You've decided to Sell your Metrowest home this summer....BRAVO!  That's a fantastic decision! As you go through the many different tasks to get your home ready to be put on the market, don't forget one of the most important, it's face. Well, not literally, but truly it's first impression it's going to make to your potential home buyers when they drive-by your home, come to a showing or open house, or even the first photo they usually see as a 'Listing Photo'...the front of your home.  We call it 'CURB APPEAL'!

In the summer we have so many fantastic choices to create award winning curb appeal, but the basics are always the same...so we'll start there:

1) Pride of Ownership- Nothing puts a potential home buyer more at ease than driving up to a home that shows an owners 'pride of ownership' from the moment you see the home, and it all starts with the state of the exterior of the home.

2) Homes Exterior- Choose your upgrades carefully. Siding is largest visible surface on your home. Make sure to power wash the entire surface and make any necessary repairs before putting your home on the market. Windows & Screens should also be perfectly cleaned and windows should sparkle (yes I did say sparkle!). If your siding is a hideous color, painting then becomes a serious consideration! 

3) Front Door & Porch- This is an area where you can introduce some pops of color and have a little bit of fun! First make sure you have thoroughly cleaned all surface areas. Once you've accomplished this, then evaluate your front door. A New Front Door has one of the greatest ROI's. If your's is looking a little rough, then this is a great area to invest....and you may want to look for a fantastic complementary color. Again, don't get wild and crazy, we're talking complimentary, not outrageous. Once that's chosen take a look at the porch and decide if you need to repaint any railings or decking. Then you can choose whether a chair, table, rug or other fun, small, uncluttered choices would be a nice touch for your "Welcome" area.

4) Lighting- Do you have adequate lighting on your front porch? How about Landscape Lighting? Have you enhanced any area of the yard that you'd like to highlight? Get rid of dated fixtures and take advantage of outdoor living! Home Buyers rate the yard as 25% of their decision in the summer months! If your yard is a big selling point, don't let it go to waste! Illuminate your walkways as well.

5) Landscaping- Todays homeowners and home buyers love outdoor living and take pride in having their yards landscaped. Take time to give your yard extra attention. If you don't have a lot of extra money to spend, concentrate on the front yard first. Consult a landscaper or even a local garden center and ask for lower cost alternatives that can be implemented for a great look and flow. Add a few solar lights for a walk-way and you'll have a beautiful front yard before you know it....without having to spend a fortune.

For more Home Selling Tips give Team Lynch a call or visit our website at www.teamlynchrealestate.com.

It takes work to prepare your home for success on the market......but putting in that work will yield greater rewards in the end!  These tips will be your guide to help you get the best return on your investment, your home.

 Get an Inspection

Although your property may look up to par, it is beneficial to be aware of any potential problem that could come up later in the process. Every time a buyer walks through the door, they will be looking for the slightest reason to lower the price. The best way to eliminate this issue is to get an inspection on the front end.  Home inspections usually range from $300 - $700,  but will save you thousands in the end.

Repair What You Can.                                                                                                         

After receiving your home inspection, it is time to tackle each problem one step at a time. Whether you revive your garden, replace an appliance or repair a broken screen... every improvement counts.  A new line of caulk in the shower and a fresh coat of grout on the tiles can make your bathroom look brand new. If you are ready to take on your next project, head over to your local hardware store for a great selection of tools, paint, grout and just about anything else you may need. Just remember, the old 3:1 ratio...you want to make sure that for every dollar you spend, you are getting at least a return of three dollars back in your pocket.

Get Estimates on What You Can’t Fix.

While making repairs to your Natick home, keep in mind that the money spent on small projects will give you a positive return. However, there may be a few issues that stretch outside your budget, or the return on your investment may not be worth the dollars spent. In this case it is better to negotiate with your potential buyer than to lay out the larger sums of money at this time.

Clean......and then clean again!

Imaging getting ready for a first date, trying on different outfits, and spending hours in front of the mirror. This is the same way you need to treat your home. Your potential buyer needs to fall in love at first site. It doesn't cost you any additional money, just your time...and it will pay off big. Your home needs a DEEP clean in every corner, nook and cranny.  Appliances, counters, bathroom sink, tub, toilet, closets...everything!  A home in pristine condition will ALWAYS garner a higher selling price point than one that is not. If you would rather call in a service to help you do a deep, thorough clean, check out the preferred link here.

Get Rid of the Clutter.

It may be hard to clean the house with a pile of boxes, toys, your collections, etc  taking up all the great space. In order to maximize your properties potential, you need to show off the beautiful square footage in every room. It starts with getting rid of the clutter, unused furniture and stacking up your moving boxes in the proper areas;  including the garage, basement or even a storage unit. Check out a list of our Recommended Moving and Storage Companies.

Painting.                                                                                                                                

Give your home a fresh look by changing the color scheme or redesigning altogether.  You won’t believe how far a can of paint can really go until you see it for yourself. Give every room a new facial by tearing down that old school wallpaper and rolling on a shiny new color. When a buyer sees the fresh look and modern colors, it is sure to leave a positive impact, mainly in the form of an offer and in dollars.  If you need some help with an interior design make over, we have some of the best designers at our fingertips!  Click on this link for their contact information.

Landscape.

Aside from checking every nook and cranny inside the home, a smart seller would spend a day working on the outside as well.  When a buyer pulls into the drive, the first thing they notice is the welcoming look of the front of the home.  Taking extra time to mow the lawn, trim the greenery, laying fresh mulch or planting colorful flowers appropriate for the season are cheap and easy ways to make your house stand out and greet your potential buyers with a warm and friendly welcome.  Being from Natick you can head on over to Windy-Lo Nursery and pick up anything you may need!

Bottom line...Don't leave money on the table.  A little preparation goes a long way. Do the little things that will pay back in a big way.....in the form of an offer that you will find most acceptable.

For more Home Selling Tips check out our website or give us a call!  We'll be happy to come to you and go through your home with you to make sure that every room is absolutely "SHOW TIME" ready, to bring you the best offer and timeliest sale available today.

If we cannot help you ourselves, let us find you

an agent like us....

Our clients may have real estate needs outside of our home area.  Through our company's resources, we can find an agent in your target area with the right skills and geographic expertise.

The introduction process benefits you in two ways:

•  It let's us share our understanding of you a a client so you're not starting over from scratch with a new agent.  
•  It ensures that you'll receive quality representation from a specially trained agent.

The next time you, a friend or family member have a real estate need, contact us to take advantage of this valuable agent introduction service.

Whether it's across the state or across the globe,

let us help you find agent like us.

1. To help you with investment properties
2. To help you find the perfect vacation home
3. To help your children find their first home
4. To help you find the right home for your life's next stage

We all know that if your home is in a prestigious neighborhood or has acres of land, that that is what will be your "lead in" for your Home Ad.  But what if you have a great, normal home in Natick? How are you going to set yourself apart from all the other great normal homes in Natick?  That answer is easier than you may think, and that is why you need Team Lynch to sell your Natick home!

Sometimes, in looking for that GREAT aspect of our home to be the focus of our advertising we overlook the basics of what makes our home truly great.  Even though you may have outgrown your home and are starting to see it's flaws...the goal of marketing is to highlight your home to shine in the eyes of your potential buyers.   So start looking at the basics of your Natick home:

1. Storage:  This is something almost every buyer wants and needs. Since many First Time Home Buyers have struggled with not having adequate storage in their apartment life....you'll want to take pictures and highlight all the storage options in your home.

2. Organizational Options:  Hand in hand with storage is organization.  If you have made the investment in built-in or custom closet or kitchen organizer systems, desks, bookshelves, garage systems, etc....You'll want to highlight this in your homes listing along with great photos of each.

5. Senior Friendly Features:  Many families are now moving aging family members in with them.  This has made the search for homes with in-law suites or senior family features like: single story layouts, level-in entrance (no stairs) and low maintenance landscaping. Even extra bedrooms with a bath need to be marketed as such.  This is a new direction in the way that Americans are living so it makes a great lead in for marketing.

Taking time to prepare your Natick MA home prior to putting it up for sale is extremely important.  After all, for most of us, this is our most important asset so taking the extra time it takes to ensure we have taken care of all the small things makes the most sense.

1. Get all your paperwork together. Simple right? Not so much- if you've been in your home a long time this may take longer that you think. You'll need HVAC, Electrical, Plumbing, Appliances, Remotes and any other technical systems that your new owners will need to live comfortably in the home.

2. Check all the small things.  You know, the ones you've probably gotten used to living with. Check switch plates, fixtures, door handles, mailbox, etc.

3. Make things less personal. This may seem odd, but you want potential buyers to be able to picture themselves in the home, not see "your" home. So pack up and move out many of your personal items.

4. Try to eliminate all evidence of pets in the home! This may sound harsh, but you want to make it look as though you NEVER had a pet in the home. Get rid of smells, stains, food, food bowls, etc.

5. Remove clutter from every room in the home!

6. Gather estimates on repairs/or replacements.  Unless everything in your home is brand new, you can expect for it to be on the "bargaining block" during the negotiation phase. So get on top the process now.

7. No one wants a dirty house! You want to deep clean...I'm talking "white glove" test. Plus, a clean house will garner a better selling price as well.

8. Hide the kids! What?? A buyer will be checking for signs of damage from children, so make sure you've made those repairs.  When you have a showing, make sure the kids are out of the home, no one wants to have kids under foot while they are looking at a home.

9. Clean up your landscaping. No need to hire a professional...but clean up the yard so that it looks neat and tidy. Grass should be cut, twigs and leaves from winter raked and bagged. Sprucing it up with a few flowers or shrubs never hurts either.

10. Take some pictures. Once everything is cleaned up and looking nice.....take some pictures and use them for marketing purposes.  The better the pictures the more people will want to come and see your home.

It's finally spring and you're ready to find the right Wellesley MA area home for sale. We've put together some tips to help make your Wellesley MA home buying process go smoothly.

1. Find the Right Real Estate Professional. This is such an important step and will truly make the difference in the home you buy, your stress level and the money you ultimately spend.

2. Make sure you are Pre-Approved for a Mortgage. You've heard it said before, but it's true, you need to know how much you can afford. Unless you are buying in cash you'll need a financing source and you'll need to know how much that source is willing to finance.

3. Create a 'Must Have" List. This is your list of non-negotiable's and allows your agent to select only listings that meet the qualifications of this list, so that you're not looking at every home on the market and wasting your valuable time.

 4. Open yourself up to Suggestions. Share your must have list with your Real Estate Agent. They will be able to make suggestions that you may not have considered about the style or type of home/neighborhood you are looking at and could ultimately change your requirements or amenities list.

5. Make sure to check out the Neighborhood. Now that you've found your home, walk the neighborhood at different times of the day, and even at night. Talk to neighbors to find out about the people, what they like, dislike, recommendations etc. Make sure it would be a good fit for you and your family.

6. The Home Needs to be Inspected! You'll need to make sure that YOU walk through the home and do a total checklist of your own. But you aren't a professional inspector so make sure you hire one to go through the home, once that has been done make sure you follow through on all of their recommendations.

7. Submitting a Reasonable Offer. This is another reason why you need to work with a local Real Estate agent. Understanding the local housing market, the inventory of homes, home values and if a home may get multiple bids is all information that goes into the offer YOU will make.                                                                                                                                                        

8. Understand the Process & the Paperwork. Your agent should have gone through all of this with you in the beginning of your search, but don't hesitate to ask questions along the way. This can be an overwhelming process at times. Once you have found a home you will be advised to seek an Attorney to handle the legal aspects of the sale of the home.

9. Stick to Your Pre-determined Price. It's always tough to have your heart set on a home and lose it in a bidding war, but it is much worse to go above what you can afford! It is better to find a second home that you like "almost as much" as the first so that you have something to lean back on if the situation arises.                                                                                  

10. Don't expect the Sellers to make too many Improvements.Things like worn carpeting and countertops are figured into the sales price of the home upfront, so trying to get the homeowner to make more adjustments at the end can be difficult. Rely on your agent to know what is permissible and what isn't.

 For more Wellesley MA home buying tips check out our website at www.teamlynchrealestate.com. We've lived and worked in the Wellesley MA  area for 20+ years and would be happy to give you a tour of our town and all the great homes for sale. Give us a call any time!

Hosting a successful Open House isn't  rocket science...but there are some tips I can share that will make it a success!

1  Advertise....a lot!  You want everyone to know, so newspapers, flyers and definitely online!

2. Put out LOTS of signage.  This may sound like a given, but it's so important.  Signs should go all over, and not just in your own neighborhood.

3. Invite your neighbors. Yes, you heard that right..and they want to come anyway!

4. Sign-in Sheet. This will allow you to follow up with anyone that came through, and follow-up is key!

5. Give a Take-away.  Make sure you have a flyer with photos and all the pertinent information.

6. Set the time for the Open.  Since most people expect open houses to be on Sunday afternoon, take advantage of that fact and maximize your success.

7. Food & Water.  Although these are not necessary, the smell of fresh baked cookies always make people feel like they're at "home".  Water is necessary because many people will have been out all afternoon.

8. Lighting. You need to make sure your home looks light and bright. Open blinds, turn on lights in darker rooms and play up the special points of your home.

9. Be Prepared.  Make sure you are organized in all aspects and you start on time! You should also check that you have toilet paper on the rolls just in case someone needs to use your bathroom.

10. Have a bright and cheery disposition. If you love your home it shows...so be genuinely enthusiastic so each person who visits feels the same.