That’s why you want a Utah agent who is not only knowledgeable about the current market and negotiating a great deal, but also someone who knows you and is willing to work hard, long after the business day comes to a close. Like interviewing a nanny or a potential employee, you should take the time to find the right Springville real estate agent for you and your family.

Look at his or her “resume.” By resume, we’re not as concerned with job history so much as the agent’s background and experience in the Springville real estate market. Ask how long the agent has been in business, what sort of education he or she has related to real estate, and if there are any references you can contact.

Ask why you should consider them, specifically. Without putting the real estate agent on the spot, ask what characteristics or features make him or her a better choice than the competition. These can be personal traits (like honesty or a friendly demeanor) or professional ones (great negotiating skills or a willingness to work on evenings and weekends).

Questions should be reciprocated. While interviewing potential Utah real estate agents means that you will be asking most of the questions, you want to make sure the agent is interested in learning about you, as well. After all, if the agent doesn’t ask about your motivations, what inspires you, or your long- and short-term real estate goals, how will he or she find you the right home?

Consider the agent’s fee structure and termination policies. The agent you choose should have a set fee structure (usually a percentage of the sale). He or she should be honest and upfront about this cost from the first day, and you should be comfortable with the percentage you agree on before you contract to work together. You should also determine what the proper procedure is should you decide to go with another agent at a future date.

Ask what happens if a disagreement arises. As is the case with any business, there may be disagreements or conflicts between you and your Springville real estate agent. Perhaps you want to look at houses in a different price category, or maybe you want more time to review documents before you sign them. How you and your agent handle conflict will determine how good your home buying experience is.

Once you set out to explore homes for sale in Springville with an agent you know you can count on, you’ll be sure to find the perfect place to call home. After all, if you’re willing to trust in your agent, you might find that there are Utah County real estate options you would have never considered.

Like a good friend, and an even better business partner, the right Utah real estate agent will help you get everything you want out of your new home.

That’s why so many homeowners rely on the staging process to help sell their homes. A fresh coat of paint, a few new windows, and some landscaping, and your home could easily bring in thousands of dollars more. But if you only have the time or money to focus on one area of the home (outside of the always necessary curb appeal), let it be the kitchen.

Why The Kitchen is So Important

You might have an incredible movie theater room or a formal dining area with all the original 150-year-old woodwork, but if your home doesn’t have a warm and welcoming kitchen, you might have a hard sell ahead of you. In the past, families have always used the living room space or even a family room as the center of the home, where guests and friends gather to spend time together. However, the past decade has seen a resurgence of the kitchen as the hearth and home. From kitchen-family areas that open up to one another to eat-in kitchens with plenty of space to entertain and cook at the same time, this is the one area that everyone looks at first.

Kitchens are also notoriously expensive to update. New cupboards typically cost tens of thousands of dollars; the same is true for a new countertop or a suite of matching appliances. Tiled floors, intricate woodwork, and enough space to spread out and really enjoy your cooking time all add to the cost, as well. If buyers in the Springville real estate market see a house for sale that is great in all respects other than the kitchen, they aren’t going to focus on the good points… all they’re going to see is the pile of dollars and cents awaiting behind the refrigerator.

How to Stage a Kitchen

If you don’t have the money needed to give your whole kitchen an overhaul, there are things you can do to increase the room’s appeal.

• Cleanliness is the cheapest and most effective way to make your kitchen appealing. This means polish on the metalwork, baseboards scrubbed free of all marks, cleaning those scary corners behind the fridge, and eliminating the clutter. Bring in a cleaning service if you have to.
• Organization is key. From your spice rack and the coffee cups in the cupboard to the dish sponges in your sink, make sure everything is neat, straightened, and in an appealing place. The trick is to make the kitchen look like it’s never been used — even if you did use it just this morning.
• Eliminate the appliances on the shelf (things like coffeemakers and toasters). Put only the bare essentials out… usually a bowl of colorful fruit, a bottle of wine, and maybe some cookbooks. A few plants can also add a homelike appeal.
• Make the space usable. If there is room for a small table and chairs, or for stools at the island, put them in there, even if that’s not how you used the space. Creating a “separate” space for eating gives the illusion that the kitchen is larger and more accommodating than it may actually be. But be wary of oversized furniture, as that will only cause crowding.

The Utah real estate market is improving, and any steps you can take to increase your home’s value and appeal will help the sale go smoother and faster. Your kitchen might not be the center of your own home, but giving it the potential to be open and accommodating will go a long way in helping to sell your house for a minimum investment on your part.

However, as is the case with any Utah real estate purchase, there are a list of Dos and Don’ts that will make your new home buying experience that much easier. Some of the key things to stay away from include:

• Don’t buy anything on credit. If you’re like most Americans, your new home will be paid for through a combination of a down payment and mortgage financing. That means your credit score matters – and often to the tune of tens of thousands of dollars. If you know that you will be considering a Springville or Mapleton home for sale, avoid buying anything that will increase your debt-to-income ratio. This means cars, vacations, appliances, and other big-ticket items. These can always be bought after all your paperwork goes through.
• Don’t move your money around or change jobs. Just as you don’t want to mess with your credit score in the months leading up to your Utah real estate purchase, you don’t want to make your financial paperwork any more complicated than it already needs to be. This means demonstrating that your money and your potential income are stable—and have been for years. When possible, save the major life upheaval for later. Talk with your potential lender or Kerry Oman if you need more information on how to best adjust your finances before you buy a house.
• Don’t “shop” out of your price range. No matter where you live or what type of residence you want, one thing will always be true: more money will get you a better house. If you look at houses for sale in Springville that are outside your budget (even if it’s just for fun), it will be that much harder to settle for one you can afford. Know your financial limits and stick to them; you will be much happier in the long run by buying a house that doesn’t heap a huge financial strain on your life.

Of course, one of the biggest Don’ts on the list is not to connect with a real estate agent you’re not 100 percent sure of. Your agent is your partner through the whole Springville real estate experience, from searching for the perfect home to getting the lowest possible price, and having one you don’t trust can make what should be an incredible time both difficult and stressful. Kerry Oman is happy to answer any question you might have about buying Utah County homes, and to help you make the choice that is right for you and your family.

Whether you’ve found Mapleton homes for sale, or if another Utah County house seems perfect and move-in ready, be sure and take the time to look out for these common red flags that might indicate not all is as well as you hoped.

The level of surface care: You might be really good at seeing a home’s true potential, even if the last owners didn’t pay too much attention to things like landscaping, fresh paint, or even a very high level of cleanliness. Beware, though — if a house doesn’t look great on the surface, chances are the previous homeowners didn’t do a whole lot of more intensive maintenance, either. Be sure and hire an inspector to look at things like plumbing, electric work, and other deep-seated problems.

Moisture in the air or in the structure: Water and other moisture-related damages can be some of the most expensive to repair — and the easiest to hide with a fresh coat of paint and a few scented candles. If the home feels musty or if there is a lot of moisture in the air, you’ll want to be wary of mold issues and other rot problems. The same is true of water damages related to plumbing or a bad roof.

The neighborhood as a whole: If you drive down the street and notice several houses for sale within the same neighborhood, you might want to take a look at the state of things in that area. Property values in that area might be falling, or there could be an environmental or sound issue that people are trying to escape. You might also find that a high concentration of rental properties can decrease quality of life in the neighborhood.

Big-ticket items: Hire someone to look at the most expensive things to repair in a house. The roof, the plumbing, the electric system…all these things wear out over time, and it’s not necessarily anyone’s fault. But if everything in the house is about five years away from needing to be replaced, you should make sure you’ll be financially able to handle a sudden onslaught of repairs.

Off-limit rooms: If the Springville homes for sale you’re looking at are owner-occupied at the time, it might seem perfectly natural that they have one or two rooms that aren’t for public viewing. However, don’t buy the home until you’ve gotten a glimpse behind closed doors. You never know what kinds of damages might be hiding in there.

Visible cracks: Cracks can and do happen to the walls when a house settles, but they shouldn’t be so bad they indicate possible structural damage or a shifting foundation. Have a home inspector look twice at any cracks or doors/windows that don’t open and close properly.

One of the best things you can do to ensure you buy a home that won’t give you any post-purchase surprises is to hire a home inspector who can sign off on the home and let you know about any potential problems you’ll have later on down the road. Although the cost might put you off, it’s better to buy Springville real estate you know will not only keep your family happy, but keep you safe, as well.

One of the less common financial options (but one that is growing in popularity) is the lease-to-own or rent-to-own scenario.

What does a Lease-to-Own Mean?

Most people associate leases with cars, especially luxury cars that might otherwise be out of an individual’s price point. In this agreement, you get to “try out” the vehicle for a pre-determined amount of time and at a pre-determined monthly cost. If, at the end of the lease, you decide you want to keep the car, a portion of your payments is directed toward the purchase price. If you decide not to keep the car, there is no further obligation.

Leasing a house is much the same. In this scenario, you typically have up to three years to live in the house and make regular payments (the timing may vary depending on your exact lease agreement). You can then decide whether or not to buy the house and apply some of your monthly payments to the purchase price.

Why Lease-to-Own Home Options Work

In the Springville real estate market, lease-to-own homes present a unique opportunity for families who might not otherwise be able to buy their own house. That’s because if you don’t have enough money for a down payment, you typically don’t have to worry, since your months of paying in rent or lease money will be applied toward the house and act as a down payment. At the same time, this plan can help you if your credit rating isn’t very high. As long as you make consistent lease payments and work to improve your credit score by paying down other debt, you should be able to prove your commitment and financial security to the lender.

Other benefits include “trying out” the house before making a long-term commitment. If the neighborhood doesn’t suit you, or if you decide you’d like to spend less on a home or find one with a larger yard, you can walk away at the end of your lease agreement without losing too much time or money.

Lease-to-own options can also be a great plan for homeowners. In a tough market, this kind of flexibility can entice buyers and help you get your home off the market faster. You also get a chance to make money over the long-term, since you can charge monthly rent as well as option money, which is what the leaser pays in for the option to someday purchase the property.

How to Find a Lease-to-Own Option in Your Area

In most cases, this situation is set up by the individual selling their Utah County home. Because it is their property, they will set the terms of the agreement and draft a contract that you will either sign or decline. It can be very easy for a lease contract to heavily favor one party over the other, so it’s best to have a real estate lawyer or qualified agent on hand to inform you about all the fine print.

Ask Kerry Oman for more information on lease-to-own options for Springville real estate or to learn more about your options when it comes to buying and selling a home in the area.

At first, selling your home without the help of an agent seems like a great idea. Right now Utah County has an extremely tough real estate market, and an agent will certainly cost more money. An agent may even cause the price of your home to go up, thus prolonging its market time. Not to mention that going without an agent means that you are now in control—you don’t have to work your already busy schedule around someone else’s.

However, most professional real estate businesses will tell you that a fair amount of legwork comes with selling a home by way of FSBO. In general, people who don’t have any sort of real estate background simply don’t have adequate knowledge about home sales. Most people who try to go without a real estate agent find themselves turning to contract lawyers and home inspectors in the end anyway. In order to sell a house in Mapleton or Springville, you would have to be prepared to:

Sift through all of your potential buyers. Not all “potential buyers” have the intention or the ability to actually buy a home. One issue is “window shoppers” who make a hobby out of searching for homes; but the bigger problem comes with those who have not been pre-approved or pre-qualified for a home loan. It may seem like they sincerely want to make an offer on your home, but many times the bank simply will not back them up on it. If they do make an offer, the entire process could be stalled for weeks while all of the details are sorted through., only to have the whole deal fall through in the end.

Negotiate the real estate contract. Selling a home almost always requires a contract that requires a long and tedious process. The contract must go through an attorney, a title or escrow company, and finally a notary. Most people haven’t had any experience with contract law in relation to buying or selling a house. It can be both time-consuming and pricey to try to sort through these details on your own. Real estate agents, on the other hand, have the right connections, experience, and expertise to push all the paperwork through without forgetting about the little details that will maximize your return when the process is over.

Display your home properly. A real estate agent such as Kerry Oman has a distinct advantage when it comes to showcasing, preparing, and listing your house for sale. Unlike most homeowners, an agent has the emotional detachment that is necessary in order to make positive changes to your home, or to list the home at the optimal market price.

Work with real estate agents. Because over 90% of people work with a Mapleton real estate agent when buying or selling a home, the people who come to look at your house are most likely working with an agent of their own. Unfortunately, both brokers and real estate agents are less likely to show their clients FSBO homes. This drastically reduces your number of applicants.

Naturally, any opportunity to save money in the process of selling a house seems like a good idea at the outset. But, as with most things, taking the shortcut is not always the best option. In the end, most people wind up spending far more time and effort in the process of selling a home by themselves than they ever would, had they decided to use a real estate agent. Selling a house in Mapleton can be a difficult process, but Kerry Oman can help you to sidestep many of the obstacles that come with it.

If you find yourself second-guessing your purchase of a house in Mapleton or a condo in Utah County when it’s too late to go back on the deal, just remember to take a step back and evaluate the situation as a whole. In nearly every case, buyer’s remorse is not a permanent feeling, and it can be overcome in just a few easy steps.

• First weigh the positives and negatives of your newly purchased house. Ideally, you should do this both before and after you make your Utah County real estate purchase. Regardless of how old it is or where it is located, every house is going to have its pros and cons. Just remember not to focus too much attention on either side. Both the good and bad aspects of the house will combine to turn it into a home.

• Next, be sure to personalize the space at the first opportunity you get. Many times buyer’s remorse is simply a mind game—Usually the reasons behind your regret have little to do with the house itself, and more to do with your feelings about it. You’re living in an unfamiliar place, with few of the comfortable associations that you’ve grown accustomed. Turning a house into a home can seem like a daunting task at first, but the best thing you can do is to start with a single room. Make it yours. It doesn’t matter whether you do it with paint, family photos, or a bookshelf full of all your favorite decorations. Having at least one place where you feel completely at ease will do wonders in helping you feel better about the house as a whole.
• Now you can proceed to address the flaws one at a time. Maybe you just realized that the hot water tank only offers five minutes of hot water. Or perhaps incorrectly measured the living room, and your favorite leather couch set won’t fit in the space you slotted for it. Maybe you even failed to notice that the dark patch on the ceiling is actually a plumbing problem. Even the best house inspection won’t find every single little flaw in your home. So forget about the “what-ifs” of your home purchase and focus on the aspects you can control. With a clear head, figure out the costs associated with repairs Look at your options for how you can adjust your setup to make the space livable and more comfortable. Many of these types of problems will arise over time anyway – no house is perfect, and even the best houses will wear and tear.
• Do not keep hunting for other Springville homes. For perhaps months you’ve most likely been devoted a good chunk of your precious time pouring over magazines, looking up real estate listings online, and even hitting the streets themselves so that you could find the perfect home for your circumstances. Now you don’t have to worry about that, so don’t! It can be a hard habit to break, but it will go a long way to avoid the temptation to keep looking. Chances are, those houses you’re looking at aren’t as perfect as you think they are. They’re just holding you back from loving your new home.
• Lastly, take time to relax and enjoy your new purchase. The process of buying a home is a big step, and it can also be very taxing. Take a brief vacation from home improvements or from moving your belongings. Try to remember why you fell in love with the house in the first place.

When you finally get settled into your new home and your regular routine, all feelings of buyer’s remorse will be long gone. As long as you do your homework ahead of time and work with a Springville real estate agent, you can rest assured that your home will be the right one for you. Before long you’ll be wondering why you ever took the time to look elsewhere.

Utah Old Home Prices

It used to be that the decision between new and old homes was largely decided by price. Most older developments used to cost much less than newer ones. However, in the modern Springville Real Estate market, you have to know where to look in order to find the same great deals on older homes.

Many times new homes come with fresh appliances and amenities, but on the negative side they may also compromise lot size and unique architectural features. With an old house comes the “old world charm” that sparks the interest of many home buyers today. Many historic homes are newly renovated so that you can also enjoy the benefits of a modern kitchen and updated bathroom appliances.

Location is also a large part of the overall consideration. For those who enjoy the excitement of city life, historic Springville and Mapleton homes tend to be found in small neighborhoods.

Advantages to an Older Home

Older homes vary greatly when it comes to updates, available improvements, and location. Regardless of these factors, however, historic homes provide many benefits from an aesthetic perspective:

• Artistry and architectural details
• Unique design and layout
• Sizeable lots
• Notable historic features
• Beautiful, full-developed landscaping

How Do I Know Which Home to Buy?

The longer you look at Utah County homes, the better idea you have of what type of architectural and practical features you want in a home. However, many of the benefits of old homes (or new homes) can’t really be appreciated until you see them first-hand.

Have your Springville Realtor show you around so that you can see the best of all types and make an informed decision. You may be surprised by what really peaks your interest. Don’t get discouraged as you search — even new houses will take some work to make them really feel like home sweet home.

Utah New Home Prices

In the past, deciding which type of home you wanted was largely a matter of price; for the most part, older developments were much cheaper than newer ones, thus ruling out the prospect of buying a new home for many people. However, in the modern Springville Real Estate market, there are historic and new homes that fall into every price range, provided that you know where to look.

An untouched development can create financial drain when it comes to dealing with fix-up projects. Utah weather has likely worn on the building, creating further need for these repairs. On the other hand, new structures usually need little to no repair and can provide the luxury of jetted tubs or a pool in the backyard. They are more easily shaped to fit your specific needs and wants.

Location is also a large part of the overall consideration. For those who enjoy a quieter life, new developments, especially those in gated communities, tend to provide a more private residence. They are usually found in more suburban-type areas where there is room for further growth. The price may also be lower in these areas, whereas city life can get to be rather expensive.

Benefits of a Newer Home

Usually new homes cause much less hassle, which is of even greater worth to a person who is buying her first house or for younger families who don’t want to put much time into their home. The pros to a new Springville home include:

• Lower levels of maintenance
• New appliances, ceiling, and carpet that will last for many years to come
• More space for furniture and storage
• Generally closer to parks and schools
• Money saving, energy efficient updates

Which Home is Right for You?

Have you been thinking about purchasing a UT home for a while? If so, you most likely have a good idea of what type of home you would like to buy and what kinds of architectural features appeal to you most. However, full appreciation of the new homes’ benefits can’t be achieved until you see them directly.

Blackhawk Realty specializes in Utah County homes, especially communities in Springville and Mapleton — we’ll show you the benefits of different types of houses. But, as you look, remember that even newer homes involve a bit of work before they can really begin to feel like a home.

Right now, many homes in the Springville real estate market are seeing upgrades in order to entice buyers. Some of the most common renovations are to change flooring, paint color, kitchen counters, and even the size or type of the windows. However, if your Springville UT home has a restricting layout that makes it seem small, dark, or cramped, it makes things much harder to fix up quickly.

Luckily, there are a few things you can do to make your Utah home for sale more appealing. Here are some things you can do to make your innately “unattractive” home more appealing.

Get rid of the clutter. It’s always important to stage your house properly, but it becomes even more important when your layout is confining or restrictive in some way. There are many things that make a house seem inaccessible, including extra furniture, too many decorations, and even coat racks. When you show people a home that looks open and completely accessible, they see it as fresh and perhaps even newer.

Add room dividers. Tiny rooms, or very long rooms that appear to be small, appear very inaccessible. This is especially true when a washer and dryer take up all of the space. These features turn off buyers because they may not see the space as livable. Screens or room dividers, set up strategically throughout the cramped areas of the house, are one of the tricks that interior decorators use to maximize space. These dividers add clean lines and more storage opportunities. If nothing else, they certainly portray the house as being a well ordered home.

Open up the entryway. It might involve a little bit of extra work on your part, but opening up the front room of your home to make it more enticing to potential buyers will do wonders. Often this one task alone is all you need to do to make your home drastically more appealing. Remember, most home buyers make a decision about a house within the first 6 seconds of walking into it. It’s important to make the first impression count for something.

It’s not really a bedroom. Not very many people want to sleep in a bedroom that fails to offer a sufficient amount of privacy. If your Mapleton house has adjacent bedrooms, or if your Utah County condo has a bedroom coming directly off the kitchen, you might want to reframe the space in a different light. If you list the room as an office, a library, or a playroom, home buyers might be more easily persuaded.

Even though the market in the state of UT is starting to improve, it can still be very difficult to sell a home, especially if yours is one of the harder ones to sell. All it takes is a little time and effort, and you can turn your house into a home that pleases you and your buyers. In turn, you will be able to sell your home much more quickly and at a higher price.