Front Door & More

To boost your home's curb appeal, there are a few improvements that provide bigger bang for the buck than a coat of paint on the front door. If your front door has seen better days, think about replacing it with a more attractive unit.

According to one independent study, a new front door increased the perceived value of a home by as much as 6.6%. While you are at it, replace the handle and lock with substantial brass, pewter, or brushed aluminum hardware to make the best possible impression on potential buyers.

Inside the home, it pays to update the flooring with new carpeting, vinyl sheeting, or even tile if worn-out surfaces might provide would-be buyers with reasons not to buy.

Hint: Sellers should also upgrade kitchen and bath counters, faucets, and fixtures, if necessary. These rooms sell homes.

Relying on the advice and experience of a seasoned real estate professional can alleviate the potentially overwhelming process of first-time buying. As a Realtor and Principal/Broker of VantagePoint Realty, I have a successful track record of working with buyers. I will walk you through the process so that you will understand your options, and feel confident with your decisions. You will benefit from my knowledge and experience whether looking for a second home, vacation home or primary residence. Contact me for an initial meeting.

I can assist you in meeting and exceeding your real estate needs. I am looking forward to meeting you!
Call Stephanie at 518-392-8484

and visit us at our website: www.ColumbiaCountyHomes.com

e-mail me at: Stephanie@ColumbiaCountyHomes.com

Real estate agents are not magicians

As knowledgeable, skillful, and hardworking as real estate agents may be, they are not magicians. They cannot take an unappealing house and make it attractive to prospective buyers at a good price solely on the basis of words. A lot of the responsibility for selling a home rests with the seller's ability to boost its curb appeal with proper landscaping, paint, and repair/maintenance. Unless they are looking for a fixer upper, most prospective buyers are drawn to homes that meet their needs and that they can move into with a minimum of fuss. If this means that sellers must treat interior walls to fresh paint in neutral colors and replace worn carpeting, then that is part of a successful deal.

Hint: If a home is well cared for inside and out, prospective buyers are more likely to assume that it is worth the asking price.

If you are motivated to sell, or to purchase, please contact me, Stephanie W. Samuelsohn, Realtor and Principal Broker with VantagePoint Realty. I have a successful track record of assisting sellers and buyers. I will arrange an initial meeting. You will benefit from my knowledge and experience. The office is conveniently located.

Call Stephanie at 518-392-8484

or e-mail her at: Stephanie@ColumbiaCountyHomes.com

See our website at: http://www.columbiacountyhomes.com/

Would You Remove Your Own Appendix...

Would You Remove Your Own Appendix...much less overhaul your vehicle's engine? The fact is that, whether a Doctor or a Car Mechanic, most people turn to those with professional experience to get the results they want. In the case of selling a home, there is too much riding on the outcome to hope that a homeowner can do the job himself or herself. While potential FSBO's (homes 'for sale by owner') nearly uniformly focus on saving money, experienced Real Estate agents usually pay for themselves by getting higher prices more quickly. They do this by setting a realistic asking price, advertising the property thoroughly, networking more effectively, qualifying buyers better, and negotiating a better selling price, circumventing potential problems.


I am fully licensed in both NY & MA and bring with me the skills for service & dedication.


Your Hopes, Your Dreams...Our VantagePoint

HINT: From getting a property ready for market to negotiating with buyers, experienced real estate agents take the emotion out of the home-buying process and produce bottom-line results.

Columbia County Homes - VantagePoint Realty

Call 518-392-8484

CALL US ....WE SHOULD TALK

The value of any Real Estate Firm is its ability to provide seamless access to the best information, quickly and accurately. Here at VantagePoint Realty, we specialize in this ability; we have the tools, including award winning web sites, updated and cross-linked to countless search engines, allowing us to be head & shoulders above the competition. Call us; see why now, more than ever, it's so important to follow success!

Call Us - 518-392-8484

The value of any Real Estate Firm is its ability to provide seamless access to the best information, quickly and accurately.  Here at VantagePoint Realty, we specialize in this ability; we have the tools, including award winning web sites, updated and cross-linked to countless search engines, allowing us to be head & shoulders above the competition.  Call us; see why now, more than ever, it's so important to follow success!

Call Us VantagePoint Realty  518-392-8484

or

e-mail: info@ColumbiaCountyHomes.com

Visit our Website:  www.ColumbiaCountyHomes.com

Would You Remove Your Own Appendix...

Would You Remove Your Own Appendix...much less overhaul your vehicle's engine? The fact is that, whether a Doctor or a Car Mechanic, most people turn to those with professional experience to get the results they want. In the case of selling a home, there is too much riding on the outcome to hope that a homeowner can do the job himself or herself. 

While potential FSBO's (homes 'for sale by owner') nearly uniformly focus on saving money, experienced Real Estate agents usually pay for themselves by getting higher prices more quickly. They do this by setting a realistic asking price, advertising the property thoroughly, networking more effectively, qualifying buyers better, and negotiating a better selling price, circumventing potential problems.

I am fully licensed in both NY & MA and bring with me the skills for service & dedication.

Your Hopes, Your Dreams...Our VantagePoint

HINT: From getting a property ready for market to negotiating with buyers, experienced real estate agents take the emotion out of the home-buying process and produce bottom-line

Columbia County Homes

results.

The Great Backfire – Trying to Sell It Yourself

Part 1

Many people are tempted to try and sell their homes themselves, thinking they’ll save time and the fee they’d normally pay to a real estate agent. Often, they’ll waste six months without a nibble – and end up calling an agent anyway.

If this has happened to you, now you are poised to choose a real estate agent – so be tough about it. One of the best ways to find an agent is through personnel referral. Talk to family, neighbors, and colleagues who have sold a home and were happy with their agent’s performance and professionalism.

Confirm that the agent’s agency has a professional looking website that is easy to navigate and features attractive photos of properties which are accompanied by compelling descriptions of the home or property for sale. Look for customer reviews of the agency and their agents on their website. 

After compiling a list of potential agencies, call them and interview them by asking pointed questions. For example, inquire if they are seasoned marketing professionals and conduct competitive market analysis on homes and properties currently on sale. Do they belong to multiple listing services (MLS) and employ a number of marketing techniques such as advertising and posting on social media sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Pinterest, and Twitter?  

Likewise, ensure that the real estate agent networks with other successful agents and has a proven track record for quick sales and strong prices.

And finally, once satisfied that your questions have been answered to your satisfaction, choose the top three agencies and schedule an appointment for a face-to-face meeting with them. Make sure that the agent gives you confidence as demonstrated by their ability and knowledge to sell your home or property. In working with a real estate agent, chemistry with that person is key. Check that you speak the same language and your share the same goals for a successful outcome.

A few years ago, I had a customer who was in her late 80’s and wanted to sell her big farmhouse, where she had raised five children, and downsize to a smaller home, which we had found for her. Next we found a buyer who was perfect - a young couple eager to start a family who fell in love with the property.

Two weeks before the closing, I received a frantic phone call from the woman who said she couldn’t sell her house. I suggested we talk about what was happening in person and said I’d be right over.

When I arrived she showed me the molding in the doorway of a bedroom where all the heights of her children and grandchildren were carefully recorded.  “This is why I can’ sell it,” she said.  “I just can’t leave it behind.”

I thought a moment and asked, “ If you could bring it with you could you sell it?”  “Yes,” she said, “I could let it go then.”

I called the buyer and they were fine with removing the molding.

Buyer and seller were happy and all it took was some careful listening and creative problem solving.

Stephanie W. Samuelsohn

518-392-8484

Check out our Website at:  ColumbiaCountyHomes