Bridge Street Real Estate

As seasons change so do our real estate needs. What at one time was the perfect home, now may be a little too small, a little too large, or just too much work for current lifestyle or the lifestyle you desire to have moving forward. If you have thought of making a change, let me help you with some suggestions.

1. Contact a real estate agent and discuss the process for listing and selling your home.
2. How will the agent market your home?
3. Does the agent have any suggestions for staging your home?
4. Are there any repairs you should make to your home that will make your home more attractive to potential buyers?
5. How will your home be shown?
6. What should you do when your home is scheduled to be shown to a prospective buyer?

The real estate agent should prepare a Comparative Market Analysis to help you determine the appropriate asking price for your home. You may have an idea what you feel the value of your home should be; however, you are not buying your home, you are selling it. A comparative market analysis is based on like type homes currently on the market, homes that have recently sold, and homes that were on the market for a certain period of time and did not sell. The most important thing to remember is: “The buyer will ultimately decide the price they are willing to pay”.

Once you have decided on an agent and the asking price, your agent should help you prepare and stage your home for showing.
You should not be present for any showings or open houses.
When an offer is received for your home, your agent will help you understand the offer, how it will affect you and advise you on a response. The decision is yours, but it is important to know all the facts before responding to any offer.

Once you have negotiated and accepted an offer, you should expect the potential buyer to request inspections. This is a normal procedure and you should not take this process personally, after all you know the condition of your home, the buyer doesn’t. Inspections should be done within 7-10 business days. Inspections will take about 2 hours. The people present for an inspection are the buyer, buyer’s agent and the inspector; you should not be present. Once inspections have been completed you will be notified through your agent as how the buyers plan to proceed.

The buyer’s lender will request an appraiser and this will be scheduled through your agent.
Once all the inspections have been completed to everyone’s satisfaction, the lender has received an acceptable appraisal, and the buyer has formally been approved for the loan, the transaction is ready to close.

Your agent will coordinate a closing with the buyer’s agent and all parties will meet at the title company for the closing. You will be required to bring identification, the keys to your home and in return you will receive a check.
I have made the process sound very easy; however, it can be very complicated and every situation is different. I have outlined the steps; the process however can vary depending on the circumstances of each transaction. Your agent should keep you informed and help you through the entire process.

You were probably thinking the asking price of your home is the most important factor in listing and selling your home. It is important; however as you can see, it is only one part of the equation. So take the time to ask the right questions, the answers you receive will help you select the right agent. The right agent will help make the process proceed more smoothly.

Loretta Spinrad
Broker/Owner and Accredited Staging Professional

When buying a home there are certain things you should consider and certain criteria you should define before you start house hunting.

• Where do you want to live?
• When choosing an area, are schools important?
• How about the commute to work or shopping?
• Taxes and Millage Rates should be considered as this can make a big difference in your monthly payment. Taxes are based on school district and taxing authority. Most importantly, don’t let anyone tell you the current taxes are what to expect in the future.
• What can you afford? There is a difference between what you can actually afford based on your lifestyle and what you qualify for based on your income and debt ratio.

Things you should consider when making a decision on what you can afford include:

• How much can you borrow?
• What type of loan do you qualify for: Conventional, FHA, VA, Rural Development?
• What is the payment?
• How much do you need for a down payment?
• How much do you need for closing costs?
• Are you comfortable with the payment?
• How will the anticipated payment affect your lifestyle?
• Does the payment include taxes and insurance?
• How much has the lender figured for taxes and insurance?
• Did you know you need to pay one full year of homeowners insurance in advance?
• What type of home would you like to purchase?
• Ranch, 2-story, bi-level?
• Do you need a basement and/or garage?
• How many bedrooms and bathrooms do you need?
• Do you have any other priorities?

Attention all sellers: Staging your home for today’s market is critical.
When you open your home to a potential buyer, it is so important to make the right first impression as it is the first impression the buyers carry with them throughout their home search.

When you think of staging think of a first date or a job interview for the dream job of a lifetime. Would you leave anything to chance? Probably not, you would pick just the right suit of clothes, perhaps a fresh haircut, for women just the right amount of makeup is a must and men, perhaps it a fresh shave or beard trim.

Well selling your home is no different, you want to make the best impression possible; hence staging. Staging is not about covering up problems, it is about showcasing the strengths of the home. Perhaps a facelift is in order, finishing projects there were started and never finished, and remember the yard is just as important as the home.

You will find a lot of staging tips online, in numerous magazines and TV shows. Please take note, you cannot install granite counters for $2,000, nor can you tear down walls and renovate a kitchen in one weekend, unless of course you are a professional building with an entire crew of workman. So let’s be realistic about appropriate staging for your home, not the one on television.

Pictures: I suggest you take pictures of your current home, both inside and out. Several pictures from all angles. Then view these on a large screen computer or a Smart TV screen if possible. What do you see? Now let’s be honest? Is your home ready for a buyer?
Start with the curb appeal: Is the front door appealing? Does the lawn need to be fertilized, how are the shrubs and flower beds? What is the condition of the driveway and sidewalk? Is your front porch inviting or are the steps cracked and hobbling?
Front Entry. Here we go, the buyer has just entered your home, how does it look? Shoes stacked in the corner?
Living Room: Is this the family hangout? How does it show? Are you showcasing a gorgeous fireplace and beautiful windows, or the dogs toys, old papers and magazines, along with dried out plants?
Get the picture? I have staged many homes and I can tell you staging is just as important as pricing the home correcting.

I provide staging services to my clients at no charge as my goal is to help you sell your home for the best price and as quickly as possible.

Loretta Spinrad
Accredited Staging Professional