What Can You Do To Make Your Home Sell Faster?

We have five senses (some would add a sixth) of sight, touch, taste, and smell. Three of these play a role in the first impression your home will make upon a potential buyer. First impressions are important and can end a showing quickly if the impression given is the wrong one.

Of our five senses, smell is the one in my experience that is most off-putting. If the house smells like cigarette smoke, or animal urine, or has a mold or mildew smell; the buyer loses interest in seeing any other part of the house and will not be making an offer.  It can be extremely hard to get rid of odors. Mold or mildew odors indicate larger problems - water infiltration, and few buyers are willing to lay down their hard-earned money for a home with mold or mildew.

How a home appears visually is also a large factor in a buyer's first impression of your home. Dark rooms, clutter, unconventional decor or paint colors, and a lack of cleanliness are not going to sell a home. It will sell someone else's home - and for a higher price in many cases.

The sense of touch has a lot to do with cleanliness. If the floors are sticky to walk across, or the cabinets have a layer of grease on them, or the counters look so dirty you wouldn't want to touch them, then the appeal of the home goes down considerably. Another aspect of touch - and this is a true story: a group of realtors were touring a home just listed by the office when everyone began experiencing unbearable itch on their legs and arms. The house looked okay but had been vacant for some time. Still living there were fleas and those fleas were ravenous! That problem had to be addressed before the home could be shown to would-be buyers. I'm not sure any of the realtors present that day ever went back and understandably so. They nearly stampeded to get out of there! Imagine if a buyer and their agent had been the first to walk into that situation!

To make your home sell:

1. Open the draperies, pull up the shades, and let in the sunlight.
2. Create a positive mood. Turn on all lights, day or night, and install higher wattage light bulbs to show your home brightly.
3. Remove clutter from each room to visually enlarge them and provide a sense of assurance to would-be buyers that you're not trying to hide defects in the home from them.
4. If you have a fireplace, highlight it in your decorating.
5. Keep your home dusted and vacuumed at all times.
6. Replace the carpet if it does not clean up well.
7. Have a family "game plan" to get the home in order quickly if necessary.
8. Air out your home for one-half hour before showings if possible.
9. Lightly spray the house with linen-scented air freshener so that it has a chance to diffuse before the buyer arrives. If you are a smoker, do your best to smoke outside (not in the garage!) during the period of time you have your house on the market. Also spray upholstered furniture with a product like Febreeze to remove odors from furniture. 
10. Put family photos in storage.
11. Improve traffic flow through every room by removing unnecessary furniture.
12. Create the feeling of a spacious entry area by using decorative accents and removing unnecessary furniture.
13. Putty over and paint any nail holes or other mishaps in the wall.
14. For dried out or scratched woodwork, use a product like lemon oil or Old English Scratch Cover. It's remarkable how these products can improve the appearance of woodwork. 
15. Paint all interior walls a neutral color to brighten the home and make it look bigger.
16. Repair or remove any loose or damaged wallpaper.
17. Clean all light bulbs and light fixtures to brighten the home. 
18. Wash all windows inside and out.
19. Use healthy, lush, plants in transitional areas of your house. 
20. Remove and/or hide excess extension cords and exposed electrical cords. 
21. Open doors to areas you want potential buyers to see such as walk-in closets, pantries, attics, etc.
22. Remove all smoke and pet odors. These are tough. Few products really work at removing tough odors. Contact me to learn what products I've used and which work the best. 
23. Repair or replace damaged banisters and handrails. Tighten them if they have become loose. 
24. Microwave a small dish of vanilla 20 minutes before a showing and place it in an out-of-the-way place. 
25. Highlight an eat-in area of your kitchen with a table prettily set for dinner. 
26. The kitchen and bathrooms should be spotlessly clean.
27. Expand your counter space by removing small appliances.
28. Create a master suite effect in decorating the master bedroom.
29. Depersonalize bedrooms and decorate in a neutral scheme.
30. Make sure the beds are made and the linens clean.
31. Organize closets and remove unnecessary items and put them in storage.
32. Do not leave wet, dirty towels lying around and wipe down the sinks and showers after each use.  
33. Re-caulk the tub if the caulk is not bright white.
34. Repair or replace broken tiles in the shower/tub.
35. Replace shower curtains and keep them clean.
36. Put out fresh towels and decorative soaps.
37. If you have pets, secure them for showings if possible. Keep their food and litter areas clean. 
38. Keep the yard mowed and raked at all times. 
39. Use flowering plants to dress up the yard, walkway, and patio/deck.
40. Remove all toys, bicycles, tools, unsightly patio furniture, and trash from the yard.
41. Porches, steps, verandas, balconies, patios, and other extensions of the house should be kept uncluttered, swept, and in good condition.
42. Paint all entrance doors and remove cobwebs at entries.
43. Make sure any sliding glass doors and overhead garage doors open easily. Fix and paint the doors if necessary. 
44. Clean and shine all hardware and accessories indoors and out. (Door knobs, knockers, amps, mailbox, address numbers, windowsills, etc.)
45. Trees and shrubs should be trimmed - especially if branches extend over the house or are in contact with the house.
46. Use a new doormat.
47. Be sure the front doorbell and any exterior outlets are in good working order. 
48. Be sure the front door and screen door work perfectly, are clean, and in good condition. 
49. Clean out the gutters. 
50. Fill any holes in the yard or areas where the ground has sunk and water pools with rain. (Especially next to the foundation.)

A real estate agent with years of experience is a valuable resource to help identify any issues a buyer might have with your home. Real estate agents have a network of reputable companies to help with repairs and can provide a list of recommendations. An agent can advise what repairs or upgrades offer the best return on your investment. Remember: not all repairs or upgrades add value to the property, but they will help you market your home competitively and sell quickly.

Find more about selling your home or contact me through my website: TomSellsKC.com.

Buying New Construction

Some things to think about if you are looking to buy new construction.

Having a buyer's agent is VERY important! New home builders often have on-site sales agents who represent them in the sale of their homes. When buying or building new construction, buyers should have their own representation as well.

Prospective buyers think that they can get a better deal by going straight to the builder and eliminating the Realtor. Builders are looking out for their own interests. Protect your interests and rely on the experience of a professional Realtor. 

Realtors have the largest pool of buyers and word-of-mouth among Realtors can have a widespread effect on a builder's success. If you are mistreated during the purchasing process or after you move in, your Realtor can have much more sway in ensuring a satisfactory outcome. Realtor's network extensively and are usually aware of disreputable builders and can advise you accordingly. It is in a builder's best interest to work with Realtors and establish a good reputation in the real estate community.

 It is the Realtor’s role is to find the best possible home for their buyer and to educate them about the buying process. Realtors are happy to bring their clients to new home communities and for good reason: energy-efficient homes, quality of construction, a variety of floorplans to fit today's lifestyle, the use of green building materials, and new home warranties are all great incentives for buyers. Typically, on-site agents are trained to ask if prospective buyers are working with an agent. It is important that buyers visiting a new home community and “just looking” inform the on-site sales agent that they are represented by a Realtor. Realtors should pre-register their clients if they know that their clients may be interested in a community.

Having a Realtor can provide valuable insight and assistance through the building process. To learn more about me and what I can do to help you purchase a new home in Overland Park, KS or other areas of Kansas City, visit my website at www.TomSellsKC.com or email me at Tom@TomSellsKC.com

Prepare Yourself For Buying

Thinking of buying a new home? Here are a few things to keep in mind to ensure that the process is smooth and frustration-free:

Consider Working with a Buyer Agency: Working with a Realtor that is truly committed to helping you is key during the buying process. The ideal candidate should be someone who really knows the area in which you are looking to purchase a new home. Your Realtor should also be able to evaluate values fairly, as well as keep you safe during the buying process.

Look & Listen to Objective Assistance: Keep in mind that your Realtor is not simply trying to get the sale, they truly have your best interest at heart! Their job is to provide you with honest, helpful feedback. This is especially true if a multiple-offer situation arises. Your Realtor can step outside of the oftentimes emotional side of buying a home and give you the business opinion.

Be Pre-Approved: Pre-approval shows that you can actually buy a home, allows you to know what’s in your price range, and you’ll have leverage in negotiations with sellers.

Have Your Down Payment Ready: Having the money (liquid funds) readily available to make a down payment is critical during the buying process. Make sure the money is not tied up in savings accounts, etc., because sometimes you can only pull from these accounts at certain times throughout the year. Previously, buyers would take out No Money Down loans but these are harder to come by nowadays. If you need a No Money Down loan, talk to your Realtor.

Three Common Situations: What if you have to pay full price on the home, how much over full price do you offer to pay? What if you’re involved in a multiple-offer situation? What if you’re being asked to waive the appraisal contingency? These are three very common situations that can arise during the buying process and who better to answer them than your Realtor!

If you have any further questions on how to prepare yourself for the best home buying experience, don’t hesitate to contact me!

What You Need To Know Before You Move To Overland Park Kansas.

What You Need To Know Before You Move To Overland Park Kansas.

Are you thinking of moving to Overland Park or are plans already underway? Here are some things you need to know.

5 Things To Know About Overland Park Before You Move Here.

5) Kansas is definitely not “fly over” country - When I first moved to Overland Park from Pittsburgh PA, I knew little about Kansas and like many easterners, I did not realize everything that this area has to offer.  While central and western Kansas provide lots of open space, Overland Park – and Johnson County in general – is very diverse in culture and terrain, and there are all the amenities of any large city around the country.

4) Overland Park is the second most populous city in Kansas. It’s funny how a city I only considered a suburb of Kansas City is actually the second largest in Kansas! According to Wikipedia, it encompasses 75.37 square miles.  Here’s a visual representation (courtesy of Wikipedia) of Overland Park within Johnson County:

3) Overland Park is diverse – As part of the Kansas City metropolitan area, Overland Park has flourished and grown into a City that frequently appears on “Best Of” lists! Overland Park is known for high quality education, it supports a lively sporting community, it has high-and not-so-high-end shopping venues, neighborhoods are designed around greenbelts and parks or are centered around lakes, there are fabulous restaurants here, and there are many opportunities to experience the area’s combination of rolling and flat terrain. There are still spots that hold fast to the areas agrarian history and I find these a refreshing change from the more numerous hallmarks of progress. And, if you do need to get away, we have one of the most convenient airports in the country and it’s easy to get just about anywhere from our central location.

2) If you want to experience the four seasons, you’ll find them here! This is one of my favorite things about Overland Park. Yes, it can get quite warm in the summer, but it won’t last long! The same goes for the cold, dry winters so partake of summer and winter activities to your heart’s delight! If they don’t exist here, they’re close by! Our spring and fall seasons can include some beautiful weather to be out and about in!  I would say each season is usually about three months long so if you’re getting tired of the season, hang on – it’s almost over! Tornado season is maybe two months of the year, but we don’t seem to get the same intensity of storms that some of our neighboring states and counties experience (thank heavens!).   

1) It is beautiful and friendly here! – The land. The architecture. City planning. The people. Overland Park is beautiful and friendly – like few places I’ve lived. It continues to emphasize a symbiotic relationship between progress and nature. Corporate Woods is the area’s business park and was built within the woods already present on the site. Landscaping is a primary feature in both the corporate centers and residential neighborhoods.  Buildings are modern and homes stately with an obvious pride of ownership. Older neighborhoods are not bulldozed but revitalized and restored. People here value the wonderful amenities of Overland Park and continue to support the community as it grows. And friendly? You bet! Strangers greet you on the street, courtesy is still valued and employed here, and a neighbor is very often a friend!

Come to Overland Park. I love it here and bet you will too!

When it is time to buy or sell a house let me know how I can help! 

Tom McChesney, Keller Williams Realty Key Partners LLC

913-908-2453   Website: tomsellskc.com

To view full details including photos for "up to the minute" homes for sale and more while on the go, download my FREE Mobile App at http://app.kw.com/KW25S4U6N.

Sell Your House Now vs. Sell Your House Later

“Now Is The Best Time To Sell”. You’ve probably seen this many times. It’s used a lot and you may find it hard to take it seriously. I know how you feel. Phrases used over and over again, especially in the sales industry, often fail to grab my attention too. Despite this, as a Kansas City real estate agent, one of the most frequent questions I receive is: “When is the best time to sell my house?”

Common practice in the Kansas City real estate market is for a homeowner to place their home on the market in the spring or summer. The weather is more cooperative, kids are out of school, homes for sale are more plentiful, and parents can plan their move to coincide with the school year. So is the summer the best time to put your house on the market? Recently, my office researched Kansas City’s historical trends to see if this question could be answered definitively. What we found in examining the Kansas City and surrounding metropolitan areas over a period from February 2013 to February 2015 has proved most interesting and may surprise you.

First I’ll address Median Price.

The median price between June 2014 and January 2015 fell 2.7%. June’s median price was $226,158; January’s was $220,000. Looking back a year further, the median price in June 2013 was $220,000; by January 2014, it was $190,000 in January 2014, a 13.6% drop!

Conclusion: The median price over the past two years has dropped between June and January so you stand to get more from the sale of your house if you list early in the year with a closing around mid-year.

What drives the median price over the course of a year? Supply and demand. High demand coupled with low supply will drive price up. Conversely, low demand coupled with a high supply will drive prices down. This chart demonstrates the supply of inventory over the course of the year.

The lowest supply of homes on the market in the Kansas City and surrounding areas occurs over the months of April and May.

Conclusion: According to this data from both charts, the market peaks in June. Low supply over the months of April and May leads to a consistent peak in June.

In the spring of 2015 we are seeing this trend continue. Inventory of homes available for sale is extremely low. RIGHT NOW is better than ever for getting your home under contract at its best price. So put your home on the market in April or May for a closing between now and June for your best chance of acquiring the highest sale price for your home!

High Tech Customer Service – Good? Bad? Ugly?

Working with customers 7 days a week, oftentimes more than 8 hours a day, I have to be really focused on delivering quality customer service.  Even though real estate has experienced a technology revolution like many other industries, technology alone can’t deliver the customer service necessary to a real estate transaction. 

So what is customer service today? I find that when I need help with some aspect of the technology I use – websites, software, cell phones and computers; I’m often directed to visit the Help Center on the website.  Here I can enter a search term that can bring up hundreds of results.  I scroll through page one of those results…then page two…then page three…and find nothing to help with my situation.  I then go to the “Contact Us” tab thinking I’m going to get a phone number or email and contact a real person.  No such luck because that page just refers me back to the Help Center.  In a few instances where I am given an email address for “customer support”, in sending the email I find I just get an automated email response that refers me back to the Help Center or a link doing the same.  I know what I’m getting and it’s a phrase you don’t hear much anymore: I’m getting the runaround.  Not ready to give up, I search every page of the website, every tab, multitudes of links, even the fine print at the bottom - looking for some way to get in contact with a real live person with no success.  By this time I’m thinking: “Is this their definition of customer service?” Is it yours because it sure isn’t mine! Have we allowed customer service to erode to this level in exchange for high tech? I’m afraid we have.

Customer service is having easy access to a live person! That person should have the ability to listen to you outline your problem and keep on listening while you describe the means you have already tried of resolving the problem.

Customer service is also a willingness to give the customer your full, undivided attention.  How many times have you started to explain a problem and been cut-off by a service representative who is anxious to pawn you off – to the Help Center?! Or to a solution you’ve already tried with no success?

Customer service is also providing a phone number to your customers – one displayed prominently on your website and your printed materials. I’d sure like to see the phone answered by a person on the first or second ring but it appears automated phone systems are here to stay. If I want to be a standout amongst the competition, I wouldn’t use them. To me, nothing says “we’d rather not deal with our customers” like getting an automated phone system.

No matter how high tech my career as a real estate sales executive in the Kansas City area becomes, I’m going to provide customer service according to my definition. Customer service that is personal, available, and built around the needs of my customers. My customers are far too essential to my livelihood for me to give them anything less.

First Time Home Buyers - What You Need To Know

Here is your opportunity to find out what you need to purchase your first home. Attend this free seminar Thursday 2/26/15 6:30pm - 8:00pm in Prairie Village, KS. If you'd like more information, call Tom McChesney at 913-908-2453 or email tom@tomsellskc.com.

Guest speakers will be available to answer your questions about all aspects of home buying. Food will be provided and everyone will be entered in a gift giveaway!

2015 is expected to be a great year for the first time home buyer. Why?

1. interest rates are near historic lows
2. Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac backed 3% downpayment conventional loans are available again
3. Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac have eased credit qualification standards                 
4. home prices continue to rise. 
5. FHA has lowered mortgage insurance premiums
6. 2014 was the best year since 2000 for total job growth  

Find out what a professional real estate agent can do to help you.

Get your questions about lending and mortgages answered.

Learn the process of finding and buying a home.

Learn about inspections, warranties, closing costs, and title insurance.

Knowledge is empowering! Learn what you need to know to purchase your first home wisely and begin the journey of building your wealth through real estate!

Location: 4200 Somerset Drive, Suite #101, Prairie Village KS 66208.