Six Cool, Calm Approaches to Selling Your Home During the Winter

Don’t let challenging winter months affect the sale of your current home!  Here are a few tips for selling your house in the winter.

·        Think minimal yet warm.  Keep holiday decorations minimal and tasteful.  And make sure to take them down in a timely manner. Feel free to spread some warmth, though. Nothing is more welcoming than some hot apple cider or tea for potential buyers to savor as they explore your home. Plus, it’s never a bad thing for your chilled buyers to take a minute or two to warm up in the kitchen before heading back into the cold.

·        Keep it cozy.  Tailor your listing description for wintertime. Play up the amenities that are desirable during the winter: an attached garage, a new water heater or HVAC components, a fireplace or skylights. You might also mention that your home is close to a gym or fitness center so that buyers know they can work out during winter months, when they’re less likely to be able to exercise outside.

·        Put a positive spin on winter. Not everyone hates winter, so play up your proximity to ski slopes, skating rinks, etc.  You can also include that your home is within walking distance to the grocery store or pharmacy, or minutes from the bus or commuter rail line – all selling points if the weather is bad.  

·        Price it right. Wintertime usually means fewer homes are on the market, so take advantage of it! A properly priced home can lead to a bidding war between buyers, which can ultimately increase the price you get for your home and decrease the time it’s on the market. On the other hand, an overpriced home can sit for months on the market, which is not something you want when spring rolls around and your competition spikes.

·         A home for all seasons.  One of the challenges of selling a home in the winter is that curb appeal is, well, curbed. The flowerbeds are empty, the trees and shrubs are asleep. Since you don’t necessarily want to wait until springtime to show your home, you need to help buyers visualize what your home looks like during all seasons. Take photos of the cherry tree in the front yard that’s absolutely beautiful during the spring, or the oak out back that turns magnificent colors in October, or the hydrangea that’s glorious in June. Include these photos with your home’s online listing and highlight each season’s best features.

·        Winterize your open house. If you are having a winter open house, make sure your driveway, walkways, and porches are clear of snow and ice, and that the heat is on. Your potential buyers have slogged through the inclement weather, so set out a doormat mat so they feel welcomed and can wipe their feet before entering. The attention to detail will show that you care about your house, which potential buyers will appreciate.

Baby Boomers are changing the face of real estate

Baby boomers, who were the largest American generation until the Millennials took over, are either retired or quickly nearing retirement age. Born between 1946 and 1964 and numbering more than 76 million, they’re getting older, but are definitely not ready to head to the retirement home!  

The waves of baby boomers are already having a big impact on residential real estate. They are more active than generations past, have a more sophisticated style, and want options and choices in their homes. Many of them prefer to stay in their homes and communities as they age, rather than relocate. They are choosing to alter their current homes to make them easier to navigate, rather than sell them and downsize.

Some features that homebuilders and remodelers are seeing as they begin to cater to the boomers include: 

Home Offices. Baby boomers are working longer or opting for “phased” retirements, in which they work at least part time after leaving their primary careers. As they transition from traditional 9-to-5 jobs, they want home offices for flexibility.

Tech/Media Centers. Tech-savvy boomers want top-of-the-line amenities for their homes such as a media room with surround sound and central control systems. The house may include a wireless home network, remote control lighting and security features. 

Wider Doors and Hallways. Designing a home that is livable now but can transition and be functional as the occupant ages is important in ensuring that the home will be a good long-term investment. Wider doors and hallways are useful for moving larger furniture today, and will also be wheelchair accessible tomorrow. 

Better Lighting/Bigger Windows. The need for more lighting usually increases as we grow older. Builders are adding more & bigger windows to let in more natural light. They are also adding more light fixtures in areas including under cabinets and in stairwells. Multiple switches to reduce the number of trips and dimmer controls to eliminate glare are other options. 

First-Floor Bedrooms and Bathrooms. More than 40% of new homes have master suites downstairs – a trend fueled by boomers not wishing to go up and down stairs with bad knees and aching backs. The master bedrooms also have larger walk-in closets and bathrooms with a separate tub and shower and dual sinks. 

Easy to Maintain Exteriors/Landscaping. Yard work, painting, and other landscaping chores may not be enjoyable to aging homeowners. People who move to a new home when they retire may opt for a maintenance-free community. Those that choose to stay in their homes might make improvements to exterior surfaces such as installing stucco, brick or low-maintenance siding. Lawns are being replaced with outdoor rooms, featuring decorative landscaping or flower beds.  

Flex Space. Flex space has become more prevalent in both new homes and remodeling. Flex spaces are rooms that take on the purpose of the present homeowner's needs but can adjust with changes as they occur. What may have once been a guest bedroom can be revamped to serve as a hobby room or library. This allows homeowners to stay in their homes longer as it continues to serve their needs throughout life’s stages.

Elite Homes builds beautiful garden home communities perfect for baby boomers 55+ - featuring, single-family, low-maintenance homes, in a relaxing and convenient locations around Louisville.

Louisville Realtors sales up 26 percent in June in last boost from tax credit

Members of the Greater Louisville Association of Realtors sold 1,477 houses and condos in June -- a 26 percent increase from a year ago -- as the last wave of deals under a federal housing tax credit were completed.

It marks the 12th straight month of improving sales compared to a year earlier.
The Southern Indiana Realtors Association, a smaller group, reported 308 sales last month, up from 300 a year ago.

The "true test" of how the market is holding up will be July's sales figures to be released in about a month, said Louisville Realtors President Linda Gibson Cecil.

That's because sales closed as of July 1 are not eligible for the credit -- save a few buyers who had contracts before April 30 and are taking advantage of a last-minute extension from Congress to complete their deals.

Nationally, sales of newly constructed homes plunged 33 percent in May, the Commerce Department reported.

So far that's been the only indication of how the market is performing without the tax credit. The Commerce Department records new home sales when contracts are signed, whereas Realtors groups wait until the closing.

In Louisville, sales are up 29 percent in the first half of the year compared to 2009, and the median sales price during that time was $135,000, up from $129,900.

Cecil said she expected June sales to be boosted by the tax credit, as they have been the last few months, but "I didn't expect us to be up that much."

Reporter Chris Otts can be reached at (502) 582-4589.
The original article can be found at:
http://www.courier-journal.com/article/20100719/BUSINESS/7190357/Louisville+Realtors+sales+up+26+percent+in+June+in+last+boost+from+tax+credit