Real Estate Information Archive

If you are in the market to sell your Omaha, NE home, chances are you will have to go through the appraisal process *cue groans*. And while there are certain factors that are out of your control, such as square footage, layout and location, there are a few things you can do to help ensure that your home appraisal comes back at maximum value. 

Before we jump into all the tips and tricks, we first wanted to make sure that our readers understand exactly what a home appraisal is. So, let’s begin at step one: a home appraisal is the process in which a certified appraiser comes to your home to perform an in-depth inspection in order to determine how much your property is really worth. Now please keep in mind the appraisal amount is not always equal to what the listing price will be set at, but it should provide an accurate understanding of the appraised value of the property. 

Now for the fun part – ways to help increase your home appraisal: 

-Our first tip for you is to fix - everything! You know those seemingly small home repairs that have been on your “to-do” list for ages, but you just haven’t gotten around to yet? The running toilet, the squeaky patio door, the dent on the wall from your kid’s skateboard accident – sound familiar? While these things may not seem like a big deal to you, they can be a red flag to the appraiser and potentially reduce the perceived overall condition of your abode. 

-Cosmetic upgrades can go a long way in helping your home look fresher and newer. We aren’t saying splurge on a full-on remodel (because really, who wants to take on that job?!), but investing in areas such as new carpets, a new coat of paint, an updated bathroom vanity, etc. can actually go a long way!

-Staying on the last point, it doesn’t hurt to keep track of all the improvements/upgrades you did in a list to show the appraiser as they may not be familiar with homes in your area. This is a great opportunity to stand out and display any added value that your home provides. Additionally, if you can include any paperwork, like contractor invoices, that will help your case tremendously and provide weight to the claims you make.

-Arguably one of the most important areas of your property to keep in mind is the front of your home. Curb appeal is everything and as they say, you don’t have a second chance at a first impression. The appraiser’s initial judgement and assessment of your home will be as they walk up and it is a great opportunity to impress. Paint the front door, trim the weeds, plant colorful flowers, add a wreath and doormat – anything that you think will add some spice to the front of your home. 

-Lastly, be sure to clean! We understand this may seem obvious, but a spotless house will most likely increase the chances of the appraiser viewing your home in good condition. So, whether you take a weekend to hit every nook and cranny or hire an in-home service, just make sure that things are squeaky clean for appraisal day! 

Have you been wondering what your Omaha, NE home is worth? If so, be sure to check out our instant market valuation page here!

With 2020 right around the corner, now is the perfect time to start organizing yourself for the new year – starting with your home! Having a clean and organized space ensures that you and your family are able to find things quickly and that every item has a ‘home.’ Below we have listed a few tricks to help you get and stay organized for the new year and beyond! 

-The first place to start in your organization journey is figuring out exactly what needs organizing. To accomplish this, our advice is for you to stand in the middle of the room and do a 360-degree turn. Take note of what areas catch your eye and make a list so you can stay on track.

-To ensure you don’t get overwhelmed by the project, write down a day/time that you would like to have each area completed by and do your best to stick to it. Maybe each weekend you tackle a different room/area of the house and keep on the schedule until you are satisfied with the results. Doing this will make the project manageable, keep your stress level down and give you something tangible to work towards. 

-Our next tip is probably the most important in your organization journey – and that is to declutter your space! Take some time before you start to organize any room and go through drawers, cabinets, countertops, etc. and throw away/donate anything that no longer serves you. This will ensure that you are only organizing items that you need and will use throughout the year and get rid of items that don’t need to take up space. 

-Organizing and storing your things with similar items will make it easy when you or a family member go to look for something. For example, keeping a drawer with pens/pencils/markers/envelopes/stamps/paper clips, etc. is an effective way to organize office supplies and keep everything in order.

-Don’t be afraid to utilize storage bins, containers and drawer organizers, as these items will end up being your best friends! Investing in, and utilizing, storage containers can go a long way and help to keep everything in its place. 

-Our last tip for you is to make organizing a habit. Just taking a few minutes here and there to check in and touch up will go a long way in keeping things organized and your home running smoothly in 2020! 

Have you been looking high and low for your dream home in Omaha, NE? Let one of our talented, experienced agents help you with your search and check out our Listing Alerts page here!

Have you ever found yourself searching high and low around your home for that free corner of your closet or spare kitchen drawer for extra storage space? If so, today’s blog is for you! We understand the struggle that insufficient storage space can bring, but with a little creativity and planning you will be amazed at how much extra space you can create!  

-One way to create more storage space in your home is to get furniture that multitasks. Pieces such as ottomans, freestanding cabinets, small trunks and chests are great ways to add to the aesthetic of your home, while also creating storage space for your items that need a home.

-Bulletin boards are a creative way to not only free up space on your nightstands, but also a great way to keep necklaces and bracelets untangled – we all know what a hassle that can be!

-If you are looking for more storage in your bedroom, you may want to look at a platform bed or a bedframe with storage built in. With a platform bed, you are able to store many items underneath and can hide them with a long bed skirt.

-For front yard/backyard items, investing in a garden bench with hidden storage is the perfect way to add a little charm to your outdoor space while also hiding all your gardening essentials. 

-A coat rack is the perfect entryway accessory to store coats, long scarves and purses, and can free up much needed space in your closets. Win-win!

-If you have young children, you may find yourself constantly staring into an endless mess of toys, stuffed animals, games and puzzles. There are so many adorable toy chests on the market that can add a fun look to the room while also being a central place for all your kids’ toys and entertainment. 

-Lastly, floating wall shelves are a great place to store books, pictures, toys, décor, etc. They are perfect for filling empty wall space and serve as extra storage for items that don’t take up a lot of room. 

Want to stay on top of new listings that hit the Omaha, NE market? Follow this link to sign up for our Listing Alerts! 

If you are a homeowner in Omaha, NE, today’s blog post is a must-read. It doesn’t take very long to form habits, which can be a good thing when it comes to eating healthy and staying consistent with your trips to the gym. However, with the good can come the bad, and poor habits can start to sneak in as well. And when it comes to owning a home, poor habits can equal a large price tag and consistent frustration. Continue reading below for a few things to pay close attention to and bad habits to break as a homeowner.

• Be mindful if you are running a dishwasher that is half full as it can waste water. Instead of setting it off with only a few cups and dishes, wait until there are more kitchen items to include. And if you can’t wait, try washing and drying the few items you need by hand. 
• We all know that long, steamy showers can be refreshing and relaxing after a long day. But did you know they can also lead to mold and mildew buildup? Yikes! Try being more cautious the next time you rinse off as it also can waste water and ultimately increase your water bill. If you can’t help yourself and need a long hot shower to wash your day off, be sure to always run the exhaust fan and scrub your shower grout every few months. 
• Using too much mulch can end up suffocating your plants and trees, which in turn can cause rot and invasive insects to start popping up – a problem no homeowner wants on their hands! Be sure to loosely pack the mulch as this will allow water to properly filter through. 
• It is easy to be a sucker for a good bargain but buying cheap when it comes to household items doesn’t always save you money, as you may find yourself having to replace items more frequently. This is especially true when it comes to household appliances.
• As a homeowner, you may think that each corner of your home has the potential to store something – anything really – and before you know it clutter starts to accumulate everywhere you turn. It can be easy to justify keeping items you may think you will need down the road, but all that does is add to the ever-expanding piles. If you haven’t used an item in six months to a year, it may be time to let it go. 

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Click here to find your dream home in Omaha, NE! 

If you are thinking of installing a fence around your yard, or replacing an existing fence, then you are in the right place. Today we are going to be talking about the pros and cons surrounding this topic, and hopefully at the end you will have a better feel if this decision is right for you and your family. Whether it be wood, vinyl or wrought iron, a fence is a major part of the functionality and aesthetic of your property and can be a large and expensive project to take on. But there are also many perks that come with installing one in your yard, which we know to be true as there are many beautiful fenced properties around Omaha, NE. Let’s dive right in! 

Pros to fencing your yard:

-One upside to fencing your yard is privacy, as it will reduce any outside disturbances to you and your family. Additionally, it will limit the amount of noise transfer from your home to your neighbors during outdoor parties or while making memories in the backyard.

-On that same note, if you live near a busy street you can try installing an eight-foot-high solid fence to reduce the noise from the area. If using the right product, you can potentially reduce noise by up to five percent depending on the elevation, height of the fence and noise frequencies. 

-Having a fence around your property is a great way to not only keep people and unwanted wandering critters out, but also keep your kids and pets in. Win-win! 

-From a design standpoint, a fence that is well built and constructed can definitely add to your home’s curb appeal and overall aesthetic. A well-known example of this would be a white picket fence, as it is able to add a charming look to the home and define property boundaries at the same time. 

Cons to fencing your yard: 

-The most obvious con to building a fence in your yard is cost. Whether you are thinking of fencing your whole property, or just part, it will not be a cheap project. As you could image, the price can vary depending on things such as labor, materials, length, etc., but to give you an idea a wooden privacy fence averages about $17 to $23 per linear foot. You can do the math on that!

-Second, if you are thinking of fencing your yard you have to take into account the maintenance of the fence itself, as they can begin deteriorating over time. This is especially true with wood fences which can begin to warp and rot over time. To avoid this, make sure to pencil in the occasional sealing, cleaning, staining and/or painting on your to-do list!

The garage. For many families, this space is utilized for much more than just parking your vehicles and leaving your wet, muddy shoes to dry. It is a place to store holiday décor, gardening tools, lawn chairs, sporting equipment, boxes of old memories and so much more! And while you may have good intentions on keeping this precious storage space nice and organized, it very easy for the garage to look like a tornado blasted through in the middle of the night. If you found yourself smirking and nodding in agreement to the last sentence, we have a blog post today that you may be interested in. Below we have a few hacks that will help keep your garage organized, and in turn allow you to make the most of out the space. Enjoy! 

Garage Shelving: Our first garage hack for you is garage shelving, which also happens to be one of the simplest ways to store and organize a large number of your belongings. In addition, we are also happy to report that shelving systems are relatively easy to assemble and can be found in most home improvement stores throughout the country. 

Peg Boards: Next, if you are looking to store items such as bicycles or other heavy items, peg boards are the way to go! You will first want to install the peg board on the wall of your garage, then install racks in which you will be able to hang your items from. Simple as that! 

Storage Bins: Our third garage hack are storage bins. Storage bins are great because they really allow you to be flexible in how you use them to secure and store your items. Local home improvement stores or big box stores usually sell them (so they are easy to find), and you can use different sizes depending on your storage and stacking needs. 

Ceiling Storage: The last hack we have for you is ceiling storage. For those of you who are looking to utilize most of your garage space for your cars, you may find yourself pressed for storage space – and that is where your ceiling comes in handy! These racks can hold a number of items and are mounted from the ceiling of your garage. While ceiling storage may be a little tricky to install, and you may seek professional installation, you will be happy to find your garage space looking neat and organized at all times! 

If you are in the market to sell your home, chances are you did a once-over to see what rooms need revamping, which walls need a refresh and how you are going to stage your home to appeal to potential buyers. And after all that, we bet your blood pressure may have spiked after seeing just how much it can cost to get your home in tip top shape and ready to sell. But fear not as we have listed a few tips and tricks below to help you make your home look expensive, without breaking the bank! 

-The first trick we have for you is paint. Incorporating sophisticated paint colors is a great and inexpensive way to transform any room and give it the high-end look and feel you are going for. You can also use paint to renovate old furniture pieces, as well as use chalk and metallic paint to add a little fun and creativity to old spaces. 

-Staying on the topic of paint, another trick is to use color on your front door! By painting the front door of your home a hue that compliments the homes interior, the door acts as an anchor to the color scheme while also adding style to the entry of your house. A win-win in our book!

-The next thing we are going to talk about are rugs, as they are a cost-effective item that adds style and warmth to any room in your home. If you want to go for a more custom feel, try layering different color and patterned rugs underneath furniture.

-Another great way to make your home look more elegant is by incorporating crown moldings, wainscoting and other types of custom trim work throughout certain rooms in your home.  These additions are typically not terribly expensive and won’t break your renovation budget. 

-While your television may be a focal point of your everyday life, it can tend to take away from the interior design of your home. You may want to consider camouflaging the television by hiding it inside a piece of furniture or cabinet while you have visitors looking at your home. 

-There is such a thing as ‘too much’ when it comes to interior design. Rooms that appear cluttered are usually a turn off to potential buyers and can cheapen the look of the home. Be sure to remove knick-knacks, books and pillows that you feel take away from the space. 

-Now you may be asking yourself if there are certain items that are worth splurging a little on, and our answer is yes! Items such as high-end wallpaper for prominent walls or a luxurious leather chair are great focal pieces that can be worth the investment.

With Spring in full swing, there is no better time to start sprucing up your front porch to create a warm and welcoming entrance for family, friends and guests. And while some people may push this to the bottom of their to-do list as it may seem like a daunting task, we have simplified the process and broken it down to a few simple steps. You will be pleased to find how big of a difference these steps can make in the overall appearance of the exterior of your home. Keep reading below if you want to give your front porch a little Spring makeover! 

-The first step is to ensure you are starting with a clean slate. When the weather permits, take an afternoon to do a deep clean of your front porch. Sweep the floor, dust off those pesky cobwebs and give your furniture and accessories a once over to make sure they are still in good condition after a harsh winter. 

-Consider adding some greenery to your front porch. Flower boxes, plant beds and container gardens are all items that will not only boost your curb appeal, but also make the entrance of your home feel warm and inviting. 

-Don’t be afraid of color! A fresh coat of paint on shutters, trim, doors and railings is a great (and inexpensive) way to update your front porch area. Also, a bold front door is a great statement, and a wonderful way to incorporate a splash of color to the front of your home. 

-It’s all in the details. A great trick to adding a modernized feel to your front porch is to incorporate matching fixtures and details such as porch lighting and house numbers. You will be shocked how big of a difference this can make!

-It never hurts to add some new touches to your front porch such as porch railing, walkways and gutters. 

-Last but not least, furniture! One way to make your porch feel homey and inviting is to update your outdoor furniture and accessories such as couches, chairs, end tables, rugs and pillows.

If you are thinking of selling your home, from time to time you may catch yourself making mental notes of areas that need repair, carpets that need cleaning and clutter that needs to be sorted and donated/thrown out. Many home owners may not realize the extent of work that needs to be done on their home before it is ready to be put on the market and shown to potential buyers. If you are wondering where to start in the home staging process, and want to do it without breaking the bank, then today’s blog post is for you. There are a few golden rules for you to keep in mind as you prepare and stage your home for potential buyers, and we have listed them below for you to check out. Let’s jump right in!

The first rule we are going to talk about is de-personalizing your home. What do we mean by that? Well, remember the large, framed family photo from three summers ago at Lake Tahoe that you have hanging in the living room? While it may bring you great joy as beautiful memories flood back to you when you look at it, it may not be as appealing to potential buyers who are looking at your home. You want your home to essentially be a blank canvas for buyers to picture themselves settling into. You want them to look at your kitchen and picture their Sunday dinners, your master bedroom as a cozy oasis for them to escape to and your family room as a central hub for gatherings. It will be hard for them to do that if all they see are reminders of how you have made the house yours and all the wonderful time you have spent there. So, with that being said, it is important to remove personal items that you have around your home when staging to sell. 

The next tip we have for you is to de-clutter the space. There is no better way for potential home buyers to picture a blank canvas than for them to see clean and neat spaces. You may even want to think about renting a storage unit if there are items that you think do not add to the space, but that you aren’t quite ready to part with yet. This can include items such as bulky furniture, artwork, kids toys, holiday decorations and clothing that makes your closet look too packed, thus making it appear smaller. De-cluttering will maximize the space in your home, ensuring that potential buyers see the real and full potential of the house. Our next tip is arguably the simplest, and that is to clean/sanitize your home. No one likes a dirty home and you only have one chance to make a first impression on buyers. Whether you hire on a company or choose to grab the rubber gloves and tackle the cleaning yourself, it will be the best time/money you could spend when it comes to staging your home to sell. 

Our last tip for you is to neutralize your home. It is no secret that color can make or break how people view a particular space. And while you may think that bright pink accent wall does wonders for the aesthetic of the home, potential buyers may think otherwise. All they will see is money, time and potential frustration on a home improvement project. One of the most inexpensive ways to change the look and feel of a home is to paint, and we can assure you that updating the space with calming and neutral colors will make a world of difference for buyers. We hope these tips and tricks will help you when it comes to staging your home to sell, and take off some of the stress and guess work on where to start!