To List or Not to List

by Chuck Roper 18. December 2018 04:46

 

 


 

If you’re thinking of selling your home this season, here are some suggestions about selling in the winter to help guide you through the decision-making process.


1.       Inventory is Low = List Now.  Residential real estate is driven by supply and demand.  When supply is low, as it is now, Sellers have less competition for buyers.  When two or more buyers are competing for the same property, the price is going up.

2.    Inventory of Comparable Properties = Need More Data.  While inventory is low across the entire market, we must look at specifics.  What are inventory levels in your price range and in your neighborhood?  Your Realtor will drill down to only the areas and  price ranges, which are considered comparable.  We do have excess inventory in some categories, so you should be well informed before making the final call.

3.       Pool or outdoor amenity is an essential selling feature = Wait until Spring.   If your swimming pool or outdoor living feature is an essential reason for anyone to buy your home, you should wait until it is looking its best.   If waiting is not an option, I highly recommend providing photos which show just how lovely it looks.

4.       High lot value/possible tear down = List Now.   New home inventory is low and builders are anxiously scouring the market for good lots in good locations.  If your home could be a tear down, take advantage of current conditions and list now.

5.       Condo or Villa = List Now.  Currently, demand is strong for condos, villas and lifestyle communities.

6.       People buy homes every season of the year = List Now.  Remember, people will buy homes in every season.  Job transfers, promotions, marriages, changes in family situation happen all year.  A desirable, well priced home will sell any and every day of the year.


At Janet McAfee, our experienced real estate agents are available and ready to help you year-round. Whether you’re looking to buy or sell your house or simply in search of some more information, our agents know that real estate can involve life-changing decisions, and we pride ourselves on our commitment to intensive personal service, with your needs as our top priority.

 

For more information, you can call us at (314) 997-4800 or visit our website!

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Home Selling Tips | Seasonal Preparations

3 Reasons Why You Should Buy a Home This Fall

by Chuck Roper 25. September 2018 09:48

 

 

 


Often, in the minds of home buyers, spring and summer are considered to be the best time to buy a home but, in reality, this isn’t necessarily true. In fact, (surprise!) fall might actually be the best season to buy your new home.


Whether you’re not sure if you’re ready to buy a home, or if you’re thinking of buying in the near future, below are a few reasons why buying your home in the fall would be most beneficial.  

Choosing the Right Time of Year

One of the key things prospective home buyers need to consider is when it’s the right time to buy a home. Not only do home prices vary over time, but they also vary over the course of the year. While summer is the most popular time to move or put your home on the market, supply and demand is a big factor in why home prices fluctuate. So, if you’re looking to buy a home in 2018, you’d be wise to consider the timing of your purchase.

The Best Time to Buy a House for a Good Price

The best month to steal a deal when buying a home? October. Though many people think of spring and summer as the hot spots for real estate, it’s for that exact reason that makes October the better month for buying. Spring and summer are overloaded with prospective buyers creating a frenzied market, and, just like the beaches in the fall, the water has cleared making less competition for buyers.

Housing Market Signals

While we’ve explained that fall is the best time to buy a home, it’s more than just pouncing when the market is tired—there’s actual data to be considered, as well. According to 2017 data from Trulia, starter home inventory in the U.S. as a whole gets a 7 percent boost between October and December each year. As a result, we see listing prices that are about 4.8 percent and 3.1 percent lower in the winter and spring than in the summer, respectively.

 


Some other market signals you may want to consider include:

 

 

  • Mortgage rate changes 
  • Bidding wars
  • Pricing trends
  • Local housing trends
  • Times when homeowners may have trouble paying off debt (January and February) 

Together, all of these can be considered as leverage when buying a home. Most importantly, if you want to find a great home for a reasonable price, look for times when the market is soft, or when there are fewer prospects.

 If you’re thinking of buying a home in the coming months, or still unsure and have more questions, our talented team of agents at Janet McAfee are always here and ready to help you navigate the process from start to finish. If you’re looking for a real estate firm you can trust, contact us today!

Plan For These Seven Fall Renovations Now

by Chuck Roper 15. August 2018 08:40




With the start of a new season, fall brings the opportunity to reinvent your home! There are plenty of fall renovation projects that will make your home feel fresh and get you ready for winter. Not sure where to start? No problem! We picked out a few seasonal projects that will leave your home feeling renewed before winter arrives.


1. Seal Your Windows


An easy way to prepare your house for winter is by putting caulk around the edges of your windows. Small gaps between windows and window panes allow heat to escape and let the cold in, lowering your home’s energy efficiency and raising your heating costs. Caulk is very low in cost, and it’s a simple project that you can knock out in a weekend.



2. Update Your Outdoor Pool


Whether you’re looking for some serious repairs or just standard maintenance, fall is the best time to work on your pool. Summer is the busiest season for pool repairs, and costs are often at their highest, so waiting until fall to get repairs done ensures that you’ll face a lower price. Plus, companies will have more time in the off-season, which means your repairs will likely get done quickly.



3. Protect Your Garden


As temperatures cool down, it’s time to start getting your garden ready for winter. You’ll want to cover your flower beds to protect them from snow and cold. One of the easiest ways to do this is with dried, fallen leaves. Collect the leaves that fall in autumn and place them in a layer over your garden, which will insulate your plants for the cold months ahead.



4. Paint Your Exterior


A fresh coat of paint does wonders! Remember to add sealant over the paint to protect against snow and ice damage. While you’re at it, apply sealant to outdoor stairs, doors, and wood on porches, too.


5. Repair the Roof


If your roof has any small holes or leaks, winter will only make them worse. Heat will escape and snow will get in. Fall is a perfect time to have a roofing crew come in, take care of any small repairs, and make sure you’re ready to handle snow and ice.



6. Clean the Carpets


Summer can get carpets pretty dirty. Between mud, sand, and other pieces of the outdoors tracked in, your floors are begging for a cleaning. Fall is a great time to clean carpets because dirt from summer sports and activities won’t be coming in. It’s also generally still warm enough so that you can open the windows for ventilation while carpet soaps do their work. That means a fall day outside for you and a full cleaning for your carpets!



7. Install a Programmable Thermostat


Save money this winter with a programmable thermostat. You can set your heat to go down while you’re at work or asleep, which conserves both energy and money. Then your heat can come right back up when you get home, keeping you nice and comfortable!



Fall is a great time to do home renovations, and it’s the perfect bridge between summer and winter to refresh your house and get it ready for the cold. What home renovations are you looking forward to this fall?

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DIY | Seasonal Preparations

How to Make the Most of Your Outdoor Living Space

by Chuck Roper 25. June 2018 04:35




One of the biggest perks to becoming a homeowner is the freedom; the freedom to tweak, design, and customize your living space down of the very last tile. Living space in this instance—especially with warmer weather on the horizon—extends beyond the walls of your home. It encompasses the front yard, backyard, and every outdoor cranny in between.


Creating the ideal outdoor living space for your home comes down to both your needs and the space itself. How can you effortlessly extend the square footage of your home into the outdoors? And more importantly, how can you make the most of your outdoor living space in a way that’s both beautiful and usable?

Furniture that’s Flexible

The furnishings of your outdoor living space should be reflective its intended use cases. For example, if you enjoy entertaining large groups, you may opt for a design that prioritizes ample seating. This doesn’t have to translate to your standard four-legged chair, however. Consider the use of large ground cushions, benches, or even swings if you have the right infrastructure to work with.


In addition to seating, consider investing in furniture that’s light, multi-functional, and easy to rearrange. Doing so will prove to come in handy should you need to do some last minute prepping for those summertime barbecues.

Account for Shade

Making the most of your outdoor living space is as much about your time spent reading in the shade, as it is basking in the sun. Be mindful of every outdoor moment you might want to account for and prepare accordingly. This could mean investing in a large, outdoor umbrella or simply positioning furniture to account for light pattern changes throughout the day. Especially on those hot summer days, you’ll be thankful for a little reprieve from the elements that don’t require you to stay cooped up inside.

Be conscious of traffic patterns

Whether entertaining guests or navigating solo, it’s important to establish some sort of common pathway from the outdoors to the inside and everywhere in between. Doing so will allow you to decorate around walkways sensibly and keep your flora free from being trampled. Lay down a simple stone path or illuminate with a lineup of outdoor sensor lights.

Organize your tools and accessories in one place

Inside, outside, it doesn’t matter — not being able to locate something you need to get a job done is frustrating. For this reason, consider centralizing all of your outdoor tools and accessories in one place. If you’re an avid gardener or handyman, maybe this means setting up a small shed out of the line of traffic for storage. Or perhaps you’ve designated a place in the garage for those needs. Wherever it is, keeping your outside organized will make it more enjoyable to spend time outside.

Zone your space

One of the easiest ways to approach designing an outdoor living space is to map it out by zones. This translates to the sectioning off of spaces in your backyard by function. There could be a zone for dining, lounging, gardening, grilling, kid’s activities; however you choose to categorize your spaces, make sure they’re reflective of your household needs for intended use.

Create a sense of privacy

Regardless of how much you may enjoy the company of your neighbors, there’s nothing wrong with establishing a bit of privacy. Consider investing in a fence, partitions or awnings. A little seclusion can go a long way in making your outdoor living space feel like an extension of your indoors.


On the hunt for the home (and backyard) of your dreams? Check out our newest listings of homes for sale in the greater St. Louis area today!



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Seasonal Preparations

Top Interior Design Trends for Summer

by Chuck Roper 15. June 2018 04:25


Summer brings sun, the beach, waves, heat--and a chance to brighten up your home! A new season is an opportunity for stylish updates to your home’s interior design, with decor as hot as the weather.


Pops of Color

Summer is the most colorful time of the year, with flowers in full bloom and the sun lighting everything up. Bold color pops--adding an element of color to an otherwise neutrally colored room--can especially bring your home up-to-date with the season. Rooms can be colorfully accented with bright pillows, embellishments like vases or decorative bowls or even wall hangings. Warm colors in the red, orange, yellow and pink family are particularly popular for summer color pops.


Plants, Plants, Plants

Nature is out in full force, so bring some of that greenery into your home! A popular summer trend is to arrange potted plants in your home, warming and softening your space. Try succulents like jade plants, aloe vera, or potted cacti for greenery that needs little maintenance or attention. Try anthurium, ferns, or English ivy for leafy plants that will give your space a garden effect. Accent your rooms with green pillows or wall hangings to highlight your living greenery even further.


Decorate Your Fireplace

If your home has a fireplace, it’s safe to assume you won’t be using it until the weather cools down. Fill your fireplace with flowers, coral, or artfully stacked wood until its needed again. This can brighten up a room and subtly convey the idea of warm weather. A fireplace decoration can double as a room’s pop of color!


Let Curtains Flow

Replace heavy winter curtains and window insulation with long, light, flowing curtains. These will flutter in the breeze and let sun in, keeping you connected to the outdoors and summer. Choose curtains in light colors like white and warm pinks, yellows or oranges, to give your space a light, airy feel. If you live in a buggy area, these curtains can double as shields against mosquitos if you spend long summer days with the windows open.


Feature Fibers

Put natural fibers at the forefront of your summer space. Wicker light hangings are a great way to bring some of the outdoors, indoors, and make your home feel ready for the season. Wicker furniture is a large-scale way to bring your home up to date for summer; make smaller changes with woven wall hangings, picture frames, or hangings for potted plants.



Summer is a great chance to freshen up your space! Whether you’ll be hosting open houses or just seasonal gatherings, make your home more welcoming, airier and more lively.


Ready to list your home? Contact Janet McAfee Real Estate to get started!

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Seasonal Preparations

Does Timing Matter?

by Chuck Roper 14. May 2018 10:09

Yes.  There is seasonality in residential real estate and the time is NOW.  We are in the peak of the real estate selling season.  In fact, May, June and July are the peak months in our St. Louis metropolitan area.   I looked at closed transactions over the past five years and discovered that the month of June has 32% more closed sales than an average month.  Remember, a closed sale typically occurs 40-60 days after an offer has been accepted, which means contracts written in mid-May produce the closed sales the end of June and contracts written in June close in late July.   As we say in real estate “time is of the essence.”

7 Ways to Prepare Your Home for a Spring Market

by Chuck Roper 8. February 2018 03:25

Spring is right around the corner, and if you’re planning on putting your house on the market this season, it’s certainly not too early to be giving some thought to preparing your home for buyers. Spring is the optimum time to sell your home. Regardless of whether it’s a buyer’s or seller’s market, there is almost always a rise in demand during the months of April, May and June. Of course, increased demand also means increased competition, so chances are you’ll need to do some sprucing up to stay in the running. Read on for seven helpful tips on how to prepare your home for a spring showing.    

1. Stage Your Home

“Home staging” refers to arranging furniture so as to maximize feelings of space and light with an aesthetic eye as to how each room should flow into another. Yes, this means stowing away your pile of magazines or unpaid bills in the hopes of presenting a fantasy version of your home for buyers. If your personal decor isn’t cutting it, you can transfer your belongings into storage and rent furniture and artwork from a home staging company on a monthly basis.

2. Wash Windows & Mirrors

When cleaning your home, remember the phrase “sparkle sells.” A potential buyer may not realize why your home seems so inviting, but if your windows are spotless inside and out and your mirrors clearly reflect the sun, they’ll want to stay all afternoon! So let in the spring sunshine with the help of a bottle of Windex to impress home buyers.

3. Eliminate Odors

As much as we may not like to admit it, we all have unpleasant odors that plague our home from time to time, and nothing will make a potential buyer want to walk out the door than a bad smell in the kitchen, bathroom or living room. However, don’t take the easy way out and simply mask odors with air fresheners, which can be overwhelming and cause allergies. Rather include fresh flowers throughout your home, spice up the kitchen with the scent of boiled cinnamon, or freshen up the bathroom with some eucalyptus.

4. Paint Your Walls

While you may be in love with your seafoam green walls in the kitchen and bathroom, chances are it may be too specific for today’s buyer. The truth is that most buyers prefer to see a blank canvas where they can inject their own personality. Why not select a neutral base color and extend it to all rooms on the same floor? You are making your home appeal to the largest possible audience.

5. Clean or Replace Flooring

Damage to floors and carpeting over the years is unavoidable, and those stains, scratches and cracks will be apparent to potential buyers. Prevent this by cleaning or replacing flooring throughout your home. Carpets should be shampooed and treated for stains, while hardwoods should be swept and mopped until sparkling clean. Any flooring permanently stained or damaged should be replaced, or at the very least refinished.

6. Yardwork

Prepping your home for buyers means cleaning both inside and out. Rake up dead leaves and other debris in your yard, and don’t let overground vegetation block windows or a pathway to the entrance. Trimming bushes and trees will allow more sunlight to shine into your home, and artfully cut lawns will tell buyers to pay attention to small details inside. Remember, the exterior of your home is the first impression buyers will have.

7. Snacks and Drinks

Touring homes all day makes buyers hungry. What better way to make a positive impression than by providing snacks and drinks for guests? Set out crackers and cheese or a plate of your homemade cookies, then place a couple dozen water bottles in the sink filled with ice. Giving refreshments for guests will allow them to spend more time in your kitchen, and marvel at how beautiful it is!

Selling your home can be a stressful process for buyers and sellers alike. Deep cleaning your home will inevitably force you to adapt your aesthetic preferences to sell to a wider audience and sacrifice personal touches you’ve included over the years, but it’s important to keep the bigger picture in mind. Follow the above tips to get your home looking amazing for spring showings and watch your listing sell quickly and at a great price!

Need help with listing your home for sale? Contact Janet McAfee Real Estate today for over three decades of buying and selling experience!

 

 

4 Holiday Home Selling Myths You Can Ignore

by Chuck Roper 13. November 2017 06:27

It may surprise you to learn that the holidays are a good time to sell a home.  Popular opinion tells us buyers are too caught up with travel, social engagements and gift exchanges to look for homes.  The truth is … we sell homes every season of the year.  Holiday buyers are enthusiastic and emotional; they are serious buyers, less distracted by busy work schedules.  Often, they are more motivated to achieve house buying goals during this season of homecoming.     

Myth #1   No one is looking

The reality is that when work commitments slow down around the holidays, buyers look online.  Corporate transferees schedule home buying trips over the holidays.  Holiday buyers have a sense of urgency to write an acceptable offer before the end of the year.     

Myth #2   Holiday decorations deter sales. 

There is nothing like an abundance of lights, a fire in the hearth, the smell of fresh pine and a festive atmosphere to make a home look its best.  As long as it’s not overdone, holiday décor makes a house warm and inviting, which appeals to buyer emotions.

Myth  #3   Spring market brings higher prices.

The fact is prices are more a function of supply and demand (market dynamics) and less a function of the season.  Inventory is lower over the holidays; sellers face less competition; and serious buyers are quicker to make a strong offer.   We don’t have a crystal ball to predict Spring prices, but we do know that 2017 has been strong year and there are qualified buyers actively looking now.

Myth #4   Holiday showings are just for “sightseers”

A person who devotes time and energy to view properties during the busiest time of the year is a serious buyer. Sightseers or people just seeking decorating tips are more apt to tour when nothing else is going on.  Serious buyers are out looking during the holidays.

Janet Horlacher, Janet McAfee Real Estate

 

"Beat the Heat" Showing Tips

by Chuck Roper 24. July 2017 07:38

St. Louis reached an official high temperature on Saturday with a scorching 108 degrees.  It’s difficult to do just about anything in that heat zone, much less tour homes with out of town buyers.  Everything looks and feels “wilted” making it difficult to showcase our lush St. Louis neighborhoods to transferees (especially if they are coming from Northern Michigan!)

Cool down the House 30 Minutes Prior to Showing – If the home is vacant or if the programmable thermostat is set for energy conservation during the day, an uncomfortably hot house is an immediate turn off for prospective buyers.  Make sure someone arrives early to cool the house, turn on all the lights and play quiet, calming music. 

 

Run the Irrigation System before your showing – Remember, first impressions are everything in real estate.  Nothing says “old, tired, long dated listing” like scraggly, drooping landscaping.  Keep weeds in check; lawns should be cut appropriately for the heat and perennials should be kept trimmed and looking healthy.  Watering prior to showings will give a healthy and well-kept appearance. 

 

Keep your home Clean and Uncluttered.   There’s something about hot weather that makes dirty, overstuffed homes feel even more stifling.   Now, more than ever, it is imperative to purge tabletops of dust loving knick-knacks, wipe down counter tops and vacuum carpets.  A glistening, streamlined home feels cooler and more inviting.

 

Janet Horlacher

Principal, Janet McAfee Real Estate

 

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General | Seasonal Preparations

Pool Tips For Fall

by Chuck Roper 21. September 2016 11:13


If you are listing a property with a pool now, photograph the pool while the weather cooperates, even if the home’s interior is not yet ready for shooting.  Suggest that the sellers direct their pool company to perform a brief maintenance check, making suggested repairs and delineating ongoing maintenance in writing, when the pool is closed in autumn.  Most buyers will contact the pool service company listed in the disclosure for information on the pool, so a written report will insure that all parties are literally ‘on the same page’ when the winter winds begin to blow! 

-Cathy Noll
 Vice President/Broker

Tags:

General | Seasonal Preparations

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