SkyFive Properties Blog

Whether a squirrel in your gutter has caused them irreparable damage or if you’ve just noticed your gutters don’t seem to be draining properly anymore, one thing is for sure:

It’s definitely time for you to replace your gutters, one of the most common home maintenance tasks.

Especially if you’ve always been a fan of the DIY lifestyle, you’re likely curious about how to install gutters on your own. Doing so is also an excellent way to save some money, and entitles you to serious bragging rights for at least a month afterward.

Still, there are a few things you need to know about how to install rain gutters the right way before you give it a go.

Read on to learn the tips and tricks you need to succeed — as well as when it’s time to call in the professionals.

Choose The Right Type

The first step in learning how to install gutters on your own?

Make sure you do your homework when it comes to the type and size of gutter you need. Most residential homes will use aluminum gutters in the “K style” that are about 6 inches wide.

When it comes to the right gauge, usually 26 is the industry standard. However, especially if you’ve never done your own gutter installation before, going with a 32 gauge is a safer bet.

You also need to take your climate into consideration. You may find that vinyl gutters are all it takes to stand up to the weather in your area. You may want to opt for a round gutter instead of a K style option.

Know Where to Place The Gutter

Especially if you’re a beginner, it can be easy to think that the right place for your gutter is along the edge of your roof.

However, the “sweet spot” for gutter placement is actually about 3 inches under your roof’s edge. This is because water goes off your roof’s edge and is also pulled up underneath the edge, as well.

If you don’t install your gutters in the right place, the water will quickly damage your fascia, your deck, siding, gardens, and even threaten the structural integrity of your home as a whole.

Another hack to help you make sure you’ve positioned your gutters correctly?

Start by setting them out on your lawn. This makes the process of cutting the gutters down to size a whole lot easier. You can even install the connectors for downspouts on your lawn. This makes the process both simpler and safer for you.

Downspout Considerations

In addition to knowing where to put the gutters themselves, you also need to think about where you plan to put your downspouts.

This is one of the first things you should do, because it will help you to properly align your gutters. One of the best places to put these downspouts is as close to roof corners as is possible. Make sure that you have a downspout at least once every 20 feet.

This will help to reduce the chances of clogging.

Seal It Up

Once you’ve installed both your gutters and downspouts, you need to be certain that everything has completely sealed.

To test things, we suggest you get a gallon of water and run it through your gutters. Ensure that the sealant is completely dry before you do this test.

For best results, wait between 12-24 hours after your installation to test the sealant for the first time.

When to Call a Pro to Install Gutters

We know that you’re looking to save on the cost to install gutters by doing it on your own.

But sometimes, you need to work with a professional because it’s not only a safer decision, but also the more financially sound option.

First of all, if you suspect that you have a serious infestation of either rodents or bugs in your gutters (not just a single confused creature) don’t go the DIY route.

You don’t want to risk exposing yourself to diseases, and you also need to be certain you find the source of any nests and points of entry these pests are using to set up shop in your gutters.

If your roof is especially high, or if you’re a bit older or not as spry on your feet as you’d like to be, you should also leave it to the professionals.

The same goes if you don’t have the tools or replacement parts you need. Remember, buying the wrong parts and not being able to return them is a costly mistake. Visit this page to see how professionals determine your quote.

Finally, remember that DIY work doesn’t come with any warranties or guarantees.

Do you really want to be out there fixing the same problem again in a month?

Learning How to Install Gutters Isn’t Impossible

We hope that this post has helped you to feel more confident when it comes to learning how to install gutters on your own.

However, remember that sometimes, it really is the best option to leave things to the professionals.

Don’t worry, though.

Even if you weren’t able to conquer gutter repair and installation without the experts, there are plenty of other DIY home improvement and decor projects you can try on your own.

It doesn’t matter whether you’re getting ready to put your home on the market and need to increase your curb appeal, or if you want to master easy fixes.

Keep checking back with us for all the DIY tips and tricks you need to improve your home.

Ready for a new home? Browse through our property listings to find the house of your dreams.

South Florida sees the sun over 200 days out of the year. With all that sunshine, why not set up your outdoor space as a comfortable place to entertain?

You can enjoy all the benefits of being outdoors without having to go to the park. Even better, you can set your space up how you like it with your favorite amenities and comforts.

Looking for ideas? Check out these fantastic ways of revolutionizing your outdoor space.

1. Outdoor Fireplace or Firepit

What better way to spend a pleasant evening than roasting marshmallows in your backyard? Firepits can be as simple as a few rocks in a circle up to elaborate pieces that will wow your guests.

If you prefer to enclose your fire, consider a fireplace instead. These pieces are similar to what you might expect to see in a cozy living room or study. They serve to make your outdoor space feel more like a gathering place.

It’s also a great way to enjoy a fireplace in a warm climate where an indoor fireplace would be somewhat impractical.

2. Outdoor TV

Televisions tend to end up being a focal point in many homes. It can be great fun to have your friends over for a movie night or to watch the game. Take your outdoor space up a notch by adding a TV.

You’ll have to install it correctly, of course, to protect it from the weather. There are several stylish and practical options you can take advantage of to keep it safe from the elements.

With an outdoor TV, you don’t have to worry about cramming everyone into your home to watch the Superbowl. Either everyone can be outside or you can have the game on in both your living room and your outdoor space for double the fun!

3. Outdoor Dining

Enjoying a meal outdoors is a pleasant way to wind down after a long day.

With new technology and materials, an outdoor dining space doesn’t have to be a simple picnic table. You can set up full dining sets in your backyard that are just as elegant and comfortable as your indoor one.

From rustic to contemporary you can find the perfect dining set to complement your outdoor decor.

4. Outdoor Kitchen

Of course, if you’re going to enjoy your meal outside, wouldn’t it make sense to prepare it out there as well? Set your dining space up alongside your outdoor kitchen and you can chat with your guests while preparing a feast.

You can do something simple like a sink and a countertop for preparing foods. Set up a grill and you have everything you need for a delicious barbeque party. Or you can get fancy and install a full kitchen, complete with a refrigerator and dishwasher!

The sky is the limit when it comes to designing your outdoor kitchen. Well, and your space and budget, of course.

Read more here to learn about the benefits of an outdoor kitchen and to get some excellent design ideas!

5. Water Features

There is something soothing about the sound of flowing water. If you want your backyard space to be a true oasis where you can de-stress, you need a water fountain–even if it’s a small one.

There are so many designs to pick from, it can seem overwhelming at first. Focus on the atmosphere that you want to create and go from there.

Do you want a rustic look? You could build a fountain from stones or river rock. Prefer something a little more upscale? Opt for an elegant statue. You can make your fountain an eye-catching centerpiece or make your guests work to find the source of the sound.

It’s completely up to you!

6. Balance Your Design

Be sure that whatever design elements you choose work for the space. You don’t want to cram so much into the space that it is no longer comfortable to spend time there.

In small backyards, think vertical with your decor. Include cubbies and innovative storage options to make good use of the space that you have.

If your space is larger, you can get more elaborate and install a kitchen and dining area. Think about whether you want to add a deck or stick with a concrete patio.

Whatever elements you choose, just make sure they work with your space.

7. Lattice Screen

Do you live close to your neighbors? You might love your neighbors, but that doesn’t mean you want them to be in your business during a romantic dinner for two!

A lattice screen is a great way to add a bit more privacy to a close-quarters backyard. Plant some climbing flowers at the bottom and in no time you’ll have a lovely divide full of bright blooms.

You can also use a screen to hide something unsightly. For example, your compost pile or trash bins…or your neighbor’s unkempt backyard.

8. Throws and Pillows

Would you like to freshen the look of your outdoor space? Maybe you just want to give it a simple update. Or you might prefer the option to change up the look with the changing seasons.

This is where small decor items like throws and pillows come into play. Have some fun picking out the perfect accents for your outdoor space. The right decor can completely change the atmosphere of your patio and this is an inexpensive way to do it!

Time to Update Your Outdoor Space

We hope these ideas have gotten you started thinking about what you can do with your outdoor space. If you’ve got it, there’s no reason not to take advantage of it when the weather is nice!

Are you looking for a new home altogether? Feel free to browse our listings to find the perfect home–and outdoor space–for you!

While some experts might suggest that you can wait 15 years between when you paint and when you repaint your home, that doesn’t work for everyone. Some people need to start looking into how to paint the exterior of a house every few years because of weather or because of an accident. If this is the case for you, you need to know how to prep your house to get it cleaned the right way.

Here are the six steps to take for improved curb appeal.

1. Clean the Exterior

When you’re first getting started, you’re going to want to paint on a clean and clear surface. If you paint over dirt, either you risk disrupting the surface or you end up painting that dirt into the paint job. You want a smooth surface that you’re not going to have to repaint sooner than you have to, so it needs to be clean.

Remove all the dirt and debris that’s built up on the exterior of your home using a pressure washer. This will give you the smooth surface you’re looking for, prepared for your next steps.

To get the most out of your cleaning, work from the top to the bottom of the house. Use a smooth and controlled motion so that you don’t have to repeat your work. Follow the directions laid out by the pressure washer manufacturer so that you know what to do.

2. Fix Problems Now

If you’ve got any problems with the surface of your home, fix them now. Trying to fix them after you’ve painted requires you to match colors, get all of your equipment out again, and risk having disparities between new and old.

Walk around the entire outside of your house and make notes of any damaged surfaces you see. If there are issues with wood, be specific as possible so you find the right replacement. If you’ve got damaged stucco, siding, or masonry, you might need to hire a professional to help.

You can fix some of the issues on your own if you walk around with a spackle knife and some epoxy filler. After the filler has dried, you can sand it all down with a sanding block to ensure that the repaired portion looks smooth. When you fix your problems in advance, you can use the paint to make the damaged surfaces disappear.

3. Scrape Loose Paint

One of the ways you can really spoil your paint job is by leaving loose paint around. Any paint that’s started to peel or to flake off should be removed so you can keep your next coat of paint as smooth as possible.

After you’ve washed and fixed issues on the exterior, walk around again making a note of any chipped paint or paint that looks ready to peel. Throw down some drop cloths and start getting busy on those spots with a scraper. Catch the pieces that come off because you never know how toxic they could be.

After you’ve scraped, pull out your sanding block again and clean up the surface. This way you can get an even surface for when you start putting some paint on your house.

4. Fill in Gaps with Caulk

While you might be itching to get painting, you still have some prep work to do. Now’s your chance to make sure that any gaps are going to be filled in before you get to painting. That way you can paint over the filler and keep things looking smooth.

Get yourself some caulk and a caulk gun and make your way around the exterior of your house. If you have a mix of siding and brick or any two materials like this, add a layer of caulk along the line where the materials meet up. This will ensure that there’s no undue wear on the edge of either.

5. Think About Doors, Windows, and Lights

When you’re painting and come across a door or a window with different colored trim, it can mess up your whole flow to have to work around them. If you have exterior light fixtures, paint on them can damage them, cause them to short, or just ruin the way that they look. You need to protect all of these things carefully before you paint.

Cover these elements with carefully fitted plastic sheeting and some painter’s tape. This will keep you from spoiling the details of your exterior.

After you’re done painting the exterior, you can go back and take off all of the plastic sheeting from these elements. Then you can add two coats of semigloss paint that’s optimized for exterior surfaces.

6. Get To Work Painting

When it’s time to get started, you’re going to want to use a sprayer to get things done evenly. Put flat or eggshell paint into your paint sprayer. If you have a strong color that you’re going for, you’re going to need to apply two coats to get the color you’re looking for.

As you go back and forth, make sure you overlap each stroke of your sprayer by 8 inches. This ensures that you’re adequately covering all of the gaps that are missed on the first pass and not creating any kind of strips that denote each stroke.

Go from top to bottom in a smooth way so that you’re not overapplying paint and that any drips can be caught on the next pass.

If you’re going from light to dark or dark to light, consider a layer of primer beforehand. This will allow you to get the coverage you’re looking for. When you’re finished, remove your drop cloths and dispose of debris properly.

If the actual task of painting feels daunting, check out what this painting company can offer you.

Deciding How to Paint the Exterior of a House Is Challenging

If you’re working on deciding how to paint the exterior of a house, look at what other people in your neighborhood are doing. Do you want to stand out or do you prefer to blend in? As long as there aren’t too many rules governing house painting, the choice is up to you.

If you’re doing all of this work to sell your house, check out our guide for tips.

Only 10% of homeowners keep their house as clean as it needs to be when they’re showing it off to potential buyers.

That number might make you question your own cleaning abilities. It can also make you wonder if you should call it quits on your cleaning and hire professional cleaners instead.

Worried cleaning services might not be worth the money?

Keep reading to learn the importance of professional cleaning when selling your own house.

The Importance of a Clean Home When You’re Getting Ready to Sell

When potential buyers look at your house, they want to imagine what they’re lives would look like if they lived there. In other words, your home has to be a clean slate so buyers can add to it with their imaginations.

A clean home makes that process easier for buyers. And it can, therefore, also make them more interested in your home.

And remember, the cleaner the better.

Dust on top of the furniture or doorframes might not bother you, but it could turn a potential buyer away. This means you might have to get your house professionally cleaned more than once in the selling process.

Before Your House Is on the Market

An inspection will show you what you need to fix and repair in your home before it’s ready for the market. You might think you need to replace something, but after a thorough cleaning, it could turn out it was just dirty.

Cleaning your home before an inspection will give you a better idea of what needs to get done. It will also make the inspection process easier for your inspector.

Before an Open House

This is possibly the most important time to clean your home. This is when you want to impress buyers, and as we mentioned above, a dirty home—even if it’s just a bit of dust—can turn people away.

After You Move Out

Once you move all your belonging from the home, you might notice new spots you missed before. You might have to go through your house one more time to clean any remaining dust and grime before you go for good.

Can’t I Just Clean My Own Home?

Yes… and no.

You can clean your house by yourself, but getting it done in time for important deadlines—like an open house—can be much more difficult.

On top of that, there’s a good chance you don’t have the same tools professional cleaners will bring with them when they work on your house. You might be able to vacuum the carpet, but you might not be able to wash it.

Professional cleaners can also often provide high-quality cleaning. Even if you’re an excellent cleaner yourself, you might not be able to give everything the attention it deserves while juggling the job of selling your home.

Benefits of Hiring Professional Cleaners When Selling Your Own House

The professional cleaners with Greener Southwest Carpet, Tile, & Upholstery Care make your job easier, but they offer a lot more than just convenience. Here’s a quick look at the main reasons you should hire professional cleaners to help get your home ready for the market.

Saves You Time

There are a lot of steps involved in the house selling process. Trying to clean your house top to bottom will make your job more complicated, and it can also take your attention away from more pressing issues.

Either that, or you’ll have to push off cleaning while you handle other matters. This might mean your house doesn’t get cleaned at all.

Professional cleaners take care of all the tidying up for your so you can handle the more pressing issues.

It’s Flexible

You can schedule professional cleaners to arrive at your house around your schedule. That means you don’t have to rearrange your day and push back important tasks to get your house clean.

And scheduling appointments is a quick, simple process. It doesn’t take longer than a few minutes.

You can also set up routine cleaning visits. This will ensure your house stays ready for showings without you having to continuously call and schedule more appointments.

Saves You Money

If your home isn’t clean, buyers may make lower offers than they would if the home was spotless. So even a small amount of dust or dirt may cost you big bucks in the long run.

You might also have to buy a handful of new cleaning products and tools if you decide to clean it yourself. This can add up to a lot of money.

Hiring professional cleaners can be much more affordable when you add it all up.

Ensure Everything Gets Done on Time

When you’re getting ready to sell your home, cleaning might be the last thing on your mind. You might not remember all the cleaning chores that need to get done until the night before your open house.

This can leave you in a frazzle and leave your house in worse condition than it could be.

Working with professional cleaners can give you peace of mind because you’ll know everything will get done on time. This can help you manage your stress levels as you prepare for the transition of moving.

Should You Hire Professional Cleaners Before Selling Your Home?

The short answer is this: yes!

Hiring professional cleaners before selling your own house can put you at ease, make your job easier, and attracted interested buyers. It might even give you a higher sale price at closing.

Don’t have time to stick around while you’re home’s sitting on the market?

Make sure you click here to learn how to sell your home fast.

Most people only call on pest control companies when they need something. They spot a mouse scurrying around in their kitchen or see roaches running around in their basement and freak out before getting a pest control company on the line.

Rather than taking this approach to pest control, why not invest in year-round pest control services instead? Pest control specialists can come to your home every few weeks to prevent pests from becoming a problem.

There are many benefits that come along with working with a pest control company all year long as opposed to just calling on them when you see signs of trouble. Check out the many benefits of doing it below.

Treats All Kinds of Pests

There are so many different kinds of pests that can work their way into your home. From tiny critters to larger rodents, you need to be on the lookout for all of them.

Here are some of the pests that you might see in your home at some point:

• Mice
• Rats
• Ants
• Termites
• Spiders
• Bees
• Squirrels
• Bed bugs
• Ticks
• Wildlife

When you take advantage of year-round pest control services, you’ll get protection from all of them.

During your initial consultation, a pest control specialist will check every nook and cranny in your home for signs of pests. They’ll also walk around outside your home to determine the types of pests your home might be susceptible to.

This will give the specialist a chance to figure out the most effective way to keep pests away. They’ll be proactive as opposed to reactive when it comes to dealing with the pests that could cause issues in your home.

Prevents Damage to Your Home

There are some instances in which you’ll see obvious signs of a pest problem in your home. For example, if you have mice or roaches out in the open, that’s a pretty clear-cut indication of a problem.

But there are also many times when homeowners have pests living in their homes without them even knowing about it. Rodents and bugs keep to themselves behind walls and under floors and don’t make many appearances.

When this happens, those pests often do a lot of damage to homes before homeowners realize they’re there. They chew through electrical wires, eat away at wooden beams, and leave entire sections of homes in shambles.

You won’t have to worry about your home sustaining massive amounts of damage due to pest activity. A pest control specialist will search for pests on a monthly basis and let you know if you have anything to be concerned about.

Learn more here about some of the damage that can be done by undetected pests.

Saves Money

When you sign up for regular pest control services, there will be a cost associated with it. Most pest control companies charge somewhere in the $40 to $50 range every month to monitor an average-sized home.

But believe it or not, you could save money in the long run by working with a pest control company month in and month out.

On average, pest control companies charge about $300 to $500 for one-time visits to homes. And if that doesn’t do the trick? They’ll often have to come back out again and hit you with another charge.

As a result, you’ll often end up paying a pest control company a lot more money for two visits than you would to have them come out a dozen times over the course of a year as part of a maintenance program.

You can also save money on home repairs by investing in pest control services. There is a lower chance of you having to make repairs to damage done by pests when you have a pest control company in your corner.

Cuts Down on Pesticide Use

Do you hate the idea of having your home subjected to pesticides when you have a pest problem?

Some people are under the impression that they’ll have to subject their homes to pesticides even more when they agree to pay for routine pest control services. But this couldn’t be further from the truth.

A pest control specialist may need to use pesticides the first time they visit your home if you have a bad pest problem. But once they’ve eradicated the pests, they won’t have to rely on pesticides anymore.

The specialists can take other steps to keep pests out of your home once they’ve been evicted from it.

Provides (Free!) On-Call Services

Even with regular pest control services, there is still a small chance that pests could find a way to gain access to your home. You could wind up seeing a mouse or a roach at some point.

If you do, your pest control company can provide you with on-call services and send someone to your home right away. They can come out and see where the pests are coming from before finding the right method for getting rid of them.

Best of all, they’ll do all this for free in most cases as part of your pest control program. There is a lot of value in that part of the program alone.

Gives You Peace of Mind

After you’ve seen pests in your home, you’ll feel on edge for a little while. It’s normal for people to think that pests might still be hanging around in some dark corner in their home.

You might even briefly consider moving out of your home because of it!

With pest control services, you won’t have to spend as much time stressing out about the potential presence of pests. Your pest control specialist will put your mind at ease by checking up on your home regularly.

Start Using Year-Round Pest Control Services Now

Whether you’ve had pests in your home in the past or not, pest control services could be very beneficial to you. You’ll sleep better at night knowing you’re doing everything you can to keep pests at bay.

You’ll also prevent your home from getting damaged by pests. It’ll stop your property value from taking a nosedive and help you steer clear of costly repairs.

Read our blog to find out some of the other steps you can take to increase your home’s value.

There’s nothing like spring to make you self-conscious about your home’s state of repair. The changing weather has a way of revealing our winter laziness.

Curb appeal remains a vital part of a home’s value, however. If you want to maintain potential interest in your home, then you’ll need to indulge in some sprucing up when spring comes. But overhauling your curb appeal can seem daunting when you’re working to a budget.

Don’t panic. Here are 7 springtime projects to boost your curb appeal on a budget.

1. A Clean Sweep

A top-to-bottom cleaning project is one of the easiest and most obvious ways to gain instant curbside appeal. After all, there’s nothing appealing about a grimy house, and dirt has a way of building up over winter. By spring, even the cleanest house may have taken a beating.

Tackle your gutters, clean your windows, and wipe down your doors. There’s a strong chance you’ll have neglected some of these jobs over winter, so now’s the time to bring the shine back.

You can use this post as your guide to ensure you take of everything. Cleaning has the added bonus of being cost-effective, as most of the cleaning is something you’ll be able to tackle yourself.

2. Power Washing Pleasure

When is boosting curb appeal also fun? When it involves a power washer. If you’re ready to go deeper with your curbside clean, then power washing is the solution.

There’s something incredibly satisfying about blasting layers of grime and moss from paving to reveal its original color. And as a bonus, it’ll boost your curb appeal, too.

It’s easy to underestimate just how much of your curb appeal has disappeared behind the dirt, too, as you see it every day. Bust out the power washer and you’ll soon discover some surprises.

You can power wash everything from your paths to your siding to your decks, so once you get your hands on the power washer, you should take stock of which areas of your home may benefit from a spray down.

3. If It Is Broke…

Winter can do a number on your home’s exterior appeal and your home’s value with it. Harsh weather and a general disinterest in the outdoors can combine to leave outdoor items in a poor state of repair.

Consider replacing or repairing items like fencing and light fixtures if they’ve taken a beating over the winter months. Buying replacements can quickly cut into your budget, so try repairing what you can — even a small fix could be enough to keep a fence stable for another season, for example.

If you have damaged items that you can’t afford to replace, consider removing them altogether. You may not miss them, and damaged outdoor areas will do more to bring down your curbside appeal than empty space.

4. Welcome to the Jungle

Nobody likes doing yard work in winter, so it’s easy to let your shrubs and lawn go wild. But an overgrown yard is one of the fastest ways to bring down your curbside appeal. Luckily, it’s also an easy fix.

When spring comes, get out there with the pruners and the mower to bring your garden back in line. Pay particular attention to any encroachment on paths or public sidewalk, as this will make your homecare routine look sloppy.

This is also the perfect opportunity to indulge in some green-fingered landscaping for curb appeal. Try to sketch out an arrangement for your planters that will flatter your home and turn your yard into a feature. Comparatively, easy landscape projects could have a huge impact on your curb appeal.

5. The Light Fantastic

Lights: life’s cheat code for making something look nice.

It’s true, lights can go a long way to boosting your curbside appeal without breaking the bank. Lights above your doorway can create a nice, welcoming atmosphere. You can also try adding some lighting to your path, creating additional ambiance — with the added bonus of fewer trips, slips, and falls.

Of course, lights don’t help to show off your home’s best side during the day, but they’re an inexpensive way to give your home a makeover at night. Pay careful attention to which kind of lights you’re placing and where, and the difference can be, well, night and day.

6. The Eyes Have It

One of the most subtle yet powerful tricks in real estate is to control the direction of the eye. If you can create a particular path for the eye to follow, you can direct it to where you want it most. This is the real estate version of showing your best side.

There are many ways to do this, and the right formula will be individual to your home. But experiment with your paving, planter arrangements, and lighting to pull focus to where you want it — and maybe draw some attention away from the less desirable areas of your property.

7. Beat the Rest

Curb appeal philosophy is (stick with us here) not too dissimilar to running from a bear. In both cases, you don’t need to be the world’s best, you just need to be ahead of your nearest neighbors.

Your home may not have the best curb appeal in the city. But if you can beat the neighbors on your street, then you have comparative appeal on your side. By making your home the cleanest and neatest on the street, you’ll max out your curb appeal without going overboard.

Keep this tip in mind if you don’t have a lot of cash to spend but do have the motivation to scrub things up. Even small efforts can go a long way if you have neighbors who aren’t setting the bar high to begin with.

Curb Appeal on a Budget

These 7 tips provide some excellent ways to boost your curb appeal on a budget. But even keeping up with your basic maintenance goes a long way to maintaining your curbside appeal, so stay on top of your DIY projects to maintain your home’s sale potential.

Ready to sell your home? Let’s go through the steps you’ll need to take.

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!