Wednesday, May 29, 2013

10 selling secrets in Real Estate

Selling Secret #10: Pricing it right

Find out what your home is worth, then shave 10% off the price. In this current buyers market you are aiming to receive multiple offers, and buyers will bid up the price over what it’s worth. It takes courage, but it is the best strategy to sell a home in today’s market.

Selling Secret #9: Half-empty closets
Storage is something buyers are looking for and you can never have enough of. Take half the clothes out of your closet, and neatly organize it. Buyers will always open closets, so be sure to keep all your closets and cabinets clean and tidy.

Selling Secret #8: Light it up
Maximize the light in your home. After location, good light is the one thing that every buyer wants in a home. Take down the drapes, clean the windows, and change the lampshades. Do what you have to do make your house bright, it will make it more sellable.

Selling Secret #7: Play the agent field
A secret sale killer is hiring the wrong Real Estate broker. Make sure you have a broker who is totally informed. They must constantly monitor the comparable listing and know what properties are going on the market. Find a broker who embraces technology – a tech-savvy one has many tools to get your house sold.

Selling Secret #6: Conceal the critters
You might think a cute dog would warm the hearts of potential buyers, but you're wrong. Not everybody is a dog/ cat lover. Buyers don’t want to walk in a home and see a food bowl, smell the litter box or have tufts of pet hair stuck to their clothes. It will give buyers the impression that your house is not clean. If you’re planning to sell your house, keep it clean and odorless.

Selling Secret #5: Don’t over-upgrade

Quick fixes before selling always pay off. You probably won’t get your money back if you do a huge improvement project before you put your house on the market. Instead, do updates that will pay off and get you top dollar. Get fresh paint on the walls. Clean the curtains, replace door handles/ cabinet hardware, fix leaking faucets and clean the grout.

Selling Secret #4: Take the home out of your house
One of the most important things to do when selling your house is to de-personalize it. The more personal stuff in your house, the less potential buyers can imagine themselves living there. Get rid of family photos, kids toys and personal keepsakes. Arrange your furniture to best showcase the floor plan and maximize the use of space.

Selling Secret #3: The kitchen comes first
The benefits of remodeling your kitchen are endless, and the best part of it is that you’ll probably get 85% of your money back. It may be a few thousand dollars to replace countertops where a buyer may knock $10,000 off the asking price if your kitchen looks dated. The fastest, most inexpensive kitchen updates include painting and new cabinet hardware. Use a neutral-color paint so you can present buyers with a blank canvas where they can start envisioning their own style. If you have a little money to spend, buy stainless steel appliances. 

Selling Secret #2: Always be ready to show
Your house needs to be "show-ready" at all times – you never know when your buyer is going to walk through the door. You have to be available whenever they want to come see the place and it has to be in tip-top shape. Don’t leave dishes in the sink, the bathrooms sparkling and make sure there are no dust bunnies in the corners. It’s a little inconvenient, but it will get your house sold.

Selling Secret #1: The first impression is the only impression
No matter how good the interior of your home looks, buyers have already judged your home before they walk through the door. You never have a second chance to make a first impression. It’s important to make people feel welcome and safe as they approach the house. Entryways are very important. You use it as a utility space for your coat and keys. But, when you’re selling, make it welcoming by putting in a small bench, a vase of fresh-cut flowers or even some cookies.




Sunday, May 26, 2013

making MONEY flipping houses

House flipping is coming back into fashion—but not everyone is cut out for it.
Buying a run-down house and then upgrading and repairing it, to then sell it for a profit isn’t for the faint of heart.
Flipping a house isn’t easy, but there are ways to make a profit on your first attempt. From choosing the right house to having a good contractor, follow the advice from expert flippers to come out of the process with a profit.
Find the Right Property
At the height of the recent housing crisis, home flippers had a glut of inventory to choose from and were often able to purchase a home below market rates, fix it up and easily sell it for a profit. While some markets still allow for this situation, many markets are experiencing low inventory--making it hard to find a cheap property.
Set the Price
Before a novice investor chooses a home to purchase, he or she has to first figure out what the home will sell for once it’s rehabbed. To arrive at a price, investors can review selling prices of similar houses in the area or to work with a local real estate agent.
Find the Right Contractor
Another key person to have on your team is a general contractor who can detail exactly how much the renovation is going to cost. One of the biggest mistakes house flippers make is underestimating how many repairs are needed and their costs. I advise you to always be conservative when estimating the costs and add an additional 10% to be on the safe side.
Set a Timeline
Long gone are the days when you can purchase a house one day, make repairs for a couple of weeks and then sell the house in a month or two. These days it takes an average of four to six months to flip a house. In some markets it can take even longer than that, which means your costs could increase while you make the repairs and put it up for sale.
Experts suggest factoring in the flip time into your budget and your potential profit before you purchase the home. According to investors, a successful flip is one that makes you around a 15% profit.
At the end of the day the best way to stack the odds in your favor is to purchase the right house at the right price. Location and curb appeal will play big roles in how quickly and for how much a home is purchased. “Don’t let emotions and a strong desire to get your first deal done get in the way,”
"People want the first deal so bad they will fudge the numbers to try to make it work.”

Find properties; www.arubahouses.com
Email: miriam@arubahouses.com

 

re-opening UPSTAIRS (across from Radisson Aruba)


Monday, May 13, 2013

Paalzitten Cafe Plaza 2013, Oranjestad. Two Champions!!

Another great result at paalzitten (polesitting) at Cafe the Plaza in Aruba.
88 hours sitting on a pole; ...Liesbeth Cornes en Shurman Milliard finish 88 hours sitting without any sleep!
Part of the money they collected is for the charity, 1/3 of the money will go to this years charity; Sonrisa.


















The volunteers of Trampolin pa Trabao, Sonrisa, the charity of the polesitting championships at Cafe the Plaza, have done a great job, selling mother’s day gifts, raffle tickets and organizing games.
Photo shows VIP sitter Harry Koeman flanked by Shurman and Liesbeth;

https://www.facebook.com/centro.sonrisa

http://www.cafetheplaza.com/

Thursday, May 09, 2013

Aruba, one happy island

For information on Aruba, please visit the website: www.aruba.com
Aruba Real Estate for sale, please check Century 21: www.arubahouses.com

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