As I type, the view out my window is different from this picture. Now the autumn shades are decidedly rust, orange, brown. Two weeks ago, the golden yellow was radiant. This photo does not begin to capture the beauty outside my window on that day.
For some, living in the woods may bring daily reminders of the seasons, the natural world including the birds and chipmunks which live there too, and a sense of calm. That was me today, starting my early morning with gratitude for trees.
Others may crave wide open vistas and the sun shining through year round, not to mention a lack of branches to pick up after a storm and spare time in the fall while others are raking.
Everyone seeks a different combination of factors in a home, and the outside of a home is part of that equation. Gardening, a place for children and/or pets to play, outdoor dining, bird watching, and broader views may be important to home buyers. What is on your wish list as you look outside today?
I am currently reading an interesting, though a little depressing, book called "At Home: A Short History of Private Life" by Bill Bryson. I am certain I will be blogging about this book more in the future because it is filled with interesting information about the history of homes and rooms in homes more specifically.
Early in the book I read something that gave me a unique perspective on a topic many home buyers face today: debt-to-income ratios. Basically, through typical underwriting requirements for home mortgages, most lenders dictate a maximum total debt-to-income ratio of 38% for their average borrower, and that their housing debt be no more than between 28% and 33% of their monthly gross (pre-tax) income.
According to Bryson, in nineteenth century England, "Up to 80 percent of all household expenditure... was spent on food, and up to 80 percent of that went toward bread."
Think about that for a minute. Almost two-thirds of all money was spent on bread! Today, my understanding is that the average American household (appreciating that there are likely wide variations) spends about 25% on food. Housing is a high expense for many people, but I was stunned by this glimpse into history.
My Quote of the Day comes from my favorite fictional Realtor colleague, Phil Dunphy from Modern Family.
Today I get to talk about the love of my life, [dramatic pause to glance at his wife, Claire]... residential real estate.
I adore how enthusiastic Phil is about real estate and appreciate his sometimes loony ideas for promotions and sales.
Three beautiful words in the Language of Real Estate.
Cleared To Close
Mortgage lending is a complex process in today's market and for many good reasons. The underwriting guidelines are strict and buyers often have to produce multiple documents and some in the final few days prior to settlement.
So when my buyers' lender sent the email today saying Cleared To Close, I did a little happy dance. My buyers will be able to close on their future home on Friday morning! Congratulations to them.
Today I am starting a new series called "5 Things". I will feature five things that I love about some real estate topic, in this case my wonderful new listing in College Park, Maryland. These 5 attributes of this particular home illustrate how small touches in a home can add to its overall appeal and how sellers can help prospective buyers feel "at home" as they tour through a house, even during their first visit. Also, these details are difficult to cover in a one page property brochure or the 400 characters we are given in the listing remarks section of our multiple listing service, so I wanted to share even more about this house in other creative ways.
1. On the left, I call this the Perfect Pantry. By adding simple white contact paper as part of their house sale preparation checklist, this pantry shines as tidy, useful, pleasant and convenient storage in the kitchen. For homes of this size and price point, this pantry is a gem.
2. On the right, just off the kitchen along the stairs to the basement, is even more storage. I adore built-ins and so do today's buyers! The previous owners added shelves to the old back door when they built an addition, and this extends handy space, too. Bonus: no perilous reaching; there's a landing right in front of these shelves.
3. Staying in the kitchen for another favorite thing, this 5 burner, stainless steel, gas range is as gorgeous in person as it is in this picture. Although the LeCreuset French oven does not convey with the house, of course all the appliances do. Upgraded kitchen appliances make such a huge difference to buyers today (call it an HGTV influence) and this beauty is joined in the kitchen by a French door refrigerator, a stainless steel dishwasher and the over-the-stove built in microwave (peeking in at the very top of my photo).
4. The crown molding
and trimmed doorways in the dining room nicely frame the passages to
kitchen and living room. They also give a polished, upgraded, lovely feel to the home.
5. An enclosed porch
off the back of the house really does extend the living space since this
one has outdoor carpeting, three full walls of glass windows with
screens, lighting and a ceiling fan. This is a very pleasant spot to sit
and relax and even dine, as there is room for a cafe table and chairs.
To summarize the 5 Things I Love About My New Listing:
1. Pantry
2. Built In Shelves
3. 5 Burner Range
4. Crown Molding
5. Enclosed Porch
Although I have not posted in a while, I think about blog topics constantly and have quite a few stored for the near future. So stay tuned and be sure to follow or subscribe to my blog so you don't miss any useful and fun topics.
I spotted today's Quote of the Day stenciled on a window of a restaurant along Wisconsin Avenue NW in DC.
If opportunity doesn't knock, build a door.
--Milton Berle
What a great concept for real estate, in many ways. For example, if my buyers are having a difficult time getting a new home due to multiple offers with escalations and no contingencies by other bidders, we might need to be more creative with our search strategy: look for properties on the market for longer periods due to overpricing or property condition; actively communicate with other agents in my brokerage for upcoming listings so we can be first in when it hits the market; or even broaden our search to other areas where inventory might be higher.
Another way to ponder this quote is for people who might decide to stay in their current home and improve it rather than making a move. While it might seem contradictory for a Realtor to talk about a situation that does not result in a home sale, I believe in providing organized, creative, intelligent real estate solutions for clients whether they are buying, selling or staying. Give me a call to discuss how I can help you find your best solution.
For an open house, to the general public or to other Realtors, your house does not necessarily need to look like a photo shoot for the spring Pottery Barn catalog (although that would be terrific if that were the case). And I'm not talking about a bowl of lemons on the kitchen counter or baking cookies in the oven. No, those are advanced topics.
Rather, based on just four broker open houses I attended earlier this week, these are some basic steps I recommend for both agents and homeowners trying to sell houses. I am not suggesting you try to transform your house into something it is not; it should simply be the best it can be at that time.
10. Throw away the empty pizza box from the stovetop.
9. Grab two or three large black garbage bags and walk through the house for 15-20 minutes, throwing away obvious trash and junk.
8. If it is going to rain, don't leave the windows open.
7. That said, if possible, air it out ahead of time; food and pet odors can be overwhelming.
6. Sweep.
5. It's handy if your azaleas are in peak bloom; as an alternative, some pansies might be nice.
4. Vacuum up the dead flies from the floors and window sills.
3. At least put your laundry in the hamper.
2. No one wants to see your dirty dishes.
1. Get the house ready like someone is coming to visit, because they are.
Prospective buyers and their buyer's agents will thank you.
