Moving Day with Fido:

Tips for Keeping Your Best Friend Calm Amid the Chaos

Dogs And Real Estate:

How To Make The Process Go Smoothly

Photo via Pixabay by RealWorkHard

Buying and selling property can be a stressful experience; the financial aspect is a lot to consider in itself, and the timing has to be just right if you’re dealing with your former home while trying to move into a new one. When it comes to making preparations for the move itself--packing, arranging for movers, making sure the post office has your change of address, and preparing for visits from REALTORS and potential home-buyers--the process can be overwhelming.

Throwing pets into the mix can be difficult, as well, only because many pet owners consider their animals to be another member of the family and want to keep them happy and safe during such a major transition. Fortunately, there are many simple ways you can insure your dog is well taken care of before, during, and after the move. Here are some of the best.

Train your dog

Having a well-trained dog means you won’t have to suffer through the awkward jumps, barking, and sniffs when a realtor walks through the door. No one likes to come into a situation where they have to yell to be heard over the yapping of a pup, so even if he’s been trained before, it’s a good idea to go over some simple commands with your dog to make sure he’ll be on his best behavior.

Clean up

When your house goes on the market, you’ll want to make it as presentable as possible so that potential buyers can see themselves living comfortably there. It’s imperative that you clean and remove pet hair, sweep, dust, vacuum, and deodorize furniture and curtains in preparation for buyers, as one of the main reasons a client won’t go for a home is pet odor. Go from room to room and look at things from your pet’s point of view so that nothing is missed. Pro tip: you can place sheets or old blankets on any furniture your pet sits on in order to keep hair and dander off, then remove the sheets just before the appointment.

While you may think of your dog as another member of the family, it’s important to remember the many problems that could occur if your pet is home while buyers are walking through. They could have allergies or a fear of dogs, or your pet might forget his manners due to the stress of having new people in his home and nip at hands. The easiest--and safest--way to go is to have a friend take care of your dog while buyers are walking through or during open houses, or take him to a pet resort for the day. Not only will this insure everyone’s safety, it will keep buyers focused on the home and not on thoughts of potential pet damage and odors. Check out dogvacay.com to find a pet sitter near you.

Leave him at home

If you have a small dog who normally travels everywhere with you, reconsider when you’re looking for a new home. You may be tempted to bring him along to a potential new house to see how he’ll react to the space, but in the long run it’s best if you just leave him at home. This is because you never know what sort of situation you might run into during an open house or walk-through, including owners who are allergic to dogs or kids who are afraid of them. They might also have a dog of their own, which could potentially create problems. Let your pup stay home while you scout out locations and wait until you have the keys to let him explore.

Hire the right movers

Hiring the right helpers for your big day is imperative, especially if your dog is of a breed that is typically aggressive. Make sure the movers are okay with working with your pet and communicate with them about how to interact with him and whether he’ll be in a kennel or kept in one room on moving day. This is a good way to keep everyone safe and to insure your dog won’t get loose during all the commotion.

Remember that moving is a big change for most pets and can cause anxiety in some, so make sure you show him lots of love and attention during this time to cut down on his stress. Help him get acclimated to the new home by placing his food and water bowls and bedding in places that are similar to where they were in your former house.

Article provided by Medina at DogEtiquette.info

DOOR COUNTY VACATION HOME ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE TIPS

You purchased your Door County vacation home to enjoy life.  I am attaching a wonderful checklist from Gene Sunstrom of Second Opinion Home Inspections to help make your vacation home ownership simpler.

DOOR COUNTY VACATION HOME ARRIVAL AND DEPARTURE CHECKLIST!

SELLING TIP #5
YARD FACTS

92% of all properties are sold from the CURB.  The front of your home immediately reflects the inside condition of your house to the buyers.  If there is no curb appeal, the buyers will drive right by the house and go to look and buy another house.

It is important that the house can be seen from the street, so you need to make sure that the trees and bushes are trimmed so the house can be seen from the street.  You need to have the grass mowed, trimmed and edged, and if there an inordinate amount of weeds, you need to do something to get rid of them.  Plant flowers to give the yard some color and appeal.  Walkways should always be swept and the debris cleaned away.  Remove parked cars.  If there are parked cars in the driveway, you see the cars and not the house.  Removing them adds to curb appeal.  If the buyer does not like the outside of the house.  I guarantee you that the buyer will simply drive by.  Another factor in a good presentation is cleaning the windows inside and out.  Few sellers do this, and it makes a huge impression not only attention that the seller is giving to the house, but allowing more light into the home which is always a good benefit.

Selling Tip #4

Paint and Carpet Fact

Paint is the best improvement that you can make for getting a good return on your money for a small amount of investment.  A freshly painted home smells clean and looks neat.  Also, color is in style at this time. 

If your house has chipped paint, exposed wood, or the paint looks faded, it is time to do something about it.  If your carpet is worn, dirty or outdated or an unusual color, you need to seriously consider replacing it.  Many sellers will say that they do not want to replace it, because they, as sellers, will choose something the buyers do not want.  This cannot be further from the truth, get rid of the old and update with the new.  Giving an allowance does not work.

Buyers choose to buy or not buy based upon just what you show them in your home.  They don’t pay top dollars for possibilities.  They simply buy elsewhere. 

If painting is not necessary in your home, then usually, touch up is necessary.  Look for the areas where there are nicks in the wall or black marks where something has hit against the wall.  Paint over those areas, so the whole house looks brand new. 

Top selling agents will not show your home if the key and access to your home is not readily available.  Lock box entrances are key to your success.

Imagine having to drive all over Door County to pick up keys and then having to drop them off at the real estate offices after the showing occurred.  REALTORS do not want to do this, they want to show and sell houses.  The greatest way to show a house is to have your agent install and electronic lockbox for easy access to the property. 

While some agents guarantee that they will be present for all the showings, in most cases, this is not necessary.  What is necessary is to prepare the house for sale, and select a good REALTOR whose knows the ins and outs of making the property easy to show. 

When you property is being shown please do the following:  Keep all the lights on.  Don’t worry if the REALTOR turns them off after the viewing, you want the REALTOR to focus on the buyers who are previewing the house, not running around turning the lights off.   Keep all drapes and shutters open at all times.  I cannot tell you how many houses I walk into where they lights are not keys on (they are shut off at the electrical box) and every drape is closed.  Therefore, the REALTOR goes into every room to turn on the lights and open the drapes.  By this time, the buyers have looked at the house by themselves and are ready to leave.  It really helps to leave soft music playing and it is imperative that you leave the house with your children and your pets.  The worst thing you can do is be present during the showing.

And lastly, let the buyers be at ease and let the agents do their job.  There is nothing that a REALTOR dislikes more than having the sellers follow them around during the showing, let go of everything, and let the real estate agents do what they are being paid to do.

The 5 Facts That Determine Whether Your Property Sits or Sells:

While I have discussed pricing before, there is nothing more important than correct pricing.  I can take the property in the worst condition, in the worst location, and keep reducing the price.  I guarantee, eventually, that it will sell.

Study after study shows that the longer a property stays on the market, the less the Seller will net.  The property becomes shop worn, and REALTORS pay little attention to it.  While the Door County Market is still a buyer’s market, it is more important to price your property at a competitive market value at the time that you sign the Listing Agreement.  Because the second home buyer has less motivation to sell (they never had to buy), often times this is not what is done at the initial placing of the property on the market.

Correct pricing can becomes so competitive, that if you overprice by even a few dollars, it will mean that your property will sits and not sell.  Additionally, your first offer is always your best offer.  I cannot tell you, how many times in my 30 year career, that this has been demonstrated over and over again.

An overpriced property minimizes offers, lowers agent response, limits qualified buyers, lowers showings, lowers prospects, limits financing, waste advertising, waste marketing dollars, and nets less for the seller.

MARKETING TO OTHER AGENTS AS IMPORTANT AS MARKETING TO THE PUBLIC!

As the listing agent, I may not always be the one who brings the buyer to the table, but I will be the reason the property sells!  When marketing property, I always see the importance of marketing to other real estate agents as it is to market to the consumer or purchaser.

During the listing appointment, I ask copious amounts of questions of the seller about the property.  It is important that I do my homework and become the most educated person on the seller's property, so I can share all the information with the cooperating REALTOR.

For every property I represent, I create a special file that I call the property's "fact file".  I share this with the other real estate agents prior to them viewing the property.  By sharing this copious amount of information, the REALTOR has the information they need to position my listing against the other properties they may be showing.  This often times ensures my listing sells over the competition!

ARE YOU "IN" THE MARKET

OR

"ON" THE MARKET?

Sellers want to be "in" the market, not "on" the market.    Since the time on market or days to sell is severe in Door County's second home market, sellers who do not enter the market at market value will find themselves "on" the market for a long time.  For instance, in northern Door County last year, a waterfront home took on average 398 days to sell.  I've seen properties in the Door County market stay on the market for 5 or more years before they actually arrive at a price which will place in the market!

I liken this to a football game.  There are 11 players in the field playing the game at one time.  The rest of the players are on the bench.  They want to be in the game, but they haven't done the necessary things which would allow them to be selected by the coach to be in the game! 

I love the phrase, “Adopt the ‘Hotel Philosophy’ to Stage Your Home”.  A house is not staged to sell the same way it is staged to live in.  When you decorate to live in your home, it is visually appealing as well as functional for your needs, interests, tastes and lifestyle.  However, when you stage to sell, stage your home to look like a luxury hotel.  In a hotel, you carry in a small bag of personal belongings…everything else you need is there and no unnecessary items clutter the space.  Everything is neat, clean and nothing is out of place…the bathroom sparkles, the floors are spotless, the beds are made, and there is no indication that any pet has ever crossed the threshold!  Pare down to the essentials!  All small personal decorates should be replaced with a single impact piece (no more than one) per room.  Remove all personal mementos, family photographs, refrigerator magnets and similar items.  Opt for lots of space and clear surfaces.

So, as your set the stage for your home to sell, ask yourself, “Does this room pass the ‘Hotel Test’?  Can a buyer imagine bringing in a few of their personal items and living here comfortably?  If the answer is yes, you have a properly staged home….and you have improved the odds that your home will sell faster and command a better price!

The Seniors Real Estate Specialist – January/February 2013