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5 things to consider before selling your home

Selling your home can be a tricky and stressful process without the help of a good agent and
some tips to stay on track. And while Real Estate Brokers like Compass pride themselves on
working with people to make their real estate dreams a reality, it’s important to know what to
expect when selling your home. Here are the 5 main things to consider before selling your home.

How flexible are you willing to be on the price?


It’s important to do your research and check what the price ranges are for similar homes
being sold around your area. Then compare those prices to yours and allow yourself a little
time to reflect on how flexible you’re willing to be on the selling price.
Remember, a great deal of ‘window shopping’ is now done online. What does that mean for
your place? It means there are many house-hungry shoppers who have set very strict price
brackets in their search engines. If you price yourself too high at the start, you may miss out
on the perfect sale.


A common real estate trick is to underprice the home a little, which creates more buzz,
attracts more interested parties, and bumps the price up as they continue to bid on your
home.


Leaving sentimentality out of a sale


When it’s time to make a final sale, it’s important to leave sentimentality where it belongs –
as far away from the deal as possible.


No one expects you not to feel a myriad of emotions when it’s time to pull out of your old
driveway for the very last time, but adding sentimentality to a potential sale situation can be
the kiss of death.


Making the viewings feel more special


Each new home viewing is the chance to entice buyers into making an offer and feeling like
they’ve found their perfect new home. It goes without saying that a fresh lick of paint and a
good clean are important parts of the process, but don’t forget about making it feel like a
warm and inviting place to live.


Appeal to the senses – the smell of freshly baked goods, the crackling of a fireplace, or the
look of a perfectly set dinner table can all add to the experience of an open home viewing.
The curb appeal of your home


While many people hear the term ‘curb appeal’ and roll their eyes, it’s actually one of the
most vital parts of selling a home. And if you want to get the right price, it’s something you
need to consider.

What is curb appeal? It’s that very first impression a buyer will get when they see your home
from the outside. So paint those fences, mow that lawn, pull out those weeds, and try to view
your home with a critical eye. Would you buy this place based on how it looks from that first
step into your front yard?


Don’t lose sight of what your end goal is


Selling a home can be a tricky process, but if you remember what the end goals are, and
work with a reputable realtor, you can make sure it’s smooth sailing from that first listing to
finally handing over the keys.

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Things to remember before selling your home

Things to remember before selling your home
Photo by todd kent on Unsplash

It’s never easy to get your home ready for a sale. Chances are there’s enough on your plate already without having to deal with the endless questions and concerns that come with selling a place.

Whatsmore, whether it’s condos in Colorado to houses for sale in Houston, each market is different and needs to be catered to on an individual basis. That’s why it’s important to remember the following things before you get that house up for sale to ensure your future is smooth sailing and stress-free. 

Realtors are on your side

Contrary to popular belief, real estate agents are on your side. They’re under an oath to serve you to the best of their ability. Now, doing this may sometimes mean that they’ll have to tell you things that you don’t want to hear, but nevertheless, everything your realtor does is for the benefit of your specific goals. 

Are you still concerned about working with a real estate agent? Look into reputable companies with a proven track record of delivering client satisfaction. 

Keep your prices realistic 

The price of your house is going to always reflect the current market at the time it has been put on sale. And while no one expects you to lowball yourself out of a good offer, it’s important to keep your listing prices competitive and realistic. 

Once people find your home and view it, the offers will increase over time. Just don’t aim too high from the start and scare off buyers. 

Curb appeal is real 

Everyone makes a judgment based on a first impression. It’s just human nature. And your home is no exception. Put some effort into trimming that lawn, painting that fence, and washing the exterior of your house. Plant a few colorful flowers and entice buyers in by winning them over from that first glance. 

Small touches make viewings more memorable 

Once you’ve cleaned and polished the house up and down, it’s time to add a few small flourishes to your home viewings with some tried and tested tactics to draw buyers in.

If you have a fireplace, get it burning and let people enjoy the soft glow and crackle of wood. Set up the dinner table to look like a family meal is about to happen. Fill the kitchen with the smell of fresh muffins. 

Remove personal items 

Now that you’ve made the house feel cozy and lived in, it’s time to remove all personal aspects of you that are on display. This is a pivotal part of the selling process and offers the buyer a blank canvas on which they’ll begin to picture themselves. 

Consider the buyer’s point of view 

If you take away one thing from this, it’s essential that you put yourself in the buyer’s shoes and remove any emotion or sentimentality from the situation. Remember that this is a buyer and seller relationship and nothing more. 

Keep the buyer’s wants and needs at the forefront of each decision you make, and you’ll soon be selling your home and making the next chapter in your life a reality.

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Frost Buddy Universal, 5-in-1 can cooler can is a summer must-have

Frost Buddy universal, 5-in-1 can cooler can is a summer must-have

As I get the trailer ready for some upcoming camping trips, I am adding some useful items inside that I took note about after last year’s trips. I added more color to our room in the trailer, some more hooks in the bathroom for towels and some drink ware that was not disposable because I felt so wasteful with all the trash we created throwing away plates and cups. One of these additions is my Frost Buddy Universal because keeping my drinks cold is so hard outdoors in the summer.

Frost Buddy

As the photo above shows, this one can cooler fits 16 oz cans, bottles and 12 oz cans, slim cans, bottles or acts alone as a 16 oz tumbler. It actually fits many other beverages, so see the full list here. You utilize a removable insert tube and top ring to create the fit you need. I did a mountain check after sitting out on a hot evening and my mountains are still blue.

keep drinks cold

The double-wall vacuum insulated stainless steel keeps drinks cold for up to 12+ hours. The bottom is a non-skid silicone and it is dishwasher safe. There are so many fun colors and designs. Frost Buddy Universal, 5-in-1 can cooler can is a summer must-have!

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Family activities to do in the garden

Family activities to do in the garden
Photo by Marissa Price on Unsplash

If you’re lucky enough to have a beautiful garden where you live, then the warmer months are the perfect time to make the most of it with your family. However, your children probably won’t be content to sit and take in the peace and tranquillity, so you’ll need to come up with some fun activities that you can all do together. If you’re drawing a blank, this blog has you covered. Take a look at these amazing activities you could do together this summer:

Get planting

The beauty of having your own garden is that you can plant anything you like in its soil. This is what makes spending time in your own garden so different from visiting a park or woodland trail and it’s about time your children discovered that. Whether you decide to plant a birch tree for a classic look, lots of flower beds for a more colorful aesthetic, or a vegetable patch filled with tomatoes and carrots for a more sensory touch, your children will love getting their hands dirty and helping out. 

Have a picnic

Picnics don’t always have to take place in a far-off location. In fact, the best way to make use of your garden is to have your meals outside. Buy a large picnic blanket and some fun plastic plates and cups and enjoy having pizza or sandwiches out on the lawn. While you can create all kinds of unique snacks for your picnic, if you want to make it a regular event, you could have many of your regular meals outside too.

Play some sports

Children of all ages need to be active and get some exercise regularly, so playing sports together is a great way to encourage them. Sports that can be played in the garden include badminton, tennis, cricket, and football, but if your children aren’t excited by those, have a skipping or hula hooping competition instead. It doesn’t matter what kind of game or sport you make up, as long as you’re moving around and having fun.

Take some photographs

Have you ever wanted to do a family photo shoot but aren’t sure if a studio is your thing? Photos in the garden are much more interesting than those shot with a simple white background. Set up a tripod and take some snaps of you and your kids enjoying the natural world together. These photos will be much more important and memorable than those taken by a professional. What’s more, they’ll showcase your beautiful home and garden so you can see how that changes over the years as well.

Learn about nature

Children are naturally curious and nature is just begging to be explored. If you have many different plants in your garden, equip your children with a simple guidebook and challenge them to spot various flowers or bushes in your garden. If they find a certain number, tell them they can have a sticker or treat as a reward for all their hard work.