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The Do’s and Don’ts of Helping Buyers Fall in Love with Your Home

It’s Valentine’s Day, and we want to play Cupid! If you think about it, when a buyer goes out to look for a new home, it’s kind of like dating. So how do you get a buyer to commit? You obviously want to put your best foot forward if you want the right one to fall in love with your home. Here are some do’s and don’ts for helping buyers fall in love with your home.

DO make an impression. First impressions matter in life, love, and real estate. You want potential buyers to be wowed by their first look at your home. Make sure to bump up that curb appeal and create an enticing entryway that will make buyers want to see more.

DO showcase your home’s best traits. Make a big deal out of especially attractive features that call for highlighting. Use lighting and staging to draw the eye to your home’s most special characteristics.

DO freshen up. Check out the floors. Are the carpets sort of grungy? Could the grout in your baths and kitchen use a good scrubbing? Are the hardwoods scratched and chipped? Take care of those. Freshening up the flooring by giving it a thorough cleaning or refinishing can do wonders for a space.

DO check your home’s “makeup”. Could the walls use a new coat of paint? Warm up the space with a neutral coat of paint like dove gray, cream, or a diverse “greige.” Why not white, you ask? A hint of color will do a better job of showing off trim, molding, and other details. A great bonus here is that the smell of fresh paint triggers buyers’ minds to think “new.”

DO get cozy. The best way to make a home look cozy is to have it staged. If an empty room seems small, buyers will definitely point it out. Instead, give them an idea of how the room works by staging it with furnishings that accentuate its flow. Use warm tones and textures to suggest comfort.

DO give your kitchen a facelift. Kitchens get the most scrutiny from homebuyers. You don’t have to go out and invest in a fancy double stove or custom cabinets. Think about replacing door knobs and drawer pulls for a quick update. If your appliances suffer from dents and dings but are still in great working order, simply replace the front panel if possible. Change out the backsplash if it looks dated. Little changes make a big difference in the end.

DON’T overdress your house. A perfectly staged home can be very inviting, but be careful not to overdo it. You don’t want buyers feel like they’re in a museum where they can’t touch anything. Also, leave the windows bare if possible. The natural light those window coverings are blocking will work in your favor, so pull those curtains back.

DON’T neglect the little things. Those small repairs add up to make a home appear uncared for and dated. So tighten up those door knobs, secure that bannister, and fix those leaky faucets.

DON’T go overboard on scents. Fragrance is a personal thing. Candles and air fresheners that might smell pleasant to you could turn off certain buyers. Not to mention that an overpowering scent could lead buyers to wonder what you’re trying to cover up with all those candles.

How-To Tuesday: Make Your Roof Last As Long As Possible

What are five words no homeowner ever wants to hear?

You need a new roof.

Replacing a roof is a huge undertaking. It’s expensive and it’s inconvenient. So how do you avoid having to replace your roof for as long as possible? Let’s look at a few ways to extend the life of your roof in order to get the most out of it.

Keep Gutters Clean

When gutters get too clogged with leaves and debris, water can move upward, wicking into roof sheathing and/or rafters and rot them. Sounds scary, right? Don’t worry. This is fully preventable if you keep your gutters cleaned out. Think about installing gutter guards if you’re unable to clean the gutters as often as you should.

Remove Leaves From Roof

If leaves, moss, or other debris tend to collect on the surface of your roof, it’s important to remove them every so often. Piles of leaves left on a roof can accumulate moisture and decompose. This leads to water accumulation in the roof as well. When you notice leaves piling up on your rooftop, you can use a telescoping pole and brush, or break out your trusty broom and ladder if you’re comfortable with it. Otherwise, call a professional to help.

Trim Trees

Trimming any branches that hang over your roof will help keep leaves, moss, and limbs from piling up in the first place. Low-hanging limbs that scrape against shingles repetitively can cause damage over time; or worse, when a tropical storm or hurricane blows through, heavier branches could cause major roof damage. It’s best—and safest—to call in the pros to remove branches that hover over your roof.

Keep a Sharp Eye Out

Give your roof the once-over every now and then to make sure it’s in good condition. This is especially important after a storm. Look for loose, damaged, or missing shingles. Check for damaged flashing around chimneys, skylights, or vents. If you see any of these signs, you might want to call your local roofer for a quick inspection. It could be a minor fix, or you could let it sit for a while and end up having to pay a lot more later on.

Get Regular Inspections

As a matter of fact, it’s a great idea to have your roof inspected regularly. Sometimes warning signs are visible to the untrained eye and need professional care. Having regular roof inspections means you’ll have a lower maintenance bill, and your roof will have a longer life.

7 Apps That Will Help You Prepare to Sell Your Home

Mobile apps can be great organizational tools for many aspects of life. Many of us reach for our phones to check our calendars, make bank deposits and transfers, make appointments, and even log our daily calories and exercise. It’s no surprise that designers have created apps specifically intended to help you buy and sell real estate. The only problem is that the number of apps out there can become overwhelming when you’re trying to do research and find help. With that in mind, we’ve put together a comprehensive list of some of the best apps for preparing to sell your home.

Houzz

This app doesn’t deal directly with buying and selling real estate, but it can be a big help for sellers who are preparing their homes to be put on the market. Use Houzz to find inspiration for home updates, staging tips, and what the current trends are in the design world.

The Family Handyman DIY Tip Genius

Like Houzz, this is a great app for sellers who are looking to fix things up a little before their house goes on the market. The app offers pro tips and trade secrets that help save time, money, and hassle when you have projects to complete before your home goes on the market. These tips can make all the difference between a poorly executed DIY project and one you’re proud to claim as your own.

Real Estate Dictionary

This is one app that’s great for any participant in a real estate transaction. Real Estate Dictionary can help you crack that pesky industry jargon you hear from real estate agents, attorneys, home inspectors, and other professionals. Need to know what an easement is? Not sure what REO means? Confused about the difference between the terms REALTOR® and real estate agent? Crack open your trusty dictionary app!

Realtor.com

Use the official Realtor.com app to research recent sales in your area and properties that are currently on the market. You can also calculate how your home’s price per square foot compares to other houses in the area. Knowing what’s going on in your local real estate market is the key to keeping informed when selling a home. Price your home too high, and you might lose buyers to comparable homes in your neighborhood. Price it too low, and buyers will either wonder what’s wrong with your home, or you’ll either miss out on extra cash in your pocket.

MagicPlan

Create a handy dandy floor plan for your home using MagicPlan. Simply open up the app and take a stroll around the house, taking pictures along the way. Based on the images you provide, the app will automatically map out each room of the house and produce a quality floor plan. Print out your plan or add it to the photos section of your MLS listing.

360 Panorama

If you want to share immersive photos of your home with potential buyers, try using 360 Panorama. As the name suggests, this app is designed to turn your phone or tablet into a full-featured, 360-degree panoramic camera. This is a great option if you want to do a virtual tour but can’t afford to pay a professional.

Evernote

Organize your attempt to sell your home with Evernote. Collect ideas, images, and notes in one place to go back and review later on your phone, laptop, or tablet. Clip articles and images you find the internet with the Web Clipper feature. You can even share your organized notebooks with your significant other and your real estate agent.a

Friday Five // February 9, 2018

We’ve got a possibly rainy weekend in the forecast, but there’s still tons of fun to be had around the Lowcountry. Celebrate your Irish heritage, attend the comfiest party of the year, see your favorite Disney characters on ice, and more! Whatever you choose to do, the staff and agents at Johnson & Wilson Real Estate Company hope you have a happy and safe weekend.

If you’re of Irish descent, or if you just have of love of all things related to the Emerald Isle, you’ll want to check out Lowcountry Irish Fest this weekend. This family-friendly, two-day festival takes place at the Omar Shrine Convention Center at Patriots Point in Mt. Pleasant on Saturday and Sunday. The Lowcountry Irish Festival is a musical and cultural festival celebrating all things uniquely Irish in the South Carolina Lowcountry. Charleston’s history is rich in Irish culture, from some of the city’s founding fathers, to Irish plantation owners and laborers, and the Irishmen who powered the H.L. Hunley with their bare hands. Come out and enjoy live music and dance on four different stages and treat your tastebuds to some traditional Irish cuisine.

Doggie Days are back at the Isle of Palms Saturday morning. Man’s best friends will take over the IOP Recreation Center from 9am until noon for the award-winning Doggie Day event. Mingle with other dogs and their humans, have your dog’s photo taken for free, and take advantage of some great offers. Veterinarian Dr. Jose Biascoechea will offer rabies vaccinations for $10 and microchipping for $30 from 9-11am. Isle of Palms Animal Control will sell dog licenses for $5 and will be happy to answer any questions concerning pets on the island.

Get comfy-cozy in your favorite onesie pajamas and head downtown Saturday evening for the Valentine’s Day Weekend Onesie Bar Crawl. Check in at Tommy Condon’s from 3-6pm and grab the scorecard you’ll need for the rest of the crawl. The official after party starts at 8pm at NV and will feature a DJ, Best Onesie contest, and more. Although this is a "bar crawl,” participants are not required to imbibe. Get your scorecard stamped and earn your event t-shirt by simply showing up at each location.

If you have little ones (or even grown-up ones!) who are fond of all things Disney, The Wonderful World of Disney on Ice is the event for you this weekend! Celebrate magic and family fun and take a stroll down memory lane with Minnie and Mickey Mouse. Travel to Arendelle with Anna, Elsa, and Olaf. Go on an ocean adventure with Dory, Nemo, and Marlin. Dance along with Buzz and Woody. Make unforgettable memories with your favorite Disney Princesses, and more! Performances take place throughout the weekend. Check the website for times and tickets.

Sunday is the day for one of our favorite events, Second Sunday on King Street! King Street will be closed to traffic from 1pm until 5pm, allowing locals and tourists to stroll the street and enjoy shopping, dining, entertainment, and fellowship. Click here to view a few specials and newcomers, and to get your free two-hour parking voucher, good at most City of Charleston parking garages this Sunday only.