At any rate, buying a house in this topsy-turvey marketplace can be a little scary, but in reality, it might actually be THE BEST time to buy your new dream house because of the low prices we’re seeing.

It is most definitely a buyer’s market right now, which ultimately means homes that are on the market are there because their owners are serious about getting them sold.  This means there are some great deals to be had.  At the same time, you don’t want to jump into buying a house without giving it some careful thought and consideration.

So to help make sure you make THE RIGHT decision when buying your next Rock Hill SC or Fort Mill SC home, here are 5 steps to take when beginning the buying process:

1. Get your finances in order. This step is one that most people overlook because they figure they should find the house first, then worry about financing.  Wrong!  In most cases, you’re in a much stronger negotiating position when you can present an offer that’s backed up by a letter of approval from a lender.  Sellers will take you seriously and it tells them you’re serious about buying.  Plus, it helps your home search because you’ll know exactly how much you can afford.  This will save you LOTS of time because you won’t waste time looking at houses you either don’t like or can’t afford.
2. Make a detailed list of requirements for your new home. Are you looking for a ranch style house? A 2-story victorian?  How many bedrooms and bathrooms does it need to have?  What about a garage?  Do you want a big back yard?  Making a list of things you want and then classifying them as either ‘Must Have’ or ‘Nice to Have’ will help make the house-hunting process go much, MUCH smoother.
3. Start your research online. The Internet is DEFINITELY the preferred method for locating potential real estate and with a myriad of choices, it’s almost impossible to NOT find a house you like online.  Start searching through many of the real estate websites like Yahoo! Real Estate, Zillow, or you could also start right here at SharonSellsCarolina.com.  In any case, jump online and familiarize yourself with what’s available.
4. Find the right real estate agent for you. Finding the right real estate agent can make the entire house buying process either an enjoyable experience, or one that makes you want to pull your hair out.  And while there isn’t the glut of real estate agents there was a few short months ago, you still have plenty of agents to choose from. Be sure to interview several agents to find the one that you feel best understands what you’re looking for AND that you feel you can work well with.  Real estate agents have different working styles so it’s important to connect with one that matches your working style.
5. Have fun! Remember, you’re about the buy a home that you and your family could live in the for the next 5-50 years so enjoy it!  Yes, it can be a stressful process at times, but as long as you understand what you want, know what you can afford, and have a real estate agent takes on much of the hassles and burdens, it should be an enjoyable experience.

If you’re thinking about buying a home in the Rock Hill SC or Fort Mill SC area, I’d love an opportunity to help you find that perfect home!  Plus, my focus is on helping you enjoy the process so I work very hard to make sure you don’t feel any of the hassles that go along with finding that perfect house!

1. Price it right. This one can’t be emphasised enough.  Especially in today’s tough real estate market, pricing your home correctly is the #1 most important thing you can do to guarnatee a quick sale.
2. De-clutter your closets. Storage is an important feature of any house so if your closets are stuffed to the gills, it could be  HUGE turn-off for potential buyers.  Take out at least 1/2 the stuff to show off the storage space your home offers.
3. Maximize the lighting in your home. No one wants to live in a dungeon so you want to maximize your home’s lighting.  Don’t be afraid to turn on all the lights when you have showings as this will help highlight all the great benefits your home has to offer.
4. Choose the right agent. If you want your home to sell quickly, it’s important that you find the right agent for the job.  Don’t be afraid to interview several agents to find the one that fits you best.  Also, don’t be afraid to ask for references and go ahead and check with them.
5. Hide the pets. Sorry, but not everyone’s a pet lover so be sure to hide as much of their stuff as you can.  Food bowls, toys, beds, and anything else that might tip off a potential buyer to the fact you have pets should be hidden as much as possible because even though it may not be true, it might give buyers the impression your house isn’t clean!
6. Don’t overdue the upgrades. Doing some quick fixes before putting your home on the market are certainly advisable, but there’s no need to sink thousands of dollars into serious upgrades if you’re only going to put the house on the market.  If you have problems areas, go ahead and spend a little bit of money to minimize the problem as much as possible, but chances are you’ll never get your investment back if you go overboard
7. De-personalize your home. You want potential buyers to envision themselves living in your home, but it’s difficult to do if you have too many personal items lying around or if the decor is too individualized for your tastes.  It’s okay to reflect your personality, but the more neutral you can make everything, the easier it will be for people to see themselves enjoying your house as much as you do.
8. The kitchen is the one room where you can break the rules. Lets face it, a great kitchen can sell a house, just as quickly as a bad kitchen can keep it on the market longer than it should.  So if you’re going to spend a little money upgrading your home, the kitchen is the one room you can do it in.  Spending a little more in the kitchen may guarantee a full-price offer, or at the very least will help ensure potential buyers don’t ask for a serious discount because they think the house is ‘dated’.
9. Be ‘show-ready’ at all times. Yes, having your house on the market can be a chore, but if you want it to sell quickly you really do need to keep it in tip-top shape at all times.  You never know when the ideal buyers might be minutes away from stopping by for a ‘surprise’ visit and you certainly wouldn’t want them to see it in any state other than it’s best.
10. First impressions are really the lasting impression. If you want potential buyers to remember your home in a positive light, then it’s imperative that they’re first impression is a good one.  Invest a little money and sweat equity into making sure the outside of your home is inviting, otherwise it may not matter what potential buyers see on the inside because they can’t get the horrendous image of the outside out of their heads!

If you’re thinking about selling your Rock Hill SC, Fort Mill SC, or surrounding area home, I’d love an opportunity to share with you the various ways I work to ensure you get top dollar for your home!

Here are these 10 decorating tips, with a bit of a twist aimed at owners versus renters:

1. Don’t be afraid to experiment.  Unless you plan on selling or leaving soon, why not make the space undeniably yours?
2. Don’t be afraid of color.  Many people are afraid to experiment with color, but using color can really help a small space come alive.
3. Don’t push everything against the wall.  According to Mark McCauley, ASID, a Chicago-area designer, most people don’t spend enough time thinking about furniture arrangement.  “People use the old standby of pushing the sofa against one wall with a chair on each end — all pushed against the wall because they think it provides more room.”  He suggests creating angles with the furniture, much like a city skyline.  This create movement in the space and actually helps the area appear bigger.
4. Don’t neglect the overhead light fixtures.  This is a quick, inexpensive way to inject some excitement and personality into any small space.  The part is, it doesn’t take away from the floor space but still has the ability to add a great deal of interest.
5. Divide up the different living spaces.  When you divide spaces up into functional boxes, it actually helps the mind to integrate everything together.  Instead of sticking with the large rectangular shape common in most small spaces, create seperate living spaces using furniture, plants, or decorative elements such as tables or shelves.
6. Remember, you don’t have to grow up just yet.  Small spaces are your chance to experiment and find out what your likes and dislikes are before you move up to a bigger house.  Give yourself a chance to find out your decorating style so that when you do find yourself in a larger home, you’ll be better prepared to decorate things to your liking.
7. Don’t buy furniture that’s too small.  Many people living in small spaces get ‘doll house syndrom’ and they end up buying furniture that’s too small for even a small space.  A good way to make sure this doesn’t happen is to map out the footprint of the furniture you’re considering buying on the floor with tape.  That way you’ll at least be able to see where things will lay and how it will fit in the space.
8. Don’t hide your bed.  Unless you have a Murphy bed, or are able to block it with drapes, consider using your bed to help accentuate the overall feel of your space.  With a little creativity, some color, and a few decorative accessories your bed can really add a look of character and appeal to the smallest of spaces.
9. Don’t worry, you can take it with you.  One concern people have when living in small spaces, especially rented ones, is that they’ll be wasting money by buying accessories.  Not true.  Keep in mind that as you experiment with your likes/dislikes and as you find things you like, you’ll absolutely be able to take those things with you as you much up in size.  As long as you’re buying things that fit your taste, you shouldn’t have any problem taking them with you to your next home.
10. Don’t confuse clutter with personality.  Nothing makes a space feel smaller than clutter.  A good rule of thumb is that if it’s smaller than a football, you need to ask yourself if it’s really adding to the decor.  Fortunately, there are lots of furniture options these days that have hidden storage compartments so if you do have a lot of clutter, consider either hiding it with a storage solution or just get rid of it all together.

So, if you have a small space that needs a little sprucing up and some personality, consider these 10 decorating tips to help create a space that’s warm, comfortable, and most importantly, reflective of your personality.

1. Choices, Choices, Choices. No matter what your price range is, this is a time where there are plenty of houses to choose from. Only a few years ago, the buyer was forced to make compromises in a very selective market, not always finding the home of their dreams. With the home inventory growing, this is the buyer’s time to buy and be selective.

2. Love, Not War. When you find the house you love, the last thing you want to happen is a bidding war. The buyer has more negotiating power when they are the only bidder, and time, money and sanity is saved. Bidding wars can cause complicated clauses and can drive up the properties listing price.

3. You can make an offer. Today the sell price list vs. price ration is about 96%. A seller will not be insulted if you ‘make them an offer they can’t refuse’.

4. Take Your Time. In the hot seller’s market that existed everything was rushed. Find a house before other buyers did. Hurry up and make the offer. Today a buyer can take their time. Look at several homes and think about your decision for a few hours.

5. Do Your Due diligence. In this market a buyer is encouraged to obtain a home inspection, termite inspection, and appraisal. In 2005 many buyers waived these contingencies in order gain an advantage with multiple offers.

6. There are plenty of specs. Now that the market has turned, there are several specs sitting on inventory. Builders offer incentives, and are now more flexible.

7. Repair requests are welcomed. After a buyer completes a home inspection, they are allowed to submit a repair request to the seller. In the past a seller might insist the home was sold ‘as is’. Many times, there were back-up buyers waiting for a primary buyer to upset the seller whose home was increasing in value almost daily.

8. Few Investors. It is estimated that one third of all sales in 2005 were to investors. These non-owner occupied buyer caused the market to inflate and affordability to decline. Mortgage fraud became commonplace. It’s a great time to buy without having to compete with hundreds of prospective landlords.

9. Real Financing is available. The ‘wink, wink’ zero down, no doc, adjustable, sub-prime loans are gone. Fixed rates are back. FHA financing, first time homeowner bond programs, special loans for teachers, and police officers are back in business. It’s a great time to buy real estate!

10. Location, Location, Location. Today’s buyers can find homes closer to work. In this market, reasonably priced homes are within biking or walking distance to schools, rapid transit lines, and relatives.

Source: Paul Pastore: Broker Agent News