03.14.11
Posted in Brandon MS homes for sale tagged Brandon MS real estate sellers at 7:00 am by Mississippi Real Estate Agent
Marketing your Brandon MS home for sale can be tough enough in this economy without having other sources working against you. That’s why you should double-check your property’s public records. Large discrepancies between your property description and what’s listed as public record could be turning potential buyers away.
If the public property report for your house is not up to date, you could appear as if you’re inflating its qualities, such as the square footage or the number of bedrooms and bathrooms. Don’t let something so simple hurt your property’s sale. Consider taking the following steps to ensure your home is being portrayed accurately.
- Review your property’s public record. If it matches the information that you and your real estate agent have been promoting for your house, then you’re good to go. It won’t take long, and it will give you peace of mind.
- Ensure that your house’s updates, renovations and additions are all included. Evaluate the report to determine if any updates have been made but not recorded. Was there an addition added without a building permit or a basement finished to include another bedroom? Every square foot counts!
- Fix any discrepancies. Check with your county tax assessor about updating your public record; they’ll want an accurate report for tax purposes anyway. While this might take some time and effort, having an accurate description of your property could help you sell it faster and avoid more months of mortgage payments.
Not only could an inaccurate public record hurt your Brandon MS home for sale, it could also hurt your house’s value. Typically, real estate appraisers only consider square footage that they can verify through a building permit. If your records aren’t up to date, you may end up getting less than your property is worth.
If your Brandon MS home for sale has yet to sell and you’d like more information on how to check its public records, give me a call at 601-942-3392 or email me at Paula@PaulaRicks.com.
Paula Ricks
Coldwell Banker Nell Wyatt, Inc.
REALTOR® and Broker Associate
443A Northpark Dr, Ridgeland, MS 39157
601-942-3392
Paula@PaulaRicks.com
www.PaulaRicks.com
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Brandon MS real estate sellers
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12.16.10
Posted in Brandon MS homes for sale tagged Brandon MS real estate sellers at 7:00 am by Mississippi Real Estate Agent
Do you have a small room in your Brandon MS home for sale that’d you’d like to make larger, but you don’t have the money in your budget to tear down a wall or add on to the room? By using a bit of creativity, you can make that tiny room look larger without breaking the bank.
Here are 8 low-cost decorating tips to make any room in your Brandon MS home for sale look bigger:
- Leave open space. Place taller pieces of furniture along a wall rather than out in the open space. To prevent blocking the view into a room, use shorter pieces of furniture like an ottoman or a low table. The more open space you can see, the larger the room will look.
- Brighten the room. A well-lit room looks larger, whether it’s brightened with natural or artificial light. Remove heavy, dark draperies to let the natural light into the room. Install track lighting or recessed spot lighting, which is perfect for a small space.
- Lighten up the floor and ceiling. Open up the room by using a white or very light color on the ceiling. Use light-colored flooring such as light oak or a light-colored carpet to make the room appear bigger.
- Reduce the amount of furniture. This goes back to leaving open space. Keep only those pieces of furniture that you really love or really need in the room. Get rid of everything else.
- Switch to glass. Using a glass-topped dining table, end table or coffee table gives the appearance of an open space, even though there isn’t.
- De-clutter. Too much stuff makes even a large room seem small. Organize anything you must keep.
- Choose light colors. Light, cool colors like pale blue and light green can make the smallest space feel open and airy.
- Use a monochromatic scheme. Take those light colors one step further by using colors all in the same family. When you look around a room that has the same color scheme for the furniture, flooring and walls, you believe there’s more space than there really is. Contrasting colors break up a space. Furniture is less interrupting and blends with the space if its color matches the wall.
Want to find one of the Brandon MS homes for sale with large rooms? I can help. Give me a call today at 601-942-3392 or email me at Paula@PaulaRicks.com.
Paula Ricks
Coldwell Banker Nell Wyatt, Inc.
443-A Northpark Dr, Ridgeland, MS 39157
Call Direct: 601-942-3392
Office: 601-956-8533
www.PaulaRicks.com
Paula@PaulaRicks.com
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Brandon MS real estate sellers
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11.19.10
Posted in Brandon MS homes for sale tagged Brandon MS real estate sellers at 7:00 am by Mississippi Real Estate Agent
I’ve said before and I’ll say it again, the fall is a great time to sell Brandon MS homes for sale. Nostalgia runs rampant in potential buyers. That “nesting” feeling pushes them to look harder for the perfect home. After all, who wouldn’t want Thanksgiving or Christmas to be the day their friends and family see the gorgeous new home?
With this in mind, many sellers hold open houses in the fall. It gives potential buyers the opportunity to walk through Brandon MS homes for sale looking for that dream home they can call their own. Agents, homeowners or both smile, nod, and graciously offer drinks and snacks. It’s a beautiful thing.
It’s amazing what a little extra touch can do to spice up an open house. A cider wassail bowl may be just the extra touch that could help sell your home this fall.
This wassail bowl is a hot and spicy cider punch. Traditionally, it’s made with ale or wine, but you never want to overdo it with the alcohol at an open house. You can make it hours before, and put it in a slow cooker on very low to keep it warm. This recipe makes 12 servings.
Ingredients
3 tablespoons light corn syrup
3 tablespoons sugar
¼ teaspoon cinnamon
5 small red cooking apples
2 quarts apple cider
1 lemon, thinly sliced
1 stick cinnamon
4 whole cloves
Directions
Heat corn syrup in a small pan; combine sugar and ¼ tsp. cinnamon in a shallow dish. Roll each apple in hot syrup, then in the sugar. Arrange on a baking pan and bake at 400 degrees for about 15 minutes (apples shouldn’t lose their shape).
In a large pan, slowly heat the apple cider, lemon, stick of cinnamon and cloves over a very low heat. Don’t let it boil; boiled apple cider gets a bitter taste. Before serving, strain out the spices and add the roasted apples. Serve piping hot.
This is my favorite cider recipe to use, but this wassail bowl recipe is equally tasty.
When you have multiple Brandon MS homes for sale, like I do, you quickly learn the things that work and the things that don’t. Whether you serve apple cider, cider wassail or just a plain fruit punch, the little things can make all the difference.
If you’d like to get your home sold over the holiday season, I can help. Call me at 601-942-3392 or email me at Paula@PaulaRicks.com for more information.
Paula Ricks
Coldwell Banker Nell Wyatt, Inc.
443-A Northpark Dr, Ridgeland, MS 39157
Call Direct: 601-942-3392
Office: 601-956-8533
www.PaulaRicks.com
Paula@PaulaRicks.com
Tags:
Brandon MS real estate sellers
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11.12.10
Posted in Brandon MS homes for sale tagged Brandon MS real estate sellers at 7:00 am by Mississippi Real Estate Agent
Those who have never had Brandon MS homes for sale before often think selling is as simple as hiring an agent and putting a sign in the yard. It’s not, however, as you’ll soon discover.
The Inside of Your Home
The exterior of Brandon MS homes for sale is the first up-close impression buyers get. So, when buyers make it inside, they’re one step closer to actually buying. However, if the interior is a mess, it could blow the whole deal.
Here’s a checklist to make your home’s interior buyer ready:
- Make sure the front door doesn’t stick
- Test windows to ensure they open and close easily
- Wash windows inside and out
- Move pets and pet supplies to a temporary home
- Fix leaky faucets
- Update fixtures on your cabinet hardware and door knobs
- De-clutter closets and cabinets (yes, people open them!)
- Replace or repair cabinet doors
- Clean grout
- Wash the walls if not repainting
- Repair cracks or holes in the wall
- Paint walls a neutral color
- Remove personal items, such as knick-knacks and personal mementos
- Clean the fireplace
- Have the chimney professionally cleaned
- Remove clutter from countertops, tables and shelves
- Steam clean the carpets
- Scrub all appliances
- Clean cobwebs and dead bugs from light fixtures and ceiling fans
- Make sure every light has a working bulb
- Degrease the stove and oven
- De-clutter and clean the attic, basement and garage
- Make sure crawl spaces have crawl space waterproofing
- Remove excess furniture
- Rearrange remaining furniture in good proportion (Or hire a home stager)
- Clean the drapes
- Replace broken panels for electrical switches and outlets
- Wipe down baseboards
- Clean and wax linoleum floors
While each of the Brandon MS homes for sale is unique, with different selling points and selling problems, this list is a good start for any home.
If you’re ready to sell your home, I can help. Call me at 601-942-3392 or email me at Paula@PaulaRicks.com for more information.
Paula Ricks
Coldwell Banker Nell Wyatt, Inc.
443-A Northpark Dr, Ridgeland, MS 39157
Call Direct: 601-942-3392
Office: 601-956-8533
www.PaulaRicks.com
Paula@PaulaRicks.com
Tags:
Brandon MS real estate sellers
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10.14.10
Posted in Brandon MS homes for sale tagged Brandon MS real estate sellers at 7:00 am by Mississippi Real Estate Agent
The temperature is starting to drop, leaves are beginning to fall and autumn is getting closer. For those with Brandon MS homes for sale, this is a good time to make sure all your t’s are crossed and i’s are dotted. Why?
Fall brings nostalgia for most people across the United States. Between Halloween, Thanksgiving, Hanukkah, Christmas, Kwanzaa and New Year’s Eve, the last part of the year brings the most family-oriented, warm thoughts. It brings memories of days gone by when families met over turkey or ham around a table, young cousins played together in the yard and, in general, everyone had a wonderful time. In other words, it brings thoughts of home.
Often, these thoughts cause a yearning in potential buyers to own one of the Brandon MS homes for sale. Renters often become homeowners because of these nostalgic feelings. How can this benefit you?
Go ahead and decorate.
Don’t hold off just because your house is for sale. However, be careful not to over decorate. A few pumpkin gourds can add a warm, homey touch to a porch, but a slew of snarling jack-o’-lanterns can turn a buyer off. A tasteful Christmas wreath on the door can welcome cheerful potential buyers into your home, but using enough lights on the house to cause a blackout may not be the best idea.
Run from scary decorations.
When decorating, stay away from cobwebs, fake spiders and skeletons in the closet. Use other things to enhance the “nostalgic buying” mood, such as plug-in scents in Apple Cinnamon or Pumpkin Spice. Simple bowls of potpourri add an inviting aroma without being overstated. Whatever you use, it really doesn’t take much to turn your house into a warm, inviting place that potential buyers may want to call home.
While decorating for the holidays can increase buyer appeal for Brandon MS homes for sale, remember “all things in moderation.” Although it’s a little early, let me wish you happy holidays for the end of the year season, and good luck!
If you’re considering selling your home, whether this season or next, I can help. Call me at 601-942-3392 or email me at Paula@PaulaRicks.com for more information.
Paula Ricks
Coldwell Banker Nell Wyatt, Inc.
443-A Northpark Dr, Ridgeland, MS 39157
Office: 601-956-8533
Call Direct: 601-942-3392
www.PaulaRicks.com
Paula@PaulaRicks.com
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Brandon MS real estate sellers
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09.16.10
Posted in Brandon MS homes for sale tagged Brandon MS real estate sellers at 7:00 am by Mississippi Real Estate Agent
Setting the asking price for their Brandon MS homes for sale is one of the most important decisions homeowners have to make in the selling process. Why is it so important?
- You only get one chance to make a good first impression. With so many competing Brandon MS homes for sale, yours has to pop out immediately as a good value or buyers will move on, unlikely to return. You get one stab at your home’s debut, and it’s easy to blow it.
- Set the price too high and you could hurt your chances of selling your home. The amount of traffic a home gets in the first week on the market is about 5 times what it gets the following weeks. The traffic continues to decrease every week. You might say, “Well, I’ll just lower my price.” This hurts almost as much as it helps. It conveys to buyers (the few who are still considering your home) that your home was overpriced and may still be.
- Setting the price too low can be almost as harmful. Buyers who are looking in a specific price range may not consider your home because of the low price tag. They assume it will not fulfill their needs or worry that there’s something wrong with it.
How do you know what that magic number should be for your home? Here are 3 factors to take into consideration when setting your asking price:
1. Neighborhood sales prices: Recent closed sales in your immediate neighborhood offer the most pertinent data for predicting the sale price of your home. List prices of homes still on the market should be taken into consideration also, because they show the current pricing trend. A professional real estate agent will do all this research for you as part of their services.
2. Condition of your home: If your home has been better maintained, is more up to date and shows better than the other Brandon MS homes for sale, it will sell faster and for more money. Updates, even those as minor as having current paint colors, impact pricing. Updated kitchens and baths are especially important to buyers.
3. Appraisal value: As the seller, you can get an appraisal on your home before putting it on the market. You’ll have to pay for it, but it may be worth it to get access to this pricing tool.
Ready to sell your home? Let me do the research for you and help you set the best price to get your home sold. Call me today at 601-942-3392 or email me at Paula@PaulaRicks.com.
Paula Ricks
Coldwell Banker Nell Wyatt, Inc.
443-A Northpark Dr, Ridgeland, MS 39157
Office: 601-956-8533
Call Direct: 601-942-3392
www.PaulaRicks.com
Paula@PaulaRicks.com
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Brandon MS real estate sellers
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07.12.10
Posted in Brandon MS Real Estate tagged Brandon MS real estate sellers at 7:00 am by Mississippi Real Estate Agent
At the end of 2009, there were about 18.8 million empty homes in the U.S., according to Census Bureau estimates. This number includes foreclosures, residences for sale and vacation homes. Do you know what this means for your Brandon MS real estate?
Unfortunately, the rise of empty housing has caused a rise in vandalism, and your empty Brandon MS real estate may very well become a victim. Since no one is around to report the intrusion, the damage caused by vandals is often worse than it might otherwise be.
You may think that you don’t need to secure your vacant home because there’s nothing of value to steal. Think again. Light fixtures, appliances, copper plumbing, heating and air conditioning systems and even solid wood doors and mantles have a high street value to thieves.
Protect Your Home
Your homeowner’s insurance policy most likely does not cover your home after it is vacant. Although homeowner’s insurance for vacant properties can be costly, it might save you a lot of heartache in the long run.
In addition to purchasing vacant property insurance, here are a few things you can do to protect your property until it’s sold:
- Rent your property or hire a house sitter.
- Install a home security system. Not only can this keep your property safer, it may also help lower your current insurance.
- Make the property look used. Have someone grab your mail (or have the post office hold it), park a car in your driveway, have timers that turn lights on and off at different times.
- Keep the lawn mowed or snow shoveled.
In the meantime, make sure you have a good real estate agent with a track record for selling in a slow market. Your Brandon MS real estate is a huge investment. Protect it!
If you’re ready to get your home sold, I can help. Call me now at 601-942-3392 or email me at Paula@PaulaRicks.com.
Paula Ricks
Coldwell Banker Nell Wyatt, Inc.
443-A Northpark Dr, Ridgeland, MS 39157
Office: 601-956-8533
Call Direct: 601-942-3392
Paula@PaulaRicks.com
www.PaulaRicks.com
Tags:
Brandon MS real estate sellers
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03.07.10
Posted in Brandon MS homes for sale tagged Brandon MS real estate sellers at 6:40 am by Mississippi Real Estate Agent
Okay, it never happened; when the Academy Awards were handed out, obviously, none went to a Brandon MS home for sale – but the Academy Awards are still relevant. Bear with me a moment.
When someone wins an Academy Award, don’t we expect more from him or her in the future? Why? Because the Award defines their abilities in some way, and here is where they’re relevant to your Brandon MS home for sale. Just like the Awards, our homes seem to define us in some strange way.
Think about it. When you see a large home with manicured lawns, lighted pathways and a pool, don’t you automatically assume the owners have money? They’ve won the “dream home” award.
Likewise, if you see a home with a scraggly lawn and a bad paint job, you may assume the opposite. In other words, it doesn’t automatically occur to us that the people with the manicured home may just be good at money management or that the owners of the scraggly lawn home may make plenty of money but not manage it well.
We, as human beings, are good at judging a book by its cover. We assume certain things based on what we see, not reality. So what does the home you’re selling say about you? What will it say about the buyer? Would it win the dream home award?
Looking At Your Home with New Eyes
When preparing your home to sell, it’s important to look at the home you’ve lived in for years with new eyes. Because you’re used to the cracks in the sidewalk, peeling paint or missing shingles, you probably don’t even notice it any more.
Potential buyers, however, are looking for Academy Award winners. Little things, such as unwashed windows, really can make all the difference. Trees with dead branches, lawns that haven’t been mowed, numbers falling off of mailboxes – all of these things may seem small, but they can quickly lose a sale.
Buyers see the outside of a Brandon MS home for sale and have certain expectations of what the inside will look like. If the inside and outside don’t match, you have work to do. Don’t let the home you’re selling wallow on the market. If it’s been sitting on the selling block for months without a peep, it’s time to see what you can do about turning it into a dream home award winner!
If you’re ready to sell your home, I can help. Call me at 601-942-3392 or email me at Paula@PaulaRicks.com today for more information.
Paula Ricks
Coldwell Banker Nell Wyatt, Inc.
Ridgeland, Mississippi
www.PaulaRicks.com
Paula@PaulaRicks.com
Call direct: 601-942-3392
Tags:
Brandon MS real estate sellers
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01.28.10
Posted in Brandon MS homes for sale tagged Brandon MS real estate sellers at 7:00 am by Mississippi Real Estate Agent
Any time supply is bigger than demand, businesses start looking for a way to set themselves apart from the competition. If you have one of the Brandon MS homes for sale, you’re probably doing the same thing. What is the competition like, though? Are you looking for similar houses, similar neighborhoods – or is the competition nationwide? By paying attention to homes that are selling nationwide, you can find out a lot about what buyers want.
Once again, CNN Money published their “Top 100 Best Places to Live” for 2009. If your Brandon MS home for sale is in a place similar to the Top 10, you just might have a much better chance at selling, especially if you market those positive attributes. Here are just a few of the things these places have in common:
- Small towns: Whether a place is small or not is always relative. For instance, someone who lives in a town with less than 3,000 people would think Bryant, Arizona, with a population of almost 15,000 was a big place. However, the Top 100 list points the way; the population numbers range from 8,000 to 50,000. If your home is in a low population area, this could be a great selling point.
- Robust, needed industries: High-tech industries, energy services and health care are just a few sectors that haven’t been hit as hard by the recession. These industries will be needed for years to come, and the demand for trained workers is higher in areas with these industrial sectors than in others. If your home is located in an area with lower than average unemployment, brag about it!
- Low crime rates: For most, if not all of the top 100 places, crime is low, if not almost nonexistent. For instance, Papillion, New England has around 22,000 people. They also have less than one personal crime per 1,000 people. If you aren’t sure what the crime rate is around your home, check! Low crime rates are an excellent selling point; one that you could be missing out on.
- Education: Education has always been important to most people – a fact that is clear with the Top 100 list. The list averages 20 universities or professional schools within 30 miles, and over 71% of the population per place has had some college. Do you have great universities? Do you live in a highly educated community? It may not seem like a big deal to you, but it will to the buyer.
From population demographics to the number of recreational activities available, everything goes into making Brandon MS homes for sale attractive to buyers. Do the research and find out what makes your area special.
If you’re trying to find your home’s selling points, I can help. Call me at 601-942-3392 or email me at Paula@PaulaRicks.com for more information.
Paula Ricks
Coldwell Banker Nell Wyatt, Inc.
Ridgeland, Mississippi
www.PaulaRicks.com
Paula@PaulaRicks.com
Call direct: 601-942-3392
Tags:
Brandon MS real estate sellers
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12.31.09
Posted in Brandon MS homes for sale tagged Brandon MS real estate sellers at 7:00 am by Mississippi Real Estate Agent
New Years is just around the corner, and for many with Brandon MS homes for sale, it’s the perfect time to make some resolutions. Let’s be expansive, though, shall we? Don’t say, “I will sell my house by April.” We can be more specific than that. Here’s a short list of resolutions that might help you take that home off the sales shelf:
1. Resolve to look over the competition. Not just one or two of the Brandon MS homes for sale, but ten or eleven. Look at them with the buyer’s mindset. What selling points do they have? What negative points do they have? Your goal should be to outshine the competition. You can’t do that if you don’t know what the competition is.
2. Resolve to do a little home improvement. These don’t have to be big projects. Your project could be as simple as adding a few bushes for better curb appeal. You don’t have to spend a lot of money or a huge amount of time for the home improvement to count. What you do have to do, however, is make the improvement count. In other words, don’t forget to walk buyers past whatever you’ve decided to do, or tell your real estate agent about it.
3. Resolve to check with your agent about the state of your home. Not when they think it will sell, but what you can do to up the value. Remember, “value” is a relative term. Upping the value for buyers may be as simple as cutting $5,000 off your price.
4. Resolve to be calm if a buyer suggests a lower price than you want. Consider the options fully – don’t just snap his or her nose off. Can you afford to let the house go at the offered price? If you can and still want to say no, think about it… how long did it take to get this potential buyer? Can you afford to wait longer?
If you have one of the Brandon MS homes for sale, keep in mind that it’s just one of the homes for sale. You have an amazing amount of competition; not just here, but around the nation. Take a chance to do something a little different. Your New Years may turn out to be even happier than you expected!
If you’re looking for unique ways to sell your home, I can help. Call me at 601-942-3392 or email me at Paula@PaulaRicks.com for more information.
Paula Ricks
Coldwell Banker Nell Wyatt, Inc.
Ridgeland, Mississippi
www.PaulaRicks.com
Paula@PaulaRicks.com
Call direct: 601-942-3392
Tags:
Brandon MS real estate sellers
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