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We are pleased to announce our 2013 Sellers Seminar!  This seminar will feature many topics including:

• Getting Your Home Ready to for the Market
• Staging
• Pricing and Appraisers
• Marketing Your Home
• Open Houses
• Understanding and Dealing with Contracts

There are many details that go into selling your home; we will give you all the information and tools you need to make informed listing decisions.  This seminar is a must attend for those individuals thinking of selling in the next few months.

The Sellers Seminar will be held on March 21^st, 2013 at 13110 W Dodge Road.  The seminar begins at 7:30 P.M.  All are welcome to attend.

RSVP to the Finkel’s at 402.880.7134.

As a Realtor, I am very aware of how a home smells as I usher potential buyers through the door.  Unfortunately, my nose has been assaulted by a vast variety of smells ranging from most unpleasant to refreshing.  For years I have been telling my Sellers to eliminate odors everywhere in the home and if possible, bake cookies just before people come to view the house.

Now, however, Yahoo News reported the results of a study about smells affecting how people buy. The article is coming out next month in the Journal of Retailing.  Co-Author, Eric Spangenberg, who is a dean of the college of business at Washington State University, said the study showed “that shoppers spent 31.8% more, on average, when the store was scented with a simple orange scent.”  This is important because the researchers didn’t use an unpleasant scent as a comparison but instead used a complex scent of orange, basil and green tea.

Spangenberg believes that complex scents, even if they are pleasant, can be a distraction.  The problem, Spanglenberg believes, is that many people on a subconscious level will use time and energy to figure out what they smell.  When I bring buyers through a house I don’t want them processing smells.  I want them to be concentrating on the features of a potential home.

Therefore, according to the research, the seller should have one scent such as lemon, orange or pine.  Here’s a tip: don’t have the scent come from an artificial source.  Don’t use sprays, candles or plug-ins.  It’s better to bring in fresh cedar boughs from the yard in the winter or pick lilacs or lavender in warmer weather. 

Here’s another tip: slice an orange and place in a pot of water on the stove.  Heat to just boiling and transfer mixture to a small crockpot.  Keep the crockpot setting on low and the smell will fill your home with the scent of oranges.  You can substitute mint instead.  Even a vanilla bean will work well.

Forget the cookie dough.  Go with just one fresh, clean scent and know that the buyers are 31.8% more likely to buy if they like your home.

When you are ready to place your home on the market or if you are looking for a new home please text or call me at 402-670-8775 or email me at Marie.Otis@cbshome.com.

The homes that are selling in todays market are: clean inside and out, decluttered, minimal furniture, great curb appeal, low maintenance. If your home has not sold, it most likely one of the above reasons it hasn’t or maybe it is over priced.

Maybe your neighbors home was listed at $200,000 and it sold, what your neighbor didn’t tell you is it sold for $170,000. So now you put your home on the market for $220,000 because your home is in better condition than your neighbors. Well thats why you need a Realtor, just becasue your neighbors home sold, doesn’t mean they received the asking price. So now your home is overpriced and your not getting any showings and wonder why. Maybe you used a real estate agent that doesn’t expose your listing to 2200 MLS agents? Or maybe you just hired the wrong agent? Thats ok, everybody makes mistakes, “Live in learn and learn by living” is my motto!

Price and condition is all it takes to sell a home in Blair Nebraska. With over $8 million dollars in pending/closed transactions in 2011, you owe it to yourself to call Kevin today for a free consultation. I will be brutally honest with you because we have one combined goal,  SELL YOUR HOME! Call Kevin Kermeen with CBSHOME Real Estate today, there IS a difference. (402) 657-9656 or visit my website at www.KevinKermeen.com

Insulted, angry, ready to walk away…does this describe you when you get that dreaded low-ball offer? 

Well, let’s face it, selling your home feels personal doesn’t it.  It’s where you live, the furnishings and design are yours, so it’s natural to feel not just criticized, but a little insulted when that low offer lands on your kitchen table for your review.  Remember, you can’t “shoot the messenger”  in a situation like this.  Your Realtor is required to present every offer to you…including the insulting ones.  Even the best of agents have had to present the most ridiculous of offers at some time or another.  This is never fun.

Before you react consider the reaction of this seller:

A CBSHome Realtor recalled the actions of one of her sellers.  She had been working with a seller for some time, and received a contract for the sale of their home.  As she read it, she knew this was not going to make her seller happy.  In fact, she dreaded presenting the low offer so much that she broke one of her “Golden Rules” and called the seller to buffer the news.  Later that evening she met with her clients.  She felt certain this would not go well.  Then something surprising happened.  Rather than alienating the would-be-buyers her client decided to write a letter.  This letter expressed that while they appreciated the time taken to view, consider and ultimately write a contract to buy their home, they would have to respectfully decline the offer.  No counter offer was made.  The seller went on to say that the contract simply didn’t meet their objective and that they wished they buyers the best of luck in finding a new home for their family.

Fast forward now,  after more showings the couple could not find a home they liked more than the home on which they first made an offer.  They came back to their “original” house, and made a second offer that was completely acceptable to both buyer and seller.

This illustrates that there is “A High Road”, and this seller took it.  He could have cursed, blamed his agent, and alienated this couple.  Instead he acted with a cool head, and instead of offending this couple he kept them on his radar screen by writing a personal letter.  The fact that he had the forsight  to react with class and dignity no doubt led to this ultimately happy outcome.

Does curb appeal matter?  In a nutshell, yes. 

Whether you are seeing homes for the first time online or driving down the street what you see first is the home’s exterior.  You are drawn in or turned off by its appearance.  This is your first impression.  There are no do-overs here.  Once someone has formed an opinion about your home, a negative one may be hard to shake.

What exactly are you sizing up in this quick view?  Basically, if the home is well maintained.  Generally, we make the assumption that a home well cared for on the outside has been cared for on the inside.  Fresh paint, and nice landscaping not only add value to your home, but the “curb appeal” is the invitation to see more when you are trying to sell your house.

There are a multitude of choices you can make to improve your home’s outward appearance:

• Repair or replace bad siding and trim.
• Paint the home, apply fresh paint to the trim, or paint the front door a contrasting/complimentary color.
• Add new light fixtures and house numbers if yours are dated.
• Repair or replace cracked driveways and sidewalks.
• Cut the grass, trim bushes, prune trees, remove weeds and freshen the mulch.
• Add color to your walkway or front step with flowers or plants. Annuals have a tendency to be continual bloomer as perennials may only bloom once or twice during the growing season.  Place potted flowers on the steps.
• Keep the walk, drive, front porch, and front door clean.

 This is a partial list, but you are getting the idea.  A beautiful exterior is one step to help your home get showings.  If you are unsure about what your home needs, ask your real estate professional.  He or she can help you decide what improvements may beneficial.

SIX WORTH-THE-PRICE FIX-UPS

There are a lot of do-it-yourself projects that can increase the value of your home.  On the contrary, it is possible to spend LOTS of money on projects that, when you sell your home, you find were not worth the cost.  Here are six simple projects, all approximately under $1000,  that could get you a decent return on your money:

1. Cleaning & decluttering.  Remove all personal items, clear off countertops, straighten-up and clean-out closets (all of them!) and clean, clean, clean! (approx cost $290, return – $1,990)
2. Brighten-up. Clean ALL windows, inside & out, replace old curtains, replace light fixtures, remove anything that keeps the light from shining in. (approx cost $375, return – $1550)
3. Smart staging. Rearrange/remove furniture, bring in new accessories, add complimentary artwork, play soft music, use aroma therapy, but NOT TOO MUCH. (approx. cost $550, return – $2,194)
4. Landscaping touch-ups. Punch up curb appeal, front and back, by adding fresh bark mulch, bushes, flowers, and make sure to keep them manicured. (approx. cost $540, return – $1,932)
5. Repair electrical and/or plumbing. Fix leaks under the sink, remove mildew stains,  make sure all plumbing is working.  Update older homes for modern appliances, fix any lights or outlets that don’t work, replace old plug points with new safety fixtures. (approx. cost $535, return – $1,505)
6. Replace or shampoo carpets. Steam-clean carpets, replace worn carpets, repair creaks in floors. Stretch carpet, if necessary. (approx. cost $647, return – $1739)

Excerpted from HomeGain’s 2011 Home Sale Maximizer Survey, www.homesalemaximizer.com

CBSHOME Real Estate is pleased to announce our new virtual tour product!  These tours have been built exclusively for CBSHOME and are full of consumer-friendly features!  Here’s an overview of what you will see with the new virtual tours:

• All open house information will display on the tour
• The tours include all the photos and listing information
• The tours are updated hourly so the most current photos and information is available
• You can easily share a tour with family and friends
• Each tour features various property flyers for printing
• Google Mapping and Driving Directions are included
• There’s a mortgage rates tab that displays today’s current rates with a calculator
• You can easily schedule a showing right from the tour

Where do you find these tours?  Simply do a property search on CBSHOME.com.  On your results page you will see an icon that says “Virtual Tour” – click that button to view!

New data from the National Association of REALTORS® shows positive signs for the future.  The National Association of REALTORS® recently published an article, “10 Market Facts for Uncertain Times” that outlines important data and facts about purchasing a home in today’s economy.  A few main points include:

• The economy is growing, though slowly.
• The 30-year mortgage rate is at generational lows.
• The national median-home price is stabilizing.
• Economist expect price increases in upcoming years.

Read the entire “10 Market Facts for Uncertain Times” or contact a CBSHOME agent today!

Don’t Let Opportunities Slip By…

If your current home no longer suits your lifestyle, there are two reasons why this may be a great time to make a move.

Wow!  2010 has been a busy real estate year for CBSHOME Real Estate!  Our year-to-date numbers are in and CBSHOME is taking off!

If you are considering selling or buying a home, why not work with the best!  Click to begin your home search or to find a CBSHOME sales associate today!