But I spent a ton of money on that!

Sometimes what you see as important or necessary improvements on your home may not pay off or be as important to potential buyers. Here's a great article that talks about the worst renovations and "upgrades" you can give your home when it comes to selling your home. Keep in mind, if you want the best return on your money (which still won't be full value) concentrate on kitchens and bathrooms. Along the way, you're going to have necessary improvements (like a new roof, windows, etc) but you often won't see much return on your investment.

Keep the small things in mind that can really spruce up your home for showings. Things like updating bathrooms and lighting fixtures, eye catching decor, and modernize window coverings. And perhaps most of all, having a clean and clutter free home. This includes finding ways to eliminate pet odors, minimizing clutter on shelves and in closets, and scraping the fuzzy dirt off your ceiling fan blades.

If you need assistance before listing your home for more ideas, contact a trusted real estate professional or a home stagger.

Moving Scams you don't want to Experience

This is the busiest time of year for sellers and buyers relocating. Whether you're selling a home or just moving to a new rental, make sure you've covered your bases so you don't end up getting scammed by a moving company. Check out the full story:
http://rismedia.com/2009-06-29/home-buyer-beware-3-little-known-moving-scams/

Resources for Buyers and Sellers Who Are Ready to Make a Move

Whether you're just starting to think about selling your home, or you're wishing it would sell tomorrow, click here for some great resources. Perhaps you're looking to buy a new home soon or you've recently moved? There's something for everyone here: http://tlorenc.homescolorado.com/getagent/Pages.php?Page=560222&

If you're just starting the process, you're going to need to answer some basic questions:

Where do I want to move?

-State, City, School Districts, Neighborhoods, etc.

-Close to work, close to family....far away from family?
-Keep the resale value of homes in mind too

What's my moving budget?

-Unless someone else is paying for your move (company relocation, really generous relatives, etc) you need to be realistic and establish a budget for the move.

-This is in addition to figuring out what you can afford when looking for a new home.

What's Your Timeline?

-Is this an urgent move?

-Do you have to start a job on a specific date?

-Is your lease up soon?

-Do you have enough money to move right now?

Find a Professional.

-Make sure you find a qualified, competent REALTOR who knows the area and the local laws, and has access to resources that will benefit you. Here's a coincidence - I know a good one.

-Find a great, local mortgage broker who can help you through the financial process of purchasing a home.

Check out my website for more resources including: cost of living comparisons, help in finding rentals in Colorado Springs, tools for researching schools, 10% Discount to Lowes' Home Improvement, and local Colorado Springs Links.

Staged to sell

As I've mentioned before, we're definitely experiencing a "Buyer's Market" in Colorado Springs right now. There are currently over 7,000 active single family homes listed in the Pikes Peak MLS so if you're a buyer, that's good news. There's plenty to choose from and some homes are at a "reduced price" as seller's are doing their best to be the next sale.

So, what does a seller need to do in a market like this? One thing I recommend is staging a home. There are plenty of professional stagers who will come in and help you prepare your home to sell. This can be a scary venture for many people - they don't want some stranger telling them to take down decorations, rearrange furniture, and pull down their favorite wallpaper. The truth is, a good stager should be able to discuss and work with the seller so it doesn't feel like a judgement and criticism of the place they call home.

Professional stagers have the mindset of a buyer - remember, you want someone to walk into your home during a showing and feel like they could live there. This means the less personal items you have that portray who you are, the more a buyer might feel like it could be their future home:

1) Offensive decorations: taking down offensive decorations, posters, or artifacts that may turn off a potential buyer. These items could range from religious decor (such as crosses) to the MegaDeath poster hanging in your son's bedroom.
2) Photos and pictures: again, you're not trying to sell the buyer on your life or how cute your kids are, you're selling them your home.
3) De-cluttering: many of us have stuff, stuff, and more stuff. You don't want the house to feel cramped or cluttered, so often a stager might ask you to store furniture and other items in another location, perhaps even the garage.
4) Sensitive information: keep in mind that people will be walking through your home, including your office area, bathrooms, etc. Take the time to walk through and make sure you "hide" financial paperwork (credit cards, bank statements, etc), perscription medicines (this is the #1 item stolen from homes during showings), and anything else that has your name on it...let me say that again: anything else that has your name on it. There's no reason a buyer needs to know who lives there.
5) Clean like you've never cleaned before: Nothings worse than a potential buyer walking into your home and finding a filthy bathroom, dirty socks on the floor, or windows that they can't see through the dirt to find the yard. It's important to keep the house clean and organized during the showing period. Pay attention to details and keep it clean. This is especially important in the kitchen and bathrooms. Hire a maid if you have to, but get it done!
6) Curb appeal: Remember to keep the grass cut, trees trimmed, and touch up paint handy. It's crucial that the first impression captures the buyer. Make sure your house is ready to show, inside and out.

Rates for home stagers vary, but you can probably expect to pay $500 - $3,000. This may seem expensive, but keep in mind, it's a lot cheaper than dropping the price 2 months down the road when you're not getting anything but dead-end showings.

I have a great list of stagers if you're interested in this option or feel free to call me for some more tips. If you're thinking about selling your home, I'll be happy to come over and do an initial assessment of what needs to be done before you list.

The key is you're competing with thousands of other listings and you want yours to create the "WOW!" factor.