Salvaged Building Material Savings - Working With Salvage

Working with salvage

To effectively integrate salvaged items, Arne Mortensen, owner of Mortensen Design/Build in Seattle, recommends choosing a contractor who has a particular interest and experience in working with recycled building materials. Salvage yard staffs may be able to recommend someone; other sources for ‘green’ contractors include online sites like Angie’s List.

Nonetheless, the time-consuming legwork of finding good pieces generally falls to the homeowner. To make the process easier, spend time thinking about and researching online what you want before you begin to shop. And be prepared to be persistent; happy hunting takes patience.

Bob Abner (Huff Realty) is a well-respected, top Realtor in the Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati real estate market with vast experience in the real estate industry. For Northern Kentucky Real Estate Listings and Home buying and selling Information visit: http://www.BobAbner.com

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Salvaged Building Material Savings - The Value

The value of salvage building components

Salvaged elements may not add to a home’s appraised value.  An appraiser probably won’t include a home’s reclaimed heart pine beams in the kitchen or the bathroom’s antique plumbing fixtures when calculating the house’s value.

But that doesn’t mean the seller can’t use those amenities as selling points and boost the asking price accordingly.  Homebuyers may be willing to pay more for authentic elements that give a house personality.

Talking with a local realtor before making changes; they’ll have a good sense of the housing market’s current demands and should be able to tell you whether a vintage element will boost your home’s market value.

Bob Abner (Huff Realty) is a well-respected, top Realtor in the Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati real estate market with vast experience in the real estate industry. For Northern Kentucky Real Estate Listings and Home buying and selling Information visit: http://www.BobAbner.com

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Salvaged Building Material Savings - Sample Price Comparisons

Sample price comparisons for various salvaged materials

Salvaged oak flooring: $1 to $3 per sq. ft.
New oak flooring: $4 to $10 per sq. ft.
Average savings for 12x16-foot room: $960

Salvaged interior solid panel door (basic): $20 to $50
New interior panel door: $100 to $200
Average savings: $115

Secondhand pedestal sink: $20 to $250
New pedestal sink: $100 to $800
Average savings: $315

Recycled crown molding: $.30 to $1 per lineal ft.
New crown molding: $.90 to $3 per lineal ft.
Average savings for 12x16-foot room: $72.80

Don’t forget to add in transportation costs. Not all salvage yards deliver, and those that do aren’t necessarily cheap: the cost of getting materials across town could be $100 or more. It might make more sense to borrow or rent a truck on your own.

Bob Abner (Huff Realty) is a well-respected, top Realtor in the Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati real estate market with vast experience in the real estate industry. For Northern Kentucky Real Estate Listings and Home buying and selling Information visit: http://www.BobAbner.com

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Salvaged Building Material Savings - Lead Paint

Dealing with lead paint

Some old items need to be treated with serious care such as items that appear to be lead paint hazards—that is, anything painted prior to 1978, when the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) banned lead in paints.

Nevertheless, buyers of old painted items need to be aware of the potential hazards. Older paint doesn’t mean the pieces are unusable, but the paint must be thoroughly removed or sealed—never scraped or sanded. The CPSC offers guidelines for treating lead paint in the household.

Bob Abner (Huff Realty) is a well-respected, top Realtor in the Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati real estate market with vast experience in the real estate industry. For Northern Kentucky Real Estate Listings and Home buying and selling Information visit: http://www.BobAbner.com

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Saving Money with Salvaged Building Materials

If you’re looking to improve your home on the cheap, consider using salvaged building materials. Besides being less expensive than new materials, secondhand features can add character, quality, and value to your home. But note that the savings in dollars may require a greater investment in time and effort.

Remodeling with secondhand building materials has many fans. Some are owners of historic houses who improve their homes by adding period elements. Others follow green building practices and appreciate conserving resources and keeping materials out of landfills. And still others are looking for quirky elements that will break their homes out of cookie-cutter molds.

Bob Abner (Huff Realty) is a well-respected, top Realtor in the Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati real estate market with vast experience in the real estate industry. For Northern Kentucky Real Estate Listings and Home buying and selling Information visit: http://www.BobAbner.com

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Simple Tips for Better Home Showings

Simple Tips for Better Home Showings

1. Remove clutter and clear off counters. Throw out stacks of newspapers and magazines and stow away most of your small decorative items. Put excess furniture in storage, and remove out-of-season clothing items that are cramping closet space. Don’t forget to clean out the garage, too.
2. Wash your windows and screens. This will help get more light into the interior of the home.
3. Keep everything extra clean. A clean house will make a strong first impression and send a message to buyers that the home has been well-cared for. Wash fingerprints from light switch plates, mop and wax floors, and clean the stove and refrigerator. Polish your doorknobs and address numbers. It’s worth hiring a cleaning service if you can afford it.
4. Get rid of smells. Clean carpeting and drapes to eliminate cooking odors, smoke, and pet smells. Open the windows to air out the house. Potpourri or scented candles will help.
5. Brighten your rooms. Put higher wattage bulbs in light fixtures to brighten up rooms and basements. Replace any burned-out bulbs in closets. Clean the walls, or better yet, brush on a fresh coat of neutral color paint.
6. Don’t disregard minor repairs. Small problems such as sticky doors, torn screens, cracked caulking, or a dripping faucet may seem trivial, but they’ll give buyers the impression that the house isn’t well-maintained.
7. Tidy your yard. Cut the grass, rake the leaves, add new mulch, trim the bushes, edge the walkways, and clean the gutters. For added curb appeal, place a pot of bright flowers near the entryway.
8. Patch holes. Repair any holes in your driveway and reapply sealant, if applicable.
9. Add a touch of color in the living room. A colored afghan or throw on the couch will jazz up a dull room. Buy new accent pillows for the sofa.
10. Buy a flowering plant and put it near a window you pass by frequently.
11. Make centerpieces for your tables. Use brightly colored fruit or flowers.
12. Set the scene. Set the table with fancy dishes and candles, and create other vignettes throughout the home to help buyers picture living there. For example, in the basement you might display a chess game in progress.
13. Replace heavy curtains with sheer ones that let in more light. Show off the view if you have one.
14. Accentuate the fireplace. Lay fresh logs in the fireplace or put a basket of flowers there if it’s not in use.
15. Make the bathrooms feel luxurious. Put away those old towels and toothbrushes. When buyers enter your bathroom, they should feel pampered. Add a new shower curtain, new towels, and fancy guest soaps. Make sure your personal toiletry items are out of sight.
16. Send your pets to a neighbor or take them outside. If that’s not possible, crate them or confine them to one room (ideally in the basement), and let the real estate practitioner know where they’ll be to eliminate surprises.
17. Lock up valuables, jewelry, and money. While a real estate salesperson will be on site during the showing or open house, it’s impossible to watch everyone all the time.
18. Leave the home. It’s usually best if the sellers are not at home. It’s awkward for prospective buyers to look in your closets and express their opinions of your home with you there.

Bob Abner (Huff Realty) is a well-respected, top Realtor in the Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati real estate market with vast experience in the real estate industry. For Northern Kentucky Real Estate Listings and Home buying and selling Information visit: http://www.BobAbner.com

via realtormag.realtor.org

How to Hold a Successful Garage Sale

How to Hold a Successful Garage Sale

Garage sales can be a great way to get rid of clutter — and earn a little extra cash — before you sell your home. But make sure the timing is right. Garage sales can take on a life of their own, and it might not be the best use of your energy right before putting your home on the market. Follow these tips for a successful sale.

1. Don’t wait until the last minute. You don’t want to be scrambling to hold a garage sale the week before an open house. Depending on how long you’ve lived in the home and how much stuff you have to sell, planning a garage sale can demand a lot of time and energy.
2. Get a permit. Most municipalities will require you to obtain a special permit or license in order to hold a garage sale. The permits are often free or very inexpensive, but still require you to register with the city.
3. See if neighbors want to join in. You can turn your garage sale into a block-wide event and lure more shoppers if you team up with neighbors. However, a permit may be necessary for each home owner, even if it’s a group event.
4. Schedule the sale. Sales on Saturdays and Sundays will generate the most traffic, especially if the weather cooperates. Start the sale early, 8 a.m. or 9 a.m. is best, and be prepared for early birds.
5. Advertise. Place an ad in free classified papers and Web sites, and in your local newspapers. Include the dates, time, and address. Let the public know if certain types of items will be sold, such as baby clothes, furniture, or weightlifting equipment. On the day of the sale, balloons and signs with prominent arrows will help to grab the attention of passersby.
6. Price your goods. Lay out everything that you plan to sell, and attach prices with removable stickers. Remember, garage sales are supposed to be bargains, so try to be objective as you set prices. Assign simple prices to your goods: 50 cents, 3 for $1, $5, $10, etc.
7. If it’s really junk, don’t sell it. Decide what’s worth selling and what’s not. If it’s really garbage, then throw it away. Broken appliances, for example, should be tossed. (Know where a nearby electrical outlet is, in case a customer wants to make sure something works.)
8. Check for mistakes. Make sure that items you want to keep don’t accidentally end up in the garage sale pile.
9. Create an organized display. Lay out your items by category, and display neatly so customers don’t have to dig through boxes.
10. Stock up on bags and newspapers. People who buy many small items will appreciate a bag to carry their goods. Newspapers are handy for wrapping fragile items.
11. Manage your money. Make a trip to the bank to get ample change for your cashbox. Throughout the sale, keep a close eye on your cash; never leave the cashbox unattended. It’s smart to have one person who manages the money throughout the day, keeping a tally of what was purchased and for how much. Keep a calculator nearby.
12. Prepare for your home sale. Donate the remaining stuff or sell it to a resale shop. Now that all of your clutter is cleared out, it’s time to focus on preparing your house for a successful sale!

Bob Abner (Huff Realty) is a well-respected, top Realtor in the Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati real estate market with vast experience in the real estate industry. For Northern Kentucky Real Estate Listings and Home buying and selling Information visit: http://www.BobAbner.com

via realtormag.realtor.org

My House is Worth What? Part 3 - Fix Before You List

My House is Worth What?

Part 3: Fix before you list

House hunters are often willing to fix cracked concrete or a doo-wop era kitchen when the pickins' are slim, but when the market is flooded with competition, it's more important that your home be in tip-top shape.

Buyers don't need to buy a home that needs paint when they can go down the street and find one that doesn't. And many buyers are willing to pay a premium for a home that's in mint move-in condition.

To make buyers believe your home is worth the list price, get recommendations from your agent or appraiser,

Small improvements make a big difference. The three Ps -- purge, pack and paint -- are the most effective, least expensive things people can do..

Even if your staging budget is, well, nonexistent, eliminating extra furniture, knick-knacks and clutter makes your space look larger. Take one piece of furniture out of every room. Take down personal photos, remove valuables and clean out all of the closets. If you need someplace to stash your stuff, rent a storage unit.

Also, consider throwing in the furniture. Offering a furnished space will make your home seem more move-in friendly, and could help you fetch a higher price.

Spruce it up or slice the price. If you don't have time to paint or redo the floor covers (and they need it), you should reflect that in your list price. It's amazing how the right price will make a home's imperfections much less noticeable.

via frontdoor.com

Bob Abner (Huff Realty) is a well-respected, top Realtor in the Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati real estate market with vast experience in the real estate industry. For Northern Kentucky Real Estate Listings and Home buying and selling Information visit: http://www.BobAbner.com

My House is Worth What? Part 2 - To FSBO or not to FSBO?

My House is Worth What?

Part 2: To FSBO or not to FSBO?

Even if you use an agent or appraiser to determine your home's value, you can still pick a price and sell on your own -- "for sale by owner" or FSBO.

You'll avoid agent commission if yousell on your own, and dodge the risk of wasting money on a lackluster agent. One seller from decided to sell on her own after two bad experiences with agents. When she and her husband first listed in 2007, their first agent told them to list their 2-home property at $249,000. After they signed a 3-month contract, he started dropping the ball, waiting three weeks into the contract to even list the property. After no showings and a lackluster open house, they took their home off the market.

The Sellers tried again in 2008 with a different agent, this time with even worse results. "When the agent finally listed our house on his Web site for $209,000 three weeks into the contract, all he put in the description was 'These homes share a septic system!!' No listing of the landscaping, pool, custom kitchen, nothing!"

Frustrated, they ended their contract and decided to go it alone. "I am convinced that I am more motivated and willing to work at selling it than any agent we have worked with," the Sellers thought. They researched what homes had sold for in the area over the last year, and settled on $189,000 for both their homes. The homes are still listed on Craigslist.org, Zillow.com and Postlets.com.

But despite their troubles with agents, the Seller admits it's frustrating to price and sell on your own. "It is very hard to find comparable homes in our area, since we have the unique fortune of having 2 well-maintained homes on one in-town lot." She also says it's difficult to keep her home in "show shape" and deal with no-show viewings.

Selling on your own can be especially challenging in a down market. In a better market, they might have a chance, but sellers are often clueless about pricing, marketing tools and presenting.  When I sell your house, hire a broker. When you are sick, you go to a Dr.  You wouldn't attempt to self diagnose yourself.  If you need legal advice, you go to a lawyer, you wouldn't represent yourself in court.  It's the same thing.

FSBOs also don't get noticed as much because most buyers work with a Realtor and mostly visit homes listed in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). That means even if you price your home with the market, it might not get much foot traffic -- and even fewer offers.

The bottom line: Agents get a commission for a reason: Selling is a lot of work. Get pricing advice from several experts, and be ready to work for your savings on commission if you go it alone.

via frontdoor.com

Bob Abner (Huff Realty) is a well-respected, top Realtor in the Northern Kentucky/Greater Cincinnati real estate market with vast experience in the real estate industry. For Northern Kentucky Real Estate Listings and Home buying and selling Information visit: http://www.BobAbner.com

Homeowners Recoup More with Exterior Replacement Projects - Part 3

REALTORS® provided their insight into local markets and buyer home preferences within those markets. Overall, REALTORS® estimated that homeowners would recoup an average of 60% of their investment in 35 different improvement projects, down from an average of 63.8% last year. Remodeling projects, particularly higher cost upscale projects, have been losing resale value in recent years because of weak economic conditions.

According to the report, replacement projects usually outperform remodel and addition projects in resale value because they are among the least expensive and contribute to curb appeal. Various types of siding and window replacement projects were expected to return more than 70% of costs.

via rismedia.com

You must remember that every day your home is on the market you are losing money. To make an investment in some updating projects may mean you don't necessarily recoup 100% of the cost, but when you equate that to a much faster sale, you are saving in the long run. Buyers are very savvy and when your house is not up-to-date and well cared for it will reflect in the sale price without a doubt.