Archives for the month of: March2014

When the sun rises earlier, the weather starts to get warmer and the birds start chirping, you know that spring has begun! The first day of spring has passed and it is officially time to start acting like it! We haven’t had much of a winter here in Las Vegas, but that’s no reason to stop from celebrating the new season!

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Even with its setbacks of allergies and high winds, the overall positivity from spring puts the majority of people at ease and in a great mood! The season of spring starts around March 21st every year and lasts until approximately June 20th.

Here are some fun Spring Facts:

  • Spring symbols rebirth
  • Spring colors are light green, light blue, yellow, pink, coral, orange and lavender
  • Spring holidays include: Easter, Passover, April Fools Day, Earth Day, Arbor Day, Mother’s Day, Father’s Day and Cinco de Mayo!

You’ve probably noticed the home and retail store sales this past weekend and in weekends coming up, time to think about redecorating! To be completely prepared, and to have a little fun, we have created another board on Pinterest for spring decorating ideas!

PLEASE Click Here to VOTE FOR ME as 2014 BEST OF SILVER STATE AWARDS/BEST REAL ESTATE AGENT!

 

 

 

imagesSpring is in the air, so before the summer heat hits Las Vegas, it’s time to host a garage sale! We want you to have the most successful garage sale possible so even though most people know the basics, here are just a few tips to kick off the season and maybe some new tricks you’ve never tried before! Happy Selling!

1. Be Prepared: organize, label and have your cash ready the night before. Most effective garage sales happen before 10am which doesn’t give you much time to prepare these things the day of your sale.

2. Make sure people know about your sale: put your address in the newspaper, put a notice on craigslist and be sure to have a sign (or multiple signs) around your neighborhood. Click Here to see some great examples.

3. Never leave your money out. Always keep your money on you or inside your house away from your garage sale. Also, it is a good idea to have at least twenty $1 bills and plenty of $5 bills in case people need change!

4. Create an inviting display: every driveway looks the same during garage sales so be sure to make yours stands out! Put the big items in view of people passing by and have items easily accessible. Lemonade and water are always nice additions as well!

5. Bargaining: be very flexible to bargaining, after all you are selling these items because you don’t use them anymore. Be sure to start your price at what you think it’s worth and have a minimum price you will be willing to accept.

6. Keep track of your sales: When you make a sale, write down the item and how much it sold for so you can keep track of the money you’re making and the items you are selling.

Most importantly, have fun! It can be stressful setting up your garage sale but once it is in motion, the more fun you are having, the more fun your customers will have. If items don’t end up selling, think about donating them to a charity or local church before you throw them out. Good Luck!

PLEASE Click Here to VOTE FOR ME as 2014 BEST OF SILVER STATE AWARDS/BEST REAL ESTATE AGENT!

 

 

There are many things that are obvious when you decide to host an open house: Make sure things are cleaned extremely well, clear out clutter and fix damages or to the house. Here are a couple other things to think about when you are ready to sell your home and host an open house:

Take advantage of Technology – Most people start their housing search online so it is crucial to have your home front and center!

imagesPut a sign in the yard that says “open house”! It may seem “out of date” but people driving by are more intrigued to stop in or come back during the open house because you have made it easy and obvious to them.

Invite your neighbors. Even if they seem to be snooping, they’ll have good things to say about the location; schools, shopping, neighborhood, etc.

Create a neutral environment: You want buyers to feel at home but not like they are invading someone else’s home. Pictures and decorations are great but avoid drawings on the refrigerator or overflowing closets. Storage is important so they will be looking in the closets!

Since it is still your home it is ok to have some rules such as, bathrooms are just for showing, remove accessible medication, and just make sure valuables are out of sight. Everyone will be chaperoned but you should always be prepared.

The outside of your home should be just as well put together as the inside. Make sure the garage is cleaned out, the grass is trimmed, weeds are pulled and toys/objects are out of sight.

Your agent will take care of the actual open house. For the most successful events, the homeowner and pets should be absent!

An open house can be a lot of work but it can also be exciting and is very important for making a sale. Entrust in your agent to steer you in the right direction and you will have a smooth experience!

PLEASE Click Here to VOTE FOR ME as 2014 BEST OF SILVER STATE AWARDS/BEST REAL ESTATE AGENT! 

 

No one wants to live next to the dirtiest house on the block, and no one wants to be the one to complain, but we don’t always have a choice at who our neighbors are and first impressions are subject to change! So the million-dollar question is “How can we prevent living next to bad neighbors?” and “How do we live peacefully when we have bad neighbors?”

Gathered below is a list of how to try and prevent bad neighbors and if you are already in the situation, some suggestions on how to handle it…

 

How to Prevent “Bad Neighbors”:

  • Drive around your potential neighborhood at different times of the day. What is the noise level? How many people are on the sidewalk? Are there dogs barking?
  • Look on “Google Street View” for a good idea of the surrounding homes, parks, schools, etc.
  • Visit the nearest grocery store or coffee shop and ask an employee what they think of the neighborhood you are thinking about moving into. Sometimes they have the best insight or they might even live there themselves.
  • It is best to avoid buying the house right next to the basketball court or skate park. The noise level will probably never be controlled. If you have children those attractions are nice to have close by, just not next door.

Already Have “Bad Neighbors”? How to handle the situation:

  • Try to avoid problems, before they are problems. If you notice something that bothers you, address it with your neighbor in a friendly way.
  • Make sure you are being reasonable. If there is something you could change in order to avoid a problem with a neighbor, try that first.
  • If issues start building up, document what and when the un-neighborly activity was taking place.
  • Take advantage of being outside at the same time as your neighbor. This gives you an opening to politely confront the issue without thinking too much about it beforehand.
  • Check with other neighbors, are they having the same issues you are?
  • If the problem is not being resolved call and set up a time to talk or get together. They may not be aware that what they are doing is bothersome.
  • Contact the non-emergent line for noise or call the HOA for trash or overgrown yard problems. If someone of authority acknowledges the problem it is more of an incentive to fix the problem.
  • If things don’t get resolved and the “bad neighbors” aren’t working to make things better you can always file a complaint in court. This should be your last resort because no one really wants to go to court!

Always remember you can never be too prepared and speaking out of anger is better left unsaid. If you’ve had it up to your ears in filth, call a professional New Home Resource agent today – Broker Joanna Piette and Realtors Jessica, Kathy and Beng are ready to help 702-365-1000!