Category: How to Sell Real Estate

6 Ways to Sell Your Home Like A Pro!

Posted on | by Cuselleration

You have been on the market for months now, and you cannot figure out why the heck everybody is selling their homes and yours has been listed for months with no buyers. Is there something that you are doing wrong? Well, there most certainly is something that you are not doing.

So, we are going to take a look at the things that you should do before you even consider putting up your house for sale. The ways to sell your house are not hard to understand or implement and you will have an easy time doing it.

1. Appearances Sell

Your house might be a dump, but there are things that you can to do that will make it appear perfect. First of all, you need to start with a fresh paint job. That will make everything from the walls, the ceilings, and the windows look smart!

A home is only as good as it looks and it should be a beauty in the eyes of whoever sees it. The lawns and the fences are supposed to be trimmed and well watered. Try to make the house like new and worth putting on a realtor’s catalog.

2. Clearing Out

One of the ways to sell your house is to make sure that you clean it out. We have noticed as of late that when people want to buy a house, they will first look around and they tend to shy away when they find old tattered furniture in there.

This has caused many changes in the market that will help you get the furniture out quickly and make sure that the house looks better than ever when combined with your new paint job. Also, any house looks bigger than it is if there is no furniture inside.

3. Reasonable Prices

We know you want to set your home above the market price, everyone wants the most money they can get out of their residence. What this really does is leave you with a house you no longer live in with two mortgages sucking you dry!

All that will happen is you’ll get more losses in the time you’re waiting that will not be covered by the price you will eventually HAVE to sell at to attempt to break even.

So, start with an ordinary and reasonable price that will attract people. Of course, you shouldn’t be giving it away, but try to be economical. Remember to be practical and make sure that the houses being sold around you can’t compete with you much.

There is also a nifty tactic called charm pricing, it’s not entirely new but it’s likely a new term to you. What you do is, you don’t price your house at 500,000 but at 499,999. The price subconsciously attracts people, hence the name charm price!

4. Timing the House Hunters

There are many more ways to sell your property apart from the paint jobs and the charm pricing, and good timing is one of them. During the fall and spring, many people are going around and looking for houses. At this time, kids are finishing the school year, and people have not gone on vacation yet.

The house hunters among us are going around looking for a deal during the time when many are struggling to make ends meet (hint: spend less on holiday spending if you don’t want to be forced to sell your home under similar terms!)

However, you will have only this one chance to sell at your preferred asking price. The considerations that you make on timing should maximize the likelihood that your house will sell.

You have one big shot, make it count!

5. Being in Top Form

Buyers are usually hesitant to buy houses when you have not gotten an inspection recently. Remember, they want exactly what you would want when you are buying a house. This means you need to make sure that your home has been inspected and that you are in top form.

Getting proper renovations done where necessary will also make the advertising pictures reveal the house in a positive light and will make the property look bigger and better. Inspection, renovation, and maintaining appearances are your guiding light to a big sale.

6. Get a Realtor

A real estate agent is a tour guide. They know where to find the buyers, how to persuade them to buy, and how to get you the best deal that will ensure a financial gain. So, when it comes to finding ways to sell a house quickly, hiring a realtor is the most successful method.

If you get a good one, you will experience the joy of an easy sale with no problems.

The last part of our article on ways to sell a house is mentioning advertising so people know the house for sale is paramount. A good realtor should be doing that for you, but if you need more information we have you covered.

Contact Us

We hope our tips have been helpful in getting you ahead of the pack. These tips may seem obvious sometimes but people often overlook or ignore most of these guidelines.

This guide should be able to get you there, but if you need more help please call us at 949-350-0146 or email us at Debrakovacs@cox.net and we can show you more ways to sell a house or condo today!

Photo Credit: Shutterstock/rusticpic

5 Signs You Are Terrible at Marketing Your Home

Posted on | by Cuselleration

Buying and selling property is so common nowadays that you can find houses for sale in newspaper advertisements or even on Facebook. The price of a property may be a large factor in whether you’re able to find a buyer.

Nonetheless, marketing plays a huge role as one of the deciding factors, and you just might be doing it all wrong! Read on to find out why you may be bad at marketing your home.

1. Using a badly photographed image of your home

Have you ever seen a blurry picture of a house and thought to yourself “I would love to buy this house”? Probably not.

Most potential buyers generally do an online search of houses they would like to buy in certain neighborhoods. The first thing that would catch their attention is visuals. A good photo is crucial if you intend to make a sale anytime soon.

A good photo is not necessarily just a high-resolution photo, though it helps a lot. You also have to photograph various parts of the house.

Prospective buyers want to see not just the front or the back of the house, but also the bedrooms, the living room, the kitchen and even your swimming pool if you have one.

This is a real example of how you should market your house.

2. Failing to leverage social media

Digital marketing is, no doubt, one of the most efficient ways to sell anything, including your house. Instead of spending your time liking photos of cute puppies on Facebook, you should use Facebook as a platform in marketing your home.

There are a few ways to do this. You can join Facebook groups that are solely for buying and selling of property. More precisely, if your property is in California, you should find a specific group for properties in California. Doing so will get your house listed in the eyes of targeted prospective buyers.

Another way to market your home is through Facebook advertisements. A great thing about Facebook ads is that you can target an audience of your choice. This means that ads can even be displayed based on locality, which narrows down your audience. Furthermore, Facebook Ads is quite cheap to use. A mere $10 can get your post to reach thousands of users. If you want to succeed in selling your house, a small investment may be necessary.

3. Not putting a proper signage

Listing your home for sale on social media, or on websites like Craigslist is only one form of promotion. You should implement physical advertising as well. You would want your neighbors to know that you’re selling your home by putting on proper signs. Word of mouth spreads faster than you may think. You never know if your neighbors are itching to buy your house as an investment property.

Furthermore, signs can be a useful way of marketing your home, especially if there are people driving by the neighborhood looking for a new place to stay. Sometimes, all that you need to make a sale is the right timing.

4. Failing to perform home staging

Firstly, if you want your house to look favorable to potential buyers, you need to de-clutter. Listing your home for sale is only the first part. The next step is letting potential buyers view your home. If you wouldn’t want to buy a house that looks like a hoarder owned it, more likely than not, buyers won’t want to either.

Tidy up everything that does not look presentable. Rather than keeping everything, throw away items that you no longer need. As a rule of thumb, if you haven’t used it for a year or more, get rid of it.

Apart from getting rid of clutter, you should also get your house repainted and your interior done by a professional. Having a proper home staging done by a pro increases your chance of selling the house by a large margin.

5. Choosing the wrong real estate agent

Getting a real estate agent is the common thing to do if you have no idea how to sell a house or its procedures. However, not all agents act in your best interests. You need to find someone whom you can trust and rely on as you may need to work together for a few months.

It may be better to find an agent who has at least a few years’ experience though that’s not mandatory. You should interview several agents to determine who the best fit for the job is. You must also ensure that the agent has the requisite license issued by the relevant state.

If you happen to be looking to buy or sell property located in the Orange County, The Kovacs Connection might be the right agency for you. They employ a great marketing plan which includes drone videography, exceptional home staging, and social media marketing, amongst others.

Let’s Talk!

Marketing your home may seem daunting to first-timers. However, as long as you follow the right steps in marketing your house, you should be able to sell within a few months. Please call us at 949-350-0146 or email us at Debrakovacs@cox.net so we can help you today!

Home Staging Tips to Sell in Under a Month

Posted on | by Cuselleration

One increasingly common situation we are encountering lately is clients asking for tips to sell in under a month. The reason isn’t always the same, although it’s often a job promotion in a different state or country, the necessary result is.

When you are put on a strict time limit to move on to your next location, you need your home to sell swiftly so you can stop paying a mortgage on a property you don’t even live at anymore.

Here are some tips to move your home in under a month that we have seen great success with:

Store Your Belongings

You’re going to be moving anyway, so why not just get all of your stuff put away? Let’s face it; no one likes your stuff as much as you do. Besides, a stranger looking to buy your home probably won’t appreciate your oversized foam finger collection, and it takes up a ton of space!

Get your stuff into storage as soon as possible. It will get you ready to move, and it will get you ready to sell. A good realtor will be able to stage your home with their furniture that will play up the features of your home while exaggerating the elegance of it.

This is what you want, a home that catches the eye and imagination of the buyers.

While we are on the subject, if you have already moved all of your belongings out, it might also be a great idea for you to follow suit. If you are heading somewhere for a promotion, try to get over there as soon as you possibly can to look for a new place.

This might mean staying in a hotel for a little while, but the big picture is that the realtors can get your home sparkling and set up with the staging furniture way sooner. This means they can also start your showing much earlier.

This may sound like a temporary setback, but having your home sold in a few short weeks will completely wipe away the difficulty of the situation!                                       

Home Repairs

Getting your home into storage wasn’t an easy task, but it will make finding out what services your home needs much easier. This is one of the most valuable tips to sell in under a month because very few people want to move into a house that isn’t ready to be lived in immediately, besides home flippers.

It’s best to sink the money into repairs instead of allowing the buyers to talk you down on your price because of all the work that needs to be done. Doing the repairs yourself also gives you a better understanding of what the new value of your home is, and it’s a great to list “$12,000 in recent upgrades” for the folks looking to buy your home.

Kitchen and Bathroom Remodels

Everyone seems to look at the bathrooms and the kitchen with more scrutiny than the rest of the home. While the answer as to why will vary from individual to individual, the fact remains that a quick upgrade will wow all who enter your home.

Upgrades don’t need to be substantial, but they should attempt to show off the bathroom and kitchen. Giving both rooms new fixtures, polishing, and if you can afford to upgrade the countertops and flooring will instantly transform the room and have buyers asking “how much?!”

Sell Appropriately

We know you love your home, and it has been great to you, but the fact of the matter is you can’t factor your sentimental value into the price. No one wants to pay over the market price, but between the repairs and remodeling, you might be able to do just that.

This doesn’t mean you’ll be getting $300,000 over what it’s worth. In fact, you might have to take it for under what you want to move the home quickly. If you might lose money from what you originally bought the home for, ask yourself if the new job is worth the loss.

Often, moving for a career opportunity will reward you in hundreds of thousands of dollars over the course of your life, especially if this is just the first promotion of many. If you stand to make a considerable amount of money due to this move, then relax! You may be taking a hit up front, but you’ll be richer for in the long run.

If you’re interested in more tips to sell in under a month, contact us by giving us a call us at 949-350-0146 or emailing us at Debrakovacs@cox.net or realestatebyrana@gmail.com and we can help you get your home sold today!

Photo Credit: Shutterstock/Photographee.eu_

How to Buy Real Estate, Made Simple

Posted on | by Cuselleration

You want a home to call your own, but when you set out to find one, you realize you don’t know how to buy real estate. It’s actually a pretty common problem; not everyone has been informed on how to find a place to call your own. Luckily The Kovacs Connection has got a bulletproof plan to get you the home of your dreams!

What Can You Afford?

Along with researching the styles of home that you like, neighborhoods that you would like to live in, and searching a bit to see what the market currently has to offer, you should decide what you can afford to spend.

It is often suggested that you look for homes no more than three to five times your annual household income, but that isn’t necessarily the best advice. Many people these days are starting their side projects, or even creating their businesses from the comfort of their home office.

This affords an opportunity for income growth, and often it is an exponential increase over time. Even those with a steady paycheck that are guaranteed to have future raises and promotions should also consider this fact when buying.

If you’re going to be in a much better position in the future than you are currently, you may not want to skimp on the home you purchase. This may be a little difficult to convince your bank when getting a loan, but that shouldn’t hinder you from trying.

This is also the time to figure out if you can get credit for a mortgage. Telling them of your situation, especially if there is a guarantee for future growth is important in getting approved. That being said, even a guarantee from you might not convince a bank seeing as things happen all the time.

Do not let this discourage you! You might have to go to several banks to get preapproved for credit for your mortgage, but these interactions are new lessons on how to buy real estate. You don’t take the first house you see, and you might not get the first bank to go to bat for you.

The process of purchasing a new home isn’t meant to be rushed especially for the first-time buyer. Our next tip, getting a mentor, will help you through the process.

Get A Realtor

Real estate agents should know how to buy real estate if you encounter one that doesn’t then kindly run the other direction! The seasoned realtor is like having your own personal mentor, at least for buying and selling homes.

When looking for a realtor, there are quite a few details to consider about them that will help you figure out if they’re the right man or woman for the job. Here are a few;

  1. They have some years of experience.
  2. Their clients speak highly of them.
  3. They are punctual in answering your calls/emails/and to meetings.
  4. They have a reliable professional network they use for buying and selling.
  5. You get along together.

They don’t have to have everything on the list, but we highly suggest that you find a realtor that has all five qualities because those that don’t aren’t going to be as successful as you want. On top of that, they will end up wasting your valuable time.

Get the House Checked Out by A Professional

Once you and your realtor find the home you see yourself in, it’s time to get it inspected and appraised. Anyone that skips these steps is in for a major headache down the road for two reasons.

First, you might be overpaying.

Second, you might be moving into an unsafe house.

The inspection will assure you that the home is safe. They will find out if the structure is sound, and in the event that they find it unfit, both you and the seller will know. This gives you the power to either negotiate the price or to have the seller fix repair the home before you close the sale.

If the inspection is passed, the appraisal will be your next best friend. It will be your last defense against overpaying for the property. The appraisal will give you and the seller a crystal clear idea of what the house is worth, and if you are paying a reasonable price, if the numbers are extremely off we suggest renegotiating the price.

If you don’t know how to buy real estate and want some help figuring out the system, please contact us calling us at 949-350-0146 or emailing us at Debrakovacs@cox.net or realestatebyrana@gmail.com and we can help you get started today!

Photo Credit: Shutterstock/Rawpixel.com

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!

PREPARING TO SELL

Posted on | by Cuselleration

Selling your home doesn’t just mean hiring a realtor to stick a sign out front. There are a lot of preparations you should make to ensure you get the best offer possible in the shortest time.

Repair. Just because you’ve gotten used to the cracks in the walls and the rattles in the radiators doesn’t mean a buyer will too. If you have hardwood floors that need refinishing, be sure to get it done—hardwood is a huge selling point. Buyers like to snoop around, so be sure to fix any sticky doors or drawers as well. Finally, don’t forget to address any issues with the exterior—fences, shingles, sidewalks, etc. After all, without curb appeal, some buyers may never get to see the inside.

Neutralize. You want buyers to see themselves in your home. If your living room has lime green shag, wood-paneled walls, and all your collectibles and personal photographs, this will be much harder for them to do. Try replacing any bold color choices in your floors and walls with something more neutral—beiges, tans, and whites. Repainting and reflooring will make everything look fresh and new, and help prospective buyers imagine all the possibilities.

Stage. Once your house is clean and updated, it’s time to play dress up. Home stagers can add small details and décor touches that will bring out the possibilities in the various spaces in your home: lamps, mirrors, throw rugs and pillows, flowers, decorative soaps and towels, patio furniture. Home staging can be particularly useful if your home is especially old or if the exterior looks dated. Think of it as a little mascara and rouge—if it’s done right, you notice the beauty, not the makeup.

The Best Home Staging Tips to Sell Your Mission Viejo Home During the Fall Season

Posted on | by Cuselleration

Fall Can Be Your Friend

Typically, the best time to sell your home is during the summertime. But many people who are looking to buy in Mission Viejo look all-year long for the right house. So this fall, it’s important to showcase your home at its best, so you can get the best deal at the closing table. So our team has packed up a few home staging tips as a guideline to get the most looks at your property. Yes, we know it’s a lot of work, but you need to pack it up anyway, and this gives you a head start while increasing the value of your property

DECLUTTER the House

Need we say more? Yes! We can all become blind to the clutter around us.

  • Pack up your books, clothes and personal items and place them in the garage or storage unit.
  • Family photos, the kid’s artwork on the refrigerator, all of it has to go.
  • Clear out your closets! Donate what you don’t wear to charity.
  • Have a dim light? Exchange it for a brighter one.
  • Do your doors open easily? If you’re hearing creaking, fix it.
  • Hire a professional cleaning service to deep-clean your home before it’s listed.

Home Staging Tips Room by Room: Living Room

Potential homebuyers have likely seen several homes before yours. How do you make your property stand out above the rest? Space and cleanliness. The living room is usually the first room they see, so make sure it looks terrific.

  • If there is a dark corner, light it up with a lamp.
  • If the fireplace has seen better days, scrub it clean.
  • If the room looks cluttered, remove the furniture that isn’t necessary to make it look bigger.
  • Keep the room simple, with a splash of color here and there.

The Kitchen

Yes, we know this is the room you most dread to clean. But a kitchen can sell a home or kill a deal, so it’s worth your time to invest in this arduous task.

  • Box up all the dishes, flatware, cookware and glassware except one matching set.
  • Have your cabinets seen better days? Think about a fresh coat of paint or stain.
  • Honestly evaluate your appliances. Need a good cleaning? Need to be replaced with stainless steel?
  • Scrub grime from backsplashes and cabinets.
  • Clean out the pantry, leaving some empty space: makes it look bigger
  • All trash cans need to be emptied and put away

Bedroom

The bedroom is, by nature, a personal space. However, when you are putting your home on the market, it needs to be a place where potential homebuyers can visualize it as their personal space. So that means taking care of a few things:

  • Pack up all the clothes you can to make your closets look more spacious.
  • Get a set of matching hangers to create a sense of balance and order in the closet.
  • Take away the knick-knacks that scream male or female.
  • Put your jewelry and other valuables away
  • If you have a video game console in the bedroom, put it away to create some serenity

Bathroom

Just like the kitchen, bathrooms can get grimy, and you may not even notice it. But a potential homebuyer who walks in certainly will see it all. To get an offer on the table, consider these tasks to make your bathroom a happy place.

  • Pull on those rubber gloves and let’s get some elbow grease working to de-grime the area.
  • Re-caulk around the tile if needed
  • De-clutter (there’s that word again) your countertop, around the tub, inside the shower.
  • Throw away, pack up or store your personal products.
  • Create a luxury spa feel with soft towels, candles and plants
  • Make sure the toilets aren’t leaking or running
  • If you have hard water stains try using vinegar to remove them

Contact The Kovacs Connection to get with a realtor who can list your home, and get it from ‘Listed’ to ‘Sold!!’

Photo Credit: Shutterstock/Spiroview Inc