Rob Gow - Real Estate and Shoreline Lifestyle: November 2013

Wednesday, November 20, 2013

7 Tips to Help Your Harbor Country Home Sell This Holiday Season!

With Thanksgiving next week, it’s hard to think about anything else but the upcoming holiday season. The festive decorations and lights that are beginning to be put up throughout Harbor Country are enough to make us all want to skip right to the festivities with family and friends.

However, as Harbor Country Real Estate agents here at Shoreline Property Advisors, we know that there are those of you who are in the midst of selling your Harbor Country home. While it may seem like one of the worst times to sell your home in Three Oaks, Sawyer, New Buffalo, Union Pier, Lakeside, Harbert, Grand Beach or Michiana; the season can actually enhance how buyers view your home!

While your home is decorated for the season and full of warmth, buyers can envision themselves spending their own holidays in the home. Here are a few simple tips for making the most of selling this time of year and to help your Harbor Country home sell this holiday season!

1. Go Light on the Lights- An abundance of outdoor lights can leave Harbor Country buyers wondering what the front of your home looks like. And, while you may love your giant inflatable lawn ornaments; it may be best to leave those in storage this year. Everyone has different tastes and you don’t want buyers to be met at your home with a sense of “tacky.”

2. Add Holiday Adornments- Again, you don’t want to go overboard, but a simple evergreen wreath, a poinsettia center piece or hot cider simmering on the stove can create a very warm and welcoming atmosphere. Of course it’s best to avoid overly religious flourishes as this can be off-putting to some.

3. Give Warmth- Just before a showing, be sure to turn up your thermostat a few degrees to make it extra toasty inside. Put a fire in the fireplace to add an extra sense of warmth and highlight the cozy atmosphere that this feature of your home can bring.

4. Mind the Tree- While a tall Christmas tree can showcase a two story living room, be sure to be careful of the tree’s width. The last thing you want is to have your Harbor Country home appear smaller than it really is. Also, you’ll want to stick with a cohesive theme for your ornaments. The family homemade ornaments may be meaningful to you, but can quickly make your tree look gaudy to outsiders. Keep it simple this year and remember, there’s always next year when you can display those keepsakes in your new home!

5. Complement Your Décor- You’ll want to make sure that your Christmas decoration palette matches or complements your current décor. If the colors clash or seem to be fighting for attention, this can be very distracting to buyers and can take away from the great features of your home you’re trying to highlight.

6. Highlight the Highlights- Draw attention to a beautiful fireplace mantle with a few tasteful ornaments or enhance an arched doorway with hanging mistletoe.

7. Offer Tasty Treats- While you don’t want to come across as trying to bribe buyers, everyone loves holiday treats and having a plate full of cookies and candy can make the home showing a little sweeter. Hot chocolate and apple cider are always welcome and buyers will feel that you have their best interest in mind.

Following these tips and working with an experienced Harbor Country Real Estate agent can be the key to helping your home sell this holiday season!

If you’d like to learn more about our customized home selling plan or are ready to get started; feel free to contact us today!

Shoreline Property Advisors

@ Prudential Rubloff

Wednesday, November 13, 2013

Create Beautiful Holiday Curb Appeal for your Harbor Country Home!

It’s hard to believe that Thanksgiving is just around the corner and the busy holiday season is almost here! There’s a growing anticipation of the festivities, and there are a number of events that will be taking place in Sawyer, New Buffalo, Union Pier, Lakeside, Harbert, Grand Beach, Michiana, and Three Oaks to celebrate that we’ll be sure to highlight.

You’ve probably already begun to see holiday decorations popping up throughout your Harbor Country town and you may be thinking of ways you’ll decorate your Harbor Country home this season. If you live or vacation in Harbor Country, chances are you’ll be hosting friends and family in your Harbor Country home over the next few months and you’ll want to make them feel as welcomed as possible.

Today we wanted to give seven easy tips for creating great holiday curb appeal for your Harbor Country home. If you’re in the midst of selling your home, these are also great tips for appealing to buyers! Either way, you’ll want to welcome guests from the moment they see your Harbor Country home... here’s how!

1. Safety- You may have friends and family planning to visit soon, so you’ll want to put safety first! Be sure your driveway, sidewalk and front porch are cleared of debris or any snow. It’s always better to be on the cautious side and put down salt, as even rain can freeze and make walking up to your home dangerous.

2. Tasteful Decorations- While you can have fun with the season’s bright lights and characters of Christmas, it can be easy for some to get carried away. Try small white lights around your homes’ bushes or front porch post, a simple wreath and garland to enhance your home’s appearance without being too distracting.

3. Fresh Paint- Your Harbor Country home is more visible in the winter months as trees are free from their leaves and your home’s condition is more exposed. Touching up chipped or faded paint is a great way to help your Harbor Country home look refreshed.

4. A Neat Lawn- Whether there is snow covering your lawn or not; be sure to keep your lawn free from any leaves, twigs, etc… that may have blown through with the harsher winds. Just because your lawn is not expected to be as lush as the summer months, doesn’t mean to ignore the state of your lawn. Keeping it cleaned up will show that you care.

5. Clean Gutters- It’s not too late to make sure your gutters are free from leaves and other debris. You’ll want these cleared so that melting snow or rain can easily run through the gutters and not cause damage.

6. Lighting- The use of lights can really make your home stand out with the shorter winter days. Since there is more time without the suns light, using a variety of lighting can give your home a warm glow. Indoor window lights in each room provides a nice appeal, while lights along the pathway up to your home, a bright porch light and tasteful Christmas lights are all ways in which to enhance your Harbor Country homes’ curb appeal.

7. Cold Weather Plants- Hearty plants and Evergreen trees can withstand the winter months while adding visual appeal to the outside of your home. Evergreen Holly will add a splash of color with its red berries and can stand up to the cold weather.

Hopefully these tips will inspire you as you begin decorating your home for the holiday season.

If you are hoping to sell your home before the end of the year, but have questions about selling your Harbor Country home and need the assistance of an experience Harbor Country Real Estate agent; please contact us today! Our team of Prudential Rubloff Real Estate agents and advisors here at Shoreline Property Advisors are here to help you find success in your real estate endeavor!

We look forward to hearing from you!

Shoreline Property Advisors

@ Prudential Rubloff

Wednesday, November 6, 2013

7 Key Tips for Buying a Harbor Country Home!

When it comes to buying a home in one of Harbor Country’s charming towns, there can be a lot of decisions to make at once that may seem overwhelming. Whether you choose to buy a vacation home or permanent residence in Sawyer, New Buffalo, Union Pier, Lakeside, Harbert, Grand Beach, Michiana, or Three Oaks; you can’t go wrong! There are a number of beautiful homes currently on the Harbor Country Real Estate market that you’ll be sure to find one that fits your budget, needs and dreams!

In our work as Harbor Country Real Estate agents, our goal is to provide you with current real estate market news and tips for buying or selling a home along the Lake Michigan shoreline. Today we wanted to focus in on some of the best house hunting tips that will help your search run smoothly and help you find (and buy) your dream home in Harbor Country with a timely and efficient process!

Below are seven tips you’ll want to be sure to review before beginning your home search in Harbor Country.

1. Location Matters- You’ve heard the saying, “location, location, location” and it’s very true! You’ll want to narrow down to one or two of your top Harbor Country towns you’d like to live, as well as determine whether you’d like a lake view or would like to be more in town. This will help you hone in your search!

2. Make a List- Begin compiling a list of things you love about your current or past homes, as well as things you want your new home. Of course prioritizing your list of wants will also help as you search. The top things on your list will be your “non-negotiables” while the items further down on the list are things on which you’d like to have, but are willing to compromise. Showing this list to your Harbor Country Real Estate agent will give them a clear picture of exactly what you’re hoping to find.

3. Do your Homework- With loads of information online, beginning to research the area in which you want to live and the cost of homes in that particular town is a great place to start. It will give you an idea of what’s available, what the homes have to offer and the average price of homes. This will quickly help you determine if where you want to live is in your price range and if the homes have the features you desire.

4. Get Pre-Approved for a Mortgage- This is a key step in the home search process. Getting pre-approved before you begin your home search will give you a clearer picture of what you can even afford. There’s no sense in wasting time looking at homes only to find out they’re out of your price range. This crucial step will guide your house hunt!

5. Use a Checklist- As you begin touring Harbor Country homes, it may be hard to keep them straight! Rate the features of the home and takes notes as you tour. This will help as you look back at the homes you’ve visited and provide you with a ranking system to help you narrow down your search.

6. Be Prepared to Make an Offer- Before you even begin looking at homes in Harbor Country, make sure you’re ready to buy! Whether it’s a vacation getaway or you’re considering relocating to Harbor Country, be completely sure it’s what you want and that you’re ready to make an offer if you find the right home. Homes in Harbor Country tend to go quickly, so if you do find the home of your dreams, you’ll want to be fully prepared to act quickly!

7. Relax- While searching for an ideal home can mean a major life change, being overly stressed about it will only make the process more difficult. Begin your search early to avoid feeling a time crunch and try to keep the entire experience in perspective. Relying on your Harbor Country Real Estate agent to take care of the details and point you in the right direction will also help ease the stress of the home search.

As always, we’re here to help and would be happy to talk with you about what you’re looking for in a Harbor Country home. We have helped many buyers find their dream home in Harbor Country and would love to help you through the process as well!

Contact us today to get started!

Shoreline Property Advisors

@ Prudential Rubloff