5 Inexpensive Home Improvement Tips To Improve Your Homes Value

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Depending on your home's value, your market and comps in your neighborhood, you could consider making renovations in your home before listing. In a place like New York, however, where houses are being snapped up fast and prices are over the roof, renovating your house for sale might be a crazy idea. But in suburbs with high inventory, your house needs to measure up.

 

When selling, you wouldn't be looking through the same eyeglasses as a new homeowner. Your calculations and priorities will be much different. The most important thing when you have to consider value is return on investment. What renovations will make my house sell fast and at the same time give good return on investment? Before you embark on gutting your circa 1990 kitchen, the first thing you might need to do is consult an experienced realtor who knows what works best in your particular neighborhood.

 

You might find out that minor cosmetic upgrades will get more buyers through the door. And yea, the door is important. Instead of spending money on pricey renovations like adding a deck or basement revamp, Remodeling magazine’s 2015 Cost vs. Value Report says that replacing your existing front door with a new steel door will net you a 101.8% ROI for a minimal replacement cost of $1,230. Knowing which areas to spend on will help save you a lot of money when making renovations. Let's look at five low-cost ways to increase your home's value.

 

        Inexpensive Home Improvement Tips to Improve Your Home’s Value

 

1. Consider curb appeal. Nothing says 'welcome to this lovely house' to a prospective buyer as a nicely mowed lawn, a few shrubs here and there and a well-swept walkway. The first impression buyers have as they drive to your home is truly important. So, it's necessary you set the stage right. Hiring a good landscaper will be worth the money. Not only will your home appeal to prospective buyers, your neighbor would also love the effort.

 

2. Have a cohesive kitchen. Kitchen plays a big role in home improvement. Many Realtors call it the heart of the home. Indeed it is; since an average American homeowner spends at least 37 minutes daily in the kitchen. Sprucing up your kitchen demands that you create the impression of a clean and updated kitchen. One way to achieve this impression is creating cohesiveness, especially with color. Mix and match kitchens are not the best. If your kitchen appliances don't match, consider ordering new doors, e.g new cabinet doors or face panels for them.

 

3. Work on your bathroom. Next to the kitchen, bathrooms are important to potential home buyers. You can make a difference in your bathroom at a low cost by adding new toilet seat and a pedestal sink. These are also pretty easy for homeowners to install on their own. One thing you may not be able to do on your own but which will add value to your bathroom is replacing an old, discolored, bathroom floor with vinyl tiles. Bright, energy efficient lighting will also improve your bathroom's appeal.

 

4. Update closets. Cramped storage spaces are not attractive to potential buyers. You can step up your storage by adding a do-it-yourself wire and laminate system to bedrooms and pantries.

 

5. Check the mechanics. Having a minor inspection and working on existing faults in your home like faulty outlets, loose wires and water leaks give the impression that someone has really taken care of the home.

 

 

 

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3 Types of Content Real Estate Agents should consistently Blog About

  • 02, September 2023

The most important aspect of agent-client relationship is communication. A house seller or buyer can find it stressful dealing with an agent or buyer who is not a good communicator. An agent that stays in constant contact with clients and answers their questions proves his or her proactivity.

 

Yes you need to let buyers and sellers know where they stand quickly so they can move on to another property or potential buyer. Real estate is time sensitive. Buyers and sellers need the right information and need it fast. Hence, one of the qualities of a good agent is the ability to give the right information to the right kind of buyer at the right time. What an experienced agent might deem insignificant information might be important information to clients who are new to the real estate game. Putting the right information in front of clients communicate that you're an agent who puts clients first.

 

It's the responsibility of a good agent to sort out what clients need to know and provide this information. Hence it's important that an agent has a well updated website complete with valuable information. You don't really need to pressure your clients with too much information. Just the right information will do. Here are five content types that real estate buyers and sellers find valuable.

 

REAL ESTATE CONTENT TYPES THAT WORK

 

When correctly done, real estate content marketing can be a game changer for your real estate business. You have the chance to attract thousands of new leads through well-researched, helpful content. This is why effective real estate bloggers put a lot of plan and effort into creating the right content for their real estate website. Here are some of the real estate content types you should be posting for your real estate business.

 

1. Market Reports. Writing a recap of real estate activity in your community for the month shows you as a knowledgeable real estate agent in the community. Buyers and sellers want to be informed about the real estate market in their area of residence. Even if they aren't going to take action immediately, when you post fact-based market reports, they know whom to approach for questions. Also, Google ranks market reports high. Since few realtors are posting them, your posts have less competition.

 

2. Local Community Information. A local community guide includes details about a neighborhood such as detailed information about the local real estate market, local economy, housing and population, local school information, parks and restaurants and attractions. This type of content is important because it increases your real estate website's SEO value and helps the area residents see that you have strong knowledge of the community.

 

3. Home buyer and seller tips. Both buyers and sellers have a lot of questions on their minds about real estate. Providing helpful information on your site can be timely and help you gain more leads. However, when covering the questions, your visitors would find it much more helpful if you cover the topic in 'extreme' detail and they'll love you for it.

 

Cold calling for sale by owners or door knocking is old school. A much better way of gaining trust and new leads is through helpful content.  When you consistently post content that real estate buyers and sellers love, you'll start reaping the benefits of real estate content marketing.

 

 

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5 Easy Home Design Ideas to Make Over a Room

  • 02, September 2023

What goes on in your head when moving into a new home? Foremost, how do I turn this empty shell of a house into an inviting home that reflects my own personal style? You don't want a bland and boring house. Your new house offers a new start. You can eliminate the junk and put in new digs; you can buy that bed you've always dreamed about; or beef up the kitchen and dining area for maximum comfort and entertainment. The great thing about home decoration is that you have the chance to improve your home's appearance without spending much money. Let's look at some home design ideas for giving each room in your house a makeover.

 

When giving a home a facelift, sometimes simple solutions can have a big impact. Here are some inexpensive home design ideas to give rooms a new lease of life.

 

1. Don't rush. You need to take a little time before starting major decor projects in your new home. Take some time to let in the feel and observe what the home needs before buying major stuff. HGTV recommends staying in the house for two months before making significant purchases. You might be spending money on the wrong areas. For example, instead of spending $5,000 on revamping and putting new features in your bathrooms, you might find out that you could spend half the price to get your bathroom in great shape.

 

2. Add color to walls. For people who get out early, a light shade will do while a deep tone will make the house more homely for those who spend more time indoors. You can also make a statement with a feature wall. Adding a lick of paint to your walls is an inexpensive way to give your room an instant lift. Whether you decorate your entire room in an intense shade or opt for a stylish two-toned plan, fresh color on your walls guarantee oodles of glamor.

 

3. Pare down. Now it's time to reassess and evaluate what works and what doesn't. Don't pack everything from your old home over. You don't really need everything you've accumulated. They will only make rooms stuffy. Having a new house gives you chance to try out a fresh approach. This means you can pare down on tired pieces that will only clutter up your space. You can sell these items off on eBay or drop them off at a charity shop.

 

4. Use right lighting. Transform the mood of rooms at a cheap price with the right lighting. You can also invest in dimmers to switch from bright to low lighting. When decorating bathrooms, try out stylish lights. For bedrooms, buy a fresh shade for lamps. You can give your room a cohesive style with stylish lighting.

 

5. Update roller blinds. Whether you go for a subtle floral pattern or statement stripes, roller blinds for your windows are great low-cost, high impact options for designing rooms. They can transform your dull windows and complement other designs in your room.

Less is often more when decorating and less is also eco-friendly. No matter how small your space, you can always let your creativity shine through.

 

By Bebuzee Admin Read More
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How to fund global real estate investing via equity funds

  • 23, September 2023

This article offers practical steps on funding a foreign real estate purchase with equity funds.

 

Foreign real estate presents mouthwatering deals for investors with steep currency differences, especially in today's unstable financial markets; meaning you could have the upper negotiating edge in a neighboring country. The perk in currency strength is however not compensated for by the financial and legal aspects of sourcing funds for foreign real estate investing.

 

One financing approach which is gradually gaining traction is the use of equity funds. In this case, deploying liquidity of stocks and securities in foreign real estate capital.

 

There are four approaches you can take when planning to go this route:

 

1. Employ Equity REITs: Odds are you've heard about REITs and the huge tax rates at the individual investor level. A REIT is generally a stock that invests in real estate or real estate related securities, like mortgages. A mortgage REIT primarily lends cash to real estate buyers or acquires their existing mortgages. An equity REIT acquires, manages, builds, renovates and sells real estate, mostly commercial real estate.

 

If you don't want to be in the front line and would prefer to play it safe, REITs present a great way to achieve diversification via liquid investment in real estate. Many international REITs have sprung up over the years. So, investing in foreign real estate should be as simple as locating a good REIT that invests in your country of choice or simply using REIT ETFs. However, don't ignore the fact that REITs come with tax liabilities that can range from 15% to 35% of profit. This is compensated for in a way by tax exemption at the corporate level, as long as 90% of income is distributed to unitholders.

 

2. Self-directed IRA or Offshore IRA: As much as we wish to help you with country-specific information, you should know that real estate laws aren't invariably the same in any two countries. Hence the importance of having a local mortgage expert or real estate agent (read how to find the right local real estate agent) who can help you with local professional information.

 

For US residents, using funds from your retirement account or 401k is a great way to employ equity funds for foreign investing. The IRS doesn't restrict holding real estate with your IRA. However, according to an article on Supermoney.com, (https://www.supermoney.com/2017/04/finance-overseas-property/), you won't be able to live in the property until you reach retirement age. In any case, you will need to either set up a self-directed IRA, which allows you to invest in overseas real estate via a third party or broker. Alternatively, you can set up an offshore IRA as a way to gain more control, by taking your self-directed IRA offshore. In this case, you move your self-directed IRA into an offshore Limited Liability company. Setting up an offshore IRA can, however, be costly.

 

3. Stock Market Liquidity: You can employ liquidity on your stock market investment or securities, subject to tax, by selling your holdings. This presents you with cash to invest directly in foreign real estate.

 

4. HELOC (Home Equity Line of Credit): For home buyers in countries like the USA and Australia, a HELOC allows you to take a loan on an existing home by cashing on real estate equity.

 

Buying real estate with equity funds is completely legal and carries no extra charges or taxes. However, ensure you report financial proceedings to necessary financial authorities in your home country.

 

Also, if you're either buying overseas real estate for investment or personal use, reach out to a local real estate agent that can offer market-specific information about taxes for your destination country.

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