Added Square Footage: Building Your Own Storage Shed

If you've discovered that you’re going to need more space for all your belongings, you don’t have to look for a bigger home. Instead, you can build a shed on your property if you have the right skills and materials.

For building your own storage shed, you’ll need a wide range of materials, including corrugated metal, eye and ear protection, a drill, measuring tape, a framing nail gun, screwdriver bits, a door lock, studs for wall and roof framing and plywood. Keep in mind that these are only some of the materials you’ll need for this project. You should be able to find everything at your local hardware store. Once you have what you need, you’ll need to check your local building codes to see if you’re going to need a permit. When that’s taken care of, you can start your project by measuring the shed dimensions and cutting the wood pieces ahead of time. After this, you’ll need to do the following:

• Build the floor. This involves using shank nails and studs to put the floor frame together.
• Build the frames for the back and side walls. The side walls should slope so that rain water will run off the shed roof. Just make sure that these walls don’t slope toward your home’s foundation.
• Build two front wall frames. Leave enough space between these two frames for the door.

Once you have these basic frames built, you’ll need to join the walls together, construct the roof, install exterior corrugated siding and add shelves inside the shed. The last step in building your own storage shed is hanging the door.

Need more tips on finding and fixing up a new home?  I am here to help.

Home Appraisal vs. Neighborhood Listing Prices

When you have your home appraised, you might notice that the appraisal value is different from what homes in your area are listed at. You don’t need to worry too much about this difference, though. Appraisals and listing prices vary for a number of reasons.

Here are a few things to keep in mind about home appraisal vs. neighborhood listing prices:

• Appraisals reflect how much your home is really worth. There’s some degree of subjectivity in the appraisal process, but most appraisers adhere to standards that help keep this to a minimum.
• Appraisers compare your home to other local homes that have sold in the past three months. They also take a close look at certain factors, such as your home’s amenities, condition and style, to help determine the appraisal value.
• Listing prices have a high degree of subjectivity that comes from the Realtor and the seller. The Realtor will try to help the seller get as much as they can for the house, while the seller might want to include closing costs and Realtor fees in the amount they’re asking for.
• Listing prices might be lower when sellers are trying to sell their home as quickly as possible. Keep this in mind if you notice similar homes in your area that have much lower listing prices than yours. You don’t have to lower the amount you’re asking for to better match theirs, especially if you’re not in a hurry to sell.

Home appraisal vs. neighborhood listing prices can be a confusing issue and even a cause of concern for some sellers, but it shouldn't be. Your appraisal amount will help you determine how much to list your house for.

Need help finding a reliable appraiser? Give me a call!

5 Things Most Potential Homebuyers Notice First

Getting your entire home ready for potential buyers is a crucial part of the selling process, but there are certain areas that you should pay special attention to. Buyers tend to look at particular factors in a home before anything else, so it’s important to make the most of these.

These are five of the things homebuyers notice first:

·        Indoor decor: Most buyers like to see neutral colors in a home. This makes it easier for them to envision how their belongings will look there. If your home is filled with bold colors, consider changing them to neutral ones wherever possible.

·        Roof: Since your roof protects your home from the elements, you can bet that buyers will be looking closely at it. You don’t have to spring for a new roof if yours is in good shape, but make sure you replace loose shingles and fix up other minor flaws.

·        Infrastructure: Buyers will want to see your heating and cooling systems, water and electrical setup to make sure these things are in good shape. Some buyers might prefer a home with a more energy-efficient infrastructure, so you might want to look into making those changes if they’re in your budget.

·        Layout: If your home’s layout reflects current trends, such as more open space, then you’re in good shape. If not, you’ll have to play up your home’s other attractive features and convince buyers that the layout will still work for them.

·        Patio: A patio is among the things homebuyers notice first, so it’s important to make sure yours is clean and in good condition. You can also make a better impression by dressing it up with seasonal decorations.

Make the first impression count!

3 Essential Tips for Insuring Your First Home

Getting a new home insured is one of the most important steps in the home buying process. Homeowners insurance helps cover the cost of doing repairs and rebuilding, so you won’t have to worry as much about coming up with the money for these projects.

Here are a few tips for insuring your home, so you can make sure that it has the financial protection it needs:

• Make sure your home has full coverage. The cost of rebuilding and refurnishing a home is extremely expensive, so it’s important to ensure that you’re fully covered. An insurance company or home builder can provide an estimate on how much this cost would be for your home. Once you have this estimate, you’ll need to choose Guaranteed Replacement Cost Coverage, Extended Replacement Coverage or Inflation Guarantee.
• Get liability coverage. You might not ever need it, but it’s important to have this type of coverage. Liability coverage protects you financially in case someone is injured on your property or you or someone in the household accidentally damages a neighbor’s property. It covers the cost of repairs or medical bills.
• Protect your valuables. A basic homeowners insurance policy only takes care of structural damage and the cost of replacing major items in your home, such as furniture and appliances. Valuables, such as family heirlooms or expensive jewelry, typically aren't covered. You’ll need to get additional coverage for these types of items.

Need more tips for insuring your home and choosing a reputable insurance company? 

Staging 101: Making Your Hardwoods Look Their Best

Staging your home is an effective way to make it look as appealing as possible to buyers. When preparing your home for staging, don’t overlook the condition of your hardwood floors. They can be a big selling point, as long as they’re in good shape.

Use the following tips for making hardwoods look their best:

• Wipe off dust and debris. Use a microfiber cleaning pad to go over the surface of your hardwood floors. If you have debris built up in the corners of the floor or the crevices in between the wood, use your vacuum’s hose attachment to remove it.
• Use a hardwood floor cleaner. These cleaners won’t harm your floor like other types of cleaners can. Put a small amount of cleaner on the floor, and use a microfiber pad to wipe it into the wood. Do this one area at a time until the entire floor is clean.
• Apply floor polish. Using floor polish will make your floors look shinier and protect them from damage. You can also look for a cleaner with polish in it if you don’t have time to polish it separately.

It takes time and effort, but making hardwoods look their best is well worth it. Buyers will appreciate seeing clean and shiny hardwood floors instead of ones that look worn down.

Need help getting your home ready for staging? I am here to help!

Common Conundrums: Buying Before You Sell?

Do you absolutely have to sell your home before buying a new one? Although this is usually the ideal way to do things, you don’t necessarily need to. Depending on your situation, buying before you sell is a possibility.

You can purchase a new home before your current one sells if you’re financially able to cover both mortgage payments. You’ll also need enough money for repairs, insurance and property taxes for both properties. If you’re able to afford all of this, you should be able to qualify for a mortgage on that new home.

What happens if you don’t have enough money for both, but you don’t want to lose out on buying the perfect new home? You might be able to rent your current home, which will help cover the cost of your current mortgage. Just keep in mind that lenders usually don’t count the entire monthly rent payment when determining if you qualify for a mortgage. They generally count around 75 percent of that payment. You might also need to have about 25 percent equity in order to qualify. Lenders usually also want to see enough money in your bank account to cover the cost of your current mortgage and the new mortgage for six months.

If you don’t have enough money to afford both mortgage payments and you’re unable to rent your current home, then buying before you sell isn't an option. You’ll need to find a buyer for your home before you’ll be able to qualify for a mortgage on a new home.

Need more help figuring out if you can buy before you sell? Contact Donna Hatch at 719-684-4121.