The Best Remodeling Projects That Add Value to Your Home

Thinking of making updates to your home before you put it on the housing market? Or maybe you’ve just bought your dream house and you want to put your own stamp on your home. Even if you’ve just moved in, you want to start thinking about things like home value so that you know you can get your money’s worth from your new home. These remodeling projects will not only make your home more comfortable to live in, but will help to optimize your home value.

Bathroom

An outdated bathroom can be a turn-off when viewing a home. It makes a clean space feel dirty, whether it’s simply old tiles or it lacks some of the most recent conveniences. On the other hand, a modern, updated bathroom feels sleek and clean, making an exciting impression on prospective buyers that justifies a boost in value. You can simply update existing features with newer versions, or add extra storage, better shower heads or upgraded faucets.

Landscape

Not all remodeling projects have to take place inside. Taking care of the scenery around your house is a critical part of boosting your curb appeal and thus, your home value. If your front lawn is too overgrown, time to trim those bushes to improve your view from the front window and start to mow the lawn regularly. Does your backyard look a little bare? Start planting a garden, whether it’s a traditional flowerbed or a more eco-friendly succulent garden. You can organize the landscape by creating a serene walkway or, if you feel like adding a water feature like a man made pool or a fountain.

Kitchen

Does your kitchen leave something to be desired? Maybe you need to add more lighting or update your countertops. Maybe you need more child-safe storage or more compact storage to leave a little more open space in the kitchen. A modern kitchen, like a modern bathroom, is an impressive draw to homebuyers and can make your home much more enjoyable and comfortable. You may also be able to make small changes that make a big difference, such as sanding and repainting your cabinets rather than buying new cabinets or changing the backsplash rather than repainting the entire wall.

Door and Window Replacement

This is a fairly small remodeling project, but makes a big difference. Your windows and doors not only add style and function to your home, but they have a strong impact on your home’s insulation and energy efficiency. If your windows and doors let in too much air, they can cause drafts and spikes in your heating and cooling. Consider replacing wood windows and doors, which require heavy maintenance, with more durable, energy efficient options like fiberglass. Fiberglass and steel entry doors, especially, are seeing a boost in home value.

Want to learn more how to get the most out of your dream home — or out of listing your home on the College Station housing market? Contact an expert College Station realtor today to help you through the process.

How to Know When It’s Time to Sell Your Home

It can be hard to know when you’re ready to sell your home. Maybe you’re eager to move and find a change of scenery. On the other hand, maybe you’ve lived in your home for years or decades and it’s hard to objectively tell when it’s the right time to let go. However, timing when it comes to selling your home is as important as timing in buying a home. If the housing market is wrong when you list your home, it may be on the market for months. If your finances aren’t ready, you could easily find yourself overwhelmed. Here are a few ways to know that it’s time to sell your home.

You Have Positive Equity

Don’t even consider selling your home without first figuring out how much equity you have. Equity is your home value less the amount of money that you owe on the home. In a housing crisis, many homeowners have negative equity, which means that paying off their mortgage would cost more than they would be able to get for the home. This is obviously not ideal unless you’re simply desperate to move. Ask a real estate agent to come up with an estimate for your home’s market value and compare that with the amount you still owe on your mortgage. Are you in the black? Then you’re probably safe to sell your home.

You’re Prepared For Obstacles

Everyone would love their home sale to go off without a hitch. They find the right real estate agent, list their home, and find the perfect buyer who makes a fair offer almost right away. However, it’s most likely that you’ll run into one problem or another when trying to sell your home. Maybe you struggle to find the right buyer. Maybe you need to make major renovations before you can list the home. Or maybe you receive an offer that seems perfect right away or multiple offers at the same time, but you want to ensure that you don’t rush into things. Do you know how you’ll respond to these obstacles? Discuss with your realtor common problems that might come up when selling your home and how to approach them.

You’re Emotionally Ready

Your feelings do matter when it comes to selling your home. After all, selling can be a stressful process, as well as a draining one. Your home is full of memories, and sometimes it can be hard to let go of those memories, even when you have to. Take some time to make sure you’re emotionally ready to let go of the home. If you live there with your family, sit everyone down and discuss the move so that you can know how everyone feels. You can discuss where to go in the next chapter of your life together, and you may find yourself excited about what comes next. Selling your home may not ever be easy, but you can be sure that you’re ready to move on before you do.

So is it the right time to sell your home? Talk to a College Station realtor today about how to ensure you’re ready and the steps to take to ensure a successful sale. How to Know When It’s Time to Sell Your Home

Best Places to Bike in Bryan-College Station

May is National Bike Month, as well as a beautiful, mild time of year for avid cyclists to break out their bicycles and and explore the community of Bryan-College Station from a new perspective. If you’re new to town, this is a great way for you to get to know your surroundings. Consider biking to work, or biking to the A&M campus if you’re a student, to save money on gas and lower your carbon footprint. Even if you’ve lived here for years, however, there may still be recreational bike trails that you haven’t tried out yet. Here are a few of our favorites.

Parks Loop

For a brisk bike ride that allows you to take in the beauty of College Station, try the Parks Loop. This route is only 6 miles, all told, but it takes you through various parks throughout College Station. It starts with Bee Creek Park, offering views of the eponymous creek, as well as smooth walking and biking paths and pavilions and greenery where you can rest. From there, you’ll head to Central Park, riding past the ponds and fountains that make this park stand out. Next, you’ll bike through Wolf Creek Park, a lakeside park perfect for camping or hiking various nature trails. On your way back to Bee Creek Park, you’ll also pass the Texas A&M Golf Club with beautifully kept greenery of its own.

Texas A&M

Whether you’re a student, a professor, or simply a local, you may have been taken by the beauty of the Texas A&M campus at some point or another. The 5,200 acres is full of classic architectural styles, beautifully old trees, and famed sports centers. Riding your bike around campus is a great way to get from one class to another easily while still taking in the scenery. However, even on the weekend, a loop around campus can be an invigorating and enjoyable workout. Even if you’re no longer a student, the size and scenery of the campus can offer a terrific guide when it comes to deciding where to bike on a sunny May morning.

Lake Bryan East Loop

This singletrack loop is an excellent option for more athletic cyclists. Scale hills and wild natural paths and get away from the day-to-day city life with the rugged Lake Bryan East Loop. However, because this is a pretty popular trail, you also don’t have to be a cycling expert to take it on. The paths are carefully maintained and well-loved, making it a good intermediate challenge. It contains twelve trails in total, from the twisty Octopus trail to Peaceful Woods. You can even bring a dog with you to run alongside your bike, as long as they’re kept on a leash.

Bryan-College Station is an excellent place to live for bike lovers, both during National Bike Month and throughout the year. Talk to a College Station realtor today about finding your dream home in the area and get started cycling.

3 Reasons to Buy Your First Home This Year

Everyone aspires to own their own home someday, but most of us don’t move out of our parents’ home and into our first purchased house immediately. Apartments tend to be a more common starter home, or rented houses. Renting has downsides — as the months or years go on, you could be paying more for a rental property than you would for a purchased house. But because the initial down payment to buy a home is so much more than monthly rent, many millennials and young professionals put off buying their first home until the right time.

If you’re looking for the right time, 2019 may very well be it. According to the 2018 Home Buyer and Seller Generational Trends, millennials actually led the way in terms of home purchases in recent years, despite the stereotype of millennials not buying homes. Here are a few reasons why it’s never been a better time to buy your first home.

More Homes On the Market

Last year, and even in the beginning of this year, there was a fear throughout much of the country of a “housing bubble,” in which the demand for housing far exceeds the supply, causing prices to shoot upwards. However, more and more homes are becoming available in 2019, so you have a better chance of finding your dream home without a long, stressful house hunt or bidding wars. As more houses become available, there’s also a chance that the market will swing in favor of buyers again. Since housing market trends can be rather fickle, it’s best to jump on this when you have a chance.

Sellers Are More Open to Lower Bids

Again, in the past couple of years, this wouldn’t have been true. In a housing bubble, buyers are lucky to get the house they want by offering the asking price. There was often a chance of entering a bidding war and having to offer something higher. Now, as we move back into a buyer’s market, sellers are more open to lower bids, especially if the alternative is that their house stays on the market for a month or longer.

Mortgage Rates Are In Decline

Mortgage interest rates can be a daunting prospect for first time home buyers. After all, why not just pay rent if you’re going to be paying mortgage for what seems to be forever? However, towards the end of 2018, mortgage interest rates began to drop. 2019 started the year with an average 30 year fixed mortgage rate as low as 4.45%. Much like the housing market, mortgage rates can change quickly, so applying for a mortgage while rates are still low is a good thing to take advantage of.

Buying a house for the first time can be an exciting process, as well as an involved one. To make sure you’re prepared to enter the house hunt and find the house of your dreams, reach out to an expert College Station realtor.

3 Reasons Your Home Isn’t Selling

Home sellers are often so anxious to close on the house so they can continue with their move that any amount of time on the market can feel like too long. However, if your home has been listed for longer than 30 days and you still haven’t found a buyer, there could be an actual problem with your listing. Whether it’s the house or the list price, it’s something you’ll want to take care of as soon as possible. The longer your house is on the market, the harder time you’ll have finding interested buyers. Can’t put your finger on why your home isn’t selling? Here are a few common reasons.

Your Online Listing

As we move further and further into the age of social media, online listings that are easy to find are essential to selling your home. A 2017 survey by the National Association of Realtors® found that 44% of buyers look at online properties first to narrow down their list. Additionally, your listing photos should be high quality. 89% relied on listing photos. If your listing photos don’t grab the attention of buyers from the moment they find your listing online, they may never bother to see your house in person.

Your List Price

Can’t find anything wrong with the staging of your home? Maybe you’re scratching your head because you’ve made all the necessary upgrades and repairs and your curb appeal is neat and eye-grabbing, but your house still won’t sell. If you can’t find anything wrong with the property itself, chances are your list price is too high. Talk to your realtor about what’s realistic for your property and lower it accordingly. If you don’t think the price needs to be lowered, consider changing your marketing strategy to attract buyers who will see the value in the home.

The Time of Year

There are no strict seasons when it comes to buying and selling homes. You can choose to list your home at any time of year, and there will be people who choose to move at any time of year. However, there are times when it will be easier to sell your home than others. In College Station, late spring/early summer is the time when people are most likely to move, especially for family homes. It allows kids in school to finish out the year in one place and start the year fresh in the next place. College students at Texas A&M will also be more likely to move around that time. You’ll have the best luck selling your home when you plan it according to market trends throughout the year.

Selling your home can be a tricky process, with so many variables that are important to your success. It helps to have a professional on your side to guide you through the process and negotiate with your best interests in mind. Contact your experienced College Station realtor today for more information about how to get your home off the market sooner.

How to Save For Your Upcoming Move

There’s no question that moving is expensive. Between buying a new house, paying for the movers, and any new furniture or appliances, and potential HOA fees, there’s almost no way to move without having to budget and save first. Keep in mind you will have a mortgage loan to help with the costs, as well as profits from the sale of your previous home if you currently own a home, but that ultimately won’t mean that you shouldn’t plan your budget months or even a year in advance.

Put 20% Aside for Your Down Payment

Consider your budget for your new home, taking into account that you will almost certainly be applying for a mortgage loan. In most cases, you’ll pay somewhere between 10 and 20% for your down payment, so for the sake of being prepared, it’s best to set aside about 20%. This can also help you get an idea of what your budget is for the house overall. A good rule of thumb is to pay no more than 25% of your monthly take home pay for your down payment. Calculate that number times 5 (if 20%) or 10 (if 10%) and you’ll have a realistic budget for your house.

Consider The Costs Beyond the House

The biggest expense when moving will, of course, be buying the house. However, you’ll have to budget for much more than the down payment of the house. Consider the cost of the moving company, packing supplies, HOA fees, home insurance, and any other fees that might occur. If you’re moving long distance, you should even budget for the cost of the gas for your own car as you drive from one location to the other. Keep in mind, too, that movers are often tipped, and you’ll want to take the gratuity into consideration as well.

Start Looking for Savings

Of course, there are ways to save money on your move. Ask if there are any empty boxes at work that you can use for packing, or check with local stores that often have used boxes piled up in storage. If your budget is a little too tight for a moving company, find friends who will help you move or consider renting a van. Need new furniture? Consider looking at thrift stores or discount furniture stores rather than name brands. Set out a clear idea of the things you want in your new home and the things you absolutely need so your realtor can help you find something that fits your needs and your budget.

Get Pre-Qualified and Pre-Approved

Time to search for mortgage loans? Many homeowners get pre-approved before they make an offer on a house, but not pre-approved. Pre-qualification tells you the kind of loans you’re eligible for and might have a rough idea of the kind of support that loan will offer. Pre-approval offers a much clearer picture. Pre-approval also instills confidence in the seller, so when you do put in an offer on your dream home, it will look that much better.

Worried about staying on budget for your upcoming move? Work with a College Station realtor. They can help you search for a new home with your budget in mind and support you during the offer process to get the best deal for you.

Taking on House Painting DIY

You’ve closed on your dream house, and it’s now yours to do with as you will. But even the perfect house for your family might need a fresh coat of paint. You can hire professional painters to do the job, but many homeowners opt to take on house painting themselves in order to save money on the cost of labor. Fortunately, house painting is a DIY project you can take on fairly easily. There are, of course, missteps that can be made, as well as tips that can make things a little easier.

Paint Before or After Moving In?

Some homeowners prefer to paint before they move in. This gives the paint time to dry and clears the overpowering smell from the house before your family actually starts to live there. However, some interior design professionals warn against this, as you want to be sure that your paint color goes with the colors of your furniture and home decor. If you know how you’re going to fill a room, you may be able to take pictures of your furniture and decor with you when picking out your paint color. This is a choice that has advantages and disadvantages on both sides, so it’s really up to you.

Paint On Dry Weather Days

Yes, this still applies when talking about interior house painting. On humid days, that humidity can get into your home and cause paint to drip or dry more slowly than you’d like. If you can’t get around painting on a humid day, you may want to use a dehumidifier to make sure that it affects your interior walls as little as possible. On the bright side, slow drying paint due to humidity will give you an opportunity to fix any mistakes you may have made or spots you may have missed. But ideally, a dry day is best for painting.

Take Your Time With Prep

Most people know that you can’t simply paint a new coat of paint over the old paint and consider the job done. First, you have to apply primer for a more neutral coat that won’t interfere with the new color you’ve chosen. But before you apply primer, you also have to prep the walls. Are there any spots with cracks or peeling paint? Sand the walls first to smooth out these areas, and rinse to clean it before applying primer. If you don’t take care of the issues with the current paint job first, those same peeling and cracking spots will appear on your new paint job. This is also a good time to start taping the boundaries of your wall so you know where not to paint.

Pour Paint Cans Into One Large Bucket

Even when you buy several cans of the same color, the vibrancy of that color might be a little different from can to can. Many homeowners start with one can of paint only to find when they open the next can and begin to paint that the color on their wall doesn’t quite match. You can get around this problem by pouring all the cans of paint you bought into a bucket — 5 gallons is usually a safe size — and mixing the content. From there, you can paint with a consistent color.

One of the best things about home ownership is that you have the ability to make the house your own, truly turning it into your dream home. But to find the right house in the first place, contact a College Station realtor today.