Showing posts with label Advice and Tips on Lake Michigan Shoreline Real Estate. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Advice and Tips on Lake Michigan Shoreline Real Estate. Show all posts

Wednesday, July 10, 2013

3 Easy, Inexpensive Outdoor Projects for Your Harbor Country Home!

Harbor Country has long been renowned as a desirable Midwestern location for secondary homes, vacation getaways and both seasonal and full-time residency. Each picturesque town throughout Harbor Country, including Union Pier, Lakeside, Harbert, New Buffalo, Grand Beach, Michiana, Three Oaks and Sawyer, offer their own unique characteristics and benefits to home buyers. A quaint, relaxed lifestyle and welcoming atmosphere help residents to feel as though they are truly getting away from it all. As a professional Harbor Country real estate agent, I’ve helped many discover their unique slice of peace and quiet in the area while introducing them to all of the restaurants, shops, galleries and wineries that the region has to offer. One of the many reasons that Harbor Country is so desirable is because both seasonal and full-time residents take great pride in their home – Curb appeal goes a long way in letting visitors, neighbors and potential buyers know that you care about your home and keep it very well-maintained. 
Given the extensive experience that our Prudential Rubloff real estate agents have under their belts, we would like to suggest a few easy and inexpensive outdoor projects that can add a special touch to your Harbor Country home. 
  • Use Stone or Brick to Edge Gardens, Driveways or Patios. An inexpensive way to add character to your yard, paver stones and bricks are easily available at nearly all home improvement stores and simple to install too! Be sure to tamp down soil to ensure a solid base and evenly place your paver stones or bricks in a chosen pattern. Tamp down the stones or bricks so that they are sturdy in the soil and add as many layers as you’d like. Small details such as this will make your outdoor area attractive and well-maintained. 
  • Dwarf Fruit Trees in Pots are Mobile AND Unique. Don’t have the time or green thumb to plant and maintain fruit trees in your yard? Here’s an easier option with the same great benefits! Dwarf fruit trees are inexpensive and can be purchased at many greenhouses and certain home improvement stores. You don’t need to live in Florida or California to have a beautiful citrus tree in your yard – Simply wet down a clay pot (to avoid it drying out its soil), plant your tree inside the pot with plenty of soil and place it in an area of your yard that gets an abundance of sunshine! Because they’re contained in pots, they can also be easily moved throughout your yard.  
  • Outdoor Lighting Adds Ambience. Whether you opt for cost-effective solar lighting or installed lighting, there is a wide array of choices for your outdoor space. From string lights and hanging lanterns to lamp posts and motion lights, outdoor lighting will add both ambience and security to your Harbor Country property. 
Contact our Prudential Rubloff real estate agents today for more information on buying a vacation property or full-time home. Our Harbor Country real estate agents offer the experience and expertise to seamlessly navigate both the buying and selling process, from our initial meeting through your closing date. We look forward to working with you to find both the Harbor Country home and community that suits your needs!
Shoreline Property Advisors
@ Prudential Rubloff

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Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Appeal to Buyers this Holiday Season in Your Harbor Country Home!


We hope you enjoyed a great Thanksgiving this past week with friends and family in your Harbor Country home!  Now that the holidays are in full swing, the spirit of the season makes the colder days feel warm and bright and we’re sure you’re feeling the bustle and joy of the season.

If you’ve stopped by our blog, it could be that you have more on your mind than just the holidays.  You may be hoping to sell your Harbor Country home during this festive season and may be seeking advice on the best way to do so.  It can seem daunting, but selling your home during the holidays is not impossible.  In fact, you can use the holidays to your advantage by playing up the season to enhance the appeal of your home.  Here are a few tips on how to make the holidays work for the sale of your Harbor Country home!

1. Give Warmth- Just before a showing, be sure to turn up your thermostat a few degrees to make it extra toasty inside.  Prospective buyers will be thankful for the change from Michigan’s cold winters.  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.

2. 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!

3. 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.

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

5. 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.”

6. 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.
  
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.

We hope these tips give you just a few ideas on enhancing your Harbor Country home this holiday season to appeal to buyers!  

As always, we would love to talk with you about your Harbor Country Real Estate needs.  Our team of trusted advisors and Prudential Rubloff Harbor Country Real Estate agents here at Shoreline Property Advisors will answer your questions and guide you through the home selling process.

Feel free to contact us today to get started!

Shoreline Property Advisors
@ Prudential Rubloff

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Wednesday, September 5, 2012

10 Tips to Help Sell Your Chicago Home This Fall!


It’s hard to believe that, with Labor Day behind us, we are quickly approaching fall.  Before we know it, leaves will be changing colors and the crisp air and vivid blue skies will have us thinking about the holiday season.  Here at Shoreline Property Advisors, we always get excited about the fall because the real estate market tends to pick up with activity as buyers and sellers try to get situated in their new homes before the holidays.

Since it’s still early in September and the holidays seem far away, now is a great time to put your home on the market if you’re considering selling your Chicago home this fall.  You’ll be a few steps ahead of the competition and will spark interest with those buyers that are already starting to look for their dream home.  

Interested to know how to make your home appeal to buyers this fall?  Here are ten things you can do to help your home sell!

1. Update your listing photos- If your Chicago home was listed last winter or spring, talk with your Chicago Real Estate agent about updating your home’s marketing with brand new fall shots. Pictures from the previous season make your listing seem dated.

2. Focus on curb appeal- Selling your Chicago home during the fall certainly comes with one advantage: the season's beautiful foliage which can automatically make your home more attractive for showings. However, you still need to do your part to keep your home looking its best. Start by sprucing up your lawn, keep falling leaves at bay with frequent raking and patch up any brown spots in the grass.

3. Appeal to the senses- As the weather cools down in Chicago, make your home a warm, welcoming space where buyers will want to stick around. If you encourage them to stay awhile during showings, you give them more time to admire your home's best features.

4. Flaunt your fireplace- A warm, inviting fireplace is a great selling point as the weather gets cooler. Highlight this fall-friendly feature by arranging your furniture to make your fireplace a focal point. Place a mirror, artwork, vases or other tasteful decor on top of the mantel to make it even more prominent.

5. Think like a buyer- Fall house hunters are looking for great deals on Chicago homes, so be prepared for lowball offers and possible non-serious buyers. Manage your expectations and negotiate accordingly, depending on your motivation.

6. Hire a reliable real estate professional- As if selling your home isn't stressful enough, you're probably thinking ahead for the holidays or helping the kids ease into a new school year. During this hectic season, you definitely want a great Chicago Real Estate agent to take some of the pressure of selling your home off your shoulders. If you are still searching for an agent; our experienced Prudential Rubloff Chicago Real Estate agents would love to help you sell your Chicago home! 

7. Price it right- If you want to grab the attention of Chicago buyers in this competitive market, you need to price your home correctly from the start - possibly slightly lower than comparable homes in your neighborhood. Setting your listing price just right could lead to a bidding war, resulting in a higher sales price for you. Work with your Chicago Real Estate agent to price your home correctly.

8. Watch your timing- Put your Chicago home on the market well in advance of looking for a new home. And don't place an offer on your next home until you have solid offers on the one you have to sell now. The last thing you want to do is juggle two mortgage payments.

9. Beware of TMI (too much information)- Buyers think most sellers these days are in dire straits, so don't do anything to add to that perceived advantage and lower your potential selling price. For instance, if you are moving from Chicago due to a job transfer, it's best not to offer up that information or at the very least, downplay the urgency. While you are obligated to disclose everything about the property's condition, you aren't obligated to disclose your personal situation.

10. Be flexible- We are currently in a buyers market in Chicago so be willing to work with buyers to help your chances of making a quick sale. Offer to pay for closing costs or repairs, and be adaptable when it comes to showing your home and holding open houses. If you really need to sell your Chicago home, you need to accommodate buyers' busy schedules as well. This might mean opening your home on weeknights and weekends. Be flexible!

We hope these tips are helpful as you prepare to sell your Chicago home this fall!  If you have any questions about selling your home or are looking for a Chicago Real Estate agent to help guide you through the process; please contact us!

We would love to work with you to get your home sold!

Shoreline Property Advisors
@ Prudential Rubloff

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