March is a Busy Month for Buyers and Sellers. Are You Ready?

Are you ready for the springtime real estate rush?

March is one of the busiest months of the year for Northern California homebuyers and sellers, as winter recedes and families start making plans for the future. Whether you’re looking for a new home or preparing to put yours on the market, it’s important that you’re ready for busy times ahead.

BUYERS: IS YOUR PAPERWORK IN ORDER?

Homebuyers in Pacific Union’s Bay Area and Lake Tahoe/Truckee regions aren’t likely to face the frenzied competition that marked our real estate markets in recent years, but multiple offers are still routine for attractive properties.

In order to give your bid a fighting chance, you must have your paperwork ready and financing in place. Most importantly, determine how much of a down payment you can afford and how much you can spend on monthly mortgage payments.

Make notes about the features that are important to you in a new home, and do  homework on the neighborhoods that most interest you. Your real estate professional has a wealth of knowledge about local communities, including schools and nearby amenities, as well as the inside story on local homes on the market.

SELLERS: FIX IT AND CLEAN IT

A thorough spring cleaning takes on added significance when you’re preparing your home for sale. You want the house and surrounding property to shine like never before in order to quickly attract the best possible offer.

Washing windows and walls isn’t enough. Replace missing light bulbs and worn fixtures, paint dingy surfaces, and replace worn carpeting. (Some real estate professionals say painting and new carpeting are the cheapest improvements with the biggest payback.)

Get rid of clutter in your home. Prospective buyers love to open cabinets and closets, and sparsely filled storage spaces look bigger than those that are packed full. Consider renting a storage unit for items that aren’t essential to your daily life.

Some sellers keep family photos on the walls and personal mementos and heirlooms on display, thinking they help make a house look homey. But real estate professionals will tell you they’re a turn-off for buyers, who want to imagine their own belongings in place — not yours. Take them down.

Outside, the same rules of fixing and cleaning apply. Prune trees and bushes, rake the yard, and add mulch to flower beds. Perhaps the home’s exterior doesn’t need a new coat of paint, but a few hours with a power washer could make a world of a difference.

Lastly, but perhaps most importantly, sellers should determine how much money they need to get out of their home and set the sales price accordingly. Pricing is a delicate matter, though, and includes outside forces such as neighborhood dynamics and the local economy. Your real estate professional can tell you more about such matters, including pricing data for comparable homes nearby.

Spring is always an exciting season. Good luck with your real estate adventure!

(Image: Flickr/Scott Maxwell)

Article and photo sourced from:  http://blog.pacunion.com/march-is-a-busy-month-for-buyers-and-sellers-are-you-ready/

The 24-Hour Spring Home Makeover Anyone Can Do

Our recipe for instant Spring can be pulled off in just a day — no time-consuming DIYs or buckets of paint necessary! It's all about easy switch-ups that shake off the Winter chill and add instant cheer. Now that your clocks have moved forward, it's time your home does too.

— Additional reporting by Emily Bibb

Botanical Whimsy

Since wallpapering an entryway takes time, money, and serious commitment, try a less permanent solution, like these Lulu DK art decals. How fun would it be to do an accent wall with these?
Photo by Kimberly Chau via Style Me Pretty

Branching Out

If you're waiting to sprout a green thumb before committing to that fiddle leaf fig tree, the wait is over. Take a shortcut to the indoor tree trend by arranging leafy or blossoming branches into a vase. Placing the vase on top of a tall piece of furniture helps to create the height and illusion of a tree.
Photo by Melissa Oholendt via Emily Henderson

Fresh Bedding

Nothing drastically changes the vibe of a bedroom like a new set of bedding. If spending a lot on a Spring-fresh bed sounds daunting, save money by perusing this pretty roundup of bedding sets under $100!
Photo by Brittany Ambridge via Style Me Pretty

Pops of Pastel

Anything but childish, contemporary shapes and patterns help bring sophistication to soft hues. Shopping pastel accents will brighten your space and channel a fresh, seasonally appropriate style.

Photo by Sarah Winchester via Style Me Pretty

 

Bright Linens

Light and bright, new linens like this tea towel ($40 for two) or these napkins ($25) will make a vibrant addition to your kitchen this Spring.

Blossoming Art

Even if you can't manage to keep fresh florals in the house, capture their color and texture with artwork. We're crazy about Kari Herer's multimedia pieces — chic and totally affordable.
Source: Etsy user kariherer

 

 

Creamy Curtains

It's time to switch out the dark drapes for something light and airy. You'll be surprised by the brightening power of pale curtains. These floral drapes ($108-$168) are exactly what we have in mind!

Two-Minute Tulips

If you think keeping fresh flowers in the house sounds high maintenance, allow us to introduce you to the two-minute tulip trick. Save money and time by buying just a handful of tulips and placing them in cool vintage bottles. Feeling inspired? Here are two more easy Spring centerpiece ideas!
Photo: Angela Elias

 

 

Original article and photos taken from:  http://www.casasugar.com/Easy-Spring-Decorating-Ideas-34343541#photo-34343546

Sellers: Take Spring Cleaning Seriously

Springtime is real estate’s busiest season. Are you ready for it?

 
If you plan to put your home on the market over the next few months, you have some work ahead, starting today. As a seller, you’ll be competing for the attention of buyers, and nothing will catch their interest like a bright, inviting home that’s so clean it sparkles.
Of course you’ve been keeping your home clean and well-maintained all along, but take a look at this to-do list to make sure nothing has fallen by the wayside.
CLEAN IT, FIX IT, OR PUT IT AWAY
Wash all windows (and mirrors), and pull back the curtains or blinds to maximize sunshine. Scrub light-switch plates, bathroom and kitchen faucets, and the areas around cabinet handles to remove grime and fingerprints.
Paint walls and replace worn carpeting. Some real estate professionals say painting and new carpeting are the cheapest fixes with the biggest payback.
Get rid of clutter, particularly in the kitchen. Homebuyers love to open cabinets and closets, and sparsely filled storage spaces look bigger than those packed full of items. Consider renting a storage unit for items that aren’t essential to your daily life.
Take family photos off the walls and put them, along with other personal mementos and family heirlooms, in the storage unit you rented. Buyers want to imagine their own photos on the walls, and yours will just get in the way.
If your home needs repairs to the electrical system, or plumbing, heating, or air conditioning, do it now. Buyers will quickly lose interest — or make lowball offers — if your home needs additional work.
PAY ATTENTION TO CURB APPEAL
First impressions are hard to shake, and an overgrown yard can turn away buyers before they get to your front door. Rake the yard, trim back bushes and tree limbs, and remove leaves from gutters.
A manicured lawn tells buyers you pay attention to details. Edge the lawn along sidewalks, driveways, and walkways, and mow the lawn diagonally to make your yard appear larger.
No flowers in your front yard? Buy some container plants, or transplant tulips and daffodils for a quick springtime facelift.
OPEN HOUSE EXTRAS
If your real estate professional has scheduled an open house, help to make your home even more welcoming. Fill the kitchen sink with ice and several dozen bottles of water. Weary home shoppers will be grateful — and remember your courtesy.
If the weather outside is unpredictable, put a mat outside your door so visitors can wipe their feet before entering. And have space handy for umbrellas.
Buy a bunch of brightly colored balloons to tie to the open-house signs. They will guarantee that your home will get noticed.
(Image: Flickr/Backdoor Survival)