Posted by Annalisa Burgos | July 2, 2009
In this week’s vlog, find out why it’s important to get a pre-approval before you go house hunting. Some curious homebuyers will check out an open house or two before actually evaluating their financial situation, but this is actually one of the top 10 homebuying mistakes that can cost you.
Plus… Backyard. Outdoor kitchen. Outdoor living room. Pool. Deck. Find out which summer season home updates pay off when you sell.
Posted by Annalisa Burgos | June 30, 2009
During the real estate boom, no one really cared about staging — the act of preparing a home before putting it on the market so it can sell quickly and for top dollar. Back then, homes practically sold themselves. Sellers would get their asking price (or more in many cases) even if the place was dirty or filled with clutter.
Today, staging is the new buzz word. It’s become especially important in this highly competitive market, where traditional sellers are up against foreclosures and short sales (so-called distressed properties) that can offer rock-bottom prices for bargain hunters. And that’s what today’s buyers crave — a bargain.
But a nicely staged property offers that “move-in ready” appeal that buyers are willing to pay a bit more for. They want to see that the current owner is taking care of the home, not allowing it to fall apart, like the abandoned foreclosure down the street. If they see a fixer-upper, they’ll offer a fixer-upper price.
Luckily, you don’t have to spend hundreds of dollars on home improvements or hire a professional stager to reap the benefits of a staged home. There are simple, inexpensive things you can do, including:
1) Clear out the clutter. If you don’t use it, sell it, give it away or throw it out. Hold a garage sale, donate it to Goodwill or post it on Craigslist. People are always looking for free or cheap stuff. If you simply can’t part with something that’s taking up a lot of space, like your winter clothes, pack it up and put it in storage.
2) Clean and repair. Cleaniness is next to godliness, especially in real estate. And be sure to fix what’s broken, including a squeaky cabinet door, leaky faucet or a torn screen door. If you like, replace outdated hardware and fixtures. They’re inexpensive and add that shiny new feel buyers love.
3) Make room and lighten up. Remove extra furniture or use a smaller couch or bed if they’re too big. Cramped rooms give buyers the impression that your house is small and lacks space. Store some of your clothes so your closets look bigger. Choose window treatments and lighting that brighten each room.
We’ve got tons more staging advice on FrontDoor.com. Staging Diva and FrontDoor Insider Debra Gould shares her top staging tips, including replacing family photos and personal items with tasteful art.
And if you have a little bit of a budget, get inspired by the experts on HGTV’s hit show “Designed to Sell,” who find creative ways to turn a slow mover into a showpiece for under $2,000.
You can see the dramatic makeovers in FrontDoor’s Designed to Sell: Room by Room Staging Guide. Check out these before and after pictures. As you can see, staging doesn’t just refer to the inside of your home. See what a difference curb appeal can make?
We just added 21 new videos and slideshows, so you get more cool ideas to bring out the best in your home!
Posted by Annalisa Burgos | June 25, 2009
Here at FrontDoor.com, nuestra casa es su casa.
And today, we’re happy to welcome millions of new members to the FrontDoor family — more than 60 local TV station affiliates throughout the country and their viewers!
Now you can get real estate listings and valuable homebuying and selling tips and advice from HGTV’s FrontDoor.com on some of your favorite local stations’ Web sites. This is just another example of how FrontDoor is reaching out to consumers in their local markets.
So, for example, Atlantans who tune in to WSB-TV and Denverites who watch KMGH, the Denver Channel can go to these stations’ Web sites and search for homes in the area and get great articles and videos from FrontDoor.com.
We’re bringing the tools you need for your home search and sale at a hyperlocal level. How awesome is that! Pretty awesome.
For more details, check out the news release.
Posted by Annalisa Burgos | June 12, 2009
With so much drama in the world, there’s no better time than now to step back and take a breath. It’s easy to get caught up with the stress and emotion of buying and selling a home. That’s why FrontDoor Insider Tara-Nicholle Nelson is sharing her solutions and strategies to deal with today’s frustrating real estate situations, like getting rejected for a mortgage or facing foreclosure after losing a job. It’s all in Tara’s Drama-Free Real Estate Guide at www.frontdoor.com/dramafree.
To spread the word about these great tips and advice, Tara and the FrontDoor team took it to the media — with the important message that now is not the time for consumers to panic (and it’s easy to with all the negative headlines), but rather they should be proactive.
Posted by Annalisa Burgos | June 9, 2009
It’s no secret that listing agents typically charge a commission of about 4 percent to 6 percent of the home’s selling price. Most sellers will price that commission into their asking price so they can walk away from the sale with the profit they want.
So if you sell your home for $300K and you agree on a 5% commission, your agent will get a nice $15,000 paycheck and you get $285K minus your selling expenses.
I know what you’re thinking — $15,000 seems like a lot. Why not skip the commission and sell the house yourself? After all, your home is in good condition in a good neighborhood, you’re well connected with a marketing background, you have the time and patience — what’s the big deal about going FSBO?
Well, today’s real estate market is very different from the one a few years ago when homes practically sold themselves. And you can’t just plop a “for sale” sign on the lawn, post an ad on Craigslist and wait for buyers to show up. (Maybe if people are clamoring to get into your neighborhood or you price the home way below market value.)
Today, homes can take as long as 6-9 months to sell. Listing agents are paid a commission once they find you a “ready, able and willing buyer.” And in this market, that’s no easy feat. Sure buyers are everywhere, but a serious buyer who’s got financing? Kinda like finding a single guy at a movie screening of “The Proposal.”
Before you decide to take matters in your own hands, weigh the pros and cons. Do you really have the time to market your listing, show your home to buyers, coordinate inspections and close the deal? $15,000 may seem like a lot, but when you add up the value of the time and effort it takes to sell in this market, it may not be so unreasonable. Besides, commissions are negotiable, and many agents are willing to work with you to get your business. If you’re just wary of working with a real estate agent, try these tips for finding the right agent for you.
And to help you get a handle on the selling process, check out FrontDoor’s Guide to Selling a Home. You’ll get a better sense of what the process entails so you can decide whether you can take this on yourself or would rather leave it up to a professional.
Posted by Annalisa Burgos | May 21, 2009
We typically think “going green” refers to one’s efforts to be more environmentally-conscious, whether it’s recycling products or reducing the use of natural resources. The barrels in the photo to the right, for instance, are used to capture rainwater that is reused to irrigate the landscape and garden of HGTV’s Green Home in Port St. Lucie, Florida.
In real estate, the green movement has created a new way for agents to market themselves. Introducing… the “green” real estate agent. And in this case, “green” doesn’t mean “rookie” (though we know many of those, don’t we?)
A green agent is basically someone who has gone out and taken a course on environmentally sustainable housing and gets certified. Many companies offer green certification, including the U.S. Green Building Council (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design, or LEED, designation), the Association of Energy and Environmental Real Estate Professionals (ecoBroker designation) and the Green Certified Real Estate Education Company (green certified).
While LEED is widely recognized, it’s unclear whether the other “training” options really transform you into a reliable green housing expert, but it’s out there and some agents are taking it. Also not sure if green agents charge their clients more for their expertise, but from what it looks like, it’s simply another way for an agent to stand out from his/her competition. It’s up to the consumer to decide whether the label actually adds value.
One thing is for sure. You won’t need a green agent to show you HGTV’s awesome new Green Home!
Take a virtual tour and check out photos of the home and read more about what makes the home green and its neighborhood Port St. Lucie.
The best part? You can get the beautiful Green Home for FREE! Enter once each day at www.hgtv.com/greenhome. Hurry, you’ve got til June 5 to enter.
Posted by Annalisa Burgos | April 22, 2009
Happy Earth Day! FrontDoor.com is joining the worldwide effort to promote awareness and appreciation for the environment with these green real estate tips:
Think about the advantages of making green updates to your home. Energy savings, for one! If you’re a seller, replace old energy-hogging appliances with Energy Star ones. You’ll not only increase your home’s value, but you’ll attract more buyers. See the top 10 reasons to go green now.
You don’t need to shell out tons of money to make green updates. A simple one is changing light bulbs from incandescent to fluorescent. Learn more ways it can pay to be environmentally friendly.
Do your part to save trees! Bamboo or cork make great alternatives to hardwood floors. Learn more about eco-friendly flooring.
Make recycling a household habit. Find inspiration in our slideshow of 10 Green Home Updates.
Get more eco-friendly tips for buying, selling and financing a home in our Green Real Estate Guide at http://www.frontdoor.com/Buy/All-About-Green-Real-Estate/1661.
Speaking of green, don’t forget to sign up for HGTV’s Green Home Giveaway. The home is decked out with the latest in green technology and it’s in lovely Port St. Lucie, Florida. Enter now!
Posted by Annalisa Burgos | April 10, 2009
Everytime I tell people I work for HGTV, they immediately tell me how much they looooove “House Hunters.” Most of these people aren’t actively looking to buy a home, so I ask why. And the response is pretty much the same across the board — “I love looking at houses.”
Imagine that. People who just want to look at houses. Well — ask, and you shall receive. We’ve got just the thing to unleash your inner property voyeur.
FrontDoor’s “Cool Houses Daily” gives you an exclusive peek into an amazingly cool house each day. And by cool, we mean homes with over-the-top features like panic rooms and helipads, celebrity-owned homes or even a house that supposedly will extend your life!
Safe to say HGTV has mastered the art of showcasing homes and bringing the excitement and drama of homebuying and selling to viewers who can not only relate, but want to be part of it (i.e. how can I get HGTV to redo my kitchen?).
So it was only natural for HGTV to launch FrontDoor.com, with the goal of reaching the millions of Web-savvy consumers who are not only actively buying or selling a home, but those who are just genuinely passionate about the idea of “home” and real estate. You’ve probably already seen the extensive how-to guides and expert tips on the site. But how cool is it to check out some of the most unique homes on the market?
So stop by everyday: http://www.frontdoor.com/coolhouses. You’ll get a daily dose of interesting properties you never knew existed. Who knows? It may motivate you to start house hunting or at least see what other unusual homes are out there. And if you know of a cool house for sale, email a description and photos to coolhousesdaily@frontdoor.com. We could feature it on CHD.
Posted by Annalisa Burgos | March 3, 2009
HGTV’s real estate site FrontDoor.com is back with a brand new blog!
Tune in for expert tips, tools and advice to help you get an edge in today’s market, whether you’re buying or selling a home.
Get exclusive updates on what’s going on in the real estate industry, from Obama’s foreclosure prevention plan to new requirements for loan modifications.
Take a peek inside some very cool houses for sale, with unique features or by celebrity sellers.
Moving to a new city? Dreaming of living somewhere new? Explore popular neighborhoods and local hotspots with FrontDoor’s city guides.
And much more!
It’s all here on FrontDoor Unlocked! (Get it — we’re unlocking the secrets of real estate!)
It’s good to be back. And in multiple ways…
Join our Facebook fans: http://www.facebook.com/pages/FrontDoorcom/18669721826
Follow us on Twitter: http://twitter.com/HGTVFrontDoor
Happy house hunting!
Annalisa Burgos
Senior Editor, FrontDoor.com
Posted by Rich Lacy | October 9, 2008
MY FIRST PLACE, HGTV’s hit series, is coming back for a Fifth season and we’re looking for first-time homebuyers in the Greater Philadelphia and Greater Denver areas RIGHT NOW!
We are looking for fun, high-energy people who are just starting the home-buying process for their first place! Our goal is to capture all the trials and tribulations of looking for, bidding on and buying your first place.
Taping takes place between now and November 2008. Ideal candidates will be enthusiastic buyers with a great story to tell and a desire to share their experiences. Singles, couples and families are all invited to apply!
Candidates who are chosen for the show will also receive a unique SURPRISE that HGTV has picked just for you!
Also, if you’re getting ready to sell your home, MY FIRST SALE is also looking for potential home sellers in Denver, CO.
Request an application by emailing:
sbrohard@highnoonentertainment.com
« Previous Page — Next Page »
Subscribe to this blog
Friend us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter