How to Live in Your Home While You Sell

Selling your Birmingham home? Get a free home value report

Buying a Birmingham home? Search all homes for sale

I’m excited to give you four great tips today about how to sell your home for top dollar while still living in it. It’s a dilemma many home sellers face, and these four tips will make things a little easier:

1. Start packing. Go ahead and get started. The move is coming eventually, and you might as well be prepared in advance.

2. Get the home squeaky clean. We all love living in our homes, but it can get hard sometimes to keep things squeaky clean. While you’re showing your home, it needs to be squeaky clean to show well and make a good first impression on buyers.

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These four tips will make things a little easier.

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3. Maintain your privacy and safety. It amazes me that people will leave cash, jewelry, and other valuables out when they know that people are going to be walking through the home. Make sure anything that’s valuable or dangerous is put away, locked up, and unavailable for people to see.

4. Clear your schedule. If you are trying to sell your home, you’ve got to make it available for people to see. You also need to be willing to be flexible, on a moment’s notice, to let people check it out.

If you have any questions for us, don’t hesitate to give us a call or send us an email. We look forward to hearing from you.

4 Tips for Adding Value to Your Birmingham Home

Selling your Birmingham home? Get a free home value report

Buying a Birmingham home? Search all homes for sale

Before you list your home, there are four simple things you can do to add value to your property. First, improve your curb appeal. This is what buyers see when they first look at your home. Pay attention to landscaping. Are there any fresh flowers? Do you need to add rocks to flower beds? Does your front door need to be painted or replaced? Whatever you have to do, make sure the outside of your house looks great in order to capture the buyer’s attention. Next, declutter your home. As homeowners, we collect a ton of stuff over the years. You should get rid of all that extra stuff. Get it out of the house. Throw it away or put it in storage. Once your house is decluttered, it will feel larger.

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Neutral colors appeal to more buyers than bright, bold colors.

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You should also paint the interior of your home. Use light, neutral colors for the walls. Don’t go crazy with bold colors; some people may like them but a lot of people don’t. Going neutral with paint is your best chance at reaching the vast majority of people. Finally, update your faucets and fixtures. They do have a life cycle. One day, silver faucets and fixtures are popular, and before you know it, people are switching those out for bronze fixtures. Updating the fixtures can make you feel like you updated the whole bathroom. If you have any questions about adding value to your property or real estate in general, give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!

Why You Need a Buyer’s Agent in Birmingham

Selling your Birmingham home? Get a free home value report

Buying a Birmingham home? Search all homes for sale

I started out my real estate career working with buyers. Even today, I still see buyers making the same mistake. They approach the buying process without proper representation. Why is it so important to hire a buyer’s agent in Birmingham?

1. A buyer’s agent represents you. They don’t have any other interests other than your own. You have to compete with the listing agent, who serves as representation for the sellers.
2. A buyer’s agent knows what homes are available. They’re familiar with the MLS, especially which homes are newly listed. They interact with a real estate network you wouldn't otherwise have without their help.




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You need someone to help you stay focused!

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3. A buyer’s agent has connections in the industry. Beyond other agents, they know home inspectors, loan officers, and other professionals involved with the real estate process.
4. A buyer’s agent helps you stay on track with your goals. There is so much involved with the buying process and it’s easy to lose track of your progress. You need someone to help you stay focused!

These are only four of many reasons why buyer’s agents are crucial in our marketplace. Don’t make the mistake and not hire one!

If you’re thinking about buying or selling a home in the surrounding Birmingham area, give me a call or send me an email. I’d be happy to help you!