Real Estate with Angela Carpio

Here are 5 reasons why some homes sell faster than others.   Ample Storage Space Having ample storage space appeals to home buyers because it would allow them to have everything organized and to avoid clutter. Buyers think that storage is important. Declutter closets to make them appear roomier. Toss away broken items. Donate clothes you have not worn in a while. Go through your pantry and dispose of expired canned goods. Pack away seasonal things you may not use all the time but would like to bring with you on your next house. The more you keep, the more you have to move. The harder it is to move. Use this opportunity to go through your stuff and unload those unnecessary and unused items. Storage space sells home!   Staged Home Deep clean your entire house. Rent a carpet steamer from Home Depot and steam your carpet. Depersonalize your home by removing family pictures and other items that would make a buyer focus more on that item than the house. Declutter and arr...

Next to the family room, a kitchen has been a place where people gather and entertain. It is one of the reasons why most home buyers prefer an updated kitchen when looking to own their home. You want to sell your home for more? Update your kitchen.  Here are budget-friendly kitchen updates that will give your kitchen a fresh new look and get your home ready to sell. Update your lighting. Look for a stylish but inexpensive lighting that can make a strong design statement for the space. For under a $100, this small but impactful update can change the look and feel of your kitchen.  Change out the hardware.  You can find kitchen knobs and pulls online for under $50. With a little bit of elbow grease and a bit of time, changing your kitchen hardware can make a huge impact on your kitchen's look and style.  Cabinet pulls from Amazon (not sponsored) Clear the clutter. Here's one way to get your kitchen ready before selling it. Clear the clutter. Hide the small applian...

Check out these tips to prepare your outdoor space when selling your home. A little sweat equity that goes a long way. Clean and clear the walkway. Create a nice flow to the front door. Clear the path. Give it a good power wash. Place a potted flower or some greenery for some pop of color and cheerfulness. Keep it alive and don't let it wilt. You want it to be inviting.   Clean your outdoor furniture.  Buyers do not like seeing anything dirty. Period. It's part of staging your home to sell. Arrange your furniture in a way that invites buyers to sit down and imagine themselves living there and enjoying the backyard.  Clean the entire exterior of the house. Clear away cobwebs. Move any inoperable and junk vehicles out of the driveway. Trim your shrubbery. Pull out the weeds. Pick up the trash. Kids and pet play things should be stored away. Put away your lawn equipment back in the shed. I would even suggest you remove some of your outdoor furniture to make the backyard...

 Here are 4 factors that sells a home.  Price This is arguably the most important factor when selling your home. A well-priced home often generates competing offers and drives up the final sale. Your agent should be able to review comparative market analysis (CMA) with you and advise accordingly as what you should price your home at to get you as close as possible to market value.  Condition What a property looks like. Appearance is everything when selling a home. Mow the lawn. Clear away the clutter. Pick up the kids' toys. Rearrange furniture to create space if needed. Make your bed. Wash the dishes. Put away the items on the kitchen counter if possible. You'd be surprised what fresh paint can do to your home.  If you can fix serious issues affecting the property, do it. You want to "WOW" the buyers as soon as they walk in.  Access Agent's ability to get in to show the property. The easier the access, the more likely we get a showing and secure an offer. Showi...

I work with many buyers and these are the three things I observe most buyers notice right away when we are touring a home.  Buyers notice curve appeal. The first thing that buyers see when walking into your home is its curb appeal. You ever heard of the saying "you can never have a second chance to make a good first impression"? It is also true when selling your house.  Story time. I worked with buyers who did not even want to see the inside of the house as soon as we pulled up in the driveway. The lawn wasn't mowed, the weeds were growing and there were litters all over the ground. They later explained that if seller couldn't even do a simple task of picking up trash in front of the house (never mind mowing the lawn or the weeds), they were not confident that the homeowners took care of the inside of the house. That, coupled with the fact that the internet pictures were not very compelling, and the neighbors had a million cars parked in front of it (I'm exaggerat...

With the ongoing Coronavirus pandemic, in California, your agent most likely sends out a COVID-19 disclosure form for you to sign before each and every showing. This is called the Coronavirus Property Entry Advisory and Declaration - Visitor (C.A.R. Form PEAD) The COVID-19 disclosure form is intended to educate buyers and sellers about the risk of exposure to covid 19 and any associated injury or harm as a result of permitting accessing to your property.  Below is a brief explanation of each item on the document: *sample form above provided by the California Association of Realtors Item #1 - Risk of Exposure  It spells out that COVID 19 is a world wide pandemic and that everyone is at risk of exposure to it. Item #2 - Government Orders  This part talks about the "Stay at Home" order by the government and other directives limiting the activities that businesses and members of the public can engage in. Item #3 - Visitor Advisory  You are advised that if you engage in a...

3 Common Misconceptions About Real Estate Agents A colleague of mine was watching a video on YouTube and I asked her what she was watching. She showed me this episode of "Actor & Actor Answer The Web's Most Searched Questions" and out of curiosity, I googled what people have been asking about real estate agents and questions such as "Why are real estate agents so rich?" and "What real estate agents do?" and "When real estate agents lie?" came up. I wasn't really taken aback because these are questions I've been asked before by people who's had a bad experience with a different agent before or by someone who just didn't know any better. I see these questions as opportunities to educate clients, friends, family and everybody else on what it is I do and address some misconceptions about agents. So, in today's blog, I want to discuss three common misconceptions about real estate agents.  #1. Real Estate Agents Make Lots of...

Out of curiosity, I asked multiple friends what would they ask an agent if they were to sell a house. "Why is selling a house stressful?" is the frequently asked question so I decided on today's blog to answer this. The number one reason why sellers find it stressful to sell a house is because of the number of factors that is out of their control and their agent's control. When things doesn't go as planned, it can leave you feeling anxious and stressed. Believe me, I feel it too. I just hide it better because it is my job to be objective and not to cause you any more stress than you have to. When selling a home, fear, stress and anxiety is a product of unanswered question. Here's what you do.  First, don't look for the worst case scenario before it happens. It will drive you crazy. Why are you worrying about things that hasn't happened yet? It is an unnecessary stress you put on your self and you have an agent for that. Seriously, let us worry about it...