5 Ways to Sell Your House Stress-Free!

You’ve made the decision to sell your house. You may have been mulling it over for years, or perhaps a sudden life change has prompted you to make the leap. Whether you’re relocating for a job, empty-nest downsizing, or just need a change, you’ve made it past the first hurdle of reaching the decision!

But the many complicated logistics of selling your house may feel overwhelming. Before you get stressed out and change your mind about the whole thing, know that there are some great ways to stay focused and positive as you navigate this important step. Here are some tips to help you sell your house stress-free to make this leap a very positive one.

Be Clear About Your Objectives Up Front

A lot of communication is required when selling a house, so it’s critical to set a clear set of objectives to yourself and everyone else involved in the process: your real estate agent, your family, and your friends. From the outset, determine an attainable selling price for your home with your real estate agent, and set up clear and reliable lines of communication.

Be clear with your family and friends about what they can expect during the process, and what you’ll need from them to help facilitate the situation with as little stress as possible. Determining your goals and expectations and sharing them clearly with those closest to you is a critical step in eliminating undue stress as you maneuver through the process of selling your home.

Stay Flexible

You may have an idea in your head of how long it will take to sell your home. If it begins to take longer than what you expected, the stress will grow. Keep in mind that there are so many variables at play—the location, the price, the market—and you’re setting yourself up for disappointment if you set your mind to a too rigid deadline. An immediate house sale is rare, so it’s best to curb your expectations and stay flexible as the process unfolds.

Keep Things Tidy

You may be required to show your home to potential buyers at a moment’s notice. Maybe they’re in the area and want to pop in to view your home, or perhaps some out-of-towners want to add your house to their list before ending their visit. You won’t be so easily rattled by these last-second requests if you work diligently to keep your house tidy and in order at all times.

Make beds before leaving for work in the morning, never leave dishes in the kitchen sink, and keep up with the laundry and vacuuming. Thoroughly clean the bathrooms every week. If this is overwhelming, consider hiring cleaning help during this transition period. You may want to consider enlisting the help of a willing friend or neighbor who can help with last-minute tidying up if you can’t leave work. Keeping things neat consistently will dramatically reduce your stress level when last-minute showings come up.

Leave the House for Social Activities

Sometimes the pressure of unexpected showings and persistent phone calls can begin to take an emotional toll. To stick a pin in the building stress of selling a home, give yourself permission to get out of the house on occasion.

Go out to dinner with friends. Take a long weekend trip. Go to a museum or sporting event. Think of this time as an investment in your personal well-being, by getting your mind off the house sale for a bit. Getting out of the house can work wonders, especially during the first few weeks your house is listed.

Adopt a Healthy Lifestyle

No matter how all-encompassing it may seem, selling a house is never more than one piece of the large pie of life. Don’t forsake your other needs and demands while navigating the process of selling a home. Maintain a healthy lifestyle throughout the process by eating healthy meals and getting plenty of exercise and sleep.

If you plan to move out of town, you may not be inclined to get a gym membership or join a yoga class. But you can still walk for a half hour every day or take the kids to a park where you can blow off some steam together.

Getting the appropriate nutrition is a natural way to help your body fight stress. Drink more water, pass on the fried foods, and get more hours of sleep than normal. You’ll thank yourself for the extra effort.

Selling your house can be stressful, but if you set realistic expectations and come to terms with the certainty of uncertainty for the time being, you’ll make it through with a smile.

Source: Sharon Lee - http://blog.coldwellbanker.com/5-ways-sell-house-stress-free/

Spring Market is here!!!

Well, actually, Spring Market began in the middle of March. As any of you who follow this Blog here and on Facebook can tell, we have been a bit remiss in posting lately. The market has been very busy which is fantastic for both our sellers and buyers! All this activity translates into late nights and early mornings for us which is great! But sadly, leaves little time to write!

We are beginning to find our spring market rhythm so stand by for more postings!

Are you interested in buying or selling a home? We would love the opportunity to work with you! Please contact Stafford Family Realtors today for a free Market Analysis.

952.470.2575

Happy Spring!!!

Getting Ready To Sell: Two Approaches

Getting your home ready to sell is a Big Deal!  A home owner that's done their homework can sell their home quickly and for a better price than someone who just slaps their home on the market without doing anything.

If you want to sell your home quickly and for top dollar, there are a few things that you can do to greatly improve your chances of success.  And there are two ways to go about it: do it all yourself or hire it out.  Understandably, if you do it all yourself you will save a lot of money but you will spend it a lot of time (and effort) to do it.  If you hire it out, you won't personally have to do much except write out a number of rather large checks to someone else.

Today, we'll lay out the things you definitely should do to sell a house.  We'll let you know who to call to hire it out or what you need to do yourself to get it done less expensively - and when to know which option makes the most sense in any given situation.

Deep Clean Everything

If the only thing you do to your home is really clean it well, you'll already be above a lot of the competition.  One thing new buyers hate is the idea of living in someone else's dirt.  You want your home to sparkle inside and out.

Source:  domy2dolist.com

Hire It Out
Call all your top cleaning professionals.  Carpet and furniture steam cleaners, house cleaners to do a thorough deep clean, gutter cleaners, lawn maintenance professionals, etc.  Depending on where you live, hiring all these professionals can cost a couple of thousand dollars.

DIY
Rent a steam cleaner, break out the cleaning supplies, and get to work.  Deep cleaning your own home, inside and out, might cost you a couple of hundred dollars but you'll be spending weeks getting it done.  If you have the time and are able, this is the way to go to save significant money.

Declutter and Depersonalize

You want your home to look clean, uncluttered and fairly impersonal.  Think of a luxury hotel.  Nice decor but suitable to many tastes.

Source:  imperfecthomemaking.com

Hire It Out
Hire a professional organization consultant who will help you sort through everything you have and help you get rid of the things you don't need and find an organized way to store the things you want to keep.  You can also rent out a storage facility to store any things that you don't need until after you move.  You will still have to participate, but you'll have a lot of help.

DIY
You can tackle this project yourself if you can be tough on yourself.  You need to really assess whether you can part with items, and then actually do it.  You can peruse websites on organization for ideas on great ways to store items.  And you might have friend that will let you store some of your stuff until you move.

Update Your Kitchen

The kitchen is the one critical room when it comes to selling a home.  Make sure it is beautiful and functional.  If your kitchen is very outdated or just doesn't work well, then consider an upgrade.

Source:  sistamoments.com

Hire It Out
With kitchens, you can really go all out.  You can completely re-do the kitchen with all new cabinets, new flooring, upgraded countertops, and top end appliances.  And there are professional designers and builders to help you with the entire process.

DIY
If you can't afford an entire kitchen upgrade, do whatever you can do get your kitchen looking it's best.  If you can afford it, upgrade some or all of your appliances.  Consider repainting or staining your cabinets a different color.  Install new kitchen hardware.  If you can't afford new countertops, consider a faux-granite paint job.  Install undercabinet lighting to brighten the space.

However, if you are not a handy person, consider hiring out any major work.  It's better to spend the money to have it look good than to invest a lot of time and turn it into a hack-job.  Buyers know good (and bad) work when they see it.

Use Paint To Freshen Rooms

Living in a home inevitably leads to scuffs and marks on the walls.  A fresh coat of paint goes a long way to making a room feel clean and new.  Paint will also help you neutralize the color of your home so that it is appealing to the widest number of buyers.

Source:  interiorish.com

Hire It Out
You can hire a designer to help you come up with a neutral color scheme that will flow from room to room effortlessly.  Then hire professional painters to paint each room.  You'll only be slightly inconvenienced for a couple of weeks.

DIY
Painting is one thing that most folks can tackle themselves and still get stunning results while saving a lot of money.  Do your research on how to successfully prep a room for painting and for the best painting techniques.  One place not to skimp on, however, is the paint.  Choose good quality paint and your paint job will go much smoother and faster.

Update The Lighting

If your light switches and outlets are old and yellowed or broken, replace them in your entire house. Bright any dark areas in your home with new lighting.

Hire It Out
Hire a professional to install dimmer switches where possible and rewire if the switches are in inconvenient places.  Install new lighting where ever you find dark spots like in closets, in the bathtub area, and long hallways.  Adding motion sensors and flood lights outside improves the safety of your home.

DIY
Most home-owners can handle changing out a light switch.  But unless you know what your doing when it comes to electrical issues, leave any re-wiring to the professionals.

Landcaping

You may have a great house but if it's sitting on a boring plot of grass with one measly tree in front, buyers won't want to buy it.  Keep your lawn looking great, have a few (but not too many) plant around your home, and plant a few fairly mature trees if you don't have any.

Source:  houselogic.com

Hire It Out
Hire professionals to make your lawn look its best.  Hire a landscape designer to help you design a beautiful garden plan for your entire yard and hire them to plant it all, too.  Hire professionals to install mature trees throughout your yard.

DIY
If a fully revamped landscaping plan is out of your budget, then just clean up what you already have.  Prune trees and bushes, weed your gardens, and mow your yard.  Keep everything looking good in every season.  And use pots to your advantage, especially around your entryway.

Garage and Exterior Doors

Curb appeal is a necessity.  Most buyers shop online before ever going to a realtor, and most listings show the exterior of the home on a listing.  Make sure you home looks it's very best.

Source:  houselogic.com

Hire It Out
Replacing your front door and your garage doors has a great return on investment.  If your siding is lacking, consider replacing it with cement board siding and some stone treatment.

DIY
If all that just isn't in your budget, you can still upgrade the look of your exterior with paint and adding new hardware.

Flooring

Most home buyers these days are looking for hardwood flooring throughout the house.  If you have it in your home, it's a definite plus.

Source:  houzz.com

Hire It Out
If you have wall to wall carpet, consider having it ripped out and install hardwood throughout the main living areas.

DIY
If you live in an older home, chances are pretty good that you might have hardwood under the carpets already.  Check in an inconspicuous area, and if you do have them, pull up the carpets and refinish the wood floors that are already there.  If you don't have it, but still want hardwoods, consider installing it yourself if you have the skills.  You might want to consider having someone else do the finish work of sanding and staining.

The One Thing Everyone Should Do

No matter who you are, whether you have a ton of money to throw at projects, or you are saving every penny by doing things yourself, the best way to insure that you get top dollar for your home is to hire a Realtor.  This is the biggest investment you probably have, so leave it to the professionals to help you with the ins and outs of real estate transactions.

Source:  Michelle Schwake for Stafford Family Realtors

Fall Is A Great Time To Sell

Source:  blog.foresthill.com

Anyone who knows even a tiny bit about real estate has probably heard that the market slows to a crawl in the fall and is virtually non-existent during the holidays and on through January.  The thinking behind that was that families who have school-aged children are settling into their school routines and are not looking to make big changes.  Many opt to wait until spring and summer to sell their homes.

But times have changed.  No longer do you need to load everyone into the car to look at every home on the market in your price range.  The internet and online marketing of homes has made shopping for homes, and weeding out the ones that don't suit you, easy as pie.  In fact, consumers can shop with laser focus and can be ready to buy the hour a home goes on the market that meets all their criteria.

Another reason that fall doesn't mean the death of the market is simply that families are not the only ones shopping for a home.  Many baby boomers are coming into retirement and are looking to downsize.  They do not need to adhere to a school-year schedule.  Likewise, millennials can hop into the market at any time as they opt to forego huge rents in favor of owning a home.

And finally, since many do wait for the spring market, putting your home up for sale in the fall means much less competition which could lead to faster selling times for a higher price than you might get in the spring.

Still, selling your home is never a breeze.  There is always work that should be done to get your home looking its best.  And fall has a few particular challenges that you'll want to be aware of.

Make Your Exterior as Clean and Attractive as Possible

Source:  irtmag.com

Sure, fall is spectacularly beautiful...for about 3 weeks.  The remainder of the fall season is marked by bare trees and shrubs, very few flowering plants, and yellowing grass.  Fall tends to be windy as well, which means leaves and debris fly around your yard.

Source:  homeaway.com

If your home is on the market in the fall, be diligent about keeping it maintained.  This may mean raking leaves every other day and occasionally sweeping your driveway and walkways.

Add colorful interest at your main entry.  Without overdoing it, decorate for the season your in.  Take out wilted and straggly summer flowers and put vibrant mums and gourds in your pots.

Source:  selectdecoration.blogspot.com

Make Your Home Feel Cozy

Source: theinspiredroom.net

There's always a chill in the air in autumn.  Be sure your home is warm and toasty.  Keep your thermostat a few degrees warmer than you normally do.  Consider offering slippers for visitors when they need to take their shoes off.  

You can also warm up a house by using color.  Pops of red, orange and yellow accents can bring a brightness and warmth to your home during dull autumn days.  If your home is decorated in mostly cool colors like blues and greys, consider repainting with warmer hues.

Display tasteful fall decorations like a centerpiece for your table.  And waft some warm and cozy scents throughout your home like freshly baked bread, apple cinnamon pie, or pumpkin bread.  Just a hint is all you need.  Don't overwhelm your buyers senses.

Light It Up

Not only do fall days bring gloomy, cloudy weather, but the sun also sets earlier and earlier every day.  This means your house needs extra assistance to show it in its best light.  During the day, leave lights on throughout the house during showings.  Make sure there are no dark and dingy corners.  

Source:  Pinterest.com

And in the evenings, turn on your porch light and interior lights toward the front of the house, even when you aren't there.  Glowing houses on a chilly night make people want to seek refuge there.

Source:  flickr.com

Embrace autumn as a great time to sell your house and you could be in a new home before Christmas.

Source:  Michelle Schwake for Stafford Family Realtors 

Short Notice, Quick Sale

Many homeowners know months in advance that they are going to move.  But from some, the news comes unexpectedly and sometimes with a very short timeline.

Because of the unexpectedness of the move, many aren't even close to having their houses ready to sell.  Today, we'll help you put a laser focus on what you need to do to get your house ready to sell, FAST.

Do Essential Fixes

Source:  theshorelife.net

Nobody wants to move into a home that seems broken down.  But when there's a time constraint, you have to fix the essentials and let the rest go.  Sure, it would be nice to replace that yellowed light switch in the bathroom with a chip in the corner of the plate.  But its more important to fix the broken window in the living room.  Fix anything that doesn't work as it should and especially anything that could be hazardous.  You'll most likely be required to do these things after the home inspection anyway, so get to them first.

Start Moving Right Away

Source:  momof6.com

Since you have a short timeline, start boxing up the things you don't need right away.  Do not focus on getting rid of anything right now.  Just box it up.  Declutter and depersonalize your entire house, including closets and basements.  Put away anything you won't need in the next month or two.  Then rent a storage unit for your remaining time and keep all the boxes there.  Do not hide your stuff somewhere in your house.  Buyers will find it.

When it's time to move, grab the things in storage first, then send the truck to your home to get the rest.

Focus On The Kitchen and Curb Appeal

Source:  princetoncapblog.com

When it comes right down to it, curb appeal and kitchens can make or break a deal.  So if you have any time and budget to spend, use it in these places.  Do your best to make your home look clean and inviting when you drive up.  Maybe replace a light fixture or add some new paint to the front door.  And inside, make sure your kitchen is functional, super clean, and as up-to-date as you can get it on your timeline.  Only update easy fixes like new hardware or even a new appliance or two.

Clean Like Your Life Depends On It

Source:  fca.com

At the end of the day, no one wants to live in someone else's dirt.  Clean like you've never cleaned before.  If you only do one thing to get your house ready, make sure it's clean as a whistle.

Price It For A Quick Sell

Source:  pharealty.com

Now is not the time to try to squeeze every last penny out of your house.  Price your home very competitively to sell quickly.  Too low and people will wonder what's wrong with it.  Too high and you'll turn away many great buyers.  Check out comparable neighboring homes and try to be just a smidge under them.

Given enough time, most people can get their homes looking like the latest model.  But when you are crunched for time, you need to focus on fixing broken things, moving stuff out of the house, and cleaning until everything shines.  If there is any time left, focus it on kitchens and your curb appeal. Finally, price it well.  Doing all these things will give you the greatest advantage to selling quickly on short notice.

Source:  Michelle Schwake for Stafford Family Realtors

What $250,000 Looks Like

Ever wonder what kind of house $250,000 will get you in different parts of Minnesota?  We thought we'd highlight some metro areas and then some of the larger out-state towns in Minnesota and see how much house you can get at this price.

Minneapolis
888 SqFt
2 Bed/2 Bath
0.13 Acres



This charming home is located in the Linden Hills area of Minneapolis.  It's a tight squeeze but it does offer a garage and a deck out back.  So it's a big step up from apartment living.  It also is located near lakes and walking/biking paths.

Minnetonka
1,978 SqFt
3 Bed/2 Bath
0.34 Acres



Move out to the suburbs and you get a bigger lot, another bedroom and bath.  Located in an area of excellent schools and a quiet neighborhood.


Victoria
2,341 SqFt
3 Bed/4 Bath
Townhome



Victoria is an affluent suburb of the Twin Cities, surrounded by lakes and nature with a quaint but thriving downtown.  While you get more square footage and a newer footprint, you'll have to settle for a townhome in this price range.


Rochester
3,060 SqFt
4 Bed/4 Bath
0.2 Acres



In Rochester, this amount of money will buy you a decent-sized family home in a nice neighborhood, although the lot will be fairly small.


Duluth
2,723 SqFt
4 Bed/2 Bath
0.5 Acres



In historic Duluth, you can buy this beautiful painted lady.  This home has a decent-sized lot but comes with some of the hassels of an older home like small closets, leaky windows and closed off rooms.

St. Cloud
1,705 SqFt
3 Bed/2 Bath
0.18 Acres



In St. Cloud, you can get a nice sized home with new construction.  This means granite countertops, a 3-car garage, and all the bells and whistles.


Mankato, MN
2,937 SqFt
5 Bed/3 Bath
0.31 Acres




Mankato is a nice college town on the Minnesota River.  You can get a lot of house for your money in a great neighborhood.


Moorhead
2,590 SqFt
4 Bed/2 Bath
0.6 Acres




There's a lot going on in the Fargo/Moorhead area.  And there are a lot of nice homes to choose from.  This one is in a great neighborhood and boasts over a half acre lot.


Winona
2,200 SqFt
5 Bed/3 Bath
0.8 Acres




You can get a whopping 5 bedrooms in Winona.  But you won't have a big selection at this price...it was the only one we could find.

Owatonna
1,968 SqFt
3 Bed/3 Bath
3.44 Acres




While you may not get the newest or the biggest house, you can get a lot of acreage for a decent price in Owatonna.


Willmar
1,488 SqFt
3 Bed/1.5 Bath
1.8 Acres



In Willmar, you can get this adorable cottage home on a lake with almost 2 acres of land and 400 feet of lakeshore for $250,000.


Bemidji
4,600 SqFt
5 Bed/4 Bath
0.2 Acres



This beautiful older home sits right on the shores of Lake Bemidji and is located right in the middle of town as well.  Plus it boasts almost 5,000 square feet of living space.


Source:  Michelle Schwake for Stafford Family Realtors

Take Pictures Now

Maybe you've found the perfect lot and are planning on breaking ground this fall and will be able to move in sometime early next year.  But you need a place to live until then so you don't plan on putting your house on the market until January. 

Source:  hgtv.com

Or maybe you know that you're relocating this winter and will be forced to put your home on the market in November.  Or maybe you know you'll move sometime in the future, but just don't know exactly when.

Source: dharthouse.com

While none of these scenarios is a deal-breaker, one of the problems you will run into is a lack of pictures when you're house and gardens are at their most attractive.

Source:  activerain.trulia.com

Each summer when your gardens are at their height of beauty, regardless of whether or not you're planning to move, you should snap pictures of the exterior of your home.  Take some early in the morning, at mid-day and at twilight.  Show it off!  Then, when and if you ever do have to move, you'll have gorgeous pictures of your home to show on-line, even in the dead of winter.

Source:  Zillow Digs

Source:  Zillow Digs

Source:  Zillow Digs

Source:  Zillow Digs

Source:  Zillow Digs

Source:  Zillow Digs

Be sure to include special features of your yard and landscaping that might be buried under snow someday and won't show to their best advantage.

Source:  Zillow Digs

Source:  Zillow Digs

Source:  Zillow Digs

Source:  Zillow Digs

Source:  Zillow Digs

Source:  Zillow Digs

Source:  Zillow Digs

Highlight the beauty of your landscape during its peak and you'll always have something to show online no matter what the seasons bring.

Source:  Michelle Schwake for Stafford Family Realtors,  All pictures from Zillow Digs unless otherwise noted.

Getting Over 100% Of List Price

The Twin Cities Metro Area is currently boasting a seller's market according to the Minneapolis Area Association of Realtors in their article, Getting Over 100% of Your List Price.  This means that there is low inventory (number of houses on the market) combined with a high demand from buyers.



When it's a seller's market, you tend to see homes sell quickly and for close, or above, list price because of multiple bid offers.  It should be noted that this only happens to homes that are already fairly priced and in pristine selling shape.

If you're ready to put your home up for sale, this news couldn't be better.  But you still need to do your homework.  Location is still the most important factor in pricing and demand for your home.  This means that just because the Twin Cities Area as a whole is pointed towards sellers, your local market (city and neighborhood) may not be.

To ensure that you receive the highest offer for your home, you need to price your home competitively, get your house in great shape, market it well, and listen to all the advice from your realtor.

If you're thinking of selling your home and want to work with trusted and proven realtors who will work hard for you, then consider conctacting Sharla & Eric Stafford of Stafford Family Realtors.  They would love to talk with you about how to achieve the best offer for you home.

Source:  Michelle Schwake for Stafford Family Realtors