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FREE SPECIAL REPORT: 7 Laws You Need to Know to Sell Your Home in Today's Market for Up to 18% More Money

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Home Improvements That Offer the Best ROI




Time and again, homeowners put a fair amount of time and money into improving their homes. They do it for a multitude of reasons; some to increase the value of the property, others to enhance their lifestyle in the home and yet others to bring it up to par with other homes in the neighborhood. But one thing holds true across the board – there should be some level of ROI associated with each renovation or improvement.

So as you sit down to decide what renovations to embark upon and the level of resources you’d like to expend on the project, consider the following few areas where there is the most potential for a strong return on your investment.

Kitchens and Bathrooms
Always a hotspot in a home, these two areas almost always garner special attention by buyers. So whether you are doing improvements to your space to prepare it for sale or just to increase your enjoyment in the home – it’s a good investment in the long run. If listing your home in the near future seems likely, try to use neutral materials that would accommodate most buyers’ tastes. It may be useful to consult with a Realtor® in advance of any renovations to find out exactly what type of ROI you might expect on the remodel project.

Increased Living Space
A very popular renovation project involves enhancing the existing floor plan to accommodate additional living spaces. Whether you choose to increase bedroom or closet sizes, widen hallways, finish a basement or even convert wasted space into a usable area, these upgrades translate into high financial returns.

Additional Outdoor Living Areas
More and more homeowners are turning to their outdoor space as viable living areas and this feature is becoming increasingly desirable in the housing market. To enhance the outdoor areas of your home and make them more usable is always a good move because not only does it perk up the home’s curb appeal but also it sets yours apart from others when buyers are scouring the marketplace.

Energy Efficient Upgrades
In today’s green age, an increasing number of homes are being converted to high-energy efficiency. This includes the installation of high-efficiency major appliances, low-E windows, doors or other such fittings and also premium quality insulation. Updating old mechanical systems are also a great way to renovate into the 21st century. The financial returns are significant – not only from the standpoint of day-to-day savings on energy costs but also through utility company rebates and tax credits.

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The important factors to consider when deciding just how much you want to improve your home all lead to whether or not you plan to sell soon or live in the home for a longer period of time. It’s a good idea to conduct a cost-benefit analysis to see which are your priorities and how they fit into the bigger scheme of your plans of homeownership.

If all else fails and you want to spruce up your home just before listing it and want to do it without spending too much, the ultimate quick fix is a fast coat of paint and some new flooring. Fresh fixtures will also do the trick.

For more information on how you can maximize your return on investment with home improvement projects – contact us today!

Be Un-Emotional When Buying a Home In Order to Get the Best Value!


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Want to break your heart and your bank account at the same time? Then buy a new home based on the fact that you've fallen in love with it!

Needless to say, you should never do this!

In some cases, when you fall in love with the "pretty face" of a house, you fail to look underneath and find problems like bad wiring, leaky roofs, bad foundations, etc. This is an extremely expensive way to buy a home!

A funny and sad example of this is shown in the 1986 film, The Money Pit, starring Tom Hanks and Shelley Long. They make the mistake of falling in love with a home and think they're getting a $1,000,000 property for only $200,000.

Once they get into the home, they find out it'll cost a million to repair it! It's got wood rot, a bad roof, bad plumbing, bad electricity, even bad raccoons!

Well, that's Hollywood exaggeration, of course. After all, The Money Pit was a comedy. But, when things like that happen to you, it's no joke. Repairs can cost you a lot of money and heartache, not to mention dangerously rising blood pressure!

So, again, never ever fall in love with a house at first sight! Easier said than done, you say? How do you avoid this tendency? Below, I offer some solutions to the problem!

Solutions 1: Get Cold Hard Facts about the Home!

When I talk about "cold, hard facts," I'm talking about getting the house evaluated by a certified home inspector.

It's well worth the money to have this job done because the inspector will cast the objective eye you lack on the property. He or she will evaluate every aspect of a house - roof, plumbing, wiring, foundation, etc.




And then, that inspector will provide you with a written report that may range anywhere from 20 to 50 pages. It will give you a point-by-point summary of what needs to be corrected.

The cost of a home inspection varies with the region of the country. Nationally, they range from $200 to $400. But, for the investment of, say, $200, you prevent yourself from losing thousands of dollars in repairs in two ways.One, you can simply walk away from the deal. Or, two, you can require that seller fix all items before you sign a contract!

Bonus: Often, you can ask that the seller pay for the home inspection!

Solution 2: Cool Off and Take Your Time!

Infatuation with a home is fun and exciting, and you can have the overwhelming temptation to buy an attractive home practically "on the spot."

My advice - walk away and come back several hours later, especially after you've viewed other properties! By then, it's likely you'll have a more objective eye.

Solution 3: Keep It Simple!

By this I mean that you should stick within your price range. You want the best hom e at the best price within your means! So, if you see an outwardly gorgeous home at, say, $10,000 above your price limit, say, "I love you, but you're way too pricey for me!" and walk away from the temptation!

Solution 4: Rely on Your Realtor!

At heart, I and other professional realtors like me, want you to have a home that meets your needs in the best way possible. That means preventing you from buying a home that's in substandard shape and/or beyond your means.

To be perfectly blunt about it, I rely on great word of mouth from satisfied customers to make the most of my real estate career. So, you have my promise that I'll do my absolute best to get you into the house of your affordable dreams!

Need that objective eye to help you make a smart home-buying decision? Contact us today.