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Judy Kivela
Broker/Owner
    Years of Experience: 26

    CRS: Certified Residential Specialist
    GRI: Graduate REALTOR® Institute
    CDPE Certified Distress Property Expert, SRS
    WHS: Workforce Housing Specialist

Direct: (406) 491-5777

Office: 406-491-5777



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Kivela Montana Realtors
3100 Harrison Avenue
Butte, Montana
406-491-5777


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Selling Your Butte Home – Curb Appeal of the 21st Century and Beyond

Thursday, February 4th, 2010

I can hear you now, “Oh, no! Not another article on curb appeal to sell my Butte home!” To which I reply, “Oh, yes.” One more time around the block, but this time, we’re doing it in style.

The 21st Century Curb

Curb appeal is that thing you do to pretty up the outside of your Butte home. It’s the landscaping, the painting and the checking of the little details. However, many home sellers (and real estate agents, for that matter), don’t take into account that the curb nowadays isn’t just the view from the front of your house. In the 21st century, the “curb” starts right here on the Net.

Your online home listing has only three seconds – three short moments of time – to catch a potential buyer’s eye and turn them into an interested party. Unfortunately, it’s hard not to be biased or become used to the problems and eyesores your home may have. Because first impressions are so crucial and the housing market is glutted with competition, you have to bring it up a notch to get your home sold.

The Right Perspective

Most real estate agents park across the street, when they’re showing a home. So, to get the same perspective of your home as potential buyers will have, walk to the other side of the street and stand where potential buyers might stand. Go ahead; walk over there.

Once you’re on the other side of the street, turn around and look at the house for a few seconds. Most buyers don’t look for very long, so don’t stare, just glance. Then, as you slowly walk back to the house, keep your focus close, no more than a few feet out. What are you seeing?

  • Yard ornaments
  • Plain façade
  • Obstructed pathway to the door
  • Driveway stains
  • Yard tools
  • Leaves

These are just a few things that might be detracting from the beautiful home you have to sell. Take one last look around – a long, searching look from the front door – and see if anything stands out. If it does, fix it up!

The Virtual View

Once you think you have your home’s curb appeal perfected, create a video of it for your potential buyers. Take a video camera across the street and start from there. Give your buyers a virtual tour of your Butte home, using your curb appeal to its (and your) best potential. Online IS the new curb – use it!

When you hire me as your real estate agent, I’ll create a professional virtual tour of your home, including its curb appeal. Your virtual tour will appear on key real estate websites giving your home maximum exposure with a 24/7, world-wide virtual open house.

Give me a call today at 406-491-1234 or email me at judy@montana.com for more information.

Keyword/Tag: Butte

Landscaping

http://www.hgtv.com/landscaping/index.html

Eyesores

http://www.simplyjen.com/2009/05/are-you-immune-to-your-homes-eyesores.html

Video tour

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virtual_tour

A Home for Sale in Butte: Are You a Competitive Seller?

Monday, November 23rd, 2009

Do you have a competitive nature? Do you always have to have the last say? Do you always feel you have to win? If you have a home for sale in Butte, you may have “competed” yourself right out of a buyer. Please, read on to find out how NOT to make this mistake.

Who Calls the Shots?

You’ve probably heard “it’s a buyer’s market” many, many times already. With the number of people who have a home for sale in [city], this is something you can’t afford to ignore. This is especially true considering that the longer your house sits on the market the more it depreciates.

A competitive nature is all well and good, but, when dealing with potential buyers, you have to rein it in. Winning, in this case, is not getting the last word, but selling your home. As you enter into negotiations, keep in mind that the end goal is to sell.

Buyers know they have the market. While this doesn’t necessarily mean they’ll try to walk all over you, it does mean that they may try to negotiate:

  • On price
  • On closing date
  • On inspection period
  • On closing costs
  • On anything

Now, just because they’re trying to negotiate doesn’t mean they aren’t qualified buyers. You may have a very qualified potential buyer trying to negotiate with you.

Warning: at this point, your competitive nature may try to rise up and crush the negotiating potential buyer. Restrain yourself – strenuously if you have to.

While dealing with offers, counter offers and counter-counter offers, ask yourself if you’re being competitive, silly or surprisingly realistic. Are you turning down their offer because it isn’t an exact fit for you? Do you have a legitimate reason for the counter offer, or are you trying to “one-up?” Will a requested change really make that much difference to you?

Although I’m not suggesting that you take the first offer that comes along without looking at it, or that you take an offer that is less than you can afford to take, I am suggesting that you remember there are plenty of people with a home for sale in Butte. As you look at the offers, keep this in mind. Shut down that competitive nature and remember that the only way you really win is when you sign the papers and hand over the keys.

Ready to get your home sold? I can help. Call me at 406-491-1234 or email me at Judy@montana.com for more information.

Links:

Buyer’s market

http://www.investorwords.com/641/buyers_market.html

Closing costs

http://homebuying.about.com/od/financingadvice/qt/BuyClosingCosts.htm

Counter offers

http://homebuying.about.com/od/offersnegotiations/qt/CounterOffers.htm

Butte Home for Sale? 6 Tips for Selling Now

Wednesday, November 11th, 2009

If your Butte home for sale isn’t selling, you’re probably wondering if you’re missing something. Well, here’s a list of things you might not know that could make all the difference:

  1. If the location of your Butte home for sale isn’t great, the price and terms are the only thing that will sell it. Make them outstanding!
  2. Attractive, competitive terms may help you get a higher price. For instance, if you’re allowing the option of owner financing, and also allow a smaller down payment (say, $20,000 – $30,000), you may be able to sell your house for a higher overall amount.
  3. Because of the current high competition, your home has to be in the best condition at a competitive price. Check out the competition, accept that yours might need work, and get to it.
  4. You can’t set a limit for home improvement. If your home needs something done to beat the competition and you can do it, do it! You aren’t just spending money; you’re investing in the sale of your home. Although you may not get all your money back, you just might get a quick sale at full value.
  5. Staging – you’ve heard of it; tons of agents are talking about it. If you want to get your house sold, either invest in staging services or do your homework and stage the home yourself. It’s all about presentation.
  6. Remember that you are no longer the host/hostess of the house. You are a business person, and your business is getting that house sold. Don’t let your emotions get in the way of a solid business deal.

Putting up your Butte home for sale is a daunting prospect. If it’s been up for a while, it can be an exercise in frustration. However, keep the above points in mind, listen to the experts and put what you learn to work for you.

If you’d like to get your home sold, I can help. Call me at 406-491-1234 or email me for more information.

Links:

Owner financing

http://homebuying.about.com/od/financingadvice/qt/091007_OwnFinan.htm

Home improvement:

http://www.lowes.com/lowes/lkn?action=home

Stage the home

http://money.howstuffworks.com/personal-finance/real-estate/home-staging2.htm

4 Ways to Set Up the Perfect Home Office in Your Butte Home for Sale

Monday, October 19th, 2009

If you have a Butte home for sale, every room needs to be just right. Most people think about the kitchens and bedrooms, but these days a great looking home office can make a huge impact too. Check out a few ways you can make a big impact:

Designate the right space

Whether it’s a spare bedroom or a computer nook, you need to specify a separate place to do business. Make sure the area has enough room so that you can set up a desk, chair, computer and a printer without making it look messy.

Clean your area

To really have a good home office, the space needs to be neat. To make your home office look its best to potential buyers, get rid of clutter and only retain the essentials.

Don’t waste money

Just because you have a home office doesn’t mean you need to go broke trying to furnish it when preparing your Butte home for sale. Think about wants versus needs first. Then once you get the necessities, use any left over money to buy office supplies such as ink cartridges, computer paper and more.

Add a decorative touch

Now that you have what you need, it’s okay to add some decorative style. Hang artwork. Add a few plants.  But, remember to keep it simple and neutral so that potential buyers can easily imagine it as their own home office.

Many people don’t think of the importance of a home office when preparing their Butte home for sale. But with so many people working from home, a dedicated space for a home office is a great selling point.

If you’re ready to sell your home, with or without a home office, I can help.  Call me now at 406-491-1234or email me.

LINKS

Computer nook

http://www.ehow.com/how_2156879_transform-closet-computer-nook.html

Good home office

http://interiordec.about.com/od/planninganoffice/a/budgethomeoffic.htm

Artwork

http://familyfinances.suite101.com/article.cfm/find_cheap_art_online

Is Your Home For Sale in Butte Perfect for Men?

Thursday, October 8th, 2009

There’s a group of individuals constantly overlooked when someone has a home for sale in Butte.  It’s not just newlyweds, families and women looking for homes. Men are on the lookout, too. So what are they looking for? Here are a few points on the list:

  • Location, location, location – Most men want a place close to their job. No long commutes, no hours on the highway. In fact, it’s one of their biggest considerations when choosing a home.
  • The Man Cave – Is your home for sale in Butte set up with a man cave? Many men dream of having an extra room that can be converted into a place for recreation and entertainment. If you already have a man cave, you’re ahead of the competition!
  • Surrounding area – In a fun survey, Sperling’s BestPlaces examined America’s cities and marketing trends to find the “Top 50 Manliest Cities” in the U.S. Believe it or not, Nashville took the top place as the Mecca of manliness. Why? A few reasons:
    • High number of NASCAR fans
    • High number of BBQ restaurants
    • Popularity of hunting and fishing

What other things did Sperling’s look at to decide “manliness?”

  • Major league sports teams in a city, nearby NASCAR events, monster truck events and local drag racing strips, among other sports venues
  • Memberships in motorcycle owner groups, bowling, hunting, woodworking, DIY home improvement
  • Number of manly retail stores, such as steak houses, sports bars, general hardware stores, sportsman stores, etc.
  • Percentage of houses subscribing to manly magazines

So what does all this mean to you? If you have a home for sale in [city] with manly decor as well as surrounding attractions, you have a match made in heaven for the busy bachelor. Okay, so women like monster truck events, motorcycles and DIY, too. And, okay, so the survey is a little silly. However, if you’re trying to sell that house and are having no luck, it’s definitely something to think about.

If you’re trying to sell your home, I can help. Call me at 406-491-1234 or email me for more information.

Links:

Man cave:  http://www.mancavesite.org/

Sperling’s BestPlaces:  http://www.bestplaces.net/

Manly décor:  http://interiordec.about.com/od/guydecor/a/guysroomF.htm

How Can You Get Incentive Money, If You’re Not Selling Your Butte Real Estate?

Tuesday, October 6th, 2009

Not everybody is dealing with the worry of buying or selling

Butte  real estate. Some are quite happy where they are, have no intention of moving, and selling is the last thing on their minds.

However, there are a lot of incentives out there to do something in Butte real estate, and many are itching to dip into those incentives. So, if you’re not selling or buying, what can you do? Here are a few ideas:

Upgrades

Upgrades are something you can do to your home at any time. However, with the many government incentives out there, you can upgrade your home to be more energy efficient for less. For example, thanks to federal tax credits, you can install solar panels or a geothermal heat pump and get 30% back once you file your federal taxes.

Instead of just jumping in on upgrades, it’s best to start with an energy audit. An energy audit will tell you where your problem areas are in order of priority, as well as what incentives and credits are available to help you compensate for the cost.

In addition to getting you incentives and credits, these upgrades will raise the resale value of your home.  They’ll also lower your utility bills – sometimes by as much as 70%, depending on the size of the problems and the upgrades you make.

Remodeling

If you’ve always wanted to remodel, now is a great time to do it. Contractors and remodelers aren’t as busy as they have been. For you, this means the chance to save money. Bargains are available on materials, labor costs and overall remodeling costs. Be aware that there are some shady companies, so make sure you investigate before signing a contract with anyone.

Refinancing

Although refinancing isn’t the best thing to do for everyone, it’s something to look into if you’re struggling with mortgage payments. Talk to your lender and see what your choices are. If you can get better financing than you currently have, this may be a great option for you!

Just because you aren’t selling your Butte  real estate doesn’t mean you can’t take advantage of the down market. Look around, investigate, and see what options you have open as a homeowner to increase the property value or get the best out of the home you do have.

If you’re looking for the best upgrades and remodels to increase your home’s resale value, I can help. Call me at 406-491-1234 or email me for more information.

Links:

Energy audit:  http://www.energysavers.gov/your_home/energy_audits/index.cfm/mytopic=11160

Remodelers:  http://www.nari.org/

Refinancing:  link to any pages on your own website about refinancing or mortgage providers your recommend or link to http://www.refinancingright.com/

Pricing Your Home Right!

Wednesday, April 29th, 2009

The price is the most important factor in getting your Montana home sold, especially with other underlying economic factors affecting consumer confidence.  This is the single most important thing you can do to ensure you achieve your goal in a timely fashion. You need to know the most recent comparable properties that have sold in your area. A home that sold even a few months ago may not sell for the same amount of money today. Our market is not as low as some area’s but it is in a decline. Values of homes in our area have dropped 4% over the last year.

Recognize that housing markets are local. Home prices are like the weather-very different in different areas. The following statistics are important when you are setting a price for your home. You need to know this information in order to price your home correctly.

Currently residential property in Butte is averaging 128 days to closing. Median priced homes listed in Butte, $144,775 and the median price home sold is $98,500. Currently there are 263 listing in the Butte area. (This information is taken from the Butte Board of Realtors Multi-Listing Service and is deemed to be correct, but not guaranteed.)

It is always best to use the most recent sales. When none are available a good Real Estate agent should be able to factor in an appropriate price adjustment based upon the difference in time when the comparable property sold.

In a perfect world, you would sell your home for the most amount of money in the least amount of time. That doesn’t happen very often – and pricing your home too high could cost you money in the long run. In almost any market, the homes that sell the fastest and for the most money are those that are priced closest to what a reasonable buyer would expect to pay at that time.

This is a sensitive issue for most people, because we tend to get emotionally involved with our homes.  Many people think of their homes as an extension of themselves and their lives.  This is partially true, because our homes are the places where some of the most important events of our lives occur:  the baby’s first steps, holidays and time with family, cooking and family meals.

While this attitude is understandable, when it comes time to sell your home, it’s necessary to take a different view.  A home sale is a business transaction.  Your home, which you value so highly, and may even still somehow see as “basically new,” will not be seen as such to potential buyers who are looking for a home in excellent condition, in a good location at a reasonable price.

That is why you absolutely must know your competition and understand how key factors play into your pricing decision.

Market Recap

  • Avg. Sales Price: $102,209

  • Avg. Days on Market: 119

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