St Louis Metro Area Real Estate BlogRecently posted or modified blog posts by tag - Adding Valuehttps://www.thechadwilsongroup.com/blog/Copyright TheChadWilsonGroup.com2023-04-27T12:27:28-07:00tag:thechadwilsongroup.com,2012-09-20:19564What to Know About Buying/Selling a Home With Smart Devices<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/1688/image/Blog/Home_Selling_Series/Buying_Selling_With_Smart_Devices.png" width="750" height="275" alt="Buying or Selling a Home With Smart Devices" title="Buying or Selling a Home With Smart Devices" />
Smart devices, such as wifi thermostats, video doorbells, and more can bring a wealth of simplicity and convenience to your home. These days, almost everyone has something in their home that would be considered a smart device. But what happens with these items when it comes time to sell? What do you need to know if you are buying a home with smart devices?
Selling a Home With Smart Devices
One of the most important things that you need to understand about selling a home with smart devices is what must stay and what can go. Oftentimes, smart devices will meet the definition of a “fixture”, meaning that unless they are specifically excluded in the contract, they will have to stay with the house. We advise all sellers to remove any smart devices that they want to take with them from the home before listing. This ensures that any smart devices that you wish to bring along with you to your new home can come without any breach of the contract.
You should then make a list of all of the smart devices that will stay after the home sale, including garage door openers, smart locks, video doorbells, security systems, wifi thermostats, smart lighting, and anything else you can think of. Showcasing the devices that are staying with the home makes a great selling point and could really set you apart from the competition.
When smart devices are involved in a home sale the seller’s privacy and personal information must be protected. It is common for smart devices to hold sensitive personal information. As a seller, you will want to remove your personal information from all smart devices and reset them to factory settings if possible. This can be done by consulting the owner’s manual or website of the smart device manufacturer, which will often walk you through the steps to clear your information and reset devices. This is incredibly important since it helps ensure your private information is not shared with the new homeowners and is often necessary to allow the buyers to set up their own accounts to activate the devices in their name. Use the list you made of all the smart devices in the home to be sure you don’t miss anything.
Finally, if you have any of the original boxes or manuals that belong to any smart devices that are staying with the home, you should leave them there for the new owners to refer to if needed.
Buying a Home With Smart Devices
Having a home already connected with smart devices can be very appealing, but there are some important steps to take for your security. As a buyer, you should open new accounts and install any updates to the devices as soon as possible. Getting a list of all the home’s smart devices from the seller will help ensure you do not miss anything. If the seller has not already done so, you should reset all devices and update all passwords, so that no one has any unauthorized access to your devices. Even if you are moving into a new construction home, this is still a critical step to ensure your privacy and security, as you do not know who may have had access to the devices.
Ask the seller for as much information on any smart devices as possible, including manuals, manufacturers, and model numbers, so you can look up any directions or contact customer support for any of the devices if needed.
<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/1688/image/Blog/Home_Selling_Series/Trasnfer_Smart_Devices_Properly.png" width="2250" height="400" alt="Ensure Proper Transfer of Smart Home Devices" title="Ensure Proper Transfer of Smart Home Devices" /><br />
The most important thing that both sellers and buyers need to know about a home with smart devices, is that if not transferred properly, both parties' privacy and security can be at risk. It is important that both parties follow the advice in this article to ensure a smooth transition.
Looking to buy or sell a home in the St. Louis area?
The Chad Wilson Group is a team of real estate professionals helping people just like you in the <a href="https://www.thechadwilsongroup.com/communities/" title="Homes for sale in Greater St. Louis" target="_blank">Greater St. Louis Area</a> (<a href="http://thechadwilsongroup.com/st-charles-county/" title="Homes for sale St. Charles County" target="_blank">St. Charles</a>, <a href="https://www.thechadwilsongroup.com/st-louis-county/" title="Homes for sale St. Louis County" target="_blank">St. Louis</a>, <a href="https://www.thechadwilsongroup.com/warren-county/" title="Homes for sale Warren County" target="_blank">Warren</a>, and <a href="https://www.thechadwilsongroup.com/lincoln-county/" title="Homes for sale Lincoln County" target="_blank">Lincoln</a> Counties). Whether you are a first-time or an experienced home buyer or seller, we will work on your behalf as experts in your corner throughout the entire process to help make everything easier and more manageable. Our team will be there to guide you every step of the way and answer any and all questions you may have about the process. <a href="https://www.thechadwilsongroup.com/contact/" title="Contact The Chad Wilson Group" target="_blank">Contact us</a> or fill out the form below with any questions you may have or to get the process started!2022-04-05T08:05:00-07:002023-04-27T12:27:28-07:00Beth Carrtag:thechadwilsongroup.com,2012-09-20:14136How to Get Top Dollar For Your Home<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/1688/image/Blog/Home_Selling_Series/Blog_Header_Images.png" width="750" height="275" alt="How to get top dollar for your home" title="How to get top dollar for your home" />
As a homeowner, you want to get the most money you can from your home sale. So, how can you achieve this goal? The presentation of your home when it first hits the market is likely to be a major driving force around the final outcome of your sale. The good news is, there are some fairly simple steps you can take that will drastically increase the likelihood that you will walk away from your sale without feeling like you left any money on the table. In this blog post, we’ll be covering seven things you can do to get top dollar for your home sale. Let’s dive in!
1. Set the Price Right
Price is the number one factor that most homebuyers use to determine which homes they want to view. <a href="https://www.thechadwilsongroup.com/sellers/pricing-your-home/" title="Pricing Your Home" target="_blank">Pricing your home</a> properly from the start sets the course for how long it will take to sell and how much you will ultimately receive for your home. Pricing your home both too high or too low can negatively affect your home sale outcome. The Chad Wilson Group uses a unique and highly-effective, data-based pricing approach that is proven to secure the best outcome for our sellers.
2. Make Sure You Have Curb Appeal - it Counts in a Big Way!
First impressions are the driving force behind your home sale. If your home looks dated on the outside, it’s likely that buyers won’t even take the time to see the inside, resulting in missed opportunities. For the best sales outcome, buyers should feel emotionally connected to your home. Focusing on the curb appeal, that warm and fuzzy feeling you get when you take a step back and look at your home from the outside, is a highly effective way to make buyers feel like your home is “the one”.
We put together a list of tips on <a href="https://www.thechadwilsongroup.com/blog/how-to-increase-your-homes-curb-appeal-in-st-louis/" title="How to increase your home's curb appeal" target="_blank">how to increase your home’s curb appeal</a> to help make sure your home’s exterior leaves a great impression!
3. Perform Necessary Repairs
While homes on the resale market are rarely in perfect condition, excessive repairs will leave a poor impression on buyers, especially if they are big ones. Leaky roof or foundation problems? Loose doorknob or dripping faucet? However big or small, it is in your best interest to make these repairs before you list your home for sale. Regardless of what you decide to do, you must make sure to <a href="https://www.thechadwilsongroup.com/blog/home-selling-disclosures/" title="What to disclose in a home sale" target="_blank">disclose</a> any problems with the home to avoid potential legal trouble down the road.
4. Declutter
Removing unnecessary items from the home can transform your space in a positive way. Bulky furniture can shrink a space. Clothes, shoes, knicknacks, and decorative items can distract from the features of the home that make it unique and beautiful. Since so many of today’s buyers are looking for homes that feel airy and open, the less stuff you keep around, the better. The Chad Wilson Group provides our sellers with a free <a href="https://www.thechadwilsongroup.com/blog/why-stage-your-home/" title="Staging your home" target="_blank">professional staging</a> consultation to help you determine ways to best present your home, including what items should be removed before listing.
<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/1688/image/Blog/Home_Selling_Series/Staging_before_and_after.png" width="750" height="300" alt="Staging your home" title="Staging your home" />
5. Clean
A freshly cleaned home can completely change the way buyers view it. As we already mentioned, you want to make the best impression possible, so buyers can see the home’s value. A simple and low-cost way to achieve this is to make sure every square inch of the home has been cleaned, making your home look as new as possible! We put together a <a href="https://www.thechadwilsongroup.com/blog/-how-to-prepare-your-home-for-sale/" title="Home Seller To-Do Checklist" target="_blank">to-do checklist</a> that will help you through the process to make sure you don’t miss anything.
6. Don’t Over-Improve
Our sellers often ask us what upgrades they can make that will give them the biggest return on their investment. The answer is: “Only the ones that future buyers will also want and be willing to pay for.” Making home improvements and upgrades is a good thing, but should be done strategically so you don’t end up spending more money then you get out of these improvements. As a general rule, choosing the functional over the merely cosmetic and choosing neutral over unusual or exotic will pay at resale. Personal taste and current trends will have an effect on an update, and should be kept in mind when you make any upgrades.
7. Lose the Emotion
Selling a home, full of memories and important life-events, is naturally an emotional event. However, if you want to get top dollar, you must lose this emotion and treat your home sale for what it is - a piece of property for which your goal is to sell quickly at the best possible price. This can be a difficult thing to do, but is crucial in your home sale to secure the best outcome for you as the seller.
<a href="https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/track?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:99ff31b6-e3c1-4fac-99dd-3aa43cd77553" title="Home Seller To-Do Checklist" target="_blank"><img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/1688/image/Blog/Home_Selling_Series/Download%20Home%20Seller%20Preparation%20Checklist.png" width="750" height="275" alt="Home Seller Preparation Checklist" title="Home Seller Preparation Checklist" /></a>
<a href="https://documentcloud.adobe.com/link/track?uri=urn:aaid:scds:US:99ff31b6-e3c1-4fac-99dd-3aa43cd77553" title="Home Seller To-Do Checklist" target="_blank">In Conclusion</a>
In the end, securing the best outcome really comes down to how you price and market your home from the beginning. Our team is here to help you through every detail that makes the difference when it comes to selling your home. We offer a unique, data-driven pricing approach and support with expert advice through every step of the home sale. You can rest easy knowing that you did everything you could to make sure you are walking away with the most money possible.
Would you like to hear more about our team’s unique and proven approach to listing your home for sale? <a href="https://www.thechadwilsongroup.com/contact/" title="Contact The Chad Wilson Group" target="_blank">Contact us</a> today for a free, no obligation sellers’ consultation!2021-06-08T09:51:00-07:002021-06-14T21:31:33-07:00Beth Carrtag:thechadwilsongroup.com,2012-09-20:8552Affordable Ways to Add Value to Your Home Before You Sell [Infographic]As a homeowner, you probably see your home as both a place to live, and one of the best ways to build wealth through <a href="https://www.thechadwilsongroup.com/blog/how-much-is-my-home-worth/" title="How much is my home worth?" target="_blank">home equity</a>, but it is especially important to think about your home’s value when it comes time to sell. Home sellers look to get the most money they can from their home sale. While prices are driven largely by the <a href="https://www.thechadwilsongroup.com/blog/how-to-price-a-home-for-sale-in-market/" title="How to price your home for sale" target="_blank">current market conditions</a>, there are ways you can add value to your home, without spending a ton of money. Let’s look at some of the simple, proven ways to increase your home value before you sell.
<a href="https://www.thechadwilsongroup.com/sellers/adding-value/" title="Adding Value to Your Home" target="_blank"><img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/1688/image/Blog/Home_Selling_Series/Increase-home-value.png" width="500" height="2800" alt="How to increase home value" title="How to increase home value" /></a>
Ultimately, the only items that will add value to your home and help with resale value are the ones that potential buyers are willing to pay for. Implementing some of these simple suggestions can have a big impact on those viewing your home for sale.
It is always good to know what your home is worth, even if you don’t plan to sell. Find out now, for free, by clicking the image below and entering a few quick details.
<a href="http://stlmetroareahomevaluereport.com/" title="What is my home worth?" target="_blank"><img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/1688/image/Blog/Home_Selling_Series/new-what-is-my-home-worth.png" width="750" height="310" alt="What is my home worth?" title="What is my home worth?" /></a>
2020-12-30T08:36:00-07:002021-05-11T14:14:08-07:00Beth Carrtag:thechadwilsongroup.com,2012-09-20:655610 Tips to Increase Your Home's Curb Appeal<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/1688/image/Blog/Curb_Appeal.jpg" width="750" height="410" alt="Curb Appeal" title="Curb Appeal" />
Curb appeal is a phrase that gets thrown around a lot in real estate circles. But what is curb appeal? A strict definition of curb appeal is a home that has an attractive exterior when viewed from the street. Yet, curb appeal is so much more than that. It is that warm and fuzzy feeling you get when you step back and look at a home, appreciating all the care and detail that went into the landscaping, lawn, accessories, decorating touches, home details, and overall home design. A home with curb appeal speaks to you and tells the story that it has been loved and well cared for. It could be a million dollar home, but it could also be a little bungalow or cottage home which radiates a positive emotional response.
For homeowners considering <a href="https://www.thechadwilsongroup.com/sellers/" title="Learn more about selling your home" target="_blank">selling their home</a>, spending some time cleaning, maintaining, replacing, or freshening up the front exterior of your home and yard will ultimately help you make your home more appealing to buyers, minimizing your time on the market and maximizing your return. For homeowners who just want to love where they live or maybe keep up with the neighbors, increasing a home’s curb appeal is great for your neighborhood, for building equity in your real estate investment, and for providing you joy and pride in your own home.
Whether you desire to increase your home’s curb appeal because you are preparing your home for sale or because you value pulling into the driveway and admiring the place you call home, we’ve put together some tips to help you start your home improvement project. So let’s get to it! Below are our tips to freshen up your home’s curb appeal.
Tip #1 - Refresh the Front Door and Front Porch
<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/1688/image/Blog/Front%20Porch%20with%20Wreath.jpg" width="171" height="257" alt="Front Porch with Wreath" title="Front Porch with Wreath" class="img_box_left" />The front porch...the place that sets the expectations for what your guests or your buyers will experience once inside the home. In the real estate world, we often tell our sellers to pay special attention to this area. When a real estate agent is fiddling with the SUPRA box or the lockbox, the buyer is usually standing right beside them, inventorying for any defect they can find. If you can cancel out buyer objections, like faded paint, bugs’ nests, etc, and spruce up this area to excite the buyer, then you are on the right track to setting a great first impression. We recommend at least a good washing of the dirt and pollen off of the front door; consider a fresh coat of paint on the door and trim. Sweep and clean the porch.
Tip #2 - Spruce Up Home Accessories
Once the porch is cleaned and prepped, now the fun begins. Time to decorate and spruce up accessories. Check out the house numbers...do they need a fresh coat of paint? Or is it time for new house numbers? What about the doorbell...is it faded or even broken? A fresh new doormat or a seasonal wreath goes a long way to making the entry of the home inviting.
Tip #3 - Replace Outdoor Lighting
Not only does your outdoor lighting illuminate your home for safety, it also provides aesthetic appeal. If your outdoor lighting is looking worn, consider spray painting or purchasing a new fixtures. Consider installing the highest wattage bulb that your light fixture supports.
Tip #4 - Wash or Repaint Siding
St. Louis homes often have vinyl, aluminium, wood, stucco or brick siding. All of these types of siding benefit from power washing at least every couple of years. Although, the north sides of homes are typically prone to more mildew and may need more frequent washing.
Tip #5 - Wash Windows Inside and Out
And while you are pressure washing the siding, consider cleaning the exterior windows as well. Clean windows allow the light to flow into your interior so much better, putting your home decor and features on display. Then, head on indoors to clean those windows from the inside as well.
Tip #6 - Add Flowers and Greenery
<img src="https://assets.site-static.com/userfiles/1688/image/Blog/Front%20Yard%20with%20Flowers.jpg" width="261" height="167" alt="Front Yard with Flowers" title="Front Yard with Flowers" class="img_box_right" />Survey your existing bushes, trees and flowers. After several years of growth, your landscaping may have become overcrowded and may benefit from thinning out. Perhaps it is time to divide plants or give them a good trimming. Perennials and bulbs are great year-round choices to provide a pop of color to your landscaping. Install potted or hanging plants with colorful annuals to provide color the whole season.
Tip #7 - Rejuvenate the Front Lawn
A well-manicured lawn speaks volumes about the curb appeal of a home. The clay-like soil throughout much of the St. Louis area combined with the extreme summer temperatures can make it difficult to maintain a vibrant green lawn through the summer season. The best looking lawns in our area are treated regularly with weed pre-emergents, fertilizer, grub control and possibly fungicide. While a lawn irrigation system isn’t a necessity, it sure makes regular watering easier; and regular watering is important to give your home lush grass. For a quick spruce up, use an edger along the sidewalk, front walk, and driveway.
Tip #8 - Inspect the Roof
Since the roof is such a huge part of the home, it is important to pay special attention to its overall appearance. In the St. Louis area, asphalt shingle roof tiles are very common. And while they are relatively low maintenance, after several years St. Louis weather can take its toll, leaving stains on the shingles. If there is staining on the roof, consider hiring a professional to carefully clean the stain without damaging the surface of the shingles. Also, inspect the roof for missing or damaged shingles & flashing. Make any necessary repairs. Again, consider hiring a roofing contractor to make repairs if you are seeing loose shingles, as it may be indicative of a larger issue.
Tip #9 - Clean the Gutters
In areas of St. Louis with more mature trees, leaves and twigs can accumulate in the gutters regularly. Not only does this look messy, but clogged gutters can result in water creeping under the roof shingles causing potential damage or water issues at the foundation of the home. While not a glamorous job, it is an inexpensive job providing great improvement to the overall appearance of the home. In areas where more frequent cleaning is needed, consider installing gutter covers to keep leaves out of the gutters.
Tip #10 - Spruce Up the Driveway
The driveway is often a big feature of the home’s curb appeal, and yet we often don’t really think about a driveway adding curb appeal. It seems more appropriate to say that a dirty, grimey driveway with a lot of cracks can detract from the curb appeal of the home. Therefore, take some time to inspect it. Does it need to be pressure washed to remove stains and dirt? Does it need crack maintenance?
Closing
Perhaps the most difficult part of determining where to start in increasing your home’s curb appeal is being able to step back to see your home fresh through a buyer’s eyes. It’s easy for us to overlook minor or even major imperfections with features that you see day in and day out. Sometimes it is helpful to ask a friend or family member to provide some candid feedback on areas of priority for your home. Or better yet, if you are preparing your home for sale, ask your real estate agent on tips to increase the curb appeal of your home. Our team provides a free staging consultation with an award-winning staging company that can help you prioritize projects to provide maximum curb appeal.
These tips to increase the curb appeal of your home may <a href="https://www.thechadwilsongroup.com/sellers/adding-value/" title="Adding Value to Your Home" target="_blank">add value to your home</a> or even perceived value in the eyes of potential buyers. If you are contemplating selling your home, <a href="https://www.thechadwilsongroup.com/sellers/" title="Register for a home selling consultation" target="_blank">register today</a> for a seller consultation with our top team.2020-05-12T14:33:00-07:002023-04-26T15:15:33-07:00Jennifer Smith