Attract Potential Buyers to Your House with Curb Appeal
Curb appeal refers to what house-hunters first see when they visit your home, or even as they drive through neighborhoods browsing "For Sale" signs. When someone is considering your house as their new home, first impressions count - make sure it's a good one with these tips:

De-clutter your yard by removing anything that doesn't serve a practical or decorative purpose. Gather children's toys, remnants of your last gardening project, and any other items that don't belong, and place them out of sight. A cluttered front yard may lead passersby to think the inside of your home is equally unkempt.

Tidy up your yard by making sure the lawn stays well-manicured. Mow it often, and trim shrubs and trees that may have become overgrown, especially if they get in the way of a full view of your house. Add mulch to your flower beds for a budget-friendly method of freshening up your yard. You might even add some colorful annuals to brighten things up.

Try to look at your house objectively. If your door is painted a bright color that may not appeal to most potential buyers, consider painting it a more neutral color. Or, if a few spindles on your front porch are missing, replace them. Simple, budget-friendly alterations can really make a difference in making your house look inviting and appealing to potential buyers.
How to Choose a Contractor for Home Repairs
When you purchase a house, a contingency of the contract may be an allotment for certain home repairs and updates, negotiated by the former homeowner and the new one. Depending on the services you require, you may need to hire a plumber, electrician, or some other contractor. To ensure you get high-quality work for a reasonable price, you'll want to do your homework and find an experienced and bonded contractor. Ideally, ask a friend, coworker, or a new neighbor for a referral. Ask what kind of project the contractor completed, and if the price and amount of time it took to complete the project was reasonable. Getting a referral from someone you know will make it more likely that you will get a truthful and candid recommendation.

If you don't have someone who can provide a referral, start by searching the phone book for contractors from larger, more established companies. Chances are that if they've been in business for more than a few years, their work is quality. But just to be on the safe side, after you've narrowed down a few choices, consult the local chapter of the Better Business Bureau or the Chamber of Commerce to see if any complaints or issues have been filed against the companies you're considering.

When you choose a company to work with, it's reasonable to ask for a list of references or examples of past projects. You may also verify the business's insurance coverage and work permits. After all, they will be in your home -- so take the precautions you need to ensure you've made a well-informed decision. Finally, a deposit may be required to begin work, but you shouldn't be expected to pay the balance on services until the project is complete.
Depersonalize Your Home to Encourage Potential Buyers
When prospective buyers tour your home, they need to be able to imagine themselves living in it. However, this can be a challenge when your family photos adorn the walls, your books clutter the shelves, and your personal effects are prominently displayed throughout the house. Depersonalizing your home makes it a clean slate to potential buyers, allowing them to imagine their own belongings in the spaces left behind. It may be difficult to disassemble the way your home has looked for years, but it will prove beneficial in helping to sell your house as quickly as possible.

The most common source of personalization in a home is photos. Remove photos of families and friends throughout the house. Other decorative objects that personalize a home include: artwork (think painted family portraits and hand prints of children), diplomas, and collectibles (porcelain dolls, sports memorabilia, unusual trinkets, etc.)  After depersonalizing your home, if you feel it looks too barren, consider purchasing some inexpensive, neutral decorations like generic artwork and vases filled with fresh flowers.

The key in depersonalizing your home is presenting it as a blank canvas to potential buyers. Attract them to purchase your home by not bombarding them with your personal furnishings and adornments. For more ideas about how to depersonalize your home, you may consider consulting a Certified Staging Professional or asking your agent for tips.
Finding and Choosing a Foreclosure Property
Today foreclosure properties abound, and with the convenience of the internet, you can find foreclosure properties right from your computer by searching sites that feature foreclosure listings. Several sites, like the Fannie Mae-Owned Property Search, HUD Homes, and the IRS Real Estate and Personal Property Search, allow people  to search foreclosure properties by location, price, and type of property. Besides internet searches, however, there are many unique approaches to finding a house in foreclosure, or  finding homeowners that are seeking a quick sale to avoid foreclosure.

To find foreclosed houses or those in danger of being foreclosed, check the newspaper. House listings that are marked "for sale by owner" (may be abbreviated "FSBO"), "reduced for quick sale," or "motivated seller" may indicate the homeowners are desperate to get out from under their mortgage payments. You may also try driving through local neighborhoods and looking for houses that appear unkempt, uninhabited, or just generally in disrepair. If a lawn looks like it hasn't been mowed in weeks or the house's paint is peeling, it could be a sign the homeowner doesn't have the money or the means to continue maintaining their home and may sell it to you at a big savings.

You've probably seen billboards that say something to the effect of  "We buy houses" around your city. In a similar fashion, consider taking an ad out in your local paper or the area where you'd like to purchase a home with your contact information, and a foreclosed property may come to you!
#my_firstname# #my_lastname#



#my_phone#
In This Issue:

Contact me:
#my_firstname# #my_lastname#



#my_phone#


Tips for Buying Forclosure Property



Open House Tips - Fine Living Network



Choosing the Right Neighborhood

Depending on your needs and interests, some neighborhoods are better than others, and this is an important consideration when shopping for your next home. Here are some things to keep in mind when evaluating neighborhoods:

Schools- If you have children or are planning to in the near future, the proximity and success of the nearest school should be a consideration in choosing a neighborhood. Realtors usually provide this information as part of a property's extended real estate listing. Depending on your lifestyle and needs, consider the proximity of other locations like your job, cultural venues (theatres, museums, movie theatres, amphitheaters), airports, malls, hospitals, parks, and stadiums.

Property value- Research the average price of houses in the prospective neighborhood. The higher the value of the homes around yours, the more your house will be worth, especially if the neighborhood becomes a highly sought-after, "hot neighborhood" in later years.

Crime rate- Has it been rising each year in a particular area or is it on the decline? A diminishing crime rate is obviously more favorable than one continually on the rise.

Traffic- How much time should you allocate each day for traffic during your morning and evening commute? Purchasing a home in a neighborhood outside of a city could save you a lot of money, but the extra time spent commuting isn't an adequate trade-off for some buyers.



Community involvement- If community involvement is important to you, check and see if there is an active Homeowners' Association in your neighborhood. HOAs generally host events and sponsor projects in the community that encourage neighbors to get know one another. Here's a tip: Try driving through the community on a Saturday afternoon to see how many neighbors are in their yards, if neighborhood children appear to be playing together, etc. You could always conduct an impromptu interview, asking a potential neighbor how they like living in the neighborhood.
JBA Network • 311 Montford Ave • Asheville • NC • 28801