Putting Your Best Foot Forward

 

 

You’ve chosen your Realtor and you are ready to sell.  We’ve all heard the expression that you only get one chance to make a first impression.  Because of this, your home should show like a model home, regardless of it’s age.  So it is time to clean it up, pack it up and fix it up.

Currently many home shoppers start their search on the internet.  So you want those photos to show your home in it’s best light, in order to get these buyers to the door.   Even if your interior photos are spectacular, you want the exterior to shine as well.  The process starts at the street.  If a buyer is turned off by the exterior of a home, it is highly unlikely that the buyer will get out of the car to come inside and see how spectacular the interior is. 

You will want to de-personalize the house.  Buyers can become easily distracted viewing your wedding photos on the wall, the family portrait on the mantel, or your knick knack collection.  They may remember nothing about the house other than your personal items.  As a seller you want to showcase the outstanding features of the home, so that they will remember those features, when it is time to make a decision as to which home to make an offer on.

A seller should also make sure the home sparkles!  There are many cleaning professionals that will provide you with a dependable cleaning service.  Sometimes you may just want to have them come in and do a one time deep clean, that will make it easy for you to maintain.  There are several great companies that I can recommend if you don’t know of any.

And if even though HGTV plays 24/7 and you still feel clueless call upon a staging expert.  You could contact Tia Spaulding at

Creative Staging Co for guidance through the staging of your home with no stress.

Lastly in the process of depersonalizing, cleaning and staging, you may run into problem areas.  Maybe walls are scuffed and could use a fresh coat of paint, or the ceiling fan isn’t balanced, or bathroom faucet drips.  Go ahead and fix those things now.  The money you spend now can help you get the most out of your home later.

 

And if you or anyone you know if is looking to buy, build or sell, I would love to be of assistance!  Feel free to contact me  at dawn_whalen@sbcglobal.net, www.dawnwhalen.com or 317-893-0648

Dawn Whalen, Realtor

Keller Williams Realty

Serving Your Family’s Needs First!

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Considerations When Pricing Your Home.

 

Your family is growing, or the last child has now left the nest.  You’ve recently married, or have been transferred due to a job.  Whatever the reason, you’ve decided to sell your home and move on to something else. 

Selling a home is emotional for many.  But as a seller if you try and keep in mind the old saying “Home is where the heart is” it may be a little easier.  While you undoubtedly have many wonderful memories of family and events in the house you are selling, you will always have those memories, and that makes them priceless.  Unfortunately the buyers aren’t buying our memories, and we need to keep that in mind when working with our Realtor to price the home.

The good news is, on the flip side of that, upgrades and other improvements are tangible items that buyers can affix a price tag to.  But a word of caution, not all Home Improvement projects will yield a high return on investment.  The return on investment will depend on the type of improvement, how long ago it was done and what the average return on investment for that improvement in that geographic region would be.  Your Realtor can certainly help you determine these things.

How quickly do you want or need to sell?  This is another factor you should consider.  What is the absorption rate in the area?  The absorption rate tells you how many months of inventory you have on the market.  In other words it will tell you how long it will take for all homes in that area to sell if no other homes came on the market.  Use this information to determine how aggressive you need to be when pricing your home.

There is much more to consider, but these are just a few.

If you or someone you know are considering selling or buying, please feel free to contact me for a no obligation consultation.

 

Dawn Whalen, Realtor

Keller Williams Realty

Serving Your Family’s Needs First

317-893-0648  office

317-459-5182   cell

www.dawnwhalen.com

Technorati Tags: selling tips,pricing tips,dawn Whalen,indianapolis area realtor,beech grove area realtor

Considerations When Purchasing A Home!

So you’ve decided to buy a home, and are wondering what to do, where to begin?  One of the first things you will want to do is find a Realtor who you are comfortable with.  Ask friends and family if they know of anyone.  Or if you have stumbled across my blog, and are looking for a Realtor, I would love to meet with you and see if we are a good fit!

After finding a Realtor to work with, you will also want to speak with a Lender.  Find out how much house you qualify for.  Many times sellers require a preapproval letter to be submitted with an offer.  If you have met with a lender, prior to beginning your search, you are one step ahead.  Again, if you don’t know of a lender, ask your Realtor, or friends and family.

Ask the lender how long they think it will take to process the loan.  Depending on the type of loan, it could be 30-45 days, and you want to take that into consideration when setting a closing date.

Are you currently leasing or renting?  When is your lease up?  Is there a penalty for ending your lease early?  Are you able to go month to month without a substantial increase in payment if needed? 

Have you saved money for a down payment and closing costs?  Are you prepared to pay for the incidentals associated with a home purchase?  These might include a Home Inspection, Termite Inspection, deposit for utilities, & homeowners insurance just to name a few.

Do you know what area you want to live in?  What type of home?  Do you have a list of 7-10 must have items for a home you would want to purchase?  What about a list of items you would like to have?

These are just a few things to consider when preparing to purchase a home.  If you or someone you know is ready to start the home buying, building or selling process, feel free to contact me for a no obligation consultation.

Dawn Whalen, Realtor

Keller Williams Realty

317-459-5182  cell

317-893-0648  office

www.dawnwhalen.com

Serving Your Family’s Needs First

Technorati Tags: tips on buying,indianapolis area realtor,beech grove area realtor

Thinking About Moving?

April has arrived and those who are wanting to move during the summer months have started the process.  As buyers they are visiting open houses, driving through neighborhoods they want to live in to get a first hand look at what is available, as well as viewing homes with their agents.  Sellers have spruced up their homes and put them on the market with the hopes of attracting the buyer who is looking for a home just like theirs.

Buyers want to be sure their credit is in order prior to starting the process.  Be aware of the requirements of the different types of mortgage loans available.  Do you have money saved for a down payment and closing costs?  If you are renting, when is your lease up?  Is there a penalty for breaking your lease early, or can you do a month to month lease, if you haven’t found your new home by the time your lease is up?

As a seller you should be aware of lender requirements of the home for the various mortgage products.  Ask if you Realtor has requested preliminary title work on the home.  In my opinion (and this is only my opinion) it’s best to order preliminary title work as soon as your home is listed.  That way if anything concerning shows up, it can be addressed early in the process rather than possibly delaying a closing.  Have you had a Pre-Listing Home Inspection?  While not necessary it certainly is something to consider.  If there are any issues discovered on the inspection, they can be corrected, and it may end up saving you money in the long run.

Obviously there is much more to consider when purchasing or selling a home.  If you or anyone you know is considering, buying, building or selling, feel free to contact me for a no obligation, free consultation to discuss the process.

Dawn Whalen, Realtor

Keller Williams Realty

Serving Your Family’s Needs First!

www.dawnwhalen.com

317-459-5182  cell

317-893-0648  office

Technorati Tags: spring buying,Realtor,Dawn Whalen,spring selling,Beech Grove area realtor

Baurley Painting and Small Construction

Spring has arrived and that means it is time to do those wonderful home improvement projects.  Whether preparing to sell, or just sprucing up the place many people are ready to tackle a project or two.

What about those of us, who really truly don’t want to be a do it your self type of person, or who know deep down, that there is just no way that we want to tackle that project.  Where do you turn to find that person who can do it for you? 

I can recommend a wonderful business that will take the guess work out of it all for you.  Baurley Painting and Small Construction offers various services which may be of use to you.  Nathan Baurley is a very detail oriented person, who takes pride in his work.  His integrity and honesty is second to none, and his dedication to getting the job done right, the first time, is a quality that seems to be lacking in the world these days.

Services he offers include:

*Painting

*Staining

*Pressure washing

*Small construction-including decks, storage barns

Baurley Painting and Small Construction is licensed in the state of Indiana as a general contractor and is fully insured and bonded.

For more information feel free to visit his website or contact him at 317-731-6553 or 812-621-0129.

 

And as always, if you or someone you know is looking to buy, build or sell, I would love to be of assistance.  My goal is serving your family’s needs first.

Dawn Whalen, Realtor

Keller Williams Realty

317-459-5182

www.dawnwhalen.com

Technorati Tags: indianapolis small construction,indianapolis general contractor,indianapolis house painter