Preparing mentally can be challenging enough for a big move. While most of the physical part can be handled by your movers there are some things that really only you can do. You can hire movers for just the actual transport of your belongings or you can hire them to even do your packing but you will want to take care of these 6 things first on your end and here is what they are.

Create a path for ease

This all starts outside of the home when you plan on the movers arriving. Where will they park? If you are in a more urban location will you need to assist with parking permits so they can securely park rather than double-parking. If you live in a neighborhood that is more spread out then make sure your driveway can accommodate their trucks and possibly park at a neighbor’s house to keep a clear path.

Make necessary arrangements

For anyone living in a larger apartment complex or condo building you may need to check with the building manager for moving protocol. While some may require a fee to be paid others may allow you to reserve service elevators which can keep things running smoothly.

Protect walls and floors

Assess what you have for pieces that will be moved through the door. Make sure you secure anything that may be in the way such as pictures, mirrors, lightbulbs or anything else that may be fragile and in the way. It is also wise to alert your movers what you have for flooring materials so they can prepare accordingly. You would hate to have scratches on your hardwood floors!

Measure

Only you will recall how your furniture first made its way inside your home. Did you painstakingly assemble a large armoire or sectional couch when you bought them? Measure these items to see if they will fit through the door or if you will have to take them apart. This could mean you may need to build in some prep time.

Plan around kids and pets

Younger children and pets can often get in the way when movers are trying to do their job. Some items are heavy and movers need an unobstructed path when removing them from your home. Pets can get in the way or become anxious with the commotion. See if you can have a neighbor or pet daycare mind them during the peak moving times. 

Be available

It is important to not be in the way of the movers but be accessible. Find a location in the home that is central so they know where you are to ask questions or so you can be of assistance with anything they may not know about the home.

A home appraisal is a key part of any real estate transaction as it confirms the value of the property while it justifies the price that is being paid. Once you accept a buyer’s offer to purchase, their mortgage lender will schedule a third party company to perform the appraisal. Recent comparable sales as well as an onsite visit will be completed on your home to evaluate it for many factors. Here is a helpful checklist of things to consider ahead of time to address so that your home receives its best review.

Research Property Value

Before the appraisal is even scheduled it is a wise idea to get an estimated value of what your home is worth and you can do this in a few ways. You should be able to do some online research of recently sold homes nearby that are similar to yours in size and location. Furthermore, when your agent first listed your home they should have given you a CMA. This will have a home value in it along with some recent comps to support it.

Easy Access

Make sure that the appraiser has full access to every part of your home. This includes attics, closets, garages, separate dwellings and storage areas. 

Build Fact Sheet

For anything that is not crystal clear, draft a fact sheet and list things out. These items may include major recent improvements or upgrades, new systems with warranties, any homeowner’s association fees or info, nearby school info or other external benefits. 

Conduct Minor Repairs

You certainly want the home in perfect condition and chances are it may be close to it if you recently listed it for sale. If not, tend to things like missing pieces of trim, broken doors, peeling paint or anything else that needs fixing as appraisers will notice these things.

Cleanliness

The same idea as repairs applies here too. If you recently got your home into perfect condition to list it for sale, then cleanliness should be top notch. Make sure it is still in great condition for the appraiser just as it was for the photographer. Appraisers will understand if you have begun packing however so you don’t have to worry so much about that.

Restrict Pets

Similar to access that we spoke about earlier, be sure pets are secured and don’t impair the appraiser from entering any rooms or areas. Take dogs for a walk or restrict them to crates to keep them out of the way.

Copy of Report

Appraisers can make mistakes so ask for a copy of the report so that you can review for accuracy. Sometimes a measurement could be off, comps may not be the best ones for one reason or another but you can ask your agent for assistance on some of these items to review.

There comes a time when everyone begins to plan for retirement in the physical sense. This means selecting a home for retirement that will be both comfortable and accommodating. Things to consider when picking the right home include everything from where to what. Here are some great tips to follow as you plan for yours.

Location

Much like any real estate purchase location is key. Things to consider for retirement properties include climate, ease of accessibility to conveniences like shopping, healthcare and a community that you will enjoy spending your free time with.

Single-story living

Keep it simple. Avoid having to climb stairs if you don’t need to and pick a home that offers the ease of single level living. As one ages and could have more mobility challenges this will only make things easier overall. Fortunately, South Florida offers a lot of housing stock with single level living.

Bathroom

While bathtubs can be nice for soaking or handy during hurricane season, day to day a walk in shower that is spacious will be most accommodating for you in the long haul. Being able to safely walk in and out is key.

Hallways

Even with no challenges narrow halls and doorways are never favored. However, allowing more space to travel with ease is important. Especially should you ever need assistance with any devices that may require more clearance. 

Extra space

No matter your age a lot of people are fond of companionship. Making sure you have space for a partner, roommate or even family member can be helpful to factor in and keep as an option. 

Pets

Pets are just like our children and can offer emotional sustenance in our lives. Their companionship is fulfilling and life just wouldn’t be the same without them. Consider a home that allows pets and offers the conveniences that they would need.

Mobility

Retirement for many can be a busy and fun time of life. With more free time to spend with family, friends and partake in many activities that you truly enjoy. When locating a home be sure that it is close to the things that are important to your lifestyle as well as offer some alternative transportation options.  

Security

This can be a blanketing concept from a home security system to services that are available locally that can send help with the push of a button. 

If you are considering a home that you can comfortably retire in, feel free to contact me today. 

Home remodeling projects can vary in their scope and size but one thing they all have in common is a budget. No matter how big or small it is helpful to assemble your budget once you have obtained costs of materials as well as estimates from any vendors or contractors that you will be hiring. It can happen that you will go over budget for a few reasons from products and services costing more than anticipated to upgrades to surprise issues. Here are some great tips for you to adhere to a budget.

Buffer

Given the fact that you may wish to upgrade materials or appliances and that there can often be some unexpected issues that arise you will want to add in a buffer. Some designers will say you may want to add up to 25% of your costs as padding to account for these types of things.

Priorities

When you are remodeling the opportunities can be endless other than any cost constraints. Therefore, it is important to prioritize your goals that you want to accomplish with the project. When complete you want to make sure that you are happy with what was done and got what you wanted. For pointers on whole-house projects you can focus more on kitchen, bathrooms and master bedrooms as you tend to derive the most value out of these rooms. 

Trust your pro

It can be tempting to do a lot of the legwork yourself, but leaning on professionals that you hire can help in overall planning and cost savings. Your contractor will have the experience in how to achieve a high design look and get the cost savings at the same time. They also can have access to materials that are cheaper or more cost effective while they have a more intimate knowledge of what products are better than others.

No matter if you are planning on selling your home in the near future or if you are simply looking to enhance your living quarters then making improvements to your yard can reap some rewards. Especially here in Fort Lauderdale where we get to enjoy the outdoors throughout the entire year, you really can extend your square footage outside. Here is a checklist of 8 items for making your yard the best that it can be. 

Patio

The most popular outdoor amenity is to have a place to dine or lounge. For this, you will need a surface like a deck or patio that will be accommodating to tables and chairs. If you don’t already have one, you can always enhance yours with nicer materials like pavers or warm things up with outdoor carpets. 

Furniture

Less expensive or uncomfortable furniture is not going to make you want to relax and spend time outside. Invest in some quality pieces that will withstand the elements while making you feel like you want to sit for hours outside. 

Shade

Especially during the really warm months you will want to give yourself a break from the direct sunlight at times. Consider a large umbrella that you can move or retract depending on the strength or position of the sun. This is a very simple and relatively cost effective solution. 

Lighting

Nobody wants to relax outside with a powerful spotlight aimed at them all of the time. While some strong lights near your cooking station might be helpful, create some mood lighting in your lounging areas with string lights, perimeter lighting or lanterns. 

Heat

Yes, even in South Florida there can be some cooler evenings where you wish to add some heat for comfort. Electric heaters above or freestanding propane heaters that can be rolled out are great solutions. Or, if you have space by your lounge areas then a firepit can provide both warmth and lighting for gatherings. 

Grill or Kitchen

Grills are great, kitchens are better. A good gas grill at the least is a must as your grilling solution. However, investing in a basic outdoor kitchen will not only make meal preparations even better but can also add some value when it comes time to sell. 

Activity Area

Patios are great to have but so is a little area of green space too. Especially when entertaining groups of guests you may wish to play games that require some grassy space. From croquet to cornhole having a patch of grass will give you these options while also making your pets happy!

Zones

With the above mentioned options of having patios, cooking and grassy spaces you will want to define these “zones.” Sometimes using different materials can be enough, but if you need ideas for further defining each then pathways can make for good separations. For designating a lounge area from a cooking area, try doing a warm, inviting outdoor rug with your furniture spaced around it. 

When the time has come that you have made your decision to sell your home then you will want to begin preparing your home for sale. As you take a good look at it from the exterior to interior and go room by room, you will have to think about what may need to be done to it before you go to market. There are always going to be some definite action items like repairing anything that impairs the operation of the home such as a leaky faucet, electrical problem or broken door. However, in some cases focusing on cleanliness and staging can be a better route than making improvements. Here are some top things to consider when you prepare to sell.

ROI

This is a simple “dollars and sense” question as in does it make sense to even put that much money into the home. For example if you sink tons of money into the kitchen remodel would you necessarily get all of it back in the sale? Or can you do some more cost effective items like making sure all of the paint and tile is in tip top shape while you consider replacing all of the hardware for newer modern pieces.

Enduring a Renovation

Continuing on the ROI idea is whether or not you have the time and patience to live through a renovation. Important rooms of the home that generally call for significant updates would be your bathrooms and kitchen. You will have to question if you are willing to or even have the ability to live through the disruption of your home that a remodel will impose.

Taste Choices

Chances are you may not select the design, materials or function that your buyer may wish to have. You may be better off with focusing on cleanliness, staging or more cost effective updates like fresh paint of a neutral color. 

Curb Appeal

All of the efforts you put into the inside of your home are going to be fruitless if nothing is cared for on the outside. The front of your home is the first and last thing everyone who views it will see. Make sure your landscaping and home’s condition are in tip top shape. If you want to make more enhancements consider some patio furniture as staging that you can take with you to your new home.

Timing

If you are debating whether you should even do a small renovation project the question of timing comes into play. If you are doing it on your own or if you are at the mercy of a contractor’s schedule then you will need to factor in the time it will take to see if that works with your moving plans. If you have already found a new home to purchase then you may be on a tighter time frame.

In the end there are many things to think about for your specific home and personal situation. However, never underestimate the power of having your home in perfect, clean condition combined with the right amount of staging.