Is your home sending the correct messaage?

If not, it may be time to consider hiring a gardener or getting help from family and friends to make some needed changes as soon as possible. The right gardener can transform the most jungle-like backyard into a beautifully manicured area of peace and tranquility, in as little as a day! With all the other tasks associated with selling your home, landscaping is a great project to outsource.

Before hiring a gardener, ask friends or neighbors for referrals. Once you have a few recommendations, ask questions and raise any concerns you may have with the gardeners/landscapers you decide to interview. Some key points to discuss are how often you would like service and what you need included at each visit. Services range from simple mowing to complete care, with reseeding, watering and fertilizing options. Don’t be afraid to ask your new gardener for help with ideas and improvements that could increase your property value and alert your gardener as to the property status, since there may be times when extra special service is needed (such as before an open house). You might even request that any extra cut blooms be left for you to use inside your home.
Keep in mind that a specialty garden is not the same as basic maintenance. If you have special circumstances, you may want to consider sharing written along with any verbal instructions with your chosen landscaper. Of course maintenance and seasonal costs, liability insurance and worker’s compensation coverage are all topics you will want to discuss before entering into any agreement.

Once you have begun your service, inspect the initial work and take time to notice the changes occurring in your landscaping. As you offer feedback to your gardener and become a part of the process, you will see your home evolve into a well-kept, beautifully groomed masterpiece. Your home will create the best impression possible and deliver the message you want to share with potential home buyers.

For those of us on a budget or the do-it-your-selfer types,  here are some quick and easy suggestions to perk up your curb appeal with minimal landscaping effot.

*Edge sidewalks in front of your house and remove any vegitation growing between concrete or bricks.

*Trim overgrown bushes and trees on the property.

* Sweep the street in front of your home and make sure it is free of debris.

*Mow the lawn get rid of any weeds.

*A little well placed mulch goes a long way.

*Consider adding potted plants. In Winter months add Winter tolerant plants such as kale and Winter Cabbage.

*Rake and dispose of leaves even if your lot is wooded.

This advise is especially important in markets such as ours in Somerville, Medford, Cambridge, and Arlington where lots tend to be smaller.  A nice, well organized greenspace always helps in the sale of a home. Remember first impressions are lasting impressions.

This number is anticipated to continue to rise to five times that rate in the next five years with over 30% of “green” home building being forecasted for 2016. Beyond 2016, builders believe over 90% of their projects will be “green.” Home buyers are seeking earth-friendly features in homes for sale, so home sellers and remodelers should take note of these statistics. Renovation work has also increased in recent years, most likely due to the shifting economy, and builders report that home remodels make up over 60% of their business, according to the recent McGraw-Hill study done in conjunction with National Association of Home Builders and Waste Management.

So, home owners and those looking for new homes with eco-friendly perks, have the “Green” light! Almost half of builders (46%) have begun marketing their “Green” services and are becoming well-versed in determining the best needs and options for their clients. As builders become more familiar with the processes involved with earth-friendly materials, consumer cost has decreased as well, making it a great time to upgrade your home for sale. Benefits of making these eco-friendly measures can be reduced energy costs, reduced waste, better quality of life, and peace of conscience.

To get more information on the results of the Green Home Builders and Remodelers Study, click here.

Check out Somerville’s premiere “Green” home development The Residences at Maxwell’s Green http://theresidencesatmaxwells.com/ . Phase One is sold out. Ask me about phase two starting at $689,000.

As a home seller, you may feel challenged in trying to anticipate what you can do to make your home more inviting and attractive to a prospective buyer. However, the following easy steps can welcome your buyer instantly and help them to feel as though they are €œcoming home†when they enter your property, so read on.

First, look out your windows.  Are they clean and inviting?  Do you have a pleasant view or can you camouflage it with some temporary plants just outside the window?  Whenever you leave or anticipate a home showing, remember to leave the window coverings open so natural lighting can show off your property.  The more light the better, so evaluate whether additional room lighting should be left on.  If the weather is nice and the outside noise quiet, consider leaving a window open to create a slight breeze.

Is your home comfortable looking?  Is the temperature moderate and the ambiance set without being overdone?  Soft music, flowing water from a fountain, or fresh flowers can leave a lasting impression about the “feel” of a home.

Your goal is to intrigue the senses throughout your home.  Whether it’€™s a soft blanket or an antique desk; if you have an unusual and beautiful showpiece, show it off. Creating a lasting impression through touch or evoking a memory, since these are often reasons later given for why a particular home was chosen. The sense of smell is very powerful, too, so keep in mind that baking cookies REALLY can help in the sale of your home. If you do have the smell of baked good lingering in your home, please make sure the cookies are available for potential buyers so disappointment does not cloud their view of your property.

Lastly, leave the house.  That’€™s right – let the potential buyer have a chance to feel that the house is theirs – if even for 15 minutes.  Your home buyer needs to feel as if they are in their new home.  For this reason, many professional home stagers recommend eliminating personal effects and photos when a home is being shown.  Remember, your main job as a home seller is to prepare your home so potential home buyers feel a sense of ownership and an urgency to make it theirs before they leave.

1. HO-2, the least expensive type, covers only named perils such as fires or lightning. If the peril is not named, it’s not covered.
2. HO-3, generally recommended as the minimum coverage, includes open perils protection. It covers all direct physical losses with certain exceptions such as earthquakes, floods and intentional loss.
3. HO-4, renters and tenants insurance, covers personal property rather than the structure itself. There are also exclusions for which types of perils are covered.
4. HO-5 covers open perils and adds a rider, which includes protection of personal property. Exceptions also apply.
5. HO-6 is for condos or co-ops. It is similar to HO-4, but also covers improvements you may have made to the dwelling.
6. HO-8 is for older homes. It insures the home for the repair cost or market value instead of the cost to replace it.

Don’t confuse appraisals with inspections! An appraisal is for a lender to estimate the value of the home, and to make sure it meets minimum FHA standards. The FHA does NOT guarantee the value or condition of your would-be new home. If you find problems with your home after closing, don’t expect the FHA to help. It’s your responsibility to inspect the home for problems before closing.

Finally, radon gas testing is recommended for all houses by the EPA and the Surgeon General of the United States. For more information on radon testing, call the National Radon Information Line at 1-800-SOS-RADON, or 1-800-767-7236.

Inspections may be done before or after signing as long as your contract states that the home sale depends on the inspection.

1. Types of homes. Choose the type of home that is the most appealing yet practical for you. In addition to single family homes, there are multifamily homes, condominiums and co-ops. Multi-family homes are often good for first time home buying because they can have rental income to help with their mortgage.

2. Budget and investment considerations. Find a balance between your needs, wants and budget. Decide whether you should buy a newly constructed home, a bit older home or a “fixer-upper”. If you may sell your home in the future, the following are best for re-sell value:

• Homes with 3 or more bedrooms; condos with 2 or more
• Homes with “curb appeal” always sell best
• Homes that are NOT unusual or unique and not the most expensive on the block

3. While house-hunting you will probably look at many homes for sale, so keep careful and complete notes and compare.

4. When you finally find your dream home, don’t hesitate! If you snooze, you may lose!

1. Decorate your home festively, but don’t go overboard and cover up important features. Also, put treats out for buyers and crank up the heat for a cozy winter escape.
2. Post top-quality photos and videos of your house on the web. Many buyers do their shopping from the warmth of their homes when the weather is bitter.
3. Make sure your curb appeal is striking! Keep fallen leaves raked and snow neatly groomed.
4. Get yourself a reliable real estate agent and seek out serious buyers such as work re-locators.
5. As always, price to sell!!