Author Archives: Marie Dinsmore

Forsyth County Named 2nd Best Place To Retire In Country

Thursday, 11 April 2019 21:33
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The City of Cumming has been named the second best place to retire in the country, according to a recent study by SmartAsset.

A happy, healthy retirement depends a lot on location, the study said. To find the best places to retire, SmartAsset gathered data on three separate regional factors that affect the quality of life for retirees.

First, SmartAsset looked at state and local tax rates, considering two types of taxes: income and sales. Effective tax rates were calculated based on a typical retiree earning $35,000 annually (from retirement savings, Social Security or part-time employment) and spending their disposable income on taxable goods.

 

Must-fix items when looking to sell your home

Thursday, 05 April 2018 20:40
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Building on the theme from last month, let’s consider this the time to do some prep before a Spring listing. This is the most popular time to sell a home and you want yours to stand out. Take a look at some nuggets from this article about some of those “must fix” items.

  1. The mystery switches — Don’t know what that switch goes to? Time to find out. Hope you don’t find a big problem. But, if you do, now is the time to fix it.
  2. Water stains — Don’t try to hide water issues. Use these as signs to fix something before an inspector finds it.
  3. Weird toilets — At least make sure it stops running.
  4. Fireplace faults — Make sure it’s clean and functional.
  5. Slow drains — A BIG turnoff. Likely an easy fix with some cleaning products or a cheap clog remover.
  6. Smelly basements — What’s the first thing you’d think? Wet basement. You don’t want that for your house or potential buyers. Address with a dehumidifier and check if the walls need sealing. Likely a place you’ll need to call in a professional.
  7. Shakes and wiggles. Pretend that you’re the buyer. Go through and find handrails or doorknobs that need securing.
  8. Stuck windows or doors — Beyond being annoying, they’re unsafe
  9. Trip zones — Fix the loose carpet or uneven floors. You don’t want that buyer falling down.
  10. Water pressure — Not out of the question for the potential buyer to flip on the sink or shower. Be ready.

All else fails? Remember buyers don’t like surprises. A little prep can go a long way to a sale and quick closing.

‘Tis the season for home prep

Saturday, 03 March 2018 15:48
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Thinking of selling your home this Spring? If so, it’s time to get started.

I recommend clients spend several weeks getting the home ready before listing. It’s not always as simple as cleaning the place and scheduling some quick staging.

So, if you’re wanting to sell your home in the prime selling season, give me a call and we’ll talk strategy.

For starters, here’s a good list of things from US Inspect you should fix before going to market.

  1. Mystery switches: If you don’t know what it turns on, time to find out.
  2. Water stains: Big red flag on what could be a small (or previously addressed) problem.
  3. Quirky thrones: You know, toilets.
  4. Fire in the hole: That’s the fireplace. Is it working? Is it clean?
  5. Slow train drain: Another often quick, easy fix.
  6. Musty basements: May need to get a professional here, but better to be safe than sorry. You don’t need surprises here.
  7. Wiggles, shimmies, and shakes: Walk through and listen to all the weird sounds and test the handrails.
  8. Oh, oh, oh it’s magic: Check doors and windows and fix them if they stick.
  9. Trip hazards: You don’t want your open house to be a dangerous place to be.
  10. Pressure: Water pressure, that is. It’s important to people and easy for a potential buyer to check.

Don’t make regretful home-buying decisions

Thursday, 25 January 2018 16:29
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Atlanta Agent Magazine recently ran a feature about alarming trends in home-buying. In essence, what decisions may you regret? Here’s the recap of the report, taken in part from ValueInsured’s Modern Homebuyer Survey.

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Every month should be cyber security awareness month

Wednesday, 25 October 2017 17:44
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Did you know October is Cyber Security Awareness Month? Are you protected?

I, for one, like to think of every month (well, every day) as a chance to make sure my online persona and data is secure. It seems like each day you hear about another data breach or attack on personal information. In the real estate industry, the focus is on cyber security in terms of wire fraud.

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