Ask the Right Questions: Tips for Getting Moving Quotes

Buying and selling a home can be stressful. Once you’re ready to move, the relief can leave you vulnerable to scams. Frankly, you’re so happy to be “done” that you can overlook red flags in your excitement. To protect your belongings and avoid extra costs or loss, learn the signs of scams when moving.

The first step is to do your research. Always make sure the moving company comes to physically inspect your belongings and gives you a firm quote. Some companies may try to give you a quote based on the size of your home or number of bedrooms, then charge you more based on time or weight. Do not hire these companies. A reputable company will spend the time to come to your home.

Next, it’s critical to check references. Ask for local references and call them. Online references and reviews can also be a good way to learn more about service and their response to problems. Ask about how they handle damage and check reviews for the insurance they offer. Ideally, you want a third-party insurance company and you may even have coverage with your own homeowner’s insurance.

Finally, get multiple quotes. Read the contracts carefully and make sure you ask about anything that can change during the move, such as delay fees, storage fees, or weight charges. Never make a large upfront payment and most companies only require a small deposit at the time of the move.

It’s natural to relax after the close of a new home, but you can avoid moving scams by staying vigilant and trust your instincts. Ask about anything that doesn’t make sense and check references. The lowest cost provider is likely low cost for a reason.

5 Modern Details to Update Your Traditional Living Room

Here are 5 cool modern accents you can use to update your living room this weekend.

1. Hyperrealism Art – This art form mimics traditional realistic photography or art, but is designed to evoke an emotion rather than just recreate the scene. Emotional pieces of any kind provide a unique focus to the room.

2. Modern Accent Chair – An accent piece of furniture, such as a chair or table, can immediately add depth to the room. It can be a unique shape or texture; anything that breaks with the overall style of the room.

3. Modern Art Décor – Pillows and vases are a simple way to update a room. Consider adding a low sleek vase for a single rose or perhaps a knot-shaped pillow on the floor by the fireplace.

4. Curves – Soft curved lines are gaining popularity. Gone are the sleek, harsh lines of the past few years. Add a simple round mirror to a corner wall to not only add softness, but a mirror expands the area and reflects light, brightening the room.

5. Extra-Large Lighting – Design magazines are featuring giant, oversized paper lanterns. These can be colorful and boho or soft colored and subtle, but a fun and inexpensive way to add a quick update to a traditional living area.

Whatever you decide, there are endless ways to create a more eclectic living room while giving your home a boost this season.

How to Use Comps to Price Your Home Correctly

The most important aspect of listing your home for sales is the asking price. Unlike many other items we purchase, home prices are based on what a willing and able buyer would pay for the property. Sounds complicated, right? This is why real estate agents bring comps ( short for comparable properties) information with them to the discussion. Yet are you using the right comps to successfully sell your home? The idea is to gather information about comparable properties that have sold recently that are similar to your own. The goal is to compare apples to apples. In other words, the properties should be as close to the subject home as possible. This includes things like:

· Location – how far is the property from yours.

· Size – square footage is an important aspect of value.

· Number of bedrooms/bathrooms – even if the square footage is close, the number of bedrooms and bathrooms can have a large effect on price.

· Style, view, street, yard – even the exact same floorplan can have vastly different value based on the street it’s on or the view. Size of the yard and privacy are also critical components of value.

· Amenities – private or community pools and other amenities can affect value as well.

Your agent will bring recent sales for homes that compare to yours. As you look through these listings, you can add or subtract values based on the differences. This is the same process an appraiser will use to approve the loan. While this is more of an art than a science, the right comps can help you properly price your home for a smooth sale.

Can My HOA Make Me Get Rid of My Dog?

Most homebuyers know to review the HOA (Homeowner’s Association) documents provided by the seller during disclosures to ensure the rules will not interfere with their lifestyle. Yet, once they become homeowners, often these same people do not pay attention to bylaw changes over the years. So, when they find themselves in violation of a bylaw, they are caught off guard. When this affects a beloved pet, this can be very upsetting. But can an HOA force a homeowner to get rid of their pet? Often, they can.

An HOA has a duty to create and enforce restrictions to ensure the well-being and safety of the homeowners in the association. If they operate within the guidelines of federal anti-discrimination laws, HOAs have broad latitude to create their bylaws, including the complete restriction on having animals in one’s home or on HOA property.

This is an extreme rule, however. Typically, restrictions include the requirement to keep pets on a leash, to remove pet waste, and to keep pets off association grass or landscaping. Considered “reasonable restrictions,” an HOA may prohibit a specific type of pet, such as a pig or bird. It may also limit the size or breed of a dog.

One exception to any restriction is the ability of an owner to have a service animal. Another situation that may allow a pet in contradiction to a bylaw is a member who has already had a specific animal when the rules changed. In most cases, these animals are allowed to remain.

Most HOA communities welcome pets, but an HOA does have significant power to influence the standard of living within the community. Careful understanding of the HOA and climate of a community will avoid painful issues and ensure a pleasant homeowning experience.

6 DIY Home Projects That Could Kill Your Home Value

Weekend TV lineups are filled with Do-It-Yourself home improvement programs. One home inspector used to call the results “six-pack projects.” While not all DIY projects end in disaster, some projects can harm home sales because buyers see these “improvements” as changes they will need to make once they buy the house. If you are planning to sell soon, it’s important to realize that potential buyers may not be as impressed with your handiwork as you are.

6 DIY Projects that Can Kill Your Home Value

1. Garage Conversion – Homebuyers love extra square footage, but they don’t want it in the garage. Most buyers will plan to “unconvert” a game room back to space for their cars or storage.

2. New Doors – New doors can add beauty to a room, but if they are not mounted properly, they land on a new buyer’s list of things to fix.

3. Uneven Hardware – If you are trying to update cabinets with new hardware, make sure they are level and line up evenly.

4. Crown Molding – Seems like an easy upgrade but adding elegant crown molding is very difficult and ends up looking sloppy.

5. Painting to Hide Problems – Cracks, gaps, and surface defects only look worse when covered with fresh paint.

6. Kitchen Cabinets – Old, worn cabinets should be replaced if possible. As with the walls, a fresh coat of paint only accentuates the dated look.

Every seller knows they need to freshen their home and add curb appeal to list their home. Before launching into a frenzied weekend of DIY projects, speak to a professional agent or stager and make sure you don’t make things worse in the eyes of your potential buyers

Are the bidding wars over?

Let’s face it, it’s fun to have a home listing during a seller’s market. When inventory is tight, even less-than-perfect homes invite the frantic bidding wars seen over the past few years. But as the economy slows down and interest rates increase, sellers are wondering if the bidding wars are over, and what that means for them.

First of all, bidding wars have occurred in every kind of real estate market. Well-positioned homes have always garnered attention and offers. What’s different in a seller’s market is that buyers are so desperate to find a home, that multiple offers seem to be normal on every listing. As the pace slows down, sellers need to adjust their expectations and avoid costly mistakes.

Seller Mistakes to Avoid in a “Normal” Market

· Bad Curb Appeal – Curb Appeal is once again important to making a good impression.

· Delayed Response – Don’t wait to respond to a buyer’s offer because you hope to have a bidding war.

· Unreasonable Demands – Buyers have choices now, be reasonable with the counter and contingencies. · Highest Offer – Don’t assume that the highest offer is the best offer.

· Priced too Low or too High – Price the home correctly. Don’t play games with the price.

Finally, be patient. In a typical market, an average home is on the market 30-45 days. This is a change from the past few years, but a healthy real estate market benefits all parties.

How to Price Your Home to Sell in a Softening Market

The summer selling season has come. Unfortunately, those home sellers who were looking forward to sky-high prices and multiple offers may be disappointed to find the market softening. In a declining market, pricing a home becomes critical to success.

Pricing your home in a softening market

The first step is to realize the market has changed. Buyers will not overpay for a home in an uncertain market. Whereas just a few months ago it might have made sense to “test the market” and set an aggressive price, sellers who try that strategy today will lose valuable time, risking an even slower market when the home sells.

Home Value Truths

• What you paid for your home doesn’t affect its value.

• Your asking price does not affect its value.

• What it might have sold for 2 months ago does not affect its value.

• What your agent tells you about price does not affect its value.

The value of your home is determined by what a qualified buyer in today’s market is willing to pay for it, comparing it to others on the market for sale.

Pricing Strategy in a Softening Market

Your pricing strategy should be the same, regardless of whether you are in an accelerating or declining market – to price the home ahead of the market. In a declining market, that means you should price your home slightly below the most recent comp.

Selling a Property with Tenants in Place

The strong seller’s market has prompted homeowners across the country to consider selling their homes. What if your property is a rental unit with tenants in place? Can you still sell and take advantage of the rising home values? Yes, by understanding the steps and following a few tips, you maximize your profit in this strong market.

The first step in selling your home with tenants in place is to understand your rights and responsibilities. The kind of lease you hold will determine if you can simply give notice to the tenants or if the new owners will buy the home with a lease in place. Only month-to-month leases can be terminated unilaterally with proper notice.

Next, meet with the tenants and discuss the situation. Explain your reasons for selling and assure them that you wish to make it as easy as possible. Offer to sell the home to the renters first, and then discuss any future plans they may have. If they can’t or don’t want to buy the property, you may be able to offer them money to move. Your goal must be to have the cooperation of your tenants so they will help facilitate showings and maintain the home.

When you have tenants, who will remain in the home after the close due to their lease, then you must disclose the lease terms to the buyer. The new owner will be legally obligated by the lease. In a strong market, you may find a buyer willing to wait for the expiration of the lease, even if they intend to occupy the home.

Selling with tenants in place doesn’t have to be difficult. Do your homework, understand your obligations and be transparent with the renters and potential buyers. This way, you make it easy on all parties and can reap the reward of high home values.

Home Improvements During Labor Shortage

Tight labor markets are affecting industries across the country. Skilled and unskilled jobs remain unfilled as employers struggle to find prospective employees. For anyone ready to hire a contractor or handyman to perform home improvement projects, this shortage is causing frustration. As more people embrace the “staycation” and seek ways to upgrade their homes, many are finding few tradesmen to even come to provide estimates, much less schedule the work.

If you are trying to find good people to help with home improvement projects, there are still a few ways to achieve your goals.

Here are a few tips to help you find a professional to help with your project.

• Social Media – One great way to find reputable laborers is to ask for help from local social media groups. Apps like Facebook and Next Door have local groups where you can ask for help. Make sure to mention where you got the referral; the tradesmen will want to live up to the referral and are more likely to provide good, timely service.

• Big Box Stores – Home improvement stores like Lowes and Home Depot offer a wide variety of in-home services. They also have referral services for projects outside their scope and these contractors keep the stores happy by providing good service to homeowners.

• Online Service – There are sites like Angie’s List and Home Advisor where professionals pay for leads. Because they have paid for the contact, they tend to be more likely to follow through on the project.

The labor shortage is affecting all aspects of life right now. If you have a home improvement or upgrade project, there is no reason to put off the work. Try these tips for finding qualified and vetted help.

Home Issues That Shouldn’t Be Deal-Breakers – and a Few That Are!

Finding the right home can sometimes feel like hunting for a needle in a haystack. Unless you’re buying brand-new construction, every home has some drawbacks, whether it’s style or real maintenance issues. If you’re looking for your next home, understanding the difference between minor issues and true deal-breakers can help you evaluate your options and make the best possible choice.

Manageable Annoyances

• Cosmetic – All aesthetic concerns can be fixed – for a cost. The key is to understand the difficulty and level of effort or money involved. A dying lawn can be addressed with new sod. Is the kitchen dated? A new backsplash is relatively inexpensive. With some fresh paint and new lighting fixtures, you can easily brighten a room and make a small space seem more expansive.

• Healthy Homes – Many homes have older carpet, drapes, and other elements that can irritate allergies. Home air filtration systems are affordable and very effective in clearing the particulates out of the air. Replacing the attic insulation and cleaning the vents are easy and inexpensive ways to correct these situations.

Deal-Breakers

• Foundation Problems – Foundation cracks and other issues can be expensive or impossible to correct.

• Mold – While treatments for mold are available, they normally involve major demolition to open walls and flooring for access. Unless the sellers will correct the mold issue before closing, it’s better to reconsider on this one.

• Water Leaks – Signs of water damage or existing leaks could be a reason to search for a different home. Leaks and water issues will most likely bring you to the mold issue above. Classification: Public Classification: Public Buying a resale home almost always involves some kind of preexisting issue, but not all should be reasons to walk away. If the home you like has problems, before you move on, consider the costs involved to remedy the challenge.