Homeowner Blog

TOP 3 TIPS FOR HOUSE HUNTING

Hunting for a new home online is a great place to start your search, but it should not be your end all be all. Good listing agents are excellent at highlighting the best features of the home, but keep in mind there may be more than meets the eye. To make the most of your time and efforts and gather a well-rounded picture of home listings online, keep the following three things in mind.

Stay up to date. When you start your search, make sure you find a site that pulls up-to-date listings directly from the multiple listing service (MLS) where real estate agents actively post their most current homes for sale. Many online resources update less often or fail to remove listings that are off the market, making it more difficult to sort through the clutter.

Pictures can be deceiving. Real estate photographers are experts at showing a home in the best possible light. Many use tools and strategies to boost appeal, such as a fisheye lens to make areas look larger and creative editing to make colors and textures really pop. But, often listings will not contain photos of unappealing parts of the home, like small closets or outdated bathrooms.

See it to believe it. Once you find what appears to be your dream home online, call up your real estate agent and schedule a showing. You want to take the opportunity to vet the home in person and explore every part of it before beginning the offer process. Your real estate agent will help you cover all your bases and will ask questions you may not have thought of.

5 MUST-HAVE TOOLS FOR HOMEOWNERS

When you own your home, things are going to break and, unless you want to spend your money on visits from a neighborhood handyman, you’re going to need to fix them yourself. Luckily, you don’t need an arsenal of tools to handle most home maintenance fixes. These five tools will cover most of your basic projects.

Cordless drill. A cordless drill is a must-have for installing cabinets, drawer pulls, hinges, picture frames, shelves and hooks, and more. Whether it’s for do-it-yourself projects or repairs, you’ll use your cordless drill just about every month.

Drain cleaners. Shower and bathroom sink drains are susceptible to clogs because of the daily buildup of hair and whisker clippings. You can use chemical clog removers like Drano, but they’re expensive and the lingering chemical scent is unpleasant. Instead, buy some plastic drain cleaners that can reach into the drain to pull out the clog of hair and gunk. You can purchase them on Amazon or at a local hardware store for a low price.

Shop-vac. No matter how careful you are, spills and accidents will happen and there are some tasks that just can’t be handled with paper towels or a standard vacuum, like pet messes or broken glass.

Loppers. Even the minimum amount of care for your landscaping will require some loppers to remove damaged branches, vines, thick weeds, and any other unruly plants in your yard.

Flashlight. You’re going to want something a little more powerful than your iPhone flashlight when you’re in the crawlspace!

IDEAS FOR STAGING YOUR HOME

A recent survey from the National Association of Realtors® revealed that 77 percent of buyers’ agents said staging a home makes it easier for potential buyers to visual it as their own. That’s why here at Local Agent Pro Network, we believe staging is not to be overlooked! Here are our top tips.

Dress up your yard. First impressions count, and the first one your home gives comes from the exterior. Mow the lawn, clean up shrubbery, rake any leaves, clean the walkway and driveway, plant in-season flowers, and pull up any unsightly weeds.

Reduce personal items. Make it easier for buyers to imagine themselves making your house their home by removing personal photos and knick-knacks from shelves, walls, and counters. Instead replace them with clean, simple décor, such as abstract paintings, nature images, vases, plants, and more.

Organize your storage areas. Storage is a huge selling point. Tidy up and clear out the accessible closets and cupboards in the home and make sure to point them out during an open house or showing.

Appeal to the senses. Consider ways you can appeal to potential homebuyers’ other senses. During a viewing or open house, bake some fresh cookies or burn delicious smelling candles and play light, relaxing music in the background.

Consider turning to an expert. With their knowledge of current trends and great eye for design, professionally certified stagers can transform a home in a variety of ways and have a keen sense of what homebuyers want and expect in a home. Investing in hiring a pro may pay off in dividends.

Local Agent PRO Online Directory Launches in California

Local Agent PRO Network, the new online directory optimized for Mobile Devices, is launching in California, with an initial Spring 2019 roll-out in Los Angeles and Orange Counties. Local Agent PRO Network includes local Real Estate Professional contact info along with helpful resources for Home Buyers and Home Sellers.

All Real Estate Agents get a Free simple Contact Profile on the Local Agent PRO Network directory with no obligation. The optional Deluxe Pro Upgrade Listings enable Real Estate Agents to generate Inbound Lead traffic using custom Testimonial Videos, Custom Express Links, Dynamic Forms, Auto-responder Digital Coupons and the Mailchimp mail platform.

All Deluxe Pro Upgrade Listings are a no-hassle “Do-It-For-Me” Managed Service; Agents simply upload their content using the Agent Content Form and the Agent Support Team will update their Digital Coupons and Upgraded Listing content.This enables the Agent to focus on more effective Qualified Lead follow-ups, rather than New Lead generation.

This Digital Directory & Marketing Tool solution compliments the existing Agent web page, not replace it. The Inbound Lead Generator creates improved efficiency by helping to automate the lead generation process.

Deploying the Custom Express Link in all Print Campaigns (Business Cards, Flyers, Signs) will multiply the response of Qualified Inbound Leads from the Agent Target Niches.

UPGRADE BENEFITS
Deluxe Pro Upgrade Listings bring many benefits to Real Estate Agents including:

  • “Do-It-For-Me” managed service that reduces tech hassles
  • Dynamic content including Video Testimonials
  • Simple annual pricing is cost effective & budget-friendly at $58/month
  • Mobile device optimized page works on all devices (not another app)
  • Instant response increases conversions
  • Agents can build qualified prospect lists faster
  • Integrated with popular Mailchimp eMail Platform Account

DIGITAL COUPON IDEAS
Digital Coupons are auto-delivered to the Prospect’s email account from Mailchimp. For Real Estate Agents, Digital Coupon ideas include:
-Monthly Market Report
-Hot Local Listings
-Home Buyer Checklist
-Home Seller Tips
-Home Loan Options & Current Rates

ABOUT
Founded in 2017, the Local Agent Pro Network is published by SoCal Digital Media, an independent publisher focused on B2B verticals, with HQ at World Trace Center Workspaces in Long Beach, California.

LINK to PR LOG Here