Lori Todd

Do you start with picking out a new counter top? Or, do you start with picking out a new wall paint color? Or, what about painting cabinets or the backsplash? I had this conversation recently and I think the answer is: whichever item is most important to you! There is no right or wrong way to go about updating materials. If you start with the counter top then you can match paint color. Or, if you start with a wall paint color then you can match the counter top or backsplash.

If you plan to stay long-term, updating to please yourself is most important. However, if you plan to sell and move, then thinking of the general buyer would be an important factor to consider. The general consumer likes neutral and traditional. The general consumer is typically a medium-grade buyer; not too fancy and not too cheap.

When remodeling, it’s also important to match the value of the home. For example, if you have a basic, affordable ranch, you most likely would avoid spending thousands of dollars on a solid surface counter top. However, if you have a high-end priced home, you most like would not pick out the cheapest laminate top.

With the low inventory challenges still lingering, we have been experiencing high price increases and contracts within hours. It sounds great for sellers to maximize their home value but buyers are pushing limits on market value. Will the demand for paying top dollar cause a slowdown in the market or jeopardize the health of the economy? Some would argue that it cannot be sustained while others are searching for ways to create more inventory which would lessen the pressures on pricing.

We have noticed an increase of price reductions. It’s hard to say if the market is slowing down or if sellers were wrongly confident on pricing. In most market conditions, a home priced right and in good condition will sell.

With Spring upon us, many people think about freshening their homes with new paint colors and adding new decor. Before picking a favorite color, one should decide the purpose of the room and what type of mood is desired when spending time in the room. Paint colors are a lot like aromatherapy. Colors can create a specific feel or mood so it’s more than buying a bucket and brush.

Blue tones can be productive but also calming and can be soothing which helps lower blood pressure. Purple and Lavendar tones are also relaxing and calms nerves. Pink is consider happy and calming. Reds and Oranges are typically aggressive colors which increases adrenaline and one’s appetite. Yellow paint is happy and energetic which increases metabolism and alertness. Green tones are tranquil and represents good health. Overall, dark colors tend to be warm and sophisticated.

A Happy You is a Happy Home. A Happy Home is a Happy You. Make sure you take time to decorate your home to create a place to enjoy and use each room to create peace and productivity.

You may not want to spend money doing maintenance, but being proactive rather than reactive usually costs less money and much less stress! When I teach a home buyer class, I talk about budgeting and planning for maintenance after closing on their new house.

People don’t like to spend money on things that aren’t much fun, but do you want to spend $75 cleaning gutters or $1000 fixing water damage? Or, how about spending a couple hundred dollars on caulking and painting rather than a couple of thousand dollars replacing damaged and rotted wood? There are many suggestions on the internet of what kind of home maintenance is needed. Making an annual schedule can be helpful, breaking it down monthly so that your expenses and time can be spread out to make it more manageable without neglecting.

Our Maintenance Department is for hire and has affordable pricing. If you don’t have the time or if you’re not handy with house maintenance, consider Choice Maintenance to help with your general maintenance chores.

There are many tasks to consider when preparing to list a home for sale, but focusing on the top few is using your time wisely.

So, where do you start? I say… at the front door! When showing a house, an agent usually stands with the buyer outside the front door while unlocking the door to enter. These few seconds can be critical in planting the feel of a good start or a bad start. Do you think having a problem with unlocking the door would be a good experience? Make sure the door is clean and freshly painted, has a good, working lock and a nice door mat to create a welcomed setting.

Once inside, most people tend to focus on the kitchen then the main living space and on to the bedrooms and bathrooms. Kitchens can be expensive to update and sometimes updates will not generate 100% return. However, updates can make the house sell faster! Changing out faucets, cabinetry hardware and light fixtures are easy items to switch out and can make a huge difference.

Fresh paint can immediately brighten and change a room. Clean and freshly painted trim and doors can create a nice, clean environments which tends to make a home feel better maintained and helps sell for higher price.

Arranging furniture (or removing furniture) to maximize room space is also worth the time and effort. Take a moment and walk into each room then ask yourself what looks good and what doesn’t, then focus on what needs improved.

Trust me, this is what a buyer does when touring houses so if you want to receive an offer and potentially sell your home for the higest price in the shortest time, doing these tips can help you.

As we approach Spring, real estate activity is top of mind for many people. Whether you are a seller thinking of preparing to sell or a buyer thinking of purchasing a home, there are many steps to consider before putting the sign in the yard or getting in the car to tour.

Our next couple of blogs will focus on each side as we hope to offer detailed information to help with the process. Our website has a Q&A posted to also help sellers and buyers which can be accessed at any time.

Check back soon for continued stories on the home buying and selling process. OR, feel free to contact Broker/Owner Lori Todd for a direct and personal packet of information!

We often here about Seller’s Market or Buyer’s Market. There are many factors that may determine what kind of market we are experiencing but the biggest factor of all is Inventory. With low inventory and high buyer activity, new listings can receive offers within hours. With a lot of inventory and low buyer activity, we can see listings sit for months on the market. Pricing also will be affected by inventory. In multiple offer situations, we can see prices edge up while price reductions usually result when homes sit on the market too long. We are a bit spoiled right now. We’ve been experiencing a Seller’s Market for quite some time now so when a house hasn’t sold within a week, sellers question the process. The most important preparations for a seller is to have the house ready to show when it hits the market and buyers need to be prepared to make quick decisions if they want to secure a purchase in today’s market.

It’s great to have a hot market but that usually means multiple offers which leads to buyers being disappointed. Pricing is increasing and inventory is still low, which all lends to a seller’s market. Interest rates remain low, but there is talk of slight increases coming. Again this year, we are seeing an early start to the Spring market. Will we see the market level off by July again? It’s yet to be known so if you’re thinking of selling, it is time to havenyour home on the market!

A question we often get asked is about updating a house and how much remodeling should owners do. And, my first question back is to find out whether they plan to stay for longer term or preparing to sell soon. So many times we see owners let their houses become dated over years of living there then turn around and do expensive updating in order to sell so only the buyer gets to enjoy the new decorating and materials. Instead, it would be a better investment to make updates every year or two in order to keep up with the trends, enjoy what you pay for and most likely, get a better return on the investment when selling.  Easy updates that aren’t too expensive are things like painting, cabinetry hardware and even changing out wall art, pillows and bedding.