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.

September 9, 2020

Sold Her Home For Cash In McLean, Virginia

Janice owned a property in McLean, Virginia. The property was in good shape, but hadn’t been renovated in awhile. She saw a commercial for 4 Brothers Buy Houses and decided to contact us. After a brief negotiation, we were able to go under contract in April and close in May. She got the money she wanted.

This is the story of Janice, from McLean, Virginia. Janice owned a second home in McLean that she wasn’t really using for anything much except storage. She saw a commercial for 4 Brothers Buy Houses and decided she was interested in selling her property for cash. We were able to come to an agreement with Janice after a brief negotiation and provide her with the financial value she felt her home was worth. Here is how she was able to go from a phone call to closing in just a few months.

Janice Owned A Second Home She Was Using For Storage

Like quite a few homeowners, Janice owned a second property that she wasn’t really using much. The property wasn’t being rented out or generating any secondary form of income. In fact, Janice was primarily using it for storage. Even though the property wasn’t being used much, it was still in a very desirable area in Virginia. Janice saw a 4 Brothers Buy Houses commercial one day and decided she wanted to sell.

The Home Hadn’t Been Renovated In Years

The property hadn’t been renovated in years, but it was still in relatively good condition. Janice knew that the property could be sold for a good price on the open market, but she wasn’t interested in going through the lengthy traditional sale process. She wanted to get the money that her home was worth quickly. She knew that by working with 4 Brothers Buy Houses, she could do just that.

We Went From First Contact To Closing In Just A Few Months

One of the biggest draws to selling to 4 Brothers Buy Houses is how quickly you can go from a phone call to under contract, and then from being under contract to closing. Janice was able to go under contract in April and then go to closing in May. The speed of the transaction is really what made her interested in selling to us.

You can sell your property in just a few months, just like Janice did. She went to closing in just a month. Call 4 Brothers Buy Houses, and we’d be happy to talk to you about your home and how you can sell it for cash too. We’ll provide you with a free, no obligation quote. You don’t have to worry about any expensive renovations or repairs. Give us a call today, and we’ll get to work on helping you sell your home. You don’t have to hire a real estate agent or worry about going through a lengthy sale process. You won’t have to showcase your home to dozens of interested buyers. When you work with us, you can sell your home in just a few short months. In this transaction, everyone wins.

September 9, 2020

How You Can Use Instagram To Sell Your Home

More people than ever are using social media in order to sell their homes. Instagram can be a tremendous asset. By engaging with hashtags, utilizing Instagram Stories, and posting quality content, you can attract interested buyers. The key is to post about things that your target audience enjoys, in addition to photos and information about your home.

With the social media boom of the last decade, tens of millions of people across the country are using platforms like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter everyday. Instagram has become especially popular as a photo sharing service. But Instagram isn’t just for kids sharing photos of parties. It has increasingly become a platform for shopping for clothes, vehicles, and yes, even houses. Real estate agents and even homeowners themselves have begun using Instagram to reach out to prospective buyers and give interested parties a closer look at their property. Here is how you can use Instagram to help you make a sale.

Don’t Only Post About Your Home

The first rule to having a successful Instagram account is not to be too one dimensional. Your goal may be to sell your property, but to do that, you’ll need to build an audience. And your audience wants diversified content. So that means you may want to add some photos of your community. Add in some pictures of nearby amenities and attractions. Talk some about the nearby schools. Highlight your home, but make sure that you are also talking about the other reasons why someone may want to move into your neighborhood.

Use Hashtags And Stories Effectively

In order to reach your audience, you need to know what they are talking about. Do some research and find out what your target buyers are interested in. Then you can start being active in those hashtags in order to help build your following. You’ll also want to use Instagram Stories effectively. Instagram Stories are short posts that only stay active for 24 hours. These posts are a great way to post short videos and engage with your followers on a more personal level.

Engage With Other Accounts

This one is key. It is good practice to engage with other accounts and to like and share their posts through your stories. Engaging with other accounts encourages them to do the same with your posts. And the more engagement your posts get, the more likely they are to get seen by prospective buyers. You can start by engaging with other local community pages, but you may also want to look at engaging with general real estate pages as well.

Instagram can be a good tool for helping homeowners sell their property. But it can be difficult to learn how to use, especially if you aren’t familiar with social media to begin with. If you don’t want to learn how to use Instagram, you can call 4 Brothers Buy Houses. Our team will help you to sell your property for cash so that you can get the money that you deserve, when you want it. You can avoid the traditional lengthy sale process. When you work with 4 Brothers Buy Houses, you can sell your property in as little as a month. Give us a call today!

September 9, 2020

What New Parents Are Looking For In A Home

Young millennials are becoming dominant players on the housing market. What does that mean for sellers? Well, millennials with kids typically want more rooms, and larger backyards. Millennials with kids are also paying close attention to the local school districts and nearby amenities. These families often want to get into a home quickly and may be willing to make a deal to get the home they want.

With millennials coming into the housing market in increasingly large numbers, it is important for sellers to understand the demographic and what they are looking for. When it comes to millennials with kids, figuring out their wants and needs is a little bit easier. Millennials with children aren’t as worried about the latest style trend. Instead, they are focused on things such as the number of bedrooms in the home and the quality of the schools in the area. Here is what you need to know about what types of homes millennials with children are interested in.

More Bedrooms

Millennials with kids typically aren’t looking for a one bedroom. These buyers are interested in properties with two or more bedrooms, so that they can make sure that their children get their own room to grow up in. If your property has more than one bedroom, you could be at an advantage for selling to millennial homebuyers.

A Bigger Backyard

A big backyard is a big draw because children can play outside. This could also be a space where pets may be living as well. Make sure to showcase your backyard in your online listing. You’ll also want to make sure that your outdoor furniture is clean and that the space isn’t cluttered.

A Focus On Local Schools

You really can’t always control which kinds of schools are around your property. But if you do have good schools around your home, this is something that you should really highlight. Young millennial parents are very concerned about local schools and they will be willing to pay more in order to buy a home that is in a school district with a strong academic reputation. Make sure that you know which schools are located around your property so that you know how to showcase them in your listing.

More Storage Space

Having kids means more toys and trinkets. And those things add up over time. Millennials are looking for a home with extra storage space, like garages and closets, where they can store these things for the long haul. Having extra storage space is definitely a selling point in today’s housing market.

You don’t have to worry about the housing trends of young millennials in order to sell your home. You can sell your property for cash and get the value that you feel you deserve, and do it on your timeline. Once you contact us, we’ll begin the process. You’ll get a free, no obligation quote. If you decide to move forward, we can complete the transaction in as little as a month. That way, you can get your money and move on without the need to complete any costly repairs or renovations. Give us a call today if you are looking to sell your home.