Tag: #sellingahome

What is a Make-Ready Cleaning?

A Make Ready Cleaning is also known as a Move-In/Move Out cleaning. Normally this is completed when someone is selling a home and moving in or out of a home. Basically you are making the home ready for the next owner (or to market the home). The make-ready cleaning will usually include cleaning and sanitizing the following items:

  • Bathroom (toilets, tub, shower/glass enclosure, sink, counters, and faucet)
  • Kitchen (sink, counters, back splash, faucet and all appliances) 
  • All cabinets and drawers (only for move out or move in cleanings)
  • Ceiling fans
  • Shelves/bookcases
  • Dust all services
  • Baseboards
  • Windowsills
  • Doors, knobs and casings
  • Light fixtures
  • Light switches
  • Air vent covers
  • Mirrors
  • Blinds
  • Flooring (normally an extra fee to include shampooing carpet or grout cleaning)
  • Windows (normally an extra fee)

For a move in/out cleaning all furniture, debris, clutter and other trash must be removed prior to cleaning. This is a clean-only service, not a trash-out service. The house must be vacant and the utilities (water and electricity) must be turned on.

Services that are typically not covered:

  • Remove rust stains
  • Remove Paint or Stains from Flooring
  • Remove Grout from Tile or Walls
  • Wipe Down Walls
  • Remove Mold from the Silicon Caulk Around the Tub
  • Carpet shampooing
  • Removal of pet stains
  • Grout cleaning or steaming
  • Window cleaning
  • Home exterior cleaning/power washing
  • Curtain cleaning
  • Laundry

The cost for this type of service will vary based on the home’s condition and size.

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    La guía para el comprador – prepararse para la hipoteca

    La guía para el comprador – prepararse para la hipoteca

    No espere hasta que esté listo para mudarse para comenzar a prepararse financieramente para comprar una casa.

    Si usted es como la gran mayoría de los compradores de vivienda, elegirá financiar su compra con un préstamo hipotecario. Al prepararse de antemano, puede evitar los retrasos comunes y los obstáculos que muchos compradores enfrentan al solicitar una hipoteca.

    Los requisitos para asegurar una hipoteca pueden parecer abrumadores, especialmente si es la primera vez que compra. Sin embargo, hemos descrito tres pasos simples para comenzar su camino hacia la propiedad de vivienda.

    Incluso si eres un propietario actual, es una buena idea prepararte con anticipación para que no te encuentres con sorpresas en el camino. Los requisitos de préstamos se han vuelto más rigurosos en los últimos años, y los cambios en su historial crediticio, niveles de deuda, tipo de trabajo y otros factores podrían afectar sus posibilidades de aprobación.

    Nunca es demasiado temprano para comenzar a prepararse para comprar una casa. ¡Siga estos tres pasos para comenzar a sentar las bases para su futura compra de vivienda hoy!

    PASO 1: REVISE SU PUNTUACIÓN DE CRÉDITO

    Su puntaje de crédito es una de las primeras cosas que un prestamista verificará para ver si califica para un préstamo. Es una buena idea revisar su informe de crédito y calificarlo usted mismo antes de estar listo para solicitar una hipoteca. Si tiene un puntaje bajo, necesitará tiempo para elevarlo. Y, a veces, en su informe aparecerá actividad fraudulenta o información errónea, que puede tardar meses en corregirse.

    La calificación crediticia que utilizan la mayoría de los prestamistas es su calificación FICO, una calificación ponderada desarrollada por Fair Isaac Corporation que toma en cuenta su historial de pagos (35%), los montos adeudados (30%), la duración del historial crediticio (15%), el nuevo crédito (10%), y mix de crédito (10%). 1

     

    Fuente: myFico.com

    Los puntajes FICO base varían de 300 a 850. Un puntaje FICO más alto lo ayudará a calificar para una tasa de interés hipotecario más baja, lo que le ahorrará dinero.2

    Por ley federal, usted tiene derecho a una copia gratuita de su informe de crédito cada 12 meses de cada una de las tres agencias de crédito principales (Equifax, Experian y Transunion). Solicite su informe de crédito gratuito en https://www.annualcreditreport.com.

    Requisitos de puntaje mínimo

    Para calificar para las tasas de interés más bajas disponibles, generalmente necesitará un puntaje FICO de 760 o superior. La mayoría de los prestamistas requieren una puntuación de al menos 620 para calificar para una hipoteca convencional.

    Si su puntaje FICO es menor a 620, es posible que pueda calificar para una hipoteca no convencional. Sin embargo, debe esperar pagar tasas de interés y tarifas más altas. Por ejemplo, puede obtener un préstamo FHA (uno emitido por un prestamista privado pero asegurado por la Administración Federal de Vivienda) con una calificación crediticia tan baja como 580 si puede hacer un pago inicial del 3.5 por ciento. Y los préstamos FHA están disponibles para los solicitantes con puntajes de crédito tan bajos como 500 con un pago inicial del 10 por ciento.

    Aumente su puntaje de crédito

    No hay una solución rápida para un puntaje de crédito bajo, pero los siguientes pasos lo ayudarán a aumentarla con el tiempo.5

    • Hacer pagos a tiempo

    Con un 35 por ciento, su historial de pagos representa la mayor parte de su puntaje de crédito. Por lo tanto, es crucial ponerse al día con cualquier pago atrasado y hacer todos sus pagos futuros a tiempo.

    Si tiene problemas para recordar pagar sus facturas a tiempo, configure recordatorios de pago a través de su plataforma de banca en línea, una herramienta gratuita de administración de dinero como Mint o una aplicación como BillMinder.

    • Evite solicitar un nuevo crédito que no necesita

    Las nuevas cuentas reducirán su antigüedad promedio, lo que podría impactar negativamente en la duración de su historial de crédito. Además, cada vez que solicite un crédito, puede resultar en una pequeña disminución en su puntaje de crédito.

    ¿La excepción a esta regla? Si no tiene ninguna tarjeta de crédito, o ninguna cuenta de crédito, debe abrir una cuenta para establecer un historial de crédito. Solo asegúrese de usarlo responsablemente y pague en su totalidad cada mes.

    Si necesita comprar una nueva cuenta de crédito, por ejemplo, un préstamo para automóvil, asegúrese de completar sus solicitudes de préstamo dentro de un corto período de tiempo. FICO intenta distinguir entre la búsqueda de un solo préstamo y las solicitudes para abrir varias líneas de crédito nuevas por la ventana de tiempo durante la cual se realizan las consultas.

    • Pagar tarjetas de crédito

    Cuando cancela sus tarjetas de crédito y otro crédito renovable, reduce sus montos adeudados o el índice de utilización del crédito (proporción de saldos de cuenta a límites de crédito). Algunos expertos recomiendan comenzar con su deuda de mayor interés y pagarla primero. Otros sugieren pagar primero su saldo más bajo y luego transferir ese pago a su siguiente saldo más bajo para crear un impulso.

    Sea cual sea el método que elija, el primer paso es hacer una lista de todos los saldos de sus tarjetas de crédito y luego comenzar a abordarlos uno por uno. Haga los pagos mínimos en todas sus tarjetas, excepto una. Pague todo lo que pueda en esa tarjeta hasta que se pague por completo, luego táchela de la lista y continúe con la siguiente tarjeta.

    Pago de la deuda Tipo de interés Pago total Pago mínimo
    Tarjeta de crédito 1 12.5% $ 460 $ 18.40
    Tarjeta de crédito 2 18.9% $ 1,012 $ 40.48
    Tarjeta de crédito 3 3.11% $ 6,300 $ 252

    • Evite cerrar cuentas antiguas

    Cerrar una cuenta antigua no la eliminará de su informe de crédito. De hecho, puede afectar su puntaje, ya que puede aumentar su tasa de utilización de crédito, ya que tendrá menos crédito disponible, y disminuir su longitud promedio de historial de crédito.

    Del mismo modo, el pago de una cuenta de cobro no lo eliminará de su informe. Permanece en su informe de crédito durante siete años, sin embargo, el impacto negativo en su puntaje disminuirá con el tiempo.

    • Corregir errores en su informe

    Los errores o la actividad fraudulenta pueden afectar negativamente su puntaje de crédito. Por eso es una buena idea revisar su informe de crédito al menos una vez al año. La Comisión Federal de Comercio tiene instrucciones en su sitio web para disputar errores en su informe.

    Si bien puede parecer mucho esfuerzo elevar su puntaje de crédito, su trabajo arduo se verá recompensado a largo plazo. No solo lo ayudará a calificar para una hipoteca, sino que también le ayudará a obtener una tasa de interés más baja en préstamos para automóviles y tarjetas de crédito. Incluso puede calificar para tarifas más bajas en primas de seguros.

    PASO 2: AHORRE PARA UN PAGO INICIAL Y COSTOS DE CIERRE

    El siguiente paso para prepararse para la compra de su casa es ahorrar para el pago inicial y los costos de cierre.

    Enganche

    Cuando compra una casa, normalmente paga una parte de ella en efectivo (pago inicial) y obtiene un préstamo para cubrir el saldo restante (hipoteca).

    Muchos compradores primerizos se preguntan: ¿Cuánto necesito ahorrar para un pago inicial? La respuesta es … depende.

    En términos generales, cuanto mayor sea el pago inicial, más dinero ahorrará en intereses y comisiones. Por ejemplo, usted calificará para una tasa de interés más baja y evitará pagar el seguro hipotecario si su pago inicial es al menos el 20 por ciento del precio de compra de la propiedad. Pero, ¿qué pasa si no puede darse el lujo de pagar un 20 por ciento?

    En un préstamo convencional, se le solicitará que compre un seguro hipotecario privado (PMI) si su pago inicial es inferior al 20 por ciento. PMI es un seguro que compensa a su prestamista si no cumple con su préstamo.

    El PMI le costará entre el 0,3 y el 1,5 por ciento del monto total de la hipoteca cada año. 8 Entonces, en un préstamo de $ 100,000, puede esperar pagar entre $ 300 y $ 1500 por año para el PMI hasta que el saldo de su hipoteca caiga por debajo del 80 por ciento del valor de tasación. 9Para una hipoteca convencional con PMI, la mayoría de los prestamistas aceptarán un pago inicial mínimo del cinco por ciento del precio de compra.7

    Si un pago inicial del cinco por ciento sigue siendo demasiado alto, un préstamo asegurado por la FHA puede ser una opción para usted. Debido a que están garantizados por la Administración Federal de Vivienda, los préstamos de la FHA solo requieren un pago inicial del 3.5 por ciento si su puntaje de crédito es 580 o más.7

    ¿El inconveniente de obtener un préstamo FHA? Se le pedirá que pague una prima de seguro hipotecario por adelantado (MIP) de 1.75 por ciento del monto total del préstamo, así como un MIP anual de entre 0.80 y 1.05 por ciento del saldo de su préstamo en una nota de 30 años. También hay ciertas limitaciones en los tipos de préstamos y propiedades que califican10.

    También hay una variedad de otros programas patrocinados por el gobierno creados para ayudar a los compradores de vivienda. Por ejemplo, los veteranos y los miembros actuales de las Fuerzas Armadas pueden calificar para un préstamo respaldado por el VA que requiere un pago inicial de $ 0. 7 Consulte a un prestamista hipotecario sobre las opciones disponibles para usted.

    TIPO MÍNIMO ABAJO CUOTAS ADICIONALES

    • Préstamo convencional 20% Califique para obtener las mejores tarifas y no se requiere seguro hipotecario
    • Préstamo convencional 5% Debe comprar un seguro hipotecario privado con un costo de 0.3 a 1.5% de la hipoteca anual
    • Préstamo FHA 3.5% de la prima del seguro hipotecario por adelantado del 1.75% del monto del préstamo y una tarifa anual de 0.8 – 1.05%

    Propietarios actuales

    Si usted es un propietario actual, puede tener capital en su hogar que puede usar para el pago inicial de una nueva casa. Podemos ayudarlo a calcular el rendimiento esperado después de vender su casa actual y pagar su hipoteca actual. Póngase en contacto con nosotros para una evaluación gratuita!

    Costos de cierre

    Los costos de cierre también deben tenerse en cuenta en su plan de ahorro. Estos pueden incluir tarifas de originación de préstamos, puntos de descuento, tarifas de tasación, búsquedas de títulos, seguros de títulos, encuestas y otras tarifas asociadas con la compra de su casa. Los costos de cierre varían, pero generalmente oscilan entre el dos y el cinco por ciento del precio de compra.

    Si no tiene los fondos para pagarlos en el momento del cierre, a menudo puede agregarlos al saldo de su hipoteca y pagarlos en el tiempo. Sin embargo, esto significa que tendrá un pago mensual más alto y pagará más a largo plazo porque pagará intereses sobre las tarifas.

    PASO 3: ESTIMAR SU PODER DE COMPRA DE LA CASA

    Una vez que tenga el puntaje de crédito requerido, los ahorros para un pago inicial y una lista de todas sus obligaciones de deuda pendientes a través de su informe de crédito, puede evaluar si está listo y puede comprar una casa.

    Es importante tener una idea de cuánto puede pagar razonablemente, y cuánto podrá pedir prestado, para ver si la propiedad de una vivienda está al alcance.

    Su relación deuda-ingreso (DTI) es uno de los principales factores que utilizan las compañías hipotecarias para determinar cuánto están dispuestos a prestarle, y puede ayudarlo a determinar si sus objetivos de compra de vivienda son realistas dada su situación financiera actual .

    Su relación DTI es esencialmente una comparación de sus gastos de vivienda y otras deudas en comparación con sus ingresos. Hay dos relaciones DTI diferentes que los prestamistas consideran:

    Proporción frontal

    También llamado el índice de vivienda, este es el porcentaje de sus ingresos que se destinaría a los gastos de vivienda cada mes, incluido el pago de su hipoteca, el seguro hipotecario privado, los impuestos a la propiedad, el seguro del propietario y las cuotas de asociación.12

    Para calcular su proporción de DTI al inicio, un prestamista sumará sus gastos de vivienda esperados y los dividirá por sus ingresos mensuales brutos (ingresos antes de impuestos). La proporción máxima de DTI al inicio para la mayoría de las hipotecas es del 28 por ciento. Para un préstamo respaldado por la FHA, esta proporción no debe exceder el 31 por ciento.13

    Proporción de back-end

    La proporción de servicios de fondo tiene en cuenta todas sus obligaciones de deuda mensuales: sus gastos de vivienda esperados MÁS las facturas de tarjetas de crédito, pagos de automóviles, pensión alimenticia o pensión alimenticia, préstamos estudiantiles y cualquier otra deuda que aparezca en su informe de crédito.12

    Para calcular su relación de respaldo, un prestamista tabulará sus gastos de vivienda esperados y otros pagos mensuales de la deuda y los dividirá por sus ingresos mensuales brutos (ingresos antes de impuestos). La proporción máxima de DTI de back-end para la mayoría de las hipotecas es del 36 por ciento. Para un préstamo respaldado por la FHA, esta proporción no debe exceder el 41 por ciento.13

    Calculadora de asequibilidad para el hogar

    Para tener una idea de cuánto puede pagar por su hogar, visite la Calculadora de Asequibilidad del Hogar gratuita de la Asociación Nacional de Agentes de Bienes Raíces en https://www.realtor.com/mortgage/tools/affordability-calculator.

    Esta práctica herramienta lo ayudará a determinar el poder de compra de su casa según su ubicación, sus ingresos anuales, sus deudas mensuales y el pago inicial. También ofrece un desglose mensual de la hipoteca que proyecta lo que pagaría cada mes en capital e intereses, impuestos a la propiedad y seguros de hogar.

    La Calculadora de Asequibilidad del Hogar tiene como valor predeterminado una proporción DTI de back-end del 36 por ciento. Si la estimación del costo mensual en esa proporción es significativamente más alta que la que actualmente paga por la vivienda, debe considerar si puede compensar o no la diferencia cada mes en su presupuesto.

    De lo contrario, es posible que desee reducir su precio de compra objetivo a un índice DTI más conservador. La herramienta le permite desplazarse a través de puntos de precio más altos y más bajos para ver el impacto en sus pagos mensuales para que pueda identificar su punto de precio ideal.

    (Nota: esta herramienta solo proporciona una estimación de su poder de compra. Deberá obtener la aprobación previa de un prestamista hipotecario para saber el monto real de su aprobación de la hipoteca y las proyecciones de pagos mensuales).

    ¿Puedo permitirme comprar la casa de mis sueños?

    Una vez que tenga una idea de su poder adquisitivo, es hora de averiguar qué vecindarios y qué tipo de casas puede pagar. La mejor manera de determinar esto es ponerse en contacto con un agente de bienes raíces con licencia. Ayudamos a los propietarios de viviendas como usted todos los días y podemos enviarle una lista completa de viviendas dentro de su presupuesto que satisfagan sus necesidades específicas.

    Si hay hogares dentro de su rango de precios y vecindarios específicos que cumplen con sus criterios, ¡felicitaciones! Es hora de comenzar su búsqueda de casa.

    De lo contrario, es posible que deba continuar ahorrando para un pago inicial más grande … o ajustar sus parámetros de búsqueda para encontrar hogares que se ajusten a su presupuesto. Podemos ayudarlo a determinar el curso correcto para usted.

    COMIENCE A COLOCAR SU FUNDACIÓN HOY

    Nunca es demasiado temprano para comenzar a prepararse financieramente para comprar una casa. Estos tres pasos lo pondrán en el camino hacia la propiedad de vivienda … ¡y un futuro financiero seguro!

    Y si está listo para comprar ahora pero no tiene un puntaje de crédito perfecto o un gran pago inicial, no se desanime. Hay recursos y opciones disponibles que podrían permitirle comprar una casa antes de lo que cree. Podemos ayudar.

    ¿Quieres saber si estás listo para comprar una casa? ¡Llamanos! Lo ayudaremos a revisar sus opciones, lo conectaremos con uno de nuestros prestamistas hipotecarios de confianza y lo ayudaremos a determinar el momento ideal para comenzar su nueva búsqueda de vivienda.

    Lo anterior hace referencia a una opinión y es sólo para fines informativos. No pretende ser un asesoramiento financiero. Consulte a un profesional financiero para obtener asesoramiento sobre sus necesidades individuales.

    Sources:
    1. Quicken Loans Blog – 
      
      https://www.quickenloans.com/blog/how-does-your-credit-score-affect-your-mortgage-eligibility
    2. myFICO – 
      
      https://www.myfico.com/credit-education/credit-report-credit-score-articles/
    3. Bankrate – 
      
      https://www.bankrate.com/mortgages/what-is-a-good-credit-score-to-buy-a-house/
    4. Bankrate – 
      
      https://www.bankrate.com/finance/mortgages/7-crucial-facts-about-fha-loans-1.aspx
    5. myFICO – 
      
      https://www.myfico.com/credit-education/improve-your-credit-score/
    6. The Balance – 
      
      https://www.thebalance.com/having-good-credit-score-960528
    7. Bankrate – 
      
      https://www.bankrate.com/mortgages/how-much-is-a-down-payment-on-a-house/
    8. Bankrate – 
      
      https://www.bankrate.com/finance/mortgages/the-basics-of-private-mortgage-insurance-pmi.aspx
    9. Bankrate – 
      
      https://www.bankrate.com/finance/mortgages/removing-private-mortgage-insurance.aspx
    10. The Balance – 
      
      https://www.thebalance.com/fha-home-loan-pitfalls-315673
    11. Investopedia – 
      
      https://www.investopedia.com/terms/c/closingcosts.asp
    12. Bankrate – 
      
      https://www.bankrate.com/finance/mortgages/why-debt-to-income-matters-in-mortgages-1.aspx
    13. The Lenders Network – 
      
      https://thelendersnetwork.com/fha-debt-to-income-ratio/

    How to Amp Up The Resale Value of Your Home

    How to Amp Up The Resale Value of Your Home

    Whether you’re putting your home on the market this year or in the next five years, it is a smart decision to start building your home’s resale value now. Here are some ways to create a comfortable home while making it easier to put more money into your bank account on closing day.

    Small Maintenance and Repairs

    If you think that home maintenance on the weekends waste your time and energy, think again. The small chores you do around your home prevents it from losing value. Neglecting small maintenance and repairs causes 10% of your home’s value to walk out your door and slip through your windows. Most appraisers claim that homes showing little to no preventative maintenance can depreciate from $15,000 to $20,000.

    study conducted by researchers at the University of Connecticut and Syracuse University shows that regular maintenance boosts your home value by about 1% per year. However, ongoing maintenance costs offset that value, which means that regular maintenance actually slows down your rate of depreciation. Furthermore, because homebuyers generally notice any repairs needed upon buying a new home, proactive maintenance lets the homebuyer know that he or she will not have to spend extra money to maintain the basics. This makes your home more attractive, and thus more likely to get higher priced offers.

    Maintaining the basics can cost you little money and certainly some effort, but there’s a way to accomplish this very important activity smartly. This article by HouseLogic, for example,shows you how to keep home maintenance below $300 a year.  Planning ahead will also help make maintaining your home easier. Most professional appraisers and real estate agents recommend a proactive maintenance schedule that includes:

    • Keeping enough cash on hand to replace systems and materials
    • Creating and following a maintenance schedule
    • Planning a room redo every year
    • Keeping a notebook of all your maintenance and repairs

    Landscaping

    The Virginia Cooperative Extension at Virginia Techpublished a study that shows landscaping can increase a home’s value by 15%.  The study claims that a home valued at $150,000 could increase its value between $8,300 and $19,000 with the addition of landscaping. Particular landscape elements add different value. For instance, landscape design can increase your home’s value by 42%, plant size can increase your home’s value by 32%, and diversity in plants can increase your home’s value by 22%.

    Replace Entrance Doors

    If your entry doors are wood, consider switching them out for either fiberglass or steel doors. Steel doors add style and architectural interest to your home while improving security; you can add a deadbolt and electronic keypads to keep out intruders. Unlike wood doors, steel doors do not rot or splinter.

    Alternatively, fiberglass doors can be designed to look like wood doors and give your home a modern look. Fiberglass doors conserve more energy than steel doors.

    Pricewise, a steel door will cost you $1,335 with a 91% return on investment whereas a fiberglass door will cost you $3,126 with an 82.3% return on investment.

    Garage Door Replacement

     At first, you might not think that your garage door increases the value of your home. However, your garage door distinguishes your home from the other homes on your block. As the largest entryway of a house, garage doors get noticed first because they’re the focal point of your home. If you want to quickly increase the resale value of your home, you need to make the most of this space.

    Some interesting things being done with garage doors include:

    • Increased Size:Bigger garage doors help homes stand out more, and homeowners can do more creatively with them.
    • Bold Colors:Bright and bold colors now can complement the color of your home, or you can build a concept around the color of your home.
    • Faux Wood:You can install fiberglass or steel garage doors that look like wood garage doors. This gives your home a new level of sophistication.
    • Windows:Large Windows on your garage door improve the aesthetic of your home, and provide light into your garage so that it’s no longer a dark space.

     More importantly, a garage door replacement will cost you $1,652 and add $1,512 to the value of your home; that’s a return on your investment of 91.5%.

    Fiberglass Attic Insulation

    While energy efficiency is still not the sexiest selling point of your home, installing fiberglass attic insulation saves energy and garners a big payback on your investment. According to Remodeling Magazine’s 2016 Cost vs. Value top trends report, fiberglass attic insulation gained the top return on investment among the 30 projects in this year’s report. Using Remodel/Max as the cost source, a fiberglass attic insulation project cost $1,268 nationwide. Real estate professionals surveyed estimated that the work would boost the price of a home at resale, within a year of its completion, by $1,482. That’s a 116.9% return on investment.

    Replacing Windows

    Replacing your windows is another way to save energy and increase your home’s resale value. Replacing your old windows with energy saving models will beautify your home, keep it comfortable, and ease the workload of your HVAC system. According to HGTV, you’ll see a reduction in your utility bill by 7% to 15%. However, if you’re selling your home, you could expect a 60% to 70% recoupment of your investment. The two types of replacement windows that fetch the best returnare vinyl and wood.

    Remodeling Your Kitchen

    Kitchen remodeling can get expensive, but small renovations can make your home more buyer friendly. Changing your kitchen’s texture and color using a matte finish and neutral colors such as putty or grey enhances your home’s resale value. Because matte finishes have transitional qualities, your potential homebuyer can easily match his or her stainless steel or black and white appliances. Also, refinishing cabinetry, or switching to Energy Star™ appliances provide comfort you like and pizazz buyers adore.

    Flow is important to any interior design of a home. If you feel that your kitchen hinders a good flow, change it. A small investment to knock out a non-structural wall or remove a kitchen island creates space and provides flow that buyers love.

    A minor kitchen remodel can cost you $20,122 while putting $16,716 of resale value into your home; that’s an 83% payback on the project. If you want to do a major kitchen model, this can cost you about $60,000 and put about $39,000 of resale value into your home, which is only about a 65% payback on the project. Therefore, consider a minor kitchen remodel first.

    Bathroom Addition or Remodel

    Likewise, carefully consider adding a bathroom or remodeling your bathroom. Switching out your frosted glass shower doors for glass doors, cleaning the grout, replacing the shower and floor tiles, switching out your sink or toilet, or replacing your sink and shower fixtures can cost you little money.

    Adding a bathroom can get expensive, but it can reduce congestion during hectic times and provide your guests with a bathroom. Consult with your real estate agent or a local appraiser before deciding whether a full remodel or addition is right for your situation. While a bathroom remodel will cost you about $18,000 with a return on investment of about 66%, a bathroom addition will cost you about $42,000 with a return on investment of about 56%. Therefore, it’s best do your due diligence before working on your bathroom.

    Your Needs and Buyers’ Wants

    On that note, if you need to renovate your home, be sure to consider how those changes will affect its appeal to future buyers. Knowing design trends will give you the opportunity to make changes to your home based on where your needs and your potential buyer’s desires intersect, thus increasing your property’s resale value drastically.

    Designers and design websites provide great ideas when you’re brainstorming home renovations. Keep in mind as you research, however, that you don’t want to sacrifice your needs for a comfortable home just for the sake of what you think a future buyer will want!

    Therefore, before you begin making any changes to your home, consult your real estate agent. Real estate agents, because we are constantly working with new buyer clients, have insider insight into what home buyers are looking for now and in the future. We’ll be able to help you make smart choices when remodeling or renovating your home.

    If you think you might want to remodel or renovate your home in the near future, or if you are just curious about other ways you can increase its resale value, please reach out to me!

    Find your dream home and save on closing costs!

    Are you planning on selling a home within the next 18 months? Let us help you sell and buy your new home. As a thank you for your trust in our services we will contribute $2,500* to be used towards your new home’s closing costs. The credit does not expire and can be transferred to a friend or family member to purchase a home with us.

    Here is what you can expect:

    1. Current home’s value – Thinking about selling in the next few months? If so, let us run a price analysis on your current home. We will provide you with a suggested sales price and an approximate net sheet. Together we can review the sales process and come up with a plan of action.
    2. Get Pre-Approved: Speak to a lender about getting pre-qualified for a new loan. The lender will review your options and will provide you with a loan estimate. This information will help us plan ahead for your new home purchase.
    3. Prepare home for sale – Schedule your staging consultation. We will provide you with a check list of items to repair/replace or remove in order to market your property to its highest potential. Once the home is ready, we will schedule professional pictures.
    4. Property goes active – Property will go active on the market. We will review offers as they arrive and decide together on the best offer.
    5. Search for Homes: Once we are under contract we can start looking for your new home!
    6. Make Offer: Work with us to craft a competitive offer.
    7. Closing: We will work together to assure that all inspections, contingencies and details are taken care of. $2500 will be applied towards your closing costs on your new home. This will be reflected in your closing disclosure.
    8. Celebrate: Celebrate your new home!

    What to get started? It’s never too early

    Email us at ali@happyclientsrealtygroup.com and references “closing costs credit”

    *Restrictions: Credit is only valid on a purchase with a minimum $5,000 Buyer Broker commission offered by the listing brokerage and the purchase must occur within our same market area.  

    If you end up buying a home before you sell your current property we will refund $2,500 off the listing fee at closing.

     

     

     

    How to spot a meth lab



    Recently, I had a customer call me to consult on a purchase she was getting ready to make. She found a home that was a steal and was super excited! Every sounded great until she mentioned the fact that the home was possibly a meth lab in the past. Wait, what? Yes, this is a problem for resale and as an investor.

    Every year meth labs are busted and closed down but many home meth labs go unbeknown. These homes eventually get sold to unsuspecting buyers.

    The problem is that these home’s surfaces, insulation and carpeting may be steeped in poisonous substances. These contaminates can make home owners sick over time.

    When someone sells a home they are asked to fill out a seller’s disclosure form. In it there are two places that address possible issues. One section will ask if you know if the premise was used to manufacture methamphetamines. The other area will ask if the seller knows of any condition that will affect the health and safety of the individual. The homeowner is suppose to tell you but if they are the ones cooking the meth, it’s very unlikely they will disclose this info.

    If the home has been foreclosed and it’s being sold by a bank, it’s also unlikely that the buyer will know if the home was being used to produce meth.

    Beware of cheap foreclosed properties, which are usually sold “as is”. We can assume that persons’ producing meth are more likely to lose, trash and abandon their home. In fact, they might not own it at all. It’s likely they are renting or squatting in an abandoned home. Banks can resale the home and landlords can easily rent the property without you knowing.

    There are a few signs you can look for, assuming the home has not been cleaned out. Look for the following:

    • Old bottles of acetone, muriatic acid, brake cleaner, drain cleaner, iodine, paint thinner, phosphorus laying around.
    • Rubber gloved, tubing, dust masks, propane tanks, coolers and camp stoves.
    • Yellow discoloration on walls, drains, sinks and showers.
    • Blue discoloration on valves of propane tanks and fire extinguishers.
    • Fire detectors that are removed–or taped off.
    • Burning in your eyes, itchy throat, a metallic taste in your mouth, or breathing problems when in the home.
    • Strong odors that smell similar to materials often found in a garage, such as solvent and paint thinner, or odors of cat urine or ammonia.

    When it doubt or just to be proactive you can purchase a test kit for about $50 or you can hire a professional to do the testing for significantly more. You can also check with local police to see if the home was ever linked to drug arrests or complaints. Talk to the neighbors, most will be more than happy to tell you what they have seen and heard.

    Something to consider: smoking meth in a home might also leave enough residue to cause health issues; it’s not just producing meth. It might be prudent to test before renting a home/apartment, buying vehicles, home and/or commercial buildings.

    It’s best to be proactive because once you find out that the home is contaminated the clean up cost can easily run $10,000+.

    To make matters worse there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of concrete information about clean up and testing. The EPA does provide clean up guidelines but they are listed as “voluntary” clean up guidelines. In doing research, I found that the testing and clean up industry is not regulated and everyone seems to do their own thing.

    If you find yourself in this situation do your research and see what’s best for you. Here are a few more sources:

    There is a database where you can search for address. Keep in mind these are the meth labs that have been identified. The issue is mainly with those that haven’t been identified.

    National Clandestine Laboratory Register Data

    EPA guidelines

    Sources: CNN Money, Realtor.com, NPR

    Seek better representation

    Imagine you need to sell a car. Normally you would have the car detailed to make sure it shines. A clean, shiny, well kept car will appeal to the most buyers and get you the most amount of money. Most buyers will not seek out a dirty, beat up car, unless is cheap.

    The same goes for selling a home. In fact, a home is a much larger sale so why not take the time to make it shiny.

    Most people now a days have the attention span of a gnat (as do I). We only have one opportunity to make a good first impression.

    Most buyers will research homes and areas online before they even consider reaching out to an REALTOR®. Property pictures are EVERYTHING. If your home does not show well in pictures you will not get the traffic you deserve.

    You want to appeal to the most number of buyers. Stage your home to appeal to the masses. This will give you the best chance to get the most out of your investment. Your home is an INVESTMENT. It’s probably the largest investment you will make in your life.

    When we represent a client in selling a property, it is our job to make sure that the property is marketed in a favorable manner. It is our job to tell you to declutter, clean, and freshen up the property. We know what buyers are looking for. We hear their complaints every day. Our critiques aren’t personal. We do not sell homes the same way we live in them. We want to you make as much money as possible. You make money, we make money. It’s that simple

    As a future seller, do your research and make sure your listing agent will present your property in the best light. Look at their previous listings and see if you find them appealing. Does the agent focus on the homes best attributes? Are the pictures clear? Is the home clean and decluttered.

    Sometimes the best way to explain the importance of our roles is to show them in pictures! Let the fun begin…

    Please note that these are all listing pictures. None are from the Houston area (don’t want too step on any toes). They are all from different price points. I have seen multimillion dollar homes that are represented in this same manner.

    First, declutter and clean. Most buyers when sent photos like this will not even want to tour the property. Would you?

    Buyers will assume you have no storage if your counters are covered in stuff

    This kitchen is small enough. Take out the table and bike!

    I can’t even focus on the room. All I can look at is the personal items. Curtains on the main door?

    Too much! Can you put away the trash can? Can you even open the frig door?

    Speechless

    Can you even see the built in shelves?

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Lighting focus and angles – Dark photo are the death of a listing. Add blurry to that and why would a buyer keep looking?

    This room seems to be freshly painted and it has nice floors but the lighting and the random grocery bag is distracting

    This is the way it was uploaded…blurry

    What are we selling here? The back splash? This is one of two pictures that represent the kitchen. Neither one shows the entire kitchen

    Is this the best way to represent a half bath? This is where wide angle lenses come in

    Oh, a blurry brick wall! yay

    Can you not fit in the entire home in the pic? How about straightening the camera?

    It only takes a sec to straighten up the camera

    Nope, it’s not a foggy day. Just a blurry pic

    What are we selling? the couch?

    Blurry seems to be an ongoing issue but there is much more wrong with this image.

    Why? what are we really showing? Shampoos and toilet paper?

    Crooked

    Is this the master? Who knows?

    Nope, I did not upload this pic upside down. That’s the way it’s listed.

    Can I fit in this laundry room?

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Main picture, first impression – We have the ability to organize the pics as we wish. Ideally you want to post the best pic first. This picture will either tempt the buyers to open the listing and learn more or they will simply swipe past it. 

     

    This home has an amazing view. Could you walk out a little further to capture the actual view?

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    What house?

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    If this is going to be your main picture could you be bothered to move the box?

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Maybe consider moving the cars? What are we selling here?

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Does this pic best represent the home? Dirty walls?

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    Virtual staging has come a long way but when it looks like this it’s probably better to leave the room empty

    Um…

     

     

     

     

     

     

    no comment

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

     

    We can’t force a seller to clean and declutter but we can stress the importance and set expectations. I know that money is sometimes a factor. You can’t do repairs if you don’t have the funds. That said,  cleaning and decluttering is free. No excuses.

    A listing agreement is a partnership with the same goal: to sell for the most money. The seller does their part (clean, declutter, make repairs, etc) and we will do my part. We will stage the home to spotlight the home’s best features and order professional picture. Professional pictures are absolutely necessary.

    This partnership will only work if we both do our part. We too are making a investment of time and money to make your home shine.

    If you have any questions or would like a complimentary staging consultation please feel free to contact us at the following number.

    Ali Palacios

    GRI, ABR, MCNE, TAHS, ASPRE, HARRL
    Broker
    Happy Clients Realty Group
    ali@happyclientsrealtygroup.com

    Mobile – 832-418-0670

     

    For example of great listing pics click here

     

    Let’s grow together

    Thank you for your support, trust and referrals. I would not be where I’m at without your help. You helped me grow, I will help you grow!

    I’d like to offer you my support in promoting your business. Do you have a small business and/or hobby you’d like to promote. I will list your business on my facebook page, website and offer your services to other clients.

    Tell me more about you and your business. I’d love to help.

     

    Am I the best agent for you?

    I’ll be beyond honored to help you buy or sell a home!

    As long as I’m the best agent for you…which I probably am, since I have the guts to even say that.

    Most agents get so excited when someone even breathes the words buy or sell (or even just breathes), that they cram people in their car to go see homes, or push you to list your house on the spot.

    It’s like going in for a kiss when you’re asking someone out on a date…let alone on the first date!

    I prefer setting a date…just to chat and get to know each other.

    Hopefully we are as good of a match as I feel like we’ll be!

    So, for now, let’s just set up a good time to chat and get a feel for what you want and need in an agent. This will help me get a feel for who I’m agreeing to go steady with…before we put a ring on the relationship.

    I’m here when you are ready

     

    Breath, read, then sign…

    E-signatures have made it very simple for people to sign documents on the go. It’s made it too easy. At times the documents send deserve to be read.

    I’m always amazed at how many people just sign these things without truly reading through it. After all, it is a contract to purchase your largest assets.

    So please, take your time. I like seeing that, because it means I’m dealing with someone who’s careful and will take the time to make solid decisions as we move forward.

    Kind of a side note…

    So many agents push people to sign these things on the spot, and rush right into things. I think it’s probably because they’re afraid if they don’t walk away from the appointment with signatures, they won’t get the business.

    To me, if you deserve to be hired, you don’t have to push.

    Heck, I feel like if you do push, you don’t deserve to be getting the business. Agents should be pushy for clients and their best interests…not pushy with them.

    Anyhow, take the time you need. Ask me any questions you have. I’m even glad to go over it line by line with you. I’m here when you are ready to move forward.