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Is selling your current home on your list of resolutions for the New Year? If you’re ready to place that “For Sale” sign in the front yard, consider this advice from Realtor.com. Lisa Gordon shares 5 vows to help sell your home this year… so you can move into the NEW home of your dreams.
It’s natural to think your home is priceless, or hope it’s worth at least more than when you bought it. As such, many sellers make the epic mistake of placing a pie-in-the-sky price on their home with the hopes that some buyer somewhere will bite. But the reality is, overpriced homes tend to languish on the market.
In addition to setting their asking price too high, sellers are often stubborn about lowering it. Or they get offended when a buyer makes an offer below what they’d hoped to get.
Stop seeing these as insults. Instead, see them as a sign that the way you see your home may not be the way others do. For a reality check, ask your Realtor® to show you comps on the recent sales prices of similar homes in your area. You can also get an estimate of how much your home is worth by plugging your address into realtor.com/sell.
No one wants to buy your clutter, or try to determine what the house looks like without it. So it’s crucial that you toss, donate, gift, or recycle anything you don’t love or use. This is also true for those hidden areas like your closets and cabinets. Yes, buyers will (nosily) poke their heads in these areas—and seeing a pile of half-folded clothes is a definite downer.
But even if you purged the clutter, it has a way of slowly sneaking back in, so you should develop some habits to keep it at bay. For instance, rather than let your mail pile up, vow to deal with it every day. For any paper statements or bills you receive regularly, sign up for electronic versions or autopay to stem the wave of papers flooding your mailbox to a trickle.
A simple truth: Even beautiful, well-priced homes won’t sell if they smell rank. It can be as subtle as the presence of pets, bathroom mildew, or last night’s broiled carp. Scented candles and sprays can mask smells, but it’s best to root out the source.
If the problem is pet urine, there are sprays that break down these molecules. If that doesn’t work, toss the rug or replace that section of flooring. If the offender is food odors, vow to take out the garbage more often and air out the house after cooking.
If the smell of mildew pervades your bathrooms, install a fan to vent the room, and leave the doors to your bathrooms open to get more air. You can also get a dehumidifier. To keep mold from growing, indoor humidity should linger 30% to 60%. Here’s more advice on how to purge bad smells from your home.
As the New Year arrives, so do new trends and changes in the housing market. If you’re looking to buy a new home in 2017, stay up to date on these trends to know what to expect when you buy your home. This recent article by Rebecca Lake of Smart Asset, shares what might be in store for 2017.
Home prices have been on a steady incline in recent years. But that momentum may begin to slow down in 2017. Since the Federal Reserve just raised interest rates for the first time in a year, that could have a stabilizing effect on home prices. The National Association of Realtors estimates that price growth will slow to 3.9%, down from 4.9% in 2016.
For sellers, that may lead to a shrinking profit margin in previously hot local markets. Buyers, on the other hand, may be better positioned to snag a deal on a home in areas where prices have recently skyrocketed.
According to the National Association of Realtors, we could see an uptick in the demand for properties in 2017. Specifically, the NAR is predicting that existing home sales will top 6 million in 2017, which is similar to forecasts from the Mortgage Bankers’ Association, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
The increased push for housing may be driven in part by a growing number of millennials who are venturing into homeownership for the first time. In addition to purchasing single-family homes, younger buyers may buy condos as well.
While big cities are still popular among young adults, many millennials are interested in living in suburban areas. Research from Zillow shows that 47% of millennial homeowners have opted to buy houses in the suburbs, largely due to the lower cost of living that it entails. The amenities that many suburban areas offer are also appealing, even if it means that homeowners have a longer commute.
This trend could be good news for suburban homeowners who are planning to put their homes on the market in 2017. For buyers, the primary advantage of choosing the suburbs over the city is the ability to stretch their budgets. For example, $325,000 may buy you a three-bedroom home in the ‘burbs versus a one-bedroom studio in the city.
Sacramento, Calif. – January 2016 – A brand new home in an active adult community should be created with the buyer in mind, which is why Lennar has worked to provide the perfect blend of function and comfort at all of their Heritage communities. With six Heritage communities designed specifically for individuals 55 and better in the greater Sacramento area, Lennar has created an abundance of features meant to make everyday life easier.
“Your new home should be a place built around your wants and needs,” said Laura Kilgore, Director of Marketing for Lennar Sacramento. “So you can worry less and enjoy more — that’s our goal. We’ve included refined Thoughtful Design features in your new home to assist a changing lifestyle.”
At Lennar’s Heritage communities, Heritage El Dorado Hills, Heritage Westshore and the upcoming Heritage at Vineyard Creek, residents find a whole host of thoughtful design features.
Illuminated address lights help you or any guests navigate through the community with ease. Additionally, extra lighting throughout the homes and more windows make it easier to go about business and brightens up even the smallest spaces. Wider doorways and hallways give better functionality for moving items in and out of the home, whether it be furniture, groceries and even wheelchair use.
An open kitchen design allows for optimized mobility throughout and compliments the tall ceilings which work to create a nice open feel. Walk-in showers with seats and a hand-held shower spray provide convenience while offering versatility to meet a variety of needs. Lower appliance designs promote accessibility to accommodate any circumstance, along with raised electrical outlets and lower light switches.
In select plans, outdoor access off the master suite adds the perfect touch of luxury and convenience. The Home Within a Home® floorplans, available in select Heritage communities like Heritage El Dorado Hills, include an attached suite or casita that is an ideal spot for live-in family, short term guests or extended caregivers.
Buyers interested in any of Lennar’s Heritage communities should visit www.lennar.com/sacramento to start their search for the perfect active adult community to suit their needs, today! Lennar is now selling new homes for individuals aged 55 and better in El Dorado Hills and Sacramento. You can find new homes with these thoughtful design features at Heritage El Dorado Hills, Heritage Westshore and the upcoming and highly anticipated Heritage at Vineyard Creek, which is slated to open this February.
With hundreds of communities nationwide and homes designed for first-time, move-up and luxury homebuyers, Lennar has grown to become one of the nation’s leading and most respected homebuilders. Lennar has a longstanding history of building homes of enduring quality in only the most well planned and desirable locations throughout the country.
Roseville, Calif. – January 2017 – Lennar is thrilled to be hosting their official Grand Opening for Montecito Walk at WestPark, their newest community to the Roseville area. Prospective homebuyers and members of the public are invited out for the event on Saturday, January 7 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. to tour gorgeous model homes and partake in the food and fun.
“We are so excited to start this new year off by opening this fantastic community,” said Laura Kilgore, Director of Marketing for Lennar Sacramento. “Montecito Walk offers a great collection of single-family homes in a great area close to great schools, shopping, freeways and more.”
Montecito Walk at WestPark offers prospective homeshoppers four distinct floorplans to choose from. Home sizes range approximately from 1,408 to 1,892 square feet, with three bedrooms and two-and-a-half bathrooms. The new homes are priced starting from the mid $300,000s.
Every home at Montecito Walk boasts a two-story layout with smart design details. These solar-equipped homes feature open-concept layouts throughout the main living areas where the dining room, kitchen and great rooms seamlessly connect. An ideal set-up for entertaining, this open layout gives a spacious feel. The neighborhood has been designed with unique private outdoor areas for each home. These detached homes offer distinctive architecture with the garages set to the rear of the home, providing beautiful curbside appeal.
Lennar’s signature Everything’s Included® program puts a high level of standard features into all their new homes. The homes at Montecito Walk include gorgeous, designer-selected appointments at no additional cost to the buyer, such as granite kitchen countertops with backsplashes, stainless steel GE® appliances, solar, tankless water heaters, full front yard landscaping with automatic irrigation and so much more.
Set inside the WestPark masterplan, residents will enjoy living in a community that features pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods and parks. The city of Roseville also offers prime recreation opportunities, golf courses, shopping, dining and more.
The Grand Opening takes place this Saturday, January 7 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Montecito Walk Welcome Home Center located at 1016 Kirkhill Drive off Pleasant Grove boulevard in Roseville. This event is free and open to the public. For more information visit www.lennar.com/sacramento or call 916-580-6347.
With hundreds of Communities nationwide and homes designed for first-time, move-up and luxury homebuyers, Lennar has grown to become one of the nation’s leading and most respected homebuilders. Lennar has a longstanding history of building homes of enduring quality in only the most well planned and desirable locations throughout the country.
