Archive for the 'Homeowners' Category
Seriously? Single Family Detached home in Rancho Bernardo for around 500k? Come to the open house Sunday 8/22 from 1-4pm
Posted by Chad Basinger | Currently 1 Comment »
Single family home with a pool in the Gatewood Hills area of Rancho Bernardo. The home is located in a quiet cul de sac, minutes away from the Swim and Tennis club, and is also located within the acclaimed Poway Unified School District. Come see your future home on Sunday 8/22/10 from 1-4pm. For a detailed flyer, please click here.
Related Posts: Buyers, Find A Home, Homeowners, Open Houses, Rancho Bernardo, San Diego, Windermere, homes for sale
The Optimal Way to Make an Open House Lead to a Sold House
Posted by Chad Basinger | Leave A Comment »
If you are going to be spending the middle of the day holding an open house, whether you are an agent or the homeowner, you might as well make it the most effective three hours possible. Similar to a professional athlete, you must put in all the necessary work before the actual game to make sure you have given yourself the best shot at being successful. With that being said, here is what you need to do:
To do List for when you decide to hold an open house:
- Make a professional looking flier ( I recommend Vflyer). Syndicate it to all the sites that Vflyer is associated with. It does not automatically syndicate to Craigslist, but we all know that reaches a huge audience, so fortunately Vflyer gives you the HTML code that you can copy and paste to Craigslist for a flier that will stand out above all others
- Print out these fliers and pass out to 50 homes in the neighborhood a day or two before the open house. Neighbors like to know what their home is worth and are curious to see what other homes in the area are like. It will ensure traffic during the open house, which always creates a lot more excitement than a Sunday home alone.
- Post the open house on your local association of Realtors website (here in San Diego, that is www.sdar.com, North County is www.nsdcar.com). If you are really ambitious, and since we are striving for maximum exposure, you can also call into the radio on Sunday morning to promote your open house. Inquire with your local association for more details
- As you all know, it’s all about exposure, so submit an ad in your local paper promoting the open house. Of course, social media is very prominent, so make sure to put it on facebook, twitter, your company website and any personal website
- Send out a quick email (you can attach the flyer) to your entire database informing them of the open house
- Make sure to have as much information at your disposal as possible, including but limited to the following: How to Buy a Home booklet, buyer net sheets, financing sheets, local area information….remember you are trying to sell the home, so you must be knowledgeable and enthusiastic!
Open House Checklist-The Day of the Open House
- It is game day and you should be fired up to meet all the potential buyers. Make the home as appealing as possible. Stage the home by doing all of the following: turn on all the lights, open curtains or blinds, open windows for fresh air, play light music, have a welcome sign (and a sign if you would like them to take off their shoes or sign into a booklet), something to make them feel at home such as a bowl of candy, cookies, etc, and some cold bottles of water. Give them every reason to want to linger in the home. While I realize you are trying to appeal to all five senses, be careful about the smell part. As much as candles or air freshener may seem pleasant, often times people are allergic or simply do not like certain smells. Definitely inquire with the owner if you are holding open their home. I have clients who specifically will not go into a home that has any smells, so don’t give anyone else a reason not to come in
- Once the home is staged as if it were going to be in a magazine, you need to drive traffic to the home. Of course, all the prep work noted above should bring a steady stream of interested parties. However, they need to know how to get to the property and in the process of putting up the signs, it will drive others to your place. Put as many signs up as necessary (somewhere around 15….but be respectful of local laws and ordinances) and in all the key intersections
- Without being overly pushy, try to obtain the parties information so that you may follow up with them. The odds of someone coming through the open house actually purchasing that home are not necessarily great, but there is valuable information that can be learned from independent parties. Use that information to price your home accordingly or make the necessary changes to make it more desirable
- At the end of the open house, make sure to return the house to how it was before staging it. This will most likely mean turning off all the lights, closing blinds and windows, locking doors, cleaning trash, setting the alarm
- Everyone wants feedback. Be sure to take detailed notes on all the people coming through so that you can pass this information along to the homeowner (and also to serve as a talking point for when you follow up with the potential clients). Homeowners will appreciate your input and know that you truly care about getting the home sold
Follow Up
- Provided that you were able to capture some information (remember, most people prefer not to be bothered when going through an open house, so be respectful of that. You will find a particular style that works for you), send them a hand written thank you letter or give them a call
Summary
Holding an open house is all about exposure and giving potential buyers every reason to want to come into your home. With that being said, if safety allows it, I would encourage you to keep the front door open to give that welcoming feeling. Let the visitors know that you’d be happy to answer any of their questions and give them the option of checking out the place on their own or having you give them a tour. Most will opt to browse at their leisure. While this is fine, you do hope to engage them in conversation and get feedback, so be prepared to have a lot of talking points. If nothing else, simply ask, “So, would you like to buy this house?“ This is sure to elicit a chuckle or two, lead to a conversation, and perhaps even a sale!
Chad Basinger, REALTOR®, CPA, CFP®
Windermere Exclusive Properties
858.997.3704
Related Posts: Agent Services, Home Improvement, Homeowners, Moving Tips & Advice, Open Houses, San Diego, Windermere, Windermere Agents, homes for sale
New Listing: Santaluz Former Model Home
Posted by Gretchen Pagnotta | Leave A Comment »
Spanish Bungalow Just Listed $999,900-$1,074,900!
Exceptional 4 bedroom, 4 bath, @ 3144 sqft. home reflects the true essence of the Santaluz Community. This property is filled with architectural interest and style. there is a complete integration of the interior with exterior patios and space with four sets of french doors leading you out to enjoy the California sunshine. You will enjoy near perfect weather with this coastal close Santaluz location.
The upgrades in this home are too numerous to list. Model homes are known to be “over the top” and this is no exception. The entry inlaid design in natural stone welcomes you and the stone flooring leads you into the main living areas of the home. Beamed ceilings and ample use of crown molding accent high ceilings. Natural light floods this home with multiple windows and doors. The window treatments are custom and tastefully selected. The kitchen will not disappoint the most demanding home buyer. The cabinets are warmly stained, stainless appliances include a newer Fisher+Paykel dishwasher, Monogram refrigerator, DCS 6 burner gas stove/oven with over sized hood, GE microwave and a walk in pantry.This property is located on 14517 Caminito Lazanja (92127) within the gates of Santaluz proper. Virtual Tour: http://www.flashitfirst.com/Gallery/145717_caminito_lazanja_bt1/
Gretchen and Alan Pagnotta have been residents of Santaluz for more than six years owning multiple homes within the community. They life the Santaluz lifestyle as active members of the Santaluz Club and many social clubs and participate in all the activities. They list, sell, trade and lease properties in this vibrant community.
For the continuation of this blog go to:http://sandiegohomeinfoblog.com/2010/06/28/14517-caminito-lazanja-new-listing-santaluz/
For additional information and blogs on SANTALUZ go to: www.SanDiegoHomeInfoblog.com/Santaluz
Related Posts: Buyers, Homeowners, San Diego, Santa Luz
When was the last time you reviewed your homeowner’s insurance policy?
Posted by Chad Basinger | Leave A Comment »
If your home were to burn to the ground or suffer another calamity, do you have the proper level of insurance in place? Coming from someone who was within 100 yards of the 9/11/01 attacks on the World Trade Center and also had to evacuate at 3:30 am from the major fires here in San Diego that scorched my neighborhood in 2007, I have come to expect the unexpected. It is times like these when people pay particular attention to insurance coverage. However, it is critical to do an annual check of your coverage levels no matter what.
That begs the question of how much insurance you should have. If you under insure your home and suffer a devastating loss, then you risk not being able to return to the lifestyle you grew accustomed to. On the flip side, if you over insure, you’re throwing money away every year on unnecessarily high premiums.
In order to best assess your situation, you should review your homeowners insurance policy, talk to your agent, and do your research.
Make sure you compare apples to apples
All homeowners insurance policies are not equal. As stated earlier, review your policy every year to confirm it meets your needs. The first step is to understand the types of coverage available.
Actual cash value coverage reimburses you for the value of your home based on its current condition. If your home was built in the eighties, you’d receive only the depreciated value of 20-30 year old windows, cabinets, appliances, and so on.
Most insurers recommend the more comprehensive replacement cost coverage. With it, you’ll be reimbursed for the amount it will cost to rebuild your home like new with the same kind and quality of materials. Depreciation doesn’t factor into the settlement equation.
To get the full benefit of replacement coverage, you need to purchase enough insurance to cover the total cost to rebuild your home, excluding the value of the land. Keep in mind that the amount you could sell your home for today isn’t necessarily the same as how much it would cost to rebuild. Thus, it is replacement cost, not market value that you should pay attention to.
How much does it cost to rebuild?
The main driver is clearly the current construction costs in your area. When the market is hot, and contractors are in demand, the price/square foot to build is most likely higher than during a down market where contractors are willing to build for less. If you’ve purchased a newly constructed home in the past year, you have a good idea of the cost to rebuild. The same is true if you’ve refinanced within the past year since an appraisal during that process most likely included three valuations: replacement cost, market value, and actual cash value.
Of course, you can also contact several local home builders and inquire about the average square-foot construction cost in your area.
Don’t forget to increase the amount of coverage if you make any substantial additions to the house. Your insurance agent should be able to guide you.
Closing thoughts
By no means am I an insurance agent, but I have dealt with homeowner’s insurance as a financial planner and as a real estate agent. At least 95% of the clients I dealt with as a planner were under insured and the majority of them weren’t even aware of this. Your home is most likely your most valuable asset, so it is prudent to make sure you are adequately protected, not just today, but on an annual basis. Don’t wait until it’s too late to review your policy. Not once have I heard someone say they had too much insurance, but I can definitely attest to hearing far too many people wishing they had more. Whatever your situation, just make sure that you are prepared for the worst, but as with everything in life, hope for the best.
Chad Basinger, REALTOR®, CPA, CFP®
Windermere Exclusive Properties
858.997.3704
Related Posts: Buyers, Homeowners, Moving Tips & Advice, homes for sale
Treasures For Sale!
Posted by Nancy Canfield | Leave A Comment »
Another fun & great event
At my newest listing: Estate Sale by the crew of Cover Your Assets
Be the first to see this listing, before open house Sun.
Located in Marbella at 13029 Camino Ramillette, San Diego, 92128
(Rancho Bernardo), Cross street is Paseo Del Verano Norte.
May 13, 14, Thurs/Fri 9am – 5pm,
May 15, Sat. 8am – 1pm
We enjoyed putting this sale together at a beautiful location close to the Bernardo Winery. (Think that helped? J ) The two gals & the geezer invite you to a highlight sale with over 100 collector plates, most with original box, Dalton, Limoges, Royal Copeland & more. Also a collection of Anna Lee, Waterford and more. Lots of jewelry making supplies, boxes of nicer Christmas decorations, potted plants, garden supplies, patio set, kitchen items, dining room set, living room furniture, headboards and nightstands, and for the square dancers lots of clothes etc. Plus all the mirrors, books, tools, art & much more.
Phone contact for this sale is 951-265-1512, 951-375-0332,
951-3750271 CASH ONLY!!!
Related Posts: Activities & Events, Area Information, Buyers, Find A Home, Homeowners, Just for Fun, Lifestyle, New Listings, Open Houses, Rancho Bernardo, San Diego, Sellers, Senior Living, Windermere Agents, WindermereSanDiego.com, homes for sale
