Curb appeal – or lack thereof – can make or break the sale of a home. So many people form a lasting impression based on the first impressions of a home. Yet, when we’re trying to sell a home, the last place we prepare for the sale is the landscape. Did you know that an attractive landscape design could add anywhere from 10 to 15% to the value of your home?  Putting that into perspective, for a home valued at $200,000, an effective home landscape could add $30,000 to its value!
We’ve put together a list of some easy and simple tips to help you spruce up your curb appeal, and help you sell your home quickly!

Lawn -  Your lawn should come first on your landscaping to-do list, because grass takes the longest time to improve. A lush green grass is the first thing that will attract new homeowners, and if your lawn is overgrown, brown or full of weeds, it may taint their opinion of the home. They may even conclude because the yard is unkempt, the rest of the house is not maintained. Be sure to keep to a regular watering and cutting schedule. If your yard is beyond repair, you may want to consider hiring professionals to lay sod.
 
Mulch  – Adding mulch to your garden beds is a great and inexpensive way to really make your landscape clean and tidy.  Cedar mulch has a nice clean smell and really makes the greenery pop. Best of all, mulch can be applied quickly and easily if your landscape needs a quick pick-me-up before a home showing.

Trim  – A very simple way to tidy up your outdoors is to prune up any overgrown trees or shrubs near the home. This will not only make the garden look nice, but it will also highlight the architecture of your home. And you can prune deciduous trees and shrubs any time of the year, which will help if you’re trying to sell your home in the winter.

Wash – An easy way to give your home a new appearance, short of a new paint job, is to power wash its exterior. With little effort, a dingy and dirty surface can shine and look like new! And don’t just stop at your home’s exterior! You can power wash the drive, your deck, a brick sidewalk, fences, or any hard surface that needs sprucing up.

Lights – Don’t forget to look at your home at night, because many homeowners might drive by your home in the evening! You will want to be sure to include low voltage lighting along the driveway or sidewalk or near landscaping that you want highlight. Adding lighting to the area around a deck or patio creates a more inviting space, as well.
 
While having spectacular curb appeal is not a guarantee that you will sell your home, it definitely goes a long way in creating outstanding first impressions. A great exterior is a good stepping stone for making people want to see the interior. Because of its potential to increase the value of your home – ALONG with the sale – taking care of your landscape is worth the time and effort.

Thanks QuickenLoans.com for this great article!

By Susan Johnston:

According to Moving.com, the months between May and August are the most popular for moving in the United States.

Whether it’s down the street or across state lines, no one likes moving. The piles of brown boxes and the hours upon hours of packing can wring a high cost to your wallet — not to mention your sanity. We asked Nancy Giehl and Joan Hobbs, downsizing and relocation experts and authors of Organize Pack Move!: Strategies and Money-Saving Ideas to Simplify Your Move, to share some of their secrets for successful moves.

1. Research your options

If you plan to hire movers, Giehl and Hobbs recommend getting at least three bids and telling each company that you’re receiving other bids. “Do not accept Internet bids or bids over the phone,” adds Giehl. “You cannot get an accurate bid if they can’t see your stuff.” If your move-in dates are flexible, ask if you can negotiate a discount. Also read reviews on sites like Kudzu.com,Yelp.com, and the Better Business Bureau.

If you’re planning to move yourself, then you may want to enlist the help of friends and family members to help you load the truck or watch the children on moving day. But be honest about your physical limitations. As Hobbs points out, “a back injury will cost you significantly more than hiring someone.” Of course, most people opt for a hybrid move (for instance, hiring movers to load and unload the truck but packing themselves or hiring a truck company to transport belongings but loading and unloading themselves).

Every service can be contracted separately so you pay for what you need.

2. Consider extra costs

“When doing a price comparison on different types of moves, don’t forget to factor things like truck fuel and one-way truck rental fees if you are going to do-it-yourself,” says Hobbs. Other oft-forgotten costs include insurance, trash removal, permits for moving trucks that block streets or alley access, and tips for movers. If you need to take unpaid time off from work for a DIY move, then that’s another cost consideration.

Ask potential movers lots of questions so you can accurately compare bids. “Some moving companies charge by the load, others charge an hourly rate based on number of crewmembers—find out,” says Giehl. “If your mover charges by the hour, find out when the clock starts. Some companies start charging from the time they leave their company parking lot, so the distance from your home to their trucks makes a difference.”

3. Give movers an accurate inventory of your stuff

One of the best things you can do to prepare for a move is to clear away clutter: clothes you don’t wear, furniture that won’t fit into your new space, books or movies you’ve long forgotten about (bonus: some of these items can be sold for extra cash or, if in good quality, donated to a charity).

But if you tell movers you’re getting rid of stuff, then make sure you actually sell it or you’ll usually end up paying more than their estimate. “A client told the movers she would be selling several large pieces of furniture,” Hobbs says. “When she couldn’t sell them she decided to keep them. Her moving bill was several thousand dollars over the estimate. She was furious with the movers but it was her fault.”

Since movers typically only see your current residence, be sure to mention any potential issues in your future home, such as winding staircases, narrow streets, or steep hills. “If there are special issues that make unloading significantly longer you will be unpleasantly surprised by your bill,” Giehl says.

4. Be ready for moving day

Lack of preparation costs you money. If you aren’t completely packed, then you could end up paying your movers their hourly rate (often $110 or higher) to pack things you could have done yourself. Or if you aren’t sure where you want furniture to go, you’ll eat up time asking movers to rearrange things. Lack of preparation can also hurt DIYers. “One of the biggest mistakes do-it-yourself packers do is skimp on is preparing boxes properly and packing breakables incorrectly,” says Hobbs. She and Giehl suggest using same-sized boxes, because you can get more in a truck if boxes are a uniform size.

With the right research and preparation, you’ll be ready for a smooth move to your new home.

Home Designers and builders speaking at the recent International Builders Show in Las Vegas say that buyers are seeking cost-effective features and rejecting things that don't have lasting value.

"It's all about family togetherness - casual living, entertaining and flexible spaces," says Carol Lavender, president of the Lavender Design Group of San Antonio

Paul Cardis, CEO of Avid Ratings, which conducts an annual survey of buyer preferences, identified these must-haves in new homes:

1. Large kitchens with islands
2. Energy efficiency, including energy-efficient appliances, super insulation, and high-efficiency windows.
3. Home offices
4. Main-floor master suite
5. Outdoor living space
6. Ceiling fans
7. Soaking tub in master suite and/or an oversize shower with a seating area
8. Stone and brick exteriors rather than stucco or vinyl
9. Community walking paths and playgrounds
10. Two-car garages, but three-car garages are even more desirable

Now is the time for home owners contemplating a spring sale to spruce up their properties in anticipation of what Mike Larson of Weiss Research calls a potentially vibrant home-selling season.

"If you have been beating your head against the wall, this is going to feel a lot better," he says.

Here are 10 cheap ways to make a property more attractive to shoppers:

1. Improve first impressions. Touch up the paint on the front door and other areas that buyers see first.
2. Clean up the landscaping. Trim the hedges and trees and plant some annuals in the flowerbeds.
3. Paint the interior. A coat of light yellow or cream with contrasting white woodwork looks fresh and clean.
4. Refurbish the floors. Buff the hardwoods. Install new carpets - or at least get them professionally cleaned.
5. Take care of the big problems. If the house needs a roof or the front stoop is crumbling, get them fixed.
6. Buy warranties. Putting appliances under warranty gives homebuyers a secure feeling.
7. Improve energy efficiency. New windows or improved insulation tells a potential  buyer the seller is on top of things plus they come with tax benefits.
8. Replace light fixtures. Update fixtures, especially at the entrance way and in the foyer - create a good first impression.
9. Buy a stove. Home owners whose kitchen isn't top of the line can jazz it up for a few hundred dollars by buying a new stove which gives the room a fresh feel.
10. Tidy up the bathrooms. Get rid of mildew, replace caulking, and replace stained sinks.

1. Full Time - Your Realtor needs to be full time; not doing several thing - just in real estate. Real estate is a fickle market and can change on a dime. You need someone on your team that is keeping up with those changes. You need someone who's following the trends, viewing houses, attending seminars and workshops, and generally keeping up to date on the goings on in Kansas City. When someone does not commit fully to real estate it's the ancillary, yet very important, items that tend to be pushed aside.
2. It’s the number of transactions, not years in the business, that’s important – But more is not always better. You want to know how many transactions your Realtor has completed in the last couple of years but if they are a single agent working alone make sure they don’t have too many transactions – you might not get the attention you want and deserve if you’re transaction number six for the month.
3. Website - Check out the Realtor's website and not just the company they work for - See if they have their own website. Technology is such a key part of the real estate business these days. An agent that doesn’t have their own website (and a decent one at that) may not have all the tools they need to market your home to sellers properly.
4. Get the presentation – All agents should come prepared with a listing presentation laying out how they plan to market your home, information about them and their broker, and how the home selling process works. If you don’t automatically receive the presentation from the agent you’re interviewing, ask for it.
5. Have a look around - Did the Realtor look around your home on the inside and outside? Although the area and location of your home does have a large influence in the value of the property so does the home itself (for the good or bad). If you keep your home meticulously maintained – inside and out – it oftentimes has more value then a home that is left in disrepair. Home buyers like to be able to move right in with no work.
6. Were they on time? - Realtors will work on your behalf with lots of contractors and consultants that are just as busy as everyone else. If they don’t show up on time for you (who is interviewing them) do you have confidence that they will be prompted with the inspector, appraiser, and electrician? Late arrival or missed appointments could potentially delay the closing of your home.
7. Solid Stats - Did the Realtor present some solid facts and figures that show why you should use them?
8. Testimonials - Do they have testimonials or referrals that you can follow up on? You will probably have to ask for contact details but all agents should have at least 2 or 3 people that that are more then willing to speak with potential clients about the agent’s services. You should also be able to find testimonials (with no contact info) just about anywhere the agent is present: on their website, the listing presentation information, Facebook, Zillow, Trulia, the list goes on and on – there should be no shortage of praise.
9. Technology – Social media and online is future of the real estate industry. See how much the Realtor understands about new technology; websites, etc. The best way to do this is to do a Google search for the person’s name or company name. You might want to also check the key websites like Twitter, Zillow, Facebook, etc.
10. Commissions – Remember this is a business transaction you are entering into with your Realtor. If you select a Realtor because they were willing to cut their commission what do you think could happen when they are negotiating the sale of your home on your behalf? More often then not, you will get what you pay for.

Now is not just a great time for first time home buyers to purchase a new home. It is also a wonderful time for people looking to move out of their first home and into something a little more 'roomy' (pun slightly intended).

Approximately 50% of the home buyers out there today are first time home buyers (normally it is half that amount) - that means if you have a first home to sell you have a huge market available to purchase it. But home buyers aren't buying just any ol' house - homes are expected to be modern and move in ready.

So what if your home isn't? What do you do to get it up to snuff? Here is a great article from frontdoor.com about home updates that will give you the most bang for your buck when trying to sell.

With the economy the way that it is these days sometimes bad things happen to good people.

Short selling a house is an alternative way to sell a home. A short sale, also known as a pre-foreclosure sale, happens when a lender accepts a lower amount for the house than the mortgage the house has against it. These sales are not easy to complete and it does require a knowledgeable team on your side to help you, but is becoming more and more common.

There are qualifications that have to be met in order for your home to be sold through a short sale:

• You are in default or near default status with your mortgage
• The value of your home has dropped
• You have fallen on hard times.
• You have no other assets to pay the difference of the short sale

This is a good alternative to foreclosure. There are still credit ramifications because it does appear on your credit report – but it’s not a foreclosure. And, sometimes, when you are able to sell your house in a certain manner, you may be able to purchase another house within a couple of years – this is something you definitely can not do with a foreclosure.

Most people aren’t even aware that this opportunity exists. This option is not ideal – losing a home never is – but it can help preserve dignity through a stressful situation.

The Heritage Home Team would like to work with you to help sell your home through a short sale. If you have reached a point where your mortgage payments are hard to make every month and you are moving towards default status on your loan contact The Heritage Home Team to discuss your options.

Also, make sure your friends and family are aware of this home selling alternative. They may not know that there is a way to get ‘out from underneath’ their home. This is a wonderful alternative to the bright orange and green stickers stuck to the front door and windows of a foreclosed home.

The Heritage Home Team continues to be here to work with our clients to find the best possible solution for their housing needs, in good times and in bad.