Real Estate Information Archive

If you have or are currently in the process of selling your Omaha, NE home then you understand just what goes into the process and the importance of your home showing well to potential buyers. And with the prime selling season just around the corner, now is a great time to get your home in tip top shape to get top dollar for your property.

With that said, we have dedicated today’s blog post to a few home improvement projects that are sure to increase your home appeal and aesthetic without breaking the bank. Let’s dive in!

-Our first tip is paint, as it is one of the most cost effective and transformative home improvement items on the market. Many people will be shocked at how a new coat of paint can bring a room back to life and/or completely alter the look of your home. Your local hardware or paint store can usually give you a few samples of colors you are interested in so you can patch-test at home and find one that brings your vison to life.

-Have you ever wanted to renovate your kitchen but cringe at the thought of the bill staring back at you? We get it! And while kitchens can be one of the most expensive reno areas in your home, simply upgrading your countertops can make a huge difference in the look and feel of the space. There are quite a few affordable, environmentally friendly materials on the market to choose from including stone, laminate, ceramic tile, terrazzo composites and concrete. Kitchens are usually the heart of the home so making this upgrade can go a long way.  

-If we have said it once, we have said it a thousand times on this blog – upping your curb appeal can make all the difference in the overall aesthetic of your home! Especially when it comes to ‘wowing’ potential buyers. When a buyer pulls up and has a positive first impression of your home, they then enter the home with a good feeling, which has the potential to really work in your favor. Simple things such as adding a wreath to your front door, planting flowers, trimming the shrubs, redoing your walkway and upgrading your front porch light are inexpensive ways to increase the curb appeal of your home.

If you are looking for more information on selling your home in Omaha, NE check out our 'Home Selling Tips' page here!

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!

So, you’re selling your home in Omaha, NE and want all the tips and tricks on how to make your property sell quickly. While we can’t give away all our secrets in one post, we do have one tip that is sure to make the front of your home inviting and appeal to potential buyers. Interested? Keep reading below!

Your front porch is one of the first things buyers see and, as they say, you don’t get a second chance at a first impression. This area of your home is a great opportunity to welcome visitors, and we have listed a few tricks below that, when implemented, are sure to ‘wow’ potential buyers as they pull up to your home:

-Your front door is the focal point of your whole porch and should not be forgotten! Try adding a fresh coat of paint, hanging a decorative wreath on the door and/or adding a doormat to spruce up the entrance. 

-If you have the room, adding a pair of chairs to your front porch is such an easy way to make a big statement. When most people see chairs on a porch, they envision spending quality time with family and friends while the kids play in the front yard. It’s quaint, welcoming and will pull at the heart strings of your potential buyers.

-Incorporating plants/flowers in the foreground is a great way to not only add greenery and a splash of color, but also can be a fun way to guide guests to the entrance of your home. This adds to the curb appeal of your home and can also be a fun project for you and your family to do together!

-To keep your front porch area cool during the warmer Omaha, NE months you can install a ceiling fan, which also doubles as a great way to keep the pesky bugs away. Depending on the layout of your porch, outdoor curtains may also be a great option to keep the sun out while also adding a pop of fun décor. 

Looking for more tips and tricks on selling your Omaha, NE home? Check out our 'Home Selling Tips' page here!

As we discussed in a previous blog post, your listing photos are a crucial part of the home selling process and can be a huge factor in the amount of initial interest your listing receives. And while you may not be the one who is actually snapping the images, it is always good to understand the process so you can set up your home to photograph its best. In today’s blog post, we will be discussing a few tips and tricks to help ensure your images not only turn out well but stand out from the rest. Let’s jump in: 

-While it is important that buyers can get a good sense of a house, you want to be sure that it doesn’t appear too “lived in.” Buyers understand that a busy family lives in the house, but your images don’t have to appear that way. Spend some time decluttering the space so that the images appear clear and families can focus on the structure and layout.  

-On that same note, you may want to consider renting a storage unit for items in your home that make the rooms closed off/small and/or cluttered. If you are not sure if a piece of furniture is too big for a space, it may be better to just remove the item and keep it in a storage unit for a little while until the home sells. 

-While decluttering is important, you also want to depersonalize the home. Take the family pictures off the dining room table, remove the kid’s birthday party invitations from the refrigerator doors and take away the piles of magazines from the end tables. You want the images to showcase the home itself and not have potential buyers be distracted by the other items. 

-If your home offers a lot of natural light or breathtaking views, you want to make sure that is highlighted in your images as that can be a huge selling point. Make sure all your curtains are open and windows are cleaned. For a better photograph, you want to make sure all lights and lamps are turned on, inside and out, but to make sure that all ceiling fans are turned off.

-Staging a home is known to increase not only the amount of offers that come in, but also the price of those offers. You can either stage the home yourself or bring in a professional staging company to help ensure the home looks its best and is staged to sell. 

Be sure to check back every week for more real estate information and events happening around Omaha, NE. Also, be sure to check our “About” page to learn more about our talented team! 

If you are in the market to sell your home, you may have a long checklist of items to do before your listing goes live. As we will discuss in today’s blog, one of those items should be to have professional images taken of your home. Curious why this is such an important step for you? You are in the right place, keep reading along! 

It is no surprise that the internet is one of the first places people go to search available inventory in their desired neighborhood, school district, etc. – it is 2019 after all! And if the old saying “A picture is worth a thousand words” is true, then you want to make sure your visuals are on point! 

While you may have spent countless hours stringing the perfect sentences together telling buyers why your home is the best on the block, the truth is many people gravitate towards the images first and thus create an opinion before they read the first word of the listing. Professional images of your home will help to boost visibility and give potential buyers a real look inside your abode, and ultimately pushing them to call their agent to schedule a showing if they like what they see. 

You also want to be sure to have a variety of images that showcase all the areas/rooms of the home so buyers can get a true feel if the layout will work for their needs. In essence, your images should tell a story and give buyers a virtual ‘walk through.’ And the best part? Buyers can experience an intimate and thorough look into your home through these professional images without having to leave the comfort of their couch, giving you a leg up on the competition and helping to sell your home sell in less time. 

Looking for other ways to help sell your Omaha, NE home? Check out our Home Selling Tips page here! 

If you are currently selling your home or thinking of listing it in the near future, you don’t want to miss today’s blog post! We are going to be discussing common mistakes to avoid when it comes to pricing your home to sell: 

-The first mistake you want to avoid is pricing your home too high from the very beginning. We understand how sentimental your home can be and why you think it should sell for top dollar. But making the mistake of pricing it too high can cause it to sit on the market for a while before the right buyer will finally make their way to a showing or you finally decide to lower the price. Either way, making sure to accurately set the price right when the listing hits the market is a great way to help ensure the home will sell closer to the asking price. 

-Another mistake you want to avoid is not basing your price on similar comps in the area that have already sold. Take some of the guess work out of it and do research to see where your home holds up among the other inventory that has already been purchased. Just because you can list a home for any amount does not necessary mean it is going to sell for that! Do yourself a favor and look at the data.

-Our third piece of advice is to avoid using a strange/odd listing price. Instead of using something like $387,921, you want to be sure to use round numbers and see that your price falls in line with search windows that agents will use such as “$150,000 to $275,000.”

-Lastly, don’t be the person who refuses to negotiate! The price you list your home for should have some built in flexibility to ensure that you have room to negotiate with buyers who are motivated and qualified. 

Click here to find out how much your Omaha, NE home is worth! 

As if the home selling process wasn’t stressful enough, adding kids into the mixture can be a surefire way to send you over the top. Between the endless packing, cardboards boxes in every corner and last minute showings – oh, and let’s not forget piles of homework, school plays and kid sporting events – you may begin to question why you even put the ‘For Sale’ sign up in the first place. We get it, and we are here to help! Below we have listed a few tips and tricks to help you and your family not only survive the move and sale of your home but thrive during the whole process! 

-Our first piece of advice when it comes to moving with children is to sit down with them, prior to the sale sign appearing on your lawn, and let them know what is going on. It is so important for them to understand not only why you are moving, but what the process will look like. It will also ease any anxiety they may have around the move and allow them to feel like they are part of the process.

-Our next bit of information is around décor – kid décor to be more specific. While there is a chance that the next people to purchase your home will also have children, there is also a chance that your abode will appeal to couples who either don’t have kids or have kids that no longer live with them. Either way, you want to make sure that your home appeals to all buyers, and thus is important to ensure that the aesthetic is pretty neutral, so potential buyers don’t feel overwhelmed by kid ‘stuff’ in every corner and on every wall.

-Playing off our last point, decluttering your home from kid items not only is a great way to appeal to a range of buyers, but it is also a great opportunity to get rid of items that no longer serve your family. Old toys, sports equipment and random items that were once adored by your children may now better serve another family and are better off in the donation pile. For any left-over toys that you want to keep but not display in your home while it is on the market, you may want to look into renting a storage unit until your new home is ready to settle into. 

-If you have ever sold a home before, you may understand how last minute showings can be. These appointments, while potentially inconvenient, are a way for buyers to get a feel for your home and if they can see themselves moving in. You may want to have a list of things you can do with your kids in the event that a last-minute showing pops up so you are not scrambling to kill time. Locations such as local playgrounds and or/movie theatres are great ways to pass the time during the showing. 

-Lastly, clean, clean then clean some more! We sometimes don’t realize just how messy our home can become, especially with children, so doing daily/weekly cleanings and monthly deep cleanings ensure that your home is putting its best foot forward for potential buyers. 

Searching for which school district your dream home in Omaha, NE falls in? Check out all the districts here! 

The home inspection is a crucial part of the buying process. If you have ever brought or sold a house, then you are probably well versed in what a home inspection is and how/why they are conducted. On the other hand, if you are a first-time home buyer, this may be your first time hearing the phrase. And that is where we come in! Whether you are a real estate aficionado and just need a refresher, or you are a newbie trying to understand the lingo, today’s blog post is going to break down everything you need to know about the home inspection process. 

What is a home inspection? As mentioned above, the home inspection is a crucial part of the home buying process and is designed to protect the buyer in the sale. To put it simply, a home inspection is a ‘non-invasive’ examination of the property where a licensed home inspector will review the house for mechanical, structural and/or electrical defects. This will give the buyer a more comprehensive overview of the home, which helps to ensure there are minimal surprises when they take control of the property. 

When does a home inspection usually take place? Typically, the home inspection will be conducted a short time after the seller accepts the offer from the buyer. 

Is a home inspection required by law? The short answer is no, home inspections are not required to be performed. But they are worth the money as it acts as a protection of the investment, as well as gives the buyer peace of mind regarding the true shape and condition of the house.  

What will the home inspector be looking for in the home? The inspector will be looking for any issues/problems that have to do with the home’s electrical system, plumbing, heating and cooling system, foundation, windows and doors, roof and more. 

What do I need to do to prepare for a home inspection? If you are in the process of selling your home or are thinking of selling your home in the future, we have listed three simple steps to help you prepare for a home inspection. First, about a month prior to the inspection, you should ensure all the paperwork is in order and start addressing the repairs you think need attention (these will be things you believe will be red flags to the inspector). Second, about a week before the inspection, you should start removing clutter and/or anything you feel may interfere with the inspector. Lastly, our third tip for you is to ensure the house is clean, light bulbs have been replaced and everyone (including pets) are removed from the home the day of the inspection. 

Selling your home marks the end of one chapter, and the beginning of a new journey. And while this can be cause for a lot of celebration and excitement, there are also a few key items to keep in mind while you are in the process of selling your home. We have listed below a few common mistakes for you to avoid in hopes to keep the selling process as efficient and stress-free as possible! 

1. The first mistake to avoid is setting a price without doing proper research first. Don’t just go off of what other comps in the area have sold for in the past, as your ideal listing price can be affected by the time of year, current available inventory, and much more. 

2. On that same note, our next mistake to avoid is pricing your home too high off the bat. History and statistics have shown us that an overpriced listing produces fewer showings than others that are more accurately priced for the market. In addition, it has also been shown that homes sell closer to their asking amount if they are priced correctly at the start of the listing. 

3. Staying on the topic of price, our next mistake to avoid is using a strange listing price. You want to be sure to avoid listing prices such as $403,399. This may potentially cause you to miss out on quality, qualified buyers, especially if their search ranges from $300,000-$400,000. Just something to keep in mind. 

4. Many people think that just because they are not in a rush to sell their home that they can overprice their listing. The thought process here is that they can simply wait around for the right family to come along who is willing to pay the higher price point. This is not the best strategy as the longer your house sits on the market, the less likely you are to get showings and in return the more difficult it becomes to attain that higher asking price. 

5. A big mistake to avoid is getting emotionally involved in the selling process. We understand this may be difficult to do, but you have to keep in mind that this is a business transaction, and you should not take it personally if you get a low offer on your listing. View this as an opportunity to negotiate with the potential buyer to see if you can settle on a number that works for both parties. 

6. Even in the best seller’s market, you need to stay away from the mindset that the house will sell itself. Anytime a listing goes live, you need to ensure that the home is properly staged and marketed to ensure it is appealing to potential buyers. 

7. Finally, our last mistake to avoid is trying to sell your home on your own. Studies have shown that homes stay on the market longer and sell for about $39,000 less when people do not utilize a real estate agent during the sale of their house.