Staging your home is one of the most important things you can do right after pricing it properly. It is a known fact that staging will sell your home faster and at a much higher price than those that haven’t been staged.


Staging your home for selling doesn’t have to cost a ton of money. In fact just giving it a good deep cleaning will do wonders to help it sell. Remember that the first impression made upon a potential buyer can never be taken back, so you want to make sure that it’s a good one. Here at Coldwell Banker Select we offer a free professiional staging consultation to help you better understand what you can do to stage your home properly. Give me a call if you would like more information.


The following video talks a little more about staging and the steps that you can take that will help.

When buying a home,do I really need a Realtor, or can I do it myself? This question is commonly asked by people making their first home purchase. As repeat home buyers already know, the use of a Realtor is the only way to go when you look at all of the advantages. So, the answer to the question is simply yes. It could cost you a lot of money and headaches if you try to go it alone, especially on your first purchase.


Let’s take a look at the top ten reasons to use a Realtor:


1. Purchasing a home will more than likely be the largest one time investment in your life. Using a professional to guide you only makes sense.


2. In Oklahoma, as in most states, all commissions are paid by the seller so there are no costs to the buyer to use a Realtor. This will give you the benefit of having advice from an expert without having to pay for it.


3. A professional Realtor will be able to help you find a home that will meet your needs, and will save you a lot of time doing it.


4. As well as helping you find that home, a Realtor will be able to find the best neighborhoods for you and your family as well.


5. Realtors are trained to see things that you may overlook. They will be able to point out the good and the bad of most any home or neighborhoood.


6. A Realtor will be able to evaluate a sellers list price with an up to date comparable market analysis to help with your offer. This is a big plus to making a smart offer when you do find that perfect home.


7. Your Realtor will be able to include certain contingecies into an offer in order to protect you, the buyer. You will also be able to get a clear legal explanation of all contingencies that may be insurted by the seller.


8. A professional Realtor will be able to educate you all through the home buying process. This will enable you to make the smart decisions based off of the information you need.


9. A Realtor will take you through the whole process, starting with the search for your new home all the way through the final closing. They will be able catch any problems that may occur prior to them creating a delay in closing.


10. Most Realtors will have a large network of contacts that are related to the field. From inspectors to lenders and closers, you can feel comfortable that you are getting the best people to help you through the process.


Of course these are not the only reasons that your should use a Realtor when purchasing a home. These are however some of the best reasons. Purchasing a home is a large financial investment. To be successful your should have expert guidance throughout the whole process.

“Curb Appeal” You’ve heard the term many times. They talk about it on HGTV and many other networks and programs about improving your home. But what does it really mean when they say “Curb Appeal”? Why should you be concerned about it when you are selling your house?


I have worked with many buyers who decide that they do not want to get out and look at a house within seconds of pulling up. I have sat on many open houses and have seen people pull up and drive away without even getting out. The reason for this is that potential buyers will not care as much about the inside if the outside just does not look, or feel right. This is known as curb appeal and it is very important when it comes to selling your home quickly and at a price that you want.


There are many things involved when we talk about curb appeal. When working to make a big first impression, take a look at the basics first. How does your landscaping look? Are the shrubs, trees, flowers and lawn all propery trimmed and neat in apearance? Take a look at the entry way, the windows, gutters, and overall painting of your home. Keep in mind, that while the Realtor is in the process of getting the key from the keybox, his/her client is taking a good look at the exterior. Does your home give a positive, or a negative impression?


The first thing that typically happens when a potential buyer pulls up to a house is they imagine what it would be like if it was theirs. How would others, such as friends and family think when they visit? This may only happen on a subconscious level, but I can guarrantee that it will happen.


In order to work on your homes curb appeal, you need to think like a buyer. Get a notepad and walk out to the front of your house. Imagine yourself as a potential buyer and write down everything that catches your eye in a bad way. When doing this, be specific. If necessary, draw it out. Is there an area of the lawn that needs special attention? How does the paint look? Are the bushes neatly trimmed and not overhanging the walkways?


After making your list, study it and make a plan of attack to improve your homes curb appeal. Set the items on your list in order of priority. What is the most important thing that needs to be done first? What next? And so on. This will allow you to work your list in an effective manner. The key is to not take on too much at one time. If you start a job and don’t get it finished, it will only hurt what you are trying to accomplish.


Curb appeal is essential when it comes to selling your house because it creates that first impression. If the impression that they get from the outside is negaive, that negativity can be carried with them into the house which is something that you definitely do not want.

It is estimated that 87% of all current home buyers are using the internet to start their search when they first decide to purchase a home. Using the internet can make the process of house hunting easier and quicker by putting more information imediately in front of you. However, many buyers don’t realize how many ways this technology can help. So, let’s explore some of the ways the internet can make your home searching process easier and more effective.


1. Select a Realtor that is modern and web-savvy to help you out


When it comes to internet tchnology, there are really two different types of Realtors. One type sees the Internet as just a new fangled gadget that isn’t worth the time to mess with. These Realtors do use the MLS, but usually that is the only service that they really do use. This unfortunately gives them a limited view of what is happening in the Real Estate world around them.


The second type of Realtor is from the newer generation is more of a modern web-savvy real estate professional. These types of Realtors know how valuable the internet is and stays wired into all of the websites containing home searches as well as other valuable information sites. This type of Realtor will help you find a home faster by using this technology. He/She is also very handy with mobile devices, digital cameras, and other tools.


2. When searching, use the big home searching sites


During the last few years the internet has exploded with real estate search sites. Today you can visit most any of these sites and get instant access to listings, sales data from recent activity and more. Usng these sites is an excellent way to see what is available and start screening out the undesired homes quickly which will save you a lot of time.


When searching for sites to use, select the larger ones which contain more information, such as Realtor.com for national searches, or CBUTLSA for more local searches within the north eastern Oklahoma area. These sites will have larger photo galleries and virtual tours which enables you to view the houses from every angle and more in depth. Don’t waste your time visiting the smaller sites that don’t match your needs.


3. Visit the website of your local newspaper


You can find online versions of your local newpapers in most cities these days. Here in Tulsa, you can visit the Tulsa World and find information about the local market, what homes may be for sale, new subdivisions that are being built as well as other real estate information.


4. Read Blogs dedicated to your local real estate


Most web-savvy Realtors as well as companies now use blogs to help distribute information about the local real estate market. This website for instance is a blog designed to keep you up to date on the real estate market here in the Tulsa area. The key difference between a blog and a website is that blogs will give you up to date information in chronological order. These sites can be a good source of local real estate information in a timely manner. It’s easy to find such blogs by doing a simple search on your favorite search engine. Just search your city and include real estate blogs.


5. Use email and social networks


With all of the social networks out there such as facebook, myspace, and the forums that you may be a member of, there is a pretty good chance that you know someone that lives in the area that you would like to move to. Send them a message or email and ask them for assistance. Chances are they know of some good housing or a good Realtor that will help you out. You virtually have an army out there ready to help you on your search.


Using these tips can really simplify the search for your next home and will give you the upper hand on other buyers. Let’s look at this example of how it may work.


You send out a message over facebook to your contacts that that you are planning to move to tulsa and you would like some help getting information on the area and what the housing market is like over there. Your facebook friend who lives in Tulsa happens to know of a nice home down the street from where she lives. She snaps a picture and sends it to you via email along with information of a Realtor that she used when purchasing her home. After seeing the email you take a more in depth look at it on cbtulsa.com, you call the Realtor and set up an appointment to visit the house the following day. This is a great example of how todays technology can save you both time and work and keep you ahead of others when searching for your new home.

According to Jared Ricardo, the spokesman for Realtor.com, The number one fear for buyers right now is losing their jobs and not being able to make mortgage payments. In fact, almost a third of potential buyers have stated that the main reason that they are not currently looking to buy is that they are worried about future unemployment. That’s a lot of buyers that are currently out of the market.


Well, I’ve got some really great news for those of you that fall within that group. Creative Alliances has selected Coldwell Banker Select to be the only Realtor in Oklahoma to offer a job loss protection program from The Rainy Day Foundation. This means that if you work with a Coldwell Banker Select Realtor and are a seller, you can offer this program to all qualified buyers. If you are a buyer and work with a Coldwell Banker Select Realtor, you can request coverge within this program if you qualify.


The qualifications are pretty easy. The requirements are:

If you considering selling your home and would like that extra edge over other sellers, or if you are considering buying a home but are worried about what would happen if you were to lose your job, please give me a call to learn more about the Job Loss Protection Program.

When buying a home, the lender that you use will require that you get homeowners insurance. Since that lending company technically owns the majority of the home during the first years after purchase, it makes sense that they will want to protect the investment that they have.


A homeowners insurance policy protects your investment as well. You also get comfort knowing that if something were to happen to your new home will be covered. So, make sure that you get good coverage from an insurance provider in high standing.


However, on that note, wouldn’t it be nice to get coverage and still save money if possible? Here are some ways to make the cost of your insurance policy much cheaper.


First of all you will want to compare different insurance companies. When you take the time to compare one from another, your are doing two things at the same time. First of all you are of course findng who offers the best deal at comparable coverage levels. Second you are learning about the types of coverage offered by these differnt comanies and comparing which is best for  you. These two items will will be of great importance when you start paying out of pocket and are trying to lower your cost in the future.


When doing your search, start with the same commpany that hold the policy on your automobile. Most insurance companies will give discounts for multiple policies.


Use the internet to save time when comparing companies. You can do most of the work when comparing these companies much easier when you use the internet. There is no need to make a lot of calls or have deal with high pressure selling tactics. Most of your bigger insurance will have websites developed just for making comparisons. When you use the internet to start your search, you also save a lot of time. What used to take days and weeks can now be accomplished in just a few hours.


Your credit score plays a role in the cost of your homeowners insurance policy as well. Just as when you were working on improving your score to get a good loan, it is imperative that you keep up with improving it. Most insurance companies today will look at your credit score to determine the price of your policy.


If you raise the deductible, it will lower your costs. When you are willing to pay more up front if you were to have a loss, making it cost less for your insurance company to pay, your rate will be much cheaper. It’s basically that same as when you set up your auo insurance and they gave you the varying rates based on your deductible. It’s a simple process, if you raise your deductible, your premium goes lower. This makes sense, you know that you will have to pay a premium, but the chances of actually filing a claim is really minimal compared to what you can save.


Investing in a home can be stressful. You can eliminate some of that stress not only by selecting the best Realtor, but also by selecting the best Insurance company. Feel free to contact me if you hae any questions.

According to Daily Real Estate News, home owners are getting tired of cutting their grass and have started to trade it out for artificial turf.

The artificial turf industry has been growing at a pace of 20% a year for the past 5 years, according to the figures from the ASGI (Asociation of Synthetic Grass Installers), and the main buyers are private home owners.

Fibers that are commonly used in artificial turf include polyethylene and polypropylene as well as ground tire rubber as a filling.

According to a lawsuit in California, the synthetic turf has high levels of lead. However, Darren Brandt, who is a spokesman for Fieldturf says that the turf has been proven to be safe in several different studies.

The excutive director of ASGI, Annie Costa, states that artificaly turf will eventually win favor due it being so cost effective. It costs about 9-12 dollars a yard and is guaranteed for eight years.

Is this the best time to buy a house, or should I wait until later? This is probably one of the most commonly questions asked by people considering the purchase of their first home. With the situation of our current economy , this question is asked more often than in the past. However, the answer can not be determined by anyone but you. It’s up to you, the buyer, to decide whether or not now is the best time to make such a large investment.


Here are five good reasons to buy your home now.

1. During the month of May 2009, new housing starts rose 17% over what they during the month of
   April. Most economists were surprised by this as they were not expecting such a large increase so quickly. The rise of new construction shows that there is a rise in confidence within the building community. A trend such as this would usually coincide with the recovery of the housing sector in general.




2. The majority of economists are stating that the housing market has bottomed out in the majority of the country. There are some cities where prices may still be falling, but are expected to reach the bottom very soon. This of course would mean that buyers could get into a new home at rock bottom prices and not have to fear losing any value on their investment.




3. Mortgage rates have been extremely low in the past few months. However, they are starting to go back up. On June 8^th of 2009 a 30 year fixed mortgage averaged it’s highest point since last fall. Now of course no one can predict the future, but most economists are predicting the rates to exceed 6% by the end of this year. These rising rates are one of the best reasons to buy now before they climb much higher.




4. Buyers who have not owned a home in the past three years can qualify for the “First Time Home Buyers Credit” This allows them to receive a tax credit of 10%, or up to $8,000 for the purchase of their new home. You can learn more about this credit here. However, this program is set to expire at the end of December.




5. In most cities, prices are still very low. Soon, however, this may all change. With all of these positive signs as mentioned above, more and more buyers are starting to come into the market. With a rush of buyers comes a reduction in available homes that are for sale. This in turn will drive the prices back up

This is what it really comes down to. You are the only one that can really decide what the best time is for you to buy a house. Take a close look at your finances and set your budget before you make this decision. However, there are a lot of great reasons to buy your new home now instead of later.


Once you have made that decision, give me a call.

For the most part, homeowners know of the repairs that need to be made to their home prior to selling it. In fact, sellers may have many items on their list of things to do. However, not all repairs are equal. Some items on that list may not even rank high at all on a buyers mind.


Finding out which repairs will make your home sell faster will help to create the best list to work on. A study conducted by HomeGain was created to take the guess work out of which repairs are the best use of your money. Accourding to the study, the top four areas to focus on are cleaning and decluttering, making your home brighter, proper staging, and yard landscaping.


HomeGain has broken down the ROI’s for the top repairs. The following percentages are an average of returns nationwide. Cleaning and decluttering can create a 578% ROI. Staging can create and ROI of 340%. Landscaping both the front and back yards can bring in an ROI of 415%. According to their survey, these repairs costs can range from a few to several hundred dollars, but the return can amount to thousands of dollars in profit.


Additional repairs that have shown to increase profits are: Repairing electrical and plumbing problems, replacing or steam cleaning carpets, painting interior walls, painting exterior walls, repairing damaged flooring, and updating kitchens and bathrooms. Routine maintenance will also benefit the selling of your home as well.


Not washing your windows seems like something pretty simple, however, it is one of the biggest mistakes made by home sellers. Another mistake is ignoring the floors. Never have dirty carpet in your house if you are wanting a quick sale at a good price.


When you make the above repairs costing approximately $5,000 – $8,000, HomeGain, says that prices, for example, on a three bedroom, two bathroom home can result in price increases: in the Mid-West, $20,279.


“With homes sitting on the market longer, homeowners should do everything they can to sell it quickly and at a price they expect,” says, Louis Cammarosano, General Manager at HomeGain.

During the Parade of Homes last week I had the opportunity to sit on a Shaw Homes model. I was quite impressed to say the least.

During my time as a Realtor I have had the opportunity to work with many builders. Most builders in the Tulsa area are good in their own way, whether it be pricing, service, timely completions, or whatever may set them apart from the others. However, while doing a little time in a Shaw Home I learned a lot about how this particular builder stands out from the rest. First off, the quality of their homes far exceeds most. They don’t make promises of getting your new home built within 3-4 months as most do, instead they promise that when you do move into your new home you will be more than satisfied with the finished product for many years to come.

Although Shaw does have a couple of homes that are ready for you to move in, they specialize in homes custom built just for you. Currently they have approximately 57 floorplans with 13 models available to start your thinking process. From there once you have a general idea as to what you may want they then sit down with you and put all of your thoughts down on paper and make the changes to their plans in order to make the perfect layout just for you. Of course the process doesn’t end there. While they are working on the foundation and framing of your new home, you wil continually be invovled with the finsihed product. Now, unlike a lot of builders, they won’t have you running around looking at different types of flooring and fixtures to help you decide how you want to finish your home out. Shaw Homes has a design showcase that is the largest in the Tulsa area. All within one location you will be able to pick out the floors, cabinets, contertops, faucets, and everything else that you desire to make your home stand out above the rest.

The best part of all this is that Shaw Homes has specialists that will take you through the whole process and will work with you within a budget that you can afford.

If you have any questions about Shaw Homes or would like to see what they have to offer, please give me a call. You can also learn more about Shaw Home Builders at http://forsaleinbrokenarrow.com/