Archive for the 'Home Improvement' Category
Make the Right First Impression & Sell Your House Quickly!
Posted by Erica Vautier Liodice | Currently 2 Comments »
Experience shows that taking time to prepare your home before a viewing can give it the marketing "edge" it needs to sell. Buyers may look at dozens of houses, so it is important that you make a good first impression.
Many agents suggest having a home professionally staged before putting it up for sale. Others give their clients a checklist of minor home improvements to complete. While both approaches will initially cost you money, in the end you will make out better.
In fact, a HomeGain survey of more than 2000 Realtors showed that sellers who spent $1000 staging their home actually recovered 200% of their investment in the cost of their home sale. Moreover, homes that are staged are known to sell in half the time.
Here are some QUICK and EASY ways you can INSTANTLY improve your home’s Curb Appeal for a potential buyer:
- Turn on all of the lights in your home, even during the day
- At night, turn on the outside lights
- Turn on soft music
- Keep the heat at 68 degrees
- Keep pets in a separate area; change the litter daily
- Put money and other valuables out of site
- Keep draperies and shades open
- Open all the doors inside the home, except for closets
If you have an agent showing your home, here are some more things to keep in mind:
- A buyer will be more likely to spend more time viewing your home if you are not around
- If you can’t leave the home, group children around a television with the volume on low or have them play in a specially designated area
- Do NOT precede or follow buyer through your home
- Let the agent show and sell your home
For a printer friendly copy of these tips, just click here .
Want more information? How about a Guide to preparing your home for sale? Click here for a printer friendly version of a market preparation guide.
Be sure to let us know if you need any more help in how to prepare your home for sale.
Related Posts: Home Improvement, Homeowners, Marketing, Sellers
More Money? Who wouldn’t Want More $$$
Posted by Ron Brownell | Leave A Comment »
Who wouldn’t want to have more money?
More time to spend it and more time to do what you really want to do…
Sounds like a dumb question. Everyone has the ability to achieve all the above.
This article from Brian Tracy really hit home with me and hits the mark when it comes to using your time wisely. I hope it does as well with you.
“It’s really not the money that makes you happy! It’s what having money allows you to do.” You may want to spend more time with your family, attend more of your kid’s events or work more with your favorite charitable organization. It’s really up to you to decide.
Boost Your Productivity
By: Brian Tracy
Push to the Top
All successful people are very productive. They work longer hours and they work better hours. They get a lot more done than the average person. They get paid more and promoted faster. They are highly respected and esteemed by everyone around them. They become leaders and role models. Inevitably, they rise to the top of their fields and to the top of their income ranges, and so can you.
Everything is Learnable
Every single one of these tested and proven strategies for managing your time and doubling your productivity is learnable through practice and repetition. Each of these methods will eventually become a habit of both thinking and working.
The Payoff is Remarkable
When you begin applying these techniques to your work and to your life, your self-esteem, self-confidence, self-respect and sense of personal pride will go up immediately. The pay off for you will be tremendous, for the rest of your life.
Make A Decision!
Every positive change in your life begins with a clear, unequivocal decision that you are going to either do something or stop doing something. Significant change starts when you decide to either get in or get out, either fish or cut bait.
The Vital Quality of Success
Decisiveness is one of the most important qualities of successful and happy men and women, and decisiveness is developed through practice and repetition, over and over again until it becomes as natural to you as breathing in and breathing out.
Why People Are Poor
The sad fact is that people are poor because they have not yet decided to be rich. People are overweight and unfit because they have not yet decided to be thin and fit. People are inefficient time wasters because they haven’t yet decided to be highly productive in everything they do.
Become An Expert
Decide today that you are going to become an expert in time management and personal productivity, no matter how long it takes or how much you invest in it. Resolve today that you are going to practice these principles, over and over again until they become second nature.
Action Exercises
Here are two steps you can take immediately to put these ideas into action.
First, hold your own feet to the fire. Resolve to start earlier, work harder and stay later. Don’t let yourself off the hook.
Second, become an expert in time management. Learn and practice time management techniques every day until they become habits.
Now, make it your heart’s desire to become the person you really want to become and don’t let anything stand in your way.
Related Posts: Education, Escondido, Exclusive Properties Agents, Exclusive Properties Managers, Home Improvement, Picture Perfect San Diego, Training
Remodeling Projects That Recoup The Most Money
Posted by Pam & Joanna | Currently 1 Comment »
Sometimes Your Best Financial Tools Are The Ones You Use For Remodeling
Recently my time has been spent scouring through various home improvement projects and trying to decide how to best spend the limited available funds to improve the quality and value of our home.
If you have ever ventured into this endeavor, you undoubtedly know how the “I want-its” can have you spending far more than you ever imagined you would.
I started doing a little research to find out which projects would actually create the most value to my home, and this is what I learned;
REMODELING AVG. JOB AVG. RESALE COST
JOB COSTS VALUE RECOUPED
Minor Kitchen $15,328 $17,209 112.3%
Bathroom $11,025 $12,340 111.9%
Attic Bedroom $41,244 $43,357 105.1%
Replace Windows $10,007 $10,282 102.7%
Major Kitchen $45,242 $45,343 100.2%
Deck Addition $11,873 $11,814 99.5%
Roofing $11,557 $10,769 93.2%
Bathroom Addition $24,560 $22,481 91.5%
Siding Replacement $8,229 $7,510 91.3%
Family Rm Addition $58,081 $52,820 90.9%
Master Bedroom $77,640 $69,425 89.4%
Home Office $13,738 $11,395 82.9%
As you can see, not all projects render the same return on your investment. Some projects may be necessary such as a roof replacement. Even though this project won’t necessarily add value to the home, it will help you sell your house faster, and your home won’t be positioned as a “fixer” which inevitably welcomes low ball offers.
On the other hand choosing to do a minor kitchen remodel rather than a major one, can actually yield a 
higher return on your overall investment.
So before you go knocking down walls or digging up your backyard, make sure you decide which remodeling project will best fit your lifestyle needs, along with your financial goals.
Related Posts: Home Improvement, Homeowners, Sellers
12 Tips For Hiring A Remodeling Contractor
Posted by Kevin Kueneke | Leave A Comment »
Unless you are the ultimate handyman or handywomen, there will always come a time when you will need the help of a professional remodeling contractor.
As I have found out in the past, the lowest bid and the best work do not necessarily go hand in hand. Also, the biggest company is not always the best. The following tips can go a long way in helping you find a reliable and competent contractor:
1. Get at least three written estimates. 
2. Check references. If possible, view earlier jobs the contractor completed.
3. Check with the local Chamber of Commerce or Better Business Bureau for complaints.
4. Be sure the contract states exactly what is to be done and how change orders will be handled.
5. Make as small of a down payment as possible so you won’t lose a lot if the contractor fails to complete the job.
6. Be sure that the contractor has the necessary permits, licenses, and insurance.
7. Check that the contract states when the work will be completed and what recourse you have if it isn’t. Also, remember that in many instances you can cancel a contract within three business days of signing it.
8. Ask if the contractor’s workers will do the entire job or whether subcontractors will be involved too.
9. Get the contractor to indemnify you if work does not meet any local building codes or regulations.
10. Be sure that the contract specifies the contractor will clean up after the job and be responsible for any damage.
11. Guarantee that the materials that will be used meet your specifications.
12. Don’t make the final payment until you’re satisfied with the work.
Remember that most contractors work on a referral basis and the last thing they need is an unhappy customer. If your contractor forgets this very basic but very important idea, then it might be in your best interest to find someone else.
In need of a good painter, electrician, or plumber in the San Diego area? Contact me and I will be more than happy to forward their information to you.
Portions reprinted from REALTOR® magazine (Realtor.org/realtormag) with permission of the National Association of Realtors®. Copyright 2008. All rights reserved.
Related Posts: CW Mortgage, Home Improvement, Homeowners, Uncategorized
Choosing The Right Roof For Your Home
Posted by Rich Johnson | Currently 1 Comment »
Keeping a roof over your family’s heads is the single most important responsibility apart from keeping them fed. As a home owner, it is inevitable that at some point in your life that roof will need to be replaced. Fortunately, unless caught in a natural disaster, your roof will not need replacing often. Nevertheless, replacing a roof is a major undertaking with many options to keep in mind.
One of the first decisions you will need to make is which type of roofing material is going to be used. This decision takes some time and consideration and it is important to be aware of the different options available to you. With this in mind, I have provided some information about the different options available to you and some non aesthetic considerations you will want to acknowledge. 
Types of roofing available:
Asphalt – This type of material is very versatile and is considered to be architecturally correct for almost any type of home across the country.
Wood Shakes and Shingles – Wood shakes are generally made of cedar. Wood roofs are often seen on older homes and would probably not be considered practical for most modern homes.
Clay Tile – Clay tile is most prominent in Southwestern architecture. This style of roofing is generally found on homes that incorporate Spanish and Italian designs.
Slate - Slate roofing never really caught on in the West Coast. It is usually found on older building in the East Coast located close to the quarries from which it was mined. Modern builders tend to stay away from slate because it does not fit most contemporary architecture styles and it is unwieldy to work with.
Fiber Cement – This material is durable and available in a variety of textures and colors. The hardiness of fiber cement roofing makes it a good fit for homes situated close to an ocean or in hot, humid climates. Other roofing material tends to break down more quickly when exposed to the moisture, salt, wind, and heat present in such areas.
Features to consider:
Ease of Installation and Repair – Asphalt, wood, and metal roofing are easy to install, comparatively lightweight, and fairly easy to repair.
Cost – A roofing project is comprised of two cost elements, materials and installation. The heavier roofing materials (slate, fiber cement, etc…) are generally more expensive to purchase and install. Asphalt is generally the most affordable option with wood shanks or shingles following a distant second.
Reprinted Courtesy of 1ParkPlace
Related Posts: Home Improvement
