Who Cares if the Ground Hog got it right, Spring is STILL Coming. I promise.
Spring is Springing! Yay! I just came inside from shooting a video outside and WOW! It’s nice out! Yes, I realize that when you get this and read it that it could be cold and rainy, but those cold days are just about over. Everyone loves Spring, primarily because it means… summer is near!
For many across this great country though, it’s still COLD, grey, and snowy! One thing is for sure, this winter season is coming to an end. It does every year without fail.
Just like the weather seasons come and go, so do the seasons of life. I just turned 35, my youngest just turned 7 months, and my oldest is adventurous exploring what toddlers do best. Are you with me when I say that these seasons seem to come and go faster and faster as well as the time?
Some of life’s seasons will be HOT and others will be COLD, some high and some low. The lows we want to move by quickly, the highs we want to stay in forever. But it’s the low points, those tough times, that I have learned the most from. All of the experiences through these seasons make me who I am.
So, what does this have to do with you and real estate?
Spring is a time of action, a heating up of the desire for a new place to call home for many. Maybe you or someone you know is right now looking or considering it. That’s great! We are here to help with that. Whether it be a list of the 10 best buys matching home buying criteria or delivering top dollar on a home sale along with our written guarantee of the asking price, our award-winning SYSTEM and TEAM are eager to help.
Unfortunately, there are some that will have a Spring Time they would much rather forget.
We are on a mission to raise $50,000 for Rozaay Books Sneaker Drive. We do this by donating to them a portion of our income from the homes we sell. The goal is to empower children and youth for the real world. This is done through a series of free events such as workshops, clinics, panels and many more initiatives that give the next generation access to new world information and help with self-discovery.
If you or anyone you know is considering selling, give me a call or pass on my number. Thank you in advance for your referrals! My number is 647-308-9000.
Thank you for reading over this month's Homeward Bound, and thank you for referring anyone you know considering buying or selling to my team. They will be in good hands and a very worthy cause will benefit as well.
Michael Lau
Townsend Team Real Estate
647-308-9000
How To Sell a House That Didn’t Sell
If your home has just come off the market and hasn't sold, don't be discouraged. The reason your home did not sell may have nothing to do with your home or the market. In reality, your home may have been one of the more desirable properties for sale.
So Why Didn't Your Home Sell? Last year many of the homes listed for sale never sold at all, and many sellers found that there was a tremendous amount a homeowner needed to be educated on to sell their home for top dollar in the shortest time period.
Don't risk making the wrong choices and losing both time and money on your investment. Before you hire a realtor, know the right questions to ask to save you time and money.
Industry experts have prepared a free special report called "How to Sell a House that Didn't Sell" which educates you on the issues involved.
Q. Where should you begin?
A. Start by making a commitment to do what it takes to market your house to get it sold. With the right system, the home sale you want is still well within reach.
Q. Why didn’t your home sell?
A. Review your previous selling plan and you’ll discover that an expired listing usually reflects a problem in one or more of these four major areas:
- Teamwork
- Pricing
- Condition of Your Home
- Marketing
Why Don’t Some Houses Sell?
Here are 2 out of the 4 Important Points That Will Get Your House Sold!
1. Teamwork
Your home is a major financial investment, and your relationship with your Realtor® should be a full partnership where your needs and wishes are heard, and you receive detailed and dependable feedback on the progress of your sale. Your agent has a responsibility to source this feedback from the agents who have shown your home, and to communicate this to you so together you can make the right decisions about what to do next. How well did this occur the last time you had your home up for sale?
2. Pricing
Did the price work for or against you? The “right” price depends on market conditions, competition and the condition of your home. Pricing it too high is as dangerous as pricing it too low. If your home doesn’t compare favorably with others in the price range you’ve set, you won’t be taken seriously by prospects or agents.
You’ll get the facts when you see the statistics!
So there are 2 out of the 4 reasons to get your home sold! If you'd like to see all 4 of the tactics to get your home sold, you can grab a copy of that report for free by sending me an email to michael@callmikelau.com or call/text me at 647-308-9000.
Thank you for reading this weeks blog.
Michael Lau
P.S. Your Home Sold Guaranteed or I’ll Buy It!* If you or anyone you know is considering making move in the next few months, give me a call or pass on my number…. 647-308-9000
11 Critical Home Inspection Traps to be Aware of Weeks Before Listing Your Home for Sale
According to industry experts, there are over 33 physical problems that will come under scrutiny during a home inspection when your home is for sale. A new report has been prepared which identifies the eleven most common of these problems, and what you should know about them before you list your home for sale. Whether you own an old home or a brand new one, there are a number of things that can fall short of requirements during a home inspection. If not identified and dealt with, any of these 11 items could cost you dearly in terms of repair. That's why it's critical that you read this report before you list your home. If you wait until the building inspector flags these issues for you, you will almost certainly experience costly delays in the close of your home sale or, worse, turn prospective buyers away altogether. In most cases, you can make a reasonable pre-inspection yourself if you know what you're looking for, and knowing what you're looking for can help you prevent little problems from growing into costly and unmanageable ones.
Here are 4 of the 11 that you should know about right now.
1. Defective Plumbing
Defective plumbing can manifest itself in two different ways: leaking and clogging. A visual inspection can detect leaking, and an inspector will gauge water pressure by turning on all faucets in the highest bathroom and then flushing the toilet.
If you hear the sound of running water, it indicates that the pipes are undersized. If the water appears dirty when first turned on at the faucet, this is a good indication that the pipes are rusting, which can result in severe water quality problems.
2. Damp or Wet Basement
An inspector will check your walls for a powdery white mineral deposit a few inches off the floor and will look to see if you feel secure enough to store things right on your basement floor. A mildew odor is almost impossible to eliminate, and an inspector will certainly be conscious of it.
It could cost you $200-$1,000 to seal a crack in or around your basement foundation depending on severity and location. Adding a sump pump and pit could run you around $750 - $1,000, and complete waterproofing (of an average 3 bedroom home) could amount to $5,000-$15,000. You will have to weigh these figures into the calculation of what price you want to net on your home.
3. Inadequate Wiring & Electrical
Your home should have a minimum of 100 amps service, and this should be clearly marked. The wire should be copper or aluminum. Home inspectors will look at octopus plugs as indicative of inadequate circuits and a potential fire hazard.
4. Poor Heating & Cooling Systems
Insufficient insulation, and an inadequate or a poorly functioning heating system, are the most common causes of poor heating. While an adequately clean furnace, without rust on the heat exchanger, usually has life left in it, an inspector will be asking and check- ing to see if your furnace is over its typical life span of 15-25 yrs. For a forced air gas system, a heat exchanger will come under particular scrutiny since one that is cracked can emit deadly carbon monoxide into the home. These heat exchangers must be replaced if damaged - they cannot be repaired.
So there are 4 out of the 11 in an effort to draw attention to this very important topic. If you'd like to see all 11 of the most common inspection traps I have put together a free report entitled *11 Things you need to know to pass your home inspection" which explains the issues in greater detail. You can grab a copy of that report for free by sending me an email to michael@callmikelau.com or call me at 647-308-9000.
Thank you for reading this weeks blog.
Michael Lau
P.S. Your Home Sold Guaranteed or I’ll Buy It!* If you or anyone you know is considering making move in the next few months, give me a call or pass on my number…. 647-308-9000