Selling Your Home in the Spring 2019? Don't Forget to Stage the Exterior!

There is no question, homes are selling fast in the Twin Cities this spring! In many cases, the sold sign is hanging within a day or two of the post being put into the ground. On occasion however, a home might linger due to lack of curb appeal.  A home that oozes curb appeal is the reason people say "Honey, Stop the Car!" and "This is THE One!" without even stepping foot over the front door threshold. It can also be a determining factor in why some houses will have half a dozen offers the first day while others linger on the market. 

But what does a homeowner need to do to make their Minneapolis/St Paul home a neighborhood standout? One key is staging. Homes with great staging sell quickly and for top dollar. Sunny warm weather has many buyers searching for their dream home both online and in person. Potential buyers drive by properties and check out the neighborhood. They do a slow pass in front of new listings to see what each home's exterior looks like in real life. During the winter a fresh blanket of snow and shoveled the sidewalk are enough to jazz up the exterior of a Minnesota home. But in May and June, Minnesotan's can really make their home's curb appeal POP! Here are a few quick ideas:

• ADD POPS of COLOR Even if you don't have a green thumb, invest in some bright colorful hanging baskets full of annuals for your front porch. Or put some planters with assorted plants on your front stoop. However, if you think you will be too busy to water the plants, it might be best to get a colorful flag or entry wreath instead. Dead plants in the doorway will be noticed too.
• Frame with MULCH Not time to weed gardens near house? A fresh layer of colorful mulch can really add some pizazz to the landscape inexpensively.
• CUT the GRASS If you home is on the market you have to make sure the lawn is manicured to perfection at all times. In fact, it is a very good idea to make sure all trees and shrubs are trimmed to show of the home too.
• PAINT the FRONT DOOR There are no excuses for having a dirty, scuffed up front entry with peeling paint. If you want to sell to an FHA first time homebuyer, you need to address the peeling paint issue anyway so why not make a great first impression with a freshly painted front door and entry?
•  SEAL COAT the ASPHALT If the driveway is looking more gray than black, a fresh coat of sealant can make a world of difference.
• JAZZ UP the "SHE" SHED! Have a garden storage shed in your backyard? "She" sheds are IN! It is a beautified "makeover" of a basic shed with bright paint, fun planters, lights and decor that breathes new life into a boring, old shed. 

Have more questions about your selling your Anoka County home? Ask Me! I Can Help!

Need More Ideas Home Selling Tips? If you are buying, selling or relocating to Minnesota and need help from a professional REALTOR®, give me, Teri Eckholm of BOARDMAN Realty, a call or visit my website for a FREE Home Buyer Success Guide or FREE Home Value Report. I specialize in acreage and lakeshore properties in the north and east Twin Cities metro area including Ham Lake, Lino Lakes and all communities in the Forest Lake School District! Serving Anoka, Chisago, Ramsey and Washington Counties in Minnesota.
 
Copyright 2019 terieckholm.com

Trimming Your Anoka County Oak Trees Now Could Cost Thousands!

Spring has sprung a wee bit early in Minnesota which is causing many plants and trees to bud. Mature trees can add a tremendous value homes especially on Anoka County acreage. But trees do require maintenance too. Not only do they need their leaves raked in the fall, often a professional pruning can preserve and enhance the foliage for generations to come. However, trimming oaks is not something to be done without thought given to timing. Oak trees are best trimmed in winter months.

Sadly, in many counties of Minnesota, oak wilt is spreading. It is a nasty disease that can kill a mighty oak quickly and without warning. Keeping the fungus at bay takes forethought when doing spring and summer yard work.

Ignoring oak wilt only causes the disease to spread. Since it can take decades to grow a beautiful oak shade tree, shouldn't they be protected? A wooded landscape has a direct affect on a property's value. The loss of mature oaks can cost a homeowner thousands of dollars in potential value when it comes time to sell.


What is Oak Wilt?

Oak wilt is a disease caused by a fungus that destroys the entire central system of the tree from its  roots to the tips of its leaves. The tree will try to block the fungus, but in doing so it blocks all water and nutrients to the branches and leaves. Eventually, the tree's leaves will begin to wilt then dry up and the tree will die.

Oak wilt spreads in two ways. It will either be attacked through the root systems of near by trees or by fungus beetles that carry the oak wilt spores from tree to tree. For additional information on oak wilt from the University of MN Extension Service.

Here are a few important reminders to prevent the spread of Oak Wilt:

•     To prevent the spread of devastating disease, it is imperative to follow the guidelines for oak wilt prevention. Do not prune, damage or cut down oak trees during the spring and summer growing season from April through the end of September. With our early warm temperatures this year, it might be best to wait until fall now.

•     During the spring and early summer months of May and June, oaks are at especially high risk to this highly contagious disease.

•     Any wood or branches taken down over the winter that is infected with oak wilt needs to remain covered under black plastic and completely sealed until after July 1.

•     During the summer if you sustain storm damage and lose a limb from an oak on your property, immediately paint the wound with black tree paint to seal the wound and prevent exposure to the oak wilt fungus.

How to Protect Your Trees

• The fungus beetles infect trees that have been recently injured or trimmed. These beetles are very active in the spring and summer months. Oaks should be protected from damage and not trimmed from April through July.
• If an oak tree is damaged during a spring or summer storm, apply tree paint immediately to any wounds that accidentally occur.
• If an oak is infected a nearby neighboring property, your trees could be at risk through their intertwined root system. Oak roots travel up to 50 feet out. The fungus can pass underground from tree to tree. Roots can be cut using a trencher or vibratory plow to prevent the spread of oak wilt. The process uses a five foot blade that severs the roots to protect neighboring trees. Root cutting should be done prior to tree removal. 

Have a Minnesota Real Estate Question? Ask Me! I Can Help!

READY to Make YOUR Move? If you are buying, selling or relocating to Minnesota and need help from a professional REALTOR®, give me, Teri Eckholm of BOARDMAN Realty, a call or visit my website for a FREE Home Buyer Success Guide or FREE Home Value Report. I specialize in acreage and lakeshore properties in the north and east Twin Cities metro area including Ham Lake, Lino Lakes and all communities in the Forest Lake School District! Serving Anoka, Chisago, Ramsey and Washington Counties in Minnesota.

Copyright 2017 terieckholm.com

I Have a BS in Marketing (and I will use it to Sell YOUR Home!)

I have always found it amusing to have a B.S. in Marketing. On my resume, I work hard to avoid the humor by extending to a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration/Marketing from but for short is a BS in Marketing.

However, marketing is not BS…especially when selling a home. Marketing IS the key to a fast sale at the best price.

What can good marketing do?

• Bring in Buyers
• Create Interest
• Generate Offers

A strong marketing plan is more than listing a home in the MLS and putting a for sale sign in the yard. When I market a home, I analyze the property to discover its unique selling features. What is IT that sets this home apart from the rest? Sometimes these features are obvious but not always. But one thing is for certain, every home has an angle that will make it desirable to buyers. Once that angle is discovered and positively exploited to a home sellers advantage, the buyers (and offers) come in.

The unique selling feature will be different for every home so it would be impossible to list every example here. A lakeshore home will focus on the lake, fishing and wildlife while an acreage home may be marketed for its privacy, wildlife and gardens. Of course each home will have some features, whether it is a new remodel or well-priced fixer upper. It is an art to find that special feature to sell a home.  And, that is my very favorite part of marketing single family homes. Working with a seller to define what makes their home special and together we design a plan to market their home.

Keep in mind there are some things that even good marketing cannot do. 

• Marketing cannot sell an overpriced home. Getting the price right is still imperative.
• Marketing cannot save a hot-mess. Whether your home needs paint, repairs or just a good old fashioned cleaning, you don’t spiff up the house a bit, homebuyers won’t see the potential.

Home sellers are responsible for preparing the home to obtain the best possible outcome. If you want to sell as-is without additional work, that’s okay. But then agree to price the home appropriately making PRICE is the unique selling feature. Yes, even a fixer-upper deserves to be marketed.

Copyright 2013 www.terieckholm.com

It's Not Your Grandma's Kitchen Linoleum!

Faux Ceramic Tile Vinyl Flooring

Our kitchen, laundry and main hallway flooring was a beautiful white geometric design. It was a very popular pattern when we purchase our home in the late 1990’s but a decade later, it was just ugly.  

Being a REALTOR® and knowing we would be moving within a few years, we didn’t want to over remodel our home but knew we had to make changes during our kitchen remodel in 2010. We decided on an upgrade of hardwood for the kitchen and adjoining family room we were converting into a dining room but what to do with the hallways and laundry? In my mind’s eye, I saw ceramic tile but it didn’t calculate as a wise investment. Our second thought was a laminate floor that looked like tile. However the flooring store professionals talked us out of that one—best not to use Pergo-type products anywhere that is damp due to potential peeling of the image. So, we finally opted for an upgraded vinyl that looked like tile. Some of the faux-ceramic tile products have a visible texture so one has to reach down and touch it to see if it is tile or not. It was the perfect choice! The first day after the vinyl floor installation, our milkman was making his weekly delivery and asked when we had the ceramic tile installed. Bingo! Now, two years later and it still looks new! And best of all, it was just a fraction of the cost of ceramic or laminate flooring.

It is essential to make smart choices when upgrading features in your home. This is especially true if you plan to move someday. Not every home has the value or location to support high quality upgrades. Sometimes a good, budget-conscious alternative is the way to go. Over upgrading is one of the saddest news I have to deliver when people ask a market analysis. There is often a misguided expectation of receiving a dollar for dollar return on the remodeling investment. The reality is more of 25-30% return on investment on average for most remodeling projects. However, not doing anything when your home is out of date or deteriorating can affect the bottom-line when it comes time to sell. This is where a REALTOR® for life comes in. If you are unsure of whether you need to install the most expensive or just a good quality alternative product in your next remodel, give all me. I can help you decide whether your upgrades will make sense for the neighborhood. 

Copyright 2012 Teri Eckholm