Our latest articles
November 6, 2020
How To Give A Strong Virtual Tour
These days, if you are selling a home, you need to have a plan for a virtual tour. But too many sellers have no idea how to handle the virtual tour process. You need to make sure that you plan your route beforehand, that you are prepared for questions, that you have good lighting, and that you follow up with your attendees afterwards. Here’s how you can get started.
Getting ready to sell your property now? Well, you are going to have to be prepared to handle a virtual tour. More prospective homebuyers than ever are skipping the in-person portion of the showcase and want to look around your property virtually. You are going to have to be ready to navigate that process–by having good lighting, planning your route, and being ready to answer questions. You don’t want to go into your virtual tour and wing it. You still want to be professional and courteous and that means making sure you aren’t wasting the time of prospective buyers. Here is how you can conduct a memorable virtual tour.
Plan Your Route Beforehand
Planning your route beforehand is key to your success. The last thing you want to do is lose track of where you want to go in the middle of your tour. Or to start going in circles, visiting rooms that your prospective buyers have already seen. Make sure that you have a route planned out beforehand so that all you have to do is follow the pre-planned path. That way, you can stick to answering questions instead of wondering where you need to go next.
Make Sure You Have Good Lighting
This one is critical. If you don’t have good lighting, nobody is going to be able to make a judgement about your home. You have to have good lighting in order for prospective buyers to make an evaluation. Plus, having shadowy rooms during a virtual tour makes it seem like you have something to hide, even if you don’t. So invest in bright, LED lights that will illuminate every room before you start your virtual tour.
Follow Up With The Tour Attendees Later
Even if the virtual tour went well, you’ll still want to make sure that you follow up with prospective buyers after it ends. Ask if they have any questions that they didn’t get a chance to answer on the tour. See if there is anything else they want to learn about your property. Sometimes the virtual tour can bring up new questions or concerns that you can answer for them in a follow up session. Sometimes you may want to have your real estate agent reach out to initiate the follow up, or they can conduct it as well. Either way, you want to make sure you have contact with prospective buyers later to learn more about their concerns.
If you aren’t excited about planning virtual tours for your home, realize that you aren’t alone. There are countless other homeowners who are in the same boat as you. You have plenty of options at your disposal. You can call 4 Brothers Buy Houses and we’ll provide you with a free, no obligation quote. We’ll purchase your home for cash without the need for you to go through the traditional real estate sale process. That means getting to skip planning virtual tours for prospective homebuyers. Contact us when you are ready to sell your property for cash on a timeline that works for you and your family.
November 6, 2020
The Pros And Cons Of Having A HOA
Having a homeowner’s association (HOA) can be both a blessing and a curse. While there are plenty of pros–such as increased home value and more activities, there are also plenty of cons too–such as expensive dues and difficult guidelines. Here is what you need to know about HOAs so that you know exactly how the association will affect you and your home.
A surprising amount of homeowners and prospective buyers don’t know the purpose of a homeowner’s association (HOA). HOAs are organizations which govern how homeowners in a neighborhood can handle their properties. HOAs can manage everything from which colors homes can be painted to settling disputes between neighbors. HOAs come with a range of pros and cons, and it can be difficult to figure out what the benefits of the association are. Here is what you can expect from your HOA–both the good and the bad.
HOA Pros
Although you’ve undoubtedly heard of people complaining about HOAs, they actually do provide homeowners with strong benefits. Homes in neighborhoods with an HOA typically have higher home values than homes in neighborhoods without an HOA. HOAs provide neighborhoods with more amenities, such as pools and clubhouses. And HOAs can help you resolve conflicts with neighbors that otherwise might fester and become combative on their own. HOAs are something like a meditator and a governor–they determine the neighborhood rules and make sure that everyone is following them.
HOA Cons
Here are the cons. You have probably heard some of these before. HOAs can be expensive, as they charge monthly dues. What makes a lot of homeowners upset is that the HOA dues can increase year over year, so it can feel more expensive to live in the same house. The rules that HOAs establish can be difficult to follow, or they might not make sense to homeowners. It can be frustrating to learn that you can’t put your trash can outside within view of other homes, for example. Perhaps the most upsetting is that if you don’t follow the rules, HOAs can legally put a lien on your property or, in the most egregious cases, foreclose on your property. HOAs can be tremendously powerful organizations.
Is An HOA Right For You?
If you are willing to follow the rules, even if you don’t agree with all of them, then you may be a fit for an HOA. Especially if you are primarily worried about your property’s value and appreciation over time. If you are more of a free spirit and don’t want to be told how to manage your own property, then you may not want to work within the confines of an HOA. It is important to know a property’s HOA situation before you buy.
If you don’t want to deal with your HOA or if you need to sell, you have options. You don’t have to get into a back and forth with your HOA–give 4 Brothers Buy Houses a call. We’d be honored to work with you so that you can get the value out of your property that you deserve. We’ll provide you with a free, no obligation quote, and you can decide to sell on a timeline that works for you and your family. We can go to closing in just a few short weeks. Give us a call when you’re ready to get started.
November 6, 2020
What Is The Best Time Of Year To Sell Your Home?
Looking to sell your home this year? You might want to wait it out. Selling your home during the spring or summer months may actually make you more money, since there are more buyers on the market during those months. Of course, it all depends on your personal situation–some homeowners can’t afford to wait. And some regions–such as the south–get less of a winter penalty than others. But if you live in the northeast, mid atlantic, or midwest, waiting until the summer might be the right move.
Ready to sell your home? Have you thought about what time is the best time to sell? What most homeowners don’t know is that there is actually a penalty for selling your home at certain times of year. When there are fewer buyers on the market, sellers probably aren’t going to get the prices that they are asking for. But when are buyers in short supply? And should you wait until the conditions are more favorable to sellers before you put your property on the market? It all depends on your personal situation. Here’s what you need to know.
Spring Or Summer?
The spring and summer months tend to be the best months for selling a home. That is because buyers are plentiful during the warm months. During the winter months, buyers are much harder to come by because of the weather. When it is snowing outside, turns out most people would rather not be looking for a house. The summer is the most profitable time to sell a property, followed by the spring. Obviously, you don’t have to sell during these months, but it is important to know when buyers will be flocking to the market.
Should You Wait To Sell Until The Warmer Months?
Waiting to sell until the warmer months is all about your personal situation. For some sellers, waiting to put their home on the market until favorable conditions return makes sense. For some sellers, it is important to sell as quickly as possible. It is really all up to your personal situation. If you are worried about maximizing your home’s value when you sell, and you can afford to wait, then selling during the summer months may make the most sense.
It All Depends On The Region
Not all regions get the same winter penalty. The southern states don’t have winters which are as cold or as harsh, so it is easier to sell a home there during that December through February period. If you are living in the south or in certain parts of the west coast, this might not apply to you. But if you are living in the northeast, midwest, or mid atlantic, the summer premium is real.
Want to sell your home without having to worry about if it is sunny outside or not? Don’t feel like waiting for an influx of buyers to hit the market? The good news is that you can sell on your own timeline and get great value for your property. Contact 4 Brothers Buy Houses and you can get a free, no obligation quote at any time. You can sell your property without having to deal with a real estate agent or having to showcase your home to prospective buyers. Sidestep the traditional real estate sales process and sell your home for cash at a time that works for you. Call 4 Brothers Buy Houses today.
November 6, 2020
What You Need To Know About Toxic Mold
Toxic mold is something that every homeowner worries about. It can grow almost anywhere there is excess humidity present. Toxic mold can cause adverse symptoms if not addressed quickly. The good news is that the removal of toxic mold can be relatively easy and cheap. Don’t let mold take over your home. Calling a professional can save you a lot of money in the long run.
Toxic mold is every homeowners’ worst nightmare. There have been plenty of horror stories about homeowners who realize too late that they have a major mold problem in their homes. Mold is common all over the country, and anyone who has too much humidity in their homes may find that they have at least some mold growing in their kitchen, basement, or bathroom–all places with a lot of humidity that can be closed off from the rest of the home for some extended period of time. The good news is that having some mold doesn’t have to be the end of the world. Mold can be removed relatively easily if you know what you are doing, and relatively inexpensively if you call professional help.
Mold Can Easily Grow Where Humidity Is High
In order to understand the problem with toxic mold, you need to know how it grows. When the humidity in the air is high, mold can thrive. A great way to reduce humidity in your home is with a dehumidifier. Increasing ventilation throughout your home can also help. Think about how you can use air conditioners, vents, and fans to increase circulation and make it harder for mold to grow.
Toxic Mold Can Cause Adverse Symptoms
Toxic mold is, well, toxic. It can cause a wide range of adverse symptoms if you are living with it. Toxic mold can cause issues such as allergic reactions, headaches, coughing, or eye irritation. It can also lead to respiratory problems. Toxic mold is not fatal. But if left unchecked, these health issues can get worse over time. Make sure that you take the time to address toxic mold in your home if you are experiencing any of these symptoms.
If You Have A Serious Mold Problem–Call A Professional
If you have a small mold problem, you might be able to clean it up yourself. First, you want to identify where the mold is coming from. Then you can eliminate the water source and use a dehumidifier. You can clean the mold yourself with something as simple as detergent and water, as long as the surface remains dry afterwards. If you have a major mold problem though, or if you can’t tell where the mold is originating, then you want to make sure that you call a professional. Mold grows relatively easily, so you can spend a lot of your own time if you are trying to clean it up by yourself.
Worrying about mold in your home can get frustrating. If you don’t want to have to focus on handling issues with mold, you don’t have to. You can still sell your property without having to get the entire cleaning process finished. Give 4 Brothers Buy Houses a call. We’d be happy to provide you with a free, no obligation quote on your property. You can sell without having to handle the mold issues on your own, and you can sell on a schedule that works for you. Contact us today and we can get started. You can go from your first call to closing in just a few short weeks.
November 6, 2020
Do Garages Matter In The Home Sale Process?
Do garages really bring additional value to homes? Traditionally, garages have been used as storage spaces for vehicles and other household items. But more and more families are converting their garages into living spaces, such as an extra bedroom. While garages definitely provide value for homebuyers, converting a garage into an extra living space is costly and may not prove worth it if you are looking to sell.
These days, a number of houses don’t have garages, especially in urban and suburban areas. But what is the value of a garage, and does it really change how people look at your property? Garages are typically used as storage space. Obviously, they store vehicles, but they are also storage for clothes, appliances, children’s toys, and other miscellaneous items. Some property owners even “finish” or “convert” their garages into more traditional rooms in their house to have another living space. Here is what you can expect from your home’s garage and how it will impact your property’s value.
Homes Without Garages Have A Lower Value
Traditionally, homes without garages have a lower sale value. That is because families who purchase homes tend to want to have that extra storage space for their cars and for their young children’s toys and other household items. Real estate analysts have shown that garages really do have value, especially for homebuyers with families. However, if you don’t have a garage, it doesn’t mean it is the end of the world. You can still sell your property, you just need to highlight what your property does well.
Is It Worth It To “Finish” Your Garage?
There has been a recent trend of “finishing” a garage, or adding drywall and making sure that all the walls have texture and paint. Some people even go as far as to “convert” their garage, which means making it a livable space such as an extra bedroom or bathroom. In most cases, finishing or converting a garage isn’t worth the hassle. The process can be costly, and oftentimes potential homebuyers value the traditional garage more than the new converted space.
Think About What You Need To Do To Sell
How you approach your garage situation all depends on if you want to sell and what buyers are looking for. If you don’t have a garage, building one from scratch probably isn’t going to make much sense. But if you do have a garage that you’ve converted into a living space, you may have to change it back into a garage-storage space in order to get the value for your property that you are looking for on traditional markets. Before you make any major changes, make sure that you speak with a real estate professional who can guide you down the right path.
Whether you have a garage or not, you don’t have to worry about how it impacts the value of your property. If you want to sell, you have options. 4 Brothers Buy Houses will purchase your property for cash without you having to make any repairs, additions, or changes to your garage situation. Give 4 Brothers Buy Houses a call. We offer a free, no obligation quote. You can consider our offer and sell at a time that works for you, for the value that you deserve. Contact our team today.
