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        <title>Real Estate Blog</title>
        <link>https://www.myrenosparksrealestate.com/blog/</link>
        <description>Visit Reno's most comprehensive real estate blog. Information on new real estate trends and today's housing market!</description>
<item>
    <guid>https://www.myrenosparksrealestate.com/blog/3-simple-steps-to-selling-your-home.html</guid>
    <link>https://www.myrenosparksrealestate.com/blog/3-simple-steps-to-selling-your-home.html</link>
        <author>heathm@kw.com (Heath Montgomery)</author>
        <title>3 Simple Steps to Selling Your Home</title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 



It can feel overwhelming and stressful to sell your home It may seem like there is an unending list of things to get done. We have compiled a list of 3 simple steps you can take to sell your home





The first thing you need to do when selling your home is to get it ready to sell. Of course, this undertaking will differ from home to home. That being said, the process should always end with a house that is ready to sell. Get your house as similar looking to a vacant model home as possible. In order to complete this step of selling your home, there are three main things you need to do. These vital tips to getting your home ready are to repair it, improve it, and make it look brand new 





A major thing that home buyers look for in a home is if it has problems and things that need fixing. You are bound to have a home inspector go through your home before it is sold anyway, so why not get ahead of the game? You can do this by fixing anything damaged in your home before even listing it. 



We would advise you to hire a home inspector while preparing your house to sell. This way, you have an accurate overview of what all needs to be repaired in your property. Not only will this save you some unforeseen fixes later on, but it will cause your potential buyers to put in an offer at top dollar. 





If you want to get the greatest offer possible on your home, it may be necessary to upgrade some things. Take a look at comparable properties nearby (either search for online photos or have your Realtor walk you through some). As you look at these comps, take into account the status of the home’s features. Do they have updated wood floors? What kind of material are the counters? Was the carpet recently replaced? If the answers to these questions conclude recent improvements in the home, chances are you need to update your home to level/beat out the competition. If you choose to not upgrade your house, you may find that the offers on your home are significantly less than what you anticipated. You should discuss what improvements your home needs with your Realtor. 





After repairing and improving your home, it’s time to finish up preparing it to sell, by making it look as good as new. This might take some time and effort, especially if your home has been through some wear and tear. At this point, you have already fixed and upgraded your home, so this step requires the finishing touches. You may need to restore areas of paint, clean your carpets, and freshen up your landscaping. 



Along with freshening up and cleaning your home, clear away anything personal or specific to your interests. This will allow your potential buyers to imagine themself living in your home, with their own decorations and preferred items. By removing family pictures, posters, sports team’s banner, and personalized art from your house, buyers can imagine filling in the vacant space with their things. You want this to happen because it will help your potential buyer make an offer on your home. To complete making your home brand new, you may want to hire a professional to help you stage your home after you have put personal items in storage. 





Now that your home is ready physically to be put on the market, you need to get it listed. To do this, we recommend several things:





The first thing you need to do when listing your home is to hire a Realtor. You won’t want to use someone to sell your home that is not a professional Realtor; such as a friend, neighbor, or family member. You should research good Realtors near you and use someone to sell your home who has past experience and positive reviews. 



When choosing a Realtor, find out: 






If they employ professional photographers to use for your home’s listing






How reliable they are when planning home showings






When they use a lockbox on your home if it will be secure or cheap and insecure






How many homes they have sold and how successful that amount is






What kind of reviews and testimonials they have received online






If they give the buyer’s agent a reasonable payment 






Where your home will be advertised 






If they have any special ways of marketing your home







These are just some of the things you should consider when hiring a Realtor. Your Realtor will greatly affect the efficiency of your home sale and at what price you sell it. 





Pricing your home is something that takes a lot of thought before doing. It is important to ask your Realtor for their suggestion and take a look at comps to your home and their pricing. You want to price your home at an amount that will allow your home to sell quickly, but also at top dollar. 



Chances are if your home just sits listed with no offers for a long amount of time, your home’s offers will begin to drop in price. If you listed your home at too high a price, you will end up having to drop your asking price even lower than you could've gotten for it, simply due to its inactivity on the market. If your house has been sitting with no showings or offers for weeks and months, buyers will offer you below your listing price. You may end up taking a low offer just from being so desperate to sell your house. If you list your home at the right price in the first place,  you will avoid losing money from home selling exhaustion. 





When your home is listed, make sure that it’s in a state that is ready to show at any time. If you are in the process of selling your home and have a showing scheduled unexpectedly, it will save you a lot of stress if your home is already presentable. Not only will this save you a last-minute rush, but it will help potential buyers make an offer quicker when they see your home looking clean and beautiful. 



The most important thing to keeping your house presentable is to ensure that it is clean, has a pleasant scent, and doesn’t look dirty or sullied. You may also want to let some natural light in to draw attention to the best areas of your home. Make sure that your home is well lit when buyers see your home so it appears spacious, open, and friendly. 





Once your home is ready to sell and listed on the market, the last step is to get the sale finished If your home has an accepted offer you may be thinking the work is over, but it isn’t done quite yet. The following processes will help you to complete selling your home.





Once you have received multiple offers on your home, you may be feeling antsy to go ahead and accept one. However, you need to make sure you wait until you get the right and best offer It would be a major bummer to accept an offer just because you like the amount of money presented, only to realize there are other issues with the buyer’s offer. 



The offer price is an important factor in getting your home into contract, but there are other vital factors to consider. You should consider the down payment, kind of loan the buyer has, and the pre-approval letter before accepting any offer. Your Realtor has likely had a deal fall apart in the past, and will know what to watch out for when accepting a home offer. Talk to your Realtor about what things to beware of in buyers’ offers, such as their loan qualifications, the amount of payment they are willing to put down, and if they can provide for their own closing costs. 


 


Communicate with your Realtor about any offers you receive, and they will help you spot any red flags and work out the details. Any good and experienced Realtor will walk you through your offers and help you pick the best one. 





Eventually, you will have a sales contract in motion and then completed. During this time, you should keep in contact with your Realtor, title company, and any other people that are involved in your home sale transaction. Your Realtor should be in full communication with the buyer’s agent and lender, but make sure that they are truly doing that throughout the process of your home transaction. 



Let everyone you are working with know that you have your head in the game by being ready to receive any information concerning your home sale, and staying in contact with them consistently. Make sure to be aware of what your real estate agent and lender are doing to get your home sold, and ensure everything that needs to be done, is done. 



Once you have accepted an offer and the sales contract is executed, get the go-ahead from your lender and schedule your home closing. Contact the title company to plan what time and day your house will close. If you are hoping to receive funds on the same day your home closes, you should plan the closing to be in the morning. If you are on the west coast, the cut-off time for bank wiring is 6 pm eastern time. It is also best to schedule your closing on a day Monday-Thursday, so you don’t have to wait a whole weekend to receive your funds. 



When heading to your home’s closing, make sure you bring your ID, house keys, openers to the garage, and any other documentation, receipts, and objects your buyer may need. Once you sign your paperwork at the closing, it should only be several moments until your job is completed. The buyers then must sign their portion of the deal, and everything gets finished up with the title company and lender. If everything was done correctly at the closing, your closing funds will appear in your account several hours later. 



After this step is done, your home selling journey is complete Congratulations


 





Thank you for reading 3 Simple Steps to Selling Your Home


Feel free to check out the rest of our blogs for sellers and contact us with any questions
 ]]> </description>
    <pubDate>Wed, 18 Aug 2021 11:57:00 -0700</pubDate>
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    <guid>https://www.myrenosparksrealestate.com/blog/the-best-in-the-west-nugget-rib-cook-off.html</guid>
    <link>https://www.myrenosparksrealestate.com/blog/the-best-in-the-west-nugget-rib-cook-off.html</link>
        <author>heathm@kw.com (Heath Montgomery)</author>
        <title>The Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-Off</title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 



Calling all rib enthusiasts Calling anyone who loves fried food, streets full of shopping vendors, and families looking for a fun night out Named as one of the largest free-entry rib cook-off festivals in the country, you don’t want to miss the Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-Off Since 1989, this cook-off has been a favorite event for many barbecue lovers Last year, the event was cancelled due to Covid-19, and many broke their streak of attending every year. This year, the festival is back, and will bring in competitors from all around the nation



During the days September 1st-6th, Victorian Square will be filled with the smell of barbecue and people enjoying one of the last events of the summer. Not only are there ribs from all around the country, but many delicious desserts, appetizers, and entrees along the street As you walk along the stretch of the festival people are found eating ribs, sandwiches, fried zucchini, ice cream, candy, caramel apples, hush puppies, and fries 



My family has lived in Sparks since 2005, and we have attended the Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-Off on many occasions. Over the years, my son and I would try many of the ribs, while my wife and daughter stuck to the hush puppies, funnel cakes, and frozen fruit treats In our most recent trip to the cook-off, my son’s now wife joined us in eating the delicious barbecue. This year, I hope to convince my wife and daughter to eat some ribs, not just their fried zucchini Nevertheless, whether or not you adore barbecue, you are sure to find something good to eat and have a good time 



The best time to arrive at the cook-off would be around 4pm or 5pm in my opinion. This way, the heat of the afternoon has worn off, but it’s still bright enough to find your way around all the barbecue competitors



With plenty of food options, music performances, shopping stands, kids’ activities, and a summer vibe in the air, you can’t go wrong with attending the Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-Off


 





Thank you for reading The Best in the West Nugget Rib Cook-Off Get the inside scoop on other events in Reno/Sparks here 


You may also like our blog, Top Ten Things to do in Reno/Sparks This Summer

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    <pubDate>Wed, 28 Jul 2021 15:40:00 -0700</pubDate>
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    <guid>https://www.myrenosparksrealestate.com/blog/the-keller-williams-app.html</guid>
    <link>https://www.myrenosparksrealestate.com/blog/the-keller-williams-app.html</link>
        <author>heathm@kw.com (Heath Montgomery)</author>
        <title>The Keller Williams App</title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 



Do you ever wish that there was simply an app for many of the housing questions you have and property searching features you want? Well, guess what? There is The KW app has a lot of amazing assets and details that you will be able to utilize when considering buying or selling a home.



The KW app has plenty of information you may need on housing, features that will allow you to quickly search for the home you are looking for and enable quick connection with your agent or client. Whether you are a real estate agent looking for resources, or a buyer/seller searching for the most efficient way to complete a transaction with your agent, this is the app for you



The Keller Williams app does the following:









Clients are introduced to services that are important to the home selling or buying process, such as mortgage and home insurance companies.






Agents can see their clients progress within the operating system.






Clients will be able to walk through the housing transaction in the app, with tips and tricks from their agent provided along the way.






The app allows for an easier time completing the transaction while maintaining constant contact between agent and client.














Descriptive Intel and insight is provided for neighborhoods.






Users of the app can see details on what life is like in any given neighborhood for nearly all available neighborhoods located in the US.














Clients can search for homes by location, schooling district, specific neighborhoods, and the things that are most important to them when relocating. 






There is a feature called “collections”, in which clients can compile a list of properties they are considering and allow their agents to leave notes on each of the listings.














Clients will have access to trends in the area and home valuations.






Agents can provide a list of experienced people to hire for home upgrades and repairs.






Agents can immediately see when previous clients put in a CMA appeal.














Clients can go on a live virtual tour of a property with their agent from wherever they are.










Did you enjoy reading The Keller Williams App? Check out the rest of our blog for buyers and sellers to gain more resources and information 


Contact us today with any questions you have
 ]]> </description>
    <pubDate>Wed, 28 Jul 2021 15:02:00 -0700</pubDate>
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    <guid>https://www.myrenosparksrealestate.com/blog/home-for-sale-6221-ingleston-dr-sparks-nv-89436.html</guid>
    <link>https://www.myrenosparksrealestate.com/blog/home-for-sale-6221-ingleston-dr-sparks-nv-89436.html</link>
        <author>heathm@kw.com (Heath Montgomery)</author>
        <title>Home for Sale- 6221 Ingleston Dr, Sparks, NV 89436</title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 



Home for Sale 


6221 Ingleston Dr


Sparks, NV 89436



✅ 3 beds, 2 baths


✅ Located in Wingfield Springs


✅ 1,248 Square Ft.


✅ Close to shopping, schools, parks and walking trails


✅ Open floor plan with lots of natural lights



$410,000


This beautiful home is located in The Fairway. Residents have access to the Club House that features a pool, spa, rec room, and more This house is in a great location, with the Pioneer Meadows Marketplace just down the street Contact us today to schedule a showing for this great home

 ]]> </description>
    <pubDate>Tue, 27 Jul 2021 10:56:00 -0700</pubDate>
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    <guid>https://www.myrenosparksrealestate.com/blog/10-checklist-items-for-home-buyers-before-you-buy.html</guid>
    <link>https://www.myrenosparksrealestate.com/blog/10-checklist-items-for-home-buyers-before-you-buy.html</link>
        <author>heathm@kw.com (Heath Montgomery)</author>
        <title>10 Checklist Items For Home Buyers - Before You Buy </title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 




If you are considering buying a home, there are some things that you should consider and look into before you put in an offer. Here we have compiled 10 basic things for you to check off before you decide on the house you are going to buy. Below is a sneak peek at the 10 checklist items to do before you become a home buyer.





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If you are considering buying a house that is 30+ years old, it is very likely that some work has been done on it over the years. You can find the past permits of a property in the Reno area here. You should take some time to look at the past permits for the home and what repairs have been made over the years. 


 


Depending on the city and location, permit rules may differ. That being said, have a Realtor help you look for permits if you are unsure how to find them or what to look for. Along with looking at repairs, be sure to make sure any upgrades or additions done to the home were permitted (or was something that didn’t require one).





HOA rules and regulations come in all different forms. When looking at purchasing a home, you should check if there is a Home Owner’s Association and if you are required to join it. After you find out that answer, get a hold of the regulations and by-laws of that HOA. This will allow you to observe any restrictions on your future property and figure out if it will constrain your plans with the home.



You will want to read the specific details of the HOA in the neighborhood of any property you are considering purchasing. This way, you will be ahead of the game by knowing the rules, regulations, and by-laws of that HOA area. If you hire a Realtor who is local and experienced, they will most likely have knowledge of the HOA rules in many neighborhoods. They should be happy to help you figure out what HOA restrictions are in your possible future home’s neighborhood.





A vital thing to check when considering purchasing a home is to research the future area plans. It would be a major bummer if you bought a home with a beautiful, open landscape behind it just to have that open area be turned into a parking garage, warehouse, or storage unit. If you do happen to find a home with a great open area next to it, it would be wise to look into if anything is being built there. If something is going to be constructed there, find out what is being built there. Sometimes you will find that information, sometimes not. In the cases that you cannot find future building plans near you, you will have to decide if the property is worth the risk or not. 



It would be wise to look online for any information about future developments near your new home. Again, it may or may not be available as public information. Even so, do your best to find information on future developments and weigh out if your property is worth it even if you do lose that open area near to it.





We talked about researching the regulations of your future home’s HOA, but it is also important to check out the stability of it. Although Home Owner’s Associations are all run differently, almost all of them will have a budget. It is important to find out the financial status of an HOA before you purchase a home in its area. You don’t want to accidentally buy a home in a neighborhood that has a Home Owner’s Association that is going bankrupt. A good way to help avoid this is to have your Realtor ask the HOA for a fiscal report, and make sure it is not an HOA that is poorly managed. When an HOA falls apart in a neighborhood, it is very hard to have a new one implemented later on. 





One major thing you want to avoid when buying a home is having to buy an air conditioning or heating system along with the house. You may come across a house that you like and find that it does not have an AC unit. In most cases - especially in the Reno area where we experience all 4 seasons thoroughly - it is vital to have an AC unit and heating system in the home. If you purchase a home that does not have one, it will be very expensive to add later on. You should determine whether or not the home has an AC unit and a heating system. If the house does have those, double check that the units are functional and able to provide cold air and heat to the entirety of the home. Make sure to address any HVAC issues in the inspection period of buying a home. By checking the HVAC in a home you wish to purchase and bringing it up in a contractual inspection, you are saving yourself a lot of pain and money in the future.





Having to replace a roof is a very expensive repair on a house. Depending on the size and type of the roof, it can get pretty spendy. That being said, you should observe the roof on the home and figure out what kind of condition it is in. It would be advised to have the roof of a house inspected before you buy it, to prevent having to repair it soon after. You want to buy a home that has a roof with no big issues and has a decently long life expectancy.





When you are considering buying a home, it is important to take a look at the school district zoning. If you have kids, it is very necessary to take a look at this. However, even if you don’t have kids, it is still an aspect of purchasing a home that you will need to look into. When researching this, take a look at the zoning boundaries of schools near you, and if those boundaries move around often. Your home value could be decreased due to what school is zoned to your home. Whether or not you actually have kids attending the school zoned to you, it could affect you. It is important to research your local school district and the zoning plans for the area around your property.





This is not always an issue, depending on where your future home is located, but is something to consider. In Washoe County, there is a limit on how many cats and dogs you can have. You can read about that here Before you purchase a home, you should take a quick look at your possible new house’s regulations for pets and animals on the property. If you have pets, it affects you. If you do not have pets, it could affect the efficiency of which you can sell your home later on. Contact your Realtor to find out more about the pet restrictions in the area you are considering buying a home.





It is pretty common for people to check comparable sold properties (comps) before putting an offer on a home. This is usually observed to see the average price of homes in the area. However, it is also important to check the days on the market when looking at comps of your future home. By checking the usual amount of days on the market for properties in the area, you will be able to see where the house you are looking at sits. If the house you are considering has been on the market for 200 days and the average days on the market for the area is 50 days, it might be worth looking into why that property is taking so long to sell. It is quite possibly due to overpricing by the current owner, but it could also be due to an issue with the home. Before placing an offer, check if the property has been under contract or had an inspection, and why the property has been on the market for so long.  





This issue may or may not be relevant to you, depending on how many vehicles you have and what area you are looking at. However, some neighborhoods have rules on how many cars can be parked in the street and/or driveway overnight. You should make sure to take a look at the neighborhood and area regulations on parking if you are considering buying a home there. There may even be parking rules placed in order by the HOA of the neighborhood you are considering. Just make sure to double check the parking rules for the house you are considering purchasing.



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Thank you for reading 10 Checklist Items For Home Buyers - Before You Buy 


Check out our other blogs for buyers, and contact us with any questions


 


 
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    <pubDate>Tue, 20 Jul 2021 14:45:00 -0700</pubDate>
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    <guid>https://www.myrenosparksrealestate.com/blog/just-listed-home-for-sale-1039-mountain-air-ct-reno-nv-89511.html</guid>
    <link>https://www.myrenosparksrealestate.com/blog/just-listed-home-for-sale-1039-mountain-air-ct-reno-nv-89511.html</link>
        <author>heathm@kw.com (Heath Montgomery)</author>
        <title>Just Listed Home for Sale- 1039 Mountain Air Ct, Reno, NV 89511</title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 
Home for sale


1039 Mountain Air Ct


Reno, NV 89511



✅ 4 bedrooms, 3 baths


✅ 3,167 Square Feet


✅ 4 car garage


✅ Paved Patio in beautiful backyard


✅ Amazing view of the mountains


✅ Located in Arrowcreek


✅ High ceilings



$1,325,000


This beautiful home is located in Reno, in the desired Arrowcreek. The floor plan is spacious and open, with soaring ceilings and large windows. Natural light floods the house during the day, and gorgeous views are seen from windows in the home. This property boasts a roomy kitchen with double ovens, granite countertops, a fabulous backsplash, a large pantry, a breakfast bar, and nook The guest bedroom features a jack and jill bathroom, along with double sinks The master bedroom exhibits a large closet, along with a jetted tub in suite. Call us today for your private showing in this amazing home



Lic S. 067157




 ]]> </description>
    <pubDate>Tue, 20 Jul 2021 12:00:00 -0700</pubDate>
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    <guid>https://www.myrenosparksrealestate.com/blog/june-2021-market-conditions-for-condos-and-townhouses.html</guid>
    <link>https://www.myrenosparksrealestate.com/blog/june-2021-market-conditions-for-condos-and-townhouses.html</link>
        <author>heathm@kw.com (Heath Montgomery)</author>
        <title>June 2021 Market Conditions For Condos and Townhouses</title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 



Curious about the current status of the local housing market? Check out these market reports from June 2021 in Reno and Sparks for condos and townhouses You can also get a home valuation here




















Thank you for reading June 2021 Reno Sparks Market Conditions for Condos and Townhouses


Want to know what your home is worth? Click Here

 ]]> </description>
    <pubDate>Mon, 19 Jul 2021 11:12:00 -0700</pubDate>
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    <guid>https://www.myrenosparksrealestate.com/blog/june-2021-reno-sparks-market-conditions-for-single-family-homes.html</guid>
    <link>https://www.myrenosparksrealestate.com/blog/june-2021-reno-sparks-market-conditions-for-single-family-homes.html</link>
        <author>heathm@kw.com (Heath Montgomery)</author>
        <title>June 2021 Reno Sparks Market Conditions for Single Family Homes</title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 



Curious about the current status of the local housing market? Check out these market reports from June 2021 in Reno, Sparks, and Fernley for single family homes You can also get a home valuation here




















Thank you for reading June 2021 Reno Sparks Market Conditions for Single Family Homes 


Want to know what your home is worth? Click Here
 ]]> </description>
    <pubDate>Mon, 19 Jul 2021 10:20:00 -0700</pubDate>
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    <guid>https://www.myrenosparksrealestate.com/blog/the-tahoe-east-shore-trail.html</guid>
    <link>https://www.myrenosparksrealestate.com/blog/the-tahoe-east-shore-trail.html</link>
        <author>heathm@kw.com (Heath Montgomery)</author>
        <title>The Tahoe East Shore Trail</title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 






The Tahoe East Shore Trail is an amazing trail that stretches 3 miles around the beautiful Lake Tahoe. It was recently opened in June 2019, and already has become a favorite walking and biking path for many The trail is paved, 10 feet wide, and provides gorgeous views as you make your way along the path.



Beginning at the trailhead in Incline Village, the trail winds around the east shore of Lake Tahoe and ends at the popular Sand Harbor. The Tahoe East Shore Trailhead begins about a one minute’s walk from Tunnel Creek Café, perfect for a grab and go snack before your trail adventure



This trail brings to life the dreams that many local residents have imagined: a safe path for cyclists, joggers, and walkers overlooking Lake Tahoe. It provides an amazing way to enjoy the beauty of Lake Tahoe, breathe the mountain air, and get some exercise






In February of 2020, my wife and I went to enjoy a day together on the Tahoe East Shore Trail. Lake Tahoe is one of our favorite places to take a date for the day. We had been hearing great things about the trail since it opened, and wanted to see for ourselves Although it was winter, the weather was warm and beautiful. We started at the trailhead in Incline and talked as we strolled along, taking in the sights.



(Enjoy these gorgeous pictures my wife took as we explored the trail)



There are many different little trails off of the Tahoe East Shore Trail leading to beaches around the Tahoe shores. One of the paths off the main trail led us to Hidden Beach. Another led us through a tunnel of rock that opened up to another small, gorgeous beach Eventually, we had made our way on the 3-mile trail (plus our off-path beach excursions) and arrived at Sand Harbor 






At Sand Harbor, my wife and I sat together and enjoyed the beauty, then motivated ourselves to walk back to our car (back at the trailhead). We had explored quite a bit, so we were tired, but it was a great day We grabbed some coffee and headed home, very happy we went on the Tahoe East Shore Trail



We have gone back several more times since that first, and I think you would love it as well I am constantly amazed by the beauty we live so near to, and grateful we get to live in such a gorgeous place


 





If you enjoyed reading The Tahoe East Shore Trail, Check out our other articles on locations and events in the surrounding areas in our Reno Area Blog


 


 
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    <pubDate>Thu, 08 Jul 2021 11:10:00 -0700</pubDate>
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    <guid>https://www.myrenosparksrealestate.com/blog/10-things-to-do-before-you-sell-your-home.html</guid>
    <link>https://www.myrenosparksrealestate.com/blog/10-things-to-do-before-you-sell-your-home.html</link>
        <author>heathm@kw.com (Heath Montgomery)</author>
        <title>10 Things To Do Before You Sell Your Home</title>
    <description> <![CDATA[ 



Selling a house is a lot of work Before you start the process of selling your home, it is important to know what steps to take. Trying to sell your home without knowing specifics of what to do is like trying to solve a puzzle blindfolded. 



Although you may anticipate selling your home to be complex, you may not realize how many details are involved in getting your home ready to sell. It can be very tiring if you don’t know where to start or what to do. 



Below is a quick table of contents of what this blog will be covering, so you get the general idea. We have no doubt that this checklist will help you get your home ready to sell






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Clear Away Personal Decorations



 


When you are selling your home, there will be many people that consider buying it. These different buyers will all have different styles and preferences. That being said, it is best for your home to have a neutral feel when you are preparing to sell it. This allows potential buyers to get attached to your house, when they can picture their belongings in it. 



If the house is full of the seller's family photos, personalized art and decorations, the buyer has a harder time attaching to the home. It is best to clear out all proof of your hobbies, favorite movies, sports teams, and personal pictures. 



Try to make it seem like the home is vacant, waiting for a home buyer to move in. This way, your buyer will become attached to the home and become more likely to make an offer.


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Employ a Home Inspector



After you have a sales contract underway, the buyer is going to send a home inspector to your house. Instead of waiting for your buyer to hire a home inspector, do it before them A home inspection costs only a few hundred dollars, which is not much in the big picture of home selling.



Before you put your home up for sale, take care of any repairs that need to be done. If you don’t, the buyers will find the repairs that need to be done and let you know what they are.



Home inspections are a main cause of offers going down the drain. You do not want to risk your deal falling through because of a home inspection gone bad. A great way to avoid this is to simply hire a home inspector before your buyer. This lets them know you care, and in turn they are more likely to go through with their offer.


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Clean Everything, and Clean Thoroughly 


 


There are many different perspectives on what the word “clean” actually means. You have no way of knowing if your buyer will be a clean and pristine person or someone who doesn’t care if something is sparkling clean or not. 



The best way to avoid a problem due to a dirty house is to make sure you thoroughly clean your home before selling it. If you are able to, hire a cleaning crew to take a day or two deep cleaning your home and eliminating anything even slightly dirty. 



Home buyers expect the house they are buying to be very clean. When a home is clean, it gives the sense that the house has been well taken care of. This then allows the buyers to attach to the home and have a very good impression of it.


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Remove Proof of Children and Pets



 


If you want to sell your home in an efficient amount of time and for top dollar, you should try to appeal to all buyers. Not all of your buyers will have kids and/or pets. This means you will want to clear out all evidence of pets and kids. Even if your house is perfect in every other aspect, animal smells and toys everywhere could turn your potential home buyers away. 



Sometimes buyers won’t even complete a walk through if they sense that pets live in the home. This can be from smelling or seeing an animal, or even seeing a litter box or dog bed in the property photos.



If you are unsure whether or not your home has evidence of your pets, ask your real estate agent to give you a second opinion 



It is important to make your home appeal to all buyers, even if they are not a fan of pets. Also consider the fact that potential home buyers could have an animal allergy, in which situation you would need to make sure you prepare your home to their needs. 



Lastly, examine your home from the view of someone who does not have kids. You may find that it is obvious there has been a lot of child’s play in the house, ie. marks on the walls, messy rooms and closets… If it is evident from a buyer’s standpoint that the home has a lot of wear and tear from children, it may be unappealing to them. It will help your home to sell quicker if you clear away evidence of your kids and pets.


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Update Old Fixtures



 


Replacing outdated fixtures is an easy way to improve the presentation of your home. If you have faucets, light fixtures, or door handles that look old and outdated, it is time to update them. If you don’t upgrade them, your buyers may view your home as being old and having a lot of work to be done.



This topic is a fairly easy one and has a quick fix. If you have fixtures that need replacing, take a trip to a home improvement store and purchase some new installations. You may not be anticipating how much of an enhancement a few new door handles and light switch covers can add.



If you are unsure where to start with upgrading, walk through your house and write down any outdated fixtures. Replace as many as you can before you sell your home, and then include the upgrades in the description of your listing.


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Clean or Replace Carpet



A big question Realtors receive when helping sellers is whether or not to replace the carpet in their home. Out of all the features in your home, carpet shows the most damage. If your carpets have been recently replaced and are unstained, you might be able to hire a professional cleaning company and avoid replacing them. However, if the carpets still show wear and tear, you will need to get new carpet.



You will hear from many Realtors that dirty, old carpets make a home difficult to sell. Clean, updated carpets provide opportunity for your home to sell at top dollar. It may surprise you how much of an impact new, clean carpets have on the sale of your home. 



If you have hardwood floors in an area of your home that gets a lot of foot traffic, you may consider replacing those to increase the value of your home. Contact your Realtor for advice on what flooring should be cleaned or replaced before selling your house.


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Touch Up or Redo Paint



 


If you haven’t had your house painted inside in over a year, you will need to do some touching up before selling your home. You should touch up places on your walls that have nail marks, scratches, or handprints. 



Taking some time to touch up your already painted walls is fairly easy and helps make your home look new and appealing. If you don’t have matching paint for your walls, go to a paint store and color match. Then you will be able to touch up your walls with the same paint color as they are already painted.



If you have vibrant colored painting in your home, you should paint over it with a more neutral color. People have many different preferences on what colors they like and want in their home. The best way to appeal to all possible home buyers is to stick to neutral colors. Buyers are less likely to object to a house with neutral colors than they are to a house with very strong color choices of paint, such as bright yellow walls. 



You may also consider upgrading outside painting on your house. If you feel like your fence, siding, or other features outside your home need some touching up, go for it Touching up the paint on your house, in and outside, can only help the sale of your home



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Rent a Storage Unit


 


We as people compile a lot of stuff in our homes over time. You may have full closets and a packed garage. Most people do However, when selling your home you may be competing with other homes that are completely empty, or staged for selling. If your home looks stuffed and other houses on the market have vacancy, buyers may place an offer on the other homes simply from the appearance of space. More vacant looking homes appear to be more spacious to the eye of the buyer, thus more attractive.



An efficient way to avoid losing an offer due to your stuff is to rent a  storage unit. This way, you will be able to declutter your home and create a clean and clear environment which your buyers will be all for 



After you rent a storage unit, fill it with everything you can part with for a few weeks. If you think you can live without it for a while, put it in the storage unit 



By renting a storage unit for selling, you accomplish multiple things. You get a head start on moving out of your home, along with creating a move-in-ready home that buyers will adore



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Freshen Up Landscaping


 


Landscaping is typically the best valued improvement you can make on your home before selling it. The outside of your house is the first impression your potential buyers get of your home. First impressions are important, and you want to make sure your home’s first impressions are great 



A quick way to update your landscaping is by adding fresh mulch over the top of all your landscaped places. This is a quick, cheap, and easy way to freshen up your landscaping. 



If you want to guarantee that your home makes a great first impression, you may want to plant some vibrant flowers You can also trim plants and bushes that need a little touching up, along with cleaning your outdoor areas. Spending some time on your home’s landscaping is a great way to assure that your buyer has a good first impression, which will lead them to consider putting an offer on your home.


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Get Advice From an Experienced Realtor



Each and every home has unique characteristics and different things to be addressed when preparing to sell. Buyer’s agents with experience look at many different homes every week. When a real estate agent walks through your home, they are able to pinpoint objections that buyers may have, and provide solutions for them. Having an experienced real estate agent is invaluable when you are getting ready to sell your home. 



Realtors are able to identify what buyers are looking for because they talk to buyers every day. Experienced Realtors will be able to help you prepare for selling your home, and tell you what suggestions you are likely to receive from possible buyers. Knowledge from your real estate agent will prove to be very valuable and helpful in order to sell your home quickly and at top dollar. Make sure to contact your real estate agent for help on what steps you should take in order to list your home and receive offers. 



If you are ready to begin the home selling process, please reach out to us Our team has over 16 years of experience in real estate and we would love to help you sell your home. We love serving our clients and helping them sell their home quickly, efficiently, and at its highest value 


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So, what do you think? Are you ready to begin preparing to sell your house? We are here for you If you have ANY questions or concerns related to the sale of your house, give us a call or send a text over We can't wait to hear from you and walk you through the home selling process. 


If you follow these steps above, your home will be beautiful and in great shape to sell Preparing your house by using the steps above will help your house beat out others on the market. Buyers LOVE when a home is clean, upgraded, and freshened up. It may be some hard work you have to do in order to get your house in ship-shape, but it will be well worth it when you get that offer We are here to help you sell your home efficiently and for top dollar. Check your home's worth here





Thank you for reading 10 Thing To Do Before You Sell Your Home


Feel free to check out the rest of our blogs for sellers
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    <pubDate>Tue, 06 Jul 2021 15:25:00 -0700</pubDate>
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