Gene's Chicagoland Mortgage Blog: Hoping to become a successful 2013 Spring home Seller and Buyer? Part 1 ...

Hoping to become a successful Spring

home Seller and Buyer? Part 1 ...

In Chicagoland, as in other colder climate regions of the US, the next few months most likely mean cold weather. Blistering winds. Snow. Ice.

     Brrrrr ...

     Does the thought of that have you dreaming of spring and warm weather activities already?

     If you're presently a home owner and your dreams include selling your home and buying and moving into a new one during the upcoming year ... all indications are that 2013 will be a good year to do just that. Move-up sellers are predicted to return to the housing market and new construction is once again on the rise. That means there will be more homes from which to select your new home. And more potential Buyers to view yours.

   But hidden amidst all that potential is ... competition. Competition between Sellers for those Buyers out looking to purchase a home. My question is this: Will YOUR home hold-up in that competition? Will YOUR home stand out? Will Buyers remember YOUR home? In a good way???

   There are steps that a home owner can take now even if located within cold climates, to increase the "sale-ability" and curb appeal of their home for a early Spring sale. Below are some suggestions as to what those steps are:

     Plan! Grab your computer or some home decorating magazines and do some investigating. Educate yourself to what the latest trends are in color, furniture placement, lighting, fixtures, decor, and more. Little changes and updates can reap big results. Faster sales results too. (A professional real estate agent is a wealth of great ideas and information.)

     Take Notes! Clip and Paste those new ideas you find into a folder, either online or paper. That way you can refer back to them or regain inspiration when you need it. Check-out: HGTV, Better Homes & Gardens and others. Pinterest, and the many topic boards found there, are a great resource to be mined. Learn some very valuable info there and have fun while doing it.

   Find home staging websites. One of my very favorite Home Stagers is Maureen Bray of "Room Solutions Staging". The before and after photos contained in Maureen's blogs made me a believer in the magic that staging a home can deliver when it is time to sell. I think they'll make you a believer too and serve to inspire you even on the coldest day.

   There are many basic, but vitally important actions that can be taken to improve the chances of your home standing out from the competition ... and selling when others may not. In Part 2 of this post, I will touch upon many easy to do, low-cost steps that can be taken to capture your sale ... and your home's Buyer ...

* Let's put the winter months to your use and benefit and spruce up your credit and finances to their maximum potential. Contact me now and together we'll begin preparation for your new home purchase.
   I can be conveniently found through any of the following means: