RELOCATING FROM LAS VEGAS MEANS PRIORITIZING CRUCIAL ELEMENTS
Once you’re mentally prepared for the relocating experience (to self: “it’s the right move”), where is the first order of business. Perhaps you’ve outgrown your Las Vegas home anyway—the family simply needs more space. Perhaps relocating is necessary for work reasons, or now that the kids have moved out, you’re ready to downsize. No matter what the reason for relocating from Las Vegas, thoroughly evaluating the possible destination communities before deciding to buy couldn’t be more important. While your real estate agent can be an invaluable resource in guiding you to the right home within your target area, the original question—designating the search perimeter—is pretty much in your wheelhouse. If you are not already committed to an area because friends or family make it an easy decision, one way to think about narrowing your choices is to recognize and prioritize the elements most important in your day to day living: If you have kids, the quality of the school districts will play a major role in relocating. The web offers a number of rating and comparison sites (to find them, just search for ‘school district ratings’). How you winnow the field will be different depending on the age of your children and your priorities. Once you’ve narrowed the field, you can get an inside look at where your kids might be studying if you include tours of potential schools in your house hunting forays. See if you can seek out parents of current students to get their take on the school’s performance: it’s the bottom line. It may not be a major concern in all neighborhoods here in Las Vegas, but remember that safety is paramount—so you want to choose a community that is comfortable for you. Again, the web makes this research much easier than in year’s past. Many police department websites include crime maps where you can find both nonviolent and violent crime statistics organized by zip code. Before relocating—in fact, even before you begin your property search—make sure the target areas are safe! You might not be a resident of the new community just yet, but you can act like one during your research phase. Hang out at a local park; take a stroll through the neighborhood. Have a family dinner at a nice restaurant, and breakfast at the local diner (be sure to pick up any flyers that are laid out on the counter). Look for community events, like fairs or festivals. These simple experiences will give you a sense of the community—one that should make your move less intimidating. Just a little time spent in the neighborhood can help you decide whether the area feels right to you. Population densities and traffic profiles can differ widely from what you are used to here in Las Vegas. Some are pedestrian-friendly others in a nearly permanent state of gridlock. Picture your daily commute, whether you’re heading to work, taking the kids to school or both. How close are grocery stores, restaurants, and retailers? Are doctors’ offices, salons, and other services handy—or a painful 25 minutes away? Looking beyond the house and at the community as a whole can make relocating the success you hope it will be. If you have to leave Las Vegas, the most fundamental stress-reducer is the one that comes first: the expert handling of the sale of your Las Vegas home. Do give me a call: after all, that’s where I come in!
ST PATRICKS DAY PERFECT DAY FOR SELLING A LAS VEGAS HOME
Many people don’t fully understand why it is that St. Patrick’s is the perfect day for selling a Las Vegas home, or for buying one. But if ever there was a right time to explain it, this is it. There is one drawback to any such explanation, though: namely, that it makes so little sense. That does not seem to make much difference to a lot of real estate industry marketing supply companies. I can bear witness to that fact, in the form of the postcards and various art pieces that are pitched to Realtors en masseahead of every St. Pat’s. As you might guess, they are green (usually very green) and almost without exception bear some rendition of a four leaf clover. Also rainbows, pots of gold, wee leprechauns wearing green top hats with buckles on them, and sometimes horseshoes (to indicate the Luck O’ the Irish, of course). What could this have to do with selling a Las Vegas home or buying one? That’s very hard to pin down. There is the simple good will postcard, that says, “Happy St. Patrick’s Day” with no further connection. That’s a nice thought, certainly, and not risky. Who wouldn’t want to have a happy St. Patrick’s Day? There is one with a good-looking home at the end of a rainbow, with a wee little leprechaun holding a “Welcome Home!” sign—certainly a strong connection between selling an Las Vegas home and the celebration. One of the best ones is the poster that features two shades of green, a cartoon three-leaf clover (mistake there, if you ask me) upon which is printed in Celtic-looking letters, “You don’t need to have the ‘Luck of the Irish’ to sell your home.” You have to like that one, because it doesn’t discriminate against people who aren’t Irish (the closer you get to St. Patrick’s Day, the more you run the risk of seeming to snub the non-Irish among us). There is one postcard with a lady bug crawling over clover leaves emblazoned with a sentimental poem, but the emotionality of the poetry is tempered by the heading, “For all Your Real Estate needs just give me a call!” Balance is important on St. Patrick’s Day…but it’s not clear that the card with the green beer mugs got that message (which is “Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Remember, parade watching is like real estate. Location, location, location.”). One that also tips the scales in the direction of crass commercialism is the picture of the big pot o’ gold brimming with gold coins. It says, “It takes more than Luck to sell your home.” I’m not sure what the St. Pat’s message is for that one—that selling your Las Vegas home requires you to go out, find a leprechaun or rainbow, and wangle a pot o’ gold? It’s simply not the case. If you ask me, an experienced REALTOR with a great marketing plan and a reasonable price will do the trick better than pots o’ gold or four-leaf clovers. Still, that can’t keep me from wishing you a terrific St. Patrick’s Day, as too!
WHATS YOUR HOMES EMOTIONAL IQ
When it comes to selling your Las Vegas house, the first attributes that will bring in prospective buyers will be found in your listing description: size, location, and all the details that either match prospects’ wish lists (or don’t). Price is in there, too. Next comes curb appeal, which can turn on or turn off prospective buyers. Although it is often the second “at bat” you get when you are selling your Las Vegas house, it’s not usually decisive. The third attribute can be just that—a bunch of factors that can hook your ultimate buyers. Call it your home’s “emotional IQ.” Everything else is important, but emotion plays a powerful role in selling your Las Vegas house. That’s because home is, well, home—where people hang their hats, raise their kids, and spend their precious downtime. When potential buyers come to your house, they may think they are checking out four walls and a roof, but they are much more likely to be seeking a place that tugs at their emotions. All very well and good, but how do you up your home’s emotional IQ (and snag the sale in the process)? Look objectively at your home, and then think about the emotional plays that will get them where it count—through their senses. Give your home a quick sensory scan, looking for things that cue all five: Sight. Is your home clean? Is it decorated and staged (but not so much that potential buyers can’t imagine themselves in it)? Make sure your home is as spotless as possible and warm but not personal. When room entrances are arranged to feel open, they look welcoming: a strong way to please the eye. Sound. Does your home sound like a home? There’s nothing less emotionally pleasing than doing a walkthrough of a perfectly empty shell of a house. Attractive floor coverings (rugs and throws) can eliminate the unbroken echo of footsteps—and make your home feel more inviting; less clinical. And don’t forget a drop or two of 3-in-1 oil or WD40 for squeaking doors! Smell. The nose is a powerful, emotive factor. Aromas can evoke nostalgia, bringing on the feeling of well-being that comes with familiarity—but it can also sound alarm bells. Make sure the air doesn’t carry strong chemical or perfume smells. Better to throw a few cookies into the oven before walkthroughs arrive. It makes it easy for potential buyers to imagine themselves living, working, eating, and enjoying time in your home. Touch. Look for surfaces potential buyers may touch, and make them clean and inviting. Importantly, door latches and light switches should feel sound and serviceable. Taste. No—nobody can taste a home, but selling your house may come down to leaving your personal taste at the door. It’s risky to forget to focus on the most tasteful place of all—the kitchen. The old real estate agent trope that gorgeous kitchens sell houses is truer than not, so if yours is hopeless, you may judicious to spend your upgrade dollars in a modern, open kitchen space. How does your home’s emotional IQ add up? If you lack in just one area, congratulations. You know what to fix, and a few subtle tweaks will help a lot. If you lack in many areas, give me a call! I may be able to recommend some quick fixes, or point to a home staging professional. Don’t forget: Whether buying or selling your house, things can get emotional. Take a deep breath, remember the real purpose of a home, and be ready to move!
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