8 Tips for Eliminating Clutter

Getting ready to list your home? One of the best things you can do to improve its appeal to prospective buyers is to get rid of clutter. Real estate agents often recommend that sellers de-clutter because it’s easy, inexpensive and can make a dramatic difference.

Here are some ways to eliminate clutter in your own home:

• Remove things you don’t use on a daily basis. In the kitchen, that means putting away the juicer; in the
  family room, toss all the magazines and books you’ve been meaning to read for years. Try to make your
  rooms look spacious and airy
  
• Organize shelves. Remove knick knacks and photographs.
  
• Get rid of excess furniture. Make it easy to walk through rooms. Try to create an open floor plan.
  
• Don’t forget about closets. Removing excess clothing from bedroom closets or towels from linen closets
  makes them appear larger. Everything should be neatly arranged and folded.
  
• Clear walls. If you have a lot of photographs or paintings, consider removing some. A more minimalist
  look gives the appearance of a larger space.
  
• Remove heavy curtains. Simple blinds or even bare windows let in more light and are more pleasing to
  the eye. Ornate curtains or other window treatments are visual clutter.
  
• Stow possessions in closed storage. Rather than using open shelving, for example, use a storage unit
  with drawers and doors. Or stash extra blankets in a trunk at the foot of your bed rather than the closet.
  
• Be honest when assessing your stuff. If you really don’t need it, get rid of it. You can trash it, hold a
  garage sale, donate it or sell it on eBay. Just think: The more you get rid of, the less you have to pack and move.

Interested in selling your home or learning more about eliminating clutter? Give our CENTURY 21 Adams & Barnes offices a call today at 626.358.1858 or 626.963.7621.

10 Tips to Land the Home of Your Dreams

It’s still a buyers’ market—interest rates are historically low, available homes are abundant, and sellers are
eager to sell. But if it’s a great time for you to buy, it’s a great time for everyone else too. How can you compete
against other buyers and snag the home of your dreams?

• Be decisive. Decide exactly what your dream house looks like. How many bedrooms and baths do you want? What location? This will help narrow down the possibilities faster.
• Always consider a house’s potential. An older home that needs cosmetic updates, such as fresh paint or a new kitchen, may net a better price than one that’s newer.If you can pay cash, you’re in the driver’s seat. Sellers like cash deals because they’re uncomplicated and close quickly.
• If you can pay cash, you’re in the driver’s seat. Sellers like cash deals because they’re uncomplicated and close quickly.
• Offer a high downpayment. The more you put down, the more attractive the deal to the seller.
• Try to limit contingencies. You won’t want to waive your inspections or do anything foolish, but the fewer the contingencies, the more secure the seller will feel with your offer.
• Stay on top of the market. New houses are listed every day. Your agent may even know of houses about to hit the market.
• Prepare yourself for a bidding war by deciding ahead of time what your maximum offer will be.
• Consider distressed properties, such as short sales and foreclosures. But remember that they may not be in tip-top condition—and that you may have to wait weeks or months to find out if your offer was accepted.
• Most important, find a qualified agent who is familiar with your target area. That will save you a lot of time.

Want to learn about available homes in your area? Give our CENTURY 21 office a call today. at 626.358.1858 or 626.963.7621.

The CENTURY 21® System Offers Training for Associates at All Levels

In an ever-changing real estate market, it is critical to be ahead of the most current industry trends and what it takes to be competitive. The CENTURY 21® System has one of the best training teams in the industry, as evidenced by our 2009 Training Magazine’s Top 125 award.What could be better than being part of a company that has award winning training for sales associates? The answer is simple, being part of a brand that offers affordable award-winning training for sales associates.

REO, Short Sales, Blogging, Social Networking – just a handful of buzz words being tossed around in real estate these days, important buzz words that have real estate professionals’ heads spinning. The CENTURY 21 training organization stays up-to-date on what is going on in the industry, and then creates useful training programs on current topics, designed specifically to help our agents be among the most knowledgeable professionals in the industry.

Take a look at this list of training topics available at no cost to all CENTURY 21 Agents:+

Attitude: Persevere and Stay on Track, Contact Management Made Easy, Social Networking, Developing an Online Business Plan, Blogging for Online Visibility, REO and Short Sales Overview, Going Green, Anatomy of a House, Staying in Touch With Clients, How to Have an Open HouseWhether you are new to the real estate industry or a seasoned veteran, there is always something new for you to learn. Our training department has created a curriculum designed to offer something for everyone, regardless of experience level.This curriculum can be broken down into four categories:

Sales Skills – including the popular CREATE 21® Golden Edition program, Capitalizing on Market Dynamics, the Success Series, and a compilation of many live, online free training classes.

Coaching and Accountability – consists of our Productivity Enhancement Program (PEP) with a web-based reporting dashboard and participation of the sales manager.

Niche Markets & Specializations – learn how to grow your business and expand your knowledge with programs focused on CENTURY 21 Fine Homes & Estates®, New Home Sales, Mature Moves and Commercial Brokerage.

Designations –Perception is everything! If you want to be perceived as an expert, pursue a designation or certification. We have many to choose from. Courses such as CENTURY 21 Global Referral Network Sales Associate and Accredited Buyer’s Representative (ABR®) are available.

Of course we are just scratching the surface of what is available to all CENTURY 21 System Sales Associates. We have an Online Resource Library with dozens of topics, including How To’s, Agent Scripts, and Agent Tools. by Design, Marketing Yourself as a Real Estate Expert, and More!

9 Tips to Stage Your Home On the Cheap

As a seller, you want your home to look its best for every showing. But you don’t have to hire a professional
stager to get your home ready.

Here are some inexpensive things you can do to help your home make a great first impression:

1. Get rid of the clutter. Cleaning and de-cluttering always rank near the top of suggested home
   improvements for sellers. In fact, 99% of real estate agents recommend that their clients do so,
   according to HomeGain.com. So go through your stuff and get rid of what you don’t need—or box it up
   and put it in storage.
2. Rearrange your furniture to create easy walkways. Remove excess furniture to make rooms seems
   larger.
3. Remove photos. They personalize your space, but they may also make it more difficult for potential
   buyers to visualize themselves living in your home.
4. Make the space smell nice by using air fresheners or baking cookies before showings.
5. Make sure everything is clean—floors, bathrooms, kitchens. Nothing turns off a buyer faster than grime.
6. Consider paint. Paint is an inexpensive way to freshen up both the interior and exterior of a home. Try
   to keep colors neutral.
7. Don’t forget curb appeal. Lawns should be cut, hedges should be trimmed and beds should be free of
   weeds. Plant some flowers to brighten the exterior and give it a warm feeling.
8. Open blinds and curtains to allow lots of natural light in, and turn on lights when buyers are expected.
9. Start packing up clothes and linens to make closets look larger.

Interested in selling your home or learning more about staging? Give our CENTURY 21 Adams & Barnes offices a call today at 626.358.1858 or 626.963.7621.

Do You Need A Home Warranty?

When Lisa Santucci moved from Kansas to Florida last December, she was happy to learn that her 16-year-old home carried a warranty. “We felt like it was an incentive for us to purchase,” she says. “We were new to the area, and we wanted to be sure that if something did go wrong, we had something to fall back on.”

Santucci hasn’t had to use her warranty yet. But she says she has peace of mind knowing it’s there.

A home warranty is a renewable service contract that covers the repair or replacement of many of the most frequently occurring breakdowns of home system components and appliances, according to Heather Wilson, a spokeswoman for American Home Shield, one of the nation’s largest home warranty sellers. These breakdowns are usually not covered by homeowners insurance.

According to the Service Contract Industry Council, home warranty sales increased in 2009. Many sellers added home warranties to help distinguish their properties from others on the market, and many buyers insisted on a warranty before completing their purchase, the SCIC said.

Items covered by a typical home warranty include major systems such as the HVAC and plumbing, as well as appliances. Some warranties offer additional coverage for pools, spas, extra air conditioners, etc. The average cost of a home warranty is $300 to $500, Wilson said. It must be renewed annually.

Home warranties can provide both financial and emotional security for buyers of existing homes. But they may not be necessary for every purchase. New homes, for example, carry a homeowners warranty directly from the builder. In addition, home warranties are limited in scope. Buyers need to read their contract carefully to understand what the warranty covers and does not cover.

Want to learn more about home warranties? Give our CENTURY 21 Adams & Barnes offices a call today.