More Mortgage Changes!

Having just missed Halloween, I may be a little late to try to scare you with a horror story or two. But hey! There’s never a moment when a good story to shake things up isn’t welcome.  Today, I wanted to share a potential trend that a few of us have experienced in the “wonderful world of real estate”: the lenders becoming involved in the home inspection negotiation process. If that doesn’t scare the living daylights out of you, maybe it should.

At the risk of redundancy, I’ll say it again. Home sellers REALLY need to have a home inspection prior to putting their home on the market. The little quirks and irks you’ve lived with for the last 5 – 15 years will show up on the inspection.  I know you don’t think the way the dryer vent exits the house right next to the outside air condition unit is an issue, but your buyer will. It’s been that way since the house was built in 1983. Doesn’t matter. It will show up on the report. 

I have already gone on about how this inspection portion of the purchase process can spook a nervous buyer and irk a seller who feels as though he has gone as low as he can go in this market, and he can’t be bothered with $300 roof repairs, $500 worth of broken window seals and a fireplace cap that needs replaced.  Knowing this information up front and having already made the necessary repairs, puts this seller in better negotiating position. And in this “buyer’s market”, wouldn’t you, as a home seller, want to find SOME advantageous position? And buyers, wouldn’t you like to buy a well maintained home that isn’t fraught with “surprise” issues? Just buy the home, bring your toothbrush, and move in!

A couple of lenders in the area have begun to ask for a copy of the home inspection summary page, and the addendum between buyer and seller outlining how any repairs will be handled.  One lender insisted on a physical re-inspection of the property prior to closing on what most of us would consider a “typical” FHA purchase.  Because the majority of home buyers do not care to pay for a 2nd home inspection, generally speaking, a walk-through prior to closing and collecting receipts for the work performed will insure compliance of the addendum. This issue arose: who pays for the inspection, and who is now the inspector’s client?

Another problem to consider is this:  the lenders are now telling buyers they want a “sign off” on the repairs, a statement of satisfaction with the work performed, well in advance of our contractual opportunity to complete our  “…within  48 hours prior to closing…” examination of the property. Generally about 5 days prior to closing so the paperwork can be processed in time for the appointed closing date.  Moving is a busy time, and most sellers wait until the last minute to complete repairs, especially if the luxury of a few days of occupancy after closing is negotiated into the contract.  We need to know that this is a possibility, and amend the wording of our purchase contract and / or addendum, to insure the buyers can comfortably sign off on repairs that they have had the opportunity to inspect. In other words: Sellers be ready because my buyers and I are coming over sooner!

Not to be an alarmist, but I am concerned a bit that if underwriters or loan processors 4 states away review an inspection report, and the agreement between buyer and seller on certain repairs, then decide they don’t like the agreement made between buyer and seller, are they now opening up the opportunity to insert their opinion on the resolution?  I don’t know. That is a little scary to me.  If your eyes are rolling at me right now, I understand. But loan processing is a very different scenario than it has been in the past.  I’ve had this discussion with agents and loan officers who all wonder if this is a passing fad, or harbinger of even more changes to come. 

Personally, I think much of this issue could be resolved by sellers taking the bull by the horns and just getting their homes in order prior to putting them on the market.  Make sure the GFCI plugs are where they need to be. Have a fireplace? Get it cleaned and inspected. Make sure it’s been deemed safe to use by a pro. Clean the gutters and tighten the wobbly ceiling fans. I know. Those are not “material defects”, but trust me on this one: they will be on the report.  Have the HVAC cleaned and inspected. It will show up on the report if you don’t have receipts to show it’s been done.

Do you have a list of things to do prior to closing? Please complete those items ASAP.  Not all buyers have their “backs against the wall” and will be certainly in a position to delay closing until they are satisfied that all work has been completed as contractually agreed.  A delay in closing may not be in your best interest either, so fix those windows, and clean those gutters because we are coming over to re-inspect!

More Cincinnati real estate information can be found at RealCincy.com

You Must Sell What You Have. Don’t Try to Sell Your Vision

When meeting with homeowners getting ready to put their home on the market, it goes without saying that we are going to discuss the condition of the home as it relates to salability and market value. Unfortunately, too many homeowners are still putting homes on the market before they are “market ready”.  Other homeowners have simply run out of time or money, and are unable to build the deck or re-finish the hardwood.  Understood. Sometimes cash is tight. But what else needs to be understood is this: Unfinished projects will affect the marketability and the bottom line sales price of your home.

I was recently in a home where the homeowners had a door from the breakfast nook to, well, nowhere! That first step outside is a potential leg breaker! This 5 year old home never had a deck attached as was intended when the home was built, yet there was no apparent pricing adjustment to the list price. Then there is the story of the owners of a 1 year old Fischer Homes resale in the Polo Fields who had accepted a corporate transfer.  I will never forget listening to the homeowner justify the price he wanted, based on the fact that his unfinished basement with 10’ ceilings and 3 nice sized windows let in quite a bit of daylight. Now, the home wasn’t built with a walkout basement.  He reasoned with a few adjustments, like cutting through concrete, it could have a walk-up stairwell basement, be properly finished, and add about another 2500 sq. foot of living space….What?!  Are you serious?? By the way, the home did not sell anywhere near this guy’s price.
 “No kidding?” you say.

I am currently representing a buyer purchasing a home in West Chester. The out of town owner purchased the foreclosed home as a “fix and flip”.  The problem is, he put it on the market before completing in full the re-hab project.  What my buyers saw was unfinished hardwood, a master bedroom in need of carpet, no appliances, and a yard full of weeds needing attention. Costing his checkbook a great deal of cash, the seller priced the home not as you see it, but as though it were complete. It is not.  My buyers are getting one great purchase, and the seller is completing the unfinished projects, including re-finishing the hardwood floors. Why? Because he needs to sell!  Putting this home on the market before it was ready probably cost him $20,000 – $25,000. Great for my buyers! I’m just glad I don’t represent this seller!

I walked away from an opportunity to list a 4 –unit apartment complex, deeply in need of updates. Why would I potentially “leave money on the table”? Because the seller of the apartment was, and still is, trying to compete in price with newer, more up to date 8 – 12 unit apartments that from an investment position, make sense vs. his very run down “could be” building.

One truth seems to ring true whenever I find myself sitting at the kitchen table with a potential seller, who is sharing his or her vision about what they were “going to do” with their home or investment.  These people had a vision for the home, and life’s circumstances prevented them from being able to complete that vision. Often, I can see it pains that person, or couple, to sell. They love their home, or this investment is supposed to take care of their retirement. We understand.  But as I’ve mentioned before, you need someone who will be objective. You need someone who will tell you the truth. That’s where we come in.

Trust me, it gives me no pleasure to tell someone they need to downwardly adjust their expectations of their home’s value when major, buyer favored items, are missing.  Decks that didn’t get built, appliances that didn’t get installed, fences that didn’t get repaired, gardens that didn’t get planted, and a fresh coat of paint that didn’t get applied. It all adds up.  Potential buyers just have too many options to get wrapped up in your vision. Buyers have their own lives to think about, including their own vision, and it will not help your sale to assume they will share yours.

Your best bet is to put your home in as clean, staged, inspected and corrected condition as your circumstances will allow.  Edit the personal items. Take down the magnets and baby pictures off the ‘fridge. Clean….deep clean. Have the home fresh and in showing shape each and every day. 

Take advantage of our Serious Sellers Marketing Program to make sure you are staged, inspected, and priced accordingly. It’s only $650! If you spent $650 and it brought you several thousand more, doesn’t that make sense? Follow through with this program and your home will sell!

More Cincinnati real estate information can be found at RealCincy.com

Are you ready to Get Serious and get your home SOLD in 2009?   

Great! ….Here’s How!

Gone are the days of “let’s just see” and “we’ll test the market”.  Today’s sellers must be serious about selling…..or the market will make that decision for you!  Today’s seller must take a pro-active approach to marketing to protect their equity.  Today’s seller needs to encourage what precious few buyers are available to choose their home, by eliminating as many obstacles as possible! 

Maybe your home failed to sell previously and you are ready to try something new. You waited for showings that were never scheduled, or had showings but no offers.  Perhaps you are ready to sell, but don’t want to experience the “never-ending time on the market” that your neighbors did. The stress of never knowing how much longer that “For Sale” sign would be in their yards. Then let’s Get Serious!

The $650 “Serious Sellers” Satisfaction Package

* Here’s What’s Included *

• Home Warranty – Coverage is Provided to YOU While the Listing Agreement is in Effect. Transferable to Buyer at Closing.
• Pre-Listing Home Inspection – INCLUDING Termite & Wood-Boring Insect Inspection!! This WILL Save You Time & Money!!
• Professional Photographs – Experience the Difference!
• Staging Consultation with Home Staging and Decorating Professional – Your Home is Lovely, But Today’s Buyers Demand More than “Clean & Tidy”.  The Way You Market & Stage a Home is Much Different from the Way You LIVE in Your Home.

Learn From a Professional & Reduce Your Marketing Time!

Also Included………

• Pre-Marketing Appraisal – Your Agent Has Provided You with a Statistical Right Price Analysis.  The Appraiser Will Provide True Market Value, or TMV.  Price at or Near TMV. You WILL Reduce Your Marketing Time & Saves it WILL Save You Money!
• Online Promotion – Your Home Has its Own Web Page!  Showings Happen Around the Clock, Every Day of the Week. Online Promotion in the MLS, Local Broker Websites, RE/MAX.com, Craigslist …..and 10 Other Sites Used by Home Buyers Across the Globe!
• VoicePad…a 24/7 Information Line!  and In-Home Brochures
• “Front and Center Promotion” to our Google Based Online Home Buyers – Literally Thousands of Online Shoppers Reach Our Site Monthly. Your Home is Featured in our “Market Monitor”.  We Are Keeping Home Buyers Up to Date AND Promoting Your Home When it’s a “Match” to Their Search Criteria!
• Vacant Home Cleaning – An Added Value to Your Potential Buyer & A Time Saving, Stress Reducing, Money in Your Pocket Bonus!

Give The Real Cincy Group a call! We will prepare your Right Price Analysis and get serious about selling!

More Cincinnati real estate information can be found at RealCincy.com

There is a distressed market segment of foreclosures and short sales, but that needs realistic pricing to function as well. Overpriced listings don’t attract offers and unrealistically low offers don’t result in accepted sales contracts.
The question for the seller is; “Do I price my home higher than is realistic, acknowledging I’m going to get beat up when the offers come?”
The buyer’s question is; “I’ve found the home I really like and it seems priced well, should I make a low ball offer?”
For the seller, if you’ve priced your home well, you needn’t accept bad offers. Leaving a little negotiating room has always been wise but pricing too high by building in too large a buffer will preclude offers coming in the first place. You’ll end up lowering your price, possibly several times and settling for a sale at a lower price than if you had priced the home correctly in the first place. By pricing competitively when your home is fresh on the market, you maximize your advantage versus stale and/or overpriced listings. Testing this market by pricing high and thinking, “we can always come down”, is a disastrous strategy. It will cost you thousands after you’ve missed the real buyers for your home and the vultures start circling.
For buyer’s, unless you’re one of the aforementioned vultures who enjoys shopping the picked over remains of the market, new fresh listings are still the best opportunity to find a good home at a good price. If it’s priced well and offers the amenities you want, don’t treat the seller as if they have a stale overpriced listing. I’ve seen buyers, even in this market, lament “the one that got away” because they procrastinated or tendered a low offer and waited for the sellers to come down significantly, only to have someone else buy the home they really wanted. This is still a good market for good homes that are priced right.
If you enjoy playing the market, either as an unrealistic seller or as a low ball buyer, you’ll probably end up playing with each other. As a seller, you’ll end up in the picked over pile of stale listings in a declining market. As a buyer, you’ll be picking over those listings. So, you need to ask yourself, “Which market am I in?”

More Cincinnati real estate information can be found at RealCincy.com

Because of Teresa’s expertise, she has been a featured contributor to WCPO Channel 9 News, The Cincinnati Enquirer, and Home Improvement Magazine.

Teresa and Stage a Star has developed for you a complete and total staging package, always keeping in mind the individual homeowners’ needs and budget. You will receive a 50+ page guide, jammed with tips, checklists, and a “Seller Survival” guide. I’ve seen it! You’re going to love it! 

You just never know when a buyer will decide she is ready to see your home. You may get a 1 or 2 day notice.  Sometimes you get about 15 minutes notice. Rule #1 – Never, Never turn down a showing. Talking with Teresa the other day, she shared one of the tips she gives to sellers.  She suggests homeowners get a basket for the bathroom. Every day, before leaving the house, toss all the hair brushes, mouse, styling products, toothpaste, floss, tweezers, all the items we need to make ourselves pleasant for the public, into the basket, and stuff it under the sink.  Sounds simple, but when you want to sell, need to sell, every little tip that makes life easier for you is a blessing. And, you won’t panic when you get the call from the appointment center letting you know someone just drove by your home and would like to see it….in 15 minutes.

Her consultation package includes a CD Rom with success stories. There are 1 or 2 visit packages to choose from.  She will stage using your furnishings, concentrating of the areas of the home most important to buyers: kitchen, living room, dining room, master bedroom and baths.   Vacant home staging is offered too. Staging a vacant home is critical to getting a home sold! I know from touring with buyers every blemish just jumps out and gives the eagle-eyed buyer too many opportunities to dismiss the home over cosmetic and very minor flaws. Every cobweb stands out, every carpet stain, no matter how small, is magnified.  If you’ve already moved out, I can not overstate the importance of vacant home staging.  Prices will vary of course, depending on what the two of you agree to do.

Now your home is staged, and we need to show it off. I know for a fact many homebuyers will immediately dismiss a home when searching the net for homes to visit, if the online photos are not available from Day one. Teresa has wisely partnered with Jenny Walters Photography. You can view Jenny’s work on the Stage a Star site. You can’t help but be impressed by Jenny’s eye for even the smallest detail. Your home will leap off the computer screen and onto the buyer’s “Must See List”.

Be sure to visit the Stage a Star site and enjoy the before and after gallery. It’s fun to see the transformations. Teresa, Jenny and the rest of The RealCincy Group  look forward to helping you sell.

Give us a Call.      36 Days. Wow!

More Cincinnati real estate information can be found at RealCincy.com

What our GSP does:

• It does relieve you of the burden of owning 2 homes
• It does relieve you of the frustration of writing a contingency offer that the seller promptly rejects
• It does relieve you of the worry that someone else is living in “your home”.  You’ve combed through the homes on the market, you found “the one”. Now, it won’t get away from you!
• It does keep you from having to take out a bridge loan, or tap into a line of credit to buy the home you really want
• It lets you Relax. Your home is SOLD!    Get some sleep.

No Application Fee!  You Always Get Market Value, Maybe More!

• 120 Day Buy-out
• No Carrying Costs After the Sale.  If we buy it, we own it! No money held back from you.
• No Seller contribution. That means the seller of your new home doesn’t bump up the cost of sale to you!
Sounds Good Doesn’t It?  So, here’s the “fine print”:
What our GSP doesn’t do:

• No multi-family homes or farms. No modular or distant rural homes.
• No homes that are not served by public utilities
• No homes outside of our market area
• No short sales or homes that are heading toward foreclosure.

Case by Case, we will consider condo, townhomes, and homes with pools.

More “fine print”:
• The RealCincy Group assists you in the purchase of your new home. We can help you in both Ohio and Kentucky
• We all agree, in writing, to our first offering list price, subsequent price reductions.
• Your home is purchased, after 120 days, at 95% of agreed market value, minus normal seller expenses.

“Why would I agree to that?”  Because, if WE buy your home at that price, that mean no one else in the open market would.  You have, in effect, “won the lottery” and come out ahead! WE carry the home and all the expenses. WE do the painting & maintenance on the empty house after you move into and are enjoying the new home! WE take on the risk of marketing the home….You’re Done!

If you would like more details, give us a call! We will show you our 120 Point Comprehensive Marketing Plan. Combining this Revised and Updated Marketing Plan for today’s real estate environment, taking advantage of the Serious Seller’s Satisfaction Package, with the security of the Guaranteed Sale Program, you can stop worrying  ……… and start packing!

More Cincinnati real estate information can be found at RealCincy.com

Enter the Concept of Staging.

The principles of staging are much different than having a nicely decorated home, that reflects your family’s mix of personalities. I’ve found that many people have a difficult time staging their own home. Admittedly, it is a challenge to put away the school photos, remove the children’s artwork from the refrigerator, pack the treasures brought home from family vacations, take down the wedding photos, etc. I know it feels as if you are packing away your life and personal living space.

Here’s the thing: staging works. If you are serious about selling your home, you must look into staging your home. Staging will help get your home sold more quickly than the competition that just cleaned and packed away a few things. Staging will help your home show more attractively online, where about 90% of homebuyers start their search, thus increasing showings. Staging will not cost you an arm and a leg. One of my favorite home stagers said it best: “The cost of staging will always be less than your first price reduction.” Oh So True! So just do it right the first time!

To better understand why staging is critical, it’s best to understand exactly what staging is. Again, staging is not the same as living in a nice, clean home with personal mementoes, family pictures, and personal items like combs, makeup and tooth brushes exposed. Staging clears the floor space, to open up a room. You may not see end tables if it clutters the room. Oversized furniture may be removed. Staging incorporates highlighting the best parts of a room, such as the fireplace, or the wall of windows. Staging uses the high, medium and low aspect of decorating, incorporating “groupings” with 3 or 5 items. Staging creates warmth and balance.

Successful staging taps into the homebuyer’s emotions, pulling her into the space of the home. You want this buyer focused on the house and imaging herself living here with her family, not looking over your valuables.

Tables are set for dinner. Fresh flowers are on the mantle. Clean, white towels and fresh soap are in the bathroom, and personal grooming items are put away. We know you brush your teeth. We just don’t want to see evidence of it! Fluffy pillows are on the perfectly made bed, and even the laundry room has been cleared of laundry.

I have several stories that I would be glad to share with you about homes that I have listed without staging. Give me a call or send me an email and I’ll share with you the specifics. One thing is the same though about each home: after unsuccessfully trying to sell, the homeowners FINALLY took my advice and contracted with Nancy Buck, owner of It Pays to Stage. After the staging was complete, the homes quickly sold! Nancy and I did a story together on WKRC “Money Alert” on the benefits of staging. The home she was staging went under contract in less than 2 weeks!! Before she could even complete the work! What a testimonial!

Be careful though: Staging will not compensate for a home that is simply overpriced.

Sellers should be cautious to not try to “test the market” once the home has been staged.

Staging does make an amazing difference and should be incorporated into the marketing plan of any Serious Seller. Look at the before and after stories. Read the testimonials, then  – Hire a professional!

More Cincinnati real estate information can be found at RealCincy.com

You bet they do!  And here’s why:  Information! You get to know the agent, and his or her opinions in the comfort of your own work cubicle,…. um, home. The depth of their market knowledge is revealed. Their involvement and commitment to the real estate industry is clear, when so many agents are “dabbling”, or “doing a deal or two” after they leave their “real job”

When you call in a member of the RealCincy Group to talk with you about listing your home, hopefully you’ve already picked up a few ideas about us, the way we honestly, and without bells, whistles and tooting horns, discuss the real estate market, and maybe you’ve picked up a few tips along the way.  Our listing appointment with you started light years ahead of the appointed day and time of our arrival at your front door. Years of listing and selling, post-licensing continuing education classes, and the day to day monitoring of the real estate market, the highs and the lows, have prepared us well ahead of our appointment with you.

Listing Appointment

Sellers know we’ve come prepared by the information we bring. A typical listing appointment will involve 1 – 2 hours of pre-appointment prep-time, and it shows with the information we bring. We take the time to view the home, taking in the décor, the updates and upgrades, or lack thereof, the condition ….from “wow!” to “uh-oh”, and then do a mental calculation on how we will adjust up or down the prepared CMA. We present. Seller asks questions. We answer. We chat. Then off we go, hoping that the seller trusted our knowledge, and liked us best. Well, how in the world can you make a decision, as important as who you will hire to market your home, in 45 minutes?

Sometimes we’ve competed for the seller’s attention against crying babies, ringing phones, and distracted spouses that don’t want to move. If the other agent caught the seller at the children’s nap time, and after the office stopped calling, their presentation is going to run more smoothly.

Buyer Customer

Maybe you are moving to town, or are moving within the area, and want a good, strong advice on how this home buying process works. I can tell you that things have changed since I was licensed in 1996, and continue to morph as new issues creep into the home buying and selling landscape. How does title insurance work around here? Yes, it’s different than in most areas of the country. Bank owned homes, or short sale homes. Are they a good idea? A great value? Contingency offers…yes or no. How do you choose an agent? Start calling realtors off the signs in the yards of the homes you think you might like to see? 

Hopefully a home buyer has read ahead, and picked up a few ideas, or at least had a couple of questions answered. Reading the articles and posts can help a buyer get an idea of whether or not the agent has “field experience” and is putting it out there to share!

Choosing an Agent that Blogs

You have to trust an agent that is confident enough to put it all out there for consideration. 

 You won’t find “feeds” on this site where our site content looks like 5 other sites in the area.  No subscriptions to “ghost-writers” doing our job for us. No long lists of links to boring financial information, penned to financial experts. Even we can’t pay attention to that. You will get concise, “need to know” information that may be helpful to your situation, now or in the future. You won’t find articles that we get from our trade publications, cautiously re-written, for the obvious reason, or without due credit given, as though those thoughts were all our own. 

Will you find similar topics from one site to the other? Of course. That’s fair. There are subjects that need to be discussed and we’ll give out those tips and share our opinions, just as others will.

We hope you enjoy getting to know us through our site, and are 100% comfortable calling on The RealCincy Group to help you with all of your real estate needs.

More Cincinnati real estate information can be found at RealCincy.com

“Too much time on her hands” “Needs to get a  life” “Nostradamus of Real Estate” “Real Estate Genius”
Ok, the first two are definitely correct. I just like the last two. Anyway, I tried to tell ya’. Home prices are coming down. Still.

The members of The RealCincy Group have spent copious amounts  of time over  the last 2 – 3 years, meeting with sellers, and attempting to explain why the sellers need to price competitively, and skip the “let’s just try” angle if they are serious. We have counseled and consoled, while explaining global economics, stock market volatility, mortgage backed securities, inflated second mortgage appraisals. Wow…we ARE boring. Nevertheless, home sellers are just having a hard time understanding that the price that we suggest will net them a quicker sale, and will save them money in the long run.  

It has taken a banking “thump on the head”, called the “Global Credit Crisis” to get home sellers to understand that the home selling market is tight…..for the neighbors.  Soon to be released this month, is a report from Zillow’s Q3 Real Estate Market Report.  This report states that 49% of home owners believe that their own home’s value has increased, or at least stayed the same, over this last year! Really?? Still?

49% of homeowners have a bad, serious case of “Not My House” Syndrome.

Nationally, over 74% of homes have decreased in value.  Right here in Greater Cincinnati, I just shared with you the other day that there was a $12,162 drop in average sales price in the last 6 months, from this same time last year, with 1378 fewer homes sold.  That information was right out of the Greater Cincinnati Multiple Listing Service.

One couple I met with about 4 months ago had a sad, serious case of “Not My House” Syndrome. Everything about the listing appointment was stellar until the “ So, about what do you think we will sell for?” question was put out there. Ok, I’ve done this before. I have numbers, pretty pictures, stats, and references. I know what I’m doing. But Whew! Did the tone of that meeting drastically change!

Nice, kind people, but they got “the syndrome” bad. They listed, 4 months ago, $50,000 over what I suggested. Nine price drops later (fire sale anyone?),  they just hit a listing price lower than what I had suggested that they would anticipate selling. Ouch. Now, I don’t have a crystal ball, but experience tells me that  if they had just priced closer to that price in the first place, they wouldn’t be offering a buyer agent vacation package, and taking a whipping on the sales price too.

I confess. I do like to be “right”. Ask Randy, poor thing.  It’s part of my first born, type A- personality. But I really do care about people and their investment too. I just hate seeing people taking a beating like this because of poor advice. We are where we are, economically. We can’t change this. But we can minimize the damage.

“Ok. So what’s the point?”  I’m getting there.  In this market, you can not afford to have “Not My House” Syndrome.  It’s time to swallow the cure. Here is the cure: You need to ask questions. Review recent sales. Even sales from one year ago need to be looked at carefully. Objectively look at how the numbers are trending. You are not in the real estate business with access to the daily numbers so you don’t have to be an expert. But your agent does. Go with someone a little “nerd-y” that studies those numbers, and can interpret the data for you.

You probably have good memories of your life in your home. Spoiler alert! That has zero value to the next buyer. However, by staging your home, and presenting your home to market in amazing condition, you do tell the potential buyers that you have loved and cared for your home. That does have value!  Ask your agent how he or she generates buyers. Most agents do not have a clear plan for finding the precious few buyers available. I’m bringing it up, so you know we do.

When it’s time to discuss the anticipated sales price range, and suggested list price, does your agent wiggle in her chair? Or does your agent have a clear picture of the road ahead, and is ready to show you what you need to know to make a good pricing decision? Whether it’s us, or someone else, don’t just go with the highest “bidder”, or the agent that says “sure, we’ll try your price”. That will cost you money.

More Cincinnati real estate information can be found at RealCincy.com

Let’s talk about sticky locks and keys that barely work. I hate sticky locks.  Most homeowners come in through the garage, and rarely use the front door.  Many people don’t even carry a front door key. I will suggest that if your home is on the market, and you are one of those never carry a key people, you might want to start. I’ve had buyers lock the door between the garage and the house, and the sellers couldn’t get back in.  I love getting that call….NOT!

Standing at the front door, before we even enter a home, the buyers are quickly forming an impression about what they will see once I get that door open. If I’m standing there struggling with a sticky lock, they have time to assess the cobwebs, faded paint, dirt smudges, and bad landscaping. Your showing starts with my buyers at the front door. We can form a quick opinion about what we expect to see before entering the foyer. If I am standing in the cold, uttering bad words under my breath, while struggling with the lock, that doesn’t reflect nicely on either of us.

First impressions count. I have buyers make up their mind about a home in the foyer. I have buyers that formed an opinion on the porch, either good or negative, and ultimately, what we see inside backs it up.

Let’s start off on the right foot with your showings. Buyers, in any price range, are precious right now. Don’t loose them over a few cobwebs.

• Paint the front door a color with a little “punch”.  Red, Black, Green. A little contrast. Not too “matchy-matchy”.  Wood stained doors are attractive too if it reflects the rest of the homes décor.
• Replace the hardware. No sticky locks. Check the door knocker and kick plate. They should be fresh and welcoming. Check the condition of the porch light fixtures. Make sure they are not weather-aged and full of dead bugs. Ick.
• Mailbox. Is it attractive? Place flowers around the pole. The house numbers should be clear.
• Plants. Holiday Wreaths. Flowers on a small table on in pots. Get some color at the door! Make us want to come in!
• Kill the cobwebs. Knock down those bugs. Sweep the walk. It’s dark early now so consider installing solar power lighting system so we aren’t tripping over the cat.

Remember….buyers have more than enough homes to choose from right now. Don’t send us to the next home with cobwebs in our hair!

More Cincinnati real estate information can be found at RealCincy.com