted and vouched for by someone you not only trust, but someone who can verify that the mortgage broker has the ability to get transactions closed in the timely manner required of today's real estate sales contract.  Otherwise, you may end up working with a competent mortgage broker who has a great track record when it comes to refinancing, but can't keep up with the pace and common obstacles to getting a home financed in the context of a sale.

On top of that, sometimes the relationship can help you negotiate out of a couple of line item loan fees (if your particular mortgage rep has the power to get them down at all), if push comes to shove and cash is tight to close the deal.  Assuming you are working with a real estate pro you really trust, working with a mortgage broker they trust can save you, rather than cost you, money.


Stage Three: House Hunting

Insider Secret: "Distressed" doesn't always equal "discounted" - in some cases, a "regular" sale can be a deeper deal.

Why: Short sales and foreclosures have grown to comprise roughly 30 percent of the homes sold on today's market, even higher in some areas. The average sale price of foreclosed homes was 32% lower than the average sale price of non-foreclosed homes, at last count. However, it's not always the case that foreclosed homes or short sales - homes which are being sold for less than what the seller owes on their mortgage(s) - offer the buyer a fabulous discount. 

Mortgage servicers and asset managers who make decisions about distressed properties are on the hook to their investors to recoup as close as possible to the current fair market value of every home they sell. Some banks even have a general rule of rejecting offers more than 10 percent or so below the home's list price, preferring instead to reduce the price by that amount and put the home back on the open market to see if any new buyers are activated by the price reduction to make an offer better than the lowball offer that was initially put on the table.  On short sales, the bank is trying to get as close as possible to recovering what the seller owes - and may or may not be concerned with what the fair market value of the home is. (Nine times out of ten, there will be a big gap between fair market value and the seller's outstanding mortgage balance. If there wasn't, the seller wouldn't need to do a short sale!)

With so many distressed properties and homes with depressed values on the market, in many areas, the individual, non-distressed home sellers who are putting their homes up for sale right now are those who are very motivated to sell. Further, they are more likely to be flexible with you on everything that is negotiable, from contingency and escrow periods, to price, to repairs and included items.

Also, individual sellers can be emotionally motivated to sell to move on with their lives, get into their bigger (or smaller) house, or move on to their next job; banks, on the other hand, aren't people (!), so lack that emotional sense of urgency to get the properties sold, no matter how urgently you may think they should be trying to get rid of the foreclosed properties they own. (If you've heard the old advice that banks don't want to be in the home-owning business, I can tell you this. That is true, in a very general sense, but now they are and will be - for a long time to come. They have no emotions, have no urgent need to sell or move, and are not willing to give houses away at pennies on the dollar to get out of it, no matter what those infomercial folks say.) 

Long story short: you can sometimes negotiate a better deal with an individual seller on a "regular" sale than with a bank on a distressed home sale. So, don't limit your house hunt to foreclosures and short sales, if you're looking for a good deal on your home.

Stage Four: Negotiations

Insider Secret: Your family and friends can cause you to lose your dream home.

Why: With so much information on the web and the news every day about the recession and the buyer's market, everyone seems to be an armchair economist/real estate savant.  But much of that news is national and based on medians, averages and trends.  That is, it might not necessarily apply to every home on the market in every city, and more importantly, it might have nothing to do with "your" particular home.

When I was a little girl, my best friend's grandfather would very carefully hand each of us a quarter, always doling it out with the sage admonition: "Don't spend it all in one place." We'd always smile, look at each other, then go ask our Moms for ten bucks apiece.  In the same vein, people who are not currently in the market for a home have no idea what an individual home should "go for." If you tell your parents, church pals, or colleagues at work the blow-by-blow details of your offer, counteroffers, etc., you should expect to hear things like, "Oh, you're paying way too much!", "I think you should push them down another $10K," or "You know, you're in a better bargaining position than that." And sometimes, taking that sort of advice will end up blowing your deal.  Work with your trusty real estate broker or agent to develop a smart strategy - with their experience in your local market - about what price and terms to offer.  Then keep working with them to manage and maintain realistic expectations as you proceed through negotiating the contract to buy your home.
Stage Five: Escrow, Inspections and Underwriting

Insider Secret: It's critical that you attend your home inspections.

Why: When it comes to inspections, many first-time buyers expect that a home will either pass or fail.  Except in a few jurisdictions where the government imposes certain condition requirements for a home to be sold, the home inspection is more about educating you, the buyer, as to the details and nuances of the home's condition than about seeing if the place hits a particular target for "good" or "bad" condition. 

Home inspectors don't just look for things that need fixing, they also look to understand the home's systems and features, as well as to point out areas that will require your ongoing maintenance, highlight emergency shutoffs and other need-to-knows, and indicating where you should have specialists further inspect items of concern. Many home inspectors create vivid, detailed electronic reports - some, complete with color photos. But that's not enough!

If you're physically onsite at the home during the inspections, the inspector can physically show you the shutoffs for water, gas and electric - and how to use them.  They can also point out, in person, any things that need repair, and give you some tips for maintaining the place in tip-top shape.  Also, in many states, the general home inspector is legally prohibited (vs. the pest, roof or other "specialty" inspectors) from issuing a written quote or bid for repairs, to avoid a conflict of interest where they'd try to fabricate flaws in the home to get the repair job. However, the repair costs are one of the most important things a smart buyer wants to know!

If you show up, many inspectors will give you a rough range it would cost you to do various repairs, or otherwise indicate to you whether the needed repairs are "big deal" or "$10 home improvement store" fixes; some will even give you a few references to contractors they trust. 

All around, you'll get much more of the detailed information you need to know whether and how to move forward with the transaction if you should up in person to the home inspections, rather than just waiting for a copy of the report to come to your email. 

To make sure your home purchase is handled professionally – hire Lisa Bear, a trained professional. In the long run, you will wind-up with more money in your pocket and have less challenges with the move.

Bathroom Make-Over for Less Than $100

Home Staging Advice -

Bathroom Make-over for Less than $100

 

Bathroom are usually overlooked when it comes to home staging.
To have a big impact, it is usually the simple changes that can have a huge impact.

First, it is extremely important that your bathroom be sparkling clean and that all personal items are put away. 

Second, fresh towels can make a great first impression and can tie together the color in a bathroom.

Third, paint is always a great way to improve the look of any bathroom.

Here is the Bathroom Before


Here is the Bathroom After


By removing the clutter, painting the walls a more neutral color, and a few well placed accessories, this bathroom has been transformed.

Welcome to Wisconsin Real Estate
RE/MAX REALTY CENTER, Real Estate in Wisconsin

Thank you for visiting our REMAX REALTY CENTER, Real Estate in Wisconsin website.
Please feel free to contact us for any of your residential or commerical real estate needs including an online market if you are a seller, or finding a home if you are a buyer.

Our real estate focus in the  Waukesha County, Milwaukee County, Lake Country, Jefferson County, Dane County, Dodge County and Washington County areas. Several agents in the office also their IRES designation (International Real Estate Specialist) so they can assist you with all your real estate needs in Wisconsin, the USA or anywhere in the WORLD!

When you are seriously looking or just browsing at real estate in Wisconsin, RE/MAX REALTY CENTER, Real Estate in Wisconsin, is the BEST resource to help you with all your needs and questions, whether a first time home buyer, relocating to or from the beautiful LAKE COUNTRY area, looking to invest or explore foreclosure opportunities or just thinking ahead to the future. 

Lisa Bear is the broker/owner of RE/MAX Realty Center, Real Estate in Wisconsin (262-893-5555) is an experienced real estate agent in Waukesha County and the entire Milwaukee Metro area. Lisa thinks "outside of the BOX" and encourages her agents to do so as well. If you want creative options and exceptional marketing and service - look no further! 

The RE/MAX Realty Center Office, has experienced agents with expertise in luxury home marketing, lake property experts, foreclosure and short sale specialists, investment and property management brokers and commercial brokers. 

Our agents areas of service include, but are not limited to:
The prospering communities of Waukesha County including Delafield, Waukesha, Oconomowoc, Pewaukee, Waukesha, Sussex, Wales, New Berlin, Dousman, North Prairie, Mukwonago, Chenequa, Menomonee Falls, Brookfield, Elm Grove, Okauchee, Eagle, Muskego and Merton. 

Great municipalities in Milwaukee County including Milwaukee, South Milwaukee, Wauwatosa, Hales Corners, Greenfield, Glendale, Franklin, Bayside, Brown Deer, Cudahy, Fox Point, Greendale, Shorewood, Oak Creek, St. Francis, West Allis and Whitefish Bay. 

The hometown favorites of Washington County, Jefferson County and Dodge County including Watertown, Hartford, West Bend, Germantown, Jackson, Richfield, Ashippun, Lake Mills, Jefferson, Johnson Creek, Slinger and Erin.

There is no place like "WISCONSIN LAKES"

If lake living is what you desire then Lake Country is the place to be! If you are thinking about buying waterfront property in Wisconsin, a little time invested in learning about waterfront living will pay back sizeable dividends in matching your expectations to realities. 

 Lake Country Living on one of Waukesha Countys great lakes as a full timer or vacationer is a must and there are some great lakes to choose.  Nagawicka Lake, Pine Lake, Oconomowoc Lake, Beaver Lake, Okauchee Lake, Pewaukee Lake, Moose Lake, North Lake, Lake Keesus, Lac La Belle, Upper Nashotah, Lower Nashotah, Upper Genesee, Lowe Genesee, Middle Genesee, Upper Nemahbin, Lower Nemahbin, Fowler Lake, Golden Lake, Pretty Lake, Silver Lake, Waterville Lake, and Crooked Lake. Great lakes of the surrounding area also include Lake Michigan, Rock Lake, Big Cedar Lake, Little Cedar Lake, Pike Lake and Lake Ripley.

Your best source for Lake Country Living is RE/MAX REALTY CENTER, Real Estate in Wisconsin

RE/MAX REALTY CENTER, Real Estate in Wisconsin, 262-567-2455 or 262-893-5555,  offer online markets, listing package and FOR SALE BY OWNER (FSBO) options, MLS search access, buyer agency and marketing that will exceed your expectations, all with outstanding service!  

Your home purchase or sale is likely your largest investment, be sure you have an good agent you can trust! Real Estate in Wisconsin is an excellent investment, prices are superb, selection is great and rates are outstanding!!!

Ask us about our preferred vendors -- from lenders to help you finance your new purchase to contractors to help maintain!

A household tip....

Slow Draining Sink - Here's a Tip! We’ve all read various remedies and household fixes for those basic repairs around the home. Seldom do we opt to try them ourselves. Recently in our household we had an issue with a slow draining sink. One day while out taking care of the grocery shopping, I recalled a helpful hint that vinegar and baking soda could be used to help resolve a slow draining sink. Another benefit to this remedy is that it is not harmful to the plumbing or the environment.

Here’s how it works: Pour some baking soda directly onto the drain. Pour vinegar so that it will run to the drain covering the baking soda. When the vinegar comes into contact with the baking soda it will foam. Apply more vinegar each time the foaming stops until all the baking soda appears to be washed down the drain. Next flush the drain with hot water.

A stubborn drain may require more than one application or a small object may be needed to help remove loosened debris from the drain.

Welcome to Wisconsin Real Estate
RE/MAX REALTY CENTER, Real Estate in Wisconsin

Thank you for visiting our REMAX REALTY CENTER, Real Estate in Wisconsin website.
Please feel free to contact us for any of your residential or commerical real estate needs including an online market if you are a seller, or finding a home if you are a buyer.

Our real estate focus in the  Waukesha County, Milwaukee County, Lake Country, Jefferson County, Dane County, Dodge County and Washington County areas. Several agents in the office also their IRES designation (International Real Estate Specialist) so they can assist you with all your real estate needs in Wisconsin, the USA or anywhere in the WORLD!

When you are seriously looking or just browsing at real estate in Wisconsin, RE/MAX REALTY CENTER, Real Estate in Wisconsin, is the BEST resource to help you with all your needs and questions, whether a first time home buyer, relocating to or from the beautiful LAKE COUNTRY area, looking to invest or explore foreclosure opportunities or just thinking ahead to the future. 

Lisa Bear is the broker/owner of RE/MAX Realty Center, Real Estate in Wisconsin (262-893-5555) is an experienced real estate agent in Waukesha County and the entire Milwaukee Metro area. Lisa thinks "outside of the BOX" and encourages her agents to do so as well. If you want creative options and exceptional marketing and service - look no further! 

The RE/MAX Realty Center Office, has experienced agents with expertise in luxury home marketing, lake property experts, foreclosure and short sale specialists, investment and property management brokers and commercial brokers. 

Our agents areas of service include, but are not limited to:
The prospering communities of Waukesha County including Delafield, Waukesha, Oconomowoc, Pewaukee, Waukesha, Sussex, Wales, New Berlin, Dousman, North Prairie, Mukwonago, Chenequa, Menomonee Falls, Brookfield, Elm Grove, Okauchee, Eagle, Muskego and Merton. 

Great municipalities in Milwaukee County including Milwaukee, South Milwaukee, Wauwatosa, Hales Corners, Greenfield, Glendale, Franklin, Bayside, Brown Deer, Cudahy, Fox Point, Greendale, Shorewood, Oak Creek, St. Francis, West Allis and Whitefish Bay. 

The hometown favorites of Washington County, Jefferson County and Dodge County including Watertown, Hartford, West Bend, Germantown, Jackson, Richfield, Ashippun, Lake Mills, Jefferson, Johnson Creek, Slinger and Erin.

There is no place like "WISCONSIN LAKES"

If lake living is what you desire then Lake Country is the place to be! If you are thinking about buying waterfront property in Wisconsin, a little time invested in learning about waterfront living will pay back sizeable dividends in matching your expectations to realities. 

 Lake Country Living on one of Waukesha Countys great lakes as a full timer or vacationer is a must and there are some great lakes to choose.  Nagawicka Lake, Pine Lake, Oconomowoc Lake, Beaver Lake, Okauchee Lake, Pewaukee Lake, Moose Lake, North Lake, Lake Keesus, Lac La Belle, Upper Nashotah, Lower Nashotah, Upper Genesee, Lowe Genesee, Middle Genesee, Upper Nemahbin, Lower Nemahbin, Fowler Lake, Golden Lake, Pretty Lake, Silver Lake, Waterville Lake, and Crooked Lake. Great lakes of the surrounding area also include Lake Michigan, Rock Lake, Big Cedar Lake, Little Cedar Lake, Pike Lake and Lake Ripley.

Your best source for Lake Country Living is RE/MAX REALTY CENTER, Real Estate in Wisconsin

RE/MAX REALTY CENTER, Real Estate in Wisconsin, 262-567-2455 or 262-893-5555,  offer online markets, listing package and FOR SALE BY OWNER (FSBO) options, MLS search access, buyer agency and marketing that will exceed your expectations, all with outstanding service!  

Your home purchase or sale is likely your largest investment, be sure you have an good agent you can trust! Real Estate in Wisconsin is an excellent investment, prices are superb, selection is great and rates are outstanding!!!

Ask us about our preferred vendors -- from lenders to help you finance your new purchase to contractors to help maintain!

What to Expect After Listing

Sponsored By

Signs, locks and strangers, oh my!Rick Hazeltine

Selling a house can be a lot like remodeling –- it takes longer, costs more and is more emotionally draining than you thought but in the end was worth doing.

Knowing what to expect when your house goes up for sale can be half the battle of getting through the transaction. Most people are a bit excited when they put their house on the market. Hopefully, they are moving up to a better home or off to new challenges in another city.

Unless you’re the rare homeowner who gets multiple offers above the asking price days after listing, the sales process can be an emotionally challenging time. Here’s a look at what you can expect once you sign a listing agreement:

Out of the gate

The first thing your agent will likely do is place your home in the local Multiple Listing Service (MLS). This notifies all other agents in the area that your home is for sale. It will also likely appear on the Internet at realtor.com.

Soon, a for-sale sign will appear in the yard and a lockbox will be attached to your house, most likely the front door. The lockbox allows local agents access to the house when you aren’t home.

It may seem unsettling but it’s important to allow agents to show your home when you are away, especially in a slower market. If you don’t have a lockbox, many agents will put you at the bottom of their client’s list of homes to see because it’s a headache to track down your agent, who must track you down to find out when you’ll be around, which may not fit into the buyers’ schedule. Plus, unless you’re in a hot sellers’ market, there will be plenty of other houses to see.

Open house

Your agent will want to have a couple of open houses as soon as possible, which is why it’s not recommended to list your house until everything is ready for a good showing. This means you’ll likely be swamped with last-minute touch-ups and clean-ups to get the house ready

The agent will likely have a brokers’ open house, which is during the week, so area agents, hopefully with clients looking to buy, can see the property. Next, traditionally on a Sunday, will be the public open house.

It is best if you are not present during open houses because buyers want the freedom to look in closets and make comments. That’s difficult for most people to do it you are present. When potential buyers come for a viewing, try to step outside while they tour your house.

Whether you have additional open houses is between you and your agent. Many sellers incorrectly think that multiple open houses are needed to sell a house. In fact, few houses are sold at open houses but there are many good reasons to have one for the public and another for agents.

Traffic patterns

You should get the most traffic the first two to three weeks your house is listed. Anyone looking for a house similar to the one you’re selling will want to see your home. Don’t fret when the traffic dies down.

The average days on market (DOM) can be 60-90 days in a normal cycle, depending on the area of the country. In a slower market buyers can take their time and they usually do. If you have buyers come back a second or third time it usually means they are seriously considering your home and you’ll want your agent to keep in contact with their agent. Any offers, even one you consider low-ball, is a chance to begin negotiating, which often leads to a sale.

Neat freak

Keeping your house in tip-top shape, especially if you have kids and pets, is one of the more difficult parts of selling your home. But remember, buyers will walk into your house and try to picture living there.

Most people don’t have the vision to look past toys scattered throughout the house, dishes in the sink or pet food spilled on the floor. It doesn’t matter that they probably live the same way.

Changing course

Sellers usually hit the wall at about six weeks. The initial excitement of listing has waned, you’ve tired of keeping the house looking like a model and are irritated at yet another looky-loo coming through the front door.

Unless you are in a very difficult market, if you have not had serious interest in six weeks, it’s time to meet with your agent and discuss sales strategy.

Markets can change quickly, so you need to consider price and any physical changes or improvements that could enhance the home. This doesn’t mean you have to remodel the kitchen, but maybe realizing the garage should be cleaned out or the pink bedroom walls should be repainted can make the difference.

When you sign the listing agreement, you can generally expect a three-step process to begin: Getting ready, showing it off and responding to the market place. If you are prepared, especially for the last one, you can avoid getting that prescription for sleeping pills to get through the process.

Copyright © by Move, Inc.

Considerations For Renting or Selling a Home

Suddenly out of the blue you have found out that a new position has opened up within your company and they are asking you to relocate your family to the other side of the country. The job opportunity is too good to pass up so you decide to take the position. You realize with an impending move you are going to need to either sell or rent your home.

Considerations for renting or selling a home

Anyone who is considering selling a home in 2013 and has bought in the last seven or eight years faces the real possibility that they will be losing money on the sale. The thought of losing money is never pleasant but unfortunately is part of today’s Real Estate reality. In my experience the immediate thought process of most home owners is to rent the home and not sell for a loss. This is kind of similar to the stock investor who hangs on for dear life with their losing picks but sells their winners instead.

In many cases they will ride the loser for an extended period of time until they realize it will take a very long time for that stock to come back to where it once was when purchased. Anyone who has ever invested in stocks including myself has been guilty of this. It is hard to give up on a loser because there is always the thought that it will come roaring back. So is renting the home really the best move or should you unload this asset that is working against you?

Where is the local Real Estate market headed?

One of the considerations of whether to sell or rent your home is to find out from a local Real Estate expert where they feel market values are  headed both in the near term, as well as longer down the road. A knowledgeable Realtor that has been in the business for a while should be able to help you determine the trend of where the market is headed at least in the short term.  Crystal balls are a hard thing to come by in Real Estate. Those that are lucky enough to have one are often times millionaires. Unfortunately knowing exactly when the Real Estate market will turn around requires one.

Most economists believe that once Real Estate markets do hit bottom the climb back up will be a slow and steady one. The opinions of most are that yearly appreciation will return to more normal historic levels of  3%-4%. Of course this is an average and states, cities and neighborhoods that are desirable could rise at a slightly higher clip.

As a home owner what you should be trying to figure out is how long will it take you to get back to a break even point or even something you can financially stomach. You should also be asking yourself is the time it takes to get back to break even worth it to you?

For example, lets say you bought your home for $500,000 and it has dropped in value by 25% and is now worth $375,000.  Lets further assume that the Real Estate market beats the economists predictions and rises by 5% yearly. Do you realize it would take seven years to get back to break even?

If you have equity in the home you need to figure out if you would be better off taking the loss and putting your equity somewhere that could potentially earn you more money. If you don’t have any equity you would need to figure out if you have the necessary funds to bring to the closing table or would need to explore other alternatives like a short sale.

What is the local home rental market like?



Again you should consult with a local Realtor to determine how well the rental market is performing. Has the rental market done as poorly as the Real Estate market or is there demand for rental housing? Some areas rental markets have done very well.

There is a good possibility there are folks who would like to rent a nice home rather than commit to purchasing if they feel they could be transferred in a short time period or feel market values are still sliding and don’t want the risk.

The rental home becomes an investment property

Relocating home owners need to remember that a rental home becomes an investment property. Owning a home as an investment property has the potential to help or hurt you tax wise. This is definitely something you would want to consult a tax professional for guidance.

Although you will be taking in rent you need to remember that you will still have principal, interest, taxes and insurance to pay. If the property is a condo you would more than likely also be paying the condominium fees as well. As a landlord you will also be required to maintain the property and fix any necessary issues that come up.

Many landlords that have relocated out of state will also consider hiring a property manager. The typical charge for management services runs around 8-12% of the rent. So if you are charging $2000 a month for rent you can expect to pay a manager in the neighborhood of around $200 a month. There are some excellent tax deductions for rental property that could play a factor in your decision making.

Taking on landlord responsibilities

As a landlord one of the 1st steps is going to be choosing the right tenant. Over the years I have seen a few occasions where the renter did not treat the home the same way an owner would. The owner was left with paying to replace carpets and do quite a bit of painting. These kind of costs can add up fast. Picking a responsible tenant becomes critical.

There are also considerations such as handling tenant complaints, maintenance issues or even legal issues such as eviction. In the end there is a lot to think about when deciding whether selling or renting your home makes the best fiscal and practical sense.

Be careful what you plant now... 

A successful business man was growing old and knew it was

time to choose a successor to take over the business. Instead 

of choosing one of his Directors or his children, he decided

to do something different. He called all the young executives

in his company together.

He said, "It is time for me to step down and choose

the next CEO. I have decided to choose one of you.

"The young executives were Shocked, but the boss 
continued. "I am going to give each one of you a SEED today

- one very special SEED. I want you to plant the seed,

water it,and come back here one year from 
today with what you have grown from the seed I have given you.

I will then judge the plants that you bring,and the one

I choose will be the next CEO."

One man, named Jim, was there that day and he, like 

the others, received a seed. He went home and excitedly,

told his wife the story. She helped him get a pot, 
soil and compost and he planted the seed. Everyday,he would 

water it and watch to see if it had grown. After about three

weeks,some of the other executives began to talk about their

seeds and the plants that were beginning to grow.

Jim kept checking his seed, but nothing ever grew.

Three weeks,four weeks,five weeks went by, still
nothing.

By now, others were talking about their plants, but Jim

didn't have a plant and he felt like a failure.

Six months went by -- still nothing in Jim's pot.

He just knew he had killed his seed. Everyone else had trees

and tall plants, but he had nothing. Jim didn't say anything

to his colleagues, however, he just kept watering and 
fertilizing the soil - He so wanted the seed to grow.

A year finally went by and all the young executives 

of the company brought their 
plants to the CEO for inspection.

Jim told his wife that he wasn't going to take an empty pot.

But she asked him to be honest about what happened. Jim felt

sick to his stomach, it was going to be the most embarrassing

 moment of his life, but he knew his wife was right. He 
took his empty pot  to the board room. When Jim arrived,

he was amazed at the variety of plants grown by the other 

executives. They were beautiful -- in all shapes and sizes.

Jim put his empty pot on the floor and many of his 
colleagues laughed, a few felt sorry for him!

When the CEO arrived, he surveyed the room and greeted 

his young executives.

Jim just tried to hide in the back. "My, what great plants,

trees and flowers you have grown," said the CEO.

"Today one of you will be appointed the next CEO!"

All of a sudden,the CEO spotted Jim at the back of the room

with his empty pot. He ordered the Financial Director 

to bring him to the front. Jim was terrified. He thought,

"The CEO knows I'm a failure! Maybe he will have me fired!"

When Jim got to the front, the CEO asked him what had happened

to his seed - Jim told him the story.

The CEO asked everyone to sit down except Jim. He looked at Jim, 

and then announced to the young executives,

"Behold your next Chief Executive Officer!

His name is Jim!" Jim couldn't believe it.

Jim couldn't even grow his seed.

"How could he be the new CEO?" the others said.

Then the CEO said, "One year ago today, I gave everyone

in this room a seed. I told you to take the seed,plant it,

water it, and bring it back to me today. But I gave you all

boiled seeds; they were dead - it was not possible for them to grow.

All of you, except Jim, have brought me trees and plants and flowers.

When you found that the seed would not grow, you substituted another

seed for the one I gave you. Jim was the only one with the courage

and honesty to bring me a pot with my seed in it. Therefore,

he is the one who will be the new Chief Executive Officer!"

* If you plant honesty, you will reap trust

* If you plant goodness, you will reap friends

* If you plant humility, you will reap greatness

* If you plant perseverance, you will reap contentment

* If you plant consideration, you will reap perspective

* If you plant hard work, you will reap success

* If you plant forgiveness, you will reap reconciliation

So, be careful what you plant now; 

        it will determine what you will reap later.

Can you pass the yardstick test?

Getting Your Home Ready to Sell--Does Each Room

 Pass the Yardstick Test? 

Have you decided to put your home up for sale?  After you have done the standard steps--clean, de-clutter, and complete all deferred maintenance items--it's time to take a serious look at each room in your house and determine if the furniture placement highlights the spaciousness of the room. 

Even small spaces can feel large if the furniture is well placed.  One of the biggest issues seen in homes on the market today is either too much furniture or awkward furniture arrangement.  Either of these usually results in constricted traffic flows throughout rooms.

If there isn't ample space to walk around and/or through rooms, buyers will feel that the home is not large enough for them, has insufficient room to entertain family/friends, and just does not feel comfortable.  So try this simple yardstick test and see if the major rooms in your home pass. 

First, find a standard yardstick or a tape measure that extends and locks in at 36".  Then, starting at your foyer, turn the yardstick horizontally, center it on your body with your arms extended straight by your sides and start walking through your house following the major traffic patterns.  Take note of where the yardstick will not pass through without angling it.  Dining rooms are common places where this happens as they seem to accumulate extra furniture.  In the dining room in the the photo below you will see that there is only 18" between the back of the chairs and the glass side table.  This is the main walk way through the dining room.  What message is this sending to a potential buyer? 

You're just not looking for the yardstick to fit between two pieces of furniture either.  Check the distances between the furniture and the walls, or that stack of boxes and other items that have been collecting in corners of rooms, a large potted plant and/or the bar stools and kitchen island that extend into the great room.  Just keep walking and noting the distances.  On to the bedrooms, where dresser drawers often open into mattresses and multi-purpose rooms (like offices) share space with large-scale pieces of exercise equipment or double as guest bedrooms. How about your childrens' bedrooms with the bed, dresser, desks, bookshelf and stacks of toys?  And let's not forget about hallways that have accumulated bookshelves, display pieces or wall-mounted shelves.  Just how many places do you need to turn that yardstick sideways to slip through, as in this photo below.  There is only 23" of space here.  Notice how generous the space is beyond the yardstick towards the top of the photo.  Yet the furniture placement literally acts like a funnel and constricts the traffic flow between rooms.  Potential buyers will "feel" this.

So, now that you've checked your whole house, did it pass?  Most homes have numerous areas like the above photos and these do need to be addressed before you place your home on the market.  That means it's time to move furniture or remove furniture.  The glass table in the dining room above should be removed to open up the walkway.  The desk and chair in the second photo should be moved to another area where they will be more functional so the traffic pattern will open up. 

What may be acceptable in terms of interior design furniture placement may be entirely too constricting when you want to sell your home.  Selling is all about showing the space, not the furnishings, so if there are furnishings that are hiding your "space" remove them to storage.  Think about two buyers and possibly two agents circulating through your home for a tour.  Can they all comfortably stand in one room and discuss the merits of your home?

Have the solutions?  Good, time to get to work.  Stumped?  Then it's time to call a qualified home stager.  A home stager can quickly help you open up those clogged traffic patterns and make each room welcoming to a buyer.  That's their specialty.  They will also identify other areas of your home that could be addressed to improve the saleability of your home, whether that is paint color, accessories or furniture arrangement. CALL HOME AND CURB APPEAL LLC - 262-893-5555

Feel free to call me for a consultation.  And, yes, I'll bring the yardstick!