Home staging is nothing new. And staging your home for sale is remarkably beneficial. It’s also necessary if you want to sell your home quickly because today’s market is much more challenging than it used to be. You may already be aware of traditional home staging. But have you ever heard of virtual home staging?

What is Traditional Home Staging?

Wikipedia defines it as “the act of preparing a private residence for sale in the real estate marketplace. The goal of staging is to make a home appealing to the highest number of potential buyers, thereby selling a property more swiftly and for more money. Staging techniques focus on improving a property’s appeal by transforming it into a welcoming, attractive product that anyone might want. People usually use arts, painting, accessories, lights, greenery, and carpet to stage the home, to give potential buyers a more attractive first impression of the property.”

2 Types of Traditional Home Staging

There are two types of traditional home staging:

1. Owner-occupied staging – seller is living in the home while it is on the market; stager uses the homeowner’s belongings to prepare the home for sale
2. Vacant staging – the most expensive for sellers; stager rents furniture and accessories to dress up an empty space

How Does Home Staging Benefit the Seller?

Many confuse staging with decorating. And many fight against the process and recommendations of their home stager because the process calls for detachment. It requires detaching yourself emotionally from your home. But if you know the benefits of staging your home for sale, the transformation of your home with home staging is fun.

• Potential buyers can picture your home as their home more easily
• Home staging sells your home faster, 75 percent faster than homes that are not
• You can get a better price for the sale of your home

The job of a home stager is to present your home in its best possible light. They work with what you have, rearranging and reallocating. Sometimes they instruct you to move or pack or store furniture. And sometimes they even bring in furniture and decorations to enhance the selling points of your home.

So don’t cause your home stager grief. Work with them. Your home stager has the biggest benefit at heart, to sell your home quickly and for the best price.

What is Virtual Home Staging?

Now that you know what home staging is and the benefits it provides to you as a home seller, what is virtual home staging, and how does that work?

Virtual home staging creates digital, realistic images of furniture in graphic editors and adds them to empty rooms in your home for sale. This helps potential buyers to better visualize your home and the spaces inside it once they’re furnished. This is extremely helpful to potential buyers when used in brochures or flyers. Potential buyers are able to view rooms empty and compare those empty rooms when they are furnished digitally.

Benefits of Virtual Home Staging

In addition to the benefits of traditional home staging, there are two major advantages that virtual home staging has over traditional home staging: time and cost.

• Empty listings that are stuck on the market sell quickly after virtual home staging
• Virtual home staging is more than ninety percent less expensive than traditional home staging
• Your listing is more professionally represented and generates more interest when it is staged virtually

BoxBrownie.com offers competitive rates for professional virtual home staging. Their outputs are photorealistic, so you aren’t able to tell whether a property is physically staged or not.

Every home can benefit from some form of staging. And you can be as involved as you want depending on your needs and budget.

And although professional is inconvenient and a bit unnerving, selling your home in the shortest amount of time and for the most money is worth it.

Is your home empty? Has it been sitting on the market for a while? Want it to sell quickly? Call Charles D’Alessandro, your Brooklyn Real Estate Agent with Fillmore Real Estate at (718) 253-9600 ext.206 or email [email protected]. He will advise you on virtual home staging and give you an action plan to follow to move your home from “For Sale” to SOLD!

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 Charles D’Alessandro

Your Brooklyn Real Estate Agent

718-253-9600 ext. 206

[email protected]

There are certain things every responsible home seller should do once everything is out of the house. It seems the selling process just cannot be completed as needed until your personal belongings and furniture are out. Once the house is empty, these useful closing checklist tips will wrap up the moving process in an efficient way.

Closing Checklist Tips 1 Through 10

Tip #1: Keep It Together

Your escrow officer or closing agent will give you a closing package containing seller disclosures, the purchase contract, and closing statement. Keep them together in a file folder that is easily accessible in a safe place.

Tip #2: Clean It Up

Clean the house yourself or hire a cleaning professional to do it for you. “Clean” can be a relative term. Basically, leave the house in better condition than you would like to find your new home in.

• Wipe down cabinets, inside and out, and shelves
• Vacuum the floors
• Clean kitchen appliances, inside the refrigerator and oven
• Wipe down kitchen counters
• Scour sinks, tubs, and toilets
• Wash flooring
• Throw away trash
• Properly dispose of toxic chemicals
• Sweep the garage floor
• Stack paint cans, roofing materials, or extra flooring

This is your last opportunity to make a great impression on the buyer. Make a good one and go the extra mile.

Tip #3: Set It Aside

If you don’t already have a place for appliance manuals, receipts, building plans, and warranties, set them aside as you come across them. I’m talking manuals for the HVAC, security system, sprinkler system, contractor receipts for the awnings you added above the front and back doors, and their warranties. Staple the receipts to their manuals and put it all in a file folder. You can leave this file in a drawer or on the kitchen counter for the buyers. They’ll greatly appreciate the thoughtfulness!

Tip #4: Walk Through It

Attend the final walkthrough. There are lots of things about your home that only you as the home seller will know. Traits like how to reset the on-demand hot water heater when the water turns cold while showering. Attending the final walkthrough will give you the opportunity to graciously pass on any quirks or traits to the home buyer.

Tip #5: Turn It Off

Make sure the water shut-off valve to each appliance is completely turned off. Disconnecting the appliances from their water sources is not enough. Even a small but steady drip, can eventually flood a home. Some sellers are extra careful and will shut off water sources valves to sinks, toilets, and dishwashers, too.

Note: Leave a note for the buyers telling them which water source valves have been shut off.

Tip #6: Cancel It

When you know the deed has been recorded or the title transfer has formally taken place, call your insurance agent and cancel your insurance policies. There should be a refund check from a prepaid premium for your homeowner’s insurance due you.

Tip #7: Stop and Cancel It

Stop the newspaper and cancel the utilities. Write a list of your utility companies and their phone numbers, including the newspaper subscription if you have one. And don’t forget about the utilities you pay quarterly.

Tip #8:  Leave It

All of your house keys, remotes, shed keys, mailbox keys, and codes should be left in a kitchen drawer for the buyers. They’ll probably change the locks for safe measure, but you should still leave keys, codes, and remotes.

Tip #9: Run Through It One Last Time

Make a last pass through the house. Check every cabinet, drawer, and storage place for forgotten items. If your spouse, friend, or family member tells you they went through every room with a fine-toothed comb, run through everything one more time. You might find something insignificant, like an empty bottle, but it will give you peace of mind.

When we moved last year, we left the old toboggan that my dad bought for our family for Christmas when I was in 6^th grade. We forgot about it up in the rafters of the garage. I loved that thing and the memories we have tied to it. Fortunately for us, the buyer texted us about it, and we were able to retrieve it.

Tip #10: Close It Up

Finally, latch the windows, turn off the lights, and lock the door. Yes, you’d be surprised by how many people forget to close up the house. And this is important. If no one can see inside, the chances of a break-in are less likely.

On the day of closing, you and the buyer will have separate chances to sign the closing documents. Your agent will congratulate you on the close of your escrow and everyone can celebrate.

With over 30 years of experience in the Brooklyn real estate market, Charles is a Brooklyn Real Estate Agent you can trust to sell your home and support you every step of the way in the process. He knows what it takes to get your home sold. Contact Charles D’Alessandro, your Brooklyn Real Estate Agent with Fillmore Real Estate at (718) 253-9600 ext.206 or email [email protected]. for the best closing checklist for your home.

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 Charles D’Alessandro

Your Brooklyn Real Estate Agent

718-253-9600 ext. 206

[email protected]

 

Almost every home could use some updating here and there, now and then. How about yours? In the blog post, “How to Add Value to Your Property for a Quick Sale,” we listed a general overview of home improvements that can increase the value of your home. But here are some home projects with a great ROI (Return On Investment) based on Remodeling magazine’s newly-released Cost vs. Value Report for 2018. Not only will these projects bring a better selling price, they’ll also help your home sell faster.

Remodeling is far more cost-effective than replacing, but real estate pros say replacing is still the way to go. There’s a great ROI of 76.1 percent for replacement jobs. That’s a whole 20 percent more than remodeling jobs, which are at 56 percent this year.

6 Weekend Projects with a Great ROI

Projects that increase the value of your home don’t always take a ton of time, effort, and money.

1. Update Your Kitchen Cabinets

Old oak cabinets with dated shiny brass hardware don’t require a complete gut job. Instead, spend a weekend repainting your old cabinets with a neutral color of paint. Finish the project off with new hardware to complete an updated look.

2. Add Crown Molding

Make your home look bigger with crown molding. Yes, crown molding at the top of painted walls draws the eye upward, making a room appear bigger than it is. Start with rooms that are likely to yield a great ROI:

• Kitchen
• Bathrooms
• Living spaces
• Master bedroom

3. Landscape the Yards

No one will want to walk through your front door unless the first impression is stunning. You can overhaul your front yard easily and quickly. Impress potential buyers by adding a path of pavers or sprucing up your flowerbeds with colorful blooms, for example. These two home improvement projects are fast and easy to do.

But don’t stop in the front yard. If your home entertains a lot of outdoor activity, landscape the backyard, too. A functioning fire pit, patio or deck furniture (a simple picnic table works well), and strings of outdoor lights make everyone, including potential buyers, envision themselves enjoying a meal or drinks outside.

4. Replace Your Garage Door

Replacing the garage door is an easy way to increase the value of your home. And it has a great ROI. Garage door replacement has an ROI of 98.3 percent. That’s up from 85 percent year-over-year!

5. Beautify Your Bathrooms

Bathrooms, like kitchens, have a major impact on potential buyers’ emotions toward a home. They expect clean, up-to-date bathrooms, just like they do kitchens. And, thankfully, bathroom improvement overhauls are easily done in a weekend.

Take a look at:

• Lighting fixtures
• Vanities
• Hardware
• Tile

Does everything need updating, or just an item or two? Again, you don’t have to shell out a ton of money to update a bathroom. And if you have the patience, you can demo and retile the bathroom yourself to save a lot of money.

6. Say Goodbye to Dated Trends

What was once considered fresh and fashionable in the 70s, 80s, or 90s is out. All of those trends now give your home a very dated and ugly appearance. It’s time for all that is really old to “get outta town” to make room for the 21^st century.

The list of outdated decorating trends is truly endless. But wallpaper, floor-to-ceiling wood paneling that may or not be wood, and popcorn ceilings are the three biggest offenders. Removing these three things alone (a popcorn ceiling doesn’t take much effort) will increase the value of your home and yield a great ROI.

6 Home Improvement Projects that Yield the Greatest ROI

Nationally, when it comes to home improvement projects with a great ROI, curb appeal yields the most. But here are the top six projects with the greatest ROI according to Remodeling magazine’s newly-released Cost vs. Value Report for 2018:

Garage Door Replacement – yields a 98.3% ROI

Manufactured Stone Veneer – yields a 97.1% ROI

Entry Door Replacement (Steel) – yields a 91.3% ROI

Deck Addition (Wood) – yields an 82.8% ROI

Minor Kitchen Remodel – yields an 81.1% ROI

Siding Replacement – yields a 76.7% ROI

If you live in Brooklyn Brownstone, a few of these home improvement projects may not apply. But go for the ones that will work to increase the value of your home, inside and out. Oh! And Mother’s Day is fast approaching. Why not gift one of these home improvement projects to Mom, even if she isn’t considering selling her home?

Do you need help deciding which home improvement(s) to make for a great ROI? Contact  Charles D’Alessandro, your Brooklyn Real Estate Agent with Fillmore Real Estate at (718) 253-9600 ext.206 or email [email protected]. With over 30 years of experience in the Brooklyn real estate market, he knows what it takes to sell your home quickly and for the best price.

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Charles D’Alessandro

Your Brooklyn Real Estate Agent with Fillmore Real Estate

718-253-9600 ext. 206

[email protected]

It never fails. Those selling their homes always ask, “What improvements or upgrades will increase the value of our home and help our home sell quickly, Charles?” To which I answer, “Improvements or upgrades that increase storage and maintain your home’s unique features.”

And according to the pros, there are eight.

8 Improvements or Upgrades that will Help Your Home Sell Quickly

1. Kitchen Updates

An updated kitchen can sell a home quickly, and today’s buyers favor simple in the kitchen. Simple backsplashes like subway tile and subdued colors will help a home sell quickly. Consider painting your cabinets with a subdued color. The installation of inexpensive stainless steel appliances will update your kitchen like new in a snap. Buyers appreciate a modernized kitchen.

2. Bathroom Upgrades

Replace your vanity. Change your shower/tub insert into a free-standing claw-foot tub. Consider a trendy frameless shower door and free-standing sink. Even a fresh coat of paint, new hardware, and re-glazing and re-caulking the tub will upgrade your bathroom to help your home sell quickly.

3. Lots of Storage

Built-in bookshelves used to be home decorating no-nos. But today’s buyers are looking for practicality and charm. Built-in bookshelves, window seats with storage, closets with extra shelves, hooks, and rods are hot items and will help your home sell quickly. Buyers are looking for a place for everything so they can put everything in its place.

4. Paint

A fresh coat of paint works wonders and “covers a multitude of sins.” Besides, the average person isn’t well-versed in the latest color trends anyway. All you need is a fresh coat of neutral, light, and bright paint throughout your home.

5. Flooring Upgrades

Hardwood flooring (or flooring that looks like hardwood such as ceramic wood planks) transforms a home as well as a fresh coat of paint. It’s so much easier to clean and is extremely aesthetically pleasing to the eye.

6. Improvements to Your Home’s Curb Appeal

Manicuring your landscape is a simple upgrade that comes with a big return on investment. Depending on the time of year, make sure your lawn is in great shape. Trim bushes and low-hanging branches, plant flowers or native plants, or place potted flowers around the front door. Add new mulch. Improving your home’s curb appeal works as many wonders as a fresh coat of paint throughout your home.

7. Room Conversions or New Additions

Buyers are looking for heated and cooled square footage in a home. If you want to boost your sale price and score major brownie points, consider converting your garage, attic, or screened-in porch into heated and cooled square footage. You might even want to build a new addition. Buyers are looking for the most house for their money.

8. Your Home’s Uniqueness

If your home has historical value, maintain its authenticity and integrity. Upgrade or improve your home with projects such as restoring original window casements and hardware.

These improvements and upgrades are guaranteed to pay off when your home is sold. And they will certainly help your home sell quickly.

Call Charles D’Alessandro for more information on improvements and upgrades that will help your home sell quickly. He has 30+ years of real estate experience, and he knows what it takes to sell your Brooklyn home quickly. Contact Charles D’Alessandro, your Brooklyn real estate agent with Fillmore Real Estate, at (718) 253-9700 ext. 206 today or click here now.

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Charles D’Alessandro

Your Brooklyn Real Estate Agent with Fillmore Real Estate

718-253-9600 ext. 206

[email protected]

The kitchen is the heart of the home and the second major selling point of any house. And it costs a pretty penny to update especially when it comes to replacing cabinets and appliances. If you need to update your cabinets in the kitchen or in the bathroom, but you’re not financially able to replace them, think paint! Paint works wonders. But if you want crave-worthy cabinets with professional-style results, it’s imperative that you follow each step carefully. No skipping or skrimping. Remember, “haste makes waste” when it comes to painting.

How to Update Your Cabinets Yourself

You can hire a professional to paint your cabinets, but if saving money is a priority, do it yourself. Need some ideas to help you update your cabinets? Here’s an awesome list from HGTV:

• DIY Painting Kitchen Cabinet Ideas
• Painting Kitchen Cabinet Doors
• Color Ideas for Painting Kitchen Cabinets
• Painting Kitchen Cabinets Antique White
• Ideas for Painting Kitchen Cabinets

1. Choose the Best Paint

If you’re going to save the cost of a professional and update your cabinets DIY, look for paint at your local paint supply store. The staff of a reputable paint supply store will help you pick the best products for your cabinets. Ask for paint that is non-blocking so it won’t stick when cabinets and drawers are closed. It needs to be able to stand up to a lot of wiping and cleaning. You don’t want the paint coming off whenever you’re scrubbing or wiping down your cabinets and drawers.

Choose your paint color and finish keeping in mind that oil paint is hard to work with. Choose a latex satin finish paint instead. It’s also important to know that dark colors tend to show imperfections in the paint and cabinetry and highlight dirt more than light colors do.

2. Prepare to Update Your Cabinets

First, decide if you want to paint your cabinets with a paintbrush and foam roller or spray paint them with a spray gun. Rolling the paint on won’t look as good as spraying the paint on, but it takes less skill. Spray painting will get the job done quicker than painting with a paintbrush and foam roller, but in order to get that professional-looking finish, you’ll need a good paint spray gun.

Now that you’ve decided the paint method to update your cabinets with, prepare for painting:

• Clear counters
• Empty cabinets
• Cover backsplash and appliances
• Remove hinges, hardware, doors, and drawers
• Put hinges and hardware in plastic bags
• Label each door with masking tape
• Set up a worktable or prop 2×4’s on buckets or boxes

Purchase your paint and primer along with any of the products you need to prepare your cabinets for primer. Don’t forget the angled brush and mini foam roller if you’re not spray painting the cabinets.

3. Prep Your Cabinets

Before you begin painting, look at the existing finish. Is it pealing, greasy, dirty, etc.? If the existing finish is pealing, strip it off. Think of it as rust on a car. You wouldn’t paint over the rust because the rust will just fall off taking the paint with it. If the existing finish is in good shape, skip the stripping step and begin cleaning. Prepping all doors and drawers properly makes sure the paint will stick.

• Furniture normally doesn’t have grease on it, but cabinets often do. Scrub them thoroughly using a clean, soft rag and mineral spirits or trisodium phosphate (TSP) to remove every drop of grease and grime, every drop. Don’t just wipe them down. It’s crucial that old oils, waxes, and grime are removed. Paint covers a multitude of sins, but it refuses to abide dirty, greasy surfaces. Daniel Jones of Wehrli Furniture Company in Naperville, Illinois, says, “We use a product called Wax Wash to clean furniture. But for greasy cabinets, we use something similar to 409 and then Wax Wash. You have to get all the grease off or the paint won’t stick.”
• Fill dents, grooves, or holes with a good wood filler.
• Lightly sand surfaces using 100-grit sandpaper to scuff every inch. This creates grooves so the paint has something to adhere to. This step isn’t anything you need to be crazy particular about. You just need to create a scratch pattern that paint will stick to.
• Wipe cabinets and drawers with a tack cloth to remove dust before drilling new holes for new hardware.
• Fill in gaps or seams with caulk

4. Apply Primer to Your Cabinets

If you want professional-looking results, don’t skip the primer. It’s imperative to prime every part of your cabinets – boxes, door fronts, drawers before you start applying paint. Use a stain-blocking primer designed for glossy surfaces.

5. Start Applying Your Paint

Once the primer that you applied to every part of your cabinets is completely dry, apply the latex satin paint. Work in sections using the angled brush and go over what you’ve painted with the brush with the mini foam roller. Applying the paint in this way provides that professional-looking finish you’re looking for.

If you chose to use a paint spray gun, the process is the same as it would be if working with a brush and roller. Just apply the spray paint to your cabinets outside where there is adequate ventilation.

Apply at least two coats of paint. Let the paint dry thoroughly and lightly sand between coats.

Once everything is painted and the paint is completely dry, use very fine grit sandpaper to give everything a final sanding. Use tack cloth to remove sanding dust and apply a couple coats of satin polycrylic for added durability.

6. Reinstall Doors and Drawers

Once all the paint is dry, put your cabinets back together. And now you get to install your new hardware or the old hardware you stored systematically in plastic bags.

If you’re stumped about how to upgrade your cabinets in your home, whether selling or buying, call Charles D’Alessandro. His 30+ years of real estate experience in the Brooklyn area has given him an eye for what is truly needed. He also knows the best people to contact for help. Contact Charles D’Alessandro, your Brooklyn real estate agent with Fillmore Real Estate, at (718) 253-9700 ext. 206 today or click here now.

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Charles D’Alessandro

Your Brooklyn Real Estate Agent with Fillmore Real Estate

718-253-9600 ext. 206

[email protected]

Are you trying to determine whether or not now is a good time to be selling your home? Maybe you’re wondering if it would be wise to wait until spring? After all, a lot of folks claim spring is when the real estate season is at its peak, right? Many of the reasons listed in 10 Reasons Why House Hunting in the Fall is a Wise Move carry over into why selling your home in the fall is wise, too. Here are six that will encourage you not to wait and go for it now.

6 Reasons Why Now is a Good Time to be Selling Your Home

1. Homes are Bought and Sold Year-round

Most homes are listed and sold when the real estate season is at its peak in the spring and summer. For this reason, many homeowners believe that the fall and winter are not a good time to be selling your home. This simply isn’t true. Because life constantly brings major changes that require downsizing or relocating, homes are bought and sold year-round.

2. There is Less Competition for Buyers

Less competition is a good thing! And it’s a great reason to sell your home now instead of waiting to sell it in the spring. When there are fewer buyers, the competition for properties lowers. When there are fewer homes for sale, there are fewer for buyers to look through. Less competition increases the likelihood of buyers walking through your home, you receiving an offer, and you getting the maximum amount of money for your home, too.

3. Mortgage Rates Are Low

When mortgage rates are low, buyers are able to purchase homes that cost more. Even a slight increase in mortgage rates can push a monthly mortgage payment beyond what a buyer can afford. Also, when mortgage rates increase, sellers are usually faced with lowering their asking price in order to sell their home. Waiting to list your home in the spring runs the risk of mortgage rate increases during the fall and winter. This means less demand for your home which means less money for you. Don’t wait until spring. Take advantage of lower mortgage rates by selling your home now.

4. There are Fewer Real Estate Transactions

When the real estate season is at its peak in the spring, there will be more real estate transactions taking place. During the fall and winter season, when there are fewer real estate transactions, mortgage lenders have fewer loans, attorneys have fewer closings, and home inspectors have fewer inspections. Fewer real estate transactions mean quicker loan transactions and closings for everyone and less stress for you!

5. You get to Stage your Home for the Holiday Season

This may not seem like a great reason for selling your home now, but for some buyers, it really could be. Many know that staging a home sells a home. It certainly helps more than it ever hinders! The reason for staging a home is to help potential buyers envision themselves living in the home. Some buyers can’t envision themselves in any place staged or not. But others can be sold on a home because it smells warm, inviting, and homey. Staging a home with just a little seasonal décor can go a long way with some potential buyers, and you get to enjoy the seasonal festivities a little as well.

6. Real Estate Agents are Even More Willing to Go the Extra Mile

Since real estate agents are busiest in the spring and summer, it makes sense that they are not as busy in the fall and winter. And because they have more time on their hands, they have more time to devote to helping you list, sell, and close your home quickly.

Charles D’Alessandro knows now is a good time to be selling your home. He is always up for the challenge of adapting to the slower real estate season and marketing his listings to reflect this for you. Contact Charles D’Alessandro, your Brooklyn real estate agent with Fillmore Real Estate, at (718) 253-9700 ext. 206 or click here for suggestions and tips on selling your Brooklyn home now.

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Charles D’Alessandro

Your Brooklyn Real Estate Agent with Fillmore Real Estate

718-253-9600 ext. 206

[email protected]

In the previous blog post, How to Research and Prepare for the Home Buying Process, we touched on the intimidation and overwhelm that can be felt when buying a home. This week, let’s address the stress of the home selling process.

Buying a home or selling a home, both processes are stressful. But just like the home buying process, the home selling process can be less stressful, too. Here are six steps for sellers that will help to reduce some of that stress.

Reducing the Stress of the Home Selling Process

If you’re stressing over the sale of your home, follow these simple steps:

1. Disclose, disclose, disclose

If you’ve lived in your home for a few years, you’ve likely had to deal with a few issues. Chimney fires, water damage, and water in the basement are a few examples of issues that should be disclosed. Did you add a sump pump or a French drain while living in your home? Disclose every problem you have had and how you solved each one:

• Explain in detail the issues and how you fixed them
• Take before and after pictures
• Save receipts

2. Find out how your home looks online

Google your address. All buyers are online these days in their search for a new home. Maybe you added a deck or awnings recently. Recent improvements made to your home may not show up on Google Maps’ street view. Flag those updates.

What value does Google estimate your listing to be worth? Is Google’s value of your listing different from your asking price? Your listing may have more bedrooms now than it did when you bought it years ago. Sometimes tax records don’t have updated information which reflects in the value Google lists for your property. If there is a difference, you can fix it without much difficulty.

3. Make a good first impression

Fix minor repairs. An improperly working doorbell, for example, can cost you a sale. From curb to front door, a home that is well-maintained shows prospective buyers that you have taken good care of it. Prospective buyers appreciate a home that is well-maintained. To them, it is move-in ready and won’t cost them much to fix up and settle into.

4. Deep-clean inside and out

Nothing is safe from the eye of prospective buyers. They will look inside drawers, cabinets, closets, dishwasher, oven, and refrigerator. to even the dishwasher. Windows, window sills, doors, and baseboards should be free of grunge. Whether you choose to hire a cleaning service or deep-clean your home yourself, the time and money spent will return to you in your sales price.

5. Be specific about what stays and what doesn’t

Some contracts spell out exactly what is included with the sale of a home. Others are vague. Even though a contract states “appliances included in the sale,” some sellers have replaced their high-end appliances with low-end models. If the refrigerator, oven, dishwasher and microwave are included with the sale of your home, list the make, model, and the serial number of each.

The same goes for what isn’t included. If the refrigerator in the garage isn’t staying, say so, in writing. If items such custom window treatments aren’t included, let your agent know right up front. Legally anything bolted to the wall or ceiling goes to the buyer unless specifically excluded in the contract.

If you plan to take something with you, document it in all print and online marketing materials. There should be no doubt in the buyer’s mind what stays and what goes. Read “5. Fixtures and Appliances” in 7 Must-Have Real Estate Contract Conditions for more information on this topic.

6. Stage your home

Take a good look at your house. What do you see? Would you want to buy your house? If you see things that need fixing, like paint touchups, fix them.

But what if you can’t really see your house? Clear the clutter out, and hire a home stager to help you prepare your house for touring. Trust what they tell you to do, and do it. Once your home is staged, keep it that way. It’s inconvenient and challenging to live in a staged home, but it’s worth it. A staged home will help your home sell faster and for more money, and it will help you keep your home show-ready, too.

Like the home buying process, the home selling process is stressful, too, but these six steps can minimize the stress. Get great help right from the start. Hire the right real estate agent. Contact Charles D’Alessandro at (718) 253-9600 ext. 206 or email [email protected]. With over 30 years of real estate experience in Brooklyn, you can trust Charles D’Alessandro, your Brooklyn real estate agent with Fillmore Real Estate to sell your home today.

Welcome to March Madness in the world of real estate! You’ve heard it before: “List your home early in the year. That way, you’ll be ready to close the deal when home sales peak in June.” But what exactly does “early in the year” mean? When is the best time to list your home?

The Best Time to List Your Home According to Zillow

Zillow determined the best time to list your home based on an analysis of supply, demand and sellers’ outcomes. This magic window, they say, is mid-March to mid-April. Think March Madness to The Masters.

The Best Time to List Your Home According to the Weather

The best time and the exact weeks to list your home vary in different parts of the country, because the best time to list follows weather patterns. So in markets with warm climates like Miami, the best time to list is right now. But in places where winters are harsh, like Brooklyn for example, waiting until mid to late April is best. Nationally, the magic window for listing your home is in early May.

The Best Time to List Your Home According the Housing Market

In addition to the weather, housing market dynamics affect the best time to sell a home. A low supply of homes on the market, like we have now, pushes the best time to list your home into late spring. The decline in the number of homes on the market increases competition. This means buyers who start shopping for a home in early spring may need to look at several homes. It also means they will still be shopping a few months later. Then when May rolls around, these buyers may get eager to settle into their new home for the upcoming school year. This eagerness could make them willing to pay a premium to close on the house as quickly as possible.

What Makes the Best Time to List Your Home Magical?

When you list your home within the timeframe of the magic window, your home sells faster and for more money. And who doesn’t want that kind of magic? Data shows homes listed from mid-March to mid-April sell 15 percent faster and for 2 percent more than the average listing. That’s a national premium worth more than $4,000.

Are you selling your Brooklyn home this year? If you’re hoping to sell it quickly and get the most you can for the sale of your home, the best time to list is around May 7th. Data shows homes listed between May 1 and May 15 sell about 18.5 days faster and for 1 percent more than the average listing nationally. That’s an average premium of $1,700 for the seller of a median home. That’s magical, too!

Contact Charles D’Alessandro, your Brooklyn real estate agent with Fillmore Real Estate at (718) 253-9700 ext. 206 or email [email protected]. I can answer your questions about the best time to list your home in Brooklyn. Call me today to join in the March Madness of real estate!

Whether Brooklyn’s housing market is hot or not, some homes seem to attract potential buyers and multiple bids without much effort. How does that happen? Is there a secret strategy that will sell your home quickly? No, there’s no secret, but there are 12 tried-and-true listing to-do’s that will help you sell your home – fast!

Want to sell your home quickly? Do this, this and this!

1. Find a Top-notch Real Estate Agent

This to-do is listed first because it’s that important. Smart sellers hire the right real estate agent to sell their Brooklyn home. Charles D’Alessandro knows the local market inside and out and understands exactly how to position your home for potential buyers. Don’t settle for any less than the best!

2. Hit the Perfect Price Point

You may think your home is worth top dollar, but charging top dollar isn’t always the best strategy to implement when you want to sell your home quickly. A whopping price could land your home on the market for a long spell. If you study the local comps carefully and follow Charles’ advice, you’ll hit the perfect price point.

3. Focus on Maximizing Curb Appeal

If those who drive by your home like what they see, they’ll most likely show up at the open house. That’s why it pays to freshen up landscaping, trim bushes, paint the front door and add attractive outdoor lighting. Smart homeowners know that to sell your home quickly, you must focus on your home’s curb appeal.

4. Update Kitchens and Bathrooms

An outdated kitchen or bathroom will turn prospective buyers off quicker than you can say, “Trick or treat?” Consider painting cabinets, updating faucet hardware, or replacing at least one of the kitchen appliances. This is an excellent strategy when you want to sell your home quickly, providing you update the rooms cautiously.

5. Scrub the House Clean

Homes that are deep cleaned inside and out sell quickly. A thorough cleaning from top to bottom doesn’t cost much, but it takes a ton of time and elbow grease. Home buyers investigate every nook and cranny of a potential home. Smart sellers know this and will invest the extra time necessary to clean their closets, their basement, fans and baseboards, too.

6. Address and Fix Potential Problems Before Inspection

It doesn’t make sense to spend a lot of money on renovations before you list your home, but it is smart to address any possible problems that might show up during inspection. Check the roof for leaks, look for sticky windows and make sure the wiring isn’t outdated. If a major problem is discovered during inspection, you may not get to sell your home quickly.

7. Send Pets on Vacation

Dogs or cats, no matter how well-behaved or cute they are, aren’t selling points. Even potential buyers who happen to be animal lovers, too, won’t appreciate your pets. If you have pets and you want to sell your home quickly, send your family pet packing. Find a friend or relative to keep your pets and all their toys, crates, and bowls. Then open up the windows to let a lot of fresh air in.

8. Hire the Pros

It’s true that certain up-front expenses can really pay off. Smart sellers hire floor refinishers, painters, and landscapers to spruce things up. Then they hire a professional real estate photographer to share images of their homes in their best light.

9. Make Your Home Standout

Much like deep cleaning, a few spruce-ups can turn your house from boring into “Wow!” Add a coat of fresh paint in a warm neutral color to walls. Purchase some new and updated furniture and brighten up the room with new throws or pillows. Don’t forget to declutter counters, cabinets and closets. The “Wow Factor” will sell your home quickly.

10. Talk About It, Talk About It, Talk About It

Your Brooklyn real estate agent, Charles D’Alessandro, will take care of the major marketing for your home, but word of mouth is an extremely effective tool to sell your home quickly. Let the world know about your listing. Share the news on Facebook, at the dentist’s office, on the playground, … everywhere you can.

11. Be Show-ready, Always

The more people who tour your home, the greater your chances of finding a buyer quickly. Make your bed and fluff up the pillows as soon as you wake. Never leave a dirty dish in the sink. Set some fresh flowers on the dining room table. If your home is always neat and tidy, it is always ready to be shown at a moment’s notice.

12. Time it Right

It’s a fact. Spring is the best time to list if you want to sell your home quickly. Listing a home during the months of March through May usually attracts more potential buyers, and curb appeal is at its best. But don’t discount selling in the fall. There are great reasons to list your home in the fall. Take a look at why listing in the fall is a smart move from the buyer’s perspective: 10 Reasons Why House Hunting in the Fall is a Wise Move.

Want to sell your home quickly? Contact Charles D’Alessandro, your Brooklyn real estate agent with Fillmore Real Estate at (718) 253-9700 ext. 206 or email [email protected]. Charles knows the Brooklyn market and what it takes to help you sell your home quickly.

Selling your home can be difficult, but it doesn’t have to be.

There’s a lot to do before it goes on the market. There are questions to be asked, emotions to detach and many things to be aware of simply because you are selling. It can be overwhelming and daunting to say the least.

Don’t make the selling process harder than it needs to be. Start your home-selling process with your best foot forward and avoid making these 5 mistakes:

1. Don’t FSBO (For Sale By Owner) when selling your home

In 10 reasons why for-sale-by-owners fail, data from a National Association of Realtors survey on FSBOs is shared. It shows that less than 10 percent of all home sales are FSBOs. Less than 10 percent! You may feel you have the skills necessary to sell your home. You may want to avoid paying agent commission fees. But when only 8 percent of all home sales are FSBOs, it proves that going it alone is a mistake.

2. Don’t skip properly preparing your home for sale

If your home isn’t properly prepared or staged, it’ll be tough to sell.

• Remove hard-to-clean odors when selling your home. If your home smells like smoke or you own a pet(s), invest in professional cleaning services.

• Declutter your home. When selling your home, it should always be show-ready. Remove photos and knick-knacks. Clear countertops and downsize the contents in your closets. Yes, even the toaster should be put away.

• Thoroughly clean kitchens, bathrooms, etc. from floor to ceiling. Don’t forget the tops of doors, door panels and baseboards, light fixtures and fans. Read here for 15-minute and intense clean up ideas for every room in your house.

• Boost your home’s curb appeal. If your home doesn’t look good on the outside, it will be hard to get potential buyers to come inside.

• Make improvements to your home, but don’t go overboard. Don’t think a home improvement expense is going to add dollar-for-dollar value to the home. A home maintenance expense adding a dollar value of any size to a home at all isn’t a for-sure thing.

3. Don’t stick around during a home tour

If you’re hesitant to hold a showing or refuse to leave as potential buyers tour your home, your chances for buyers making offers on it greatly diminishes. Potential buyers want to imagine themselves living there. Just looking at photos or trying to get a feel for the home with you lurking in the background will minimize the number of offers given, if you even receive any.

4. Don’t share too much on social media

Venting about the home-selling process and sharing incorrect listing information on social media is a big mistake. Keep things to yourself or between you and your real estate agent.

5. Don’t overprice your home

Overpricing your home and refusing to compromise is the biggest seller mistake. If you think your house is worth more than the market suggests or that a low commission will save you money, constantly turn down offers thinking a better offer will come eventually. You could end up with a home you don’t want.

Be smart about the offers that come to the table.

Don’t make selling your home tougher than it needs to be. Work with your real estate agent and avoid these seller mistakes to get your home sold. Call Charles D’Alessandro, your Brooklyn real estate agent with Fillmore Real Estate at (718) 253-9700 ext. 206 or email [email protected]. Put his 30+ years of excellent real estate experience to work for you today.