Cindy Hartman, REALTOR®,e-PRO®, AHS™

RISMEDIA, September 3, 2010-- With the U.S. economy facing the lowest home sale statistics in fifteen years and home values continuing to slide in many regions, it's not surprising to hear that housing trends point towards a large percentage of American homeowners looking to improve and maximize their existing property investment versus buying ...

Be sure that: §     Repairs you’ve requested have been made. Obtain copies of paid bills and any related warranties. §     All items that were included in the sale price—draperies, lighting fixtures—are still there. §     Screens and storm windows ...

As you clean and organize, you'll probably notice a growing stack of clutter left in your wake. Decluttering is a hefty task, but essential to a quick sell. Learn how to differentiate amongst the things you need to put in storage, pack up or donate to the trash can. Start with a Pile. Go through a room and remove anything you find distracting ...

Before you sign anything, read about these common mistakes that home sellers make: 1. PRICING TOO HIGH: It's no secret, price is everything. Overpricing does more to discourage buyers than any other single factor. When you overprice, you put your home in competition with homes that may be newer, larger or have more amenities than yours. ...

As a benefit and incentive to home buyers, some sellers will offer a home warranty to potential buyers.  This coverage normally is for a one year period, beginning with the day of settlement, and it helps to assure the buyer that there will be no major home related repair expenses during the first year.  Home Warranty Plans vary in ...

It's Fall, and last week we turned back our clocks and gained an hour (my favorite night of the year!) - hopefully we all remembered to check the batteries in our smoke detectors as well - turning back or turn forward the clocks each year is a great reminder to change the batteries in those out of the way smoke detectors.  In that ...

I found these ideas on the web, and thought I'd share.  Most are easy and low cost, and every little bit helps!   1. Switch 3 lights that you use for 4 hours a day with compact fluorescent bulbs. 2. Replace a porch light that's always on with a compact fluorescent bulb. 3. Turn your heater thermostat down 2 degrees in ...

Here are some easy, inexpensive fixes that will help create that outside appeal and get you one giant step further to a sale: - Paint or stain the front and garage doors, especially if they show any weathering. These are the first visuals where a potential buyer focuses. If garage doors are metal and dented, they may need to be replaced. - Any ...

Let's face the fact that people's first impression of your home is critical.  .   . The harsh reality is that staging is your the best opportunity to make a positive first impression rather than a negative one.Everyone knows the stronger the impression...the less likely a potential buyer will be bothered if some things ...

 Do  you know the dollar value of your house—or how much of that value belongs to you? A number of key decisions can be more wisely made with the benefit of this knowledge.  • Is your home adequately insured?If disaster were to strike, would your insurance cover the losses? In California, a state known for wild real ...