Monday, December 15, 2014

Selling Your #Asheville Area Home During The Holidays?


Great article from our friends at Movement Mortgage




It may seem like a terrible idea to try to sell your home during the holiday season — but actually it’s not. While selling a home can be somewhat stressful and the holidays are super-busy for most people, there are also some major advantages to selling at this time of year: your home probably looks wonderfully inviting and cozy, with pretty decorations; lots of other people are waiting until after the holidays to put their homes on the market, thus reducing competition; and people shopping for a home during the holidays are usually very motivated and will close quickly at or near your asking price.

So now that you’ve decided it’s a great time to put your house on the market, here are a few tips to help you attract buyers and close quickly.
  1. Create a cozy atmosphere. Especially if you’re in a cold-weather area, you will benefit from making your house warm and inviting. There are fewer hours of daylight now so make sure the rooms are well lit, and light the fireplace for added coziness.
  2. Pay attention to all five senses. Play soft classical music; put out some delicious and delicious-smelling treats with holiday napkins; scatter soft and snuggly blankets that will make prospective buyers want to hang around. The longer they stay, the more they’ll envision themselves living in your home.
  3. Decorate wisely. Usually when selling a home you’ll strip it down to the bare essentials and pack up personal items to make it easier for prospective buyers to envision their own belongings in the home. At holiday time, that conventional wisdom can go out the window. Make sure your visual presentation is festive, but don’t overdo it. Also, you’ll need to keep things more neutral and decorate on a seasonal theme, rather than being holiday-specific. Think snow scenes and pine boughs rather than Santas and menorahs.
  4. Know your market. In general, people who are homeshopping during the holidays are very motivated to buy. Some people need to close before the end of the year for tax reasons; some are looking for a bargain; some are forced to move. Many people will be relocating in January to start new jobs, such as military families or college professors. Your real estate agent will help you target the right kind of buyers.

Putting your home on the market during the holidays can mean ignoring all the conventional ideas about preparing your home for sale. But you’ve got a different kind of buyer at this time of year, and you’ll want to make sure you target them with features that will make your home irresistible.

Rely on your experienced and knowledgeable real estate agent to guide you through the season and help keep the holiday stress-free. And just think: Selling your home quickly at a great price is a wonderful holiday gift!





Tuesday, December 9, 2014

4 Tips for Selling Your Asheville Area Home With a Pet

....that Won’t Put You in the Doghouse


Selling a home is stressful enough for home owners, but selling a home with pets can be even more stressful. In addition to the usual concerns home owners have, clients with pets also have to consider if they should move their animals out while the home is for sale, how much it will cost to repair any pet-related damage and if pet odor will deter potential buyers.

Unfortunately for pet owners, the truth is that pets can turn away potential buyers and even lower the perceived value of their home if they are not addressed prior to listing. However, when properly prepared, homes with pets can be cleaned and staged in a way that makes the existence of the pets almost undetectable.

Here are some things to consider when listing your home with a pet.

Selling with pets


1. Eliminate Pet Odor
Although you might have become accustomed to it, pet odors can deter potential buyers. Our sense of smell has a powerful effect on our emotions and on our perception. The scent of pet odor in a house is sure to stick in a potential buyer’s mind, and this will likely cause them to deduct the cost of carpet replacement from their offer. Even worse, if a buyer walks in the home and smells a dirty cat litter box or soiled carpet, they might not even proceed with the tour. To eliminate pet odor and keep potential buyers moving through the home, consider the following:
  • If not replacing carpet, have it professionally steam cleaned. Don’t forget to also clean upholstered furniture and area rugs. Any surface that holds in pet odor should be cleaned, replaced or removed.
  • Weather permitting, open windows for a few days leading up to showings to help air out the home.
  • Be cautious when using air fresheners. You don’t want buyers to be blasted with the smell of artificial flowers that scream the seller is hiding an odor. Some fresh flowers can not only help with fragrance, but also add to the home staging. Also consider air neutralizers and odor absorbing products. Rather than masking the smell, these items actually absorb odor and neutralize the air.
  • Consider placing an air purifier in the pet’s main living area to filter the air.
  • Replace air filters that might have trapped pet dander and odor.
2. Repair Pet-Related Damage to Home and Yard

  • As much as we love our pets, the truth is they cause extra wear and tear on the home, especially in the yard. Assess the home for repairs due to pet damage before showing. Some areas to look at include:
  • Over-seed the yard or patch lawn areas to repair brown spots
  • Fill in holes created by canine gardeners. Not only are they unsightly, they can be                     potentially dangerous if someone were to trip in it.         
  • If doors and/or window screens have been damaged and scratched, replace them.         
  • Clean pet hair from hard-to-reach places such as behind appliances and behind doors
  • If wood or laminate flooring is scratched beyond repair, consider repairing the floor. This might be a large investment up front, but it can yield great results at sale.


3. Consider that potential buyers might be afraid of animals and vice versa.  
There is potential for liability, have the pets temporarily (either during the entire sale process or on days when there are showings and open houses) relocated if possible. If your client does not have a relocation option, consider crating them for showings and open houses. For pets that are not already crate trained, it can take time for them to enjoy being in the crate. You may want to contact a pet trainer to learn how to introduce your pet to a crate. You can create positive associations with the crate by giving the pet a treat-filled toy or bone to keep them busy while in the crate.   This is not only essential for the safety of potential buyers, but it also protects animals from getting out of the house, getting hurt, or causing harm to others.

4. Speaking of stress, animals can experience anxiety from having a lot of strange foot traffic in their home. Potential buyers might be distracted by a stressed pet and a nervous barking. Recommend that your client talks to their veterinarian to get a product recommendation to help their pets cope with this stressful event. National pet stores sell items such as plugins that release stress calming pheromones. The plugins do not emit any scent and can last up to three months. The pheromones released are only detected by the animals and will not affect humans.

We do understand that your pets are your family and these tips are merely a guide to helping you get your home sold with them there.

Buying or selling an Asheville area home?  Call us today, 828-771-2300.  Be sure to also take advantage of our free home valuation site to see what you could sell it for in today's market.


Tuesday, December 2, 2014

North Asheville, Home for Sale (28804)








Lindal cedar mountain chalet with room for all, top of the world views, dramatic two story cathedral great-room, cozy gas-log fireplace, rich hard wood and tile floors, granite and stainless kitchen with serving bar, whole house generator, and two large decks for outdoor entertaining. Includes PIN 9731-971-4504 DB/PG 4144/1631, currently approved as vacation rental, new owner will need to reapply.

Call us today to schedule a showing, 828-771-2300

Candler, NC Home for Sale (28715)




Immaculate cape cod in a private setting with mountain views that can be seen from the covered porch. Inside you will find a spacious floor plan with living on all three levels, a granite/stainless kitchen, vaulted ceilings. Exterior features include a low maintenance hardi-plank siding, privacy fencing, and babbling brook all on a no thru cul-de-sac.













Call us today to schedule a showing
828-771-2300