Are you interested in putting your home on the market, but wonder what repairs and touch ups to do? And then there’s bankrolling the work, not to mention sacrificing weekends to get it done. 

Slow down. Get a grip. There are some no cost/low cost ways to get your home in showing shape and help you put your best foot, er… house, forward to prospective buyers. 

When real estate agents and buyers refer to curb appeal, it means the initial impact the home makes when the buyer first views it. Visualize a buyer driving up to your curb.  What would he see? Landscaping in need of work? A fence in need of paint? If the outside of the house is in shambles, a buyer may not be motivated to get out of the car and come inside!

So what things are important to fix-up and replace before you sell? Let’s cover them as the buyer sees them, from the outside, in. 

Walk across the street from your home and pretend you’re a buyer, viewing the home for the first time. From the parking area, glance around the front yard. Note hedges and trees that need to be trimmed. Are they cut back away from the front door, the windows, and the porch area? This is not only for aesthetics but for safety reasons as well (a big priority with buyers today.) A safe home is one that has a clear view of the parking area and walk ways, free of obstructions and overgrown foliage.

What about paint trim near the front door and on the eaves? Could it use a new coat?  Make sure your front door is in good repair, too – including the screen door, if applicable.  Buyers’ impressions as they enter the home set the stage for the rest of the showing.

Let’s go inside the house. The cardinal rule before putting your home on the market is making sure it’s clean. In a competitive sales market, why would an eager buyer waste time viewing a house that needed elbow grease? And a less than spic and span house could also signal that other maintenance in the house hasn’t been kept up – like plumbing that leaks and furnace systems in need of cleaning or repair. Don’t forget that a house that doesn’t show well will often take longer to sell, costing you money in the long run. 

Many people do not understand the importance of having a realtor represent you when buying a home.  Something always is changing in the contracts and us as agents are always taking classes and keeping up with the changes so we can represent our clients.  We can only represent you when writing a contract if you sign a Buyer’s Brokerage Agreement with us.  We are not allowed to check we represent you in the contract unless this is done, if it is not signed we have to check we do not represent you.  Time frames are very important in the contracts so it is good to have an agent to make sure you are meeting all your time frames and making sure you do your homework.  

If you are having trouble making your mortgage payments, the strain of figuring out what to do can be overwhelming.

Why do it alone when you can have a dedicated, extensively trained professional on your side at no cost to you?

Both lenders and the federal government are putting new systems in place to help you avoid foreclosure.  When you call me to find out what you can do to take advantage of these options, I will show you how having straightforward solutions to your mortgage challenge can help you to breathe a little easier.

For more specific information and to see if you qualify, please, call me today! The sooner you call the sooner you can breathe a sigh of relief!

Below is a couple answers to questions most people have about short sales!

I just wanted to answer a couple of questions most people have about short sales.  The first would be most people want to know is how long does it take from contract to close.  Typically it should take 60-90 days, It really depends on the bank, some could take more time and some could take less time.

Sellers:  It is very important you choose an experienced agent to work hard with you through the process.  It is important to have all your documents the bank is asking for to them.  You should keep all bank statements, pay stubs and tax returns handy.  They will ask for updated information frequently, depending on how quick you get an offer on the property.

Please feel free to ask me any questions about any of your Real Estate needs by calling or emailng!

Peachtree City, GA is a great place to raise a family or retire!  With approximately 90miles of golf cart paths you can get nearly anywhere in Peachtree City such as local shopping, the 2 lakes, restaurants or grocery shopping.  You are saving on gas and a lot of the time you can get to your destination quicker by golf cart!  Peachtree City has some of the top rated schools in the State and the County!  Peachtree City recognized in the following magazines below:

• Top 10 Best Places to Live in the U.S., CNN/Money Magazine, 2005, 2009
• Top 100 Best Places to Live in the U.S., CNN/Money Magazine, 2007
• Top 100 Places to Live – RelocateAmerica.com, 2008, 2009
• Georgia’s Best Affordable Suburb – BusinessWeek, 2009
• Top 10 Places to Retire, Retire in Georgia Magazine, 2008
• 10 Great Places for Boomers, Newsmax Magazine, 2009
• 10 U.S. Communities With Great Ideas (Peachtree City Path System), National Association of Area Agencies on Aging, 2007

Peachtree City is also home of 3 of Canongate Golf Club’s golf courses.  Enjoy a round of golf, going on picnics, walking or biking on the golf cart paths, summertime concerts at The Fred Amphitheater, Flat Creek boardwalk which is 500acres of Flat Creek Nature Area or trail walking at Line Creek Nature Area, the BMX bike park, play Tennis at the Peachtree City Tennis Center and many more activities are available here.

If you are thinking of buying please click on the quick link below to view a few good reasons on why you should not wait to buy and the cost of waiting!

https://edge.mortgagecoach.com/report/edgereport.html#27603-0-0-26551