February 9, 2013 Leave a Comment

Five Tips For Sellers In Cary NC

Homes in Raleigh NC

Homes in Raleigh NC

The sign is up, lockbox in place and the Internet is all a buzz with information on your property. Your Realtor is off to a great start and your goal is one step closer to success! Below is a short list I give all of my sellers the day after their home hits the market. It is just a reminder to be proactive!

1. Don’t be shy!! Tell everyone you know that your home is for sale. Tell them how badly you hate to leave it, but that life does happen. Tell them they can view professional photographs at allcary.com, Facebook, and the Website that I create for your home.  Google LOVES pieces of information that have comments and are shared on Social Networks!

2. De-clutter and De-personalize- When you buy a house in Cary it becomes a HOME.  When you SELL a Home in Cary it goes back to being a HOUSE… meaning it’s now an Investment, and it needs to be staged as such.

Everyone hates this!! But it makes such a difference. If you don’t use it, don’t need it or don’t notice it daily, pack it away. You have made the decision to move forward and taking these steps are crucial in keeping a positive attitude.Go ahead and box it up! We will sell your house, so you might as well start packing now.

3. Breathe- of course showings are going to happen on the worst possible day. I will go ahead and apologize for that now. Also, it is possible that you will run around like crazy getting things ready for a showing only to have a no show, or a late show.

If you have children, let’s talk about getting a laundry basket for their clothes.  It will make it so much faster for picking up all the toys – because an inconvenient, last minute showing happens.

Remember to always give a showing 30 minutes on either side of the appointment time, things happen and people do run late. If you plan for it, life is less hectic.

4. Keep Lysol or Bleach wipes at the ready- These will be a life saver. Keep a container of them in each bathroom and in the kitchen.

When possible, before you leave for the day grab a wipe and give it a swipe!

It helps keep things smelling and looking fresh and clean. Having them at the ready will keep you from running from room to room during those short notice showings.

5. Don’t forget the Thank you note- This is more important than you know. It will help prospects remember your home. After long days of showing, it is easy to get properties confused.

I recommend that Sellers in Raleigh write a colorful thank you note and leave it in plain sight on the Kitchen Window Sill or the Kitchen Table. Tell a prospective buyer that THIS is the best neighborhood, and about the daffodils that come up every Spring, but are hidden right now under fall leaves in the backyard.  When possible, also leave bottled water, candy or cookies. Give them a reason to feel welcomed in your Raleigh home!

If you are interested in homes in Cary NC, please contact Raleigh Cary Realty at (919) 439-0965! We would love to talk to you and answer any questions about staging your home in Raleigh NC.

Filed Under: Blog Tagged: ,
Downtown Raleigh Condo Market
January 30, 2013 Leave a Comment

Downtown Raleigh Condo Market

Downtown Raleigh Condo Market

Condos for sale in Raleigh NC

The Downtown Raleigh Condo Market is as diverse as the city has recently become. There are a couple of distinctions, you have the luxury, often highrise condos in exclusive buildings with amenities such as security,pool, gym, indoor parking etc. The other side of the condo market in Raleigh would be condo buildings of maybe 6,8,10 units in each building with parking typically out front and often amenities like a pool or fitness center. Then there are a few unique opportunities of smaller buildings turned into condos where there may not be amenities but the location could be just right.

Some of the high end luxury buildings include the RBC Plaza Condominiums, The Quorum Center Condos, The Dawson, Gardens on Glenwood, 510 Glenwood, all centered in the downtown district of Fayetteville Street and Glenwood Avenue. These buildings are all relatively new and offer the latest design features and amenities. Prices range from the low $200’s for a one bedroom up to over a million for a penthouse suite.

The City of Raleigh is fast becoming a destination city in the south, as the State Capitol it is home to the Legislature and Governor and for most of it’s life was a place where people came to work in government and then drove home to the suburbs, not the case anymore as the number of condo buildings and residents has ballooned. Helping that growth is the ever expanding restaurant and retail sector along with trendy night clubs they have transformed parts of the city into vibrant hot spots and not just on weekends anymore either.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT RALEIGH NC!

The other end of the spectrum are condos in building blocks and these can range in price from mid $40,000 up to the $140,000 range and there are a mix of older units and some new construction. There is a number of condo buildings near colleges like NC State and Meredith  who cater to the student population. There are some historic, renovated and established condo buildings where you can get more square footage like The Cotton Mill and Founders Row, Bishop Park and Caraleigh Mills.
Raleigh is working hard to attract businesses and employers to the downtown area and it was recently announced that Red Hat was moving their employees to the a building now known as Red Hat Tower, also Citrix announced it was moving into the warehouse district and renovating the old Dillon Supply Warehouse, together bringing an additional 1300 workers into Raleigh

Some of the restaurants who will be benefitting from this additional source of customers are well known and highly regarded such as The Pit, Cafe Luna, Beasley’s Chicken and Honey, Mellow Mushroom and Poole’s Diner to name just a very few. Along with fine restaurants and coffee shops, bars and clubs, there is a wealth of museums, galleries and performing arts venues in Raleigh.

Filed Under: Neighborhoods Raleigh Tagged: , ,
Staging a Home
January 30, 2013 Leave a Comment

Staging a Home

homes in raleigh nc, staging your home in raleigh ncStaging your Raleigh home is normally one of the most important things a Seller can do to get top dollar for the home, because a well staged home will keep people lingering in the house longer – often imagining themselves living there. But often times, we find that clients are hesitant to take a critical eye to their home.

We tell clients that as they are selling their home, it’s important to change their words around… Say to yourself, “This is not my home; it is a house — a product to be sold much like a box of cereal on the grocery store shelf.” It’s a HOME when you buy it, it’s an INVESTMENT (a house) when you sell it.  So look around with that fresh approach, and imagine yourself handing over the keys and envelopes with warranties to the new owner.  Now think about how good it’s going to feel to be in your new home… and you are ready to De-Personalize and De-Clutter for the next family who we want to pay TOP DOLLAR for this house!

Pack up those personal photographs and family heirlooms. Buyers can’t see past personal artifacts, and you don’t want them to be distracted. You want buyers to imagine their own photos on the walls, and they can’t do that if yours are there! You don’t want to make any buyer ask, “I wonder what kind of people live in this home?” You want buyers to say, “I can see myself living here.”

Ditto when it comes to knickknacks, and all of those spices on the kitchen counters. We collect an AMAZING amount of junk each year – and that’s stuff you need to donate or throw away.  It’s a great time to have a yard sale!  Look in your closets, and remember that we want them to look spacious – not crammed to the hilt.

Do you have too many shoes in your closet, are they lined up? Go into your cabinets, and be PICKY – think about how a picture of that cabinet would look, try turning all of the coffee cup handles facing the same way.  You might need to rent a Storage Unit!  There are many visual things you can do to make a small space feel larger!

Don’t forget “staging” your outdoor spaces too! Curb appeal can mean the difference between someone even coming inside!  Finally, look closely at your home for any deferred maintenance items that need to be fixed.

If you would like more information or help with staging your home, please contact Raleigh Cary Realty at (919) 439-0965. 

Filed Under: Blog Tagged: ,
«Previous Page
Next Page»