Laurey West

I just read an article from SOUTHWEST ECONOMY called "Texas Growth Slows But Remains Healthy". Some key points the article shared:

-The single family housing sector remains weak. Builders continue to pull back on new-home construction.

-Sales of existing homes remain on a downward track. Inventories of existing homes for sale have risen to just over the equilibrium mark of the six months.

-Delinquent subprime mortgages continue to inch up in Texas. The state's delinquency rate is higher than the national average, but its foreclosure rate remains below the nation's.

-The Texas economic outlook is positive moving in to 2008. Housing woes are beleaguring the national economy, but Texas markets, while weak, have held up better than many other areas of the country.

As a realtor, I think this is very important information to share with my buyers and sellers. There are many homes on the market, so it is vital to differentiate your home from others. There are several ways to do this, but the most important is having exceptional drive-up appeal, a non-cluttered home, and CLEAN!!!! I am still amazed at how many homes I visit where beds are unmade, dishes are left in the sink, garbage cans are overflowing, and dirty laundry is in piles where potential buyers can see. Pet smells are another turn-off, especially dirty kitty litter boxes - YUCK!!! Remember that in order to sell your home in this weak economy, you need to set your home apart from the others. Take a little more time each morning to straighten your home. Visit model homes in the neighborhood and try to mimick what you see. Wal-mart and Target have nice home decor departments, as do Ross, Marshall's and T.J. Maxx. Another store that has great home decor and storage solutions for less is Tuesday Morning. And remember that a little extra yardwork, some fresh flowers in containers by the door, a nice welcome mat and sparkling windows can make all the difference and not cost a lot of money.

Also, as realtors, we get calls frequently wondering why a listing hasn't shown. First of all, realtors spend a lot of money marketing a property, but if the home is the same as ten others for sale in the neighborhood, you need to consider your price and how you can make your home stand out. Offering home warranties or incentives to buyers is another great way to increase traffic to your home. Declining showings is also something else that amazes me. It isn't always convenient to show, but do your best to allow an agent to show your home when you are asked. The person she is bringing may only have one day to make a decision - this happens often with relocations.

Sellers need to understand that they play a vital role in the sale of their home. Realtors spend a lot of time and money marketing a property, but it is the seller's responsibility to have the home show ready and available to show at anytime. We have to work as a team to get the best results - SOLD!!!

Make it a great day!!!

As a local real estate agent, I was thrilled to learn the following news through another community blog:

Forney Regional Medical Center & Forney Medical Plaza Update

Filed under: Life in Forney, Commercial Development - Josh at 2:03 pm on Monday, January 21, 2008

This past Friday, Cirrus Health announced that the land on which Forney Regional Medical Center will be located has been officially purchased. Forney Regional Medical Center will be located along FM 548, at the intersection of FM 548 and the yet-to-be-built Rogers Parkway, south of Highway 80. The 102,000 square foot hospital will include an emergency room, an obstetric unit with four birthing rooms, two procedure rooms, four operating rooms, a heart cath lab and an initial capacity of 40 beds. The hospital could create up to 150 jobs in Forney.

The FRMC has aligned itself with the Medical City of Dallas and will have a heliport to quickly transport patients needing more advanced care to Medical City. Groundbreaking on the new hospital has yet to be scheduled, but is expected to occur in late February. Cirrus Health has created a website with more information about the hospital.

Click read on for an update about Forney Medical Plaza, the other hospital being built in Forney...
(Read on ...)

You can read more about this at www.twentypeacefulminutes.com. This is a great blog about Forney, TX. Congratulations to Forney and to the CIRRUS Medical Group - How EXCITING!!!

Home Staging for a Quick Sale

As an agent, I preview many listings throughout the Dallas metroplex in trying to find my clients the perfect home. It never ceases to amaze me when I am showing a home where the curb appeal is zero, the home is dirty, and the closets jammed full. When listing a property my first suggestion to a client is to visit planned community model homes and get a feel for what their home should look like. CLEAN is the key word for both the interior and exterior. Your front entry should be free of debris and trash, and look appealing. If the door is in need of paint, there is no time like the present to get this taken care of. You may want to add some inexpensive potted plants and a nice floor mat to freshen the entry. Neutral paint colors are by far the most appealing. I may suggest painting a room - this is an inexpensive way to get more bang for the buck. Your home should be free of clutter - you may have to box up personal photos, collectibles, and trinkets and store while showing. Buyers want to get a feel for what their personal things would look like, and it is very distracting when your home is filled to the brim with personal items. And for the kitchens and bathrooms - have your sinks wiped out and cleaned, trash emptied, and countertops wiped down. Organize closets and pantry areas. Again...you may have to send some things to storage. On the subject of pets - we all love our animals, but pet smells can be by far the biggest turn off. I sometimes will suggest cleaning carpets before putting on the market. Fido or Garfield should be crated outside or in the garage while showing. If you do have pets, make sure your home smells fresh before a realtor shows. It just takes a few minutes each morning before darting off to work to make beds, put up dirty laundry, wipe down sinks, showers and tubs, and spray some air freshener. This extra few minutes may help sell your home. Here are just a few tips I share with my listings. Hope you enjoy.

Laurey's Staging To Sell

Did you know that staged and clean homes sell for about 19% above the listing price (on average)? I want to give you some ideas that can help us sell your home quickly for the most money. We have to work as a team to make this happen. I can show your home to many prospective buyers, but if it is not staged correctly or is unclean, we are going to have a hard time getting an offer. Please read and do your best to adhere to the following tips:

1. The first impression is at the curb. Potential buyers will make an instant judgement as soon as we pull up to the curb. I have had prospective buyers not want to see a home because of overgrown yards, unkempt entry areas, and homes needing fresh exterior paint. Take some time to walk around the house...if you see an area that needs some TLC, now is the time to take care of it. Remember...a small investment now may be more money in your pocket. Also, if the fence is falling down or is in bad condition, take some time to fix it or call a fence company. Mow your yard and remove dead plants and weeds. You may want to invest in fresh mulch and flowers. Make sure bikes and toys are put away. Paint the front door if it needs it and remove cobwebs, bugs, and trash from this area. Place a new welcome mat. Take a little time to wash the interior and exterior of windows.
2. Many prospective buyers complain about interior colors. It is best to stay with neutral colors. Even though you may love that mauve living area, the buyer cannot visualize his or her furniture with that color. Lighter colors (lt. beige, lt. khaki, and antique white) appeal to a wider range of buyers and make each room look larger. Also, if the walls are dirty, it is an automatic turnoff. Clean them or paint if needed.
3. Remove the furniture from each room that does not go with the décor, such as items that stand out too much or items that are worn or of an unappealing color. I suggest that clients use storage space away from the home to place items for storage during the selling process. Place the remaining room furnishings in a way that best makes use of the space.
4. Remove all clutter of everyday life - all utilitarian items, stacks of paperwork or magazines, toiletries (need to be removed from tops of bathroom counters and organized in shelves or drawers), kitchen utensils, and personal items such as personal nick nacks and pictures. You want the prospective buyer to be able to picture his or her family living in the space. Clean those closets. Nothing turns off a prospective buyer than over-stuffed closets. If your stuff won't fit, how will theirs? If you have a small closet, take some item to storage. Same with the garage - if is stuffed with old junk, take it to storage. And speaking of clutter - when I bring buyers to your home, they will want to look in your pantry, cabinets and drawers, too. You will need to take some time to organize these areas.

1. Clean, clean, clean. Every crevasse within the home should be spotless and gleaming. Even your normal weekly cleaning cannot come close to the quality of clean you need. A dirty home is the fastest way to lose a prospective buyer. Remember to clean baseboards, wipe lighting fixtures and ceiling fans, and remove bugs and cobwebs, too. Do not leave your home without making beds, wiping out sinks, putting away dirty clothes, opening blinds or draperies, wash and put away any dishes, and vacuuming the carpet if necessary. Be ready at anytime for a prospective buyer. I cannot stress this enough. I have had many buyers ask to leave a home because it was dirty. You want your home to smell fresh, too. Invest in some air freshener products to place in each room. You may need to clean carpets and paint walls if you smoke inside because even though the smoke smell may not bother you, it offends some potential buyers. While you are trying to sell your property, it is best to smoke outside. Try your best to get rid of smoke smells on the inside. Please remember that frying foods also leaves lingering, strong odors. Baking cookies before a guest arrives is a good thing to do - this gives that wonderful smell of home.

1. We all love our pets, but if they are in the home, remember to keep their areas tidy and smelling sanitized...especially litter boxes. Many homes needs their carpets cleaned and this may be suggested if we receive poor feedback from buyers. Also, many people are allergic to animals in the home, so if you can keep them outside or have someone keep or board them during the selling process, this is highly recommended.

I will be glad to help you in anyway that I can. Our mutual goal is to sell your home for the most money in the least amount of time. Let's work together to achieve this goal quickly!!!

Other ways to give your house appeal:

1. Set your price competitively.
2. Offer incentives for carpet and paint. You may want to include appliances with your home. This is enticing to first-time buyers who are putting most, if not all, of their available cash into their down payment and closing costs.
3. Offer to pay nonrecurring closing costs such as the loan appraisal, loan points, credit report, title insurance, and property inspections. Closing costs can run the buyer 3 to 5 percent of the cost of the home, so this a very idea to offer. You may offer to pay just a part or all of the closing costs.
4. Have a professional do a home inspection before you put your house on the market. This gives you time to repair any major or minor damage. This will be the report that your potential buyers receive so remember, it can kill the deal if your buyer finds major damage.

Expect the Very Best with Laurey West