by David Glenn | Jan 30, 2017 | CRESTICO
Whether you have plans to sell your home as a for sale by owner listing or through the help of a Real Estate agent, you want your home to sell quickly and for a price that is close to the asking price. How attractive or appealing the home is plays a major role in this. You want the home to look well-maintained and clean as well as stylish. There are a few steps that you can take to improve your property and make it more attractive to potential buyers.
Price the Home Right for the Market
One of the most important factors that will impact how attractive or appealing a property is is the price. With an attractive price, the property will gain more attention from interested buyers. If a home is overpriced for the market, on the other hand, a property may not look as appealing to a buyer as another property that is more affordably priced. Your real estate agent can help you to determine the best asking price for the property given current market conditions.
Clean the Front and Backyard
The front yard is one of the first property features a buyer will notice, and this is because the front of the home is one of the first images a buyer will see when looking at the home online. It also is what will make a first impression of the home on the buyer when he or she drives up for a tour. The backyard is equally as important. Keep in mind that nobody wants to inherit your junk when they buy a new house. Clear away clutter and debris from the yard. Make it look pristine, and take time to mow and edge. For the best results, plant seasonal blooms in the flower beds, and cover these beds with a fresh layer of mulch.
Invest in Power Washing Services
If your home is like most, the exterior of the home may be filthy. It may have ground in dirt in the patios and walkways, mildew growing on the siding or roof and even staining on the bricks. Power washing can go a long way toward removing these spots and stains and can leave the property looking fresh and clean. Professional power washing services are best if you want to minimize potential damage that could be caused by the powerful stream of pressurized water. This can break windows, damage the paint on siding and more if you are not careful.
Spruce Up the Front Entryway
Continuing to pay attention to the exterior of the home, take time to make the exterior of the front entryway look attractive. Keep in mind that the front door is a focal point of the exterior of the home in online pictures. It also an area where the buyers may stand for long moments while they wait for the agent to open the front door. Add potted plants to the patio, and replace the worn out welcome mat. Replace or repaint the front door, and update the door hardware for the best results.
Replace Outdated Fixtures
If you have extra money in your home preparation budget, a smart idea is to take a closer look at your home’s fixtures. This includes electrical fixtures and plumbing fixtures. These items can date a home quickly, and you can easily improve the look and appeal of your home by modernizing them with new features. You may also consider replacing the door hardware, and focus on using the same type of finish throughout the home for a cohesive look.
Eliminate Unpleasant Odors
A home that smells like cigarettes, pets or even some types of food may not be appealing to be in. It can be difficult, however, to determine what your home smells like because you can become accustomed to odors. You can ask a friend or family member to give you their honest analysis of your home’s odors. You can also leave the home for several hours and take a deep breath upon returning. Cleaning carpeting and upholstery is often one good step you can take to improve the smell in your home.
Paint the Walls a Neutral Hue
Many homeowners love to get creative with paint colors, but bold or unique colors are often not appealing to buyers. A smart idea is to repaint the walls a neutral color for greater universal appeal. In addition to making the home look more inviting, it can make the rooms look larger and can eliminate some of the unpleasant odors that may have been locked into the walls.
Show Some Love to the Flooring
Your home’s flooring requires significant attention when preparing to list your property for sale. This is because it covers the entire surface area of your home and is a true focal point in the space. If you have tile, take time to replace chipped tile and grout, and professionally clean the grout. For carpeting, steam clean or shampoo the floors to restore its look to like-new condition. For wood flooring, follow manufacturer’s care instructions, such as waxing or polishing the floor. In some cases, homeowners may decide to replace the flooring altogether. If you choose to proceed with this option, choose flooring that has universal appeal to most buyers.
Remove Personal Items From the Home
A final step to take to improve the appeal of your home to potential buyers is to remove all personal items from the property. Ideally, your buyers will be able to envision themselves living in the home, but this can be hard to do if there are family photos of your loved ones hanging on the walls or trophies of another child’s sports endeavors on a shelf.
The decision to list your home for sale is not a matter to take lightly, but there are many benefits for doing so. For example, you may have plans to upgrade to a larger home, downsize to a more affordable home or relocate to take advantage of career opportunities. Before you can achieve these or other goals, however, you need to find a buyer for your home. Through these efforts, you can more easily improve the appeal of your property and attract interested buyers.
by David Glenn | Jan 18, 2017 | CRESTICO
Buying a home is a dream for many people living in America today. Renting a home is like throwing away money every month. It helps the owner of that home build up equity without helping the renter. The problem is that many people do not have the funds in their bank accounts or budgets to gather up enough cash for a down payment. As lenders often ask for a down payment equal to 10% of the home’s total purchase price, it’s easy to see why so many middle class people keep renting. Some are smart enough to know how to put money back to buy a house though.
Compare Mortgage Rates
According to Freddie Mac, mortgage Interest Rates dropped for the first time in months at the beginning of 2017. Freddie Mac found that these rates dropped to 3.44% on 15-year fixed rate mortgages and to 4.20% on 30-year fixed rate mortgages. These figures represent the interest charged on Home Loans taken out this year alone. Comparing mortgage rates is a smart way for prospective home buyers to see the rates charged by different lenders and to see which lenders will give them the best rates to help them better afford their dream homes.
Look at Mortgage Types
Smart home buyers will compare and contrast different loan types to determine which one will help them spend less money on a loan. A fixed rate mortgage is a home loan that comes with one interest rate that never changes over the course of the loan. An adjustable rate mortgage is fairly different because the interest rate on that loan changes as the market changes. Bank Rate also describes an interest only jumbo loan, which allows a buyer to pay only on the interest on the loan for up to 10 years before making payments on the loan’s principal.
Think Outside the Box
Thinking outside the box can help almost anyone find a solid home without spending a lot of money and without saving for years. The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, also known as HUD, offers residential properties for sale, including single family homes and buildings that can accommodate up to four families. Though anyone can purchase one of these homes with proper financing in place, HUD explains that homes will typically go to those willing to live in the home first before the department will offer those homes to investors. The Federal Housing Administration can also assist American citizens with housing purchases. It even has a program designed to help community workers purchase homes.
Create a Savings Account
One of the best ways to save for a new home is with a dedicated savings account. Many financial institutions now offer a round up plan. When an individual uses his or her debit card to make a purchase, the bank will round up to the next dollar and put that extra cash in the individual’s savings account. If a purchase cost $8.19, the bank will put $.81 cents in the account. Some will find it helpful to save any dollars they get back from making cash purchases and deposit those bills in their savings accounts later.
Save On Other Purchases
Comparison shopping helps customers find the best prices on the products and services that they need. Whether they save money on car insurance after retirement, landscaping or even new glasses, they have more money they can put back towards a down payment. Comparison sites allow shoppers to enter the product they want and view how much that item costs on multiple websites, including any shipping or handling fees charged by the site. Even saving a few dollars on groceries is a few dollars more towards a dream house. Smart home buyers know that saving and putting back cash and looking at mortgages and rates can help them buy the perfect home.
by David Glenn | Jan 18, 2017 | CRESTICO
Having a home theater used to be considered a luxury reserved only for the wealthy. Key theater elements such as impressive sound systems and high-quality seating were once entirely too expensive for the average homeowner. However, today these things are affordable, meaning that anyone can build the theater of their dreams in their own home.
If you are looking to elevate your TV room to a theater masterpiece, there are some key accessories that will transform your movie-watching experience in no time
1. Black-Out Curtains:
A good set of black-out curtains is one of the most inexpensive items on the list, but a necessity nonetheless. Movie theaters are dark for a reason; by keeping the room dark, the picture on the screen can look its best as it is unaffected by light interference. Invest in a pair of black-out curtains which will completely block light out of your room.
2. A Quality Sound System:
One major difference between watching a movie in a movie theater and at home is the quality of sound. Movie theaters use surround sound which allows you to hear sound all around you. Also, movie theater sound systems pick up a wider range of frequencies so that the sound is much more realistic.
Investing in a good sound system is essential, and luckily, quality sound systems are more inexpensive than ever, with many exceptional systems costing under $2,000. Plus, most of these new models take up less physical space than they ever have.
Despite the fact that they are more affordable than before, this is definitely not a place to skimp as the quality of sound will make or break your movie-watching experience.
3. A Large, High-Quality Screen:
You can’t watch a movie without a screen. To really mimic the feel of a movie theater, you will want a screen that is at least 50 inches wide. There are countless high-definition LED televisions on the market that come in a range of sizes. These can be fairly expensive, however, especially when you opt for a larger size.
Luckily, there are many high-quality movie projectors which will cost you under $1,000. Many projectors offer features like 3-D capabilities and high-definition viewing.
To complete the theater experience, invest in a wall mount so that your screen is attached to the wall. These mounts are inexpensive but make a big difference when it comes to creating the feeling of a real movie theater in your own home.
4. Comfortable Seating:
No matter how good the movie is, it’s hard to enjoy a film when you are sitting in an uncomfortable chair. Comfortable seating is a crucial part of the movie-watching experience.
Reclining chairs are a favorite for home movie theaters, allowing the viewer to truly relax while enjoying their favorite film. Quality back support is a must as chairs with poor back support will cause pain and discomfort which will ruin the movie-watching experience. Extra features like heating and drink holders add an element of luxury and will be loved by all your guests.
Now that you have all the elements you will need to create a movie theater in your own home, there are some important tips to keep in mind while you put the room together. First, it is crucial that you do not place your speakers on any pieces of furniture. This will muffle the audio as the furniture will absorb much of the sound.
Secondly, arrange your room in a way that those entering or leaving the room will not be walking in front of the screen. This can majorly disrupt the viewing experience for the rest of those watching the movie.
Lastly, remember that the space between your screen and your seating has a large effect on your viewing experience. Sitting too close or too far away will negatively impact the way you perceive the quality and details of the movie. There are online calculators which will determine the ideal space between your seating and your screen based on the size of your room and the size of the screen itself.
Building a theater in your home is easier than ever, and by following these simple instructions you will have the ultimate theater masterpiece for friends and family to enjoy forever.
by David Glenn | Dec 28, 2016 | CRESTICO
As your retirement date approaches, you may be actively moving forward with plans to prepare for retirement. For example, you may be researching low cost health insurance options for retirees or making an effort to transition your spending so that it is more in line with your fixed retirement budget. One of the most significant factors that retirees consider is what to do with their housing situation. More specifically, should you move into a new home or remodel your current home so that it meets your current and future needs? Future needs, for example, may include transitioning from a two-story home to a one-story home with handicap accessible features. There is no right answer to this important housing question, and retirees should carefully review the two options available to determine what is best for them. By focusing on a few points, you may realize that one option is more clearly aligned with your goals and objectives than the other.
The Financial Aspect
There are numerous financial factors to consider when you determine which location is most affordable to live in. For example, when comparing two separate homes, you may analyze factors like the mortgage expense as well as property taxes, insurance and utilities costs. However, the cost of living in an area, state and local income tax and even estate taxes may also play a role in where you choose to live. In addition to these points, consider how you plan to spend your days in retirement, and you may find that it is more cost effective to live in certain areas to enjoy your daily activities. For example, if you plan to travel, living close to an international airport or a popular cruise port may be financially advantageous. If you plan to golf, living in an area that has dozens of golf courses close by may be beneficial. Remodeling your home locks you into living in your current location, but there may be benefits associated with relocating to a new area.
Intangible Benefits
There are also intangible aspects associated with remodeling or relocating. Many retirees may have spent long years or even decades in their current home. They may have many friends and neighbors in the community that they would have to say goodbye to if they move far away. They may also have significant memories of kids growing up and major life events that occurred while living in the home. While some people may have trouble emotionally detaching from a home, some may also have trouble remodeling their home for these same reasons. If you are trying to decide between moving or relocating, consider the fact that the emotional upheaval of a major remodeling project can be just as traumatic as a full relocation.
The Risks and Downsides
While there may be financial advantages and intangible advantages associated with both relocating and remodeling, there also may be many risks and downsides to consider. For example, if you choose to remodel your home, you may have to deal with personal injury lawsuits from poorly selected contractors or even shoddy workmanship that affects your property value. If you choose to sell your home and relocate, you may have to contend with unexpected repair work on the new home that you have not budgeted for. These are only a few of the potential risks and downsides associated with relocating to a new home, and you should fully research all possibilities before you make a final decision about how to proceed.
One of the toughest decisions you will have to make when preparing for retirement is choosing where to live. With so many different options available to you, it can be difficult to narrow down the options and to make a wise, informed decision. As you explore the living options for your retirement years in greater detail, focus on each of these points to help you eliminate options that may not be best suited for you.
by David Glenn | Dec 13, 2016 | CRESTICO
People take pride in their homes. It can be wonderful to live in a residence that makes you feel good about yourself. If you have a well-maintained home, inviting guests over can be a comfortable and easy experience. There are many homeowners out there who are constantly searching for things they can do to improve their properties. Home improvements can increase your comfort and quality of life. They can do a lot more than just those things, too, however. They can give your property value a major spike. Strengthening the curb appeal of your property can be beneficial to people who are contemplating possibly selling later on. If you want to improve your home and potentially strengthen its value in the Real Estate world, there are many great changes you can make to it.
Paint Your Residence
Painting a property can do wonders for its value. No one wants to buy a residence that has chipping and cracking interior paint. No one wants to put their money into a home that has unattractive faded paint on its outsides, either. If you want to give your home value a big spike, painting can make an easy and budget-friendly solution. Your goal should be to paint all of your interior walls meticulously and neatly. A tidy and well-maintained home gives the impression of better value. It’s important to make smart choices in paint color selection as well. If your objective is to better the value of your home, focus on neutral paint color choices. Neutral colors tend to be the most attractive to people. Refrain from the use of paint colors that are excessively loud or bright. These can be off-putting.
Plant a Beautiful Tree
If you want to improve the value of your home, don’t concentrate exclusively on the interior. Make a point to focus on your outdoor property, too. Your outdoor space will actually be the first thing potential purchasers see, after all. That’s precisely why it’s so important to make sure that it appears as enticing and aesthetically pleasing as possible. Landscaping can do so much for home value. Think about planting a lovely shade tree on your lawn. Mature trees can beautify landscapes in a significant way. They can also offer practical advantages. If you grow a tree in a strategic spot, it can reduce your monthly cooling bills dramatically. It may be able to reduce these bills by upward of 40 percent. The presence of mature trees, lastly, can also help the environment. They can give animals in your neighborhood a nice place to live.
Add a Pool
It may seem like a big investment to add a pool, but as you invest more into your home the more it will be worth in the long run. Pools are seen as a luxury that not everyone has, so adding a pool to your home will give it a distinction in the neighborhood, and your home will be seen as a home of value compared to the houses around you.
Invest in a Room Addition
Room additions can be amazing for people who want to improve residential value. It doesn’t matter if you get a room addition that serves as an entertainment center, extra storage space, a guest bedroom or anything else. Customized room additions can up the value of your home considerably. They can make your home significantly larger. Who in the world doesn’t want or crave extra space? You can get creative with your room addition, too. You can turn it into an entertainment haven by adding a home theater to it. You can turn it into a designated kiddie play zone by filling it with toys, a jungle gym and beyond. You can do whatever you want. The sky’s the limit.
Renovate Your Bathroom
Bathrooms are big business in the home remodeling universe. If you want to better your home value, it can be wise to zero in on your bathroom. Bathroom renovations can go a long way. They don’t have to cost a lot of money, either. If you want to give your bathroom a quick overhaul, take out old lights and switch them with new ones. Take out old-fashioned wallpaper and switch it with something a lot more contemporary and fresh. Seemingly small tweaks and adjustments can actually do a lot for the value of your property.
