3 Tips to Sell for Top Dollar in the Bay Area

When you sell your home, following these three steps will help you net the most money possible on your sale.

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When you sell your home, following these three steps will help you net the most money possible.

1. Staging. The National Association of Realtors has statistically proven that homes that are staged and displayed with great photography (and video) net up to 6% more than houses that aren't.

2. Mega open houses. This is something I share with sellers in our very first consultation. Any buyer who is serious about buying your house will take three showings. The first is typically online (remember, amazing photos and videos are important!) and the second typically happens when a buyer drives around the neighborhood to see if it's one they'd want their family to live in. Can their kids go play at the park? Is this where they'd like to go buy groceries? The third and final showing for motivated buyers is the “mega open house” when they come visit it in person. We hold these mega open houses for all of our sellers, and they are a giant party! We have food, champagne, wine, and beer, and we make it a great experience. Motivated buyers will possibly look at four to eight houses in a given weekend, so we want to be the house that sticks out in their mind.

Buyers will look at up to eight houses in a given weekend, so we want to be the home that stands out.

3. Inspections. When a buyer looks at a home, they like to know that all the little issues have been addressed up front. As a seller, we ideally like to have inspections up front, like the property inspection, termite inspection, and a chimney or pool inspection if the home has them.

If you have any questions about this topic or you're thinking of buying or selling a home here in Bay Area, give me a call or send me an email. I'd be happy to help you out!

3 Tips for Increasing Pre-Sale Value

If you’re selling a house, there are a few smart investments you can make that will actually net you more money in the end.

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When preparing your house for sale, what can you do to it that brings the best return on your investment?

I put together a list of the best things you can do in our market here in the Bay Area.

1. Declutter the house. Your personal ornaments might not be things that buyers are looking at or place value in. Decluttering and making the house as bright as possible will make it look larger.
2. Paint is gold. Think neutral colors on your interior walls for a clean look to increase the value of your home. At the end of the day, it will return more money on your investment.
3. Flooring. New carpet might be one of the cheapest and most effective ways to get more money out of your sale. If you have hardwood flooring, be sure to clean it up and polish it. We have great vendors for these resources that give our clients special pricing on things like flooring. We’d be happy to put you in touch with them.

New carpet might be one of the cheapest and most effective ways to get more money out of your sale.

If you have any other questions about ways to get the most value out of your home sale or you’re thinking about buying a new home, give me a call or send me an email soon. I’d be glad to help.

3 Home Buying Costs You Might Forget About

Owning a home requires more than a mortgage payment. There are always extra costs associated with homeownership.

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Your mortgage payment isn’t the only cost you’ll have when you buy a home. There are certain costs that buyers tend to forget when they are going through the buying process. Here are three extra costs associated with homeownership that you should take into account in your budget:

1. Property taxes. They are paid once every six months in California. However, you can deduct all the property taxes against your revenue line.

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Property taxes are paid
twice per year.

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2. Utility bills. When you are coming from a property where you lease with a landlord, they could be covering some of your bills. When you own your own home, you will have to pay those costs out of pocket. I’d budget at least $200 a month for this.

3. Furnishing bills. To furnish a 3-bedroom house, it’s going to cost you $15,000 to $20,000. Don’t go out on a spending spree before the sale is closed and you hold the title. The lender can pull your credit up to that moment and even deny your loan.

If you have any questions for us or you’re looking to buy a luxury property in the area, give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.