W. Darrow Fiedler

Real Estate Made Simple

Tag: home buying

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Outdoor Features to Attract Homebuyers

By

On May 27, 2021

In Real Estate

According to a report by the Outdoor Industry Association, at least 13.6 million Americans perform outdoor activities such as camping, running and hiking. And although these leisure activities are fun, perhaps the simplest way to get outdoorsy is to chill in the backyard.

Many homebuyers appreciate the versatility of residential outdoor space. From entertainment to gathering with friends and family or just winding down after a long week, outdoor spaces have plenty of value to offer. Here are five outdoor features that attract homebuyers.

1. Good Landscaping

Most real estate agents can agree that nothing attracts potential homebuyers quite like beautiful landscaping. Furthermore, landscaping costs are relatively low, so sellers can easily recoup 100% of their investment after a home sale.

Privacy-oriented landscaping, in particular, adds plenty of value to a home. Well-manicured hedges and trees planted reasonably close to a house can provide aesthetic value while adding a sense of privacy. According to the Council of Tree and Landscape Appraisers, a single mature tree can raise a home’s value by $1000-$10,000.

2. Entertainment Area

What is a backyard without a dedicated entertainment area? Thanks in part to the pandemic-induced lockdowns, indoor entertainment may have lost much of its appeal. Some of the entertainment features prospective homebuyers look for in an outdoor space include outdoor kitchens, grills, permanent seating and spacious decks.

3. Spacious Yard

Outdoor playtime is not only essential for children but also family bonding. Homebuyers are increasingly expressing interest in homes with yards big enough to accommodate play structures such as slides and swings, basketball courts, sandboxes, miniature soccer fields and more. Homeowners appreciate the peace of mind that comes from knowing their children can play all they want within the confines of their backyard.

4. Fire Pit

Outdoor fireplaces or fire pits are grand for reminiscing, keeping warm during chilly evenings and roasting marshmallows or hot dogs. Families that love camping will definitely appreciate the outdoor heating idea.

5. Outdoor Lighting

Outdoor lighting treads the thin line between a functional, must-have feature and a decorative element. Combining smart, solar-powered lights with motion sensors can make an outdoor space more inviting, all while acting as a security feature.

Final Thoughts

Homebuyers view the modern yard as an extension of the main home. The right yard additions can transform a home’s outdoor area into more than a living space and increase the offers made for the home significantly.

What Real Estate Appraisers Might Not Disclose To You - W Darrow Fiedler

What Real Estate Appraisers Might Not Disclose to You

By

On February 11, 2021

In Finance, Investing, Real Estate

The real estate appraisers help people in determining the value of their real estate properties. They assist buyers with the valuation information so that they don’t get overcharged by property owners. Similarly, the sellers, too, are protected against possible underpayments by willing buyers.
Real estate appraisers are also useful when a property owner intends to obtain a loan using their property as collateral. Without their input, the homeowners may secure smaller loan amounts than expected or fail to meet the minimum financial assistance requirements. Below are some things that the real estate appraisers may not want one to know.

They Don’t Know Much about an Area

Before the real estate property boom, appraisal officers used to work within specific counties or states. However, this has never been the case in recent years. Most Appraisal Management Companies (AMCs) have increased the tendency of sending their officers to different counties and states. Therefore, it’s likely that a real estate appraiser works in areas they know very little about.

They Hate Being Followed Around

Some homeowners or buyers usually find themselves trying to keep in touch with their appraisers most of the time. While they may think it’s the right thing to do, it’s their real estate agents and inspectors they should be spending more time with. Therefore, it’s appropriate to give the appraisers some space once they’ve received the valuation report.

They Do Most of the Evaluation Off-the-Site

Property valuation assessment should take up to about 8 hours. Surprisingly, most appraisal officers would take as little as a half of the total set assessment time. It happens so because of the increased use of technology in the process. For instance, some AMC agents could use video clips of the home from drones and computer-stored data about the property to compile the final appraisal report.

Last Minute Renovations Don’t Always Add the Value of the Property

Many people believe that making some little changes in the kitchen or the bathroom would increase their property’s selling price. But unfortunately, this isn’t true, and the appraisers know – only that they’ll never talk about it.

Consulting the real estate agents or inspectors in advance is by far the best way of ensuring a successful sale of a property. By doing so, the homeowner would get to know more than what an appraiser is always willing to share.

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