Register Real Estate Advisors

1. Cleaning and De-cluttering, with an average cost of $290, which increased home sale price by $1,990.
2. Lightening and Brightening, with an average cost of $375, which increased home sale price by $1,550.
3. Home Staging, with an average cost of $550, which increased home sale price by $2,194.
4. Landscaping, with an average cost of $540, which increased home sale price by $1,932.
5. Repairing Electrical or Plumbing, with an average cost of $1,505, which increased home sale price by $1,505.

These are huge increases in return on investment! So if you are thinking about selling your home, you will want to think about these five things that you can do to raise the amount of money you will get when selling your home. If you are thinking about selling, our agents at RREA are well trained and experienced in helping consumers get a good return on their real estate investment! Call us today at 281.288.3500 or email info@rrea.com.

The right landscape design can make all the difference to a prospective buyer, especially when it’s beautifully and carefully executed. In fact, Realtors and landscape professionals estimate that a well-landscaped yard can add 5% to 15% to the selling value of a house. Houses that look good from the road carry higher price tags – a fact that turns landscape investments into money in the bank when selling a house. Here are a few ideas on how to improve your landscape:

TREES
• One of the best investments you can make is a glorious stand of healthy trees as part of a well-landscaped yard. Realtors across Texas and the rest of the country know that healthy trees can increase the property value of a home, as well as provide years of aesthetic benefits to owners. Trees also cut down on energy costs. When Kiplinger published the 25 best ways to invest $1,000, buying a big tree was at the top of the list. If your selling timetable doesn’t allow for planting and nurturing a tree to maturity, remember this advice for your next home.
• Since a tree is a long-term investment, it’s important to start with a high-quality plant. In the case of trees, money definitely buyer quality. Trees that are 8-10 feet tall-either balled or wrapped in burlap or established and growing in containers-are usually the best buy. Homeowners can expect to pay anywhere from $200 to $1,000 for a quality tree.

PLANTS
• Add a few plants around the foundation of the house and in “curb appeal” areas such as near the front door. Or, consider using more permanent bushes, especially those that flower in the summer and have colorful buds in the winter.
• Gardeners on a budget can buy a few plants, then, add more as your budget allows.
• For an especially inexpensive jolt for your yard, flowers are a homeowner’s best friend. Bright splashes of color add visual appea. Though they’re usually temporary. For this reason, they’re great if you suddenly need to put your house on the market and need a quick landscaping fix. At that point, it’s best to stick to the basics, leaving more costly and permanent landscaping to the new owners.

Copyright 2004 Texas Association of Realtors. All rights reserved.

Why do we wear our best suit when we interview for a job? Why do we clean our houses before company comes over?

Sometimes it is important to make a good first impression. Especially when we are trying to sell our home, relatively low-cost cosmetic changes can make the difference between getting full asking price or having to reduce the price to entice the buyer. A couple of hundred dollars in new mulch in the flower beds can have a huge impact of the impression your home makes on the buyer.

I can recommend Carnahan Landscaping as a company that will do a great job when they say they will do it. I have personally used them on my home and couldn’t be happier with the results.