Cosmetic Changes

When a home goes on the market, it should look great. Often there are improvements that must be made before a house is ready to show well. When you are preparing to list your home, it is strongly recommended that you go through each room with a critical eye.

What are you looking for? Start with the ceiling, and look for any cracks or water stains, then inspect the condition of the paint and wallpaper. Make sure that the windows are clean and window treatments are attractive. All of the closets and storage spaces should be neat and organized (a cluttered closet looks smaller!). If the rooms seem crowded with too much furniture, you can create a more spacious look by storing your "overflow".

A well-maintained house tends to sell much more quickly than one where buyers must use a lot of imagination to see it in a positive light. The condition of your house will help to determine the selling price. The better the house looks, the better your chances of selling it at the best price. A real estate agent can help you by recommending the repairs and cleaning that will increase your home's marketability.

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Real Estate Tips

Working With An Agent >Consult the Real Experts

When you buy your first home, you want the best advice you can get. You want to show the house to friends and relatives before you commit. They will probably tell you about all of the things that went wrong during their own transactions so you can avoid the same mistakes. These experts all have good intentions, but so much advice can put you into a state of high anxiety.

Real estate transactions are very complex, and difficulties can arise. If you are buying your home with the help of a professional real estate agent, your agent will know how to make sure that any minor upsets do not turn into major problems. A real estate agent's expertise is based on formal training and experience in many real estate transactions. Their reputation is on the line with each sale, so they are highly motivated to make your purchase or sale go as smoothly as possible. When you are dealing with a professional real estate agent, you can worry about what might go wrong if you wish, but you don't have to!

	See All Tips In The "Working With An Agent" Category >
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Real Estate Trivia

Q	What amenity do 48% of all homes in the new housing market have?
A	48% of all newly-constructed homes now have 2 1/2 baths or more, up from 1985 when only 29% had more than 2 baths.
See More Real Estate Trivia >

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Jim Lark Latter and Blum 1151 N. Causeway Blvd. Mandeville, LA 70471 985-626-9920 Fax: 985-626-4112 jlark@airmail.net mglass@stirlingprop.com Helping Families Find Homes and Homes Find Families. www.jimlarkproperties.com is brought to you by Jim Lark, real estate for Mandeville, Covington and Madisonville, Louisiana Read Jim Lark's Privacy Guarantee, Terms of Service, and Free & Without Obligation Pledge

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