5 Tips To Prepare Your Home For The Winter Season

Clean Out The Rain Gutters – If you have rain gutters the fall is the best time to get them cleaned up.  Cleaning rain gutters isn’t that difficult of a task, it’s just a tedious one.  The easiest way to get the junk out is to use a high pressure hose, and just wash away the junk. After getting most of the debris out, it’s easy to just take a small trowel and scrape the remaining junk out. After you scrape, give it one more spray, and your gutters should be clean as a whistle.

Take Care Of You Pots And Planters – If your like most home owners, you have some planters or potted plants sitting around the yard.  They are really easy to take care of, all you have to do is empty the dirt, or put them in a place where they don’t freeze. Otherwise, if you don’t empty or store your planters, there’s a good chance they will either crack, or fall apart.

Rake The Leaves – When I was a kid I disliked raking leaves, and most the time it was usually punishment. Now that I am a homeowner, I know how important is it to keep your yard free of leaves in the fall. If you have a lot of leaves, and you don’t take care of them, you might find your grass in the spring dead or unsightly.  Leaves can smother your lawn and replacing a lawn can cost a pretty penny, so it’s a good rule of thumb to get rid of the leaves in the fall.

Weed And Feed The Lawn – The best time to weed and feed the lawn is in the fall. If you add weed killer in the fall, the weeds will store the poison in their roots during the winter season, and will prevent a breakout in the spring. By feeding your lawn with fertilizer in the fall, you are promoting healthy root growth, and will help your lawn grow greener and faster in the spring.

maintenance

Give Your Tools A Tune-Up – After all the fall cleanup, if you want your tools to be productive in the spring, make sure you clean them up, give ‘em a spray of oil, and store them in a dry place. For metal shovels, make sure you put the head upwards, this will help detour rusting when it dries. Sheers need to be oiled up, wheel barrels should be left upside down,  and don’t forget to spray off the underside of the lawnmower.

Being a homeowner brings responsibility and if you maintain your yard regularly, the value of your home will reflect it. Keep up on your yard work and enjoy the winter!

Why don’t I have an offer?

Why are these offers so low?

Why does my agent keep telling me to drop the price?

If you’re trying to sell your home, and it’s been on the market for more then 3 months, these questions are quite common among todays sellers.  But have you tried asking these questions from a buyers point of view? Let’s talk about each of these scenarios individually so we can gain some insight from a buyers point of view.

Why Don’t I Have An Offer?

Your home has been on the market for an extended amount of time, and you haven’t received an offer. How come? There are a few ways to go about answering this question.

If you were a buyer in your market today, and you were shopping for homes, how many choices do you have? In most markets, inventory levels are at all time highs, and buyers are overwhelmed with choices. A buyer is going to look at every home under a microscope, and if they find something that just doesn’t fit, they will move on.

Let’s break it down further. Let’s say you have 40 homes in your market that are comparable to your home and each month, out of those 40 homes, 4 are being sold.  Now, if only 4 homes are being sold in your price range every month, that means your home has to be one of those 4 homes to sell. What I mean is, your home has to be in the top 4 of the 40 homes available. This is called an absorption rate.

If only 4 homes are selling a month, and there are 40 homes available, your home has to be 1 of the 4 best, best meaning, best condition,  and at the best price. So, after a given time frame, let’s say a month, you have 10 showings, and your home hasn’t gotten an offer yet, what can you do to be one of the best homes in your price range? Talk to your agent, and figure out what needs to be done to get an offer.

Why Was My Offer So Low?

After considering why your home isn’t selling, you decided to drop the price. After dropping your price, activity picks up, and with these showings comes an offer. Yeah!! Oh, wait, why is this offer so low? Are these guys nuts? Reject it!!

Hold on, time to look through a buyers eyes. Buyers in this market have been coached by mass media and all they hear is home prices have dropped, it’s a buyers market, and anyone can get the deal of the century.  Most buyers that I deal with in todays market are looking for a killer deal, and they think they are entitled to get the best deal.  These buyers have been looking at homes for quite some time, and have probably submitted multiple offers on other homes, they’re fishing.

These buyers are submitting offers on multiple homes at extremely low prices. They are fishing for a homeowner in distress that is willing to entertain their low offer.  And guess what? It works. Home buyers know that some sellers, will entertain those low offers. Are you willing to negotiate? In this market, you may have to entertain those low offers, negotiate, and find out what it’s going to take to get the deal done.

Why Does My Agent Keep Telling Me To Drop My Price?

If your home is priced right and in selling condition, your home will sell. Even though we are in a down market, homes are still selling that are priced right. If, after a certain amount of time, your home hasn’t gotten any offers, or your showing activity has stopped, it’s time to think about price. The #1 factor in a home selling is it’s price.

The reason agents ask you to drop your price, is because the market is dictating a price reduction. The market has spoken, and your agent is giving you market information. Now, some agents will tell you to overprice your home to get the listing when they first meet you. I am not talking about these agents, as that is unethical. I am talking about honest agents that will give you an honest price when they tell you what to list at.

If you truly want to sell your home and you aren’t getting offers after an extended amount of time, you may need to drop the price, and just move on.

In years past, you could put a for sale sign up, and your home would sell. Today, getting a home to sell in a timely manner, is a science, and it’s more important then ever to hire a top producing agent. In every market, 20% of the agents are doing 80% of the business. Those top 20% are the agents you should interview, and have selling your home in todays market.  Happy Selling!

When purchasing a home, you have two choices, buy a home that is already built, or build a new home. They both have their advantages and drawbacks, and hopefully I can give you some insight into the advantages/disadvantages of both. I have been selling homes in Logan, Utah for the last 9 years, this is some expertise I have gathered along the way.

Advantages of buying an older home:

Larger Building Lots -  With the amount of land available dwindling by the day, homes that were built years ago come with bigger lots. This especially holds true in larger cities, the bigger the city, the less room there is to build.  If you want a bigger lot, most the time you are going to have to live in the country, and the price of land is only going to go up.

Price Per Square Foot -  In older homes, unless they have been updated, usually come at a cheaper price per square foot.  If you want more home for the money, buying an older home, and updating it yourself could be a sound investment.

More Character – Older homes come with character, and I have noticed when selling homes, younger couples like older homes because of the character.  They feel more rustic and an older home feels comforting, it makes you feel like your back home when you were younger.

Mature Trees And Vegetation – Older homes have had time to settle in and the landscaping is well into it’s prime. An older home with  large trees, mature plants, and a well groomed yard can create great value.

Disadvantages To Buying An Older Home

Maintenance - As a home ages, appliances age to, as well as other things. If you want your home to maintain value over time, it’s key to keep up on routine maintenance, and if you don’t, you could see your home falling apart before your eyes. No one likes a leaky roof and adding new shingles is one part of routine maintenance.

Wiring And Plumbing – Depending on how old a home is, these two key elements to a home could become a major nuisance.  If you buy an older home with bad plumbing, leaky pipes, or frayed/old wiring, you could expect yourself to put a lot of money into fixing these problems.

Outdated -  When buying an older home, if you want to resell it, you are probably going to have to do some updating to get a good price.  In today’s real estate market, it’s very competitive, and an outdated home is extremely hard to sell.  (However, an outdated home that is updated can create some instant equity if done right.)

Advantages To Buying New Construction

Less Maintenance -  One of the main reasons to build a new home is the maintenance factor, you won’t have to worry about putting up new shingles or buying a new furnace anytime soon.

Warranties – Most states have a warranty program that requires builders to warrant their work for a certain number of years.  In a new home the appliances should all have a warranty on them as well, so if something does go wrong, it shouldn’t be an out of pocket expense.

Modern/Up To Date -  Most new homes come with all the fixings, new appliances, air conditioning, modern cabinetry, and new carpet.  Newer homes are also held to a higher code that wasn’t around when some older homes were built. As they say, newer homes are more “Green” then older homes.

Energy Efficient -  Speaking of Green homes, new homes come with newer appliances, which are more energy efficient. A  new home will also have newer insulation which will make the homes themselves more energy efficient.

You Get What You Want – When building a newer home, probably the biggest advantage is customization. You get to choose if you want upgrades, what upgrades you want, and how the home will look; including floor plans, exterior, interior, and the landscape.

Disadvantages Of Building A New Home

Conformity – A lot of newer homes look similar, especially if they were built by the same builder, or in the same community.   A lot of builders have a few homes they build, and they just add little things to them to make them look different, but the floor plans are generally the same.

Immature Trees And Vegetation -  The last thing to be added to a new home is the landscaping, and sometimes people don’t plan for it.  I have seen people build new homes, and not get around to the landscaping for  years after the home was completed.

Time And Money – Building a home takes time, unless your using Extreme Home Makeover, it’s going to take months to build your new home.  Building a new home can also have unseen costs, which is why it’s important to pick a reputable builder that won’t add extra costs during the construction of your new home.

Finding A Great Lot -  After you decide you want to build a home, you will have to find land to put it on.  Great lots are expensive, and finding one that is within your budget that has a great location can be tough.

Whether you’re looking to buy a new home or an older home, do your home work, and find a good builder/real estate agent that is going to look after your best interests.  Good Luck!

Article written by Lisa Udy.  Lisa is a REALTOR(R) servicing homes in Logan Utah, and the Logan Utah Real Estate area. She has been helping buyers and sellers with all of their real estate needs for the last 9 years.  If you want to contact Lisa regarding Northern Utah real estate, you can email her: Lisa@LisaUdy.com

Hiring an architect yourself can make sense for many reasons, here are a few:

Architects will often spend a great deal of time evaluating the project site and researching code and zoning issues. Architects are trained to think three-dimensionally and are often quite competent when it comes to solving difficult problems. Architects can also help with presenting renovation plans to homeowner associations.

Architects will often spend time with the home owner to see how they use the space in their home and often make suggestions on what changes might need to be made. A homeowner might say they don’t need more space in their garage, but they constantly have to move in between and around tight spaces created by toolbox and other equipment in the garage.

Architects can often find ways to lessen the scale of a project by salvaging structural parts of the building to decrease the amount of demolition by moving windows and doors to open up space rather than just knocking down walls to add more space. Architects can plan large scale projects in phases to spread out the costs.

An architect’s initial consultation cost is usually free. So a home owner who is thinking about renovating their home should make it a point to have a bottom-line budget and get a quote from an experienced architect. The architect will work within that budget depending on the nature of the project, such as how many hours will be required to complete the project including researching codes and preparing the Home Owners Association. Remember that some architects charge a flat fee where others will charge based on the size of the project.

Trophy Homes – Trophy Homes builds new, single and multi-family homes in Salt Lake City. Trophy Homes offers a private, by appointment only, design center for planning the details of a new home. Buyers of Trophy Homes may be eligible for incentives from select financers of new homes.

Alpine Homes – Alpine Homes builds new homes in several communities in the Salt Lake City, Utah area. New homes built by Alpine Homes begin in the 200K price range. Alpine Homes caters to those Utah homeowners with busy lifestyles by building new homes in areas with easy access to major highways and other conveniences. Alpine Homes offers Whirlpool appliances, Price Pfister faucets, and professionally landscaped lawns as options in their new Salt Lake City homes.

Lake City Custom Homes – Focused on luxury in new home building, Lake City Custom Homes is based in Salt Lake City Utah. The new home builder emphasizes custom home building of executive level new homes.

Alta Vista Homes – Alta Vista Homes is a new home builder serving all of Salt Lake City, Utah. The new home builder offers new homes in a variety of price ranges and communities including The Ranches luxury home and golf course community. Alta Vista works with a preferred lender and can assist new home buyers with financing options.

Benchmark Homes – Serving the Salt Lake City, Utah area, new homes by Benchmark Homes begin in the mid 200K price range. The new home builder offers new homes in 9 communities in the Salt Lake City area. Benchmark Homes also offers finance suggestions for purchasing a new home.

Bastian Homes – Bastian Homes is a new home builder in the Salt Lake City area. The new home builder specializes in luxury homes built on large lots. Bastian Homes offers a 10 year warranty on new homes they build.

Syracuse Home Builders – Each home builder listed below has Syracuse homes for sale. To learn more about the individual home builders, and their new homes for sale, visit their website and search their new home designs, floor plans and community details.

Benchmark Homes – This new home builder serves all of Syracuse, Utah in addition to the cities of Clinton and Layton.   Benchmark Homes specializes in new single family homes in the following Syracuse area communities:  Adamswood Landing, Clinton Homestead, and Carlton Place.  New homes by Benchmark Homes include options such as Energy Star ratings and three car garages.  In addition, Benchmark Homes offers a 1 year wall-to- wall warranty on all new homes they build.

Nilson Homes – Nilson Homes builds new homes in all of northern Utah, including Syracuse.  New home communities by Nilson Homes new home builders include Silver Leaf, Miller Springs, Hooper Landings and Fox Pointe.  The community of Miller Springs is located in Syracuse, Utah and offers easy access to an outdoor living lifestyle.  New homes in Miller Springs are available in stucco, rock and brick front designs.  Nilson Homes places emphasis new, single-family homes that are fully customizable. 

Liberty Homes – Founded in 1994, Liberty homes, builds new homes in the Syracuse, Utah area.  Liberty Homes builds homes in several new home communities including the Sawgrass Meadows community in Syracuse.  New homes in the Sawgrass Meadows community feature oversized lots and begin at the high $200s.  New homes by Liberty Homes are available in both ranch and two-story floor plans.

Symphony Homes – Symphony Homes is a new home builder offering single-family residences in Syracuse area communities such as Pinehurst Place, Mountain Vistas, Quail Hollow, Old Mill Village, Bridlewalk Place and Chestnut Farms.  Pinehurst Place, which is nearest to Syracuse, offers new homes in the $300,000 price range.  New homes in the Pinehurst Place community are available in both single and two-level designs, with some designs offering full basements.

Fieldstone Homes, Inc. – Fieldstone Homes, Inc. is a builder of new homes in Utah, including the Tuscany Meadows community of Syracuse, Utah.  Tuscany Meadows offers new single-family homes priced between $190,000 and $246,000.  New homes at Tuscany Meadows boast spacious lots and square footage ranging from 1762 to 3525 square feet. 

The information above was gathered from each individual builder’s website. Please contact them for more information about their current developments and homes for sale.

St. George Home Builders – There are many home builders in St George. Search and learn about these home builders using the quick links and information below. Each home builder listed below has St. George homes for sale. To learn more about the individual home builders, and their new homes for sale, visit their website and search their new home designs, floor plans and community details.

Trophy Homes – Trophy Homes is a new home builder serving the St. George, Utah area.  The home builder focuses on building customized single-family and multi-family new homes in St. George and other Utah communities such as Cedar City and Pleasant Grove.

S&S Homes – S&S Homes is a new home builder located in St. George, Utah.  S&S Homes specializes in new single-family homes located in several developments throughout the St. George area including Copperleaf, Escalara, Estrella, The Highlands, and The Trails.

Ence Homes – Located in St. George, Utah; Ence Homes specializes in single-family, customized new homes.  Ence Homes offers several options in green building for new homes and offers a 10 year warranty on new homes.  Ence Homes has developed several new home communities in the St. George, Utah area.    This new home builder offers suggestions for both financing and insuring new homes. 

Sun River St. George – Sun River St. George is a new home builder for the Sun River golf course community in St. George, Utah.  The Sun River St. George community is focused on providing an active and affluent lifestyle for active adults.  New homes in the community of Sun River are available in approximately 15 different styles.

Gemstone Homes – Gemstone Homes is a new home builder serving the St. George, Utah area.  Gemstone Home communities include Rainbow Canyon, Sky Ridge, Emerald Ridge, and Estates at Bloomington.  Single-family new homes by Gemstone Homes range in price from $175,000 to $300,000.  Gemstone Homes offers dozens of new home designs including multi-level, ranch and townhouse selections.

Sunwest Development – Sunwest Development builds new luxury homes in the St. George, Utah area.  Sunwest Development emphasizes customization and attention to detail in new home building.  New homes by Sunwest Development range in price from $175,000 to more than $900,000.  This new home builder offers homes in a variety of styles in several communities.

Pride Homes, Inc.- Located in St. George, Utah, Pride Homes, Inc. builds new single family homes for Utah homeowners.  Pride Homes, Inc. specializes in customized single family homes.

The information above was gathered from each individual builder’s website. Please contact them for more information about their current developments and homes for sale.

Salt Lake City Builders – Are you looking to buy or build a new home in the Salt Lake City area? Well, begin your search here with the homebuilders links listed below. There are all types of price ranges and styles, so see what Salt Lake City builder interests you. 

Richmond American Homes – Select homes beginning at $150,000. You will find floor plans with 2-6+ bedrooms and sizes ranging between 1,000 and 3,000+ sq ft.

Proterra Homes Inc – Use Proterra to help you plan and build the home of your dreams. You can also take a look at current projects and residential listings.

Hamlet Homes – Find your dream home in one of their urban or suburban housing communities. Waverly Station is one of their urban living quarters that offer townhomes beginning in the low $200s; work, live and play! Bear Hollow Village is a suburban community that offers spacious condos beginning in the mid $300s.

Reliance Homes – If you need help buying your new home, check with Reliance Homes about their “Work for Down” program. You can also check out their communities and floor plans.

Peterson Homes – Take a look at the three communities by Peterson Homes; Harvest Crossings, The Ranches and Country View. These are made up of townhomes and single-family homes between low the $200s and mid $300s.

Utah Home Builders – There are many home builders in Utah. Search and learn about these home builders using the quick links and information below. Each home builder listed below has Utah homes for sale right now. To learn more about the individual home builders, and their new homes for sale, visit their website and search their new home designs, floor plans and community details.

Design Builders – Design Builders is a new home builder which serves the Utah communities of West Jordan, South Jordan, Herriman, Riverton, and West Valley.  Design Builders specializes in new, single-family homes.  New homes by this Utah home builder can be found in these developments:  Discovery, Vista’s at West Ridge, and Three Forks. New homes in these Utah communities range in price from $200 to $300,000. 

Hamlet Homes – Hamlet Homes is a new home builder serving the greater Salt Lake City, Utah area including the cities of South Jordan, Draper and Murray.  Hamlet Homes communities include Bear Hollow Village, Crofter’s Cove, Daybreak, Stoneleigh Heights and Waverly Station. New homes build by Hamlet Homes range in price starting from the high $100s to more than $300,000.  Hamlet Homes offers new home locations for urban and suburban living.

Randal Homes – This Utah home builder is located in Orem, Utah.  Randal Homes communities include North Lake in Lehi, Utah.  New homes in the North Lake community begin at the low $100s. Randal Homes specializes in single-family homes available in many floor plans, including ranch and two-story designs.

Sequoya Builders – Sequoya Builders is a new home builder which builds new, luxury homes in vacation and golf course communities including the Sleepy Ridge golf course community near Orem.  This Utah home builder offers twin, town and patio style homes in several affluent communities.

Peterson Homes – Serving the entire state of Utah, Peterson Homes is a new home builder with corporate offices in Salt Lake City, Utah.   New homes by Peterson Homes can be found in several Utah communities including Country View in Riverton, Harvest Crossing in South Jordan, The Ranches in West Jordan, and Wasatch Haven in Cottonwood Heights. 

J&J Construction – This Utah home builder specializes in new home construction in the Salt Lake Valley of Utah, including the city of Draper.  J&J Construction also offers new homes in the Suncrest community near Draper.  Specializing in new, single-family homes which are available in many floor plans, J&J Construction offers single and multi-level new homes.  J&J Construction also offers suggestions for home financing.

The information above was gathered from each individual builder’s website. Please contact them for more information about their current developments and Utah homes for sale.