Max Gieck - Albuquerquer's Westside Real Estate Resource

De-Personalize.

Pack up those personal photographs and family heirlooms. Buyers can't see past personal artifacts, and you don't want them to be distracted. You want buyers to imagine their own photos on the walls, and they can't do that if yours are there! You don't want to make any buyer ask, "I wonder what kind of people live in this home?" You want buyers to say, "I can see myself in this home."

De-Clutter.

People collect an amazing quantity of junk. consider this: If you haven't used it in over a year, you probably don't need it

• If you don't need it, donate it or throw it out!
• Pack up those knickknacks.
• Clean off kitchen counters
• Put essential items used daily in a small box that can be stored in a closet when not in use.

Rearrange Bedroom Closets and Kitchen Cabinets.

Buyers love to snoop and will open closet and cabinet doors. "Think of the message it sends if items fall out! Now imagine what a buyer believes about you if she sees everything organized. It says you probably take good care of the rest of the house as well.

Rent a Storage Unit.

Almost every home shows better with less furniture. Remove pieces of furniture that block or hamper paths and walkways and put them in storage. Remove extra leaves from your dining room table to make the room appear larger. Leave just enough furniture in each room to showcase the room's purpose and plenty of room to move around. you don't want buyers scratching their heads and saying, "what is this room used for?"

Remove/Replace Favorite Items.

If you want to take window coverings or fixtures with you, remove them now. If the chandelier in the dining room once belonged to your great grandmother, take it down. If a buyer never sees it, she won't want it. Once you tell a buyer she can't have an item, she will covet it, and it could blow your deal. Pack those items and replace them, if necessary.

Make Minor Repairs.

• Replace cracked floor or counter tiles.
• Patch holes in walls
• Fix leaky faucets
• Fix doors that don't close properly and kitchen drawers that jam
• Consider painting your walls neutral colors, especially if you have grown accustomed to purple or pink walls. (Don't give buyers any reason to remember your home as "the house with the orange bathroom.")
• Replace burned-out light bulbs
• If you've considered replacing a worn bedspread, do it now!

Make The House Sparkle!

• Wash windows inside and out
• Clean out cobwebs
• Re-caulk tubs, showers and sinks
• Polish chrome faucets and mirrors
• Clean out the refrigerator
• Vacuum daily
• Wax floors
• Dust furniture, ceiling fan blades and light fixtures
• Bleach dingy grout
• Replace worn rugs
• Hang up fresh towels
• Clean and air out any musty smelling areas. Odors are a no-no

Scrutinize

• Go outside and open your front door. Stand there. Do you want to go inside? Does the house welcome you?
• Linger in the doorway of every single room and imagine how your house will look to a buyer
• examine carefully how furniture is arranged and move pieces around until it makes sense
• Make sure window coverings hang level. Tune in to the room's statement and its emotional pull does it have impact and pizzazz?
• Does it look like nobody lives in this house? You're almost finished.

Check Curb Appeal

If a buyer won't get out of her agent's car because she doesn't like the exterior of your home, you'll never get her inside.

• Keep the sidewalks cleared.
• Mow the lawn
• Paint faded window trim
• Plant flowers or group flower pots together
• Trim your bushes
• Make sure visitors can clearly read your house number.

Today I've decided to cancel a listing, which is something i never like to do, but the seller has a friend. You know how it goes, the friend gave him some advice and they pass it on to me and then when the home doesn't sell, whose fault is it?

From the very beginning, the seller has never wanted to quite listen to my pricing suggestions and he is always one step behind the market. When we first put the home on the market, he had to have it about $5,000 above where I suggested. The neighbor who put his home on the market 5 days later at the price I had advised my seller, sold in 6 days. OK, Max, now I get it, lets lower the price. But now it has been 30 days since that home had the offer and if we only lower it $5,000 it won't sell. There is another home going on the market tomorrow at a better price and we need to beat them.

But my seller stands fast on his $5,000 price reduction only because the friend said, if they really want it, they will offer you less and you can just accept it. Well, guess what, the next buyer that came along liked both homes equally and put an offer on the other one (priced $5,000 less) and it was accepted. Hmmmmm, so if they had been equal in price, could my seller have won and had the offer on his home instead?

This happens over and over in our market, chasing the market down always one step behind. Six months is coming up and the seller still hasn't learned and wants to do it again (staying one step behind the market) on the advice of his friend. The moral of the story, if you are a seller, don't be one step behind the market and always chasing it down, get in front to the market and get it sold. The winner in any race is the one who sets the pace and finishes the race first, ahead of the pack.

Good Morning!

The Holidays have come and gone again. It's hard to believe that we are already back to the routine in a New Year. I certainly wish you all of the best in the months ahead.

One thing that I have noticed over the past several months is the fact that people seem to be frozen in place. There are so many great opportunities out there right now from the stock market to Real Estate. Media hype over the poor economy and bad Real Estate market have created a situation where everyone is afraid to act. There are investment opportunities today that we may never see again in our lifetime. People were standing in line to purchase Real Estate when the market was peaking and prices were inflated well above reasonable values. Now that the market reflects values that are well below those levels at the top, few people are interested. To sweeten the pot, mortgage interest rates are now at historic lows as well. If you are considering making a change from a large home to a smaller home, if you need more room and a larger home or if you are a first time home buyer, this is a wonderful time to take action. If you would like to see how this market can be an opportunity for you, get in touch and I can do an easy overview of what you would like to accomplish and see if this just might be the perfect time for you to think about a home sale or purchase. Don't let this market and the opportunities it brings slip away.

Whisque
Here's breaking news from the west side.
We were planning a dinner outing with some friends to Whisque at Coors and Montano. At first we were told that they would be closed for the week after New Years. We just called to make reservations for this Friday and there is a recorded message saying that they are closing their doors for good. This is too bad. We had tried them once and they were sub-par. We thought we would give them another chance to see if they had gotten their act together. I guess we'll never get that chance.

Many people think that the main reason you hire a real estate agent is for the MLS exposure. And, unfortunately, in some cases that may appear to be the primary service some real estate agents provide. However, a good agent provides much more than simply a "For Sale" sign and a listing on the MLS database.

In this challenging real estate market, you can't afford to take the big risk of navigating through the many obstacles, disclosures, and fine print of the purchase and sales contract without the help of an experienced professional Realtor. You've just got too much to juggle to be able to go it alone.

Moreover, when choosing a real estate professional to guide you through the sale of your home or the purchase of your next one, you'll want someone with the experience, skills, expertise and resolve to advise you correctly and get things right the first time around.

Over the past 22 years of my real estate career, I've seen just about everything that can go awry (in the good times and the bad) with a real estate transaction and helped my clients resolve these problems. Drawing on those years of experience, I can spot, and help prevent these issues before they arise and make sure your purchase or sale is smooth from start to finish. Well-versed in the nuances and understanding the legalese inherent in the 10+page purchase contract, I'm here to counsel and advise you on real estate matters - not to sell you something.

Over the years, I've also furthered my real estate skills, and expertise with hundreds of hours of valuable, practical education that keeps me on the cutting edge in servicing my clients' needs. I continually seek out instruction to sharpen my negotiating skills, understand developing technologies in the industry, learn about appraisal methods, and keep abreast of new laws and regulations that affect your purchase or sale. Having passed a rigorous course of study and examination along with years of experience to become a New Mexico Broker and having shown a proven sales record to qualify as a Certified Residential Specialist, you can feel comfortable knowing that you'll be working with a top real estate professional.

If you're selling a home, I'll employ the latest & greatest technology tools to market your house to the public, including my websites, blogs and syndication of the listing of your home to dozens of other websites. Plus the traditional marketing through advertisements, open houses, and the Multiple Listing Service will also assist in selling your home.

On the buying side, I'll listen to your needs, use my extensive Westside market knowledge and experience to scout out the right home, help you understand and enjoy the process, and refer you to reliable and professional mortgage experts to help you through the financing end.

I will help minimize your anxieties and make the journey fun.