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October 30, 2021
5 Tips for Selling Your Washington DC Home in the Winter
Selling your home at any time of year is stressful, but the winter months present unique challenges. Because of the shorter days, colder temperatures and slower market, many people wait until spring to sell their homes. However, not everyone has the luxury to wait.
If you’re planning on selling your Washington DC home this winter, there are some simple tips you’ll want to follow. They will help you get your home noticed so that you receive an offer by the holidays!
Stage Your Home for Winter
Help prospective buyers envision themselves in your home by staging it for winter. This allows you to show the warm and cozy side of your home. But, don’t confuse this for holiday decor. Not everyone will share your cultural beliefs, so it’s best to keep the holiday decorations packed away.
A few ideas for staging your home for winter are:
- Set the dining room table for a formal holiday dinner
- Clean the fireplace and add fresh logs
- Use festive throw blankets and pillows on the sofas and armchairs
- Choose winter aromas like cinnamon and cloves
Make Lighting a Priority
One of the tricky things about selling a home in the winter is the lighting. The days are shorter, which means many prospects will be looking at your home when it’s dark.
For showings during the day, let in as much light as possible. Clean your windows, open your blinds and curtains and swap out dim bulbs for bright ones. For evening showings, light up your home with flameless candles and track lights.
Set Your Thermostat to 68 Degrees
Maintain a cozy temperature in your home during the showings. According to Energy Star, 68 degrees is a good room temperature. If you have a fireplace, consider turning it on or lighting it before you leave. This will add warmth and ambiance to the house tour.
Show Your House in Other Seasons
Let’s be honest – things look better in the spring and summer in Washington DC. Make a photo album that shows prospective buyers what your home looks like through the seasons. This will help them envision your home at various times of the year. Some things to capture are a furnished patio, lush, green lawn and flowers in bloom.
Give Attention to Your Curb Appeal
Even though things might not be as lively as they are in other months, it’s still important to give attention to your curb appeal. Use outdoor lighting to illuminate walkways, display winter planters on your front step and clean up dead leaves, plants and flowers. Don’t forget to shovel the driveway and walkways if it snows!
Selling your home in the winter is harder, but it can be done. However, if you’re not in a position to wait around for your home to sell, contact 4 Brothers Buy Houses. We’ll make a cash offer on your Washington DC home, and if you accept, we can start the closing paperwork right away.
October 18, 2021
Should I Rent or Sell My Home in Fairfax County VA?
Whether it’s a new job or the opportunity to live somewhere else, deciding what to do with your home in Fairfax County VA can be a difficult decision. On one hand, you can sell your home and move on with your next venture. But selling too quickly can cause you to forfeit some of your equity, especially if your home needs TLC.
On the other hand, you could keep your property and rent it out, but you may get stuck with a property that’s too hard to manage. So what should you do – sell your home in Fairfax County VA or rent it out? While only you can make the final decision, here is some information that can help.
Signs You Should Rent Your Home in Fairfax County
The housing market has remained strong throughout COVID, and that includes rentals. Here are some signs that your home might make a good rental property:
- High demand. The average rent for an apartment in Fairfax County is $2,054, a 13% increase compared to the previous year. Houses rent for even more. As long as rentals are in demand in your area, you shouldn’t have trouble finding a renter.
- Landlord material. Maybe you’ve always wanted to be a landlord. Renting out your home is a good start, and if it works out, you can build a nice nest egg for retirement.
- Personal attachment. Maybe you’re not ready to sell your home. Renting it out gives you the option to keep your home and possibly move back one day in the future.
- Profit. If you’re confident that you can make a profit by renting out your home, it’s worth considering. Some people are able to generate passive income with their rentals.
Signs You Should Sell Your Home in Fairfax County
While there are advantages to renting out your home, everyone knows that this comes with a lot of challenges. It might make financial and logistical sense to sell your home and free up your liquid assets. Below are some signs that selling your Fairfax County home is probably the best move.
- Seller’s market. Virginia is a seller’s market right now, with low inventory and high demand. As long as you price your home competitively, you should have no problem selling it fast.
- Liquidate cash. Perhaps you could use some cash for your new venture. If this is the case, selling your Fairfax County home is a great move.
- Not landlord material. Being a landlord comes at a price. The money you get out of rent payments must be worth the effort.
- Bad rental. Not all homes make good rental properties. The best rentals have low operating costs with no major issues.
Thinking about Selling Your Fairfax County Home? Get Your Free Cash Offer Today.
4 Brothers Buy Houses will buy your home in any condition. We can close in one week, which means you can liquidate your assets and have cash for your next venture. If this sounds like the best option for you, contact us today for your free cash offer.
October 15, 2021
Tired of Being a Landlord? Sell Your Home for Cash in Anne Arundel County MD
Being a landlord in Anne Arundel County MD might have seemed like a good idea at one point. Maybe you inherited a home or found a great deal on a fixer upper and thought you could make money passively. But now that you’re faced with repairs, maintenance, difficult tenants, rent collection, vacancies and more, you might be done with the landlord gig.
Below we share some of our best suggestions on what you can do when you have a rental property but no longer care to be a landlord.
Hire a Management Company
If your rental property in Anne Arundel County is an easy money maker, it might make financial sense to keep it. To take some of the burden off, you can hire a property management company.
Property management companies take care of everything while you keep the landlord title and receive checks each month. Of course, you’ll have to pay for this service, which will reduce your monthly income.
List Your Home with an Agent
If you don’t care to pay a property management company, you’re probably best off selling your rental. Contact a real estate agent in Anne Arundel to get your home listed on the MLS.
To sell your home with an agent, it should be in good condition. If the tenants damaged your rental, you’ll need to make the repairs. Buyers prefer move-in ready homes in good condition, so your property will need to meet these demands.
Sell Your Rental to a Cash Buyer
What happens if your rental isn’t in good condition? Perhaps you’ve neglected maintenance or maybe your tenants did some damage. In either case, it will need to be addressed. If you don’t have the time or money to make the repairs, you can sell your rental for cash.
Cash buyers in Anne Arundel County will buy your rental in as-is condition. This means that you won’t be responsible for any of the repairs. It’s a good option if your home has suffered damage and will have a hard time selling to a traditional buyer.
4 Brothers Buy Houses Will Pay Cash for Your Rental
4 Brothers Buy Houses buys rentals in Anne Arundel County MD. We’ll take them in any condition – and even with the belongings inside! Our buyers use their own cash so they don’t need to apply for financing. We can typically close within the week, which means you can liquidate your assets. Contact us today for your free, no obligation cash offer.
October 1, 2021
What Does ‘Renovation Potential’ Mean in a Cash Sale?
Most real estate investors are interested in the renovation potential of a property – not necessarily the condition it’s in. This is why selling for cash is a great option when your Silver Spring MD property needs a lot of work. Rather than putting in the time, money and energy to make your home attractive, you can sell your house exactly as it is.
While most cash offers are lower than what you would get out of a traditional sale, you’re also not putting money into the home. You can walk away with cash and eliminate showings, home inspections and appraisals. At 4 Brothers Buy Houses, most of our clients are able to close on their home in 10 days or so.
When making a fair cash offer that works for you and us, our cash buyers will take into account the renovation potential of your home. Let’s learn more about what this means and the types of features we look for.
What Does ‘Renovation Potential’ Mean?
If you hear our cash buyers in Silver Spring MD talking about your home’s potential for renovation, all it means is how easy it will be to improve the property. Once we make these changes and updates, we will sell your home to new owners.
To make your home desirable, we’ll likely have to renovate the most important spaces in the home – the kitchen and bathrooms. The easier your home is to renovate, the more attractive it is to our cash buyers.
For example, a kitchen that’s already spacious, with modern plumbing and electricity, is easier to renovate. We can install new flooring, purchase stainless steel appliances and paint the cabinets for a refreshed look.
Most Popular Home Upgrades for Fixer Uppers in Silver Spring MD
At 4 Brothers Buy Houses, we focus on making upgrades that buyers will find desirable. Buyers want move-in ready homes with the latest features, so we try to include them in our renovations. Here are some examples:
- Bright and open layout. Buyers want homes that are bright and spacious, so we love properties with big windows, tall ceilings and open floor plans.
- Neutral paint. A fresh coat of paint does an incredible job freshening up the home. We stick to neutral colors like gray and off-white.
- Updated kitchens and baths. Many of our homes receive brand new cabinets, countertops and appliances. It’s easiest to work with open floor plans and modern plumbing and electricity.
- Great curb appeal. A few simple updates can give your home the curb appeal it needs. For example, we might stage a porch, repair a backyard patio or install new LED lighting.
- Hardwood flooring. We often replace worn-out carpeting with laminate or vinyl. Carpet is easy to tear up – tile is not.
If you want to know what you can sell your home for, contact 4 Brothers Buy Houses today. We’d love to make you an offer that works for you and us. We buy properties in all price ranges and in any condition, so find out what we’ll pay for a home with great potential today!
