Selling an elderly or deceased relative’s Myrtle Beach home can be one of the most selfless tasks anyone is ever called upon to do—and not just because it’s hard to let go of a place that has so many loved ones’ memories. What frequently adds to the emotional component is the condition of the house. Although your Aunt Elda might have loved the shag carpeting and the harvest gold kitchen appliances, those features can be counted on to turn off today’s typical home buyer. Bearing in mind that selling a home is first and foremost a business proposition, it’s frequently necessary to apply a few quick fixes to transform the storehouse of one family’s cherished memories into an appealing place destined to house another’s.

Ask: What Dates the House?

If a house reminds prospects of grandma’s place, unless they’re in a determinedly DIY frame of mind, they’ll move on to the next property on their list. Don’t let them overlook the many positive features of the house just because of a few old fashioned details. Scout out items that make the house look dated—and clear them out of there! Remove worn or discolored carpeting, then either replace with a bound carpet remnant or two, or leave the floors exposed. Selling a home in Myrtle Beach can hinge on a few minor things like replacing old cabinet knobs and light fixtures with more modern versions, or repainting walls in neutral colors.

Replace Kitchen Appliances

Our elders may have drilled into us the wisdom that it’s wasteful to get rid of perfectly good appliances, but homebuyers may not be swayed. For selling a home in today’s market, replacing appliances can be an easy way to inject new life into an old kitchen (even if the rest of the kitchen will need further updating by its new owner). But before splurging on any appliances, consult your real estate agent about what type of appliances buyers expect in this price range. If the place could make a perfect starter home for a young family, inexpensive white appliances might be just as strategic as the stainless steel models.

Or…Embrace the Vintage Charm!

Realistically, sometimes it would take too much money to update an inherited house. If that’s the case (and time is not an issue), turn the problem into a positive by embracing the house’s vintage charm! Old is just the wrong way of viewing antique…and one person’s dated can be another’s classic. If you’re dealing with a home that could double as a set for TV’s “Mad Men,” consider playing up the ‘60s theme with furniture, curtains and even vintage magazines you find at thrift stores or yard sales. Kiplinger.com finds that today’s buyers particularly appreciate eat-in kitchens—so why not add a period-appropriate dinette set to emphasize that space? But don’t forget to thoroughly clean carpeting, curtains and other items that may hold odors. Selling a home may mean capturing the look of a bygone era—but never the smell! A dated family home will sell faster and appeal to more buyers when you’re willing to make the right strategic changes. Spending just a little time and money can transform an overlooked house into one that demands a second look—that invites a new family to make it the site for another lifetime of memories. Thinking of selling a home in Myrtle Beach this fall? Trust in your local Myrtle Beach Real Estate Experts to help you sell your home this season! (843) 796-2111

Selling your home quickly and for the highest price possible demands that the Myrtle Beach showings be proactively appealing: that is, more than just a passive display of the residential “merchandise.” To make the most of the advantageous situation that any showing or open house should be, both you and your Realtor® must adopt the approach of any successful salesperson—namely, being certain every potential customer is shown the best aspects of the product. When it comes to Myrtle Beach home showings, that means staging.

Most of the advice you’ll read about staging follows the same general formula: organizing rooms; maintaining exterior landscaping; updating aged features; eliminating clutter. What’s sometimes missing from those guides is a practical problem: a prescription for showings when the home in question is currently housing a family busy with schoolwork, after-school extracurriculars and full time professional obligations—in other words, modern life!

No matter how unlikely it might seem, for families whose schedules are already overloaded (and then some), proactive showings are indeed possible! Here are some of the proven ways busy families keep their Myrtle Beach homes in peak shape:

Neutralize Décor

To maintain a home livable for a busy family at the same time it’s ready to display requires muting some of the practical as well as decorative elements. It’s a delicate balance that means first removing idiosyncratic design elements, then also keeping as many personal items as possible out of sight but readily accessible when needed. It’s a room-by-room effort, but when properly balanced, most of the family’s comfort zone can be preserved at the same time the home is ready for showcasing at a moment’s notice.

Spring Cleaning All Year-Round

As parents know, a busy home is genuinely tough to keep clean—yet, sparkling cleanliness gives visitors the sense of newness that prevents common objections from forming in prospects’ minds (fears that updates are called for; feelings that unseen mechanical issues could be lurking, etc.). The solution is one comprehensive deep-cleaning session followed by a regular once-over every week without fail. It’s a regimen that makes pre-showing cleanups quick, easy, and effective. For many busy families, it may be realistic to consider bringing in a housekeeping service once a week while showings are in prospect.

Shrink Living Spaces

In larger homes, one way to minimize the amount of effort showings require is to somewhat confine everyday living activities to designated areas. If everyone is used to occupying the living room, den, and game room, see if you can make one or more of the areas off-limits (especially during weekdays). This will allow you to preserve staging efforts and reduce a lot of last-minute scrambling.

Showings in Myrtle Beach are a key part of selling your home—as are a great marketing plan and well-designed listing—which is where I come in!

If you’re planning to list your home for showings this fall, contact me as soon as possible to start the pre-marketing planning that can help you and your busy house S-E-L-L! Trust in your Local Myrtle Beach Real Estate Experts at Plantation Realty Group! (843) 796-2111

You’ve done it: found what’s soon to become your family’s new Myrtle Beach home! It’s in a great neighborhood…reasonable commute…decent kitchen (size is right; definitely upgradeable). All this and it fits the budget! Congrats! Looks like your housing hunt is over...

YET…before you sign on the dotted line, there should be one last check-off. Factor in all the costs that improving the house to your liking will entail. The cost of home improvements in Myrtle Beach can be light—but since that’s not always the case, there are areas where the possible impact on your bottom line can be meaningful. For instance:

Anyone who has had the experience of paying for new fencing—even for just a section in need of replacement—has learned to respect the fencing cost factor. Depending on the type and size (and whether you have a neighbor who’s willing to split the cost!), it will be fairly simple to go online to find a generic online calculator that will estimate an all-in price.

Although repairing split or broken concrete can sometimes be as easy pouring new concrete over the old, often the old has to be jackhammered and hauled away before new concrete can be poured. There are different types of concrete to choose, including coloring and texturing. This is one Myrtle Beach home improvement that can easily run to several thousand dollars, depending on the size of the renovation.

This one’s a sleeper: the home improvement involving a clogged or blocked drain (or any of a variety of other drainage issues). If drainage issues come up in the inspection report, the long-term health of the property calls for prompt remediation. Usually this is a minor expense, but in extreme instances, you could be looking at clogs that must be excavated to be removed, topography changes, installing new drains, re-sloping concrete, or other fixes.

If sick or otherwise damaged trees are on the property, you could be a storm or two away from a dangerous issue. If removing the tree or trees has been advised, it will be best to plan on acting promptly.

Window replacement, when called for, requires an estimate by a Myrtle Beach home improvement contractor experienced in the specialty. Depending on how many windows and the type of trim involved, it’s a Myrtle Beach home improvement project that usually runs in the hundreds of dollars per window. The good news: it also increases the value of the home.

If you’re considering a property with old wiring, ungrounded outlets, or other known electrical issues, a certified electrician’s estimate is your best bet to foresee the extent that re-wiring could be needed.

Home improvements in Myrtle Beach can be immediately gratifying (such as a stunning kitchen remodel!)—or they can be the kind where peace of mind is the principal reward. Either way, after you’ve found a house that looks like a great find, it’s worth the effort to project the cost of improvements you will want to undertake during the first year.

If you’re looking to buy this fall, I’m here to help with a full portfolio of quality Myrtle Beach home improvement resources and referrals. For all your Myrtle Beach Real Estate Needs, Trust in Your Local Experts at Plantation Realty Group. (843) 796-2111

“If you are selling a Myrtle Beach home this fall, engage a Myrtle Beach staging professional to make your house look its best.”

If cost weren’t a factor, most everyone would agree with that advice. But is staging really worth the price? Can staging in Myrtle Beach actually help you sell your home? Of course, without being able to predict the future, a definitive answer isn’t possible. But there are at least three convincing reasons why a Myrtle Beach home seller should at least consider making the investment:

Money

A recent study by a leading national real estate company found that staged homes sold for over 6% more than did unstaged homes. We’re used to seeing this kind of statistic offered by staging professionals themselves, but this time it’s confirmed by a less-interested source. One reason could be that a staged home feels like more than an empty box. A Myrtle Beach staged home can help buyers to imagine themselves living in the home. The result is higher perceived value—the key to more motivated offers.

Time

The same study showed that staged homes sold twice as quickly as their non-staged counterparts. Well-executed staging can subtly communicate the kind of professionalism that instills trust: these people know what they’re doing. Chalk the swifter sales up to eager buyers whose sales resistance is lowered by the staged home environment.

The Online Factor

Imagine this: You are comparing two online listings for homes. Although they have similar features in the same price range, one seems sterile and empty, the other well-maintained and impeccably designed. Which home would you want to buy? With the prevalence of online listings, it’s becoming more and more important to have a photogenic home—one staged to draw attention to features like fireplaces, or that showcases kitchens or beautiful windows. These features might otherwise fade into the woodwork if they lack the bit of furniture and the few artistic touches designed to draw the eye.

By personalizing what would otherwise feel like empty space, a well-staged home can appeal to the emotional side of buyers, inviting them to imagine their life in your home. And a staged home is obviously well-kept—an important cue that will help it stand out in a crowded market.

Whether you decide to stage the home yourself or invest in a Myrtle Beach staging professional, the evidence is clear: a staged home is more likely to become a sold home. If you will be listing your home this fall, why not contact me today for information on reputable home staging companies? I can also offer a host of other current marketing ideas to put a ‘sold’ sign in front of your property! Trust in your Local Myrtle Beach Real Estate Experts at Plantation Realty Group to help you find your perfect home! (843) 796-2111

It seems just yesterday that the beach towels were coming out of the closet—alas! With back-to-school specials ending and Labor Day Weekend upon us, it’s time to admit that summer is just about done for. Whether you’ve just purchased a new property, are sprucing up your Myrtle Beach home with thoughts of putting it on the market this fall, or are just getting ready for the change of seasons, now is time to take a critical look at your abode as you prepare for cooler temperatures.

Fireplace

If you are lucky enough to have a fireplace, it’s unlikely to have gotten much use for quite a while. Now is the time to make sure your fireplace and chimney are clean and free of debris or other buildup (think ‘abandoned bird nest’). If it’s been a few years, calling in a pro to do a clean sweep is probably the best idea.

Carpet or Paint

Whether or not you are planning to , if it’s likely you will be tackling any interior painting, carpet replacement, or major deep-cleaning, handling these projects while the weather is still mild will speed drying and maximize ventilation—making those jobs considerably more pleasant!

Tree Trimming

Now is a good time to cut back branches that have overgrown your Myrtle Beach home’s roof—and one of the last chances to remove defective limbs while they still are easy to spot. Reducing the volume of leaves that will be clogging your roof’s gutters is a side benefit; another is eliminating an inviting pathway for the assortment of rodents who might seek refuge in your home as the temperature drops.

Yard Cleanup

Also on the topic of pests: firewood, ladders, and toys stacked against the house can also attract spiders, mice, and other undesirables. It’s a good time to do an end-of-summer inspection stroll around your Myrtle Beach home to double-check that the walls are clear of anything that may have been temporarily leaned against them.

Once all is done, you deserve to sit back, relax, and prepare to enjoy some football (that’s what fall is for, isn’t it?). Sweater weather may not be here for a while, but you don’t have to wait until then to call me to discuss any of your Myrtle Beach home real estate plans! Contact your Myrtle Beach Real Estate Experts at Plantation Realty Group today! (843) 796-2111

According to last month’s National Association of Realtors® announcement, existing home sales are up across the U.S., at the same time that home inventories are on the rise. In Myrtle Beach, it may point to a brisk fall market, with more prospective buyers deciding the time is right for buying a house.

It’s true that a few lucky prospects will find the perfect home after just an afternoon or two. But that’s not often the case: for most people, buying a house requires a good deal more shoe leather. Buyers who aren’t really certain of what they want in their future house may have to visit a few…or 40! But if you and/or your Significant Other can’t spend months touring houses, you’ll need to pin down the factors that are most important to you. It’s the most direct way to avoid wasting time on houses that don’t measure up.

So that makes the most important time-saver this—make a list!

First, narrow down the features you absolutely must have in a new home. You might decide you need a minimum of four bedrooms, a family room, and a two-car garage. You might also want a house that’s no more than 30 minutes from the office. It’s best if you keep the “must-haves” to no more than 3 to 5 non-negotiable elements.

• Next, add features that would be nice to have, but aren’t absolutely essential. You might prefer a house with a fenced yard for your dog, but would be willing to build your own fence if the price were right.
• Finally, add your deal-breakers. These might include a location on a busy street, a small kitchen, or the absence of a garage.
• When it’s finished, the full list will help you and your Realtor eliminate many of the homes that aren’t appropriate for you.

Everyone who is buying a house in Myrtle Beach today has another tool—a new one—that can further narrow the field: Google Earth. The traditional photos in the Myrtle Beach real estate listings focus on the house itself, rarely showing much of the neighborhood. Although the house might be attractive, it may lose some of its luster if you discover it’s next to a gas station or a on a street full of ill-kept homes. Use Google Earth’s Satellite and Street Views to virtually visit the neighborhood. It’s a truly efficient way to make a first pass at determining if the area looks promising.

Weekends are prime time for home touring, but since many homeowners require an advance appointment so they can vacate their houses for showings, scheduling consecutive time-slots can be problematic. You’ll see more houses efficiently if you take a weekday morning or afternoon off, taking advantage of a low-traffic day to schedule back-to-back showings.

For most of us, buying a house is most critical shopping we ever do—but that doesn’t mean it has to be endlessly time-consuming. If you are considering buying a house in Myrtle Beach this fall, contact us today to discuss which of Myrtle Beach’s upcoming properties best fit your wish list. Then let’s go take a look! Contact our Office at (843) 796-2111 to speak with a Myrtle Beach Real Estate Expert!

In an improving residential real estate market, first time buyers may flinch at the greater loan amounts that accompany larger price tags. Lending standards have also put some first time buyers through a tougher gauntlet than faced during many previous eras. Although some easing is now beginning to take place, some Myrtle Beach first time buyers can still find it difficult to secure the level of funding they seek. For them, there are a number of alternative funding possibilities that first time home buyers in Myrtle Beach may wish to explore. Here are some of the assistance programs that can serve buyers as they go about buying that first home:

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) Home Loan Guaranty Service is the most well-known of the programs, providing government guarantees for loans to service veterans and those on active or reserve duty. It also provides assistance to widows or widowers of veterans. Some VA loans require no deposit, and although the size of loans are limited and vary by area, the limits aim to make possible purchase of a mid-sized home. The actual loans are made by private lenders; the portion that is guaranteed by the VA protects the lender from losses should the veteran prove unable to repay the loan.

The HUD Basic Home Mortgage Loan 203(b) is a program that provides mortgage insurance to purchase or refinance one-to-four unit principal residences. Applicants who meet standard FHA credit standards and who pay the insurance premiums are eligible for approximately 96.5% financing provided by FHA-approved lenders.

The USDA Rural Development Single Family Housing Guaranteed Loan Program is a rural development grant designed to help low- and moderate-income rural applicants purchase a home. The rural development program works with local lenders to provide 100% financing for eligible home buyers. In order to qualify for the program, an applicant must live within one of the eligible rural areas and have a total household income that does not exceed the established limits for that area.

The Community Development Block Grant is one of the nation’s oldest housing assistance programs. The goal of the CDBG is to make funds available to urban communities to be disbursed to citizens in the low and moderate income range. The money allocated to the CDBG is provided to local government authorities, who have broad latitude in how they allocate the funds to create and upgrade local housing conditions.

Each program has its own specific application format, which may involve completing a grant application package or simply applying for a loan from an approved lender. More detailed information can be found on each relevant agency’s website.

Securing financing is just one step of the home-buying process—though a first time buyer may be excused if they find it an intimidating one. Whether you are a first time buyer in Myrtle Beach or a seasoned homeowner, trust in your Local Real Estate Experts at Plantation Realty Group! (843) 796-2111

With summer drawing to a close (say it isn’t so!), it’s time to cast an eye towards the prospects for this year’s fall home sales market. Fall can be a great time to list a home, but it can be especially opportune for luxury home sales in Myrtle Beach. It’s a season that traditionally brings out serious buyers—those looking to find a home and complete the move before the holidays. If you are selling a property that falls into the luxury home category, before you roll up your sleeves and get to work in earnest, here are some broad-brush pointers real estate writers cite most often:

Make Sure You Work With the Right Agent

Before you even begin other preparations, you can make the most efficient use of your time by first being sure you have recruited the right agent. Aim for a professional who has earned a reputation for successful luxury home sales in Myrtle Beach. A solid portfolio is the best demonstration that you’ve identified someone with the know-how (and the right contacts) that so often make the difference in luxury home sales.

Details Matter

Even more than with an average listing, Myrtle Beach luxury home sales depend on every detail being well handled. Don’t just have the windows cleaned—scour the screens, too. Don’t just put out a vase of flowers in the dining room—where tasteful, think about placing them by the beds; in the bathrooms, too. Make sure the entryway is always clear at every showing. In short, sell the dream of the picture-perfect luxury home. By treating every detail with care, you validate your luxury-level asking price!

Highlight Features

You know your property best—which gives you valuable insight into the features that make your home a standout. Make a list of additions, enhancements and luxury touches you have added, and other elements that would make any new owner proud. Where is the light most magical? When do the gardens burst with color? Your agent can determine which details will have the most impact in the each of the marketing media.

Know What to Expect

With luxury home sales, it’s a good idea to always keep the nature of the market in mind. Luxury home sales in Myrtle Beach can happen quickly, but more often than with an average property, success can take a little longer. A good agent will let you know how long similar homes have taken to sell in your price range—it’s useful background knowledge. Most often, the key to luxury home sales is the quality of showings rather than the quantity.

If you’d care to hear more about what we can expect for this fall’s luxury home sales in Myrtle Beach, contact me today. I’ll be happy to share an up-to-the-minute market analysis—the best way to project the outlook for the upcoming market. Trust in your Local Myrtle Beach Real Estate Experts at Plantation Realty Group! (843) 796-2111

For any Myrtle Beach resident who has ever been stymied by seemingly arbitrary (or, put another way, nutty) lowering of his or her all-important credit score, next month’s beginning rollout of Fair Isaac’s new credit score model should be welcome news. It will be known as “FICO 9”—and promises to correct a few of the previous model’s inadequacies.

Why now? It’s been six years since San Jose’s Fair Isaac Co. last tinkered with their credit score methodology. Hmmmm…it’s been six years, too since the financial crisis of 2007-08, which Wikipedia correctly describes as “a major global recession characterized by various systemic imbalances…including high levels of household debt...”

You might expect that the accuracy of many a Myrtle Beach credit score could have been thrown off-kilter during the crisis—if not throughout the painfully slow recovery that’s followed. If, for example, someone is laid off, then suffers a sudden medical emergency, a formerly spotless credit history would be seriously distorted. Add in regulatory pressure on the banks, and many truly responsible individuals could suffer unfairly. As The Wall Street Journal summarized in a recent article: “Since the recession, many lenders have approved only the best borrowers, usually those with few or no blemishes on their credit report.”

Keep in mind that the whole purpose of a FICO credit score is to help lenders predict the likelihood that an individual will repay a debt. Lenders pay for accuracy in credit scores—and last year they bought 10 billion of them!

BUT…because of two specific problem areas, the scores gradually were becoming less reliable as predictors. First, there was the fact that once a bill was sent to collection, it showed as a black mark—one that could lower a credit score by as much as 100 points—even after it was paid. For as long as seven years after it was paid! So FICO 9 will not penalize borrowers with a collection on their report once no balance remains.

Then there was a problem with medical debt scoring. According to WSJ, as of last month, more than 64 million consumers had a medical collection on their credit report. That would account for many a Myrtle Beach credit score being adversely affected—sometimes even when it had been an insurance company which rejected the charge…and sometimes when the consumer wasn’t even notified of the situation! Worse yet, when a Consumer Financial Protection Bureau report came out in May, it found that many borrowers’ credit scores weren’t being raised even after they repaid such a debt. FICO 9 will count medical debt sent to collections as less important than other kinds of debt.

The new scoring changes are expected to ease access to loans—Myrtle Beach mortgage loans included—without materially raising the risk exposure to lenders. But if history is any indicator, wholesale rejoicing may have to hold off for a while, because mortgage lenders can be slow to adopt changes in credit scoring.

Nevertheless, if you are soon to start looking for a new Myrtle Beach home, I’d recommend checking your current credit report to be sure all is accurate. Trust in your Local Myrtle Beach Real Estate Experts at Plantation Realty Group! (843) 796-2111

A newly-updated NAR survey confirms that 51% of agents with smartphones use iPhones. This fact is hardly startling, since these phones have been such a boon to the real estate business. Today’s agent can use apps to quickly scan and electronically sign documents, instantly get property details for clients, access key boxes—it’s almost hard to remember how we got along before!

But what about the 9% of homeowners who choose to go the FSBO (For Sale by Owner) route? As many a do-it-yourself home seller has learned, just planting a sign in the front yard does not constitute much of a marketing campaign. For those who will be selling a Myrtle Beach home this fall, creating a virtual tour is an all-but-indispensable way to take advantage of all an iPhone has to offer. For anyone who would like to shoot a virtual tour as a market aid, here’s the lay of the land:

· A Myrtle Beach virtual tour doesn’t need to be an all-out professional Hollywood production. You can keep matters as simple as possible using nothing more than your iPhone’s camera.

· More ambitious self-producers can invest in devices like the GoPano. This attaches to your phone: its curved mirror collects light and streams it into the camera as you walk. The free app converts the image into a moving scene which allows viewers to pan in any direction.

· If your Myrtle Beach virtual tour will be assembled without any add-on equipment, it’s still possible to meld your photos into panoramas using one of the many apps devised for that purpose. Just make sure the results meet your quality standards—not all apps are created equal.

· Follow the conventional tips for video shooting: in motion, walk slowly, keeping the iPhone as steady as possible. For stills, an iPhone tripod is a valuable addition. Not only does it prevent hand motion blurring; it also allows you to rotate the camera for a 360-degree view.

· Free or low-cost apps allow you to assemble your virtual tour from stills and video. Search for “real estate virtual tours” in the app store for a comprehensive list. Look for apps that have high ratings—especially those that score well on the ‘user-friendly’ scale. You can also find services through the app store that will take your uploaded images and create the tour for you.

· After you have made your Myrtle Beach virtual tour, if at all possible, preview the result on an iPhone, iPad, PC, and an Android device. It’s an unfortunate fact that a virtual tour that plays well on one device does not necessarily display the same way on the others. If you used an app to create panoramas, you should definitely watch it on a PC before releasing it to be sure the image quality is adequate on a larger screen.

Virtual tours in Myrtle Beach listings are just one part of an effective Myrtle Beach real estate marketing effort. Of course, the easiest way to have a professional-looking production is to forget about FSBO altogether and just call me! After all, it’s my full-time job to create and assemble a comprehensive marketing plan that gets your home sold for top dollar. Trust in your Local Myrtle Beach Real Estate Experts at Plantation Realty Group to help you this season! (843) 796-2111