Expert Home Selling Lawn and Landscape Tips

Whether you're selling your house or not, the lawn and landscaping play a huge role in your home's curb appeal. Today I'm joined by an expert for some tips on sprucing it up.

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Your yard makes up a big part of your home's exterior appeal whether you're selling or not, so it's important to keep it beautiful. To help me give some tips on the best ways to do this, I've invited Kevin McSherry of From the Ground Up Landscapes to join me today.

When you are selling your home, the yard always creates that valuable first impression on buyers. For some, it will even determine whether they want to see it after driving by.

As Kevin says, start with the obvious staples and make sure your lawn is mowed and trimmed on a regular basis while your house is for sale. If you have mulch, apply a brand new layer to make it look fresh and get rid of all weeds in landscape beds. Trim any plants as well.

Perennial flowers are becoming more popular than annuals that have to be planted each year.

Most of the work that Kevin and his team do is taking out older landscaping and starting fresh. It's easier and less expensive for homeowners than starting from scratch. One of the most popular things they do is planting permanent flowers for homeowners who are sick of planting annuals every year. They can even space out planting these perennials through the seasons so that something is always in bloom.

They also specialize in low-maintenance landscaping. Kevin says his team does more and more stone instead of mulch because homeowners grow tired of adding new mulch every year.

If you have any questions for Kevin about lawn maintenance, you need some tips, or you're looking to update your landscaping, you can reach Kevin at 217-233-1310 or check out his website at FTGULandscapes.com. 

As always, feel free to give me a call or send me an email if you have any questions about the Central Illinois real estate market or you're thinking of buying or selling a home. I'm here to help!

Do Open Houses Still Work for Central Illinois Sellers?

Is it really important to have an open house? Honestly, the answer is no. Open houses are not the way to get your house sold in today’s market.

Today, buyers view properties on the Internet before they decide to look at the home in person. They look at all of those beautiful, professional photos and then schedule an appointment. The second showing is when the buyer actually comes to see your house in person. Sometimes this can consist of the buyer just driving through your neighborhood to find out if they are even interested in living in the area.

Another thing to consider is whether or not you really want strangers to come in through your open house. If someone came to your house today that you didn’t know, would you just let them walk in? Would you let them wander in and check out your closet or medicine cabinet?

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Open houses are no longer effective thanks to the Internet.

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When you have an open house, you might have upwards of 10 couples rummaging through your property. Unfortunately, the one agent running your open house cannot be everywhere at once. They cannot follow everyone and ensure that everything is okay.

Not only that, most people looking at open houses may not be planning on making a move for another six to 12 months. You want a qualified, serious buyer to be looking at your home, not a bunch of looky-loos. You want someone who is approved by a mortgage company and working with a real estate agent.

The National Association of Realtor statistics say that less than 1% of home sales come from an open house. If a serious buyer sees that you are going to have an open house on Sunday, will they really wait until Sunday to look at the house? No! They will call their agent and set up a showing.

We do not recommend open houses for our clients. We are looking out for your best interests and your safety. If you have any questions about our marketing strategy for selling your house or about real estate in general, please don’t hesitate to give us a call or send us an email. My team and I would be happy to help you!

Four Ways to Boost Curb Appeal in Central Illinois

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Now that the winter months have passed, it’s time to focus on the outside of your home. Your home needs to pop once it’s listed. Ultimately, we want a buyer to be attracted to the pictures of your home and request a showing from there. Here are a few ways to boost curb appeal this summer.

1. Get rid of all the signs of fall and winter. Trim the bushes. Remove all the leaves. Add new mulch. Paint the front door. Consider replacing the door handle if it’s dated. Improve the light fixtures. Power wash the driveway and sidewalks.

2. Take off the screens and wash the windows. It makes your house shine! Clean windows also allow more light to enter your home, and likewise, the inside will be brighter.

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TAKE OFF THE SCREENS AND 

WASH THE WINDOWS.

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3. Clean, paint, and decorate. Moving is already stressful enough, so you should be able to take care of the rest to prepare your home for new residents.

4. Great marketing starts with great pictures. These days, we’re particular about our photos on our website. We also offer complimentary staging to help you sell even quicker.

If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home in the surrounding Central Illinois area, give me a call or send me an email. I’d be happy to help you out and answer any real estate questions you might have!

Twelve ways to increase your home’s value

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Whether you’re looking for how to increase home value in a new, cost-effective way or want to focus on upkeep and helping these spaces look their best, here are a few everyday “extras” that buyers love right now.

1. Stainless steel appliances - Although trends come and go, the desire for stainless steel appliances seems here to stay. Quality always counts, but even homes listed in more affordable price ranges can benefit from including these in the sale — or quickly adding them before listing the property. “If the seller were to spend about $2,000 on stainless steel appliances, their home would sell much faster, and they’d probably double what they spent,” Ellis says. “Most first-time homebuyers don’t have cash to make these improvements themselves.”

 2. Walk-in closets - Let’s face it: We all have too much clutter, making a roomy closet a highly sought-after feature in homes for sale. This popular extra might not increase your home’s sale price — but it just might help you sell faster in a competitive market, ultimately saving you from making extra mortgage payments. “I showed a great townhome in Tribeca,” says Laura Cao, a New York, NY–based associate real estate broker with Douglas Elliman. “It had everything but a master walk-in closet. Deal killer.”

3. Pool - “This feature can add a great deal of value to a home — depending on the location,” says Than Merrill, former host of A&E’s Flip This House and CEO of FortuneBuilders.

4. Exposed brick - Selling in the city? Buyers are looking for the industrial-chic look of aged brick. “Exposed brick is something that many buyers are gravitating towards these days,” says Boris Sharapan, associate real estate broker with Douglas Elliman. “It adds a sense of character and history to the home. If this is something your home already has, or is hiding behind your Sheetrock, expose the brick! It can add to the purchase price of your home.”

But before you tackle tearing open drywall, be sure to check in with your co-op or condominium board — or else you may face fines that outweigh the added value to your unit.

5. Mudrooms - Like exposed brick, these specialty spaces tend to be a geographic preference; they’re especially popular in New England. “A good mudroom adds major value in Connecticut,” says Jennifer Leahy of Douglas Elliman Connecticut, who adds that this feature is regularly considered an essential for families in the suburbs — any suburb. While it’s great to have a dedicated mudroom, it’s even more attractive for potential buyers to see a customized space with cubbies, lockers, and other clever storage solutions.

6. Original flooring - Wood floors rank high on the wish list of many a homebuyer. If they’re the original wood floors, however, you may hit resale gold for a surprising reason. “The most valuable benefit of original wood floors is the fact that any damage can be sanded out and refinished extremely easily,” Merrill says. He recounts a small-scale rehab project that had majorly scuffed floors — a problem the buyer, who was already working on an offer, had noticed. Merrill and his partners sanded the floors and added a coat of varnish. The buyer was so impressed by how beautiful the redone floors were that he made an offer over asking price (even after Merrill disclosed the DIY!).
 
7. Boat slip - For the right buyer, a boat slip is a must-have. “Properties with boat slips sell at a premium because most states in the U.S. regulate how many boat slips are permitted in each state,” says Suzanne Hollander, a real estate professor at Florida International University, real estate lawyer, broker, commentator, and blogger. How much of a premium your boat slip can get you will depend on location, general demand, and often on the type of home you’re listing, particularly on the higher end of the market.
 
8. Formal dining room - Although you might spend only a few holidays around the table in yours, the formal dining room is making a comeback — especially with higher-end homebuyers. “In homes $400,000 and up, a formal dining room is important,” says Missouri-based real estate agent Tracy Ellis of the Tracy Ellis Team with RE/MAX Edge. “They really want a formal dining room because this usually isn’t their first home, and they enjoy setting their dining room tables and entertaining. They’ll even tell me, ‘We hardly eat in our dining room, but I still want one for entertaining and the holidays.’"
 
9. Fireplace - “In my opinion, a fireplace is a must in my area,” says Ellis. “I’ve seen homes sit on the market for a while simply because they don’t have one. That isn’t something you can easily add after the home is built, and buyers want it done when they buy the home.” Like a walk-in closet, a fireplace might not increase your listing price in a tangible way — but it can boost your bottom line if having one helps you sell your home quickly. (Even if it’s nonfunctional!)

10. Impressive trees - Sometimes money does grow on trees. According to “Green Cities: Good Health,” a study by the University of Washington College of the Environment, a mature tree in a yard added 2% to a home’s price, while mature trees visible in high-income neighborhoods add 10% to 15% to property values — especially when they help shade your street.

11. Attic or basement bedroom - Even though you might have considered your attic or basement bedroom a quirky feature, many potential buyers think an attic bedroom is a great use of a commonly overlooked area of the home. Just be sure to take permitting seriously as well. A nonconforming bedroom can hurt more than it helps when it comes time to sell.

12. Smart tech - While it might not be as fun as, say, a custom closet, a sprinkler system, high-end programmable thermostat, or other green-tech extra can still be attractive features for your home’s next owner. It’s all thanks to the general movement toward increasing energy efficiency. A survey by the National Association of Home Builders found that homebuyers would spend at least $7,000 more on a home if it included technology and upgrades that could help save them $1,000 a year in annual utility costs.

If you would like more information I encourage you to read the original article on Trulia.  As always, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We would love to help you with any of your real estate needs.  

Simple Steps to Prepare Your Central Illinois Home for Sale this Winter

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Today, one of our agents here at the office, Joe Woodington, explains how to prepare your house for sale. Our last video was about painting your home, but now, we're going more in depth. Joe has recently sold his house, so he knows all about the process.

Many people don't think that winter is an opportune time to rearrange around the house. Although that might be true for the exterior of the home, there are tons of options you can pursue inside the house.

Simply organizing and decluttering your house is a huge step. You probably have a storage room somewhere in your home filled with things you don't want or need anymore. Pack them up and schedule a pick-up time with Goodwill or the Salvation Army. Donating is easy and tax-deductible, and your home will feel more spacious! It's a wonderful feeling to be free of all those things you can afford to get rid of.
 

You can also call contractors now to paint or move walls. Contractors tend to be less busy this time of year, so you can get someone in very quickly and at a better price than you would get in spring.

Finally, you can just freshen up the house. Updating light fixtures can make a huge difference. Clean the inside of your windows. As soon as it warms up, you should also clean the outside of the windows as well. Replace the light fixtures above your garage door and change out your front door handle. Remember, you never get a second chance at a first impression!

If you're interested in doing some work around your home, give us a call or send us an email. We have our own version of Angie's List -- Glenda's List -- so you can find plumbers, electricians, and more. We look forward to hearing from you!

Why You Need to Stage Your Central Illinois Home

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As we head into the busy summer market here in Central Illinois, I'd like to speak about the importance of staging your home before you go to sell it. We offer a free staging service where we walk through your home and give you advice on how you can alter your home in order to make it more appealing to buyers. The goal is to help you sell your home more quickly and for more money. 

We think this helps to set apart our listings from the rest, because they look brand new, and buyers love nothing more than a home that looks nice and fresh when they walk in. 

This free staging service is our way of providing you with an extra benefit to working with our team, so please don't hesitate to call or email us about our home staging brochure. It will educate you on all of the minutiae of home staging. 

As always, please refer to us for all of your Central Illinois home selling needs. We're always here to help you!

How Important Is Photography When You Sell Your Home?

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Today we have our Listing Manager, Abby Golladay, and she's going to be speaking with us about the importance of professional photography when you go to sell your home. Utilizing photography is key in today's real estate market. More and more buyers are searching online for homes, and when you list your home, you want your photos to pop.

Potential buyers should have a reaction to pictures of your home, and to capture great photos you will need to stage your home through decluttering and deep cleaning. Good lighting is also key to great photography, so open up your windows and turn on all your lights before you take photos. Cleaning up and organizing your home can really transform it. There might not be anything wrong with the way you've decorated your home, but the things you have in your home are all distracting buyers. Essentially, the buyers will be looking at your belongings and not your home.

We can post beautiful photos of your home on multiple different websites online to reach the largest audience of buyers possible. Great photography is a highly underestimated marketing tool, and it really can make a huge difference in attracting qualified buyers. 

Please don't hesitate to contact us with comments or questions. We're always here to help you!

How Can an Investment Property Benefit You?

The Central Illinois area has a vast selection of different properties within attractive price ranges. If you're considering buying a home CLICK HERE to perform a Full Home Search, or if you're wanting to place your home on the market, GO HERE to receive a Free Home Value Report. If you have any other questions about your property's value or the current market trends, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at (217) 875-8081.

One of our viewers suggested we cover investment properties in one of our videos, and another viewer was interested in hearing about a current listing. We're currently listing a wonderful home located at 1138 Wedgewood Ct, Decatur, Illinois. We encourage you to check it out!

Today, we want to focus on investment properties, rentals specifically. With low prices and low interest rates, now is a great time to buy a rental. For every $5 you spend, you get approximately $1,000 of real estate in today's market.

There are many reasons to purchase investment property. If you buy a rental property upon having a baby, you can sell the property 18 years down the road, or use the income you receive from it for college. You can also use an investment property to supplement your present income or you could consider buying multiple rentals and move into doing that as a profession. Do you need help saving for retirement? Having an investment property or two can help with that as well.

Regardless of what you intend to do with your earnings, you need a good Realtor to help you find a property that will work for you. We can give you options and set you up with a lender who you can trust. They will sit down with you and discuss the amount of cash flow you need, how much you want to put down, and what type of property you are looking for. Additionally, your lender will look at the condition of the roof, the mechanicals, windows, and cosmetic details. The price of the home will be determined by the amount of work needed and the rent that will be received.

Come on by and we'll start discussing your investment options. We can put you in touch with great vendors, handymen, and painters. If you have any questions about the process, or would like advice on your current situation, don't hesitate to give us a call or shoot us an email. We would love to hear from you!

The Importance of a Pre-Inspection on Your Home

The Central Illinois area has a vast selection of different properties within attractive price ranges. If you're considering buying a home CLICK HERE to perform a Full Home Search, or if you're wanting to place your home on the market, GO HERE to receive a Free Home Value Report. If you have any other questions about your property's value or the current market trends, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at (217) 875-8081.

When you decide to sell your home, one of the best first steps you can take is to get a pre-inspection done on your property. This involves having a home inspector come to your home and inspect it in detail, as thoroughly as a buyer would.

There are many advantages to having a pre-inspection done on your home before you decide to sell. For one, if something comes up that requires more than a quick repair, you can take care of it before a buyer even sees your home. You can use the new repair as a feature on your listing and get more money for your home that way. There are a lot of appliances that you can't be sure are working properly unless you have them inspected by a professional. 

 
Another advantage to having a pre-inspection is that it shows transparency between buyer and seller. If you took the initiative to have a home-inspection done, a prospective buyer will be more inclined to trust you and see that you are a responsible owner. It also gives both buyer and seller peace of mind that all problems with the home have been addressed. It saves you money down the road as well.

If you have any questions about pre-inspections or about real estate in general, give us a call or shoot us an email. We'd be glad to answer them for you!

When is the Best Time to Sell Your Home?

The Central Illinois area has a vast selection of different properties within attractive price ranges. If you're considering buying a home CLICK HERE to perform a Full Home Search, or if you're wanting to place your home on the market, GO HERE to receive a Free Home Value Report. If you have any other questions about your property's value or the current market trends, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at (217) 875-8081.

We often get questions from clients asking when is the best time to sell their home. The answer varies, based on a few variables. The number one variable being when is the best time for your family to move? Are you growing, shrinking, or just wanting a different home?

The 2nd variable to look at is if your house is ready for sale. You never get a 2nd chance on a first impression, and you will really want to take the time to de-clutter and depersonalize your home so that a potential buyer can envision themselves living there. We can help you with that, among other things, to make sure your home is in tip top shape if you do decide to sell. We have people that can work on the inside and outside of your home and get it ready quickly.

In the spring time, there are a lot of buyers out there. So, should you wait until then? It depends, with a lot of buyers out there, there will be more people putting their homes up for sale as well. We can't tell what the future will bring, but what we can tell you is that right now conditions are good for selling and it's not guaranteed that they will be better than this in the fall.

If you're interested in seeing if you should sell your home now, just give us a call and we'd be happy to call you and help you out. We have lots of experience and having sold over 2500 homes, it brings us pleasure to get you the most money for your house the fastest.

Make your home look irresistible with our complimentary staging

The Central Illinois area has a vast selection of different properties within attractive price ranges. If you're considering buying a home CLICK HERE to perform a Full Home Search, or if you're wanting to place your home on the market, GO HERE to receive a Free Home Value Report. If you have any other questions about your property's value or the current market trends, please do not hesitate to reach out to me at (217) 875-8081.

 If you want to sell your home quickly and at top value, there is no better way than properly staging your home. We've found that homes sell 78% faster when they are staged, and we're the only agency in town that offers it free of charge. Here are 4 things we focus on to ensure your home looks incredible:

1. Color: It's important to have neutral, soothing colors throughout the home. Loud colors make it difficult for buyers to relate to your home, so it's best to be conservative with your paint schemes when putting your home on the market. 
2. Maintenance: You need to deep clean your home and attend to unfinished home projects. Don't make it easy for potential buyers to find issues with your property.
3. De-personalize and De-clutter: you need to make it easy for buyers to see themselves living in your home. Family pictures and artifacts make that difficult. Also, de-cluttering makes spaces look larger and more desirable.
4. Furniture replacement: You need to showcase every space in your home and have a defined purpose for each. You don't want buyers to wonder how they are going to use a particular space.

By ensuring that these 4 things are attended to, you can feel confident putting your home on the market. They will also help produce the best possible pictures of your home - which is vitally important because most buyers first see your home online. Additionally, removing wallpaper and cleaning out closets will help neutralize your home and make it easier for guests to picture themselves living there.

If you would like further information on how to prepare your home for the market, give us a call or shoot us an email. We would love to help you sell your home fast and for maximum value.