Whats love got to do with it

That's right y'all... 24% of home buyers are single....  so many clients tell me they rented and waited to find the one before buying... almost like they felt like this decision couldn't be made alone.

Well what's love got to do with it.... renting is still throwing your money away. If you find the right person and already have a home and they have a home 😍 You now have two homes and owning real estate is the fastest and smartest way to build wealth..  it's a win-win

I also help a lot of "couples" buy homes where only one person is listed on the loan... everyone's situation is different. At the end of the day it's simple... your either paying your own mortgage or your paying your landlords mortgage. 🏡

Bi level overload

If you have been searching homes in NKY, you might notice that we are the Bi-Level capital of the world.  Some states call them split-levels. Whatever you call them you know what they are.  

I often hear buyers tell me that they wish there was more they could do to make their home look different than the next bi-level.

Thanks to pinterest the options are endless!

Look at this Kitchen!!  Changing the floor and ceiling to match made this kitchen look like it was built this way.

Another tip from your favorite Realtor.. Always, Always make the flooring in your home match..  if you have carpet, all rooms with carpet should match.  If you have Hardwood floor then all the floors should flow with it in the same direction... ( ill add a "what not to do" at the end of this post.)

Best tip to make your bi-level stand out is to add the open concept to your home.  Some walls cant be knocked down, but you can add columns and arches so just make sure you hire and great contractor that will know the ends and outs of your homes major needed walls.

I know I mention paint colors a lot.  If your planning on staying in your home then any color you love is perfect!  If your going to be selling soon.... Paint... paint everything... just think so fresh and so clean lol.  Thats a big seller, fresh paint!

I know i promised a few "what not to do" for flooring so here is an example.

Should I List my house now or clean first?

So as many of you have read on every article posted by a realtor....now is the time to sell, sell, sell.

I must say.. if your in NKY that's SOOO true... if you have been on the fence about selling but want to clean first... just stop and list lol...  Now if you need to do major things such as paint or new carpet then maybe do those (Quickly) :)..

This week alone I had 3 clients all "sleep on it" after seeing a new listing and woke up to it pending.  Buyers want your house.. trust me.  I have even seen people that went ahead and listed their home and laid out carpet samples showing they were replacing the carpet, this eased the mind of clients touring the home because they knew they wouldn't have to replace that :)

Oh did I mention the 2 separate multiple offers I also was a part of... ALL in the same week.

:))) you know you want to know more.. please just ask me

Builder beige or color

Should you paint your walls or leave it?.... well that depends.. are you moving? or staying?  

If you build a new home you will most likely get this color... "builder beige"  why? well because builders have to paint the walls so what better choice then a light color that can easily be painted over by the home buyer....  Now you have to be careful if your planning on selling however if you plan on digging your roots in this home then by all means make it your own!!  When I was growing up my bedroom walls were black ( I had a cheetah theme going on... oh the 90s)....  well paint is paint so my parents simply painted over it once I moved out... I believe back to builder beige :))

If you are thinking of selling you most likely should paint... no not all the walls need to be beige however neutral pallets to sell faster, unless the price is right ;)  try to stick with a tone that will flow from room to room...

I have sold houses that have crazy neon colors... that would be because everything else about the home was in the best shape and soooo clean.. the seller of the one I'm thinking of even had his shirts in his closets in order by color...  so if your home is this well kept then paint wont be an issue.. but I'm going to say with 3 kids, 2 dogs and a cat.. that wont be the case.. and that's totally fine... just know when your REALLY ready.. maybe get a second opinion from a friend on the paint color :)

If you do like the bright, neon colors try to maybe limit it to maybe bedrooms only... that way if the buyer has kids they might looove the pink room or the blue :)

Adding Value to your Home

A very popular question from people that are Not buying or selling is....

  How do I add value to my home?.........

Well that's a very good question and will vary depending on who you are asking... even realtors opinions vary.  So lets just go by are generic photo I found and do not own in any way lol.

Now lets take away the "loft conversion" and the "extension" because clearly adding more space is for sure going to add value...

But how to add value to what you already have is key...  the typical ones are UPDATE your kitchen... UPDATE your bathroom... those two are very key as a realtor... I cant tell you how many times I have sold a house simply because the kitchen was amazing and even though the closets were all tiny the buyers didn't care because the kitchen was to die for!....   same with the bathrooms.. Now I have never sold a house simply because of the bathrooms but I have heard the "oh I will need a new tub and toilet and omg look at the tile (barf)"   so just know they do play a factor.

On to the next...  FLOORS!!!!!!  this one can be costly but so worth it.. you want your floors to flow and MATCH.. if you have 3 different title designs and 2 types of wood floor and carpet on the steps that don't match the bedrooms... nooooo stop right there!....  make all the hard flooring match and all the carpet match!. Pretty please do this.

Next two are doors and windows... another costly but very helpful tip.... get all new windows :) with screens (if you don't keep them in at least store them in the basement or garage incase you ever sell).  You want to have a nice front door that you don't have to fidget with to open and shut..

I've covered just a few of my top picks...  stay tuned for #WatchItWednesday when I reveal another one that I'm starting to hear more and more buyers mention :)) 

(Click the #WatchItWednesday link above and watch it this Wednesday at 6pm)

how to pick the perfect Realtor

Well lets see there are so many ways to look at this question... are you the buyer or the seller?

If you are the buyer then you need to make sure your agent is someone who works with buyer a lot.. why? well because an agent that works with a lot of buyers knows a lot about different loan options.. has the scoop on which lenders can get things done.. and also knows how to write up a really good offer (NOT low-ball offer because no one likes those ever).  But that's just one thing... 

You also need to find an agent that is always on call... and yes even at 10pm at night!  What if you see your dream home on Zillow and want to see it at 9am the very next day?! ahh lets talk about kicking in the stress... better hope your agent isn't snoozing at 8pm after Wheel of Fortune goes off

You should also find an agent that you can be yourself around... what I mean is if your touring houses and your feel like you have to keep your thoughts to yourself till your back in your car.. well that's going to be a problem. You need an agent you can have fun with and be honest with so they can find you the perfect place and be there if an issue pops up during the whole process.


If you are the seller...  then you need to make sure you get an agent that helps you net what you need... as simple as that.... let the agent run the numbers.. tell them what you want to make after the sell and let them make the numbers work.  marketing is key, but remember open houses almost never work for the sellers advantage.  don't stress the commission don't stress anything just trust the realtor your working with.   I know you want to negotiate with your realtor on commission and fees but take it from me "you get what you pay for" so you cant expect an agent to reach for the stars and negotiate on your behalf if they cave and take less commission to sell your property just because you asked (because that means they couldn't even negotiate for themselves )

all in all folks just remember you have to pick the person you vibe with.. you should know after the first meeting if its meant to be :)   I personally would LOVE to help and promise to always text back in a matter of minutes ;)   (actually answering a call may take a little longer.. one because I live in the country and have to run to the nearest service spot of my home... and two because I'm not mentally prepared to answer  hahah)

If your buying to get a GREAT deal... now is the time

I deal with clients that what to buy homes for many different reasons..

Some want the perfect kitchen with double sink in that master bath..

Some want a condo with no outside work

Some just want a house that they feel they got a GREAT deal on even if that means settling for less then they wanted cosmetically.

If you are the last one that wants a GREAT deal.. then you should be looking like yesterday..  November is the best month to get the greatest deal.. why?  Well because if the seller is selling during the holiday seasons its usually for a reason.. such as a job transfer or wanting to build by spring, whatever the reason is most are ready to sell now.

What does wanting to sell now mean...  means accepting a lower offer (not low ball because NO one likes that & most cant afford that)... you have more negotiation power, such as adding a home warranty or for inspection repairs which all buyers love to ask for.

SO if your wanting a deal... better call a Realtor today.. (me preferably)!!