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Is it OK to decorate for the Holidays when Selling your Home?

The answer is, maybe.

This past week I shot this beautiful 4 bed/3.5 bath single-family home in Cumming, GA that was decorated for Christmas and it went under contract in two days with multiple offers. BUT How You ASK?

Well it really depends on several factors including location, condition and PRICE.

LOCATION

In this area and this neighborhood, homes are still competitive. This home is in South Forsyth County which is a highly desirable area for schools and overall quality of life. This part of the county is easily accessible for getting to Atlanta and is close to 400 and North Georgia. So, consider where your property is located, and will it be competitive? If so, keep reading! If not, maybe leave the decorations off.

CONDITION

Even though the seller had Christmas decoration up there was still a few rules they kept. The house was still very clean. If you have a tree, make sure there are no needles under it, packages are wrapped and look nice and all the lights on the tree work. Keep the decorations decluttered and be sure there aren’t many (no more than three items) on any one surface. Make sure the color scheme is simple and complimentary to the colors on the wall and your furniture.

If you are selling while having decorations up definitely use Professional Photos. You want to make sure you’re showing off the space, the architecture and the feel of the home. Wide angle, well-lit photos will help put forth the best image of your listing. If your agent isn’t doing this for you- you may want to get a different agent. 🙂

PRICE

Listed at $375,000 the agent based the price on the comps in the area for the last three months and made the adjustments needed compared to other properties in the neighborhood. The higher the price point, could mean the home will sit longer on the market. This is where having a professional Real Estate Agent is extremely beneficial. They will be able to look at your area and see if they think the house will sell before the holiday season is over. You don’t want holiday photos sitting online too much into January because then people wonder what’s wrong with the house and why hasn’t it sold?

The RESULTS

So, can you still sell a home with Christmas decorations up? This home was in a competitive location, was in good condition (although it needed painting in the bathroom) but it was priced right and had multiple offers (3 actually) and went binding in two days after listing. During the time when most people think people aren’t buying, this home had THREE offers. You can imagine this seller was happy about that.

Posted inBlog

How to Sell a House You Inherited – the reality behind probate

First of all, there is always that emotional bit of preparing a loved one’s house ready for sale – which most likely includes depersonalizing his or her rooms and also clearing out all the belongings… Then there is the cost of marketing the house in order to attract potential buyers.

Usually heirs get to deal with the high costs of liens and other issues. Consequently, disagreements may arise.

Therefore we have compiled a few points that should help steer you in the right direction, if you ever find yourself in such a dilemma. Here are a few tips on how to sell a house you inherited , without having to sweat much.

Making the probate process go smoothly

  • Get some advice
    The first step you should take is to get some professional advice. You must understand the status your house is in. Make sure that you verify your ownership. Seek advice from a real estate attorney. Get info from other experts too. And completely utilize this site too of course. We can also give you a fair deal for your inherited local Columbus house if it qualifies. Fill out the form here to get started.
  • Next Step: Begin the probate process
    Before you embark on the selling process, your house must go through a probate. Most countries allow for a summary probate – which is just a simple process that takes a very short time and involves less legal processes. Once your house passes the probate process , you can then put it on the market.
  • Tax consideration
    The tax basis of your property is the house value on the date that the person who willed you died. The difference between the amount you realize from the sale and the value is basically the gain on which you owe the taxes.

How to sell a house you inherited

  • Agreeing to sell
    If you are ready to sell your house , you can inform the executor to petition the court in order to get the “go ahead” sign and proceed with the sale from the there. Problems always arise when siblings who share the inheritance have different views – for instance others may want to sell the house while others may not be for the idea. If and when this happens to be the case, it is important to “disagree to agree”. It is also important to involve your estate lawyer in this stage.
  • Preparing to sell
    A house that belonged to an elderly person may require repairs and a bit of updating before you can put it on sale. You will need to get rid of everything! You can choose to hire an inspector to note down potential issues and recommend possible repairs. Although you can sell a home “as is” you may be forced to accept a lower price, especially if your house requires extensive repairs or cleaning.