Month: February 2019

How do I know a new home would be a better fit?

Over the 10 years that I’ve been selling real estate, I’ve learned to identify a few things that qualify someone as a buyer who should only think of buying a new home. Since my job is to show buyers everything there is on the market, I usually start with questions that help me understand what the buyer is looking for. Once we start actually looking at homes, it takes me about two homes to identify when resale is not for that particular buyer. I will still show them resale if they want, but let me share with you my top 5 reasons why I see buyers build new homes.

1. Having really bad allergies or Asthma and for that reason you require the ducts to be new or cleaned.

I had a client last year that wanted me to call every listing agent to ask if the ducts were recently cleaned; from the 12 homes I called, only some had had half the duct work redone or cleaned but not all of it. In the process we learned some of the homes had been flooded and the buyer did not want to risk it. After we we found this out, he decided to go with new construction.

2. There is not a house clean enough for you.

As I walk resale homes with buyers I can tell by the faces buyers make. They open cabinets and say things, look at vents, and so on. This buyer may require to see a few resale homes before they realize they need new.

3. You want the warranty.

While warranties vary from builder to builder, the majority do 1 year wall to wall, 2 years mechanical and and 10 years foundation.

4. There are no homes for sale that meet your criteria.

When a buyer looks to see what is for sale and can’t find anything that fits their needs.

5. You simply like new. 

I have only had a few of this and they know right away. All they want is new.

If you are thinking of buying a newly built home, do not forget that you still want to be represented on this purchase. The sales rep is not a licensed real estate agent and they represent the seller per the State of Texas. Even if you think it’s easy, trust me, you want someone on your side that has done this before. Plus, you DO NOT have to pay, the seller pays!

One more thing, Fort Bend County has plenty of new construction homes so finding one, most likely, won’t be a problem.

Do you like Japanese food?

We are Japanese food lovers in the Arjona household. I confess that we have it at least once a week and some members of my family could have it 3 times a day, every day. That being said when we moved to Sugar Land 18 years ago the options were very limited. We’d mostly drive into town for work and just ate it there. When I had my kids and stopped working in town, we still went into town a lot until we decided to start our search. We have tried every single Japanese place that opens, have gone a few times to some, and once to many. We have one favorite and I want share it with you, just in case you’ve never tried it.

Mori Ichi.

We love sushi and sashimi, and we are very picky about it. It must be super fresh and must be as delicious as possible. This is where we find this every time we go. The service is good and, well by now, they know us, so it feels like home when we come in. If you like Japanese food and want to try a very good place, give Mori a try.

Love is in the air! We’re not talking about Valentine’s Day — we mean all of the buyers falling in love with your home thanks to these easy staging tips. From simple DIY projects to decor and decluttering pointers, these effortless staging tips will wow the next buyers that step through your front door.

Clean, Clean, Clean

The single most important step for staging success? Clean. Break out those rubber gloves and scrub every corner, crack, and crevice that you can find. Not only will a clean home convey to buyers that you take good care of your space, but it’ll also ensure less work and fewer problems when they move in.

The home-staging cleaning process is more than just regular vacuuming, dusting, mopping, and scrubbing; you’ll need to go the extra mile. We’re talking waxing the floors, deep cleaning the carpets, polishing all of the handles and doorknobs, and more. Make an extensive list, and devote a whole weekend to tidying up.

Tackle Any Unfinished Projects

Do you have a notoriously leaky faucet that you haven’t gotten around to fixing, or a stain on the floor that you’ve been covering with a rug? Now is the time to take care of it.

Take an inventory of any unfinished projects you’ve accumulated. Whether it’s repairing a lighting fixture or patching a hole in the roof, ticking off pending projects is critical in the staging process. The last thing a buyer wants is to inherit problems from a home that they could’ve avoided.

Try Small-Scale DIY

You don’t have to add an extra room or install an in-ground pool to make your home stick out to buyers. There are plenty of simple and affordable DIY projects, from decor improvements to easy upgrades and repairs, that’ll make your home pop!

Need some ideas to kickstart the process? Try putting a fresh coat of paint on the walls, replacing outdated lighting, upgrading cabinet handles and doorknobs, or de-popcorning your ceiling — just a few of the many easy ways to elevate your home’s look.

De-personalize and De-clutter

While decorating plays a big role in catching a buyer’s eye, there’s a fine line between standing out and overdoing it. While you might like your style of decorating, buyers could find it off-putting, so keeping it neutral is key. Using house plants and seasonal greenery is always a solid option for filling empty space!

While you’re putting up that new decor, you’ll want your space to be clutter-free and open. If you have any old couches, outdated decorations, or unnecessary accent pieces, take the opportunity to get rid of them before showings start.

List Your Home with Local Experts

From helping you get your DIY on to handling the complicated closing paperwork, our team is dedicated to helping you have a successful and stress-free real estate experience.

Are you ready to get started on your selling journey? Don’t hesitate to give our team of local experts a call today!

Groove Music School

Groove music school opened its doors in April of 2015 in Sugar Land, TX after the now owner Gonzalo Arjona bought Dale’s Guitar shop and turned it into a music school.  Gonzalo has degrees in Music Production and Engineering and Music Business Management from Berklee College of Music in Boston, and an MBA from the University of Denver. After 12 years of doing something that had nothing to do with music, he came back to his passion; and this time he wanted to share it with kids like the ones he has at home. Gonzalo understands the importance of music in the developing brain and he also has a passion for music in general, for the pure pleasure of it.

Groove music school has quickly become one of the leaders in the area for instrumental instruction for children and adults. It offers training in all instruments, band programs, has 2 recitals per year, several singer showcases around town and other performance opportunities.

If you want more information or you would like to sign up for a class here is there website.

https://www.groovemusicschool.com/copy-of-home