Real Estate Market Report for Delafield December 2013- January 2013

What's Happening in Real Estate in Delafield? WI Realtor, Lisa Bear, Gives You The Real Estate Activity For Delafield, WI For the Last 30 Days: Real Estate In Waukesha County

My name is Lisa Bear of Remax. My market report gives you the real estate activity for Delafield for the last 30 days. 
  

Historic Delafield, established in 1837, offers unique quaintness nestled in the hills of the Kettle Moraine. Surrounding Nagawicka Lake, Delafield is just 30 minutes west of Milwaukee adjacent to I-94.

Our community offers historic sights, antique and specialty shopping, award-winning restaurants, lodging, and a variety of recreational activities year round. Charming Delafield offers two stimulating shopping districts: The Highway 83 interchange boasts a collection of department stores, a variety of specialty shops, an array of restaurants, and friendly accommodations for the overnight visitor. Just as friendly and inviting, the downtown hosts exceptional craftsmen, antique treasures, mouth-watering eateries, and a delightful array of unique shops.

 

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Delafield welcomes visitors to experience outstanding shopping, local restaurants, historic sites, and pristine lakes, trails, and forests. Set in the heart of southeastern Wisconsin's Lake Country, just 25 miles west of Milwaukee and 53 miles east of Madison, Delafield is an ideal Wisconsin vacation or getaway.
Lively busin

esses alongside rugged outdoor beauty make this community a satisfying year-round destination and a perfect central location to enjoy happenings in Milwaukee and Madison, too.
- See more at: http://www.visitdelafield.org/#sthash.rAsTrhlK.dpuf

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Delafield welcomes visitors to experience outstanding shopping, local restaurants, historic sites, and pristine lakes, trails, and forests. Set in the heart of southeastern Wisconsin's Lake Country, just 25 miles west of Milwaukee and 53 miles east of Madison, Delafield is an ideal Wisconsin vacation or getaway.
Lively businesses alongside rugged outdoor beauty make this community a satisfying year-round destination and a perfect central location to enjoy happenings in Milwaukee and Madison, too.
- See more at: http://www.visitdelafield.org/#sthash.rAsTrhlK.dpu

Please feel free to call me for any of your real estate needs, including an online market if you are a seller, or finding a home in Waukesha County. Real Estate in Waukesha County is an excellent investment! The following MLS information is for the last 30 days from 7/5/13 to 8/5/13. Lisa Bear Gives You The Real Estate Activity for Delafield, WI For the Last 30 Days: Real Estate In Waukesha County.

In the Delafield, Wisconsin Real Estate market 6 homes sold; 0 were list and sold by the same company, and 6 were sold by co-brokes.

In the Delafield, Wisconsin Real Estate market there were 23 new listings.
In the Delafield, Wisconsin Real Estate there were 7 pending listings.
In the Delafield, Wisconsin Real Estate market there were 1 withdrawn listings.

In the Delafield, Wisconsin Real Estate market there were 0 canceled listings.
In the Delafield, Wisconsin Real Estate market there were 23 expired listings.
In the  Delafield, Wisconsin Real Estate market there was 7 back on market listings.
In the Delafield, Wisconsin Real Estate market there were 1 extended listings.

In the Delafield, Wisconsin Real Estate market there are 161 currently active listings.

The average price for a home SOLD was $353,450.



In Delafield,  Wisconsin Real Estate it is a great time to call LISA BEAR to buy and sell!

Welcome to Wisconsin Real Estate with Lisa Bear

Thank you for visiting.  Please feel free to contact me for any of your real estate needs including an online market if you are a seller, or finding a home if you are a buyer. My real estate focus in the  Waukesha County, Milwaukee County, Lake Country, Jefferson County, Dodge County and Washington County areas.  I have my IRES designation (International Real Estate Specialist) so I 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, I am a great 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 of RE/MAX (262-893-5555) is an experienced real estate agent in Waukesha County and the entire Milwaukee Metro area including:

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.


Real Estate in Wisconsin is an excellent investment!

 "HELPING YOU MOVE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION"

Real Estate Market Report for Mukwonago, WI December 2013- January 2014

Mukwonago, WISCONSIN Market Report December 2013- January 2014 Lisa Bear

The following information is from the MLS and is for the period of 12/26/2013 to 01/26/2014. Please feel free to look at more Mukwonago Wisconsin Real estate per the MLS button link below.


In the Mukwonago Wisconsin Real Estate market 8 homes sold; 1 were list and sold by the same company, and 7 were sold by co-brokes.
In the Mukwonago Wisconsin real estate market there were 18 new listings.
In the Mukwonago Wisconsin real estate market there were 9 pending listings.
In the Mukwonago Wisconsin real estate market there were 0 withdrawn listings.
In the Mukwonago Wisconsin real estate market there were 0 canceled listings.
In the Mukwonago Wisconsin real estate market there were 15 expired listings.
In the Mukwonago Wisconsin real estate market there were 3 back on market listings.
In the Mukwonago Wisconsin real estate market there were 23 extended listings.
In the Mukwonago Wisconsin real estate market there are 119 active listings.

AVERAGE SOLD PRICE OF A HOME IN THE MUKWONAGO WISCONSIN REAL ESTATE MARKET IS $160,000.

Now is the time to buy and sell in the Mukwonago Wisconsin Real Estate

Search Mukwonago Real Estate

idx search - Waukesha Wisconsin Real Estate

Welcome to Wisconsin Real Estate with Lisa Bear

Thank you for visiting.  Please feel free to contact me for any of your real estate needs including an online market if you are a seller, or finding a home if you are a buyer. My real estate focus in the  Waukesha County, Milwaukee County, Lake Country, Jefferson County, Dodge County and Washington County areas.  I have my IRES designation (International Real Estate Specialist) so I 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, I am a great 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 of RE/MAX (262-893-5555) is an experienced real estate agent in Waukesha County and the entire Milwaukee Metro area including:

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.

Real Estate in Wisconsin is an excellent investment!
 

 "HELPING YOU MOVE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION"

How Much Is Your Home Really Worth?

If you’re thinking of selling your home, you may be fantasizing about the profit you’ll reap from the sale or calculating exactly how much you’ll need to pay off your current mortgage and have enough left over for a down payment on the next house.

 

Before your fantasies run amok you need to realize that, while you can estimate the value of your home in a variety of ways, the true value is only what a buyer will pay for it. That said, there are several ways to get a strong idea of how much a buyer will pay for the property in current market conditions.

 

 

What Your Home Isn’t Worth

Many homeowners find it confusing that there are various numbers floating around that indicate their home value. Here are a few:

• Property tax assessment. Each jurisdiction uses a formula to establish home values for a tax assessment, but this price rarely correlates with the market value of your home. Your tax assessment can be higher or lower than the current market value.

• Homeowners insurance value. Insurance estimates are based on the cost of replacing your home without the land, so this value is skewed compared to market value.

• Mortgage balance. Your mortgage balance simply reflects your home loan. The difference between your loan payoff and the market value of your home is your equity.

• Neighbor’s home value. Even if your neighbor’s home is similar to yours, it’s not likely to be identical. A REALTOR® can help you evaluate your home’s worth in the context of other nearby properties.

• Cost when you purchased the home. Regardless of how long ago you purchased your property, the value can have gone up or down.

• Desired value. You can always try to put your home on the market for your desired price, but if you’ve over- or under-priced it, you’re shortchanging yourself. because you’re either selling too low or your house could sit on the market and eventually sell for less than if you priced it correctly in the beginning.

Comparative Market Analysis

 

A REALTOR® can do a comparative market analysis with recent market data to help you estimate your home value. When you sell your home, an appraisal will be required by the buyers’ lender, so keep in mind that your home has to appraise for the selling price or, depending on how your contract is written, you’ll have to renegotiate the sale or the buyers will need to come up with extra cash.

A CMA is both an art and a science. While it’s based on data, it also requires local market knowledge and intuition about which homes to compare and how to interpret the prices. Most realtors will look for recent sales of homes that are similar to yours, preferably within the past two or three months, up to about six months. In addition, a realtor can look at other homes currently on the market and homes that didn’t sell that were taken off the market to compare values.

 

The comparison of your home with others should include not only the size and the number of bedrooms and baths, but also the condition of your home, the neighborhood and the proximity to amenities. If you do not understand the comparisons a realtor is making, ask to see some of the homes currently on the market or look online at photos of the properties.

 

While it may be tempting to list your home with the realtor who tells you it can sell at the highest price, a smarter way to sell your home is to price it as accurately as possible from the beginning. Studies show that an overpriced home that lingers on the market will end up selling for less than the estimated correct price.

 

 

List with RE/MAX REALTY CENTER

Real Estate in Ixonia Market Report December 2013- January 2014

What's Happening in Real Estate in Ixonia? WI Realtor, Lisa Bear, Gives You The Real Estate Activity For Ixonia, WI For the Last 30 Days: Real Estate In Jefferson County

 

December 26,, 2013 - January 26, 2014

My name is Lisa Bear of Remax. My market report gives you the real estate activity for Ixonia for the last 30 days. 

 The town of Ixonia was organized on February 12, 1841, as the town of Union. Five years later Union was divided into two new towns. The name "Ixonia" was given to one of the new towns on January 21, 1846; as the residents could not otherwise agree on a name, the name was chosen by drawing letters at random

 

Please feel free to call me for any of your real estate needs, including an online market if you are a seller, or finding a home in Jefferson County. Real Estate in Jefferson County is an excellent investment! The following MLS information is for the last 30 days from 12/26/13 to 01/26/14. Lisa Bear Gives You The Real Estate Activity For Ixonia, WI For the Last 30 Days: Real Estate In Jefferson County.

In the Ixonia, Wisconsin Real Estate market 7 homes sold; 1 were list and sold by the same company, and 6 were sold by co-brokes.

In the Ixonia , Wisconsin Real Estate market there were 8 new listings.
In the Ixonia, Wisconsin Real Estate there were 3 pending listings.
In the  Ixonia, Wisconsin Real Estate market there were 0 withdrawn listings.

In the Ixonia, Wisconsin Real Estate market there were 0 canceled listings.
In the Ixonia, Wisconsin Real Estate market there were 5 expired listings.
In the Ixonia, Wisconsin Real Estate market there was 2 back on market listings.
In the  Ixonia, Wisconsin Real Estate market there were 3 extended listings.

In the Ixonia, Wisconsin Real Estate market there are 49 currently active listings.

The average price for a home SOLD was $210,000.

In Ixonia,  Wisconsin Real Estate it is a great time to call LISA BEAR to buy and sell!

Welcome to Wisconsin Real Estate with Lisa Bear

Thank you for visiting.  Please feel free to contact me for any of your real estate needs including an online market if you are a seller, or finding a home if you are a buyer. My real estate focus in the  Waukesha County, Milwaukee County, Lake Country, Jefferson County, Dodge County and Washington County areas.  I have my IRES designation (International Real Estate Specialist) so I 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, I am a great 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 of RE/MAX (262-893-5555) is an experienced real estate agent in Waukesha County and the entire Milwaukee Metro area including:

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.

Real Estate in Wisconsin is an excellent investment!
 

 "HELPING YOU MOVE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION"

Self-Employed? The Mortgage Rule You Need to Know

When applying for a mortgage, lenders will classify you as a wage earner employee or self-employed. Furthermore, if you also own a business or a percentage of a business, you might be considered self-employed even though you are a W-2 wage earner. If this is you, here’s what you’ll need to know to complete a mortgage application.

To start with, here are the income classifications for lending:

• Employee: Individual is a W-2 wage earner and receives a paycheck. Taxes are withheld from the paycheck.

• Self-employed: This includes everything else — a sole proprietorship, any business entity where income is derived or lost (including all affiliated corporations), and income derived from real estate or dividend income.

Where the Two Worlds Intersect
Bona fide employees who also have an ownership interest in the company can actually be considered self-employed. For example, if you’re a W-2 wage earner employee and you also have more than a 25 percent ownership interest in the company that employs you, this would earmark you as‘self-employed for the purposes of completing a mortgage application. If you happen to be a W-2 wage earner, but you have a percentage of ownership in another business, you would be considered both an employee and self-employed.

Business Ownership and Getting a Home Loan
Your federal income tax returns are required for the purposes of documenting your ability to repay when securing a new mortgage. On your tax returns, as a sole proprietor you file a Schedule C, and this income carries over to Schedule A. Most sole proprietors don’t have separate business entities, so corporate returns are not required as it is 100 percent ownership. However, things are different when you have an ownership interest in a company.

1. Schedule E identifies whether there is additional business income and/or that you are an owner in an additional business.
2. If an additional business is present on the return, the mortgage lender will require a K-1 to determine the percentage of ownership.

Mortgage Tip: If you own 24 percent of a business, you are not considered self-employed for the purposes of the loan application, and the lender will not need to obtain the corporate income tax returns. However, if you own 25 percent or more of a business — whether it’s your current employer or another business entity, as identified on the K-1 — then, yes, you’ll need to provide additional income tax returns for the entity in addition to your personal tax returns for obtaining the mortgage.

Why All Income Examination Matters
An ability-to-repay analysis is required on all mortgage loans. Simply providing W-2s, pay stubs and personal tax returns is not enough if you have more than a 25 percent business ownership interest in another company. If you’re receiving additional income from another business, and that income is tied to your personal tax returns necessary for securing that mortgage, it becomes necessary for the lender to have the additional tax returns because they support your reported income and subsequent ability to repay. Lenders are required to average your income in most cases during the past 24 months (including the business income) and that averaged income or loss will be used on the application in accordance with obtaining the new mortgage.

A financial word to the wise for the self-employed: You don’t need to provide the additional tax returns if you are a small minority share owner in a company.

Are You Ready to Buy a House?

Answering these eight questions will help you decide

By Tasha Schroeder

 

The idea of owning your home is an exciting one, but how do you know if you’re ready? Before you take the plunge, answer the questions below.

 

What’s your financial situation?

Having a clear understanding of your finances is necessary when you’re considering buying a home. Prior to speaking with a real estate agent, you should make a budget to see how much you can reasonably afford to pay. Don’t forget to factor in the cost of taxes, insurance premiums, maintenance and other upkeep.

 

Can you afford even the initial costs?

 

Down payment amounts vary based on the type of loan you’re offered or if you’re eligible for a first-time homebuyers’ program, but remember that the more you put down, the lower your mortgage payments will be.

Other initial costs can be substantial: loan set-up fees, home inspections, insurance, property taxes and other fees will cost you about 2 to 4 percent of your home price.

 

Is your money organized?

 

Hopefully you’re the kind of person who balances your checkbook and understands where your money goes, but if you take a more lackadaisical approach to your finances, you’ll need to step up your game. Get organized, check your credit report and keep building your savings. Getting your affairs in order helps you improve your credit score, qualifying you for better interest rates, and good financial records will help you take full advantage of tax deductions.

 

What are your future expenses?

 

Think ahead to the next few years. Are you making any big life changes that will hit your wallet hard? If you’re planning to have children or start paying tuition soon, you should factor that cost into your decision now. It can become difficult to replace an aging car or take an expensive vacation once you’re paying a mortgage.

 

Do you have an emergency fund?

 

Before you devote all your savings into a down payment or upkeep for your house, look at the bigger picture. You need to build a financial cushion in case of financial setbacks like unexpected unemployment or serious illness.

It’s not just money that should affect your decision to buy a home.

 

Are you flexible when it comes to getting what you want?

 

Your first home may not have all the bells and whistles you’re looking for. Are you willing to defer on your wish list now in order to have a home of your own? In a few years, you may be able to find a home that better suits your needs, but in the meantime you could also consider fixing up a less

expensive home, buying a home with friends or renting out part of your home for additional income.

 

Do you plan to move in three to five years?

 

There is a lot of effort, time and cost involved in buying a house – you want to make your investment pay off for you. In addition to the price of the house itself, you should also take into the set-up costs already mentioned.

 

If you’re planning to move in a year for work or school, you may want to wait until after that time. Otherwise, you might find yourself in a tough spot if you’re forced to sell your home for less than its purchase price in a slow market.

 

Do you enjoy home improvement?

 

If you’re already looking at homes, it’s hard not to imagine how adding a fresh coat of paint to the walls or changing the light fixtures will make a house truly yours. But if you’re used to calling the landlord for anything that goes awry in your home, owning a house might be a jarring wake-up call. When you own your house, any issue becomes your responsibility, from replacing blown electrical fuses to installing a new roof.

 

Now is the time to consider whether you enjoy home improvement projects. Are you confident in your ability to patch drywall or install a ceiling fan, or would you rather pay someone else to do it? If it’s the latter, consider that even if you hire someone else to handle your home improvement issues, you will still have to invest not only money but your time by researching contractors and supervising their work.

 

 

Once you’ve answered these questions and taken the first steps toward purchasing your new home, be sure to find out the going home values in your area --just contact Remax Realty Center in Wisconsin!

 

 

http://www.realtor.com/home-finance/real-estate/first-time-home-buyers/deciding-whether-you-are-ready-to-buy-a-house.aspx

 

A Single Woman's Guide to Buying a Home

The pros and cons of buying when single

By Aviva Friedlander

 

Ready-Homeownership

Finish school, find a job, get married, buy a house. In that order. While this is often still the traditional pattern of life events for many women, more and more single women are buying their first house earlier in their lives.

 

Whether it's because rents are high, home prices are affordable in the desired area or simply because of an aversion to living with roommates, single women are becoming a stronger force in the real estate market. In fact, according to the Joint Center for Housing Studies, more than one in five homebuyers in the U.S. is a single woman.

 

If you're single and ready to make the big purchase, make sure you know what it takes to go it alone. 

 

Going over finances

 

Make sure you speak with an accountant or financial advisor to figure out what you can afford. Consider the amount you will need for the mortgage payment itself, property taxes, insurance premiums, utility bills, as well as money for repairs and maintenance. The main reason that buying early in life is a smart choice is appreciation value. Your home gains in value over time and when you sell it, that extra money can go a long way toward a down payment on a new home, or other investments. 

 

Finding a reliable real estate agent

 

If real estate is foreign to you and even if it isn't, you would be best off working with a real estate agent to help you find that perfect place and to guide you down the road to homeownership. Consider finding a real estate agent close to your age, and even better, one who is single and successful just like you. A good Realtor should also be able to recommend a trustworthy financial advisor, lawyer, inspector and contractor to help you with the process.

 

Starting small

 

Buying a smaller place, with two bedrooms or less, has a number of advantages for a single. The lower purchase price will likely net you a mortgage payment that is lower than rent in that same area. You will save on utilities, maintenance and cleaning costs. You will have fewer rooms to furnish and decorate. And, when the time comes, it may be easier to sell when you are ready to move on.

 

Considering alternative dwellings

 

Living in a single-family home with a landscaped yard and a picket fence is the stuff dreams are made of. Reality says that buyers must do what's practical for them. Many singles choose condominiums, co-ops or townhouses over single-family homes for some very good reasons. Aside from being more affordable, they may provide maintenance services, security in the form of a buzzer-operated front door or doorman and a built-in social network of neighbors. Overall it's a smart idea for single women to invest in a home. By navigating the ins and outs of homeownership when you're single, you'll be in an excellent position to guide your husband through the process should you want to buy again once you're married.

5 Ways to Prep Your Home for an Open House

Preparing your home for an open house can be a little like getting ready for a blind date. You don’t know what you may be facing but it is important to look your best. Open houses can often be stressful for homeowners because they know that strangers will be tromping through the door evaluating every last detail. You know the home needs to be as clean as possible but here are a few other things to keep in mind as you prepare.



Depersonalize as much as you can: You don’t want strangers seeing all your personal stuff and that’s reason enough to put photos, awards and sentimental objects elsewhere but there’s another reason as well. All that stuff is distracting and your potential home buyer could spend more time looking at what is in the home than actually seeing their lives taking place there. Your goal is to have your home appear as a blank slate, just waiting for a new buyer to make their mark. Pets should be out of the home not just for the day but ideally for a few days in order to allow any lingering odors to dissipate.

Don’t shove it all in the closet: You’ve got clutter, you need to get it out of sight, at least temporarily. The first instinct might be to move it all out to the garage, put it up in the attic, stack it in the basement, or fill up the closets. But remember your potential buyer probably has a fair amount of clutter too. They will be looking at all those storage spaces and the more available room they see, the more it will look like your home has all the space they need. Ask relatives or friends if you can temporarily store some items with them. You can also rent a storage space. The important thing is to make your home appear spacious and inviting.

Warm it up: The old trick of baking bread or cookies works to appeal to clients because it makes the home feel warm and lived in. Scented candles can work a similar magic. Fresh flowers or plants are also a nice touch and one that stagers often use. Another trick from stagers is to use colorful pillows and softly draped throws to provide a bit of color in bedrooms and living spaces. The home needs to be depersonalized but it still needs to look lived in and so a stack of plates left on the counter, fruit in the fruit bowl, towels in the bathroom, all go toward showing that the home is a great place to live.

Keep it bright: Light sells homes. Windows should be freshly cleaned on both the inside and the outside for maximum sunlight potential. Also go around and check to make sure all your light bulbs are working and that they are bright enough to really show off the rooms to their best advantage. Open all curtains and shades and take down any heavy curtains that might block some of the light streaming in.

Make a day of it: You know you shouldn’t be hovering around your open house but instead of going down to the local coffee shop and waiting until it’s over, reward yourself with a real mini vacation. Even the happiest of moves are stressful, so defuse some of that by taking yourself and your family out for a little reward. Put some distance between you and the home by going on a small day trip. Then later you can reconnect with your Realtor after he or she has had time to gather up all the impressions about the home.

Remember, you may not get an offer on the first day but an open house can lead to future showings and an eventual sale.

A House That Looks Good Will Sell

By Al Heavens

A house should have curb appeal, they say, but what exactly does that mean?

What it means is that, if a buyer drives past a house at 5 or 10 m.p.h., the front of the place should be alluring enough for that buyer to stop the car. If the seller has done the job properly, the buyer should then get out of the car and write down the real estate agent's name and number.
 

You can achieve curb appeal - which the National Association of Realtors says sells 49 percent of all houses - whether you have a city townhouse with no front yard or a suburban house with trees and a lawn.

 

One facet of curb appeal you may not be able to control is the condition of your neighbors' houses and yards. If they all look nice, then the buyer will become as intrigued with the neighborhood as with your house. If the other yards are filled with kids' toys, and the buyer has children, that means potential playmates.
 

If the other yards are filled with rubbish and junk cars, good luck to you.

From my personal curb-appeal file, here's how to handle prettying up city and suburban (or semi-suburban) houses for sale:
 

The yardless townhouse: It is 1987, the real estate market is beginning to deflate, and there is a surplus of townhouses for sale downtown. There is the added disadvantage of living near a public-housing project with the accompanying perception of high crime.
 

The advantages: Close-knit neighborhood with nice, well-done townhouses, a school around the corner, a turn-of-the-century social club being renovated as apartments, children playing in the street serve as a deterrent to criminals, no abandoned cars, and lots of street trees.
 

In this case, I touched up the blue paint on the trim and on the front door, and added shutters to the living room window.
 

I bolted a flower box to that window ledge and a half-barrel on the side of the two marble steps up to the front door and filled both - and a small area around the tree in front of the house - with impatiens.

I made sure the steps were washed and bleached white.
 

On open-house days, I rewarded the children with ice cream if they kept the noise down to a roar and sat on someone else's steps for two hours.
 

Results: The ultimate buyer was at the first open house, even though the house was on the market for five months and two real estate brokerages.
 

Lessons learned: Give all the kids ice cream. I missed one, who erroneously, and loudly, reported that someone had stolen her bike during an open house.
 

The city house with front yard: It is June 2001, the real estate market is unstoppable, and there is a shortage of housing in the $150,000-to-$300,000 range.
 

The advantages: There's the shortage, of course. The semi-suburban neighborhood is beautiful, filled with trees, the azaleas are in bloom, the street is open again after a year of railroad-bridge replacement, and my neighbors are tired of my writing about them and would do anything to see me go.
 

The disadvantages: The beer distributorship at the corner produces a lot of trash. The street is a main route between two major city avenues.
 

The solution: Touch up the front of the house, including washing the mildew from the porch columns and rails. Put a new coat of paint on the porch floor, keep the hedges trimmed neatly, plant plenty of flowers, and use lots of dark mulch that you should water regularly.

Repaint the concrete bench under the dogwood. Replace and paint the stairs to the porch. Repair the sidewalk.
 

Make sure the lawn is mowed once a week and watered regularly. Dead-head the flowers. Pick up trash not only in front of your house but in front of your neighbors' houses.

Wash the windows.
 

Results: House is on the market for a weekend. Eighteen couples have appointments on day two, 50 groups appear at open house on day three. Seven offers, two at asking, five over.
 

Lessons learned: A lot of ugly houses sold over asking price last spring, but you can't assume that your ugly house will. Never take risks, but don't go overboard trying to pretty up.
 

Remember, at first contact, it is not how good the house feels but how good it looks.

But once you get them through the door, you better be real sure that what's inside looks as good as what's outside.

http://www.realtor.com/home-finance/real-estate/sellers/selling-house-with-curb-appeal.aspx?source=web 

8 home improvements that will save you money

By Steven Holbrook of U.S. News & World Report

Making prudent purchases

As energy costs rise, you might be looking for ways to be more energy-efficient without breaking the bank. Here are eight money-smart moves to consider when making home renovations.

Anything 'low flow'

In addition to saving water, low-flow fixtures will save you more than a buck or two. Inexpensive and easily installed, low-flow fixtures can reduce your home water consumption by as much as 50 percent and can save you up to $145 per year, according to Energy Star, a government program that promotes energy-efficiency. Low-flow showerheads cost about $20 at home improvement stores.

Insulation

Insulation keeps your house warm in the winter, cool in the summer and reduces heating and cooling costs by as much as 20 percent, according to Green Energy Solutions, Inc., a company that specializes in retrofitting buildings to make them more energy-efficient. You can pick up a roll of insulation for about $15 at home improvement stores.

Compact fluorescent light bulbs

Fluorescent bulbs last four to 10 times longer than regular light bulbs. While they’re more expensive initially, you’ll save about $6 per year on energy bills, according to Energy Star.

A clean dishwasher

Modern dishwashers use an average of 5.8 gallons of water per cycle, while older models can use as much as 10 gallons per cycle. According to Energy Star, you could save around $8 per year in energy costs by making this upgrade. Or, you could clean and repair your current washer if it’s only a few years old. Check out this guide from Better Homes and Gardens to learn how to maintain your dishwasher.

A programmable thermostat

Programmable thermostats have become popular due to their energy- and money-saving benefits. When used properly, this device can save users up to $150 per year, and it’s generally more accurate than a regular thermostat, according to Energy Star.

Weather stripping

You might be surprised to find how much money you could save by patching up that draft in your kitchen or bedroom. In homes that haven’t been weather stripped, air leaks account for 30 to 40 percent of heating and cooling loss, according to Energy Star. Weather stripping materials start for as little as $5 at home improvement stores.

A tankless water heater

Tankless water heaters allow users to shave 20 percent off their water bill. In addition to lasting five to 10 years longer than tank heaters, tankless heaters never run out of hot water. Plus, you get a federal tax rebate if you purchase one, according to Energy Star.

 

Ceiling fans

A ceiling fan will help keep your home at a comfortable temperature while reducing your energy bill by about $15 per year, according to Energy Star. Ceiling fans are priced at about $50 at home improvement stores.

Home Staging Helps Bring Top Dollar Sale

Learn the 5 C's to help you get multiple offers 

 

 

If your house could be sold looking the way a model home does, do you think it might bring in more money? Chances are it would. That's why home staging is a growing profession that's rapidly changing the way homes are sold.

 

"Staging is not decorating. Decorating is optional, staging is mandatory in order to sell the house for the most possible money in the shortest amount of time," says home staging instructor Joanne O'Donnell.

 

O'Donnell has been teaching courses on how to stage a home to be sold for several years. The concept first became known in 1972 by then-Realtor, Barb Schwarz who realized that homes would sell for higher prices if they were prepared to sell first.

 

Today, hundreds of thousands of real estate professionals, decorators and sellers have come to understand the once-little-known term staging that was coined by Schwarz

.

O'Donnell recently taught a course in San Diego, Calif. In the course were two mother-daughter teams, Realtors and even a lawyer.

 

"When we put your home on the market it is no longer your home; it is a product and we're marketing it," O'Donnell told the students.

 

Home stagers start by viewing the seller's home inside and out. O'Donnell encourages the students to walk through a home that they plan to stage with the seller, being sure to take notes of items that need to be moved and/or removed.

 

While home staging may improve the looks of the home, O'Donnell is careful to point out it is not interior decorating. Instead she says it's much simpler.

 

"You can't go out and buy new things for every problem that you have with a house," says O'Donnell.

She tells the students to be problem solvers, reminding them that her clients are selling their homes and they don't want to spend a lot to do it.

 

Really home staging is about de-cluttering and making a home desirable to the masses. "Clutter eats up equity," O'Donnell frequently reminds the students throughout the course.

 

"The whole idea of staging is that you want to market to the largest number of people to get as many offers as possible," says O'Donnell.

 

There are five key points that must be applied when staging a home. O'Donnell refers to them as the Five C's of Staging: the home needs to be clean, clutter free, have color, be creatively staged, and finally stagers have to compromise with the sellers, because, of course, many sellers continue living in their homes while they're being shown.

 

"People don't see that a lot of things that are in their houses are part of themselves and when you try to sell a house you want to make it as neutral as possible, not necessarily in the colors, but in the way it's presented," says Gerin Canin, a lawyer from New York who is transitioning into a home staging career.

 

Canin believes home stagers play a vital role in real estate.

"I think that when people sell their homes they don't necessarily see their house as a potential buyer would see their house. They become attached to things. [The seller] doesn't notice things that other people would notice. So I do think it's important to have an opinion from someone else," explains Canin.

 

 

By Phoebe Chongchua

 

 

http://www.realtor.com/home-finance/real-estate/sellers/home-staging-selling-tips.aspx?source=web

 

 

Here are a few home staging tips from professionals:

For the inside:

• Clear the clutter.

• Put away all electrical cords and extra appliances.

• Put away family photos.

• Think open space.

For the outside:

• Shutters improve the look.

• Paint/Power wash.

• Plants, high, medium, low -- with lots of color.

• Decks -- even small ones can be a big improvement.