Home Upgrade Guide

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Upsizing; upgrading your home; dream home; right home choice; is your home a hassle; upgrades

Stumped as to which home upgrades make sense? Interested in renovations for value, but you’re unsure what to tackle?  We have a few simple guidelines we use to help clients narrow their scope and focus on the right choices.

 

Question #1: How long will you live in your house?

 

If you’re hunkering down for the next decade or two, don’t hesitate to do what you would most appreciate in your home. This is especially true of cosmetic changes, when appealing to potential buyers is a non-issue. After a decade or two, your upgrades might need upgrades, so go with projects that make the most sense for your taste and the way you prefer to live in your home.

 

Question #2: What have the neighbors done?

 

There’s wisdom in getting an idea what the surrounding homes look like. On one hand, you may get inspiration from ways in which your neighbors have transformed homes which are probably similar to yours. On the other, you’ll get an idea how much renovation you can get away with in your market. Upgrade to hard and heavy and you might not be able to get any of that money out if you’re going to sell, since the home will need to be listed far above market comparables.

 

Question #3: What’s a hassle in your house?

 

If something in your home is a hassle, it’ll probably bug prospective buyers as well. Is there limited storage space? Nowhere for guests to stay? An old-fashioned bathroom with a funky layout? There’s good reason to handle these headaches. You’ll not only enjoy the upgrade while you live in the home, but you’ll improve it for buyers when the time comes to sell.

 

When you get down to actual projects, there are details to consider, such as budget, timing, and design choices, but these three questions go a long way to getting your upgrade ideas organized.

 

We’re also available to offer our professional thoughts on possible upgrades. Get in touch if you’d like us to stop by for a walk-through of your home. We’ve seen hundreds of homes and would love to provide a helpful perspective: Kevin and Jennifer Hanley, REALTORS Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners www.HanleyHomeTeam.com 904-422-7626

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Q&A Buying from a Builder

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Buying new construction; working with a real estate agent; Buying from a builder; negotiating with a builder; having someone on your side

Q: Do I need to hire a real estate agent to represent me when I buy a new home from a builder?

A: Legally, no. But if you don’t, you might be missing out on some tangible benefits that impact your wallet and how much you get for your money.

There are many reasons why an agent is a sound investment during the purchase process with a builder. While some of them can be quite complex (and go beyond the scope of this blog post), here are a few highlights:

Market Value Compared to Purchase Price: How much money are you going to be able to come out of pocket for your down payment? If you don’t want a nasty surprise when it comes to disparities between your agreed upon purchase price and the actual market value of the home, you’ll want an agent with access to information which will help you accurately assess the true value of that brand new home.

Negotiation Power: Real estate agents are professional negotiators, and often an agent can get more from a builder than you would on your own. While some of this might be related to purchase price, other perks may include property or home upgrades.

Financing: It’s probably no surprise that your builder will have preferred financing partners to work with. Many of those “partners” pay good money for the opportunity to handle your loan. But is it the best loan at the best rate? An agent can be both a sounding board for financing terms and a source for trusted alternatives.

Contract Expertise: While your real estate agent isn’t an attorney, they know a great deal about the ins-and-outs of property contracts. This includes builder’s contracts, which may have provisions that put you in dicey territory should something unforeseen happen. Protect yourself with an agent.

These four reasons are a good place to start, but there are plenty more. The bottom line is: The builder will have their own system in place to maximize their profit and minimize their costs. Shouldn’t you?

We are more than happy to help you buy from a builder: Kevin and Jennifer Hanley, REALTORS – Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners http://www.HanleyHomeTeam.com – 904-422-7626

Be Careful of Traffic!

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Knowing the local market, real estate information, real estate market activity

“Advice to children crossing the street: damn the lights. Watch the cars. The lights ain’t never killed nobody.”

Jackie “Moms” Mabley (born Loretta Mary Aiken), American standup comedian

“But I had the light,” is probably one of the most common phrases spoken after a car accident. Green means go for me, red means stop for them. Before you know it, you’re on the phone with your insurance company.

Who doesn’t remember an adult reminding them to “look both ways before you cross the street”? It seems like common sense so basic we wouldn’t even need to teach it. But it’s funny how that lesson, which seems so obvious, is often lost in other areas of our lives.

Take, for instance, the raft of real estate market data you hear every month. What’s new construction looking like? How did pre-existing sales do last month? What’s it look like in the greater metro area for condo prices? To a certain extent, these are just the traffic lights of real estate. Agents help you look both ways before you act on those “trusted” signals.

Knowing the local market doesn’t necessarily mean knowing the big numbers. It means knowing the specifics. It means knowing how to interpret market activity tailored to the needs of my clients. Metaphorically, it’s our job to be a good scout and protect client interests as they “cross the market” (and that includes not getting hit by a bus-sized bad move).

Reporting always lags behind reality, though the delay may be small or large. Local agents are the best real-time readers of neighborhoods and inventory. Don’t get too nervous about what you hear in the news. Talk to someone who’s out there making it!

Keep your eyes open our there, and best of luck this week! Get in touch if you’re thinking about making a move soon:

Kevin and Jennifer Hanley, REALTORS – http://www.HanleyHomeTeam.com – 904-422-7626 Keller Williams Realty Atlantic Partners

Our Client Relationship Philosophy

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advisor, be the solution, connection with our clients, enriching the lives of others, quality client relationship, real estate consultant

What is the definition of a quality client relationship? Philosophically speaking, We believe you must be someone who gives freely, someone who builds life-long bonds by enriching the lives of people with whom you have rapport.

In our experience as an agent, there have been five essential approaches that have helped us maintain and extend long-term connections with our clients:

1. Empathize with people. Imagine, as you’re listening to them, that they’re not describing their problems, questions, and dreams, but they’re describing your own. Make yourself the star of the movie of their life and be aware of how you would feel.

2. Be a part of the solution, even if you cannot solve the problem. Can you solve everybody’s problems? Of course not. But you might be able to help them to see a pathway through their problem. This might be in the form of questions that help them think something through. It could be a referral to someone who can help them with their problem. It could even be as simple as a list of good articles to consider.

3. Aim to counsel, don’t aim to please. An advisor is a true ally. A “yes man/woman” is completely forgettable (and untrustworthy). Risk short term rejection over a tough truth in order to grow a long term relationship.

4. Teach others how to teach themselves. Don’t just give answers. The more you can increase a client’s capacity to empower themselves, the more valuable your standing will be in their eyes. Think about it: Do you ever forget your mentors?

5. Give without anticipating return. If you’re running a little cost/benefit analysis in your head for every interaction, you’re not giving freely. Hesitancy, a stinginess of spirit, and an unwillingness to risk without reward will always cost you more than you think.

We can’t think of a single instance when these approaches haven’t improved the bond between us and our clients. If you value a transformational real estate experience over a purely transactional one, do get in touch with us today! Kevin and Jennifer Hanley, REALTORS 904-422-7626 http://www.HanleyHomeTeam.com