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Anne Jungwirth

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Anne Jungwirth

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How to Stage Your Home for a Successful Open House

(Published on - 5/22/2019 11:29:09 AM)

You’re getting ready to put your home up for sale soon which has you making endless to do lists of things that need to get done. There’s the deep cleaning, minor repairs to take care of, and giving your walls a fresh coat of paint. But what about once the for sale sign is up? One thing you might not have thought much about yet is how to stage your home for a successful Open House. This is a crucial piece and my goal is to help equip you with all of the tools and information necessary for successfully selling your home. So here are my top tips to make sure you rock your first open house..

 

Step 1: Create a Warm Welcome – You want to make your house feel like “home” and this can be done without having your personal family photos scattered throughout the house. That will actually have the opposite effect. So first things first, when buyers step through your front door you want them to experience the cozy feeling of home and there are a few ways you can do this. Start with asking them to take off their shoes. Not only will this show them that you take care of your home and want to protect the floors but you can also add a nice note. Take an 8x10 picture frame and a print out a note to prospective buyers that says something like “Welcome! This could be your new home! Please remove shoes or wear the booties we have provided to keep our floors looking great!” You can also provide a basket of booties they can wear over their shoes. Your Real Estate Agent should provide you with some when you list your home!

 

Next, have a designated space for the buyers to grab something to drink. You could set up a coffee bar with disposable cups they can take with or keep it really simple and put out some water bottles. You could also get creative and make a tasty punch or put out a bottle of wine.

 

Step 2: Set the Scene – You want to make your home comfortable so once buyers are inside they aren’t in a rush to leave. That means, adjusting the temperature to appeal to the weather. If it’s chilly out, crank up the heat to instantly warm everyone up as they step inside. If it’s nice out, open all the windows to allow the breeze to come in and if it’s hot, crank up that AC to help relieve them from the heat.

 

The second part of setting the scene is to brighten up your space. Open up all of your blinds and turn on every single light or lamp – literally all of them. There’s nothing worse than walking through a dimly lit home. Your Real Estate Agent can get the lights turned on for you but if you have a darker area or room, consider investing in new lighting before listing your house for sale. Your home will show the best and look larger when it’s nice and bright. A bonus tip for brightening is to remove your window screens.

 

The last piece to setting the scene is to prep your home to create more of an experience for the buyers so that it stands out against any other homes they may have toured the same day. Play soft music in the background, light a few candles and make sure your fireplace is turned on for added ambiance. Don’t forget to highlight any fun home features such as a movie theater room – you could make popcorn for buyers to snack on and have a movie playing so they really get to feel the experience of that room and what it would be like to live there.

 

Step 3: Add a Personal Touch – Since buyers walking through the Open House might not be familiar with the area or know every feature your home has. Make a Top 10 List that shares your favorite things about living here. Whether it’s sitting in the hot tub with a glass of wine or having coffee on the front porch every morning – help paint the picture of what you love about living there.

 

Next is the written welcome – do you have a chalkboard or letterboard? Put a message on it to welcome buyers such as “Welcome Home”. This can create a warm fuzzy feeling for buyers touring a house. Lastly, don’t forget about the community! You could use the same chalkboard or create a separate list where you share your 5 favorite spots in the community. Whether it’s a park, a favorite happy hour spot, or the best pizza in town. This gives buyers a feel for your community and gets them excited about new places they can check out.

 

So remember these 3 things: Create a warm welcome, set the scene and add a personal touch when it comes to staging your home for a successful open house. These are things you can start planning now by creating your lists of favorite features and community spots, writing on a chalkboard and adding lighting where necessary. These are sure to create a memorable and more personal experience for the buyers touring your home.


Top Lifestyle Considerations for Buying a Home

(Published on - 5/9/2019 6:22:05 PM)

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You’re not just buying a house, you’re buying a lifestyle! That means when you’re writing out your list of must have home features and deal breakers, you need to think beyond the “house data” and figure out which features to focus on that will give you the lifestyle you want to live! As a buyer, you might say you’re looking for a 3 bedroom home with a finished basement on at least an acre and with an updated kitchen. An example of what you really might be looking for is a place to raise your growing family, a kitchen that overlooks the private backyard where you can watch your kids play catch while you make dinner, and extra space in the basement for games, toys and movie night! That’s just an example but I think you get the idea. So the lifestyle you are going to have in your new home is something you want to consider when determining which home features are best for your needs.

Number one - LOCATION MATTERS FOR YOUR LIFESTYLE! You hear it all the time in the real estate world – it’s all about the location, location, location, location… and it really is true! Because while you can change paint colors, counter tops and put on that massive deck you’ve always dreamed of, you can’t move your house to a new spot (not without a lot of money anyway).

Think of things like what your work commute will be like, how far of a drive you’re willing to have each day, the features you want in your community, and the school district you want to be in if that is important to you. Do you want to be in walking distance to the downtown? Do you want to be set further back from the road for privacy? What about the size of the city you live in? Do you want the feel of a small town lifestyle or are you happier in a busier city? The location of your home will be something that isn’t going to change so figure out what is essential to you when it comes to the location of your home and the lifestyle it will create!

Now let’s talk about the home features that fit your lifestyle. When you think of home features it’s easy to automatically jump to your running list of criteria such as the size of the garage, how many bedrooms you want, a must have updated kitchen and all of the “house data” like I mentioned. However, you are ultimately buying a lifestyle, not just a house. So I have some things for you to consider when it comes to the type of lifestyle you are ultimately looking for when you make a move! Write down these questions and really think about what your answers are:

  1. Where do you spend most of your time at home? If you love to cook and spend most of your time in the kitchen, you’ll want to prioritize the layout of the kitchen when looking for a home. You can always add in upgraded quartz countertops or that double oven but the size, layout and location of the kitchen should be a top concern if you don’t want to do any major renovations.
  2. What is something you wish you had in your current home?
  3. What is something you don’t want any longer in your current home? Is your yard a lot to maintain and you want something smaller with a lot less maintenance? Maybe it’s the opposite and your current yard is just too small for the lifestyle you have making one of your top priorities having a bigger yard with privacy.
  4. Which room in your house do you spend the most time in?
  5. How much space do you need to live comfortably and be able to enjoy the things you love the most? Are you hoping to have enough bathrooms to avoid chaotic mornings? 

These questions will help you determine which features could be the most important to focus on when the time comes to look for a new home. Maybe features like hardwood floors aren’t as necessary as having a layout that is perfect for entertaining and hosting holiday parties. You can always swap out flooring later but the layout will be a little harder to change!

Think about how much time you want to put into your house. Do home flipping shows on HGTV resemble your homeownership goals? Many buyers are intent on finding a house they can remodel exactly they want they want which is awesome! However, they often don’t realize how much work, time and money it can take. HGTV can make remodeling and flipping houses look a lot easier than it is in reality. Consider how much time you have to spend on home projects before getting yourself into something that is over your head and potentially over your budget which leads us to…

Your lifestyle budget. Lastly, make sure to budget for your lifestyle, not just your house. It’s important to consider how much you can afford comfortably, not just what you can afford on paper.  Many buyers are pre-approved for a significantly higher amount than what they are actually comfortable spending on a monthly basis. Think about other expenses you have when it comes to your lifestyle – what else is important to you? Do you love to travel or go out to nice dinners on a regular basis? Do you love attending as many games of your favorite football team as possible? What hobbies do you have that cost money every month?  Make sure the amount you spend on your house doesn’t eat up all of your extra funds so you’re glued to the house and can’t have any fun doing the things you love!

There you have it, the top lifestyle considerations for buying a home! Location, home features that fit your lifestyle, how much work you’re willing to do and remember to budget for your lifestyle! If you’re considering buying a new home in the near future and you want to chat more about the type of lifestyle you’re looking for, connect with me below (email/text/social media) so we can set up a time to grab coffee!


Home Buyer Mistakes You Can't Afford to Make

(Published on - 4/29/2019 7:51:48 PM)

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Whether you're getting married, looking for more space to raise a family, want to stop renting and start investing, or maybe you're looking for a rental property you can make some extra cash on - The reasons people have for wanting to buy a home can vary. However, whatever your reason, you'll want to be sure to avoid these top 4 mistakes (trust me, you can't afford to make them!)

 

#1: Let's start by talking about "Agent Hopping" - This is something you'll want to avoid doing when it comes time to purchasing a home. To position yourself for success when it comes to finding and getting an accepted offer on your (insert correct answer: dream home, starter home, investment property, etc), you're going to want to have someone representing YOU! On the flip side, let's say you don't want to be tied to anyone specifically, you think you know enough about the process and want to be in control. Well in that case you're most likely going to be contacting the agent who is listing the house you are interested in. That means you won't have anyone to educate you about the process (it's not HGTV, so unless you're a licensed Real Estate Agent, there are going to be things you don't know). You won't get detailed information on the market, recommendations for how much to offer or any red flags you should be aware of.

 

You'll want to interview agents before you start looking at homes so that you can find someone you trust to be your advocate throughout the entire process. Buying a home is often the biggest financial investment you will make and you'll want someone who works in this industry to be your advocate along the way.

 

#2: Miscalculating the costs associated with buying a home - Purchase price, check! Down payment, check! All set? Not so fast! There are other costs associated with buying a home that you'll want to be aware of well before the time comes. Your down payment could potentially be the largest expense but there is also the earnest money deposit, the home inspection, the appraisal, radon testing and other expenses you'll want to talk to your Real Estate Agent and lender about.

 

When it comes to costs associated with the financing side (in addition to your down payment), you'll want to check with your lender to find out an estimate on your closing costs and how much you'll need up front for homeowner's insurance and taxes. You can also see if there are any first time home buyer programs that may help offset some of these costs. Sometimes, the lender will allow you to ask for a certain percentage in closing cost credits from the seller. Depending on your situation, this is something you could include in your offer to purchase to help offset some of your closing costs. Make sure to discuss these options with both your agent and lender so that you fully understand how they work and how best to use them.

 

#3: Skipping the Home Inspection - "But I'll save $500 if I skip it and I'd rather spend that money on new home decor from West Elm!" - Pretend Buyer. Home inspections are not necessarily required in order to purchase a home. So during the transaction it might seem intriguing to some buyers to skip the home inspection and save some extra cash to put towards the home itself. However, I highly, highly, highly (I REPEAT - HIGHLY) advise against skipping the home inspection. Number one, you're going to want to know about any major issues the home could potentially have. You'll also want to know about smaller repair items that need to be addressed along with any future maintenance issues to watch out for. A home inspector is there to spot the major red flags that could end up costing you a lot of money if you don't figure them out before closing. Ask your agent for home inspector recommendations or feel free to do some of your own research. You can use whoever you feel comfortable with as long as they are licensed in your state.

 

#4: House hunting without a pre-approval - I'm sure you've heard this one as your eyes roll back into your head and you think "enough is enough with the pre-approval!" As much as it may sound like a broken record, it is a big deal and you'll want to know why! For starters, most agents won't show you a home without a pre-approval letter and most sellers won't entertain an offer without one either. So if a house comes along that happens to be your dream home and you're not prepared, you could miss out just because you didn't take the time to get pre-approved (and trust me, it doesn't take long).

 

Lastly, if you haven't found a lender you want to work with or gotten pre-approved, you may be shopping outside of your budget. You might know what your monthly budget is but there are several other factors taken into consideration besides your paycheck. Have you checked your credit score lately? Do you know your debt to income ratio? What about the various types of loans and what they entail? Some will require higher down payments than others. If you start searching for houses listed for more than what you can actually afford, you'll set yourself up for disappointment when you realize you can't buy the house with the awesome home theater you had your heart set on.

 

If you're ready to jump into the home buying process right now, make sure you're avoiding these big mistakes! If you want to discuss this in more detail, feel free to reach out and we can set up a time to grab coffee (your go-to coffee order is on me!) I love teaching buyers about the ins and outs of the home buying process to ensure they have the best experience possible and avoid any mistakes that can throw you for a loop!

 


Three Home Seller Myths You Need to Know

(Published on - 4/11/2019 4:46:52 PM)

 

Whenever anyone mentions that they’re thinking of putting their house up for sale it seems that everyone wants to give their opinions on the subject. Because of that, a lot of myths have developed that seem to go around like the game, Telephone. Let’s debunk those myths so that when you’re ready to sell, you know the facts!

 

MYTH #1: Automated Home Evaluations Are Always Accurate

Have you ever seen an Ad on Facebook that says “CLICK HERE to automatically determine your home’s market value” or something along those lines? If the answer is yes, I promise you’re not alone. The problem with the automated home evaluations is that they are not taking every factor into consideration and can result in false information, causing you to believe that your home value is less than what it actually is or even higher than what is realistic.

The internet doesn’t know if you refinished your hardwood floors, updated all your landscaping, added a brand-new deck or any other update you’ve put your hard earned money and possibly even your own valuable time into to improve your home.

What type of evaluation could give you an accurate answer? One where a LOCAL Real Estate Agent asks you for your contact info so they can conduct a personalized market analysis after asking you for more details about your home. Even better, schedule a consultation so that Agent can see your home in person and give you the MOST accurate answer. Listing Consultations cost you zero dollars and you have no obligation to order the for-sale sign and start signing afterwards.

MYTH #2: If You Don’t Have an Open House, Your Home Won’t Sell

Have you ever heard the actual stats on the success of an Open House? According to a 2017 survey by the National Association of REALTORS, only 7 percent of buyers find the home they buy through an Open House.

This isn’t to say that your home shouldn’t have an Open House when it’s for sale, but, it also isn’t the most effective marketing strategy. Holding an Open House will help increase exposure when your home first hits the market so it’s recommended to have your Agent hold one the first week that your home is on the market in order to drive as much traffic as possible to your listing. However, make sure your Agent has other marketing strategies they use other than standing around your house for a couple of hours every weekend.

MYTH #3: If You Price Your House on the High End, You’ll Have Room to Negotiate

Many sellers believe that if they price their house high, they’ll end up at the price they actually want. The problem with this is, that you’ll be decreasing the demand (number of interested buyers) when you first list your home which will automatically create a mindset that the home is priced too high.

When your home hits the market, you want to make sure you are drawing from the biggest pool of buyers to get as much exposure as possible. Pricing it on the high end will eliminate buyers who can afford the price you actually want because their budget might not go up to the price you’re starting with. Instead, price it at or slightly below the market value to increase demand, competition and ultimately more money in your pocket.

If you’re thinking of listing your home in the near future, you’re already in a better position knowing the truth about these common seller myths. To be even more prepared, make sure you schedule a listing consultation with a Real Estate Agent to find out what else you should know before listing your home for sale.


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  • Anne Jungwirth
  • Realty Executives Agent
  • Realty Executives Southeast
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  • Mukwonago, WI 53189

87573-94

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Realty Executives agents are real estate experts. They have the education and expertise you need to navigate through the process of buying or selling a home. From listing at the right price to making the best offer, our Executives have witnessed the best - and most regrettable - decisions homeowners and homebuyers can make. Every day, they are immersed in every aspect of real estate that includes comparable home price analysis, property surveys, credit reports, open houses, HOA agreements, lenders, title companies, homeowners’ insurance, walk-throughs, terms of sale or purchase, repairs, concessions and closing documents. Let our accomplished Executives help navigate you through the process of buying or selling a home.


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