Before you list your home for sale, it’s time to do a little work around the house – to prepare and make sure your home is seen in the best possible light. These “must-do” items are about showing your home to buyers as one which is cared for and ready for them to add their own brand of home to the space. Taking a little time up front can mean thousands of dollars as buyers start writing their offers.

3 Must-Do’s Before Listing Your House for Sale:

1. Declutter, Depersonalize and Clean – This is the time to take spring cleaning seriously, in any season. Clear out all unnecessary items from the home; closets, drawers, extra clothes, old unwanted furniture. Donate to charity, hire a dumpster or rent a storage space; buyers will look in every space and open all drawers and cabinets, make sure your home seems spacious. Spend some time to depersonalize by removing excessive pictures and hide heirlooms. Finally, deep clean every space top to bottom.. ...

Serious investors already know the value of a diversified portfolio. In addition to stocks and bonds, real estate should be included in your investment mix. One way to accomplish this is to purchase, hold, rent or flip actual physical property, as part of your investment strategy. Real estate is a solid asset which can provide annual income, asset appreciation and/or quick profit.
Millionaires understand the value of real estate and how it can be used to increase wealth and as a hedge against the volatility of other investments, such as stocks and bonds. Real estate holdings can provide immediate and long-term benefits:

• Cash Flow - Rental income is one of the primary reasons investors purchase property.

• Asset Appreciation – Property value appreciation is another advantage of investment property. While rents pay the mortgage and ownership costs, property values are on the rise, increasing the asset worth.

• Fast Capital - Buy and flip properties ar. ...

If you are ready to put your home on the market, you already know that how it looks can make a significant difference in the sales price. If you are on a budget and don’t want to hire a professional stager, there are still some changes you can make which will create a big impact.

• Declutter; pack up extra “everything.” Remove anything you don’t absolutely need from every room, closet and cupboard. A cluttered closet looks small and uninviting.
• Replace curtains, bedding and towels with light neutral colors to make the room look larger and bright.
• Paint a room or two with modern colors.
• Store furniture to make the room look larger.
• Stage the kitchen with wine and fruit. Skip the fake table setting and create an image of an intimate meal with a nice bottle of wine.

The key to staging is to edit, edit, edit. A small investment in a few storage tubs filled with books, clothes, pictures and anything unnecessary will go. ...

Buying a home is a huge commitment and one which should be considered carefully before undertaking. Not only are you committing to years of the mortgage, but you are also putting down roots in a community for some period of time. As more and more Millennials consider the pros and cons of buying their first home, they are often confronted with a barrage of information containing half-truths and outright lies.
Here are 2 common myths which cause my potential buyers to hold off buying a home.

Myth #1 – You have to have a 20% down payment.

While it’s true that most 0% down loans have disappeared after the mortgage meltdown last decade, it’s also true that there are some very attractive loan options which do not require a 20% down payment. Although loans with less than an 80% loan-to-value do require private mortgage insurance, which add cost to the monthly payment, there are many options available with a lower down payment; many lenders offer conventional loan. ...

Buying a home is typically the largest financial purchase most people make in their lifetimes. Of course you want to get the best possible deal, but with the desirable properties moving quickly on and off the market, how can you put yourself in the best position to get the best price when making that offer?

By preparing properly, you can be in a great position to write a good offer and have it accepted.

• Get a pre-approval before you go house-hunting
• Write an offer based on home value and not list price
• Gather information about why the seller is moving, their motivation
• Ask for extras, such as washer/dryer or refrigerator
• Consider removing some contingencies or offer better terms in exchange for a lower price
• Write a personal letter, humanize you and your family

You might be hearing it’s a “seller’s market” but remember that these sellers still need buyers
and offers. Be prepared and you put yourself in ...