Believe it or not, after months of searching for the perfect home, agreeing to a price and going forward with the deal, a sale can fall apart over a disagreement about something as simple and trivial as curtains.

If you’re in the process of getting your home ready for sale, it’s important that you are very clear from the start about what you are taking with you and what you are leaving behind. The general rule is that if something is attached to the structure or the ground, it is real property and stays with the house. In other words, if removing the item would ruin or disfigure the walls—or if you need a tool to remove it—it stays.

Legally, these items are known as fixtures and typically include everything permanently attached to the property such as a fence, built-in appliances, ceiling fans, flowerbeds and shrubs.

Conversely, if you can disconnect, unhook, or detach an item from the home with bare hands, it’s free to leave when you do. Items that fall into this category include furniture, potted plants, free-standing appliances and even an outdoor grill. These items should never be assumed to be part of the sale.

In order to avoid any possible confusion about what is and isn’t part of the sale, a good rule of thumb is to remove any fixtures you plan on taking with you before showing the home. Replacing these items is an even better option, as they can provide a bargaining chip when negotiating price since you would be willing to let them stay with the house.

While every real estate agent has a story about a deal falling through because of an argument about what a buyer thought was staying, it’s important to take the time to walk through each room in your home with your agent and make a list of everything you’ll be taking with you.

If you decide to leave an item such as the curtains or chandeliers, or you’re open to leaving behind some of the outdoor furniture, it may just help with a sale. People like the notion of getting something for free, and a savvy agent will hint to a perspective buyer that they may be able to get the seller to throw in that great wall unit, knowing full well it would be more of a headache for you to take it out.

It’s also common for perspective buyers to see a piece of furniture, billiards table or antique lamp that they really want, and many will go as far as asking that the item be part of the sale. Unless the item is really important to you, don’t let something insignificant like this stop a sale in its tracks. Instead, use it to get the price you want and then buy a new one when the sale is complete.

Be sure to put down in writing all the things that are staying and going and take care of these issues in the beginning so that there’s no miscommunication come closing day.

For more information about getting your home ready for sale, contact our office today.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

For those dreaming of owning a home, the thought of coming up with money for a down payment is enough to scare many perspective buyers away. However, even if you don’t have the necessary funds for a down payment in the bank, there are other options that you should take into consideration to come up with the money you need to put a down payment on your dream home.

The easiest way to get a down payment for a home is to borrow against one’s retirement account. Many people have been investing in a 401(k) plan or traditional IRA for years, and first-time homebuyers may borrow up to $10,000 for their down payment without incurring a penalty. For those who are self-employed—or if your employer allows it—you can also borrow up to $50,000 from your current 401(k) and pay yourself back over five years at a low interest rate.

In addition, you can do some research and look for down payment assistance grants. Down payment assistance and community redevelopment programs offer affordable housing opportunities to first-time homebuyers, low-income and moderate-income individuals and families who wish to achieve homeownership.

Family is another option that you may want to take into consideration when it comes to securing funds for a down payment. Sure, you may be too proud to want to ask for money, but if your family can help you and your family move into your dream home, isn’t it worth it? If you do get help from a family member, the lender will ask you to sign a form called a gift letter, attesting to the relationship. The lender may also require your parents to explain where they got the money and prove that they are financially able to make such a gift.

If you’re still not finding the money to put together for a down payment, there’s always the creative lease/purchase agreement. Homeowners who can’t sell their homes in this market will be more amenable to cutting a deal with buyers and may be willing to take part in a lease/purchase agreement, where you rent the home you want to buy and a percentage of your rent is applied toward the down payment. If you go this route, make sure you get a contract outlining all the details so both parties are safe.

Adding a down payment option to your wedding registry is gaining popularity among those just starting out in life together. Several mortgage companies allow those getting married to set up a down payment registry. What a great way to celebrate the marriage of two people by helping them buy a house.

If none of these things will work for your specific situation, there’s always the old fashioned “saving for a rainy day” tactic. Try putting aside 10 percent of your paycheck each week and make an effort to bring a lunch to work instead of going out. If you’re married, use the money you would spend on birthday, anniversary and Christmas presents and put that toward your down payment. You might also need to forget that vacation this year. It may seem like a lot, but the sacrifice will be well worth it when you’re living in your new home.

For more tips on how to save for a down payment, contact our office today.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

More often than not, sellers don’t always disclose everything that may be wrong with their home when going through the selling process. While no house is ever as “perfect” as it may appear, a little due diligence on the part of you and your agent can ultimately save you headaches down the road.

Start by taking a look around the neighborhood and see if other real estate signs litter the lawns nearby. Go to the local stores and see if any are closing down or have been vandalized. If you notice that a lot of people are looking to leave the neighborhood, there’s probably a reason why. You may have found a great home, but if it’s in a bad neighborhood, it’s going to affect the value.

You also need to pay close attention to the way the exterior of the home has been treated. If you see extra layers of roofing, boards near walls, plants growing out of the gutters or lots of cracks in the pavement, chances are not much care went into maintaining the property.

While you’re outside, look at the yard grading. If the yard slopes toward the house, it could cause a serious water problem with water running down the foundation walls or into the basement. Scour the foundation for damage as bulges or cracks bigger than one-third of an inch can mean the house has serious structural issues.

Don’t be afraid to use your nose—as well as your eyes—to uncover potential red flags. If you smell sewage, gas or anything else that’s unpleasant, it could be because of some serious issues. If you are getting close to making the decision to buy, it might be a smart idea to hire a plumbing company to send a camera through the pipes to determine if there are any blockages or breaks.

When it comes to the inside of the home, one of the most important things to look at is the wiring. Be sure to flip the light switches to make sure they work and check the fuse box to see what condition it’s in. In addition, ask if the electric has been updated in the last 10 years, because that’s something that can be costly to fix once you move in.

Last but not least, check for bugs, ants and traps hidden in the corners or under baseboards. A savvy home seller won’t leave mousetraps out, but they often forget about the little roach motels. While little creatures in the house shouldn’t immediately scare you away, if you see a lot of ants—especially carpenter ants around wood—it could be a sign that there’s a problem.

Remember, the job of the home seller is to make the house as attractive as possible and hide all of its faults. With a little detective work, you can save a lot of time and money in the long run and make sure the house is good enough to become your home.

Contact our office today to learn more about warning signs that shouldn’t be overlooked.

Published with permission from RISMedia.

Creating a positive first impression among prospective buyers is crucial in helping your home stand out from the competition, hopefully leading to a faster sale. If you’re looking to increase your home’s curb appeal, one of the easiest ways to freshen up the outside of your home is to add flowers to the mix.

In addition to creating a positive emotional impact on prospective buyers and open house visitors, flowers offer an easy and inexpensive way to put your home’s best foot forward.

Not only can flowers be put directly into the ground, they can also be arranged in planter’s boxes, which can then be placed on a porch, in a sunroom or on a windowsill.

If you’re looking to create a positive first impression through the use of flowers, marigolds, pansies, snapdragons and alyssum are typically the most manageable. While marigolds are typically bright yellow and vivid orange, pansies can be found in a range of colors from dark purple to pale violet. On the other hand, snapdragons are usually taller and range from pink to blood red. Alyssum is generally used to fill out between the plants and have tiny white or purple flowers on a bed of green.

While most real estate professionals agree that yellow flowers are the best at making people feel welcome, flowers come in a wide range of colors, making it easy to achieve the specific look you’re going for.

When deciding on the color scheme, remember that incorporating flowers of every color may be a beautiful sight, but it also entails a good deal of work. By choosing just one color for all the flowers, you can create a more cohesive look and one that doesn’t require as much work on your part.

Plus, a monochromatic color scheme will add depth to your garden, giving the impression of a greater abundance of flowers.

For added color and appeal, plant shade-loving flowers in between bushes, and choose wire baskets lined with moss to fill with hanging flowers and trailing vines.

Don’t forget to add plants as well. Large beds are most effective and you should design them so the plants are sequenced from shortest to tallest. Make room for a wide variety of foliage and color, with each plant installed in large enough groupings to have impact.

When it comes to shrubs, they should be chosen for their year-round ornamental value. Be sure to include shrubs with interesting architectural form and texture, fall color, berries, flowers, summer leaf color, and foliage variations.

You don’t need a green thumb to create an attractive look and increase your home’s curb appeal. Remember, potential buyers that drive by will want to see the inside of your home if the outside is attractive and inviting.

To learn more about increasing your home’s curb appeal, contact our office today.

Published with permission from RISMedia.