Tips for Selling Your Home: With a little preparation and the guidance of a professional real estate agent, you can help make the sale of your home go much more smoothly. Key factors include setting the proper price, effective marketing, and making your home sparkle inside and out.

Inspect Your House

Summary Points 1. Inspect your home and make any necessary repairs or renovations 2. Find an agent to represent you 3. Tidy the exterior and give your home curb appeal 4. Thoroughly clean the interior and get rid of unneeded items

Before putting your house on the market, a seller's inspection is highly recommended. The inspection can help identify previously unknown problems, as well as give you time to make any necessary repairs or renovations. Likewise, many states require sellers to disclose known problems with their house.

Consider hiring a professional home inspector, as they can often identify problems that are easily overlooked by a novice. Important things to look for include leaks, evidence of wood rot and wood-destroying pests, structural integrity and a thorough assessment of major systems such as the plumbing, electrical, heating and cooling systems.

Find the Right Agent

The right agent can help you set an appropriate price, advertise and show the house to buyers, handle negotiations, draw up offers and coordinate the closing. In short, they can help you sell your home in less time, with less aggravation, and for more money.

To find the right agent, you can start by asking family or friends for a recommendation, or call Anjelina Belakovskaia (520) 370-0700 - one of the best real estate agents in Tucson, Arizona. Anjelina, whose website is www.FoothillsInsider.com, specializes in Luxury Homes and Real Estate in the Catalina Foothills area, but she can reffer you to the right agent in your area anywhere around the country through the expansive network of real estate professionals. Next, contact the agent and set up a meeting for a listing presentation.

This is gives you an opportunity to hear the agent's plans for selling your property, as well as learn other important factors such as:

• Information about the current market and comparable sales
• Plans for marketing the house, including advertising and open houses
• How long the agent has worked in the community, former clients, etc.
• How much money you'll net based on different selling prices.

Give Your Home "Curb Appeal"

Even if your home is in good shape, there are probably a few things you can do to make it really sparkle. This is what's known as "curb appeal," and experts agree that making a good first impression is a crucial factor in attracting buyers. Improving your home's curb appeal can be as easy as tidying up the yard, washing windows, touching up exterior paint or even adding a new bed of flowers.

Cleanliness and Clutter

Houses look a lot smaller if they're crammed full of belongings–and you can't just hide it in the garage either. Buyers like to imagine storage spaces full of their belongings, not yours. Get rid of clutter, and give the house a top-to-bottom cleaning. In particular, make sure the kitchens and bathrooms are immaculate. Buyers will notice right away if these rooms aren't spotless.

If you want to go the extra mile, you might even consider "staging" your house for showings. This can be as simple as adding houseplants and some decorative lamps, all the way to hiring an interior designer to bring in elaborate rugs, antique furniture and expensive artworks.

Getting Your House Ready Inside and Out

Exterior Mow the yard, trim hedges and edge sidewalks and driveways Wash the windows, and repair screens and shutters Clean oil spots from the driveway Pressure wash the outside, or touch up paint if necessary Keep the entryway attractive Interior Remove clutter and dust all surfaces Touch-up paint scuffs Thoroughly clean the kitchen and bathrooms Mop floors, shampoo carpets and clean fireplaces Organize closets so they appear spacious as possible Clear out the garage by holding a sale or donating items to charity Make sure light switches and the doorbell work Store excessive photographs, trophies or other knick-knacks Consider adding plants or other items to "stage" your home

Few industries enjoy a high positive customer relationship like that of alarm companies. According to a study done by Dr. Simon Hakim, director of the Center for Competitive Government at Temple University, 94 percent of alarm owners are satisfied with their systems. With one in five homes currently electronically protected, that’s a pretty amazing statistic.

According to FBI statistics, a home is burglarized every 14 seconds in the United States. Dr. Hakim’s study reported that homes without security systems are nearly three times more likely to be broken into than homes with security systems.

Security Systems Save Lives and Property

Alarm systems are no longer simply a first line of protection for burglaries. Many safety related features have been added to the main alarm system like carbon monoxide (CO) detectors, smoke detectors and flood detectors for high risk areas. Even low temperature sensors are available which will alert the alarm company if the temperature within a home drops below a preset level. There is also more sophisticated equipment such as closed circuit television (CCTV), video cameras connected directly to a television or VCR, which provide additional surveillance.

Choosing the Right Alarm Company

With hundreds of companies and plans to cull through, choosing the right alarm company can often be overwhelming. Fortunately, the NBFAA offers help and a checklist on choosing the right system for you and your family. Not all alarm companies are created equal. When interviewing different companies, make sure to follow these simple steps:

• Contact your insurance agent, the NBFAA or your local police department's crime prevention unit for names of security system companies.
• Make sure the alarm company is licensed in the state.
• Ask if pre-employment screening is done on all their employees such as background checks.
• Ask the salesperson for a free security inspection and system recommendations.
• Get a written estimate for the entire system including monthly monitoring fees.
• Compare similar systems and pricing.
• Determine if you will own the system or lease it from the alarm company.
• Make sure your system will be monitored around the clock (24/7) by the central station.
• Negotiate. Most alarm companies will negotiate on system add-ons, providing a free motion detector, additional keypads or even one month free monitoring service.
• Make sure the system you choose is equipped with a battery for backup power.

Once your system is installed, choose a user-friendly code that everyone in the family can remember. Let your insurance agent know that your home is being monitored, and additional insurance discounts may be available. Check to see if your municipality requires homeowners with security alarms to register with the local police department.

Monitored alarm systems are one of the best investments a homeowner can make. Not only does it provide security but it can provide safety-nets.

DID YOU KNOW?

The NBFAA is a valuable resource for homeowners researching systems for their home. Many alarm companies are members of the organization, meaning they adhere to a National Code of Ethics and pledge to render alarm services at the highest level of quality possible. To learn more about home security systems, call the NBFAA Marketing Department at (301) 585-1855 for a FREE consumer brochure or visit the NBFAA on the Internet at www.alarm.org.

Over the years, the world of home entertainment has radically changed. Twenty-five years ago, only a small percentage of households in the U.S. had cable television, and VCRs were merely a luxury item. Today, most U.S. households get at least 50 channels and have a good-sized TV accompanied by a variety of electronic components. Many people are opting to create their own home theater systems, a combination of electronic components designed to recreate the experience of watching a movie in a theater.

While the prospect of building your own home theater may seem like an overwhelming task, look no further than your local retailer. A Home Theater In a Box (HTIB) is offered by nearly every electronics manufacturer. For as little as a few hundred dollars, HTIBs are available for nearly every pocketbook and come easy to install. The essential components needed to create a home theater system include a large screen television (27+ inches), equipment to split up the surround sound signal, a device to play or broadcast movies in surround sound and at least four speakers.

Before buying an HTIB, take inventory of all the audio/video components that you already own and any A/V components that you might purchase in the future. Be sure to use the proper digital audio/video cables to maximize your audio and video performance. Many HTIB systems are home network ready, so you can even listen to the music stored on your PC.

Remember to purchase a home theater system with enough inputs available on the back of the receiver to allow you to enjoy the maximum number of home entertainment options both now and in the future. Ultimately, the performance of your home theater system will depend on how much money you are willing to spend and how important certain areas of performance are to you.

A nice yard not only makes for a good neighbor, it helps to enhance property values as well. A high quality landscape design can actually improve the appearance of a building or home by adding warmth and character.

According to a recent study, four out of five American households have a yard or a garden, and nearly one in three plan to undertake a major landscape upgrade this year. Unfortunately, landscaping can be challenging, especially since it involves various levels of planning, starting with the lawn, then adding trees, shrubs, perennials, annuals and eventually decorative extras.

According to Dr. William C. Welch, professor and landscape horticulturist at Texas A&M University, “Landscape design involves much more than placing trees, shrubs and other plants on the property. It is an art which deals with conscious arrangement or organization of outdoor space for human satisfaction and enjoyment.”

Dr. Welch believes that each landscaping project should have a plan that not only creates a visual relationship between the home and yard but also organizes the site for maximum use and pleasure. Maintenance should also be at a practical level.

“Too often these landscapes dominate rather than serve,” says Welch. “Masses of plants or other materials in the landscape may take up a large portion of the space and leave little room for people.”

A good design plan begins with studying the habits of the people who will eventually be using the space. Many people are tempted to begin planting without determining how each plant, shrub or tree interacts or grows alongside another. Unlike most home improvement projects, Welch considers landscaping a work in progress that grows more beautiful and connected over time.

Breaking your landscape plan into segments will allow for your work in progress to grow and blend into the scenery. As you begin to sketch out your plan, remember to include irrigation devices, if possible, as well as any hardscape (walkways, courtyards, patios, etc.) projects.

Determine first where you will plant major trees in and around your property. Then nurture them and give them time to grow and take hold. You can add shrubs as well, taking into consideration their growing pattern by leaving the appropriate room between adjacent plants. Consider planting both deciduous and evergreen trees and shrubs so that your entire landscape doesn’t diminish in the fall and winter seasons.

Perennials will add vibrant color to your landscape and flourish year after year. Add various annuals to the scheme, changing the essence of your garden periodically. And, definitely don’t forget the fun extras like lighting, decorative concrete sculptures, benches and planters. You may decide to even add a goldfish pond.

Don’t be afraid to ask a professional for help. Landscape architects have the background and talent to assist in designing the right plan for you that can not only beautify your yard but also add a level of dominance to your home’s overall personality.

When purchasing a home, most mortgage companies require the buyer to have homeowners insurance as a condition for receiving the loan. According to the Insurance Information Institute, the average cost per year for a standard homeowners policy in 2004 was $608. While standard homeowners policies will cover the structure of the home and its contents against fire, theft, and some natural disasters, (excluding floods, earthquakes, landslides, mudslides or sinkholes), the amount of coverage varies. Even if you’re not in the market for a new home, it’s a good idea to review your policy to make sure your coverage is in line with your home’s current appraised value.

The declared value of your home should not take into account the price of the land that it sits on, since the land would generally not need to be rebuilt after a catastrophic event. Insurers approximate the land price to be about 25 percent of the full home price. For example, if your home is appraised for $200,000, the amount your home should be insured for is about $150,000 or 75 percent of the full appraised value.

If you live in an area that is subject to earthquakes, you should consider adding an endorsement on your policy for coverage in the event of a quake. For California residents, the California Earthquake Authority (earthquakeauthority.com) underwrites the coverage. If you live in a flood-prone area, additional insurance must be purchased for protection against loss associated with flooding as well. Standard homeowners policies do not cover these perils and will not pay out for damage associated with earthquakes or floods without the necessary coverage being added to the policy.

The Insurance Information Institute also suggests that homeowners who live in areas frequently hit by major storms should speak with their insurer about an “extended or guaranteed replacement cost” policy. This policy will provide a certain amount over the current policy payout if building costs rise unexpectedly due to high contractor and supply demands.

Your homeowners policy also covers your personal belongings. You should make a detailed inventory list of your property. When estimating the full replacement value of your personal belongings, 75 percent of the home structure’s value or $50,000 per person living in the home is a general rule of thumb to use for coverage. Even with content coverage of $100,000 or more, there are payout limits on various goods like jewelry, art, computers, coins and firearms which usually cap out at $1000. To properly insure items over the $1000 limit, you should obtain a separate policy for each item that extends beyond the cap. The separate policy covers those items if they are lost or stolen and can cost as little as $30 per year for a piece of jewelry appraised at $3000.

While there are many factors that go into the cost of a policy premium, the deductible accounts for a significant portion. In fact, the higher the deductible, the lower the premium.

Lowering Your Premium without
Minimizing Your Coverage

1) Get at least three bids – The price you pay for your homeowners insurance can vary by hundreds of dollars, depending on the insurance company.

2) Raise your deductible – Most insurance companies recommend a deductible of at least $500. Raising it to $1,000 can save as much as 25 percent on your annual premium.

3) Consider using the same insurer for your automobile – Many companies offer discounts if you have at least two policies with them.

4) Add a home security alarm system – Smoke detectors, burglar alarms and dead-bolt locks can save the insured as much as 5 percent annually.

5) Ask about additional discounts – If applicable, inquire about senior discounts. Some employers or professional associations also have negotiated discounts for their members.

Source: Federal Citizen Information Center