Sometimes we remodel our Andover homes “just because”—”just because ” it suits our lifestyles, or “just because” we want a change and the change we want it fits within our budgets.  Many times, however, homeowners here in Andover and North Andover  ask me which home improvement projects will have the highest positive impact the market value of their homes.  The 2009 “Cost vs Value” report by “Remolding Magazine” provides great insight into the answer to that question and not surprisingly in this economy 6 of the 10 projects had costs less than $14,000 and those 6 projects were siding and window replacement projects, according to the report.  Take a look at these quick look at these low cost high impact home improvement projects.  If you need help with your Andover home improvement project contact me at RE/Max Partners  in Andover.  I can help you find qualified professionals to help you.

Home prices are up for the first time in 3 years reports CNN.Money.com. 

This is encouraging news which should help both home buyers and home sellers in Andover, North Andover and the surrounding communities feel more confident in making a move.  If you’re thinking about buying a home, don’t let opportunity pass you by.  Start your Andover home search here .  If you’re thinking about selling your home here in Andover or North Andover,  get this week’s local market conditions free.  Visit YourPaulette.com to learn more about buying or selling homes in the Andover area.

 

At times it can be expensive to simply maintain the biggest asset most people will ever own: their homes. Keeping this fact in mind, here is a list of ways to increase your home’s value without breaking the bank.

• Hiring an inspector could be the most cost-effective thing you ever do. This is true if they find a small problem that could morph into something much bigger down the line, such as a termite infestation or a water leak.
• Tremendous value is added by simply painting a room.
• Energy efficient homes that feature items such as special windows and/or programmable thermostats, save you money and are a marketable asset if you do need to sell.
• Landscaping improvements in the form of large shade trees make homes more desirable. They can also cut your cooling costs up to 40%.
• Improve your home’s air quality by replacing old carpeting, or removing it entirely if you are lucky enough to have hardwood flooring underneath.
• By adding a small luxury item such as a water filtration system, you are adding value to your home and saving yourself money since you will no longer need bottled water.
• Replace old fixtures such as an old ceiling fan for a newer, more updated-looking model. It will make your home more pleasant on hot days, and will appeal to buyers if you need to sell.

These tried and true tips are especially important in today's challenging market.  Home buyers are moving cautiously, afraid of paying too much for a home and looking for value in more and more places.  Although these steps take some time and some money...the return on your investment will make the effort worthwhile.

The first impression really does count with potential home buyers. If your home is lacking basic curb appeal or is not sparkling inside, you could lose a potential buyer’s interest immediately - and never get it back! Here are some tips to avoid losing a potential buyer:

• Flowers, flowers, flowers. Nothing welcomes a potential buyer more to a home than colorful flowers.
• Keep walkways clear, trimmed and weeded.
• Patios must be power-washed.
• Windows should be sparkling.
• Dust everywhere. Even the baseboards.
• Since potential buyers look everywhere, make sure underneath your sinks and closets are clean, clutter-free and odor-free.
• Remove all personal items such as framed photos, awards and collectibles. Buyers need to be able to imagine the space as theirs.
• Paint any room that is a bright color, a neutral color.
• Remove any worn or outdated furniture.
• Repair any chipped or smudged paint, broken fixtures or squeaky doors.
• Toss worn carpets.
• Consider replacing dated hardware.

For more information about home staging go to Home Staging Information and for a recommendation for a local stager contact me at RE/MAX Partners in Andover.  I feel so strongly about the value of home staging and making a great first impression that I include an initial consultation with my stager FREE as part of my home seller service package.

• Iris: Bearded or not, this flower never disappoints if you plant it properly. Make sure the bulb is set slightly above the soil surface.
• Delphinium: In full sun these bloom tall spikes in either blue, purple, red, pink yellow and white.
•  Peony: Needs full sun and time. Peonies usually take a couple of years to become established and show their gorgeous petals. Never bury the buds more than two inches below the soil’s surface.
•  Purple Coneflower: These re-seed themselves and do well in hot and dry spots. Remember, “the first year they sleep, the second they creep and the third year they leap with color.”
•  Yarrow: In white, yellow and pink this plant actually needs a hot, dry spot with poor soil.

While I'm not personally the best gardener in Andover, I do know how landscaping and curb appeal add value to your home.  Just drive around town yourself and take note of the homes which appeal to you--no doubt the landscaping is part of the appeal.  The good news is, with easy to grow perennials you don't have to spend alot of money or time adding value to your home!

You only have one chance to make a first impression.  In today's market curb appeal is critically important to a successful home sale.  Did you know landscaping can improve the value of your home by as much as 7-15%?  And while some home improvements have a low return on investment, landscaping can return as much as 100-200% when it comes to selling your home (according to Money Magazine).  So with that in mind here are some tips for easily adding colorful, low maintanence periennial plants to your home's landscaping.   Experienced gardeners know the value of an easy to care for perennial as it gives the garden color and interest every year with very little care, provided that their location is carefully chosen and roots are properly established with good watering. These particular perennials are hardy and highly resistant to disease, making them a foolproof garden addition for many years to come.

• Astilbe: If you have a shady spot with moist soil, this plant will fill it in with nice foliage and it’s soft, feathery plumes of either white, pink or red.
• Bee Balm: Deer resistant, this pompom flowered plant attracts bees, butterflies and hummingbirds due to its succulent nectar. It thrives in full sun or light shade.
• Bleeding Heart: Shady gardens are the perfect spot for this spring bloomer. The unusual dangling, heart-shaped flowers are lined up side-by-side on each stem and come in pink, white and red.
• Daylily: These do amazingly well in hot, dry spots. They bloom all the way from early summer to fall.

According the the National Association of Realtors, on average, home equity accounts for 60% of a family’s net worth.  Also, the National Association of Realtors, historical data shows that home values nearly double every ten years.  With that in mind the current market screams with opportunities for home buyers. Because prices and the supply of homes for sale varies from neighborhood to neighborhood and town to town, feel secure knowing that I have the most up to date information about the real estate market conditions  Andover, North Andover, Boxford and surrounding communities.  Sign up for free market updates or see what homes in your neighborhood have sold for recently.  I value your trust in me and look forward to helping you with all of your real estate needs.

It often doesn't take much to increase the value of your home.  Experts agree that adding value to your home and property is not as costly as you may think. There are many simple ways to add value that you can even do yourself without the help of a professional. The first and most popular is paint. We all know how either the exterior of a home or an interior room can be magically transformed with the right shade of paint. If nothing else, it changes old and dingy to fresh and new. Replacing that dated or worn front door can make a tremendous improvement in the way your home looks from the curb. Changing old and worn light fixtures is another way to update and freshen your home’s exterior. Adding foundation shrubs, bushes and flowers is another smart and inexpensive way to boost your home’s value, while adding a whole lot of curb appeal. Inside the home, studies have shown that chrome fixtures are highly preferred to the more dated gold fixtures and that a fixed glass screen is preferred over a shower curtain. If you plan to add window treatments, simple blinds are the most popular choice. Consider changing your bathroom and kitchen drawer pulls and light fixtures with more modern choices - and see how it can transform the look of the room. Studies also show that upgrading your appliances to more energy efficient models will add great value to your home. For more information about adding value to your home go to HGTV.com. These simple projects will reap huge benefits not only in the price your home will sell for but the time on market as well.  For these and more tips on how to get your home sold in Andover, North Andover and the surrounding communities contact me at REMAX Partners. For real time information about recent home sales in your neighborhood check out my "Market Snapshot."

I’m excited to introduce a new feature for my website and blog.  Called “Market Snapshot“ this feature allows you to instantly track market activity your own neighborhood. By signing up for your personalized market snapshot, you’ll have access to:

View a sample market snapshot. 

Whether you’re thinking about buying or selling a home in Andover, North Andover, Boxford or anywhere in Massachusetts, you’ll want to know what’s happening in your local market.  Contact me for details or sign up for your FREE MARKET SNAPSHOT.

The Multiple Listing Service recorded 22 single family home sales in Andover MA during October 2008.  Sold prices ranged from a low of $199,900 to a high of $925,000, with an average list price of $522,295, and average sales price of $501,311 and an average market time of 82.32 days. October 2007 reported 20 single family home sales in Andover MA with a sold price range from a low of $231,000 to a high of $1,100,000 with an average list price of $541,615, an average sale price of $529,560  and average market time of 114.57 days.  For up to date market information for Andover, North Andover and surrounding towns contact me at REMAX Partners, Andover, MA.

Market report chart courtesy of Altos Research.com