Refuge Properties North Idaho

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  • The Pros & Cons of Buying New Construction

    There’s a rare phenomenon occurring in the national housing market right now. In fact, it’s only happened in two months since 1982, according to an article on Realtor.com. New homes are selling for less than existing homes.

    Here in Kootenai County, there are currently 47 new construction homes for sale under $600,000 (single family residence, 3-4 bedrooms, 1200-2500 square feet) with the least expensive being a 1260 square foot, 3/2 in Rathdrum for $410,000.

    A search under the same criteria (SFR, 3-4 bedrooms, 1200-2500 SF) for existing homes yields 120 homes for sale under $600,000, so a decent amount in both categories. That same $410,000 will buy you a split level, 1766 SF, 4/2.5 in Post Falls so, around here, the “buy new for less than old” is not necessarily true, but it’s still worth noting that new construction is priced competitively and worth considering.

    Besides the obvious benefit of getting a brand-new home with that new home smell and all the latest features like LVP flooring, soft-close drawers and cabinets, and stainless-steel appliances, there are also other benefits to buying a new home. Many come with extended warranties, sometimes as long as seven years, meaning that if anything in the home like windows, cabinets, garage doors, plumbing, or heating stop working, they’ll be fixed or replaced for almost nothing. (Sometimes there is a minimal service fee around $75).

    Additionally, many of these homes come with buyer incentives like money toward closing costs, rate buy-downs, or even permanent rates that can sometimes be two percentage points lower than existing rates, saving you thousands of dollars per year in mortgage costs.

    There are things to consider when buying a new home though. First, you may have to wait for it to be built and if the builder hasn’t broken ground yet, that could be several months. Of course, if you’re not in a rush, this is not a problem and if you start the process early enough, you may even be able to customize some features. Customization is not a given though.

    One reason many of these builders can sell houses for at low cost is that they operate on economies of scale. Not only can they buy materials in bulk, they can also hire labor “in bulk”, meaning that the drywall guys, the painters, the electricians, and so on, can work on several houses right next to each other in short order and because they all share a similar floorplan, their work is easier. But this means tighter deadlines and cookie-cutter instructions that don’t involve moving that electrical outlet to the other wall, as simple as that may seem.

    Another potential downside to buying new construction is the quality. As the above Realtor.com article mentions, builders are often in a rush to get homes completed and sold. After all, they don’t see a profit until that happens. 

    Most builders who have been around awhile and have built homes in the hundreds or even thousands are pretty reputable. After all, if they were scam artists, they probably wouldn’t be in business anymore. It’s not like your roof is going to collapse a month after you move in, but there can sometimes be corners cut. The article mentions things like incomplete paintwork and caulking, kitchen cabinets that weren’t properly installed, scratched and dented siding, and uneven concrete. In the new construction I’ve sold, I’ve seen minor things like construction debris left under the house and venting or ducting not properly sealed. It’s all pretty minor stuff and can and will be fixed, but only if you’re on top of it, and that’s where having a good real estate agent comes in.

    You may be tempted to go with the on-site real estate agent who works for the developer. They may even give you an added incentive for doing so. Most of the time, you’ll probably be fine. After all, you’re probably getting a home warranty so if something does break in the first year, it’ll be replaced. It’s still better to have someone on your side though. An agent working for you and you alone will be able to suggest a home inspector who will do an independent inspection and find those things that you might miss like unproperly sealed ducting or construction debris in the crawl space.

    They’ll also be able to advocate for you. The Realtor.com article mentions that one buyer found out that shower doors were not included in the purchase and were going to cost $10,000 extra. She felt the contract was misleading, so her agent went to bat for her got the doors at no extra charge.

    An agent will also act as a dispassionate and professional buffer between you and the developer. If you’re buying a house that is currently under construction and you’re looking at a several-month process, there will be a lot of communication going back and forth. Even if it’s not contentious, which it sometimes is, you’d probably rather be focusing on your own work, family, or the latest episode of Bridgerton than reading a 60-page contract that might not make a whole lot of sense anyway or the half-dozen emails that went back and forth just to schedule a follow up inspection.

    Another reason you may want to consider an existing home over new construction is that it’s existing. It’s “mature”. Any “new construction” kinks have been worked out. It has mature landscaping. (Note that new construction usually doesn’t include the price of landscaping, sprinklers, and fencing.) Maybe it has some big shade trees that a new development won’t. Around here, most of our new construction is on the Prairie with not a single tree around. I also hear a lot of people tell me they don’t want new construction because it is “cookie cutter”. All the houses look basically the same. This might not be an issue for you and a lot of the new homes going up are well built and architecturally pleasing, but for some people, an older home in an existing neighborhood may bring a warmth and character that new construction might not. Of course, if the warmth and character of an existing neighborhood is what you’re looking for, chances are other people are too and you’ll almost certainly pay a premium for that. Case in point, if you want to live in one of the most desirable neighborhoods in our area, Sanders Beach, the minimum you’ll spend is $599,000 for a 1520 SF, 3/2 on a very small 0.1-acre lot.

    Finally, when it comes to resale homes, the seller is often times more flexible on price and terms. New construction is a business, plain and simple. While there are people on the other side and many of them are caring, they’re still in business to make money and have a bottom line they need to meet to make sense. They also have their own built-in “comparables”. When pricing an existing house, every home is going to have its own separate real estate agent and owner determining what it’s worth more or less in a vacuum. The other houses the agent is comparing their upcoming listing to probably have differences in size, quality of upkeep, finishes and several other things. In a new development, there might be only three or four different floorplans. If ten homes with Floorplan A have already sold for $450,000, the developer knows that they can sell the eleventh for the same price and you, the buyer, can either take or leave it. New construction, especially the larger developers, rarely negotiate on price. That might not be a bad thing. If they’re not negotiating or offering “sale” prices as they sometimes do, it means that house is probably worth what you’re buying it for. You’re most likely not overpaying. There’s just little change you’re getting a “deal”, which you can sometimes find with resales.

    Whether you’re wanting to move into a brand-new home or something that was built 1884, a good real estate agent will help you weight the pros and cons of every home you look at and then help you navigate the process, advocating for you every step of the way.

  • The Story of Your Home & Neighborhood

    When people come to view your home, the most important thing is usually the home itself and they may have already researched the neighborhood they want to live in, but providing neighborhood data as well as some of the things that the buyer can’t see, like utility costs or even hidden or overlooked special features in your home, may be the thing that seals the deal for them. Gather the following data and then make a special features or “What I Love About This Home” flyer to place in a “Home Book” and on the kitchen counter for those viewing your home. Most of these will be uploaded into the Documents section on your listing in the MLS.

    • Legal Information like the legal property description, picture of the parcel outlines, and the preliminary title report if you’ve ordered one. The legal description and parcel outline is public information found on your county’s assessor website so you’re not disclosing something that isn’t readily available elsewhere and some people want to know. The preliminary title report will have some personal information so you may not want to put that in if it’s a concern, but buyers may ask for it before making an offer and will certainly look at it once under contract. If you’ve had a property survey done, you should also include this.
    • If you are on a well and/or septic, the recent inspection report showing they are in good working order.
    • Property tax information including any exemptions you may have that affect what you pay.
    • Property Disclosure Report. This is a real estate form with questions about the condition of the property like whether there are any issues with the plumbing or how old the roof is. You will have to provide this to anyone who makes an offer so you might as well provide it up front.
    • Information on local schools including the public school district you’re in. You may also consider providing a list of private schools, including day cares, near you since more and more people, especially here in North Idaho, are choosing to send their children to private schools.
    • A list of utility providers and your average monthly cost.
    • Local businesses you recommend like restaurants, supermarkets, health care, and the like. Some people may be moving from out of the area and this will be useful. Is there a great restaurant just a mile down the road that has trivia nights every Thursday? That’s a selling point!
    • For the “What I Love About This Home” sheet, tell the story behind your home. When we sold our last home, one of the things that unintentionally helped sway the buyers was a portrait of our family showing our three boys. We’d actually put this in the garage while “depersonalizing” our home, but the buyers saw it and, after we’d gotten under contract, they told us that was one of the reasons they wanted to move there, as silly as it may seem. They were newlyweds but wanted to have three boys of their own. Of course, I’m not saying you should go into detail about your family. In fact, depending on how you frame it, it could even be a fair housing violation, but even though you want to depersonalize your home to a large extent, adding a little personality and warmth that can only come from the human touch may be the thing that attracts that eventual buyer. Some things you may want to put in this section:
      • Why you bought the home.
      • What you will miss about the home and neighborhood. If the sunsets are spectacular from the back porch or if the neighbors get together for outdoor movie nights in the cul-de-sac every Friday, point this out.
      • The potentially overlooked features in the home. Talk about drinking your morning coffee in the bay window while watching the hummingbirds feed or the fact that there’s a slide out spice rack that may be overlooked while touring. For these overlooked features, it’s a good idea to also make little cards to tape up around the house highlighting them.
      • What your favorite thing about the house is.
      • What your favorite thing about the neighborhood is.
      • What upgrades you’ve made to the home including new appliances, a new roof or siding, or new furnace and when these upgrades were made.

  • Simple Upgrades & Maintenance to Make Your Home Shine for Buyers

    I’ve already covered some of the basic items you should take care of before listing your home, things like cleaning the house and putting away clutter. Once you’ve done that though, you may want to go a step further. The work below will take a little extra effort and perhaps some money, but the investment will be small while adding value and making your home easier to sell.

    • If you have a mailbox, is it looking a little beat up and worn out? Give it a fresh coat of paint and apply some new numbers. As the saying goes, you never have a second chance to make a first impression and a mailbox might be one of the first things a prospective buyer notices even if you’ve probably looked past it for years.
    • If your light fixtures are looking like they belong in a different decade (and not in a good way), consider updating them. Simple fixtures can typically be purchased for anywhere from $30 to $300 so are an inexpensive way of “remodeling” and bringing your home current. If you’re not handy with electrical work (it’s simpler than you may think and instructions are usually included with most fixtures, just make sure you’ve turned off the power!), a handyman can typically take care of this for not much more.
    • If some of your rooms are particularly dark, consider installing new lights. A more economical option would be to get some floor or table lamps.
    • After pressure washing the drive, you might consider filling in any small cracks and sealing the concrete.
    • If the paint is peeling on the outside of your house, touch up those spots if possible. If the wear and tear is considerable or the color of your home might detract from it, having it repainted, even though the cost is several thousand dollars, may be worth it. If painting the whole house is too much work or money, consider painting just the trim.
    • Invest in a new set of address numbers. This is a very inexpensive project and can be done in under an hour but does wonders to update the look of the house.
    • Beyond washing all the windows, it’s a good idea to replace any that have cracked ones. This will certainly be called out on inspection and the buyers may ask for a price reduction or for you to replace them. If the crack is major enough, and FHA loan underwriter may require it to be replaced before funding the loan.
    • If your roof is nearing the end of its life, you may consider replacing the whole thing. A worn roof is one of the biggest red flags there is and if the buyer is using FHA financing, it will almost certainly hold up the deal or even end it all together if the appraiser says there is less than five years’ useful life in the roof and you can’t get a roof certificate. The good news is, a new roof will add considerable value to your home so you can price it accordingly at listing and mention it in the marketing remarks. If the roof is in decent condition but just has a few missing shingles or some of the caulking or seals around roof vents are cracked or worn, this is an easy fix.
    • Repair any damaged gutters or downspouts. If your home doesn’t have gutters, this is probably not an investment you want to make as you won’t recoup the cost, but it may be worth considering.
    • If your front door is dated or worn, this is one of the best investments you can make with a return of 186% in this area according to the “2024 Cost vs. Value Report” from Zonda Media. If the door is otherwise contemporary-looking enough, but literally darkens your doorstep, you should consider painting it a brighter color. Even changing out the hardware can be an inexpensive upgrade that will make your home shine. After all, the doorknob is the first thing a potential buyer will touch.
    • Interior painting, while it may not fully repay the investment, is something to consider, especially if the current walls are looking faded or just drab. New paint does wonders for a home, making it look newer for a relatively low cost. Choose a neutral paint scheme.
    • Remodeling your kitchen is probably more than you want to do and doesn’t typically return the investment. (According to the same Zonda report, however, minor kitchen remodels actually return 114% in our area.) You might consider more limited upgrades though. Update door and drawer hardware and the kitchen faucet.
    • If you don’t have an automatic garage door opener, consider installing one. These range from a few hundred dollars to under a thousand.

  • Remodeling: Worth the Investment?

    Typically, if you’re planning on remodeling your home, it means you’re planning on staying there for awhile and the investment has as much to do with your own enjoyment of your home as it does with increasing the value. Sometimes, though, potential sellers wonder if they should remodel or upgrade something in their home just before selling in order to make it more attractive to buyers and, hopefully, get more money or a quicker sale.

    Generally, this is not a good idea. You are not likely to recover the cost of the remodel. The only time I encourage sellers to invest more money into their home is if there’s a clear material defect that will make it difficult to sell. If the kitchen is dated, that’s fine, especially since the new owners likely have a different vision of what a dream kitchen is than you do. If the carpet is older but still in okay condition, it’s also probably a good idea to just leave it as is and maybe offer a flooring credit. Again, the new owners might want a different style or may want hardwood or vinyl flooring.

    That said, if the cabinets or counters are heavily damaged or the carpet is heavily worn, replacing them might be worth it. Many people may have a hard time envisioning what a home may look like fully remodeled or with items fixed or they simply want a truly move in ready home.

    In their “Remodeling 2024 Cost vs. Value Report”, Zonda Media listed the following projects as recouping their investment (data from the Spokane market specifically):

    • Garage Doors (227.5%)
    • Entry Door (Steel) (186.3%)/Grand Entrance (Fiberglass) (100.3%)
    • Manufactured Stone Veneer (137.5%) – This addition will depend a lot on the style of your home.
    • Minor Kitchen Remodel (114.3%) – By comparison, a major kitchen remodel will only recoup 55.4% and what constitutes minor vs. major is highly subjective to both you a the potential buyer. The national estimates for a minor kitchen remodel only recoup 96.1%.

    If in doubt whether to take on a particular project before selling, the best thing to do is get a couple of bids from contractors and then have your real estate agent give you their estimate on how much it will increase the value of the home. Remember, though, that while the bid from the contractor will be pretty close to exact, even the best real estate agents can only give an educated guess on how much a particular improvement will add to the value because, again, it’s all subjective.

    At the end of the day, the most beneficial home improvement you can do is making sure the house is clean and tidy and the outside is free of junk or yard debris. Do things like pressure wash the driveway, patios, and walkways. Sweep away the cobwebs from around the entry. Plant some colorful flowers if it’s the right season and mow the lawn. All these things cost almost nothing other than your time and will do wonders in attracting buyers.

    Two other great resources for remodeling costs are the National Association of the Remodeling Industry’s Remodeling Impact Report (2022 is the most recent) and Pillar to Post Home Inspectors Pillar to Post Cost Guide. Both of these reflect national data and estimates.

  • Concerts in the Park 2023

    Michael Koep has picked up the mantle of community concert promoter after the “Music Man” Chris Guggemos passed away last fall. I’m happy to be one of the sponsors of this concert series that will take place every Sunday at the Rotary Bandshell in City Park between July 2nd and September 3rd and feature a wide variety of local bands from the funky dance beats of Pastiche to the big band sounds of CDA Big Band. Come on down and join the fun!

  • Required Documents at Closing

    If you’re closing on a house (either buying or selling) as a natural person (i.e. not the representative of a corporation, a trust, or estate) and all parties will be physically present, you won’t need any documentation other than a driver’s license or other form of government ID when it comes time to sign all the paperwork before you. Sometimes, though, there may be uncommon circumstances with the ownership that will require you to have added documentation. The escrow company should let you know well before closing what extra documentation you need to bring but the following are common and since they may be hard to locate in your home or you may need to order another copy from court records, it’s good to be prepared.

    Since this is a complicated situation, be sure to check with your escrow officer and/or attorney early in the process (i.e. before you list your home or begin looking for the one you’re buying).

    If you’re selling a property and one or more owners is deceased or you’re the executor of a will or trustee of a trust, you will likely need the following:

    • Certified copy of the death certificate
    • Additional documentation verifying taxes have been paid
    • Copy of will or trust
    • Lack of probate affidavit signed by surviving spouse and/or children if the estate is not in probate

    If the sellers have divorced since acquiring title:

    • Decree of dissolution
    • Deed clearing title prepared by the former spouse’s attorney. (If the former spouse refuses to clear title, the transaction can not close so make sure you have resolved this issue before listing your house.)
    • If the divorce is in process, additional documentation may be required.

    If the sellers are legally seperated:

    • If selling, a copy of the decree or order filed with the court.
    • If purchasing without the other party, additional documentation may be required.

    If selling or purchasing through a trust or corporation:

    • Copy of trust documents and amendments clearly identifying the proper parties able to sign on behalf of the trust or corporation.
    • Any bylaws, articles of incorporation, or operating agreements.

    Here’s more detailed information from our friends at First American Title.

    Death, Divorce, Trusts and More – Required Documentati onDownload

  • Common Ways to Hold Title

    If you’re purchasing a home in Washington, the Purchase and Sales Agreement has a field defining how you will take title. There are several ways beyond just putting your name(s) down (single man/woman or married couple/community property, the two most common).

    You can also own a home as a married person but as separate property, as a joint tenancy, where each owner owns an equal share. The most common result of this is that the share of the property owned by one of the people (the tenant) will pass to the other(s) upon death instead of to that person’s heir(s).

    Another way is tenancy in common where owners may own unequal shares and their interest passes to their heir(s) upon death instead of to the other owners.

    Finally, you may choose to have the property owned by an LLC or other corporation or a trust. This has the benefit of keeping your ownership private from public record. (People could probably track you down with enough work, but your name won’t be listed in the county title records so it will be much more difficult.) If in a trust, it also makes transfer of the property to your heirs upon your death much simpler, avoiding probate.

    In Idaho, these forms of ownership are not listed on the Purchase and Sales Agreement but they can still be done with a simple addendum which is sent to the title company that eventually records your purchase with the county. Just make sure to make this decision as early in the process as possible as it becomes extra work once the transaction is underway. If you wait until after the transaction is closed, it will require even more paperwork. In the case of wanting your ownership to remain private in county records, if you wait until after it closes, while the new ownership form and name will eventually be recorded, your name will forever be associated with that property.

    Here’s a more detailed description from our friends at First American Title.

    Common Ways to Hold Title – WADownload

  • The Life of an Escrow

    What is escrow and how does it work? When you’re buying a property, you’re exchanging a considerable amount of money for it and the eventual transfer has to go through multiple steps not only to ensure both parties are dealing fairly (remember the old joke about selling the Brooklyn Bridge?) but that all the proper documentation is accounted for and eventually recorded with the county.

    What I’ve found in all the transactions I’ve been a part of is that people aren’t dishonest so much as they are operating off different presumptions about what the other party wants. As a very simple example, take the final state of the home when it’s turned over. It’s very unlikely that the seller will refuse to turn over the house or, worse yet, sign the closing documents and then refuse to leave becoming a squatter (although this does happen), but they may leave a bunch of junk behind or they may have damaged a wall while moving out. This is why it’s important to have a re-inspection or final walk through just before closing. If there’s significant junk lying around or damage, this is where escrow becomes very important. They will hold back the money until the situation is remedied. Furthermore, when a lender is involved, they will be sending their portion of the funds directly to escrow. Finally, when everything has been completed, the escrow or title officer will have the sale recorded with the county recorder’s office. On the seller side, the escrow officer will also be the one to pay off your loan if there is one.

    Here’s a handy breakdown of who does what and when from our friends at First American Title.

    The Life of an Escrow – Detailed (1)Download

  • Rental Investment Properties

    Thinking of buying a rental property? There are few investment that provide a better rate of return and security than rental property. Of course, you’ll have to have enough cash up front, typically 25% plus whatever closing costs and initial upgrades or maintenance you’ll need to perform before renting the property, but if you can swing that (it may even make sense to pull money from another property in the form of HELOC for part of that down payment), you’ll enjoy a steady monthly income and long term appreciation of the asset over time.

    There are some downsides you should be aware of. If something breaks in your rental property, you’ll need to have the cash or credit to fix it ASAP. If one of your tenants fails to pay rent or trashes the place, recovering that money or evicting the tenant can be difficult. Having owned rental properties myself, though, I can tell you it’s worth the minor headaches.

    When looking for a property, it’s best to look at it as objectively as possible. This is not the time to fall in love with a certain aspect of the home. You’re not going to live there. Sure, something about it might be of added benefit in attracting renters, but at the end of the day, a fairly quick market analysis will be able to tell you what it’s going to rent for. Then all you need to do is run the numbers and see if it pencils. Generally, if you’re at least going to break even every month with rents covering your mortgage and expenses, it’s worth it since you’re building equity both by having your renters pay down the mortgage principle and, over time, the property value is likely to increase so you can sell it for a profit when the time comes.

    Here’s a simple rental investment calculator I put together to help you make the decision.

  • Tips for Preparing Your Home to Be Photographed and Shown

    More than anything else, photos sell your home. 95% of people see your home for the first time on the internet and most of those people decide to see it in person based on the photos. This is not the time to pull out the iPhone and snap a few quick pics. A professional photographer with professional equipment will be able to make your home stand out and, in some cases, look even better than it does in person. With almost all of my listings, I also pay for the photographer to do a virtual walkthrough, sometimes called a Matterport tour for the type of camera that is used. This allows people to walk through the home virtually by clicking on spots within the floor plan. Each of these spots is where the 360-degree camera took shots so the person viewing it can see every corner of the house as if they were there. It also provides complete floor plan of the house and what is known as a dollhouse view.

    Before the photographer comes to your home though, there are some things you need to do. I can’t tell you how many photos I’ve seen online where dirty laundry was left on the bed, the toilet seat was up, or the kitchen counter was crowded with appliances or just plain junk. Sure, some people will have the vision to look past all of that. After all, they’re not buying your junk, just your home, but many people will take one look at a few photos and decide the house is not for them just based on the mess. When we purchased our last home, we paid far less than I think we would have had the owner taken the time to declutter and clean. We had the vision to see it was a good home for the price so, in a market where most homes were selling in under a week with multiple offers, this one had sat for months.

    So what do you need to do, beyond removing the dirty laundry from the bed and putting the toilet seat down? In short, pretend like you’re entertaining your boss or welcoming your girlfriend’s or boyfriend’s parents over for the first time. Here are some things to consider well in advance, not the morning the photographer is coming over. A good photographer will do some things, like close the toilet seat, maybe even open the blinds to let in more light, but it’s actually your job to do so.

    • Do a deep clean. Sure, the camera is not going to pick up tiny specks of food on the kitchen floor, but you’d be surprised what it will. Make it shine!
    • Remove as much as possible from counters, tables, and desktops. The general rule of thumb is to leave one or two kitchen appliances on the counter, maybe the toaster and the coffeepot. The more you remove though, the bigger the space will look. Do the same in the bathrooms. It’s okay to leave the hand soap dispenser and you might want to dress it up with a small plant, but beyond that, put it in a drawer or a box. Anything you aren’t likely to use in the next month or so might as well be packed away. It’ll save you from having to do so when it’s eventually time to move.
    • Pick up all the toys and other smaller items around the house and in the yard. If the kids have a play kitchen or a large toy truck, it’s okay to leave those out if they are not easy to store, but put them up against a wall or place them otherwise intentionally. A stager will be able to help you with that.
    • Consider removing some of the furniture. The less furniture in a room, the bigger it will look. Of course, you actually want to have some to help potential buyers envision how they are going to use the space, but if you have extra chairs or tables crowding the space, move them to the garage. This is especially true for that raggedy old chair that the cat shredded. Again, a stager will be able to help you with what should stay and what should go. You may even consider selling or donating some furniture if you’re not planning on taking it with you.
    • Remove all the papers and artwork from the front of the refrigerator. (It’s probably okay to leave one picture your kid made if you really want to, but again, less is more.)
    • Make sure all the light bulbs are working. Smoke detectors as well. You don’t want those things beeping away during a showing because the battery has died.
    • If you don’t store your trash under the counter, put it in the garage along with the big dog food container.
    • Make sure the bathroom and kitchen towels are clean and neatly folded. You may even consider buying some new ones to brighten up the space. The stager can help with this. Many times, they’ll even provide you with towels that can add color to the space.
    • Remove bath mats from the bathroom.
    • Make the beds. This is another area you may consider investing in new bed linens or decorative pillows or having the stager provide some.
    • Hide any extraneous cords and remotes.
    • Mow the lawn, weed the garden, pressure wash the driveway, patio, and walkway and clean any dirt away from the siding, and wash the windows both inside and out. Consider planting some colorful flowers if it’s appropriate for the season.
    • Put away any gardening equipment and clean the outside of the grill. You may want to buy a new grill cover if the old one is dirty or worn.
    • Park cars inside the garage if there is room or park them away from the house. You can, of course, put them back in the driveway once the photographer is done, but for the photos, you want a clear view of the front of the house, not your car.
    • Consider depersonalizing your home as much as possible. People should really be judging the home itself, not the occupants, but you’d be surprised how many people may pass on a house just because there are things inside they don’t agree with like political messaging they disagree with or even sports memorabilia from a team they don’t like. Of course, this is totally up to you. It might be that the provocative sign, if the potential buyer agrees with it, might be the thing that seals the deal.
    • Open all the blinds and turn on all the lights just before the photographer arrives.
    • Prior to a potential showing, make sure the place smells nice. Air it out if you have pets or teenage boys. Take out the garbage. Consider lighting a neutral smelling or putting an air freshener out. Stay away from strong smells that some people may be allergic to though.
    • If it’s appropriate for the season, light the fireplace. Do this, of course, only if you know someone is coming to tour your home immediately after you leave.
    • Prior to showing you may also want to put on some quiet and calming music.
    • If you have a hot tub or pool and it’s appropriate for the season, remove the cover and turn on the jets.
    • If you have outdoor patio lights, turn those on for evening showings.