More curb appeal, less hassle. That’s what these trees offer.

The post 5 Trees That’ll Withstand the Worst Storms and Still Look Gorgeous appeared first on HouseLogic.

Read More

You’ll get more livable space while getting rid of clutter. It’s a win-win!

The post Attic & Basement Storage Ideas to Gain More Space appeared first on HouseLogic.

Read More

Adopt a few of these home tips to find a bit more cash each month.

The post 35 Money-Saving Household Habits appeared first on HouseLogic.

Read More

REALTORS®’ ties to their community go deeper than sales; they help their neighbors maintain their homes and dignity.

The post Acts of Kindness Help Keep People in Their Homes appeared first on HouseLogic.

Read More

No need to stash it all in the garage. Here’s how to create tidy storage in your yard.

The post 3 Handsome Solutions to Handle Outdoor Clutter appeared first on HouseLogic.

Read More

Timing determines so much when you’re buying a house. Although the best time to buy a house is when you’re ready both financially and emotionally, there are other factors that can help you decide when to buy a house.

By timing your purchase just right, you can nab a great home that’s just right for you.

What Is the Best Month to Buy a House?

Let’s make this clear: There’s no such thing as a guaranteed “best month” to purchase a home. (C’mon, we never said this would be easy!)

While some conventional wisdom says there is a best time of year to buy a house — during spring home buying season (April to June) — there are pluses and minuses when it comes to what month you choose to purchase a home.

(Note: Real estate is local. Determining a best time utlimately depends on conditions in your local market.)

Here we’ve outlined some of the reasons different months can turn out to be the best time to buy a house for you:

January to March. Winter isn’t such a bad time to buy a house. Though there’s less inventory — meaning there are fewer homes for sale — there are fewer home buyers too, so you have less competition. That means there’s a lower likelihood of a bidding war, which can be a stressful experience for home buyers. Another benefit of buying a house during the cold-weather months: Home prices are typically the lowest they’ll be all year.

Still, there are drawbacks to buying a house between January and March. Inclement weather can also be a challenge, since snow or ice could make it difficult to drive around and view homes or do a thorough home inspection of some elements, such as a roof. 

April to June. Welcome to spring home buying season— the peak months for not only housing supply, but also the number of home buyers shopping for houses. Because most families want to move when the kids are out of school, there’s a big incentive to buy a house this time of year, since many home buyers need to allow 30 to 60 days for closing.

The warmer weather also makes open houses more enjoyable, landscaping easier to evaluate, and inspections more comprehensive.

Even though it’s generally regarded as the best time of year to buy a house, there are downsides to the spring market. For starters, you’ll face more competition from other home buyers —  meaning you have to move quickly when a great listing hits the market. Bidding wars are a lot more common, you tend to have less negotiating power, and home prices tend to tick up during spring.

July to September. If you can handle the heat (and a little competition), summer may be the one of the best times of year to buy. Now that the spring home buying craze is over, most home prices return to normal, allowing you to save some money. The sunniest time of the year also makes being outdoors and attending open houses more enjoyable.

The hot temperatures also give home buyers the opportunity to test how well a property’s air conditioning system holds up in warm weather, which is something they can’t usually test during other times of the year.

October to December. The main downside of buying a house in autumn is that there may not be as many homes for sale in the fall as there are in the spring. But it’s not like the market goes completely quiet.

Many home buyers consider fall the best time of year to buy a house because of price reductions. Because home sellers tend to list their homes in the spring, sellers whose houses haven’t sold yet may be motivated to find buyers, and prices start to reflect that.

Is 2019 a Good Year to Buy a House?

Economic forecasts vary every year, but waiting around for annual market fluctuations isn’t the best way to decide when to buy a house. The best year to buy a house is when you and anyone you intend to buy a house with are ready. 

To help, complete this home buying worksheet with your home buying partner to help determine if now is the best time to buy a house you can reasonably afford in the location you want. Then take your worksheet to a REALTOR® and discuss your options.

Why doesn’t the year matter much? The housing market and your local real estate market do change, but they tend to change gradually. Even if waiting a couple of years for those factors to change can save you a bit of money, the bigger question is how much more money you could gain in equity by owning a home during those two years. 

While everyone’s financial situation will be different deciding when to buy a house is mostly about the timing that is best for you, not when the market is perfect.

Are Interest Rates Good in 2019?

Many home buyers try to time the market by monitoring mortgage rate changes with the hopes of pouncing on a remarkably low rate. But interest rates are like the stock market — no one has a crystal ball that can accurately predict when rates will rise or fall.

Plus, what’s considered a good interest rate is relative. Interest rates today are low compared to what they were 20 to 30 years ago. Mortgage rates reached an all-time high of 18.45% in 1981, as the U.S. Federal Reserve drove up rates in an effort to counteract double-digital inflation. By the end of the 1980s, though, mortgage rates had finally crept below 10%.

Interest rates continued to decrease over the 1990s and 2000s. Today, mortgage rates are at historic lows. 

Market interest rates are just one part of how affordable a house will be for you at any given time. Your credit score, for example, helps to determine the interest rate a mortgage lender will offer you.

Then, fluctuations in property taxes and homeowner’s insurance can affect overall home ownership costs as much as changes in interest rates can. So overall, current interest rates play a pretty small role in the best time to buy a house for you.

Does 2019’s Economy Support Home Buying?

Economic conditions are different from region to region and even from one ZIP code to another in the same city, so whether this year is the best time to buy a house can depend on where you are.

One tool you can use to assess the state of your local housing market is realtor.com®‘s Market Hotness Index, which tracks home sales and home buyer activity across the country. In addition, the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) measures monthly single-family home sales in the four major U.S. regions (Northeast, Midwest, South, and West).

Still, nothing beats having a savvy real estate agent in your corner to gauge the local market for the best time to buy a house. After all, the right agent knows your local housing market down to the neighborhoods — and can help you interpret the raw housing market data to help you time your home purchase well.

When Is the Best Time in Your Life to Buy a House?

There’s no magical age or life stage at which you’ll know for sure exactly when to buy a house. There are, however, a few factors you’ll want to take into account.

Finances. How’s your credit score? Can you afford to take on a monthly mortgage payment? Do you have enough cash to pay for a down payment and closing costs? Sit down with a mortgage lender who can help you evaluate your finances.

You’ll also need to budget for home maintenance expenses. One rule of thumb says homeowners should set aside 1% to 3% of their home’s purchase price a year for home maintenance and repairs. So, if your home cost $400,000, you’d set aside at least $4,000 annually. (Doing preventative maintenance, however, can go a long way toward staving off expensive repairs.)

Stability. If you’re on solid ground financially, with a stable job to support you, buying a home can be a way to lower your monthly housing costs (real talk: Owning is often cheaper than renting in some cities), gain a valuable financial asset, and, if you itemize, reap some tax benefits.

If you’re ready to commit to a home and city (and your job) for a few years, you’re probably in a stable enough situation to be a homeowner.

Lifestyle: Owning a house allows you to develop a strong relationship with a local community. Buying a home should align with your life goals. If you’re starting a family soon, planting your roots in a kid-friendly neighborhood with a great school district is usually a good reason to buy a house. 

There’s also something to be said about the pride of owning a home and having a place you can call yours — one that you can customize to your heart’s desire.

Should You Buy or Rent?

To rent or to buy a home — it’s a common conundrum. Often this is the core financial decision potential home buyers wrestle with when deciding when to buy a house. To sort it out, start with your exit plan.

If you expect to be moving within the next couple of years, you probably should rent. Why? Because the general rule is it only makes sense to buy if you plan to stay in the home for at least two to three years.

Likewise, if you’re not ready to take on the maintenance responsibilities of being a homeowner, or aren’t ready to commit to a particular community right now, renting an apartment likely makes more sense than buying a home.

The local housing market is also a factor in the decision to buy or rent. In some cities, renting can be cheaper than owning, though price appreciation often brings wealth to buyers. Therefore, the financial benefits of owning a home and gaining equity over time is a better way to spend your money than forking it over to a landlord.

Investing vs. Living

The best time to buy a house for the first time is generally when you’re ready to live there long term. Long term, real estate can be a lucrative path towards financial success, particularly if you can nab a low interest rate in the right housing market.

But a lot of factors go into whether buying an investment property is the right move for you, including how much risk you can tolerate and the local economy.

Generally, it’s smart to consider your first home purchase all about you. It’s about investing in a place you can make your own and live your life day to day. 

The moral? There’s nothing quite like home ownership. While not everyone is ready for it, if you’ve determined the best time to buy a house is right now, it can be the beginning of the most satisfying journey of your life.

The post What Is the Best Time to Buy a House? appeared first on HouseLogic.

Read More

There’s nothing like a fresh coat of paint to boost curb appeal and make an entire home feel fresh. But exactly how much does it cost to paint a house? 

Here’s everything you need to know about the costs of painting your home’s exterior and interior.

Average Cost to Paint a House

House-painting costs can vary significantly depending on your home’s square footage, where you live, and who is crunching the numbers.

But the pros at the trade organization Painting and Decorating Contractors of America (PDCA) can make a pretty good estimate. These are their ballpark figures for the average cost to paint a house, including labor and materials.

Cost to paint a house (both exterior and interior):

• 1-story 1,000 square feet: $2,500-$6,000
• 2-story 2,500 square feet: $6,750-$12,500
• 3-4-story 4,000 square feet: $10,000-$19,000

In addition to being affected by a home’s square footage, painting costs can vary based on the type of paint the chosen, the paint’s finish, the type of paint primer used, local labor rates, and the type of exterior siding.

How Much Paint Costs

What type of paint materials you choose has a big impact on how much it’s going to cost to paint your home — not to mention how it looks and how long it lasts. To determine how much paint will cost, you first need to understand the different types, finishes, and quality of paint, and if you’ll need primer, too.

Paint Types

Generally, there are two types of paint: latex-based paint and oil-based paint.

Latex paint (also known as water-based paint) is the most common type of paint for home use, since it rolls on smoothly, dries quickly, is environmentally friendly, and tends to have less of an odor than oil-based paint. The main drawback of latex paint, though, is it’s less durable than oil-based paint, meaning it’s more prone to scratches.

Oil-based paint is commonly used for high-moisture areas, such as bathrooms and kitchens, and floors, trims, and moldings, since these areas take more abuse over time than walls do. Typically oil-based paints are less expensive than latex paints, take longer to dry, can create bad odor while drying, and contain more volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which essentially means they’re less environmentally friendly.

Here’s the cost breakdown for latex- and oil-based paints:

• Latex-based paint: $20 to $70 per gallon
• Oil-based paint: $20 to $70 per gallon

Paint Finishes

A paint’s finish can also affect its price tag. There are five main types of finishes: flat/matte, matte enamel, eggshell, satin, semi-gloss, and high-gloss. Each finish has its pros and cons, and their costs vary. Both latex-based paints and oil-based paints offer the full range of finishes.

Two aesthetic things to consider when selecting a finish are how shiny you’d like the surface to be and whether or not you want to hide any imperfections on the surface to be painted. Generally, higher-gloss paint finishes reflect light better than lower-gloss finishes, like eggshell and matte. That makes them shiny, and also causes them to highlight flaws in walls and ceilings.

High-gloss paint is the most durable and easiest to clean of all paint sheens. It’s ultra-shiny, light-reflective, and hard (think appliance-paint tough). High-glass paint has too much shine for interior walls; you’d find the reflections and drywall flaws distracting. It is a good choice for areas that sticky fingers touch, though, such as cabinets, trim, and doors.

Semi-gloss paint, which is slightly less durable than high-gloss paint, is well suited for rooms where moisture, drips, and grease are common and need to easily wipe away. This makes it appropriate for kitchen walls, bathrooms, and trim.

Satin paint has a lovely luster that, despite the name, is often described as velvety. Because it’s easy to clean, it’s suitable for high-traffic areas—including kitchens, bathrooms, trim, and chair rails—though it reveals application flaws, such as roller or brush strokes.

Eggshell paint falls between satin and flat on the sheen and durability scale. It’s essentially a flat, low-shine finish with little luster, like a chicken’s egg. Eggshell covers wall imperfections well and is a great finish for gathering spaces that don’t get a lot of bumps and scuffs.

Flat, or matte finish on the no-shine end of the finish spectrum. A friend to walls that have something to hide, flat or matte paint (the terms are interchangeable) soaks up — rather than reflects — light, has the most pigment, and provides the most coverage. It’s good for adults’ bedrooms and other interior rooms that won’t be roughed up by kids. That’s because it’s tough to clean without taking paint off.

Generally, the higher the shine, the higher the cost:

• Flat/Matte: $20 to $50 per gallon, depending on brand
• Eggshell: $1-$5 more per gallon than flat of same brand
• Satin: $1-$5 more per gallon than eggshell of same brand
• Semi-gloss: $1-$5 more per gallon than satin of same brand
• High-gloss: $1-$5 more per gallon than semi-gloss of same brand

Paint Quality and Other Factors

Paint quality also affects paint price. Higher-grade paints tend to adhere to surfaces better and last longer. They also tend to be thicker, requiring fewer coats. As a result, they cost more than lower-grade paints.

Major brands often offer a range of paint qualities—for example, Home Depot’s Behr sells Behr Premium Plus, Behr Premium Plus Ultra, and Behr Marquee (its higher-quality paint). An example of the cost difference between a gallon of semi-gloss Behr Premium Plus and Behr Marquee in the same color is $32 versus $46.

Another factor that can affect paint cost is color. For instance, trendy paints may cost substantially more than classic hues; a gallon of Sherwin-Williams’ popular Emerald Exterior Latex Paint is a whopping $83.99, compared to the brand’s more basic A-100 Exterior Acrylic Latex, which only costs $47.99 a gallon.

In addition, paint features such as mold and mildew resistance are important cost factors. Many mold-inhibiting bathroom paints, for instance, cost substantially more than ordinary latex-acrylic paint—sometimes close to twice the cost. Also, paints that come with warranties from the manufacturer may be more expensive depending on the length of the warranty. (A two-year warranty is standard.)

Paint Primer

Most paint jobs will require a layer of paint primer before paint is applied. Primer seals in stains, creates a more even finish, and ensures better adhesion of the paint to the surface. However, not all wall surfaces call for primer.

Applying primer over new (read: bare) surfaces is a good idea, since it will seal the original material and prevent the paint from soaking into it. A layer of primer is also beneficial when painting walls with water damage, mildew stains, or greasy patches, since this will enable the paint to mask these surface stains.

Conversely, if the walls are in decent shape, or the new paint color closely matches the old one, you can probably get away without using primer.

Some paints are two-in-one paint and primer products, or so-called “self-priming paints.” These paints are designed to seal and cover surfaces in one coat. But, here’s the secret: though it’s called a paint-and-primer-in-one product, there’s actually no primer in the mix—what you’re really working with is just a thicker paint that often doesn’t perform as well as using separate primer and paint.

The moral? Though two-in-paint can help you save time, it’s wise to opt for a separate primer in advance of most paint jobs.

There are three types of primers: oil-based, latex-based, and shellac-based. Their costs are as follows:

Oil-based primers: $20 to $80 per gallon. An industry standard for decades, oil-based primers are ideal for unfinished or bare wood. They seal the porous surface of wood, enabling the coat of paint to better adhere to the surface.

Latex-based primers: $20 to $80 per gallon. Ideal for preparing unfinished drywall and softwood (like pine) for painting, latex-based primers are less brittle than oil-based primers, which makes them less susceptible to peeling and cracking.

Shellac primers: $40 to $63 per gallon. Excellent at blocking stains, shellac primer works well on walls that are susceptible to water or smoke damage.

Though all three primers can be used under latex paint, it’s best to use a latex-based primer for a latex paint, oil-based primer for an oil-based paint, and shellac primer for walls with stubborn stains.

Average Cost to Paint Interior of a House

According to PDCA, interior painting costs will depend largely on the square footage of your home. Here are their estimated averages:

• 1,000 square feet: $1,500-$3,000
• 2,500 square feet: $3,750-$7,500
• 4,000 square feet: $6,000-$12,000

Average Cost to Paint the Exterior of a House

Likewise, exterior painting costs will vary depending on the size of your home:

• 1-story 1,000 square feet: $1,000-$3,000
• 2-story 2,500 square feet: $3,000-$5,000
• 3-4-story 4,000 square feet: $4,000-$7,000

However, those figures don’t account for siding materials—and some sidings cost more to paint than others because of their texture and the type of paint required to properly cover them.

Here are painting estimates for the five most common types of siding, in order of least to most expensive:

• Metal siding: $1,500 per 1,000 square feet
• Concrete siding: $2,000 per 1,000 square feet
• Vinyl siding: $2,000 per 1,000 square feet
• Wood siding: $2,000 per 1,000 square feet
• Stucco siding: $3,000 per 1,000 square feet

Labor Cost to Paint a House

While some professional painters will charge a flat fee for a painting project, most charge an hourly rate—about $25 to $100 per hour on average. Most painters will charge more for last-minute jobs (think 48 hours’ notice or less), travel costs (if you live far away, the painter may want extra money for gas), or intensive prep work (e.g., removing mold or stains before painting). Also, depending on the painter, the rate may or may not include the cost of paint materials such as paint, primer, and supplies.

Repairs and improvements can also increase your painting budget. Painters may offer some of these additional services, but you may need to call in a specialist for others:

• Drywall repair: $115 to $380 per room
• Repairing plaster: $60 to $90 per hour or a fixed rate of $200 to $300 for minor to medium jobs.
• Mold remediation: $500 to $6,000 based on the size of the area and level of mold infestation.
• Patching holes: around $10 per square foot for resurfacing and repairing holes and cracks in the wall.
• Sanding: around $1.80 per square foot.

Two additional factors that can affect a painter’s labor costs are the number of stories and the condition of the home. Generally, the more stories a house has, the higher the labor costs will be. And, if a home is older, prep work such as scrubbing siding or sanding aging wood could be more time consuming for the painter.

How Much Paint Supplies Cost

Though you can save potentially save big bucks by not paying for someone else’s labor, there are trade-offs to doing the work yourself. For one thing, you’ll have to buy supplies such as drop cloths, tape, ladders, brushes, and rollers.

Drop Cloths

There are different types of drop cloths you can use to protect furniture and floors while painting. Here are the types and price estimates:

Canvas drop cloths: $15 to $20 for 9×12-feet. Canvas cloths are the most expensive, but they are virtually indestructible—buy them once, and they’ll last for many years.

Plastic drop cloths: $1 for 9×12-feet. Paint-proof, lightweight, and economical, plastic drop cloths are good for protecting furniture and cabinet covers. They can also be used to protect lawns and landscaping during painting.

Paper drop cloths: $3 to $5 for 9×12-feet. Paper drop cloths provide a cheap way to cover furniture or windows while painting small, indoor jobs, such as touching up window trim. They’re absorbent and textured to hold paint. When you’re finished, you can just fold them up and throw them away. However, paper cloths are not the best option for protecting floors since they can tear easily.

Paper/poly drop cloths: $2 to $6 for 9×12-feet. The best of both paper and plastic, these cloths are low-cost and disposable. They absorb paint drips while providing more protection for what’s underneath. They also provide some protection from slipping. Plus, you can cut paper/poly drop cloths to fit the space. But, like paper, paper/poly drop cloths can rip more easily than plastic or canvas drop cloths.

Upcycled drop cloths: Have old shower curtains, drapes, or other sturdy material lying around? Both your wallet and the planet will thank you for hanging on to them for painting projects.

Painter’s Tape

Painter’s tape—a must for protecting areas that should not be painted, like crown molding—costs about $7 to $10 for a roll of 60 yards. Delicate surfaces, such as wallpaper or ceiling tiles, will require a lower adhesion tape than ordinary walls and trim.

Ladders

Ladder prices vary based on size — though most homeowners can paint the interior of their home using a 16-foot extension ladder, which generally costs between $100 and $200. Folks in houses with low ceilings may even be able to get away with a step stool, the prices for which vary widely, from $30 to $100, depending on height and durability.

The right ladder to fit your exterior painting needs will vary by the size of your home, but generally, the job will require an extension ladder, which can run between $200 and $300.

Brushes and Rollers

Of course, paint brushes and rollers are also important line items on your budget sheet. A 3-inch-wide paint brush costs, on average, $10 to $20—though you’ll likely need an assortment of paint brush sizes for trim, corners, and narrow surface areas. Brushes come in a variety of bristle types and qualities, and each has a different purpose. Some are intended for specific paint types, finishes, and surfaces, so be sure to buy the right brushes for your painting job.

You’ll also need a set of paint rollers. Paint roller kits that include paint trays cost about $10 to $20. Like brushes, rollers are sold with different textures to suit different surface types, such as smooth or rough. 

How to Save on Painting Your House

Having a professional paint your home from top to bottom, inside and outside has a number of advantages. For one thing, it’ll save you a ton of time by not having to do the work yourself. In addition, you won’t have to be concerned about safety issues, such as climbing a ladder to paint your house’s gutters. Best of all, you can expect a clean, attractive finished product from a professional painter.

DIY Some of the Work

However, you can lessen the load on your wallet in a variety of ways, including DIYing some or most of the job yourself. These basic tasks will help speed up the process for your painter:

Prep rooms for painting. This entails moving furniture away from walls, covering furniture and floors with drop cloths to protect them from any spilled paint, removing electric switch plates, outlet covers, and light fixtures, and cleaning dirt or grime off the walls.

Prep the exterior for painting. Outside, you’ll want to trim bushes, trees, and shrubs that are near the house (so the painter will have easy access to your home’s siding), scrape any loose or peeling paint, sand rough spots on wood siding, caulk any cracks or gaps, and clean the surface thoroughly to remove any dirt, mildew, or mold.

Test different paint swatches. The last thing you want to do is paint a whole room and then decide you despise the color (yes, it happens!). Try out different paint colors on the surface before choosing the paint that you want. Buying sample sizes will help you save money. The caveat: paint color samples are not real paint, so if you try to finish or touch up a project with samples, the paint will fade.

Do the cleanup. When the painting is done, send the painter home and do the cleanup work yourself. This will include rolling up drop cloths and collecting scrapings, removing painter’s tape (use a hair dryer on low heat to soften the adhesive), cleaning paint brushes, rollers, and other tools, replacing electric switch plates, outlet covers, and light fixtures, and sealing any leftover paint cans and storing them in a dry, temperature-controlled location.

Find a Competitive, Skilled Painter 

Of course, the painter you choose to hire will be handling the lion’s share of the workload. Take these steps to find a reliable painter — someone you can trust to do a great job for a fair price:

Get quotes from at least three painters. Just like any other contractor, you’ll want to obtain several bids before deciding who gets your business. Have the painters come to view your property in person before they write you a formal bid. This way there will be no surprises when the painters show up to perform the work.

Compare offers. The painter offering the lowest rate may not always be the best painter for the job. Indeed, the total cost isn’t the only factor to consider when choosing between multiple bids. You’ll want to look at contracts side by side to ensure you’re making an apples-to-apples comparison. Are the same materials being used? Are the same services included? Does the painter provide a warranty?

Ask the right questions. Before signing a contract, make sure to ask a painter these questions: How long has your company been in business? Do you use subcontractors? Do you have proof of business liability insurance and workmen’s compensation insurance? How much wall prep is included in the estimate? How do you communicate with your clients?

Interview past clients. Talking to former customers is always a good idea. But, to ensure you’re getting honest feedback — not just feedback from people who have been handpicked by the painter to sing their praises — ask to speak to the painter’s three most recent clients. When you speak to them, ask about specifics. Find out whether the painters showed up on time, protected furniture from paint spills, kept the house clean, and completed the project on schedule.

In addition, ask the painter if there are other things you can do to trim expenses. Oftentimes you can get a discount for doing multiple jobs all at once. So if you’re thinking about painting your entire house, inside and out, there could be a benefit to doing it at the same time. 

The post How Much Does It Cost to Paint a House in 2019? appeared first on HouseLogic.

Read More

Selling your house can feel overwhelming in multiple ways. You’re pulling up roots and leaving all that’s familiar — and making a huge financial decision at the same time. Knowing how to sell your home takes some studying up. The more you know, the easier the big decisions will be.

Information is power, so we’ll answer your questions about how to sell your home.

Research the Market

Do some homework on what’s going on with the housing market in your area. Go to a property listing site, like realtor.com®, and see what homes are selling for in your neighborhood, and how long they’re sitting on the market before being sold.

Check mortgage rates. Note who some of the top agents are for the neighborhood or types of properties you’re interested in. Ultimately, the best way to select an agent? Get recommendations from friends and family.

Hire an Agent

Yes, you need an agent. Selling a house involves some strategy and know-how. An agent knows how to sell your house. He or she will help you set a price, market it, and make repairs, guiding you through the inspection, negotiating with buyers, and helping you navigate the closing.  

They’ll also help you plan your timeline, and a really good one will help you through the emotional parts of selling a home you’ve loved.

Find the right agent by interviewing the ones — at least three — you learned about through research and recommendations. Go with one who knows the specific ins and outs of your market, the lowdown that’s not online. 

The one who knows things like why that nice two-story down the block sold for $20,000 less than the asking price and why the house two neighborhoods over got $20,000 over. A knowledgeable agent will have information and experience.

Price Your Home to Sell

Go ahead and look at those sites that give home value estimates for a general idea on pricing when deciding how to sell your house. But don’t stop there. There are a lot of factors specific to your home that an algorithm won’t pick up on, but your human real estate agent will.

An agent has access to data you don’t. They can do a thing for you called a comparative market analysis, also known as running comps, that checks the price of houses similar to yours that have sold in the in past 90 days. It’s like taking the pulse of the market within a couple of miles of your house.

The agent will give you a market value for your house, and then it’s up to you, with your agent’s guidance, to set the price. And the price needs to be right.

If it’s too high, your house will sit on the market too long, which wastes your time and can raise a red flag to buyers. If your price is too low, you’ll miss out on all that value you worked hard to build in your home. 

Your agent may have tips on setting the price so that it stays within certain search parameters on listing sites. Let your agent be your guide on setting a price. 

Prepare the House

Time to get your house looking its best. When selling your home, you want to make it look like someone else’s dream home.

Repair everything you know of that’s broken. Fix the little things, like the toilet that runs, the closet doors that don’t shut all the way, the hole in the fence. Fix the big things, too, like a leaky roof or a malfunctioning HVAC. 

Home buyers may not notice the windows are sticking and the wiring is outdated, but an inspector will. Head off problems now. Get a pro out to check any major systems you suspect could have an issue.

Clean up as if company was coming. Hire a cleaning service to do a deep clean — the kind where they scrub the baseboards and toekicks and vacuum behind the refrigerator. Power wash the house and driveway. Make sure your landscape is spiffy, too: boxwoods trimmed, lawn mowed, flower beds weeded. Curb appeal matters.

Declutter. Tidying up is the way to sell your house. You need to bust the clutter and make your house look Insta-perfect. Clear the kitchen counters, pack up most of your books and all of your knickknacks and take them to a storage unit or donate them to charity. Cull your clothes and donate the ones you haven’t worn in more than a year. Clean out the garage, tidy up the laundry room, organize the pantry. 

All this tidiness and organization signal to potential buyers that your house has been well cared for — and has plenty of room for all their clutter.

Depersonalize your space. Take you out of your home. Box up family photos, your great-grandma’s heirloom quilt, your son’s Matchbox car collection. It sounds sad, but it’s how to sell your house. 

You want buyers to be able to see themselves and their things in the house. They can’t do that if it feels like your house. Look at this as the first step in packing up to leave. Consider renting a storage unit for the stuff until you move.

Stage your house. This is one step beyond the decluttering, depersonalizing, and cleaning. This is when you set up your house to show off its assets and downplay its weaknesses. It usually means moving furniture and making your house look as perfect as a photo in a shiny décor magazine. 

Staged houses can sell faster and at a higher price. Staging a home is key if you’ve moved out and the house is empty. A professional stager will bring in décor and make your house look as if it’s lived in by the tidiest, most tasteful minimalists in the world. 

Some agents have stager they work with, or do it themselves. You can also hire a pro yourself, someone with top-flight design and décor skills.

Paint the interior of your house, especially walls that are an unusual color. You adore the Yves Klein blue in the bonus room. Buyers might not. This isn’t a criticism of your taste. It’s just part of depersonalizing your house, all part of how to sell a house. Pick a nice, neutral tone, like gray or beige.

Paint the outside of your house, too, if there’s any flaking or worn paint, or if you painted the exterior an unconventional shade that might turn off buyers.

Market Your Home

Ready, set, market. Once your house hits the MLS listings, it’s time to drive buyers to you. Your real estate agent will handle this, but here’s what you need to know.

Photos. This seems a no-brainer in a digital world, but plenty of sellers forget to prioritize the quality of their photography. Make sure photos are well-lit, in focus, and high resolution so they don’t pixelate on tablets and smartphones.

Your agent may very well offer a professional photographer as part of his or her services to you. If not, consider hiring a professional photographer, especially if you’re in a high-end home or a market where you’re hustling for buyers.

A good album of photos includes: 

• The exterior of your house from the front. Move your cars and the kids’ toys out of the driveway so all a potential buyer sees is your house. 
• Every interior room, and with the drapes open and the lights on. Bright is beautiful. Be sure to move trash cans, litter boxes, laundry baskets full of clothes and other banal evidence of humans out of the photos.
• The yard and local amenities like the nearby park, the neighborhood pool, and clubhouse. 

Got a luxe house or a huge piece of property near water or mountains and wondering, “How to sell my house?” Get drone photography done to show off the surrounding area. Another option for luxury properties: a night photo of the front of the house lit by the landscape lighting.

Virtual tours are becoming the norm. Buyers swoon over them, because a virtual tour takes them by the hand and leads them through the house. You’ll need to hire an outside company to create one. Your agent should be able to connect you with a business who does virtual tours. Again, some agents offer this as part of their listing services.

Signage — like the classic For Sale sign — are basics for selling your home. There should be a sign in your front yard, with your agent’s contact info on it. Especially during open houses, you should expect signs on busy streets nearby with an arrow pointing the way to your house.  If you’re deep in a winding subdivision, you may need more signs directing folks to your house. If your home is part of a homeowners association, be sure to see if the HOA is OK with agent signs.

Direct mail still works. Your agent will probably set up the mass mailing of an oversized, full-color postcard to people in the area and to area agents who may have buyers looking to move to your neighborhood.

E-flyers are effective. Your agent can combine multiple photos of your house in an e-flyer and email it to neighbors, clients on his mailing list, and other agents in the area as well as out-of-town brokers. 

Ads in those paper real estate magazines distributed for free, and digital ads on sites for newspapers and listing sites really do help spread the word.

Social media is how to sell your house in the 21st century. Your agent will likely post your listing to her various social channels, such as Facebook and Twitter. If not, ask for it. Instagram, for instance, draws more than 1 billion sets of eyeballs each month. Ask your agent, if she can put videos out on social media, not just photos, because videos get more engagement than photos. 

And put your listing on your social channels, too.

Word of mouth is old-fashioned, but works. Tell your friends, acquaintances, and co-workers your house is for sale. Your agent should be working her network, too.

Property listing sites will pick up your house listing once your agent puts it on the MLS (Multiple Listing Service.) There’s a gaggle of them, from individual agency sites to biggies like realtor.com®.

Showcase Your House

Throwing open the doors and inviting the public to come tour your house is one of the most effective marketing tools out there. Here’s how to sell your home by pulling off a good showing.

Your agent will:

• Schedule an open house for a weekend. ​ 
• Socialize the open house by tweeting about it, posting it on Facebook, putting it on Instagram, and posting it on a neighborhood site like NextDoor. You can help by adding the news to your channels as well. 
• Send out e-flyers, run digital ads on local web sites, or go analog with print ads in local newspapers and fliers tacked up at the neighborhood pool and local businesses.
• Put up plenty of signage all over the neighborhood on the day of the open house, and maybe even attach balloons to each sign. There should be a sign with an arrow pointing the way to your house every few blocks on routes from major streets to your house. Getting attention is how to sell a home.
• Set out fliers and brochures with info on the home that visitors can take with them.

You should:

• Clean again. You decluttered, depersonalized, fixed, and fussed over the place when you listed it. Take another pass, especially if you’ve been living in the house. Hire a housecleaning service to give it the once-over.
• Make special preparations, like moving the cars out of the driveway and away from your house so the open house attendees focus on your house and have a place to park. Open the blinds and drapes to let in the light and turn on the interior lights. Your agent will likely serve refreshments.
• Make sure your house smells fresh, but go easy on air fresheners. Some people are allergic to them, and heavy use of them may make shoppers wonder what smell you’re trying to hide. 
• Send pets away. Let them go on a playdate with a pal, or board them for a few hours. You don’t want them distracting visitors from the house. Hide their toys, bowls, and beds, too, to stave off smells. 
• Vacate the house during the open. ​Prospective buyers will be more open in terms of feedback if you’re not in attendance. Let your agent handle it.

Close the Deal

Offers. By this point, you’re probably getting offers on the house from buyers. An offer will specify a price, the down payment amount, the deposit amount, the terms, the date you’ll have to move out, and any contingencies. When you get an offer, you have three options:

1. You can accept it as is.
2. You can reject it.
3. You can reject it and counter it with an offer of your own.

Counteroffers usually hinge on four things:

1. Price
2. Terms
3. Occupancy (when you move out, and buyers move in)
4. Contingencies (special conditions)

Note, it’s rare to reject an offer with no counteroffer. That kills the deal, and it’s not how to sell your home. Counteroffers are the most common outcome. Your agent will help you craft the counteroffer and then negotiate with the prospective buyers.

Negotiations can be stressful and at times, fraught. The buyers want the best deal they can get. You want the most money you can get from the biggest asset you have. Emotions can run high, so let your agent do the heavy lifting of communicating with the buyers and reaching an agreement.

Closing the sale. You’ve accepted the buyer’s offer. Woo hoo! Now your agent will help you negotiate the sale’s final phase. This means seeing you through the inspection, negotiating any repair requests that may arise from the inspection, and dealing with last-minute snags.

Inspection. This is when a buyer’s housing inspector examines the house to look for problems, like windows that stick, wiring that’s not up to code, or mold. When they find a problem, the buyer will usually ask you to make repairs or knock money off the price they’ve offered so they can make repairs themselves. Your real estate agent is an expert on how to negotiate these types of requests.

Closing day. Finally! This is it, when you sign the papers, get a check, and hand over the house keys. This is how you sell a house. It’s a thrilling moment, and one that’s a little sad, too. But you did it. You sold your house!

The post Pricing Your Home Right appeared first on HouseLogic.

Read More

Read More