8 Ways to Get Your Home in Shape for Showing

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8 Ways to Get Your Home in Shape for Showing

8 simple steps you can take to ensure your home is in “show shape”

Information via KW

Homes that have been well-maintained and convey pride of ownership appeal to perceptive, motivated buyers. Below are some simple steps you can take for your home in the greater Athens area to ensure your home is in “show shape” when you are ready to sell.

 

 

  1. Clean or replace carpets and/or other flooring, such as vinyl or hardwoods.
  2. Wash the windows and window coverings.
  3. Clean the kitchen and baths until they sparkle.
  4. Clear and pack away clutter and sell or store excess furniture.
  5. Clean your closets–extra storage space helps sell homes.
  6. Paint or touch up any rooms that need it. Use neutral colors, which have more universal appeal.
  7. Take down family pictures and other personal decorations. The more your house looks like your home, the harder it is for buyers to imagine themselves living there.
  8. Clean the basement and garage. Neatly stack and store boxes.

Your home’s cleanliness and appeal create an unconscious impression. That impression can determine the likelihood of an offer.  I’d be happy to stop by and offer you specific suggestions to help you stage your home for sale. This is the time for minor adjustments, not a major remodel. Please give me a call or submit a request for contact with any questions. Perhaps I can save you some time and/or money.

Greater Athens Area Best Home Improvement

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Greater Athens Area Best Home Improvements

Potential Remodel Options for Future Resale (data via KW)

Sure, you can spend a lot on something purely for the personal pleasure of having it—like that outdoor Jacuzzi under the attached gazebo—or you can go the practical route and make an improvement that will increase your home’s market value. If you’re looking to improve the appearance of your home for resale, or you just want an updated look for your own enjoyment, consider a few things before beginning any costly project.

It may not sound very exciting, but it’s the basic improvements you make to your home that may have the greatest return on its value: a beautiful new bathroom won’t make up for a leaky roof.

Below are some examples of a few improvements that usually pay off—and some that rarely make a difference (no matter how much you paid for them) when it comes time to sell your home.

“…it’s the basic improvements you make to your home that may have the greatest return…”
Best Potential for Resale:
Painting
If you’re planning to sell your home in a year or two, a fresh coat of a neutral-toned paint could make the sale easier. A professional exterior paint job may also recoup close to 75% of its cost. Let’s face it— we all like things fresh-looking.
Kitchen
With just a few basic improvements, your kitchen can practically pay you back with interest! New paint, wallpaper and flooring are always appreciated. Replacing old cabinet hardware is a low-cost improvement that makes a big difference in appearance, according to the Remodeling magazine.
Don’t expect your money back:
Swimming Pool
In a word-don’t! Unless you’re putting it in for you and your family to enjoy, it’s commonly agreed that a swimming pool has no resale value at all.
Picture-Prefect Gardens
If the potential buyer is not horticulturally inclined, chances are your floral handiwork won’t add to the offering price. The same can be said for expensive fences and stone walls-they look nice, but buyers don’t pay up for them.

 

Call me today or submit a request for contact if you’re thinking of remodeling your home. I have an extensive network of experienced professionals that I would love to put you in touch with if you’d like. I will also show you how much your home is worth in today’s market, before and after the renovations.

If anyone you know requires real estate advice, please share my contact information with them.

21 Popular Things to do in Athens GA

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Looking for things to do this summer in Athens?

TripAdvisor compiled a list of 21 top Things to do in Athens according to travelers! These might also make fun places to visit for those living in Athens and looking for “staycation” ideas. With such so many options how could you not love living in the classic city? How many have you visited?

Here they are!

  1. State Botanical Garden of Georgia
  2. Sanford Stadium
  3. Georgia Museum of Art
  4. University of Georgia Performing Arts Center
  5. The Georgia Theatre
  6. University of Georgia Golf Course
  7. Athens Welcome Center
  8. Iron Horse
  9. South Lumpkin Street
  10. Cine BarCafe
  11. T.T.R. Cobb House
  12. Bear Hollow Zoo
  13. World of Wonder Playground
  14. Taylor-Grady House
  15. Double Barreled Cannon
  16. Tree That Owns Itself
  17. Seney-Stovall Chapel
  18. Ware-Lyndon House
  19. We Let the Dawgs Out Public Art Exhibit
  20. Georgia Museum of Natural History
  21. Athens Heritage Tour

We love the Athens community and are happy to have been a part of it for many years! Need more information on moving to Athens or surrounding areas? We would be happy to talk with you about it! Send us a request for contact, or give us a call today. Do you have other places that you like to visit? Go to our Facebook page or twitter page to share your favorite things to do in the greater Athens area as well!

Jennifer Westmoreland Athens Number One Keller Williams Luxury Home Agent

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Jennifer Westmoreland & Associates- Athens’ #1 Keller Williams Luxury Home Agent

Luxury Homes Often Need Specialized Skills and Market Knowledge

Did you know that Jennifer Westmoreland with Team JWA is Athens’ #1 KW luxury home specialist? At the JWA, we have specific tools and market knowledge that allow us to succeed in finding or selling your next luxury home for you. Videos can provide a fantastic way to highlight features of your home, along with the additional tools and technology to find a targeted buyer for your luxury listing. Below is an example of a recent video created for one of our clients highlighting their home! We would be happy to sit down with you and create a customized plan to sell your luxury home in the greater Athens area too.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Looking for your next dream home? Here is a sample of some of our current listings. Thinking or listing your luxury home? We can provide you with a free home valuation guide customized just for you! Interested in something specific or need more information? Send us a request for contact, or give us a call today!

 

 

Team JWA Find Fiona the Fiat Friday

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Team JWA Find Fiona Friday

Where in the greater Athens area will Team Jennifer Westmoreland be next?

Have you seen our Team JWA Fiona the Fiat car around town? If not, you might be missing out! We’re taking the Fiat around the greater Athens area. Watch for the next clue on our Facebook or Instagram pages. On Find Fiona the Fiat Friday, Team JWA may treat you to lunch! There are so many local restaurants and activities in the Athens area, and we’re looking to exploring more places with you. Become a part of the community, and stop by to say hello! Know of a good local spot to try? Make a comment on one of our pages. We’d love to hear your suggestions too!

June Home Care Tips From Team JWA

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June Home Care Tips

Courtesy Your Friends at Jennifer Westmoreland & Associates

Summer is here, and below is your June Home Care checklist! We’re happy to help with your home, which is often one of your largest assets. If you’re getting ready to buy or sell in the greater Athens area, or know a friend or family member that is, we’d love the opportunity to talk more with you about it. Submit a request for contact, or give us a call today! Info via KW.

5 Room Re-Purpose Ideas to Customize Your Athens Home

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Find the Home With Almost Everything?

5 Room Re-purpose Ideas to Customize Your New Athens Home

Has your home search resulted in finding a home that has almost everything that you want? Below are 5 ideas to re-purpose rooms that you may not use as much into one of your favorite home spaces!

This Month in Real Estate May 2017

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This Month in Real Estate – May 2017

Monthly Real Estate Trends – Ask About the Athens Area!

Here are some national trends in real estate for the month of May. Interested in what the current market in your neighborhood is like? We’d be happy to sit down with you and review a customized plan based upon your individual market conditions! At Jennifer Westmoreland and Associates, we are a part of the community and make our focus to be the local experts in what’s happening here in the greater Athens area. Submit a request for contact, or give us a call. We look forward to working with you.

Jennifer Westmoreland and Associates at Athens COTA Tennis Tournament

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Team JWA and friends at this week’s COTA tennis tournament! The Athens area has so many wonderful events and local opportunities available. We’re glad to be a part of it, and happy to support local organizations.

14 Ways the JWA Works to Sell Your Home

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14 Ways the JWA Works to Sell Your Home

Customized Plans for your greater Athens area home

Effective advertising and marketing are essential when selling your home. From descriptive, colorful ads to internet options, our marketing team is able to attract potential buyers and agents.  We know that every home is unique. We would not use the same marketing plan for a 1930’s bungalow as we would for an Oconee estate. After viewing your home we will create a custom marketing plan for your property. Below you will find just a few marketing steps we take on our properties in the greater Athens area. Ready to talk more about what Jennifer Westmoreland & Associates can do for you? Give us a call, or submit a request for contact today!

  1. Price your home strategically so you’re competitive with the current market and price trends.
  2. Stage your home to cast a positive light on the features most important to buyers: uncluttered rooms and closets, fresh paint and terrific curb appeal.
  3. Place “for sale” signage and complete with property fliers easily accessible to drive-by prospects.
  4. In addition to “for sale” sign we place a text rider which provide free recorded information about your home 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Where each caller’s inquiry will be followed up with a personal phone call.
  5. Distribute custom “just listed” notices to over 600 area agents.
  6. Optimize your home’s Internet presence by posting information in the Keller Williams Listing System (KWLS), as well as local and global MLS systems including plenty of photographs and a description of your property.
  7. Produce a video tour of your home, placing it on multiple websites to attract both local and out-of-town buyers.
  8. Target our marketing to active real estate agents who specialize in selling homes in your neighborhood.
  9. Advertise your home with email campaigns and social media such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Google Plus and YouTube.
  10. Target active buyers and investors in our database who are looking for homes in your price range and area.
  11. Provide you with weekly updates detailing our marketing efforts, including comments from the prospective buyers and agents who have visited your home.
  12. Use Google Adwords to promote your listings on search engines and websites.
  13. We pay real estate websites so your property shows higher on search results.
  14. Home Packets are left at your property with a buyer flyer, disclosures and other important information.