Carolina Life ~ your experts in Raleigh area home sales

Carolina Life & Homes Realty Raleigh area buy/sell home experts

Home Tips

Frustrated FSBO?

In today’s seller’s market, you may have tried your hand at selling your home yourself, reasoning that with low inventory and high demand there would be a line of sellers waiting for the chance to make an offer. Now you may be watching other homes sell in hours at far above the asking price while your home continues to languish during a historically hot market.

According to the National Association of REALTORS® (NAR) most recent statistics, approximately 8 percent of home sales are For Sale By Owner (FSBO) transactions. What makes the difference between a successful By Owner home sale and a long and frustrating one? Here are the things to consider when determining whether it’s time to give up your FSBO experiment and bring in a real estate agent to sell your home.

When you don’t have a buyer in mind

According to NAR, 39 percent of successful For Sale By Owner transactions occurred when the buyer and seller already had an agreement in place. Sometimes this was due to a homeowner selling directly to a friend or family member. Other times the successful sale occurred when a buyer approached the seller directly with an offer.

If you don’t have someone in place already, you may face a long and difficult search for a qualified buyer. You’ll need to get up to speed on market-ready pricing, publicity, and promotions—skills a trusted real estate agent is well-qualified to provide on day one.

red for sale sign

When you’re getting no interest at all

If you’ve put your home on the market and you’re not getting a nibble, the problem may be your price. While you may think you know what your home is worth based on conversations with neighbors and overall local sales statistics, individual home valuation can present a number of challenges. A real estate agent can evaluate comparable properties and recent sales as well as market conditions to formulate a more accurate home valuation that gets potential buyers through the door.

When you’re getting nothing but looky-loos

If you’ve promoted your property and are getting plenty of viewings, but no offers, you may need to rethink a number of factors. The home may be priced wrong or may have outdated style elements that are turning off today’s buyers. A real estate agent can help you prepare your home for the market through much-needed repairs, expert staging, and accurate pricing to help convert casual viewers into potential buyers.

woman sitting on phone with notebook

When you’re unsure about the paperwork involved

A real estate transaction is an intensive process involving a great number of legal documents and legally binding agreements. A misunderstanding or error in the marketing of the property or the preparation of a contract or contingency can result in thousands of dollars of liability for the homeowner.

In addition, scammers often target FSBO sellers for financial fraud and identity theft. Secure, expert transaction management is one of the most important reasons for working with a real estate agent or broker.

row of homes

When you’re seeing other homes in the neighborhood sell fast

If there are other homes in your neighborhood for sale, and they’re going fast while yours sits still, it may be time to bring in a real estate professional. That’s because the increased visibility offered by a professional marketing strategy can help you successfully compete against those other options and expert pricing can ensure that you limit the number of days your listing spends on the market.

When it’s a seller’s market

You may think that a seller’s market is a perfect time to go it alone and take advantage of increased demand. However, the potential for multiple offers and an above-asking price offer is greatly enhanced by the services of a real estate agent or broker. An agent’s or broker’s professional network, buyer list, expert negotiation strategies, and knowledge of up-to-date pricing can keep you from making an expensive mistake when you go it alone.

couple looking at home with real estate agent

When you’re spending too much time trying to sell your home

Market research, promotional development, pricing strategy, scheduling showings—all while also personally reviewing paperwork and consulting with a real estate attorney—may mean that your FSBO home sale is turning into a full-time job. Consider what your time is worth and determine whether or not it’s time to call in a professional to streamline the process. You may find that professional services pay for themselves not only through the value they add but also through the time they give back to you.

When you’re losing out on buyer opportunities

When you’re planning to sell, and then buy in a competitive seller’s environment, every day you spend on the market means a day you are losing on the buyer side. If you are seeing dream home after dream home come on the market then sell almost immediately while you are still waiting for an interested buyer, it may be time to bring in a real estate agent.

By helping you get your home sold in a timely manner, your real estate agent can free you up to take advantage of buying opportunities in your new neighborhood. In addition, your agent can help negotiate a delayed closing or rent back period in order to make it possible for you to make a smoother transition to your new home.

While a FSBO transaction can work for some homeowners, it’s not for everyone. If you’re frustrated by your FSBO experience, talk to your real estate agent or broker for a no-obligation review of your individual situation. Find out how a well-qualified real estate professional can add value to your home sale experience and help you reach your goals more quickly and efficiently.Carolina Life ~ REALTORS North Carolina Lifestyle and Real Estate Contact Carolina Life with any questions!

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7 Home Staging Tips for Virtual Tours

In order to comply with COVID-19-related stay-at-home orders and to minimize contact, many real estate agents and homeowners are finding themselves hosting virtual tours. Whether it’s a home tour recorded for a website, a Facebook Live virtual open house, or a FaceTime video stream, virtual tours provide the opportunity to share your home with potential buyers and buyer agents throughout your market. Your home staging efforts need to work for virtual tour as well as in person viewings.

How can you make your home look its best for a virtual tour?

As it turns out, many of the same things that you’ve probably already been doing still apply. However, there are a few things to keep in mind and to discuss with your real estate agent before filming begins. These tips will help you ensure that your home shows its best and that buyers get everything they’re looking for from your tour. Please contact Carolina Life with any questions.

brown front door with white siding and black iron gate

Start at the front door.

The best virtual tour should feel like an in-person tour, beginning at the entrance to your home. If, like many homeowners, you commonly enter through a side or garage entrance, take a moment to walk through the front door. This is your chance to make sure that the first impression is a great one. Your home staging efforts should start here.

Dust off your front door, clean the light fixtures, and make sure everything looks its best. If you’ve been doing some quarantine gardening, consider putting a pretty plant or pot of flowers at the entrance, as well.

Take decluttering seriously.

Your listing agent may have already talked to you about decluttering your home, but this becomes even more important when it’s time to get your space camera-ready. Viewed through a live stream or video, everything tends to look a bit more jumbled and a little less thoughtful.

The more you can reduce clutter and emphasize clean lines and orderly spaces, the better your home will show. This is especially important in the kitchen and bathrooms, where countertops should be left as clear as possible. Use this opportunity to pack away books and knickknacks throughout the house for a more minimalist, streamlined look on screen.

Show hidden spaces.

You may not like thinking about the places that people look when they’re on a home tour, but when they’re buying a home they want to see it all. Inside closets, inside cabinets, even inside the refrigerator — it’s all fair game. In order to help people make a fair determination about your home, you’ll have to allow them the opportunity to peek into those spaces, as well.

Dust the cobwebs out of your crawl space and clean out the medicine cabinet so that your virtual visitors can see inside. Neatly arrange your kitchen and bathroom cabinets for inspection so that buyers can see how much room they have to work with.

backyard garden with green and pink flowers

Don’t forget the view.

On a home tour, people like to see the view from the kitchen window or the owner’s suite. Give them the same opportunity on a virtual tour. Be sure to clean your window coverings so that there’s not a cloud of dust when they are moved. Alternatively, consider opening them wide so that your agent can get a great shot. Clean the windows and the window frames as well so that the view is picture-perfect.

Highlight outdoor spaces.

Wherever you live, outdoor spaces are a major selling point. Whether you have a fenced backyard that’s perfect for kids and pets or an elegant outdoor dining room and summer kitchen, you’ll want to make your outdoor spaces look their best.

Clear away debris, clean off furniture, and get your outdoor space looking shipshape before your virtual tour. Consider asking your agent to film during a time of day when the light is particularly flattering from your deck or terrace or to show off your beautiful sunset view.

white kitchen with island and wooden stools

Emphasize your home’s best features.

What made you fall in love with your home? A sweeping staircase? A fabulous gourmet kitchen? A charming sunroom? What space or feature do your visitors often complement? What does your listing agent say is particularly in-demand this year? Determine your home’s best feature, and then be sure to highlight it in the tour.

This is a great opportunity to show your home at its most beautiful and spend more time on the elements that sell. Don’t forget to turn on all of the overhead lights and lamps, even in the middle of the day. That way, viewers will be able to really see the space without shadows or shading.

Keep security in mind.

While you definitely want to share your space with buyers, be mindful of your personal property and safety. If you have a safe in your closet, cover it before filming the closet space. Don’t leave an elaborate jewelry box out on the dresser or leave jewelry out on a bedside table. Avoid showing expensive computer equipment, gun safes, or other items that might be tempting. This is especially important if your virtual home tour will be housed online for everyone to see.

Home security is particularly important for the popular 360° virtual tours that often accompany listings. Because the 3D cameras capture everything, they can inadvertently advertise your security system setup, entrances and exits, and expensive personal property to prying eyes.

Virtual tours are an invaluable way to keep you and your home safe during the COVID-19 shutdown. They allow you to reach out and nurture the interest of the most enthusiastic buyers in your market. By taking some time to give your home a little extra TLC before your virtual tour or open house, you give it a leg up on the local competition and get closer to sold.

Crafty Ways to Show Your Love

Sure, a box of candy or a sweet card are thoughtful gifts to give a loved one on Valentine’s Day, but personal, hand-made items can be a more meaningful way to express your love. These crafts make a great gift for a significant other or family member, any time of year, and are easy enough to craft out of just a few, easily-accessible materials.

Make A Meaningful Mug
Take a blank mug, and draw a Valentine’s design or write your own from-the-heart words on it with an oil-based permanent marker. (You might want to practice by drawing it on paper first, or on your mug with a dry-erase marker.) Let the permanent marker sit for a full day, and then put it in the oven cold. Set the oven to 425°F, and bake for 30 minutes.

Caution: The mug will be hot, so use oven mitts to remove it from the oven.

Show Amor Through Decor
Stop and take a look around your home to see the opportunities that are there to get creative. It won’t take very long to add some loving, thoughtful touches. Your gesture can be as simple as adding some paper hearts to already-existing branches, placing candles or vases on the mantel or nightstand, or even making a banner or “framing” your love.

Carolina Life & Homes Realty LLC

12400 Wake Union Church Rd #3-18

Wake Forest NC 27587

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