Your 4-Step Moving Plan

(BPT) – No matter the distance, moving is a big deal. Prepare now to move your belongings with this four-step plan from the experts at Penske Truck Rental.

1. Less is More – The less you have to move, the easier your move will be on your body and your wallet. It will also be easier to fit everything into your new house. While packing, create three piles: the first is your "must-go" pile; the second is your "must-sell" pile, which includes anything you haven't used in the last year, anything you have multiples of and anything you just don't want; the third is the "must-throw" pile, which contains anything that can't be sold at a garage sale or donated. Start creating these piles now to make moving day much easier.

(Image via FreeDigitalPhotos.net)

2. Stock Up on Supplies – Big boxes might seem like a great idea because they hold so much, but what happens when you try to lift one or carry it down a flight of steps? Stock up on boxes of multiple sizes, and keep in mind that smaller is much easier to carry. Purchase foam and bubble wrap to protect your fragile items, a good supply of packing tape and bold markers for labeling boxes. You'll also want to have moving blankets and hand trucks to make it easier to transport your items.

3. Pack Smart – Load the heaviest items in your car or on the truck first. When you've got a sturdy base of the heaviest items, you can start stacking on top. This is when it's handy to list a box's contents on its side. If you have friends and family helping, they'll know not to set books on top of your china, for example.

4. Stay Safe and Secure – Trucks are taller and wider and require more stopping distance than the vehicle you are used to driving. Take extra precaution, especially when the truck is loaded. Watch out for low-hanging tree branches and building overhangs, and use extra caution when cornering. To protect your belongings, park in well-lit areas and padlock the rear door. To make sure you've got everything you need on moving day, keep a travel bag with paperwork, credit cards, identification, a change of clothes, drinks and snacks close at hand. 

Reprinted with permission from RISMedia. ©2015. All rights reserved.

4 Amenities Buyers Love

Carlsbad, CA, Sep 2nd, 2014—If you're selling your home, you're probably already doing your best to make any last-minute fixes and updates, while focusing on curb appeal and superior staging. Below, Matt Cortez, REALTOR® at CENTURY 21 Award walks us through four home amenities buyers love to look for.

(Image via winecellarservices.net)

A wine cellar. While there's no need to totally renovate your space just to appease any future wine enthusiast, recent surveys have shown that wine cellars are a hot commodity in today's market. “Have some space in your basement you rarely use? Consider turning it into a wine cellar with a few wine racks,” says Cortez. Note that wine cellars should have limited light, and a minimal variation in temperature.

Walk-in closets. Nothing says “home sweet home” louder than a walk-in closet. If your master suite is particularly large, consider walling off a corner for that awe-inducing walk-in effect.

Storage space. “When it comes to your home, it's nearly impossible to have too much storage space,” says Cortez. Have high ceilings? Add extra shelving or cabinetry, or construct a shelving wall in the garage.

Outdoor living. “Everyone loves to imagine themselves lounging outdoors on a summer evening,” says Cortez. It can be easy to simulate an outdoor living experience—simply group a couple of chairs and a table in the yard, or make use of that deck or porch by providing ample seating.

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For more information on selling a home, please contact Matt Cortez at mcortez@century21award.com, (760) 899-6622, or century21award.com/agents/MattCortez

For more real estate information, please contact CENTURY 21 Award at info@century21award.com, (800) 293-1657, or CENTURY 21 Award.

4 Tips for Selling Your Home in Summer

ESCONDIDO, CA, July 8th, 2014—In real estate, every season has its own buying and selling advantage. In summer, the great weather, longer days and feel-good vibes can help you find the right buyer for your home. Below are a handful of tips from Shannon Itzaina, REALTOR at CENTURY 21 Award to help you sell your space this summer.

(Image via freedigitalphotos.net)

Make use of longer days. In the winter, a 7:30 pm open house would be illogical, as natural lighting is best
for showcasing your home. In the summer, you can allow buyers to view your home later in the day, which may work well with people's busy schedules.

Take it outside. Summer is the season of outdoor living, so make the most of your outdoor space by staging several lounge areas, keeping the yard and patio clean and making sure your landscaping is top notch. “Make your outdoor space inviting so that buyers imagine themselves spending their summer evenings in your yard,” notes Itzaina.

Dress your home for summer. “Even if you don't typically seasonally refresh your home's interior design, if you're trying to sell this summer, it's important to give your home a summer feeling,” says Itzaina. Remove any heavy drapes and throws, de-clutter surface areas and keep spaces well-lit and open-looking. For an extra summery feeling, decorate with bright colors like blues, yellows and greens.

Keep things cool. The last thing you want to do is invite a potential buyer into a muggy home. At the same time, you don't want to blast them with frigid air conditioning. “Make sure the temperature inside your home is comfortable,” warns Itzaina. “This may mean turning on the AC, or opening the windows and doors for optimum air circulation.”

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For more information on selling your home this summer, please contact Shannon Itzaina at ShannonsHomes@cox.net, (760) 420-3227, or Shannons-homes.com

For additional information on real estate, please contact CENTURY 21 Award at info@century21award.com, (800) 293-1657, or CENTURY 21 Award.

Creating a Positive First Impression - 4 Tips You Can't Ignore

When a prospective buyer pulls up to a property with a For Sale sign in the front yard, the exterior of the home can either make or break a positive first impression. While sellers often spend a lot of time and money making sure their home’s curb appeal is up to par, one area they often overlook is the driveway/walkway. And real estate professionals tend to agree that a well-maintained asphalt blacktop and clean and clear walkway can set the mood for a positive house showing.

(Image via freedigitalphotos.net)

Here are four tips to help you make your driveway and walkway send the right message to a prospective
homebuyer.

1. No Parking. When someone comes to see your home and they can’t even pull into the driveway because it looks like a parking lot, that’s a bad start. You don’t want to force them to park on the street, so make sure all cars at the property are gone before any showing. The goal here is to let prospective buyers imagine they are pulling into the driveway of their future home.

2. Cracking Up. Repaving the driveway is one of the least expensive home repairs you can invest in. If yours is looking shabby—and has a lot of cracks—a nice, fresh layer of asphalt may be just the thing you need to attract a buyer. For cracks in the walkway, concrete paint can usually do the job.

3. A Clear Path. A walkway is designed to get you from the driveway to the front door, yet some homeowners treat them more like obstacle courses with lots of things blocking a clear path. Take some time to remove all toys, acorns, leaves or gardening equipment that may be in the way of a safe walk inside. Driveways should also be free of clutter and debris. Most driveways have garbage cans sitting at the end, but even if they’re clean, you should make sure they’re out of sight. The same holds true for hoses. Put them away neatly, as they could inadvertently trip someone, or if they’re old and tangled, they may do more harm than good when it comes to leaving a good impression.

4. A Green Thumb. Once the walkway is clear, be sure to pull up any grass or weeds that are growing in the cracks. There are some great sprays that can help with this as well. It’s also a good idea to take the time to hose down walkways to remove all dirt and grime.

For more tips on creating a positive first impression, contact our office today.

Reprinted with permission from RISMedia. ©2014. All rights reserved.

Alternative Buying and Selling Strategies: Seller Financing and Lease-to-Own

El Cajon, CA, Apr 15, 2014—In a dream world, every interested homebuyer would qualify for a mortgage, and every seller would be able to sell their home in a timely, efficient and stress-free fashion. However, that is not always the case. In the following article, Judy Bohlen, REALTOR at CENTURY 21 Award takes us through two of the most popular alternative methods for buying and selling when a mortgage may not be available.

Seller Financing

Also known as a purchase money mortgage, seller financing is when the seller agrees to “lend” money to the buyer to purchase and close on the seller’s home. “Usually sellers do this when money is tight, interest rates are high or when a buyer has difficulty qualifying for a conventional loan or meeting the purchase price,” explains Bohlen.

(Image via freedigitalphotos.net)

Seller financing differs from a traditional loan because the seller does not actually give the buyer cash to complete the purchase, as does the lender. Instead, Bohlen notes, it involves issuing a credit against the purchase price of the home. The buyer executes a promissory note or trust deed in the seller's favor.

The seller may take back a second note or finance the entire purchase if he owns the home free and clear, and the buyer makes a sizeable down payment and agrees to pay the seller directly every month.

The interest rate on a purchase money note is negotiable, as are the other terms in a seller-financed transaction, and is generally influenced by current Treasury bill and certificate of deposit rates. The rate may be higher than those on conventional loans, and the length of the loan shorter, anywhere from five to 15 years.

Lease options

“A lease option is an agreement between a renter and a landlord in which the renter signs a lease with an option to purchase the property,” says Bohlen. The catch? The option only binds the seller; the tenant has a choice to make a purchase or not.

“Lease options are common among buyers who would like to own a home but do not have enough money for the down payment and closing costs,” explains Bohlen. A lease option may also be attractive to tenants who are working to improve bad credit before approaching a lender for a home loan.

Under this arrangement, the landlord agrees to give a renter an exclusive option to purchase the property. According to Bohlen, the option price is usually, but not always, determined at the outset, and the agreement states when the purchase should take place.

A portion of the rent is used to make the future down payment. Most lenders will accept the down payment if the rental payments exceed the market rent and a valid lease-purchase agreement is in effect.

“Before you opt to do a lease option, find out as much as possible about how they work,” cautions Bohlen. And as always, have an attorney review any paperwork before you and the tenant sign on the dotted line.

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For more information on buying a home, please contact Judy Bohlen at judy@judybohlen.com, (619) 985-9194, or JudyBohlen.com

For more information on real estate, please contact CENTURY 21 Award at info@century21award.com, (800) 293-1657, or CENTURY 21 Award.

Determining Your Home's Worth

CARLSBAD, CA, Apr 8, 2014—One of the most difficult parts of selling your home occurs before you even place it on the market: determining its listing price. Coming up with a realistic number can be a confusing process, as a home is ultimately worth what it is paid for it. Everything else is really an estimate of value.

Take, for example, a hot seller’s market when demand for housing is high but the inventory of available homes for sale is low. During this time, homes can sell above and beyond the asking price as buyers bid up the price. The fair market value, or worth, is established when “a meeting of the minds” between the buyer and the seller takes place.

(Image via freedigitalphotos.net)

So how do you decide what your home is worth? “A comparative market analysis and an appraisal are the two most common and reliable ways to determine a home's value,” explains Eliot Rachman, REALTOR® at CENTURY 21 Award.

Your real estate agent can provide a comparative market analysis, an informal estimate of value based on the recent selling price of similar neighborhood properties. “Reviewing comparable homes that have sold within the past year along with the listing, or asking, price on current homes for sale should prevent you from over or under pricing,” suggests Rachman.

In order to find the appraisal price, a certified appraiser is needed. After visiting the home to check such things as the number of rooms, improvements, size and square footage, construction quality, and the condition of the neighborhood, the appraiser then reviews recent comparable sales to determine the estimated value of the home.

However, it is often the buyer—not the listing party—who brings in the appraiser. Lenders normally require an appraisal – which run between $200 to $300 – before they will approve a mortgage loan. This protects the lender by ensuring the home is worth the money you want to borrow.

“You also can check recent sales in public records, through private firms, and on the Internet to help you determine a home’s potential worth,” notes Rachman.

Below are some other points you will have to understand when finding a listing price:

List price vs. sales price

You probably hear both terms being tossed around, and it may be causing some confusion. The list price is a seller's advertised price, or asking price, for a home. It is a rough estimate of what the seller wants to complete a home sale. A seller can price high, low – which does not happen very often – or very close to what they hope to get. “A good way to determine if the list price is a fair one is to look at the sales prices of similar homes that have recently sold in the area,” notes Rachman.

The sales price is the actual amount a home sells for.

What about appraised value and market value?

“A certified appraiser who is trained to provide the estimated value of a home determines its appraised value,” Rachman explains. The appraised value is based on comparable sales, the condition of the property, and several other factors.

Market value is the price the house will bring at a given point in time, once the buyer and seller establish a “meeting of the minds” on price.

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For more information on buying in a low inventory market, please contact Eliot Rachman at eliottrachman@century21award.com,  (760) 213-0879, or ehomesell.com

For more information on real estate, please contact CENTURY 21 Award at info@century21award.com, (800) 293-1657, or CENTURY 21 Award.

Home Selling 101: Capital Gains

SAN DIEGO, CA, Jan 14, 2014—For those who sold their home this year, it's important to understand how selling your home may impact your tax returns, now that tax season is upon us. Below, Kim Drusch, REALTOR® at CENTURY 21 Award explains how capital gains work for those who have recently sold a home.

“If you sell your primary residence, you may be able to exclude up to $250,000 of gain – $500,000 for
married couples – from your federal tax return,” says Drusch. To claim the exclusion, the IRS says your home must have been owned by you and used as your main home for a period of at least two out of the five years prior to its sale.

(Image via freedigitalphotos.net)

The are a few catches, Drusch explains. “You also must not have excluded gain on another home sold during the two years before the current sale.” However, special rules apply for members of the armed, uniformed and foreign services and their families in calculating the 5-year period.

If you do not meet the ownership and use tests, you may use a reduced maximum exclusion amount. But only if you sold your home due to health, a change in place of employment, or unforeseen circumstances.

An extra perk? According to Drusch, if you can exclude all the gain from the sale of your home, you do not report it on your federal tax return. If you cannot exclude all the gain, or you choose not to, you must use Schedule D of Form 1040, Capital Gains or Losses, to report the total gain and claim the exclusion you qualify for.

How about for those with more than one home?

“You can exclude the gain only from the sale of your main residence,” says Drusch. “You must pay tax on the gain from selling any other home.” If you have two homes and live in both of them, your main home is usually the one you live in most often.

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For more information on selling your home, please contact Kim Drusch at kimdrusch@gmail.com, (760) 580-9195, or http://KimDrusch.com

For more real estate information, please contact CENTURY 21 Award at info@century21award.com , (800) 293-1657, or CENTURY 21 Award.

Selling on a Budget? The Best Low-Cost Home Renovations

ANAHEIM, CA, Jan 7, 2014—Selling your home usually requires some staging maintenance. However, for those on a budget, there are still some changes you can make to help your home sell faster while keeping money in the bank. Below, Meghan Shigo, REALTOR® at CENTURY 21 Award provides us with a few ideas.

Image via freedigitalphotos.net

1. Painting – Whether you need to give the interior or exterior—or both—of your home a facelift, painting is the cheapest and easiest ways to keep your home looking fresh and well-maintained. With a bit of patience, you can even do the interior paint job yourself. “I would hire a professional for the exterior,” recommends Shigo.

2. Landscaping - “A messy exterior automatically sends the wrong message to buyers,” says Shigo. Keep the grass cut, the garden happy, and tools or toys out of sight. “If your budget allows, plant a few new trees or add some outdoor furniture so buyers can envision themselves spending time in your yard.

3. Accents – Linens, rugs, curtains, furniture covers – all of these can be quickly refreshed for a relatively low cost, and they really can amp your home's appeal. “Even a few throw pillows tailored to the color scheme of the season you're selling can make an interior more inviting,” notes Shigo.

4. Energy efficient updates - “If you can afford it, get a few energy efficient features added to your home. They are a major selling point right now,” says Shigo. Budget depending, you can have new windows installed, or just an energy efficient washer and dryer that you can offer as an inclusion with your sale.

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For more information on selling your home, please contact Meghan Shigo at meghanshigo@gmail.com, (714) 780-0500, or http://www.meghanshomes.com/

For more real estate information, please contact CENTURY 21 Award at info@century21award.com, (800) 293-1657, or http://www.century21award.com/.

Selling: Tips for Top Negotiation

Image via freedigitalphotos.net

SAN DIEGO, CA, Dec 17, 2013—If you're selling your home, you're probably enjoying the fact that the market currently appears to be back on track. As more and more buyers come into the fold, you may have multiple offers on your property. Whether you're choosing a buyer, or currently in the throes of negotiating price, Pat Russiano, REALTOR® at CENTURY 21 Award offers the following tips for negotiating price and landing the best deal on your home.

“If someone offers you a lowball price, one way to up the ante without quarreling over money is to offer an incentive for a higher offer,” says Russiano. Incentives are especially effective with first time buyers. Some good incentives are providing the buyers with a home warranty or title insurance; paying for closing costs or homeowner's association fees; offering to repaint or re-carpet to specifications, or purchasing a year-long membership to a local pool or club.

If you don't want to get into this type of situation to begin with, it's important to price appropriately, says Russiano. Many sellers focus too much on what they bought the home for, or the work they put into it. Unfortunately, a home value is based on the current market, so it's important to forget about the cost of that new deck and instead familiarize yourself with current conditions.

“To get a good sense of what comparable homes are selling for, attend open houses and check out local listings,” says Russiano. “Ask your agent for help with this—they have access to the MLS.”

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For more information on selling a home, please contact Pat Russiano at pat@patrussiano.com, (619) 252-1199 or http://www.sdiegohomes.com/

Contact CENTURY 21 Award at info@century21award.com, (800) 293-1657, or CENTURY 21 Award.