Things You Learn When Selling Your Home

Whether you are going the For Sale By Owner route or using one of the best real estate agents ever (ours hint, hint), selling a house can be both exciting AND stressful. In hopes of helping you get through the listing process as painlessly as possible, I’ve put together a few truths that are inevitable when selling.

1)     You will need to declutter. You want to highlight as much space as possible, and you want the buyer to picture the home as their own. That means clearing out any extra items to show that great open floor plan, and taking down all of those family portraits & art projects that make the home yours. Note: You may want to pay to store your things elsewhere. You DON’T want to turn your closets & garage into a messy area that’s off limits during showings.

2)     You will need to paint. That bold color scheme that matches your furnishings perfectly may not be what the buyer has envisioned. The best way to present a house for sale is with a neutral color pallet. Even if neutrals are already in use, once you declutter there will be holes that need repairing and repainting. A new coat throughout will freshen up the entire house, making it look clean and airy.

3)     Some cleaning projects are going to be tedious. Once you decide to sell you start looking at your home objectively. That’s a good thing. The problem is that you then start noticing “quirks” you overlooked before, i.e., stains & fixer-upper items that you could live with (and did). Now those things need to be fixed, and will probably take longer than you expect.

4)     In fact, everything will take longer. It’ll take longer to clean, paint, and especially move. You’ve acquired more stuff than you even know. Go ahead and mentally prepare for these projects and allow time for any unexpected snags.

Finally, just remember: once you’re done, you’re not done. It takes time to sell a home, and you’ll need to show it multiple times, but if you prepare for the move with the tips above, maintaining the property will be less stressful and you’ll be show-ready & able to maximize your showing potential at all times.

 Happy Selling!

We also offer plenty of real estate tips online! Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, & Pinterest as well as subscribing to this blog. We’re always sharing our market-insider tips on home staging, DIY home renovations, and market trends to keep you ahead of the competition. Not to mention the money you’ll save in commission prices!

Please feel free to post comments, send emails, visit our social media pages and the House Connect website, or call us directly at 678-256-2753 for more info. We have dedicated, knowledgeable professionals waiting to assist you with selling your home without the pricey commissions.

**House Connect is a Roswell discount real estate broker offering an alternative to the high cost of selling your home. We offer Atlanta residents a flat fee MLS listing service which saves thousands of dollars versus using the traditional real estate consultant.

The Proof is in the Real Estate Pudding

We’ve all seen the real estate “blogs” shamelessly promoting their services (cough, cough) and at House Connect, we’ve chosen to instead focus on tips to help our savvy sellers market their home themselves while saving thousands of dollars in pricey commissions…HOWEVER, we decided that, at the risk of tooting our own horn, it’s important to devote a post to the AMAZING results our clients have received from our flat fee listing service.

For those of you not familiar with our real estate agency, here’s our motto:

House Connect is an Atlanta real estate company that offers an alternative to the high cost of selling your home. Instead of a percentage of the sale price we offer a flat fee MLS listing service, thousands of dollars less than a traditional real estate company.

Now, we’d like to share with you the undeniably successful results we’ve experienced (and helped our customers experience) since our launch this January (toot, toot):

  665 Briars Bend Alpharetta GA: Seller Saved Over $10,000!!!

1385 Terramont Dr Roswell, GA: Property under contract in 18 days, Seller Saved Over $4,000!!!

  605 Creekwood Crossing Roswell, GA: WE DID IT AGAIN! 2^ND home in Terramont to save seller over $4,000!!!

  6083 Raintree Bend Lithonia, GA: This home doubled our Investors money in less than 30 days! No commissions = More Savings!

There it is folks, the proverbial proof in the (real estate) pudding. We’re saving Home Sellers THOUSANDS and getting new listings daily! Call us today to learn about listing your home with House Connect for a flat fee of $499*. How much easier can it get?

We also offer plenty of selling tips online! Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, & Pinterest as well as subscribing to this blog. We’re always sharing our market-insider tips on home staging, DIY home renovations, and market trends to keep you ahead of the competition. Not to mention the money you’ll save in commission prices!

Please feel free to post comments, send emails, visit our social media pages and the House Connect website, or call us directly at 678-256-2753 for more info. We have dedicated, knowledgeable professionals waiting to assist you with selling your home without the pricey commissions.

**House Connect is a Roswell, Georgia real estate company offering an alternative to the high cost of selling your home. We offer Atlanta residents a flat fee MLS listing service which saves thousands of dollars versus using the traditional real estate consultant.

Listing Life-Line: Don't Stagnate on the Market

A major kiss-of-death for home sellers could be a lingering listing. Unfortunately the longer a house sits on the market, the more stigmatized it becomes, especially in this low-inventory climate where homes are being scooped up as fast as they’re being listed. Follow these simple insider tips to avoid listing pit-falls and help your house stand out against the rest.

The most common reason a home doesn’t sell is due to an over-inflated price tag. If a house is priced appropriately there is no reason the seller shouldn’t be getting multiple offers. First, the seller must be educated about the current market and the homes around them. A Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) is crucial to know what similar houses are selling for. One factor affecting the price may be the seller’s current debt; listing with a flat fee MLS listing service (like House Connect) saves the home-seller potentially thousands of dollars, giving the seller some wiggle room in their asking price. House Connect also offers a free CMA when you call in to help you determine the best price for your home.

Another common sale-killer: presentation, namely décor & repairs. While the currently low inventory means there aren’t as many fish in the sea, home buyers are still looking for their fish. It is important to present your home as being well-suited for any potential buyer. That means keeping it clean & airy, NO CLUTTER, using neutral colors, and highlighting your house’s best aspects.  

Don’t forget DIY home remedies. Some inexpensive repairs could keep bad first-impressions at bay. Replacing old door hinges, light switch plates, and heating & AC vent covers is inexpensive yet priceless for savvy sellers.  House Connect offers its sellers extensive access to tips on home staging, DIY repairs, & current market trends via our various social media profiles, website, & blog.

Last Listing Toxin: Lack of Exposure. You could have the best property in the world…decorated perfectly for any buyer, no repairs needed, and priced immaculately…but if no buyer can see it you may as well be located on the moon. Listing with House Connect gets your listing in both Atlanta MLS services and syndicated on over 100 websites! Better yet with House Connect, YOU can provide the pictures of your property that will be exposed on all those sites. That means capturing each room at its best angle, promoting that great view from the family room that only you know about, and highlighting your outdoor entertainment area with a seasonal place setting when the sun hits it just right.

Avoiding these common listing pitfalls and thinking outside of the box will help you sell your home in no time. Listing with House Connect for a flat fee of $499* and using our expertise will help you sell even quicker AND save you money. How much easier can it get?

We also offer plenty of selling tips online! Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, & Pinterest as well as subscribing to this blog. We’re constantly sharing our market-insider tips on home staging, DIY home renovations, and market trends to keep you ahead of the competition. Not to mention the money you’ll save in commission prices!

Please feel free to post comments, send emails, visit our social media pages and the House Connect website, or call us directly at 678-256-2753 for more info. We have dedicated, knowledgeable professionals waiting to assist you with selling your home without the pricey commissions.

**House Connect is a Roswell, Georgia real estate company offering an alternative to the high cost of selling your home. We offer Atlanta residents a flat fee MLS listing service which saves thousands of dollars versus using the traditional real estate consultant.

    

Get Your Home Ready for a Spring Listing Now

               According to a recent report, the number one market for home searches in the month of March is the South Atlantic, specifically: Delaware, Maryland, Virginia & Georgia - our very own Peach State. That means it’s important for sellers to be ready to list today to take full advantage of this peak season.  Just like retail stores and current fashion magazines are promoting their spring attire, you too should promote your home for the warmer season.

           

    Spring Clean-up: the first thought associated with the spring season is Spring Cleaning. Therefore, it’s important to present your home as fresh and clean as possible. Start your spring cleaning early and apply a new coat of paint. This will instantly freshen up your home & improve those crucial first impressions.

Next, replace signs of winter! Even if the temperatures have not yet risen, this is the time that people are experiencing extreme Spring Fever. Prepping your landscape for spring by applying new mulch in plant beds, ridding gutters of leaves and sidewalks of weeds, and even placing a decorative floral wreath on your front door will help buyers picture spending the approaching months in your house.

Don’t forget your interior! Be sure to display pictures of your family on summer vacations, open windows & blinds to let in natural light, and use plug-ins that have floral, fruity, or fresh linen scents to add to the spring appeal. Outside, prep your deck or patio by putting umbrellas, cushions, and a spring place-setting on display.

Most importantly, remember to look at your home objectively; by following these simple tips and getting your home ready for a spring listing now, you could be the one house a potential buyer sees that stands out among the rest.

We also offer plenty of selling tips online! Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, & Pinterest as well as subscribing to this blog. We’re constantly sharing our market-insider tips on home staging, DIY home renovations, and market trends to keep you ahead of the competition. Not to mention the money you’ll save in commission prices!

Please feel free to post comments, send emails, visit our social media pages and the House Connect website, or call us directly at 678-256-2753 for more info. We have dedicated, knowledgeable professionals waiting to assist you with selling your home without the pricey commissions.

**House Connect is a Roswell, Georgia real estate company offering an alternative to the high cost of selling your home. We offer Atlanta residents a flat fee MLS listing service which saves thousands of dollars versus using the traditional real estate consultant.

So What IS House Connect?

The most common question we get is “How is House Connect different than any other real estate company?” so we decided to post a blog about it. House Connect was developed based on the principle of offering a solution to home sellers here in the Metro Atlanta Market because the majority of Home Sellers today do not have as much equity in their homes today as they did just 5 years ago.  Additionally, many sellers argue the value of a listing agent since they can research the internet and find many tools online to help them.

Some home sellers still may not know it, but the Listing Agent commission is part of YOUR selling fees. If you list your home for sale with many of the traditional real estate brokerages, you’re responsible for paying commissions. 

So how is House Connect different? With House Connect, you pay a one-time fee to list your house. Instead of 6 %, you’re only responsible for the 3% Selling Agent commission (which will be calculated on the final sales price and charged at closing), saving you potentially thousands of dollars. Here’s an example:

If you listed your house for $100,000 with a traditional real estate agency, 3% would go to the Listing Agent and 3% would go to the Buyers Agent, costing you $6,000. List the same home with House Connect, and a flat fee of $499 plus an FMLS fee of .0012% ($120) is all you pay for your listing ($619 total), saving you $2,381! YOU can decide if that savings goes towards making your listing price more competitive or directly into your pocket!

         

         

…and the proof is in the pudding. We recently listed a house in Roswell that sold within 15 days! Still trying to sell on your own or using traditional Real Estate companies? Check out our website and see what we can do for you.

Some of the services you will receive for free when listing with House Connect include:

·       a comparative market analysis (CMA) to help you determine the right asking price for your home

·        a House Connect expert that will assist in showing your home, negotiating offers, and completing the closing process

·       entry into 2 multiple listing services that are utilized in the Atlanta area as well as over 55 real estate for-sale specialty sites.

…and much more!

We also offer plenty of selling tips online! Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Google+, Twitter, & Pinterest as well as subscribing to this blog. We’re constantly sharing our market-insider tips on home staging, DIY home renovations, and market trends to keep you ahead of the competition. Not to mention the money you’ll save in commission prices!

Please feel free to post comments, send emails, visit our social media pages and the House Connect website, or call us directly at 770.640.6800 for more info. We have dedicated, knowledgeable professionals waiting to assist you with selling your home without the pricey commissions.

New Year Resolutions for Home Sellers

2013 is going to be a GREAT year to sell your home. Statistics are already showing that the market is rising, buyers are out and looking, and the busy holiday season is behind us. The only hitch is that this is going to be a great year for your competitors as well. Here's a list of New Year Resolutions to keep you ahead of the game so that you can sell your home quickly.

First resolve to improve your "curb appeal." First impressions mean everything. If a buyer is turned off when he/she see the outside of the house, there's little you can do with the inside to change that negative opinion. Make sure to rake leaves or shovel snow and ice. Just because the holidays are over doesn't mean you can't decorate outside; there are many tasteful wreaths that aren't just for the Christmas season. Also, highlight your outside features. If you have a deck or patio, still keep the furniture out and add some throws & a heat lamp.

Next, organize and clean inside! This is an inexpensive way to help sell your home quickly. Think about applying a fresh coat of interior paint. Not only will this improve the way the inside of the house looks, it also is a cheap way to improve the value of your house.

If you can afford to do so, reinvent a room. A house addition can be costly and time consuming, but turning an attic into a bonus room or finishing a basement could do wonders with the space you already have.

Fix poor plumbing fixtures. Poor plumbing can be a major red flag for buyers & possibly indicative of the condition of the entire house. Fixing plumbing issues before the house is shown will help insure you sell quickly and that your home appraisal comes back in good condition.

Determine how to make your house more energy efficient. Energy efficient features such as windows and light bulbs are a hot commodity with home buyers right now. Buyers are aware that these features will lower the home energy costs exceedingly. This will also make the house seem more modern and socially conscious.

Lastly, price your house appropriately. It is important to know what comparable homes are selling for. One of the many benefits of listing with House Connect is that we will provide you with a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) to help you determine the right price for your home and list your house for a low flat fee of $499. Not having to pay a listing broker commission gives you more wiggle room in your sales price...listing below your competition can help sell your home faster.

Please feel free to post comments, send emails, visit our Facebook & Twitter pages and company website, or call us directly at 770.640.6800. We have dedicated, knowledgeable professionals waiting to assist you with selling your home without the pricey commissions.

12 Days of Christmas Selling Tips

Selling your home during the Holidays can be stressful. With so much going on, it's easy to lose sight of your home selling goal. To help keep you on track, we've scoured the web for a list of tips for selling during the Holiday season and all winter long. Below are are top 12.

• Remember the basics.
• Taking care of needed maintenance and repairs is obligatory in any season. A thorough cleaning and getting rid of clutter are equally essential. Also, tidying up the yard and touching up the exterior appearance to improve curb appeal can make the difference between deal & no deal. -USA Today
• Emphasize winter positives.
• Is your home on a bus route or some other vital service that means it's lowed or de-iced regularly in bad weather? Is it located near fun winter attractions such as an ice-skating rink or Christmas tree farm? Be sure to mention that to home buyers. -MSN Real Estate
• Go ahead and travel.
• Some sellers worry about the hoildays, but if your plans include traveling this might be the perfect time to have your house on the market. You won't be inconvenienced by showing schedules. -Inman News
• Decorate?
• YES!!! Accord to Realtor.com houses show better when they're decorated over the holidays. Just remember moderation. You don't want to distract from the house. -Realtor.com
• Showcase the entertainment possibilities of your home.
• Winter is a prime time for festive parties, so wet prospective buyers' appetites (literally) with an enticing display. Set out stacks of plates & fresh flowers, decorate the dining room table, and set out cookies on cake stands in the kitchen. -Houzz.com
• Set the mood.
• A calm, warm and soothing atmosphere is appealing.  Play soft music; have some cider simmering on the stove, and light the fireplace if you have one. -Patch.com
• Good lighting is key.
• Your home may appear darker due to less daylight. Fight the gloom. Turn on all the lights possible for visitors, open blinds, drapes, & shutters to let in natural light. Make sure to clean any grime off windows. -USA Today
• Keep snow & ice at bay.
• The top tip from agents: if the buyer can't get in easily, the house won't sell. That means keeping walkways and drivways free from frozen debris. If you live in an area that's subject to bad weather, it can pay to hire a service to regularly salt or shovel the driveways and sidewalks.  -MSN Real Estate
• Think Creatively.
• Regardless of what season you have your house on the market, it is always important to take a step back and look at your home with objectivity. Take a tour of your home as if you were a buyer looking at it for the first time. Take a full tour from the curb, throughout the house to the backyard. Think about the things you looked for when purchasing this home, and the reasons you're looking to sell it now. -About.com
• Highlight the home in every season.
• Be sure to display photos of home and gardens to show buyers the features of the home during the warmer months as well. -Frogpond.com
• Show how outdoor rooms can be used even in colder months.
• If you have a covered porch or outdoor fireplace, be sure to keep that area fully furnished. Turn on outdoor lights or heat lamps, build a fire in the fireplace, and drape a few thick throws over your outdoor furniture. -Houzz.com
• Take advantage of the current market.
• National inventory is still at an all time low which means on average there are more buyers than sellers. This gives you a position of strength that you may not have in January when home sells increase drastically. -Realtor.com

Please feel free to post comments, send emails, visit our Facebook & Twitter pages and the House Connect website, or call us directly at 770.640.6800.  We have dedicated, knowledgeable professionals waiting to assist you with selling your home without the pricey commission.