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The Final “R”s of Home Staging - REPAINT and REARRANGE

November 11th, 2009

You’ve taken the first big steps in staging your home to sell.  Your de-cluttered house now looks and smells clean and you’re ready to update your home with the final “R”s of home staging: Refreshing your home with some creative rearranging and possibly new paint for the most appeal.

REPAINT

·        Start with the front entrance: if your front door is painted and doesn’t look great, give it a new coat. This first impression counts a great deal and sets the tone for the entire home.  

·         If walls or doors have non-removable stains or scuffs, consider repainting them.  Buyers will be adding up all these “to-do” jobs as they view your home!  You can choose a neutral color; however, sometimes adding a splash of color can really add some pizzazz – just don’t be too bold.

·         Remember the mailbox and post!

REARRANGE

·         Take a walk around and ensure that your furniture provides good traffic flow and conversation areas. If you need to create areas for conversation, try grouping furniture in front of a fireplace or other focal point. Watch for ‘bottlenecks’ that slow traffic as you move through your house -if  you need to squeeze by a large piece of furniture to get to another room, re-locate or remove it. Remember, less is more. 

·         Stage the major rooms in your house for their intended purpose. If you use your dining room as an office, for example, now is the time to clear out the computer and set the table. 

·         Consider creating ‘fantasy spaces’ in unused areas of your house.  Position a comfortable chair and reading lamp by a window, for example, even if you only use the space for storage.  The idea is to make potential buyers “see” themselves living a pleasant life in their new home.  Remember, when you’re trying to sell, it’s not about you and your personal preferences anymore - it’s what appeals to the most potential buyers.

These are basic steps to make any home more appealing to buyers. If you are ready to sell your home, the professionals at HomeBuyingForLess are ready to walk you through the process. Call us at 1-888-201-8565.

 

 

What Properties Qualify for the $8000 First-Time Home Buyers Tax Credit?

September 23rd, 2009

For those who want to take advantage of the $8000 First-Time Home Buyers Tax credit before the December 1st, 2009 deadline, here are some property guidelines to consider, courtesy of the IRS .

 

Properties That Qualify

Qualified buyers can claim the tax credit on: 

Properties that are their principal residence or ‘main home.’.  A simplified definition of ‘main home’ is the one lived in most of the time. This principal residence could be a:

Single-family detached house

Townhome

Condominium

Multi-family dwelling, if it is the principal residence of the buyer

Manufactured or Mobile Home

Houseboat

Cooperative Apartment 

Another requirement is that property must be located in the United States.

Also qualifying is a new home constructed by the homeowner (rather than purchased from a builder) on their own lot. This is treated by the tax code as having been “purchased” on the date the owner first occupies the house. In this situation, the date of first occupancy must be on or after January 1, 2009 and before December 1, 2009.

 

Properties That Don’t Qualify

Qualified buyers cannot claim the tax credit on:

Properties acquired by gift or inheritance

Properties located outside the United States

Properties acquired from a related person. A related person includes:

A spouse

Ancestors – parents, grandparents, etc.

Lineal descendants – children, grandchildren, etc.

Properties purchased from a corporation in which you directly or indirectly own more than 50% in value of the outstanding stock of the corporation

Properties purchased from a partnership in which you directly or indirectly own more than 50% of the capital interest or profits interest

  

If you would like to take advantage of the tax credit before the deadline, the real estate professionals at HomeBuyingForLess can walk you through the process. We even offer a  rebate at Closing for our buyers.  Call us today at 1-888-201-8565.