Selling Your Home

From mibor.com's blog: My4Walls

Tip 1:

Have a ‘Plan B’. If that means a short term arrangement in a rental or staying with family, have an alternative. Remember your first goal – sell this house!

Tip 2:

Be prepared to make a quick decision. With lower inventory in the area, if you do come across your dream home you have to act fast because it might not be on the market long.

Tip 3:

Work with a REALTOR® on a conditional ‘acceptance of offer’ agreement that stipulates that the seller can have time to find suitable housing or make arrangements if the buyer is willing to provide that time.

Tip 4:

Sellers should pre-inspect their homes to avoid second negotiations on the inspections and a potential delay in closing times.

Tip 5:

Consider using a POD or a similar storage option to keep specific items in one place during the process and avoid packing and unpacking multiples times.

It might seem like a daunting task, but our REALTORS® have a lot of experience working with simultaneous buyers and sellers....

from mibor.com's blog: My4Walls

REALTORS® agree on two tenets of a quick sale: a house that is priced appropriately and one that shows exceptionally well. Having your home show worthy before that first potential buyer walks through the door is critical, and easier than you might think. If your budget is tight, don’t worry. There are a few easy steps that require little or no investment.

• Declutter. It can’t be said enough. If your kitchen and bathroom countertops are covered in stuff, the house screams, “There’s not enough room in here!” Leave just the essentials in the bathroom and hang clean white towels for a spa feel. Remove all but the most logical appliances from the kitchen counters. Don’t ignore the closets either; remove items so that the space feels larger and more useable. Declutter cabinets; a serious buyer will open them. Consider a short-term lease on a storage unit for larger pieces.

• Depersonalize. Your home doesn’t need to look like a hotel or museum, but you could remove some personal photos and mementos so potential buyers can imagine the place as theirs.

• Neutralize. True neutralizing probably means painting. If that’s reasonable and needed to update the home, your REALTOR® might recommend it. If painting is not realistic, maybe coordinate window treatments, pillows and other accessories in the room to get a cohesive look.

• Organize your space. Make sure spaces are clearly defined and logical. A desk in the bedroom or a child’s playset in the breakfast nook sends the wrong message....

from Mibor's blog, My 4 Walls:

Ask any seasoned REALTOR® and they will tell you when it comes to moving, they have seen it all! The expertly executed most organized seamless transition to…the opposite. After years of working with their clients during their moves, here is some advice from central Indiana’s REALTORS®.

• As soon as you are sure you are moving, obtain an in-home estimate of moving services from several moving companies. Get written estimates and read the ‘rights and responsibilities’ documents they provide. Compare the estimates to truck rental and honestly assess how much help you will help from friends and family. This will help you decide if you want a professional mover or the DIY approach.
• Make a master list and create a location in your house called “packing central”. Always put your list back in that location as well as all packing supplies, contracts, receipts, etc.

• Six weeks before – or as soon as possible if you have less than six weeks – complete the change of address form with the United States Post Office. Change your address everywhere else you can think: banks, insurance providers, credit cards, children’s schools, magazine subscriptions.

• Before packing a single item, donate, sell, recycle or toss anything you don’t need. Keep all donation receipts.

• Packing. Ugh, the packing! If possible, pack computers and other electronics in their original containers. For fragile items, like glassware and dishes, pad the bottom of boxes with a bubble wrap or other packing materials. Mark the outside of all boxes with a short description of the contents and the...

From Mibor.com's blog, My 4 Walls:

Recently, we caught up with Nicole Pence of FOX-59 to share some information with consumers about selling during the holidays. In addition to a strong upward trend in average sales price, interest rates remain low making this an opportune time to sell. If you're thinking of putting your house on the market during the winter, there are several things to consider:

• Work with a REALTOR®! Having a reliable REALTOR® on your team to help you navigate the selling process and offer professional advice is very important.
• There is such a thing as over decorating. Keep in mind that clutter makes rooms smaller and hard to see. Décor can help sell – but it can also deter. Find a good balance so the room is inviting, but not overwhelming.
• Price it to sell. No matter how it might look – it has to be priced correctly. Working with a REALTOR® gives you access to up-to-date housing data and knowledge about your specific market. 
  
  
• Make curb appeal that much more important.  In the fall and winter, trees become more and more bare.  Your house will become more exposed, so make sure you have touched up the exterior paint and clean those gutters.  Also, make sure to clean the driveway and walkway of any snow or ice.
  
  
• Take professional pictures. Especially now, when the majority of people shop online, you MUST have good quality photos. This is the first impression of your house. Including photos from other seasons, not just winter – will also help!
  
  
• Make it warm and cozy! Turn on all lights and be sure your heat is on. Make potential buyers comfortable and feeling warm about your house.

A crisp chill in the air, the turning of leaves and the scent of pumpkin spice are all hallmarks of fall...

There’s no doubt it’s a beautiful season, and if you’re planning on selling your home by the end of the year, you can capitalize on all the good work nature already provides for us.

Accentuate the Positives When Selling Your Home

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When it comes to energy efficiency, look for smart features and expertise to help you save energy and money and add value to your home.

1. Begin with a Right-Sized Home.

If the home you buy is simply too large for you or your family’s needs or plans, you stand a good chance of wasting energy through excessive heating and cooling costs. If it’s too small, you’ll feel cramped and uncomfortable. It’s a big investment, so seek balance and buy it “right” from the outset. 

2. Purchase Energy Star Appliances Such as Your TV, Dishwasher, Washer and Dryer, and Microwave.

And especially the refrigerator, as it alone contributes about 10 percent of the energy use in a home. Also, unplug electronics not in use or turn off power strips to avoid phantom charges. 

3. Install Efficient Lighting Such as Compact Flourescent (CLF) or LED Bulbs in Every Fixture.

Lighting accounts for about 6 percent of an energy bill each year.

4. Get an Energy Audit and Have Tests Performed to Identify Ways of Improving Your Efficiency.

You can always upgrade your heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system as well as your thermal envelope, which includes insulation, windows, and doors  and the seals or weather stripping around them. Visit energy.gov/energytips for more tips.