Quick House Cleaning Tips During the Holiday Season...

The holidays are upon us, which for many of us means lots of company. While spending time with family and friends is one of the great joys of the season, it can also mean great stress when it comes to cleaning! Here are a few tidy tips for coping with the demands of last-minute cleanups for expected (and unexpected) visitors!!!

Make Your Home Shine... In A Hurry!     Start by putting on some energizing music (the TV can be too distracting); this can really motivate you and make the cleaning a fun workout rather than work! (We prefer Christmas music during the Holiday Season!) Use a bucket or tote to hold your cleaning supplies.  Carry from room to room, so you don't waste time running back and forth. Focus on the rooms guests are likely to see: living room, dining room, kitchen, and bathroom (and if you have a bathroom specifically dedicated to company, focus on that). Don't bother with the tub; just close the shower curtain. Close doors to bedrooms (or any other rooms) you don't have time to clean. Look at each room as a guest might. See where your eyes are drawn first for your starting point. Follow the top-to-bottom, left-to-right rule for cleaning each room; you avoid the "hit-and-miss" risk of spot cleaning. Get the family to help, even the kids. Let little ones clean at their level. Try keeping a basket or container in every room to collect clutter, toys, etc. If you have time, sort through items and put them where they belong; if not, stash in a closet, or behind one of those closed bedroom doors. Or toss a pretty pillowcase, blanket etc over the top to disguise the clutter, and place in a corner of the room.  A pleasant smell can help create the illusion of a spotless house.  A scented plug-in, a scented candle that evokes the smell of the season (Evergreen, Cinnamon etc)  Vacuum slowly, in long straight strokes, to avoid going over the same spots. Do all the vacuuming at once, to avoid bringing dirt from one room to another. Dim lighting and candlelight are intimate and festive, and can disguise a less-than-perfectly clean room!  Tidying up each day (if possible) will help make cleaning much easier and less time consuming!

October Home Sales Slow, Pending Activity and New Listings Rise

October Home Sales Slow, Pending Activity and New Listings Rise  

Housing data released by MIBOR today shows positive pending and new listing activity in October with a dip in closed sales activity, the first closed sales decrease of 2015. Closed sales decreased 1.2 percent in October compared to October 2014 (as seen in the graph), rose 1.1 percent in the quarterly comparison and are up 8.4 percent over the last 12 months. Pending sales increased 6.2 percent in the monthly comparison of October 2015 to the same period last year. In the quarter ending in October, pending sales rose 8.4 percent. New listings, a metric that has boomeranged month to month all year, increased 2.3 percent in October.

Sale prices slowed a bit. The average sales price decreased by 0.2 percent in October and rose 2.7 percent in the three-month review. Median sales price increased 1.5 percent in October and 3.3 percent for the quarter ending in October.***

If you are interested in a more detailed report on a county basis, please let us know.  We would be happy to help!  

*** Data provided by Metropolitan Indianapolis Board of Realtors

Listing Your Home During the Holidays?

Thanksgiving is this week which officially kicks off the Holiday season!  The end of November through January can be a fine time of year to sell your home, especially if you need/want to sell. .

There are many "Pros" to listing your home during the Holidays and winter months.

1. Buyers looking for a home during the holidays are serious and are ready to buy!  They are not out tire-kicking

2. Relocation buyers are out there

3. There is less competition for you as a seller during the holiday season, as well as during the winter months.

4. You can restrict showings on your home to the time(s) that are convenient.  You will remain in control

If you decide the time is now, here are some tips that we advise when selling during the holidays!

1. DO Deck your Halls

  But don't go overboard!  A tree, some wreaths and greenery set the scene, but large items can        crowd a room or distract a potential buyer

2. Price the home to sell!  

   An over-priced listing will sit anytime of the year

3. Give a buyer a place to escape from the cold! Make your home warm, cozy and inviting.  Another reason we advise to decorate for the holidays, Have classic Christmas music softly playing, and put out a plate of cookies to offer potential buyers.

4.  Relax! 

It can be stressful to sell during the holiday season, and a seller might get discouraged if the number of showings are low.  But do not despair... take a moment to remind yourself that selling your home can take time. Currently inventory is at all time lows, so good listings, that are priced right will sell!  While spring/summer might be the traditional time of year to sell... Serious buyers are out there!  

Call us today if you have any questions.  We would be happy to help you determine if now is the best time for you! 

Preparing your Home for Holiday Guests

Prepare for Holiday Guests 

Thanksgiving is just around the corner... it's that time of year when the holiday season is kicked off, and many of you might be welcoming family and friends to gather around your Thanksgiving Table.  

Prepping for Thanksgiving is much more than shopping for the big meal, setting the table (all of which should also be done in advance) - if hosting guests, prepping early will save you from last minute stresses that can hinder YOUR enjoyment of the holiday!

Whether your guests are staying for a few hours, overnight or for several days!  You can be prepared with these special tips from The Schwark Real Estate Team! 

CLEAN THE HOUSE ROOM BY ROOM

Pick a room each day or a few rooms each week. Or schedule a special session with your normal cleaning SERVICE. Don't wait until the night before everyone arrives to start cleaning.

TAKE INVENTORY OF YOUR GUEST BEDROOM

Can your guests sleep in there comfortably? Does the room need to be CLEANED? This is a great time to get the room organized, and to throw out and donate some of the items that have found their way into your guestroom.

CREATE A FRIENDLY ENVIRONMENT FOR YOUR GUESTS

Lay out guest towels, bathrobes, magazines, mints, maps (for your out of town guests), and water for your guests. Provide your guests with enough INFORMATION so that they can enjoy your geographic area without assistance from you. Make sure they are familiar with phone and Internet access at your home as well.

PREPARE TO SPEND TIME WITH YOUR RELATIVES

Do your cleaning and preparation ahead of time so you can spend time relaxing and VISITING, and not in the kitchen. If your relatives will be around for a number of days, do your grocery shopping &  plan you meals in advance or make dinner reservations at a local restaurant so you can take a night and all relax together.

PREPARE SLEEPING SPACE

If you don't have a guest room, prepare a sleeping space for your guests, and make sure your family KNOWS that it is to be treated as a bedroom while they are there. Also give them a private place to change and wash up. If you don't have space for relatives at all, do a little research and provide your relatives with local HOTEL information.

SPECIAL NEEDS

Ask your guests if they have any special DIETARY needs before they arrive. This will help you avid any last minute trips to the grocery store.

HAVE FUN

Remember to ENJOY your company. Sharing your home can be stressful, but by cleaning and organizing in advance, you can have a relaxing time visiting with those you love!

  *  by Bonnie Joy Dewkett  From www.onlineorganizing.com

Fall & Winter Home Preparation

70 plus degrees in November????  2015 has given us some wonderfully, warm November days!  We hope you all have been getting outside and enjoying them as the cold of winter will soon be upon us, and these warm days will be but just a memory.

As winter approaches, you do need to prepare you home for the upcoming cold temps and winter conditions. The extended warm weather has provided us opportunity to tackle our outdoor home chores in warm, sunny weather rather than chilly or even downright cold weather. 

Here is a list of items that you should address as we move toward the winter months:

FALL & WINTER HOME MAINTENANCE CHECKLIST



Clear Gutters of leaves & debris to prevent possible roof damage &/or leaks.                      

Inspect weather stripping & caulking around windows & doors; replace/repair as needed  

 

Have furnace serviced & cleaned by a qualified professional

Clean or replace furnace filter (this should be done monthly)                                                            

Have your chimney cleaned by a reputable chimney sweep   

Check flashing around chimney, sealing as needed    

Trim trees back if touching your roof to prevent any damage   

Scrape, prime & repaint blistered, peeling paint     

Check brick work for cracked or loose mortar, repair as needed   

Remove leaves from basement/ crawl space window wells   

Check crawl space for dampness, remove any debris    

Clean & store outdoor furniture       

Make sure downspouts direct water away from foundation   

Wash windows and storm windows      

Replace damaged or missing shingles

 

Detach hoses in case of freezing temperatures

 

Check gauges on home fire extinguishers to ensure full charge (replace as necessary)

 

Replace batteries in smoke and carbon monoxide detectors

 

Inspect automatic garage door opener and lubricate according to manufacturer's directions.  Make sure all bolts & screws are properly tightened.  You might also contact a  professional garage door company to service and inspect the door, opener, springs etc

 

This list might look extensive, however it's important to care for and maintain your home! 

 

 

 

      

 

Out of Sight should not be Out of Mind... Crawl Space & Rain

If we were ever to think about building an ark, the last few days/weeks in Indianapolis just might be the time.  Record rainfalls, lots of flooding... and yes, damage to homes.


Crawl Spaces are usually one of the most neglected spots in a home.  We get it!  Who really wants to hang out in a crawl space?  However, the crawl space is many times one of the major issues that will come up on a home inspection.  With all the rain these last few weeks many crawl spaces could be filled with water and a homeowner completely unaware of the issue.

Our advice?  Get in your crawl space several times throughout the year.  Use flash light and take a look for leaks, cracks, standing water and organic growth.  Find and issue?  Address the issue immediately!  Call in a qualified contractor to inspect and give an estimate if needed.  Make sure your sump pump is operating properly.  If you don't have a sump pump, you might consider having a qualified contractor install a sump pump for you! 
 

The Schwark Team will be happy to give a few recommendations of qualified contractors that can assist you in addressing crawl space issues before they become a HUGE problem. 

Don't let crawl space issues be a surprise and a big expense due to neglect!

Remember out of sight should not mean out of mind.

MAINTAINING YOUR LAWN for MARKETABILITY

A WELL MAINTAINED LAWN/YARD/GARDEN will add marketability to your home when you are ready to sell! 

Here are a few Summer gardening tasks and projects that you can do to help keep your lawn and garden looking it's best for the rest of this season.

WATERING THE GARDEN

Watering can be the biggest task during the summer months. Your lawn, most flowering plants and your veggie garden will need about 1 inch of water every week to keep them green and looking nice!

Be sure to water thoroughly, and deeply each time you water. When possible, do your watering in the morning before the heat of the day sets in. Deep watering will encourage the plant's roots to grow deeper, where they are less likely to dry out, as well as the added benefit of anchoring the plant into the ground better. Light, surface watering actually wastes water, because the water never actually reaches the root zone of the plant, and the moisture rapidly evaporates from the top inch of soil. Of course, if you planted drought resistant plants in your garden, you won't have to water as often, but the principal of deep watering still applies.

Be sure to check your hanging baskets and container grown plants every day during hot weather and about every second day on more mild  summer days. Don't just check the surface... Push your finger an inch or two into the soil to be sure there is adequate moisture below throughout the root area. Water them thoroughly each time you water, but be careful not to over water them.

PERENNIALS, ANNUALS & BULBS

Take out a few minutes to pick off the old dead flowers on your annuals, as well as the spent flowers on perennial plants. When you remove spent flowers, your plants will not go into the seed producing stage and should continue to flower longer into the season.

Perennial and biennial plants can be started from seed sown directly into the garden this month or next.

Spring flowering perennials can be divided and transplanted in August or September. Be sure to do this during the coolest part of the day and water the plants thoroughly after transplanting. 

SHRUBS & TREES

Summer blooming shrubs(not spring bloomers - they should have been pruned earlier) should be pruned for shape after they have finished flowering. Remove any dead or diseased branches.

LAWN

Contrary to popular belief, a brown lawn isn't necessarily a dead lawn. Grasses go dormant in times of drought, but will quickly return to life with the fall rains. If a lush green lawn is important to you, and you don't mind mowing, water it regularly, and deeply. If a water shortage is expected, or you hate tending to grass, you may choose to just let your lawn go dormant, and water it as seldom as once a month. Raise the cutting height of the mower. Taller grass cools the roots and helps to keep the moisture in the soil longer. 

ODDS & ENDS

Keep the weeds pulled, before they have a chance to flower and go to seed again. Otherwise, you will be fighting newly germinated weed seed for the next several years. Weeds in the garden are harmful because they rob your plants of water and nutrients, harbor insects and diseases, and, on occasion grow tall enough to shade your flowers and plants.

Change the water in your bird bath regularly, and keep it filled. Standing water is less healthy for the birds, and may become a breeding ground for mosquito larvae.

Continue to watch for insect, slug and snail, or disease damage throughout the garden, and take the necessary steps to control the problem.

  

Your lawn and gardens can be enjoyed, even during the heat of the summer.  A bit of tending in the summer months will provide you with much enjoyment as the temps cool in the fall! 

Real Estate Reality Television... is it real?

I remember a time when HGTV was actually Home and Garden Television.  Gardening, redecorating and renovation were featured.  Now it seems HGTV is more Real Estate Reality TV.  And when I say reality TV I am truly stating "not really reality"!

I was prompted to write this blog post after a client of mine, while waiting to hear if the offer we had written on a house was to be accepted or countered stated: "it sure goes faster on HGTV".  I chuckled, and said "yes, real estate in reality is not like what is seen on TV." 

Jim has a cousin who was approached by a popular real estate reality show to be featured as a house hunter.  What she found out is that they would have already needed to secure/buy a home prior to being featured.  Disappointing for sure! So truthfully, you aren't hunting for a home, but just pretending to be house hunting as you already have found a home.  The hard part of a home purchase is done!  Again it's for entertainment not education!

A brief mention of getting your financing in order, looking at three or four homes, and then making a decision. Writing an offer and it's accepted!  Yes!   Is that the reality of house hunting?  In this broker's opinion - No!

( By the way - there is no condemnation for enjoying these real estate programs.  I myself enjoy one of them very much!  Again, I look at it as entertainment!) 

So what is the reality of house hunting?  Let me list just a few points that are real to a real estate purchase!

1. Well of course the first order of business is finding a good real estate broker to assist you with your home purchase.  As brokers, Jim and my service to a buyer is free.  What does this mean? It means the buyer does not pay for our services.  Commissions are paid by the seller in the majority of transactions.  As a buyers agent we look out for your best interest.  We can show you any home on the market no matter if you find it yourself, a friend mentions it or it's found on a different search app etc.  We invest our time into you and your transaction!  Your personal interest is our first and foremost priority!  Period!

2. The second order of business is getting your financing in order.  What can you afford?  And most importantly, not so much what can you afford, but what payment are you comfortable with?  We can also assist you in finding a respectable mortgage professional.

3. While we understand that most buyers will be searching for their new home on the internet, as brokers, we will also set up a personalized search for you.  Inputting criteria that is most important for you in a home.  That will translate into an email being sent daily if any new or changed listings that fit your criteria become available. 

4. Showings... we understand a client might find the perfect home the first day out!  Others it might take more time.  It's not an hour long television program and the viola' you have found that home!  We take our time in order for you to find your perfect home, at the right time and for the right price!

5.  The offer and acceptance of offer... this is where as your broker we advise you how the what, how, when and why of the 7 page purchase agreement.  There could be counter offers.  We negotiate on your behalf!

6. What comes next?  Formal mortgage application, inspections, inspection responses, negotiating inspection items, appraisal, underwriting, utilities, etc etc... and ultimately closing.  We will help guide you through all of these processes.

I could write a blog post at length for all six items I have listed above.  I could go into much more depth of the items listed above as well. 

But for now I will leave you with this thought...

In REALITY a home purchase takes more time than what is seen on television.   YOU are more than a business transaction to The Schwark Real Estate Team.  A buyer is not a means to food on our table or money in our bank account.  While real estate is our career;  we take our client's purchase personally because this transaction is perhaps the larger transaction most people will make in their lifetime.  We want to be thorough, professional and find that perfect home for our clients!  We don't stop being your agent after closing.  We are there for you! 

Bottom Line:  Real Estate Television is not reality.  It's entertainment!  Real Estate Reality - finding that perfect home for our clients in the smoothest possible way!  We are "Two, Working Together to Serve You!"

Hashtag Transformation Tuesday and Real Estate

Definition:

Transformation Tuesday is a popular trend and hashtag (#TransformationTuesday) people use on Instagram.
On Tuesdays, Instagram users are encouraged to post “transformational” photos of themselves along with the hashtag in the description. Many instagramers create them in the form of a “before and after” photo, many times using photo collage maker apps to break up the photo into two parts. One side shows the before photo, and the other side shows the after photo.

I have even posted a #tt pic to Instagram (don't laugh)

So what does #TransformationTuesday have to do with a real estate blog?  Well today it has to do with renovating! 

It has been our experience, as long time real estate brokers, that many buyers want a "ready to move into home".  A home that does not need any work or updating.  Some buyers don't even want to bother with painting a small bedroom.  There are many reasons that some homeowners and home buyers do not want to put any time or effort into painting, updating or remodeling a home.  For some it is time, for some it is money, and still some don't have the vision to see beyond orange carpet or dated cabinets.  It can be a stumbling block!  You walk into a home and you are greeted with 1970's shag carpet, brown appliances and it's "WHOA!  This home is not for me!" But if you are a person who is not afraid of taking the time, a little money and can see a diamond in the rough.. you can find a lovely, well built home that is just in need of some updating. And of course there are times a home needs a major renovation as well.  The updates, remodel or renovation most likely will not happen over night.  But if you are willing... renovations, updates or remodels can be rewarding. You have to budget your time and money, but buying a home that needs some transformation can be not only a good investment, but also very satisfying at the end of the day! 

Recently we had a lovely listing that was in need of updating.  The home was built in the 30's and had been wallpapered, carpeted etc over the years.  A bathroom was added, and truthfully the home was in need of some changes to bring it in trend for the current decade!  We knew that the right buyer would have to come along.  A buyer that wanted an older home.  A buyer that was not afraid of working hard on renovations.   A buyer that would love the home and give the house the much needed updates to provide the comforts of modern day living without compromising the beauty of days gone by...

And the right buyer came along! 

So today I present our version of #TransformationTuesday by sharing* a few before and after photos of a listing we not only loved, but love even more that the right buyer came along to make it their home! 

 

As you can see... the homeowners pulled up the carpet in the living room, exposing gorgeous hardwood floors.  Painting the trim, woodwork and walls to create a cozy, warm home without compromising the integrity of the era of this home. 

 

The kitchen before had some older, but still functional appliances.  Older but functional cabinetry.

One option a homeowner could exercise would be to clean, paint the cabinets and update the hardware. Reuse the appliances, remove the wallpaper & add a coat of paint to the walls.  A very doable update that many have the ability to take on! 

These photos show the homeowner chose to gut and remodel the entire kitchen!  New ceiling, new flooring, counter tops and cabinetry!  It's gorgeous!  And still holds the integrity of the home! 

The eat in area of the kitchen was replaced with cabinetry, '
The refrigerator was moved to this end of the kitchen and
movable island was added!  What a transformation!

 

Today there are many options home buyers and home owners have to renovate or remodel their homes or a home they would like to purchase.  203K rehab loans are gaining in popularity.  While this type of loan traditionally will take longer to get to the closing table, it can prove to be the right type of loan, for the right buyer for the right type of home.  A loan officer who is an expert in this type of loan is the key!  We can help you find the right home and refer the loan officers who are well versed in this type of loan to make the transaction a smooth process from purchase to closing table.  Patience and perseverance are key!

 

Sometimes just a bit of time, money and elbow grease (or hiring a good contractor) can give a home you want to buy a lovely face lift!  Or is you are thinking of selling, you might consider a transformation to make your home more marketable.  It does not have to be drastic.  Sometimes a fresh coat a paint, some new light fixtures can do the trick!

 

Whether buying, or if you are thinking of selling, as real estate brokers we can advise you along the way.    Should you renovate a kitchen or bathroom before selling?  Should you transform one or more areas of your home before it hits the market?  If those are some of the questions you are asking yourself... give us a call.  We would be happy to advise you as to what will make your home more marketable and what investment could get more of a return. 

 

We hope you enjoy the #transformationtuesday photos of one of our favorite listings to date!  We would LOVE to see some of your home transformation photos!  Please share them on our Our Facebook Page!

 

And as always, should you or anyone you know be in need of a real estate professional, we would GREATLY appreciate the referral!

 

 

* photos were used with permission of homeowner