Life is a journey. Couples buy the big house when they start their families. But when their kids fly the coop, they’re stuck with a too-big house that no longer meets their needs or fits their lifestyle. The thought of starting over can be daunting.
Over the years after helping scores of empty-nesters downsize, we’ve found that folks sometimes lose their way during this phase. Here are our top three tips to help keep everyone on track:
• No one loves your stuff as much as you do. The first three things we tell empty-nesters to do to get their home ready for market is to de-clutter, de-clutter, de-clutter. It’s amazing how many things one can accumulate over a lifetime. As we age, we also tend to hold onto things as they connect us with our past. We know first-hand. We lost our dad almost 20 years ago, and to this day, our mom still refuses to throw out any of his belongings. Unfortunately, things that we think are important to our children may not be, and things that we think are disposable may have tremendous intrinsic value to our loved ones.
Here’s how you can fight the urge not to purge:
• Hire a professional. If you have found excuses for the last 25 years not to purge, it’s unlikely that you can do this alone.Many of our clients work with professional organizers and/or estate sales companies to help them get through this process. A professional organizer can help you sort through decades of paperwork and belongings in an organized and systematic way. A professional estate sales company can help you sort through which items have value and which do not, and then sell them for you.
• De-clutter on the front end. If you get something new, throw something old out. One in, one out. If you have too much stuff, change the ratio. For example, if you buy a new shirt, get rid of two or three old ones.
The good news is that de-cluttering is a cathartic process. While the journey of de-cluttering can be emotionally difficult, our clients routinely feel free and less burdened when they are done. In fact, the vast majority of our clients tell us that they wish they had done it years earlier.
• Move when you can, not when you have to. Don’t stay too long.
It’s easy to do. You’ve raised your family in a home, and have a lifetime of memories there. It’s a growing trend for empty-nesters to modify their homes — by installing elevators and creating wide spaces to accommodate wheelchairs, for instance — to meet their needs as elderly people. Unfortunately, not every house can be adequately modified. And modifications can’t erase all the unneeded space in the family home.
It happens way too often — elderly homeowners start to lose the ability to maintain the house, whether for financial, physical or other age-related reasons. That’s when bad things start to happen. Some people refuse to leave their multi-level homes, despite the advice from their doctors and often, their spouse and/or grown children. It usually takes a calamitous event — such as a tumble down a staircase, an illness or injury or financial ruin — to force the issue. By then, it’s far more difficult, painful and almost always financially sub-optimal. If your loved ones are raising these issues with you, take them seriously and be honest with yourself. After a certain point, being stubborn is not just about engaging in an existential conversation with your grown children, it can be downright dangerous.
Have the tough conversations while everyone is healthy. No one likes to talk about estate planning. It brings up very tough conversations and intergenerational differences and conflicts. We get it. However, it is infinitely easier to have these conversations when everyone is healthy and the conversations are more “hypothetical.” Once someone is diagnosed with a terrible illness or has their health deteriorate, the last thing anyone wants to do is to talk about estate planning.
Bottom line: Have meaningful conversations with your loved ones while everyone is healthy, and understand who really wants what. It’s much more fun to gift things while you’re alive and healthy, then after you’re gone.
SOUTHEASTERN N.C. — Following a disappointing 2014, sea turtle nests along the North Carolina coast are making a comeback. At the end of the nesting season last summer, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission reported a 58 percent decline in nests on the state’s beaches with only 565 recorded. The previous year had seen 1,303. But this summer, local beaches are reporting quite the opposite.
Patrick Amico, a ranger with the Fort Fisher State Recreation Area, said nesting numbers along the 7-mile stretch of beach he oversees at the southern tip of New Hanover County are at a record-high 83 as of this week. “So far, we are 31 nests higher than our previous record within last 30 years of data collection,” he said, noting they expect to see a few more before the season is over. Each year, sea turtle nesting is a cyclical occurrence, when nest numbers vary from years of diminished numbers followed by dramatic turnarounds. “Last year was very low, so we expected a rebound,” Amico said. “But we are definitely surprised by how much of a rebound we have seen.” Eileen Ramsdale with the Oak Island Sea Turtle Protection Program said the Brunswick County islands have seen 96 nests so far this season and nearly 40 have already hatched. That number is reminiscent of 2013, when Oak Island saw 93 nests, and is more than triple the 31 nests seen last year. “It is a banner year and a record year for us,” Ramsdale said. “But it is not outrageously high compared to the year before last. It comes in cycles.”
The fluctuation in nests can, in part, be attributed to female turtles’ tendency to reproduce every two to three years, causing some years to be less fruitful than others. This summer Carolina Beach has seen 14 nests — already a dozen more than the New Hanover County town saw all of last year, said Nancy Busovne, coordinator of the Pleasure Island Sea Turtle Project. Kure Beach, meanwhile, has seen 11. On Topsail Island’s 26 miles of coastline, Terry Meyer, director of the island’s nesting program, said they began this year with a bang and brazen prediction that they might hit 100 nests after only seeing 53 last year. As of Wednesday, they had 64.
While that is up from last year, Meyer said DNA results from the nests have shown that some of their local turtles are sharing their nests with other beaches. “The DNA results have been interesting,” she said. “Each turtle nests multiple times, but some use other habitats.” She said there have been indications that turtles nesting at Topsail Island have also nested at Camp Lejeune, Wrightsville Beach and Cape Lookout.
And it isn’t just loggerhead turtles that are visiting the Tar Heel State’s beaches. Just adding to their record year, Amico said Fort Fisher played host to a Kemp’s Ridley nest this summer and tests show it had a 100-percent success rate for its hatchlings. Kemp’s Ridleys are the smallest marine turtles in the world, and one of the most endangered. “That is rare for North Carolina and we think it is the only confirmed nest of its kind this year,” Amico said.
Female sea turtles have returned in force to the state’s beaches in 2015. Here are the number of nests recorded at some local beaches so far this year:
There are cat people; there are dog people. Well, guess what? States divide along those same furry lines. The majority of Americans love their pets—56% of U.S. households have one. So enough already about all of this red state vs. blue state nonsense: Do you live in a dog state or a cat state?
Which beloved domestic animal reigns supreme by state? To find out, we took a deep dive into pet population data from the American Veterinary Medical Association. Check out our map to find out if your pet preference falls on the right side of your state lines. (Note: Data for Alaska and Hawaii were not available. Sorry!) And for those who really want to know where Fluffy stands, check out the detailed cat and dog population data at the bottom of this article.
OK, let the house-trained beast battle begin!
Crossing the Mason-Dixon pet line
Our findings revealed plenty of interesting cuddly animal-specific trends. Example: Roughly speaking, Southern states are more Fido-friendly than Northern states, which tend to be the cat’s meow. Massachusetts is the biggest feline state with nearly 2 times more cats than dogs. Arkansas ranks No. 1 in ratio of dogs to cats.
Nationwide, though, cats outrank dogs 74 million to 70 million. Though dog owners are a larger number than cat owners—due to multiple cat ownership by household.
Bottom line: It’s no surprise Americans lavished $30.4 billion on all those furry family members last year, up from $17.8 billion in 2000, according to The Wall Street Journal. Luxury buildings are offering upscale amenities such as rooftop dog runs and spa “pawdicures” in order to lure those free-spending pet lovers.
“More people are shopping for homes and cars with the needs for their pets in mind,” said pet health and safety coach Arden Moore.
Doggy amenities win
But Realtor.com wanted to dig deeper. So the data team scratched its way into our 2.6 million active and recently sold home listings to tease out the most popular dog- and cat-friendly home features. There were fascinating revelations for Rover: Despite a prevalence of cat owners, we didn’t find a significant pattern of cat-friendly features in our home listings. That’s probably because the most common cat features such as cat trees, scratching posts, or self-cleaning litter boxes are portable rather than built in. And none of these features are things people want to brag about anyway.
Read more over at Mental Floss about Washington Posts’ Wonkblog article on the state divisions which shows North Carolina as not being a divided state, but a Dog State —- Cats or Dogs, we love them both!
In a recent article by the Southport Stateport Pilot‘s Staff Writer Lee Hinnant, he highlights the ways in which marinas contribute to the local economy.
More than just places to tie-up and buy fuel and ice, marinas are substantial contributors to the economy and gateways to some of the nest spots on the Cape Feat coast.
With thriving restaurants, an inn, real estate sales and other businesses, Bald Head Island Marina is like a second village square. Everyone who visits the island passes through, wither on private boats or the large passenger ferries.
At South Harbor Village in Oak Island, the marina helps support two large restaurants and several small businesses overlooking the water. Just up the Intracoastal Waterway at St. James, the marina anchors a market, restaurant and Tiki hut. One of the area’s top seafood restaurants and a motel overlook Blue Water Point Marina. At the heart of it all is Southport Marina. During the past decade, Preston Development has turned what was an aging marina into a first class facility that has garnered numerous awards. There are 10 full-time employees and two part-time workers. Businesses based at Southport Marina include a boat brokerage, a boating club, a boat rental company, a sail supplier and an American Sailing Association-certified sailing academy. Seven charter Companies and Zimmerman Marine Service also call the marina home.
There’s a waiting list for the boat dry stack and manager Hank Whitley said that’s no happy accident. “We’ve put a lot of effort, headache and heartache to do it right,” he said. “It’s a big deal for us and a major revenue stream to bring folks from elsewhere.”
The boaters who stayed at Southport Marina less than a month increased by about 150 last year to more than 1,500. Whitley estimates that one-quarter of the marina’s business is with transients. “We think of ourselves at concierges,” Whitley said. “The biggest thing about the impact is that just about every single one of them want to go out and eat somewhere in town.” The visitors who boat to Southport also need provisions, fuel and marine parts and services.
“It’s the same thing as a hotel,” said Cindy Brochure, tourism director for the City of Southport. “If they like you they will come back.” Brochure said the marina’s awards and favorable mention in publications such as Sail Magazine have helped introduce Southport to many newcomers. “We have big-city amenities in a small town. It’s an economic boost when these people come in.” Brochure called the area marinas “a year around economic development tool” and said her office enjoys handing out information about the community. “It’s like having a stop on the interstate highway” she said.
A 2008 study of the southeastern region of NC stated that marinas employed 783 people and had a secondary economic impact of $305-million in sales.
Southport Real Estate, mangaves, Coastal Realty, Coastal Realty Connections.
Move over Man Caves, “She Sheds” are taking storm now! Alright ladies, if you’ve just about had it with the man cave trend that’s been taking the industry by storm the last few years, it’s time to put your foot down and demand your very own space. And no, we’re not talking about your bedroom sanctuary that hosts a reading nook where you can go to escape the daily grind and lose yourself in a good book. We’re talking “she sheds.”
It may sound silly, but she sheds are popping up in backyards across the nation as women look outside the confines of their own home for a space that’s all theirs. It’s the (totally acceptable?) grown up version of claiming a space and then posting a ‘no boys allowed’ sign prominently on the door.
Much like pub sheds, “she sheds” are the latest craze in the battle to add a touch of personality to any and every space. Whether you’re looking for a tranquil environment to practice yoga, a quiet space to work on your writing or just a place to get away from the stresses that come with your day-to-day routine, “she sheds” run the gamut from rustic to extravagant.
Need a little inspiration? Check out the pictures that we found on the Lighter Side of Real Estate site and start planning what your “she shed” will look like today!
Contractors have built about 150 feet of Bald Head Island’s terminal groin, an arm-shaped pile of giant rocks designed to trap sand and reduce erosion on South Beach.
Crews are digging a 32- to 40-foot-wide trench in the sand, then placing rock-filled geotextile mattresses on the leveled surface. After that, they’re stacking large boulders on the specially constructed mattress pads.
Work is going slowly because the contractors have to pump water from the excavation and make sure the construction area is perfectly flat and at exactly the correct elevation, said Chris McCall, shoreline protection manager and assistant village manager.
“The terminal groin is moving along,” McCall said. “They are putting the rocks in place.” Orion Marine Group crews place a six-by-20-foot mattress on the construction centerline, then place additional pads on each side of the center mattress.
The mattresses go down first so that the heavy boulders won’t subside into the sand.
McCall said the crew was averaging eight to 10 mattresses a day. They are staging mainland operations just east of American Marine Co. on the Intracoastal Waterway at Oak Island.
When finished, the terminal groin will be 1,300 feet long and reach into the Atlantic about 300 feet. It is designed to capture some, but not all, of the sand that washes by in the longshore current.
Four community-based terminal groins are allowed in North Carolina under a 2011 law. Other beaches seeking to build groins are Holden Beach, Ocean Isle Beach and Figure Eight Island.
Construction is expected to wrap up in October. Technicians will monitor the groin’s performance for at least two years before the project engineer decides whether to add another 600 feet to the structure.
The Association of Brunswick County Realtors’ President, Bruce Williams, released information today indicating an upswing in the real estate market for Brunswick County. Information shows positive year-over-year changes for key market indicators. See below for a copy of the information.
BCAR Report
February 2015
Last year saw an overall uptick in the single-family residential real estate market in Brunswick, Columbus and Bladen Counties. The number of single-family units sold increased across the region. In the Brunswick County MLS the number of single-family units sold but dropped slightly, but the number of listings and the total sales volume increased. The average sale price increased in the three counties, while the number of distressed sales dropped by a third.
Overall, the single-family residential real estate market is trending upward in Brunswick, Columbus and Bladen Counties.
William “Woody” Hall, senior economist at University of North Carolina Wilmington, predicts the Wilmington area will grow 3.5% this year and 3.8% in 2016. According to an article printed in the Greater Wilmington Business Journal, 3% is a key figure as it is the rate the economy needs to grow to keep the unemployment rate stable. Mr. Hall has been a senior economist for 41 years at UNCW.
The growth prediction is good news for the Wilmington area. His evaluation of the economic condition from the local economic indicators he uses show that with the exception of airport passenger traffic, there is a good outlook for 2015 – unemployment, residential real estate, retail sales, tourism and State Port activity show signs that the sectors have fully recovered or are on their way back from the Great Recession that crippled the economy about seven years ago.
Hall maintains that retail sales and tourism have rebounded completely from what was considered one of the worst economic downturns since The Great Depression. Furthermore in an economic outlook for 2015 released by a Wells Fargo analyst indicate recovery is gradually building with areas such as Raleigh and Charlotte leading the way. Asheville, Wilmington and Durham were specifically mentioned as growing areas. Most other areas in the state will grow at a slower pace than the stars mentioned above, according to the analyst.
A number of factors will contribute to the continual growth one of which is the possibility of increased interest rates. Taking advantage of the growing economy to purchase property now may save buyers increased interest rates and guarantee buyers a better selection of properties. As the economy continues to improve real estate “deals” of the past seven years are disappearing. Let us at Coastal Realty Connections help you take advantage of today’s market!
Driving into a neighborhood on a beautiful blue-sky day with the windows down you may smell freshly cut grass, feel the gentle breeze, and see attractive, well-maintained homes as well as friendly neighbors waving “hello.” This may be your expectation of the perfect neighborhood. But even if you experience what you hope for on the day you visit a real estate listing for sale, it is wise to understand, research and follow up on additional variables that make the neighborhood either a good fit or bad match for your overall happiness and long-term best interests.
With the purchase of a new home, you are buying more than a house. You are buying the lifestyle that comes with the neighborhood you choose. Multiple neighborhood factors deserve attention before you select a specific home. Do your homework and you increase your odds of making smart choices. Cut corners and you are setting yourself up for costly mistakes.
Balance and Prioritize Your Expectations
Finding your perfect neighborhood is actually a key piece of a larger puzzle. How to Install Exodus on kodi
Without the rest of the puzzle pieces clearly defined, finding your perfect neighborhood, and ultimately your perfect home, becomes a random series of property searches that likely wastes both your time and money.
Clearly, smart home buying decisions start with a smart home buying plan. Start your smart home buying plan by defining the four following factors, which can then be balanced and prioritized into finding your perfect neighborhood:
Lifestyle goals –Do you prefer close and convenient proximity to work, recreation, shopping, schools and dining or are you are willing to drive a little further? Do you prefer an active urban lifestyle or suburban lifestyle that offers more privacy and wide-open spaces? Do you want low maintenance or do you enjoy completing projects around the house?
Home features – Think about the kitchen, flooring, stairs, number of bedrooms and bathrooms. Is a spectacular view or fenced yard important to you? Do you prefer new construction or are you okay with a property someone else has lived in? Make a list of the important features of a home and prioritize into “Must Have,” “Nice to Have,” and “Unacceptable” categories.
Financial goals and resources – Buying a home is a big purchase and a big decision. More than just the price of the home, the cost of mortgage interest as well as various responsibilities of homeownership such as taxes, maintenance and repairs, must all be carefully considered. In turn, the investment potential for value appreciation should also weighed into your analysis.
Buying timeframe – How soon do you plan to buy? Do you need to sell first? Are there other variables that must be in place before you can even start looking? Also, try to project how long you will live in your new home. Although it is impossible to predict the future, an awareness of your plans will help you in finalizing your priorities and making smart choices
Twelve Criteria for Finding the Perfect Neighborhood
Below are 12 criteria to include in your home buying priority list. Reviewing each and determining which have the greatest significance to you will allow you to narrow your search, and gain the peace of mind in knowing that when you come across the “perfect home,” it will be a neighborhood that meets your lifestyle goals as well.
1. Choose a Neighborhood Personality that Matches your Preferences
We are often drawn to particular people by their looks – but developing a deep, mutually beneficial relationship usually goes well beyond appearances. A good match is often more about personality, the way someone acts and reacts, what they do with their time and how they do it, the things they enjoy and dislike, as well as their priorities, goals and aspirations.
In the same way, a neighborhood has a personality, and once you transition from being a home buyer to a homeowner, the neighborhood’s personality directly impacts your lifestyle. Experiencing that personality means going to the neighborhood park, golf course, pool or community center to view or participate in the activities and evaluate the resources and amenities. Eat in the restaurants, shop in the stores, drive and walk through the streets. When you visit, you will notice the friendly wave of residents walking their dogs or working in a nicely maintained yard. Understanding a neighborhood’s personality is a critical step in making a smart home buying decision.
2. Matching your Expectations to the Neighborhood’s Physical Characteristics
Is the terrain hilly or flat – for walking, running or cycling? Are there sidewalks and street lights? Is the architecture and home designs to your liking? Is the property on city water and sewer or well water and septic? In addition, the upkeep of the neighborhood will significantly impact your home’s resale value, as well as how you feel about your surroundings. If you are looking in a particular price range, be sure to draw comparisons from neighborhood to neighborhood.
Some neighborhoods with a homeowners association (HOA) have firm building codes as to the size, architectural attributes and yard upkeep, making the homes more similar in style and appearance. Communities without an HOA may be more charming in the variety of homes and architecture, yet may have more risk in terms of how your neighbors maintain their property. Other HOA factors may include regulations for storage of additional vehicles such as boats and RV’s, as well various onsite improvements to your property. Annual HOA fees and special assessments must also be carefully reviewed. Our knowledable agents can help you evaluate the pros and cons of your short-list.
3. Grading the Educational System
Children, if you have them, or plan on starting a family, obviously play a big part in your home buying decision. Some public schools can be highly rated and others can fall short of what you expect. If you prefer to send your children to a private school, access to that school may be a determining factor in where you live.
Whether public or private, the proximity and quality of a neighborhood’s schools can make a difference in your lifestyle, as well as the resale value of the home.
4. Beach, Parks and Recreational Opportunities
Most people enjoy some form of recreation, whether at a gym, participating in outdoor sports or exploring a hike-and-bike trail. When recreation is a key priority for you, observe what amenities are readily available in a particular neighborhood. Walking, running, biking, golf, swimming and tennis are a few activities in which many people participate. If these amenities are noted in the neighborhood description and you intend to pursue them, be sure to evaluate whether or not the facilities are in good condition. Is there more than one tennis court if you play regularly? How close are you to the beach? Does the nearest beach have public access and ample parking? Is parking at the local beach complimentary or is there a fee?
In addition to your needs, consider your children as well. Are the streets flat enough or is there an area where your child can learn to ride a bike or engage in biking if it is a favorite pastime? Is there a community park where they can enjoy outdoor activity while meeting other neighborhood children? Does the park have shade for you? Obviously, you may have your own pool or backyard playscape for your children so you may not need these, but be sure to include it on your priority list if it’s important.
5. Menu of Dining Options
Eating out can be fun, and is often necessary with today’s busy lifestyles. When you choose your new home, your need for nearby restaurants will depend on your routine. Picking up food near the office on the way home from work can be a viable option, but it’s also nice to take your spouse, family or visitors for a good meal at a local eatery.
Do your research on the types of restaurants that are close by. Do they suit your lifestyle? It may be that there are only chain restaurants and you prefer dining at a neighborhood treasure known for its signature dishes or uniquely fresh food. Alternatively, it could be the opposite and you enjoy a Starbucks coffee, a McDonald’s breakfast or an Italian feast at the Olive Garden on a regular basis.
6. Quality and Proximity of Shopping and Local Businesses
Convenience and quality may be considered equal when you need an onion for your stew or an excellent bottle of wine. When setting your priorities for which neighborhood you choose, be sure to visit or at least make note of the grocery stores, the dry cleaners and other businesses that offer the products and services that you make use of on a regular basis. Observe whether your favorite chain of grocery, convenience store or gas station is in the vicinity, and if not, visit the existing store or service in the area.
The service industry, including hair and nail salons, attorneys, pet services and banking is another resource you can investigate. You may prefer a more intimate shopping experience with custom clothing and accessories, gift items and sporting equipment than a mall or other superstore may offer. A neighborhood bordered by shopping centers may be the perfect place for one home buyer, yet a negative aspect for another
7. Entertaining Possibilities
Enjoying your lifestyle may mean venturing out for a movie or live music and possibly dancing. Austin, well known for its live music, offers venues all over town. Indoor and outdoor locations provide live entertainment ranging from country music to contemporary hip-hop. A neighborhood nearby to outdoor live music may not be as appealing to some, especially with the increased traffic concern, but others may enjoy the free concert. Explore this and other potential entertainment options, including movie theaters.
8. Overall Proximity Preferences: How close do you want to be?
While location is touted as the most important aspect of choosing a home or neighborhood, individuals have their own perception of location and what is imperative. The school district will determine certain aspects of a location, but often there are several neighborhoods to decide on from within an Independent School District.
If school is not high on your priority list, other factors may be its proximity to downtown or the airport, work, family or medical facilities. Would you want to stay in that neighborhood if your job moved you farther out? Shopping and dining preferences may also play a factor in the location of the neighborhood.
9. Getting there – Road Status and Drive Times
In our modern world of nearly every household possessing one, two or three cars, the condition of the roads and their capacity to handle the traffic make an impact. We can help answer your questions about traffic patterns during our time together.
Public transportation is available in some parts of New Hanover and Brunswick Counties. Biking in cities like Southport and downtown New Bern & Southport is an easy way to get around.
10. Safety First
A low crime rate, low incidence of accidents, and how well neighbors watch out for each other defines a community as being safe. Neighborhood Watch plans, a crime prevention program that stresses education and common sense in crime prevention exist all over Austin. Even a community that does not have such a plan in place may employ other methods to stop crime. A gated community offers an additional assurance of safety and is an amenity to consider when choosing a neighborhood.
11. Healthy Choices
Whether you or a household member needs frequent care, an occasional check-up or emergency care, it’s reaffirming to know that you can access quality care in the neighborhood. Knowing that there is a nearby dermatologist for your teenage daughter or an emergency clinic for your accident-prone son may help determine the neighborhood you choose. You may also desire a dentist, orthodontist, optometrist or chiropractor close enough for easy appointments.
For retirees if staying plugged into work is important find out if there are social needs that your expertise can be used to promote, such as tutoring, Habitat for Humanity programs, local food pantries or other things that will keep motivated and having fun.
12. Cultural Pursuits
The cultural amenities of a neighborhood itself may be limited, but having venues and institutions nearby that educate, uplift and inspire is a valuable convenience. Whether you enjoy live performances of the symphony or an excellent play or musical at the local theater, can impact your list of options. In the same vein of culture are science, history and art museums, as well as libraries and houses of worship. For your priority list, it’s important to note which specific cultural amenities you wish to pursue, and map them out as to where they are in relationship to the neighborhoods you are considering. Many community colleges offer year-around cultural events.
Find Your Perfect Neighborhood
When searching for the perfect neighborhood, keep track of your comparisons so you can evaluate the volume of material more clearly. It’s exhausting to view several areas and nearly impossible to remember the features of each at the end of the day. Also, priorities can change. If you initially established that a golf course community was what you wanted, yet the only location you found in your price range was unacceptable for other reasons, maybe another home with a golf club less than five miles away will be appealing. In other words, first defining, and then adjusting priorities as you search the market is the key to finding the perfect house in the perfect neighborhood.
Begin your search here and contact us for personalized support in finding the best neighborhood and price.
In most parts of the country, winter is a slower time for real estate sales. Buyers hibernate, inventory shrinks, and sales languish.
Selling a home in winter can be a bit more challenging, but don’t panic. With a few winter-specific selling tips in your pocket, you’ll be able to put the best face on any winter listing.
Tip #1: Display the year-round beauty of your listing.
Include photos of your listing at prettier times of the year.
Landscaping typically doesn’t look its best during the winter months. Lawns are brown, trees are bare, and shrubs are shriveled.
Give buyers a sense of the year-round beauty of your listing. Display spring, summer and fall photos of your listing along with your open house marketing materials. Would-be buyers won’t want to see the inside of your home if the outside isn’t appealing. So sellers need to make sure their property projects a warm and inviting feeling. So repaint the front door, trim hedges, blow the leaves and plant some winter flowers for added curb appeal.
Tip #2: “Warm and cozy” is key.
Turn on the heat, and use throws and area rugs to instantly warm a room.
Stepping from the winter chill into a warm, snug home will result in sighs of relief. Stepping into a drafty, unheated space will result in sighs of annoyance.
Create a warm and welcoming ambiance to encourage the right buyer reaction:
Set the thermostat to a comfortable level (between 65 and 70 degrees Fahrenheit).
Don’t start a fire (for safety reasons), but do highlight a functional fireplace.
Open shades and blinds to let in natural light and warmth.
Seal window and door cracks.
Add snuggly throws to seating areas.
Tip #3: Let it shine.
Leave the lights on.
With the days growing shorter, sellers need to be mindful of keeping their home well-lit even when they aren’t present. Lights on timers are ideal for homes that are empty or for the early evening hours when the seller may not be at home. Make it as light as possible so that it is engaging and inviting drawing in prospective buyers.
Tip #4: Remember that lending will still be tight this winter.
Tight lending standards will limit the buyer pool.
Most industry experts agree that conventional lending standards will remain tight over the winter. The average conventional purchaser maintained a FICO score of 762, and a loan-to-value (LTV) ratio of 79 percent in September, 2012. Those impressive figures indicate that less-perfect borrowers will have a hard time obtaining conventional financing.
Keep the tight lending climate in mind when pricing and marketing your winter listings.
Tip #5: Use a smaller inventory to your advantage.
Thinner inventory could work in your favor.
Inventory often shrinks during the winter. With fewer houses on the market, it’s easier to give your listing a comparative advantage.
Review comps and make a list of your home’s unbeatable features. Is your house the only one in its price range with a fireplace? Is your listing the only home available within a preferred school district?
Unique features can be tough for buyers to notice on their own, so don’t be hesitant to boast your listing’s greatness. Those distinct advantages could make the difference between a winter sale and a winter slump.
We look forward to working with our owners in 2015. Stay warm this winter!
Life is a journey. Couples buy the big house when they start their families. But when their kids fly the coop, they’re stuck with a too-big house that no longer meets their needs or fits their lifestyle. The thought of starting over can be daunting.
SOUTHEASTERN N.C. — Following a disappointing 2014, sea turtle nests along the North Carolina coast are making a comeback. At the end of the nesting season last summer, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission reported a 58 percent decline in nests on the state’s beaches with only 565 recorded. The previous year had seen 1,303. But this summer, local beaches are reporting quite the opposite.
