HOW MUCH TIME SHOULD YOU SPEND VIEWING HOMES?

Figuring out how much time you should spend viewing properties for sale is a little like asking, “How long should I spend trying on shoes?”

The answer seems obvious: As long as it takes to make a decision!

Buying a home is significantly more complex than purchasing shoes – and the stakes are higher too! You need to make sure you have all the information necessary to confidently make the best decision.

There are basically three stages to viewing a property:

1. Macro
2. Micro
3. Professional

When you view a home on a macro basis, you’re looking at it from an overall perspective. For example, you may do a general walk-through to get a first impression and determine if the property has the basic features you need, such as the number of bedrooms and the size of the backyard.

Macro viewing is often the fastest stage in the viewing process and can sometimes take just a few minutes.

If you like what you see, then it’s onto the micro stage. At this stage you take a closer look at the details of the property. You might, for example, spend extra time in the master bedroom imagining how your furniture would look and fit.

The micro stage takes longer simply because the home is now on your shortlist.

You’re interested and are considering making an offer. Finally, the professional stage involves getting a qualified home inspector to go over the property with a fine tooth comb. That typically occurs after you’ve made an offer.

A REALTOR® will guide you through a viewing so you’ll know what to look for and can make a smart, informed decision. Call your local REALTOR® today.

COMMON HOMEOWNER MISTAKES TO AVOID

When you own your home, you need to take an elevated interest in some details you might have overlooked as a renter. Here are a few crucial examples of things you’ll want to keep in mind as you get to know your new home.

When you’re a renter, there are a lot of details you might overlook. Given how much is out of your control about the condition or landscaping around your apartment complex or rented home, you may not be greatly interested in certain aspects of the house.

All of that changes when the home is your own investment. With your money and your safety on the line 24/7, you’ll need to pay attention to some areas which renters take for granted. Keep these few tips in mind and you’ll avoid several common homeowner mistakes.

1. Call 811 before digging up the yard. Landscaping is a great pleasure for many homeowners, especially those who want to plant their own food or dig in a nice water feature. The only problem? There could be pipes, power, and telecom cables underneath your soil. Before you rent the backhoe, call 811, a national hotline dedicated to dig safety. By calling 811 first, all of your local utility providers will get the heads-up to come out and mark all of the areas you’ll need to avoid when digging.

2. Find your water main’s shut-off valve. When a pipe bursts and you don’t know where to turn off the water to your property, a simple leak can turn into a catastrophic amount of water damage. Make sure you know where your shut-off valve is located and that you have the tools you need handy to cut off the flow should an accident happen. (The same is true for those of you with natural gas connections. Special tools can be used to shut off the gas in an emergency.)

3. Before you drill, use a stud-finder. For less than $30, you can get an idea whether or not you’re about to drill yourself a hole into power conduit, plumbing, or ductwork. Also, you’ll want to be sure the art or shelves you hang in your home has a firm grip and doesn’t come crashing down with the drywall.

4. Check your insulation depth. You know that funny looking door in your ceiling? It leads to the attic or crawlspace. Inside, you’ll want to make sure you have insulation deep enough to trap your heat and keep your cool. Most insulation needs to be 12 to 16 inches deep, depending on the quality of the insulation. You can even hire companies to “blow in” the additional insulation you need. Conserve energy with this simple move.

5. Checking your foundation. You want your soil to slope away from the house at least 6 or so inches over 10 - 12 feet. This prevents water from pooling at the foundation, which can lead to costly cracks and repairs

Looking for a home worthy of your careful attention? Let me help you find the right one! Please visit my website at www.valeriemcconville.com.

CAN AirBnB BE USEFUL FOR SELLING YOUR HOUSE?

Doesn’t it seem strange that people buy houses without actually living in them a little first? 

There’s a new trend emerging in which some sellers are listing their house on AirBnB while they’re looking to sell. Is this a good idea?

If you stop to think about it, selling a home is a bit of a strange endeavor. You’re asking prospective buyers to make a huge investment in your home without the experience of actually living there. Yet this is standard procedure. Buyers make offers after showings without having spent a single night in the home where they’re planning on living!

Now there’s an emerging marketing trend designed to take some of the ambivalence out of buying a home. Some sellers are taking the steps to let prospective buyers “live” in their house for a few days to see if the home is right for them.

AirBnB is one platform making this strategy possible. Most effective for sellers who have staged their house and are not currently living in the listing, the approach is direct: Sellers list the home on AirBnB and when they have an interested buyer, they arrange a temporary “rental” of the property. This way, the buyers get to spend real time in the home. They are allowed privacy, the chance to see what it’s like to sleep in the house at night, and use the facilities just as they would if they owned the home.

While the approach goes a long way to calming buyer fears, the idea is not without its critics. For one, not all brokers may be comfortable with this approach. Obviously having prospective buyers temporarily rent the home can create difficulties showing the home to other buyers when the property is rented.

Also, there are infrequent horror stories associated with this type of short-term rental. Home damage and even squatters who refuse to leave have happened to people listing their property on AirBnB. Finally, there are potential legal complications related to short-term rentals in certain communities. Nonetheless, there are thousands upon thousands of people who have offered up their short-term rental with no problem.

You can see the appeal, though. There’s a real potential for buyers to build an emotional attachment to your home if they spend a little vacation time there together while evaluating the property.

What do you think? Would you AirBnB your home if it gave you an selling advantage?

AirBnB’ing your home is hardly the only strategy for a quick, competitive sale. I have a full range of marketing and sales techniques to help you sell! 

If you’re thinking about selling soon, get in touch to see what I can do for you: valeriemcconville@gmail.com

FINISH YOUR SUMMER WITH A STAYCATION

When travel funds are tight, it doesn’t mean there’s no fun to be had. Here are ways to take a summer staycation right in your own back yard.

During the summer months many families find budgets tight and vacation plans thin. If you have a little summer left, and you’d like to squeeze in some more fun, here are some ideas for how to maximize the fun without going into debt.

First, keep a real vacation mindset: This means taking full days off. No laundry, no chores, no slipping away for email checking. Take the days off work, even if it’s just a Friday and Monday to make a four-day weekend. Unplug from social media. Be present with those who are with you on your staycation!

Here are some ways to fill the days with leisure:

1. Pitch a tent in your yard. If you have a backyard, it can be surprisingly satisfying to set up tents, dust off your grill, and take a night under the stars. Only retreat into the house for bathroom breaks and rough-it suburban style. Get a cooler full of those favorite camping foods. Don’t worry about junk food! Remember, you’re on staycation.

2. Make it a movie marathon. Turn your living room into a movie theatre for the weekend. Darken the room, plush up the floor with pillows, and queue up a list of films everyone can enjoy. When meal times come, order dollar-stretching meals like big pizzas for your audience.

3. Explore a park a day. You probably live near some unexplored natural environments with state, local, or municipal parks. Pick one per day of your vacation and head out in the car for your adventure. Get together before the day and setup some picnic foods, or grab a bucket of chicken on the road.

4. Find the minor league sports. Going to a big league game may be out of the question, but there are tons of minor league and school sports teams out there with exciting games to watch. Google-up some regional teams and grab the cheap seats.

5. Take up family gaming. Table-top games can pass the hours and build real bonds in the family. Cards, board games, and even role playing games can take your family out of the day-to-day routine. Get your kids to teach you the ins and outs of their console games while you introduce them to the madness of Monopoly.

These are just a handful of ideas, but a quick search on Google will reveal many more. Don’t give up on a good time just because you don’t have a pile of cash to blow.

BACK TO SCHOOL WITH NO STRESS? MAKE IT HAPPEN!

When the warm summer months begin to wind down and the days become a little shorter, you can almost smell it in the air--back-to-school time is here!

And just as fall and cool weather approach, so does back-to-school anxiety. Between kids fearing they'll miss the bus and won't make new friends, and parents feeling stressed about hectic mornings and carpooling chaos, how can anyone get excited about the first day back to school?

Parents however, can set the tone for a smooth transition from summer to the new classroom by proactively addressing their children's concerns.

Here are a few tips to ease your family's back-to-school anxiety:

• Be enthusiastic. If you are excited and confident, your child will be too.

• Prepare yourself. Note your child's reaction to separation. If possible, visit the new setting together and introduce your child to the new teacher in advance.

• Start Daily routines. Encourage kids to become involved by packing their own lunch and laying out their clothes. Also, begin an earlier bedtime at least one week before.

• Pack the night before. Kids should pack their book bag every night before bed. This eliminates the morning rush and trying to locate stray items.

• Always say good-bye to your child. Be firm, but friendly about separating. Never ridicule a child for crying. Instead, make supportive statements like, " I know it's hard to say good-bye."

• Send a photo of your family or write a reassuring note and put it in your child's backpack or lunch box.

At the end of the workday, put aside your work concerns and focus on being a parent.

Homework Hints (That really work!)

Here are some ways to make homework time easier for you and your child:

• Have a regular place for your child to do homework, a desk or table in a quiet room.

• Set a regular time for homework. You may want to make a rule: "No television until homework is finished." 

• Set aside ample time for homework and help your children plan on how they'll use their time.

• Be available to answer questions and offer assistance, but never do the homework for children.

• To help alleviate fatigue, have your child close the books for 10 minutes every hour and go do something else. 

• If your child is struggling with a particular subject, and you aren't able to help, a tutor can be a good solution. Discuss it with the teacher first.

• Have your child do the most difficult homework first. Save "easy" subjects for last.

• Praise your child's good work. Your interest will encourage good work.

Children and Moving

When a family move becomes inevitable, it is important to involve your children in the process. Since moving can cause some concerns for children--like going to a new school, leaving friends, and unfamiliarity with the new neighborhood--things will go a lot easier if your children support your efforts to get your current home sold. It is important that children keep their toys and clothes put away, and teenagers understand about keeping their room in "showing" condition. Also, showing a family home is much more successful for a realtor if the family is away. 

Make an effort to include everyone in the discussions about the move and your children on house hunting tips. Contact an agent who is comfortable with children and will be sensitive to their needs and concerns. 

New house, new school?

Try this...

• If possible, give your child three months notice before an upcoming move, so he has time to get used to the idea. 

• Explain the reason for relocating.

• Familiarize your child with his or her neighborhood ahead of time. 

• Emphasize the positive aspects of the move.

• Contact the school your child will be attending and arrange a time to visit.

Do you want to learn more about a particular community? I can help.

As a real estate expert, I can provide you with important insights into a range of communities so you can make a more informed decision.

The community you live in is just as important as the home you buy. That's why I'm committed to helping you make the right choice. So, visit my website and contact me today!