Expert Real Estate Team: Your Trusted Source for Up-to-Date Real Estate Knowledge

Sometimes words just aren't enough. Check out this great visual we found on Mint.com! 

It's nice to be able to give your eyes and ears a break from the abundant amount of information you find on various websites about the selling process. It can get overwhelming trying to follow the flow of things like what to do when and how much paperwork you'll actually have to sign. While we are more than happy to answer any of your questions, here's a handy visual that may help some of the confusion.

If you have any questions or would like more information about selling or buying a home, call our office at 864-895-9791. 

So you've listed your home and some time has passed. Now thoughts start creeping into your head, why is my home not selling? The longer your home sits on the market; buyers may ask what’s wrong with that home? 

Here are 6 reasons why your home has not sold, yet:

1. Priced too high in general. Most of the time when a home is not selling, it all comes down to the price. If you've overpriced your home, buyers may not consider your home an option. Most buyers start their home search on the Internet and if you've overpriced your home, your home may not show up in the results of their search – losing opportunities like this can be devastating! If your home is not showing up in search results, you’re limiting your pool of potential buyers and keeping your house on the market longer than it needs to be. 
2. Priced too high for your neighborhood. Yes, your house is amazing and you've probably done tons of work to stand out in your neighborhood. Unfortunately, that could be working against you. Make sure to not price your home based on what you feel its worth, but based on the market and surrounding neighborhood is telling you it is worth. If you can get your price a little closer to the surrounding area, it may draw more buyers in. Need help? Find out what your home is worth on our site today!
3. Too Much Clutter. It’s inevitable that you have to live in your home while trying to sell, however a buyer does not want to see all of your stuff! Buyers want to envision living in your home. If you have a mess in your home, you’re pushing away potential buyers causing your home to stay on the market for far too long. Buyers are about to make a huge investment, de-clutter and put away personal memorabilia to make it easy for a buyers to see themselves living in the home. If you need help getting your home ready for the market, contact an Expert Real Estate Team member today!
4. Needs an Upgrade or Needs to be Toned Down. You’ve been in your home for years now and sure, it’s worked well for you but maybe you need to consider upgrading that outdated shag carpet or dated wallpaper. It may not have bothered you but potential buyers may be put off by the thought of how much it would cost to upgrade these items in a home. If you’re interested in selling quickly, you should consider changing the overall look of your home into something more buyer-friendly. Don’t have much money to make improvements? Paint is pretty cheap and will do wonders for selling your home. The least expensive home improvements that will carry the biggest bang for your buck are painting and new carpet. Make sure you choose neutral colors for both and keep in mind, when selecting these things it is not about what you like but what will have universal appeal to the most buyers. If you have more money to spend, consider updating your kitchen or bathroom. These upgrades can go a long way when attracting potential buyers. 
5. An Unfavorable Market. The real estate market can be up and down and unfortunately when the market is against you there is not much you can do. Your options are to lower your price to be competitive or wait until the market improves. 
6. You Didn't Think The Realtor Was Important. For most people, your home is the largest asset you own. Homeowners should take pride in finding the right person to represent you on such an important transaction. Finding the right Realtor can be more difficult than you think. Take the time to interview agents and look at their client reviews and sales history. Remember, we said the number one reason a home doesn't sell is price. If you choose a Realtor that sets the wrong price, you’re in for a long and stressful journey! 

Finally, Seek Help. 

If you’re having trouble selling your home, you may need to schedule time to talk with a Realtor to discuss what may be the problem. If you’re currently listed with a Realtor, they should be able to advise you on what is needed to sell your home – even if it is not what you want to hear. It’s a good idea to seek advice from an expert but more importantly you must apply what you've learned. After doing so, you should be able to sell your home in a timely manner. 

We are always here to help! If you're interested in selling your home or property with us, contact the Expert Real Estate Team today at (864) 895-9791.

Check out this awesome blog we found on Prepthishouse.com

So you've joined the bandwagon. You finally made the decision to sell. You've gone through deep cleaning, decluttering and home staging to make your home attractive and move-in ready. And just like what we always tell you, it’s like living in a hotel suite.

But there’s always a ‘but’. Suddenly, you realized that don’t have hotel maid service or a personal chef, instead you have 2 pets and 3 kids who always run around, jump on the sofa and love to play follow-the-trail-of-random-stuff-to-find-me game.

Welcome back to reality.

You are now faced with a  frightening realization that you need to be able to keep your house just the way it looks right now… because people will be visiting anytime, and sometimes with short notice.

Don’t panic. All your preparation is going to pay off if you maintain your home just the way it is and the inconvenience you are experiencing will be over soon.. when there is a SOLD sign on your front lawn.

So, the question is how will you be able to live comfortably in a staged home if you have a small home, pets and kids?

Here’s how to live in a staged home:

First off, make sure that these 3 post-staging tasks are covered:

Take pictures of your home right after it was staged for a visual reference. How all the items are displayed creates a visual impact so make sure to take close photos of groupings as well as full house shots.

Get the family involved. Assign rooms to each and write instructions on how to keep their respective areas tidy and clean.

Create a daily checklist of chores and again, assign members of the family to help you out. This will help you keep up with people coming in and out of the house.

Basically, there are only two major rules to follow:

#1 Live Clean

Use a splatter guard when cooking and try not to cook food that has strong, lingering odor until the house passed inspections and has been approved.

Don’t let dirty dishes stay exposed in the sink. Wash dishes immediately or put them in the dishwasher. Chances are, there might be people who want to pay a visit who are less than 5 minutes away.

Keep your sponges, scrubs, brushes, dish soap, etc. hidden in one place where you can easily grab them if you need them. Preferably under the sink.

Dirty clothes are not supposed to be on the floor. They belong to the hamper.

Make dusting and vacuuming a regular thing.

Always keep the bathroom and kitchen clean and dry after every use.

Always use coasters to prevent water stains!

Use Zep or Febreeze if you have pets. Keep these odor eliminators (whichever brand you prefer) handy to instantly refresh drapes, rugs, etc.

#2 Live Tidy

As soon as you get up in the morning, make the beds first. If you have small kids and they are not fond of doing this, create a fun game out of it. For example, reward your children with something they like if they manage to make their beds 7/week

Keep your towels dry and smelling clean by tossing them in the dryer and put them back on the bar folded nicely.

Make it a habit to put back newspapers, books, and magazines where they were placed by the home stager.

Keep large trash bags where you can throw stuff that collects around the house. Stow it in your trunk before you drive off when there is a showing.

Delegate special bins where your kids can put their toys, books, and clothes.

Pack prescription drugs in a grab-and-go-case if you need them before leaving the house.

With prices at an all-time low over the last few years, now may be the perfect time to buy land for your future dream home. Before you do so, make sure to do your homework before submitting an offer. You don’t want to end up with property that is a hassle, doesn't meet your building requirements, or that causes you unforeseen expenses. Here are a few tips that can help you save a lot of stress (and money) when purchasing land. 

1. Check Zoning. Check with your real estate agent to ensure the land is zoned residential. You’ll also want to check zoning for neighboring properties because don’t want a big industrial building being built next to your home. Zoning will also tell you the distance required between your future home and the lot lines (called setback requirements) and any height restrictions for the home. Once you have the zoning setback requirements, you can start to get an idea of what size home you can build.
2. Review Homeowner’s Association (HOA) Requirements: If you are purchasing land in a subdivision, you’ll need to check with the homeowner’s association (if there is one) to find out if there are any restrictions on the height of homes or if they limit the distance to a body of water. Some municipalities have established setback requirements from lakes to preserve the natural beauty. The homeowner’s association will also be able to give you any architectural restrictions including maximum and minimum square footage of the home, material requirements (siding, roof, etc.), and architectural style requirements. Also ask your real estate agent if there are any easements on the property. Easements give the right to enter the property for a given reason…maybe to run utilities or repair utilities in the future or maybe to provide access for the neighboring property. Unfortunately, you cannot build in these areas so it’s good to know where they are located.
3. Review Utilities: You will also want to know what utilities are run to the site. This includes electric, phone, cable, gas, sewer and water. If some of these are not available, you will most likely have additional building costs to allow for this utility set up. Sometimes the utility companies will bring service to your site in order to get your business but it really depends on how much effort/expense is involved. If you don’t have city sewer or water available, you will need a septic system and well. Check with the current owner to see if a perk test has been done. This test determines the capacity of the soil for the septic system and will give you an idea of the type of system required. If you need help determining the local utility providers, check with your Realtor. 
4. Determine Fees to Build: Before purchasing your dream lot, you will want to make a trip down to your county’s building and public works department to get a list of fees for building your new home. Be sure to ask if they know of any other fees that you will incur, including permit fees, driveway connection fees, impact fees, tree clearing fees, and water and sewer connection fees (if available). 
5. Legal Review: As with any real estate transaction, consult with your attorney to review the contract. An attorney will recommend you have a title search done to make sure there are no liens or encumbrances on the property. You may also want to have a clause added to the contract to protect you from any abnormal subsurface items. Since you cannot see under the ground, you may want to protect yourself in case the soil is unsuitable to support the home.
6. Visit Property at Different Times: When evaluating properties, visit them at different times of day and different days of the week. You will want to look for any nuisances or annoyances that may not be there all the time. For example, is the property within an airport’s flight path or is there a nearby train that rolls through only at night.

Building your own home is a great way to get exactly what you want and save money. Call one of our Expert Real Estate Team professionals to help you with each of these steps and to avoid being surprised by extra expenses and hassles when you’re ready to build your dream home. 

Not all real estate agents are the same and every agent claims to be the best. It’s your job as the seller to find the right person to take on the responsibility of selling your home. To find the right real estate agent for you, you’ll need to interview potential candidates to ask the right kind of questions. Here are a few to help get you started.

1. How long have you been selling real estate? You want to find out how long a Realtor has been in business but keep in mind. A seasoned real estate agent will be able to prepare you when issues come up and be able to solve those problems. However, more experience does not always mean the agent is better. Younger agents can be hungrier for the sale. If a young agent is supported by a team of seasoned real estate professionals, he or she may be the best candidate to sell your home. It is important to consider which answer to this question would be most appropriate for you.
2. How many homes did you sell in the last year? Of course you want to hear that the agent has sold hundreds of homes in the last year. You want to see a track record of success. Consider asking the agent the same question for the last three years. You want to see that the agent performs regularly year after year despite dips in the economy.
3. Can you tell me the average number of days the homes were on the market? You’ll want to hire a Realtor that will hit the ground running on day one after you've listed your home. By asking this question, you’ll determine how hard the agent works at pricing the home just right and the marketing tactics they use to help sell your home. Remember that pricing a home right is the biggest factor in selling a home quickly. One of the top home seller mistakes when choosing a Realtor is picking someone based on the price they give you (thinking that is the price you want to hear). A good real estate agent factors in market conditions and recent sales in the area to accurately price your home. A home that is accurately priced will sell quicker than an overpriced home. If you’re goal is to sell your home quickly, choose an agent that truthfully prices your home and works hard from day one to get the job done. 
4. Do you have a team or an assistant? Who will be the primary person to communicate with me? An agent that is busy selling homes cannot handle day to day tasks such as paperwork and showing feedback. A good agent will have a team of resources that will assist in the sale of your home. Ask questions about the agent’s team. For example, who will communicate with me? What is their role within your team? As a seller you’ll want to know that the real estate agent you choose is making your home their priority. While you want an agent that has the forethought and resources to hire assistance, you also want someone who makes communications with you and with buyers a priority. Your agent should stay in regular contact with you about what is going on with your sale. Find out more about your agent’s communication plan to ensure you are choosing the right agent to represent you in the sale of your home.
5. How will you use the Internet to market my home? Most buyers start their home search on the Internet. The right agent knows that online presence is important including having an easy to use website that can track who is viewing your property. Also, choose an agent that has the ability to promote listings using social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Google+). The agent you choose should be using modern methods to be in front of more people promoting your home and their business. There are lots of ways of promoting real estate through social media. Real Estate agents that understand this become very visible online and it shows!
6. How will you photograph my home? Can you help make my home more marketable? A good real estate agent is skilled on how to take good photos of your home. If they can’t, a good real estate agent will hire a professional photographer. As we said earlier, buyers begin their home search on the internet and if you don’t have high quality photos of your home online, your home may be overlooked. Also, a good agent will give you tips on how to properly stage your home to make it more desirable for buyers. A good real estate agent will not be afraid to point of your homes’ flaws. There are agents who don’t for fear of losing out on the opportunity to list your home. The best real estate agents never worry about losing business. They always keep the clients best interests at heart.

Finally, take time to make a proper decision. Selling your home can be stressful and you want this to be a smooth process. Use the questions above to help you choose the right agent to sell your home. Contact one of our Expert Real Estate Team members today and we’d love to answer these questions for you.