The Anna Maria Island Sun Newspaper

Vol. 14 No. 33 - June 11, 2014

REAL ESTATE

First impressions count

 

Will Rogers famously said, “You never get a second chance to make a first impression.” We all know he was talking about personal relationships, but making a first impression when you’re selling your home is just as important and can translate into real dollars.

If you think back about what your first impression was of the homes you’ve fallen in love with, something about the property always stands out – an emotional connection that triggered the reason you bought the house. It could have been the sweeping stairway in the entry or the sunset going down at just the right time or the gourmet kitchen you always wanted. But sometimes the trigger is more quiet, a trigger that you’re not really aware of.

You can talk forever about the pros and cons of investing large sums of money upgrading your home before selling it. The Internet is full of information and charts comparing how much more your house will be worth if you upgrade the kitchen and baths, which are the hot buttons of home renovation. However, it’s frequently the little fixes that make the most difference and cost the least amount of money.

Sellers have been preached to for decades about how much of a turn off dirt and odor is when selling your home. It’s certainly true that grimy light switches, door handles, pet odor, musty smells, cloudy windows, dirty dishes, soap scum encrusted showers and cigarette smoke are driving that potential buyer right out of the house. Once outside, the buyer is also looking for at least a minimal level of maintenance. Peeling paint, mold and overgrown landscaping are sure to eliminate your home from the buyer’s list.

But what about the features that may be perfectly functional and clean, just a little dated. The first things that come to mind are sinks and faucets, especially in the kitchen. For a relatively small investment, kitchen and bathroom sinks that may be clean, but chipped and scratched, can be replaced and topped off with a sparkling and functional fixture.

The same applies to doors and door handles, things that you live with on a daily basis just become part of the scenery, but to a potential buyer 1970s flush doors and tarnished brass knobs jump out. In the 70s and 80s, ceiling molding was out of fashion, but today’s buyers notice crown moldings right away, and they want it. Again, adding crown molding in the main living areas and replacing doors with updated panel or French doors and new handles represents a small investment and will give your home a sharper with it look.

According to a University of Texas study, between 2007 and 2009, after the housing bubble burst, homeowners upped their maintenance spending by an average of 63 percent compared with 18 percent during the years when house prices were on the upswing. Sellers understood that the market was more competitive and wanted to give their properties an edge, and although the market is somewhat back, keeping a competitive edge is still the name of the game.

The key is to brighten, update and repair wherever possible so that potential buyers can see that although you home may not have been renovated to within an inch of its life, it has been loved and maintained and is just waiting for a new owner to put his/her touch to it.

First impressions count, whether it’s that first handshake or that first knock on the front door. Eliminating the negative plus reducing the days on market equals money in your pocket.

Real Estate Transactions
Real estate transfers as of October 1-31, 2013
Sponsored by Alan Galletto Island Real Estate

Sold Date | List Price | Sold Price | Address | Provision | Property Style

Anna Maria

01/03/2014 1,400,000 1,400,000 107 Beach Ave. 2789 150x100 4 Br/3 Ba SFR
01/06/2014 895,000 800,000 806 Gladiolus St. 2250 69x100 3 Br/3 Ba SFR
01/06/2014 317,000 470,549 205 Elm Ave. 1203 52x110 2 Br/2 Ba SFR Reo
01/06/2014 749,000 683,000 517 Magnolia Ave. 2219 75x115 4 Br/2.5 Ba SFR
01/10/2014 989,000 910,000 213 Spruce Ave. 937 105x100 2 Br/2 Ba SFR
01/22/2014 1,495,000 1,450,000 203 Spruce Ave. 696 2 Br/1 Ba SFR
01/24/2014 850,000 849,900 113 Gull Dr. 2447 91x100 3 Br/2 Ba SFR
01/29/2014 522,000 465,000 8806 Gulf Dr. 936 50x100 2 Br/2 Ba SFR
01/30/2014 510,000 502,000 524 Blue Heron Dr. 1653 3 Br/2 Ba SFR
01/30/2014 1,345,000 1,325,000 214 Spring Ave. 3189 52x145 6 Br/5.5 Ba SFR

Bradenton Beach

01/31/2014 425,000 385,000 252 17th St # 252 1268 2 Br/2 Ba Condo
01/02/2014 289,000 282,000 1801 Gulf Dr N # 238 1080 2 Br/2 Ba Condo
01/31/2014 635,000 617,500 2300 Avenue B 2832 50x100 4 Br/4 Ba SFR
01/16/2014 259,900 259,900 2515 Avenue C # A 1584 50x100 Inc.
01/31/2014 635,000 617,500 2300 Avenue B 2832 50x100 Inc.
01/10/2014 297,777 290,000 200 22nd St . 50x100 Vac.

Cortez

01/13/2014 439,000 400,000 4207 126th St. W. 3412 100x100 4 Br/3 Ba SFR

Holmes Beach

01/02/2014 330,000 315,000 5808 Gulf Dr. # 206 912 2 Br/2 Ba Condo
01/08/2014 375,000 330,000 6250 Holmes Blvd. # 65 1206 3 Br/2 Ba Condo
01/14/2014 392,900 366,250 6400 Flotilla Dr. # 96 985 2 Br/2 Ba Condo
01/16/2014 359,900 347,000 600 Manatee Ave. # 136 1179 2 Br/2 Ba Condo
01/23/2014 318,000 283,000 201 35th St .# 5 630 1 Br/1 Ba Condo
01/27/2014 279,000 265,000 3801 E Bay Dr. # 108 1121 2 Br/2 Ba Condo
01/27/2014 379,000 370,000 6200 Flotilla Dr. # 262 1266 2 Br/2 Ba Condo
01/29/2014 219,900 208,000 3000 Gulf Dr. # 6 756 1 Br/1 Ba Condo
01/03/2014 689,000 671,750 117 51st St. 1536 3 Br/2.5 Ba SFR
01/09/2014 565,000 535,000 502 83rd St. 1728 3 Br/3 Ba SFR
01/10/2014 1,049,000 950,000 509 68th St. 2546 80x102 3 Br/2 Ba SFR
01/10/2014 896,000 725,000 313 61st St. 2374 4 Br/3.5 Ba SFR
01/10/2014 799,000 772,000 213 65th St. 2184 3 Br/2.5 Ba SFR
01/23/2014 399,000 390,000 2819 Avenue B 2332 3 Br/2 Ba SFR
01/24/2014 450,000 450,000 113 31st St. 1682 50x105 3 Br/2 Ba SFR, Reo
01/24/2014 350,000 325,000 502 Bayview Dr. 1214 75x120 3 Br/2 Ba SFR
01/29/2014 598,000 565,000 5606 Holmes Blvd. 1040 3 Br/2 Ba SFR
01/29/2014 775,000 775,000 4118 5th Ave. 2786 6 Br/3.5 Ba SFR
01/31/2014 974,900 907,930 637 Key Royale Dr. 2422 100x151 4 Br/3 Ba SFR
01/13/2014 339,900 275,000 4501 Gulf Dr. # A 1325 1554x800 Inc.
01/21/2014 500,000 450,000 212 Haverkos Ct. 108x110 Vac.

Source: Manatee County Property Appraiser’s Office


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