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Cool cell phone apps

Saturday, June 11th, 2011

Home Improvement Apps for iPhone, Android, and BlackBerry: Your Digital Toolbox

By: Les Shu

Published: February 17, 2011

Downloadable iPhone and Android apps offer ways to maintain, improve, and save money on your home.

Match that paint color

If you see a color at a friend’s house that would look great in your home, use Benjamin Moore’s Ben Color Capture or Sherwin-Williams’ ColorSnap, free mobile apps for iPhone, to conjure up a matching paint color and code in a jiffy. Take a photo with your phone, and the app matches the paint as closely as possible, and will display secondary and complementary colors. (ColorSnap is also available for BlackBerry.)

Get rid of stains

Good Housekeeping magazine has placed all their best stain-removal and cleaning advice into their free @Home app. It also includes decorating ideas and a searchable list of the 5,000-plus products that have earned a Good Housekeeping seal.

Look for recycled stuff

If you’re searching for a cheap replacement part, or looking for a deal on slightly-used appliances and materials, eBay’s free Mobile app lets you search the auction site’s entire marketplace from iPhone, Android, Windows Phone 7, and BlackBerry devices. You can also put any of your disused-but-functional household items up for sale and recoup some cash.

For listings close to home, search the popular Craigslist site through the free Craigsnotifica for Android or Craigspro for iPhone.

Price comparison

Finding lower prices on electronics and appliances used to mean driving from store to store or scanning Sunday circulars. With the free Price Check by Amazon, you can scan a product’s barcode at a store and compare the price against Amazon and other merchants. (Android and BlackBerry versions are also available.) PriceGrabber has a similar app for iPhone and Android.

Carpenter’s tools in one

For $1.99, the iHandy Carpenter app puts a ruler, protractor, bubble level, surface level, and plumb bob into your iPhone, allowing you to make measurements without lugging out the tool box. It’s perfect for simple jobs like hanging frames and mirrors.

Need just a level? There’s a free app for iPhone from iHandy and for Android from Johnson.

Calculate materials you’ll need

Before you approach a home improvement project, use the $1.99 Handy Man DIY to record dimensions of flooring, windows, walls, and more. It calculates how much material you’ll need and gives you a cost estimate.

Order supplies

If you’re in the middle of a home improvement job and need supplies, use the $4.99 Work Shop app to order them from your iPhone. It’s also a great tool for keep track of expenses or plan your budget for a future project.

Light the way

With the iPhone’s bright display and the super-bright LED flash, you can use it in place of a traditional flashlight to illuminate crawl spaces, attics, cabinet recesses, and other dark spots. There are many apps for this purpose, but two favorites are the 99-cent Flashlight (and 99-cent Flashlight+.

Know what and when to plant

Wonder why certain vegetation isn’t growing in your yard? Landscaper’s Companion provides a reference guide to more than 2,000 plants. You can search for a plant based on your garden’s sun exposure and garden zone, helping to ensure you won’t get any dead leaves after planting. The app costs $9.99.

Find a stud

Using your iPhone’s magnetometer, StudFinderPRO can help you locate studs by locating the magnetic fields emitted by metal objects like screws and nails. The app costs $2.99. A free Magnetic Stud Finder is available for Android devices.

Hire a virtual designer

Need decorating ideas for inspiration? Check out Home Interior Layout Designer–Mark On Call for $2.99. Created by an interior designer, the app can help you plan a space and determine if furnishings will fit. Also consider the $4.99 Living Room app for iPad and the 99-cent Dream Home app for iPhone. 

A writer covering the latest technologies and trends for a variety of national publications, Les Shu is currently automating his home with the newest doodads to make it smarter than he is.

“Visit Houselogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.”

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Buying a Fixer-Upper In Belmont? What’s The Real Costs?

Thursday, June 2nd, 2011

Think you can save money buying a fixer-upper home in Belmont?  You’d better know the real costs before you make your offer.  Here’s an interesting article I found from the National Association of Realtors and HouseLogic.com.  Having been involved in sales for such Belmont neighborhoods consisting mostly of remodeled homes like Adams Bluff, Cottonwood, the Chronicle, South Fork Crossing, Goshen Woods, and most recently, Linford Park, I can tell you remodeling can get expensive real quick.  There can be a lot of hidden repairs that are needed that you don’t always discover until the work has begun.  Sometimes it can take longer to do extensive remodeling than it does to build new construction. 

Thinking of additions?  Be extra careful.  They can not be done without a building permit.  If the house is in the county and on a septic tank, you can not add additional bedrooms if the tank is permitted for the number currently there.  If you are in the city limits of Belmont, then there may be water/sewer impact fees that have to be paid.

 As you can see, there can be a lot to think about.  Always hire an experienced Buyer Agent (Realtor) to help you in your purchase and tell them exactly what you are planning to do with the property.  Then you and your agent should use the Due Diligence period to investigate whether it can be done.  After closing, it’s too late for surprises.  Irl Dixon

How to Assess the Real Cost of a Fixer-Upper House

By: G. M. Filisko

Published 2010-08-24 12:44:37

When you buy a fixer-upper house, you can save a ton of money, or get yourself in a financial fix.

Woman looking at paint prices at hardware storeMake sure you have the time, skills, and desire to embark on home improvement projects before buying a fixer-upper house. Image: Somos/Veer/Getty Images

 

Trying to decide whether to buy a fixer-upper house? Follow these seven steps, and you’ll know how much you can afford, how much to offer, and whether a fixer-upper house is right for you.

1. Decide what you can do yourself

TV remodeling shows make home improvement work look like a snap. In the real world, attempting a difficult remodeling job that you don’t know how to do will take longer than you think and can lead to less-than-professional results that won’t increase the value of your fixer-upper house. 

  • Do you really have the skills to do it? Some tasks, like stripping wallpaper and painting, are relatively easy. Others, like electrical work, can be dangerous when done by amateurs.
  • Do you really have the time and desire to do it? Can you take time off work to renovate your fixer-upper house? If not, will you be stressed out by living in a work zone for months while you complete projects on the weekends?

2. Price the cost of repairs and remodeling before you make an offer

  • Get your contractor into the house to do a walk-through, so he can give you a written cost estimate on the tasks he’s going to do.
  • If you’re doing the work yourself, price the supplies.
  • Either way, tack on 10% to 20% to cover unforeseen problems that often arise with a fixer-upper house.

3. Check permit costs

  • Ask local officials if the work you’re going to do requires a permit and how much that permit costs. Doing work without a permit may save money, but it’ll cause problems when you resell your home.
  • Decide if you want to get the permits yourself or have the contractor arrange for them. Getting permits can be time-consuming and frustrating. Inspectors may force you to do additional work, or change the way you want to do a project, before they give you the permit.
  • Factor the time and aggravation of permits into your plans.

4. Doublecheck pricing on structural work

If your fixer-upper home needs major structural work, hire a structural engineer for $500 to $700 to inspect the home before you put in an offer so you can be confident you’ve uncovered and conservatively budgeted for the full extent of the problems.

Get written estimates for repairs before you commit to buying a home with structural issues.

Don’t purchase a home that needs major structural work unless:

  • You’re getting it at a steep discount
  • You’re sure you’ve uncovered the extent of the problem
  • You know the problem can be fixed
  • You have a binding written estimate for the repairs

5. Check the cost of financing

Be sure you have enough money for a downpayment, closing costs, and repairs without draining your savings.

If you’re planning to fund the repairs with a home equity or home improvement loan:

  • Get yourself pre-approved for both loans before you make an offer.
  • Make the deal contingent on getting both the purchase money loan and the renovation money loan, so you’re not forced to close the sale when you have no loan to fix the house.
  • Consider the Federal Housing Administration’s Section 203(k) program, which is designed to help home owners who are purchasing or refinancing a home that needs rehabilitation. The program wraps the purchase/refinance and rehabilitation costs into a single mortgage. To qualify for the loan, the total value of the property must fall within the FHA mortgage limit for your area, as with other FHA loans. A streamlined 203(k) program provides an additional amount for rehabilitation, up to $35,000, on top of an existing mortgage. It’s a simpler process than obtaining the standard 203(k).

6. Calculate your fair purchase offer

Take the fair market value of the property (what it would be worth if it were in good condition and remodeled to current tastes) and subtract the upgrade and repair costs.

For example: Your target fixer-upper house has a 1960s kitchen, metallic wallpaper, shag carpet, and high levels of radon in the basement.

Your comparison house, in the same subdivision, sold last month for $200,000. That house had a newer kitchen, no wallpaper, was recently recarpeted, and has a radon mitigation system in its basement.

The cost to remodel the kitchen, remove the wallpaper, carpet the house, and put in a radon mitigation system is $40,000. Your bid for the house should be $160,000.

Ask your real estate agent if it’s a good idea to share your cost estimates with the sellers, to prove your offer is fair. 

7. Include inspection contingencies in your offer

Don’t rely on your friends or your contractor to eyeball your fixer-upper house. Hire pros to do common inspections like:

  • Home inspection. This is key in a fixer-upper assessment. The home inspector will uncover hidden issues in need of replacement or repair. You may know you want to replace those 1970s kitchen cabinets, but the home inspector has a meter that will detect the water leak behind them.
  • Radon, mold, lead-based paint
  • Septic and well
  • Pest

Most home inspection contingencies let you go back to the sellers and ask them to do the repairs, or give you cash at closing to pay for the repairs. The seller can also opt to simply back out of the deal, as can you, if the inspection turns up something you don’t want to deal with.

If that happens, this isn’t the right fixer-upper house for you. Go back to the top of this list and start again.

More from HouseLogic

What you need to know about foundation repairs

Budgeting for a home remodel

Tips on hiring a contractor

Other web resources

This Old House remodeling cost estimates

G.M. Filisko is an attorney and award-winning writer whose parents bought and renovated a fixer-upper when she was a teen. A regular contributor to many national publications including Bankrate.com, REALTOR® Magazine, and the American Bar Association Journal, she specializes in real estate, business, personal finance, and legal topics.

Read more: http://buyandsell.houselogic.com/articles/how-assess-real-cost-fixer-upper-house/#ixzz1O8pCTxa8 

 

“Visit Houselogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.”

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Belmont Hit By Bad Storm–Who Pays for the Damage?

Friday, May 27th, 2011

Tree crushes neighbor's fence on Howe Street

After the bad storm we had Thursday night in Belmont, I thought this might be a good time to give you my last article on fencing issues.  Belmont has plenty of older neighborhoods that have large trees such as Pinsto, Adams Bluff, Dogwood Lane, and Belwood.  We also have newer neighborhoods like Hawthorne that preserved many of the older trees.   Everyone wonders what to do if a neighbor’s fence falls on your property.  I’m sure most people assume the liability falls on the tree owner.  According to this article, that might not be the case.  Read on.  If you had an experience with a neighbor’s tree falling on your house in Belmont, I’d love for you to share it with us in the comment section under the article.  Irl Dixon

Tree Falls Over Property Line: Who Pays? Who Picks Up the Pieces?

By: Ann Cochran 

Published: March 23, 2011 

If a neighbor’s tree falls over your property line, file an insurance claim for repairs and cleanup. No house damage? Check if chopping and hauling debris is covered. 

When a tree falls

Your neighbor is responsible when a tree falls over your shared property line only if you can prove he was aware that his tree was a hazard and refused to remedy the problem. Regardless, your insurance company restores your property first, and later decides whether or not to pursue reimbursement from the neighbor or his insurer if the neighbor was negligent in maintaining the tree. 

Before a tree falls

Write a letter to your neighbor before his dead, diseased or listing tree falls through your roof or over your property line.

The letter should include: 

  • Description of the problem
  • Photographs
  • Request for action
  • Attorney letterhead–not necessary but indicates you mean business.

Trim their trees

If the limbs of a tree hang over your property line, you may trim the branches up to the property line, but not cut down the entire tree. If a tree dies after your little pruning, the neighbor can pursue a claim against you in civil or small claims court. Depending on the laws of your state, your neighbor may have to prove the damage was deliberate or caused by negligence, but may also be able to recover up to three times the value of the tree.

Before you cut, tell your neighbors what you intend to do to protect your property. They may offer to trim the whole tree instead of risking your half-oaked job. 

Your tree falls

It’s always a good idea to take care of your big and beautiful trees, and keep receipts for trimmings and other care.

But if your tree falls over a neighbor’s property line, do nothing until their insurance company contacts you. You may not be liable unless you knew or should have known the tree was in a dangerous condition.  If you pruned a tree or shored up trunks to prevent problems, gather your receipts to prove your diligence.

Ann Cochran has written about home improvement and design trends for Washingtonian, Home Improvement and Bethesda Magazine. 

“Visit Houselogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.”

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Belmont Residents Get New Trash Service

Wednesday, May 25th, 2011

Belmont has awarded the new contract for its trash pickup service to a company named Waste Pro.  The green roll out cans and the smaller recyclable bin that were provided by the former contractor will be a thing of the past.  According to Belmont’s City Manager, Barry Webb, the new service will provide 2 gray roll out  trash cans.  One will be for normal trash and will be picked up once a week.  The second roll out will be for recyclables and will be picked up every two weeks.  So, get ready.  Belmont residents will now need to make space for 2 large trash cans instead of one.  I will try to post the pickup schedule for Belmont neighborhoods if it is changed from the current one.

  Irl Dixon

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Solving Property Line Disputes

Tuesday, May 24th, 2011

Here’s this month’s third article from HouseLogic.com on fencing.  This one gives you a few ideas on how to handle a pending encroachment by a neighbor. 

I have seen situations where a property owner has moved stakes and sometimes even moved the iron pins.  Some property owners just want the boundaries flagged but an actual drawn survey will sketch the encroachment and show on the document the actual amount of the problem. 

As far as the suggestion in the article of selling the offending owner the property he is using, that may not be as simple as it sounds.  If you have a mortgage, the lender will have to release the property which they probably won’t do unless you give them all the money.  Also, if you are in a subdivision like Belle Meade, Hawthorne, Adams Bluff, or South Ridge, you may not be able to subdivide your lot without HOA as well as city approval.  Irl Dixon

Property Line Disputes: Peaceful Ways to Settle Boundary Issues

By: Ann Cochran 

Published: March 23, 2011 

Property line disputes needn’t become Hatfield-McCoy feuds. Your property plat should settle the argument. If not, mediators and lawyers can help. 

Know your line

Before you march across your lawn, find your settlement papers and search for a drawing that indicates your property line. You can find this information on the plat, a representation of the property survey, which you should have received at settlement.

No luck finding your plat? Go online. State or county government sites often have record plats you can download for free. 

Take a meeting

When talking to neighbors about property line encroachment, bring the following: 

  • A friendly attitude: Assume they “crossed a line” innocently. It sets a better tone.
  • Written proof: Whip out your plat and show the neighbors how they have accidentally taken your land.

No more Mr. Nice Neighbor

Sometimes reason and baked goods don’t do the trick. Here are next steps, in escalating order.

1. Write a letter: A letter puts your neighbor on notice, documents their property line trespass, describes the violation, includes a copy of your plat and requests an action to remedy the situation. File it with your county clerk or land records office to put any subsequent purchasers or lienholders on notice. If your attorney sends the letter, it carries more weight: Your neighbor knows you mean business and might act promptly.

2. Suggest mediation: Many communities have free or low-cost mediation services that help neighbors reach a non-binding agreement. Professional mediators can cost $350 per hour.

3. Lawsuit: Rare, expensive and usually not necessary. File in civil court and ask for the removal of the encroachment, and damages to pay for restoring your property. Expect to pay at least $3,000 to the-sky-is-the-limit in legal feels. Resolution will take at least months and maybe years.

4. Police action: If concrete is about to be poured on part of your land, or in any urgent situation, call the police and report trespassing.

Additional options for the encroached-upon: 

  • License agreement: This documents your willingness to allow the neighbor to keep, for example, their fence on your property. This prevents adverse possession.
  • Land sale: Sell the land to your neighbors. Let a real estate attorney make it legal.

Ann Cochran has written about home improvement and design trends for Washingtonian, Home Improvement and Bethesda Magazine. 

“Visit Houselogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.”

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Solar Rights And Your Property

Wednesday, May 18th, 2011

Here’s my second article for the month on fencing issues.  When you read this, you may be glad you live in the south in a place like Belmont and not in the far west where fencing and building restrictions are far more stringent.  Of course Belmont does have fencing and building regulations that I will share with you in a later article.  I guess the issue is where do we draw the line between one person’s privacy and another’s right to completely enjoy their property. This article is courtesy of the National Association of Realtors and HouseLogic.com.  Irl Dixon

 

Solar Access Rights Help You Catch Some Rays

By: Ann Cochran 

Published: March 23, 2011 

Most states protect your current solar access for light and energy. If your state doesn’t, local height restrictions may save your sunshine. 

Regulating light and air

Here are some examples of existing regulations. 

  • In Ashland, Ore., the Solar Access Ordinance–one of the first citywide solar ordinances–prohibits new structures to cast a shadow bigger than the shadow cast by a 6-foot fence. The city calculates solar setbacks with a formula using the 24-degree angle of the sun at noon on the winter solstice.
  • In California, no plants may be placed or allowed to grow if they shade more than 10% of a neighbor’s sun collector between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m.
  • In New Mexico, home owners can obtain solar easements that prevent neighbors from building structures or planting new trees that would block the sun. These easements attach to the property forever and, when the home is sold, the easements are sold along with it.

Grandfathering solar access

Structures and natural landscape features established before the dawn of solar laws may remain.

But, in some places, home owners are being forced to cut down trees that block their neighbor’s new solar panels. In 2008, a Santa Clara, Calif. judge ordered a household to cut down two 4-year-old trees that blocked a neighbor’s new panels. Later that year, Calif. Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger exempted pre-existing trees from the California Solar Shade Control Act. 

How to get a little sun

  • Research zoning regulations: If your state or city does not expressly protect your solar access rights, its zoning regulations might. Check your state or municipality’s official website. Maximum building height restrictions, which apply to fences, trees that form a hedge, and other building structures, exist in every community. Setback rules aid sun seekers, as well. If a tall structure is closer than it should be to your property, it could be blocking sunlight and violating the law.
  • Get an injunction: If a neighbor’s new addition exceeds local height restrictions and blocks your sun, seek an injunction to stop construction.
  • Trim a tree: You may trim trees that get between you and the sun, but only if they extend over your property line.

New HOA trends

Once, home owners associations could prevent you from installing solar panels because they wrecked uniformity or were eyesores. HOAs in states with solar access law, however, may not prohibit–directly or effectively–residents’ solar energy systems.

HOAs in many new communities are prohibiting buildings that block solar collectors.

Ann Cochran has written about home improvement and design trends for Washingtonian, Home Improvement and Bethesda Magazine. 

“Visit Houselogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.”

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Fence Etiquette in Belmont

Friday, May 13th, 2011

 

Here’s a good article about fence etiquette.  Let’s face it, most of us like the privacy a fence can provide but how many of us really maintain both sides of our fences.  I have seen property owners plant natural barriers (red tips, Leyland cypress, hedges, etc.) right on the property line with no regard for the fact half the tree will eventually grow over his neighbor’s property.

For the last few years, I have been selling a lot of homes in a little Belmont subdivision that is half new construction and half older homes.  You would not believe the number of fences and storage buildings that we have found encroaching in that area.  One building was encroaching about five feet onto a neighbor’s property.  It was the size of a 2 car garage and on a concrete slab!  He wasn’t very happy when he received a letter from the other owner’s attorney suggesting he move it within two weeks.  When he relocated it to the very edge of his lot, he got another letter from the City of Belmont about violating the zoning setbacks.

Bottom line.  You want a fence or some other type of structure, know your property boundaries and stay a reasonable distance inside those lines depending on whether it is a man made structure or a natural fence.  Man made fences should be a foot inside the property line.  Natural fences should be far enough back that their maximum growth is still within your boundaries.  Storage buildings and detached garages must be at least 5 feet inside the lines per Belmont regulations.  Irl Dixon

Fence Etiquette: Tips to Avoid Neighbor Disputes

By: Ann Cochran 

Published: March 23, 2011 

If you practice fence etiquette and bone up on local zoning regs, you can avoid neighbor disputes. 

Must-dos

Observe boundaries: Don’t risk having to tear down that fence by going even one inch over your property line. Study your house line drawing or plat or order a new survey ($500 to $1,000) from a land surveyor to be sure of boundaries. Fence companies usually install a foot inside the line, to be on the safe side.
 
Respect limits: Fencing companies obtain permits and must know local zoning regulations for height, setbacks, and other restrictions. Height limits typically are 6 feet for side and back yards; 4 feet for front yards. More restrictive rules often apply to corner lots, where blind curves can limit driving visibility. To avoid disputes, review restrictions with your fence company before choosing a fence.

Follow HOA rules: Fencing companies are not responsible for knowing home owners association dos and don’ts; that’s your job. Unless you want to suffer committee wrath, and engage in a dispute, follow HOA guidelines. HOAs can dictate style, height, and maintenance. If your HOA wants all structures to match, you won’t have much wiggle room. 

Nice-to-dos

Share your plans: No one likes surprises. Before installing, save yourself a fence dispute and have a conversation with neighbors. If property line issues exist, resolve them before installation. No need to show neighbors the design–that’s just inviting trouble. They have to live with your choice unless it lowers property values or is dangerous.

Put the best face outward: It’s common practice to put the more finished side of your fence facing the street and your neighbor’s yard.  

Maintain and improve: It’s your responsibility to clean and maintain both sides. If an aging section starts to lean, shore it or replace it. 

Good-to-knows

  • If you have a valid reason for wanting an extra high structure, to block a nasty view or noisy street, apply to your zoning board for a variance. Neighbors can comment on your request during the variance hearing.
  • If your neighbors are damaging your fence, take photos and try to work it out with them first. If they don’t agree to repair it, take your fence dispute to small claims court. Award limits vary by state: $1,500 in Kentucky to $15,000 in Tennessee.

Ann Cochran has written about home improvement and design trends for Washingtonian, Home Improvement and Bethesda Magazine. 

“Visit Houselogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.”

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Friday Night Live Concerts in Belmont

Tuesday, May 3rd, 2011

Once again the Belmont Merchant’s Association is presenting their Friday Night Live Concert Series in downtown Belmont.  Below is the line up of entertainment for this year.

The concerts will be held on South Main Street between the railroad tracks and Myrtle Street.  This includes a block more of space than what has been used in the past.  Concerts will start at 6:30 and last until 9PM except for the July 1st concert which will last until 10PM.  Beer and wine will be sold during the events which are free to the public.

May 20, 2011: CHAIRMEN OF THE BOARD sponsored by BB&T
June 3, 2011: HIP POCKET
June 17, 2011: BILLY SCOTT & CLIFFORD CURRY
July 1, 2011: TAMS sponsored by WILBERT PLASTICS, INC. (followed by fireworks)
July 15, 2011: COASTLINE
July 29, 2011: BAND OF OZ
August 12, 2011: COMING UP BRASS
August 26, 2011: TOO MUCH SYLVIA-CAROLINA CONNECTION
September 9, 2011: EMBERS sponsored by WACHOVIA

 
 

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To Improve or Not to Improve My Belmont Home

Thursday, April 28th, 2011

You learn something new every day. This article from NAR and HouseLogic.com has a formula you can use to see if you are over improving for your neighborhood. I haven’t seen that formula before but I agree with it completely. Bottom line, don’t over improve to the point you make your home the largest and most expensive in the neighborhood. Also, don’t add items that are not typically found in other homes in your community. If you want a bigger, fancier house, then financially you may come out better if you sell and start over. Irl Dixon

  • Should You Move or Remodel?

    When your house no longer suits you, you can move or remodel. Find out which big change is the right investment of your housing dollars. Read

Visit houselogic.com for more articles like this.

Copyright 2011 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

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Incentives Can Help You Sell Your Belmont NC Real Estate

Thursday, April 21st, 2011

Sometimes you need a little edge on your competition when selling your home even in a place like Belmont.  Builders, for instance, offer refrigerators, washer/dryer packages, free upgrades, and other incentives to move finished inventory.  They also offer Realtors bonuses, free trips, gas cards, and other goodies to try to get additional traffic.  When you have a lot of competition in your price range or in a large neighborhood like Belle Meade or Adams Bluff, or if you are competing with builders in an unfinished neighborhood like Stowe Ridge,  you might want to think of something to sweeten the pie.  Check with your realtor and make sure it won’t be a problem with the buyer’s lender.  Some things that may be left behind are better offered with a side agreement not associated with the contract.  Have a lawyer provide you with a form transferring those items after closing.   Here is an article provided by NAR and HouseLogic.com with some ideas.  Irl Dixon

Dos and Don’ts of Homebuyer Incentives

By: G. M. Filisko 

Published: September 1, 2010 

Homebuyer incentives can be smart marketing or a waste of money. Find out when and how to use them. 

When you’re selling your home, the idea of adding a sweetener to the transaction—whether it’s a decorating allowance, a home warranty, or a big-screen TV—can be a smart use of marketing funds. To ensure it’s not a big waste, follow these dos and don’ts: 

Do use homebuyer incentives to set your home apart from close competition. If all the sale properties in your neighborhood have the same patio, furnishing yours with a luxury patio set and stainless steel BBQ that stay with the buyers will make your home stand out.

Do compensate for flaws with a homebuyer incentive. If your kitchen sports outdated floral wallpaper, a $3,000 decorating allowance may help buyers cope. If your furnace is aging, a home warranty may remove the buyers’ concern that they’ll have to pay thousands of dollars to replace it right after the closing.

Don’t assume homebuyer incentives are legal. Your state may ban homebuyer incentives, or its laws may be maddeningly confusing about when the practice is legal and not. Check with your real estate agent and attorney before you offer a homebuyer incentive.

Don’t think buyers won’t see the motivation behind a homebuyer incentive. Offering a homebuyer incentive may make you seem desperate. That may lead suspicious buyers to wonder what hidden flaws exist in your home that would force you to throw a freebie at them to get it sold. It could also lead buyers to factor in your apparent anxiety and make a lowball offer.

Don’t use a homebuyer incentive to mask a too-high price. A buyer may think your expensive homebuyer incentive—like a high-end TV or a luxury car—is a gimmick to avoid lowering your sale price. Many top real estate agents will tell you to list your home at a more competitive price instead of offering a homebuyer incentive. A property that’s priced a hair below its true value will attract not only buyers but also buyers’ agents, who’ll  be giddy to show their clients a home that’s a good value and will sell quickly.

If you’re convinced a homebuyer incentive will do the trick, choose one that adds value or neutralizes a flaw in your home. Addressing buyers’ concerns about your home will always be more effective than offering buyers an expensive toy. 

More from HouseLogic

Setting the right home price

Using an appraisal to set your home price

Choosing the right offer on your home 

Other web resources

More on homebuyer incentives  

G.M. Filisko is an attorney and award-winning writer who gritted her teeth and chose a huge price decrease over an incentive to sell a languishing property—and is glad she did. A regular contributor to many national publications including Bankrate.com, REALTOR® Magazine, and the American Bar Association Journal, she specializes in real estate, business, personal finance, and legal topics.

“Visit Houselogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®.”

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