The front door is the centerpiece of your home. It's also the first thing that a buyer sees and touches when they visit. That initial impression is important -- and easy to update. It's definitely worth the money and time to make it attractive.
Get some good house numbers -- local Home Depot or Lowe's has a large variety in stock. Remember to consider the style of your home when you select doors. A stately traditional Georgian home looks odd with Modern numbers, a Craftsman style home should not have mid-century font.
Update your hardware. (Make sure it all matches: numbers, hinges, hardware) My favorite is Rocky Mountain Hardware, which can be ordered online.
Paint or stain your front door. This site makes it very easy: The Dutch Door Kit from Vermont–based Fine Paints of Europe includes all the necessities for transforming a front door: sandpaper, primer, solvent, brush, and paint—one Euroquart of brilliant or satin Hollandlac enamel in any of 32 colors on the Classic European Color Chart; $100 (a $128 value). Don't forget to paint the threshold!
Remember to take a good look at your door before you go to the trouble of new paint or hardware -- does it need total replacement? Ask an honest friend. If it's an 80s style leaded glass door, update it. Luckily being in Houston we are close to a great discount door center: http://www.doorclearancecenter.com/.
Paint Type: There are two schools of thought in Houston -- One says using oil paint is the way to go, and the other says using latex is better. Either way, we live in a humid city and mold spores will develop after a year or so. I don't think there is anything that will give a door a glossy look like true oil paint.
The Find's Eye - Ginny Jackson's blog
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1. FAUX FLOWERS AND TREES: (especially outside, horrific!). No one buys it, and they're often dust collecting unrealistic imitations of something that's affordable. Plus they're expensive! The "water" turns yellowish acrylic and everyone knows that real palm trees don't have fabric veins running down their leaves
2. FAUX ROOF SHINGLES: there is nothing natural looking about a multi-colored repeat-patterned heavy plastic faux cedar shake roof. Once again, it's expensive and unless it's a two story house it's very distracting. These are often very durable but I'd prefer a sheet metal roof.
3. FAUX GRASS. No. Just please don't.
4. FAUX BRICKS: I'm not talking about pavers (I like Pavestone) I'm talking about the sheets of plastic shiding with molded brick. If you want your wall to look like a set for a high school play, this may be your answer!
5. FAUX CLOUD MURALS: Murals are an ancient artform, but only the Sistene Chapel is worthy of authentic faux clouds. If you don't live in the sistene chapel but you want to see clouds daily, head outside.
6. FAUX MULCH: Most commonly seen in children's playgrounds, these "rubber chips" remind me of trash that will be stuck in your landscape. My sister-in-law put it well when she said "the kids look like hampsters playing on that stuff"
7. FAUX MARBLE: this might the worst crime on my list. Whether it is linoleum counters or faux marble paint finishes, there is nothing noble about reproducing this stone. Most of the time it is in very expensive houses. I always wonder, what are these rich people thinking? If you can afford an expensive faux marble mural, then you can afford the real thing. And it looks soo much better. Avoid the green color -- totally 80s.
8. EXPENSIVE LAMINATE FLOORING: Laminate is what it is and should be for country properties and high traffic areas only. Most of the time you could get the real thing (wood) for just as cheap and it's really much much classier. When every single board of the laminate has the same knots and color variation or grooving, it doesn't look like wood to anyone. Same goes for the "wood plank tile".
These are just some of my Faux-no turnoffs. What someone chooses to do with their body is beyond the scope of this Realtor. Just please, no eggplant colored eyebrow tattoos.
Bottom line is: keep it real.
WHAT TO EXPECT AFTER YOU’VE PUT A HOUSE UNDER CONTRACT:
So you thought the stress and work was over when you found the house? The true work starts as soon as you've got it under contract. Below is some insight to help you with the process...
Normal: Buyer to pay for a structural and mechanical inspection and also a Wood Destroying Insect Inspection. If needed per inspection report suggestions: A plumbing (hysdrostatic) inspection, Environmental (Mold or other hazards) Inspection, foundation inspection, Roof Inspection, HVAC inspection
Not Common: to perform all of these inspections at once.
Normal: 7-10 day option period
Not Normal: Option period longer than 12 days. Also uncommon to increase the option period for a period of over 2 weeks. In residential transactions, option periods are short (averaging 7-12 days) so that the seller does not risk having the property off the market for a long period of time. The option fee is paid by the buyer and gives the buyer the option to inspect and/or back out of the deal during that period and only lose the option fee. The Earnest Money does not go to the seller if the buyer opts out during the option period.
Normal Buyer Responsibilities: secure estimates for repairs, secure insurance, provide title company with lender and insurance information, keep in touch with lender throughout process. In today’s market communication with your lender is very important because there is a lot that they need from you aside from a few short answers over the phone.
Not Normal: Contacting the seller directly (unless requested), meeting with a repair man at the property without your agent, asking your agent to line up contractors and meet them without you.
Normal: Visiting the house a few times after you put it under contract -- inspections, showing friends/family, taking measurements, getting estimates, final walk-through before closing
Not Normal: wanting to go more than 5 times – excessive unless you have a good or personal relationship with the seller and they have extended invitations.
Normal Exclusions: Sometimes the seller will exclude (in the contract) washer, dryer, curtains, moveable kitchen islands, a chandelier or refrigerator. It is best for a buyer to address things that they want as a part of the contract with a Non-Realty Items Addendum prepared by the agent.
Not Normal: It is not normal for a seller to exlude things like curtain rods, ceiling fans, built-in appliances or freestanding ranges, curtains made-to-fit a specific window, paint cans that match colors.
***Agents should specifically address any exclusions as a contract is being negotiated and before everyone signs.+++
Normal: Negotating repairs or a credit from the seller. This change is made with an Amendment to the Contract signed by seller and buyer.
This can be applied in 3 different ways:
1. Seller pays a contractor to repair
2. Reduction in sales price
3. Seller’s Credit to Buyer’s closing costs. There is a blank space for this amount in section 12. A 1. B of the 1-4 Family Residential Contract formulated by TREC.
I prefer option 2 or 3 because it avoids buyer conflict with seller obligations.
Every negotiation is different. If a buyer pressures a seller and squeezes them into losing money to put it under contract, you can expect that the seller will not be generous in offering repair credits. In most houses, my buyers get an average of around $1000 for repair costs for a house selling for $200,000-400,000. In a house selling for $3,000,000 I have seen repair credits ranging anywhere from $1000-50,000! Again, every negotiation and sale is circumstantial and different.
Not Normal: Expecting that the seller repair or pay for every problem on the inspection report. This is unrealistic unless it is new construction and you're purchasing from a builder.
A good agent will specifically guide you through this process when you find the right property. Please feel free to contact me with any questions.
When a buyer desperately wants to see a house they sometimes forget that these houses are occupied -- sometimes sellers need more warning to prepare for a showing. It is good to give your Realtor advance notice that you'd want to see a house, because then you respect that sellers have a life in their home too. If it's vacant this does not apply.
Imagine someone showing up to your house within 10 minutes -- you've got to be out of there right away! Does your house have a weird smell from cooking or need vaccuming? Dirty dishes? unmade beds? Messy children? babies sleeping? Guests in town? These are all situations that sometimes can't be fixed within 20 minutes notice.
I've seen some disturbing things in houses that were clearly not ready to show: Drug paraphenalia left on a coffee table. Used "protection" on the floor. Dead roaches all over the place. Shattered windows, mold infestation. I am not kidding! Sellers, remember that how you sell a home is not how you normally live in a home. Please don't make it disturbing for buyers. It's downright stressful and overwhelming to have your home on the market but you want to make the best impression with every opportunity. Buyers, remember that not everyone is perfect in their presentation. I will be there to remind you to look at the HOUSE and not the STUFF. That is, once we get in to see the property!
Hopefully this credit extension passes because it has been amazing for my first time buyers and definitely helps stimulate our local Houston market. The inventory in the first time buyer price range has usually sold quickly and the offers have been very competitive. Cross your fingers!
Today the Senate may approve the extension:
"Nov. 4 (Bloomberg) -- The U.S. Senate may approve as early as today a $45 billion plan to expand a tax credit for first- time homebuyers, extend jobless benefits and provide tax refunds to money-losing companies.
The Senate voted 97-1 to end debate on the measure and clear the way for final approval. The Senate is likely to pass the legislation and send it to the House, where Democratic leaders predicted it would be quickly forwarded to President Barack Obama to be signed into law.
The plan would be the first major extension of provisions in February’s stimulus package. It would continue until April 30 the $8,000 homebuyers’ tax credit, slated to expire this month, which would be expanded to include people with higher incomes and some who already own homes. The credit would cost $10 billion, according to Congress’s Joint Committee on Taxation.
The measure includes $2.4 billion to extend unemployment benefits for as many as 20 weeks, enough to aid the jobless through the holiday season. It would loosen tax rules for homebuilders and other money-losing companies to let them claim an estimated $33 billion in tax refunds this year, according to Joint Committee on Taxation estimates.
Senators voted 85-2 on Nov. 2 to advance the legislation. It has been delayed for weeks by Republican demands for votes on amendments to the plan.
“Republicans used every trick in the book to slow and stall and ensure we can’t do important work,” Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a Nevada Democrat, said today. "
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Increased Credit
The Senate plan would allow homebuyers who have lived in their residence at least five years to receive a $6,500 credit. Couples earning as much as $225,000 a year and individuals earning up to $125,000 would qualify. That is up from the current $75,000 limit for individuals and $150,000 for couples.
Those buying homes worth more than $800,000 wouldn’t be eligible for the credit. Those who sell their new home or stop using it as their main residence within three years would have to repay the credit.
Senator Christopher Bond, a Missouri Republican, had called the tax credit a waste of money, saying studies show that most of those claiming the break would have bought homes anyway.
“For the vast majority of cases, the homebuyer credit amounted to a free gift since it did not affect their decision to purchase,” he said on the floor this week. “The homebuyer tax credit is a terribly inefficient, irresponsible and poor use of scarce taxpayer resources.”
Goldman Sachs Group Inc. said in a research note yesterday that the credit probably spurred 200,000 home sales that otherwise wouldn’t have occurred.
Excess Housing
Extending the credit to people who own homes wouldn’t reduce the excess housing blamed for the slump because “every buyer taking advantage of the move-up credit would necessarily be a seller,” Goldman Sachs said. It said the plan may increase housing prices by 1 percent because “sellers are likely to incorporate a fraction of the credit amount in their sale prices.”
The bill would provide 14 additional weeks of unemployment benefits in all states, plus another six weeks in states with the highest jobless rates. The extension would be the fourth since the recession began. The share of unemployed people who have been out of work at least six months has reached the highest level in at least a half-century, according to the Labor Department.
The legislation also would expand provisions in the stimulus package allowing companies to apply their losses to previous years’ income, thereby reducing their tax bills and allowing them to claim refunds. Banks and other institutions receiving assistance from the Treasury Department’s Troubled Asset Relief Fund wouldn’t be eligible. "
To contact the reporter on this story: Brian Faler in Washington at bfaler@bloomberg.net
And of course, if you want great service on your first time home purchase in the Houston Market, contact Ginny Jackson at 713-524-0888. I am here to help guide you through the process or answer any questions about your investment.
The shop is amazingly well run by a small staff, an adorable Houston Police Officer named Gilbert, and a slightly permanent collection of volunteers. Organization is superb considering the amount of stuff that comes through the door for consignment or donation every week. If you haven't been there you are missing out! The most exciting part of shopping at the Guild is that the inventory is never the same and the prices drop every month -- each item is marked with 3 prices and the tag reflects the date of purchase for the final sales price. One can find everything from couture vintage costume jewelry (jewels are very close to my heart), silverplated and sterling goods, to slightly used Ferragamo shoes, mid-century furniture, discount rugs, art and lawn/garden. Also I must mention the china, glassware, pottery, lighting, and vintage toys. Plus your always reliable knick-knack section. It's the ULTIMATE garage sale.
The finds eye item of the week (see picture):Someone very lucky walked away with these two 8 foot tall antique gate sections for $57/each. They had the perfect patina of old chippy paint and would be amazing on each side of a fence, hung on the wall, or used as a trellis. Get thee to the Guild Shop to find your own gold!
Ah, the glamour of being a residential real estate broker in Houston! Seven years in this business and still not one work week where I can predict what will happen next, where I'll be, or who I'll meet. I'll admit -- it's kind of addictive being a Realtor. A true love/hate relationship. Running around aerating lawns in my heels, remembering comps, avoiding traffic between houses, and recalling square footage and recent sale prices off the top of my head -- it takes the work of a magician sometimes.
Allow me to introduce myself: I am married to a wonderful Houston guy named Alex Jackson. We live in a historic home that we completely gutted and renovated in Winlow Place with our British lab, Dolly Puddin. Professionally, truth be told, I am a bargain shopper masked as a businesswoman. Luckily buying and selling houses is actually a form of shopping in disguise! As a Realtor I do everything from working with buyers to listing properties to consulting. Because I have "other lives" as an interior decorator and artist, I love working with my real estate clients who are planning on renovating, or advising them about staging, paint colors, curb appeal, landscaping, building materials, and finish selections. I've acted as general contractor on more than 7 investment properties. Most of all, I love getting a deal for my clients.
The flexible schedule of a Realtor is fabulous, but it is not controlled by me -- it's my clients calling the shots. I've worked with everyone from my best friends to people relocating, Houston Texans football pros and country singers. Foreclosures and short sales? First time buyers? Your grandmother who has lived in the same house for 50 years? Done it.
People tell me that I have "an eye." (Also in this blog I will refer to some of my "finds" as "the find's eye") What I think they are saying is that I sell houses as if I were buying them myself. I do not let my buyers purchase homes that I would not want to sell in the future. I am completely honest with them, but I do recognize how to listen to their needs. It saves them from making huge mistakes like settling for a property that is missing major appeal for most future buyers or committing to property that cannot be fixed. Ultimately it is their decision, but it is also the biggest investment in their lives so they tend to listen to me.
Most realtors are not as bad as those on tv -- Million Dollar Listing (although I am a huge fan) is quite the cheese-filled unprofessional depiction of our job. Allowing a seller to settle for a first offer that is 1 million below asking price? Ridiculous --Where is the counter offer? Stupidity! I do not stand on tables when negotiating deals, and my hairstyle is irrelevant to selling homes.
HGTV is another irresistible indulgence, but again the realtors and designers on many of the shows do not often give the public the wisest advice. Don't think of realtors greedy monsters or slimy pushy salespeople. I am here to help calm the chaos of purchasing and selling property. Welcome to the glamourous life of this realtor -- at least I don't have TMZ trailing me.
