Tip Jar: Don’t Believe the Hype!
Today's national headlines read that the home builder market is at an all time high, in fact has doubled since September 2011, and the housing crisis will end this year. The future certainly sounds bright. We are all ready for some good news, right? Let's just keep in mind that there is still a significant amount of foreclosures that are bringing prices down for many communities and appraisals are still coming in low. Thankfully we have historically low interest rates for those who are able to get a loan but there again, getting a loan still remains challenging for so many people who want to buy.
Our tip? Don't believe the hype!
These headlines are attention getters, I admit, but let's take a step back. The data gathered to fuel these headlines are gathered nationally. That means the info is a collective from all of the states across the U.S. So, the market condition in your area may not reflect the national headline news.
My strong suggestion for you as a consumer, a home buyer, a home seller or just an inquiring mind, is to contact your local real estate expert to get the market statistics in your neck of the woods. Find out about the new construction projects, the foreclosures, and the recent sales data. That information will provide you with the real news.
So don't believe the hype, not until you do a little due diligence in your real estate market!
Public Enemy said it best:
Tip Jar: Tips for Prepping a Tenant Occupied Property for Showings
Our tips are always tailored to our client's needs and the property we are selling. The basics when preparing a home for showings:
1) Open up the space!
2) De-clutter.
The layout in this home is great. It is open and contemporary. But the furniture is arranged in a way that blocks the flow from the entry door to the rear of the property and there are many personal items out in plain view. Since this home is occupied by three people it is important to be sensitive to their needs in the process of selling. Therefore we have come up with a Plan A and Plan B for preparing this home for showings.
Plan A is to keep the property in the same condition it and monitor the feedback. If the feedback mentions anything negative about the way in which the home shows, we will go to Plan B.
Plan B is to open up the floor plan by moving the couch that divides the living area and decluttering the surfaces. No more than three items on a surface is the rule of thumb. Since this property is such a fantastic price and is in a great location in Northern Liberties, there is a good chance we will not have to make any alterations at all.
Tip Jar: Don’t Fore-go Your Pre-Settlement Walk-Through!
This tip is for our buyers out there! A pre-settlement walk-through is what we do right before a settlement occurs. Typically it includes the buyers and the buyers' agent and it is an opportunity to check out the property before you sign off on buying that home. The walk-through allows the buyer to check on the condition of the property to make sure all repairs have been done and nothing new has popped up. We want to make sure there are no problems at settlement or post settlement. That is why we walk through the property the day of the settlement, the day before settlement or in this case a few days before.
This pre-settlement walk-through in the video reveals that only 50% of the repairs have been completed and the seller has only a few days to get things wrapped up. If the seller fails to do so, then these few repair items can delay settlement. We certainly don't want that to happen! So, buyers... do not fore-go your pre-settlement walk-through!
Tip Jar: Have a Bad Day
Success does not exist without the SUCK. So our tip to you: Embrace those bad days! They are going to happen.
When did it become a belief that success comes easy? It does not. It requires hard work, hard knocks, and sometimes a hard head to finally see the fruits of success. Success without the suck just does not exist. We've all see the billboard...Bill Gates started Microsoft in a recession! That's what I am talking about. To achieve success you have to not only deal with moments of suckiness but also see the opportunity in that sucky moment.
Let me put it like this, sometimes you just have to cry through slicing that smelly onion to get the sumptuous flavor in your recipe!
I challenge you all to work through the SUCK to claim your SUCCESS.
Speaking of some well-earned success, congratulations to REMAX ACCESS in Northern Liberties, Philly for coming in at number 3 for the entire City of Philadelphia for total number of transactions (properties sold) in 2011. What a great year! Everyone simply kicked butt.
Tip Jar: To Sell or To Rent Your Property in 2012? Ask Stephanie!
To Sell or Rent Your Property in 2012. That is the Question asked by Stephanie Somers.
Stephanie lets us take a peek of how she goes about determining the best strategy for her client. Stephanie is hands on and actually visits a home in Brewerytown.
This property is currently rented. The exterior 3 story home has a lot of original charm but has been greatly neglected as evidenced by the peeling paint and overall facade. After viewing the interior Stephanie explains that this 4 bedroom one bath home with tons of original details needs a lot of work. After going back to the office and crunching the numbers Stephanie comes to a conclusion. Market Value says it may be best for her client to rent the property for another year and reevaluate the market stats next year. Selling the home for a profit may not be possible in this market for this property.
What will you do with your home in 2012? Our tip? Ask Stephanie!
Tip Jar: 2 Sweat Free Tips to Personal & Home Improvement
I have two sweat-free activities you can do in Philadelphia that will shape you up and beautify your home. That's right. You can improve your self and your home simultaneously! How, you ask? By tapping into the Creative Right Side of your brain, that's how! This winter, rather than hibernating like a bear, embrace your inner artist and get inspired through homemade art and home design.
Make Art
This month try taking an art class such as painting, ceramics, knitting or photography at the Philly Art Center. Your personal creations will be real live works of art. Hang or display your artwork in a prominent room in your home and watch how it totally transforms your space! There is nothing more fabulous than real live art.
Visit the Show
Did you know that January 14th is the first day of the Philadelphia Home Show? This event is a real opportunity to feed the mind not the belly. Go to this event and embrace your HGTV & DIY inner child. "Get inspired. Get educated. Get started."
So get off the couch and exercise the Right Side of your brain! Try these two sweat-free Tips to Personal & Home Improvement in Philadelphia.
[image from Philadelphia Home Show]
Tip Jar: Clean Out That Closet!
For this week's tip jar, we transformed some tiny closets! From a closet mess (check out the before video!) to a closet success. Our condo closets were a HUGE problem for being so small. The incredibly Cool Condo Lifestyle is really "all that" and we would not trade it in for anything but admittedly most condos will lack closet space. Where other homeowners who live in traditional urban rowhomes can compensate for smaller closets by using their basement, attic, or spare room, Condo and Apartment Dwellers have to make the most of their small space.
Here is our personal solution for our closet challenges. Our 4 closets including our hall coat closet, our laundry room, and our 2 bedroom closets were filled to the gill and a mess. So, we hired a company to organize these spaces. The cost was only $1,300. The estimate was complementary, the installation was only a couple of hours, and the results are amazing.
We now have more space and we can easily find items, some of which we forgot we owned ! Now we can actually close the coat closet, things are not falling on our heads when we open the doors, and they look so fantastic.
Custom fitted closets add practical value and also increase the net value for homes whether they are a Condo like ours or any other style.
Next on my list is new paint throughout. Hmmm...what color to choose?
Top Tip Jars of 2011
There is one thing we can count on every single year as we approach January 1st. The Best Of's. You know darn well that before the clock strikes midnight on December 31st, we will have been subjected to The Best News Headlines of 2011, the Best Blockbusters of 2011, The Best Performers of 2011, The Best of the Worst in 2011 and whatever else the Year had to offer in 2011.
To go with the flow and stay on trend, here are the Best of our Tip Jar Tips in 2011. What was the best tip you received this year?
Tip Jar: Pheromones Sell Homes
Tip Jar: Stay Excited in the Bedroom and Beyond!
Tip Jar: Increase Your Home’s Value!
Tip Jar: How to Banish the 4 Letter Curse Word “MOLD”
Tip Jar: Open House Anarchy. A Top Philadelphia Realtor Manifesto!
Tip Jar: Map It!
Map your Lifestyle.
Map your Lifestyle and let it Lead the way to your New Home!
We'd like to introduce to you a NEW WAY of Searching for Homes. Map it. Map out the nearest Cafe, Restaurant, Park, Nature Trail, School etc. and find the homes for sale located closest to your Lifestyle trends.
Customize your own search, change your criteria, and save your search as a link and mail it to your friends and family!
Log onto our blog or website to use this Free Interactive Lifestyle Map. Try it. We'd love to know what you think!
Tip Jar: Top 5 New Year’s Resolutions Start…NOW!
There are 5 days until Hannukah and 10 days till Christmas and even if you don't celebrate the popular religious holidays, there are 17 days until the New Year. You can avoid the holidays but you can't escape Time, my friends. My Tip Jar tip: Make your Resolution Early, may seem a bit premature to many people who still have not even done any holiday shopping, but I am going to suggest it nonetheless.
Make your New Year's resolution now and you will be so ahead of the game come January 1st. Here are the top 10 New Year's Resolutions and how to start them now:
1) Spend more time with family and friends. Get Skype and visit your loved ones without leaving your couch. Heck, you don't even have to shower, dress, or primp.
2) Get in shape. Can you say Wii? The Wii virtual games will make you forget you are even exercising! If you are a couch potato, consider booting up and shaping up with one of the great exercise programs.
3) Lose a few pounds. Battle of the Bulge can start now. Small simple actions now, such as replacing all soda with water or replacing the afternoon Grande Caramel Mocha for a yogurt and green tea and you will already have lost a few by January 1st.
4) Quit smoking. This is a hard one. Addictions are tough to kick during the stressful holiday season. But here is something you can do now to position yourself for success:
S = Set a quit date.
T = Tell family, friends, and co-workers that you plan to quit.
A = Anticipate and plan for the challenges you'll face while quitting.
R = Remove cigarettes and other tobacco products from your home, car, and work.
T = Talk to your doctor about getting help to quit.
http://www.helpguide.org/
5) Get Organized. This new year, getting more organized in my home is going to be my NYR. I am serious! Yesterday I had Closet Works, a local family-owned business, come by my home to give me an estimate on custom fitting my small condo style closets. (Blog on that coming soon!)
Getting a head start on your resolution will increase the chances of a successful new year. Do you plan on getting a running start on your New Year's Resolution? Tell me how.
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