Home Improvements That Add Value, Appeal, & Good First Impressions

If you want to have a better chance of selling your home in today's economic condition, you're going to have to think about home improvements that add value and appeal. We’re living in a real estate market that isn't so friendly to sellers.

To start, you'll have to think about how your home looks from the street and what kind of impression it will make at the entrance. You will want your first impression to be a lasting one since there are a lot of other real estate property listings on the market. If you don't know where to start, have a look at the following tips.

Update your entrance. When buyers arrive at your home, they'll probably look at your front door first since your house number is usually located near it. If you have an attractive entrance, the buyer's eyes will be drawn to it instantly once they spot the right house number. If your door is in poor condition, it won't give the buyer a good first impression. To improve your door, you can always give it a touch up with new paint or even replace it.

Another way to add charm to your entrance is by polishing the doorknob or doorknocker. You should also make sure the doorbell is working properly since both of these small details could also leave a good first impression.

Inspect your entrance for chips or cracks on your porch, steps, or stoop to show buyers you have taken care of their potential new home.

Fix your roof. You can inspect your roof and even hire a professional home inspector to make sure that your roof is in good condition. Repairing your roof can be expensive, but it is often very important for buyers to find a home with a good roof. You should consider inspecting and fixing your roof before you put your home up for sale since it could extend the time you have your home on the market. You don’t want buyers to wonder about why your home has been listed for so long. You should know your home's condition before you put it up for sale in order to reduce concerns of the potential buyers.

Touch up your paint. If your home doesn't have siding, you'll want to touch up the paint to make it look like it's in good condition. Areas of your home with paint peeling or chipping will give potential buyers a bad impression. This is another thing you can do before you put your home up for sale.

Take care of your lawn. Potential buyers will be thrilled with a lawn that is lush and green. A lawn in good condition will create a great impression for buyers since that is what they will see once they walk towards your home. You should take care of your lawn to ensure there are no brown spots. If you plan on selling your home in the fall, you can take care of your lawn during the summer making sure it's properly watered. You can hire a landscaping service to maintain your lawn for you. They can even plant some attractive flowers and bushes that will enhance the overall look of your property.

What home improvement tips do you have to add value, appeal, and a good first impression? Please share them by posting a comment.

Still Further to Fall in Real Estate

Real Estate in the US is not at the bottom yet. Soon the commercial real estate sector will start to slide. This will effect consumers with job losses and tighter rules on real estate investments. US real estate is not all bad though, the lower prices are starting to attract investors.

Commercial real estate sales in the United States are expected to fall 66 percent this year from $467 billion to an estimated $159 billion. This is because debt, especially securitized debt in the form of commercial mortgage-backed securities, or CMBS, is either unavailable or prices are too high and the terms too strict for borrowers, Reis said.
So far, many of the distressed commercial properties and loans have appeared in Arizona, Nevada, Florida and Georgia - in addition to Louisiana, Michigan and Ohio, areas that were already showing signs of trouble. Article.

Billions will save US housing Market. Nope.

The fed has decided to put together a multi-billion dollar bailout for large mortgage lenders. Don't worry, this is of no use to you.

The White House swallowed its distaste for $3.9 billion in grants the bill would provide for devastated neighborhoods. The bill could become law as early as this week. Article.

Woes, So Many Woes.

Real estate in the US really is in for a bit of trouble. Almost all experts are saying that the end in not even close to being near. Yeah!? American real estate is really going to be put through the ringer in the next few years. Many will loose their homes, and a few very rich people will get even richer by capitalizing on low real estate prices.

In the latest evidence that prices are still sliding, the National Association of Realtors reported Thursday that the median price of existing homes sold in June fell to $215,000, down 6.1 percent from a year ago. Sales fell 2.6 percent from the month before — far more than analysts had expected. Article.

Real Estate Woes

Well there are still big problems with real estate in the US. Experts say that the bottom will not arrive until 2011. That is a long wait. People are losing their homes at an unrivalled rate and it is expected to get worse.

Attention, real estate shoppers: the entire U.S. sunbelt is now officially on sale. Prices in many areas of Florida, Arizona, Nevada and California have dropped 40 per cent from their peaks of a couple of years ago, to the point where the deals seem nearly too good to be true. In Naples, Fla., a three-bedroom, two-bathroom home that sold for $350,000 in 2007 is on the market for only $200,000. A starter home in Sacramento, Calif., that sold for $215,000 in 2004, is on offer for a mere $129,000. And remember: these aren't sale prices. They're asking prices. Article.

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