New Mexico

November 20, 2009

There is a lot of information out there on how to prepare your home for sale. Here is a general list of what a seller should do to sell, sell, sell. I hope it helps you!

• The #1 item on the list is DECLUTTER! I cannot emphasize this enough. Recognize that you are going to be inconvenienced during the selling process. Buyers want to see the walls, ceiling and floor. Clutter will distract them from seeing this. You are going to have to pack up your things anyway, do it now and get ahead of the curve. To give you an idea, you should have one item on a table or cabinet. Perhaps a vase. Everything else should be removed. No papers around, nothing on the kitchen counters (Nothing!). Consider having a garage sale and sell some your old things. Or donate them to a second-hand store.

• Remove as much from your closets as you possibly can. Pack now. Take your off-season clothing and pack it up.

• The entire house should be sparkling clean. Top to bottom, inside and out. This is all about perception. The buyer perceives that if you don't clean the tub, you also don't take care of the roof, electric, plumbing, etc. Think insanely clean. Recaulk around the tub and shower to give it a fresh look. Wash your windows inside and out. Get rid of cobwebs. If you have light fixtures with plastic covers - -they tend to yellow - replace them. Clean your light switch plates. Heck, have a cleaning party; invite your friends and family. Have pizza afterwards.

• If you have lots of personal photographs around, they should be removed. Let the buyers imagine themselves in your house. Seeing photographs makes a buyer feel like they are ‘invading' your space.

• Get rid of smells. The most common smell is cat odor, and cigarette smoke. While the house is for sale, clean the litter box daily. Have a "No Smoking Inside" rule. Clean carpets and drapes/curtains. Some people have very sensitive noses and will leave a house before seeing the whole thing due to odors. Ask a friend to be honest and tell you if they smell anything.

• Let's talk about lighting. Replace every bulb in the house to high wattage bulbs. Open curtains, shades and drapes. Wash windows. When you know the house is being shown, EVERY light in the house should be turned on. Repeat: EVERY light in the house should be turned on. If a room only has one light, get a lamp or two. Turn them on.

• Fix the little things around the house. Loose cabinet doors, Kitchen drawers that don't close right, tight doors, missing electric plates, torn screens, dripping faucets, broken windows.

• Freshen up the exterior. Cut the grass, rake the leaves, trim the bushes, and edge the walks. Clean the gutters. Remove all debris from the yard. If you have a storage shed, make sure the door opens easily. Make sure the shed is clean and looks nice. Patch or reseal your driveway. Put a pot or two of bright flowers near the entryway.

• Plan on a way to contain your pets during showings. You should have 2-3 different options. 1. Take your pet for a walk / ride while there is a showing. 2. Ask a neighbor to coral your pet. 3. Take your pet to work day.

• There are quite a few television shows about how to sell your home. Watch a few of them to get ideas on what you can do.

Linda Ferrara - Associate Broker

Coldwell Banker Enchantment Realty

Let's hook up on Twitter and Facebook!

Cell: 575-519-9249

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Horse Property | Homes For Sale | Albuquerque New Mexico

Are you looking for a great Horse Property in Albuquerque?

Look no further. This home has everything that you are looking for. Situated on 1.62 acres of Horse/Agricultural property this home has everything that a buyer wanting the best things in life could want.

If you looking for LAND that you can have your horses on or grow a serious garden. Maybe you are just looking for the room to have privacy and just stretch you legs. Look no further. The home has it all. Surrounded by farmland this home at 840 Las Garzas Lane has all the amenities that will make you feel right at home. At 3215sqft single story provides the space you will need. Top that office with Granite counter tops, Raised Ceilings, Stainless Still appliances, Custom doors, Tile through out, Radiant and central heating and cooling. Wow!! Believe me there is still a lot more. Central Vac system, Covered patio in the back, Plus a nice three car garage. There is still more believe me. Oh yeah I forgot one thing. All this house and land and amenities $585,000 compare to other like properties that are an easy 800k to 1 million plus.

This is just one of the Horse properties for Sale that we have on the market now. There are others.

SEE ALL THE HORSE PROPERTIES ON THE MARKET IN ALBUQUERQUE BY CLICKING ON THIS LINK

Do you want to search Albuquerque Homes? You've come to the right place!

Click here to search Albuquerque Homes.


Three reasons why there has never been a better time to buy an Albuquerque Home:

• Interest rates are historically low. Most experts are predicting rates will be up next year.
• Prices are down. You won't have to worry about overpaying.
• The $8,000 First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit. YOu have until April 30 to claim your $8,000.

Three reasons you should use an Albuquerque Buyers Broker like me:

• I'll work to protect your best interests. The listing agent works for the seller!
• I get you the best possible deal. I will not let you pay too much!
• My services are free! You don't jave to pay me a dime!

Don't wait, there will never be a better time!

Are you ready to take advantage of this tremendous opportunity to get paid to buy your first home? Then clilck here to start your search for Albuquerque Homes

Are you looking to buy or sell a home in Ventana Ranch? If so here is some helpful information. There were two main builders that built out Ventana West. The builders were Pulte Homes and DR Horton. Ventana West was by far one of the the fastest selling communities on the west side of Albuquerque.

Most of the sales took place in the years of 2005 and 2006 at the peak of the Real Estate market. The community of Ventana West has a lot to offer. It is close to schools and shopping and most importantly it is close to Paseo Del Norte that is one of the main passage ways to the west side of Albuquerque. When Ventana West was originally being built the plan for paseo del norte to run to the community was just a plan but not a fact. Now that it has been finished it has opened the the door and makes Ventana and Ventana west one of the best communities.

Here is is a link of all the properites available in Ventana Ranch

The landscaping and trails are amazing. All of the schools in the area are brand new and offer great amenities.

Here are some photos of the the communities sold out so fast. We are talking communities of 150 homes sold out in one summer.

Ventana Vista is the only gated community in Ventana Ranch West. It is by far one of the rarest and most impressive communities in the Ventana West area. It features homes 1800 square feet to 2600 square feet. What makes this community so great is the entrance of the community. Also the exteriors of the home and the curb appeal of the homes is unmatched by any other community in the area. Ventana Vista even has custom made street signs that make the community unique. Pulte Homes really did a great job on the design of the community. If you would like more information about this community click HERE.

Dr Horton built out a good amount of the homes in Ventana Rancho West. What made Dr Horton homes sell fast was the amount of home that you get for the money. Dr Horton built out 3 communities in Ventana West. Ventana Ridge, Ventana Mesa, and The Highlands. Square footages range from 1500 square feet to almost 3800 square feet. Have questions about homes for sale in these communities ask for our Free Inventory List.

Ventana Al Sol is a great community that is very close to a huge park. That is one thing that makes Ventana so special is the parks and amenities. This community has 3 to 4 bedroom homes that range from 1865 square feet to 2150 square feet. Some of the most popular floor plans that Pulte Homes ever built. The trees that were planted in this community have grow fast so it makes for a great street scene. Questions about homes in Ventana Al Sol?

Western Shadows was one of the first communities to be built in Ventana Ranch West. It was the fastest selling community in the area. When you drive thru the community you will see why.

Here is is a link of all the properites available in Ventana Ranch

We specialize in Ventana Ranch so if you are interested in selling your home in Ventana West ask aobut our Free Market Analysis. We will be able to tell you what the market is for your home.

New Federal law provides up to $6500 in federal tax credits for qualified move-up and repeat home buyers purchasing a new principal residence.

To qualify for this tax credit, buyers must purchase a new home by April 30, 2010 (or have the home under binding sales contract by that date, with a closing no later than June 30, 2010.) To qualify, a buyer must have owned and resided in a home for at least 5 consecutive years of the eight years prior to the purchase date.

And this tax credit is "refundable," which means that the credit can be claimed even if the taxpayer has little or no federal income tax liability to offset!

The tax credit is equal to 10% of the purchase price of the new residence, up to a maximum of $6500.

There are some income limitations. The credit is reduced for single taxpayers with incomes above $125,000 and married couples with incomes above $225,000, and is eliminated completely for single buyers with incomes above $145,000 and couples with MAGIs (Modified Adjusted Gross Incomes) above $245,000.

Any home that is used as a principal residence will qualify, provided the purchase price is under $800,000. This includes single-family detached homes, townhouse, condos, manufactured homes, and even houseboats. (Of course, this means your farm, ranch, or horse property qualifies as well, as long as it is your principal residence!

For more details, contact me today!