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The late comedian, George Carlin, had a humorous routine about people and their stuff. In it, he laments that the only reason people need a house is to have a place to keep all their stuff. And when you get too much stuff, you have to move to a bigger house so you have more room to buy more stuff! And on it goes… Sort and Pack As a real estate broker, I can confirm that Carlin's routine is closer to reality than many of us might like to admit. When meeting with potential sellers for the first time, they often comment about needing to sort and pack their personal belongings before putting their home on the market. They're visibly overwhelmed by the reality of the chore at hand, especially those folks who are older, have lived in their home many years and are in the process of downsizing. It seems that no matter the size of one's home, over time, it somehow becomes filled with stuff. Storage Sheds and Stuff In fact, some people have so much extra paraphernalia that they ultimately choose to acquire an additional storage shed or rent a storage unit to keep belongings safely intact. In truth, there's just no completely painless way around managing an over-abundance of stuff. If I'm being completely honest, I fully understand my clients’ feelings. Boxes and Boxes! I, too, need to face boxes of items that have been stored for years and never opened. Some of my boxes aren't even labeled. Not knowing what is inside, I'll often think to myself, “I gotta get rid of this stuff.” My daughters have established their own homes and for the most part, have no interest in the items that have been stored in my house for so many years. Additionally, they have no interest in any of the furniture we currently own. Living on Love When my husband, Scott, and I were first married we had very few household items and appreciated receiving any functional piece of furniture that a family member no longer wanted and passed our way. But the young married couples in our family have a different idea of how they want their homes decorated, preferring trendy pieces from IKEA and online shopping sites rather than the solid wood furniture the older generation has accumulated during their lifetimes. Sentimental Treasures Very few items in our home have any monetary value, but there are a few sentimental furnishings that Scott and I hope to someday pass on to our children or grandchildren. Specifically, that list consists of two cedar chests, a caned rocking chair and a small cherry cabinet. Other than those 4 furniture items - and possibly some serving dishes and silverware my daughters might want - I am faced with the daunting task of getting rid of years of accumulation. I believe I should begin sooner rather than later while I am still physically able to move boxes and under no emotional stress to get the job done. Frankly, it's a job I'm not especially looking forward to, and procrastination is often easier than facing the daunting task at hand. Speaking of procrastination, if you have never seen George Carlin's routine about stuff, I highly recommend you check it out and see if it holds true for you as much as it does for me! In fact, watching Carlin's routine on YouTube seems like a solid enough reason to shut the storage room door and put my clean out project off for another day! Full of Treasures How about you? Is your house full of treasures you have accumulated over the years? Have you ever felt the need to sort and pack your personal belongings before putting your home on the market? If so, we would love to hear your best tips to make the process easier! Rebecca Zacharias is an experienced, licensed House 2 Home Realty real estate broker who specializes in Lake of Egypt and surrounding areas. Contact Rebecca by calling or texting (618) 521-6369 or emailing rjzacharias@aol.com.

Getting a loan preapproval letter from a reputable lender is an easy process that should be done before you begin your home search. Why You Need This Letter You and your agent need to know what price range you should be looking in. When you look at houses in a higher price range than you can afford, you'll be setting yourself up for disappointment. It's hard for a $100,000 house, for example, to compete with a $150,000 house. Most sellers and their agents require preapproval letters to be submitted with offers, so make sure your agent has a copy of this document. That way, you'll be ready to go should you find a house you love and want to make an offer. During the preapproval process, your lender will explain expenses you'll incur when purchasing a home. Understanding associated expenses allows you to budget accordingly. Applying For A Loan Contact a lender (or lenders) of your choice and ask what you need to do to complete and sign a residential loan application and any required disclosures. Some lenders allow you to fill out an application online, so don't hesitate to ask if this is something that would be helpful to you. Set up a time to meet with your lender(s). It's not unusual for buyers to interview two or three lenders if they don't have a trusted advisor already in place. Limited Time If time is limited and you need to move quickly, bring the following items with you to your initial lender meeting: Copy of driver's license or photo ID for each borrower. Copy of three most recent pay stubs for each borrower. (If you're retired or disabled, provide a copy of "Statement of Benefits" letter.) Copy of complete Federal Tax Returns for the past two years. Copy of W-2s and/or 1099s for the past two years for each borrower. Copy of checking and/or savings account statements for the past two months. Copy of 401K and/or investment statements if funds are being used for down payment. Now You Are Ready Feel free to reference this post and use it as a checklist as you begin the preapproval process. If you are not familiar with our H2H brokerage and our exceptional real estate services we offer Southern Illinois, please call one of our offices and ask to speak with an H2H broker. Don't go it alone.  Call 997-HOME (4663)!

Make A Great First Impression Buyers judge homes based on first impressions. A beautiful, clean and well-designed entrance serves to draw buyers into your home, especially if you're fortunate enough to have a front porch. Buyers love them, and those that are staged well can elevate your home's curb appeal to a whole new level! Set The Stage It's not unusual for buyers to rule out homes based on exteriors. As the term suggests, curb appeal starts at the curb or street. And yes, it's important that you spruce up your yard and landscaping details - mow your lawn, edge your curbs, pull weeds and trim overgrown bushes - but your porch is where buyers will wait for several seconds while their broker opens the door. In that moment, buyers have plenty of time to scrutinize and form opinions about a seller's home maintenance habits, so make sure your front porch shines. Take a few moments to "visit your porch" and look around. Clean the windows and doors, remove cobwebs and wash down the entire front porch. Here are more tips for taking your home's porch from average to unforgettable. Repair, Replace & Repaint First, make sure your porch is in good shape. Columns and support posts can be transformed with column wraps to match your home's architectural style, but if you're on a tight budget, staining or painting your porch columns and railings may be all that's needed to freshen things up. Make sure any railings are securely attached and feel sturdy when buyers lean against them. Next, if your porch floors or steps are in bad shape, make needed repairs before staging. No amount of staging will hide damaged areas that may turn off potential buyers. Be sure that your door's hardware looks nice and the lock works smoothly. If you have house numbers affixed to the front of your home, be sure they're visible from the street and look fresh and new. Make sure your doorbell is working - you'd be surprised how often buyers take the time to ring the doorbell to see if it actually works! If your front porch light fixture is looking worn, freshen it up with spray paint or replace it with a new fixture. And don't forget to be sure the lightbulb is working for nighttime showings! Front Door Focus A freshly painted, clean front door will draw people to your house. Don’t be afraid to use a vibrant color. If the color blends well with your home’s other exterior colors, it's okay to choose a bolder hue. If you have shutters, paint them a more neutral color so the viewer’s eye remains focused on the front door. If you prefer a traditional black or white front door, you can still make your front door pop with a fresh, new magnolia wreath or a flat hanging basket of fern or eucalyptus leaves. A Glimpse Inside Your Home Designers suggest that your porch should reflect the inside of your home. For example, if your home is monochromatic white inside, use white and cream furnishings and fabrics with touches of grays, tans and pops of other colors on the front porch. If your home was built in the 1960s and your interior décor leans toward a more mid-century modern design, consider carrying that look out onto your front porch with retro furnishings. Furnish Your Outdoor Room Porch swings, wicker furniture, Adirondack chairs or a small table and chairs help create a front porch that feels more like an extension of your home’s living space. Choose furnishings that fit the architectural design of your home. For example, wicker furniture and porch swings look great on traditional Southern-style front porches, while iconic Adirondack chairs look perfect on lakefronts, Arts and Craft-style homes, cottages and bungalows. Accessorize to Maximize Add a new “welcome home” doormat at your front door, a couple of potted flowers or plants, pretty outdoor accent pillows to a bench or chairs, a large lamp with faux candles or set out a game of checkers on a small bistro table. Use your imagination when accessorizing and remember that less is always more when it comes to staging. Too many accessories may draw a buyer's attention away from your home's positive details. Small Porches Can Shine If your porch is more of a stoop, don’t be discouraged. Focus on painting your front door a fresh color, place a new welcome mat, hang a small basket of greenery or add a potted plant or two by your front door if there’s space for it. Most of all, trim back overhanging bushes and make sure the area shines.  Buyers will still appreciate your uncluttered, well-maintained entrance. Your Porch Says, Welcome Home! Not only will drive-by lookers take notice of your home’s impressive front porch, visiting buyers will appreciate your efforts even more. Staging your front porch is a great investment of your time and money because if your front porch is welcoming and well-kept, buyers will feel confident that the rest of your home is, too! Your Ideal Porch Is there a particular front porch you have been dreaming about lately? Are you longing for a large wrap-around or a cozy and compact space? Tell us about your ideal front porch! We love hearing from you!

If you’re buying or selling a home in Southern Illinois right now, you’re probably aware that it’s a seller’s market. Low interest rates and the soaring price of lumber are both playing a part in this current market phenomenon. With the high price of lumber and other building materials, many buyers interested in taking advantage of low interest rates are turning to pre-existing homes rather than taking on the extra costs associated with new construction. Currently, the number of potential buyers exceeds the number of available properties on the market, so it’s not uncommon for a seller to receive multiple offers. This scenario can be tough for both buyers who are facing offer rejections at a higher rate than usual and sellers who are having to make judgement calls on which buyer is the most likely to close the deal. Put Yourself in the Seller’s Shoes For a buyer, it’s important to understand a seller’s perspective. First, there’s not a rule in place that says a seller must give all offers the same consideration. When sellers receive an offer they like, they can accept it immediately and reject the others for various reasons. (And no explanations to buyers are required.) The seller has the most control when it comes to deciding among multiple offers. They can do one of three things: 1.) Accept the offer with the most favorable terms and reject the others. 2.) Counter the offer with a price and terms that are more desirable to the seller and either reject the others or put the others on hold while they negotiate the favored offer. 3.) The seller might also request that buyers submit their highest and best offers by a certain date and time. Once the offers are received, a seller can decide which buyer they want to work with based on the highest and best contract specifics. Once the seller and buyer come to terms, the sellers’ agent notifies the other buyers’ agents that their offers have been rejected. Multiple Offers Can Be Risky for Sellers While the seller does have a lot of control in multiple offer situations, they must also remember that some buyers aren’t interested in becoming a part of a bidding war. If a seller opts for the highest and best request option, they run the risk of losing one or more buyers in the process. Sometimes bidding wars work well for sellers; other times they don’t. It’s important for a seller to understand the risks when making decisions. Putting Together an Appealing Offer So what do sellers look for that would make a buyer’s offer more appealing? Obviously, cash offers are more appealing than offers being financed through a lender. Conventional loan offers are more appealing than FHA, VA or USDA loans because they have requirements conventional loans do not. Also, with a lender, there’s no guarantee that the buyer can actually obtain the loan. Preapproval and prequalification letters are not 100 percent assurances and financing can fall apart up until the day of closing. While this doesn’t happen often, it does happen. A cash offer above asking price is even more appealing. But how much higher than the offer price should a buyer go?  That’s a tough question for any buyer’s agent to answer. It’s a financial decision based on your ability to pay more without creating financial hardship for you or your family. It’s also a personal decision based on what the property and its features are worth to you. Market Value Vs. Personal Value While an agent can determine a market value range by looking at previously sold comparables, it’s harder for that agent to determine personal value for you as a buyer. For example, say a $200,000 property has an inground pool. One buyer might not want that pool, so that feature has very little value to him or her personally. In fact, it might make it hard for them to justify offering asking price, let alone offering over asking price. For another buyer who wants that pool and would spend $50,000 to 60,000 to add an inground pool, it might seem completely reasonable to offer another $10,000 or more over asking price. Ask Questions; Understand Seller's Motivations In other instances, an appealing offer for a seller is less about money and more about other terms. Was a pre-approval letter provided with the offer so the seller knows the buyer is serious enough about buying a house to have taken the initiative to talk with a lender? Maybe the seller needs to close within 30 days or maybe the seller is building a new home and needs a closing period longer than the usual 45 to 60 days. Either way, if your offer allows the seller to close within a more favorable time frame for personal needs, you may become the perfect buyer, even if your offer is a few thousand dollars below another offer. Have your agent ask plenty of questions up front about what kind of offer the seller is looking for so your first offer is desirable to a seller. You should go into any offer situation with the understanding that the seller may reject your offer and never give you the opportunity to provide more favorable terms. Some buyers who have experience with home construction and/or repairs may be comfortable buying a home without inspections. This can also be appealing to a seller since inspections sometimes create further costly negotiations after contract acceptance. Your real estate agent would be uncomfortable recommending this negotiating tactic, but if this is something you’re comfortable doing, please remember to mention it to your buyer’s agent. Again, that is a personal decision based on your abilities with spotting repair issues during your initial home visits. Other Deal Sweeteners Other ways buyers can sweeten deals for sellers: Shorten the inspection period so if there’s an inspection issue you can’t live with, the seller’s home is not off the market for an extended period. Only ask for what the seller is offering on the listing sheet. If the listing sheet says the range, microwave, dishwasher and refrigerator are included, don’t ask for the washer/dryer or other personal items the sellers aren’t planning to leave with the house. Up the amount of earnest money offered. Earnest money doesn’t change your bottom line at closing since it’s credited back to you, but a higher earnest money amount shows the sellers you’re serious and willing to put more on the line to have their property. If you can afford to pay your own closing costs, refrain from asking a seller to pay all or a part of this expense. If you’re wanting a home warranty for added peace of mind, pay for it yourself and avoid creating another expense for the seller. Seek Advice If you have fallen in love with a property and there’s potential for multiple offers, listen to your House 2 Home Realty agent’s advice and guidance. Also, listen to your lender and/or financial advisor’s wisdom. Together, they all can guide you on making the most realistic and favorable offer possible. You may prevail in a multiple offer situation or you may not, but at least you won’t have regrets that your offer could have been better.