10 Things to do before listing your home

 To help make the selling process easier for you, it makes sense to have your home inspected before listing it.  It may sound like a hassle but it could save you a lot of money and stress early on.  The inspection will pinpoint red flags and areas that have potential problems.  It also gives you the opportunity to address those issues before listing your home.  Having your home already inspected ultimately also gives the prospective buyers the comfort and confidence that the seller actually cared about their home in the first place.  Be sure to share this information with prospective buyers by supplying a copy of the home inspection.  It is perfectly okay to choose not to have your home inspected before listing.  If you take this route, just be sure to do your own pre-listing home inspection to keep things significantly less nerve-racking and not terribly costly before the buyer’s home inspector comes through.

Here are 10 areas to look at/fix up before listing your home.

1.  Fix any deteriorated paint jobs.  Touch up any dings on the walls or woodwork, scrape and paint any flaking areas.

2.  For furnaces over 10 years old; pay to have it serviced and cleaned.  Then display the inspection papers (store them in a Ziploc bag) by taping to furnace.

3.  Make sure all toilets are flushed.  Nothing worse than having a seldom used toilet not functioning properly.

4.  Run water down sinks and bathtub drains.  All drains need to flow steadily.  No slow drains!

5.  Check for leaks under sinks and in vanities.  Tighten up joints if necessary.

6.  Check out the condition of the roof.  You want things to look normal: no missing shingles.

7.  Clean out the gutters.  They need to be free of debris for good drainage.

8.  Open and close all windows.  Check for springs working properly so windows don’t slam down. Make sure all the locks work and windows close tightly.

9.  Test any appliances like the dishwasher that you are leaving behind.  You want them working properly. Make sure all burners/oven are working on your stove.

10.  Test the auto reverse on the garage door.  Make sure the safety mechanism works.

For more information about Home Inspectors or how to prepare to list your home, call or email me anytime.  Bill’s Email  | Phone 978.273.3227

10 Tips for First Time Homebuyers

1.  Be picky, but don’t be unrealistic.  Your first home may need a little work, some paint, carpet and perhaps some other updates.  Remember, this is your first home and the first step in investing in your future. Don’t avoid a home because it has bright pink walls or ugly floors.  Do avoid a home that may have structural damage such as rotted sills.

2.  Do your homework before you start looking.  Look online, work with a Real Estate Agent and begin the process of what style homes you like, neighborhoods and most important, the price range.

3.  Get your finances in order. Organize your bank accounts by having all of your funds in one or two different accounts.  Review your credit to make sure any and all accounts are up to date.

4.  Don’t wait to get a loan; Get pre-approved.  Call me today, 978-273-3227, get approved ahead of time to make sure you are properly prepared and you are realistically looking in the right price range. This is a free service!

5.  Don’t ask too many people for opinions.  Just because your best friend bought and sold 3 houses, does not make them an expert.  Ask the professionals that do this everyday.

6.  Decide when you could move. Set realistic time frames of how quickly you could move into your new home.  In the case of home purchases, some transactions can happen in as little as 30 days and some can take up to 6 months, you need to be prepared.

7.  Think long-term. Where do you see yourself in 10 years? Are you buying to be in a good school system? Closer to work? Close to the City?  Figure out what is important to you today, will these wants/needs still be important in 10 years?  It’s ok to buy a starter home and then re-evaluate in 5 or so years.  This is an investment and it’s your future.

8.  Don’t let yourself be “House Poor”.  Don’t over buy, your first home does not have to be 5000 square feet. You want to make sure you can still live your life and afford to go out to dinner.

9.  Don’t be naive. If you have never swung a hammer, don’t by a fixer upper. Do your homework on what updates to a home cost before purchasing a home that may need TLC.

10.  Get help from a real estate agent. This is your best resource for your home purchase. To be properly “matched” up, call me as I work with real estate agents all over and can refer you to one that best suits your needs.

Bottom Line:  Being a first time home buyer can be a scary uncertain time in your life, seek help from trained professionals to get the best most up-to-date information.

At Merrimack Mortgage, our mortgage programs are designed to assist the many different needs of each unique individual’s needs.

Call or email me today to find out how I can assist you in financing a new home or refinancing your current one. 

Bill Nickerson NMLS#4194   179 Great Road, Acton MA 01720

Phone: 978-273-3227     Bill’s Email       Bill’s Website

National Open House Weekend April 20 and April 21, 2013

Did you know it is National Open House Weekend?  The National Association of Realtors is expecting to sell almost 10% of the current inventory. With lots of homes on the market and great low rates, this spring market is turning out to be fantastic!  This weekend real estate agents from around the area will be hosting open houses as part of the national Open House Weekend.  The Open House Weekend provides a great opportunity to visit some of the many homes in your local area while learning more about homeownership from a professional real estate agent.  Be sure to take advantage of this weekend and attend some of the open houses in your area!

Call me today to see the closing cost credits you are eligible for!!   

Need a realtor? Call me.  Need a real estate attorney?  Call me.  Need a mortgage or pre-approval?  Call me.  Have financing questions?  Call me.  Bill Nickerson 978-273-3227

Or send me an email at bill@billnickerson.com  If you need to apply online, visit my website at www.billnickerson.net

Featured Open House Recipe

Occasionally I am asked by a realtor to sponsor a luncheon for their open house.  I have found that by making something special for the luncheon, the realtors slow down and take a moment to truly enjoy the lunch which tends to promote more conversation about the home they are viewing.  I greatly enjoy these interactions that occur.  This last week for the luncheon I made Quiche.  Check out my recipe below…Hope you enjoy it!

Bill’s Quiche

Prep time: 30-45 minutes         Serves:  6-8

Ingredients:

1/3 lb. Prosciutto (from any deli ask for ¼ inch thick slice), diced

½ Onion(I prefer Vidalia), diced

5 Eggs, large

1 ½ C Whole milk (Healthy version)

2 ½ oz. Extra Sharp Cheddar, shredded

2 ½ oz. Mild cheddar, shredded

¼ C Parmesan cheese, grated

¼ C Marsala wine

½ C Butter, plus an extra ¼ inch slice

One 9-inch pie crust

In advance:                                                                                                                Preheat oven to 350 degrees.                                                                                        Have all ingredients ready on counter.  Shred cheeses, dice meat and onion.      Remove pie crust from package and drape the crust over a 9 inch pie plate.

In medium sized saute pan, melt butter over medium heat.  Add diced onions; turning occasionally.  Once onions begin to brown; add diced prosciutto and continue browning about 2 to 4 minutes.  Then add Marsala wine and ¼ inch slice butter.  Lower heat and simmer; slowly cook until all Marsala wine has been cooked off (so liquid is mostly gone).

While the onions and prosciutto are cooking, prepare the pie plate by shaping the crust to fit into the plate.  Cover the bottom of the pie plate with extra sharp cheese only.  In a separate dish, whisk 5 eggs until blended;  then pour into whole milk. (I use a large 4 cup measuring cup to save on dishes).

Drain prosciutto and onions in a colander; then spread evenly over the cheese in the pie crust. Pour the egg/milk mixture over prosciutto and onions.  Spread the mild shredded cheddar evenly over the egg/milk mixture.  Sprinkle Parmesan cheese over the top.

Place into oven and bake 30 minutes.  Using a thermometer, you want the pie to be at least 175 degrees and for the crust to be slightly brown.  When done remove from oven and allow to cool for about 15 minutes before serving.  Enjoy!