Real Estate

Best Real Estate Blog 2019

Preparing your property for an autumn sale

Autumn is a great time to sell. Buyers have well and truly settled into the year, most people are back at work, kids are in their school routine and those who’ve made a new year’s resolution to buy a new home, are eager and ready to home hunt. But as the weather starts to shift, how do you make the most of your property to help buyers fall in love with it?

Here are 7 jobs to ensure your home is ready rain, hail or shine.

Create autumn curb appeal

This step is important no matter what time of year you’re selling. Why? Because potential buyers often do a ‘drive past’ a property before they come in for an inspection – they are seeing if the property looks good and worth their time. This means that first impressions are critical and this starts at the curb.

Check gutters and drainage

If you’re surrounded by deciduous trees you’d know that this time of year your gutters start to fill up with dead leaves. Buyers don’t want to see a roof line overflowing as it gives the impression the home is unloved.

It’s a good idea to get a professional to help you here to clean the gutters and make sure there are no drainage issues. As autumn can bring heavy rain, you don’t want to have to deal with damp or mould issues during open homes.

Check your roof

It’s probably best to get an expert to help you with this job as it can be dangerous. But getting up and checking that the tiles on the roof are all in good condition and not damaged is an important job to do before you open your home for inspections. In most cases, serious buyers will organize for a property inspection to be carried out and if the report highlights issues with the roof it may turn buyers off. Tree Cutting

If you have any broken tiles get them fixed by an expert as leaving them can result in more extensive damage to your property especially if water gets in. Also ask the roofer to check the seals around vents and chimneys are not worn out and if they are seal them up.

Tidy up the garden

Much of Australia has been hit by extreme heat over summer, so if your garden has been depleted of water and is looking a bit worse for wear, spend some time giving it love. Water the lawn each day or every second day leading up to the inspections (just make sure you comply with water restriction laws), remove any dead or dying plants and replace with fresh flowering autumn plants. Rake up any leaves and trim larger bushes and shrubs.

If you own a pool make sure there are no leaves floating around and ensure there are none stuck at the bottom of the pool – you want future buyers to feel the pool is going to be super easy to look after and keep clean.

Check heating systems

Make sure your home feels warm and inviting when buyers are inspecting it, you want buyers to see that it stands up to the cold but not steaming hot. Put your heating on a timer so it switches on an hour before they arrive. If it’s cold and you have a fire place or a gas fire ensure these are lit just before the agent arrives. The flickering of a fire can totally change the atmosphere of a room.

Some additional ways to ensure your home feels warm is to ensure there are no cracks around doors and windows and fill in any cracks. Watch out for any older windows as these are the worst offenders for letting in drafts. So spend an hour or so checking and fixing these before the first open for inspection.

Lighting

As the days get shorter and the sun drops down to a lower angle, you’ll need to rely on your internal lights to create the feeling of light and space.

Pull back all the blinds, open the shutters and ensure all curtains are open. Turn on every light in the house, including table lamps and if you have a dark room consider adding spotlights behind furniture.

Bring the season indoors

Autumn is a favorite season for many, so embrace the season and add subtle reminders of autumn around your home to make it seem more inviting. If your home has a fireplace, have a low burning fire during the open home can help to create an inviting autumn atmosphere. Potential buyers will love to envisage themselves lounging by the fire after a long day.

Cash home buyers Winter Haven Fl.

Consider adding a small decorative bowl of branches, berries or even mini pumpkins around the living room as it can give a fresh and subtle indoor autumn experience. Styling your dining room table with small vases of autumn coloured flowers can help create the right ambience. Plus, add some cozy accessories such as chunky throws, some warm toned cushions in heavier wintery material and scented candles. These touches will all help make your room and home feel more inviting and in theme with the season.

6 Benefits of downsizing

Downsizing has a number of key benefits not just for empty nesters, but for us all as living large doesn’t always mean bigger is better.

If you love saving money, energy, resources and enjoy saving time on the up keep of a home, downsizing your home may be the answer. Here are 6 benefits of selling up and moving into something smaller.

Less stuff

There’s a problem with space in houses: you have to fill it. In most cases, you won’t want to simply have vast expanses of nothing and will require purchases like furniture, rugs, art and more to add colour to these areas. This means you won’t only be paying more for the bigger house but will have to take into account these extra costs as well.

Save stress and money

Living in a larger home requires more time spent on its up keep. From cleaning, maintenance, furnishing, outdoor home upkeep and the cost to run all of these can lead to a home that is stressful. By downsizing, you’ll have less responsibility, smaller workload, increased cash flow and greater flexibility which all help reduce stress. This frees you up for fun, spending time with family, getting more rest and just enjoying your home rather than being a slave to it.

Spaced out

If you have a family, there are some benefits that could result when buying a smaller home – family members are more inclined to bond, work together, be organised and compromise with one another. Nothing like sharing a bedroom and a closet with a sibling to learn how to share and be patient…let alone the fun of having someone to talk to when you lie in bed at night. A cosier home is often the way to a happier domicile.

Energy Bills

Energy bills, which continue to climb, are nothing to shake a finger at. For instance, according to Expatistan’s Cost of Living Index, the average utility bill for two people in a Sydney flat was $202 a month. Considering that larger homes require more power to stay warm or cool (depending on the season) and lit, you could shave quite a bit off your energy expenses by living in a smaller home.

Furthermore, you’ll be doing your part for the environment by consuming less energy that is often produced by dirty fuels.

Start of a new chapter

By downsizing and reducing your costs such as your mortgage along with maintenance and energy bills, it can often mean you have extra money in the bank that can be spent on you and enhancing your lifestyle. Perhaps it’s a trip to one of your bucket list destinations, or an annual visit to family interstate. Also travelling can be less of a hassle when you have downsized, especially if you live in an apartment as you can normally lock it up and go, rather than concerning yourself with ensuring your home has enough security while you have gone.

Interestingly by living in a smaller home, it will reduce your consumption. If there is no place to put it, you’re much less likely to buy it. That means less money is spent on clothing, food and consumer goods and more money that can be spent on enjoying your life.

Retiring and Downsizing

Have the kids left home and your finding yourself rattling around in the house that you bought for the family? Downsizing can help release capital and provide you with a significant lifestyle change. It also offers the added benefits of reduced outgoings on utility bills, council tax, repairs and maintenance which can offer peace of mind, given the rising costs of these items.

In addition, there are the practical benefits of downsizing your home for retirement and moving to a smaller property as they are easier to manage and maintain, particularly should your degree of mobility start to lessen.

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