Real Estate | Tips | For Sellers | Hoboken and Everywhere! Tip #3

Continuing with my tips for sellers to prepare your home for market series, here is tip number three!

3. To Sell, Sell, Sell -- Clean, Clean, Clean

After you've cleared out the clutter, it's time to really clean. If you have carpets have them professionally cleaned. Hardwood floors? Then make them look their best! Hardwood floors are the number ONE selling feature in condominiums. Buyers swoon over nice hardwood floors so make sure they look great. Scour the bathrooms - another big ticket item for buyers. Buyers can be seriously turned off by a bathroom that looks used let alone dirty. So it is crucial that you re caulk if needed, and clean this room within every last inch. Go over the laundry closet, polish the furniture, scour out the cabinets, wash the windows and window coverings, and spiff up the ceiling fans and kitchen appliances. In short, clean everything, leave nothing behind and don't forget the dust bunnies on the ceiling molding!
Lastly, don't neglect the exterior; paint or power-wash everything that needs the work. Remember, this is a ceiling-to-floor, roof-to-foundation clean-up project. And with every dirty bucket of water you collect think of green in your pocket!

GO GREEN: Clean your home with home made recipes from your kitchen pantry and you'll clean just as well as using toxic items plus it's safe on you family and pets! Just add hot water to a bucket, and some ingredients you already have at home.

Here is a list of recipes from Planet Green you can make to clean different rooms in your home. In addition to contributing to a healthy environment, you'll save money on products!

Come back tomorrow for Tip #4!!

Is it Spring yet!?

Hoboken Real Estate: Short Sales @ The Hudson Tea

It's clear no condo building in Hoboken is immune to short sales. The Hudson Tea building in Hoboken is seeing it's share. Attention buyers, how about a sprawling three bedroom three bath condo for sale around $800,000? This short sale listing is one of the few where the agent has had communication, or seems to have had communication, with the bank and has already been given a price opinion as to what number the bank is looking for to allow the short sale to go through and close. These type of short sales typically take less time in the pipe line then other one's where the bank won't start the process or hint at what they'll accept until there is a buyer contract on the property - which makes things much more difficult.

This unit is an R line, 4th floor with a galley kitchen that has black granite counters, stainless steel appliances and white kitchen cabinets. There are three spacious bedrooms and they have been upgraded with hardwood floors. If you have or are starting a family, and love this building but can't find a condo large enough for you, then you may want to seriously consider purchasing a short sale.

You will still need to fill out an offer to purchase, and submit a recent pre approval letter from your preferred lender. You'll also want to conduct a home inspection up front, if you desire. Your offer will look that much stronger to the bank if you do.

If you are not in a situation where you have to move quickly, then you have the time to wait for a response from the bank on whether or not your offer was accepted. When a listing agent says that the bank has approved a price or is looking for a certain price, then typically the bank will only agree to sell the property if the offer price is the suggested price or very very close to it.

Agents will show short sales that have these type of advertising remarks because they know that they and their buyers have a much higher chance of actually purchasing the property. Unfortunately too many agents that aren't equipped to handle short sales, list them, and in turn waste the time of many sellers, buyers and agents..

The Hoboken And Jersey City Real Estate Market Is Heating Up

Spend some time in any real estate office and you'll notice that there is lots of buzz. Our office is busy and appointments and deposits are up all around. I had three different showings this past week on three different properties where in each one there were multiple offers. There are many buyers making offers taking advantage of the low, corrected prices and incentives. One agent in my office had to wait hours to get keys for the property he was showing because 7 other agents were showing that same condo.

I have a client I'm working with who is interested in two properties and both of them have offers on them.

My office alone had 40 closings in December!! Hoboken had a total of 72 units sell last month, our office sold more than half of those.

I think it's going to be difficult for buyers to get out of the frame of mind that it is a slow market. While yes there is still a good amount of inventory available, however there is a larger amount of buyers AND investors shopping. The only way to guarantee a good purchase is to find the property that suits you and make an offer, negotiate and seal the deal as quick as you are comfortable with.

I recently had a buyer lose out on his first choice property because another buyer came and placed a higher bid - $30,000 more than ours..

Bottom line: if you're in the market for a home and you see one you really like, just remember that someone else may have seen that home as well and is probably also considering making an offer. Don't low ball for too long, remember, prices are already corrected and inventory is moving.