Staging Your Backyard to Sell

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Staging a property before going on the market benefits everyone – it helps home buyers imagine the potential to make a home their own, and it helps increase the ROI (return on investment) for home sellers. A backyard can be a huge draw for home buyers, even more so when they can picture having the neighbors over for cookouts, entertaining friends around the fire pit, or lounging by the pool.

DEEP CLEAN Deep cleaning and decluttering to make your backyard look spacious and comfortable!

REFRESH LANDSCAPING Landscaping is everything when it comes to creating a polished and inviting outdoor space. Greenery and a few flower beds will liven up any yard or patio.

FURNISH THE SPACE Be intentional about how you furnish your outdoor space. Break large outdoor spaces into cozy vignettes like you would in an indoor living room – Adirondacks around the fire pit, a comfy couch with throw pillows, and a cozy lounge chairs for sunning by the pool.

Not sure where to start? Give us a call, we’re here to help! Chris 480-754-9077 & Cheryl 480-754-9477

Ready to Sell this Spring?

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Are you looking to sell your home this Spring? If you answered yes, then here are things you can get started on:

✅ Declutter living areas. Less is more when it comes to getting your house ready to show. Do a clean sweep of counters, windowsills, tables, and all other visible areas, and then tackle behind closed doors: closets, drawers, and cupboards—since virtually nothing is off-limits for curious buyers.

✅ Depersonalize your space. What is the next step on your checklist for selling a house? Sellers should remove distractions so the buyers can visualize themselves and their families living in the property.

✅ Touch up any scuff marks. Even if you’re not doing a full-on repainting project, pay special attention to scrubbing and touching up baseboards, walls, and doors to make the house sparkle and look cared for.

✅ Fix any loose handles. It’s a small thing, but you’d be surprised by the negative effect a loose handle or missing lightbulb can have on a buyer.

✅ Clean, clean, clean. Once you’re done cleaning your house, clean some more. Even if you’re not worried about what buyers will think of your home’s scent, you want your property to look spotless.

✅ Find a great real estate agent. Your real estate agent should be someone you feel comfortable working with and trust to sell your house for top dollar. Give us a call, we’re here to help! Chris 480-754-9077 & Cheryl 480-754-9477

Preparing for Holiday Guests

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Are you planning for holiday visitors? Think about what you’d expect to find at a five-star hotel and use that as inspiration for the perfect guest room oasis.

  • Add extra plush accents, like quilted shams, a chunky knit throw blanket, or even a fur or sequined one for a touch of glam.
  • Stock the bathroom with essentials like extra toothbrushes and toothpaste, shampoo, conditioner, soap, shower gel, body lotion, and a festive scented candle.
  • Be sure there is ample storage — especially if your guests have winter gear like coats or boots.
  • You don’t have to deck all of the halls, but a little seasonal greenery goes a long way toward adding holiday cheer.
  • Make sure there are plenty of clean, fresh towels on hand. And — a warm, comfy guest bathrobe to add that extra touch of hotel luxe!

Are you hosting holiday guests this year, or are you traveling?

Create a Welcoming Entryway

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First impressions are everything and an organized entryway can impact the entire experience a buyer has when they tour your house. Even if you’re not on the market and simply want to present your home well to guests, here’s how to create a foyer or entryway that says “Welcome Home!”

ADD AN INVITING AROMA The way your home smells is just as – if not more – important than how it looks because it is one of the first things your buyer will notice.

KEEP THE FLOOR CLEAR Create the illusion of more space by keeping the floors free of boots, shoes, backpacks, and other clutter. A clear path can help make the entryway appear cleaner and larger.

MAKE IT PLUSH Rugs instantly add a layer of coziness and placing a rug will make the space feel inviting and welcoming.

Preparing for Cooler Months

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Here are a few of our favorite fall home decor tips:

🍂 Light some autumn-scented candles – we love the Brown Sugar Chestnut from Chesapeake Bay Candle Co.

🍂 Layer up your chairs and couches with cozy throws.

🍂 Swap your linen and cotton summer bedding for flannel sheets and a down blanket.

🍂 Bring on the fall florals. Swap the summer blooms for mums and line your mantel heirloom pumpkins and rich autumn-hued flowers.

🍂 Take the sweaters out of storage! If you have to swap your winter and summer clothes, it’s time to take out the sweaters and warmer wear. Even if you don’t need it *quite* yet, you’ll be glad you did as soon as those chilly mornings arrive.​

Upgrading Your Home When Selling

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Upgrading your home can be a good way to help you get back even more on your investment when the time comes to sell. If this is the main reason behind the idea of upgrading, then you should pay special attention to the renovations that bring in more money when it comes to resale value in today’s housing market.

Exterior

Spruce up the outside of your home before you try to put it on the market. Repaint the house if it’s looking a little faded. Consider painting the doors as well to help improve the curb appeal. And don’t forget about the landscaping. A small investment will go a long way toward making a good first impression.

Bathroom

Redo your bathroom, but don’t worry about trying to take apart the whole thing. A bathroom remodel should really consist of a replacement for your tub, toilet, sink, and tile. You don’t have to change the layout of the room, which may be very costly, but you should update the fixtures to suit what’s popular at the time. Don’t forget to redo the wall coverings if they’re outdated, too.

Kitchen

Just like the bathroom, you don’t have to gut your kitchen and redo the whole floor plan to update it enough to sell well. Bring in a new oven, sink, and new countertops, and consider redoing the cabinetry if it’s very outdated. The refrigerator may not need to be updated, but don’t forget to replace it too if it does. Recessed lighting and a kitchen island if you have the space for it are both great options, too. And don’t forget, a fresh coat of paint in the kitchen and any other room in the house that needs a fresh look.

Patio

Everybody enjoys outdoor spaces, and if they’re ready to use as soon as someone buys your home, that’s even better. Consider extending your patio or adding ceiling fans to encourage buyers to look twice at your home. The nicer your outdoor space, the better off you’ll be.

 

Principles of Feng Shui

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This concept of feng shui is derived from an ancient poem that talks about human life being connected and flowing with the environment around it. The Chinese words “feng” and “shui” translate to mean “wind” and “water.” The feng shui philosophy is a practice of looking at our living spaces and working environment while striking a balance with the natural world.

Remove Obstacles

Think about how you move through your home and try to make the paths as clear as possible. Efficiency is everything in feng shui, so it’s important to clear obstacles from your path and make your flow as easy as possible.

Keep Things Clean

Having too much clutter around is probably not going to do your mental clarity any favors. In feng shui, clutter is believed to take up valuable space that new incoming energy needs. If you are working from home, make a habit of cleaning up your workspace each day. Not only will it make you feel less stressed out, but it’ll also create a sense of order in such chaotic times. Plus, you’ll get a clean start each day, which should benefit your productivity.

Declutter the Entryway

In feng shui, your entryway represents the way energy enters your home and your life. Remove piles and balled-up socks. If you have space, add some plants and artwork to make the area feel inviting.

Add Plants

Your new life motto should be: When in doubt, add more plants. We’ve got a more detailed primer on which ones will help you find your ideal chi and where they can be best positioned, but the short answer? Plants embody life energy, so they’ll add freshness and vitality to your home.

Go Vertical

Integrating some vertical shapes and lines in your home represents growth and expansion. You can make this happen in a variety of ways by adding some lighting where the light travels upward or add a tree to a corner to make the space feel taller.

What Not to do When Selling Your Home

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open houseWe all hear about the steps we should take when selling your home; however have you thought about things you should NOT do when trying to sell your home? There are so many no-no’s that seem simple enough, yet are often overlooked.

When your home is being shown to prospective buyers, don’t be there. As much as you love your home and have taken pride in decorating it to your tastes the potential buyers may be uncomfortable discussing what they like or don’t like about the home. You may also say too much without meaning to, which could put off a potential buyer.

Don’t leave clutter around your home. You want the rooms and closets to seem large. If too much clutter is around then it will seem there isn’t room for the new owner’s items. They may not be able to get past the clutter. You also don’t want to have lots of personal photos and things around. It will distract the buyer.

Don’t have your pets home during showing. Some buyers may be allergic or afraid of animals. Granted some folks love dogs and cats, but you just can’t be too sure. If you cannot remove your pets from the home for a showing, perhaps putting them in a crate or a specific room in the home. Also, it is a good idea to make sure you have cleaned up after you pet. Make sure the cat litter is changed and you have done poop-patrol in the yard!

It’s important to make your home bright and appealing. Don’t turn off lights and leave blinds closed. Turning on the lights and opening blinds or curtains to let in natural light is much more appealing than a dark room.

Probably the most important thing when selling your home is to not neglect the outside of your house. Curb-appeal is of high importance when selling, it is the first impression that potential buyers will have when they arrive. If they see a weeds sprouting up everywhere they will wonder what kind of condition is the inside like. Maintaining your landscaping is important.

Use your best judgment; think about what may turn you off when looking at homes. Chances are it’s some of the above mentioned items. Call us for more tips of what to do and not to do when selling. Chris 480-754-9077 & Cheryl 480-754-9477

Smart Home Features

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Google homeDo you have a “home assistant”? I’m sure many of you have one like we do, we have a Google Home on our kitchen counter. We use it to set timers and ask her to play bluetooth from my phone. We can also can use voice activation to control one of my other smart home devices like the temperature on our Nest thermostat. During the Phoenix summers, Nest helps us save money with intuitive temperature control when we are in and out of the house. Smart thermostats, home assistant speakers and door locks are popular and well-known products, but did you know there are even more smart devices available?

Smart Vacuums
Now vacuuming can be as simple as literally just lifting a finger. If you have an Apple Watch, you can set up a Roomba vacuum so all you need to do is tap to start the device in your home.

Smart Light Switch
You may have heard of the lightbulbs you can control color and intensity of with your voice, but what about the light switch you can talk to? Smart light switches are wired into your existing switch configuration and allow you to set nightlight settings, responsive times to turn on and off, and integration with Alexa voice activation, all from your phone.

Smart Plugs
Are you ever at work and wonder if you unplugged your curling iron, never fear – you can now switch it off from your phone! Smart plugs are simple to use, they plug into the wall, your device plugs into the smart plug, and now you’ve got full access to control it from your phone. TVs, lamps, crockpots and more can all be controlled remotely!

Smart Scales
Smart scales do way more than just tell you your weight. They help users more effectively monitor and track their weight and health by reporting proportions of fat, muscle mass and other metrics straight to your phone. If you wear Fitbit, there’s even a special scale that connects with your tracker.

Smart homes are increasing in popularity as people are more willing to invest in homes and devices that save time and money. Are you looking for a smart home? Let us know and we can begin your search today. Chris 480-754-9077 & Cheryl 480-754-9477

The Importance of Curb Appeal When Selling

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front entrance
First impressions are everything when preparing your house for sale. Curb appeal is the initial preview of your home for potential buyers. In today’s real estate market, potential buyers will first view your home online. Then if your home matches the criteria they are using in their home search, these buyers will drive by your home. If the exterior of your home isn’t well-kept or your landscaping isn’t on par with the other homes in the neighborhood, your home showing may turn into a drive-by only with those potential buyers.

Implementing a few steps to update and maintain your home’s exterior is critical to prepping your home for sale. Doing so will invite more potential home buyers to come closer to check out all that your home has to offer. The first step is to take an objective look at your front yard’s landscaping. A desert landscape littered with weeds and overgrown trees implies deferred maintenance in all areas of home care and upkeep. Trimming trees, weeding, and pruning shrubs will also allow potential buyers to actually see your home. Planting fresh flowers or desert plants in pots near your walkway or front door is also another quick and inexpensive step to freshen up your home’s exterior and landscape. Power-washing, hosing down, or simply sweeping your driveway, walkway and front entry way are other inexpensive steps that will pay off with a big impact when showcasing your home’s exterior. While you’re at it, be sure that your windows sparkle with a fresh cleaning inside and out.

If you’re lucky enough to have a front patio area or large entry way, stage this area by placing a couple chairs to showcase a conversation area to your potential buyers as they are walking into your home. Furthermore, the simplifying rule that applies to the interior of your home also applies to the exterior and landscaping, so remove any yard or lawn art from your front yard and entry way. Keeping the door clean and free of decorations is another way to showcase the architecture and beauty of your home without providing unnecessary distractions.

As realtors, we can give you more specific advice unique to your home and neighborhood, to help you maximize your home’s curb appeal. Give us call today to learn more how we can help sell your home for top dollar! Chris 480-754-9077 & Cheryl 480-754-9477