Front  doors: Curb appeal is the first step in a successful home sale, and installing a beautiful, high-quality entry door is a simple home improvement that delivers a high impact for a small investment. A new entry door will also help lower home energy costs and stand up to weather extremes.

Attic Rooms: Converting an attic into useful living space is a smart way to add value and attract those shopping for extra living space and bedrooms.

Decks: Building a deck is one of the least-expensive ways to extend your living space. Composite decking is a great low-maintenance option, and even building a deck from pressure-treated wood can bring a return on investment of up to 80 percent at the time of sale.

Siding: A tight, tidy home contributes to curb appeal and takes major home improvement worries off a potential buyer’s list. Spruce up your home’s exterior by repairing or replacing siding for an eye-catching, protective finish. And for way less than the cost of siding replacement, consider adding easy-to-install decorative trim elements made of high-density polyurethane foam to spruce up an otherwise dull exterior.

Kitchen: The kitchen is a major selling point for a home, and its appearance and layout can often be a deal-breaker. Improving your kitchen doesn’t have to be a huge investment, however: just replacing countertops, key appliances or cabinet hardware can transform a kitchen’s look and impact.

Windows: Installing replacement windows is a pre-sale home improvement that pays for everyone, with the seller earning valuable energy tax credits and the buyer enjoying lower home energy bills.

Basement: Make the most of this bonus space by finishing it for use as an apartment, office or entertainment zone ─ more great ways to appeal to multi-generational households.

Bathroom: Along with kitchens, bathrooms tend to age easily, so neutralize potential design objections by replacing the vanity, installing efficient fixtures and choosing hardware that facilitates easy access for all.

Backup power generator: With the aging electrical grid becoming less reliable and our occasional hurricanes access to backup power is a plus for a home. Gone are the days of bulky, smelly, portable gas-powered generators: You can now have a neat, compact standby generator installed right next to your outdoor AC unit that can repower most of your home within seconds of losing electricity from the utility.

Additions: If done wisely and in a way that won’t price your home out of the local market, additions are valuable home improvements. Add a second story, expand into a master suite, enlarge the garage or create an extra bathroom.

Questions about getting your home ready to sell?  Contact Skye Bruce Properties!

Serious Buyers! Buyers that look for houses during the holidays are generally more serious about buying than others. There is a reason they are looking.  Sometimes it’s relocation buyers, sometimes it’s someone looking to get their kids in school by late January to start a new semester or maybe they are looking for a quick close for tax ramifications?

Homes look great this time of the year! Your home is generally at its best during the holidays. With family coming and going and the spirit of giving in the air homes are generally more inviting during the holidays.

People have time to house hunt! Opportunities for house hunting are more prevalent. Many people use their weekends to rush around and see as many houses as possible, during the holidays vacations are longer and there is more time to house hunt.

Envy! Yes envy.  Let’s face it buying a home for many is an emotional decision.  During the holidays people visit other homes for dinners, parties and other get-togethers.  They see those homes at their best (see reason #2) and you know the grass is always greener.  They want a kitchen like the Jones’ or a media room like the Smith’s or that grandmother’s suite like their cousin.

Yes, selling your Richmond area home can be a challenge over the holidays, but a ratified contract could be an unexpected present you find under the tree if you leave your home in the market!

Happy Holidays from Skye Bruce Properties!

The weather is getting colder here in Richmond.  Days are shorter, leaves are falling and browns are starting to get that dormant brown color of winter.  So if you are trying to sell your home in the colder months of the year, how do you keep the curb appeal up to attract potential buyers?  Came across this great article on the member site for REALTORS (REALTOR.org).  Good advice as we head into the 3 coldest months of the year!

CRAFTY IDEAS FOR WINTER CURB APPEAL

Yes, it’s still possible to create great curb appeal when it’s cold and gray outside.

During summer months when gardens are in bloom and the sun is shining bright, curb appeal comes naturally to many homes. But when the autumn chill turns to winter cold and the sun sets earlier in the day, it becomes more difficult to create that inviting exterior look that grabs buyers from the curb.

Fortunately, it is possible to create striking winter curb appeal without expensive or complicated exterior changes, says Charlene Storozuk, a home stager and designer with Dezigner Digz in Burlington, Ontario—a city that averages 51 inches of snow per year. It just requires a little creativity.

She and other home-design experts offer these eight tips:

1. Add splashes of green and purple. Plants, grasses, and evergreens can liven up a home’s winter landscape. Experiment with tall grasses, such as fountain grasses, that survive harsh winters. And in late fall and early winter, plants from the cabbage family add a vibrant purple color. Make the front door the focal point with a large wreath adorned with a colorful ribbon. To finish the look, place large, colorful planters filled with evergreens beside the front door, suggests Elizabeth Lord, broker with Carolina Farms & Estates LLC in Rock Hill, S.C.

2. Give it seasonal sparkle. Transform an unused bird bath or fountain into a seasonal display by adding twigs with red berries. Or fill frost-resistant urns with twigs, winter greenery, and sparkly baubles (sold at most craft stores), Storozuk says. For extra sparkle, roll twigs in glitter and incorporate a gazing ball—a mirrored glass ball available in various colors—into the display.

3. Make the garden statuesque. Roman- or Greek-themed outdoor sculptures can add class and elegance to a garden in winter. Be sure to use frost-resistant statues so they don’t crack, Storozuk says. Place the statues strategically throughout the garden to draw buyers’ eyes around the outdoor space.

4. Light it bright. During the winter, it’s more likely that buyers will be viewing home after sunset. Use clear flood spotlights to focus on the home’s architectural features, Storozuk says. Keep exterior lighting fixtures at maximum wattage and clean them regularly. When snow covers the ground, Michele Thompson, broker-owner of White Fence Real Estate in Vevay, Ind., takes photos of listings at night with all of the interior lights on—the light bounces off the white snow to create a warm, inviting glow. For the best results, turn off the flash, and use a tripod to avoid blurring, she says.

5. Show off the lifestyle. Just because it’s cold outside doesn’t mean you can’t use the deck. Shovel your backyard sitting area and leave your grill uncovered so buyers can envision themselves using the space, Storozuk says. If the home has a hot tub, leave that open and running during showings as well.

6. Make the deck an extension of the house. Set up your outdoor tables and chairs just as you would in warmer months. “Home owners often cover their furniture and place lawn objects haphazardly on the deck,” says Kitty Schwartz, president and owner of Classic Home Staging in Katonah, N.Y. For added appeal, she adds a weatherproof cafe set with pillows that play off of interior accent colors. “Glancing out onto this type of vignette can make the indoor space feel larger and more interesting,” she says.

7. Create a photo display of sunnier days. Show buyers what the outside of the home looks like during other seasons by displaying some landscape photos in frames or using a digital photo frame with a slide show of images. “This will give a sense of what the property looks like at other times of year,” Storozuk says. If the home has a garden, make a list of what’s planted where. “Perennials can be expensive,” she says, “so treat them as a selling feature.”

8. Don’t forget to clear a path. If the ground is covered in snow, the simplest and most important thing you can do is shovel the driveway and sidewalks and keep the home’s patios and decks as clear as possible so buyers can get a sense of their true size.

By Melissa Dittmann Tracey | November 2010

Thinking of selling your Richmond area home?  Skye Bruce Properties has an expert team of home selling specialist to offer important advice to prepare your home for sale.  Contact Skye Bruce Properties!

If you don’t need it, don’t pay to move it. Movers base their prices on what you’re shipping, so cutting down on clutter will simplify your life and lighten up the load in the moving truck. We’re talking to you, the owner of the treadmill-turned-drying-rack. You can sell what you don’t need or donate it to charity.

Get multiple in-home estimates. There are many good movers in the Richmond area.  Make some calls and talk to 3 or 4. If you’re hiring a professional mover to do the heavy lifting and packing, prices can vary widely between companies.

Don’t use a jack-leg or fly-by-night mover! You’ll be loading up all your worldly possessions and putting them on a truck with a few workers you barely know. Protect yourself! Look for red flags and get recommendations from friends and neighbors to avoid getting scammed.  Skye Bruce properties has a list of recommended movers and you can also check with the Richmond Better Business Bureau to make sure your mover is reliable.

Use what you have for packing, and then buy your own supplies. Moving companies often charge hefty fees for packing supplies. Save money by filling up containers you already have, like suitcases or plastic bins. Use sheets and linens to wrap items. Buy the packing materials you still need from a recycled box company, or get them free from a local business.

Ask questions to unearth hidden moving costs. Even legitimate movers might not spill all the costs unless you ask. To get an accurate quote of your total, ask if they’ll charge for heavy items, repacking, stairs or waiting so you are not surprised when you get the final bill.

Use portable storage and delivery.  Companies like PODS will deliver a storage unit to your door. You’ll save money packing it yourself, and they’ll pick it up and deliver it to your new digs. Not a bad option if you don’t have a lot to move.

Rent a truck for a totally do-it-yourself move.  Young and have a strong back? Renting a truck and doing it yourself is the most cost-effective way to move. Enlist your friends and family for packing.

Get moving insurance. Even the best movers have one potential pitfall: They’re human. If you do wind up with a lost or damaged item, you’ll likely need more than the measly 60-cent-per-pound coverage that comes free to replace it. Don’t skimp on this if you have nice furnishings!

Deduct your moving expenses from your taxes. Don’t forget to save those receipts — you can also save money after the big move! If you relocated for a new full-time job at least 50 miles away from your previous home, you can deduct the cost of packing, transporting or storing your household goods from next year’s tax return.

From home listings to home marketing to home searches to house hunting to mortgages to home inspections to closings and moving; selling and buying a home can be a complicated process.  At Skye Bruce Properties we have a team of industry experts to help you every step of the way.  Our expertise in supporting our clients throughout the home selling and buying process is what has made Skye Bruce Properties one of the Top 10 largest volume real estate teams in all of Central Virginia.  It’s why so many individuals and families choose Skye Bruce Properties!  Contact Skye Bruce Properties!

Skye Bruce Properties has an Accredited Home Staging Specialist on staff to help our clients stage their homes correctly from the start of the home selling process.  “In today’s buyer’s market, a home staged correctly can give you an edge over other homes on the market” says Skye Bruce.   “First impressions are so important in today’s real estate environment and many times a few simple changes can make a big difference. We have even invested in an inventory of stylish staging items to give homes a special look from the start.” added Skye.

Thinking of putting your home on the market? Contact Skye Bruce Properties with questions about home staging and the home selling process!

What are the most effective areas to remodel when getting ready to sell your Richmond area home?  Contact Skye Bruce Properties for great advice when preparing your home for sale.  Skye Bruce Properties has a team of listing experts to help you make those important decisions to get your home sold as fast as possible at an optimum price.

Your needs, like your family, have undergone a many changes. The family is larger now, the business has grown and you need more space to grow and evolve. Your feeling of cozy has gone to the need for more space, a room for that home office and probably a larger space for entertaining, along with more room for the children to spread out and have their own work space in their rooms. There just is not enough room to go around and you absolutely all agree that its time to move up. Finding a bigger home isn’t always an easy task and certainly moving isn’t any picnic, but you have decided it’s time to do it and take advantage of the current buyer’s market.

Moving is never an easy task both physically as well as psychologically, it can be stressful. The logistics of finding a newer, larger Richmond home and then selling your current home too is not a simple task. How can you accomplish it all, and still stay organized and limit your stress? At Skye Bruce Properties we tell our clients that the key to making the process easier is to get prepped for the home buying and moving process long before it takes place. Make sure that all your ducks are in a row so to speak before you begin the process.

Find out how much more you can afford before you begin shopping. Calculate your budget well and get a heads up on what you can afford to pay for your mortgage before you begin to view new homes in yours or another area. Know any hidden costs that are going to rear their heads so that you can plan for them and know you’ve got the money to pay them. Make time to take care of the basics such as getting pre-approved for your mortgage early on so that there are no surprises when its time to make the move to your bigger Richmond home.

Bear in mind that when its time to move up, finding a bigger home is going to take more than just a bigger payment, in some cases it means larger furniture, more furnishings and that the payments won’t be the only expense. Larger homes do cost more to maintain and to furnish than the one you’re currently living in so make sure you budget for those kinds of expenses.

Get your own home in shape for being shown and give it a bit of curb appeal so that you’re sure that its going to sell. Don’t attempt to gather more from it than you have into it unless you’re prepared to wait a bit for it to sell. Making plans ahead, when it is time to move up, finding a bigger home is going to serve you well, because when you do make that move, it’s going to go a lot more smoothly for you.

Need a partner and friend through this process?  Skye Bruce, the #1 REMAX Agent in Central Virginia has assembled a team of professionals to guide you through the process from start to finish.  Skye Bruce Properties can help you get pre-approved for a mortgage, help you stage and get your home ready to sell, create a marketing plan for your home and help you set your price, help you find that larger Richmond home which meets your needs and be your advocate in negotiations in both the buying and selling process.  Contact Skye Bruce Properties today!

Next to fresh paint, new carpeting makes a huge difference.  Again stick with neutral colors and conservative textures to make your home attractive to the masses.  At Skye Bruce Properties this is simple advice we give our clients, but it goes a long way in selling their homes as fast as possible. 

Thinking of buying or selling a home in the Richmond area?  Contact Skye Bruce, the #1 RE/MAX Agent in Central Virginia. Like what you are reading?  Subscribe today to our BLOG!

A number of real estate pundits are pointing to the recent decline in home inventory and the fact that interest rates have increased on the 30-year fixed mortgage as a positive endorsement of a healthier housing market.

Joanne Sebby, a licensed real estate broker in Chicago, and operator of a local Two Men and a Truck moving franchise, believes she’s benefitting from what could be the start of a real estate “bloom,” if not a full “boom.”

“Bargain hunters are beginning to make moves on homes that are still way undervalued” Sebby says. “The key for sellers is to get creative in marketing your home’s offerings so you can become one of those homes that get a look, and hopefully sell your house in a reasonable amount of time.”

While the real estate outlook is the best it’s been in recent memory, home loans are still more difficult to come by and home values are down an average of 20 percent, according to the NAR. It’s likely that if you are selling your house today, you’ll likely do so at the cost of higher profits that you may have realized in healthier markets.

Regardless, Sebby suggests there are a number of creative ways home sellers can mitigate their losses on the sale.

“Most home sales involve some service-oriented companies such as moving companies, carpet cleaners, painters or other services,” she says.

Sebby suggests sellers need to think of their bottom line when selecting service companies in order to maximize profits on their home, and consider pitching in to keep costs down.

“Determine what budget you have to work with and be up front with the people providing you with estimates,” Sebby says. “I’ll often counsel people who call our moving company to maybe box and label everything themselves, or have all the boxes collected in the room closest to the front door. If there’s a number we have to work with, we’ll make suggestions on how to make it work to suit their needs.”

Sebby suggests using the same tactics with home inspectors, painters or other service personnel.

“Do a little research and find what portion of the work you can comfortably do yourself. If you’re saving money along the way it’s going to impact your profit on the house. A little bit here and there can really add up.”

Brig Sorber, president and chief executive officer of Two Men and a Truck — the nation’s largest franchised moving company — believes the current housing market provides more opportunity than risk.

“As a business owner, you look at your operations a little closer and ideally come away with a clearer understanding of what your company needs to do to stay competitive,” Sorber says. “The same principle applies to homeowners looking to sell. In an optimal market, a buyer may just scan the Internet, find a local mover and sign on the dotted line. Today’s customer is more aware; they’ve done competitive research on what to expect from a legitimate moving company, and that benefits those of us who value long-term relationships with our customers.”

Chances are, even sellers with the best intentions won’t realize the full value of their home in today’s market. However, as Sebby suggests, there’s no harm in optimizing your profits with a little extra effort and a do-it-yourself approach.

Looking for a REALTOR who will provide you with helpful home selling strategies?  Skye Bruce Properties, The Official REALTORS and Buyer’s Agents of RichmondHomeShopper.com has a team of professionals to help sell your home fast and to optimize your profits.  Contact Skye Bruce Properties today!

Courtesy of ARAcontent