8 Great Tips for Listing During the Wintertime

I have eight tips to share with you that will help your home show better if you’re listing it now in the wintertime.

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If you’re listing your home in wintertime, there are certain things you need to think about that you wouldn’t have to think about during the other seasons. Some of these things can vary depending on which coast you live on, but they’re important to keep in mind nonetheless.

Here are eight tips to follow to make sure you list your house appropriately for the wintertime and your house sells for top dollar:

1. Take listing photos of the home during springtime or use photos that were taken during the springtime to post online. This way, the trees along the exterior of your home have leaves on them and don’t look barren.

2. Don’t over-decorate for the holidays. This way, the inside of your home won’t look so cluttered. Sellers want to see your home—not the holidays.

3. Maintain good curb appeal. In the winter, your lawn will need a different kind of maintenance, and your home’s exterior might need more artificial lighting to brighten its appearance.

I have eight tips to share with you that will help your home show better if you’re listing it now in the wintertime.

4. Remember your safety manners. On the east coast, you’ll have to deal with ice, snow, and sleet, so it’s a good idea to sprinkle salt along your driveway and entryway to keep people from slipping. On the West Coast, you’ll typically only need to deal with rain, so keep a mat by the door or an area where people can take off their shoes.

5. Declutter the area around the door. On the east coast, you might have a lot of snowshoes, scarves, hats, and heavy coats lying around, so set up a hanger or a coat rack so people have a place to hang their own coats when they walk in.

6. Make sure your house is functional. Make sure you turn on the heater before you list the property. If there are any mechanical issues with your heater, get them fixed. There’s nothing worse than walking into a house that’s freezing instead of warm and cozy.

7. Make sure you have plenty of light. Since the sun sets earlier this time of year, consider setting timers on your outside lights to activate late in the afternoon or evening so buyers have a well-lit home to visit after they get off work.

8. Heed the advice your agent gives you. If you use their expertise and follow their direction, your home will sell for a higher price and you’ll be much better off in general.

If you have any more questions about preparing your house to be listed in winter or you’re curious about our market, don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d be happy to help you.

How Can You Prepare for Your Next Home Purchase?

Before you begin your home search, it’s critical that you take some steps to prepare. Today, I’ve got six things for you to think about.

Buying a home? Click here to perform a full home search

Selling a home? Click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation

Today, I’d like to share a list of six things to think about when preparing to purchase a home. 

1. Check your credit. If you don’t already know your credit score, you definitely want to pull your report. Two options I recommend are www.annualcreditreport.com and Credit Karma. If you have some time before you buy, focus some energy on improving your score. No matter where your score is now, a better score will almost always help you get a better rate.

2. Don’t open up new accounts. Your credit history is based on how long you’ve had your credit, how often you pay, and whether you pay on time. The last thing you want to do before buying a home is open up a new line of credit.

3. Using gifted money toward your home purchase. Around the holidays, consider asking for financial gifts instead of material items. A little extra cash could go toward your down payment, and help you transition more smoothly into your new home.

Knowing what you can actually afford before you start looking will save you a lot of trouble.

4. Keep an eye on interest rates. Even a slight increase in interest rates will decrease your buying power, so being aware of current rates before you purchase a home will give you an advantage.

5. Get a lender. If you don’t already have a lender, I would be happy to give you some referrals.

6. Get pre-approved. Knowing what you can actually afford before you start looking will save you a lot of trouble. Once you provide some documents to your lender, they will be able to get you pre-approved so that you can start your home search.

If you have any other questions or would like more information, feel free to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Airbnb Properties vs. Long-Term Rental Properties

Should you invest in an Airbnb property or would a long-term rental be better for your real estate goals? I’ll go over a few pros and cons for you to consider today.

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If you haven’t used Airbnb yet, it’s a great experience. I’ve booked a 5-bedroom, 5-bathroom house in Rome for 10 of us to go on a Mediterranean cruise. We got the kitchen and a great location to see the city.

You can rent an Airbnb for $200 to $500 a day, which has many investors purchasing short-term rental properties. However, what are the pros and cons of investing in an Airbnb property? How do these properties compare to long-term rentals?

Investing in an Airbnb property is a great way to bring in a larger cash flow each month, but there are a few things you need to be cautious of.

First of all, pay attention to the location of the property. Is the property in a homeowners association or association complex? Some HOAs have rules in place that do not allow a rental for less than 30 days, so make sure you will be able to have a short-term rental before you purchase a property.

You should also check the zoning. Certain cities do not allow any type of short-term rentals except in certain zoning areas so that the city can establish a tax base and collect taxes for short-term rentals.

When you invest in a long-term rental, you typically buy a single-family home that will bring in $1,500 month. With Airbnb, you can bring in $200 to $500 a day, which could net you $9,000 a month.

With an Airbnb property, you could net as much as $9,000 a month.

You should also pay attention to commission. On a long-term rental, you’ll pay about 10% per month on the income you get from the property to a property management company. The property management company will take care of maintenance, cleaning, and day-to-day issues.

Airbnb commissions are more complex. People can check in on a daily or weekly basis, and the commission rate is closer to 50%. Make sure you get an agreement with a property management company that is fair for both sides.

Finally, what happens after you get tired of running an Airbnb? What is your exit strategy? That home needs to be in a good, rentable area so that you can transition the property into a long-term rental.

Your other option is to sell the property, so make sure you purchase in an area where you will be able to get all of the money you invested in the property back when it comes time to sell again.

If you have any additional questions about short-term or long-term property investments, just give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!