SkyFive Properties Blog

Are you planning to sell your home soon?

You should be prepared to wait more than two months for it to sell. On average, American homes are sitting on the market for about 65 days before selling.

If you don’t want to wait that long, there are some ways you can increase the chances of your home selling quicker. There are also ways you can make sure your home sells for more than you may have originally expected.

Check out 10 tips to sell your home faster and for more below.

1. Choose the Best Time to Sell

Selling your home in the fall or winter might sound like a great idea. Since most people prefer to sell their homes in the spring or summer, you might think it’ll create more competition for your home.

But the majority of home buyers are out in full force in the spring and summer. That means you won’t get many bites from buyers in the fall and winter. You also won’t get the kinds of high offers you’re hoping for while selling your home.

2. Hire a Realtor to Help

Some home sellers choose not to work with realtors when putting their homes up on the market. They don’t want to have to worry about paying a 6 percent commission to them.

You’re free to try and sell your home on your own if you want. But that will put you in charge of everything from doing the research that’s required to price your home right to marketing your home to potential buyers.

It could take well over 65 days to sell your home on your own. Why not hire a professional to help instead and cut the time way down?

3. Set the Right Sale Price

Setting the right sale price for a home isn’t always easy to do. When considering a starting price, you need to look at:

• How much comparable homes in your area are selling for
• How many other homes are on the market right now
• What upgrades you’ve done to your home to set it apart from others

If you price your home too high, you might scare buyers off. But if you price it too low, you could leave a lot of money on the table at your closing. It’s up to you to find the sweet spot as far as price is concerned.

4. Make Worthwhile Renovations

Want to increase the value of your home before selling? There are lots of remodeling and renovation jobs that’ll offer a great return on investment.

You can boost your home’s value by:

• Renovating your kitchen
• Remodeling one or all of your bathrooms
• Finishing off your basement
• Adding a deck or patio to your backyard
• Replacing your front door and windows
• Putting on a new roof
• Ripping out old carpeting and replacing it with hardwood floors

The ROI on each of these projects will vary. But they’ll all be worthwhile investments for those selling a home.

5. Improve Curb Appeal

Are people going to be blown away by how great the front of your home looks when they pull up in front of it? Or are they going to jump right back into their cars and drive away without giving your home a second thought?

If you’re worried most people will fall into the second category, do something to improve your curb appeal. You can do it by:

• Planting new trees, bushes, and grass
• Replacing your exterior siding
• Powerwashing your driveway and sidewalks

People will be more likely to stop by your home to check it out when they’re wowed by how amazing your home looks from the street.

6. Stage the Interior

Before you start allowing people to walk through your home, declutter it and put all your personal possessions away. Stage your home as well so that each room in it serves a very specific purpose.

Some homeowners will go as far as to rent high-end furniture for their homes to improve the appearance of their interiors. You don’t have to go that far, but your home should look warm and inviting to those who come to check it out.

7. Keep the Home Clean

Throughout the home-selling process, you need to do whatever it takes to keep your home as clean as it can be. That means:

• Vacuuming carpets
• Washing windows
• Wiping down countertops
• Dusting everything
• Eliminating odors
• Keeping dishes out of the sink
• Continuing to get rid of clutter

If your home looks like a mess, people will struggle to envision themselves living in it. It should look, smell, and feel as clean as it can be every single day.

8. Check Out the Competition

What are other homeowners in your area doing in an effort to sell their homes? Are they doing massive renovations, staging rooms professionally, or holding open houses every weekend?

You’re fighting for attention from home buyers just like they are. Look at what they’re doing and go above and beyond to stay on par with them.

9. Market the Home Listing

If you decide to hire a realtor to help you sell your home, they should handle most of the marketing of your home listing for you. But that doesn’t mean you can’t help out a little, too.

Every week or so, post a link to your home listing on your social media accounts. It’ll allow you to let all your friends and family know you’re going to be moving and stir up interest in your home at the same time.

10. Consider Holding an Auction

Do you wish there was a way to skip the hassle that comes with selling a home and get it done within a matter of hours?

As it turns out, there is. Selling a house at auction is an option for anyone who doesn’t want to wait around for months to unload their house.

You can avoid realtor fees by going this route and get the best possible price for your home when others start bidding on it.

Start Using These Tips to Sell Your Home Today

Those who have sold a home before will tell you that it’s one of the most stressful experiences you’ll ever go through in life.

Use the tips to sell your home listed here to skip a lot of the stress that’s so often associated with putting a home up for sale. You’ll have more success selling when you take advantage of them.

If you still struggle to sell your home, read our blog to learn about why your home might not be selling as fast as you hoped it would.

Digital marketing and tech advancements have changed just about every industry, including the real estate industry.

If you haven’t set up a website or started utilizing digital marketing strategies to bring in new real estate clients, you’re falling behind.

Not sure where to begin when it comes to stepping into the digital age? Start by putting together an easy-to-navigate, eye-catching website so that clients can find you more easily.

Read on to learn some helpful business tips for realtors, including finding the best real estate website builder.

Importance of a Real Estate Website

Becoming a real estate agent can be challenging.

You have to research the laws around selling homes in different states, you have to keep your license up to date, and you have to work with clients who expect you to find them their dream house almost instantly.

To make matters even more challenging, you also have to stay informed about the latest tools and technological advancements. This includes setting up a website for yourself.

There are many reasons why you need a real estate website, including the following:

• Provide resources and value to your clients (blog posts, information on available homes, etc.)
• Meet clients where they are (most people start looking for houses by performing an internet search)
• Establish a personal brand
• Take advantage of social media networking opportunities
• Increase credibility

If the items on this list aren’t good enough reasons for you to want to set up a website, remember that, these days, clients expect realtors to have a website.

If they can’t find you online, they’re not going to go to great lengths to try and work with you. They’ll simply choose someone who does have an online presence.

The Best Real Estate Website Builder

Okay, you can see that you ought to have a real estate website. How do you get one, though?

The good news is that you can set up a website in just a few hours with the right website builder. You don’t need to know how to code or do anything fancy — you just need to be able to click a mouse!

There are lots of great website builders out there that do all the heavy lifting for you.

One of the most popular and easy-to-use real estate website builders that you might want to use is Placester.

The Facts About Placester

Placester is an affordable website builder that comes with a built-in CRM (customer relationship manager).

Placester comes with a variety of helpful tools for realtors, including lead capture forms, marketing tools, and IDX connections, which help lead to more conversions and less wasted traffic.

Placester has actually partnered with the National Association of Realtors, too.

Realtors can take advantage of a $99 per month package or a $199 per month package. The $99 per month package is a good option for realtors, and the $199 plan is better for brokers.

Each package requires an annual contract and provides realtors with all the tools they need to set up a great website and make a splash online.

There’s also a free basic option that is good for new realtors who don’t have a lot of money — yet — to spend on a website. The basic option will give you the tools you need to get started and begin bringing in new leads.

Online Marketing Tips for Realtors

Having a website is essential if you want to keep up with the other realtors in your area. At the same time, though, there’s more to being a successful realtor than just having a website.

There are quite a few other techniques you can utilize to stand out online and increase your sales, including the following:

Use Social Media

In addition to simply having an online presence, you also need to make sure you have a strong social media presence. This includes making use of sites like Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.

Be active on these sites. Post on a regular basis, and like and comment on other people’s posts.

You might want to join some different Facebook groups, too. This will help you make connections with people who are looking to buy or sell a home.

Create a Blog

A blog is a great tool that will help you provide your clients and future clients with a lot of valuable information.

Make sure you’re updating your blog on a regular basis — at least once a week — and sharing your blog posts on social media.

When you’re writing your blog posts, be sure to think about common questions people might have about buying or selling a home.

Make sure your content is original, too — search engines will penalize you if you’re copying content from other sites.

Set Up an Email Campaign

It’s also important to set up a real estate email marketing campaign right away, too.

Social media is important, but the algorithms on these sites can make it hard for lots of people to see your posts.

To combat this problem, make sure you’re also sharing information directly with current and future clients via email.

Host Virtual Tours

Finally, consider hosting virtual tours and sharing them on social media and on YouTube.

Virtual tours provide people with a more in-depth look at the homes you’re selling and can increase interest more than just sharing pictures.

You can also host virtual tours of your business to help people get to know you and the other people who work in your office. If they feel like they know you and can relate to you, they’ll be more inclined to work with you in the future.

Looking for More Real Estate Advice?

As you can see, a website is key for realtors who want to make it in 2019.

As you begin putting together your own website, be sure to keep this information about the best real estate website builder in mind.

The right website builder can simplify the process and help you start developing an online presence very quickly.

Are you looking for more real estate advice? If so, we have lots of helpful articles available on our site.

Start by checking out this article on home staging for tips on how to get buyers’ attention and increase their chances of purchasing a home.

Picture the scene. You walk into your new home, ready to start unpacking. Only you can’t.

The floor needs to be swept and you don’t want to think about the gunk in the fridge. Most kitchen drains boast 567,845 bacteria per square inch.

You can’t get rid of them all. But you can make your home safer for the next occupants.

Cleaning your house when you’re moving out doesn’t have to be hard. Read on to learn our best tips!

General Cleaning Tips

Start at the top of a room and work your way down. It’s easy to dislodge dust or dirt when you clean shelves or light fittings.

Cleaning them first means you sweep up that dirt when you clean the floor. Otherwise, you risk having to clean twice!

Fill any holes from screws or nails with putty. Fix damaged light fittings or curtain rails.

Are your floors linoleum, tile, or wood? Vacuum the edges of the floors but sweep the center of the room. Not all vacuum cleaners work well on hard floors.

Invest in steam cleaning for carpets. Vacuuming will shift dirt but not bacteria.

If this seems like too big a job, research moving out cleaning services. You can learn more about what they offer.

Working on the Kitchen

Clean the fridge before you move out. Pull out the drawers and shelves. Warm water and soap will be enough to clean those.

Mix together equal parts of white vinegar and water. Use the solution to clean the inside of the fridge. Once the shelves are dry, pop them back in the fridge.

A homemade concoction of baking soda and vinegar will clean up any stains on the stove.

Start off with baking soda in a bowl. Mix in a few drops of vinegar until it forms a paste. Leave it on the surfaces for 15 minutes before scrubbing the stove.

Use the same paste using vinegar and baking soda to clean the inside of the oven. That includes the racks, shelves, or drip pans.

Found any sticky spots on the wall? Put some fabric softener on a sponge. Rub it on the sticky spot to remove it.

Remember to clean cabinets and drawers both inside and out.

Get the Bathroom Sparkling

Use a water and vinegar solution to clean bathroom cabinets and sinks. Vinegar is a great way to get a streak-free finish on bathroom mirrors or shower doors.

You can even use undiluted vinegar as an alternative to bleach to clean the toilet.

Rub a lemon over any metal surfaces to make them sparkle.

Scrub down the bathtub or shower to remove old soap scum. The baking soda and vinegar mixture from the kitchen will eat through any soap stains.

Remember to clean shelves, window sills, and other surfaces.

Clean the House After Moving Out

It’s much easier to clean the house after moving out. You won’t have to clean around furniture or boxes. And you can clean up any dirt left when you moved out.

This guide doesn’t cover home maintenance. So why not check out our guide to common maintenance issues you might face in an older home?

With a whopping 1.3 million realtors competing for your job, you know that being a successful real estate agent is no easy job.

Becoming a real estate agent is more than putting on your friendly face and attending house showings. You need to be on your A-game when it comes to knowing the area, knowing the market, and keeping up with all the industry trends.

We know it exactly what it takes to succeed in this industry and today we’re sharing four must-have skills every real estate agent needs if they want to close more deals and make their clients happy. Are you ready to boost your commissions?

Time to put on your house-hunting pants; we’re getting started.

4 Must-Have Skills for a Successful Real Estate Agent

You know you want to be a realtor. Let’s be honest, the average real estate agent salary is great in terms of today’s economy and the hours are ideal but do you have what it takes to succeed in today’s market?

Let’s find out.

1. Local Knowledge

Clients love a savvy realtor that can tell them the ins and outs of the area they’re about to move to. There’s nothing like insider info from a local to point out the hidden gems and also warn you where not to go.

Knowing the area also helps you understand the value of a property which can help in negotiations later on. This is doable unless you’re a realtor for the moon. (Yes, it’s a real thing.)

2. Knowledge of Purchase Process

Knowing the area is one thing, but if you’re looking to be an outstanding agent win your field, you’ll want to also know how to do your job well.

Always stay updated on all the laws, rules, and regulations for closing a home in which every state you work in.

Remember that closing a home in New York is different than closing a home in Pennsylvania. If you work in different states and have licenses to sell in each, be sure you know the laws and processes for each area.

3. Good Communication

House deals go fast. As a realtor you’ll need to be on your game, contacting other agents and buyers to make a deal happen.

If you lack good communication skills this can make your success difficult. You’ll need this skill to understand your client’s wants and needs and communicate their needs to the buyer.

This skill also covers negotiation skills and fighting for what your client wants out of the deal. Having good people skills is necessary for this career.

4. Integrity

If there is one thing clients really value in a real estate agent, it’s integrity. They want to know that you’re on their side fighting for them.

Nothing ruins a reputation faster than someone who is dishonest, shady, or not looking out for their client.

Keep Up with Industry Trends

One last bonus tip for becoming a successful real estate agent would be keeping up with industry trends.

What’s trending in luxury bathrooms and kitchen countertop material? Knowing tips like this will give you the edge over a dull agent who’s out of the loop.

To stay up on all industry news, trends, and tips head to our website and stay informed!

Finishing off the basement in your home is one of the smartest decisions that you’ll ever make. A finished basement will give you and your family a lot more room to stretch out.

But in the wintertime, those with finished basements often run into a problem: Their basements suddenly get way too cold to use and turn into wasted space.

By learning how to keep your basement warm during the colder months of the year, you can get a lot more use out of it. You and your family won’t mind hanging out in the basement in the winter, even when the temperature drops well below freezing outside.

Check out some of the steps you can take to keep your basement warm through any cold snap.

Make Sure Your Basement Is Sealed

If your basement has already been finished off, there’s a good chance that it was already sealed. But there is also a chance that the basement wasn’t sealed properly, which can let a lot of cold air into your home throughout the winter months.

Specifically, you should take a look at the rim joists in your basement to see if they’re sealed. The rim joists form at the point where the flooring above your basement comes into contact with your foundation.

If your rim joists aren’t sealed, they can allow cold air from outside to get into your home. It’s important for rim joists to be sealed with caulk to prevent this from happening.

You should also look around for any other areas where air could be penetrating your home and entering your basement. For example, you’ll often find air coming in around holes for plumbing pipes or through small cracks in your foundation.

Seal these entry points up ASAP, and you should be able to stop cold air from coming into your basement.

Add More Insulation

Most finished basements already have some insulation in the walls. Homeowners often have loose-fill insulation or spray-foam insulation set up in an effort to keep a basement warm.

If your walls feel cold to the touch, though, your insulation isn’t doing enough to stop cool air from gaining access to your basement. You’ll need to either replace the insulation that you have or add to it so that it starts working better.

Insulating a basement can be a little bit tricky. It’s not quite as simple as insulating one of the upper levels of your home. But when you choose the right insulation and have it installed properly, it should put up a fight against the cold.

Put in a Heating Vent

There are some people who will set up electric space heaters in their basements in an effort to keep them warm. And while space heaters will provide some heat in your basement, you’re a lot better off adding a heating vent that’s connected to your HVAC system to it.

You can tap directly into your home’s existing ductwork to put a heating vent in your basement. You can also add a return air vent to your basement as long as it’s finished.

By taking these steps, you’ll be able to gain more control over the heating situation in your basement. You’ll be a lot more likely to use your basement when you know it has hot air being delivered to it.

Install Carpeting

Lots of people have cement or tile floors in their basements. Reason being, they’re concerned about their basements getting wet and know cement and tile floors will be easier to clean than carpeting.

The downside of relying on these types of floors, though, is that they’ll often get cold in the wintertime and never get around to heating back up. They’ll make it impossible for you to walk around barefoot in your basement during the winter.

Find out more about how to keep water out of your basement in the winter and at other times of the year. Once you feel confident that water won’t be a problem, you can go ahead and have carpeting installed to warm your basement space up.

Replace Old Windows

You might be surprised by how many people have freezing cold basements in their homes simply because of the windows they have in them. Basement windows are sometimes ignored when window replacement is done in a home, which is why so many basement windows are single-pane windows that allow air to pass right through them.

If your basement windows are on the older side, they’re not doing you any favors. They should be replaced with energy efficient windows that will stop cold air in its tracks and keep your basement on the warmer side.

Take a Look at Your Crawlspace

Do you have a crawlspace that’s connected to your basement? It very well could be the reason why your basement is getting so cold in the wintertime.

You can spend all the time and money you want finishing off your basement and making changes to it to try and keep it warm. But if you have a crawlspace attached to it that is not sealed and insulated, it’s going to wreak havoc on the temperature in your basement.

Hire a professional to come in and seal your crawlspace or attempt to seal it yourself so that it doesn’t present a problem for you anymore.

Knowing How to Keep Your Basement Warm Makes a Huge Difference

Now that you know how to keep your basement warm, you should use what you’ve learned to make improvements to the space. By doing something as simple as sealing your basement or adding insulation to it, you can make a world of a difference.

When your basement is warm in the winter, it won’t be such an unpleasant place to go anymore. You and your family will be able to continue using it as you always do without having to bundle up before you go down into it.

Finishing off a basement and making it warm is one way to make your home more attractive to buyers down the line. Read our blog to see some other home improvements you can do to increase the value of your property.

In recent years, New York has become a buyers’ market when it comes to real estate as sellers are more empowered than ever. Figuring out how to sell a house in New York is more complicated than in other places because there are legal hoops to jump through. Thankfully, the goal is to protect all parties, so it works out in everyone’s favor.

Here are the steps for selling your house in New York.

Getting to Work with a Real Estate Agent

While you can always list and sell your home as the owner, it’s hard to do this well without a lot of foreknowledge about how the system works. If you don’t follow trends and don’t know what kinds of pricing is on the market, you might have a tough time selling your home. You might also get lost under all of the bureaucracy and paperwork that comes along with selling a home.

When you get together with a real estate agent, you’ll need to sign a “listing agreement”. In this agreement, you’ll be giving the agent the right to market and sell your home on your behalf. There are standard forms created by the NY State Association of Realtors to help guide you and your agent.

The agreement will cover the terms of commission related to selling your home. You’ll likely have to pay them 5% to 6% of the final price of the home when it sells. You also need to know the type of listing that your agent is putting out there, often agreeing that they get paid even if you find the buyer.

There will be a time period on the listing that sets the duration for how long it’ll be up. You’ll also have to include the price of the home at the time that you list it to ensure that there’s legal documentation of the amount of money you’re agreeing to.

The agreement will cover property included in the sale like any built-in appliances or structures on the property that are or are not part of the price.

Disclosures are Important

When you’re listing a property in New York, the law requires you to have a disclosure statement. This statement is where buyers can find all the pertinent information they need about a property before they invest. Rather than buying a property and finding out about problems later, they can be informed in advance.

If the statement isn’t made, the seller can instead credit the buyer $500 at closing. However, this might not be an ideal situation for all buyers, so it’s often better to put together the disclosure.

In this statement, the seller needs to note the presence of any hazardous or toxic substances within their knowledge. If there are major material defects to the plumbing, structure, HVAC, or other systems, the seller needs to let their buyer know. They also need to inform buyers of any pest issues like rodents, insects, or wildlife that have infested the home.

If there are any elements that are commonly owned between multiple neighbors, like a driveway, or if there are homeowners’ association fees, let buyers know. There’s also a section in disclosure forms for sellers to let potential buyers know about water source information.

Making a Purchase Agreement

Any buyer looking to get a home in New York will have to submit a written offer to the seller. This agreement will include the price but isn’t required to be a complete contract that’s ready to sign like what is required in California.

If the seller agrees, which can be done verbally, the buyer is then allowed to conduct inspections as they please. Once these inspections are completed, there’s a short window for then adjusting the price accordingly based on what’s found. If the seller offers to do some repairs, the buyer might not ask for a change in price.

No one is under contract yet nor are they bound to the contract. The next step requires the seller’s attorney to help compose a final contract to be negotiated over and then signed by both parties. The buyer pays a percentage as a down payment to secure the home and set the contract in motion.

There’s a 72-hour review period for attorneys to look over the contract. There can be last changes made and if there’s an extreme situation, one party can walk out of the deal in this period.

Then a final agreement is created with all of the terms of sale, pushing the transaction into escrow.

Understanding Escrow

Escrow is when the purchase agreement has been signed but the house hasn’t closed yet. The seller’s attorney becomes the “escrow” or the title agent for the property and supervises the whole process. They prepare title reports and get title insurance to settle property liens and prepare the final closing documents.

During this period, the buyer needs to hustle to finalize financing and remove all of the buyer’s contingencies. The property should be appraised and title insurance should be obtained to secure the home and the deal.

Sellers need to help to make the property available for inspections and a final walkthrough.

If the buyer struggles to get financing, they have the right to back out. They may get to keep their down payment even if they back out of the deal after it’s been paid.

If you’re worried it’ll take a while, read more here to understand the process better.

How To Sell A House Is All In The Closing

Now that you’ve sold your house, you need to go through the process of closing. There’s a formality in how to sell a house and so you’ll be expected to go to an in-person meeting with the buyer, seller, and their lawyers. Here is where everything is signed and final things are exchanged.

If you’re thinking of adding an extension to your home before selling, check out our guide for tips on getting it done right.

Almost 80% of people say they feel stressed at some point during the day. This stress can stem from a variety of things: work, relationships, or just feeling like there’s not enough time in the day to get everything done.

But chronic stress has a lot of negative effects on your health. Over time, it can cause depression, anxiety, obesity, high blood pressure, and even heart disease.

Luckily, there are small things you can do every day to lower stress. One of the best is to relax in a luxurious bathroom with a nice aromatherapy bath.

If your current bathroom is looking a bit outdated, it’s probably time for a remodel anyway. Just follow these tips to create the ultimate spa-like getaway in your home, so you can relax and feel the stress melt away.

Go Big

Although it’s not impossible, it will be harder to achieve that luxurious look in a tiny bathroom. You may not be able to fit everything you want, or everything may end up looking cramped or cluttered.

But, if you can expand your bathroom, you’ll have much more space to work with. You can feel free to include a nice large tub or shower (or both!) as well as some nice decorative elements that can help tie the room together.

Pick Your Colors Wisely

The color palette is typically one of the first things you notice when you walk into a room, so you want to make sure you chose the right colors for your bathroom.

Using neutral colors is perhaps the easiest way to create that spa-like appearance. Beige or tan is a great way to go for something warm and relaxing while blacks and greys will give you a more modern look.

If you want to use colors, opt for something deep and rich—think royal colors, like deep blue or purple. Whatever you decided, make sure you stick with a monochrome color scheme.

Focus on the Shower and Tub

When you want to use your bathroom to relax, the shower and tub will be the most important elements. After all, it’s hard to get a good start to the day when you’re constantly banging your elbows into the shower door.

Make sure you go with a spacious shower and tub, so your bathroom really is a luxurious retreat for you. You could even take this one step further by going for a rainfall shower or a jetted tub. There will be a lot of options available to you, so make sure you check out this helpful link before making a decision.

Use Tile

Tile is a great option to use in your bathroom because it’s so versatile. You can use it on the floors, around the tub, and in the shower to help give your bathroom a cohesive design.

This is also a way to add a little extra interest to certain areas. You may decide to do an intricate mosaic design inside your shower or keep things timeless by adding a glass tile ribbon along your shower walls.

Don’t Forget Your Sinks

Your sinks are another huge part of your bathroom. If you splurge everywhere else and go with a basic sink design, it’ll lower the overall look of your bathroom.

Of course, that doesn’t mean you have to spend a ton here. A unique vessel sink can add interest and make the area appear luxurious without costing much more than a regular sink.

If possible, consider going for a double sink. Not only will it be more convenient as you and your spouse are getting ready in the morning, but it’ll also help your bathroom look high-end.

Include a View

Do you have an amazing view from your home? Whether you can see the beach, the mountains, a lake, or just a fabulous backyard, you can utilize that in your bathroom.

Placing large windows next to your tub will help create the ultimate spa-like feeling as you can soak while enjoying the view.

Of course, this only works if your view is private. If your neighbors are close by, this may end up making you feel self-conscious.

Bring Nature In

When you think of a fancy ski resort, you probably picture those rustic rooms with floors and walls all made with wood. Well, it’s easier than you’d think to recreate this in your own home.

Just make sure you use horizontal wood on the walls and use neutral paint colors on any walls not covered. You’ll want to finish off the design by using plants or other pieces of natural decor.

If this ski-lodge look isn’t for you, you can still create a relaxing atmosphere by utilizing nature. Use light and flowy window dressings to let a lot of natural light in, hang nature-inspired artwork, use plants as decor, and include a stone shower wall. You’ll feel like you’re in a fancy hotel on a tropical island!

It’s All in The Details

While the “big ticket” items like a tub and shower are important, it’s the details that wrap the entire look together. This is also the perfect way to incorporate a little bit of your personality to really make your bathroom stand out from the rest.

If you don’t have a lot of extra room to play with, consider getting an ornate mirror or fancy light fixture to complete the space. If you have an empty corner, fill it with a large vase or even a decorative chair.

Creating a Luxurious Bathroom at Home

Who says you have to go to the spa to relax? By creating a luxurious bathroom, you can take the edge off at home. Just follow the above tips to create the ultimate bathroom that you’ll never way to leave.

Are you on the lookout for a new home to create this amazing bathroom in? Then check out our home listings in South Florida today.

If you are looking for ways to upgrade your backyard, there are many ways you can go. Adding an outdoor deck is a wonderful way to enhance your outdoor space.

A deck is a great space for relaxing or entertaining friends and family outdoors. It adds beauty and value to your home without a huge investment.

There’s a wide variety of styles depending on your taste, home design, and the contours of your land. If you’re tired of a concrete patio or slope in your yard, an outdoor deck will be a major improvement.

Let’s take a look at some benefits you get when you add a deck to your backyard.

Visual Appeal

You want your outdoor living space to be beautiful, and a deck adds visual appeal and value to your home. There are many types of wood and many colors or stains you can choose from.

Some homeowners choose a composite material instead of wood because it’s easy to care for. No matter the size or design of your home, you can add a beautiful deck to enhance your outdoor area.

Indoor Outdoor Living Space

Combining indoor and outdoor space is a popular design trend. Today’s home buyers look for a home that extends their indoor living space.

They want a home that flows from the inside out. They want function and beauty.

An attractive wood deck is a great way to extend your indoor living space to the outdoors. You can choose a design that complements the structure of your house and leads to easy access to your yard or swimming pool.

Enjoy Your Back Yard

If you stay indoors due to a lack of outdoor seating area, a deck is a perfect solution. You can have your morning coffee on your back deck with a view of nature or enjoy a drink at the end of a tiring day.

When the weather is nice, you can enjoy the sunshine as you sit on your deck. Or watch the sunset as you relax in the evening.

You can enjoy family meals together on your deck. Some people use their deck as an area for exercise such as riding a stationary bike, walking on a treadmill or even practicing yoga.

Having a deck will increase your opportunities to enjoy the outdoors.

Entertain Guests

If you enjoy entertaining, a back deck is a must-have. A deck offers the perfect space for barbecues, family parties, and get-togethers.

Consider adding festive lights and some comfortable outdoor furniture to your deck to make it fun and inviting. A deck is a perfect spot for hanging out and enjoying your friends and family.

A deck is a great place for neighborhood parties or intimate conversations with friends. It’s a beautiful spot for an evening dinner party with lights and candles.

If you lack the space to entertain guests in your kitchen or dining room, an outdoor deck may be the solution.

A Quick Addition

If you are looking for home improvements that don’t take a lot of time, a deck is a good addition. An experienced builder can construct a deck quickly.

A deck can be completed in as little as a week’s time, although the time frame varies depending on the size of the deck. Of course, you will need skilled builders with the right equipment. Find out more.

Large home additions are intrusive and costly. In contrast, a wooden deck is a quick addition that won’t disrupt your life.

Low-Cost Investment

Compare to other home additions, building a deck is much less expensive. It surprises people when they see how affordable adding a deck can be.

This is good news if you’re on a budget but still want to extend your living space. It’s certainly less expensive than adding an additional room to your home.

The price of wooden decks varies depending on the size and the materials you choose. Choosing high-quality materials is important for the longevity of your deck.

You want a deck that not only looks beautiful but also lasts and adds value to your home. A deck is a low-cost investment that you can enjoy for years to come.

Increase Your Home’s Value

You may not plan to sell your home anytime soon, but you never know what tomorrow will bring. Adding a wooden deck is an easy way to increase the value of your home.

Buyers prefer homes with beautiful outdoor living spaces. They’re more likely to take a second look at a home they can picture themselves enjoying.

Buyers want to envision their family barbecuing or having a birthday party on their outdoor deck. It’s a definite selling point.

If you decide to sell your home later, a deck only increases its desirability and value.

Extra Space

A backyard deck adds functional space to your home. There’s room for a grill, outdoor furniture, plants, and more.

You won’t need to have these things scattered around the yard anymore. Having a deck solves that problem.

A deck is a great spot for kids to play or teenagers to gather. It’s the perfect place to gather as a family and enjoy each other’s company.

And you will have the ideal space for entertaining. Guests like to move about at parties, and a deck allows them to enjoy your outside space without feeling cramped inside.

Add a Deck to Your Backyard

A beautiful deck can transform your backyard and extend your indoor living space outdoors. When you add a deck to your backyard, it’s a solid investment that will increase the value and appeal of your home.

The right deck will compliment your home and provide an ideal space for family get-togethers and entertaining. As long as you choose a reliable contractor or builder and high-quality materials, you will enjoy your outdoor deck for years to come.

Before you go, be sure to take a look at our website and our many helpful blogs.

Perhaps you’re building a home from scratch? Maybe you’re looking to make some changes to your existing home? In any case, you’re trying to find a suitable flooring option.

These days, there are all types of flooring options available to homeowners, some that are better suited for luxury homeowners and others that are better suited for budget buyers.

Wondering what’s the best type of flooring for you? Keep on reading! We’re going to compare the most popular flooring choices of 2019!

2019’s Best Flooring Options

There is no shortage of flooring materials available in 2019. Regardless of your aesthetic and functional preferences, you should be able to find one which accommodates you. The best of 2019’s flooring choices are as follows.

Hardwood

A classic flooring material, hardwood looks great regardless of where it’s installed. With a variety of hardwood species available, it’s capable of providing a number of aesthetics, some of which are rustic and some of which are polished.

Functionally speaking, hardwood is superb. If properly maintained, it can last for the span of your life and beyond. Of course, in order for it to do so, you’ll need to sand it and seal it on a regular basis.

While it’s not the most costly flooring option on the market, hardwood does lean toward the expensive side. However, considering its durability and performance, it’s well worth the price.

Natural Stone

A decidedly high-end flooring material, natural stone is used almost exclusively in luxury homes. Why is this? Because it’s far and away the most expensive flooring option there is.

Of course, there’s a reason for its high cost. Not only is it exceedingly durable, but resistant to water and scratches as well. Not to mention, it requires almost no maintenance whatsoever.

In terms of aesthetics, natural stone is an absolute beauty. It will provide an instant air of regality to any home in which it’s installed. Read more about natural stone flooring now!

Tile

One of the more popular flooring options is tile. Available in both ceramic and porcelain, it’s highly resistant to water, and therefore is ideal for use in bathrooms and kitchens. In addition to this, it’s durable, scratch-resistant, and low-maintenance.

Aesthetically, tile can meet a number of different preferences. Whereas some types of tile are embroidered with intricate designs, other types of tile are made to look like wood or stone. Price-wise, tile sits somewhere in the middle of the totem pole.

While tile flooring is generally very reliable, it is susceptible to cracking. Not to mention, it’s known for being loud and cold. Nonetheless, it’s a solid material to utilize, specifically for areas which are prone to water.

Laminate

Laminate flooring is one of the cheapest flooring options on the market and therefore is used on a fairly regular basis. Often placed in the same class as carpet, it’s highly functional but is also very vulnerable to water. For this reason, it’s best kept out of bathrooms and kitchens.

In terms of aesthetics, laminate flooring is sufficient, but not great. It’s best referred to as a mimic flooring material. This is to say that it’s cheaply designed to look like high-end wood flooring.

If you’re buying flooring on a budget, laminate flooring is not a bad choice. It’s durable, low-maintenance, and attractive enough to add a spark to a home. However, it’s not a high-end material.

Vinyl

Vinyl flooring is similar to laminate flooring but is different in the fact that it consists of 100% synthetic materials. Not to mention, it’s laid down in sheets as opposed to planks.

This flooring material is designed to appeal to a number of aesthetic preferences. However, it’s a mimic material. While it does a passable job of mimicking wood and stone, it’s still very obviously vinyl.

As affordable as flooring materials come, it’s one of the more popular options for homeowners. Resistant to water, it could conceivably be used in every room in a house.

Unfortunately, vinyl flooring has its flaws. While it’s soft texture allows for warmth and quietness, it also allows for tearing and ripping. Over time, you’ll start to notice its deterioration, spurring you to replace it within 10 to 20 years of its installation.

Cork

Cork flooring has grown in popularity as of late, most likely due to its unique aesthetic and its versatile array of characteristics. Suitable for use in every room within a house, it’s resistant to both water and scratching.

Price-wise, cork lies toward the bottom of the totem pole. However, it’s generally more expensive than both carpet and vinyl.

Soft and absorbent, it’s not only very easy on the feet, but it’s also as quiet as flooring materials come. Not to mention, it acts as a terrific insulator.

Note, though, that there are downsides to cork. Due to its softness, it can become compressed by furniture. Plus, if exposed to sunlight, it can fade over time. However, overall, it’s a great flooring choice for budget buyers.

Carpet

Carpet isn’t going to knock anyone out aesthetically, but it’s more than sufficient enough to get the job done. As cheap of a flooring material as you’re going to find, it’s great for living rooms, bedrooms, and basements.

The perks of carpet are that it’s soft, cushioned, slip-resistant, and quiet. Not to mention, it’s exceedingly easy to install.

The primary downside of carpet is that it’s difficult to clean. Even vacuum cleaners will struggle to suck up every dirt particle contained with a sheet of carpet. Plus, with carpet, irreparable staining is a very real possibility.

In Need of Real Estate Services in Miami?

Each of the flooring options reviewed above provides something unique in the ways of functionality and performance. While they all have their flaws, the truth of the matter is that you can’t go wrong with any of them.

Are you, by any chance, looking to buy a home? Maybe you’re looking to sell your current home? If so, and if you’re in the Miami area, Skyfive Properties can help you.

Contact us today to get the ball rolling!

5.5 million homes in the United States sold in 2018.

If you’re planning on selling your house in 2019, you’re going to have a lot of competition. No one wants their house to sit on the market for months on end so you need to stand out against the competition.

Need to sell your house as soon as possible? Don’t wait around for a buyer to come around. Read on to learn how to sell a house fast!

1. Make Sure the Time Is Right

For a quick home sale, make sure the time is right.

Like many animals, home buyers tend to hibernate in the winter. The best time to sell your home is in the spring, and more specifically May. People hate to move during the cold winter months, so always opt for a warmer time when you think about selling.

The best part? Homes sold during this peak time average $2,500 more in revenue.

2. Price Competitively

If your house isn’t selling, it may be because you are asking too much for it.

Make sure that you are pricing competitively compared to other homes of similar size in your area. And if you’re screaming, “I need to sell my house ASAP,” try listing your home below market value. Nothing gets the buyers knocking at your door quicker than a deal.

3. Deep Clean

To help sell a home faster, make sure it’s deep cleaned. And we don’t mean just hiding everything under the bed!

Take the time to clean everything in your home. This includes closets and drawers that normally attract clutter. Your goal is to make your home look as attractive as possible to potential buyers.

Don’t be ashamed to hire a professional service to clean your home.

4. Do Minor Repairs

After your home is clean, take a look around and search for minor repairs.

Paint that room with the peeling walls. Change out the hardware on your kitchen cabinets. Replace the tile grout in your bathroom.

These little repairs make a big difference to homebuyers. Not many people want to buy a home that comes with a laundry list of repairs to do.

Leave the bigger projects, like a new roof or window replacements, for the new owner.

5. Stage Accordingly

After repairs, it’s time to stage your home accordingly.

Take out anything that appears as clutter inside your home. Keep only the minimal belongings needed to make your home appear lived in. Also, remember to hide away any personal belongings, like family portraits or childhood mementos.

If you need to, spend the money and rent a storage unit to place your excess belongings in. You’ll see a return on your investment by finding a buyer quicker.

6. Upgrade Your Curb Appeal

The outside of your home is the first thing that a potential buyer sees. First impressions matter.

Take the time to spruce up your landscaping with fresh mulch and blooming flowers. A bright, colorful front door or mailbox gives your home a welcoming vibe. Don’t forget to decorate your patio to create an appealing, outdoor living space.

7. Get Professional

To sell your home, sometimes you need the help of professionals.

One professional you shouldn’t pass on is a professional photographer. In the digital age, most people shop for homes online first. And if you have bad photos or no photos at all, the right homebuyer may never consider your home.

Instead, a professional photographer will take the best possible photos of your home. They know how to make your home appear brighter, bigger, and more welcoming.

8. Hire a Realtor

Speaking of professionals, consider hiring a realtor to help you.

A realtor has both education and experience in the home buying process. They have inside knowledge of the market and other homes on the market. They have what it takes to put your home in the right light in front of the right people.

Better yet, they handle all of the paperwork and legal aspects of selling your home. Since they have experience, they can close on a home faster than you’d be able to on your own.

This all results in your home selling quicker.

9. Market Your Home

Even if you hire a realtor, you should still market your home on your own.

Use those professional photos and get your home online. Make social media posts and share them with your friends and on local for sale sites. Also, take advantage of a classified ad in a print newspaper.

Make sure your home has a visible for sale sign with a phone number. Print out fliers advertising your home and place them in high traffic areas, such as the bus stop or the post office.

There’s no such thing as too much marketing — you want to get your home in front of as many eyes as possible.

10. Use a Fast Sale Company

Are you still asking “how do I sell my house fast?” If so, consider using a fast sale company.

To get a fast sale offer, you tell the company details about your property. The company then gives you a cash offer within 24 hours, which you can accept or deny. Once you accept an offer, expect to close on your house in seven to ten days.

The best part about using these companies is that you don’t need to repair anything in your home or prepare it for a sale. This option is great for someone facing foreclosure, handling a divorce, or relocating suddenly.

Beyond How to Sell a House

Now you know how to sell a house, but do you know how to buy a new one?

You should be looking for your new home while selling your old home. You don’t want to sell your home but have no place to move into. Instead, make it an easy process by searching for your new home online!

View our online listings and find your dream home today.