Where Are We Wasting Water?

If you're getting ready to list your home for sale, pay close attention. What you do before you list it can help or hurt the process.

 Remove Road Blocks To Sell Your Home

Every seller has a common goal in mind: sell the home quickly and for the most money. Yet when it comes time to sell the home not every seller will be prepared.

Many forget or don't know how to remove road blocks that can stall the sales process or kill it completely. If you're getting ready to list your home for sale, pay close attention. What you do before you list it can help or hurt the process.

Remove or limit the areas where your home is lacking. Study your neighborhood and the homes that are for sale. If your home is consistently coming up short in comparison, maybe it's not landscaped enough or it hasn't had any upgrades in 20 years, and it's overdue for some renovations or, at the very least, repairs to clean it up.

Get your home "show-ready" so that it isn't lacking or appearing deficient compared to other homes in your neighborhood. Placing a home on the market that isn't ready (needs repairs) can cause the home to receive very little foot traffic and it can end up being on the market for a long time.

If, for instance, you have vinyl flooring that's peeling, consider replacing it with a flooring that matches the style of your home and is comparable to the neighborhood so that it is consistent with the quality of floors in other homes in the area.

Remove YOU from the home. Yes, it's tricky to remove your personality from the home, especially when you're still living it. But it's very necessary. This doesn't just mean taking down personal photos and putting away private items like medicines. This means that if you've turned a room into a particular "you" room - your style, your personality, and your unique use of the room - consider re-doing the room to make it more neutral, versatile, and appealing to buyers.

For instance, if one of the bedrooms in a two-bedroom house was converted into a meditation room, it's wise, when listing the home for sale, to show it with both rooms as bedrooms rather than one bedroom and one room that is uniquely decorated for a specific use other than sleeping. Buyers can sometimes imagine how else they'd use a room but if it looks like too much work to make changes, they'll keep hunting for a house that is better suited to their needs.

If you've converted the garage into a den, office, or kids play area to fit your particular lifestyle, consider making it a garage again. Find a way to show your home with the garage as clean, useful, and as an extended-living space but also with the option to park cars in it. Not everyone wants to park on the street just to have a few extra hundred square feet of living space. An appraiser can actually knock thousands of dollars off your appraisal if the garage can't be used to park cards in because it's considered a loss of covered parking.

Remove strong odors from your home. Of course, I'm talking about foul smelling odors but sometimes too much of a good thing can also be a turn off. Gather up pet toys, pet beds, pet food, and make sure the house is pristine. If you're using fragrances in your home from sprays, candles, potpourri or even real flowers, make sure that the odor isn't overwhelming. Subtle is good... overbearing can make people think you're trying to cover up something bad in the home.

Ultimately, the goal is to make the home have mass appeal with as few road blocks as possible to sell it. Think like a buyer and see your home the way you'll be looking at your own next home purchase. Then maybe you'll understand the importance of making some changes before you list your home for sale.

How do I choose the best Real Estate agent?

THE RIGHT CHOICE

One of the most difficult choices to make when thinking about selling a home is, how do I choose the best Real Estate agent?  It has always been important to choose a good agent, but in today's rugged Real Estate market, it has never been more crucial to find an agent who has the right experience, work ethic, marketing plan and market savvy to get your home sold at top market value.

 A common myth is that all agents at a given company are the same!  Not only is this not correct, but the fact of the matter is that the company an agent is with really makes little difference.  The real truth is that every agent has their own approach to selling Real Estate.  They have their own marketing plan and way of doing business that is unique and can be quite different, not only from other agents in the market area, but from other agents in their own company. Individual company's may have some influence on how the agent does business, but it really ends there. 
 Rule #1, "Don't choose and agent based on the company they are with!"  

When interviewing agents you may also find a difference in the fees that individual agents charge for selling your home.  The brokerage fee is negotiable and it certainly may vary from agent to agent.  It would seem that you could save a great deal of money by going with an agent who charges a lesser fee.  This is a fact that can be very misleading.  In fact most times, just the opposite is true.  Instead of looking at the brokerage fee up front, look at the agents performance record.  Ask them to show you statistics as to how they stack up against the other agents in the market as far as average sales, sales price, average days on the market and percentage of sales price vs listing price.  At the end of the day, these are the numbers that will truly influence how much money you receive from your sale.
Rule #2, "Never choose an agent based on brokerage fee!"

The majority of agents in any market place use the same home marketing techniques that Real Estate professionals have used for years.  In today's world this most likely will not give your home the exposure it needs.  National statistics show us that last year over 89% of all people who purchased homes in the country used the internet as their primary way of searching for homes. Traditional methods of marketing homes such as open houses, newspaper ads, and Real Estate magazine presence combined account for less than 3% of the total number of sales nationally.  So, make sure that the agent you choose is marketing where the buyers are looking and not employing methods that worked 10 to 15 years ago and not today.  Few agents really have either the knowledge of the internet or the budget to adequately promote your home. So, be careful here.  Be selective with agents and their marketing and go online and pretend you are the buyer.  You will be surprised at the difference you discover from agent to agent.  
Rule #3, "Do not hire an agent who does not have a high profile internet marketing plan!"

Just because an agent has been in business for a large number of years does not always indicate that they are the best choice.  Some seasoned agents are outstanding while others may fall short of your expectations.  Experience is important, but should not always be the sole reason for choosing an agent.
Rule #4, "Always get references from an agent you are interviewing and check those references!"  Reliable people who have had experience with the agent are the best source for getting a true feel for what the agent can do for you and for what kind of experience you can expect.

With so many agents to choose from, finding the right one can be confusing. By following these simple rules, you should be able to find the agent who will do a great job for you and represent you well with the sale of your home.

Recoup your remodeling investment when it comes time to sell.

 Remodeling? Recoup Your Investment When You Sell

Before you pour your savings into a new kitchen and a rainforest shower for the master, think about whether or not you'll be able to recoup your investment when it comes time to sell.

If you have equity in your home, you can make improvements, but don't go over the limit of what other buyers can spend for a home similar to yours in your neighborhood.

While it's tempting to make your home more beautiful, you have to consider the rest of your neighborhood. If most residences in your neighborhood are three-bedroom single-story homes, buyers are unlikely to shop in your area for two-story four-bedroom homes.

Buyers want to shop for a home where there is the most selection of homes that fit their criteria. If they want a swimming pool, they're going to look in neighborhoods where many homes have pools. They won't be aware of your home if you have the only pool in your subdivision.

That's why over-improving for the neighborhood is a bad idea. Not only will you not get your money back for some updates, your home may be harder to sell because of them.

Another reason buyers don't tend to pay as much for updates as you might think is broad differences in taste. Your updates may include choices your buyer wouldn't have made because of several reasons:

• You only improved one or two rooms, leaving the rest of the home looking unfinished.

• Your updates were too radical, such as cold minimalism in a traditional setting.

• Your updates masked a problem but didn't solve it, such as a kitchen that's too small. If the kitchen is still too small after you've put in granite counters, don't expect buyers to care.

• You failed to do necessary repairs and updates that were less visible than the new décor but buyers noticed anyway.

• Your updates are beautiful but require a lot of cost and upkeep.

Buyers want to make a home their own, and don't want to be distracted or confused by design statements that they don't agree with. Enjoy your home while you can, but make sure your new look can be easily depersonalized when it comes time to sell.

Don't expect to set a listing price based on what you've put into your home no matter how long you own it. Your home will be worth market value no matter when you sell, whatever the value is for that point in time.

All the improvements in the world won't change that basic fact. Your home and the improvements you make are only worth what willing buyers say they will pay.

Before you begin renovations, talk to your Realtor and your lender. They will help you develop a reasonable plan for updates that will add value to your home.

Helpful Information for all Lap Top Owners

Prevent Lap Top Death

Heat is the “cause of death” for most laptops. The heat not only causes all components to expand and contract a little (as you turn it on and off), but will also reach dangerously high levels and make your laptop crash or shut down if the fan(s) and the heatsink(s) are clogged with dust.

All computers work a little bit like vacuum cleaners – sucking air from one side and blowing it out from the other. Unfortunately they don’t come with filter bags to catch all the dust and debris. After just a few months the fans and heatsinks are well coated with dust. If not cleaned, their effectiveness quickly drops and eventually goes down to zero when the heatsinks get fully clogged. Here are a few of the unintended consequences:

· An overheated processor slows down and operates less efficiently.

· The efficiency and output of electrical current through hot copper wires gets reduced.

· Increased heat causes increased chemical reaction in batteries that reduces the battery life and amount of time they stay charged. With prolonged exposure to high heat, the battery may even become unusable.

To clean your laptop regularly, get a can of compressed air and blow the dust off the fan and heatsink. This has to be done every couple of months. The compressed air is quite handy for the keyboard too, blowing away all the debris from between the keys.

However if the heatsink has already been clogged, this won’t help. The compressed air will not be enough to unclog it. If you have never cleaned the heatsink and you had used your laptop for over a year, chances are that both the fan and the heatsink are clogged with dust and debris. The solution in this case is to remove the heatsink, clean it and install it back.

This is best done in a laptop repair shop, as it takes quite a lot of experience and dexterity. One slip of the screwdriver may kill the laptop.

Market Trends for Tracy and Mountain House

The following information is from the local MLS database, as of March 1, 2014 and is compared to (February 1, 2014).As we enter the third month of 2014, we are still seeing mostly all equity sellers and the median price has reached a mile stone of $409,495! There are still very few homes on the market,  and most listings are not  receiving as many multiple offers and most are at the asking price or slightly below, if they are priced right. Interest rates have dipped slightly higher with 30 yr fixed at 4.38% and 15 year at 3.40%　
  　If you have been on the Fence about selling your home then NOW is still the time to sell. There are typically fewer homes on the market and  more and more will be coming on the market in the months to come. If you are curious to see how much equity you have in your house, give us a call for a market analysis! Or go to our new service for instant valuation of your home on the internet at www.tracyhomes.com. Just click on "What's My Home Worth"or  Just call or e-mail for an hassle free appointment or to just talk about the market anytime. 1-800-894-7282 or sales@tracyhomes.com.

Tracy, CA

ACTIVE STATUS

Total # of residential properties for sale in the city of Tracy: 80 (72)

# of REO (foreclosures): 4 (2)

# of Short Sales: 3  (4)

Average # of days on market: 26 (18)

The median price of all homes for sale in Tracy: $409,495 (399,000)

PENDING STATUS

Number of properties currently under agreement: 124 (122)

# of REO: 7 (11)

# of Pending Short Lender Approval: 38 (33)

Median pending price: $305,000 ($322,000)

SOLD STATUS

Residential property sold over previous 30 days: 50 homes (61)

REO's sold in the last month: 4 (2)

Short sales sold in the last month: 1 (15)

Median sale price: $357,500 ($350,000)

Median # of days on the market:  19 (20)

　

Mountain House, CA

ACTIVE STATUS

Total # of residential properties for sale in the city of Mountain House: 31 (17)

# of REO (foreclosures): 0 (0)

# of Short Sales: 3 (0)

# of New Construction: 5 (6)

Average # of days on market: 18 (20)

The median price of all homes for sale in Mountain House: $489,900 (515,000)

PENDING STATUS

Number of properties currently under agreement: 35 (37)

# of REO: 1 (1)

# of Pending Short Lender Approval: 7 (8)

Median pending price: $410,225 ($402,460)

SOLD STATUS

Residential property sold over previous 30 days: 13 homes (20 homes)

REO's sold in the last month: 0 (0)

Short sales sold in the last month: 2 (1)

Median sale price: $433,500 ($433,500)

Median # of days on the Market: 8  (19)

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HOMES SOLD IN TRACY IN FEBRUARY

Take a look at this chart to see the SOLDS in Tracy for February.  Notice the list to sold price? Not as many getting over asking.   So call us for a free Market Analysis on your home!  209-833-7777.

		Address		Bedrooms	Bathrooms	SqFt	List Price	Sale Price	DOM
495		Allisha	Ln	3	2 (2 0)	1176	209900	209900	181
4311		Mulberry	Ct	5	3 (2 1)	2555	389000	385000	70
1303		Montgomery	Ln	5 (6)	3 (2 1)	2130	385000	363000	146
324		B	St	1	1 (1 0)	846	123500	110000	132
869		Mason	Ct	4	3 (2 1)	2498	419999	410000	115
1212		Walnut	St	3	2 (2 0)	1280	255000	253000	53
2261		Bridle Creek	Cir	4	3 (3 0)	1980	369700	365000	93
11683	W	Valpico	Rd	3	2 (2 0)	1118	255000	255000	48
261		De Bord	Dr	4	3 (3 0)	2316	389000	389200	43
145	E	Mount Diablo		3 (4)	3 (3 0)	2036	379000	372000	57
2577		Paul Poole	Dr	4	3 (3 0)	2675	429000	430400	64
2559		Bennett	Ct	5	4 (4 0)	3251	490000	490000	30
8	E	Lowell	Ave	3	2 (1 1)	1424	269000	269000	45
2193		Misquez	Ln	4 (5)	3 (3 0)	2421	389900	370000	55
2497		Greystone	Dr	5	3 (3 0)	2738	459950	450000	58
1760		McPeak	Ct	4	2 (2 0)	1527	314950	330000	14
154		Ridgeview	Dr	5	3 (3 0)	2977	440000	425000	50
2634		Gilberte		5	4 (3 1)	3767	559000	559000	54
960		Peerless	Ct	3	3 (2 1)	1382	275000	275000	25
1441		Renown	Dr	3	3 (2 1)	1902	339900	342000	45
245		San Simeon	Way	5	3 (3 0)	2373	389800	380000	58
974		Tom Fowler	Dr	5	3 (2 1)	2029	399000	394000	13
1447		Blue Jay	Ct	5	3 (3 0)	2961	440000	440000	41
3164		Milton Jenson	Ct	4	3 (3 0)	2215	380000	390000	10
263		Ridgeview	Dr	5	3 (3 0)	2817	425000	415000	28
130	E	Grant Line	Rd	2	1 (1 0)	769	105000	120000	24
1990		Harvest Landing	Ct	4	3 (3 0)	1772	340000	340000	8
1690		Treehaven Lane		3 (4)	2 (2 0)	1785	347000	352000	31
4229		Eveningside	Ln	4	3 (3 0)	2334	425000	430000	17
2909		Sunset	Way	3	2 (2 0)	1120	215000	232000	11
1411		Greenwillow	Way	3	3 (2 1)	1592	330000	335000	9
1235		Walnut	St	2	1 (1 0)	876	199950	205000	16
2262		Cabana	Ln	3 (4)	3 (2 1)	2277	375000	370000	21
505		Belmont		4	3 (2 1)	2226	425000	405000	17
551		Sir Lancelot	Dr	3	3 (2 1)	1714	325000	333000	5
80		Portola	Way	3	2 (1 1)	1280	145000	145000	15
215	E	Emerson	Ave	2	1 (1 0)	928	239990	225000	5
1340		Standridge	Ct	3	1 (1 0)	1242	274900	285000	14
2967		Dixon	Ct	5	3 (2 1)	2130	359000	352000	0
150		Portico	Ln	4	3 (3 0)	2396	448000	444000	13
160		Club House	Way	4	2 (2 0)	1806	334500	336000	11
45	S	CENTRAL	Ave	3	3 (2 1)	1952	339000	336950	4
1955		Foxwood	Ct	3	3 (2 1)	1835	339000	336750	5
4444		Lindsey	Ln	6	3 (3 0)	2977	444950	444950	12
642		Morton	Way	5 (6)	3 (3 0)	3107	475000	425000	2
233		Alvarado	Way	3	2 (2 0)	1411	255000	255000	4
1370		Bluegrass	Ln	3	2 (2 0)	1334	309500	309500	3
182		Diego	Ln	4	3 (2 1)	2689	433777	420000	3
2444		Ontario	Dr	3	3 (2 1)	1705	319000	324000	5
1991		Superior	Ct	4	4 (3 1)	3054	499999	487750	17