How to get maximum appraisal value for your home

Appraisals are an especially delicate situation in hot or changing markets. When an agent is highly effective in getting you the maximum value for your home you actually run the risk of the home appraising for less sending you back to the negotiation table with your buyers. So what can you do to get the highest appraisal value out of your home?

Did Someone Die In Your House?

Would you pay $11.99 to check your address for murders, suicides, suspicious or natural deaths, meth lab activity or fires? 

For some people, a death in a home, even of natural causes, can deter them from purchasing or renting a home. In Minnesota, deaths from natural causes do NOT have to be disclosed in a Seller's Property Disclosure Statement.

DiedInHouse.com a web-based service that helps you find out if anyone has died at any valid US address by instantly providing you with information that may impact your decision to purchase or rent a house starting at $11.99 per search.

They also include a search for known meth lab activity and fires in a home. These items are required to be disclosed on a MN Seller's Property Disclosure Statement though it's buyer beware as many sellers may be unaware of things that happened before they owned the home that were not disclosed to them and no matter what, you should always get a professional home inspection done.

Just as with any service, Died in House™ does not guarantee to have identified or confirmed all deaths that have occurred in or at a specific address and they provide no representation as to the presence of any ghost, haunting or any other paranormal activity; or the nature of any such future activities.

Does the thought of buying a home that may have had a death, paranormal activity REALLY BOTHER YOU?  Call me and I will help find out more about researching these things or help you look into building a new construction home.

Are you ready to start your home search regardless?


As a seller, are you questioning what else you may have to disclose when you sell your home? Let's chat further about your options and requirements.

You may also be interested in a C.L.U.E. report or radon testing. There is so much to know when buying a home! Don't get stuck with a rookie!  Call me today!

3 Ways to Build Equity in Your Home

Three Ways to Build Equity in Your Home

1) Use a mortgage calculators and see how adding a little payment to your principal here and there can shorten the length of your loan. The lower your principal gets, the more every payment from then on is applied to principal, as less goes to cover interest expense. Try rounding your payments up by as little as $25 or as much as doubling the principal payment or more.
(*before you make extra payments, read your contract and make sure you won't have to pay prepayment penalties.)

2) Biweekly payments take advantage of the fact that there are 52 weeks in the year and 12 months. If you pay half your regular mortgage payment every other week, you'll have made 26 half-payments, or the equivalent of 13 full monthly payments, at year's end. The extra annual payment can chop about six years off a 30-year mortgage.

Check if your bank will set up a biweekly payment plan. Some banks do it free; others charge. Ask the bank to credit extra payments toward principal so you save more on interest expense. Some banks set aside extra payments until the end of the year. *Do not pay a 3rd party to set this up for you when you can do it yourself!

3)  Maintain your home.  Sounds simple but it's important. Well maintained homes are worth more that identical homes that have deferred maintenance.
Everything from keep the caulk around your kitchen and bath fixtures in good repair to cleaning your furnace and changing the filters regularly will maintain and add value to your home.  

Call or email today to get a checklist of items to do each season to help you cost effectively maintain your home and build up your value!

Find Out How Much Your Home Is Worth in Today's Market!

START YOUR HOME BUYING PLAN NOW!

What Top 8 Things Most Affect a Home's Value?

Some things about value can be affected by the home owner... And some can't...

As a seller you can control the following:

--The asking price of your home

--When you will allow showings

--The condition of your home

--Whether you want to sell

As a seller you cannot control the following:

--The location

--The current market

--Interest rates

--The number of motivated buyers in the market

By seeking professional advice and assistance, you can maximize the things you can control and make educated adjustments for those things you can't control.

If you are planning a move, the best investment you can make is hiring the right real estate professional.   

Read more: 10 Things that May Negatively Affect Your Home Value

Check out these Important Home Selling Tips.

See 4 Horrible Real Estate Mistakes to Avoid.

Are you social?

Does your gardening style affect your home's value?

Does your gardening style affect your home's value? Absolutely!  

Curb appeal is a bid deal in real estate resale... after all, it's the first impression a buyer gets when they pull up in front of your house. 

7 Here are 7 Landscaping Mistakes That Wreck Curb Appeal

Don’t let badly designed or maintained landscaping wreck your home’s curb appeal. Here are pitfalls to avoid.

• Planting Without a Plan 
• Zoning Out - Not all plants are meant for your Zone!
• Weeds Gone Wild
• More of the Same-Resist the design temptation to carpet-bomb your yard with your favorite plant or shrub.
• Too Much Togetherness - Make sure your groups of perennials, shrubs, and trees have plenty of room to spread.
• Contain Those Critters - Remember, wildlife such adn deer and rabbits can wreck all your hard work! 
• Refusing to Bury Your Dead - Send the dead, worn out landscaping to the compost pile.
•   Read Full Article for more details. Visit houselogic.com for more articles like this. Copyright 2015 NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS®

Thinking about selling your home? Get more advice to spruce up your home from a real estate expert!

buy-sell-invest-with-the-best.com

Do You Need a Laundry Room Makeover?

Laundry Room Makeovers!

We spend SO MUCH TIME on laundry!  It doesn't need to feel like you are trapped in a dungeon to do it with these great ideas!  Whether your laundry space is tiny or in the basement or part of your mudroom, check out these excellent ideas to make it great! Whether you bring your laundry room to the main level, combine it with a workout space, add a TV or just spruce it up a bit, find your inspiration here!

Follow Sarah's board Laundry Rooms on Pinterest.

See my other posts about laundry tips and organizing!

Other posts about Pinterest, Curb Appeal and Sprucing Up Your Home.

Real Estate Fact: Buyers LOVE great laundry rooms almost as much as they love great kitchens and bathrooms! Learn more about selling your house for Top Dollar!

Twin Cities Home Seller Resources

The Best Resources for Selling a House

When you are selling a house, you need to be sure you have the proper resources.  Your number one resource is a professional, full-time, experienced real estate agent. They will handle most things in the transaction with limited involvement from you from marketing to hiccups between offer and closing.  This is what you are paying them to do!

Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your Realtor (R) and some resources you can review on your own, including this 7 Step Selling Guide.


If you are not getting a weekly Market Watch email, contact your agent. 
Watching the market is key to ensuring you are getting the maximum sale price for your home. 

Marketing Plan
Your agent should have a strong marketing plan.  Most home buyers start their search online so their online marketing plan should be strong. Request Sarah's Plan.

Real Estate Vocabulary- learn the lingo!
Preview the language real estate and mortgage professionals use so that your next conversation or email doesn't fly right over your head. And remember, if your agent or lender says something you don't understand, ask for clarification. The old cliche applies, there are no stupid questions!

Staging Tips
Your home should put it's best foot forward!  Staging will help the buyer visualize themselves there.  Once you hire an agent, they should be able to give you staging advice or hire a stage to help get your home ready.

Cleaning Tips
Let's face it, we can't smell ourselves like others can and we certainly don't notice those dirty socks in the corner as quickly as a buyer will.  Get some solid advice on making your home feel (and smell) clean!

Maintenance Tips
Oh, you thought this was just about putting a sign in your yard? Not if you want the best price for your home! A home inspector is paid to pick your house apart. Talk to your agent about what repairs are most important.

Moving Tips
If you're selling a house, you're moving.  Why not get professional advice!

11 Shocking Facts You May not Know About Real Estate Agents

What Does a Listing Agent Do For a Home Seller in MN?

Seller Wake Up Call !

Get My 27 Page Home Marketing Plan

Are You Ready to Sell YOUR Home?

To get your home sold for the most amount of money, in your time frame, with the least amount of headaches, you need a perfected, proven marketing plan with a big budget.  

To see how I create a custom marketing plans for each and every home and how I spend thousands of dollars each year marketing and servicing clients – fill out the form or call Sarah right away 651-964-0289.

Want a copy of my 27 page marketing plan? Call Sarah First at 651-964-0289 for a private review or email me to receive your copy today!

Other Seller Resources

This Month In Real Estate

Eight steps to selling your home

How can a real estate agent help me sell my home

How to price to sell and still make a profit

Practicing good seller's etiquette

Understanding the buyer

Increasing your home's appeal

Mortgage Calculator

Contact us about selling a property

Top 10 Dates To List or Buy A Home

The top four months for new listings are March, April, May and June. 

 These months alone accounted for two-fifths of all new listings in this analysis of 2014. While not devoid of new listings, the weekends are obviously not popular days to list. Thursday and Fridays are the most common days for new listings to go on the market.

Let's Make a Deal on a House

Below, we see the most popular under-contract (signed deals) days of 2014. Similar to the pattern in home listings, we see a strong preponderance of spring dates and lack of weekends. While not devoid of contract activity, the weekends are not common contract signing days.

How Much is Your Home Worth?  |  Search for a Twin Cities Home to Buy

Source: Realtor.org

Collateral Underwriting: Will It Affect Your Home Sale or Purchase in 2015?

Collateral Underwriting: Will It Affect Your Home Sale or Purchase in 2015?

Collateral Underwriter is Fannie Mae’s (and Freddie MAC) new proprietary ‘risk management’ software tool they are releasing to lenders and their business partners, Appraisal Management Companies (AMCs), on January 26, 2015. Fannie Mae claims it is NOT an AVM (Automated Valuation Model) because it does not produce a proscribed value (like other mostly inaccurate online valuation tools do).

The bottom line is that this new program could hold prices down... or even bring them down.  Plus, buyers may get stuck footing the bill for the extra work the appraiser has to do. :-(


Sources:
http://turnersappraisals.com/fannie-mae-to-pick-lowest-risk-comparables-for-appraisers/
Video:  http://thenationalrealestatepost.com/appraisal-time-bomb-coming-in-january-2015/

What home selling tips are the most important for sellers to know?

Trulia surveyed 500 real estate agents about the importance of two dozen top home selling tips. Each tip was then ranked based on the survey responses. Those viewed as being “very important” by 80 percent of agents or more are represented in the infographic here, “Home Selling Tips Every Seller Should Know.”

Here is the full list of important home selling tips from agents across the country in order of top ranked importance (MAKE SURE YOU READ MY FINAL THOUGHT BELOW!):

Price Your Home Realistically From the Start

Keep Your House Clean, Tidy and De-cluttered

Work With an Agent Who Excels at Online Marketing

Make It Easy to Show Your Home

Don’t Sign With an Unqualified Buyer

Listen to Your Agent!

Make Small Upgrades to Your Home

Work With an Agent Who Follows the Competition

Stage Your Home’s Exterior

Don’t Insist on the Asking Price

Alert Family and Friends That You Are Selling Your Home

Make Your Home Move-In Ready

Brighten Up Your Home - Maximize Light

Clear Out Your Closets

Don’t Take the First Offer - (Counter Offer!)

De-Personalize Your Home

Don’t Over-Upgrade

Conceal Your Pets

Don’t Work With the First Agent You Find

Hire a Professional Listing Photographer

Throw Buyers a Bone to Close Escrow Quickly (only 29.5 percent of agents say this is a very important tip)

Offer Up Extras to the Buyers

FINAL THOUGHT
Keep in mind, we don't know the success level of all the agents interviewed for this survey - or the intentions of their answers.
For example, I noticed that hiring a professional photographer was near the bottom of the recommendation list but top agents across the country say this is a must, especially the higher you get in home value.
I do agree that listing your home for a realistic price from the start is the MOST important thing you can do. Listing high thinking that someone will offer lower just results in getting skipped over altogether.

Remember, for most people, selling (or buying) a home is the largest transaction of their life.  Make sure that you choose and agent that is both qualified and understanding of your needs.

10 Things that Negatively Affect Your Home's Value

Things you MUST do NOW if you are listing your home for sale in the spring.

Are you selling your home next spring?  Read This Now!

Many homeowners that plan on selling their home in the spring don't think ahead to call an agent the summer or autumn before... and they may be hurting themselves money by doing so!

Let's face it, selling a home can be a real pain. Meetings and paperwork then cleaning and showings in hopes for an offer to negotiate and we haven't even mentioned moving or find a new place to live yet!  It only makes sense that get professional help early in the process.

When a good agent gets involved early in the home sale process, you can save yourself headaches and set yourself up to get more money for your home! 

So, if you plan to sell your home in the spring, call me TODAY so I can share some of my secrets with you and get your home sold with the least amount of headaches for the most amount of money on your timeframe - SPRING!!

You will be happy you did!

P.S. You may be wondering why I didn't post my secrets here...  they wouldn't be secrets if I did now would they? :-)

15 Easy Steps To Buying a Home in the Twin Cities

6 Things That Turn Buyers Off

Room Dimensions 101

What Questions Should You Ask When Interviewing Agents To Sell Your Home

What questions should you ask when interview real estate agents to help you buy or sell a home?

While not all of these questions apply to every situation, here are some things that may be important to your real estate transaction. You should consider which areas are most important to you and focus on the answers to those questions.

For example, relocation buyers will need an agent that is very familiar with the area and most likely need an agent that is tech-savvy for completing the transaction remotely.  A seller that is also buying a home may need an agent with a lot of marketing experience plus the resources to help them coordinate their transactions.  In all cases, references are important.

Consider these questions/topics:

• Top Three Things That Make the Agent Different? Examples can range from marketing to knowledge.  Acceptable answers are:

• Strong repeat record of satisfied customers
• Extensive online marketing
• Good negotiation skills
• Extensive resources for financing, inspections, moving, etc

• What market education can you share with me to help me make my decisions?
• How Long Have You Been in the Business?
• How much continuing education do you take or extra certifications do you have?
• Best Marketing Plan / Strategy?
• What areas do they service?
• References/Testimonials?
• Have you received any special recognition or awards in real estate?
• Average List-to-Sales-Price Ratio?
• How many homes have they have sold in the past year?

While some of these are facts that can be verified, some facts can be skewed by perception.

For example, be careful to listen for buzz words and phrases like "my TEAM has sold x number of houses" where TEAM indicates they didn't personally accomplish those sales.

You will have to use your own intuition to decide if the agent is honest and working with integrity. 

When it comes to making the decision to hire an agent, it's best to be upfront about what you are looking for and see if that agent can accommodate and more importantly if they are honest if they can't fulfill your expectation. For example, if you want you luxury home sold in 10 days the agent should be quick to show you average market statistics to give you a reasonable expectation and adjust planning vs just quickly promising the sale.  If most luxury homes sell in 90 days, what might you be sacrificing to sell in 10 days?  You want to know!

Remember, honest agents don't just tell you what you want to hear!  They will show you facts and educate you.

Ready to interview me?  Just give me a call!

Published 11/19/13

If my home sells fast, did I price it too low?

Why is it important to sell your home fast?

Stigma.  If a home sits on the market and buyers see it over and over, they begin to wonder...
What is wrong with the home?  Why is nobody buying that home? That home must not be worth that much money if nobody has made an offer on it. And the seller ends up reducing the price to get fresh eyes on their home.  Which then leads to people BELIEVING it wasn't worth the previous list price.  And if you reduced the price once, will you reduce it again?

A fast sale is ABSOLUTELY CRITICAL if you plan is to find a home to buy before placing your home on the market.

Seven Steps To Selling  |  Sell my house  |  Home Selling Tips  |  Find A Real Estate Agent

Imagine this.
You find a home you love and have your agent make an offer on that home.  Because you don't qualify to own two homes, your agent must make your purchase contingent on the sale of your existing home.
For the seller of the home you love, this is risky.  What if your home doesn't sell? They have now lost critical market time (and therefore $) for their home waiting for you to get your house sold.

So how do you give them confidence in accepting your offer and having faith that you home will sell?  They have to see you are willing to market your home in it's best light at and have it listed at a price that will cause it to sell.  They want to see that your home is presented in such a way that you will get an offer as fast as possible.

So, how can you sell your home fast?  Start with professional photography.


SHOCKING FACTS YOU MAY NOT KNOW ABOUT REAL ESTATE AGENTS