Charlotte Property Hunters - Find Your Dream Home in South Charlotte and Union County, North Carolina

Looking at our overall housing market at a regional level to include Mecklenburg County and surrounding areas you will see that while we have our issues, Charlotte is not drastically sliding price wise. If you are considering buying or selling take a look at these charts and contact me with questions. I am here to help.

Today’s market is a buyer’s market with interest rates well below 4.5% for a 30 year fixed interest rate mortgage. We should be seeing more buyers stepping out to look at homes for sale and real estate in our housing market. Traditionally this time of year sellers have opportunity from Labor Day through Thanksgiving. If you are considering selling this year, start preparing your home now.

Tiffany Johannes (704) 301-7404/tiffany@Husbt.com

Many sellers today are looking for that edge over the competition.  What will make my house sell?  How can I be next?  Here are 10 Tips to a Great Showing:

1. Rid Your Home of Clutter. Clean your counters off.  Get rid of any stacks or piles of bills, newspapers, magazines and projects!  Clear your personal products off bathroom counter-tops.  Make sure you can see 90% of your kitchen counter-tops from front to back.  Pick up all toys and get them out of sight!  Never just stack them on the wall.

2. Open Blinds & Curtains. Bringing natural light into your home is important.  Along with this you must ensure your windows, window sills and screens are clean. This will go a long way to brightening any home.  Remember, all buyers are going to look out your windows to identify room locations and positions with exterior views.  Darker homes should consider leaving lights on if opening blinds and curtains are not enough.

3.  Clean, Clean, Clean. The best impression you can make is a clean home.  Before you leave each day ensure the counter-tops and floors are clear.  Make the kitchen and bathrooms shine.  No fingerprints on the walls, doors or appliances.  Double check closets are clean. No dust bunnies!

4. Remove Smells.  No one wants to come into your home and smell kitty litter or pet urination or your dinner from last night.  Make sure to use your vent when cooking and take time to clean kitty litter regularly (more than you would if your home weren’t on the market).  If you need an air freshener get a neutral scent.  Don’t over mask a smell.  That always ends up worse!

5.  Prepare Buyer’s 1st Impression.  Cut your grass, use an edger, clear debris like leaves and branches from the yard.  Water flowering plants.  Step outside and look at your front door.  Then look up, down and around to ensure your buyers will be looking at a neat and clean entrance.  Put your water hose up when you are done watering and cleaning.

6. Bathroom Etiquette. Clear your counters and put your toilet seats down.  No toothbrushes, toothpaste or any other personal items should be on the counters.  Nice hand towels should be out and clean.  Ensure all your clothing is picked up before you leave the home everyday.  Surprise showings happen!  Do a last wipe down before you leave the home each day if possible.

7. Secure Your Pets. Leaving your animals to roam is never the best way to show your home.  Safety is important for your pet.  Consider a kennel.  If you can take your pet with you or find a place outside your home for your animals.  Share instructions or pet names with your agent and the showing service.

8. Leave the home. If a buyer’s agent is showing your home.  Leave home before the buyers show up.  It is a courtesy that will go a long way. Buyer’s agents will follow up and address any questions their buyer has.

9.  Garage, Laundry Room & Basements.  Don’t leave these rooms as your dumping ground.  Get closing containers if you need a place to store last minute items in a clean and neat fashion.

10.  Create a Checklist.  In today’s market you have to be ready on a moment’s notice.  Don’t let a last minute showing get to you.  Have a checklist of items to look for in your home before you leave to ensure you aren’t caught by surprise.  Do a little of it in the evening before you go to bed and then touch it up in the morning. Enlist your family’s help!

1.  Organize, Clean and Neutralize. Get rid of clutter and pack up un-used items, such as large mixers and other kitchen appliances and tools, out-of-season clothes, toys, and exercise equipment. Store items off-site or in boxes neatly arranged in the garage or attic.  Also, consider a yard sale or selling items online or at a consignment store.  Clean the windows, carpets, walls, lighting fixtures, and baseboards to make the house shine.  Power wash the exterior of your home and entry.  Also, make sure you are using the room for it’s intended purpose and that furniture size, quantity and positioning is considered for each room.  Neutralize your paint colors if you personalized colors.  As a rule of thumb, bold colors, no matter how easy it is to paint, are always an issue.  A rainbow of room colors is never popular with buyers.  This is the most important part of preparing to sell your home. 

2. Find Your Warranties/Property Information. Put together the warranties, guarantees, and user manuals for the HVAC System, stove/range, washer and dryer, dishwasher, and any other items that will remain with the house.  In addition, locating the property survey, floor plan, HOA dues payment schedule and amount, property management company for community, neighborhood covenants, restrictions and regulations and any other details you received when you purchased the home can help your Realtor market your home to the fullest!

3. Wooing the Buyer With Curb Appeal. Put your buyer hat on and stand outside of your home. As you approach the front door, what is your impression of the property? Do the lawn and bushes look neatly manicured? Is the address clearly visible? Are pretty flowers or plants framing the entrance? Is the walkway free from cracks and impediments?  Is the entrance clear of cobwebs?

4.  Have a Pre-Sale Home Inspection. If your home is more than a few years old be proactive and arrange for a pre-sale home inspection. An inspector will be able to give you a good indication of the trouble areas that will stand out to potential buyers, and you’ll be able to make repairs before showings begin.  This can save you on the back end of your home sale during the inspection period between the initial contract signatures and closing.  Many homeowners go into this period not knowing what to expect relative to additional expenses.  Peace of mind comes with a home inspection.

5. Get Replacement Estimates. Do you have big-ticket items that are worn out or will need to be replaced soon, such as your roof, appliances or carpeting? Get estimates on how much it would cost to replace them, even if you don’t plan to do it yourself. The figures will help you when buyers bring the issue up, and will be handy when negotiations begin.  Buyers today are savvy, have your information together.

All of these items are more important than ever as you prepare to sell your home.  Be ready to look at your home through buyer eyes and remember it is a buyer’s market and many sellers are competing with you.  Find the winning edge and keep it throughout the selling process.  Call Help-U-Sell Buy Today for expert assistance in selling your home today.  We are here for you from start to finish, offering advise and feedback on where to start and how far you should go before your home is ready to sell.

The stimulus, the stimulus—it is hard to go to a news site or blog now without seeing something about the stimulus plan, good for Charlotte condo and townhome buyers and sellers.Buyer IncentiveThe biggest boon to both buyers and sellers is the proposed tax break for any first-time buyer purchasing a home (including condos and townhomes) in 2009. That last part is the one down point in the plan. Homes must be purchased in the current year, retroactive to the beginning of 2009, and ending December 31^st. That should, however provide a decent impetus to get things moving again. While it is short lived, it could boost the market long enough so that the forward motion continues past this year.  Mortgage Incentive, not for the buyers and sellers in particular, the banking and finance industry is set to receive the biggest portion of the stimulus plan. That can only help both buyers and sellers of Charlotte condo and townhome units, though, as it will mean buyers will once again have the ability to get mortgage loans.  More expensive luxury homes and condos will also be given lower interest rates and affordable mortgage loans. There does seem to be some argument over whether the stimulus plan will raise or lower mortgage rates so that remains to be seen.  Today we are seeing lower interest rates which is appealing!  If you want to take advantage of the stimulus plan, I can help.  Call me at 704-301-7404 or email me at tiffany@husbt.com for more information.

KEYWORD: Charlotte Condo, Charlotte Townhomes

Any Charlotte Area real estate agent will tell you that it’s harder to sell your home in the winter.  The days are colder and shorter, leaving less time to show your home to potential buyers. 

The good news is that most of the buyers who are looking at houses in the winter aren’t just killing time.  They’re serious enough about finding their new home to go house hunting at a time that most people would rather stay inside.

There are a few things you can do to make a good impression on home buyers this winter:
• Make sure all your flower beds are clean, plant seasonal flowers, ensure your mulch or pine straw is fresh, and keep your sidewalks, driveway and walkways clean.  This will make your Charlotte Area real estate appear more inviting and well maintained.  Be sure to place a clean, fresh looking mat for visitors to wipe their feet on.

• Warm up the house.  Buyers will remember the house that was pleasantly warm on a frigid day.  In addition, you will be able to demonstrate to the buyer that your heating system is in good working order.

• For a welcoming scent, bake cookies the day of the showing.  Some people are sensitive to the fragrances in air freshener’s and perfumes, so skip spraying those when expecting someone to look at your house. 

• Serve snacks in the kitchen.  Give the buyer a reason to linger in your home by leaving a light snack in the kitchen.  If the weather is cold, consider providing chili or soup in a crockpot to keep it warm with festive disposable bowls.  Or, to keep it simple, you can provide coffee or hot chocolate and cookies.  Be sure to talk with your Charlotte Area real estate agent before leaving these snacks so he or she knows they’re for the buyers.

• Make your house appear warm and inviting.  Turn all the lights in the house on; place warm-toned throws and decorator pillows around the living room.  Put on some soothing classical or jazz music; keep the volume low enough that buyers can talk quietly to each other.

You can make your home seem more inviting this winter by using these proven techniques. 

Ready to sell your home?  Call me today at (704) 837-0010, or email me at offers@husbt.com.

To get a Charlotte Area home to sell during a buyer’s market, it needs to look better than the other houses on the street.  Making just a few quick changes can make all the difference when trying to best the competition.  Here are a few things to do to make your home stand out:

A Fresh Coat of Paint

Few things can spruce up a Charlotte Area home like a fresh coat of paint.  Be sure to pick a neutral color.  Potential buyers won’t be able to see themselves decorating and living in the home if they see too much of someone else’s personality in the wall color.  Most home improvement stores will have color cards you can look through, this will help you find the most neutral color you can live with.  While you’re at it, get rid of all the knickknacks and other items that may clutter up your home, and the prospective buyer’s mind.

Fix The Flooring

You don’t have to buy new carpet, but you need to make sure it’s clean and in good condition.  Be honest, if you wouldn’t want to inherit the flooring, no one else will either.  If after cleaning and making repairs the carpet does not look up to par, replace it.  Repair any gouges in the linoleum or hardwood floors.  Don’t let bad flooring ruin your chances of a good sell.

Keep Up The Maintenance

Before selling your home, walk through each room and make a list of what needs to be done.  Take note of the little things.  Look at the window frames, the caulking in the bathroom, and check out the condition of your gutters.  Do they need cleaning or is bigger repair in order?

Have someone come out and inspect your furnace and air conditioner for needed repairs.  Even the plumbing should get a once over.  The roof of your house needs to be inspected too.  Arrange to make repairs as soon as possible. 

If you’re unable to make these needed repairs, be prepared to lower the price of your Charlotte Area home as much as two dollars for every dollar of repair work needed.  These simple things can make the difference in a buyer’s market.

Thinking of selling your home?  Let me help you sell it as fast as possible for the best price.  Call me today at 704-301-7404 or email me at tiffany@husbt.com.