Selling a home can be tricky, and selling a home in a buyer’s market where there are far more homes than there are buyers can be difficult for homeowners who are unfamiliar with good strategies to make their home more appealing to buyers. These strategies can be used by any homeowner, new or experienced, to help their home sell in a buyer’s market.
Take High Quality Pictures For Online Listings
Chances are, the first time a buyer will see a home is in an online listing, so it’s important for the homeowner to have lots of pictures available. The more pictures that are available online, the more buyers may be enticed to come visit it in person, where they can truly fall in love with the home.
Taking pictures is easier now than ever because of the ever-increasing quality of cell phone cameras, so homeowners shouldn’t feel the need to go out and buy a brand new camera just to sell their home. However, it’s worth noting that if a seller can’t take professional quality pictures on their own, they ought to consult a professional to ensure their home’s photography stands out.
Clean and Get Rid of Clutter Before Showing
Buyers love to see clean homes because it means they actually get to see the home, rather than all the things...
Conventional wisdom says to walk away from a home in need of foundation repair. But are there exceptions to this rule? In some cases, foundation damage is fixable—and home buyers who've fallen in love with a house can proceed with purchase, whether in Grande Dunes or elsewhere. In other cases, it really is best to walk away.
Easy Fix: Settled Foundations
Slabjacking shifts a settled foundation back to its original place using grout. This is an inexpensive way to restore a foundation that is no longer level. Costs stat at $500. Slabjacking is recommended in areas where the soil is unlikely to shift. If an engineer feels the home or surrounding soil will experience structural shifts, they will suggest a more permanent - and pricey - repair, such as underpinning. This costs anywhere from $1,000 to $3,000 for every pier that lifts the home's foundation. Since this can become one of the pricier ways to repair a foundation, home buyers need to do the math, then decide.
It Depends: Cracked Foundation
Concrete is prone to cracking as it dries, so home buyers may notice cracked foundations on newer homes. As a general rule, cracks that are less than 1/4-inch thick are easy to fix by sealing the foundation.
Horizontal cracks and step cracks (which resemble a staircase) are big red flags. Water...
Many homeowners are interested in reducing energy costs with the addition of solar panels? There are a number of benefits but for some homeowners, there may be additional concerns to consider. What should homeowners know about residential solar panels before leasing or buying a solar panel system?
Get more information on residential solar panels today.
Solar Panels Work
Costs have come down since the introduction of solar panels, making the technology more affordable for the average homeowner. Advantages of solar energy include the generation of energy sustainably when compared to traditional sources of energy. Installation costs and maintenance of solar panels can be reduced when homeowners choose to buy solar panels and take advantage of federal and state tax credits and incentives. Homeowners can use solar panels in the quest to become more self-sufficient and build in area where there may be no utility grid.
Solar panels can last for up to 30 years and many panels come with warranties. Those who choose to lease a system may have fewer upfront cost and relegate the maintenance to a third party but they do not benefit from many of the available incentives for homeowners. It is not only hot areas...
The old saying, “Sometimes less is more” can certainly hold true when it comes to the benefits of downsizing the home. While it's many owner's pride and joy for years and years, there often comes a time when the glorious of that spacious home loses its luster. After all, it takes a lot of time and money to run a large dwelling, so many owners are looking into downsizing the home for some of the following benefits.
1. Less Overall Stress Can Promote Greater Health and Happiness
Excessive stress affects the mind and the body, triggering signals that can slow down numerous essential functions that keep individuals healthy. In fact, stress has been linked to several leading causes of death in recent decades, with heart conditions being at the top of the list. It's not a secret that financial stress is a top concern of most individuals, especially those with high mortgages and/or interest rates scraping to the bottom of their bank accounts. Downsizing is likely to reduce one's mortgage, taxes, repair bills, and—in some cases—can even eliminate mortgage debts entirely. With these burdens eased, many homeowners feel rejuvenated, less stressed out, and more satisfied overall.
2. Less Home Equals More Energy Savings
Unless it operates on a solar panel system, one of the downsides to living in a larger abode are greater energy expenses. Electrical expenses for heating and cooling in a smaller home will decrease, especially when using energy efficient...
