10 Things to Avoid if You Want to Make the Most Money for Your Home

When you go to sell your home, you want to make sure you get as much money back as possible on your big ticket investment! Today Dave and Robert talk about some key things to avoid if you want to maximize your home sale price. Who doesn't want to get the most money for their home?! See the short list below and listen to the show for more details!

1. Follow your agent's advice! A good listing agent will assist you with pricing, marketing, negotiating and guiding you through the contract and closing process. If you don't trust an agent, don't hire them!
2. Don't neglect important home repairs before you go to list your home. Stay up-to-date with your home maintenance and you won't have a long to-do list when you sell your home.
3. Don't settle for less than professional photography and a virtual tour. Photos are your home's first impression online and you want to make sure that impression is a good one!
4. When in doubt, start with a lower asking price. Multiple offers could push your final price up! Starting your price out too high could mean your home sits on the market.
5. Don't be restrictive on showing times. Be open to the greatest number of potential buyers that you can!
6. Keep your home tidy for showings.
7. Fresh carpet and paint make a huge difference! Don't underestimate their power!
8. Don't be present for showings. Leave your home when a showing is scheduled.
9. Don't let pets spoil your showings either! Take them out for a walk during showings.
10. Don't ever look at an offer with a closed mind. As a seller in this market you are negotiating from a place of power, use that to your advantage. 

8 Quick & Easy Spring Home Maintenance Tasks

We are so excited that spring is here! Before you invite the friends over for endless barbecue and Moscow Mules remember that in the game of home ownership a pound of prevention could save you thousands in repair costs. We have a list of quick and easy maintenance tasks that will save you money in the long run. Read the short list below and listen to the show for all the details! 

1. Walk around your house and assess its condition. Look for damaged downspouts, cracked paint, missing shingles on the roof, etc.
2. Check out your deck and make sure there's nothing that needs special attention. Look for wobbly posts, settling, missing flashing ledger boards, etc.
3. Test and replace batteries in smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors.
4. Check that your sprinklers and watering systems are working properly.
5. Give your flower beds a fresh start with new flowers and fresh mulch.
6. Tune up your lawn mower with new oil and filters.
7. Make sure to clear your home's gutters of debris.
8. Take a quick look in your crawl space and make sure there's no water inside.

9 Questions to Ask Before Hiring a Home Inspector

Today Dave and Chris talk about questions to ask a home inspector BEFORE hiring them. You want your home inspector to do a great job, so be sure to do your research before hiring him or her! See the short list of questions below and listen to the show for all the details.

1. Are you bonded and insured?
2. How long have you been an inspector and how many inspections have you completed?
3. Can you provide references?
4. Can we attend the end of the inspection appointment?
5. What does your inspection include?
6. Can we see a sample of your inspection reports?
7. Do you have any special expertise?
8. Do you perform just inspections? Or do you also perform repairs?
9. How much do you charge?

5 Easy Home Improvement Projects to Tackle Before Selling a House

Are you preparing to sell your home this spring? Listen to today's show to learn some easy home improvement projects to complete before listing your home. They might be easy, but they'll help your home sell quickly and for top dollar! View the short list below and listen to the show for all the details.

1. Spruce up your curb appeal. Mow your lawn, freshen up your mulch, get a new welcome mat, paint your front door! First impressions are everything! 
2. Update your flooring. If at all possible, install hardwood floors. If hardwood floors are out of the budget, make sure you at least deep clean your carpet.
3. Give your home a fresh coat of neutral colored paint. You've heard this before and there's a reason! New paint makes a huge difference in the eyes of home buyers.
4. Clean out your closets and cabinets. Home buyers look everywhere! If your storage is packed full, home buyers will think maybe your home doesn't have enough storage.
5. Update your appliances if it's in the budget! Make sure everything matches.

Remember These 6 Things to Make Your Home Buying Experience Enjoyable

Today Dave and Robert are discussing 6 things to remember if you want to make your home buying experience enjoyable. It's easy to get caught up in the emotions of buying a home, but you have to remember, a home is often the biggest financial investment you will make in your life! Remember these things to make the experience enjoyable and rewarding.

1. Remember you are buying for the long-run! Purchase a home that will meet your needs for at least the next five years.
2. Buy to improve your life, not speculate with your money!
3. Focus on what's important to you! Don't be distracted by features you don't really need.
4. Determine a budget and stick to it.
5. Remember to keep a strategic financial reserve in addition to your down payment. Life happens! Make sure you're prepared!
6. Comparison shop for your mortgage and make sure you're getting the best rate and service possible.

Asking These Questions Will Save You Money When Buying a New Construction Home

New construction homes are popping up everyone in the Grand Valley. We have seen tremendous growth over the last year! In 2016 there were 480 building permits issued. In 2017 there were 667 building permits issued. That's a 40% increase!

It's only fitting that on today's show Dave and Robert go over some questions to ask if you're purchasing a new construction home. And the best part: asking these questions could save you some money!

Read the short list of questions below and listen to the show for exciting and up-to-date information on new construction neighborhoods right here in the Grand Valley!

Questions to ask when purchasing a new construction home

1. What financial incentives do you offer for using your preferred lender and title company?
2. What are the standard finishes for the home I'd like to purchase? What features are considered upgrades?
3. What are the convents and restrictions in this neighborhood?
4. What are future building plans for this neighborhood?
5. What warranties do you provide?
6. Can you connect me with a past client for refferences?

Beware of These Home Selling Myths

When you go to sell your home, brace yourself for the onslaught of outside advice you'll hear from friends, family and even strangers! While their advice is well intended, beware of common home selling myths that can end up costing you a pretty penny in the long run. Read the short list of myths below and listen to the show for all the details!

1. Myth: You should only sell your home during the spring and summer.
   This isn't necessarily the case! Selling your home during a non-peak time of year could actually give you an advantage. The bottom line: there isn't really a bad time of year to sell your home. Sell your home when you're ready!
2. Myth: The market is slow right now, so it's better to wait.
   Of course you want to sell your home when the market is hot, but the market can change daily. It's hard to predict what the market will do! If you're ready to sell, then there's no better time to do it then the present!
3. Myth: Don't stage or fix anything up. You're moving out!
   Buyers don't want to fix things! They'll just move on to the next house if your house has too many fix-up items.
4. Myth: You don't need professional photos. iPhone photos look better than ever now!
   You only get one first impression! The first thing people see are photos of your home and you want them to look great! Professional photos are a must.

How Appraisers Determine Your Home's Property Value

Getting your home appraised is just one of the many steps in getting your home sold. Even though almost every home gets appraised during the selling process, you'd be surprised how little people know about appraisals. On today's show, Robert and Dave go over some of the basics. See a short explanation below and listen to the show for more details, especially a call-in from James Pulsipher who explains more about the relationship between mortgage lenders and appraisals.

Appraisers will take a walk around and inside your home, then use either a sales comparison or cost approach to determine your home's value. The sales comparison approach is used for 98% of homes in the valley. The appraiser uses similar, recently sold homes in your neighborhood plus the condition of your home to determine your home's value.

What appraisers look for:

• Materials that were used to build your home
• Condition of your foundation
• Any obvious signs of disrepair
• Overall upkeep of your home
• Your home's amenities that set it apart from other properties
• Major upgrades in your home