Experience Is The Best Teacher For Real Estate Agents

**With Permission From Town Maps USA Images
Experience Is The Best Teacher For Real Estate Agents
Because real estate agents in Imperial, MO see everything in the market, we have a pretty good idea about why some houses sell (and why others sit on the market for years). Whether as buyer or seller, anyone planning to enter Imperial, Missouri real estate market this summer can benefit from some of the tactics and factors that Imperial, MO real estate agents keep in mind when as they go about the business of making home sales happen:
When Speed Matters…
When the overriding goal is a quick sale, leading with a price slightly lower than what comparables suggest it is really worth is the surest tactic. When a home is priced at only a fraction below market value, real estate agents know it will draw much more attention than higher-priced neighbors. Most sellers have a built-in resistance to the very idea!—often because aren’t aware of how a home loses fair value as it sits on the market. Pricing a listing slightly lower right out of the gate can mean minimizing the likelihood of a lengthy DOM (Days On Market)—and the possibility of a disappointing final sale price.
Preapproval: It’s Not Final Approval
Most real estate agents in Imperial have seen this more than once: a buyer who is preapproved for a mortgage begins running up credit cards in preparation for the move into their new home. Because lenders often re-examine a homebuyer’s credit during the closing proceedings, the result can be a higher than originally quoted interest rate, or even an outright denial. IOW, it’s wise to continue to spend frugally until keys are in hand!
It’s a Long Process
Real estate agents know that selling a house takes a finite amount of time, beginning with preparation, through marketing, then paperwork, then finally, closing…and that’s not counting any unexpected turns-of-events that sometimes just happen. Whether you are buying or selling, it pays to be mentally and emotionally prepared to remain as flexible as possible with all the other ongoing events in your life until the transaction is a done deal. If you’re considering buying or selling a home in Imperial, Mo this summer, there’s every reason to start preparing as early as possible. CONTACT US for an initial consultation—we can set up a timeline that will be the first step in keeping you well informed from start to finish!
The Helderle Team 2014 © All Rights Reserved

Listing Your Imperial, MO Home In Summer Means Staging Outdoors

Listing Your Imperial, MO Home In Summer Means Staging Outdoors
As the days grow longer and the thermometer rises, everyone wants to start spending more time outdoors—to make full use of our yards and patios. But what if your Imperial, Mo home is going to be on the market this summer? Does it mean you have to stop enjoying yourself, stop entertaining guests, just because you want to keep the place in showable condition?
The answer is, of course, of course not. Using the outdoor spaces of your home means striking a balance between living your life and ensuring everything is in top condition when buyers come calling. It’s actually a staging opportunity, because most of your prospective buyers will be favorably impressed if your outdoor staging areas make it easy to picture themselves enjoying our beautiful Imperial, Missouri summer weather.
Staging your home’s landscaping thus takes added importance during summertime, beginning with overall curb appeal. Any time of year, potential buyers are often swayed by that first impression: as they approach the house, the impact will be one they’d like their own future visitors to have. Staging an inviting front yard appearance does wonders for your selling prospects.>br> Make sure your lawn is trimmed and the yard edged. During springtime and fall, a 2”-3” grass length is recommended, but as the hotter summer months approach, longer grass will help shade the soil and keep roots comfy. Minimize brown spots and thin patches by giving the blades an extra half inch.
Staging walkways and driveways means keeping cemented areas free of volunteer growing things. Having weeds, clover, or anything sprouting between stones or pavement is not only unsightly, it brings to mind the work required for upkeep (a turnoff to prospects). Although chemical herbicides are popular, an eco-conscious (and penny-conscious) alternative is plain old kitchen vinegar.
The most important staging advice for the outside of the house is that it give the impression that a fresh coat of paint won’t be needed for quite a while. Cleaning it can be enough, or if not, new paint may be needed. You can opt for professional painting, but if your home is sided, or if you’ve recently (within the past five years) had your home painted, pay attention to details like windows and other smaller touchups you can easily do yourself.
If staging the back (and possibly front) yards is likely to be a really important part of marketing your Imperial, Missouri home, give some attention to outdoor furniture. It’s expensive stuff, so if it’s going to really be a key selling point for the property, it might be worth the effort to really make the space shine. If you don’t have any outdoor furniture (and don’t plan to need any in your new house), consider hiring a stager just to handle the exterior spaces. Less expensive than a full home staging, exterior staging can make a huge difference in the overall appeal of your Imperial, MO home during the outdoor months.
Once you’ve revitalized of your home’s outdoor areas, keeping it in top showing condition need consist of little more than the regular weekly yard work and cleanup, a relaxing prospect for enjoying your property throughout the good weather months. And do give me a call, or VISIT US we are standing by.
The Helderle Team 2013 © All Rights Reserved

Repair Demands: Par for the Course for Selling an Imperial, MO Home

If you have taken good care of your property, you rightfully expect that selling your Imperial, Mo home will result in its fetching a good price when it hits the market. That’s the right mindset for success, but it serves sellers best when it’s only a starting point. Dealing with flesh-and-blood buyers can require some judicious flexibility—for one reason, there is usually an inconspicuous (somewhat annoying) fly in the ointment. The metaphoric fly is the fact that no property is without its flaws; and its metaphoric buzzing is likely to get louder as your sale’s closing grows nearer.
Structural elements of a house have varying life spans since wear and tear is inevitable in any space where people live. Many of a home’s features eventually require repair, and if it’s very soon, given that most informed buyers expect to take over a property with as few problems as possible, post-inspection demands can result. Especially if you’ve put a good deal of effort into getting everything shipshape, it can be maddening.
Nevertheless, plan to ignore any impulse to scrap the sale and tell the buyer to take a hike. Since some post-inspection requests are par for the course, you should know your options when you’re selling a home in Imperial, Missouri and your buyer requests repairs.
Repair Obligation for the Seller
As the seller of the property, you are not required to fix anything in the home inspection report. Any repairs cited are points of negotiation: just because an inspector cites flaws, that doesn’t mean repairs have to take place before the sale can be completed. If you don’t want to accept a purchase agreement that is conditioned on the completion of repairs, that is your option.
Purchasing a Home Warranty for the Buyer
Buyers sometimes request that you as seller pay for a home warranty. A home warranty generally covers the buyer’s outlay for major defects for a year following purchase. Such a warranty will typically cost no more than $600, and again, the decision to purchase one is up to the party selling a home.
Major Repairs
In many cases, requested repairs will be relatively minor, so it’s often preferable to have them made to proceed without further wrangling. But (you can almost hear that fly buzzing louder) should requested repairs be more extensive, you’ll have to evaluate the cost against the sale price.
Whether to Complete a Repair
Your home might be your pride and joy, but it is important not to take requests for repairs personally. Selling an Imperial, Missouri home is most successful when the seller first carefully examines the request, then makes a rational assessment based on what will produce the optimal outcome. If a next-best offer is on the table, its terms should be reexamined. You can also offer to proceed with the original purchase agreement but not agree to complete the repairs as requested. If the buyer likes your home and believes the price is reasonable, he or she may agree to proceed with the purchase as-is.
Whether or not you are concerned about potential repairs, if you are thinking of selling your home in Imperial, MO this summer, CONTACT ME today for a complimentary evaluation.
The Helderle Team 2013 © All Rights Reserved

Boost Your Arnold, MO Home’s Curb Appeal in a Single Weekend!

Boost Your Arnold, MO Home’s Curb Appeal in a Single Weekend! It’s usually the curb appeal Arnold, MO properties put out there that either plants a winning first impression…or a ho-hum (maybe it’s more interesting inside) reaction. This holds for casual passers-by as well as serious prospects who are pulling up for a scheduled house showing. It’s simply true: you never get a second chance to make a first impression. If you will be listing your home this summer, adding a thoughtful extra touch or two to the outside can transform your Arnold, MO property’s curb appeal into its first strong selling point. After all, what buyer won’t favor a home they’d be proud to have friends and co-workers visit?
Here are some simple and affordable projects—each of which can be started and finished in a single weekend!
• Exterior lighting styles are constantly being reinvented, so if it’s been more than five years since the last time you thought about the amount of curb appeal your current fixtures add, this one’s for you! Once the sun goes down, take a look at what passers-by see—and compare it with your Arnold,MO neighbors’. Explore the latest fixtures available at area lighting shops and the big-box hardware stores—there are plenty of imaginative new designs. Even consider improving your home’s nighttime sparkle by adding a lighted path from driveway to door.
• Your prospective buyers will be favorably impressed when an Arnold, MO home’s curb appeal invites them to see themselves as part of the picture. That’s not an abstract notion—investing in a few pieces of attractive, comfortable-looking outdoor furniture and arranging them on the front porch all but compels it! Buyers will automatically picture themselves enjoying a leisurely chat out there…and if the porch layout is right, you might make it extra-inviting with a warm indoor/outdoor rug and some weatherproof decorative pillows.
• Extensive flower beds can turn some buyers off if they don’t want the hassle of upkeep—but a few flower pots or window planters look wonderfully inviting when people drive up to the house. Decide if some large pots along the driveway, sidewalk, or entryway would provide color and character; or put up a pair of ready-made window boxes. Filled with easy-maintenance annuals like marigolds, petunias, or impatiens, this simple touch can make a disproportionately effective difference.
• Sometimes you don’t have to paint the whole house when you put your house on the market: just spruce up the front door, shutters, or trim. Some sandpaper, a wire brush and modest amount of paint can do the trick. This is a quick and affordable way to add curb appeal to the entire house—a facelift without spending tons on painters and paint.
• Ancient, peeling house numbers on the mailbox or by the front door can destroy curb appeal. Arnold, MO prospects usually spot them first when they search for your address, so save the day with a new mailbox (or just some gleaming new replacement numerals).
• Ready to get your home on the market? Contact me today via email at stlouishomes@yahoo.com or visit us on the web at HOMES OF ST LOUIS for a free evaluation.
The Helderle Team 2013 © All Rights Reserved

3 Tips When Buying A St. Louis, MO Short Sale

You’ve found the perfect house — it’s in a great St Louis neighborhood,
it’s zoned for a top school, and the price is just right. What could go
wrong? A lot, if the home is being sold as a short sale.

Whether you’re a first-time buyer or veteran homeowner, buying a short
sale home can be a challenging and frustrating experience.

Here, we offer some background and advice for those looking to buy an St Louis short sale.

What is a Short Sale?
Let’s begin by defining the way that a short sale is different from a
traditional real estate transaction. In a short sale, the sale.......READ MORE AT 3 Tips When Buying A St. Louis, MO Short Sale

How to Make Showing Your Imperial, MO Home a Breeze

When you’re selling your home, keeping it ready to show at a moment’s notice can sometimes make a major difference. In a perfect world, prospective buyers will always have time to schedule showings in advance—but exceptions do occur. That’s why experienced sellers know how to juggle living a normal life at the same time they are keeping their place ‘show-ready’ by calling on a few organizational tricks. They really aren’t all that difficult (but do take a commitment to stay organized). When you follow them, it makes showing your home in Imperial, MO a snap!
Supplies at the Ready:
The easiest way to stay on top of messes is to nail them when they start. Stock up on wipes and ready-to-use supplies (think pre-soaked wipes and erasers instead of rags, sprays and mops)—and stash them in key locations around the house. Between showings, you can even keep them in plain sight: it reminds you to wipe down surfaces after each use without making it a major project. Regular quick wipe-downs will keep your home shiny and inviting—even when showing you’re Imperial, MO home comes as a last-minute surprise.
Simplify Storage
Place a few attractive bins and storage ottomans strategically in rooms that are prone to clutter (playrooms, bedrooms and dens). Encourage everyone to make a habit of throwing the odds and ends into them before the end of the day, and removing things only as they are needed. Showing your home on a dime becomes a no-brainer when the clutter lives out of sight.
Start Packing
If you haven’t already started packing, get going early. Pack up everything you don’t use regularly—like those shelves of books you haven’t touched in years. And deal with the off-season wardrobe: when you’re actively showing your home in Imperial, Mo this spring or summer, those fall and winter items should be headed into storage.
Make Small Adjustments
This idea is optional—but it really works! Encourage everyone to remove their shoes at the front door. Place a decorative mat at the entrance (and include a coat rack if the weather calls for it). This temporary house rule works to get everyone in on the act, and subtly helps keep them conscious that showing your home is partly everyone’s responsibility. It’s also a reminder to keep packages and bags from building up near those doorways
When showing your Imperial, MO home is part of a well-planned and systematic project, just a few of these relatively minor adjustments can keep you and your family cool and collected—and make even last-minute showings a breeze. My clients make the rules for what the minimum heads-up time for scheduling a showing will be, and we stick to it. But when they are able to create an environment when the odd last-minute showing is a no-stress possibility, it does seem to have a way of increasing the odds that the latest showing…becomes the last!
For more tips on Making Your Imperial. MO Home A Breeze To Show, contact us today via email stlouishomes@yahoo.com or visit us at Homes of St Louis.com

The Helderle Team 2014 © All Rights Reserved

Homeowners in Imperial, MO Hope to Match National Price Increases

Homeowners in Imperial, MO Hope to Match National Price Increases

2014 has already given an encouraging start for Imperial, MO homeowners who consider national price movements as the best pointers for what we can expect for local real estate. Already in February, median house prices were up 7.6% nationally year over year (that according to the US National Housing Trend Report). It followed a similar 8.3% increase in January. The question many Imperial, MO., homeowners have is whether this upward movement can be sustained throughout 2014.

Two Years of Historically High Growth

If we look at the historical record, values normally rise somewhere in the area of 3% to 5% annually. But over the last couple of years, gains have been considerably higher. As measured by the Case-Schiller Index, property prices in the 20 largest U.S. cities have increased 21% since they bottomed out. Even considering the depth from which they started, that is still remarkable.

Factors Likely To Influence Home Prices

Among factors which could influence performance in the year ahead, one of the most prominent is the continuing historically low interest rates. According to the leading financial website Bankrate, as of this writing, the average no-point, 30-year fixed mortgage was edging downward again to 4.32%. That may be up from a year ago, but, by way of contrast, the long-term average for a 30-year mortgage is estimated to be 8.56%!

Even considering Fed Chair Janet Yellen’s stated intention to continue the Fed’s expansive monetary policy, most observers consider it all but inevitable that as the economy improves, quantitative easing will be cut back…pressuring interest rates to rise (and last month the Federal Reserve made a $10 billion cut in its economic stimulus program).

Two other factors likely to weigh heavily on future price moves are foreclosures and negative equity. As real estate prices increase, the number of Imperial, MO homeowners whose homes register negative equity will steadily decrease. An improving economy will also mean that foreclosure rates continue to decline.

Predictions for the Year Ahead

According to Zillow’s national Home Value Forecast, homeowners can expect residential real estate prices to rise 4.8% across the nation through December 2014. Economists also expects that inventory—the number of homes offered for sale—will increase as more sellers are encouraged by higher prices and new home construction ramps up.

All in all, it’s easy to see why overall expectations are for this to be a solid year for residential home price increases—even taking into account expectations for rises in interest rates and housing inventory. Exactly when is, of course, something that’s impossible to predict.  While this year isn’t expected to duplicate the spectacular gains of the past two years, all indications are that it will wind up being another good year for homeowners in Imperial, MO

In case the forecasts have you wondering what your home is now worth, why not contact CONTACT US TODAY to discuss your own home’s prospects in this spring’s active market?

The Helderle Team 2014 © All Rights Reserved

Your Saint Louis, MO Home Not Selling

Your St. Louis, MO Home Not Selling? Take these Steps Now!

Even in today's St. Louis, MO real estate market there are still a surprising number of homes that have been on the market for a few months with no obvious signs of activity. If your St. Louis, MO home has been on the market for a while without any serious offers, it’s probably time to take another look at your strategy and your home to make it more attractive to buyers:

1. Review your asking price

1. The number one reason I see St. Louis, MO homes sit on the market is because of listing price. If your home is priced above the market the likelihood of selling it are greatly reduced. Your Realtor® should have provided you with a list of comparable recent home sales in your area along with a professional analysis to figure out the proper selling price (if your Realtor didn't provide this, CONTACT ME  and get your free home value 

Drive by the homes on the comparable sales list your Realtor provides to get a feel for what's been selling.

• Are those homes really comparable to your home?
• Are they in the same condition as your home?
• Are the schools of the same quality as the schools in your neighborhood?

Pay particular attention to any differences (or in any variances in size or amenities) as they can significantly impact your home's value versus the St. Louis, MO marketplace. A good comparative market analysis will help you figure out the RIGHT listing price for your home.

2. Take a video of your home

Shoot a video of your St. Louis, MO home both outside and inside. Then watch the video (preferably on a computer or larger screen) objectively as if you were a potential home buyer. What do you see? Look for negative elements such as weeds growing in the yard, dirty carpets, or a cluttered interior. It's important to notice negative elements you can quickly fix to make your home more appealing to buyers. It may surprise you to see what your home looks like when viewed on camera.

3. Leave during your home’s open house or showings

It is vitally important that you leave the house when buyers are touring your home. Potential buyers will not feel comfortable looking in closets or in drawers with you standing over their shoulder. They will also be less likely to express their true opinion about your home. Therefore, do everything you can to be scarce during showings. Additionally, if you have pets, take them with you along with items like food bowls and litter boxes. The last thing you want is for potential buyers to contend with your pet pit-bull or the odors coming from a litter box.

4. Hold an open house on a weeknight
While most buyers in the market for a St. Louis, MO home are accustomed to attending open houses on weekends, there are those for whom weekends just don't work. By holding an open house on a weeknight you face less competition than on a weekend and may draw in buyers who normally would not have seen your home.

5. Consider staging your home

To stage a home simply you can just remove all personal items, add neutral window coverings, paint in neutral colors, and take down most decorations (most homes are over-cluttered). Ask your Realtor for advice. For example, you may love zebra print and red accents; however, that's not going to appeal to most buyers. Loud designs and bold colors can easily detract from the positive aspects of a home. If you feel you can handle the staging project yourself, have at it. However, if the process of staging your home seems overwhelming there are companies that can professionally stage your St. Louis, MO.home for you. Contact me for a reputable referral.

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If you find yourself in a position where your house just won't sell, DO NOT just sit and wait for things to change. Take action before market conditions change!  Feel free to give me a ring if you'd like some advice.

The Helderle Team 2014 © All Rights Reserved