Listing Your Fixer-Upper

People’s opinions of what a fixer-upper is may vary depending on who you are and what your experience level is in fixing up homes.  If all the house needs is a coat of paint and some minor cosmetic repairs, then it’s probably worth it to do the work yourself before listing the house on the market so you can sell it to a retail buyer.

It’s always a good idea to consult your Orlando Real Estate agent before doing any work.

However, if the home is in need of some substantial repairs or a major remodel, then that’s a whole different beast altogether. Most of the time, properties that are in need of such repairs will be bought by an investor who fixes up homes for a profit.

Other times the buyer will be looking to fix up the home themselves with the intention of living there.

Most people don’t have the capacity to see past the repairs and visualize the finished product. These people need a little help and it’s up to you [the seller] to sell them what could be their dream house.

In general, it will depend on the extent of the repairs needed but, If you intend to list a fixer-upper, it will be advantageous for you to have some estimates from a few different contractors in the area.

A professional contractor has the skills and equipment needed to complete any repairs safely and in a timely manner. It’s always best to hire someone with the proper licensing and insurance to avoid any problems that may occur during the job.

By taking the time to get a few estimates for the repairs on your fixer-upper, you’ll be able to show a potential buyer the light at the end of the tunnel. It will also show the buyer that you cared enough to go the extra mile for them.

If you have a fixer-upper in Central Florida and need to sell it fast for the highest amount, call or text us at 407-902-7750 or visit https://orlandorealtyconsultants.com/

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Top 5 Homebuyer Tips for a Smooth Transaction

 There are many steps involved in purchasing a home. Hiring the right Orlando Real Estate Agent will be at the top of the list. There is nothing worse than working with an agent that is not capable of helping you accomplish your goal of buying a home.

Second, you need to make sure you are pre-approved for a loan. This is a big factor that many buyers overlook. Potential homebuyers will start looking at homes without any knowledge of their creditworthiness.

When looking at homes with your Real Estate agent be sure you have done your own research on school zones, commute times, and nearby hospitals, especially families with young kids.

When a homebuyer has found the right home and has an accepted contract you will need to provide the signed documents and financials to your mortgage company to start the loan process. All contingencies must be in writing.

Depending on the terms of the contract, you will have a specific time frame in which you have to complete all home inspections. You want to check the safety and condition of the home.

The inspections must be done by a professional and certified inspector, otherwise, the lender will not accept it.

There are many companies out there so you want to consult with your Orlando Realtor to make sure you hire a reputable company.

As part of the transaction, you will need a termite inspection, also called a WDO (wood destroying organism). Termites are insects that feed on dead plants, such as wood. This can be very destructive in a home.

In addition to this, you need wind mitigation. This will save you hundreds of dollars a year on your home owner’s insurance.

Now, you are approved and ready to sign. Don’t forget the final walk-thru. This is usually done a few days prior to closing to ensure the home is in the same condition as when you signed the contract.

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Orlando Homes Sell Faster With Tech-Smart Upgrades

There are always two sides to Orlando Real Estate. Home sellers want to get the highest dollar amount for their property, and buyers looking for a deal of a lifetime on their dream home.

There are numerous ways a homeowner can add value to their homes to to justify a higher selling price. Simple upgrades like a fresh coat of paint or fencing in the backyard can justify a small increase and make a home more attractive to potential buyers.

These days however, homeowners would be wise to also look into technology upgrades to their home. By installing functional and efficient home technology to a home, it will definitely fetch a higher selling price and sell faster than a similar home without these tech-savvy improvements.

There was a recent study done among 500 real estate agents in Orlando to get a better understanding of what buyers were interested in when it came to smart home technology. The study revealed that home buyers are now much more interested in smart homes than they were just 2 years ago.

Over 60% of parents with children under the age of eighteen claimed that they would be willing to pay more for a home that already has smart home technology installed just for the added safety features. Even 51% of people without children would pay more for a smart home because of the energy efficiency features that will save them thousands in utilities over the long haul. Real estate agents in Orlando are seeing smart homes sell much faster than homes without this technology.

By far the biggest attraction for buyers when it came to smart home technology was for the security features that it provides. The second most attractive features were climate control, lighting, entertainment, and last but not least, appliances. Overall, buyers reported that they like being able to control all the features in there home from their smartphone or tablet.

The study clearly showed that smart home technology is steadily rising, especially with Generation X and millennial homebuyers.

Marketing Smart-Homes

Smart homes are great for buyers who value home security, energy efficiency, comfort and entertainment features. That’s why sellers would be wise to list all the features that their smart home has to offer.

There isn’t one “silver bullet” feature that will justify are huge price increase. However, by listing every single feature in the home, it gives the buyer a view of the bigger picture of added convenience and overall safety of the home which translates to increased value.

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TOR : 027 Avoiding Buyer’s Paralysis

So what’s a home buyer’s paralysis?

It’s when you through the motions of buying a home and no matter how many great homes you see, you just can’t pull the trigger.

In this episode learn how to deal with and overcome Home Buyers Paralysis.

EPISODE SUMMARY

* Your subconscious mind could be sabotaging you.

* The stress from buying a home can overwhelm you to the point where you just shut down when it’s time to make a decision.

before spending all this time on looking for homes, you need to ask yourself a few questions…

* Do you really need a new home?

* What about giving your home a face lift instead?…. Sometimes that’s all you need to give your home a fresh new look.

Money is  The number 1 cause of Buyers Paralysis!

* Don’t let the wrong people influence you on what you can afford.

Don’t Fear The Future!  Fear is one of the most powerful human emotions and its main purpose is to…

* Unreasonable fears can cause you to make bad decisions.

There’s no need to use the maximum amount of the mortgage amount that you qualify for. If you’re able to scale it back a bit, your payment will be lower and so will your stress level.

We’re always available to talk to you and address any questions or concerns you might have just call 407-902-7750 to set up a free consultation or visit us at https://orlandorealtyconsultants.com/contact/

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Avoid Seller’s Remorse

Just like buyers who get cold feet before pulling the trigger on buying a home, sellers can also feel remorse and have second thoughts about selling a home.

Seller’s remorse usually happens because the seller wasn’t really motivated to sell in the first place. These are homeowners who think they want to sell, but they don’t really have good reasons to follow through with it. 

Sometimes sellers will want to “test” the market, just to see how much a buyer would offer on their home.

If that’s all you’re really looking for, have your Orlando Real Estate Agent do a CMA for you rather than going through the charade of listing it to see what happens.

Real estate agents spend time and money when they list a home for sale. If the homeowner isn’t serious about selling, the agent loses all the time and money they’ve invested on something that was never going to happen in the first place and it’s just not right to do that to someone. Most of the time homeowners don’t do this on purpose.

Here’s an example using one of our own clients… We had a seller with a beautiful 5 bedroom 4 bathroom lake house in Windermere. They wanted to downsize because their three children had all moved out and it was just her and her husband.

In addition to being “empty nesters”, they were convinced that the Orlando Real Estate market was declining in value. They thought if they waited a few more years, the value would fall so low that they would lose their chance to make a nice profit.

I thought great!… These guys really are motivated to sell and the house is in a very desirable area.

So we launched our marketing campaign as we do for all our listing… videos, postcards, press releases, open house, etc.

Within just 4 days after listing the property, we were excited to present the couple with a full-price offer on the home!

Once we presented the offer, the wife panicked…. Suddenly the reality of it all hit her.

She decided she couldn’t part with the home where she raised her 3 kids at any price. It was all fun and games telling potential buyers all about the house as did the tour of the house, but when the time came to sign on the dotted line the sellers froze. This is a common reaction when a seller isn’t truly motivated.

How do you Prevent Seller’s Remorse?

Owners can prevent seller’s remorse by taking the time to really think through the entire process.

  • Have a plan,
  • Have a relocation goal
  • Have good reasons for selling.

Sit down with your real estate agent and discuss your wants and needs with them. Make a list of the pros and cons to selling, if the pros outweigh the cons, then sell! If it’s the other way around then don’t put it on the market.

If you’re worried about not being able to find another home to meet your needs in time, then you can sell on a contingent contract. This type of contract gives the seller a predetermined amount of time to find another home, and if they can’t find the right one then they aren’t obligated to sell.

If you’re wondering how much your Orlando home will sell for then gives us a call at 407-902-7750 and we’ll prepare a free Comparative Market Analysis for you with no obligation.

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