4 Tips to Stress Less When Moving - Repairing Home Damage Caused by Pets

How to Repair Cat and Dog Damage before Moving

RISMEDIA, Wednesday, March 30, 2016—

 Moving can present an exciting opportunity, but if you’re a pet owner and a renter, the normal chaos of packing up could be accompanied with stress over how to handle the damage your pet has done to the property over time. As you notice each thing your furry family member has been responsible for, you might get a sinking feeling there’s no way you’ll get your security deposit back or worse, your home might have lost a significant amount of value. Fortunately, there are several things you can do to fix the unsightly pet-related problems around the house.

                      Clean Carpeting with Baking Soda and Vinegar

                        

Even if you have a thoroughly house-trained dog or a cat that understands how to use the litter box, you’ve probably had to deal with pet urine stains on your carpet. However, they’re more stressful if they happen when trying to get the house spruced up for a move-out inspection. Act quickly and use a natural solution. That way, you won’t have to worry about your pet coming in contact with chemicals during your remaining time in the house.

If you’re dealing with a very recent stain that’s still moist, carefully blot it with a paper towel.

Then apply a mixture of equal parts water and vinegar and soak it. If the stain is especially bad, use pure vinegar instead. Once you’ve soaked the area, scrub as hard as possible to get down into the deepest carpet fibers. After that, add a bit of baking soda and leave the spot until it’s dry. Finally, vacuum the area.

It’s crucial not to wait too long before cleaning pet stains. If the urine reaches the padding underneath the carpet, the method above may not be powerful enough. You might have to rely on a carpet cleaning company that uses water extraction methods to get the job done.

                       Remove Pet Odors from Hardwood Floors

                                   

Perhaps the home you’re moving out of doesn’t have visible pet stains, but you’ve noticed areas covered with hardwood material seem to have absorbed the odor of your pets. Because certain cleaning agents can be very harsh on hardwood floors, it’s important to find some that are gentle, yet effective.

Vinegar starts removing bad smells almost immediately. Alternatively, baking soda and hydrogen peroxide can also do the trick. All three could weaken the sealant or cause bleaching if not applied carefully or if left on too long, so don’t leave the area unattended.

            Improve Wood Furniture That’s Been Chewed by a Dog

                      

It’s certainly stressful to come home from a day at work to discover your dog has decided wooden furniture is a more adequate chew toy than the items you’ve provided for playtime. If it seems your dog is repeatedly chewing wood furniture and eating the shavings, it may be a self-inflicted injury worth consulting your veterinarian about.

Once you’re satisfied the dog isn’t intentionally chowing down on the furniture due to a behavioral or physical problem that needs attention, turn your efforts toward improving the damaged wood. Take a utility knife and cut small, diagonal hatch marks across the chewed area. Hold the blade directly in your hand if possible to maintain good control, and put masking tape over the sharp parts to protect your skin. Then, make a batch of auto-body filler according to the packaging instructions. You’ll probably have to put several applications on the affected area to build up the surface so it’s flush with the part that hasn’t been chewed. However, once applied, the substance dries in about five minutes, so be careful not to prepare too much at once.

Put the auto-body filler on a paper plate and mix it well for 30 seconds. Then, cover the chewed wood with the filler and wait until it’s dry, but not hardened. If necessary, use a knife blade to carve away excess filler, and sandpaper to smooth out the surface. You can also run a wax fill stick over the sanded surface to fill in any remaining small holes. This wood repair method may seem a little involved, but it’s something you can try even without having carpentry knowledge.

                       Conceal Claw Marks on Leather Furniture

                       

Cats are arguably more likely than dogs to scratch leather furniture with their claws, especially since they naturally need to sharpen them on surfaces regularly. Ideally they’d use scratching posts, but that doesn’t always happen. Furthermore, dogs may unintentionally leave claw marks on leather, especially if they feel they are slipping and try to grip the surface. Luckily, there are ways to make claw markings less visible.

If the area is only slightly affected so the leather appears to have an abrasion, try applying white vinegar with a soft cloth. The vinegar makes the leather swell, which may hide the marks. Using leather polish after the vinegar should conceal mild scratch marks even more.

If the marks are so severe they have created tears, you’ll need to use a leather repair kit that includes a solution tinted about the same color as the damaged material. Insert a scrap of fabric, such as an iron-on patch, into the hole to add stability. Put grain paper with the grain side down over the material after you’ve applied the repair solution. Iron the grain paper as a finishing touch, then pull it away to see the results.

Moving can be stressful, but thanks to these tips, you can stress less when getting the property ready to vacate.

Megan Wild is a dog owner who loves spending time at home with her pup, Tucker. When she’s not on a hike outside, she loves designing and improving her home. You can find her tips and ideas on her personal blog, Your Wild Home.

This post was originally published on RISMedia's blog, Housecall. Check the blog daily for top real estate tips and trends.

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What Income Taxes Will You Have To Pay on the Sale of Your Home?

Tax Season: What to Expect When Selling Your Home - http://blog.rismedia.com/2016/tax-season-home-sale/: Tax season is upon us and if you have a pending or recent home sale, you'll surely want to know: what income taxes will you have to pay on the sale?

Are you about to be an Empty Nester? Kids Moving Out? It's about their First Home!

Are the Kids Finally Moving Out?

by The KCM Crew on February 18, 2016 

During the recession, many young adults graduating from college were forced to move back in with their parents. This caused new household formations to drop dramatically from the long term average of 1.2 million formations annually to half that number. However, this may be the year this turns back around.

According to the Urban Land Institute’s report, Emerging Trends in Real Estate, household formations will increase dramatically. They project that 3.68 million additional households will be formed in the next three years. This brings household formations back to pre-recession numbers of 1.2 million a year

What will happen in 2016?

One of the key indicators to an improving housing market is household formation: How many people are moving out and forming an independent living unit? Many of the people “moving out on their own” will be those Millennials who can finally move from their parents’ basements to their first home.

Not every person moving out will decide on an apartment. A certain percentage of consumers will decide that homeownership is a better option for themselves and their families.

Jonathan Smoke, Chief Economist at realtor.com, believes:

“Demand for for-sale housing will grow and will continue to be dominated by older millennials, aged 25 to 34. This demographic has the potential to claim a third of home sales in 2016 and represent 2 million home purchases.”

What about household formations moving forward?

And Louis Keely, the President of The Demand Institute, predicts strong household growth will continue over the next ten years:

“We expect new household formation to be robust over the next decade as the large millennial generation ages and forms new households of their own.”

Bottom Line

Here come the Millennials!! They will finally be entering the housing market in 2016 and will dominate real estate sales over the next decade.

MOVING PETS: How to keep your pet healthy and happy while making the move !

Moving Day Madness: How to Keep Your Pet Healthy and Happy throughout the Process By Keith Loria When it comes to moving, there’s no shortage of things to think about as you go through the process, but one thing that many people don’t think much about is the impact a move can have on a pet. Cats and dogs get used to a routine and like familiar surroundings. When they’re yanked from a home and placed in a new environment, it could lead to behavioral changes, loss of appetite or overall sadness. According to the American Humane Association, prior to moving day, pet parents should make sure pets are fitted with collars and ID tags with your name and current cellphone number. Microchipping is also recommended, serving as a backup if your pet loses its collar. Before the move, be sure to check with the City Clerk’s office in your new town to find out about local ordinances. Not only are leash laws and licensing common, but so are limits on the number of pets per household. For pet owners with more exotic pets, make sure you know the pet laws and regulations of the state to which you're moving. For example, if you own a monkey or reptile, you might need a special permit. Zoning laws may prohibit certain animals, as well. When traveling, if your pet is prone to car sickness, make sure you visit your veterinarian a few weeks prior to your move to get any prescribed medications and feeding recommendations. The last thing you want is a sick pet adding to the stress of moving day. For long-distance moves, be sure to identify pet-friendly hotels along your route and reserve rooms ahead of time. Once you arrive at your new house, create a pet-friendly space filled with your pet’s favorite blanket and toys. It’s also important that you spend some time with your pet—whether it’s a cat, dog, bird, rabbit or even guinea pig—to help them get comfortable. Make sure they know where their food is, and for cats, where the litter box is located. Moving with pets doesn’t have to be a stressful experience. Most pet owners treat their pets like members of the family, so don’t forget about their needs when a move is made. A happy and healthy pet can make any move go smoother. For more tips to make your move easier on your pet, contact our office today. Copyright© 2016 RISMedia, The Leader in Real Estate Information Systems and Real Estate News. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be republished without permission.

Party Time: Get Your Home In Tip-Top Shape with Friends

Get Your Home in Tip-Top Shape Even When Time Is Not On Your Side

By Keith Loria

                                                   

Ask anyone who has ever gone through the process of selling a home, and they’ll tell you that time is the No. 1 thing you need on your side. From removing clutter to making rooms look good, renovating or fixing anything that’s broken to finding a real estate professional you feel comfortable working with, there’s a lot of time involved in the process. But if a new job, a death in the family or a marriage proposal are necessitating a quick sale, there are certain things you can do to get your home ready.

If time is of the essence, the first thing you’ll want to do is get your house in showing condition. Throw out the clutter, pack your stuff away and hire a professional cleaning service to come in and get the house sparkling. You may also want to have someone come and take care of the lawn as well.

It’s also a good idea to take care of any updates that can be accomplished over the course of a few days. This means replacing broken light bulbs, patching up nail holes, making spackle repairs in the bathroom, fixing any drips and taking care of any little things that a potential buyer might use as an excuse to not be interested in your home.

Another great way to get your home in tip-top shape without wasting a lot of time is to hold a painting party with some of your friends and neighbors in order to freshen up some of the main rooms in the house. This is a great way to have fun, spend one last weekend together and get your house looking good.

Your agent will most likely have some ideas as well, so be sure to listen to their advice. This probably isn’t the first home they’ve been asked to move quickly, so be sure to take their ideas into consideration.

If you’re planning a quick move, try not to have visible signs in the home that lead prospective buyers to believe you need to vacate quickly. And make sure your neighbors know not to say anything about your situation if someone asks. The last thing you want is a lowball offer because a house hunter overheard that you needed to get out quickly.

In the end, it’s important to keep an open mind, especially if you need to move quickly. If an offer comes in under your asking price and your agent thinks it’s probably the best that’s going to come, you may have to accept. Make sure to talk about all the options, including the possibility of renting your home for a period of time if that makes the most sense.

Contact our office today for more tips to prepare for a quick move.

Buyers: Tips for Negotiating your Home Purchase

7 Negotiating Tips for Homebuyers

Remember these tips during the deal-making process of your home purchase.  

By: Tara-Nicholle Nelson  HGTV

                        

#Ocean City Md - Susan Antigone-ShoreFun4U with Long & Foster -OC  Beach Resort Property

#1: BE QUICK ON THE UPTAKE

It is critical to respond to counteroffers as soon as possible and to avoid making a counteroffer with any term that is not truly a deal breaker. Delays in responding leave space open for another buyer to step in and create a bidding war, or even more likely, for the seller to perceive that other serious buyers might be out there. A seller's mere perception of a hint of a whiff of the scent of a potential bidding war is a homebuyer's number one nemesis, ratcheting up the possible sales price in the seller's head on an exponential basis.

#2: CUT IN THE MIDDLE (WO)MAN
When you want to ask or tell the seller something, always always always go through your real estate agent, who will communicate your request or concern to the seller's agent. I know it seems inefficient, but it is truly a rookie move to contact the seller directly. It's just not done, mostly because the terminology is tough to master and legally sensitive. Also, some seemingly innocent and minor changes to your agreement with the seller might create problems with your lender; your real estate agent is better equipped than you to see these red flags. You hired your agent, so use him/her! It will prevent the catastrophic misunderstandings (read: drama) that can result when you or the seller says something even slightly different than what you each actually mean!

#3: GAUGE THE SITUATION WHEN DEALING WITH A DEVELOPER/BUILDER
A lot of this talk about negotiating and price and terms, etc. may be moot when you're buying a newly built home. By and large, the builder/developer dictates the terms on which they will sell you a home in their community, and you either take it or leave it. The list price is the price you pay, though in many markets, developers and builders are willing to negotiate if they have a large amount of inventory.

The builder will have a standard contract with a standard required deposit, standard contingency removal or objection periods, and a standard set of disclosures that they make to every buyer. The larger the builder, the more set they will be in their ways and to their price. That said, it doesn't hurt to ask for concessions or upgrades. Furthermore, builders hate getting sued, so they generally try to create a standard contract that affords you most or all of the same protections your real estate agent would build into a contract for you.

#4: GET THE DIRT ON PENDINGS
When the sold comps aren't that similar or sold a long time ago, or there is a very similar pending comp, you can go nuts wondering what price the buyer of that pending comp agreed to pay for the place. Sometimes the listing agents of pending comps can be sweet-talked into giving up the dirt. Your real estate agent can call them up, explain the situation, and ask obliquely for contract price hints, like "Did it sell for over (or under) asking? About how far over (or under)? What was the list price to sales price ratio? And how much competition was there? Did you have multiple offers?" And you can also make some educated guesses; the longer it was on the market, the less likely it sold for the asking price. The opposite is true, too. If it went off the market really quickly, it probably sold at or over the asking price.

#5: CHECK THE COMPS
The more money you offer, the more likely the seller will accept. Your real estate agent only gets paid if the seller accepts, so you can see why some agents tend to include or emphasize the highest priced comparables, even if they aren't the most similar comps for your property. Ask your agent for a copy of your Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) and ask for the full MLS listing details of the several most similar comparables. That way, you can decide for yourself how similar they really are!

#6: MAKE YOUR REAL ESTATE AGENT WORK FOR IT
If you are competing with other wanna-be buyers for a property, your real estate agent's prep work and presentation of your offer can be critical to your success. Hopefully you interviewed several real estate professionals and hired one you can trust and know will go the extra mile for you. Always communicate with your agent to ensure you both are on the same page in terms of expectations and deal breakers.

#7: CRUNCH THE NUMBERS
Before you finalize your decision about how much to offer, have your mortgage broker run a monthly payment on your offer price and estimate your property taxes and insurance. Often, buyers inch up in price during the house hunt and in the course of formulating their offer, so it's important to have a final check on the exact monthly and annual obligations you will incur if your offer is accepted.

Also, if you're seriously debating between offering two different prices and are having a hard time making the decision, ask your mortgage professional to run the payment, taxes and insurance on both of the prices you're considering. You might be surprised at how small (or large) an impact a $5,000, $10,000 or $50,000 difference in purchase price has on your ongoing payments, and it may help ease your decision making between the two amounts you are thinking about offering.

Buyers: Are you interested in lower mortgage interest rates?

Mortgage Interest Rates Decreased in August

RISMEDIA, Friday, October 02, 2015— Nationally, interest rates on conventional purchase-money mortgages decreased from July to August, according to several indices of new mortgage contracts.

The National Average Contract Mortgage Rate for the Purchase of Previously Occupied Homes by Combined Lenders Index was 3.99 percent for loans closed in late August, down 3 basis points from 4.02 percent in July. 

The average interest rate on all mortgage loans was 3.99 percent, down 2 basis points from 4.01 in July. The average interest rate on conventional, 30-year, fixed-rate mortgages of $417,000 or less was 4.20 percent, unchanged from July.

The effective interest rate on all mortgage loans was 4.15 percent in August, down 2 basis points from 4.17 percent in July. The effective interest rate accounts for the addition of initial fees and charges over the life of the mortgage. The average loan amount for all loans was $303,300 in August, down $1,300 from $304,600 in July.



FHFA will release September index values Thursday, October 29, 2015.

For more information, visit www.fhfa.gov.

BUYERS: 5 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Getting an Appraisal

5 questions you must ask yourself before getting an appraisal

October 25, 2013 By Tom Horn  Birmingham Appraisal blog

I had a reader email me a question last week asking why they should get an appraisal on their home, and I want to share with you the answer I gave them with the hope that it can help you make a similar decision. This person asked me “Why do I need to get an appraisal, I don’t want to have to pay for one”? In their particular situation a family member had died and left a home to the family. They wanted to sell it and needed to know what to ask. Some situations require you to get an appraisal such as when you buy or refinance a home, and you usually do not have a say so in the decision, however there are other times when you can make the decision yourself.

I told the person to ask themselves these 5 questions to help them.

1. Do I have access to a recent appraisal? The owner may have had a recent appraisal done on the home that could be used, such as with a refinance or a recent purchase. A recent appraisal can give you a good estimate of value if the real estate market hasn’t changed much since it was done, and if this is the case I wouldn’t recommend getting a new one.
2. Can I get information on home sales in my neighborhood, and if so are the homes very similar to my house? Some neighborhoods are what we call cookie cutters, meaning that they are all very similar in age, style, size, and appeal. If this is the case, and there have been recent sales and some current listings, then you may be able to estimate the value on you own. You can read more about doing this on a past post I wrote.
3. If I get an appraisal will the cost be offset by the money saved? I recently did an appraisal on a home a person was buying. They were not getting a loan from a bank so they did not have to get the appraisal, however they wanted to know if they were paying the right price. The appraisal value came in approximately $15,000 lower than the contract amount! The cost of an appraisal varies across the country, but in the Birmingham, Alabama area the average is about $350-$450 for a typical house. Would you pay this to save $15,000?
4. If I don’t get an appraisal will it prevent me from selling my home in a reasonable amount of time? This is related to #3 because it compares the additional cost you may have to pay if you don’t get an appraisal. By asking yourself this question you take into consideration the cost of holding on to the house for an extended period of time. If you price your home too high, and it takes 4 months longer to sell than if you had priced it more competitively with the market, then this additional cost must be weighed against the cost of the appraisal. If your mortgage payment is $1,000 then this additional cost would be $4,000, which would be about 10 times the cost of the  appraisal we discussed previously. You need to determine if this is a good return on your investment.
5. Am I committed to actually using the appraisal? Some people get an appraisal but will not use the value estimate to set a list price because they don’t like the value. Sounds crazy, huh? Why pay for an appraisal if you’re not going to use it? People allow their emotions to take over and ignore the value arrived at by a professional and unbiased appraiser. The appraiser is trained to be unbiased and provide a report that reflects the local market. If used correctly the appraisal will help you price your home to the market so it sells in a reasonable amount of time for the what the market will support.

If you have read through these five questions and decided that an appraisal can help you sell your home, please give me a call. I can answer any other questions you may have-no strings attached. I am committed to helping homeowners sell their home by pricing it properly and look forward to speaking with you.

Read more http://birminghamappraisalblog.com/appraisal/5-questions-you-must-ask-yourself-before-getting-an-appraisal/

Selling A Home: 5 Tips to Protect Your Home During A Showing

AGENT ADVICE, BUYING & SELLING

5 tips to protect sellers’ homes during a showing

With strangers wandering through the house, these precautions will make your sellers feel more comfortable

by John Lakatosh  Sep 3, 2015

Takeaways:

• Encourage the sellers to hide any valuables during a showing, including medication.
• Hide personal photos that show the homeowners’ faces.
• Make sure the sellers lock all doors except for the primary entrance where visitors will be entering.

There is a lot that goes into selling a home, and many homeowners often feel overwhelmed throughout the process. As a real estate agent, it’s your responsibility to make them feel at ease.

Homeowners might feel concerned about leaving their home during a showing — and rightfully so. Depending on the showing, there could be hundreds of strangers walking in and out of their home.

It’s easy to get caught up in making a home look perfect for a showing, but it is just as important to help clients keep their belongings safe while their home is on the market. There are things that both the agent and homeowners can do to stay safe.

It’s vital to help clients keep their belongings safe while the home is on the market.

CLICK TO TWEET

1. Hide valuables

bikeriderlondon / Shutterstock.com

Encourage the sellers to hide any valuables during a showing. Medications should be kept locked away in cabinets, as theft of prescription drugs is becoming more common during showings.

If the clients have a safe, they should lock up expensive items such as jewelry. Portable safes should be as hidden as possible, or kept with the seller for maximum security.

Also, consider asking the homeowners to keep relevant documents with private information in their possession, rather than leaving them at home. It’s impossible to keep an eye on everyone, and you never know when someone might decide to go through drawers looking to steal the homeowners’ identities.

In addition to valuables, hide weapons such as guns and large kitchen knives. Make sure these are locked up or removed entirely from the house. This precaution prevents theft and protects you.

2. Remove photos

Family photos are great for staging. They make the home feel “homey” and help prospective buyers imagine themselves in the home.

But with many people touring the home, you never know who could be there. Protect the family and hide personal photos that show the homeowners’ faces.

Breadmaker / Shutterstock.com

3. Encourage buyers to sign in

It might not be feasible to have every guest sign in for large showings. But for smaller showings, ask prospective buyers to leave their name and phone number.

That way, if there is suspicion of theft, you have a record of who entered the home during the open house. Signing in also helps determine how many people were in the home during the showing.

4. Limit access to the home

During a showing, it’s important to limit the number of accessible entrances. Make sure the sellers lock all doors except for the primary entrance where visitors will be entering.

When you arrive before the showing, check that all necessary doors have been locked and secured.

Keeping only one door open during a showing also makes it easier to track who is entering and exiting.

5. Secure the home

Securing the home is especially important if the homeowners have moved to another home while their old home is still on the market. Vacant homes are attractive to criminals.

At the minimum, encourage the sellers to secure the exterior of doors. They should not skimp on deadbolts and locks, as cheaper locks can be faulty.

As a real estate professional, you might also want to suggest a home security system to protect the home. There are many options available for security systems, including budget-friendly options.

With many prospective buyers entering and exiting the sellers’ homes, it is important to think about safety measures that protect homeowners and their identities.

Security will provide them with peace of mind knowing that they have an agent who is looking out for their best interests.

John Lakatosh is president of Crime Intervention Alarm Company, which provides custom security plans for businesses and homes throughout the Mid-Atlantic region.