Episode 4 Renovation Loan

How a renovation loan can help

Episode 3 Appraisal Questions

Gary Kelley and Michael Flanagan talk about Appraisals in the home buying process

Episode 2 FHA vs Conventional Mortgages

Realtor Gary Kelley spends time with Mike Flanagan of Movement Mortgage getting an update on the differences between an FHA and Conventional mortgage.

Episode 1 0% Mortgages

Ever hear of a zero percent down mortgage? They are out there and we discuss with Mike Flanagan of Movement Mortgage

Tavolino Update

Red Heat Tavern

Your Home Smells

Whether your home smells musty, like the grandparents, or last night’s fish fry every home has an odor.  The same can be said of your car, and I digress!

Whether you are buying or selling a home, when someone enters the home their senses are engaged…eyes are looking at the curb appeal, ears are listening for road noise, many touch a wall, and the nose knows.  I’ve never seen anyone take a bite of a home!

Odors accumulate in the walls, carpet and furnishings of a home. Some are easy to pinpoint and eliminate – like a stinky litter box.  Others can be more difficult to pinpoint. For example, if you treated for mice with a rodenticide it’s possible there’s a dead mouse in your wall….or dead mice.  While you could punch a hole in the wall to remove the carcass identifying the location can be challenging. (FYI That specific odor typically dissipates in a couple weeks.)

Odor coverups are rarely effective.  Some sellers like to bake cookies, and clients with diabetes can be offended.  One client put garlic in a shallow pan of water and baked to produce the smell of a cooking roast…making vegans and vegetarians bristle.

The universally acceptable odor in a house is the scent of clean! Everyone likes clean. A diluted vinegar solution (1:1) can be used to clean walls and bathrooms. Get those carpets clean! Make everything smell fresh!

If the walls still have a scent, a fresh coat of paint should help, with the side benefit of giving a chance to update to a neutral color if needed.

Home Selling with Pets

I’m a dog person. Most dogs are loveable creatures.  Cats not so much, but I digress!

When it comes to selling homes, it’s generally best to get animals out of the home.  Pets, no matter how cute, are problematic for some people.  Buyers may be afraid of them, or worse they may be allergic.  The animal may bark, howl or otherwise become distressed during a showing.  There’s also the whole liability topic – nothing good happens if a buyer gets bitten or scratched by a pet.

We recommend getting animals out of the house if possible during showings, and putting away signs of the pet (water bowls, chew toys, etc).  When impractical, we recommend crating.  It’s also unfair to ask a sales agent to deal with your loose pet during showings…and you don’t want to risk losing your pet if a door is inadvertently left open.

While I’ll cover home odors in more depth in a subsequent post suffice to say YES I can smell your pet.  Your pet contributes to the smell of your home (even your fish tank.)  A wet dog always smells like a wet dog (all breeds, fur or hair, big or small, long or short haired).  Cat litter smells unnaturally perfumed, or worse like the content the perfume is supposed to cover. In addition to dogs and cats, my personal home has had water dragons, rabbits and guinea pigs.  During the home sales process, extra attention needs to be paid to litter, bedding, etc.

As your real estate agent, my job is to give you the unvarnished truth regarding the home sales process. Pets are great, and with some extra attention won’t fowl your home sale!

Smile! You’re on camera!

In our world of the Internet of Things, one of the common items homeowners use is cameras.  We instruct our buyers there is a high likelihood they are being watched in homes, and to save detailed conversation for out of the house.

Cameras are everywhere.  They may be in the door bell as you approach the house, inside they may be in plain site as baby/puppy monitors, or they just may there as a part of an overall security system.

Some argue cameras without sound are legal.  Some say a notice must be given if audio recording.  Often homes will have a sticker or yard sign somewhere, and this does not guarantee you’ll see it.

Legalities aside, we stick with our recommendation. Do not have detailed conversations inside the home…wait until you are outside.

I’m not in the mood.

It’s 10:00 on a Sunday morning and I’m in the office. I am just coming back from a (rainy) vacation and honestly am not in the mood to start the hustle.  There’s a part of me still on vacation. I compromised; I’m wearing shorts and haven’t shaved.  Call me a rebel.

You see these articles are written by me and are not produced by some nameless faceless service. My feelings this Sunday morning may mirror some homeowners as they think about putting their home on the market: it’s just easier to grab another coffee and get sucked into a distraction rather than think about selling a home…or finding the next home.

What I’m doing this morning is what homeowners need to do.  After I watered the office plants (caring for nature is important), I put together my list of items to accomplish today. Homeowners need an action plan together helping them to stay focused. As experienced real estate consultants, we’ve helped dozens with the purchase and sale of property. We can put together the action plan and help with creative approaches for making things happen. For example, in a pinch put excess furniture/stuff in the garage as a storage spot. Buyers understand you are readying the home for sale.  Pack last season’s clothes to start packing AND thin out closets. Frankly a dumpster is often a big help if you’ve accumulated decades of “stuff.” I’m personally not a big fan of “Facebook Marketplace” and the like for selling the ordinary as it can be a distraction to the main mission, yet many enjoy selling items in those forums. Removing dated or ornate window treatments is a fast way to update a look.

Getting a home ready for sale can take a day (yes, we put a home on the market in a day) or months if painting/updating is desired to maximize curb appeal.  Buyers often want move-in ready condition meaning neutral paints and finishes. We believe in planning our work and then working the plan.

Give us a call and we can help show you a path for getting in the mood and even psyched about a move! If we meet on Sunday morning, we can bring a box of Joe and make it a very informal conversation.  It’s an exchange of ideas. Hope to see you soon.