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Top reasons for home renovations before you sell
Before listing a home on the real estate market, you may be considering making renovations. Home renovations can be
costly and depending on the home upgrade being done, can be time-consuming.
With these things in mind, you may be wondering if pursuing a home upgrade before selling your property is worth the
extra work.
Increase property value
Both interior and exterior home upgrades can increase the value of your property. For example, let’s say you decide
to replace your garage door – it’s estimated, this replacement cost can be recouped over 106 percent once the
home is sold. Not only do you recover the cost of the project, you also gain money in return.
Working with a real estate professional can help you decide if home improvements are worth your time and money. Some
markets may offer the opportunity for great profit from upgrades, while others not so much.
Attract more potential homebuyers
Home upgrades polish up and beautify your property, which in turn can make it more attractive to potential
homebuyers.
Exterior upgrades to your property can help to boost your home’s curb appeal. For example, on average, it costs $300
to 3,000 to upgrade a concrete driveway. This single upgrade can increase your properties value anywhere from 5 to
10 percent, which in turn makes you quite a profit.
Starting home improvement projects requires a deal of research and work, so take your time along the way. Working
with a real estate professional can help you decide if your project is worth it and where to get started.
Major advantages to buying a new construction home
Once you’re ready to buy a home, you probably have a pretty good idea of what you want. However, one major question is whether to opt for new construction or an existing home. While there are advantages to both choices, new construction homes offer some excellent perks worth considering.
The latest technology & amenities
One of the biggest advantages to new construction homes is that the latest technology and amenities usually come standard. Not only does this mean the latest and greatest home appliances and building materials, but also superior energy efficiency.
Customization options
When you buy new construction, you generally have customization options beyond the “model” homes. Things like light fixtures, flooring, finishes and even appliances can be selected from a catalog of available options. Not only does this allow you to have some creative control over your new home, it gives you the opportunity to spend more on your priorities.
Less competition
While every housing market is different, it’s common for new construction homes to have less competition compared to existing homes. Typically, new construction is part of an entirely new development or neighborhood. Compared to buying an established home in a popular neighborhood, you likely won’t have to fight as much for your dream home.
There are many things to consider when comparing existing homes to new construction. Often, an existing home with some outdated features might be more affordable than a brand-new home with the latest gadgets. By keeping your priorities and budget in mind, you can make the best decision for your next home purchase.
How to realistically manage your home selling expectations
Deciding to list your home on the real estate market is a huge decision, and for many it’s easy to get swept away by all the motion and turbulence accompanying the journey. However, by setting realistic goals and expectations, you can streamline the home selling process.
Understand the housing market
You may own a beautiful home, but even a top-notch residence may be difficult to sell depending on the housing market’s conditions. By allocating time and working with a real estate agent to study the real estate market, you can differentiate a buyer’s market from a seller’s market.
In a buyer’s market, there’s typically an abundance of homes and a shortage of buyers. Therefore, sellers may need to price their houses competitively to raise interest from buyers.
Comparatively, in a seller’s market, there’s usually an abundance of buyers and a shortage of homes. This means a seller probably won’t have to wait long to receive purchase offers to purchase after listing their residence.
To distinguish a buyer’s market from a seller’s market, examine the prices of recently sold homes in your area and find out how long these properties were listed before being sold. This information enables you to review the level of interest in properties in your city or town and can help you list accordingly.
Know your home’s strengths & weaknesses
Even though your home may hold personal value, it’s still important to seek professional examination to determine areas in need of improvement.
During a home inspection, a property expert examines a residence both inside and out. This may include the structure of the home, windows and doors, the HVAC system and more. Then, once finished, they can provide a detailed report. With this information, you can make needed repairs and price your home fairly.
Collaborate with a real estate agent
A real estate agent can provide their expertise and help you in examining the market, understanding where your home falls as a listing, and can help you nail down a timeline to keep your home selling journey on track.
With the help of a real estate professional and in-depth examination of your home and local market, you can set realistic expectations to get your home sold smoothly.
Beautiful houseplants to consider for different rooms in your home
Houseplants are a wonderful way to make your home feel more comfortable and colorful.
Along with beautifying your room, they can also offer many other benefits sure to delight your household. However, it’s best to do research ahead of time to see which plant fits best in each location of your home before making a purchase.
Bedroom
The bedroom is seen by many as a place of rest and relaxation, so having plants in this room that amplify these qualities can be beneficial. For this reason, lavender is a wonderful plant to keep in your bedroom as it gives off a calming scent, perfect for your cozy sleeping space.
Lavender is also relatively low-maintenance, just be sure to water sparsely during the winter and only when the soil has dried out to avoid root rot.
Lavender can also work well in other rooms, such as on a kitchen windowsill, where it can be used for cooking or making tea.
Bathroom
The bathroom tends to be humid with a limited amount of space, so a low maintenance plant such as a single aloe vera plant near a light source can be a great accent. It’s best to place this plant near a window for a nice dose of sunlight, and it should be watered when the soil feels a bit dry.
Aloe can be used topically to promote skin health and can even be used to treat ailments such as sunburns.
Living room
Since the living room space tends to be a bit larger than other rooms in the house, you may want to add a few larger plants.
A Norfolk Island Pine looks like a miniature pine tree and can grow several feet high indoors. This is a great choice for homeowners in colder climates who would like to stay on theme with the geographic region they live in.
Yucca and Palm, are perfect for homes in warmer climates. They can grow several feet high and fill up space in a large living room with ease.
There’s a wide variety of plants suitable for diverse living spaces. Consider doing research on plants you’re interested in, and check out your local gardening store for more information.
Quick DIYs to do at home
Do you have extra materials and trinkets lying around the house? Some items can easily pile up over time and leave your space feeling cramped or messy. Luckily, these pieces can be repurposed to help you reduce clutter while adding a creative touch to your home decor.
Use random items from around the house
Extra Mason jars are perfect for storing a plethora of things around the house. For instance, if you dabble in jewelry making or other hobbies with tiny components, you can put them into jars for safekeeping.
Glass jars are also great for home decor. With just a few craft supplies, you can decorate the jars to your liking. Within just a few minutes, you can paint your jars vibrant shades to match seasonal decorum.
Craft useful decor with recyclables
After special occasions and gift giving, there’s usually a fair amount of wrapping paper leftover. Rather than throw it all away, consider repurposing it as scrapbook paper to store pictures and warm memories.
You can glue this paper to the cover of your scrapbook and add beads and ribbons with hot glue. This DIY project allows you to really personalize your existing items while recycling would-be waste products.
Use craft scraps to upgrade your crafting area’s decor
Consider using leftover ribbon and stickers to decorate bins and other storage areas. For example, you can use letter stickers to label your bins.
If you have plastic storage drawers, you can decorate them with stickers fitting the theme of what’s being stored. If the drawer is being used for hair products, you could use stickers with spray bottles, hair pins and blow-dryer images.
Upcycle with 3D prints
3D printers are the way of the future, and they can help bring new life to items of the past. For example, you can use a 3D printer to replace missing or broken pieces from all kinds of objects. This may include old kitchen jars and storage containers.
Remember, DIY projects don’t have to be expensive or extremely intricate to add a meaningful, personal touch to your home decor. A few supplies and a little imagination goes a long way.
Tips & tricks to build credit as a renter
If you’re currently renting and have goals of homeownership, you may be wondering where to start your preparation for purchasing a home.
If you plan to take out a mortgage loan, boosting your credit score can increase the chances of you getting a loan with terms you prefer. So, what are some ways you can increase your credit score?
Take over the bills
Whether you live alone or with roommates, having utility bills paid in your name can be highly beneficial. When bill payments are reported back to credit bureaus, on-time payments demonstrate your financial responsibility and consistency – Which can positively effect your score.
Become an authorized user
If taking out a line of credit isn’t an option for you, consider becoming an authorized user on someone else’s credit account, which can help you increase your score.
Before taking this step, find out whether the credit issuer reports payments for authorized users. Once you’re sure they report payments for authorized parties, you can be added to the account without changing anything about your spending.
Check to see if your landlord reports rental payments
In most cases, rent payments aren’t reported to credit bureaus; however, this is starting to change. Consider speaking with a potential landlord to see if they use applications to report rental payments. Payments made on time can be just the boost you’ll need to increase your credit score.
Open up a credit account
Opening up a line of credit can do wonders for boosting your credit score. Before getting started, it’s best to plan out your credit finances to avoid spending too much on frivolous things. Instead, you may want to use your credit card to pay off bills, which can increase your credit score from multiple fronts.
Using these tips and tricks can help you manage and increase your credit, so you can get the ball rolling towards homeownership.
How to maintain focus as you prepare to purchase a home
Staying focused on the homebuying journey is a must, especially for those living in areas with a fast-paced market. Using a few key tips can help you stay on course and accomplish your homebuying dreams.
Craft a homebuying strategy
Creating a homebuying strategy, you outline the steps you’ll most essential to the homebuying process. Plus, with a homebuying plan in place, you’ll be better equipped than ever before to streamline your house search.
Use your strategy outline to highlight the location you’d prefer your home to be in, where to get financing if a mortgage loan is needed, house characteristics and more.
Get preapproved for home financing
Home financing often plays a huge role in a buyer’s ability to acquire a residence. Getting pre-approved for a mortgage allows you to get a better understanding of the financing you’re working with to purchase a home.
You’ll need to provide personal information such as income and identification, so a lender can see if you meet requirements for pre-qualification.
Prior to pre-approval for a mortgage loan, consider checking out a variety of banks and credit unions. This allows you to learn about all of your mortgage options and select a mortgage best matching your financial needs.
Work with a real estate agent
Working with a real estate agent is one of the best ways to help you stay on track during the homebuying process. They can help you fine-tune your homebuying goals and map out the best plan to execute each task efficiently – Whether that be through narrowing down an MLS search or negotiating a great deal on a home.
Don’t lose focus as you pursue your dream property. By securing financial information, creating a strategy and collaborating with a real estate agent, you can ease into the homebuying journey with clarity.
Is it time to submit a home purchase offer?
After conducting an in-depth home search, you may find a property fitting your needs and homebuying goals. Ultimately, there are a few significant signs to note which can indicate a great time to put in an offer, and knowing what these signs are can put you ahead of the competition.
You find a house matching or exceeding your expectations
If you view a home and find it aligns or even exceeds your homebuying goals, this may be a sign to take the plunge with an offer to purchase.
Consider factors such as the space and square footage, location, if it has the HOA community of your preference and more.
You’re operating in a sellers market
If you’re buying in a fast-paced market, it may be best to act quickly to secure the home of your dreams.
A seller’s market typically features a shortage of high-quality homes and an abundance of homebuyers. Acting quickly is needed to secure housing, so working with your real estate agent, you may need to form a competitive offer letter to stand out from the crowd.
You’re facing a time crunch
If you must move into a new home quickly, you may want to consider working with a real estate agent to map out a homebuying strategy, so you can efficiently find a home of your liking and turn in an offer letter.
This may include figuring out what you’re searching for in a home, including the number of rooms needed, yard space, location and other aspects.
Working with your real estate agent, observing the market and understanding your goals can help you figure out if it’s the right time to put in an offer to purchase.
Is it time to make the change from renting to owning a home?
For many, the homebuying journey often starts with getting pre-approved for a mortgage. Once approved, a buyer has a mortgage can enter the real estate market with a budget in hand.
Identifying key signs can help you decide if it’s the right time to secure a mortgage loan.
You’re ready to upgrade from an apartment to a home
If you’re tired of paying rent, purchasing a property offers a viable alternative. With a mortgage in hand, you can budget out for the purchase of a home and get a better idea of the type of home you can afford.
You feel good about your credit score
Having a good credit score is fundamental in regard to applying for a mortgage loan as it demonstrates your credit history. A good credit score improves your chances of being approved and can even open the door to more benefits such as lower interest rates.
If you feel your score may need to be improved before applying for a mortgage, consider taking steps such as cutting down debt or getting added as an authorized user to a credit account.
It’s a buyer’s market
In a buyer’s market, there’s typically an abundance of desirable homes and a shortage of buyers. This means a homebuyer may be able to negotiate with more options to purchase a home they desire for a great deal.
By reviewing this housing market data, you can differentiate a buyer’s market from a seller’s market and determine whether it’s the ideal time for you to apply for a mortgage. You can do so by searching your local MLS for listing information in the area you wish to purchase a home.
By acknowledging your housing goals, financial standing and doing real estate market research, you can determine if now is the right time for you to apply for a mortgage loan.
Easy weekend projects to boost your home’s appeal
With so much going on in our daily lives, it’s sometimes hard to make time for home improvements. If you’re short on
time but still want to make progress on your home improvement to-do list, weekend projects are an excellent place to
start.
Even though some home improvement projects do take a while, some can be done quickly for ultimate results.
DIY laundry room ideas
Adding storage space is a simple DIY project which can help declutter the laundry room and make tasks more pleasant.
For example, consider adding shelves to the wall area to hold laundry supplies and free up floor space. For
materials too heavy or large for shelves, try storage bins and baskets to avoid clutter.
Create an easy-change gallery wall
Do you enjoy switching up photo decor from time to time? Consider setting up a gallery wall you can make easy changes
to. You can find picture ledges at many stores selling home goods products which can be crafted into your
gallery wall. You can spray paint these ledges a different shade than your wall to add a striking
contrast.
Once the ledges are installed, you can add your pictures to picture frames and set them up. Switch these photos
around or out to your liking.
Create an indoor floating garden
Add a raised garden bed to your space to bring fresh life and greenery indoors. You can include different tiers,
which allows you to add multiple plants and flowers to decorate. This lovely creation can usually be put together
within a few days.
DIY projects don’t have to be lengthy to make a home fabulous. Over the short span of a weekend, a few extra shelves,
paint, pictures and plants can bring freshness to your space.
