Checklist to Make Your Homes Move-In Ready

Preparing a home for sale or for renters requires a similar process called move-in ready. A move-in ready home is one that could begin housing a family the moment they arrive with boxes. This means ever latch locks, every appliance works, and the water heater is ready to go. All the necessary comforts of home are what makes a house move-in ready.

If you're new to the process, we're here to help with a complete move-in-ready checklist for sellers or landlords, plus a few helpful COVID-tips for minimizing contact in your upcoming real estate interactions.

Checklist For Making a House Move-In Ready

Getting a house move-in ready is easier than you think. It's really about being considerate and ensuring everything works properly before handing the keys to the new residents. Here's what to do:

• Put Bulbs in Every Light Socket and Ensure They Work
• Run the Taps to Confirm Hot & Cold Water
• Test the Stove Burners & Refrigerator
• Check Every Cabinet and Closet for Left-Behind Items
• Sour the Yard for Sharp Hidden Objects
• Make Sure Every Door, Lock and Handle Works Properly
• Test Shower Heat and Water Pressure
• Flush Every Toilet & Leave 1 Roll Per Bathroom
• Test Every Outlet With a Small Plug-In Device
• Wipe Down and Swiffer Every Room

How to Minimize Contact in Real Estate Deals

In the age of coronavirus, it's important to minimize your physical contact with others. Even though real estate is a traditionally very in-person business, it doesn't have to be. Use these tricks to keep yourself safe:

• The Real Estate Elbow-Shake
• Online Communication and Planning
• 6-Foot Distance for Tours and Inspections
• Owner-Not-Present Services

As a home seller or new landlord, making a home move-in-ready is an essential part of doing friendly business. Ensure that the home's new residents have working appliances, hot running water, and a secure home from the very first day they arrive with boxes. For more real estate insights, contact us today!

Home Renovations for Selling Your Home Amidst COVID-19

The COVID-19 outbreak has made selling a home more challenging than it was just a few months ago. Buyers are gun-shy and are looking for new priorities in home design. If you're ready to sell and hoping to sell fast during Coronavirus slowdowns, there are a few upgrade that are now more valuable than ever. Let's look into the top 5 home renovations for selling during the outbreak:

1) Replace Carpet with Easy-to-Clean Tile

Homes that are easy to clean are in high demand right now. Replacing old carpet with tile or laminate wood will make the home far more appealing to families aware of the new world cleanliness standards.

2) Install an Air Purifier in the HVAC System

COVID-19 can hang in the air, but it's less likely to survive with good HVAC circulation and an in-line air purifier. If you're already repairing or replacing the HVAC system, adding an air purifier is a great upgrade that buyers will love.

3) Build a Security Gate for the Front Porch

Currently, social distancing and answering the front door are contradictory, but you can fix that. A security gate set a few feet out from the front door will ensure that the home is quarantine-safe, while still being able to answer the door for deliveries and services.

4) Secure the Backyard Fenceline & Gate

For families with pets or small children, the backyard fenceline matters a great deal. Make improvements to the fence by reinforcing the under-line (to prevent digging escapes) and ensure the gate is sturdy, well-hung, and can latch securely.

5) Upgrade the Internet Connectivity

Last but not least, consider an improved internet service installation like high-speed cable or fiber. With everyone working and seeking entertainment at home, a house with great internet signal is worth its weight in gold to new buyers.

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What makes a home most appealing to buyers changes from season to season. This season, you're more likely to sell a home quickly with features that make the house more appealing for families sheltering in place during the COVID-19 outbreak.

How to Secure Favorable Home Improvement Loans Amidst COVID-19

If you're a real estate investor looking to acquire a new property, you probably know that buying a new home is just one part of a big puzzle. You still have a million decisions to make. And one of them is how to secure favorable home improvement loans.

The process of getting home improvement loans may seem easy, but you must do some homework first to get favorable terms. In this blog post, we outline these tips in detail.

Be Specific About Why You Need The Loan  

Home improvement loans are linked to specific maintenance or upgrade projects. So when applying, explain to the lender why you need the money to increase your chances of getting approved. 

For example, if you need the loan to install a new kitchen, say so. The lender will understand that the money is being used to increase the value of the property and will probably offer favorable terms. 

Request For A Specific Amount

It's not uncommon to find investors asking for too much money than needed when applying for home improvement loans. But if you want to secure the loan, you must demonstrate that you've done your homework.  

Lenders prefer working with investors who know exactly what they want and why. So, get a good estimate of the cost of the project before submitting your application.

Know Your Home Equity

Loan providers usually look at how much equity you have in your property when checking your application. Therefore, make sure you know that number and let the lender know it too. The more equity you have the higher your chances of getting favorable loans.  

Check Your Credit Score

Just like any other loan, home improvement loan approval greatly depends on your credit score.   As such, it's prudent to check your financial health ahead of time to make sure it's adequate for a favorable loan. Make sure there are no errors on your credit report that could adversely affect your application.

Interest rates are at an all-time low. However, keep in mind that home improvement loans come with repayment responsibilities. So focus on getting favorable terms to make the most it.  We hope these tips will help you achieve that. Good luck!

Guide to Safe In-House Tenant Repairs During the Pandemic

Keeping tenants safe and comfortable in their homes is essential during this coronavirus pandemic. In order for your tenants to safely shelter-in-place, they must have the basic necessities like AC and hot water. If something breaks, you'll need to be very careful about entering the home to fix it.

-Call Ahead to Schedule Your Visit

First, ensure the tenant knows you are coming by calling ahead. You will need to coordinate access and distancing perfectly.

-Wear a Mask and Gloves to Enter

Wear a cloth or medical mask over your nose and mouth. This will ensure you cannot accidentally pass the virus and cannot accidentally pick it up. Wear gloves as well so that your hands don't touch anything that might potentially be contaminated.

-Ask the Family to Stay in a Separate Room

Except for the one tenant who lets you in and shows you the problem, ask that all other residents retreat to a separate room to minimize contact.

-Remain 6-Feet from Your Tenant Host

When you meet a tenant, maintain as much distance from them as each room or section of the house allows. If they are not necessary for repairs, ask them to step back while you work.

-Do Not Touch Your Face or Remove Your Mask

Whatever you do, don't allow your face to be exposed. Do not scratch your face with gloved hands, do not remove the mask at any time while you are performing repairs.

-Perform the Necessary Repairs & Politely Leave

Take care of the repairs necessary as quickly as possible. Then thank the tenant for their cooperation and leave promptly without touching anything else.

-Remove Your Gloves & Mask Carefully Outside the Home

When you are outside the home (but before getting in your car) remove each glove carefully from the wrist, turning the glove inside-out as it is removed. Throw the gloves away. Then remove your mask from the ear-straps and throw it away as well. Change to a new masksif you wish to before driving home.

-Drive Home & Wash

It is now safe to return to your home. When you arrive, immediately wash your hands and consider taking a thorough shower just in case.

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It is both possible and sometimes necessary to enter a tenant's home to enact repairs, even during coronavirus lockdown. Contact us today for more home management insights.

What are Virtual Home Staging Companies?

If you are serious about selling your home, you may want to consider hiring someone to stage your home. However, you may not know what that really means (and entails). 

So, what is home staging?

Home staging is done to make your home look more appealing to buyers. Home staging companies will come into your home and rearrange your furniture to work with your home's layout. They may also add furniture (especially in empty homes) and some subtle touches to make your home look like it belongs in a magazine.  

What are Virtual Home Staging Companies? 

Virtual home staging companies allow buyers to stage their homes to appeal to a wider variety of home buyers. They will take pictures of your home and digitally add furniture and subtle touches to show buyers what your home could look like. They use technology that is very realistic.  

What are the benefits of hiring a virtual home staging company? 

There are many reasons why you need to hire a virtual home staging company. These include: 

• According to the National Association of Realtors, staged homes are more likely to sell. In fact, seventy-seven percent of buyers can see themselves actually living in a home that was staged. Thirty-one percent of buyers are willing to spend more on a home that was staged. 
• For homes that are virtually staged, you can expect more showings. Forty percent of potential buyers will want to take a closer look at a staged home that they saw online.

Why wouldn't you hire a virtual home staging company? 

Because you may want to sell your home as quickly as possible, you are probably considering hiring a virtual home staging company. However, here are some reasons why you may not want to do so.

• The most common reason why a buyer wouldn't hire a staging company is because of the cost. They think that the cost outweighs the benefits. 

If you are serious about selling your home, you may want to consider hiring a virtual home staging company. However, it isn't for everyone. You need to decide what is best for you and your home. 

6 Things Tenants are Looking for During the COVID-19 Outbreak

Renting your homes during the coronavirus lockdown doesn't have to be put on hold. People still have plans and schedules to keep, even with the current stay-at-home conditions. Some renters must look for a new rental home during this time, and the best way to draw them to your homes is with corona-aware features and amenities. Let's take a look at some of the features that tenants care about most when house-hunting during the outbreak.

1. Easy to Clean & Sanitize

Homes that are easy to clean are the most appealing right now. Tenants are looking for shiny countertops, hardwood or tile floors, and clean lines. Consider home designs and renovation choices that will make it possible to sanitize every inch of the home without worrying about carpet pads or what lies underneath.

2. Open Floor Plan

Open floor plans are already at a peak of popularity, and now that matters even more. An open plan that flows cleanly from one room to the next is both more welcoming and easier to keep clean.

3. Secure Locks and Yards

Maintaining family isolation is also important, both indoors and outside in the yard. Ensure all door locks and latches are secure, then improve the fence and gate structure to ensure that no unwanted visitors can intrude on your tenant's isolation safety.

4. High-Speed Internet

Millions of people are working from home, children are going through online school, and everyone is streaming media to stay sane. Internet speed matters. Take steps to improve the reception or wired internet service for the home.

5. Efficient Appliances

With everyone home all day, every day, utilities are going to be higher than usual. Energy-efficient appliances like laundry machines, dishwashers, refrigerators, and HVAC can make a real difference and smart tenants know what to look for.

6. Virtual Tours

Last but certainly not least, tenants are looking for rentals they can lease without a preliminary in-person visit. This means responsive online communication, online trading and checking of documents, and --most importantly-- virtual tours taken with a 3D camera. This allows tenants to tour your home and get a feel for it without putting themselves (or you) at risk by meeting in person before move-in day.

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Marketing your rental homes during coronavirus is easier than you might think, if you're willing to work with current safety and tenants needs. For more savvy rental and home sale insights, contact us today!

Staging Your Home for Virtual Showings

With COVID-19 affecting nearly every aspect of our lives right now, we have to be innovative in order to keep things running smoothly. This is the same for the real estate business, since people may not be able to go look at potential places to live, and also may not want to in fear of spreading or contracting the disease. With that being said, the world of real estate cannot just come to a halt, so virtual showings are more important now than ever.

Staging Your Homes

When people are looking online for a potential place to live, staging can completely change the way they think about a particular home. Seeing rooms that are empty makes it hard to picture how furniture would be arranged, and rooms can sometimes appear smaller. When putting in appropriate furniture and a few small decor items for that space, it can completely transform it and allow the buyer to picture their own belongings in that space. 

Virtual Showings

Potential home buyers will want a lot of pictures and videos right now when searching for a home online. It is important to not leave any part of the home out. Instead of just taking a few pictures of the common areas, take a lot of pictures of every nook and cranny in the home. Show rooms from different angles, show the insides of closets, and show as many details as possible. Think about the things a home buyer would want to see if they were looking at that home in person. If possible, set up a 3D tour, so the buyer can virtually walk around the home. 

Narrowing It Down

As homebuyers are searching online, they will not want to walk through as many houses as they would have prior to COVID-19. Including many pictures, measurements, videos, and other tools helps allow them to narrow their search. This way, when they are ready to walk through a home, they only have a few to look at, rather than a lot. This is the future in home buying.