Port Orange Real Estate : Appraisals in Today's Market

   In spite of Rising Home Prices across Florida, a concern of many Realtors is that low Appraisals are delaying or stopping closings. They have to negotiate deals or buyers walk away. There are a few ways to help the Appraisal process.  Now, while the Dodd Frank Act helped to reform the Appraisal process, it is still an art. They can only work with what is available to them and the actual numbers. There are steps that home sellers and agents can take to ensure a fair and accurate appraisal.

1) - Don't Overprice-  While every homeowner wants as much as possible, it can be tricky when pushing the edge of the Market. Make sure that your Realtor gives you accurate Comparables of your home when pricing it. ( Sold in last 6 Months, Square Footage, etc. ) Use this information and price accordingly. While we can hope for a Cash Buyer that won't ask for an Appraisal, it might not happen.

2) - Be Accomodating - Agents cannot pick the Appraisor, but they can be helpful to them. Making themselves available to Open the House and any Questions they may have. There should be no pressure put on the Appraisor, so it is reccomended that Homeowners not be there. This is particularly helpful if the Appraisor does not have access to MLS or Lockboxes in your area.

3) -Provide Information- It has become frequent that many of the Appraisors are from out of the area. They may not know everything about your area. The Realtor can provide the comparables from the area as well as any community information and Dates and types of repairs done to improve the home.

While there is no Guarantee that your home will Appraise, these tips should help. Pricing in the Market is the biggest factor, but being pro-active by providing information will be helpful.

If you are thinking of Buying or Selling in the Port Orange Area, contact us at Selling Daytona Homes. We will help you find the right home, or sell yours. Use our site to look for homes in the Area and see what some of the Cities have to offer.

Port Orange Real Estate : Busy Season Ahead - Ten Steps to Selling Your Home!

We are heading into the Busy Season in Florida and it is time to get ready to Sell. With a strong winter behind them, we expect a lot of people from the colder states to migrate South after school is out. So if you have been thinking about Selling, then it is time to start getting your HOME ready to Sell. You have to consider a few important details when trying to get a buyer for your House: is it priced right on the market and does it show well. Trust your Realtor with pricing it Fairly in the Market; if the asking price is too High for the Market your Realtor will tell you your available options. Before listing your House , make it more marketable. A House that doesn’t show well will not Sell Well.     Visit our Website at  THIS LINK to look at other homes and see what they have done.



TEN STEPS TO SELLING YOUR HOME:

1. Disassociate Yourself With Your Home.

• Say to yourself, "This is no longer my home; it is a house -- a product to be sold much like a couch at a store. “

• Make the decision to "let go" of your emotions and focus on the fact that soon this house will be someone else’s HOME.

• Picture you handing over the keys and signing the House over to the new owners.

• Remember that comments, opinions, and offers are not personal.

• Don't look back -- look to your future.



2. De-Personalize.

Pack up the personal photographs and family heirlooms. Buyers can't see past personal artifacts, and you don't want them to be distracted. You want buyers to imagine this as their home with their Photos and personal items. You don't want the buyer thinking of this house as somebody else’s; you want the buyer to think that this could be their home.

3. De-Clutter!

People collect an amazing quantity of things. A lot of these items are personal and buyers relate to current owners. Consider this: if you haven't used it in over a year, you probably don't need it.

• If you don't need it, why not donate it or throw it away?

• Remove excess books and organize bookcases.

• Pack up the knickknacks and collectibles.

• Clean everything off of kitchen counters.

• Put essential items used daily in a small box that can be stored in a closet or cabinet when not in use. This includes the Bathroom.

• Think of this process as a head-start on the packing you will eventually need to do anyway.



4. Rearrange Bedroom Closets and Kitchen Cabinets.

Buyers love to snoop and will open closet and cabinet doors. Think of the message it sends if items fall out! Now imagine what a buyer believes about you if she sees everything organized. It says you probably take good care of the rest of the house as well. This means:

• Organize pantry shelves.

• Neatly stack dishes.

• Turn coffee cup handles facing the same way.

• Hang shirts together, buttoned and facing the same direction.

• Line up shoes.



5. Rent a Storage Unit.

Almost every home shows better with less furniture. Remove pieces of furniture that block or hamper paths and walkways and put them in storage. Remove extra leaves from your dining room table to make the room appear larger. Leave just enough furniture in each room to showcase the room's purpose and plenty of room to move around. You don't want buyers scratching their heads and saying, "What is this room used for?"

6. Remove/Replace Favorite Items.

If you want to take window coverings, built-in appliances or fixtures with you, remove them now. If the chandelier in the dining room once belonged to your great grandmother, take it down. If a buyer never sees it, she won't want it. Once you tell a buyer she can't have an item, she will covet it, and it could blow your deal. Pack those items and replace them, if necessary.

7. Make Minor Repairs.

The buyer should feel like they don’t have to do anything to move in. Once they find a little item, they may feel like there are a lot more than they want.

• Replace cracked floor or counter tiles.

• Patch holes in walls.

• Fix leaky faucets.

• Fix doors that don't close properly and kitchen drawers that jam.

• Consider painting your walls neutral colors; you may like your colors, but you are trying to make it marketable to as many buyers as possible.

(Don't give buyers any reason to remember your home as "the house with the purple bathroom.")

• Replace burned-out light bulbs.

• If you've considered replacing a worn bedspread, do so now!



8. Make the House Sparkle!

The house should feel clean, and ready to move in.

• Wash windows inside and out.

• Rent a pressure washer and spray down sidewalks and exterior.

• Clean out cobwebs and dust furniture , ceiling fans , and light fixtures.

• Re-caulk tubs, showers and sinks.

• Polish chrome faucets and mirrors.

• Clean out the refrigerator.

• Vacuum daily.

• Make-up bedrooms and pick-up loose items.

• Bleach dingy grout.

• Replace worn rugs and carpets if Steam cleaning doesn’t help.

• Put out clean Bathroom towels.

• Clean and air out any musty smelling areas. Odors are a no-no.



9. Scrutinize.

• Go outside and open your front door. Stand there. Do you want to go inside? Does the house welcome you?

• Linger in the doorway of every room and imagine how it will look to a buyer.

• Examine carefully how furniture is arranged and move pieces around until it makes sense.

• Make sure window coverings hang level.

• Is the room inviting? Does it have a Negative Feel?

• Does it look like a model home? You're almost finished.



10. Check Curb Appeal.

If a buyer won't get out of their agent's car because they don't like the exterior of your home, you'll never get them inside.

• Keep the sidewalks cleared.

• Mow the lawn.

• Paint faded window trim.

• Plant yellow flowers or group flower pots together. Yellow evokes a buying emotion. Marigolds are inexpensive.

• Trim your bushes.

• Make sure visitors can clearly read your house number.



These are just suggestions and do not Guarantee a Speedy Sale of your Home. Hopefully it will make your home a more Marketable House that will help get it Sold. Different Market Areas have different Sell times for homes, if it isn’t getting showings or contracts you need to talk to your Realtor.