A "Frozen" Lesson for Homebuyers

by HOLLY HURD 
Realtor with Coldwell Banker Weir Manuel

I had the pleasure of watching "Frozen" this weekend, and like most animated Disney features, I really enjoyed it. If you haven't seen it, I would encourage you to check it out. The advent of pay per view cable and satellite TV has given those of us without small children the opportunity to see the films we would have taken our kids to in a different time, and you can do it without showing up in a theater feeling like the creepy adult in a room full of adolescents and toddlers.

One of things that happens in the film surrounds little sister, Anna. Prior to the beginning of a ball, she meets a handsome prince. During the ball, they link up again and she is smitten. Before the ball is over, they decide to get married, and it's that decision that sets the rest of the movie in motion. When Anna tells her sister about her wedding plans, Queen Elsa refuses to let her. The events following send Elsa off into the mountains to live as a recluse snow queen.

While on a search to find her sister, Anna runs into an ice salesman who guides her path to Elsa. In one of the early conversations they have, Anna confesses to the ruggedly handsome Kristoff that she is in love and to be married. She relates the story, and Kristoff is appalled that she is going to marry a man she just met. He brings it up over and over. This is where I leave the movie.

How many home buyers want to buy the first home they see? In my experience, it's actually a small number. I would say it's in the 10-20% range. The one thing they say over and over is, "Is it wrong to buy the first house you look at?" I would respond, "Not necessarily, but it really depends."

Depends on what? 

• Does the house meet your needs?
• Does the house meet your location choice?
• Does the house correspond to your financial abilities?
• Does the house offer a good deal overall?
• Is the house in a condition that meets your approval?
• Have you done your homework online to see what else it out there?
• Have you listed the pros and cons of the house as compared to looking at others?
• Are you sure you're not making a snap decision because the market is too competitive and you're afraid you won't be able to buy any house?
• What would be wrong with buying the first house you looked at if it turns out to be what you wanted?

I sold a property to a client a number of years ago who looked at 60 houses. He finally bought the first one he looked at. Thank goodness the market was moving slower then. He had the privilege of looping back a few weeks later, but in a hot market that isn't always possible.

Buying a house should be about meeting your needs. First, fifth, tenth house, there is no set number of views that make one a better decision than another one. Overall, it's all about meeting your needs. In Anna's case, the first husband candidate didn't work out. Fortunately, she found out before she said, "I do." In her case, the second choice was a better choice.

It's not the number of houses you look at. It's the ones that meet your criteria. If you're just looking at houses with no criteria, you may just as likely become "Frozen" without any sense of right and wrong. Decide what you want, weigh the options and buy based upon an intelligent choice.

Holly Hurd~ 

Is a REALTOR with Coldwell Banker Weir Manuel
in Northville, Michigan 48167 

#1 Firm in MICHIGAN 

hollyhurd@hotmail.com

Sell / Buy a home in Northville,Michigan register today at

www.Northvillehomes4sale.net

Holly Hurd ~Living in the Northville, Michigan area for 40+ years , Holly Hurd is graduate of Northville High School, Schoolcraft College, Michigan State then raising her own family here Holly Hurd has first hand knowledge and knows the area quite well Please feel free to contact her for all your real estate needs #spring #YourHome

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April home - maintenance starts with first impressions

Spiff up the front entry

Few things say "spring" like freshening up the front entrance of your home. Try any or all of these improvements:

1. Remove the doormat and sweep and dust the entry and all the way around the door. Clean the threshold with soapy water and a rag and gently wipe down the door.
2. Take a hard look at the flower pots, furniture, plant hangers, toys, boots, shovels, brooms and tools cluttering the entrance; remove and store or throw away all but the most essential items. Wipe down porch and patio furniture.
3. Stand back from the entry and decide what simple steps will most improve its appearance. A fresh coat of paint for the front door? Installing new house numbers? Adding two tall pots to flank the entrance (in colors that match or contrast nicely with the door)? Also consider painting the porch ceiling — a traditional color is blue, for the sky — or floor.
4.  Replace the doormat with a new one. Use mats inside and outside each door. They’re not just decorative; they protect your floors from damaging grit.
5. Replace rusted or ugly exterior light fixtures. Get inspiration from this slide show: "Fix up yourfront entry in one weekend."
6. As soon as the weather permits and the wood has dried, repaint front steps with deck paint or other surfacing made for heavy traffic. Ask paint store professionals for recommendations. Take care to choose a color for the steps that works well with the house color and front door.
7. Wipe down railings; sand, prime and repaint flaked, chipped or bubbled paint.
8. Add another note of color by planting spring annuals in pots at the door, at the top of the steps or marching down the steps.

Holly Hurd is a REALTOR with Coldwell Banker Weir Manuel in Northville, Michigan 48167
hollyhurd@hotmail.com
 www.Northvillehomes4sale.net
Holly Hurd ~Living in the Northville, Michigan area for 40+ years , Holly Hurd is graduate of Northville High School, Schoolcraft College, Michigan State then raising her own family here Holly Hurd has first hand knowledge and knows the area quite well Please feel free to contact her for all your real estate needs

NORTHVILLE MICHIGAN MY HOMETOWN

NORTHVILLE, MICHIGAN~ Northville is an affluent city located in and divided by Oakland and Wayne counties in the U.S. state of Michigan. The area is a suburb of Metropolitan Detroit. The population was 5,970 at the 2010 census. Most of the city is in Oakland County, and is surrounded by the city of Novi. The Wayne County portion is surrounded by Northville Township. Northville is served by Northville Public Schools. The city is located 21 miles northeast of Ann Arbor and 29 miles northwest of Detroit. Growing up in Northville, Michigan for over 40+ years I know first hand Northville was once a very small town most know for the race track (northville downs) with a wonderful downtown area. I have watch this once small town flourish into a great community but still maintain is small town Victorian charm, you could say it is "a town where everybody knows your name"

I consider NORTHVILLE, Michigan an excellent place to reside and would love to share with you my enthusiasm for the many neighborhoods that encompass it. I pride myself As a Real Estate Professional, I am dedicated to giving exceptional service to all sellers and buyers. I really enjoy seeing peoples dreams fulfilled. The process of buying a home should be a positive one, and I do my best to make that dream a reality. I will do everything I can to earn your trust and friendship..I WILL GIVE YOU 110% because you are the customer....
warmest regards,

Holly Hurd

www.Northvillehomes4sale.net 

Top 10 Worst Home-Showing Offenses

Here are the 10 most common responses from buyer’s agents when asked about the worst mistakes they see when presenting for-sale homes to clients:

1. Leftover home owners

By far, one of the top offenses cited by buyer’s agents was home owners still lingering around when agents arrived with clients to preview the home. Awkward encounters ranged from buyers finding sellers taking a shower, asleep in the bed, to even the “stalker sellers” who liked to follow buyers and the agent all over the home to see what they thought.

With the exception of the “stalker seller,” many of the home owners who were still at home blamed their listing agent for not giving them enough advance notice about the appointment prior.

2. Pets and their messes

 The not-so-friendly dog and kitty encounters as a top offense. Even pets left in a crate can pose a distraction since they might make noise the entire time others are in the house. Plus, if they seem mean, the buyer might not even step in the room. My suggestion is if you have a pet take out of the property for all showings.

Vicki Robinson, ABR, CRS, broker with Fonville Morisey Realty in Raleigh, N.C., says she recently was given showing instructions from a listing agent who told her the family’s “friendly dog” would be at home. But when Robinson unlocked the front door with her client for the showing, a pit bull was staring down at them from the top of the staircase, growling. “We closed the door and left!” she says.

3. Bad smells

A displeasing smell can really turn buyers off. Common offenses include cooking smells lingering around the home, such as garlic, fried bacon, or fish. Also, watch for cigarette smoke and animal smells.

4. Critters running wild

Wild animals and pests roaming around is a surefire way to send buyers running. I remember one home had worms crawling on the floor and bats and raccoons lounging in the attic. 

5. Odd home makeovers

Do-it-yourself disasters were also prevalent, like doors opening the wrong way or unprofessional paint jobs. Also, rooms not being used for their intended purposes can confuse buyers, such as an office being used as a bedroom even though it has no closet.

6. Dirt and clutter

There were a number of offenses cited when it came to cleanliness: Dirty laundry piles, unflushed toilets, dishes on the counter or in the sink, unmade beds, clothes scattered about, soiled carpets, dirty air conditioner filters, and overflowing trash cans.

“One of the worst things I have seen is piles and piles of clothes in every room,” It was like an obstacle trying to walk around the mess. It is very important to keep it clean.

7. Personal information left in plain sight

Sellers should be careful not to leave in plain sight important documents that may pique buyers’ curiosity. Some agents say they’ve seen personal information like bank and credit card statements—even mortgage payoff notices—left on the kitchen counter.

“Buyers are nosey,”  sometimes  “I’ve even seen the contract for the sellers’ next purchase sitting on the kitchen countertop or ‘final notice’ bills.”

8. Too dark

Dark or dimly lit houses aren’t showing the home in the best light.

“Particularly [homes lit with] CFL bulbs," By the time [the bulbs] light up, the buyer is gone. Energy efficient bulbs need time to warm up before they are at their brightest, so staging professionals usually recommend agents arrive early to a showing to turn on any light fixtures with CFL bulbs at least 10 minutes prior.

9. Keys missing from lockboxes

All too often, agents arrive at a listing appointment with their client only to find there’s no key to get in. “I actually had a [seller’s] agent who wanted me to open the door for my clients by going through the dog run as a large dog barked like crazy.” 

10. Distracting photos

Watch the photos displayed on the walls too as I am recalling showing a family a home that had life-sized, nude photos hanging, which left my clients racing for the door covering their eyes.

I also recall showing a home to a client, who was staring at a painting in the master bedroom of a woman in lingerie. “Isn’t that the owner?” the client asked. “She was also the real estate agent!” 

www.Northvillehomes4sale.net