Tag Archive for: houses for sale

6 Ways to Stage Your Home in the Greater Athens Area

in ,

Expertly staging your house could be the difference between whether or not a buyer is captivated by your house.

Here are six ways to make sure that your house makes an outstanding impression and is staged for success (information and photo via Keller Williams):

1. Store Personal Items: As your real estate team, our goal is to make sure your house appeals to the largest segment of likely buyers in order to secure the best possible price. In order to do this, it’s important to make sure the buyer can picture themselves in your house, so that means safely storing any personal items.
2. Minimize Furniture: Rearranging and even storing furniture will allow your house to appear more spacious as well as show off its charm and unique details.
3. Go Easy on Scents: One buyer might love the smell of a candle or freshly baked cookies, another might not. It’s best to keep scents neutral and minimal in order to boost appeal.
4. Show off Storage: Clearing out closets and other storage areas will show off their size and capacity.
5. Create a Hotel-like Space: Some of the best hotels invite guests to feel at home – and that is precisely what a buyer should feel when viewing your house.
6. Curb Appeal: The first impression is often the most important. We will help you identify landscaping that complements your house’s distinctive style.

 

Interested in learning more about what Team JWA can do to help market and sell your home? Submit a request for contact today, or give us a call for more information!

Tired of the Online Home Search in Athens?

in

Tired of the Online Home Search in Athens?

Learn How Team Jennifer Westmoreland & Associates Can Help!

(Article and information via Hannah Harris with Team JWA)

Tired of seeing houses when performing your own online searches at various websites that are already UNDER CONTRACT but say FOR SALE?

We can help!

From the time a new listing is listed on our local Multiple Listing Service (that real estate agents use), it can sometimes take anywhere from 24-48 hours to show up on general real estate websites. More times than not, once you see a popular new listing pop up in the neighborhood you’ve been looking for, it will have multiple offers or even be under contract already! How frustrating!?

But there is hope! Contact Hannah at hannah@thejwa.com, submit a request for contact, or simply give us a call and we can set you up to receive listings that meet your criteria directly from our Multiple Listing Service within the HOUR of it being listed! We have access to the newest homes, often before they are even available online! Looking for something specific like houses under $250,000, a house with a basement or  minimum number of bathrooms, or in a certain neighborhood? We can provide a custom list, plus provide you with each new listing that fits your customized needs as they come on the market. This is just one of the ways that Team JWA’s clients can stay ahead of the game to be one of the first to make an offer when the perfect home is available.

We have a dedicated buyer’s team focused on you, including our lead buyer’s agent Brandon McEachern. Interested in being one of the first to learn of the new listing that fits your needs in a home? Contact us today and we’ll create your custom home purchase plan.

Winterize Your Home in the Greater Athens Area

in

Help Winterize Your Home in the Greater Athens Area

9 Hints To Help Protect Your Home as Temperatures Drop

Information and photo via Keller Williams

…Start Saving!

  1. Inspect your roof and replace any damaged or missing roof shingles.
  2. Make sure gutters and downspouts are free of leaves and debris.
  3. Consider a fresh coat of paint or sealer on your deck.
  4. On a windy day, close your windows and feel for air leaks.
  5. Seal any leaks with rope caulk.
  6. Install weather stripping on the sides or bottoms of any leaky doors.
  7. Insulate exposed plumbing.
  8. Remove leaves or debris from your air conditioner’s condensing unit, cover for winter.
  9. If you haven’t had your fireplace chimney cleaned in a few years, hire a professional chimney sweep.
If you need a recommendation for local professionals who can perform this or any other work around your home, I can help! Contact us today, or visit our home resources page!

And as always, if you or anyone you know is looking to buy or sell a home, you can count on me for the utmost professionalism, expertise and results! Submit a request for contact, or give us a call today for your custom plan.

6 Steps To Fall In Love With Your Home

in

6 Steps To Fall In Love With Your Home

Have you fallen out of love with your home? Here are six ways to rekindle the romance:

(Information and photo via Keller Williams)
1. Play musical chairs 
Rearrange the furniture.
2. Let it grow 
Potted plants add appeal with little maintenance.
3. Less is more 
Ditching clutter relieves stress.
4. Do a deep clean 
Scrub those baseboards, and clean those windows.
5. Make a list 
Decide what needs improving and prioritize your projects.
6. Give a room a mini-makeover 
Add new hardware to your cabinets, or pick up new organizing bins for your office.
Still not feeling the love? It may be time to start exploring available homes on the market. Submit a request for contact today, or give us a call to learn more about what’s available in market, customized just for you!
When you’re ready to buy, sell or invest in real estate, you need a trusted local expert. Call me today to arrange a personalized consultation.

Copyright 2017 Keller Williams® Realty, Inc. If you have a brokerage relationship with another agency, this is not intended as a solicitation. All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Equal Opportunity Housing Provider. Each office is independently owned and operated. 

6 Questions to Ask When Building Your Real Estate Wish List

in

Building Your Real Estate Wish List in the Greater Athens Area

6 questions to ask to figure out what type of home you’re looking for in Athens

Photo and information via Keller Williams

You’ve started your search, but do you know in detail what type of home are you looking for? There are so many choices that it is important to have an idea of what you want and need before you begin looking. Consider making a checklist of amenities that are essential and those you would like to have in your new home.

The checklist below may help you clarify your thinking on what is important to you when you are ready to purchase.

  1. What neighborhood(s) would you like to live in?
  2. What price range do you have in mind?
  3. What type of home interests you? (One-story, two-story, split-entry, townhouse, condo, duplex)
  4. Are schools a factor? Do you need to be close to public transportation?
  5. How many bedrooms and bathrooms do you need? How many do you want?
  6. What other interior and exterior features are important to you?

Please feel free to email, call us or submit a request for contact at any time to learn more about specific areas you are interested in learning more about. We are happy to help you in your research, and can give you an up-to-date snapshot of the local real estate market here in the greater Athens area.

 

Copyright 2017 Keller Williams® Realty, Inc. If you have a brokerage relationship with another agency, this is not intended as a solicitation. All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Equal Opportunity Housing Provider. Each office is independently owned and operated. 

This Month in Real Estate August 2017

in

This Month in Real Estate – August 2017

Information Provided by Keller Williams!

Below is information provided by Keller Williams. Interested in what’s happening in your neighborhood as well? Submit a request for contact, or give us a call today for a personalized home value report and market update!

August 2017 Market Update
divider
Monthly VideoAccording to the National Association of REALTORS®, existing home sales dipped slightly in the month of June. While demand for homes remains high, inventory, especially in the starter home category, remains constrained. With so many interested buyers waiting for more homes to become available, now may be the perfect time to sell.
Interest Rates
divider
Monthly VideoAccording to Freddie Mac, 30-year fixed rates ticked up from 3.90 percent to 3.96 percent. This rate remains well below the historical average of 8.90 percent.
Home Sales
divider
Home Sales Graph
The National Association of REALTORS® reported home sales at a seasonally adjusted annual rate of approximately 5.52 million homes during the month of May. This was a decrease of 1.8 percent from May and an increase of 0.7 percent from June of last year.
Home Prices
divider
Home Price Graph
The median home price increased to $263,800 in June, which was up 4.5 percent from May and up 6.5 percent from June of last year. The median home price has increased by approximately $16,200 in the past year alone.
Inventory
divider
Inventory Graph
There was a 4.3-month supply of housing inventory in June, which was up 2.4 percent from May. The total number of available homes for sale has decreased by 6.5 percent compared to June of last year.
Brought to you by KW Research. For additional graphs and details, please see the This Month in Real Estate PowerPoint Report.The opinions expressed in This Month in Real Estate are intended to supplement opinions on real estate expressed by local and national media, local real estate agents and other expert sources. You should not treat any opinion expressed on This Month in Real Estate as a specific inducement to make a particular investment or follow a particular strategy, but only as an expression of opinion. Keller Williams Realty, Inc., does not guarantee and is not responsible for the accuracy or completeness of information, and provides said information without warranties of any kind. All information presented herein is intended and should be used for educational purposes only. Nothing herein should be construed as investment advice. You should always conduct your own research and due diligence and obtain professional advice before making any investment decision. All investments involve some degree of risk. Keller Williams Realty, Inc., will not be liable for any loss or damage caused by your reliance on information contained in This Month in Real Estate.

Steps in the Real Estate Home Buying Process

in

Steps in the Real Estate Home Buying Process

Let Team JWA guide you through your next home purchase in the Greater Athens area

You need a good representative who will work hard for you. Our real estate team is dedicated to helping you find the right home, at the best price. We want you to find the home that will make you happy and successful in real estate ownership.

When you hire us to help you buy your home, we want to know what you want and how much you can afford. Then we’ll find a way to merge these two priorities and find a residence that you’ll enjoy owning.

Keep your objectives in mind when visiting a home. Sometimes the idea of owning a home can overwhelm your practical sense, so keep your feelings in check. Keep a list handy of the features that you need and want in a home, and judge each home by the list instead of by details that could distract you from your goal. When you’re alone with your real estate professional, you can go over the pros and cons of each home. We can help you stay on track while still keeping our eyes out for a great property.

Engage the services of a good real estate lawyer. We can recommend several lawyers in the area who might be a good fit for you. Interview them to ensure that you get someone you can work with. The legalities of transferring land ownership can be dodgy, and a lawyer can be your best defense against future legal troubles. A good lawyer can charge several hundred to over a thousand dollars for their services, but the thousands of dollars saved in legal fees later on makes this a good expense.

Make the offer. This can be a maze of “buyer”, “seller”, “chattels”, “deposit”, and “completion”. We’ll be happy to prepare the paperwork and go through it with you before submitting it. Remember, the seller may reject or counter your offer, so even at this late date, avoid setting your heart on the home you hope to own. You’ll probably have to write a deposit check to the seller’s broker that proves the seriousness of your offer.

Get all necessary inspections done. A home inspector will check for signs of harmful materials like asbestos, lead paint and mold. They’ll also check for evidence of pests, faulty wiring and leaks. This is a crucial part of the home purchase. Not getting an inspection done means that you could be stuck in a home with a bad case of black mold and no recourse other than to pay for its removal. Inspections will cost a few hundred dollars, but again, this is more than worth it in the end. There are several inspectors in the area that we’d be happy to recommend.

Do a final walkthrough before closing the deal. We’d be happy to do this with you to make sure that everything agreed upon is completed prior to the final signing.

From the first interview that determines your requirements to the moment that you receive the keys, we can help you with the complicated process of buying a home. Don’t hesitate to submit a request for contact or give us a call to find out more about how we can make the home buying process easier!

8 August Home Care Tips in Greater Athens GA

in

August Home Care Tips in Greater Athens

Keep your home in top shape with these 8 August tasks

Can you believe it’s already August?! Back to school is coming up, and Fall weather is right around the corner. With the start of a new month, it’s a good time to review this checklist of 8 August tasks to keep your home in top shape. Info via Keller Williams!

  1. Test smoke detectors
  2. Drain approximately 2 gallons from water heaters to eliminate sediment.
  3. Clean dryer vent duct.
  4. Vacuum bathroom vent covers.
  5. Replace or clean furnace filter.
  6. Clean out basement window wells.
  7. Clean coils in rear of refrigerator unit.
  8. Clean around air conditioning compressor.

Have you taken care of your home over the years and are now thinking about moving, or know someone that is? We’d love to help you with the process! Submit a request for contact, or give us a call today.

Copyright 2017 Keller Williams® Realty, Inc. If you have a brokerage relationship with another agency, this is not intended as a solicitation. All information deemed reliable but not guaranteed. Equal Opportunity Housing Provider. Each office is independently owned and operated. 

2017 Oconee School Supply Drive a Success

in

2017 Oconee School Supply Drive a Success!

A record amount of school supply donations were presented to area schools

Oconee schools were presented with your school supply donations today at the Oconee County Chamber of Commerce. Thanks to your support and our community partners, we were able to help provide a record number of school supplies for the 2017-18 school year. Special thanks to our community partners, including Athens First Bank and Trust, Banksouth, Fox’s Pizza Den of Oconee, Matt Dixon/Briscoe Family Foundation, the Oconee County Chamber of Commerce and Target of Athens. We’re happy to support education in our community, and look forward to the success of the new school year.

From People To Pets – Everyone Deserves A Home

in

From People to Pets – Everyone Deserves a Home

Jennifer Westmoreland & Associates and the Athens Area Humane Society

From People to Pets – Everyone Deserves a Home! Community is important to us, and we are so happy to support the AthensArea HumaneSociety! Along with a top local real estate team, you are also supporting your community when you work with us at Jennifer Westmoreland & Associates in buying or selling your next home! #foryoureverymove #athensga #aahs #honestathensagent

Jennifer Westmoreland & Associates
Keller Williams Realty Greater Athens
706-389-9953 / 706-316-2900