Marketing Your Property

admin — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:13:29 +0000

: Melissa Collins

A Real Estate Professional worth their commission will put a lot of effort into marketing your home. There are more things to consider than just taking a few photos and sending it to the local MLS. (MLS-Multiple List Service-a marketing database set up by a group of cooperating real estate brokers.)

Our local Harrison MLS is syndicated to all nationally recognized listing websites. Realtor.com, Trulia.com, and Zillow.com are three of the more recognizable websites. A listing at Harp and Associates will also be a listing on these websites and others. Your listing with Harp and Associates will be enhanced on these websites.

Tour any potential REALTOR’s listings on the web. See how well their listings are presented using the following list of suggestions.

1. Photograph the Front

Crop out sidewalks and streets.
Remove vehicles from driveway / front of home.
Shoot up-close & angled photos.
Avoid shade on the house.
Clear away vegetation blocking front door or path to door.

2. Exterior Photographs

Emphasize space and shoot long.
Mow the lawn & trim bushes.
Remove evidence of pets.
Put away children’s toys.
Avoid shooting into the sun.

3. Interior Photographs

Take photographs of every room. Open drapes & blinds
Turn on lights.
Focus on interesting details like the condition of a wood floor or a fireplace mantle.
Remove trash cans & close toilet lids in bathrooms.
Avoid shooting into mirrors because your image will reflect.

4. Virtual Tours

A good virtual tour will grab a buyer by the hand and lead her from room to room, showing a 360-degree view.
A good virtual tour will be a “live” video tour not just the agent’s still photos put together to music.
Virtual tours can also include individual photos available for download or to print.

5. Signage.

Try talking to a neighbor, whose home is located at the corner of a busy street, asking for permission to put a sign in that yard with an arrow pointing toward yours.
Agent signs should include the phone number of the office and the agent’s mobile. The idea being that a potential buyer can call immediately to talk to an agent about the property.

6. Print Advertising

Local newspapers. You can probably run a larger ad for less money that will more closely target those looking in your area.
Real estate publications. Homes Guides are generally published quarterly or monthly.
Every Web site you can find. Listings at Harp and Associates are syndicated so this step is complete as soon as you list.

7. Host Broker / Agent Tours

Agents who linger in your home will better remember details to later describe to buyers.
The best way to entice an agent to hang around is food. Doesn’t need to be expensive, sandwiches will suffice. Most listing agents will schedule this type of tour and provide a host, either a financial institution or title company.
As agents munch and network, the hope is they will admire your home and bring back a buyer.
In the local Harrison, AR market, agents have found that this type of Open House is more beneficial than general public open house.

First Time Home Buyers

Melissa Collins — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 19:01:31 +0000

First-time home buyers are dear to my heart. They may be the reason

I became a REALTOR. I remember that first home that my husband and I purchased. I remember the fear, the butterflies, and the excitement. I remember the REALTOR. He was an acquaintance that

became a trusted friend throughout the process. He helped negotiate the purchase price and find the best mortgage company with the best interest rate. We had never been through this process and we needed a professional to guide us.

Melissa Collins

At Harp and Associates, we have trusted professionals that can walk with you through the home buying process. There are many good reasons to purchase a home, even with the media driven perception that the real estate market is suffering. Our inventory has many good properties that would make a warm and comforting home for your family. There are emotional reasons and financial reasons to own a home. I can guide you through that process so the fear and butterflies are taken over by excitement because you are assured of your decisions.

It is normal to have some reservations, however with the right REALTOR and the right reasons home ownership is rewarding and financially beneficial. Here are seven good reasons to own your home:

Pride of Ownership

Pride of ownership is the number one reason why people yearn to own their home. It means you can paint the walls any color you desire, turn up the volume on your CD player, attach permanent fixtures and decorate your home according to your own taste. Home ownership gives you and your family a sense of stability and security.

Real Estate Appreciation

Although real estate moves in cycles, sometimes up, sometimes down, over the years, real estate has consistently appreciated. Many people view their home investment as a hedge against inflation.

Mortgage Interest Deductions

Home ownership is a superb tax shelter and our tax rates favor homeowners. As long as your mortgage balance is smaller than the price of your home, mortgage interest is fully deductible on your tax return.

Property Tax Deductions

IRS Publication 530 contains tax information for first-time home buyers. Real estate property taxes paid for a first home and a vacation home are fully deductible for income tax purposes.

Capital Gain Exclusion

As long as you have lived in your home for two of the past five years, you can exclude up to $250,000 for an individual or $500,000 for a married couple of profit from capital gains.

Mortgage Reduction Builds Equity

Each month, part of your monthly payment is applied to the principal balance of your loan, which reduces your obligation. The way amortization works, the principal portion of your principal and interest payment increases slightly every month. It is lowest on your first payment and highest on your last payment.

Equity Loans

Consumers who carry credit card balances cannot deduct the interest paid. Equity loan interest is often much less and it is deductible. Consumers can borrow against a home’s equity for a variety of reasons such as home improvement, college, medical or starting a new business.

Source: about.com