AmazingVegasHomes

Tuesday, December 10, 2013

New Home Search Goals Change with Circumstances

As you begin any search for a new home in Las Vegas, it’s worthwhile to take a step back — to take a momentary time-out to consider widening the range of possibilities.

For many families, the kind of home they are looking for is a foregone conclusion. Either they want a customized house in a new development, or a new home that they will build themselves, or they may be pointed toward an existing house in an established neighborhood.

It’s a worthwhile exercise to look at the assumptions behind those fundamental housing preferences. After all, this is a very basic choice that will greatly affect every family member’s quality of life for a very long time. As you would expect, most of the time such evaluations result in confirming the original direction: people who prefer a sparkling new home will wind up checking out the new developments; those who gravitate toward stately, tree-lined streets will point toward existing homes in established neighborhoods.

No surprise there. But there is value in understanding the root causes why one direction has more appeal than another. Understanding those reasons can tell you what qualities are really most important in your new home. It can clarify what you should be looking for in your search.

If you have become a true do-it-yourselfer who takes satisfaction in presenting a distinctly individualistic personality to the world, a model home in a sparkling new development might now hold less appeal than it did previously. But if your new promotion has made for a more high-energy, career-centered lifestyle, time factors alone might make the advantages of a turnkey new home in a development decisive.

What turns out to be as important as anything else is whether your current living situation has changed enough that a new kind of home choice might be worth considering. Especially when you are about to embark on as important a project as finding a new home in Las Vegas, take a moment to be sure that more than momentum lies behind your basic direction. Then I’ll be ready, willing and able to help you find a Las Vegas new home that fills the bill!

Marcelo V. Mayol

The Mayol Realty Group

Realty One Group

702-812-9990

Sunday, December 8, 2013

Dim Photos in a Las Vegas Listing Usually Leads to Dimmer Results

The photos that make up your Las Vegas listing will be key to your home’s marketing effort. If that first impression is positive (or even if it only raises curiosity), those images will have helped you past the all-important first hurdle.

What makes a Las Vegas listing a visual triumph? I’m afraid that belongs in realm of art, so to a certain extent remains unclassifiable. But some factors that inevitably prevent a good listing shot are a lot easier to describe. Chief culprits:

We’ve all seen listing photos where you can barely to make out what you’re supposed to be looking at — dim shots that make a house look grey and dirty. Since everyone is drawn to a home that’s brightly lit and inviting, when in doubt, turn on more lights! Bright photo highlights make a home look clean and sparkly, so help your Las Vegas agent plan the photo shoot at the time of day you know your house looks its brightest -- and if the weather doesn’t cooperate, be willing to re-schedule.

A Las Vegas listing that shows even a few rooms that haven’t been properly de-cluttered can end up alienating potential buyers. Serious buyers want to be able to envision how a house will look once they move in: hard to do when the floors, walls or shelves are packed with your belongings.

Sometimes it’s easy to overlook garbage cans, gardening equipment, or exterior décor touches that once looked nice (and now, let’s face it, don’t). Even though we’re in the midst of the holiday season, don’t let holiday decorations show — in a few weeks they will make it harder for buyers to envision what the property looks like any other time of year. If possible, photograph the house on a bright day with the sun behind you (but remember to keep your shadow out of frame).

You don’t have to be an Ansel Adams to take winning Las Vegas listing photos. Acing the Las Vegas listings is just part of a good campaign — and if you’re ready to market your own home, part of why you should give me a call. It’s actually a great time of year to sell!

Marcelo V. Mayol

The Mayol Realty Group

Realty One Group

702-812-9990

Thursday, December 5, 2013

Las Vegas Home Sellers Bolster Results by Attention to Minor Details

Although the housing market continues to improve, it’s not quite time for the next wave of Las Vegas home sellers to reserve the moving vans. Especially for home sellers who are on the verge of listing their property, it is time to pay attention to the smaller details that would seem inconsequential, but which can nonetheless determine a prospective buyer’s level of enthusiasm (hence, the size of their offer!).

One of the humblest details that can go unattended is grout. Honestly. A flawlessly tiled shower or kitchen splashboard can go unnoticed if the grout looks as if has gone bad. The do-it-yourself fixes are relatively easy to handle, so before that first open house is imminent, here is the way DIY experts tell us we can eliminate the issue entirely:

Use a hammer and chisel to chip away at the questionable grout. When doing this, aim the tool directly into the grout so you do not damage the tiles. This is the part where you must take your time: rushing now could mean to re-tile.

Have a vacuum handy. Once grout has been removed, use it to thoroughly clear away the debris. You’ll need a clean area before re-grouting begins.

Always wear gloves during the re-grouting. You should also use a grout float (available at any of our Las Vegas hardware stores) to make sure the grout is spread and removed easily. Spread the grout into any gaps where they appear, and press it down firmly into the corners using your fingers.

Finish using a grout sealant, and be sure to give it time to cure. The momentary inconvenience will more than pay off when you see the final result.

As The Wall Street Journal points out, “Deals can fall through at the last minute for a variety of reasons.” While crumbling grout is unlikely to actually cause a deal to fall apart at the last minute, home sellers find that details like sparkling, well cared-for tiling can help land that deal in the first place! Las Vegas home sellers — it’s time to call me if you’re ready to list this holiday season!

Marcelo V. Mayol

The Mayol Realty Group

Realty One Group

702-812-9990

Monday, December 2, 2013

A Las Vegas Foreclosure Is Often Less Inevitable Than You’d Think

Even though national foreclosure rates have continued to drop, the threat of becoming another Las Vegas foreclosure statistic is still very real for some homeowners. It’s at least somewhat reassuring to understand that most banks don’t really want a foreclosure — so for homeowners who take an early proactive approach with their lender, losing their home does not have to be inevitable.

Mortgage Restructuring

For anyone who has fallen behind on payments, Job One is to discuss the situation with your banker. If a mortgage restructuring is possible, you may have an opportunity to refinance at a lower rate with more manageable payment amounts. In some cases, it may be possible to alter other terms of your agreement — for example, you might arrange to postpone any delinquent payments to the end of the loan’s term. You have to ask.

Payment Deferral Options

If payment failure has been caused by losing a job, a medical condition one of the other more common causes, some banks will work out payment deferral options. If you have prepared documentation to back up your hardship claim, it is more likely that the lender will be able to offer an agreement to defer your payments while you get back on track.

Short Sale

If the financial situation is such that you know you can no longer sustain regular payments, it may be best to consider a short sale — the option where the bank agrees to accept sale to a third party for a sum that falls short of the loan’s balance. It means loss of the property, but results in a better credit history than does a Las Vegas foreclosure.

A foreclosure in Las Vegas becomes inevitable if the reality of a tough financial situation isn’t recognized and addressed. If you take positive steps as soon as you realize your are going to miss a payment, you put yourself in the best position to open options that are less problematic than full foreclosure. If you find you could benefit from a strictly confidential price evaluation on your home, call me — sometimes a property can be worth more than you think!

Marcelo V. Mayol

The Mayol Realty Group

Realty One Group

702-812-9990