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Trusted West Michigan Realtor

Your Trusted Real Estate Guide in
Greater Grand Rapids MI

The Most Important Repairs for Selling

No more twiddling your thumbs. You’re selling and the time has come to whip your well-loved but worn-down home into tip-top shape. So…what’s next? What repairs and improvements are worth it before selling? Here are six to consider:⁣
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Paint. Paint is one of the cheapest, easiest ways to update your home and get it ready to list. Plus, you don’t need to be a pro. Just queue up YouTube, pick your colors, and get to rolling.⁣
Exterior. Help buyers locate your home by refreshing house numbers and boost curb appeal with fresh mulch and planters filled with annuals. Have more time? Pressure wash your driveway and sidewalks.⁣
Kitchen. Give cabinets, appliances, and backsplashes a serious scrubbing. Install new hardware and light fixtures and replace countertops if needed. Don’t do a full reno unless your agent advises.⁣
Bathrooms. Cleanliness is king but so is functionality. Repair running toilets and leaky faucets, and consider replacing dingy toilet seats.⁣
Lighting. The brighter the better. Ditch heavy drapes for breezy curtains (or no curtains at all) to let in as much natural light as you can.⁣
Floors. There’s nothing like walking into a home with freshly refinished hardwood floors. If you can, consider refinishing your wood floors — don’t worry, the return on investment is very high.⁣
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I encourage sellers to prep their homes right out of the gate for the home inspection. If it’s going to show up on the inspection, why not take care of it before it hits the market? ⁣
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Are you thinking about selling and wondering what buyers want in your neighborhood? Reach out to me and let’s chat!

How Can I Increase the Value of My Home? ⁣

⁣It all comes down to T-I-M-E — and whether you’ve got a lot or a little of it! ⁣
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Clock ticking and you need to increase value ASAP? Zero in on these weekend projects:⁣

  • Clean, clean, and clean some more.⁣
  • Give walls a fresh soft, neutral coat of paint.⁣
  • Landscape with some low-maintenance (but green!) plants.⁣
  • Power wash your driveway, sidewalks, and home exterior.⁣
  • Declutter and consider staging.⁣

Time on your side?

Chip away at these little by little:⁣

  • Remove a wall (or two!) to create open living spaces.
  • Replace carpeted floors with wood or LVP flooring.⁣
  • Finish your unfinished basement.⁣
  • Replace your old windows and front door.⁣
  • Install new kitchen countertops and appliances.⁣⁣

Selling on the brain? The best thing you can do is have a quick consult with a Realtor. They can have a look around and let you know exactly what to do to have your home sitting pretty at top dollar. Ready to chat? Click here for a no obligation home seller consultation.

4 Strategies to Buy Your Dream Home and Sell Your Current One

When you first purchased your home it met your needs and budget, but life (as it always does) has changed. Maybe you have a different job that is located on another side of town, or your family situation has grown from 2 people to 4, or you now have a much higher income and would love a nicer home to reflect your current taste. The point is that the home served its purpose but it is now time to move on.

What you need is a plan to get from point A (your current home) to point B (the new home that meets your current wants/needs). Hiring an awesome Realtor to guide you down this path is highly recommended since it can be complicated and overwhelming!! Below are the most common strategies to accomplish your moving goal.

1.List your current home then look for a new one once your home is under contract and write an offer contingent upon you closing on your home.

One of the benefits of this strategy are that you know how much you will be getting in proceeds (since you’ve already accepted an offer at a certain purchase price). This is extremely helpful when budgeting and planning for the next home. The other positive is that when you do find the home that meets your needs and get an offer accepted, you will not have the stress of putting your home on the market. That step will be behind you. The risks that come from this strategy are that you may not find the right home in the timeframe that you have negotiated before closing. This may cause a double move and the need for temporary housing. Another con is that it is harder to get an offer accepted that has a contingency in it, even if it’s just to close on your home. Sellers like clean offers and the less risk the better. Another factor to consider is the chance something falls through on the sale of your current home. You risk losing out on the new home and having to start all over from square one.

2. Sell your current home then find a new home after the current one closes to eliminate the need for a sale contingency.

This one can sound super scary. Nobody wants to risk being homeless. There are many ways to make this a smooth transition with extended possession after closing or finding a temporary place to land (mom & dads, short term rental, temporary RV living…). The major benefit is that this strategy will give you the best buying power in the market. When you have your proceeds from your sale and do not have the risk of having to sell your home sellers will favor your offer over those that submit contingent offers.

3. Buy your new home (cash, bridge loan, new mortgage), then list and sell your current home.

When you decide to buy the new home before selling, the stress about finding the “right one” is minimized since that step is first and you do not have the pressure of a short timeframe. This strategy will also give you the opportunity to declutter the current house by moving items to new house which can help with the staging process, and you will not have to worry about finding temporary housing or moving twice. Of course there are risks involved. These include: being unsure of the exact proceeds from the sale of your home (the market will determine the ultimate sale price despite what you see in the sale data), you won’t have the cash from home sale for down payment, and perhaps this biggest concern is that you may have carrying costs and run the risk of having 2 mortgages.

4. Look for a new home. Once you find the right home, write an offer contingent upon you selling your home. If your offer is accepted, list and sell your home.

This strategy is the most challenging to execute smoothly, but it absolutely can be done! The reason that buyers choose to use this strategy is that they are not comfortable with the risk of selling their home without having another home lined up, yet they cannot afford and/or are not comfortable with buying a home before selling their current home.

The stars all have to align to pull this off. First you have to find a home that you like and write an offer attractive enough that the sellers are willing to accept your offer with this contingency. After that you will have to get your home on the market in a very short period of time and position it in the market for a quick offer, and finally we work hard to get everything done and close on the sales on both homes.

Which strategy is best for you?

The current market conditions and your personal situation will help you determine this. Hopefully you will be able to find a way to balance both at the same time (or a short window). If this is not possible, you need to decide which risk you are more comfortable with – owning zero houses (selling your home first) or owning two houses (purchasing next home first). Again, I cannot stress enough… finding an experienced and professional Realtor to guide you through this process is SO important!!

How to Manage Your Emotions When Selling Your Home

Hire a Realtor

You’ll gain an advocate, expert, and cheerleader whose single goal is looking out for your best interest as you complete one of the largest transactions of your life. Plus they have the skills to help guide you through the emotional roller coaster that the home selling process brings.

Trust the data

It’s only natural to feel like your home is better than the one that sold across the street. Your Realtor will help you sort through the facts and the feelings. While you are reviewing comparable sales in the market analysis, look at them through the eyes of a buyer. If you were to buy your home, how much would you pay? The data will give you the answer.

Depersonalize your home

Taking down your family pictures, putting away your family heirlooms and packing away your kids art are all examples of how you can depersonalize. The staging step of the process can help you detach your personal attachment to your home. When it looks like a show place instead of your cozy abode it will shift your mindset during the sale process.

Focus on your Why

There is a reason you are choosing to sell. Whether it’s downsizing to simplify your life, buying a larger home for your growing needs or relocating to another state. Keeping your eye on the prize will help minimize feelings of connection to your home during the sale process.

What is a CMA?

When it comes time to sell, one of the hardest things to determine is the listing price. So how do you come up with a number that isn’t so low it leaves money on the table, but also not so high that your home never sells? That’s where a comparative market analysis (CMA) comes into play.

Real estate agents are experts in creating CMA’s based on your home’s value and recently sold, similar properties in the surrounding area. These reports help set a fair listing price for sellers and generate competitive offers from buyers.

Here’s a rundown of the basic steps:

1. Evaluate the neighborhood.

2. Gather details about the subject property.

3. Select comps.

4. Adjust for differences.

5. Determine the sold price per square foot after adjustments.

Ready to figure out the “best” price for your home? I’d love to create a comparative market analysis for you!

Let’s Get Started!!

Preparing for Closing Day as a Seller

Closing day is the best day! It’s what we’ve been working towards and the deal is officially done. This is what you can expect from me as we prepare to close.

I will make sure all terms are satisfied and that the buyer’s lender has issued a clear to close or for cash transactions verify that the buyer will have funds available for the specified close date.

Closings are scheduled during the day from 9-4 on the hour. You may have to arrange from time off from work to be available for closing. I will do my best to make sure the time and location is convenient for you and your needs.

The transfer of utilities is coordinated with the time of possession. If possession is the date of close you should plan to make phone calls to the utility companies a few days before close. If the possession is extended after closing you will want to contact the utility companies a few days before you hand the buyer(s) the keys. I will provide you with the list of phone numbers in advance.

The day of closing you will need to bring your photo identification, social security number, keys (if possession is at close), a cashiers or certified check made out to the title company (if you are required to bring funds to close the transaction), and a check made out to the buyer(s) if you have extended possession and rent is a negotiated part of the contract.

At the closing you will receive copies of all of the documents and your proceeds check (if applicable). Please keep in mind the title company will issue this check specifically to the name on the title.

If you need the name of moving companies or a source for moving boxes I will provide you with a list of excellent resources.

After closing I will follow up with you to make sure that all your needs are met and answer any questions that you may have.

The Home Selling Process- What to Expect From Start to Finish

The home selling process can be overwhelming and stressful. I’ve broken it down to 4 simple steps to help you get an overview of what the process looks like.

Step #1

  • Evaluate your needs
  • Set the right price
  • Determine time frame
  • Research Competition
  • Prepare and stage your property for sale

Step #2

Step #3

  • Receive, negotiate, accept offer
  • Inspections, Appraisal
  • Assist with mortgage & title process

Step #4

  • Assemble documents
  • Attend closing
  • Sign documents & contract
  • Transfer Utilities
  • Give the buyers Possession

Is it Smart to Refinance?

Your home mortgage is an important investment in your future, and a mortgage refinance can be a smart move to help you manage your investments when used under the right circumstances. Here are some things to consider about refinancing your mortgage.  

Simply put, when you refinance your mortgage, you are taking out a new loan to pay off your original mortgage, so the first question to ask yourself may be is there a better product available to you than what you started with?

Refinancing allows you to borrow against the equity you have built up in your home and take out cash you can use to pay off other debt, make home improvements, or invest in your retirement. For example, let’s say you have $70,000 of equity in your home, but still owe $175,000 on your mortgage. You may take out a new mortgage for $200,000 that is used to pay off the first mortgage, and then pays you $25,000 in cash. If you have made regular payments on your initial mortgage for at least five years, you probably have enough equity built up to take a cash-out mortgage.

Another reason to refinance is to reduce your monthly payment to give you more flexibility in your monthly budget. When you refinance, you are basically starting over on your 30-year commitment, but, if you are not taking cash out, your new mortgage amount will be lower, so your payments decrease.  

If you originally took out a 15-year mortgage, changing to a 30-year term will lower your monthly payment considerably.  

You may also choose the opposite and switch from a 30-year loan to a 15-year term. Your monthly payments will likely increase, but you will pay your loan off earlier and pay less interest.  

Another reason people refinance is to change from an adjustable-rate mortgage (ARM) to a fixed-rate. This eliminates fluctuations in your monthly mortgage payment and may help you take advantage of favorable rates.  

Before you decide to refinance, do some homework. You should perform an audit of your monthly budget, assess your short and long-term financial goals, check your credit score, watch interest rate fluctuations, and consider the costs involved in refinancing ads there will be closing costs on your new loan.

Simplified Step by Step Look at the Home Buying Process

  1. Find a Realtor that you can trust. (I’d love to help!!) This is SO important so that you have a professional in your corner through the next key steps. This is a huge investment and going it alone can cost you money and time.
  2. Determine how you will pay for your new home. Will you be paying cash or will you need a mortgage to finance your new home? If you need a mortgage you will need a trusted mortgage lender to help guide you as to what is the best type of loan for your needs. Your Realtor can help you find a lender that you can trust if you don’t already have one.
  3. Search for the right home. Preview potential properties online. Schedule showings and view the properties you are most interested in.
  4. Make an offer. Write an offer to purchase on the property that best meets your needs. Negotiate the terms of the offer and accept the contract.
  5. Under contract. Turn in earnest deposit check, complete loan application and get homeowners insurance quotes.
  6. Inspections. Conduct inspections, and resolve/negotiate any issues.
  7. Financing period. Your lender will order the appraisal. You will need to obtain homeowners insurance. The title company will conduct a title search.
  8. Clear to close. This means that the lender has approved your loan and we are ready to set a closing date.
  9. Closing day!! You will sign the closing documents and officially become a homeowner!

Renovating Your Home? Check These FAQ’s!

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1. How do I pick a contractor?

Ideally, you want to build the same kind of relationship with your contractor as you do with your real estate agent: one built on trust that makes you want to go back to that person for any future needs. Your contractor should be a very good listener and communicator. You want them to “get” your vision for your home, and to keep you in the loop every step of the way. Do your due diligence by checking out contractors’ reputations, talking with other clients, and looking at work they have done previously before you make your selection.

How much will my project cost?

Of course, the answer depends upon the scope of your project, but in order to get the best estimate from your contractor, take time to write down each detail of your plan so that the contractor can include everything in their estimate. Renovations are famous for taking longer and costing more than originally planned, but this is often because the homeowner makes additions or changes along the way, or they don’t realize that, for example, if you move a wall in your home, you may have to then reroute electricity and outlets. One item often leads to another, so you have to look at everything piece by piece.

How long will renovations take to complete?

As we said above, this depends on the amount of work being done– and how many changes are made along the way. The more pre-planning you do, the better estimate your contractor can give you.

How do I prioritize projects?

If you are living in your home during renovations, you may want to plan out the project in phases, so you can live out of some rooms while others are being worked in. You may also need to phase projects based on cost and availability of funds.

Where do I begin?

You begin by conducting a lot of research. Start a look book for your home, either in a notebook or online, collecting pictures of the look and finishes you want. Talk to different contractors, and visit kitchen, bathroom, appliance, and flooring showrooms to get ideas on selections and pricing.

Do I need permits?

Your contractor will know what projects require permitting. Make sure that you do abide by permitting regulations, as failure to secure proper permits can come back to bite you if further work is needed down the road.

How much will renovations increase my home value?

Every homeowner hopes that making improvements will increase their home’s value, and this is usually the case, but sometimes what homeowners view as improvement can turn out to be liabilities to future buyers. For example, don’t put so much money into the house that it becomes more expensive than the rest of the neighborhood. And be careful not to add personal style preferences that can’t be easily changed, like ornamental fixtures, radical architecture, or unusual landscape features.

How should I pay for renovations?

If you have the cash to pay for your renovations, that’s certainly a good way to go. Otherwise, you might consider a home equity loan with a manageable monthly payment or a revolving line of credit that you can use for renovations as well as emergencies that may arise later.