Crye-Leike Insights

Have you been thinking about downsizing, but are not sure if it's the right move for you? Maybe your kids have left the nest, retirement is on the horizon, or the cost of maintaining a large home just is not in the cards anymore. Whatever the reason may be for choosing to downsize, you will want to think about the following four circumstances first. 1. Finances Unfortunately, moving into a smaller home does not automatically mean you will be saving money. Although your utilities and maintenance costs will probably be lower, you need to think about the cost of living in your new neighborhood, property taxes, the cost of moving and furnishing a new home, potential homeowner's association fees and more. If your reason for downsizing is to save money, you will want to make sure that the place you are moving to will allow you to do so. 2. Selling your current home Your financial situation and the ability to sell your home will go hand-in-hand. How much will you be able to sell your current home for in today's market? Will you have to invest in repairs first? Do you still have a loan to pay off? All of these are questions you need to ask yourself if you are thinking of selling your home to downsize. If you have made the decision to sell your current home, having a trusted Realtor by your side to help answer these questions and get the most value for your home will be a huge help. 3. Living space needed If you feel like you are at a point in life where you no longer want to maintain the big yard, or the extra bedrooms and bathrooms are empty, then downsizing sounds like the right choice. However, you will want to make sure your new home still has the adequate space to fit your needs. Before purchasing your new home, make sure its floor plan, storage, parking, etc. still make sense for your living needs. 4. Handling your possessions It can be surprising to realize how much stuff you really own, until you try to move it all into a smaller space. The furniture that you had for your 5 bedroom home is not going to fit in your new 2 bedroom condo. Before you make the decision to downsize, conduct an inventory of your possessions and figure out what you would like to keep and what to toss. Donating items to local charities, hosting a yard sale or renting a storage space can help cut down on the stress of trying to fit everything into your new home.   For more real estate tips, please visit www.clhomes.com/blogs.

Many homeowners have an emotional attachment to their homes, and when it's time to sell, those emotions can sometimes hinder the process. Your home is where you've spent time with family and friends, celebrated holidays and special events, and created memories to last a lifetime. We understand it can be hard to let that go, which is why we wanted to share these five tips on dealing with the emotional impact of selling your home. 1. Remember that "home" is more than a house It's a tale as old as time, but home really is where the heart is. Take a step back and consider that, although you've made many memories in your home, there are many more to be made elsewhere. New opportunities are on the horizon for you. 2. Change your mindset from an owner to a seller Once you start thinking of yourself as a home seller instead of a homeowner, you'll be able to focus more on what needs to be done to make this sale happen. If you can come to terms with letting go of your home, your attitude towards the selling process will become more positive, and you'll become more productive. 3. Depersonalize as soon as possible Depersonalizing your home is very important. Buyers should step into your home and be able to picture it as their own. This means you should take down any family photos, collectables that are on display and any other personal items. One of the hardest parts of selling a home can be depersonalizing it, especially if your emotions are getting the best of you. Again, your home is more than just this house. These items that you're putting away won't be gone forever. 4. Focus on the future Think about why you are selling your home to begin with. Are you moving closer to family? Are you downsizing to help save money? List out the reasons you have made the decision to sell, and whenever you're feeling down about the move, look back at this list. Remember that you are moving on to a new chapter in life, and you have many things to look forward to. Focus on the future and the positive events to come. 5. Find an understanding, trustworthy agent Finding a Realtor who you can trust on an emotional and financial level is so important. This person will be your go-to for information, advice and much more. They will market your home, negotiate for your best interest and be your guide through the entire selling process. If you can trust your Realtor with the sale of your home, that will take some of the emotional stress off of your shoulders and allow you to focus on your next chapter.   For more real estate tips, please visitwww.clhomes.com/blogs.

Traditionally, the real estate market tends to slow down during the winter months. As we all know though, 2020 is far from a traditional year and it looks like the housing market will continue to thrive through the season! Mortgage rates and housing inventory are both considerably low, which creates a competitive seller's market with pent up buyer's demand. This combination makes for a fast-paced market no matter what season it is. Keep reading to find out how to prep your home to sell this winter. Make your home move-in ready Houses are being snatched off the market quickly, and your home might not sell as fast as the others will if it is not move-in ready. A potential buyer does not want to think about having to make renovations or remodeling in the middle of winter. Completing certain renovations yourself will still generate a return on investment and get your home sold fast. Create a cozy atmosphere Prepare for home showings by lighting your fireplace, having fresh baked goods on display, playing some soft music in the background and serving hot cocoa or cider to your guests. Creating a warm, cozy feeling in your home will make potential buyers feel thankful for stepping out of the winter tundra and into their dream home. Less is more with holiday decor I think it is safe to say that if you are planning to sell your home this winter, maybe skip out on the over-the-top light display and do not set up the entire winter village that takes up your entire dining room. You can still decorate for the season, but keep it simple and clean. The goal is to create a space that buyers can envision being their own. Lighting is everything Dark winters can make a home feel drab and depressing, but if you have adequate lighting, it can change the entire mood. If you are showing your home in the daytime, make sure to pull back the curtains and let the natural light shine in your home. With our days getting shorter, it is crucial to take advantage of the natural light while we still can. If you are showing your home in the evening, make sure that your interior and exterior lights are bright and working properly. Seasonal listing photos Listing photos can make or break a home that is on the market. Potential buyers will look at your listing photos before deciding if your home is even worth going to look at in-person. Unfortunately, photos of your home in the winter might not be appealing. Homes buried in snow or homes with a brown front lawn do not stick out to a buyer. If you are able to, add some high quality photos of your home's exterior in the summer or spring to your listing. This allows buyers to see what they have to look forward to in the warmer months and can attract more attention to your listing.   Looking for more advice during the buying/selling process? Visitwww.crye-leike.com/blogs for more real estate tips and tricks!   ABOUT CRYE-LEIKE: Crye-Leike Real Estate Services (www.clhomes.com), a full service real estate company for over 40 years, is ranked as the third largest independently owned real estate firm in the nation and the largest serving Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi and the Mid-South. Crye-Leike has more than 3,200 sales associates, over 800 employees and 140+ company-owned and franchise offices spread across nine states. It generated $6.5 billion in sales volume and 29,925 closed transaction sides corporate wide in 2019 - its biggest year ever - and is on track to achieve the company's goal of $6.8 billion in sales volume this year.

Millions of homeowners share their homes with dogs, cats, reptiles, fish, hamsters, birds and many other types of our world's finest creatures. We all love our pets dearly, but when it comes to selling your home, it is best to keep the pet exposure to a minimum. Here are five things that you should do if you are a pet-owner who is ready to put your home on the market: 1. Relocate pets during showings If you are not at your home during showings, then there is no reason for your pets to be there either. I know it is hard to believe, but some people might not love your animals as much as you do. The easiest way to allow a buyer to focus on the beauty of your home is by eliminating any distractions, and pets happen to be one of those distractions. You don't want a buyer to open a closet and be surprised by a cat sleeping on the shelves, or walk into the garage only to be met by the shocking jump of a 100lb dog. Take your pets away with you during home showings, or if you are personally staying for the showing, ask a trusted friend or family member to watch them at their house. 2. Repair any damages caused by pets Although we love our fur babies, they can be a nuisance to the integrity of our homes. Some of the most common damages caused by pets include scratched doors, punctured window screens, tethered carpets, shredded furniture legs and scratched hardwood floors. Before showing your home to potential buyers, make sure to repair any damages that you can. The last thing a buyer wants to do is spend their money fixing problems caused by your pet. 3. Eliminate odors Bad odors can drive potential buyers right out of the door, and pets tend to leave behind different smells. The most common pet odor that lingers in a home is, you guessed it, urine. Pets have accidents. Unfortunately, if those accidents are not properly taken care of by the seller, a buyer will not want to figure out how to get rid of the smell themselves. As a seller, you might have to consider replacing or getting carpets/flooring professionally cleaned, washing the walls and even changing any air filters in your home to try to eliminate any unsavory smells. 4. Hide pet supplies and accessories Put away any litter boxes, food bowls, toys, tanks, cages, and other pet supplies before showing your home. If a buyer sees remnants of a pet, they might start to wonder if the animals have caused any damage to the home. It can also be difficult for a buyer to imagine the home as their own if personal pet belongings are on display. 5. Clean any stains and pet hair Deep cleaning your home is standard before any showing, but if you have pets, you will want to double check that you have removed any pet stains or hair. A couch covered in dog hair can easily ruin a clean, staged home. Pet dander can also cause serious allergies, and the last thing a buyer wants is to have a reaction while walking through your home.   Looking for more advice during the buying/selling process? Visitwww.crye-leike.com/blogsfor more real estate tips and tricks!   ABOUT CRYE-LEIKE: Crye-Leike Real Estate Services (www.crye-leike.com), a full service real estate company for over 40 years, is ranked as the third largest independently owned real estate firm in the nation and the largest serving Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi and the Mid-South. Crye-Leike has more than 3,200 sales associates, over 800 employees and 140+ company-owned and franchise offices spread across nine states. It generated $6.5 billion in sales volume and 29,925 closed transaction sides corporate wide in 2019 - its biggest year ever - and is on track to achieve the company's goal of $6.8 billion in sales volume this year.

Time The real estate process requires a lot of work on both a buyer and seller's end, but the best part about having a Realtor is that they will do most of that work for you. If you are already working full-time, will you be able to put together an open house, find potential buyers, stage your house, etc. when you get back at 5:00p.m.? Save yourself the time of doing market research, advertising your home, negotiating contracts and other necessary work by hiring a Realtor. Money Okay, I know what youre thinking: You still have to pay a Realtor, right? Yes, you do. Usually, a Realtor will get paid 6 percent of what your home sells for. This might seem like a lot of money at first, but it will cost you a lot more money if you decide to do things on your own and end up making mistakes along the way. The biggest mistake sellers make when they do not use a Realtor, is listing their home at the wrong price. If you list too low, you're obviously losing money that you could've easily earned if you had a Realtor to conduct a Comparative Market Analysis. If you price your home too high, it could potentially sit on the market for longer than you expected, which means youre still paying that hefty mortgage each month. Energy We've already talked about how time-consuming selling a home can be, but even if you happen to have the time, will you have the energy? Realtors spend a lot of time and energy into marketing your home. They might run advertisements across multiple social media platforms, target specific buyers who you do not know, follow up with leads, make and receive numerous calls, texts and emails a day, and much more. Before you decide not to use a Realtor, think about if you are ready to put all of your energy towards selling your home. Sanity Selling a home can be a stressful experience. One of the easiest ways to ease the selling stress, is by choosing a trusted Realtor to work with. Having an expert by your side to ask questions, communicate with buyers, handle multiple offers and ultimately guide you through this process will certainly ease your mind. Let them worry about selling your home so you do not have to.     Looking for more advice during the buying/selling process? Visitwww.crye-leike.com/blogsfor more real estate tips and tricks!   ABOUT CRYE-LEIKE: Crye-Leike Real Estate Services (www.crye-leike.com), a full service real estate company for over 40 years, is ranked as the third largest independently owned real estate firm in the nation and the largest serving Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi and the Mid-South. Crye-Leike has more than 3,200 sales associates, over 800 employees and 140+ company-owned and franchise offices spread across nine states. It generated $6.5 billion in sales volume and 29,925 closed transaction sides corporate wide in 2019 - its biggest year ever - and is on track to achieve the company's goal of $6.8 billion in sales volume this year.

By Katie Wainman | August 4, 2020   It is no secret that we are currently living in uneasy times. 2020 keeps placing hurdles in front of us and it can be hard to keep up. Despite these obstacles, we have learned that the real estate market is still going strong. Inventory is low, but the demand for housing is high, meaning that it is actually a great time to sell! Although it is a seller's market, we understand that selling a home can come with an abundance of unwanted stress. Navigating the real estate world can be tricky, but you do not have to do it alone and the reward often outweighs the hardships. Here are four ways you can easily manage the pesky burdens that come with selling a home. 1. Choose the right agent This might seem obvious, but it is important to note. Your listing agent will be your trusted source for information and will guide you through this process. You do not want to put your home on the market and then realize that your agent is not as helpful as you thought they would be. Conducting interviews with prospective agents can be a great opportunity to ask the hard-hitting questions and figure out your compatibility. You can also search for agent testimonials, or ask your agent directly for past references that you can contact. By taking the time to find the right agent, you will already be cutting down your future stress level. 2. Mentally prepare for mishaps Before you put your home on the market, it can be a good idea to accept that not everything will go exactly as planned. Hopefully, there will not be any major obstacles on the yellow brick real estate road, but do not beat yourself up if something does go wrong. Maybe your home is not going to sell as soon as you thought it would, or a last-minute showing has to happen that you did not have on your schedule. The best you can do is to give yourself some wiggle room when it comes to your home selling plans. 3. Establish a system for easy showings It is important to stage and clean your home to prepare for open houses and private showings. A "photo shoot ready" home is definitely not easy to maintain if you are still living there. To make these preparations a little easier on yourself, keep some decorative storage units in your home that you can quickly hide personal items in before a showing. Make sure that you also have an assortment of easy-to-use cleaning supplies, such as wipes and dusters, for quick touchups of your home's surfaces. Overall, it is best to build the habit of not letting messes accumulate in your home. Do what you can to avoid going into panic mode when you learn that a potential buyer will be coming over the next morning. 4. Take a break Selling a house is a big deal, but you should not let it consume all of your time. Again, let your trusted agent do some of the worrying for you. It is completely okay to take a break from the constant cleaning, staging and meetings with inspectors. Have a movie night, go to your favorite restaurant or take a weekend trip with the family. Taking a break can give you a fresh mind and put you back on the right track to selling. Your mental and physical health should always be your top priority. Are you looking for more advice during the buying or selling process? Visit www.crye-leike.com/blogs for more real estate tips and tricks!   ABOUT CRYE-LEIKE: Crye-Leike Real Estate Services (www.crye-leike.com), a full service real estate company for over 40 years, is ranked as the third largest independently owned real estate firm in the nation and the largest serving Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi and the Mid-South. Crye-Leike has more than 3,200 sales associates, over 800 employees and 140+ company-owned and franchise offices spread across nine states. It generated $6.5 billion in sales volume and 29,925 closed transaction sides corporate wide in 2019 - its biggest year ever - and is on track to achieve the company's goal of $6.8 billion in sales volume this year.

By Katie Wainman | July 14, 2020 When you put your home on the market, you are preparing yourself for a new phase of life. This means it is time to pack up your personal belongings and create an environment that is welcoming to potential buyers. When people think of staging a home, they often think about what needs to be added to it. However, sometimes it is more important to think about what needs to be taken away. No buyer wants to step into a home and not be able to imagine it being their own. Here are five things that have to go before you show your home: 1. Displayed Collectables Collections can be really cool, and maybe people love to see your vinyl records or coin display when you have a dinner party. Nevertheless, when you are showing your home to sell, potential buyers do not want to feel as if they are imposing on your space. Aside from that, collectables can also be a distraction to buyers. Do you want a buyer to be looking at the beautiful high ceilings, or do you want them to be looking at the collection of action figures? 2. Family Portraits Nothing can block a potential buyer from envisioning a home as their own than walking in and seeing someone elses family on the walls. We understand it can be emotionally difficult to take family photos down, but it is necessary if you want your home to sell. 3. Religious and Political Decor These items are usually fine to have on display in your own home, but this is not going to be your home anymore. People from all walks-of-life are going to be stepping into this house to consider buying it. Do not let a sale fall through because you kept a political banner staked in the front lawn. 4. Personal Items Trophies, refrigerator magnets, diplomas and pretty much everything else that scream, "I live here", should be packed away. Again, you are moving on to a new chapter in life. These items no longer have a need to be on display in the house. 5. Pets This one really hurts us to say, but you should find other arrangements for your pets during home showings. Somehow, not everyone loves your fur babies or reptile friends, and they can actually be unappealing to buyers. Not only should your pet not be at the showing, but you should also hide any evidence of having a pet. This includes litter boxes, food bowls, toys, tanks, cages, etc. If a buyer sees remnants of a pet, they might start to wonder if any damage has been caused to the home because of the animal.   Looking for more advice during the buying/selling process? Visit www.crye-leike.com/blogs for more real estate tips and tricks!   ABOUT CRYE-LEIKE: Crye-Leike Real Estate Services (www.crye-leike.com), a full service real estate company for over 40 years, is ranked as the third largest independently owned real estate firm in the nation and the largest serving Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi and the Mid-South. Crye-Leike has more than 3,200 sales associates, over 800 employees and 140+ company-owned and franchise offices spread across nine states. It generated $6.5 billion in sales volume and 29,925 closed transaction sides corporate wide in 2019 - its biggest year ever - and is on track to achieve the company's goal of $6.8 billion in sales volume this year.  

Although many of us aren't exactly "hoarders", we do tend to collect piles of unnecessary items throughout our lives. If you're trying to sell your home, an important first step is to get rid of the clutter. Not only will this help in the efforts of staging your home, but it will ease your moving experience as well. Here are some areas in your home that you'll want to declutter: Bookshelves and end tables As you'll probably notice, this article is going to highlight the importance of simplicity. Our bookshelves, end tables, mantles and other common surfaces of the home can become cluttered with decorations and knick-knacks. Now is a good time to clear off some of those items and decide if they are pieces you will want to keep. If you're moving into a new home, you might want to start fresh! For staging purposes, even if you do want to keep some of these things, you should pack them up and keep the amount of items on display to a minimum. Furniture For showing purposes, minimal furniture is best. You do not want your living spaces to be completely empty, but you also do not want to pack them with unnecessary furniture either. Creating an atmosphere where potential buyers can understand how a space can be utilized, without hindering their own vision for the space, is so important when selling your home. Countertops Do you really need the waffle maker, toaster, instant pot, air fryer, mixer and coffee maker on display in your kitchen? It's time to either find some cabinet space to keep these neatly out of sight, or simply pack them up and get them ready to move to your new home. If you've only ever used that fondue maker twice since it was gifted to you five years ago, it might even be time to get rid of it completely. You can keep a couple of essential appliances on the counters for staging, but the less you have on your countertops, the bigger it will look. If you feel like that space is too empty, consider putting out a nice fruit bowl or a simple piece of dcor, instead of an appliance. Walls Yes, our walls become cluttered too. You might not even realize your walls are cluttered, but a potential buyer will. To get your home ready to sell, you'll want to take down your family photos and, depending on how many hangings you have on the walls, some of your artwork or dcor as well. You don't want your walls to be blank, but having your family portraits on display all over the house will not make a potential buyer feel like it could be their home. Again, simplicity is key, so decluttering your walls can really help your home sell! Closets Closets, aka the places in a house where we store all of our junk, also need to be cleaned out in order for your house to sell. If you are unable to clean out your closets completely before showing your home, you at least need to organize them. This is a prime opportunity to go through your storage and figure out what can be kept, sold or donated before you make the big move. Tip: If you haven't used something within the last year, you probably aren't ever going to use it. It's time to part ways with your unnecessary clutter. Cabinets and Drawers Similar to your closets, you'll either want to completely clear out your drawers and cabinets (think kitchen and bathrooms), or at least get them neatly organized. Junk drawers and medicine cabinets tend to hold unwanted items for years - purge them! Messy storage areas make it hard for a potential buyer to imagine utilizing that space themselves, which could in-turn deter them from purchasing the home.   At the end of the day, decluttering your home can feel like a weight has been lifted off of your shoulders. Even if you aren't looking to sell right away, clearing out these areas of your home can give you a fresh start. Looking for more advice during the buying/selling process? Visit www.crye-leike.com/blogs for more real estate tips and tricks!

By Katie Wainman | May 26, 2020   Have you ever been to a friend's house and you have to give a little extra oomph to open a door, or the light switches flip backwards? If you are just a guest, it does not really matter. However, if you are selling that house, then those quirks might be a turnoff to a potential buyer. Buyers do not necessarily want to walk into a house to find out that there are a number of small repairs that need to be made. It can give off the impression that a seller did not take good care of the home, or that they let minor fixes go ignored for too long. Small problems tend to lead to bigger problems, so as a seller it is important to make any minor repairs you can to avoid scaring off buyers. Here are some of the most common quirks that should be fixed if you plan to put your home on the market: 1. Backward hot and cold water faucets Is there anything more annoying than this? Not only can it show that there might have been some failed DIY work going on in the house, but it also could make a buyer start to wonder what other faulty issues are in the home. Before putting your home on the market, think about calling up a plumber to look into this. 2. Stuck doors The front door of a home should be as welcoming as possible, so it can be a bit embarrassing if someone has to put a little muscle into opening it. A potential buyer will be instantly putt-off if they experience issues with the functionality of the front door. Stuck doors can be a nuisance, but a quick call to a contractor can help fix those sticky frames! 3. Propped up windows It is not very appealing to walk into a house to see a window propped open with a 2x4, and a potential buyer does not want to be tasked with that obvious needed repair. Even if you try to hide it by simply keeping the windows closed, a buyer who conducts a thorough home search will likely try and open windows to check their functionality anyway. In most cases, fixing a window that will not stay up can be surprisingly easy. Hop online to watch fix-it tutorials (if you are confident in your DIY skills), or call a professional to see what needs fixing. Either way, it should be taken care of before you list your home. 4. Dragging backyard gate A beautiful backyard can be ruined by the noise and poor appearance of a dragging gate. Usually a dragging gate can be reinforced with new brackets and bolts to help keep it sturdy. It might take a little bit of work to figure how to replace your gate, but it will be worth it in the end. 5. Wobbly ceiling fan If a potential buyer is diligent during the home showing, they are going to test any fans in the house to make sure they are working properly. It can feel a bit scary walking into a room feeling like the fan is about to fly off the ceiling. This could be a minor fix, meaning that the fan just needs to be tightened, or you might have to replace it completely. Fixing a fan could make a difference in the sale of your home! Looking for more advice during the buying/selling process? Visit www.crye-leike.com/blogs for more real estate tips and tricks! ABOUT CRYE-LEIKE: Crye-Leike Real Estate Services (www.crye-leike.com), a full service real estate company for over 40 years, is ranked as the third largest independently owned real estate firm in the nation and the largest serving Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi and the Mid-South. Crye-Leike has more than 3,200 sales associates, over 800 employees and 140+ company-owned and franchise offices spread across nine states. It generated $6.5 billion in sales volume and 29,925 closed transaction sides corporate wide in 2019 - its biggest year ever - and is on track to achieve the company's goal of $6.8 billion in sales volume this year.

If you're planning to sell your home, cleaning is a must. A clean home is a major component in the home staging process. Here are some things you need to clean to get your home ready for spring selling: Appliances Greasy, grimy appliances are not something a potential homebuyer wants to see. Make sure to deep clean your refrigerator, oven, microwave and any other appliances that you may have in your kitchen. It might be a bit of a pain, but pulling out your appliances and cleaning under/behind them is also important. If you're running low on cleaning supplies, distilled white vinegar mixed with warm water acts as a great disinfectant and cuts through tough grease on kitchen appliances. Countertops Aside from wiping down countertops as you regularly would, you can also polish them, depending on what kind of material your countertops are. You should also consider decluttering your countertops of some smaller appliances. You might think that your air fryer, instant pot, mixer and juicer are all necessities for your countertop, but a potential buyer will just see those as clutter. Clearing out cabinet space to put some of these smaller appliances away will leave your countertops looking more spacious. Sink Sometimes we can go "nose blind" to smells in our home, meaning that we get used to certain smells. However, a new person stepping into your home will immediately smell that strange odor coming from your kitchen sink. Even if you don't think it smells, it can't hurt to freshen up your sink. One of the most common cures for a smelly sink is to dump a cup of baking soda down the drain, then dump down a half cup of distilled white vinegar. Let it fizz up and sit for about 20 minutes and then pour hot water down the drain to rinse it out. For a quicker fix, you can also take citrus rinds and put them through your garbage disposal to create a fresh, clean scent. Windows Windows open up your house to the beautiful spring world, so it is important to keep them looking pristine if your home is on the market. Not only do you need to clean the inside of the windows, but you'll need to clean the outside as well. Before wiping them down with a cleaner, outside windows might have to be rinsed off with a hose first to remove any dirt or debris that may be built up. You should also remove the screens and wipe off any dirt or dust, and don't forget about cleaning off those pesky windowsills. Ceilings Did you think dust bunnies only liked that spot under your couch? Turns out they love your ceilings even more! Now is the perfect time to open up your windows, get out the extended duster, and dust off your ceiling fans, light fixtures and moldings. This can make a huge difference in the appearance of your home by brightening those fixtures again. Walls Washing the walls isn't an old urban legend - people actually do this! Washing your walls with warm water and a non-abrasive cleaner will remove any stains, grime or marks that you might have forgotten were even there. Before wiping an entire wall, it is best to try it out on a small portion, just to make sure you aren't going to ruin the paint. While you're at it, you should also clean any light switches, door knobs or wall hangings as well. Cleaning the walls in your house can allow your paint to look fresh again and removes any tarnishes that a potential homebuyer would notice.   There are obviously plenty of other spaces that can be cleaned that aren't listed here. However, these surfaces alone can already make a huge difference in the appearance of your home. During these times, you may not have as many people looking at your home in-person, but virtual tours have become the next best thing in the real estate world, and people can still spot a dirty house through the camera screen! For more advice during the buying/selling process, please visit www.crye-leike.com/blogs.

By Katie Wainman | April 14, 2020   On a normal day, in a normal world, selling a home can be a hassle. On top of that, now you have to factor in that the world seems to have been turned upside down. The question isn't simply if you can sell your home during COVID-19; After all, The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has deemed real estate an essential service, although local laws may differ. Rather, the question is, can you sell your home safely? The answer is yes. Thanks to technology and the adaptability of real estate brokerages and agents, selling a home can be done safely during this strange time and here's how: Virtual Consultations Phone calls and video chats have been a life-saver for families and friends during these past couple of months. It is the only safe way to have interaction with others. Thankfully, that applies for the real estate industry as well. Any questions, comments or concerns that you have can still be communicated with your Realtor by using the right technology! Virtual Showings The implementation of virtual showings has been one of the biggest changes to the industry. Realtors have discovered ways to show houses to potential buyers without the buyer stepping foot inside the home and risking contamination. A virtual showing may be a video chat (via Zoom, Facetime, etc.) with a buyer, where the seller or the Realtor walks through the home while on the call. It might also be a pre-recorded video or a series of 3-D photos that buyers can look at. Virtual showings can prevent unnecessary traffic into the home and even weed out unrealistic buyers before they request an in-person showing. Minimal-Contact Inspections and Appraisals Inspections and appraisals would normally require face-to-face contact, but now these can also be done with minimal-to-no contact with the homeowners. Depending on what lenders are allowing, many appraisers are going to homes and taking photos from the sidewalk or car. They then use special software, algorithms and data to determine a proper estimate for the home's value. Inspectors are also being encouraged to go through the home by themselves, while wearing proper safety gear to complete an inspection. Detailed reports can then be delivered and reviewed digitally. Safety Precautions Taken by Realtors Although virtual showings have been an asset, unfortunately they cannot completely replace the experience of a buyer viewing your home in-person. In cases where the buyer wants to physically see the home (most likely after they already had a virtual tour and are serious about buying the home), Realtors have extended their services to ensure that safety procedures are being utilized. Many Realtors have put together "showing-kits", consisting of sanitizer, wipes, shoe covers, masks, etc., to provide to potential buyers. Sellers are also advised to sanitize any common surfaces, such as countertops and handles, to leave the lights on, and to leave open cabinets and closet doors so that the buyer will not have to touch those themselves. Remote Closings Closings used to consist of the buyer, seller and both of their Realtors and attorneys sitting around a table ready to sign all of the necessary documents. Now, it is required that only the buyer and seller be involved. Some companies are allowing buyers and sellers to come into the office at different times to sign. They would then verbally confirm their signatures with a notary, while following social distancing guidelines. In other circumstances, companies will bring the documents out to the buyer and seller's vehicles to sign instead.   Selling is not only possible, but it is possible to sell safely. The advice given above may differ depending on location and company policies, so it is important to check with your local government to know what is "essential" and to virtually keep in touch with your Realtor to ensure that all safety guidelines can be met. For more advice during the buying/selling process, please visit www.crye-leike.com/blogs.   ABOUT CRYE-LEIKE: Crye-Leike Real Estate Services (www.crye-leike.com), a full service real estate company for over 40 years, is ranked as the third largest independently owned real estate firm in the nation and the largest serving Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi and the Mid-South. Crye-Leike has more than 3,200 sales associates, over 800 employees and 140+ company-owned and franchise offices spread across nine states. It generated $6.5 billion in sales volume and 29,925 closed transaction sides corporate wide in 2019 - its biggest year ever - and is on track to achieve the company's goal of $6.8 billion in sales volume this year.  

Spring is finally here! We made it through another winter, but this means that you have some cleaning and repairing to do if you want to sell your home. Curb appeal refers to the attractiveness of your property, specifically when it is up for sale. Traditionally, the better your curb appeal, the more likely it is that your home will sell. Spring also happens to be one of the busiest selling periods in the industry. The weather is warmer, flowers are in bloom and people are trying to settle into new homes before the fall. If you're getting ready to sell this spring, here are some tips on how to boost your curb appeal after a long winter! Rake the lawn and trim back trees At this point, your lawn is probably looking pretty sickly. Now is the time to get your lawn back up to spring standards. Rake and pick up any leaves, sticks and debris that may have collected during the colder months. Clearing these out will leave a fresh space for that green grass to start growing back. Your trees and bushes are also going to need attention. Cut back any dead branches and trim up any areas that have gotten carried away in their growth. A clean, trim yard will give new life to your home! Replace dead plants and shrubs Take some time to freshen up your garden beds and shrubbery. Because you're selling, you don't want to plant any high-maintenance plants, but you want to have some fresh spring flowers to welcome potential buyers. Weed the gardens, remove any dead plants, and plant new, brightly colored flowers. Clean gutters There is one thing that always comes with spring - rain. Make sure that you clear out your gutters of any debris and make any necessary repairs. Not only does this look nicer, but it will also allow all that rain to flow through with no issues. Wash home's exterior When spring arrives, car washes fill up with people getting all of the mud, leftover salt stains and last remnants of winter off of their vehicles. Why wouldn't we do the same thing to our homes? A good pressure wash to the exterior of your home can really spruce the place up. If you don't have the proper equipment, or are unsure of how to use the equipment, consider reaching out to a local company to do the job instead. Clean up driveway and walkway Driveway maintenance depends on what type of driveway you have, and if you experience the repercussions of ice & snow. For example, if you have a gravel driveway and you had to have it plowed because of snow, you might have to replace some of the gravel that got swept away, or clean up gravel that got pushed into your yard. Asphalt driveways might need to be resurfaced after damage caused by extreme freezing and thawing throughout the winter. Driveway and walkway repairs are more likely for homes in northern regions, but if you live in an area that has a mild winter, hopefully you just need to pick up debris and pressure wash. Camouflage Eyesores Get out the lawn decorations and start covering up some of those eye-sores that you have to have in your yard. These can include utility boxes, meters and grates. If you can do something to make them look nicer, or just hide them completely, this will make your yard look more appealing.   Looking for more advice during the buying/selling process? Visit www.crye-leike.com/blogs for more real estate tips and tricks! ABOUT CRYE-LEIKE: Crye-Leike Real Estate Services (www.crye-leike.com), a full service real estate company for over 40 years, is ranked as the third largest independently owned real estate firm in the nation and the largest serving Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi and the Mid-South. Crye-Leike has more than 3,200 sales associates, over 800 employees and 140+ company-owned and franchise offices spread across nine states. It generated $6.5 billion in sales volume and 29,925 closed transaction sides corporate wide in 2019 - its biggest year ever - and is on track to achieve the company's goal of $6.8 billion in sales volume this year.

By Katie Wainman | March 11, 2020   For years, there have been myths in the real estate industry that seem to be sticking around until the end of time. Do not be fooled by some of these common myths when selling your home. 1.You can solely rely on online home value estimates to price your home Busted: Online home value estimates, such as the one provided by Crye-Leike (https://cl.findbuyers.com/), can be a great tool to get an idea of how to price your home. However, it is important to discuss the selling price with your Realtor. Your Realtor should be able to provide you with a competitive market analysis and be able to estimate how any upgrades to your home will affect the price. 2. If you get an offer too quickly, your asking price is too low Busted: When a buyer puts in an offer quicker than expected, sometimes sellers start to question if their asking price is too low. Just because someone has jumped at the opportunity to buy your home, does not mean that your home is actually worth more money. In some situations, there has been a buyer diligently searching in your area for months without finding a home that they actually liked until you put yours on the market. 3. The outside of your home is not as important as the inside Busted: The exterior of your home, otherwise known as your "curb appeal", is just as important as the inside! If potential buyers were to drive buy and the grass is overgrown, the siding is falling off and there is junk in the yard, they might not even consider going inside. The outside of your home should be well kept to attract buyers inside. 4. Major renovations will have a better return on investment Busted: Major renovations such as kitchen and bathroom overhauls are expensive and do not increase the value of the home enough to see a large return on investment. Instead, it is best to make smaller changes. You could replace cabinet handles, the showerhead, the mirrors or the paint colors. Inexpensive, smaller projects can still make an impact on the home's appearance without you having to do a complete renovation. 5. You should wait until spring or summer to sell Busted: Although statistically more homes tend to sell in the warmer months, people still buy houses year-round. Any season is a good season to sell, as long as you keep up with changing marketing tactics throughout the year. For example, if you are ready to sell in the winter, make sure you are keeping up with that necessary winter "curb appeal" by clearing the snow. If you know in the summer that you are going to sell in the winter, go ahead and get photos of the home. Potential buyers will then know what it will look like without the winter affects.   Looking for more advice during the buying/selling process? Visitwww.crye-leike.com/blogsfor more real estate tips and tricks! ABOUT CRYE-LEIKE:Crye-Leike Real Estate Services (www.crye-leike.com), a full service real estate company for over 40 years, is ranked as the third largest independently owned real estate firm in the nation and the largest serving Tennessee, Arkansas, Mississippi and the Mid-South. Crye-Leike has more than 3,200 sales associates, over 800 employees and 140+ company-owned and franchise offices spread across nine states. It generated $6.5 billion in sales volume and 29,925 closed transaction sides corporate wide in 2019 - its biggest year ever - and is on track to achieve the company's goal of $6.8 billion in sales volume this year.

Choosing a person to sell your home is like choosing a person to fill the job at work, but more important. You want to pick someone who is reliable, trustworthy and can get the job done! In order to find the right fit, you will want to interview any agent that you are thinking of using. Generally, it is suggested to interview 2-3 agents before making your choice. Here are some common questions that you should ask in order to make an informed decision: Are they a real estate agent or a REALTOR? A real estate agent is someone who has completed a certain amount of training hours necessary to get his or her license. A REALTOR is someone who has received his or her license and became a member of the National Association of REALTORS (NAR). REALTORS are required to adhere to NAR's code of ethics and have access to market data, transaction management services and other benefits. Whether they are a real estate agent or a REALTOR, you will want to ensure that they are a good fit for you. How many years have they been in real estate? Of course, every agent has to start somewhere, but it is ultimately your choice if you want to work with an agent who is new to the industry compared to an agent with five plus years experience. Is real estate a full-time or part-time job for them? Many hardworking agents only work in real estate part-time. This is completely fine, but if you are in need of immediate, consistent contact throughout the workday, a full-time agent is probably the best choice for you. You never want to feel like a last priority. How many homes did they sell last year and what was the average sale price? You will want to work with an agent who has experience selling homes in your price range. If you have a luxury multi-million dollar home, you most likely would not choose an agent who generally sells homes for $100K because of the differences in experience. Do they have experience selling in your neighborhood? If an agent has experience selling other homes in your neighborhood, that can mean they are knowledgeable about the market and trends in that area. It might be best to choose someone who is familiar with your neighborhood, rather than someone who has never even heard of it. What is their involvement in this process, and what would they delegate to a member of their team? Not all agents are in this business alone; many have assistants or work on a real estate team. Before committing to them, it is beneficial to ask what their duties are during this process. Will they be taking the lead on this sale, or are they going to pass it along to a team member instead? It is not a bad thing that an agent delegates, but you will want to know how the process works either way. How will they decide on a listing price? If your potential agent cannot thoroughly explain the process of how the price of a home is decided, then they are not the agent for you. You do not want your agent pulling the sale price from the sky. An agent should be making an informed decision based off research, market statistics, a comparative market analysis (CMA), etc. Can they explain the marketing plan they would put in place to sell your home? Marketing is such an important piece in selling a home. You are going to want to choose an agent who has a clear plan of how they will market your home to sell. Can they create a virtual tour of the home? Will they be hosting an open house event? Do they have the means to take visually appealing photos of the home? Are they going to run ads in the local paper or do they have a social media page where they can run ads or create posts? These are all marketing tactics to consider asking your agent about. What will communication consist of? You do not want to get lost in the mix of your agent's busy workload. Agents should be keeping you in the loop no matter what, but if you are someone who prefers organized, prompt communication, then you will want to ensure that your agent can provide that. Do they prefer calls, texts, emails or all? Do not let miscommunication or lack of communication be an issue. Can they provide you with past references? Any good agent should be able to provide you with client references that you can contact to inquire more about working with the agent. You can also look up agent reviews and testimonials online. A list of Crye-Leike agents with further information can be found here. Looking for more advice during the buying/selling process? Visit www.crye-leike.com/blogs for more real estate tips and tricks!

When selling a home, it is very common to wonder about which renovations, if any, you need to make in order for your home to stand out from the rest. Ideally, to have a Return on Investment (ROI), it is best to stick to small changes that will not cost you a fortune, but will still increase the value of your home. Before making any serious changes, it is always best to talk to your Realtor and/or a contractor to discuss what is worth doing. Check out these renovations you can make to your home that could have a decent ROI. 1. Painting the walls An important thing to keep in mind when selling your home is that not everyone is going to like your style - this could include your current color scheme. Repainting the walls in your house can provide a fresh, clean look that is attractive to buyers. Paint the walls neutral colors such as white or light grays to provide a clean pallet for a potential buyer to work with. 2. Upgrading the front door The front door is the first thing that people see when they enter a home, and the last thing they see when they leave. A fresh coat of paint or a new door entirely can really vamp up the home. 3. Bathroom and kitchen upgrades A complete remodel of these rooms probably won't be worth the money, but little changes can go a long way. Upgrading faucets, changing cabinet handles, re-caulking the bathtub, installing a new showerhead, or replacing the vanity are all changes that can freshen the look of a room. Upgrading appliances or counter tops can also be beneficial, but it is best to discuss this with your Realtor first to see if it would be worth it. You might not see a ROI with luxurious upgrades. 4. Replacing or cleaning the floors If your home is already blessed with hardwood floors, it is a great idea to steam and polish them to make them look new. If you don't already have hardwood, installing them would be costly. If your real estate agent advises against installing hardwoods due to the cost, you could consider installing alternatives, such as new engineered vinyl flooring or laminate flooring. 5. Increasing your curb appeal Remember when we mentioned the front door is important? Well so is the rest of the outside of your home. Trim the bushes and trees, fertilize the lawn, pressure wash or replace your siding, etc. Cleaning up outside will increase your home's curb appeal, but remember to keep it small. Do not try to install an inground swimming pool thinking that you will have a better ROI.   Need more advice during the buying/selling process? Visitwww.crye-leike.com/blogsfor more real estate tips and tricks!

You did it; you finally sold your house! Life is a breeze, and you can sit back, relax and enjoy the roses. There is just one little issue - you need to pack up your entire life and leave. Whether you have had to do it ten times or never before, moving out can be one of the most stressful things about selling a home. Keep reading to find out how you can survive the hassle of moving. Remember, lists can be a life-saver It can be a great idea to create a checklist to help keep you on track during your move. There are so many variables to moving; it can be hard to remember what needs to be done, and when things need to be done. Check with your Realtor to see if they have a list available for you. If not, you can find pre-made moving checklists on websites such as Pinterest, or take the time to make one yourself. Your checklist should include a timeline for when you should start packing, changing your address, changing over utilities, cleaning, etc. Choose a moving style Will you be able to handle the workload on your own? Do you have the means of transportation for a move? You will need to have a plan for how you will move out of your house. You can hire a moving company, rent your own moving trucks/trailers, or do all of it on your own. Think about what you can handle yourself, and what you can afford for outside help if needed. Gather supplies Boxes, tape, bubble wrap, box cutters, labels and markers are some of the supplies you are going to want for your move. If possible, try to collect some of these items over time. If you are an online shopaholic, save boxes and packing supplies from what you have ordered! You can also post on social media that you are in need of boxes and other items, or visit local shops that may have free boxes available. Having supplies ready for packing will save you from last-minute trips to the store during your move. Have a plan for kids and pets Prior to your move-out day, have a plan in place for your children and pets. You do not want to worry about what your kids and pets are getting into while you are running around the house. It might be a good idea to drop your kids and pets off with a loving friend or family member for the day. If you do not have that option, then try to find safe ways your kids can participate in move-out day. You will also want to dig out the old pet carriers and get your pet accustomed to being in the car, especially if you have a long ride to the new home. It will ease the stress for the day if they are not anxious during the car ride. Do a walk-through You are going to want to do a walk-through more than once during your move-out time. Before you begin to pack, go into each room and really get an idea of what is ahead of you. When you have made some progress, go through again to assess the situation - you are getting closer to freedom, I promise! Most importantly, do one final walk-through to ensure that you are not leaving anything behind. You would not leave a hotel room without checking in the closet and under the bed first for stray items, right? Do the same thing with the house - check all of the rooms, closets, pantries, cupboards, etc. Purge!!! The infamous purgeIt can be a terrifying experience to come face-to-face with years of built-up clutter. However, once you have come to terms with that, it really is the best feeling in the world to rid your life of unnecessary possessions. When you start to organize and pack-up the rooms in your home, you will find there are tons of items you do not need. Take the time to sort these things. You can donate some of your belongings, host a yard sale to make a quick buck for the move, or just throw out what is unusable. Get rid of the clutter before you move on to the next chapter in your life. Pack an overnight bag Before you pack up absolutely everything, make sure to leave out a few items to take with you to your new home. Having an overnight bag with essentials such as a couple changes of clothes, toiletries and electronics will save you the grief of rummaging through boxes that you have already packed away. Make sure to do the same for your children and pets!   Need more advice during the buying/selling process? Visit www.crye-leike.com/blogs for more real estate tips and tricks!

Not quite sure why or how to stage your home to sell? The purpose of staging your home is to get it showroom ready. Buyers want to feel like they are stepping into their dream home, and it is up to the seller to create that. Here are some tips to keep in mind when staging your home. 1. Budget Before you jump into staging your house, be conscious about what you can afford. There can be costs to staging, some greater than others. Storage space for your belongings, furniture rentals, landscaping improvements and cleaning services are some of the costs to consider before you begin to stage your home. Think about ways you could cut costs if needed, and what services you could do yourself before hiring someone to do it for you. 2. Put Yourself in the Buyer's Shoes Sometimes it can be hard to accept the reality that a stranger isn't going to like how you keep your home. The reason for staging your home is to make a buyer feel like they could live there. It might be difficult to look past it being your home, but you need to visualize it through a buyer's point of view. It is no longer about how you want your home to look or feel like, but how they would want it to look and feel. 3. Use Your Realtor You don't have to deal with the stress of staging a home on your own. When you're looking for the Realtor that you want to use, be sure to ask them what types of staging experiences they have. Many Realtors will offer their services and expertise to you so you don't have to go through it on your own. 4. Less is More You might not realize it at first, but your home is full of things that a potential buyer probably doesn't want to see. De-cluttering your home doesn't mean pulling the classic "I'll shove everything into the closet" trick. Potential buyers are going to want to see storage spaces, including closets, pantries and the garage. De-cluttering might mean you have to rent a storage space, or find a loving friend that will let you store your stuff at their house for a bit. Either way, it will be worth it. 5. Clean Until Pristine Once you've removed your belongings from the house, it's time to clean. Scrub the tiles, steam the carpets and drapes, wipe down the cabinets, clear the vents, etc. Anything that you can clean should get cleaned. If you don't have the time to do it yourself, consider hiring a cleaning service or asking friends and family for help. 6. Furniture and Decor If you have already moved into a new house with your furniture, or your furniture isn't "new" looking, you'll want to consider renting furniture to fill the space. If your budget allows, you can rent furniture for each room, but most people opt for the common spaces, including the living room, dining room and master bedroom. Staging also requires de-personalizing your home. Take down your family portraits, paint the walls a neutral color, feature generic art or wall hangings, remove any collections you may have on display, etc. 7. Turn Non-Functioning Into Functioning A lot of people are guilty of having that one room that doesn't really serve a purpose in their home. Maybe it was supposed to be an office or a workout room, but it ended up being another storage space? Now is your chance to turn the room that doesn't have a function, into a room that a potential buyer will definitely want. 8. Don't Forget Your Curb Appeal Many people get so concerned with making the inside of their homes look perfect, they end up forgetting about the outside! Now is the time to dig out your old pressure washer, clean out the gutters, and if you've never hired a landscaper, you might want to consider doing that too. A front and back yard that is clean, properly landscaped, and looks like an enjoyable space will really appeal to your buyer. 9. Sense of Smell The scent of your home is extremely important, but since you are so used to it, you might be "nose blind". A buyer doesn't want to walk in to the smell of bleach and chemicals from your cleaning supplies. They also don't want to smell your garbage, odors from pets, sweaty shoes or smoke residue. Smells often affect a person's mood and emotions, so you want a positive smell in your home. You can light candles, use scented plug-ins or even bake a batch of cookies before someone comes to see your home. Whichever method you choose, remember to not get carried away, and only use one scent throughout the house. 10. Lighting Matters Dark, dreary spaces aren't ideal for a home. To ensure that your home is well-lit, do a walk through at different times throughout the day. The natural light might be great, but if a buyer is coming over in the evening, you might notice that your lighting isn't supportive enough. It can be beneficial to change your light bulbs and add lighting in places where it is lacking. Your dcor can also have an impact on your lighting. Try using light-colored bedding, drapes and rugs, and also think about adding a mirror or two to help reflect the light in certain rooms. Again, don't forget about the outside of your home either! Exterior lighting can be welcoming and make a buyer feel like they are in a safer environment.

Price it right, right from the start. Your property will generate the most attention and showings in the first weeks it's on the market. For the best results, you should list it at a realistic price right from the beginning. If your price is too high relative to the competition, then right buyers will not even look at an otherwise attractive property - particularly during the critical stage of initial market exposure.   Proper Pricing is Important Faster Sale Less Inconvenience Attracts "Cleaner" Financing Attracts Higher Offers Means More Money to Sellers Avoids Being "Shopworn" Better Response from Advertising and Sign Inquiries Increased Sales Associate Response Exposure to More Prospects Learn the value of your property: Setting the right price before you list is critical to getting the most for your property and selling it quickly. Having a professional with experience in your neighborhood prepare a Competitive Market Analysis (CMA) gives you the facts and insights to set the right price.

Welcome back to Crye-Leike Insights! We are here to share tips, stories, and wisdom from our Crye-Leike family. What comes first? Buying or Selling? This question comes up a lot when we sit down with both buyers and sellers. Sherry Scott-Chambers, Realtor from our Memphis-Southeast office is here to help answer this question! It all comes down to your finances. If you're financesallow you to be able topurchase first, that's always better.But if not, you may wanna think about sellingbefore you purchase. If you DO need the money from thehouse that you're selling in order to purchase, then SELL first. If you DON'T need the moneyfrom the sale of your own home,it's better if you BUY first.   For More Information on Buying, Click Here. For More Information on Selling, Click Here.

Condition of Property Does your home need a little work before it goes on the market? You know that any potential buyers are going to ask for an inspection, so why not be prepared? Ordering a pre-listing inspection will inform you of anything that might need to go ahead and be fixed up! Our Crye-Leike Home Services vendors are available to help with any home projects that you may need to complete!   Price Your property will generate the most attention and showings in the first weeks it's on the market. For the best results, you should list it at a realistic price right from the beginning. If your price is too high relative to the competition, then right buyers will not even look at an otherwise attractive property - particularly during the critical stage of initial market exposure. Learn More   Marketing of Property Marketing is very important when it comes to selling a home. Ask your agent what is included in their marketing plan. Crye-Leike's full service marketing department provides the advantage you need in this competitive real estate market.   Competition One of the best ways to get an idea of what your home is worth or how it will sell in your market is to look at similar homes in your area that have sold recently.   Market Conditions Market conditions are an important factor of selling your home. Search for information on your area now.   For more information on Selling -Click Here

Welcome back to Crye-Leike Insights! We are here to share tips, stories, and wisdom from our Crye-Leike family. Sitting down with a listing agent for the first time can feel a little overwhelming. Tracy Kirkley from our Olive Branch office shared with us what she believes are the 3 most important questions you should ask your potential agent.     How are you going to market my home? Marketing is very important when it comes to selling a home. Ask your agent what is included in their marketing plan. Crye-Leike's full service marketing department provides the advantage you need in this competitive real estate market.   What's your track record over the last 12 months? How many homes did you sell? How did that compareto the market average for agents? How quickly do your home sell? And how close do you get to thelist price with a sales price? All of these points will help you get a better idea of what your agents has done for clients in the past.   How much do you think I'm going to make out of the sale of my house? Now notice we didn't say "How much are you going to list my home for?" So many factors contribute to deciding the list price of a home. When it comes to pricing, you do need to know what they think your home is going to realistically sell for, as well as how they came up with that price.   Good Luck! Tracy Kirkely Phone:(901) 210-8045 TracyKirkley.com TKirkley@Crye-Leike.com

Welcome back to Crye-Leike Insights! We are here to share tips, stories, and wisdom from our Crye-Leike family. In this week's episode, Carol Lott from The Lott Team is here to share a few tips on when to lower the price of your home. Congratulations! Your home is on the market and you are ready to sell. When you put your home on the market, you expect to sell your home quickly! But, if offers don't start coming in like you expect, you might want to consider lowering the price of your home.   Listen to the Feedback If potential buyers are coming to see your house, but leave saying "this house is too small," it might be time to lower the price of your home.   The 10 Day Rule If your home has been on the market for more than 10 day without any offers, this would be a good time to think about lowering the price.   Your Motivation How strong is your motivation to sell your home? If you are not in any rush, you can wait a little longer before reducing the price. If you have accepted a new job out of the area and you need to move soon, lowering the price of you home can help it sell quickly.   The Lott Team Phone:901-276-8800 Carol:901.461.4869 Amanda:901.461.9246 TheLottTeam@Crye-Leike.com

Price it right, right from the start. Your property will generate the most attention and showings in the first weeks it's on the market. For the best results, you should list it at a realistic price right from the beginning. If your price is too high relative to the competition, then right buyers will not even look at an otherwise attractive property - particularly during the critical stage of initial market exposure.   Proper Pricing is Important Faster Sale Less Inconvenience Attracts "Cleaner" Financing Attracts Higher Offers Means More Money to Sellers Avoids Being "Shopworn" Better Response from Advertising and Sign Inquiries Increased Sales Associate Response Exposure to More Prospects   Learn the value of your property: Setting the right price before you list is critical to getting the most for your property and selling it quickly. Having a professional with experience in your neighborhood prepare a Competitive Market Analysis (CMA) gives you the facts and insights to set the right price.

Welcome back to Crye-Leike Insights! We are here to share tips, stories, and wisdom from our Crye-Leike family. In this week's episode of Crye-Leike Insights, Laura Gaither, Managing Broker of our Bartlett, TN office, fills us in on what to expect after writing up a contract! Congratulations! You contract has just been accepted on a new house! But, now what? How long after accepting the contract is closing? Closing usually occurs 30-45 days after a contract has been accepted. Why is my Realtor asking for Earnest Money? Earnest moneyis a specific form of security deposit made in some major transactions such as real estate dealings to demonstrate that the applicant is serious and willing to demonstrate an earnest of good faith about wanting to complete the transaction. Do I need to order an inspection? Short answer: YES! "Some of the typical inspections are the home and termite, but there are many other inspections that you can have done. So, get with your agent and see if they can help you find the perfect inspector for you. Some things that you may wanna have looked at are pool inspection, plumbing inspection, HVAC, and there's so many more!" What is a Resolution Period? Once theinspection has been completed,you'll compile a list of things that you may want theseller to complete prior to closing.During this time, you and the seller will go backand forth. Once you have negotiated anagreement on which repairs will be completed, thatwill complete your resolution period. Will I get my keys at closing? Keys are not usually given at closing. Make sure you talk to your agent to better understand when possession will occur.  

I want to sell or rent, whichever happens first.   This is actually a fairly common circumstance. We understand that there are times, when you need income from your property quickly and cannot wait for it to sell. Below is an overview of the typical plan that we set up for sellers in this circumstance.   Step 1: Find an Agent Your first step is to find an agent to list and market your property. Let your agent know your goals and he/she will come up with the best plan for you. We can help you find the right sales associate. Step 2: Determine Property Management Needs Next, consider if you'll need property management services. Figure out what the expenses and services are and get ready to set up a contract. Step 3: Market Your Property Two Ways Advertise your property for sale and for rent. In most markets your real estate agent will be able to add your property as two entries in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). One entry will show the property for sale and the other will show the property with a rental price. Step 4: Accept Offer to Sell or Rent We will bring you all offers on your property. Then you can decide the details that works best for you. Learn more about Crye-Leike Property Management Services.

Even if you are not currently buying or selling, we are here for you. We help with everything related to your home and keep you current on the real estate market.   Keep Up with the Real Estate Market What price is my neighbor asking? How's the Market? Lookup a Recent Sale Subscribe to Email Updates of Properties for Sale Near You Follow Crye-Leike on Facebook News Room   Keep Up with Your Place Repair, Replace, Remodel- Find qualified vendors and get a discount as a Crye-Leike customer Homeowner's Insurance- Compare 3 free quotes Renter's Insurance Home Warranties   Help Friends & Family Anywhere in the world your friends and family live or move, we can help them find a trusted local expert. Our relocation services are free to you.Just let us know where they are moving and we will do the rest.   Learn and Dream Vacation Spots and 2ndHomes Articles on Real Estate Topics Explore Your City   How Can We Help? Please let us know how we can help. Questions about property value, or how remodeling projects will impact your home's value? Interested to find out how much a property sold for or what the market is doing in your area? Shopping around on insurance prices or looking for a qualified vendor to do work at your place? These are just a few of the types of questions we can help with.

Welcome back toCrye-Leike Insights! We are here to share tips, stories, and wisdom from our Crye-Leike family. This week,Leslie Murray from our Brentwood, TN office, stopped by to share her top 3 tips for preparing your home for potential buyers.   Curb Appeal You want to make sure that the front of your home looks nice. This is the first thing that people will see and you want this to look inviting to potential buyers.   Straighten Up You never know when a potential buyer might want to stop by and take a look inside your home. By keeping your home clutter-free the rooms will look bigger and it will be easier for visitors to imagine living there themselves.   Clean Smells Keeping your home in tip-top shape all the time can be hard. A great tip is to keep Clorox wipes stored around your home to clean up messes quickly and keep your home smelling fresh!   For more information on Selling -Click Here

Welcome back to Crye-Leike Insights! We are here to share tips, stories, and wisdom from our Crye-Leike family. This week, Kim Dontje, the branch manager of our Buford/Flowery Branch office, has a few tips for sellers in this week's episode! Decide on a Date Having a specific date in mind helps both the seller and the agent stay on track, making sure everything is ready for when the home goes on the market.   Declutter Start taking inventory of everything that you have and start the packing process. "You're alreadypreparing to move, so go ahead and start packing, de-personalize a little bit, and prepare that home!" Get Ahead of Repairs You know that any potential buyers are going to ask for an inspection, so why not be prepared? Ordering a pre-listing inspection will inform you of anything that might need to go ahead and be fixed up!   For more information on Selling - Click Here

Welcome back toCrye-Leike Insights! We are here to share tips, stories, and wisdom from our Crye-Leike family. This week, Brad Merritt, the managing broker of our Cabot, AR branch, shares what he thinks is most important when choosing a real estate agent!   Finding an agent with in-depth market knowledge will help make sure that you will sell your home quickly! What is the absorption rate of that market? How many months of inventory are on the market right now? How many comparable houses are on the market right now? Knowing these key pieces of information, your agent can help price your home correctly to get your home sold!  

Welcome back toCrye-Leike Insights! We are here to share tips, stories, and wisdom from our Crye-Leike family. This week,Joyce Friedman, from Crye-Leike Brentwood, TN shares a few tips on how to get your home sold FAST!#cryeleikeinsights     When it comes to selling your home, you need to remember two things...   1. Partnership Your agent is there to help you through this process.   2. Mental Attitude " You are not living IN your house anymore, you are living ON your house!"     For more information on selling with Crye-Leike, click here. Contact Joyce Friedman

Resale value is an important consideration in the purchase of your new home. Although it is impossible to predict what will happen in the future to the economy and the real estate market, buyer demand will continue to impact the ultimate value of your home. At the time of sale, a home is a "commodity". Its value is determined by educated buyers who shop competitively in the open market. The transferable value of a property can be identified by comparing the size, style, lot, age and other measurable features with other properties that are currently for sale or have recently sold in the area. A home also has non-transferable value. This can be found in decorating, as well as features and upgrades which exceed the expectations of buyers in the price range. While these elements may make a home more emotionally appealing, they usually shorten the market time rather than materially increase the cash value of the property.   Terms affect price- The more liberal the terms, the higher the price the seller will obtain. The more restrictive the terms, the lower the price. Location, location, location- Convenience to employment centers, schools, transportation, as well as lifestyle opportunities, drive buyer demand. Buyers typically pay more for new construction- At the time of resale newer occupied homes may have to compete directly with new construction by discounting price. The cost of capital improvements may not be fully recovered- Although future buyers may find improvements appealing, they seldom pay what they actually cost. Deferred maintenance negatively impacts value- Buyers expect a property to be well maintained. The typical buyer will discount the value more than the actual cost of repairs. Buyers seldom pay for the seller's decorating- The seller's decorating choices should be viewed as a cost of personal enjoyment. Neutral decorating appeals to most buyers and will typically shorten market time for the seller. Buyers expect specific features and amenities within each price range- Buyers quickly discount the price if room spaces, quality and features are lacking for the price range. Incurable defects have a dramatic impact on value- Buyers resist busy streets, unpopular floor plans, and properties that are inconsistent with the character of the neighborhood. Sellers of these properties should allow for longer market time or price below market to sell within an average market time. Asking price drives value- Knowledgeable buyers respond quickly to inspect a new listing. An overpriced property suggests that the seller is unrealistic, which makes buyers reluctant to negotiate. Over time, when the price is reduced, buyers lose interest or are concerned that no one else desires the property. This puts the seller at a disadvantage and can cause a below market sale price.

Welcome back to Crye-Leike Insights! Each week, we share tips, stories, and wisdom from our Crye-Leike family. Find out from our Director of Web Technologies, Angie Vandenbergh, how Crye-Leike's VoicePad tool can help you as both a buyer and a seller! List Your Home with a Crye-Leike Agent We're often asked what it takes to sell a home. The short answer is: preparation, pricing, smart, targeted marketing, leveraging our vast network of agents and buyers, showings, savvy negotiation and much more. Crye-Leike agents possess a high degree of expertise in all aspects of representation. Talk to one now. Schedule a Listing Presentation

Welcome back toCrye-Leike Insights! Each week, we share tips, stories, and wisdom from our Crye-Leike family.Suzie Allen shared some great tips for getting your home ready to sell on this weeks episode of Crye-LeikeInsights!   Landscaping Many buyers will drive by your listing before they even schedule a listing. Make sure that your yard is making the best first impression possible. Entrance Area Buyers will spend the most time at the front door. While they are waiting to enter and discussing the home at the end of the tour, make sure that your entrance area is welcoming. Odors You don't want to be remembered as the house that smells bad! Stop cooking spicy foods a few weeks before showings and deep clean your carpets.   If you are interested in fixing up your home before putting it on the market, make sure to check out Crye-Leike Home Services and find out what discounts you can receive with our vendors!

Packing When the movers come to do the packing, simply stand back and let them do it. They are professionally trained on how to pack every possible household item. Remember the packers will not try to decide for you what should be packed and what should not. This includes garage door openers and keys. A good idea is to designate an area of a room or a closet and mark on the door "do not pack". Place everything you would not want packed in that area. Movers will generally not pack anything that is physically attached to the home, such as paper towel holders, light fixtures, and drape tracks. Take these down and leave out for the crew, if you are taking them. Chemical or flammable items cannot be packed, so leave them where they are. The movers will leave what they cannot pack. When they are finished you can go through the house and make your own arrangements for these.   Taking Inventory The driver will make a written inventory and record the condition of items. These inventory sheets will be used if you need to make a claim, so it is imperative that everything is listed. If you do not agree with the movers assessment of the condition of an item, note your exceptions on the original inventory form. The driver will provide you with a copy.   Final Walk-Through You will be asked to sign a bill of lading releasing your belongings. Before signing, take a walk around to make sure nothing has been overlooked. Then carefully review the document and keep a copy of it. This document outlines the moving company's limitations and liability, so do not hesitate to ask the driver any questions. Give the driver contact information to get in touch with you, while in transit and at the destination. The driver will give you scheduled arrival date and time. Often it is a range, so plan to be available during that entire time. If you are not present when the truck arrives at destination, your goods may end up in storage at your cost.   Delivery Day The driver will give you the inventory sheets as each box is carried into the house. The workers will call out the box numbers so you can check them off. When finished, you will sign that inventory form, so review it carefully. Do not sign anything until all boxes have been checked. By signing this, you acknowledge that you received everything and that you agree with the driver as to the condition of your belongings. Make a note on the form of missing boxes or damage. If you suffer property or auto damage, note this on the inventory sheet and call the moving company immediately.   Unpacking If you have requested and paid for unpacking, it will be done by the driver the day or the day after unloading. Movers unpack by emptying boxes and placing the items on counters or floors, in the rooms designated by you ahead of time on each box. Having movers unpack is mainly to dispose of packing materials. If you unpack yourself, request a "debris pick-up" from your moving company. They will come to pick up the crushed boxes. Be sure to schedule it once you are 100% unpacked.   Insurance Claims If damage occurs, call the moving company immediately and they will send you the necessary forms. Be sure to keep any damaged items, even if they are of no use to you any longer. They usually must be available for inspection by the claims adjuster. If items are not available for inspection, the mover can decline liability. Obtain a written appraisal of any antique or unique items to verify value. You must file only one claim, and do so within a certain number of days after the delivery date. This is why you must unpack everything before filing a claim. If some items are in storage or you just put them in closets, please speak with the moving company about how long you have to unpack them and file the claim.   Useful Tips Be sure to keep receipts of all of your travel expenses, including gas, food and lodging. The receipts may be needed for your taxes and/or if you are working with a relocation company or a corporate move. Do not wax or oil wood furniture before moving, as it may soften the wood, making it vulnerable to imprinting from furniture pads. Pianos/organs must be prepared for the move by a technician, and adjusted once delivered. Discuss this with your mover before moving day. Do not ship diskettes on the moving truck, send via insured mail or carry yourself. Unplug electronics 24 hours in advance of moving so they will be at room temperature on moving day. Moving equipment with internal heat retained can cause damage. Upon delivery, wait again until items are room temperature before turning them back on. Pets are family, but cannot be sent along on the moving truck. You can transport them yourself in an auto or put them in proper carriers and ship on an airline, or arrange for delivery with a pet carrier service. Consider these when deciding: Length of trip Pet's age and temperament (road trips thrill some and terrify others!) Some states have laws concerning entry. Contact the State Veterinarian or Animal Health Division before you move. If you choose the airline, they have strict instructions on carriers, blackout periods during summer months, etc. Be sure to call each airline for their policies.

The normal home-buying real estate transaction is an involved process. When handled by professionals, it should run smoothly for both the buying and selling clients. "Professionals" is plural since proficiency is needed by not just the real estate agent, but also by every party involved. This will include a mortgage loan originator, title office and closing attorney, home inspection service, and even the insurance agency. Anyone and everyone in those offices should be held to the highest standards in their job performance. Finding and working with a quality Realtor then is of utmost importance. Focusing on the client's satisfaction first should be the goal of all Realtors. A high standard of work ethics is required to achieve these results by all of the parties involved in the transaction. The Realtor then must be able to manage many facets of this process. Each real estate transaction will offer it's own challenges. The personality of the real estate agent must be flexible to work with various personalities of either the buyers or sellers. Once a good relationship is established it is much easier to work towards the common goal whether it is selling or buying. If the real estate agent works with a proficient and experienced team of professionals, it can help to insure that the entire process works well for everyone. Inexperienced and new agents should take the time to learn how top agents have achieved those goals. Research their chosen team of professionals they work with. Wise choices are easier to make in securing early success. These decisions can help to insure that new agents can also build a base of satisfied clients and achieve their own success as well. Clients are looking for satisfaction through superior service. Ethical behavior, follow up, listening, timeliness, and organization are necessary skills for any successful salesperson. These skills can be learned and become habit through repetition. Ultimately, success is there for everyone and earned through his or her own efforts to reach their goals.

Welcome back to Crye-Leike Insights! Each week, we share tips, stories, and wisdom from our Crye-Leike family. In this week's episode, Dick Leike shares why working with historic homes in the Mid-South is so special.     There are many significant historic properties in the Mid-South. Agriculture in the South-East made our region one of the wealthiest areas of the US before the Civil War. Historic homes were built-to-last with sturdy wood or fully, bricked construction. The architecture of these old homes is beautiful.   Are you interested in purchasing a historic home? Ask your Crye-Leike agent about any of these listings built before 1900.  

Welcome back toCrye-Leike Insights! Each week, we share tips, stories, and wisdom from our Crye-Leike family. In this episode of Crye-Leike Insights, Angie Vandenbergh tells us where your property information goes when you list with Crye-Leike. SPOILER ALERT... It goes EVERYWHERE!     What happens when you list your property with Crye-Leike? Where can people find information on my property?   Crye-Leike.com Syndication Network - Information automatically gets sent to many different real estate websites Appointment Center - available for showings right away 24/7 Info Line - Recorded property information Crye-Leike Mobile App Email Alerts for New Listings YouTube - Video tour and property info Leading Real Estate Companies of the World - Referral Network All Agent Websites in All Markets Crye-Leike Marketing System   List Your Home with a Crye-Leike Agent We're often asked what it takes to sell a home. The short answer is: preparation, pricing, smart, targeted marketing, leveraging our vast network of agents and buyers, showings, savvy negotiation and much more. Crye-Leike agents possess a high degree of expertise in all aspects of representation. Talk to one now. Schedule a Listing Presentation

Home Warranties Can Help Home Sellers and Buyers   Home warranties are very useful, whether you are buying or selling a home. A home warranty policy will pay for the cost of fixing and, if necessary, replacing many systems including heating, cooling, electrical, plumbing, water heaters, ovens, refrigerators, etc. The policy offers coverage against normal damage and is for a set period of time, usually one year. In some cases ceiling fans, pools and even roofs can be warranted. Typically a home warranty will cost between $350 - $600 depending on terms, conditions and contract period. When you make a claim, there is usually a small deductible. Home warranties don't cover already damaged items (pre-existing conditions) and don't cover cosmetic repairs (rust, paint, etc.). Usually home warranties don't cover structural items such as window frames, doors, etc. It is important to find out the specific terms of a home warranty. Advantages for Sellers Home warranties can be an excellent marketing tool when selling a home. Your house can be listed as fully warranted, which means home buyers don't have to worry about being deceived about the condition of items in a home. Warranties also differentiate your home from others and may help in negotiations over the price of the home. Home warranties typically take effect after closing and last for one year. In a situation where selling a home in a short time frame is important, home warranties can make the difference and can even bring a higher price.   Advantages for Buyers Even if a seller does not pay for a home warranty, a buyer may want to purchase one. A repair on a major appliance on a house can easily exceed the cost of a home warranty. Home warranties also give peace of mind in the period after a purchase. Typically a household's cash reserves are depleted after purchasing a home and any major repair can be a tremendous financial burden to the family. A typical repair to a furnace will cost $1250 - $3500, well above the cost of a home warranty. Typically an agent or real estate agency can provide you with a home warranty. As with any contract, read the terms and conditions closely. In most states, real estate agencies get a monetary incentive for selling a home warranty. Try shopping around for warranties to make sure the real estate company is trying to get you the best deal. Home warranties are very common. It is estimated that nearly one million policies were sold last year.   Request Home Warranty Information Contact us if you are interested in finding out more about a warranty for your property. Request Information

Not All Real Estate Companies Are Equal!   Top 10 customer benefits that put Crye-Leike above the rest. Our Agent Network Over 3000 highly trained market experts across 9 states and 1 Island and the countless years of listing and selling experience.   Largest Relocation Network 65+ countries, 4000+ companies - we find more buyers from out of town, than other companies.   Our Sales Record Proven experience. With over 30,000 sales last year we know what it takes to get your home sold.   Unsurpassed Customer Service Our goal is 100% satisfaction.   Brand Recognition 40+ years in the local community. We've built dependable relationships.   Trusted Market Leader Ranked #1 in TN/AR/MS. #5 in Nation. Based on market shares of MLS closings.   Location, Location, Location More walk in traffic with over 115 locationsand over 3200+ licensed professionals... means more walk-in traffic and easier access to Crye-Leike associates. This means more buyers have quick and easy access to your listing.   One Stop Shopping Only company in the area to provide mortgage, closing, and insurance.   Home Services Discounts from vendors for Crye-Leike customers help you save money as you get your home ready to market. Free vendor and home services referral program is available only to Crye-Leike customers... No more waiting in endless lines when hooking up cable, telephone, or utilities at your new home...one call to Crye-Leike Home Services and you're waiting-in-line days are over. Vendors must maintain quality satisfaction and offer discounts to Crye-Leike customers.   Dedicated Marketing Departments Fully staffed professional in-house marketing departments... No other real estate company in the area provides their associates more marketing tools at the lowest possible costs, than Crye-Leike. That means all Crye-Leike associates can do more and better promotions for every customer. This means a quicker sale. From virtual tours, to post cards, from flyers to marketing plans...only Crye-Leike has it all in-house for you, not just to serve you better - to serve you the BEST!       List Your Home with a Crye-Leike Agent We're often asked what it takes to sell a home. The short answer is: preparation, pricing, smart, targeted marketing, leveraging our vast network of agents and buyers, showings, savvy negotiation and much more. Crye-Leike agents possess a high degree of expertise in all aspects of representation. Talk to one now.  

Price it right, right from the start.   Your property will generate the most attention and showings in the first weeks it's on the market. That's right... the FIRST week. For the best results, you should list it at a realistic price right from the beginning. If your price is too high relative to the competition, then right buyers will not even look at an otherwise attractive property - particularly during the critical stage of initial market exposure.   Proper Pricing is Important Faster Sale Less Inconvenience Attracts "Cleaner" Financing Attracts Higher Offers Means More Money to Sellers Avoids Being "Shopworn" Better Response from Advertising and Sign Inquiries Increased Sales Associate Response Exposure to More Prospects Learn the value of your property: Setting the right price before you list is critical to getting the most for your property and selling it quickly. Having a professional with experience in your neighborhood prepare a Competitive Market Analysis (CMA) gives you the facts and insights to set the right price.   Request a complimentary evaluation of the market price of your home by clicking here.  

Welcome back to Crye-Leike Insights! Each week, we share tips, stories, and wisdom from our Crye-Leike family. This week, Helen Dansker from Crye-Leike Bella Vista, AR shares her 3 tips for getting your home ready for the market!     Curb Appeal Clean front door. Put out flowers or plants. Spruce up patio furniture. Lay out a welcome mat or rug.   Decluttering Buyer must be able to image your house as their own. Take down pictures and collectibles. If you don't use it everyday, put it away. Counters and floors cleared. Clean out closets, cabinets, and refrigerators. Pack everything up in boxes and put in garage or storage unit.   Inspection Look at outside and inside of house with a pad of paper and write down everything the buyers will look at. Make a list of everything that needs to be cleaned or fixed. Consider hiring a home inspector to do a pre-listing inspection. Replace outlets with GFCI.     For more information on selling your home with Crye-Leike, CLICK HERE!

Welcome back toCrye-Leike Insights! Each week, we share tips, stories, and wisdom from our Crye-Leike family. This week, Jenny Merritt from the Crye-Leike Kanis Branch stopped by to explain why Crye-Leike believes pricing your home right from the start is so important! "Within the first three weeks, research is showing that that is when you have the most buyers looking at your listing..."   How Do Our Agents Find the Right Price For Your Home? Sold Comparables Active Comparables Absorption Rate Seasonality   Setting the right price before you list is critical to getting the most for your property and selling it quickly. Having a professional with experience in your neighborhood prepare a Competitive Market Analysis (CMA) gives you the facts and insights to set the right price. Find a Crye-Leike Agent today! Crye-Leike is a full service real estate company founded in Memphis in 1977. Today it's the nation's 5th largest real estate company and the largest serving markets in Tennessee, Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, and across the Mid-South. Crye-Leike has a network of more than 3,200+ licensed sales associates, 600+ staff members and over 125+ branch and franchise offices located throughout a nine-state region of Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Tennessee.

An inviting open house can put your home on buyers short lists. Get ready for your open house stress-free by starting early and breaking down your to-do list into manageable chunks. Use this timeline of 35 tips and your house will stand out from the competition on open house day.   Four Weeks Before the Open House Find a babysitter for the kids the weekend of the open house. Then book a reservation for your pet with the dog sitter or at the kennel. Having everyone out of the house on the day of will help you keep your home tidy andsmelling fresh. Plus, no dogs and no kids equal more time for last-minute prep. Line up a contractor to take care of maintenance issues your real estate agent has asked you to fix, likeleaking faucets,sagging gutters, ordings in the walls. De-clutter every room (even if you already de-cluttered once before). Dont hide your stuff in the closetbuyers will open doors to size up closet space. Store your off-season clothes, sports equipment, and toys somewhere else. Book carpet cleaners for a few days before the open house and a house cleaning service for the day before. Otherwise, make sure to leave time to do these things yourself a couple of days before. Three Weeks Before the Open House Buy fluffy white towels to create a spa-like feel in the bathrooms. Buy a front door mat to give a good first impression. Designate a shoebox for each bathroom to stow away personal items the day of the open house. Two Weeks Before the Open House Clean the light fixtures, ceiling fans, light switches, and around door knobs. Aspic-and-span housemakes buyers feel like they can move right in. Power-wash the house,deck, sidewalk, and driveway. One Week Before the Open House Make sure potential buyers can get up close and personal with yourfurnace, air-conditioning unit, andappliances. Theyll want to read any maintenance and manufacturers stickers to see how old everything is. Clean the inside of appliances and de-clutter kitchen cabinets and drawers and the pantry. Buyers will open cabinet doors and drawers. If yours are stuffed to the gills, buyers will think your kitchen lacks enough storage space. Put out the new door mat to break it in. Itll look nice, but not too obviously new for the open house. Week of the Open House Buy ready-made cookie dough and disposable aluminum cookie sheets so you dont have to take time for clean up after baking (you can recycle the pans after use). Nothing says home like the smell of freshly baked cookies. Buy a bag of apples or lemons to display in a pretty bowl. Let your real estate agent know if youre running low on sales brochures explaining the features of your house. Clean the windows to let in the most light possible. Mow the lawn two days before the open house. Mowing the morning of the open house can peeve house hunters with allergies. Day Before the Open House Make sure your real estate agent puts up plenty of open-house signs pointing in the right direction and located where drivers will see them. If she cant get to it on the Friday before a Sunday open house, offer to do it yourself. Put away yard clutter like hoses, toys, or pet water bowls. Lay fresh logs in the fireplace. Day of the Open House Put checkbooks, kids piggybanks, jewelry, prescription drugs, bank statements, and other valuables in the trunk of your car, at a neighbors house, or in your safe. Its rare, but thefts do happen at open houses. Set the dining room table for a special-occasion dinner. In the backyard, uncover the barbeque and set the patio table for a picnic to show buyers how elegantly and simply they can entertain once they move in. Check any play equipment for spider webs or insect invasions. A kid screaming about spiders wont endear buyers to your home. Clean the fingerprints off the storm door. First impressions count. Put up Post-It notes around the house to highlight great features like tilt-in windows or a recently updated appliance. Remove shampoo, soap, toothbrushes, and other personal items from the bathtub, shower, and sinks in all the bathrooms. Store them in a shoebox under the sink. Removing personal items makes it easier for buyers to see themselves living in your house. Stow away all kitchen countertop appliances. One Hour Before the Open House Bake the ready-to-bake cookies you bought earlier this week. Put them on a nice platter for your open house guests to eat with a note that says: Help yourself! Hang the new towels in the bathrooms. Put your bowl of apples or lemons on the kitchen table or bar counter. Pick up and put away any throw rugs, like the bath mats. Theyre a trip hazard. 15 Minutes Before the Open House Open all the curtains and blinds and turn on the lights in the house. Buyers like bright homes. Light fireplace logs (if its winter). Didnt get those cookies baked? Brew a pot of coffee to make the house smell inviting. During the Open House Get out of the house and let the REALTOR sell it! Potential buyers will be uncomfortable discussing your home if youre loitering during the open house. Take advantage of your child- and pet-free hours by treating yourself to something you enjoy a few extra hours at the gym, a trip to the bookstore, or a manicure.       By: DONA DEZUBE. Visit Houselogic.com for more articles like this. Reprinted from HouseLogic.com with permission of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS.

Can I write off moving expenses? If you've recently moved because of a job, then part or all of your moving expenses may be deductible. It doesn't matter if it is a new job, the same job or an old job - it just has to be job related. There are two tests to determine if you qualify for the deduction. (If you are a married couple filing jointly, only one of you will have to pass the tests. You are limited to deducting the expenses that occur within one year of the new job's start date.) The Distance Test.The first test is the 50-mile test. The distance between your new primary job and your former home must be at least 50 miles greater than your old commute. The Job Related Test.The second test must show that you moved for work and not just for a change of location. You must be employed full time in the general area of your new job location for at least 39 weeks during the 12 months after the move. This means that you can switch jobs, but you must remain employed. What if you own your own business? The rules are different if you are self-employed. If you are a sole proprietor or partner in a business, you can transfer yourself to Alaska if you feel the need and deduct the cost, as long as you meet the 50-mile and 39-week tests. There is an added test for self-employed people. The test requires that you work full time in the area for 78 weeks during the two years after you move. What if you are re-entering the workforce? If you are just re-entering the full-time workforce, you can claim the deduction if you move for a job. Your new job and your former home must be 50 miles apart, and you must pass the 39-week test. What expenses can you deduct? You know that you have passed all of the tests to deduct your moving expenses, now you want to know what you get in return. You can deduct the following expenses: Packing and shipping costs Insurance on your belongings Up to 30 days of storage fees Some of the expenses occurred in traveling to your new home Cost of disconnecting and reconnecting utilities Are there expenses that you cannot deduct? There are many expenses associated with your move that are not deductible. You cannot deduct the following: (However if any of the above items are used for business purposes, you may be able to deduct some of the expenses as business expenses.) Expenses incurred from buying or selling a home or acquiring or breaking a lease Apartment security deposits Losses from selling or giving up club memberships Driver's license and car registration fees Expenses associated with house hunting You cannot deduct moving expenses paid or reimbursed by your employer. Once you have rounded up all of your qualifying expenses, complete IRS Form 3903. The resulting write off will be on your 1040. Some considerations in company financed moves. Your employer may pay for your moving costs in two ways. It can give you a tax-free reimbursement for the amounts you can deduct or it can add the reimbursement to your salary. If you receive a tax-free reimbursement you don't have to do anything else. The expenses are basically deducted from your income because the reimbursement isn't included in your wages. The amount of the reimbursement will be reported as a nontaxable item on your W-2. If your employer reimburses you through your salary, then you need to fill out Form 3903 to receive a deduction. You will have to do this if you are self-employed. You are able to deduct only what the IRS allows, no matter how much you are reimbursed. If your boss is very generous and reimburses you for meals, you will have to pay income tax on that money. You should be aware of one thing. If your boss gives you a check to move before you actually start the moving process, you may have a little extra thinking to do. What happens if you get the check in December and move in January? It may seem odd, but you can deduct the move in the year that you receive reimbursement, even if you move the next tax year. In this case, you shouldn't file your taxes until you are completely moved. If you haven't moved by April 15, file for an extension until you are moved into your new home and can prove all of your qualifying moving expenses. The above article is intended only for overview information. Always check with current IRS regulations for exact requirements and criteria for deductions.

Moving can be a hectic and expensive time. If possible, you can save money by moving yourself. A Self-Move means that you will acquire your own packing materials, and arrange for people to help you load and unload your belongings. Below is a list of items that you should consider when moving yourself.   Moving Truck - size depends on need You will need to know how to drive the truck that you rent. Some companies offer units with power steering and power brakes, others do not. An automatic transmission may or may not be available. Remember that these are real trucks, not modified cars. They handle differently than a car. They have large blind spots, and are top heavy so they must be driven slower and braking distances are longer. Also be aware of overhangs that do not normally pose problems to cars.   Towing a Vehicle When reserving a rental truck, be sure to indicate if you have a vehicle to be towed. Also indicate the make, year and model. This way the self-move dealer can reserve the proper type of towing item.   Furniture/Appliance Dollies & Furniture Pads - for leverage and protection Your rental dealer can supply you with tools to help make moving certain items easier. These include dollies, which you place heavy items upon to give you leverage; furniture pads for surface protection; and straps to tie down the load. Bungee cables are not recommended. Also hand trucks may be necessary to help move bulky and heavy items.   Fuel Like rental cars, if you bring the truck back at a lower gas level, the rental company will charge for the amount of gallons it takes for them to re-fuel. It is more cost effective for you to fill it up before you return it.   Supplies - boxes, tape, mattress bags, mirror boxes This is an additional expense of moving. As soon as you know you are moving, you may want to start accumulating packing materials from various sources to help save money. Otherwise rental facilities and package stores carry this type of material.   Reservations & Deposits Be sure to reserve the rental truck as soon as you know the date you are moving. This insures that you will have the truck available on the days that you need it. Most rental companies will require a deposit to secure the reservation.   Rental Insurance Protection Many times your homeowner or rental insurance may not protect your household goods while in transit. You should check with your current insurance agent. Also ask your self-move dealer what protection they can offer you for the rental period. When you pick up your truck, review the paperwork to see that the rental protection is included.   Remember that when you pick up your truck, the dealer will show you everything you need to know. Don't be afraid to ask questions. Be sure to keep receipts of all of your expenses, including the rental, gas, food and lodging. The receipts may be needed for your taxes and/or if you are working with a relocation company or a corporate move.

This week on Crye-Leike Insights we hear from Angie Vandenbergh, our Director of Web Technologies, about why you should be searching for homes on Crye-Leike.com. Why search for homes on Crye-Leike.com Crye-Leike participates in about 40 different MLS systems and displays all available properties from all companies and agents in our markets. This includes Crye-Leike listings and competitor's listings. Property photos and information is updated every 12 minutes. Crye-Leike.com includes all photos and open houses (some sites don't display all the media). Crye-Leike.com includes a sold search - find out your neighbor's selling price. About Angie Vandenbergh, Director of Web Technologies Angie has worked at Crye-Leike for 18 years. Angie is responsible for development, data, online and social media related services for Crye-Leike. You can visit herLinkedIn page atwww.linkedin.com/in/angievandenbergh/ Check in next week for moreCrye-Leike Insights.

This week on Crye-Leike Insights we turn the camera towards our customers. Listen to some of our past clients share their experiences working with Crye-Leike. Integrity "After we met our agent, we felt comfortable going with Crye-Leike because it was such a reputable brand." Today, Crye-Leike is the nation's 5th largest real estate company and the largest serving markets in Tennessee, Arkansas, Georgia, Mississippi, and across the Mid-South. Crye-Leike has a network of more than 3,200+ licensed sales associates, 600+ staff members and over 120+ branch and franchise offices. Responsiveness "Our agent would send us listings whenever they came available. They were new houses that weren't on these websites, that we were able to take a look at before they were on the market." We respond quickly to customer needs. Passion to be Better "We are a full service company. People don't have to go to different places to get the kind of service that they are looking for... We're a one-stop shop, and that's exactly what consumers want and expect." To find a Crye-Leike agent near you, visitcrye-leike.com/real-estate-agents!

For Sale by Owner: Questions to Ask Yourself? If you try to sell your property yourself... Will you still pay a buyer's agent commission (typically around 3%)? How much time do you have to work on this? Are you available to take calls and answer questions from buyer's when they call? Will you show your home to anyone that calls or will you make sure they are qualified? Will you be able to show your property at any time of day? Will this interfere with your work schedule? Do you know what a competitive price is for your property? If you price it too high are you prepared to lower the price, if it sits on the market too long? What type of marketing will you do? How comfortable are you with negotiating a deal directly? How knowledgeable are you about real estate transactions and protecting yourself legally and financially? How quickly do you need to sell? For Sale by Owner: Topics to Consider How much money are you really saving? There are several factors to consider when estimating your net from the sale. Typically For Sale by Owner properties are priced too high for the market.This has been seen in numerous studies. What this leads to is missing out on the critical first two weeks on the market. The first two weeks is when you will see the most visitors to your property. If it is priced to high, you will miss out on many qualified buyers. The longer your property sits on the market, the more stale it seems in a buyer's eyes. Once you lower the price enough to sell, a buyer may ask themself, why has no one else wanted to buy this property yet? You may then have to lower the price even below what it would have sold for had it been priced right in the first two weeks. Commission to showing agents is another price factor to consider.Typically a buyer's agent will make 3% commission on the sale. If you are listing a property yourself and not paying a buyer's agent commission, then those agents will not want to show your property to their client. In addition to that, even if you pay the buyer's agent commission, many still don't like to show FSBO properties, because it can lead to more work and complications for them to handle on the deal. Also consider time to sell on the overall price. The time that it takes away from your work schedule and other responsibilities to take calls from buyers, qualify them, show the property, draw up contracts, negotiate with other agents and buyers etc.   Listing in the Multiple Listing Service (MLS) When you list your property for sale with a Realtor, he/she will enter it into the Multiple Listing Service (MLS). This is a shared system that agents in the area all access to find available properties for their clients. If you try to sell your home, without adding it to the MLS system, you may not be found by agents representing buyers in the area.   Showings & Qualified Buyers If you sell your property yourself, all of the work to show a property and qualify buyers lands on your shoulders. How do you know if someone who wants to tour your home is qualified to buy the property? Do you want to ask them or are you going to spend your time showing your home to people who may just be looking around? For showing appointments are you going to have to take off work or be able to change your schedule at short notice to show your home to a prospective buyer? In addition to that many buyers do not feel comfortable touring a property with the seller there and/or showing them around. When an agent shows your property there are also experienced with answering questions or handling buyer's objections.   Marketing You'll want to consider what type of marketing you'll do on your own. How will you get your listing online? Do the sites charge a fee? Will you print flyers or run targeted mailings? Consider who will create your marketing pieces and how much it will cost to pay for them. Also consider how you will keep them updated. This also includes capturing the right pictures to entice buyers to come for an inside tour.   Negotiations A Realtor provides a buffer between you and the buyer and buyer's agents. This offers you a great advantage in negotiations. In addition to that experienced agents can highlight typical and/or special points in terms of the deal. Is it standard for buyer to request closing costs in this market? What is the regular amount? What things should be included in the purchase? When do you move out and they move it? Are the terms of the deal favorable to you? What are the inspection and financing issues? Experience in negotiating these factors all impact your bottom line and a smooth transition.   Legal Issues A person's property is typically their biggest financial investment. It is important to consider legal aspects of the transaction and your interactions with buyer in order to protect your financial interests. You'll need to consider disclosure topics, tax issues, restrictions with your homeowner's association (if applicable) and others. Most states require a property condition disclosure of some type. Selling yourself does not preclude this responsibility. Most lawsuits pertaining to the sale of real property result from buyers suing regarding property conditions and or repairs that were not fully disclosed. Federal law requires that houses built before 1978 include a Lead Base Paint Disclosure with certain options for the buyer and seller. When you go it alone, there is a greater risk that you may miss something in these areas. Do the Research: Interview an Agent Schedule an interview with an agent to have a greater understanding of your current real estate market and issues regarding the sale. You are not obligated to use the agent. We offer complimentary appointments to evaluate your property and let you know about our services and you'll be able to make a more informed decision.

Let your home welcome buyers with a smile! With a little effort on your part, your home can be sold more quickly and at a better price. These 20 tips have been proven invaluable to owners and are worth your special attention. First Impressions Are Lasting... The front door greets the prospect. Make sure it is fresh, clean and scrubbed looking. Keep lawn trimmed and edged, and the yard free of refuse. Be sure walks and steps are free from debris, snow and ice. Decorate for a Quick Sale... Faded walls and worn woodwork reduce appeal. Why try to tell the prospect how the home could look, when you can show him by redecorating? A quicker sale at a higher price will result. An investment in new kitchen wallpaper will pay dividends. Let The Sun Shine In... Open draperies and curtains and let the prospect see how cheerful your home could be. (Dark rooms do not appeal.) Fix the Faucet! Dripping water discolors the sink & suggests faulty plumbing. Repairs Can Make A Big Difference... Loose knobs, sticking doors and windows, warped cabinet drawers and other minor flaws detract from home value. Have them fixed. From Top to Bottom... Display the full value of your attic, basement, and other utility space by removing all unnecessary articles. Brighten dark, dull basements by painting walls. Safety First... Keep stairways clear. Avoid cluttered appearances and possible injuries. Make Closets Look Bigger... Neat, well-ordered closets show the space is ample. Bathrooms Help Sell Homes... Check and repair caulking in bathtubs and showers. Make the room sparkle! Arrange Bedrooms Neatly... Remove excess furniture. Use attractive bedspreads and freshly laundered curtains. Can You See The Light? Illumination is a welcome sign. The potential buyer will feel a glowing warmth when you turn on all your lights for an evening inspection. Three's a Crowd... Avoid having too many people present during inspections. The potential buyer will feel like an intruder and hurry through the house. Music is Mellow... But not when showing a house. Turn off the blaring radio or television. Let the salesperson and buyer talk free of disturbances. Pets Underfoot... Keep them out of the way - preferably out of the house. Silence is Golden... Be courteous but don't force conversation with the potential buyer. The buyer wants to inspect your house, not socialize. Be It Ever So Humble... Never apologize for the appearance of your home. After all, it has been lived in. Let the trained sales associate answer any objections. In the Background... The sales associate knows the buyer's requirements and can better emphasize the features of your home when you don't tag along. You will be called if needed. Why Put the Cart Before the Horse... Trying to dispose of furniture and furnishings before a buyer has purchased the house often loses a sale. A Word to the Wise... Let your realtor discuss price, terms, possession and other factors with the customer. Your sales associate is eminently qualified to bring negotiations to a favorable conclusion. Use Your Sales Associate... We ask that you show your home to prospective customers only by appointment through the office. Your cooperation will be appreciated and will help us close the sale more quickly.