Kristin and I are very demanding of our home sellers before it hits the market. We have them clear the clutter and organize their closets and cabinets. I wish I had the discipline to do this in my own house, but I never seem to find the time. This is one of the best blogs on how to organize and de-clutter that I have read. I am so inspired that I am going to take the rest of the afternoon off and get started on clearing the clutter in my own house.
Not everyone wants to spend part of a Monday in an attorney’s office, but in the real estate world it’s a great day! This week started off with the closing of one of our listings, a wonderful young couple off to pursue their dreams at the beach. 
I had helped them find their home in Charlotte less than two years ago, and while they loved their house and neighborhood, a business opportunity at the beach was too enticing to pass up. It would normally be very difficult to sell your home after less than two years to cover the cost of selling, but this couple covered their costs and more. How did they manage that? A lot of sweat equity and some smart renovations.
Their house had great bones when they bought it, but needed some updating. Vintage 80’s wallpaper covered the walls in many of the rooms. Removing the wallpaper, scraping the popcorn ceilings, and painting took lots of time and elbow grease, but just look at the result. The master bathroom was original 80’s as well, and the new owners wisely decided a renovation was in order. Just look at the result. 
Doing the updating, making a smart bathroom renovation without over-improving, were exactly what this couple needed to do to put themselves in a great position to sell their home in a very short amount of time for a great price. They were also smart enough to hire us to list it, knowing that we use a professional photographer for every listing, offer staging advice, and use multiple methods to market their home. They were under contract in one day with multiple offers. If you are thinking of selling your home contact us to discuss how to get the maximum possible price for your home.
It’s no secret that the two most critical rooms in a house when trying to sell it are the kitchen and the master bathroom. Buyers will overlook many flaws in a house if it has an updated, functional kitchen and a spacious master bath. 
We are currently working with a seller on prepping their home for the market and while looking for ideas for the master bath I came across the following from Houzz. Disclaimer: I am a huge Game of Thrones fan and this post is for my fellow fans.
The real estate market in Charlotte is extremely hot right now. The median Days on Market for the areas in which we work, the Ballantyne and Arboreteum areas, is 16 days. 
So why do some homes sit on the market, while their competition is consumed by a feeding frenzy of competing buyers? It all starts with hiring the right real estate agent to list your home.
Choose carefully in selecting a real estate agent to sell your home.
A great photographer is a real estate agents best friend. We use Cal Mitchner of Charlotte Virtual Home Tours
Many sellers love their home. It may be their first home that they put a lot of sweat equity into, or where they raised their kids, or where they spent the last days with a departed partner or spouse. While this is generally very emotional for the seller, a potential buyer attaches no sentimental value to your home. Buyers willing to pay top dollar are looking for an updated, move-in ready home. You need a real estate agent who will be honest with you about your home’s potential and what needs to be done to prepare your home for the market. If a real estate agent is only telling you what you want to hear then they are probably not being as honest with you as is necessary to get your home sold for top dollar. Interview agents until you find the one that is honest and willing to put themselves out there for you. We hope that agent is us.
