Category: How to Sell Real Estate

After the Wildfires: Real Estate Prices in SoCal

Posted on | by Cuselleration

The wildfires that have scorched so many acres in northern California have come south, fueled by the Santa Ana winds. As of mid-December, close to 235,000 acres have burned, more than 1000 structures have been destroyed, $48 million (and growing) has been spent on fighting just the Thomas fire alone, and more than 200,000 people have reportedly been evacuated from their homes in Southern California.

More than 86 thousand homes in Ventura and Los Angeles Counties could suffer damage from the latest SoCal fires, and that could mean almost $30 billion to rebuild.

So what does all this mean for SoCal buyers and sellers, in an already-tight housing market? Some buyers are looking to find apartment rentals while the smoke clears, but there were few affordably priced rentals before the fires began, so the rental market was already tight. As for single family homes, more than 2 million homes in California are considered at high or extremely high risk from wildfires. That information is from the 2017 Verisk Wildfire Risk Analysis report. That is 15% of all the state’s households.

Is There a Difference in NorCal and SoCal Real-Estate Values After the Fires?

Probably. October’s NorCal fires killed 44 people and damaged more than 20,000 homes, costing more than $9.4 billion in insurance claims. Generally after a major disaster, real estate prices drop, but not so in NorCal. In fact, prices actually shot up in Sonoma and Napa Counties. Consider also that home prices typically fall a bit this time of year as we enter a slower market during the holidays. Experts in the area claim many residents still want to remain in the area, even if their neighborhoods have been blackened by fire. The homes left undamaged following the fire are going $100-200K above asking price, with many paying cash for their homes. They are planning to rebuild their neighborhoods and communities and intend to stay through the rebuild.

But What About SoCal?

If SoCal history is our guide, homeowners generally take a hit on homes post-disaster. If a home is not damaged, but in a neighborhood with a lot of wildfire-damaged homes, they can expect to take about a 10% hit on the price of their home if they put it on the market. The number could be higher if your home is on a burned-out block, and less if the neighborhood is mostly unscathed.

If your home was damaged by the wildfires in SoCal, you are likely to face higher construction costs to get it up and ready to sell. Demand is high for construction workers and materials, and there is always the conversations (which can be lengthy) with the insurance companies about what they will and won’t cover. Often insurance companies don’t place a value on the land, which can be a significant portion of the selling price in Southern California.

Is It Just My Imagination?

No, it’s not. The wildfire season is lasting longer. Used to be, the wildfire concern was from May to early November. By December, we are generally out of the wildfire zone. But our hot Santa Ana winds are pushing the flames through dried-out vegetation that act like kindling to keep the blazes burning. The drought this year has exacerbated the problem.

Getting Professional Guidance

If you are either in the market to buy in one of our featured locations in Southern California, or you are thinking of selling, it is important now, more than ever, that you reach out to a trusted source for real estate knowledge and guidance. The Kovacs Connection team can help you navigate through the ups and downs of the market to help you realize your dreams in making your next home move!

Mortgage Do’s and Don’ts

Posted on | by Cuselleration

If you are looking forward to venturing into mortgage investments in Orange County, it is important for you to have a clear understanding about what you should do and should not do. This will assist you in avoiding frustration when you are dealing with your investments.

First time home buyers should learn more about the loan process to be adequately prepared for buying their first home.

Here is a list of DO’s and DON’Ts to keep in mind when you are dealing with mortgage investments in OC.

DO

Take a look at your credit report
Initially, you should take a look at your credit report. If you have a high credit score, you have the opportunity to go for a better mortgage. If you can pay it in a timely manner, you will be able to improve your credit score in the future as well. If you want to get a better understanding of your credit score, you should take a look at your FICO score. It is offered to you for free by financial institutions at the end of the month. You are also provided with the ability to purchase FICO from one of the reputed credit rating agencies. If your credit score is not good, you don’t need to worry because there are effective tips that you can follow to improve it within a short period of time. It includes paying your bills and debt on time and reducing the number of debt you owe. Click here to get your free credit report.

Reduce the debt to income ratio
Your debt to income ratio tells how you are capable of managing your monthly payments. As a result, the mortgage lenders take a look at it before lending the requested amount. To create a positive impression on an Orange County mortgage lender, you will have to reduce the debt to income ratio. It would be better if you can reduce the ratio down to 36%. If you have a stronger ratio, you will be provided with the opportunity to go for a better mortgage rate. Increasing your monthly gross income and reducing your monthly recurring debt can be considered as two of the best options available.

DON’T

Spend too much on your mortgage
After you obtain the mortgage, you shouldn’t spend most of your money on it. If you do, you will end up with financial difficulties in the long run. Based on your income, most companies push you to take the largest loan you are approved for,  which is why you want to find the right mortgage provider. Ryan Grant is a great Orange County mortgage company who provides a more educated loan process and look at all your finances to help you determine the best mortgage for your overall financial situation. This doesn’t mean you need to go ahead and obtain that maximum recommended amount. If you do, you will have to spend most of your monthly income on the mortgage payment. As a result, you will have to compromise on many other things in your life. Just take a look at how many years are left for you to pay the mortgage installments. You will realize how much frustration you will have to go through and the sacrifices you will have to make when you have pay too much on your mortgage.

Expect refinancing to reduce the interest rate
There is a possibility for you to save money. You just have to focus on shortening the term of your loan. In other words, you will be able to save money if you go for a 10 year fixed rate by giving up your 20 year mortgage.

On the other hand, cash out financing can also assist you with some major savings. With this approach, it would be possible for you to let your home equity settle down the other debts. This way, your monthly installment would increase because you shorten the duration of the mortgage. Also, you would be able to reduce the rate of interest, which can help you save money in the long run.

All in all, we conclude that the mortgage rates are always changing. If you’re interested in learning more contact Orange County’s top lender, Ryan Grant.

Ryan Grant’s team of mortgage experts focus on giving their clients a more educated, more motivated and more confident home buying experience so we trust you will be in good hands!

We take great pride in ensuring all clients have a phenomenal experience buying a home. Visit us at cotoconnection.com and a member of our team will contact you shortly. We look forward to speaking with you soon!

Home Selling Tips That Will Earn You More

Posted on | by Cuselleration

Some home selling tips are more valuable for the first-time home merchant than others, and without them, you would never get a decent sale price. Although there are tons of guidelines available, we have compiled a few tips that are proven to help separate your home from all of the rest. You will be on the top of every potential buyer’s list!

Good Lighting
Here is a home selling tip that cannot be stressed enough, the lighting in your home should be perfect. This doesn’t mean you need to get an entirely new lighting system. However, putting in higher wattage bulbs for the showing, for example, is highly recommended.

Also, you should take down the drapes, trim any trees or bushes directly obstructing the light coming in your window, and clean the windows themselves. Natural light from outside is incredibly flattering for displaying your home. Not only that, it’s cost-effective seeing as it is entirely free.

If you have lamps with shades, make sure they are clean or even consider replacing them. Lamps of all sorts are great, but often their shades blunt the light from the bulbs with a particular purpose, such as with reading lamps. When you want that effect, they are brilliant.

When you are lighting a house, you should consider removing the shade, upping the wattage, or going the opposite route and removing the lamp altogether. The best option is to let natural light in, use the ceiling lighting (if possible), or get a new lamp that will brighten the entire room.

You will want as much light as possible to flood the space in your home and show off its cleanliness. People want to be able to see the fresh paint, the clean carpet, and that there are no major issues with the home. The easiest way to showcase this is with tons of bright lighting.

Don’t forget these ideas when lighting your new home as well, here’s a video that will help you start your new home off looking stylish and impressive.

Get Rid of Your Furniture
You may love your furnishings, but they work against you in a couple of ways.

First, your furniture will compete with all of that beautiful light we just worked so hard to bring into the house.

Second, your furniture will mentally block many prospective buyers. When they come, they are visualizing the home the way that they want to set it up.

Your furniture will be an obstacle to them seeing your home as their new home. Don’t allow that to happen!

If you already have a new property, we recommend moving everything out to the new house. If you don’t have your new place yet but are comfortable with putting your furniture in storage, we highly recommend going this route.

It might be a bit of a pain, but we assure you, this tip will sell your home much faster than if you keep your furniture inside.

Love Your Kitchen
You may not be much of a cook, heck, the buyer might not even be, but this is one area that every potential buyer pays extra close attention to. If you want a home selling tip that will work wonders, then show your kitchen some love!

You don’t have to redo your entire kitchen, but make it look presentable. You should consider re-grouting the tiling. Even if the tiles aren’t new, the vibrant white of a new grout job will give the appearance of a fresh new kitchen.

Just like any other alterations, you perform to get your home ready for an open house, keep this cheap. Why?

Buyers almost always look at the restrooms and the kitchen for immediate remodeling. Getting a new home seems to be the only excuse people need to get the kitchen and bathroom they’ve always dreamed of.

So, sinking a lot of money into remodeling your kitchen will likely be for not. We advise that you keep any and all repairs simple. We also can’t stress enough the way the kitchen looks to the eye.

Photo by Andy Dean Photography

We want to make sure that we have that gorgeous light flooding the entire room, and then you should add some polish to your appliances, metal fixtures, and all of your countertops. This will give your kitchen a sparkle that will get buyers picturing this as their new kitchen.

If you’re interested in more home selling tips that will get you a sale quickly, please call us at 949-350-0146 or email us at Debrakovacs@cox.net or realestatebyrana@gmail.com and we can help you really get things moving today!

How Should I Paint My Home For Sale?

Posted on | by Cuselleration

Making your home for sale as attractive as you possibly can should be number one on your to-do list! Why? Because no one wants to look at an ugly house, let alone buy it!

The good news is, your house can be lacking in a lot of ways, but if it is given the right facelift, you’ll find that most people can start looking past the faults and see the home as their next potential house.

White Picket Fence

There’s a reason why this is the ideal home for most people; it’s incredibly appealing to the eye! This is the easiest way to make your home appear clean and new from the outside and give potential buyers a positive first impression.

This is also a good way to hide the imperfections of the home, for example, if you have signs of weather-related aging or growing mold, a fresh coat of paint will help soften them. Some might say this is false advertising, but it isn’t because they’ll still have the inspection to make sure that there are any significant issues with the home.

Photo By Shutterstock/V J Matthew

When you combine this with a trim that makes the house stand out, and a new roof (if needed), then you’ll be much more attractive to buyers. After all, everyone wants an impressive looking home that doesn’t require any roofing jobs on their end!

Stay Neutral Inside

Bright colors have a tendency of backfiring when you’re trying to sell. For some reason, it doesn’t attract buyers, and if you get the wrong color scheme for a particular person, all they will see is the amount of work that will go into painting over it!

Do yourself a favor and stay with the neutral colors when you’re trying to sell. However, it’s good to remember that when you get your new home, you can feel free to spruce it up to your liking.

If you’re going with the neutral colors, stick with cream colors, they’re not overpowering and can be easily changed when they move in.

Shades of Grey

The key to using greys for your interior when putting your home for sale on the market is to know your area. For example, a highly suburban area probably won’t attract buyers that are impressed by the use of greys.

On the flip side, if you’re selling in a trendier area, like near a fashion district or a bustling nightlife scene, the use of greys will go a lot farther. The reason for this is that grey adds a very urban, hip, feel to the space.

Photo By Shutterstock/ImageFlow

When you combine those greys with the right furniture, the urge to buy will be strong for the right person!

Earthiness

Going with earth tones will breathe life into your house, especially if you’re using the creams in your home that we mentioned earlier. The greens, blues, oranges, browns, and some reds are ideal for living rooms and dining rooms.

The trick is to use the colors lightly, for example, use a light shade of brown for the wall and incorporate the other colors in your furniture choices. A good example would be a blue couch with some orange pillows and a few plants.

The colors aren’t going to stand out and hurt the eyes because they seem more natural when used in combination. The main reason for this is that they often appear together out in the wild. Seeing them together in a home adds an attractive but rustic feeling to it

Go Green

Greens can do wonders for moving your home for sale. The only thing to be cautious of is going to dark or light. Doing this will either make them appear brown or blue because they’re so dark or wash the color out and make it seem yellow. Hitting the mark somewhere between those can really bring rooms to life.

The effect of green can be felt the best in rooms with hardwood flooring, a good amount of lighting (so a big window or a few small ones on different sides of the room), and white trim. This will add a soft and cozy feeling to the room.

Photo By Shutterstock/jaddingt

Another idea is to incorporate these in your bathrooms. You don’t need to make all of the walls green, or even the entire wall green. Half white and green walls in a bathroom can really create a pop to a bathroom that also makes it feel cleaner and friendlier.

If done tastefully, this can breathe fresh air into any room!

Still Not Sure?

Figuring out the proper paint and furniture scheme for your home for sale in Coto de Caza can be difficult. Finding someone with the right experience in the field is going to be a game changer.

If you need some other ways to spruce up your home for sale, call us at 949-350-0146, or email us at Debrakovacs@cox.net  and we’ll help you with fresh tips that will help you get out of your home today!

How Marketing Your Home Will Help You Sell Faster!

Posted on | by Cuselleration

For most of the working class, the biggest asset they own in their life is their home. And when times get good for us, the next asset to invest in is usually a bigger home! For most of us, the sale of our current property is the number one factor in the purchase of a new one.

A lot is riding on it, and if your house is not going for a good price, then there may have to be a change of plans. This is why properly marketing your home is crucial!

It’s not just the price but the timing too. If your old house doesn’t sell within the decided time frame, you may not be able to make the payment on a new house, and someone will beat you to it. So before you start a down payment on a new place, you need to settle payments and other things at your old place.

In comparison, buying is much easier than selling. When you buy, you have in mind what you want, but when you sell, you need to dig deep to find that sales pitch, which not everyone is good at. This is where realtors come in. They have professional sales experience which will sell your home faster!

Here are a few tips on marketing your home that will better your chances of a quick sale:

1. Beautify What You Are Selling.

Photo By Shutterstock/ronstik

 

A thorough cleaning and a well-maintained house will always sell faster. A fresh coat of paint or any other small renovation which brings your home in simply ‘move-in’ condition will guarantee a quick sale.

2. Photograph Your Home.

If you aren’t that familiar with a camera, then let a professional do it. Get some good shots and market your home online for a quicker sale. Most real estate agencies do the job themselves.

3. Find The Right Real Estate Agent.

There are tons of real estate agencies, but not every agency can get your work done for you. Yes, it is a tad bit pricey than just doing it yourself, but there is a good chance that they will get you your price for a small commission.

Photo By Shutterstock/goodluz

 

4. Set A Reasonable Price.

This is a no-brainer. You can get a real estate evaluation done and then set your price, and a realtor will give you an idea of what your property can fetch you.

5. Get To Know The Real Estate Market Conditions At The Present Time.

Where the housing market stands plays a huge role in making a sale. Perhaps there may be a better time for marketing your home. This is why a professionals’ opinion will be valuable.

One thing that you need to do before you hire a realtor is this: research your real estate agent thoroughly. In a world of social media, it is not hard to dig around for feedback and reviews. Make sure the agency you hire has a good percentage of successful sales, happy clients, and the competency to market your home well.

Another benefit of hiring a realtor is to delegate the tedious task of handling all the paperwork. So if you don’t have the time, you can just hire a realtor who will manage all of that for an all-inclusive fee while you enjoy packing up, saying goodbye to your old home and move into your new one.

Make It Happen In One Call!

If you need any advice on marketing your home, feel to call us at 949-350-0146, or you can email us as well at Debrakovacs@cox.net. We have plenty of tips to help you and several services to offer!

5 Tips To Stage Your Home for Sale in Rancho Santa Margarita

Posted on | by Cuselleration

Making a decision to stage your home for sale is important to attract a potential buyer and helps to sell faster. Real estate agents advise anyone putting up a house on sale to stage it so as to attract and appeal to more potential buyers, showcase the best assets of the house and to ultimately close the sale to the highest bidder!

Here are 5 key tips to remember when you stage your home for sale in Rancho Santa Margarita:

  1. Landscape the Exterior

The home exterior is the first thing the potential buyer is exposed to. The impression the buyer gets when they look at your house exterior pushes them to further make the crucial decision. It influences their decision to have a look at the interior and to seal the deal.

Ensure that the hedges, flowers, lawns, and trees are properly maintained. Clean the entryway and trim the grass in the backyard. You can create an attractive porch with fresh paint to attract potential buyers. Make the exterior as beautiful as possible as this can allure prospective buyers.

Hang an easy to read house numbers for the ones driving by. Illuminate the front walkway with beautiful lighting fixtures to make it appealing even at night.

  1. Declutter and Clean the Interior

Photo by Shutterstock/Roman King

The interior is as important as the exterior. Keep the house clean and sparkling and get rid of any unnecessary items in all the rooms. Clutter can be a huge turn-off, and so it’s imperative to ensure all the rooms are decluttered, clean and organized.

Potential homeowners will be attracted by the look of the rooms. This may also involve reducing furniture in the living room, removing clutter from countertop and top of the toilet.

Empty all trash cans, scrub the tiles, clean the pantry, and tidy the cabinet interiors. Ensure that the appliances are presentable and change if need be. Pack up all dishes and arrange them nicely. Ensure that you clean the fireplace.

  1. Depersonalize the House

This involves removing anything that has a personal attachment to you. Remove wall hangings and family photos in the rooms and entryways that create a personal touch with you. Pack and hide toys and hide all other personal items you own. You can hide the kitchen supplies too like the toaster and the refrigerator if they are especially personalized, otherwise leave them, so they get an idea what it will look like with their appliances.

  1. Decorate the Home

Use neutral colors to paint the walls. Add a fresh coat of paint to remove stains and preferably invest in a new doormat that welcomes the buyers. Remove all wallpapers and use paint instead as different people have different tastes and preferences.

Use attractive lighting fixtures to create an appealing ambiance. Ensure the smell of the rooms is good by removing anything causing bad odor like pets or smoking in the house. Remove all pet beds and furniture. Remove used carpet and opt for hardwood floors as it is elegant.

You can use ceramic tiles or stone in the kitchen and bathroom if you can afford.

  1. Make Final Touches

Ensure everything is in order and that nothing can cost you a potential sale. Make sure the house is warm and inviting by opening the windows to let in fresh air into the house. You can use air fresheners or cinnamon sticks and fresh flowers to add an aesthetic touch on the day of show. Also, avoid cooking on the day of showing unless it’s baking because that can leave a pleasant aroma.

Home staging is beneficial to both the home owner and the potential buyer. The buyer wants a place they will spend less effort, time and money to settle in later after purchase. The homeowner can use home staging to make the house more appealing to the potential future homeowners.

However, be moderate about the cost of staging as this may alter with your budget.

Give Us a Call!

If you’re thinking now is the right time to sell your home in Rancho Santa Margarita, you’re right! Give us a call at 949-350-0146 or email us at Debrakovacs@cox.net and we can give you more tips on what to stage your home for sale in Rancho Santa Margarita or its neighboring cities!

5 Unexpected Costs of Selling Your Home in Rancho Santa Margarita

Posted on | by Cuselleration

The costs of selling your home in Rancho Santa Margarita can be quite unexpected. These costs can be a bummer if you did not know about them beforehand and they can really make the expected profits take a big hit. Let’s take a look at these surprising costs you didn’t know existed.

1. Light and Heat

Believe it or not, you have to cater for these expenses if you are selling your home while it sits empty. You would not want your potential buyers encountering a cold and dark house when they come to prospect, would you? No one wants to fumble around while checking out the rooms.

This also makes it easier for the person to tell if they like your home. A warm home is cozier and easier to settle into. Make sure that you leave the heat and light on before the sale or have a plan to ensure they are kept on when potential buyers and agents stop by. To have a rough estimate of how much this will cost, use statistics from your current bills.

2. Repairs and Landscaping

Run a quick maintenance check on your house to make sure that it’s in great condition for sale. Fixing damaged windows and repainting are some of the repairs that you might encounter. However, major remodels can be left out of the cost of selling your home as this can be left for the buyer.

If your home has a garden or a yard, you should expect to incur landscaping expenses among the costs of selling your home. While your home sits in waiting, the grass in the yard and the weed in the garden do not. As such, you should prepare to pay landscapers to trim the garden up for you if you cannot do it yourself.

One never knows when buyers will stop by and you always have to ensure that your home is in great shape in order to appeal to the buyers’ eyes. Since the yard is the first place they see, you should make a point of making it presentable every now and then.

3. Staging

This may be unnecessary, but can really impress buyers and even make them pay more for your home. Should you decide to stage (and here’s why you should know how to), prepare yourself to pay a decorator or an interior designer to help organize and maybe even refurnish your home.

You might also want to consider adding decorative items to your home to make it more appealing. Home staging can be quite expensive but totally worth it if you’re up for it.

 

4. Closing Costs and Home Warranty for the Buyer

Depending on your agreement with the buyer, you might have to cater for the standard costs that are associated with the closure of the deal. These fees include paying the escrow company, recording, and transfer of the property, insurance, among others.

Under normal circumstances, these costs may add up to between 2% and 4% of the total selling price.

To make your buyer feel secure about purchasing your home, it is wise to buy a home warranty on their behalf. This is a small service contract that would cover repairs to certain systems and appliances within the house during the first year of ownership. It would cost around $500.

This cost, however, does not match up to the benefits it accrues in terms of trust build-up between you and the buyer.

5. Pre-inspection Reports

This may not be entirely necessary. However, if you have lived in your home for a long time, it may have to fall into the costs of selling your home. This is because there may be some problems that come up that you are completely oblivious to.

It would be preferable to know about such issues and have them fixed before your buyer finds out about them and get upset about them. This would derail negotiations between you and you might end up without a sale.

As a home seller, you should be ready to face the cost of selling your home. Remember, meeting these costs guarantees that your home is sold quicker and with less of a fuss from your buyer. Some of these costs even guarantee that you get the amount you want from the house! Add value to your home by meeting these costs.

 

Give Us a Call!

If you’re still trying to figure out how to calculate the costs of selling your home, call us at 949-350-0146 or email us at Debrakovacs@cox.net and we can give you more tips that can get your property moving today!

A Quick Guide to Finding Best Realtors in Mission Viejo

Posted on | by Cuselleration

Finding realtors in Mission Viejo is a crucial first step you must take if you want to sell or buy property in the area.

As lucrative as it sounds, a property deal can be a tricky business no matter which side of the table you are on. The stakes can be high, so you don’t want to be without the professional guidance of an experienced realtor.

It is nearly impossible to gather all the information on your own to make an informed decision.  No wonder most of the people, planning to dispose of their property or acquire one, hire a professional broker to get the best deal possible!

Hiring a good real estate agent makes the whole thing really hassle-free and a lot quicker. Here’s a list of important points to keep in mind in order to pick the best agent:

Good Word of Mouth: The formula never goes out of style. It is one of the oldest and most trusted informal ways to get reliable information. You just have to make a little effort such as picking up your phone.

Call your friends and ask them if they have recently done any property business. They are a trustworthy source of info. Once you have recommendations from those who care, get in touch with the agents. Most agents would happily provide you with contact details of their recent clients.

Talk to those clients, selectively. You will get a pretty good idea what the asking prices and selling prices were. They may also answer some questions you didn’t even know you had!

Business Experience: You can find this out by either directly asking the prospective agent or through a licensing authority. A real estate agent with five or more years of experience is good news.

Long durations in the real estate business ensures that the agent is well aware of the current events, latest prices and specific locations in the market.

Look for License: Visiting the agents in their office is an effective strategy. If they have a license, it will certainly be put on display on their office walls, office desks or places like that.  You just have to look for it at their workplace.

The license regulatory bodies keep a check on the credibility of agents. They also keep a record of any disciplinary action or complaint, lodged against them, if any. The record should be posted online and is accessible to the public.

Credentials and Awards: Awards matter, so does formal training. They are huge endorsements. If the agent has been given a prestigious award, it just means their performance in the field is excellent and has been acknowledged by the peers.

Other credentials like training certificates are a sure way to know that the agent has brushed up on his/her knowledge. You can assume that they must have taken some training and is quite aware of what the clients want and how to get that done.

An example is a realtor who is a member of NAR. Such realtors are known for their code of ethics.

 Current Listings: There are multiple places which could direct you to the agent’s current listing online. Visit any authentic website where the searchable online databases of various properties have been uploaded.

With a little effort, the database would clearly show you the similarity between the agents’ listing and the property you are interested in. You can then easily decide if the price range and locations meet your requirements or not.

The realtors presentation skills are another important asset that tells a lot about their strengths and grasp over the business skills. Poor presentation is a deal breaker.

Former Deals: Whether you are a buyer or a seller, you would want the best possible deal. Using your network and every other possible source, make sure if previous clients were happy with the agent or not. Leave no stones unturned and look out for the reputation of that agent among your friends and in the desired location.

Trading your house or property is not just about profits and losses. It is much more than that. It’s an emotional investment too and not getting a fair deal can be heart-wrenching. Keeping that in mind, we have got you covered as best as we can so that you don’t stumble along the way.

 Call Us Now!

If searching for good realtors in Mission Viejo still baffles you, don’t worry because we’ve got your back! Give us a call at 949-350-0146 or email us at Debrakovacs@cox.net. We are more than happy to help you with any of your housing needs!

4 Ways to Make Selling a Home in Coto de Caza Faster and Easier!

Posted on | by Cuselleration

In today’s real estate market where supply is slowly beginning to outstrip demand, selling a home in Coto de Caza isn’t nearly as easy as it used to be in the recent past. No need to panic, though!

Just because the balance is currently slightly tilted in favor of buyers, it doesn’t mean you cannot earn a hefty profit from the sale of your property. Just try and implement the following tips for generating interest in your real estate investment and boost your chances of getting the best price possible.

1# Get rid of all the clutter

Removing all the clutter before giving potential buyers a tour of the property is important for obvious reasons. Don’t forget that whether you are selling a home in Coto de Caza or elsewhere, you likely won’t be able to convince a buyer if they are unable to picture themselves in that space.

This includes removing all the junk, including some of the unnecessary furniture from the living space, and storing them in the garage. Note that getting rid of the clutter doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to empty your home of all your belongings and replace them with staged furniture instead. We have explained this in a previous article as well.

Simply put, while staged furniture can be great, they are not a convenient option for many house owners. Also, more often than not, they leave your home a bit too planned.  A better alternative would be to keep (and possibly rearrange) some of the furniture to give your property a balanced blend of personal and professional look.  Among other things, this approach will ensure that potential buyers get a rough idea of what it might look like if they were to move in there with their belongings.

2# Make it stand out in the neighborhood

Most people overlook the importance of making their property stand out from the rest of the neighborhood while selling a home in Coto de Caza. In order to differentiate your home and attract attention, consider having custom designs and additions such as high-grade windows, landscaping, or a new roof.

The idea is to enhance the aesthetics of the property as much you can without investing a fortune. In addition, any such enhancements will also ensure the ROI by adding more value to the home. Just make sure that whatever improvement you make is practical and makes use of designs and colors that easily appeal to a wider audience.

If possible, make the partial renovation to complement the amenities inside and around the main building. Just to put things into perspective, these may include building a patio or deck next to the backyard swimming pool (and other such features).

3# Show your home to potential buyers in a ready to move in condition

Important as it may be, aesthetics alone do not usually suffice while selling the idea of a “forever home” to a potential property buyer. Equally important is the state of readiness of the house. That’s why real experts recommend double-checking that the doors, electrical connections, appliances, and plumbing fixtures are not just in working order, but also in compliance with existing building codes.

By doing so, you will be able to emphasize the point that buyers will be able to move in almost immediately rather than having to spend a lot of time and money to get things sorted out. Needless to say, that’s a major bargaining point you can use to your advantage while selling a home in Coto de Caza, or for that matter in any part of the world.

4. It doesn’t hurt to sweeten the deal a bit

Offering freebies or terms that may sweeten the deal for buyers is another proven tactic of expediting the sale of real estate assets. Just try to do so without making too many compromises on your end.

For example, it is often seen that sellers who offer to pay credit worth a couple of thousand dollars or so toward closing costs can wrap up the deal quicker. Alternatively, some successful transactions also see the seller offering to pay 100% of the closing costs in order to grab the attention of potential buyers.  This is particularly useful in a down market where buyers are trying to get the most out of a deal. You, as a seller, should leave no stone unturned to give the impression that you’re giving them one.

Another important tactic to try out is offering a transferable home warranty. It costs relatively less (around $300 to $400 for a one-year policy), but can make a formidable impact on the buyer. After all, an offer like that will help them feel more at ease given that they will now be covered from any unwarranted issues in the future.

Selling your home at a price the price you deserve requires some serious work. However, if you follow the tips above to turn your property into an attractive option for potential buyers and make some minor concessions at closing, the prospects of you securing a sweet deal is bound to increase by manifold.

If you are selling a home in Coto de Caza and think you could use some help in closing a mutually beneficial deal for both parties involved, feel free to give us a call at 949-350-0146 or email us at Debrakovacs@cox.net today!

Why You Need to Know How to Stage Your Home

Posted on | by Cuselleration

Selling a home has several factors that come into play, but knowing how to stage your home is one of the most important aspects influencing buyers. This may seem counterintuitive because what you really want is a fully functional house that will fit your needs for years to come.

Using Emotions

When you know how to stage your home, you tap into the buyers’ emotions. What we mean is, they see your home as something that the like and want because it is decorated in a way they wish their home will be. By appealing to their desire for a home like yours, they tend to favor your home over the others they’ve seen.

Even if the look isn’t exactly what they want in their household, the use of new and professional looking staging furniture will open their mind to what the space in your home is capable of. Instead of going into your property and seeing how things don’t match their needs, they’ll see what they would do to give it their own flavor.

It doesn’t matter where your home is located, appealing to your buyers’ emotions is the difference between selling your home and having endless open houses.

Opening Up Space

Considering is important when you’re planning how to stage your home. You want the furniture and décor to make your home appear bigger and more open. More often than not, people who do their own home staging overlook this critical element.

What we tend to see is because they aren’t going to be ready to move out until they sell the home, they don’t rearrange or remove items that clutter the look of the house. This is a huge mistake!

Everyone loves the unique twists that they put on their home to make it feel “homey.” Sadly, not everyone will like what you do with the place. We’ve seen some seriously wacky interior designs over the years, which is awesome when you’re living in it, but not when you’re trying to sell it.

When figuring out how to stage your home, remember that people may not have the same likes or interests as you. Knowing this, it might be a better idea to go with a professional to decorate your home, so it has a positive impact on the buyers first impression.

You’ll Sell Faster!

It has been tested for years, and a recent study shows that professionally staged homes spend up to 72% time on the market! That is a huge amount of time saved when you’re just ready to sell and move on. This means everyone makes more money.

When homes sell quicker, you can put your earnings toward something sooner, and your realtor will work less time to provide you with the service you wanted. This means everyone wins, and everyone is winning ahead of schedule!

The other reason most homes sell quicker is that knowing how to stage your home will get you higher quality offers. This is mostly because when you have appealed to the emotions of your buyers properly, they develop a “must have” mentality.

What we mean by that is, they will usually meet your asking price or shoot right around It instead of low balling you. Even better, when done right, you might have multiple buyers entering bids that might put you above your asking price!

This is the dream situation, and an excellent staging can be the difference between getting your asking price and above, or taking what you can get.

Give Us a Call!

If you’re still trying to figure out why you should worry about how to stage your home, call us at 949-350-0146 or email us at Debrakovacs@cox.net and we can give you more tips that can get your property moving today!