Sunrise Homes & Renovations, Inc.

Selling Your Half of a Jointly-owned Home? Here’s What You Need to Know

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Selling Your Half of a Jointly-owned Home? Here's What You Need to Know

There are many factors to consider when it comes to selling your home, and if you own your home with someone else the details involved can be even more confusing. If you’re wading into your co-ownership options and are curious about your next steps, here’s a short list of some things to think about.

Buyout: Selling Your Half

If you own your home with a friend, family member or former partner who would like to keep the property, the first thing you’ll want to do is contact an appraiser who will provide you with the market value of your home. Once you know this amount, you can discuss it with your co-owner and decide on the amount they can pay you for a buyout. While some co-owners will decide to get a loan and pay a lump sum, they may also want to schedule monthly payments until the buyout amount is completely paid off.

Partition Sale: Leave It To Legal

In the event that both you and the co-owner of your home would like to get rid of your property without any fuss, you have the option of a partition sale which means that the court will take care of your property sale for you. Once this occurs and any fees are paid, the total purchase price that is made from the home will be divided between the co-owners and the property will no longer be an issue for either party. If one owner has invested more into the home, it’s possible that one party may benefit more than the other.

Voluntary Sale: Coming To An Agreement

There are many situations involving property and personal possessions where the fence cannot be mended, but in the event that you want to sell your portion of a property it is in your best interest to sell together. While a partition sale provides the opportunity to get the property off the co-owner’s hands quickly, there’s a good chance that some of the money earned will be caught up in legal fees. If you’re able to come to an understanding, you may both reap a larger sum.

Whether you’re moving on to the next chapter of your life or experiencing a settlement, there are many available options for selling a home that is co-owned. If you’re considering putting your co-owned home on the market, please contact one of our real estate professionals for more information.

5 Photo Shoot Tips for Amazing Listing Photos

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5 Photo Shoot Tips for Amazing Listing Photos

Pick The Right Light

It won’t even be worth your while to pick up the camera if the lighting is off, so make sure you capture your home in the middle of the day when natural light is at its peak. Instead of morning or night, when spaces can appear dim, turn on the lights during the day, let the sunlight flow in and shoot away!

Keep It Clutter Free

While it’s common sense to clean up your home before committing anything to photography, it’s also important to be aware of any items that may catch the eye of the viewer and deflect interest away from your property. While there may be certain things you’re used to, if they stand out in the picture it might be better to move them outside of the frame.

Don’t Forget The Details

It’s easy to be focused on the exterior and room shots, but a few minor details here and there can give the viewer a better feel for your home, and may enable them to remember it. If you have striking kitchen tiles or a claw foot tub, don’t forget to add up-close images of these to your listing.

Capture The Exterior

The rooms and amenities of your house are definitely going to be what piques the buyer’s interest, but don’t forget about the exterior in all the shuffle. The outside of your home is the first thing that potential buyers will see, so catch it during the last hour of sunlight for maximum effect.

Hire A Professional

It’s entirely possible that you’re so busy looking for homes and getting organized that taking pictures is just another task to add to the list. Instead of taking on the photography yourself, you may want to contact a professional to do it for you who will know all the tricks of the trade.

The best impression your house will make should be in person, but it’s important to have great listing photos so you can draw potential buyers in. If you’re getting ready to put your home on the market, you may want to contact one of our real estate professionals for more information.

3 Psychological Hacks That Will Help You Sell Your Home Faster

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3 Psychological Hacks That Will Help You Sell Your Home FasterFrom real estate agents to home buyers, there are so many tips out there on how to sell your home that it can be overwhelming to determine which tricks will boost your success rate and make the sale. If you’re looking for a few sure-fire hacks for getting your home off the market quickly, the following may do a lot of the hard work for you so that selling won’t remain a worry for long.

Stick To A Neutral Palette

Neutral colors like white and grey may seem like a boring approach to design, but they’re actually a great way to grab a potential buyer’s attention. While an especially bold color like red or dark blue can distract the viewer, neutral tones will not jar the eye and will enable the viewer to see the features that your home truly offers. Instead of a space they can’t see for the color, they’ll be able to pay attention to the details that really matter.

Discard The Oversized Items

Most of us have an old, bulky piece of furniture that we still haven’t bothered to get rid of, but when preparing your home for viewings you may want to finally let go of this ostentatious piece. A bulky furniture item will make an undersized space look even smaller, whereas – in a large, sprawling space – it will swallow the size of the room. Instead of a large-scale item, stick to classy, medium-sized pieces that will effectively complement each other.

Keep Personal Items To A Minimum

It may seem like personalizing your home, from pictures all over the fridge to movie posters, will add to its appeal, but it can actually take away from the impression that potential buyers will get. While a home that has a few personal touches here and there can make it more memorable, too many of these little details may actually make the viewer feel out of place. Since the end goal is an offer on your home, enabling potential buyers to imagine themselves in your space is key.

There are an endless amount of tricks involved in a successful home sale, but there are a few little hacks you can do that may work wonders on the minds of potential buyers. If you’re almost ready to put your home on the market and are considering your options for selling, please feel free to contact us for more information.

Thinking About Selling in 2016? 3 Reasons You’ll Absolutely Need a Great Real Estate Agent

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Thinking About Selling in 2016? 3 Reasons You'll Absolutely Need a Great Real Estate AgentWhether you’re familiar with the market or you’ve never sold a home before, an effective real estate agent can be exactly the thing you need to make for a positive market experience. With the world of real estate in a constant state of flux, here are a few reasons why the right agent can successfully guide you through the muddled waters of the market.

A Skill For Communication

In the case that the real estate market makes you nervous, it’s particularly important to have the kind of agent who will keep you in the loop and give you the information you need to make an informed selling decision. An agent with the powers of communication will be able to give you honest advice when it’s required, like if it’s time to lower the price of your house, so that you can have success in achieving the offer you’re looking for.

A Willingness To Work Hard

There are many agents out there who won’t be willing to put in additional effort for a client, but the kind of agent you’ll want to choose should be someone who is a go-getter and will chase potential business for you. Instead of waiting around, an ideal agent should be following up with potential buyers and ensuring that they’re chasing any leads that may guarantee the purchase of your home. If you have to ask them to be proactive, they’re probably not the right person for the job.

A Bevy Of Client References

A real estate agent that is worth their salt should not hesitate to provide you with client references so you can make an informed, educated decision. Instead of asking for their personal references, though, request the names of their last ten clients as this should give you a pretty good grasp of what their capacities as an agent are, and how they will serve you. If they are cagey about providing references, you’ll want to move on to your next potential agent.

The real estate market is rife with a lot of things to know and it can be complicated to jump into the tides, but the right agent can actually make the process of selling your home a lot less stressful. If you’re currently looking for homes and are not sure where to turn, you may want to contact one of our real estate professionals for more scoop on the market.

‘Don’t Sit Around Waiting for a Deal’ and Other Great Advice from Successful Home Sellers

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'Don't Sit Around Waiting for a Deal' and Other Great Advice from Successful Home SellersThe real estate market and all the things involved in selling a home can seem complicated, and it can be very hard to know which tips to trust. While there’s plenty of great advice to go around from many knowledgeable sources, here are some of the best tips from home sellers who have made a successful sale.

Research Your Local Agents

When considering an agent that will meet your home-selling needs, it can be tempting to go with someone familiar or recommended through a friend who seems like a safe bet. However, it’s important to do your research and find an agent who has a number of “Sold” homes under their belt. Create a list of agents you’re impressed by and take note of their sales and agent fees, and keep in mind that you may want to lean towards an agent who has expertise in your neighborhood.

Get A Second Opinion On Price

Before you have an agent appraise the value of your home, it’s worthwhile doing some research on your end to determine the approximate value of your property. Once you’ve arrived at a figure, bring in the agents you’ve selected to appraise the value of your property. If one price is significantly higher than the other, it may be a red flag that an agent is trying to win over your business, regardless of whether the sale price is reasonable. In this case, you will want to choose the agent that provides the most appropriate appraisal.

Be House Ready At All Times

Having potential buyers view your home will certainly make the idea of selling it real, so make sure that it is ready for viewing at any time. If a potential buyer cannot view your property or has to work around your schedule constantly to arrange viewings, there’s a pretty good chance that you may lose out on some good home offers. Instead of missing out, provide a set of keys to your real estate agent so they can show people around your home when you’re not around. This should automatically increase the likelihood of an offer on your home.

Heading into the real estate market can be a matter of trepidation if you’re not sure what to do, but by researching your agents and being prepared you’ll increase your chances of success. If you’re almost ready to put your home on the market, you may want to contact one of our local real estate professionals for more information.

Thinking About Selling in the Spring? You Should Be Renovating Now. Here’s Why

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Thinking About Selling in the Spring? You Should Be Renovating Now. Here's WhyThe cooler months of winter might seem like the perfect time to hibernate into the house, but it’s actually a great time to consider ramping up your home for improvements. If you’re thinking of selling come the spring, here’s why winter is the perfect time to get started on home renovations.

Flexible Scheduling And Availability

Many people are not interested in renovating their home during the winter months, so it can actually be an ideal time of year to make plans with a contractor to do some work. Since many renovations that occur on the outside of the home are likely to take place during spring or summer, it can be easier to schedule renovations for your home’s interior when it’s colder.

Pre-Planning Your Project

Since contractors can have more free time in the winter months, it’s a good time to contact them to discuss, decide and plan exactly what needs to be done in your home. With the workload of many contractors ramping up in the springtime, there’s a good chance their meeting schedule may be congested and the planning and renovation implementation will take much longer.

Get Ahead of Higher Prices

With the holiday season in swing, there are many sales on common home items from appliances to windows and cabinets. Since manufacturers will be trying to get excess stock off the floor before year’s end, it can be a great time to purchase products for instant money savings. With the new stock filling the stores in spring, there will be a higher premium to pay for all of the newly marketed products.

A Good Time For The Market

Spring is one of the most popular times of year to put a home on the market. With so many people considering a home purchase among their yearly plans, the milder season is an ideal time to get out and go house shopping. In order to have your home ready to show for the spring, you’ll need to have the renovations complete so your house will be market ready when the potential buyers are out.

If you’re readying your house for the springtime real estate market, it’s a good idea to get started on renovations now so you can save money on materials and schedule ample time with your contractor. If you happen to be considering your options for spring sale, you may want to contact your local real estate agent for more information.