The National Association of Homebuilders recently reveled that the most sought after new home is one that is modern and eco-friendly.  They say this new style of modern design is visually different from that what you might picture from earlier versions of “modern”. It is described as a warmer take on the classic ultra modern “White Box” of mid-20th century modern design.

New Age Design

In general, this translates into bringing “modern” a warmer feel.  Architects are achieving this by increasingly combining two types of design and mixing distinctly modern, techno-savvy interiors with colonial details and Tudor-style roofs.  It is the best of both worlds being combined into a greener living space.

During the housing boom in the 80s and 90s, homes expanded in size.  Compact single story ranch and cape cod style homes were not as in demand as the large McMansion. But today, in a state of recovery after the housing bubble burst, downsizing and being ecologically smart by conserving energy is what the new homebuyer wishes to be.

Home Sizes

According to the National Association of Home Builders, houses shrank about 10 percent from their 2,500 square foot peak in 2007, and are expected “to get smaller and more efficient” with open floor plans, master bedrooms on the first floor. Yes, the one-story ranch home, the 50s and 60s signature style of family living, is making a comeback. The Association sites those ranch style buyers as parents with small children and aging baby boomers seeking accessibility.

Craftsman style homes, popular before World War II, are also enjoying a revival.  This style can range is size from spacious to a small bungalow. They are basically one or one and-a-half story homes that boast a low-pitched roof, tapered columns, oversized eaves, gables and have front porches that seem to call for a swing or a couple of rocking chairs.

Staying Efficient

But regardless of which style today’s buyers choose, they are also asking about low flow water fixtures, energy efficient furnaces, tankless water heaters, the best insulation, and natural ways to keep a home cooler in the summer. New kitchens lead the way to utility bill savings with Energy Star appliances and energy efficient windows have become expected by anyone in the market to build a home today.

While the latest trend may surprise homeowners who prefer spacious living, it does make sense that in a time of “back to basics” and going Green, today’s home buyer is looking to build a home with comfortable style as well as one that offers smart, ongoing energy savings

Buyers are ready for spring and after a long, snowy winter nothing says, “welcome to your backyard” like a beautiful deck.  If you are getting ready to sell, remember that a well-maintained deck is something most buyers are very attracted to. A deck offers more living space to the home, space for entertaining and relaxing, and a place to barbeque. While a deck adds value to the home, realize that not just any deck will do.

All Hands on Deck

Like anything else of beauty and value, decks require maintenance to retain their value and condition.  If your deck is made of wood, it requires a regular cycle of maintenance in order to avoid discoloration and a rough surface prone to splinters. If your deck is not protected with regular staining and sealing it can start to hold in moisture, which leads to rot.  Buyers will take notice of any signs of rot or lack of care, so it is important to understand what you must avoid and to repair any damages before you try to sell the property.

What are Your Deck’s Enemies?

Three things lead the way to deck decay:

• Rain or moisture – Rain water seeps into the wood and causes it to expand and crack when it dries.

• Sunlight – The ultraviolet rays of the sun break down the bonds between wood cells, particularly on the surface.

• Insects that destroy wood – Some bugs eat wood so when building a deck you should choose a wood that is naturally resistant or ensure you use pressure treated wood with an appropriate sealant.

Clean and Reseal for Buyer Appeal

Your first impression only happens once so before buyers come to see your house, get your deck in shape.

1. Clean sweep: Sweep the deck of all large visible debris. Look for loose boards and nails that stick up. If the deck boards are in poor condition, you might need to sand the timber before resealing it.  Make any other necessary repairs.

2. Swab the deck: Clean the deck by hosing it down with an appropriate cleaning solution that removes grime and debris.  The deck should then be scrubbed and rinsed. Let it dry totally before you move to the next step.

3. Seal in the beauty: A sealant can be brushed, rolled, or sprayed on.  Good quality sealants contain ultraviolet sunlight protection to reduce the damaging effects of the sun.  Remember, oil sealants penetrate the wood, while film coatings form a layer on top of the wood.  Oils need to be reapplied every six to twelve months, depending on environmental conditions. If you use a sealant that provides a film coating, they usually last twelve to eighteen months.  Allow the sealant to dry.  Products vary, but up to three coats of sealant may be needed to fully protect your deck.

4. Add décor: Once you have cleaned and sealed the deck it is time to add color and special touches that make it say, “welcome home”.  Consider buying a large potted plant arraignment with colorful blooms and greens.  Always add a fresh new doormat at the entry point to the home. Hanging baskets of flowers or a small bird feeder can be used to add visual interest.  If the deck is large enough, make it into an additional dining space by adding an outdoor table and some chairs, but make certain your deck furniture is in good condition.

This can all be done over the course of a weekend and buyers will be drawn to the additional space and they will start picturing themselves enjoying the deck’s beauty as well as all the possibilities for entertaining in their new home.

Are you thinking about moving home now or in a few years? Now is the time to start taking the photos which will help sell your home. Marketing is about getting the best possible price in the shortest time for a home.  Many homes first appear on the market in the fall or winter. We all remember this past winter was a long and snowy one. A winter like this may make marketing a home for the best price more difficult.

If due to a new job or your dream home finally going on the market, you suddenly wanted to sell your home, do you have the photos you need to market your home? If you have a great spring flower bed can the buyer see it through the snow? If your pool is a show place on Fourth of July what will buyers see in February? Be sure to take photos when you have decorated for the Christmas holiday as well, both inside and out. In New England many homes are decorated for Halloween. If this is your favorite time, you guessed it,  include photos of this as well.

If your lawn is the best in the neighborhood take photos when it is at its best. These seasonal photos displayed in a photo album or on a digital photo frame will set your home apart from the others on the market. They will also help the Realtor® display your home on the internet at its best.

According to the National Association of Realtors® survey 90% of all potential home buyers start their search on the internet. Having current seasonal photos which show you home at its best in all four seasons is an easy and fun way to help protect your investment.  The photos you take could be with a thousand dollars on the sale of your home.

A dirty mailbox is the 1st thing potential buyers see

As most Realtors® will tell you, spring is an optimum time to sell a home.  A large volume of buyers head out in the warming months of April, May, and June making it an ideal time to put your home on the market. Once the snow has melted however, your property may be left looking a bit weathered and in need of a good spring clean-up before you start showing it.

• Clean your home inside and out: Muddy or snow covered boots have left their mark, so clean tile (bleach dull grout), clean linoleum and hardwood floors (refinish if needed) and have the carpets steam cleaned. Look for stains and get them removed. Polish wood floors to a shine. Sparkle is free, and sparkle sells homes.
• Clean bathrooms and kitchen: Paying extra attention to any dust or grime left behind. Clean any glassware you have on display and remove all clutter.  Clean your oven and refrigerator and polish any stainless steel.
• Clean the windows:  This means inside and outside. A potential buyer will see the difference if windows are spotless and your mirrors reflect sunlight. Cleaning is the first step to preparing your home for sale.
• Get your yard in order: Rake the yard and trim back bushes. Clean out dead leaves and debris.  Once the grass begins to grow, mow diagonally and edge lawn along your driveway and walkways. Diagonally mowed lawns make your yard appear larger. Transplant tulips and daffodils or buy flowers in containers as soon as the weather will allow.  This pop of beauty and color really says, “welcome”.
• Pay attention to the details: After the windows are spotless look at your drapes, curtains or blinds and clean anything that may be dusty or dingy.  Open windows and let fresh air in.
• Get fresh new decor: For a splash of spring color around your house, light colors like yellows, pale blues, lavenders, and sage greens say spring. Layer towels on bathroom towel racks and place rolled washcloths on the counters in a fashionable pyramid. Be your own home “stager”.
• Place a new doormat outside: Each door needs a mat for cleaning shoes.  It will make each entrance appear well cared for and say “welcome” to potential buyers without the winter-worn doormats.
• Repair any damage to your mailbox: Consider placing a large pot of spring flowers near it. It is often the first thing a buyer sees when looking for your property. Curb appeal (as we’ve mentioned in the past) is a key to selling!

If you’re like most people, your home is one of, if not, THE largest investment you’ll ever make. Maintaining it is key to protecting its value. With spring fast upon us, there’s no better time to put a little sweat equity into your home!

Here’s a great start to getting your home in great shape now, and when you’re ready to sell!

• Remove and donate unwanted items
• Reorganize and clean closets, attic, basement and (if applicable) garage
• Power wash exterior walls, porch floors, deck, patio, driveway, and sidewalks
• Clean outdoor furniture, umbrellas, and outdoor light fixtures
• Clean out gutters
• Clean out refrigerator and freezer, making sure to vacuum the grill and coil
• Remove lint from the hose attached to back of the dryer
• Vacuum baseboards, walls and ceilings, and wipe down walls
• Steam clean carpets, area rugs and upholstery
• Reseal natural stone surfaces (Travertine, etc.)
• Reseal and repair grout in bathtubs and showers
• Dust and clean window treatments, blinds, and shutters
• Oil door hinges

Even if you’re dealing with a sidewalk or other outdoor sections that are technically part of your city or town, make sure to keep them in good shape. It may not directly be your responsibility but it will absolutely effect the curb appeal, and first impression of your potential buyers.

If you need help with any of these projects, give me a call and I’ll be happy to provide you with a great list of people to call!

Cammie Ferreras is a licensed Realtor® based in the Verani Realty, Londonderry Office. She covers the Manchester, Hooksett, Londonderry, Bedford, Merrimack, and beyond. She is a specialist in relocation and is an E-certified agent. For more information about Cammie, to contact her, or view her listings, visit her agent page.

photo courtesy of john.schultz

Here are tips to add value to your home:

Tip #1 – Update an outdated kitchen

A kitchen is not only the heartbeat of a home but one of the most important rooms for homebuyers. Remodeling your kitchen adds both value and visual impact, especially if your current kitchen is stuck in a time warp of the 1980s.  New counter tops and replacing appliances, refrigerator, dishwasher and stove,  to reflect today’s current trends, style and energy efficiency will make almost as big an impact as all new cabinets and flooring.

Tip #2 – Add more living space

Creating additional living space in your home increases the value significantly. It brings more functionality within your four walls. By simply converting an attic or basement into finished rooms that are ideal for an office space or entertaining, makes your minor investment worthwhile.

Tip #3 – Add a garage

If your property does not have a garage, particularly if you are in a neighborhood where most of the homes have them, this increases your ease in selling.  Buyers tend to prefer a home with a garage for not only does a garage offer more storage but also protect vehicles from the harshness of our winters.

Tip #4 – Add a deck

A fairly affordable addition to your home can be found by adding a deck or patio space. Outdoor living and entertaining spaces are popular criteria for homebuyers and can be easily accomplished for alot less than most home additions.

Tip #5 – Landscaping improvements

Curb appeal and beauty of a well-tailored yard sets the groundwork for a favorable first impression for a homebuyer.  This can be easily accomplished with a reasonable home improvement budget. But if you really want to impress, landscaping designers are available to hire and will help you make the most of your yard space by select plantings that will thrive, flourish and add a splash of color.

OK, so Punxsutawney Phil may have indicated on Groundhog day that an early spring was on its way, but he clearly did not know about Nemo and the snowfall that was about to blanket us here in the northeast.  If your home is on the market, perhaps you are worried this will affect buyers and how they view your home. Even though having really high snow banks may not be the best way to show off your house to buyers, people still buy homes during times like this.

• Clear the way: Always keep the walkway leading up to your house clear and free of snow and ice.  Use salt to melt ice (not sand or dirt which looks unclean and tracks into the house) and make sure the walk to the house leaves a good first impression for potential buyers. Shovel down really high snow piles that might hide your house from the road.  You can only do so much, but try to keep your home visible. Keep the driveway well plowed and the mailbox cleared out.
• Make it festive and pretty: Decorate to play up the charm of your house.  Something simple, not too extravagant like a seasonal wreath for Valentines Day or a Shamrock for March’s St. Patrick’s Day.  Avoid window decorations or cardboard heart or shamrock cutouts.  Keep it classy and simple.
• Think warm and cozy: When buyers walk into a room with a cozy fire, hot apple cider, and warm cookies waiting for them you’ve set the right tone for the showing. Even if you can’t do all of this, you can still convey warmth throughout your home.  A cinnamon scented candle lit and placed safely on the counter top or the kitchen stove (where you can leave it and not worry about it causing a fire before you return home) sets a mood and provides a warm fragrance for the home.
• Light up the house: Winter can feel dark and gray. This is when bright-lit rooms become essential.  During the spring or summer, you can open the blinds and show off a nice yard. Winter may not always lend itself well to views. You’ll need to play up the lighting inside – add lamps if you need to.
• Breathe good air: Make sure to change your air filters and maybe add humidifiers if your home is very dry from your heating system.  You don’t want buyers coming in and find the home “stuffy” and hard to breath in.
• Dig out that lawn sign: Though it may be buried in a couple feet of snow your for sale sign is your beacon to help spread the word that your house is on the market and it lets buyers find you as they drive by. Keep your sign in the yard and shovel out around it so it can be seen driving buy the property.

photo courtesy of brettneilson

Most Realtors® will tell you that the kitchen is the heart of the home and can make or break a sale for some buyers.  If your kitchen is old and drab you may have decided to update the appliances for that new kitchen look, but what about the cabinets?  If replacing the cabinets is not in your home improvement budget, there is the option of refinishing or painting the existing ones, adding new hardware, and revealing a new fresh kitchen to potential buyers.  But how do you begin?

Well, according to some experts at the local home improvement stores there are some basic items you will need along with a spare weekend.  They include:

• Drill for installing new hardware
• Permanent marker
• 220-grit sandpaper
• Quality latex bonding primer
• Spare rags
• Flush spackling compound
• Paint. Ask for recommendations from an expert at the paint store.  They can find you just the right product that will stand up to kitchen chaos.

Once you have your necessary tools and products the first step is to remove the doors from the cabinets, and then remove the hinges and door hardware from the doors. It is best to put a number on the top of each cabinet using a marker, and then make a map of the cabinets matching the number of the door to its exact location. If you need to drill new holes that fit the new hardware you have chosen, fill the existing hole with flush spackling compound.

Here are the next steps that will take you to an amazing finished kitchen:

1. Sand the entire surface of the cabinet doors and frames, and then remove the dust with a damp rag.
2. Prime the front of each door. Remember to drag your finger along the bottom of the door to remove any paint that has crept underneath. Once the front dries, prime the back. Sand the doors lightly to smooth out the surface. Do the same process for the framework of the cabinets.
3. Painting time! Paint from the inside out in the same manner as above. Let dry completely, no rushing the process! Flip the doors to repeat on the other side. Apply another coat, allowing it to dry completely between coats. Be careful when painting the framework and cover all floors and counter tops that could get drips on them.
4. Once the doors and framework is dry, reinstall the hardware or install the new hardware and hang each door according to its number.

Though the project has a little sweat equity, it is also a very affordable way to update those old cabinets and make the most important room of your house grab buyers’ attention. There are also products on the market to refurbish old counter tops and make them look much more expensive and impressive to the eye.  Combine with new appliances and this weekend project can appear to be a renovation with a pricetag ten times more than what it actually costs you. This adds value to the home as well as helps you appeal to buyers and sell quicker.

original image courtesy of alleus

Joelle is excited to begin this new chapter in her career with the Prudential Verani family! She came to us from The Masiello Group in Concord to team up with her long-time friend, Diane Silva, who’s had a history of success in the area. The two partnered up based on their shared values and work approach. Diane moved out of state briefly and since returning to New Hampshire, there’s been a demand for her services from previous clients. As a result, she enlisted the help of Joelle to handle the Concord clients. Being a Concord resident herself, Joelle knows on a personal level the town’s key characteristics and can act as a great source of information for prospective buyers and sellers.

Joelle is a native of Paris, France and relocated to San Francisco as a young adult. In 2000, she headed to the East Coast to settle down with her family in New Hampshire.  While searching for their new home, she was introduced to the real estate world. Joelle’s agent felt her personality and lifestyle would make her the ideal agent, suggesting she look into getting her license. Joelle soon discovered she had a true passion for the industry. She finds fulfillment working with first time home buyers, providing them with education and advice to help ease the process. Joelle equally enjoys working with buyers and with sellers.

When her busy schedule permits, Joelle enjoys traveling. She has maintained a love for Paris and visits frequently. Her extensive travels have given her a deeper understanding of different walks of life. Joelle has a daughter in college and a son currently studying abroad in France. At home, Joelle has a passion for cooking.  She attends mixers and networking events with the Concord Chamber of Commerce and is a member of the Capital Region Board of Realtors®.

Joelle is based in the Prudential Verani, Concord office, located at 143 North Main Street in Concord, NH. She can be reached at p: 603-224-0700, m: 603-738-3567, and e: joelle.sturms@verani.com.

If you are about to embark on a search for a new home, one of the most important questions to ask yourself is not just “what” you want in a home, but where you want that home to be. Your Realtor® will need to know where to look as well as what to look for.

It might be a specific region, community, or an area of town, but you probably know what you want in a neighborhood and what you want to see when you look out of your windows. You have heard professionals in real estate talk about the importance of “location, location, location”, well it actually rings true with many home buyers even if they don’t think about it at first.

So along with creating a list of must have and wants in a home, think about what you want in a neighborhood or community. Here are a few things to consider:

• Is the neighborhood “walkable?”
• Is the property within walking distance of Continue reading “Location. Location. Location. Where Should I Buy?” »