Charlotte Real Estate & More

3 Simple Steps to Prepare Your Charlotte Home for Sale

Thinking of selling your Charlotte home during the spring market?  Here are a few tips to help your Charlotte home show better and sell faster.

1. Get rid of the excess: Eliminate as much as possible, and then when you think you’ve eliminated, do it again!  Remember when staging your Charlotte home for sale, less is best.  As well, keep in mind that you’re going to be moving soon so, consider this, ‘early packing.’  Exchange your personal photos for framed art.  The main idea is to remove as much as possible and replace personal items with neutral objects so that people can imagine their things in the home.
2. Repair and paint: Before painting, repair all of those minor dings that don't really bother you, bearing in mind that buyers notice everything.  A missing piece of baseboard, an loose outlet or one that doesn't work, or a closet door that won’t stay on track all seem minor to you, but they can have a huge affect on how a buyer views your home.  When you’re looking at homes for sale in Charlotte or your destination city, you’ll quickly understand the feeling that buyers have--if it looks maintained on the surface, you’ll have confidence that the sellers have maintained the entire home well during the course of their ownership.  The next step is to apply a fresh coat of paint in a neutral color.  Freshly painted walls make a room look cleaner and neutral colors make them appear larger.
3. Improve the curb appeal: To interest the people who will buy your Charlotte home, you need to get them in the door first!  If your house looks bad on the outside, buyers won’t waste their time taking a look at the inside or if they do, they’ll be looking with a more critical eye.  If they do decide that the want to purchase, they’ll often consider the cost of upgrading the landscaping as well as come in with a lower Offer, feeling as though they’re going to have underlying problems, indicated by poor ‘maintenance’--yes, even landscaping.   Improving your curb appeal doesn't mean you need to hire a landscaper.  It can be as basic as trimming your hedges and trees, especially those closest to your house.  Repair or replace loose porch railings and make sure the exterior paint is not chipping.  If needed, scrape and paint; peeling paint is a real turnoff to buyers.  Keep the lawn mowed.  Put away bikes, toys and garden tools.

Following these simple steps will go a long way to getting your Charlotte home sold quickly. Ready to sell your home?  I can help.  Call me or email me today.

Charlotte Real Estate and Relocation Specialist

Debe Maxwell offers many years of experience helping those relocating to the Charlotte area as well as providing an aggressive marketing strategy for homes for sale in Charlotte.  If you’re relocating to Charlotte, Debe will help you locate the perfect Charlotte neighborhood first, then locate the perfect home for sale which fits your lifestyle and your budget to at ‘t.’ Search Charlotte Neighborhoods Search all Charlotte Real Estate and Homes for Sale For your relocation needs, email Debe or give her a call today! Mobile: (704) 491-3310 Fax:       (704) 749-9531 We know Charlotte real estate.  Let the Savvy team do the work for YOU!  

 

      

  Charlotte NC Homes for Sale

 (THE best Charlotte home search available - no kidding!)

Debe Maxwell, CRS/Realtor®/Broker
Broker@TheCharlotteScoop.com
Phone (704) 491-3310

     

  

 

    

      

       

 

         

   

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Low-Cost Decorating Tips to
Make a Small Room in Your Charlotte Home Seem Larger

Do you have a small room in your Charlotte home that’d you’d like to make larger, but you don’t have the money in your budget to tear down a wall or add on to the room?   Simply by using a bit of creativity, you can make that tiny room look larger without breaking the bank.

Here are a few low-cost decorating tips to make any room in your Charlotte home look larger:

• Reduce the amount of furniture.   This goes back to leaving open space.  Keep only those pieces of furniture that you really love or really need in the room.  Get rid of everything else.
  
  
• Leave open space open.  Place taller pieces of furniture along a wall rather than out in the open space.  To prevent blocking the view into a room, use shorter pieces of furniture like an ottoman or a low table.   The more open space you can see, the larger the room will look.
  
  
• Switch to glass.  Using a glass-topped dining table, end table or coffee table gives the appearance of an open space, even though there isn’t.
  
  
• Brighten the room.  A well-lit room looks larger, whether it’s brightened with natural or artificial light.  Remove heavy, dark draperies to let the natural light into the room.  Install track lighting or recessed spot lighting, which is perfect for a small space.
  
  
• Lighten up the floor and ceiling.  Open up the room by using a white or very light color on the ceiling.  Use light-colored flooring such as light oak or a light-colored carpet to make the room appear bigger.
  
  
• De-clutter.  Too much stuff makes even a large room seem small.  Organize anything you must keep.
  
  
• Use light colors.  Light, cool colors like pale blue and light green can make the smallest space feel open and airy.
  
  
• Use a monochromatic scheme.  Take those light colors one step further by using colors which are all in the same family.  When you look around a room that has the same color scheme for the furniture, flooring and walls, you believe there’s more space than there really is.  Contrasting colors break up a space.
  

Want a Charlotte home with large rooms?  I can help.  Give me a call today or email me.

Other Charlotte Seller Information:

 

      

  Charlotte NC Homes for Sale

 (THE best Charlotte home search available - no kidding!)

Debe Maxwell, CRS/Realtor®/Broker
Broker@TheCharlotteScoop.com
Phone (704) 491-3310

     

  

 

    

      

       

 

         

   

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Open Season on Homes for Sale in Charlotte NC – Hunting License Not Needed, but a Realtor® is HIGHLY Recommended!

It’s open season on homes for sale in Charlotte NC, and no hunting license is needed.  You might want to wear bright orange jackets if you’re a seller, though, and be SURE to hire a Realtor®.  It’s a buyer’s market out there and, in this case, you want the house hunters to see you.

Now, you can only take the hunting analogy so far; I don’t think you’d appreciate being hung on a wall as a trophy.  You will appreciate hunters setting their sights on homes for sale in Charlotte NC, however.  Here are a few tips to ensure that your home is the one they target:

Hire a Realtor®
This may sound self-serving; I am, after all, a Realtor®.  However, while you may be trying to figure out whether you really want to pay commission fees, also consider this:  Realtors® have access to many places that do it yourselfers don’t, such as Real Bird, Yahoo Real Estate, their MLS listings and Realtor.com to name a few.  Buyers DO have access, and believe me, they’re looking.  As the seller, you know exposure is key, and qualified Realtors® are trained to market your home and can get that exposure you need.

Prominence - Stand out among the hunted
Plain and simply, buyers are using more and more technology nowadays.  Obviously, you, as the seller, want to be where the buyers are, correct?   Embrace the Internet; Twitter, Facebook, blogging and other forms of social media are some of the ways successful Realtors® have helped their sellers garner attention.  So, be certain that your Realtor® is networking online, or you’ll be far from prominence.

Go ahead and make those affordable repairs
If you can afford to replace a worn out faucet, do so.  If you can replace bad flooring, go ahead and replace it.  Whether it’s plumbing issues or light switches, big or small, make the repairs you can afford to make.  Then, and here’s the secret, advertise:  “All new fixtures!” or “Brand new flooring!”  Sharing what you’ve done to make the house more attractive is like waving a giant flag and, when you’re talking about house hunting, you want to wave the biggest and best flag(s).

Add field dressing
Okay, perhaps that goes a little far with the hunting analogy!  Basically, in a tough seller’s market, presentation is everything.  Have strong curb appeal outside.  Get rid of personal clutter inside.  Stage the rooms and clean, clean, clean.  Not only is it hunting season, this is a beauty contest as well.  Dress your home accordingly.

Putting these tips into action will greatly raise the chances of taking another home off the list of homes for sale in Charlotte NC.

If you’re trying to sell your home and need an internet savvy agent, I can help. Call me at 704.491.3310 or email me at Debe@DebeMaxwell.com for more information.

 

      

  Charlotte NC Homes for Sale

 (THE best Charlotte home search available - no kidding!)

Debe Maxwell, CRS/Realtor®/Broker
Broker@TheCharlotteScoop.com
Phone (704) 491-3310

     

  

 

    

      

       

 

         

   

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Calculating Absorption Rate Pricing

Absorption rate pricing is a method used to calculate the value of your home based on the principles of supply and demand.  Because appraisers are now required to use Absorption Rate Pricing to determine your home’s value, it is critical that you understand how the process works.

There are only a certain number of homes that will sell in any market in any given period of time.  For example, if 12 homes sold in the last 12 months in a given market, that means that the market will absorb 1 house per month on average.  If there are 10 homes currently on the market, there is a 10 month supply. 

· A 6-month supply is considered a balanced market. 

· Less than 6-month supply is considered a sellers market. 

· More than a 6-month supply is considered a buyers market.

To calculate Absorption rate, your Realtor® /appraiser will do the following:

1. Conduct a search for homes sold in the past 3, 6 and 12 month period, which are similar to your home based upon: 

 From these numbers, the average sales per month will be calculated.  This reflects the demand in the market.

2. Then, they will conduct a search for all active listings of homes on the market for sale which are similar to your home in: location, condition, size, features, amenities and price. 

3. The monthly supply of homes on the market will then be calculated, resulting in the average number of home sales per month.

4. In addition, you will need to rank your home compared to the competition in the categories of:  location, condition, size, features and amenities.  This analysis will help determine the best asking price.  If you're in doubt, visit the competitive active listings to see that your home is positioned to sell within the timeframe you've allowed.

5. Based upon the positioning of your home versus the competition's position and the monthly supply on the market, your Realtor® will be able to calculate the odds of selling your home in 30, 60 or 90 days.

Here is an example of a recent Absorption Rate Analysis that I shared with my clients--positioning is everything in today's market!

 

      

  Charlotte NC Homes for Sale

 (THE best Charlotte home search available - no kidding!)

Debe Maxwell, CRS/Realtor®/Broker
Broker@TheCharlotteScoop.com
Phone (704) 491-3310

     

  

 

    

      

       

 

         

   

Disclosure of material contained within.

Sellin' the Neighborhood

It's tough enough selling one home or even two in a neighborhood but, what if your seller is faced with multiple homes for sale in the same neighborhood or even on the same street?  I had a seller phone me terribly upset because his neighbor JUST put their home on the market and he didn't want to have to compete with his neighbor.


I simply advised him to face it with a positive outlook!  Multiple homes for sale on your street could just mean that your neighbors are all being transferred with the same company at the same time--could mean that you're all upsizing or downsizing at the same time!  You must not let this get you 'down!'  Here are some tips to approach this in a more positive and effective manner--




1.  No matter the results of open houses in your area, hold a 'neighborhood' open.  If buyers have narrowed their neighborhood search to include theirs, this is like going to the candy store for them!  Buyers LOVE neighborhood open houses and being able to see the variety, quality and even perhaps, meet some of the neighbors to see that, indeed, this IS the neighborhood for them.



2.  Write a letter to the buyer--include in it what you love about your home, the school assignment and the neighborhood--you can even be specific and mention that your next door neighbors are the best you've ever had; explain your reason for moving unless, of course, it is a negative personal reason.



3.  If your neighbors are selling, your chances of having to ask them to mow their lawn are far less!  They have a vested interest in getting their home sold so, the neighborhood has probably never looked this manicured!



4.  Save neighborhood newsletters and directories to share with your potential buyer.  In your directory, highlight the neighbors that are near and dear to you and leave it on the counter for potential buyers to see.  Most of my buyers want to be in friendly neighbors and this is top priority for them!



5.  Encourage those coming through you home to take a look at the other homes--if the neighbor's home sells, it is a POSITIVE for the neighborhood!  If yours is in the best shape, they'll quickly see that too!

Don't look at this as a competition, look at it as support in getting your home sold!

About the author:

Debe Maxwell is a Charlotte Residential Real Estate Broker, Certified Neighborhood & Relocation Specialist, ABR & e-PRO who can assist you with the purchase and/or sale of real estate in the Charlotte NC Metro Area.  If you're relocating to or from any other area of the country, Debe connects you with any member of her team of relocation professionals in your destination or exit city of choice.  The destination service is of no cost to you!  The Maxwell House Group's quality service guarantee puts this team far ahead of the competition; providing unsurpassed customer service is their #1 priority!  Debe Maxwell -- Helen Adams Realty -- 704.491.3310

Let's go shopping for Charlotte NC homes for sale!

 

      

  Charlotte NC Homes for Sale

 (THE best Charlotte home search available - no kidding!)

Debe Maxwell, CRS/Realtor®/Broker
Broker@TheCharlotteScoop.com
Phone (704) 491-3310

     

  

 

    

      

       

 

         

   

Disclosure of material contained within.