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!