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Market Ready? Tips On How To Get Your Home Ready for Market without Breaking the Budget

Thursday, September 29th, 2011

What are the 10 Key Improvements a Home Owner Can Make to Enhance the
Value of their Home, Without “Breaking the Budget?”

By: Vicki Kirk Holton-Kirk Holton Team with Keller Williams

Thinking of putting your home on the market? Some homeowners are
reluctant due to the fact that they think they will have to spend a
lot of money to bring their home up to par.
But what are the key improvements one can make without spending a
fortune? Roll up your sleeves and put some “sweat equity ” into your
home! You will reap the benefits!

1) De clutter and pack away all items you can live without for
awhile. A cluttered home always looks smaller.
2) Clean your home from top to bottom…clean, fresh smelling homes
sell much more quickly.
3) A fresh coat of paint in a neutral color will make you home appeal
to 90% of the buyers rather than 20% of the buyers. (Not everyone will
fall in love with your red dining room.)
4) Clean up and tidy up landscaping. Many homes are eliminated by
buyers at the curb!
5) Purchase a few new light fixtures to freshen up the look of a
porch, dining room, etc. They don’t cost much but can make a big
impact.
6) De personalize….remove personal pictures…from the refrigerator too!
7) Uncover windows that have out dated curtains or shades…buyers
love a light and bright home.
8.)If you have a cat, dog, or smoke odor….open the windows, air out
the home and utilize some air fresheners.
9) After you are finished….ask your agent …or a decorator friend
to assess your placement of furniture…accent pieces, etc.
10) Consider staging if your agent or decorator friend advises it.
It can be a great investment, especially if the home is vacant. Good Luck!

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Is Your Home A Perfect 10? What Sellers Need to Know

Friday, September 16th, 2011

By: Vicki Kirk Holton-The Kirk Holton Team

Everyone out there is aware that there has been a large shift in our
economy…..joblessness plagues our country, along with a myriad of
economic woes. But how has the economy affected the Real Estate
business? In more ways than we can count, but here are a few
examples….. lenders are tightening up their requirements, appraisals
are much more stringent, sellers in most parts of the U.S. are getting
less for their homes.

How does this affect you, a potential seller? Maybe a few years ago
you were shopping for the home which you are now in….and suddenly,
you are faced with selling it in a depressed market. For years, most
homeowners have experienced nothing but the value of their homes going
up.

Alas, we are in a totally different selling environment, and the
majority of sellers are making a small profit on their sale, breaking
even, or some even  losing money.

What does this mean to the seller? The public is no longer buying a home because of emotion …or because  they just “love the house and neighborhood” Purchasers are now devoid of emotion and pretty much analytical. Because of this element, the “shifted market,” buyers have a lot to choose from..and choosey they are. The homes that sell quickly and for the best prices are those that show like a display home, and are maintained beautifully. If your home is not a perfect 10…don’t ask a perfect 10 price. You will be swallowed up by the competition who has gone to the trouble of making their home show well, with no obvious objections for the buyer. Many have professional staging or the advice of a professional decorator. You don’t want to “chase the market”, in other words, price the home  too high, find out later what the buyers object to… then lower the price, or make the repairs. Make a great first impression…you only get one chance for that.

An example would be, agent Mary says the paint in the kitchen needs
freshening …..and there are leak spots on the ceiling from a second
floor bath tub leaking. The leak was fixed a year ago..but the seller
just hasn’t gotten around to painting the ceiling.”It’s fixed,” says
the seller.

Will a potential buyer believe that…NO. Do they know you, the
seller, and assume that you are honest? All they know is what they
see. …and most likely they will choose another home that doesn’t
raise any red flags, because they CAN. The buyers are
analytical…there is not much emotion. If you have a home that needs
repair and you are not able to address the situation …price your
home accordingly…you will save yourself a lot of stress and wasted
time on the market.

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Picture Ready: The Importance of Pictures on the Internet When Selling Your Home

Monday, May 16th, 2011

The pictures: Important component to marketing and selling your home

By: Katie Kirk-The Kirk Holton Team

Most people by now have come across the statistic that over 90% of
buyers are viewing properties on the internet. Gone are the days where sellers
and agent relied on the Open House as the primary means of viewing the home.
Now, the buyers get on the internet and preview the home and weed out ones they never intend on viewing. Guess how they do this? The pictures.

As a seller you want to follow these recommendations as it relates to marketing
your home so you do not get the weed out. Two things are very important. Be sure you choose an agent that uses a professional photographer to do the pictures.
The only exception to this would be a seasoned agent who knows what he/she is doing and also happens to possess the skills and equipment necessary to take
quality photos. Bottom line is it should not be you with your hand held nor your agent that is not experienced as a photographer. If you are unsure, you can always view the pictures of homes that your agent already has listed and judge for yourself. Again, they should be high quality photographs showing off the properties potential and making the best first impression possible.
Second and as equally important is the subject of each shot. The spaces have to be clean, neat (NO clutter) free from distractions. Less is best when it comes to showing off your home. Is your home dated? These factors can cause buyers to weed you out. Most buyers these days want move in ready. You do not necessarily need to spend thousands updating your home but make it as neutral as possible.
Get rid of dated furniture. Unsure if your falls into this category?  Ask your agent for his/her professional opinion. This is not something to take personally. Appealing to the greatest number of buyers is important and if they see dated furniture they will think house is dated too. Ask agent to recommend a stager to have a more updated, neutral look to the home. This is more attractive to today’s buyers.

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Ready for the Showing? How to Make Your Home Easy to Show

Monday, May 16th, 2011

Making your home easy to show

By:Katie Kirk-The Kirk Holton Team

Your home is on the market and your motivated to get it sold. You are getting some appointments but no contracts yet. These showings are becoming stressful and difficult to work around. Sound familiar? There are a few things you can do to stay showing ready and reduce the stress. It is vital to be able to get any potential buyer into your home at a moments notice. After all, no contracts will magically appear…the first step is to get the buyer in the door. In my experience not every buyer and agent is organized. It is often at a moments notice that a buyer stumbles upon a property and calls his/her agent and requests that an appointment be made in an hour. There are also the “drive by” buyers who see the sign and want to get in. Again, the more your home gets shown the more likely you will get a contract.

Here are a few things to keep in mind. It is best to have the mind set each morning that someone is coming in the house, even if there is not  one scheduled.  So setting aside 10-15 minutes each evening or morning to make sure everything is clean and neat for a showing is recommended. Is this difficult for some families to do with work, and kid schedules? You bet, but it is that important. You do not want to have to tell your agent the house can’t be shown today because it is too messy. Just be in ready mode to the best of your ability at all times. Secondly if you have pets DO NOT let them rule the roost to the extent that you miss showings because they are not put somewhere. You should not have your dog(s) roaming the house during a showing regardless of how friendly they are. There needs to be a plan for this for showings prior to putting the home on the market. If they are in a space in the house and there is any chance they could get out, be sure to leave a note to buyers/agents explaining the situation.  Again, you should not have to decline a showing due to pets.
The last tip has to do with those last minute appointment requests. You are in the middle of dinner and someone wants to come in 30 minutes. No way, you think to yourself. Here is what you can do…ask for a few extra minutes and clean up. You do not have to physically leave your property/neighborhood for the entire time frame of the requested appointment. When you see the buyers pull up, sneak out the back door and go for a walk or make some calls in your car in the driveway. Again, these last minute things will come up and they will be a challenge but do not miss a showing because you think you have to be gone/out of the house for an entire hour, it is ideal but really not the case in these circumstances.
Go over in your mind all the possible scenarios that may happen when a request for an appointment is made. What are the common obstacles? Make sure you overcome these obstacles so you are always ready for a showing. Obviously emergencies, illness, take the exception but these are the only reasons you
should tell your agent it is a “no show” today. Otherwise, get those buyers in! Good luck!

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Two Tips to Increase your chances of getting your home sold FAST

Wednesday, May 4th, 2011

Two tips to increase your chances of getting your house sold fast
By: Katie Kirk

Kirk Holton Team-Keller Williams
Sellers often ask “what is the secret to getting my house sold fast” ? They see that the neighbors house went on the market and sold the first day. Why? How? And how come we are not getting these results? In this unpredictable market there are two things that sellers can do to increase the chances that the house will sell in a short time frame. There is no short cut here with these tips, they do come with some work, time, money, and some willingness to really listen to your agent.
There are two commonalities with sellers who sell fast. The first thing I notice on a home that sold in less than a week is that the home looks like it is out of a magazine. You as a buyer WANT to live there, you HAVE to live there, it looks that amazing. So as a seller, you must do what you can to see that this happens. This is where you need to listen to your agent. If she suggests staging, stage. If your home is vacant with no furniture, but in the best neighborhood ever, does not matter. Stage. Or it may be a matter of rearranging your own furniture, de-cluttering and bringing in a few staging items to jazz the place up a bit. It may be suggested that a professional stager be involved and if that is the case, it will be worth it for you to do this in the long run.  Of course you will want to attend to all the details that also come with presenting your home in this manner. Clean as a whistle, fresh paint and touch ups as needed, smelling clean and fresh, impeciable landscaping…We all have looked through the magazines and know what “out of a magazine” means. Again, this will take time, and money but it will be worth in the long run.
The second and most critical factor is that the home is priced to sell. Your agent should suggest a price range on where to list your home and you should inquire
about the price point that will mostly likely produce an offer. Based on the comparable properties in your area, he/she should be able to make a suggestion.
Get your home on the market priced to sell and looking like it is
out of a magazine and expect to see some activity that will hopefully result in
a contract right away. Good luck!

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Dear Rita: Another Price Reduction?!?

Tuesday, April 5th, 2011

Dear Rita,

I have been trying to sell my home for several months now. We started at a price that was about $20,000 over the suggested range that our Realtor gave us. We reduced it by $10,000 30 days into the listing. We are now 74 days
on market and are wondering what we should do now. There have been no offers. Our Realtor has suggested another price reduction and has told us that anything under a 5% reduction is usually not effective. She also keeps saying that we are “chasing the market.” What do you suggest?

Frustrated in Missouri
Dear Frustrated in Missouri,

Your issue is very common, especially in this market. This is an example of why it is so important to follow price recommendations that your Realtor provides. Even when you do follow them it is still up to the BUYER (and the bank) to determine the ultimate sale price of your home. The feedback, offers, and eventual contract price you agree to ends up being your sale price. It is better to get to this likely sale price sooner than later. You run the risk of chasing the market and selling for less than you would have if you priced it correctly on day one of the listing. So at this point in time, the sooner you get to a price point that a buyer is willing to pay, the sooner you will get a contract. And, yes I agree with the statement about reducing by 5% or more. If you are going to reduce it you need to have it be an effective enough reduction that the new price is introduced to a new group of buyers. If your sale price is $300,000 and you reduce to $290,000 isn’t it likely that if someone was going to write for $290, 000 they would have done so at the $300,000 price point? By getting to 5% reduction or more…you will open up to the buyers in the $270,000-$280,000 range. In the end we know that this is not the news you want to hear. As listings agents we have two jobs…to get you the most for your property and to get it sold. Ideally both happen but in  this market you are lucky to get your home sold. Price or reduce your price as your Realtor recommends with the hope of getting a contract sooner than later. Days on market are your enemy. Best of luck! Rita the Realtor

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Buyer’s First Impressions: Important Tips for Selling your Home

Monday, January 24th, 2011

Buyer’s First Impressions: Important Tips for Selling your Home

By:Katie Kirk-Kirk Holton Team

It is no mystery that first impressions matter. As the saying goes “you do not get a second chance to make a first impression” so when it comes to selling your home why do so many homeowners overlook this important factor? As an Agent it always amazes me how many homes present with a first impression that is anything but memorable. Often, the first thing that I notice my potential buyer comment about is the defects or imperfections upon pulling up to the home.
Homeowners who plan on selling their house must do one thing before showings begin. Pull up to your home after running an errand and pretend you are a buyer. You need to scrutinize the first impression of your home just like every buyer and Agent will be doing in the very near future. How does the lawn look? Landscaping? These are usually the first things buyers notice. Do not overlook the importance of mowing the lawn on a regular basis and keeping landscaping looking fresh-believe me people notice this. If these items are neglected then generally the buyer concludes that there will be additional imperfections. Why plant that seed upon the first impression? Second area of importance is the front door. Again, so many times I see dirty front doors with cobwebs everywhere, damaged door frames, peeling paint…take the time to clean and paint this area if necessary. Again, two strikes against you as homeowner if lawn/landscaping is unkept, as well as the front door. The buyer has not even walked inside yet! Imagine what the mindset is before they even walk into your home. If you blow the first impression you are likely to impact showing appointment in a negative manner.  You want to do everything you can to make sure your home is on the buyers “list” to seriously consider for purchase. The third thing is to make sure that the siding of your home (or brick) is clean and in shape. This is something else that buyers notice. Siding that is dirty or brick that needs to be tuckpointed will surely be noticed. So sellers take note! There are three things to attend to that fall in the first impression category: Lawn/Landscaping, Front door and Exterior of home. Make sure all of these things are in tip top shape and you will make a positive first impression on buyers and agents!

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How to Make Your Home a Perfect 10!

Monday, January 10th, 2011

HOW CAN YOUR HOME BE A PERFECT 10?

by:Vicki Holton-Kirk Holton Team

Wouldn’t you like your home to be a perfect 10? Here are a few suggestions to help you reach that goal. First of all…make sure it is in GREAT condition: No repairs needed…no landscaping that needs sprucing up, everything squeeky clean and in good shape. Next…offer good terms:..make it easy to show, available for a quick closing if need be…and, possibly  offer to pay some of the buyer’s closing costs. Flexibility will get you far in this competitive market! Then improve the way the home shows. Can you leave lights on, open drapes or shades to let sunlight in, make sure the landscaping is neat and in good shape?  And further..can you have it staged if it is vacant? Does the home look as nice as it can possibly look? Are you utilizing it’s full potential to get the best price? Sometimes, spending a little money can reap great rewards and the $5,000 you spend can earn you another $10,000 when you go to sell. Make sure the price is in a range that will generate activity in the form of showings. Watch for warning signs, such as, agent elimination. If the home is not being shown by agents, there is a good  chance the price is too high. Agents don’t like to show homes they cannot sell…so..if no one is showing it…it may be the time to re examine the price with your agent. And remember…your home is NOT worth…What you have in it, what you need out of it, what you want to get, what your neighbor got, or what it appraised for. Your home is worth what a buyer is willing to pay for it!
If you take a serious look at your home and follow these tips, your home can become the “perfect 10,” or pretty close to it!

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Why Seller’s Should Consider Staging

Tuesday, December 28th, 2010

Why Seller’s Should Consider Staging
By:Katie Kirk

To stage or not to stage? This is often a question many sellers have when it is time to put their home on the market. Many people find that they need to move out of state or simply move on, yet have not sold their home yet-leaving the home vacant. Most agents would agree that staging is an important component to selling the home. A home must feel “homey”, inviting, and cozy. You will not illicit this feeling from a buyer if there are no items in the home. Therefore staging to help define the space and create that cozy impression is highly recommended. It is important that the style of the staging items that are used are a good fit with the general décor of the house. You would not want to use super modern looking furniture and accents in a home that would be described as “cottage” style home. It is important to have the staging items be neutral, and not anything that would distract the buyer. Again the key is to highlight the property and create a sense of “home”.

It is also recommended that sellers who do still live in their home while it is on the market, consult with their agent about the appearance of the home and whether or not it should be staged. A stager does not necessarily have to come in with new items. Ideally the seller can use current furniture/accent items in the home. Sometimes it helps to do some rearranging of items and eliminate some furniture
to create more space.

It is very important to get rid of clutter. Less is more when it comes time for buyer to view your home. And just when you think you have de-cluttered enough…you probably haven’t. You want the spaces in your home to look big and open, clutter works against that impression and it distracts the buyers. It is very helpful to have someone (your agent, a professional stager) take a look at your current furnishings/décor and determine if there are any changes that can be made to enhance and improve the look of the home. You only get a moment to make that first impression when the buyer walks in the door so it is vital that it is a positive impression.

In addition, if you have outdoor spaces you will want to make sure these spaces are staged to look inviting. The front door, porch, area around the front door is very important-it should be clean, neat and leave a positive impression. Sometimes a tasteful wreath and/or planters are needed to dress up the area that is the first impression of the home. You want buyers to walk around the entire property and imagine themselves enjoying both indoor and outdoor spaces.

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Top 10 Seller Mistakes

Tuesday, December 28th, 2010

Top 10 Seller Mistakes
By Vicki Holton
Kirk Holton Team

The most common mistakes sellers make when trying to sell their home

Your home is your castle..YOU know what looks best for you and your family to enjoy the home and make it comfortable, but what are buyers and their agents looking for? Here are some tips from the Kirk Holton Team to help you see your home through the more objective eyes of an agent or buyer prospect. This is a list of DONTS, and believe me, we have encountered all of these “seller mistakes!” If even ONE or TWO of these mistakes applies to your home, you may have difficulty selling it.

1. Don’t mow the lawn or rake, trim bushes, etc. for showings, planting flowers is a waste of time too

2. Forget exterior painting..they will want to change the color anyway

3. Have an uninviting front door with hardware that needs polishing, cobwebs, and peeling paint

4. Make sure that the buyer smells an odor of cigarette or cigar smoke when they enter the home, or cook a dish with garlic right before the showing

5. Allow your dog to roam the house and jump on people as they enter…they are sure to love your dog as much as you do

6. Do not clean, pick up wet towels or tidy up…a home should look lived in!

7. Keep the drapes closed for a cozy, dark feeling

8. Keep the AC and Heat off, make the buyers as uncomfortable as you can with the temperature of the home

9. Make sure things fall out of the closets when you open them…it will make the storage seem larger

10.Don’t replace light bulbs…especially in the basement…that way the buyers can’t see all the mess and dusty appliances

If you make even two of these mistakes…no wonder your home is not selling!

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