Home Renovations That Can Increase The Value OF Your Home

There are many things that can be done to add value to the property, when you are looking to sell your Northern VA house or even if you are just looking to redesign your current home. Once you get these improvements done, they may look very good, but some of them may not add a significant amount of value to your home, simply costing you a great deal of money. Put these ideas to good use so that you can be more comfortable in your own surroundings, and get the best sale price for your home later on.

Remodeling Your Kitchen Is A Great Place to Start

Many home buyers consider the kitchen the heart of a home. Since most families spend more waking hours in their kitchens than any other room, it is the first place you should consider remodeling. You could get back up to 80% of your monetary investment with the increase of your home value after a kitchen remodel. Depending upon the choices you make in appliance selection, you may even experience an immediate savings in energy costs.

When planning your kitchen renovation, it is important to keep in mind the architecture and design of the rest of your home. If your kitchen design clashes with the rest of the house this could drive away prospective buyers. If you are not sure where to begin, you might start with your built-in appliances, a very popular feature in today’s homes. If in doubt, an interior designer can be very helpful, especially in effective use of space.

Adding A Second Bathroom

An additional bathroom is also a great way of increasing the value of your home. This home improvement may give you back 80 to 100 percent of your renovation costs.

Reinventing A Room

The better option therefore, is that of reinventing an existing space. One that doesn’t have to cost a lot of money. If you have a basement with plenty of space, you can turn it into a furnished room. This is a much more lucrative option than adding a new room to the house.

Read full article here.

Source: keyhm.com

 

#homeimprovements #homerepair #homevalue #homerenovations #realestate

 

 

Home For Sale In Kingstowne VA

It has been an incredibly busy first Quarter of the year 2015 for Key Home Sales & Management, and for myself personally.   My family decided to sell our long-time home in Kingstowne (Alexandria) Virginia, and move to Clifton VA where we have more room for my husband’s hobbies (cars…) and for mine as well (being outside, gardening, working around the farm).  We may even get horses!

I just put our home in Kingstowne on the market today – we did everything we could think of to make it just like a new home – new windows, new roof, new carpet, fresh paint, refinished the hardwoods, new A/C, and even put in a new Kitchen!  People often say “why don’t you do these things while you’re still living there to enjoy it?”  Easier said than done while all your furniture and belongings are still in the home!

If you know of anyone thinking of buying in the Kingstowne area, please give them our phone number.  And if you also live in Kingstowne and want to go see the home and check out what we did, we’ll have an Open House this Sunday, April 19th.

For those of you who don’t know already, Kingstowne is an amazing community in the Alexandria section of Fairfax County.  Built in the 1990s to early 2000’s, it consists of over 5300 homes, including single family, townhouses, and condos.  It has two outdoor pools, two well-stocked fitness centers, a lake, tennis, volleyball, soccer, basketball, bike and walking trails, and many more amenities!  Lots of community activities year round, and convenient to Ft. Belvoir, the Pentagon and Downtown via bus/metro.  There are two metro stops in the area: Springfield and Van Dorn.

Read full article here.

Original Source keyhm.com

Written by Betty Best

 

#homeforsale #realestate #realestatetips #NorthernVA #Virginia #buyhometips

Home Improvement Tips That Can Help You Sell

This short article has a few tips on home improvements that can assist you in selling your home faster, and at a fair market value.

1. Popcorn Ceilings

Couple of structural features date a home more than popcorn ceilings so removing them would be a great home improvement for people seeking to sell their home. The task must take no longer than a weekend and when complete you will certainly have a ceiling that is easier to repaint and repair, and a residence with an interior that won't turn away possible buyers.

2. Loft Conversion

A professional loft conversion is a popular home enhancement that could enhance the value of your house by as much as 20 percent. You can convert an attic into storage area, a restroom, bed room or workplace. Generally over 30 percent of a home's space lies in the attic, so by performing a conversion, home owners can gain a lot more living space without needing to go through the difficult and expensive process of transferring.

3. Home Staging

When you choose to sell your residence, one home improvement job that will pay off is developing a merged decoration plan for your home. When each room of your residence has a clear style in its interior design, and the designs of all your house's spaces connect to each other, potential buyers will certainly be impressed with the beauty of your home. They may even be willing to offer extra money for it!

4. Pest Control

When showing your home, make certain to get rid of all bugs that need to not be in the home. You need to not have flies, roaches, or spiders. Bugs can be a huge turn off for the majority of prospective buyers. Lots of house enhancement shops carry products that will eliminate the bugs that you have. You might also call a pest control expert if you do not want to do it your self.

5. Curb Appeal

Having an outdoor living space is becoming a growing number of a need for today's property owners. It looks like no home is actually complete till there is some type of an outside home connected to that home. Be sure that the outside of your home looks clean and appealing -- if you are adding your home for sale during the warm days, add a flower garden and clean up the barbecue area. Make it as inviting as possible.


Selling your house does not have to be complicated at all. If you can follow the tips outlined in this short article, you can quickly get your home on the marketplace and get reasonable market value for your property in no time.

For more tips on selling your home, click here.


#homesaletips #realestatetips #sellyourhome #sellhome #sellproperty

Is This The Time To Rent Or Buy A Home?

Spring of 2015 is shaping up to be a great time to buy in Northern Virginia.  Traditionally we see an aggressive Seller’s market this time of year, but not so much this year as in the past.  Inventory is very tight in some neighborhoods, and not so much in others.

Here are four reasons you might want to buy a home in the Northern VA area, instead of renting:

1. Low Interest Rates:  Interest rates are remaining at historically low levels, with most buyers able to lock in below 4.0%.  While the Feds keep threatening to remove restraints that are keeping these rates artificially low they have not done so yet!   There are tons of great loan products available today and even people with marginal credit are able to secure loans under some of the programs offered.  When rates do finally start to rise, many first time buyers or renters may find themselves priced out of the market or able to buy a lot less than they had hoped.   We are seeing more and more tenants make the move to buying a home this Spring.   Unsure if you qualify or how much home you can buy?  A 15 minute call with a good, local direct lender will give you all the information you need.

2. A slower Seller Market: Spring is traditionally the time of year in our area when we see a crazy Sellers’ Market – multiple offers, very low inventory, and even escalation clauses.  Except in some of the hottest neighborhoods (Tysons, Del Rey, Kingstowne, for example) we are not seeing as pronounced a “hot” market this year as in years past.  Reasons?   One of the big ones seems to be low appraisals, due to the slump we saw in prices in the last half of 2014.  Appraisals tend to lag behind the market and can hold sales prices down.  Since appraisers use sales from the past several months, and are being forced to use the low Fall/Winter 2014 home sale prices, we are seeing sale prices this Spring rising more slowly.  This is great news for anyone wanting, or needing, to buy at this time of year!

3. Instability in the Rental Market:  Just as more and more people in Northern Virginia seem to be moving into buying a home, it seems more and more Landlords are ready to sell!  We are seeing an unusually high number of owners informing tenants that they’ll sell rather than extend the lease.  Why is this happening?  For many Landlords, it’s because the market has finely risen high enough that those who bought at the peak in 2005/2006 are able to finally sell and break even.   For many, it’s just time for the “bleeding” to stop – paying more in mortgage each month than they are getting back in rent.  We receive calls or emails daily from tenants who are being displaced because their owner is selling.  In some of the more desirable neighborhoods (Orange Hunt, Vienna, Waynewood, for instance) it is almost impossible to find another home to rent.  Buying may be the only option for some of these displaced tenants!

 

Read full article here.

 

Original source: http://keyhm.com/time-to-rent-or-time-to-buy-northern-va-homes/

Article written by Betty Best

 

#homebuyingtips #buyhome #rentahome #propertyinvesting #buyorrent @realestatetips #NorthernVA

Tips On Having A Lusher Lawn For Less

If you have ever attempted to do a landscaping task before, you understand from very first hand experience that it isn't the most basic job to do. Although anybody can landscape, it takes preparation and understanding to do it effectively. The advice and tips below will help you stay prepared and notified for your next landscaping project.

Prior to you purchase anything, take the time to draw an in-depth sketch of your garden. You must know exactly where things go in addition to which order you will continue to produce your landscape. Give yourself a couple of weeks to examine your sketches and make a few modifications, if you need to.

If you are landscaping your backyard, you ought to consider your yard's appearance throughout various seasons. For instance, if you only have leafy trees in your hard, but experience a long winter season, your yard will look awfully bare. If you instead have a couple of conifers, you can have green year round, not to mention how nice they look with snow on them.

When planning a landscaping task for your house, consider breaking your whole task down into much smaller tasks. This is important if you are not able to afford the entire project at one time. Doing so will let you tackle your project bit by bit, and not have your yard appear like a mess in the meantime.

You might want to seek advice from a landscape designer to obtain their guidance prior to beginning a big landscape project by yourself. Seasoned experts have the ability to offer useful, cost-effective ideas for your outdoor space. It should only cost about $75 for an hour of their time, but that will be more than paid for thanks to their advice.

It is wise to leave the grass clippings on the lawn when you mow it. This will supply some good nutrients to your lawn as the grass decomposes, and you will not have to add fertilizer to your lawn as much as you would have otherwise.

Befriend your neighbors. You might be able to share costs when you rent equipment or buy large quantities of landscaping supplies together. Offer to help your neighbors with their landscaping project and they will probably help you with yours. Let individuals borrow your tools and talk about creating a common tool collection.

The best way to screw up a landscaping project is to not have a plan. Without a plan before hand, your landscaping project will look like a hodgepodge of mismatched plants and items. Utilize a basic piece of graph paper and draw out your new plan prior to buying anything for the yard.

If you are landscaping by yourself, take the time to estimate costs. Make a complete list of all the plants, soil, rocks, fertilizer and tools you will need. Take some time to determine where you should acquire each of the items from. Costs can vary considerably from location to location. Determine how you can best find good materials at less costly costs.

When preparing a landscaping project for your house, be sure to look out for the products that will have a really little impact if they are of high or low quality. Use this opportunity to save a little bit of money and use it toward items that will be worth your while to spend more money on.

***If you have a house that you want to rent, check this tips on getting your home ready for new tenants.


#lawncare #lawncaretips #homecare #homerepair #homerental #hometips

Tips And Tricks For Real Estate Buying Success

You might be aware about how the present economy is making real estate a buyer's market, but do you know how to use this to your advantage? This short article has suggestions on the best ways to approach purchasing real estate in a way that will certainly help you assess value and return on your potential investment.

If you are unable to secure traditional funding in order to buy a home, you may consider searching for realty that has owner funding. Owner funding allows the seller to offer you the property on their own terms and collect a payment from you each month. They get not only the purchase price, but the interest as well.

Do not be a victim of buyer's remorse in your real estate purchase. If the price is not right, the terms are not agreeable or the condition of the home is not to your specifications, you can be left with property that you will constantly see as inadequate. This is hard to overcome even with time. If you have doubts, do not close the deal.

Be aware of the homeowner's responsibilities that may come with a new piece of real estate. Especially in costly neighborhoods, buying property may require a homeowner to submit to extensive policies about how his or her home is to be kept and treated. A homeowners' association normally has such regulations. Potential buyers need to review these requirements carefully before making a decision.

When buying a home, either to rent or to live in, make sure to think about the quality of the local schools. Even if you don't have school-aged children, a home in a bad school district is much harder to sell. Rental units in bad school districts are also generally less profitable.

If you find a home to purchase and you've made an offer that has been accepted, do yourself a favor, and stop viewing of homes on the market. Inevitably there may be something that comes along which will make you 2nd guess your choice. Trust yourself enough that you are making the right decision and don't torture yourself with comparisons.

If you plan on relocating your family to a new area and have children under the age of 18, perform a search on the National Sex Offender Public Registry. Realtors are not legally obligated to notify prospective buyers of sex offender information. The information found in the database can easily determine whether a particular home or neighborhood is the ideal place for you.

Do not buy a home with someone else unless you are sure that the relationship is stable. People often make purchasing decisions based upon relationships then they find themselves in a huge financial bind when the relationship comes to an end, since they were depending on the other person to help with the payments.

When house hunting, don't make an offer on the very first house you see, even if you think it's perfect and meets all your needs. Take the time to look at several homes, and if it turns out that the first one really is your dream home, you can make an offer then. Very few markets are so competitive that you can not make the effort to see a minimum of three homes.

Be sure to diligently research your real estate agent and home inspector before you hire them. Check their qualifications and get recommendations from trusted people in the industry. It's a good idea to interview several people before you hire anyone. Cutting corners here or hiring someone unqualified can really come back to haunt you.

When searching for a new location to live, think about how the age and location of the building will certainly influence your insurance. Your premiums may be enhanced if you move into a location susceptible to theft or floods. Keep that in mind as you are searching for a new place so that you aren't caught off guard.

When you are going to buy a home, make sure you have money for the bills that come along with it. Many people do not take bills into consideration when making an offer on a house and they end up broke each month. Make a list of how much each bill is anticipated to cost you.

This article will certainly help you take advantage of the current buyer's market in real estate. Make sure you follow the tips to get the best out of your real estate purchasing experience.

Learn more about renting a home vs. buying a home.

#homebuying #homebuyingtips #tipsonbuyingahome #homebuyer #rentingahome #leasingahome

First Time Home Buying Tips

Buying a home is a huge step for anybody, though this particularly real for a first time buyer. It's a huge dedication, and a considerable financial risk too, which can be demanding. Look through the details included right here to assist you become more successful, and minimize the stress connected with the process.

When you purchase a house and turn you might wind up making a great return. Some people buy run down houses and repair them approximately cost a greater rate. Nevertheless you should comprehend that this can require time, cash and effort to do. Ensure that you have the abilities and/or the money to obtain a location fixed up correctly to code.

If you want to save money, think of purchasing a house that requires a great deal of repair. The bad condition of a location makes its value drop substantially, a lot that it might be intriguing for you to spend for the repair works yourself. And possibly you can even do part of the work yourself.

Consider a new house as a part of your future. Choose a house based less on your current scenarios, and more on where you see yourself in five to 10 years. If a house will still fit your needs in that several years, it might be worth placing an offer.

To make the best purchase choice when buying real estate you should consider exactly what it will certainly be like to live there for 10 or more years. Take a look at where the trend of the community is going and is your house set out to hold a bigger family if yours expands during that time.

To save money on your financing when you buy property have all of your conversations with the home loan broker recorded by having actually everything done through e-mail. By sure to get  everything is in writing this way there will be back up in case they wish to change the rate or terms at a later date.

When you are buying property for money you can remove certain closing costs but there are 2 you must not avoid. One is an appraisal to make certain the value you are paying is right and title insurance coverage to make sure there are no concealed liens that get revealed later that you need to pay to be able to sell.

When purchasing or selling a home make sure you know how much your real estate representative will certainly charge. The traditional rate is 3 %, but you can find great deals of savings property brokers who charge significantly less. Make sure though that the service they will offer is all you need.

Research natural disasters in the area. Ask if the location is prone to twisters, typhoons, forest fires, floods, or earthquakes. All these occasions can cause property owner's insurance to be very pricey, so you will certainly need to factor those expenditures into your spending plan. It might likewise emotionally affect your choice understanding exactly what might happen to you or your household in such an area.

If you are purchasing property, don't offer a low offer on a house you are extremely interested in purchasing. An incredibly low offer will scare off the current owner and make it appear that you are not going to work out. A more sensible offer shows the owner that you are serious about buying it.

When searching for a home to buy, there are important questions you have to ask yourself to make sure that you purchase one which pleases your particular needs. One thing which you have to figure out is if the house will fulfill your lifestyle. If you want to prepare premium dishes, then you will most likely want to find a house with a large and well-designed kitchen.

Are you prepared to jump in and buy yet? Now that you have actually checked out these pointers, you need to feel more confident in your capability to make smart property options. Just try some of the tips. Not every suggestion will work for you, of course, however the ones that match your interests and situations need to make it far easier for you to buy your first capability. Property will become simpler to understand as you acquaint yourself with this world. Having a piece of capability can be really exciting! Simply count the cost and make wise choices.

For more information about buying a home, click here.

#homebuying #homebuyingtips #realestate #realestatetips