A Special Thank You to my Loyal Clients and Customers in the Greater Lansing Area

A special thank you to all my dedicated clients and customers in the Greater Lansing area, I recently received 3 Awards from Coldwell Banker at the Gereration Blue Event in Las Vegas for 2010.

• Number 1 Sales Associate in Michgian
• Number 1 Sales Associate in Northern Region
• International President’s Premier

I would also like to share with you a clip on The Advantages Home Ownership that The National Association of REALTORS recently released.

Home owners are happier and healthier and enjoy a greater feeling of control over their lives.
Home owners pay 80% to 90% of federal income taxes, contributing to federal programs that benefit all Americans.
Every home purchased pumps $60,000 into the economy for furniture, home improvements, and related items.
Housing accounts for more than 15% of the national Gross Domestic Product, a key driver of our national economy.
If you would like additional information on making a decision about owning a home in the Greater Lansing Area, feel free to contact me for additional information.

Lynne VanDeventer
Coldwell Banker Hubbell Briarwood
3695 Okemos Road · Okemos, MI 48864
517-492-3274
lynnevanda@coldwellbanker.com

Selling Your Home in the Greater Lansing Area? Where to Begin

First Impressions
Remember what first attracted you to your house when you bought it? What excited you about its most appealing features? Now that you’re selling your home, you’ll need to look at it as if you were buying it all over again.

A spruced up house makes a great first impression on potential buyers. An attractive property grabs their attention and makes them excited about finding a house that looks and feels well-cared for. Because buyers know they’ll encounter fewer problems if they buy it, your house becomes more appealing and stands out from the competition. So if you prepare your home correctly, you’ll save time selling it when it’s on the market.

A good first impression makes an impact on a number of levels. It’s not just the way your house looks to potential buyers, but how it feels and smells to them, how their friends and family will react, how they imagine it would be to live there.

With simple improvements throughout your house, you can grab the attention of potential buyers and help them see why your house is right for them.

Looking for more ideas? Get a FREE report from my Website here.

Thanks, Lynne

Preparing Your Home For Sale in Greater Lansing Michigan

First impressions make a significant impact on a buyer’s decision-making process!

Once your home goes on the market, it becomes a product. Home Styling or Staging simply allows you to highlight the best of your home and de-emphasize its flaws. It’s not about decorating, but actually turning your home into a model, to appeal to the broadest range of prospective buyers. The goal is to make people feel like they could live there, and the best way to do this is to “neutralize” the surroundings.

Try out these helpful styling tips taken from Setting the Stage – REALTOR® Magazine Online. They’ve compiled the best tips from stagers and real estate pros—things you can do for little or no expense—to put a home in prime showing shape.

• Clear out closets and clutter—sellers can give away or pack up toys, linens, and small kitchen appliances to store offsite.
• Buyers are also forgiving of storage boxes neatly tucked away in a garage or basement.
• Focus most on the most visible areas—the foyer, kitchen, living room, master bedroom, and family room.
• De-personalize the home by removing photos, mementos, and dated items.
• Use plants in colorful pots or inexpensive wicker baskets to fill in empty spaces.
• Look to home catalogs for little details on beautifying the home. For instance, group books, pictures, and objets d’art appealingly on bookcases.
• Try angling one or two pieces of furniture slightly and move furniture 4 inches to 6 inches from the wall to create more interesting room spaces.
• Put away large collections— porcelains, plates, and so on.
• Remove valuables, prescription medicine, collectibles, and breakables.
• Trim trees, prune shrubs, and make sure the lawn is mowed and watered regularly.
• In summer, turn on the sprinklers for five minutes, 30 minutes before the open house. It makes the lawn and driveway sparkle.
• Refrain from cooking anything that leaves a distinctive odor, such as fish, garlic, or cabbage.
• Hire a professional service to clean the home, including the carpets and the windows.
• Set the dining room table with attractive linens, dishes, and stemware.
• Arrange fresh or silk flowers throughout the home.
• Light a fire in the fireplace in fall and winter.
• A mirror in a pretty frame can make a small room feel more open.
• Use as much natural light as possible. Add extra lamps in dark rooms or corners.
• Make functional repairs—fix dripping faucets, sticking doors, and broken fences.
• Bring in another pair of eyes—even if it’s not a professional stylist. The person may see problems you and have missed.

Lynne VanDeventer

The Right Selling Price Affects Your Bottom Line

When you’re selling your home, the price you set is a critical factor in the return you’ll receive. That’s why you need a professional evaluation from an experienced realtor. This person can provide you with an honest assessment of your home, based on several factors including:

* Market conditions

* Condition of your home

* Repairs or improvements

* Time frame

In real estate terms, market value is the price at which a particular house, in its current condition, will sell within 30 to 90 days.  If the price of your home is too high, several things could happen:

* Limits buyers. Potential buyers may not view your home, because it would be out of their buying range.

* Limits showings. Other salespeople may be less reluctant to view your home.

* Used as leverage. Other realtors may use this home to sell against homes that are better priced.

* Extended stay on the market. When a home is on the market too long, it may be perceived as defective. Buyers may wonder, “what’s wrong,” or “why hasn’t this sold?”

* Lower price. An overpriced home, still on the market beyond the average selling time, could lead a lower selling price. To sell it, you will have to reduce the price, sometimes, several times. In the end, you’ll probably get less than if it had been properly priced at the start.

* Wasted time and energy. A bank appraisal is most often required to finance a home.

Realtors have known it for years – Well-kept homes, properly priced in the beginning always get you the fast sale for the best price! And that’s why you need a professional to assist you in the selling of your home.

Lynne VanDeventer
Coldwell Banker Hubbell Briarwood
3695 Okemos Road · Okemos, MI 48864
517-492-3274
lynnevanda@coldwellbanker.com

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