listing | 1st Time Home Buyer ATL

Why Photos are an Essential Part of Selling your Home

So you’re ready to put your home for sale…There’s so much to do to get ready that taking pictures is usually forgotten or pushed to the side. I’m here to say that not considering the picture-taking process as important is misguided. Here are 4 good reasons why good pictures are important when selling your home.

No photos mean no traffic The biggest sin on the photo-front is having no pictures of your home. The first thing that buyer’s agents and buyers do when filtering through home search results is cross off any homes without any pictures. If you don’t have any photos up to show your home then you are immediately eliminating your home from being an option. This is for a number of reasons, but mostly because home buyers think that there are no photos because there is something wrong with the house that the listing agent or owner doesn’t want them to see. Not exactly the impression you want to send when selling your home!
If you don’t care, they won’t either Another drawback to having a few pictures or less is that buyers think that if you didn’t care enough about your home to take quality pictures, then why should they care about your home? Buyers may even take it to mean that if the owner didn’t take care of this easy step, what easy home maintenance issues weren’t taken care of either. It’s a stretch, but buyers are looking for any reason to back out. Don’t give them a chance!
Make the Short List With so much inventory available in the Atlanta real estate market, buyers and agents don’t have time to waste searching out the homes that don’t supply good pictures. This is a way (along with price) that buyers are filtering their search results to end up with a more palatable list of homes to go out and visit.
Wine and Dine Online Almost 9 out of 10 home buyers start the home buying process online searching for their new home. If you don’t have any pictures of your home, your home is not getting their attention. Good photos grab buyers by the throat and politely insist that they come check it out in person. This is even more important in the Atlanta real estate market vs other real estate markets because in Atlanta over 97% of residents have access to a high-speed internet connection. This means that buyers are doing their legwork online and doing their initial viewings virtually. If you don’t have photos readily accessible, buyers don’t have the time or desire to seek them out and you better believe that they have plenty of other homes for sale to choose from…

Good photos make rooms seem bigger and more open, they make “life” at your home seem better. Great pictures are an underrated selling tool in your home selling toolbox. Take full advantage of them and show off your home to the people that want to see it!

SHOULD YOU GET A PRE-LISTING INSPECTION?

3 Ways an Inspection Helps You Sell

Like many homeowners, you might be hoping to capitalize on the hot summer homebuying season to sell your house for a pretty penny. Who knows, maybe you’ll even make enough for the beach house you’ve been eyeing or for a long summer getaway.

But first, you’ll need to get your home ready to sell. And getting a home inspection may be one of the best ways to do that.

Inspections can shed light on potential issues and help you make necessary repairs before listing your home. It might even help you fetch a higher asking price if the inspection shows that your home is in better condition than others in the area.

All in all, an inspection can:

1. Alert You to Issues Before Going Under Contract
A home inspection can highlight issues that might concern potential buyers.

Pro tip: You should fix any issues that pose a safety hazard. And your inspection report can serve as a repair guide before listing.

2. Gauge Your Pricing Expectations
Inspections help you get a handle on what condition your home is in and what price it might fetch.

Pro tip: A clean inspection report, or proof of recent repairs, can help buyers feel more confident in making an offer.

3. Prevent Closing Delays
If issues crop up during the buyer’s inspection, it could delay closing due to repairs or prolonged negotiations. The buyer could even pull their offer altogether.

Pro tip: Fixing issues before listing the home can improve the outcome of your buyer’s inspection. And that could mean less negotiation on the whole.

Keep in mind that inspections come with an upfront fee, and you’ll be legally required to disclose any issues the inspector finds. However, we can discuss the inspection report to see how repairs could affect your home’s market value.

Are you considering selling your home this year? Want to know what it’s worth or what you can expect in today’s market? Reach out today for a free local market report and see how your house measures up.

Make Buyers Feel at Home and Sell Faster

There’s never been a better time to sell a home.

Millennials are ready for homeownership and renters are seeing consistent rent increases. This means more buyers than ever are on the market for a home like yours.

Home equity is also at all-time highs, which makes now the perfect time to sell and get more cash to put toward your next home.

Considering listing your home? Let’s start with the proven ways to maximize your returns:

1. Clear the clutter. Crammed closets and overfilled garages can give buyers the impression your property is short on space. Declutter aggressively to accentuate the storage possibilities buyers get excited about.

Pro Tip: Buyers love to open cabinets and drawers. Clear those spaces, too.

2. Maximize the possibilities. A potential home should be a blank slate — a space buyers can imagine making their own. Keep personal items to a minimum and aim for a neutral look.

Pro Tip: Set the dinner table so buyers can visualize coming home after a long day.

3. Brighten it up. Expose as much natural light as possible. For darker or interior rooms, use high-wattage bulbs in light fixtures.

Pro Tip: A fresh coat of light paint makes a home feel cheerful and shows pride of ownership.

4. Rearrange the furniture. Can people move around without bumping into furniture? Does the layout invite guests to sit down and relax?

Pro Tip: To invite conversation, don’t make a TV the focal point of any room.

5. Outside views matter. Exteriors make a critical first impression. Ace yours by repainting your entry door and polishing the door handle. Potted plants on patios or balconies also make the outside of your home feel welcoming.

Pro Tip: Colorful flowers on window sills look great indoors and add to the outside appeal.

Do you need help staging your home? Or maybe you have budget concerns about upgrades needed before you list. Reach out today. Let’s make sure we maximize the appeal of your home, simply and cost-effectively.

5 Signs You’re Ready to Sell

Have you outgrown your home? Or has your home outgrown you and your household? Fewer and fewer families expect to stay in their first or second home for the long haul. Here are some factors to determine if you’re financially and emotionally ready to sell your house:

1. Growing or shrinking household – – Are you about to welcome a new baby or take in aging parents? Maybe you’re sending your youngest off to college. In any event, if your living space has become too cramped or grown beyond your needs, it may be time to make a move.

2. Plenty of home equity — Subtract the value of your home from the amount you have left on your loan. What’s left over is the equity — or the amount you’ll have post-sale. After you sell your home, you’ll be a buyer again, so having some funds to put down is key.

3. Interest from potential buyers – – You’ll want to list when you know buyers are looking. Some experts say late spring is the ideal time to sell, but peak seasons vary by region. Milder weather can increase buyer interest, but that also means more competition from other sellers.

4. Changing circumstances – – Location matters. Whether your neighborhood dynamics are changing, you’re unhappy with the schools in your area or a new job significantly increases your commute, your community needs to fit your lifestyle.

5. Home improvements – – Renovations may be a wise investment, but it’s best to avoid listing your home in the middle of a project. If you plan to sell your home as is, completing some minor home updates such as new paint and fixtures can be a huge selling point.

Moving is a big decision, one that requires careful consideration. If your needs have changed since you bought your home, don’t hesitate to get in touch.

What if you want to keep the seller’s furniture?

When you buy a pre-owned home, do you know what will come with the house? Do you get to keep all the appliances, the art on the walls or the outdoor pizza oven on the patio?

Determining what will stay with the home and what will go with the previous owner will vary by seller and contract. Here’s how to determine what conveys with the home you’re considering, as well as tips to safeguard yourself when negotiating those extra items.

1. Check the listing. Start at square one and look at the original listing. Hopefully, the seller specified the items included in their home’s asking price.

2. Know the screwdriver rule. For the most part, if it takes a screwdriver to remove, it’s considered a part of the home. This includes shelves, light fixtures, and even curtain rods. But, if it’s hung on a nail, it’s removable and likely not included in the sale.

3. Negotiate with the seller. If there’s something you’re interested in that isn’t part of the listing, we can negotiate with the seller.

4. Talk to your lender. If the seller agrees to include big-ticket items, you’ll want to tell your mortgage lender. Depending on the type of loan you have, it could affect the appraisal or change the value of the property.

So, unless the seller specified the washer and dryer in the listing, you should assume they’re not included. As for the pizza oven? If it’s built into the patio, it’s probably already built into the listing price.

Have more questions about what’s included with a home? Get in touch today.

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Why Photos are an Essential Part of Selling your Home

SHOULD YOU GET A PRE-LISTING INSPECTION?

3 Ways an Inspection Helps You Sell

Make Buyers Feel at Home and Sell Faster

5 Signs You’re Ready to Sell

What if you want to keep the seller’s furniture?

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