What You Should Know About Home Improvements

NORFOLK, VA, Feb 17, 2014—Many potential first-time homebuyers list “home improvement costs” as a reason they're wary about making the switch from renting to owning. While it's true that being your own landlord means you will be doing a lot more work on your property, home improvement doesn't need to be a time and money suck. In the following article, Louis Eisenberg, Associate Broker REALTOR ABR SFR of Prudential Towne Realty takes us through some home improvement basics.

How often will you need to repair?

“From the day you move in to the day you sell your home, there will always be something that will need to be repaired or remodeled,” says Eisenberg. “You may want to undertake some changes simply to elevate your comfort level – like installing central air conditioning – or spruce up the home’s aesthetics, such as adding a few stained-glass windows.”

But other work will need to be done to maintain the property and minimize problems later on. For example, replacing a hazardous roof, fixing broken windows, and repairing leaky pipes. These are all necessities. Left undone, they can lead to major problems and damages within the home.

“But this doesn't mean home improvement needs to be exhausting or daunting,” says Eisenberg. “If you keep on top of your home's condition, it's possible to stay ahead of your improvements.”

How can you stay ahead of your home?

From the very beginning, get in the habit of taking an inventory at least once every year of every nook and cranny of your home to check for potential problems, suggests Eisenberg. Examine the roof, foundation, plumbing, electrical wiring – basically everything. Try to fix trouble spots as soon as you uncover them. This proactive approach will help you avoid larger expenses later on, so leave no stone unturned when taking your inventory.

How expensive will home improvements be?

It's hard to project a price tag, but Eisenberg suggests you can expect to spend one percent of the purchase price of your home every year to handle a myriad of tasks, including painting, tree trimming, repairing gutters, caulking windows, and routine system repairs and maintenance.

“An older home will usually require more maintenance, although a lot will depend on how well it has been maintained over the years,” explains Eisenberg.

Tell yourself that the upkeep of your home is mandatory, and budget accordingly. Otherwise, your home’s value will suffer if you allow it to fall into a state of disrepair. “Remember,” cautions Eisenberg. “There is usually a direct link between a property’s condition and its market value: The better its condition, the more a buyer will likely pay for it down the road.

Also, adopt the attitude that the cost of good home maintenance is usually minor compared to what it will cost to remedy a situation that you allowed to get out of hand. For example, unclogging and sealing gutters may cost a few hundred dollars. But repairing damage to a corner of your home where gutters have leaked can potentially cost several thousands dollars.

For more information on home improvements, please contact Louis Eisenberg, Prudential Towne Realty, 109 E. Main Street, Norfolk, VA 23510, leisenberg@prudentialtownerealty.com, 757-572-7244 or www.LouisEisenberg.com

How To Buy A House

How to Buy a House – As Told by Real Estate Memes

3 Home Buying Tips For 2014

NORFOLK, VA, Feb 05, 2014—As the market makes steady moves toward a solid recovery, more and more hopeful homeowners are entering the playing field. If you're looking to buy a new home this year, be it a downsize, vacation home, or your very first house purchase, follow these three tips, offered by Louis Eisenberg, Associate Broker REALTOR ABR SFR of Prudential Towne Realty.

Check into reality

Instead of daydreaming your ideal home, make a list of what things are absolutely essential: a specific number of bedrooms, close proximity to work or your child's school, a decent-sized yard. “Once you know what you need, but before you begin your actual house hunt, start looking at what sold in the last six months that fits your bill,” says Eisenberg. See what the selling prices are looking like, and figure out if you can afford a similar price tag. If you can't, it might mean waiting a bit, or reassessing your needs.

Get pre-approved, not pre-qualified

Many people get confused between “pre-approved” and “pre-qualified” when it comes to obtaining a loan. “Getting pre-approved means a bank has qualified you for a mortgage based on information you provided, but they have not actually checked up on your credentials,” says Eisenberg. A letter of pre-approval means the bank has thoroughly checked out your financial status, and is ready to give you a loan. “This holds more weight in terms of buying quickly, and can act as leverage should it come to beating out other buyers,” explains Eisenberg.

Don't lowball

“When it was a buyer's market, lowballing was often a good way to start negotiating price,” notes Eisenberg. However, now that we're seeing inventory shortages across the country and more and more buyers entering the fold, lowballing most likely means you won't land a deal. Instead, present a fair offer that's in your price range but still leaves some negotiation room on both ends.
For more information on buying a home, please contact Louis Eisenberg, Prudential Towne Realty, 109 E Main Street, Norfolk, VA 23510, leisenberg@prudentialtownerealty.com, 757-572-7244, or www.LouisEisenberg.com

Home Buying In A Competive Market

For more information on Home Buying, please contact Louis Eisenberg, REALTOR, Associate Broker, Prudential Towne Realty, 109 E. Main Street, Norfolk, VA 23510 leisenberg@prudentialtownerealty.com, 757-572-7244, www.LouisEisenberg.com

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Homeowner's To Do List: Revamp Your Garage

NORFOLK, VA, Jan 29, 2014—If your garage is musty, cluttered or downright chaotic, don't stress. In the following article, Louis Eisenberg, Associate Broker REALTOR ABR SFR of Prudential Towne Realty gives us a few tips to take your garage space from disorganized and dirty to livable, or at least lovable.

Sort. “The first step to organizing your garage is clearing out anything you no longer need,” says Eisenberg. Donate old items (like kiddie toys your troop has long outgrown) and toss anything no longer working.

Clean. Now that you're only keeping the essentials, clean your garage from top-to-bottom. Powerwash the floor, scrub down the walls, and get into every nook.

Paint your floor. Once your floor is clean, Eisenberg suggests, give it a glossy coat of paint. Use an epoxy paint, which provides a tough finish that will hold up longer and resist cracking and peeling.

Add storage. Wall-to-wall shelves or a storage unit can help keep your newly ordered space organized for longer. “To find the perfect place for an item, keep in mind how often you use it,” suggests Eisenberg. If it's an every week thing, don't place it on a top shelf. That sprinkler that won’t come out for six more months? Feel free to stow that away until summer.

Utilize wall space. Hang gardening tools and appliances along the wall, suggests Eisenberg. Add a coat or shoe rack if you often enter the house through the garage.

Upgrade lighting. Tired of digging around a dark garage? Make sure you have ample lighting – not just the automatic light that comes on when the door opens, notes Eisenberg.

Create usable space. Don't park your car in the garage? Or maybe your garage is larger than you need. Create usable space – like a workshop, or a home gym corner. Now that your garage is clean, organized, and well-lit, you won't mind crafting or sweating in it.23510
For more information on remodeling your home, please contact Louis Eisenberg, Realtor, Prudential Towne Realt, 109 E Main Street, Norfolk, VA 23510, leisenberg@prudentialtownerealty.com, 757-572-7244, or www.LouisEisenberg.com

Tight Home Mortgage Credit Impact Continues

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