If you’ve been thinking about selling your home, now’s the time. Low interest rates and increased time spent at home have created a large pool of buyers looking for homes. However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t still put your best foot forward. Before your home goes on the market, make sure you’ve crossed off these preliminary steps.
Declutter
Limiting the amount of clothes, furnishings, and other “stuff” in the house will help buyers envision their own items in the house as well as make your home appear more spacious.
Landscape
If your lawn is a little sparse or the bushes a bit overgrown, now is the time to fix it. Landscaping takes time, so get started a few months before you’re ready to list.
Make Repairs
If you have a loose banister in the stairwell, uncovered sockets, or a light switch that doesn’t work, go ahead and bring someone in to repair those items. Buyers may see small cosmetic problems or items in need of repair and assume there are problems they aren’t seeing. Make sure your home looks and functions well to attract the most buyers and the highest price possible.
Whatever 2021 has in store for you, whether it’s buying, selling, or sprucing up your current home, I’m here to help!
Home Seller Checklist
East Orlando Real Estate BlogIf you’ve been thinking about selling your home, now’s the time. Low interest rates and increased time spent at home have created a large pool of buyers looking for homes. However, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t still put your best foot forward. Before your home goes on the market, make sure you’ve crossed off these preliminary steps.
Declutter
Limiting the amount of clothes, furnishings, and other “stuff” in the house will help buyers envision their own items in the house as well as make your home appear more spacious.
Landscape
If your lawn is a little sparse or the bushes a bit overgrown, now is the time to fix it. Landscaping takes time, so get started a few months before you’re ready to list.
Make Repairs
If you have a loose banister in the stairwell, uncovered sockets, or a light switch that doesn’t work, go ahead and bring someone in to repair those items. Buyers may see small cosmetic problems or items in need of repair and assume there are problems they aren’t seeing. Make sure your home looks and functions well to attract the most buyers and the highest price possible.
Whatever 2021 has in store for you, whether it’s buying, selling, or sprucing up your current home, I’m here to help!
Show Your Home a Little Love This Valentine’s Day
UncategorizedValentine’s Day is a time to celebrate the ones we love, but this year, after you’ve celebrated with flowers, chocolates, and a candle-lit dinner, be sure to show your home a little love too.
New Decorations
Adding some new decorative items, whether they’re temporary, like a bouquet of flowers on the dining room table, or more permanent, like a fresh coat of paint, are a great way to show your home a little love and help yourself fall in love with your home all over again.
Clean Up
Get a head start on your spring cleaning by washing the windows, cleaning the carpets, and dusting the fans now. The fresh feeling you create is a great way to show your home some love.
Minor Renovations
Looking to save water? Consider a new showerhead. Want to upgrade the fixtures in your home? Consider new outlet covers. Home renovations don’t have to be big and expensive; even small upgrades can have a big impact on your home.
When to Consider a New Construction Home
Real Estate Market OrlandoLow interest rates and high demand mean a housing shortage for first time home buyers. With multiple offers, high quality, affordable homes aren’t staying on the market for long. However, new construction homes may be able to help close the gap between available homes and buyers in the market.
Pros: Buying a new construction home reduces the chances of running into a bidding war and often allows you to pick your lot and customize some of the features. You also get a brand new, turn-key home that won’t need additional renovations or repairs before you can move in. Most also come with extended builder’s warranties and manufacturer warranties that will help protect your investment.
Cons: One of the downsides of purchasing a new construction home is that it may be weeks or months before construction is complete, depending on how early in the building process you purchase. Also, you will most likely have to place a deposit to claim your home well before construction is complete.
Before you buy a new construction home, make sure it was built by a company with a good reputation and review the terms of the warranty to make sure you’re covered if something goes wrong early in your homeownership. You should also be able to tour a model home or existing property to see the quality of the build before you buy.
ORANGE COUNTY HOME FLIPPING SLIPS 3% IN 2018
UncategorizedHome flipping — defined as a purchasing then selling a property within 12-months — dropped 3 percent in Orange County in 2018 and stayed about the same in Seminole County. In both counties, investors saw smaller ROIs compared to 2017. Read more
Preview Tiles in your Home using Augmented Reality with Updated View in My Room 3D Tool
UncategorizedVisualizing how one sample tile will look throughout an entire room can be a challenge, but Houzz is here to help with the latest update to our View in My Room 3D tool! Today, we introduced a new augmented reality (AR) feature that enables shoppers to virtually cover their floor with tile, true-to-scale. Shoppers can see what their homes would look like with new flooring, find out how much tile is needed to cover the space, and order an appropriate amount of material all within the Houzz app.
To use the feature, simply tap the View in My Room 3D button on a product page for any 3D-enabled tile product, launching the iPhone, iPad or Android camera. Read more
Prices Still Rule the National Housing Market; Inventory Catches a Break
UncategorizedSix straight months of declining home sales have resulted in one of the largest year–over–year inventory increases in at least 10 years, according to the most recent RE/MAX National Housing Report.
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Lucky In Love and House Hunting: Agent Advice to Find the Right Fit
UncategorizedIf you and your partner are house hunting — don’t let the stress of shopping for a new home dampen your romance. With two different opinions driving the purchase process, it can create disagreements. RE/MAX offers advice and tips for finding your perfect home — together.
TALK ABOUT YOUR FUTURE TOGETHER
“Consider the lifestyle changes most couples face throughout a long relationship,” says agent Lisa Harris of RE/MAX Center in Braselton, Georgia, near Atlanta. “Homeowners are living in their homes longer than ever, so couples need to consider possible lifestyle changes in the future. Think about kids, elderly parents, job changes and hobbies.”
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TAX TIME! QUALIFIED BUSINESS INCOME DEDUCTION EXAMPLES
East Orlando Real Estate BlogConfused about how real estate professionals are impacted by the Qualified Business Income Deduction of Section 199A? Here’s a few examples.
Example 1: Amy Agent is a single Realtor® who operates as a sole proprietor and independent contractor. She received $100,000 in net commission income in 2018. She has no capital gains or losses. After claiming deductions not related to her business, including the standard deduction, Amy’s total taxable income for 2018 is $81,000. Her qualified business income (QBI) is $100,000, which is her gross commissions less her business deductions. Amy’s section 199A deduction for 2018 is equal to $16,200, which is the lesser of 20% of her QBI from her business as a real estate agent ($100,000 x 20% = $20,000) and 20% of Amy’s total taxable income for the year ($81,000 x 20% = $16,200). Read more
8 home security hacks recommended by police
UncategorizedDid you know that many police departments have a community affairs officer whose primary goal is to build a strong working relationship with the community? That means you have access to a trained safety expert who wants to give you ideas to keep your home and neighborhood safe.
Read on for eight simple home security hacks from a recent home safety evaluation conducted by a police officer
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How to Move Cross-Country: See How These Renters Made It Work
UncategorizedFrom NYC to PDX — these renters made the move and even found room for a pup!
When former New Yorkers Erica Warren and Cici Harrison drove across the country and settled in the Pacific Northwest, they had a list of criteria for their new rental.
They’d need a parking space, a home office so Erica could work remotely and, of course, a yard so they could adopt a dog. And this rental couldn’t be too splashy, because a cross-country move is expensive enough.
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