Want to Sell Your Home? Clear the Clutter

One of the greatest challenges to getting a home sold quickly and for top dollar is clutter. Many homeowners don’t realize the impact clutter has on a home sale and in buyers’ minds. From a single first impression, the clutter stacked around your home could drive away buyers and leave your home sitting on the market. In order to get the best offers, here are some tips to help you get rid of the clutter and sell for top value:

Ann Arbor Cluttered Home
by Nicole Lanteri, On My Agenda LLC

Clean Out the Clutter

When a person is looking at houses they want to be able to see how their belongings will look in the new house and that can be a bit difficult if there is not a single space clear anywhere. Even a little bit of clutter can make home buyers lose interest in your home, so it is best to eliminate anything that you do not absolutely need before showing your home.

Depending on the season, since it does snow quite a bit in Ann Arbor, you may have shovels and salt on the front porch. these should be moved when showing your home to show exactly how much room is on your porch. It is very important to do a once over of the walkways before you put them away so that there is no ice for anyone to slip on. Even if you normally keep your coats and boots near the front door, they should be put away when showing you home because with them there, the first thing someone sees in your house is clutter.

Don’t Over Decorate

While it can be a great idea to place decorations around your home, more than a few vases of flowers and a few pictures would be over doing it. Tons of pictures on the wall and a vase of flowers everywhere possible may look great to you, but it may seem like you are trying just a little too hard to prospective buyers. And if it does not fit their taste there is a chance that they may not like it. It is best to let the house speak for itself.

Don’t Forget About the Garage

The inside of your home may be perfect, but do not forget that most prospective home buyers will want to see the inside of your garage to see how much room is in there. Many people just cram everything into the garage and don’t really worry about it. If you have too much stuff in there and you have nowhere else to store it, it may be a good idea to get a storage unit.

De-Cluttering Your Ann Arbor Home & Selling

If you follow these tips for de-cluttering your home you should have no problem getting your home to stand out from the massive amount of homes on the market. This will hopefully get your home sold quick for the price that you want. To learn more information about selling your home in the Ann Arbor area, contact us or read our free home seller’s eBook:

Home Sellers eBook

Ann Arbor Area Board of REALTORS MLS Sales Report Reveals a Positive Upward Trend Heading into Fall

The Ann Arbor Area Board of REALTORS has published the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) Sales Report for September 2013.  In a nut shell – More positive statistical data to share with our friends.

  • Fall HarvestThe Average List Price year-to-date is up 17% from the same time last year.  Last year’s year-to-date Average List Price was $219,128 compared to the year-to-date average list price this year of $255,726.
  • The September Average List Price is up. When comparing September 2012 @ $222,616 to the September 2013 Average List Price of $264,983.  The Washtenaw County areas is up 19 % over last year.
  • Average Sale price year-to-date is up 18%.  The 2012 year-to-date Avg Sale price through September was $211,168 compared to this year’s – year-to-date Average Sale Price of $250,029.  Up 18% year-to-date.
  • Average Sale Price for September – 2012 was $214,059 and this year, September 2013, the Average Sale Price was $257,998. Up 20.5%.
  • New Listings were up 24% comparing September 2012 to this year, September 2013.

The stats continue to reveal the steady, upward trending market in all of Washtenaw County and especially Ann Arbor and the surrounding areas. The Spring market was strong and we are heading into this beautiful Fall season just as optimistic. Seller confidence is gaining.  This is an excellent time for Sellers to consider placing their homes on the market.  Click Here to view the MLS Sales Report as a larger image.  We have buyers ready to purchase and pre-approved with their lenders.

 

September Ann Arbor Area Board Stats

Are you looking for fun this weekend? Take the entire family & friends and head over to Wiards Orchard for a picture of Fall and don’t forget your camera.  You can also enjoy a delicious taste of cider at the Dexter Cider Mill.  The Dairy Queen in Dexter closes for the season the last day of the month – it’s your last chance for that Banana Split that you have put off all Summer.  Fall is a beautiful time to enjoy everything outdoors because we all know what’s coming.

Kathy Toth and Team are Washtenaw County, Michigan real estate experts who will guide home buyers and home sellers through the entire real estate process. Our extensive knowledge of Washtenaw County combined with decades of expertise in the local real estate market is extremely valuable in helping you achieve your goals. For quality service and personal attention during your real estate transaction, contact  Kathy Toth and Team for all your home buying and selling needs.

View Our Listings  |  Like us on Facebook  |  Follow us on Twitter  We want to be your real estate agents!

Kathy Toth and Team are your Ann Arbor Real Estate Experts at Keller Williams Realty.

How to Set a Listing Price for Your Ann Arbor Home

Setting the right listing price for your home is essential as this predominantly dictates how fast you can sell the house. House prices that are set too high may repel prospects and may induce a rather lengthy waiting period. This could lead to gradual devaluation of your house as average market prices fluctuate. On the other hand, setting it too low will not allow you to maximize the potential value for your property. This is something to consider especially for those nearing retirement or is already retired and looking to pool in all their savings.

Ann Arbor Homes for Sale

Understand the Buyer’s Perspective

Look at it from the other side of the coin. Put your shoes in the situation of the potential buyers that come to view the property. Will you be pleased with what you see? Will you be convinced to pay that much money for it? If you have doubts on it or feel a hint of difficulty in putting a final price on the house, there’s a good chance that you are overvaluing the property and not really looking at it in the most sensible way possible. If you can’t even convince yourself to buy the property you are selling, how will you convince others to shell out loads of money for it?

Get a Home Valuation

Hire an appraiser. Home appraisers are often hired by the seller to determine the most accurate price possible. Home appraisers have extensive knowledge in the real estate market. They know current market conditions, average prices for different housing types, and so forth. They are usually inexpensive and the information you get from them is more than enough to compensate for this additional expenditure.

Talking to your real estate agent would also help, since they can provide you with a comparative market analysis (CMA). These documents provide an in-depth analysis for what other properties have sold for and the potential of what you could sell for. Real estate agents are also great experts at pricing homes competitively to get the most value and offers available.

whats-my-home-worth-banner

Do the Necessary Legwork

Do your own research. You cannot blame anyone if you sell your property too cheap hence it becomes practical to do the research yourself. Look online for prices of houses that are similar to yours. This will give you a clear view of what price range to begin with. Another option you might have to get the listing price you want for your home is to add incentive. You can negotiate the contract between you and the buyer, or you can add in the furniture (so the buyers don’t need to get new ones).

Set the Price & Sell Your Ann Arbor Home

Determine how much time you have to sell the house. In some cases, patience is important to secure the best prices. If you immediately require the money, you may not have the time to wait for the best offers. To learn more information about selling your home in the Ann Arbor area, contact us or read our free home seller’s eBook:

Home Sellers eBook

 

I Want to Sell My House. How Do I Get Started?

If you are a home owner in Ann Arbor, the odds of selling your home are in your favor. Home sales in Ann Arbor are currently some of the most expensive real estate transactions in the state. There are many things about Ann Arbor that attracts buyers of all types. Families, retired couples, and individuals can all benefit from living in this historical tourist town.

If you would like to place your home on the market, there are many things that you will have to consider. Selling a home for the first time can be an overwhelming and somewhat scary process, but with the right amount of guidance you will be able to successfully list your home and complete your sale in a short amount of time.

Ann Arbor Homes for Sale

As a Seller, What do I need to do first?

First time sellers should seek out the advice of an experienced real estate agent to help them throughout their process. While many home owners have had luck selling their home on their own, it can be very stressful and time consuming to take on the task alone. It is best to hire an agent that will take care of the legwork for you, so that you can focus on other areas of the home selling process.

It is best to find a real estate agent that has successfully sold homes in the Ann Arbor area in the past. That way, they can fill you in on important details such as an estimated time frame for the sale, how the seller’s market is doing in that area, and what the best listing price would be for your home.

What is a good Price Range for my Home?

It can be tempting to place a high listing price on your home right off the bat, but if you want to sell your home quickly, you will need to lower your price to a reasonable amount. Your real estate agent can help you decide on a good listing price by looking at the current sales prices for homes similar to your own. They will also usually suggest that you go with a high, yet reasonable, listing price at first so that you will be able to negotiate with your buyers and come down to the lowest price that you would be willing to take.

What Do I Need to Do to Prepare my Home for Sale?

When it comes to preparing your home for sale, real estate agents often use terms like “Stage your home” and “De-peronalize it.” What they generally refer to is “marketing” your home and it entails a variety of aspects. Staging your home involves a creative process to making each room appeal to a home buyer. This could be arranging furniture a certain way or just keeping the house clean. When agents talk about “de-personalizing” a home, it means you should try an minimize any overuse of family photos. Remove personal items off of the bathroom sink, as it takes up space and provides an unwanted peek into your lives.

Besides keeping the house clean and removing any clutter, you’ll want to be ready for multiple showings. It’s hard to keep the house perfect everyday, so have a system in place (in case you get an urgent call that a buyer wants to see your house now). Ask if your neighbors can watch your dog for a bit and try to keep the yard neat. Staging goes for both the interior and exterior of your home.

What is a Home Showing?

A home showing is when your real estate agent gives potential buyers a tour of your home. When the showing is taking place, the house will need to be empty, so you will need to make plans to visit some friends or go to a local park or shopping center while the realtor shows the buyers around. Your real estate agent will let you know beforehand when they will be stopping by. While it can be difficult to put away all your things minutes before a showing, do your best to store away personal items before you leave the home.

Ann Arbor is an interesting city that many people love to visit and many consider relocating to. The abundance of amenities that this town has to offer makes it a prime location for real estate sales. Those who live in the Ann Arbor area and would like to sell their home should take advantage of the seller’s market in the area. Contact us today and we can help you get the process started!

Contact an Ann Arbor Agent Today!

Recently Sold Homes in Ann Arbor, MI – June 2013

The Ann Arbor real estate market has been turning in favor of the home seller which makes this a great time to sell in the area. Many properties have sold at the highest price ever in their history. We have selected some typical sales that reflect the upturn in the Ann Arbor market.

2121 Devonshire Rd Ann Arbor MI2121 Devonshire Rd, Ann Arbor, MI 48104

This single-family home located on a ¼ acre of land sold for $603,000 on Mar 8, 2013. The home has a charming outside appearance with great curb appeal. The home has a New England cottage appeal, but accommodates 4 bedrooms and 2.5 baths with nearly 3,000 square feet of space. The home is designed to have a welcoming entrance which leads to a tiled center-entry foyer that opens to a large dining and living room. There are many features of this home that make it a highly desirable place to relax and to entertain. The detail work in the interior is fabulous.

2200 Vinewood Blvd Ann Arbor MI2200 Vinewood Blvd, Ann Arbor, MI 48104

This home has 5 bedrooms and 5 baths and over 5,000 square feet.. It sold for $600,000 in March 2013. This home has somewhat of an old classic design. This home features hardwood floors, the stylish arched doorways of the era, and the house is generously proportioned. This home has many unique and spacious features, but it also has high-end updates everywhere. This home reminds one of the English country homes except for the updates. The interior of this home has some amazing features in the space that is available.

1216 Brookly Ave Ann Arbor MI1216 Brooklyn Ave, Ann Arbor, MI 48104

This home is situated on a city lot in the neighborhood near downtown Ann Arbor. It was built in 1927 with 4 Br, 2 1/2 baths, and a 2 car garage. The interior is warm and it has a classic architectural feel of space with accented woodwork. The formal living room features arched openings to the formal dining room. There are many features such as the large kitchen that opens to the family room. This home sold in February 2013 for $400,000. Although there is no historical sales price for this home, the average sales price for is $355,053 for similar homes.

It Is a Great Time to Sell

The Ann Arbor real estate market is inviting sellers to take advantage of increasing prices. While there are various homes for sale at various prices, the market is generally trending upward. The listings all reflect a significant increase in home value. The pertinent points illustrated by the above examples is they are: 1)all a different style; 2) all are on different size properties; 3) they have different interiors, and 4) they have all achieved price growth and stabilization.

1 Learn More About Listing Your Home

Email Address

Phone Number

What is your timeframe for selling?

 

What is your desired selling price?

2 Send Us Your Questions:

Tell us about your concerns and why you would like to sell.

* Required fields

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How To Prepare For An Open House

Prepare Home Sale

How do you prepare for an open house?  When you are getting ready for your open house, turn it from a stressful time to an enjoyable time by planning ahead and making your home look like a must-buy for any potential purchaser. Preparation is the key for any open house.

Here are suggestions for you to prepare your home so that all of the potential buyers will think your house will be their next dream home.  Follow these helpful suggestions:

  • Eliminate the clutter so that your house looks clean and spacious. You can always rent a storage unit for a couple of months to hide your belongings.
  • Make sure that your front door is either new or newly painted. Since all of your guests for an open house will be utilizing the front door, it needs to be appealing and welcoming. This also goes for the front door mat as well as the numbers on your house. The cleaner and newer that everything looks, the more attractive the house will be to potential buyers.
  • Make sure you take all of your personal belongings out of the picture, no pun intended. Potential buyers do not need to see your family pictures or your kids’ soccer and baseball pictures. They also don’t need to see your framed college diploma. They want to picture themselves in the house with all of their personal items, not yours. Remove these and remove all of the excess artwork that doesn’t fit with the style of a potential new owner.
  • Clean like you have never cleaned before. This means from the baseboards to the ceilings to the windows. Everything. And make sure that all rooms are staged properly, whether it is the bathroom furniture or the lamps in the basement. Everything needs to be dressed up neatly and nicely so that it makes the potential buyers want to put an offer in before they leave the property.
  • Any minor repairs that can be fixed easily should be taken care of well in advance of the open house. Potential buyers do not want to see cracks or holes in the wall, and they don’t want to see chipped paint throughout the house. These are projects that can very easily be taken care of in advance so that your house is in tip-top shape when the day comes for the open house.
  • Make sure that your house smells clean and fresh. Buy air freshener to take away any potential smell from pets or from the regular wear and tear. Open up the windows days in advance to help the fresh air come in and make the rooms smell inviting.
  • A nice little added touch to any open house is to bake cookies or treats. Not only will they appreciate the gesture, but it will also help the house smell better and make the potential buyer picture themselves making dinner and desserts for their family in their new home!
  • Make sure that you have enough packets that lay out the entire house plan. You don’t want any potential buyer to have to do extra work and go online to check on things when you could have very easily taken the time to print a few extra copies. This is imperative because if they want information quickly, they need to have it at their fingertips.

 

Author:  Doug Chapman is a staff writer for HomeDaddys, a stay at home dad blog.  He specializes in diapers and sippy cups, but is a successful real estate investor on the side. 

Selling Home Basics in Ann Arbor, MI

A City Which Will Sell Your Home:

Ann Arbor, Michigan is a city with neighborhoods that vary in home styles, models and sizes. Whether its the northwest, northeast, central, southeast or southwest, this city is filled with charm, fun and activities that whole families can enjoy. Selling homes in Ann Arbor might take a little time, but once people see all that this city has to offer, part of your selling tricks is done for you. Culture events, fine dining, educational institutes, historical edifices, top retail and shopping boutiques abound, are all top selling attractions for potential Ann Arbor home buyers.

Ann Arbor Sell My Home

Showcase Your Home:

Other specific home selling basics include:

1. Cleaning service. Yes, you must clean from top to bottom because potential buyers are smart shoppers and will want to see every nook and cranny. Clean the window blinds and windows, baseboards and de-clutter attics, basements and garage. A touch of paint for many of these areas, also adds a cleaner and more appealing environment. Also, keep faucets repaired and toilets flushing.

2. Make your home, more of a showroom with limited personalized items. Remove family photos, especially if they are on walls. Replace those personal photos with pictures of flowers or a Michigan scene. Research how to stage the different rooms of the house, such as bedrooms, kitchen, living room and dining areas. Potential buyers need to envision their own decorating ideas and not see so much of your present memorabilia’s.

Know When The Time Is Right:

3. Be prepared! Real estate agents or your own personal marketing, may bring people knocking at your door, at any time. Practice keeping the dishes washed and put away, make the beds and keep a lovely bed spread on top, organize the closets, by keeping less clothing in them and keep the bathrooms clean and smelling good. Also, keep any outdoor yards mowed and trimmed. Also add some flowers if possible, if not real, then plant artificial plants or flowers, just don’t have people look too closely.

4. Find out from a realty specialist, the right time or season to begin advertising your home for sale. Spring and summer seem to be the favorite time of year for persons to move and to buy. Also, choose a realty broker who knows the industry and who knows the exact time of year for selling. The latest computer technology can also be used bring potential buyers into your home, with a video cam or take still pictures that are professionally done.

Hosting The Sale Of Your Home, Finances and Security:

5. The hard part of selling home basic tips include the finances. If your home has been on the market for a while without a bite, then maybe it is time to consider lower your asking price. It is a risk, but one that is much better than moving onto a new home and location, yet your old property is lingering. Always be prepared to negotiate and to throw in something free, like gardening service.

6. Be a perfect host! Remain positive about your home and don’t talk about any negative events about your life and why you are selling your home. Find out if buyers have special interests, like children, then show them how existing rooms work as a child’s play room or bedroom or how a room can be converted into these rooms. Ask them their names if your realtor hasn’t already told you, and use their names in a friendly manner, as you talk to them about your home.

7. Even though we would like to trust everyone who comes to our home, we can’t. Lock up or remove valuables so that your home tours aren’t stressful.

Selling Your Home

If you’d like more information about selling your home, or if you have any questions, feel free to fill out the form below. We’d be happy to address any concerns you might have!

1 Learn More About Listing Your Home

Email Address

Phone Number

What is your timeframe for selling?

 

What is your desired selling price?

2 Send Us Your Questions:

Tell us about your concerns and why you would like to sell.

* Required fields

Submit Now!

The Value of Selling Your Home in Ann Arbor

Ann Arbor Real Estate houseAnn Arbor is home to a unique real estate market. The University of Michigan and luxury lifestyle some homeowners experience have dramatically characterized the town into a top residential area. The need for housing around the university campus and the desire for historic homes along the downtown area have created an interesting dynamic of listings and buyers. However, there is one growing trend in real estate that Ann Arbor is facing at the moment. Real estate is shifting towards a “seller’s market.”

A seller’s market means there are fewer homes listed while there are more buyers on the market. The advantage this brings to sellers is choice. Buyers are faced with fewer home to choose from, which means they either have to make an excellent bid on the house (to get it) or wait for another time to shop. If they make a low bid, the seller has plenty of other buyers looking at the house already. They can easily wait it out and get a higher offer before deciding.

What Time Is It?

It’s time to sell. Homeowners are always afraid they won’t get what the home is worth (considering the ’06 housing bubble), but over the years the market has rebounded. Buyers are on the hunt and they are willing to pay top dollar for the “dream” home, since they are hard to find in today’s market. That means if you’re selling, you have a strong advantage.

Recently Sold Homes in Ann Arbor

Looking at recently sold homes is a good indicator to the real estate market. They can provide you a snapshot of the potential value of your home and show you how much your neighbors are making. Below are a few recently sold homes in Ann Arbor:

1. 2355 Londonderry Rd, Ann Arbor, MI – 4 bedrooms, 2.5 baths – Sold for: $540,000

2. 1211 W Washington St, Ann Arbor, MI – 2 bedrooms, 2 baths – Sold for: $361,012

3. 1316 W Huron St, Ann Arbor, MI – 3 bedrooms, 3 baths – Sold for: $325,000

Closing the Deal

Deciding to sell can often be a difficult decision, but with the right preparation and real estate agent, you’re sure to do fine. Doing some research ahead of time will save you from crossing hurdles in the future, but to get a good handle on selling, rely on your real estate agent. They know the market best, and they know what homes are selling for. Feel free to send us your questions or concerns through the form below:

1 How can we contact you?

Email Address

Phone Number

What is your timeframe for selling?

 

What is your desired selling price?

2 Send Us Your Questions:

Tell us about your concerns and why you would like to sell.

* Required fields

Submit Now!

Spring Cleaning: Home Projects That Sell

Deciding to sell your home can be a difficult choice, especially when you’ve spent years calling it home. You’ve probably invested a lot of money and a lot of heart into your house as well. Having strangers come inside and look around personal spaces can be emotionally challenging. And when they try to make a lower offer than what you think the house is worth, it can be heartbreaking.

However, spring is around the corner. The weather is turning for the better and temperatures are starting to heat up. It’s a great time to start cleaning and committing to those must-do repairs. If you need motivation, think money. Simple do-it-yourself projects like changing out fixtures or adding a fresh coat of paint can add tremendous “sell” value to your home. It not only drives up your home’s value, but it appeals to buyers. A good house is no use if it doesn’t attract offers.

ann arbor foyer
by Dunlap Design Group LLC

So, here are some simple home projects you can do to increase the value of your house:

1. Create an Inviting Entrance – If you’re selling your house, you have 8 seconds to impress a buyer – and those 8 seconds are usually spent in the front entrance. That’s why this should be your first upgrade. Creating a welcoming entrance and upgrading your foyer is a big impression point. Simple additions like wall decorations and adding a new finish to the floors can really change your front hallway.

2. Change Out Old Fixtures – Taking out old lighting fixtures and switching out faucets can be simple details that secretly persuade buyers to make an offer. They’re so small of a fix that most people don’t completely register them as a huge addition, but the effect is incredibly strong. It’s the details that reinforce the idea that your home is luxurious, and that means money.

3. The Illusion of Space – Not everyone owns a large home. Some have limited space to work with and have a difficult time dealing with it. Children running around and things cluttering up can drastically affect your living experience, but there are easy tricks to turning buyers’ minds. One is increasing the amount of natural light coming into your home. Drawing back curtains and opening up windows can really brighten the area, and change perspective of size. Other things you can do are painting the walls is soft colors, so you don’t subtract from the lighting, and utilize furniture. Chests can serve as great coffee table and remove a lot of clutter.

Selling Your Home in Ann Arbor

If you’re really looking to make more than what your home is worth, then these simple home projects are your answer. They’re easy to do and serve as a great activity during the spring months. Give them a try and see what other homes are going for sale in Ann Arbor (click here). Once you’ve finished upgrading your home and done a little bit of research, you’ll be ready to sell.

If you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to get in touch with us. You can send us your questions in the form below and we’ll get back with you soon!

1 How can we contact you?

Email Address

Phone Number

What is your timeframe for selling?

 

What is your desired selling price?

2 Send Us Your Questions:

Tell us about your concerns and why you would like to sell.

* Required fields

Submit Now!