Items to Keep Safe During an Open House
For many, an open house is a make-or-break event for marketing a home. The mix of people stopping by can lead to an offer or a quality referral. With the directional signs pointing your way, the balloons bumping off the signposts, and the house looking its best, a successful open house creates a network of awareness around your listing.
A lot of cleaning and preparation goes into an open house. Make sure to freshen up your home’s exterior, garage door, and front door with a fresh coat of paint. Look into purchasing new house numbers and mailbox and remember to open up all blinds and curtains inside your home. When light shines in the room, it will create a bright atmosphere for potential buyers.
After this, it can be easy to forget some crucial elements that might impact the event’s safety or even make the difference between an offer or no interest. Before the doors open, be sure you’ve secured the items below in a safe, alternate location.
Items to Keep Safe During an Open House
- Drugs. No, we’re not (necessarily) talking about the sort of stuff you’d see on Law & Order. We’re talking about prescription drugs. Remember that strangers are going to visit your home, and while we like to think they’re all interested buyers, there’s always the possibility that someone will comb through your medicine cabinet. Pain pills and ADD/ADHD drugs are common targets.
- Guns. Have a weapon in your home? Is it locked in a safe or stashed under the bed? The last thing you want to grow a pair of feet and walk out the door is a home defense weapon. Don’t assume your gun is well-hidden. If they’re not entirely inaccessible and secure, store them off the premises.
- Heirlooms & valuables. Don’t tempt the weak. Gather up the family jewels and store them securely elsewhere. Please don’t assume that putting them in a jewelry box will keep prying eyes away. The same goes for highly portable antiques. The expectation of privacy can get a little murky when people open up closet doors and the like.
- Animals. Okay, so you don’t keep a wild cougar in your living room, but what about the family dog? A friendly cat? There’s no such thing as an open-house-friendly pet, especially where allergies and personal preferences are concerned. (And don’t even get me started about snakes!)
- Political material. Everyone has different political preferences. During an open house, don’t eliminate half of your buyers with political messaging (Double-check the fridge for magnets, or your front lawn for posters.)
When it comes to open houses, I like to make sure they go off without a hitch for you. If you’re listing soon, get in touch so we can chat about selling your home fast! Let’s connect: 928.830.6976
Don’t forget to stage your garage!
Making a house on the market shine is all about attention to detail. If you’re going the extra mile to ensure your home is a stand-out, you’ll probably go beyond the regular touch-ups that refresh curb appeal. You might even decide to stage your home, especially if you’re not living in it while it is on the market.
There is one “room” you don’t want to forget when you stage, and that is your garage!
Staging a garage may sound excessive, but it’s an essential and frequently-used entryway to a home. While many prospective buyers may expect a dark, cluttered, unfinished concrete box, you can surprise and delight them by following these simple garage staging tips:
- Clear out the clutter: Don’t use your garage as a storage facility while selling your home. Yes, it might mean renting storage space, but that can be a good idea anyway when you’re staging a home to impress. Weed through the junk, have your garage sale, and then store all your packed boxes, extra furniture, seasonal items, holiday decorations, unnecessary belongings, and other typical garage clutter in a storage facility.
- Enhance the floors: Cracked, stained, or otherwise shoddy looking concrete flooring can be a visual turn-off. If you’re not planning on sealing, priming, and painting the floor, at least get a suitable cleaning chemical or power washer to brighten up the flooring. For oil stains, pour paint thinner on the stain, and then apply an absorbent material such as cat litter, baking soda, cornmeal, or sawdust over the wet spot. Let the mixture sit overnight, and sweep it up in the morning with a heavy push broom with sturdy bristles.
- Organize what remains: A workshop area with hook boards for small tools can be appealing, especially if the area looks tidy and functional.
- Add Wall and Ceiling Storage: Create more storage space on walls or hanging from the ceiling transforms a garage. Provided your garage isn’t low-ceilinged or particularly tight, shelving and hanging racks can show your buyers how much room they’ll have to keep extra tools, seasonal decorations, or sports equipment handy. An alternative to hanging bicycles from the ceiling, mount them on the wall using this stylish Monkey Bars 4-Bike Storage Rack ($80).
- Check garage safety: Make sure to store all flammable products and poisonous chemicals out of reach of children and pets. Plus, if you don’t already have one in your garage, install a smoke detector.
- Tune-up the lighting: A quality hanging fluorescent fixture plugged into outlets, or updated fixture outlets can change your garage from a dungeon into a clean, inviting place. Besides, don’t you want to highlight all that hard work you’ve done?
- Polish it with fresh paint: A fresh coat of paint will complete the space and make it look brand new. If the garage walls have stains that the pressure-washing couldn’t get rid of, paint it, and seal them. Transform them from worn and drab to bright and clean.
- Check the garage door: In addition to a garage door functioning correctly, give it a good clean. The garage door is one of the first things buyers will see when they drive up; it is a great idea to make it look beautiful and polished.
Want to make your house stand-out in the Prescott area real estate market? I’m happy to share all the tips and tricks I have to give your home an edge. Let’s connect: 928.830.6976
Understanding Pocket Listings in Real Estate
Not every home sold gets a shiny new for sale sign out front. Some homes that are for sale change hands quickly and quietly without any public advertising whatsoever. The real estate industry refers to these as “pocket listings.” You may also hear pocket listings referred to as “coming soon” listings or “whisper” listings.
Pocket listings used to be the domain of the very famous or the very wealthy. People who liked to protect their privacy would typically work with an agent who could find a buyer among word-of-mouth networks of agents representing high-end buyers. Often this happened only in urban areas or in the luxury segment. Still, now in markets where inventory is tight and bidding wars are not uncommon, pocket listings are becoming somewhat more mainstream.
During the technology age of marketing homes via the web and social media, why not advertise a home in a market where multiple offers are the norm? It can depend. In some cases, the seller may want a quick and painless sale and would prefer not to go through the traditional process of cleaning, curb appeal sprucing, and open houses. When the seller’s agent happens to know the buyers directly, often a simple walk-through with prospective buyers is enough to secure one acceptable offer.
Sellers should understand that it’s possible for a pocket listing to generate a slightly lower price. While it’s not always the case, the trade-off for a quick, quiet sale may be worth it. If you’re considering a pocket listing, you will likely be required to sign something which indicates your consent to avoid a wide-scale advertising effort. An agent has a responsibility to try and secure a seller the best possible price and will want to make sure there’s a clear understanding.
Pros and Cons of a Pocket Listing
There are many items to consider when selling a home, especially if you are going to do a Pocket Listing. Below is a recap of the pros and cons of a pocket listing from an article by Moving.com.
- Pros for the seller is that they maintain their privacy and that a pocket listing can prevent the unfortunate experience of having a home’s value decrease because it remained on the market too long.
- Pros for the buyer is that the competition won’t be as fierce, the buying process will be more flexible, and they may be able to purchase the home below market value.
- Cons for the sellers is that there will be fewer buyers offering on the home, and it may take longer for the house to sell.
- Cons for the buyers is that there will be less wiggle room on the price, and there will be a lack of information and photos on the home.
On the whole, casting the widest possible net for a buyer is the best strategy for securing the highest closing price. Still, if you’re more comfortable with a quick and quiet approach, you might want to talk to an agent about the prospect of a pocket listing.
I know selling is a tough decision, with numerous factors to considers. Give me a call, and I can answer your questions and put your mind at ease. 928.830.6976
What are Multiple Listing Services (MLS)?
Odds are you’ve spent a little time online searching for homes. After all, most home searches begin online or on your phone. You may have even used a broker’s website or a site like Realtor.com, Trulia, or Zillow to help you browse listings.
But where does listing information come from?
Way back in the day, prior to the Information Age revolution, brokers use to gather and exchange information about their properties. The idea was fairly straightforward: I’ll help you sell your properties if you help me sell mine. It’s a “private offer of cooperation and compensation.” Cooperation meant the real estate industry could thrive and buyers and sellers could enjoy smoother transactions.
This spirit of cooperation gave rise to Multiple Listing Service(s) (MLS). By consolidating information about housing inventory in an MLS, listing brokers and buyers’ brokers can easily share up-to-date information about homes on the market. Though an MLS is typically a private database available to brokers, much of the information is syndicated to outside sites, in the interest of casting a wider net for buyers and sellers.
Since the MLS is the primary source of information about a property, it tends to be the most accurate. In addition to the information the public views online, the MLS may also contain private information for use by brokers only, such as times the home is available for showings and seller contact information.
There are upwards of 850 MLS databases in the U.S. As you can imagine, just as technology and the market changes, the structure of the MLS is continuously being analyzed to make it as user friendly for the industry as possible. In fact, there is market pressure to centralize these into a national MLS database. We’re sure to see changes in how Multiple Listing Services are used in the future, but the core benefits to home sellers and buyers will remain.
MLS Databases in Arizona
What MLS databases are in Arizona? Better Homes and Gardens Bloomtree Realty uses PAAR and ARMLS for their MLS Database. We have recently changed our website platform to make searching easier for our clients. Now, although I am a real estate agent in Prescott, Arizona, you can search the entire state of Arizona from my website. The website now taps into both the PAAR and ARMLS databases to give you more options when searching for homes for sale.
The listing feed that you can use on our website is by far one of the most user friendly and most accurate feeds in the industry. Search Homes for Sale Here using our MLS feed. If you have questions on one of the properties you view, contact us, and we can help answer your questions.
Why People Love Living in Prescott Valley, Arizona
About Prescott Valley
Prescott Valley, Arizona, is a thriving family-oriented community that sits at an elevation of 5,000 feet and is located 85 miles north of Phoenix and a few minutes east of historic downtown Prescott. In fact, Prescott Valley was the seventh fastest-growing place among all cities and towns in Arizona between 1990 and 2000 and has approximately 42,000 people calling it home.
Strong in economic development, the community continues to attract retailers and restaurants such as Kohl’s, Dick’s Sporting Goods, T.J. Maxx, Chick-Fil-A, Sprouts, Hobby Lobby, Culvers, Buffalo Wild Wings and a host of independent food and shopping choices.
There is no shortage of places to spend your leisure time in this active town. Visit Fain Park for a picnic and fishing, enjoy the Mountain Valley Splash Pool, and take in the special events such as Prescott Valley Days, Balloon Glow, as well as the Christmas Valley of Lights.
Many people have chosen to buy homes and relocate to Prescott Valley because of its strong work ethic, solid educational system, family values and positive outlook under sunny Arizona skies. The mild climate, convenient location, and surrounding lakes, fishing, and hiking trails make this popular community an attractive location for families and retirees.
[Homes For Sale in Prescott Valley]
Why Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate BloomTree Realty
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate BloomTree Realty, which is 200 agents strong, is headquartered in Prescott, Arizona. We serve the Prescott Quad Cities, Phoenix Metro areas, Sedona and Verde Valley. Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate BloomTree Realty stands apart in the industry through our values-driven, collaborative culture.
Giving back is an integral part of our core values and culture. A portion of every dollar earned by the company is donated back to local causes. The brokerage further supports the communities it serves by volunteering at local events to help raise awareness and generate support for education, health, safety, the arts, and other important causes.
The brokerage attributes its success and market-leading performance to the effective leadership, support and training of its 200 agents as well as the guiding principles that drive our culture. We remain focused on serving our clients and our community and constantly striving to Be Better!
Why the Plane Team
Dena Plane has served her clients and provided them with excellent service for over 15 years in residential real estate, both resale and new home sales. As a resale agent, Dena has achieved Agent of the Month, Top Ten Agent of the Year, Multi-Million Dollar Club and International Diamond Society. As the sales manager for new homes, Dena personally sold over 300 homes and custom lots in the luxury golf communities of Prescott and Prescott Valley, Arizona.
Dena is licensed in both Arizona and California and specializes in luxury properties with resort-style living. With a passion for home building and interior design, Dena will help you get your home “show ready” and can easily guide and advise both buyers and sellers on the best practices for a successful outcome!
Currently, Dena has teamed up with her husband Dave, as The Plane Team, helping agents increase their production and grow their business and serving buyers and sellers in their real estate transactions. As your REALTOR’s, Dena and Dave will guide you through the buying and selling process and help you reach your real estate goals! The Plane Team will provide you with the resources and tools for a successful and smooth transaction.
Remodeling Without Return: The Home Office
Many home remodeling projects do wonders for the value of the home. Certain upgrades and renovations pay dividends when it comes time to sell, allowing you to recoup the money you’ve invested in the upgrade.
As always, there are exceptions. There is one renovation that stands head and shoulders above the rest (or should I say below) when it comes to return on investment:
The Home Office
Surprised? It may seem like a home office would be a boon for your home at sale time, especially considering the number of people who telecommute and work online. But the fact of the matter is, a home office seldom recoups more than 45% of the money invested in the remodel.
Why? Full-on home office renovation often takes up a bedroom which new owners might want to be able to convert back into a bedroom. If you’ve spent the time and money having built-in furniture added, media wiring, and other “office like” details installed, it represents a cost to restore or lost-usage for the new owners.
Of course, if you need a home office and want to have the home office of your dreams, it might be worth it to you to put the return on investment aside. But don’t undertake the project thinking it will pay off down the line.
Renovations Buyers Like to See
Now, on the other hand, what renovations do buyers like to see? Most renovations which improves the value of your home in the eyes of buyers without breaking your renovation budget is an excellent choice.
According to a National Association of Home Builders, it was reported that these following features are on buyers’ most wanted list:
- Separate laundry room (91% preference): This is a small-scale project, expected cost $1,000 to $5,000
- Patio (87% preference): A concrete patio can run roughly $975 per 120 square feet.
- Garage storage space (85% preference): You can expect to pay $2,025 – $2,363 for 380 square feet of garage storage.
- Walk-in kitchen pantry (83% preference): Each design varies in cost, but the report says walk-in pantries are preferred over the reach-in closet.
- Walk-In Closet in Master Bedroom: Cost varies by design. These are gaining popularity with first- and second-time homebuyers.
- Eat-in kitchen: Cost $1,000 to $10,000. These are especially attractive to families with children.
- Dining Room: $1,000 – $6,000 to add ceiling fixtures or structural columns to open floor plan
Renovations are definitely a bonus when it comes to selling a home. If you are you planning to sell your home before or after a renovation, give me a call. I’d be happy to help you find a current value for your home. Let’s connect today: 928.830.6976!
Tips to Sell Your Home Faster
When selling your house, there are a few key things you can prioritize to have the greatest impact for a faster sale:
1. Make Buyers Feel at Home
Declutter your home! Pack away all personal items like pictures, awards, and sentimental belongings. Make buyers feel like they belong in the house. According to the 2019 Profile of Home Staging by the National Association of Realtors, “83% of buyers’ agents said staging a home made it easier for a buyer to visualize the property as a future home.”
Not only will your house spend less time on the market, but the same report mentioned that, “One-quarter of buyers’ agents said that staging a home increased the dollar value offered between 1 – 5%, compared to other similar homes on the market that were not staged.”
If you don’t have time, or the budget to stage the entire house, the four rooms that you should focus on are the Living Room, Kitchen, Master Bedroom, and the Dining Room. For example, for the dining room, make sure the dining table is the right size and the paint is light and bright. For the master bedroom, make sure all of the clothing is hung properly and have unnecessary furniture removed. The kitchen should appear decluttered and functional and the living room should have the accessories kept to a minimum.
2. Keep It Organized
Since you took the time to declutter, keep it organized. Before buyers arrive, pick up toys, make the bed, clear off the fridge, toss the newspapers, and put away clean dishes. As mentioned above, the kitchen is one of the most important rooms to stage in order to attract more buyers. Put out a scented candle or some cookies fresh from the oven. Buyers will remember the smell of your home.
3. Price It Right
More inventory coming into the market guarantees there will be some competition. You want to make sure your home is noticed. A key to selling your house is ensuring it is ‘Priced to Sell Immediately’ (PTSI). This means you’ll be driving more traffic to your property, and ultimately creating more interest in your home.
To help give you an idea of the value of your home, we have on our website a calculator to see what homes have been selling for in your neighborhood. Click here to see the current list of homes that have sold near you, then give me a call and we can discuss the price of your home.
4. Give Buyers Full Access
I know that we all have busy lives, but one of the top four elements when selling your home is access. If your home is available anytime, that opens up more opportunity to find a buyer right away. Some buyers, especially those relocating, don’t have much time available. If they cannot get into the house, they will move on to the next one. Let’s chat about how we can make your home accessible.
Bottom Line
If you want to sell your home, in the least amount of time, at the best price, and with as little hassle as possible, you need to enlist the help of a seasoned real estate professional. Let’s connect today to determine what you need to do to sell your home as quickly as possible: 928.830.6976!
What To Do with Kids in Prescott
One of my favorite things about being a realtor is becoming a resource of information to our clients. We obviously get the standard questions, ‘Do you know a plumber?’ and ‘What do you know about the schools in the area?’, but we also get asked ‘What is there to do in Prescott?’. Luckily, the answer to that question is easy, there are a ton of things to do in Prescott, even something for the kids.
There are valid reasons that Prescott, Arizona, is dubbed as “Everyone’s Hometown.” With Prescott’s perfect climate and four distinct but gentle seasons, everyone gets to have fun!
You can first start with Prescott’s charming downtown. Prescott has an old-fashioned town square with an historic courthouse, but what surrounds it is anything but old fashioned. Upscale shops and restaurants, art and antiques, and everything in between!
Prescott is a great place for an active lifestyle. You can kayak at Watson Lake, hike, bike, ride horses or quad in the National Forest, or play at one of our many signature golf courses. Also, dogs love Prescott! Prescott is a very dog friendly community, complete with a beautiful dog park.
But what about the kids? With the high retirement population, it is common for grandchildren to visit the area. You will be pleased to know that there are an abundant of options to do with your family and kids (or grandkids!) in Prescott. To give you a little help, we have put a list together that can help you plan your visit.
Gripstone: Prescott, AZ
Gripstone Prescott Arizona offers rock climbing, bouldering, yoga, a cafe, and a pro-shop. No previous climbing experience is necessary, and after a quick 30-minute video and hands-on tutorial, you will be ready to climb. Climbers under 14 years old are required to be accompanied by a participating adult over 18 years old. Children under 14 are welcome, harnesses are available for very small children. They have even had 2-year-old climbers!
Pricing starts $16 for adults, and the pass lasts all day. You can leave for lunch and come back later for more climbing. It’s a full body workout, it’s fun, and it’s great for all ages!
Jarz of Clay: Prescott, AZ
Jarz of Clay is located at the Prescott Gateway Mall Outside in the village shops. At Jarz of Clay, you pick a pottery piece from hundreds of different options. You then paint your piece, and then the pieces will be glazed and fired. Within 4-5 days, you then can pick up your glazed pottery piece!
The studio fee is included in the price of each item. Included in the studio fee is paints, tools, and the glazing/firing. Pottery pieces are not the only option, canvas and wood paintings are also available. This is perfect for all ages, I’ve been multiple times with both my mom and young cousins and enjoy it every time!
Heritage Park Zoo: Prescott, AZ
Visit Prescott’s local zoo! Heritage Park Zoo is located on 10 acres and overlooks Willow Lake. While I’m personally not a spiders or snake (insert *full body chill*), the Heritage Park Zoological Sanctuary offers the Tarantula Grotto and Reptile House. The Tarantula Grotto is one of the largest public displays of spiders in the country. Along with this, the Reptile House houses gila monsters, iguanas, geckos, and even a 13-foot Burmese python.
The Heritage Park Zoo loves saving animals and giving them a home. Housed at the zoo is an American Black Bear that was orphaned, a gray fox that was found alone and half drowned, and a mountain lion that was illegally kept as a pet in Arizona. Along with this, the zoo participates in the American Zoo and Aquarium Association’s Species Survival Plan by saving endangered species such as the Mexican Gray Wolf.
Heritage Park Zoo hosts special events throughout the year, including: Zoofest, Eggstravaganza, Boo at the Zoo, moonlight events and Zoo Camp for kids. The zoo is open every day of the year. You can view admission prices here. (Heritage Park Zoo Event Calendar)
While that is only a few options, I hope that this may give you a jump-start on what activities are available for entertainment in the Prescott Area! Below is an additional few items that may interest you:
- Sharlot Hall Museum, Prescott, AZ
- Mortimer Farms, Dewey-Humboldt, AZ
- In the Game Freedom Station, Prescott Valley, AZ
Ocne again, my favorite things about being a realtor is being a resource of information to our clients. If you have any questions about the Prescott Area, or home buying and selling, get in touch with me today 928.830.6976!