Clutter Control

When you're getting ready to sell your home, one of the first steps is getting rid of the clutter. This is all part of home staging, which involves cleaning, organizing, rearranging, updating and preparing your home for sale.

A large part of why people buy a particular home is emotional. This is one of the reasons home staging is so effective - you create an atmosphere that projects pleasant times to come in a well-cared for, fresh, bright and uncluttered home.

A good way to start is to walk through your home and make a list of every spot, chip, area that needs cleaning, de-cluttering, repainting, sanding, updating, etc. Then check them off your list one at a time as you complete the tasks. It's not so overwhelming when you tackle one thing at a time, and checking them off your list demonstrates the progress you are making so you can reward yourself!

I can't tell you how many times people have told me they wished they would have done the work they did to prepare their home for sale years ago...so they could have enjoyed it while they were living there!

If you are ready to start getting your clutter under control but need some help and encouragement, you might find a new offering by professional organizer Kathy Franzen helpful. She found so many people looking for this kind of support that she is starting a 'Clutter-Free Life' encouragement group. It's an ongoing small group that meets every other week to share ideas, support one another and receive expert advice as they work on their own home or office organizing projects at their own pace. For more information, call Kathy at 651-486-2720 or visit www.ProjectPartnerServices.com.

Sellers, I want to show your home!

Sellers, are you wondering why you aren't getting any showings? It could be due to any number of factors, including slow market conditions.

However, don't let it be because agents can't get an appointment to show your home!! I am currently working with a well-qualified buyer who is planning to make an offer on a home this weekend. He has a few properties he is considering, but there is another one he would really like to see...it could be a contender. Only problem is, I haven't been able to schedule a showing. I've been leaving messages at the contact numbers in the listing for a whole week...not a single response! Today I tried again and didn't even get voicemail...perhaps it's full.

Agents, answer your phone and return messages! Buyers, make sure you know the procedure for setting up showings...if they go through the listing agent, what happens if the agent is unavailable? Is a backup plan in place?

I could be bringing a buyer for your home...but none of us will ever know unless we can get in to see your property!

A Living Dwelling

A friend sent me an article the other day about creating a beautiful home, saying she thought of me when she read it. I talk about transforming 'space' into 'place' that nurtures and sustains you. This article talks about filling our homes with love to create homes that feel soulful and alive. I think we're on the same track! Read on...

"The homes we occupy are seldom ideal. A space that satisfies our basic needs may nonetheless leave us wanting where location, decor or style are concerned. Yet every home has the potential to be beautiful....

"Turning a space into the beautiful outward expression of your inner warmth is as easy as projecting your love into it... It is up to you, whether you want your personal spaces to be peaceful and quiet or lively and inspiring. Begin by cultivating awareness within yourself. This will allow you to see your home as an integral part of your existence rather than somewhere you simply return to at the end of each day...

"Appearance and other superficial qualities can be deceiving. An aesthetically beautiful home can prove unwelcoming. And a home that seems mundane in every characteristic can be as comforting and cozy as a beloved relative or friend. When you nurture and care for your home as if it were a loved one, it will absorb your tender intentions and project a love so touching you will soon come to feel a great affection for it."

Read the full article at DailyOM.

Rehabs done right

Flipping houses has been in the media a lot, with both good and bad reviews. Sometimes they are done well...unfortunately, more often they display poor workmanship, cheap materials and no thought about how one will actually live in the property.

As a Realtor, I get to see lots of rehabs from the buyer's perspective. When even the new facade looks sloppy it makes one uneasy about what is hiding underneath the new paint, fixtures, trim that doesn't meet properly, etc.

Yesterday I had the pleasure of meeting to list a rehab that's been done right. It's a 1950's 1 1/2 story expansion bungalow, and when they bought it the upper level had the traditional big open room. To convert it to a true master suite they added a dormer the whole length of the upper level, creating a full bath, walk-in closet, generous office, sitting alcove and huge bedroom area...it's truly an inviting space.

In addition to adding a new bath on the upper level, the main floor bath was also rehabbed...and not just with fresh paint, new sink and new light fixtures. It was gutted to the studs and rebuilt with quality tile and fixtures, just like the new upper level bath. This attention to detail shows throughout the home

It's a privilege to represent rehabs done right...and while they obviously need to make a profit, they're not out to make a killing. This is going to make a wonderful new home for some lucky buyer.

Moderating Buyer's Market

The weekly market activity report from the Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors came out last night. While the supply of homes for sale in relation to buyers (Supply-Demand Ratio) is higher than it was last year at this time, it's lower than it has been since last August.

And "while sales are slower than last year at this time, they are behind at a lower rate than the market has seen in recent months, indicating a settling in the decline of buyer activity... The year-to-year inventory comparison reached a peak of 40-plus percent growth in the summer of 2006 and has been steadily declining ever since."

The updated Supply-Demand Ratio (SDR) of 7.54 means that in the month of February there will be 7.54 homes available for purchase for every expected new purchase agreement.

Click here to view the full 18-page report.

Top defects found during home inspections

A home inspection , which involves a comprehensive examination of the structure and components of the home (electrical system, plumbing, heating/cooling, etc), is a vital part of the home buying and selling process. It's fairly obvious that it can protect the buyer from purchasing faulty property, but perhaps its biggest value is in giving the buyer a better understanding of the property. No property is perfect, and it's good to have an idea of what to watch out for and help make plans about what you might do with the property in the future. A home inspection is also good for the seller because it establishes a baseline in case anything comes up after the closing.

In a recent article published by the Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors, home inspector and instructor Denise Williams lists the following as the top 7 defects found during home inspections.

1) Poor drainage
This is the most common problem found by home inspectors. To improve drainage, you may have to install a new system of eaves, troughs and downspouts or have the lot regraded to better channel water away from the home.

2) Leaky roof
If the ceilings have water damage, older or damaged shingles or improper flashings may have caused it. It's inexpensive and relatively easy to repair shingles and small amounts of flashing, but if the roofing is old, you may face a much larger expense to replace the whole thing.

3) Unsafe heating system
An older heating system or one that has been poorly maintained can be a serious health and safety hazard. You may have to repair or replace the old furnace. This is a major expense, but new furnaces are more energy-efficient, which will probably save you money in the long run.

4) Poor maintenance
Examples of poor maintenance include cracked or peeling paint, crumbling masonry, broken fixtures or shoddy wiring or plumbing. You can easily repaint a wall, replace a fixture, or repair a brick wall, but makeshift electrical or plumbing situations are serious and potentially dangerous problems. Replace any such wires and pipes.

5) Minor structural damage
This means the house is not likely to fall down, but you should deal with the problem before it becomes more serious. Such damage is usually caused by water seepage into the foundation, floor joist, rafters or window and door headers. First you need to fix the source of the problem, then repair and replace the damaged area.

6) Plumbing problems
The most common plumbing defects include old and incompatible piping materials and faulty fixtures or waste lines. These may require simple repairs such as replacing a fixture, or more expensive measures such as replacing the plumbing system itself.

7) Exterior lets in water and air around windows and doors
This usually does not indicate a structural problem, but rather poor caulking and weather stripping that require relatively simple and inexpensive repairs around windows and doors.

The lure of children and grandchildren

I just read an article that talks about how Gen-Xers (born roughly 1961-1981) work at balancing their priorities, emotions and aspirations. An increasingly popular choice of Gen-X parents has been to reverse the trend of two-income households by having one parent (either one) stay home to raise children. My experience with both Gen-X clients and our Gen-X children and their friends has proven that to be true...I think of it as the lure of children.

My experience with grandparents proves the lure of grandchildren is also very strong. As my generation of Baby Boomers assess what we want to do and where we want to live in our 'third age' I find over and over again that children and grandchildren play an important role.

I recently worked with a couple who have a lake cabin 'up north' and decided to sell their Twin Cities home, buy a place in Florida and split their time between the two. Sounds like a great plan...and they tried it for a number of years. Only problem was, they missed their grandchildren. Guess what...they moved back!

Right now I'm working with a couple from Long Island moving the other way. They're planning to buy a condo in the Twin Cities while keeping their home in NY so they can come and visit their children and grandchildren for extended stays. They're considering a more permanent move, but this is a good way for them to test it out first and work at making some community connections outside their family before making a final decision.

Personally, I experience the lure regularly. Our children and grandchildren live nearby and as part of my 'Wednesdays Unplugged' we have family dinner at our house that night so we connect every week. Fortunately, we don't have to move...we're lucky that we're already close, but I think it's pretty easy to see why the lure is so strong!