Cincinnati home values Archives

Best Home Updates For Increasing Your Property Value

March 19, 2017 by Eric Lowry

If you are looking to have work done on your home in order to increase its value for a future sale, you need to make sure you are choosing the updates that will have the greatest impact. Not all improvements to your home will be reflected in its resale value. If you want to see a return on your investment, keep in mind these best home updates for increasing your property value.

Many homeowners who aren’t looking to have extensive work done choose to make simple updates to their home in order for it sell faster and for more money. These simple updates include a fresh coat of neutral paint, new carpets or flooring. However, if you’re looking to have more extensive work done on your home, consider the following options:

Kitchen Remodel
Average Return at Resale: Minor Remodel – 98.5%, Major Remodel – 91%
Update the cabinet faces, counter tops, appliances, fixtures, and flooring.
Bathroom Remodel
Average Return at Resale: Minor Remodel – 102%, Major Remodel – 93.2%
Replace the tub/shower, tile surround, floor, toilet, sink, vanity, and fixtures.
Exterior Improvements
Average Return at Resale: 95.5%
Update/replace vinyl siding, paint, update the front entry, replace railings, etc.
Landscaping
Average Return at Resale: 100%
Lay sod if necessary, add flower beds and plant flowers for a pop of color, etc.
Basement Remodel
Average Return at Resale: 90.1%
Finish the walls and ceiling, add recessed lighting, add flooring, consider extras such as a wet bar or half bath.
Replacement Windows
Average Return at Resale: 89.6%
Replace old, drafty windows with new energy efficient windows.

Questions about selling your home for the most money?
Call or text Eric Lowry at 513-368-3751.

10 Things That Turn Off Home Buyers

March 16, 2017 by Eric Lowry

If you are planning to sell your home in the near future, you want to make sure both you and your home are prepared. To sell your home faster and for more money, avoid these 10 things that turn off home buyers:

1. Poor Curb Appeal – Curb appeal provides your home’s first impression to potential buyers. Spruce up the yard before putting the house on the market. Trim the trees and freshen up the flower beds with fresh mulch.

2. Odors – Odors are huge turn off for buyers. If you are a smoker, consider smoking outdoors while attempting to sell your house. Also, hide away pet toys, bowls, etc. Vacuum and clean regularly so that the home does not smell of cigarette, pet, or kitchen odors.

3. Outdated Fixtures and Appliances – A potential home buyer does not often want the added expense of having to purchase new ceiling fans, light fixtures or kitchen appliances immediately after moving in. If your appliances are old or outdated, consider putting in new ones – this can help your home sell faster and for more money.

4. Wallpaper – Wallpaper is usually very outdated and personalized to the present owner’s tastes. Chances are most buyers would want to remove it entirely which can be a big, time consuming job.

5. Bright/ Unique Paint Colors – A lot of people prefer neutral paint tones as it brightens the room and matches more decor. Having to paint over dark or really bright colors can be a tedious task that many potential buyers would rather not bother with.

6. Carpet Stains – One of the top updates that a home seller can do before putting their house on the market is replacing or cleaning the carpets.

7. Personal Items – Having a lot of personal items and family photos out on display can make it hard for potential buyers to picture themselves in the home. It’s suggested that you put many away so home buyers can more easily imagine their family living there.

8. Dirt, Grime and Filth – If your home is on the market, it should sparkle! Home owners need to give the house a once over deep clean. Pay especially close attention to cleaning the kitchens and bathrooms. Buyers are turned off by dirty showers and tubs.

9. Clutter – Clean off the bookshelves and clean out the closets. Remove extra items from counter tops in the kitchen and bathrooms. By doing this, it will appear as if there is a lot more room and storage in the home.

10. Seller Stays Home – It makes potential home buyers extremely uncomfortable when the seller stays home during the showing. Buyers do not feel at ease talking about their likes, dislikes and concerns while the home owner is present. They also often feel very rushed due to feeling uncomfortable. Hanging around during the showings on your home is doing yourself a disservice.

Questions about selling your home? Call or text Eric Lowry at 513-368-3751

6 Steps to Staging Your Cincinnati Home For Sale

March 10, 2017 by Eric Lowry

Preparing your home for sale properly can net you considerably more money at closing. Some rooms in your home are more important than others in the preparation process and some home improvements are a much better investment as you prepare to sell your home. However, don’t spend your money unnecessarily; consult with a Realtor who can help guide you. In the meantime, keep in mind these 6 steps to staging your Cincinnati home for sale.

The first step in staging your home is to maximize the curb appeal. This can be as simple as keeping your lawn trimmed and edge. The curb appeal of your home will provide the first impression to potential buyers. Make it a good one!

Next, you will want to remove any clutter from your house. Start packing up anything you are not currently using. Taking down family photos will help potential buyers picture themselves living in your home. Once you de-clutter, your house will appear larger, neater, and more organized. You are going to have to pack it up eventually anyway, so why not get started?

If you have transformed one (or more) of your bedrooms into something other than a bedroom, such as a sewing room or exercise room, change it back. If you are listing your house as a three bedroom, you want the home buyer to be able to easily visualize the three bedrooms.

Clean up and organize the counters in the bathrooms and kitchen. They should appear neat, clean and sparkly! Put items that are generally sitting out on the counter tops away out of sight; this will maximize the appearance of counter space.

After all of the steps are completed, do one last final clean up. Deep clean your house from top to bottom; yes, even the windows! Repair any nicks to the walls and cover them with a fresh coat of neutral paint.

Lastly, add a pop of color. For example, this could be some colorful towels in the half bath or fresh flowers in a vase in the entrance way. Add color outside by planting some flowers. Place a new welcome mat by the front door or add a splash of color with a pillows on a chair.

Homes that are properly staged sell faster and for more money than homes that are not.

Questions about selling your house? Call or text Eric Lowry at 513-368-3751.

Selling a House in Cincinnati – Part 2

February 2, 2016 by Eric Lowry

513-368-3751 to Connect with a Top Real Estate Agent in Cincinnati

Home Values	Hassle Free Listing	Contact Us
West Chester	Liberty Township	Mason
Monroe	Fairfield Township	Fairfield

Step 1 to Selling a House in Cincinnati : Hire an Agent

Selling a house can be an overwhelming task. Make it easy on yourself by putting your home in the hands of seasoned professionals. Eric Lowry has over 16 years experience negotiating home sales in the Cincinnati area, and his listings sell for around 1% more than the market average – that could mean thousands of dollars more in your pocket.

In 2015, Eric’s listings sold 39 days faster than the market average. It’s important to keep in mind, homes that sell faster, sell for more money.

The Lowry Team believes that the right marketing strategy makes all the difference. We go above and beyond to market your home using all the latest advancements in technology, social media, and publicity strategies to ensure your home reaches the maximum number of potential buyers. More buyers means more offers, bidding wars, and ultimately, more money for you.

By studying where and how buyers find the home they purchase, we’ve created our marketing and prospecting plans to ensure every single buyer who could possibly buy a home like yours knows that your home is for sale. In fact, we are 100% confident that NO ONE can expose your home to the masses like we can!

In addition, when you hire Eric Lowry, you are hiring an entire team of real estate specialists. The Lowry Team consists of members that are focused on areas of specialization including Listing Specialists, Buyer Specialists, Transaction/Listing Coordinator, Inside Sales Associates, and a Marketing Director. Every part of the buying or selling process is handled with care, expertise, and 100% focus to ensure that you have a positive and profitable real estate experience.

Questions about selling your house? Call or text Eric Lowry at 513-368-3751.
Don’t forget to ask about The Lowry Team’s Sale Guarantee…
We’ll sell your home in 88 days, or we’ll sell it for FREE!

Read Selling a House in Cincinnati Part 1 Here

The Lowry Team – Keller Williams Realty is an award winning, full service real estate firm specializing in West Chester, Liberty Township, Mason, Monroe and the Northern Suburbs of Cincinnati. The Lowry Team is “Different By Design”… taking a team approach to home buying and selling. The Lowry Team consists of members that are focused on areas of specialization including Listing Specialists, Buyer Specialists, Transaction/Listing Coordinator, Inside Sales Associate and a Marketing Director.

Don’t Hire an Agent…Hire a Team. The Lowry Team.

Buyers and Sellers can reach The Lowry Team Keller Williams by calling or texting 513-368-3751.

Other articles you may be interested in:

Search the entire Cincinnati MLS for Homes For Sale

Find Out The Current Market Value Of Your Home

Where are interest rates headed?

Why Use a Real Estate Team Instead of a Single Agent

Sell Your House Faster – Stage It With Color!

Selling a Home in the Winter

Preparing Your Home for Sale: 10 Tips for Staging a Home

Can my real estate agent represent me on new construction?

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Selling a House in Cincinnati – 6 Steps to Selling Your Home

February 2, 2016 by Eric Lowry

513-368-3751 to Connect with a Top Real Estate Agent in Cincinnati

Home Values	Hassle Free Listing	Contact Us
West Chester	Liberty Township	Mason
Monroe	Fairfield Township	Fairfield

Whether you are thinking of selling your home next month or next year, if you want to get the best price for your home with the least amount of stress, it’s going to take some time and planning. Here are the six steps to keep in mind when selling a house in Cincinnati…

Step 1: Hire a real estate professional from The Lowry Team. Eric Lowry, CEO and Listing Specialist for The Lowry Team, will discuss your ideal time frame for selling your home, pricing strategies, tips to prepare for the market, as well as the net profit needed from the sale. Hiring an experienced real estate agent will help protect you and your best interests, and your potential equity in the sale of your home.

Step 2: Price it right. Eric Lowry will share your home’s cur rent market value with you. A Comparable Sales Analysis Comparable (CMA) will be run on your home, which takes into account recent sales of similar homes in the same market area. This detailed CMA, in addition to the current trends in the real estate market and years of experience, will help Eric determine the right listing price for your home.

Step 3: Stage the home to sell. Homes that are staged sell faster and for money than homes that are not. Keep in mind there is only one chance to make a good first impression on potential buyers. The Lowry Team can advise you on what improvements should or should not be made prior to listing your home. We can also refer you to a professional home staging company.

Step 4: Negotiate an offer. Your Realtor will help you negotiate the best sale price and terms for your home. This includes items such as price, occupancy, inspections, etc. Eric Lowry has over 16 years experience negotiating home sales in the Cincinnati area, and his listings sell for around 1% more than the market average – that could mean thousands of dollars more in your pocket. Make sure you hire an expert negotiator to represent you.

Step 5: Plan your move. The Lowry Team has an preferred vendor list to help you plan your move, and can refer you to an excellent moving company.

Step 6: Meet at the closing table. The sellers, buyers and their agents will meet with the title company representative to sign all of the papers and close on the house. Here you will receive the proceeds from the sale of your house, and can celebrate!

Read Selling a House in Cincinnati Part 2 here