Laura Kubicki Realty | Lauras Choice

Triad Monthly Market Update – March 2017

March 22, 2017 by Laura Kubicki Leave a Comment

Here’s your monthly real estate update for our area for February 2017. Remember the data lags by one month so March’s report shows activity for the preceding month – February!

The real estate market continues to build momentum as we head into Spring. Take a look at this…

The number of properties that closed in February was up 12% YTD vs 2016! Over the last 12 months, resale closed properties have increased by 15.4% with the average price improving by 3.5%.
The total number of active listings, whether looking at the overall market or just new construction, are down by 35% vs 2015.
By comparing active listings to total sales during the last 12 months there is currently a 4.1 month supply of inventory, both overall and for newly built homes.

I hope you find this information useful! Stay tuned for next month’s report…

Decorating Advice: Creating Focal Points

February 24, 2017 by Laura Kubicki Leave a Comment

Hello Friends!

For those of you who are in the process of buying a new home, you may wonder how to put your personal stamp on its décor. How do you start? I always recommend, whether you’re decorating a living room, bedroom or bath, starting with a focal point – to enhance the room’s ambiance and underscore the room’s purpose.

Focal points can be easily be created by highlighting a room’s unique architecture, such as a magnificent fireplace or a sunny bay window with a garden, pastoral or water view. But what if some rooms don’t have an outstanding architectural feature to build upon? You may have to create one yourself. Here are some tricks of the trade you can use – size, color, light, and curiosity.

Size: Large items attract interest. Start by putting the largest piece of furniture against the largest wall to help traffic flow. This can be an entertainment center in a family room, the bed or recessed seating area in a bedroom, hutch in a dining room etc. Rugs also command attention and work to anchor your décor.

Color and Texture: Paint a contrasting wall color behind your sofa or bed, or add texture with fabric, colorful quilts, or wood such as shiplap. Pop the color on small items like pillows, table runners, and placemats. Vivid color helps direct the eye to seating areas and pairs well with neutrals.

Shiplap creates a dramatic, natural focal point for this fireplace.

Light: Your eye travels to where it can see the best. Put directional light on a piece of fine art. Dim or brighten lighting when you want to change the room’s atmosphere. Make sure you have plenty of lamp light vs. the harshness of bright overhead lighting. Cabinet lighting can create a beautiful glowing focal point in your kitchen!

Curiosity: A collection under glass, a great piece of art, interesting plants, flowers, or books, an unusual piece of furniture – all invite conversation and draw attention.

By establishing your focal point, I’m sure you’ll have an easier time putting the rest of the room together!

Thanks for reading and have fun decorating my friends! As always call/text/email/comment me if I can help your further!

Save

Triad Monthly Market Update – Feb 2017

February 15, 2017 by Laura Kubicki Leave a Comment

The real estate market continues to build momentum as we head into Spring. Take a look at this…
The number of properties that closed in January was up 12% YTD vs 2016!

Over the last 12 months, resale closed properties have increased by 15.4% with the average price improving by 3.5%
The total number of active listings, whether looking at the overall market or just new construction, are down by 35% vs 2015.
By comparing active listings to total sales during the last 12 months there is currently a 4.1 month supply of inventory, both overall and for newly built homes.

I hope you find this information useful! As always, if I can ever be of any help to you, or your friends and family, I do hope you’ll text, call, or email me at your convenience! And thank you for all your referrals!

Winter Real Estate Tips for Selling Your Home – by Laura

January 31, 2017 by Laura Kubicki Leave a Comment

Hi Friends!

You may think that wintertime isn’t the best time to show your home, but you’d be surprised. Yes, winter days offer fewer hours of daylight for buyers to see your home. Sleet and snow make it harder for buyers to house-hunt. Even warm regions have challenges – the weather is often gray or rainy. But with historical low inventory levels – don’t let that slow you down! Folks are house hunting and it’s a buyers market friends, so here are a couple tips to get you on your way while the season of snow is still upon us…

Winter can have a unique, cozy, appeal – think gathering with friends and loved ones by a crackling fire, winter sports played in the backyard, walks on the beach without all the summertime tourists. So play up what’s great about your home.

Make sure the drive-up appeal is strong. Keep driveways and walkways clear of snow and slush. Put a nice, new welcome mat out for buyers and their agents to wipe their feet. In the Triad, our temps are fairly moderate so try keeping some fresh brightly colored pansies planted on your porch, deck, or in your landscaping to add a ray of sunshine! And a tasteful winter themed colorful flag is a friendly way to welcome buyers to your home!

Be sure to leave all the lights on for showings – and open the drapes to let in more light. Closed homes tend to hold odors, so open the windows for an occasional airing, and run the fans after cooking meals. Bake some cookies or bread. Boil some cinnamon and spices for a natural, wintry fragrance. Or a fresh pot of coffee for chilly buyers does wonders! And a little quiet background music can ensure folks feel comfortably welcomed…

Cozy up your home for winter selling success!

If you have a fireplace, turn it on low so your home doesn’t get too hot. Soften staging with a comfy, soft, throw blankets. Put some big fluffy, colorful pillows on the floor. And have a couple pictures of your home (sans family members please!) both indoors and out in Spring/Summer for buyers to see. All great suggestive selling that will go a long way to attracting buyers to the comforts your property can offer them!

Good luck selling my friends! And as always, call/text/email/comment if I can help you further!

Save

Need to Sell? Tips on Marketing Your Home for the Holidays

December 21, 2016 by Laura Kubicki Leave a Comment

Hello Friends! Happy holidays to you!

I get asked all the time is December a slower month for real estate transactions. Sometimes this can be the case – but in today’s market it definitely isn’t.

In fact, the holidays can be an ideal time to market a home. The natural coziness of the season, combined with heart warming smells and joyful sounds of the holidays can entice buyers to fall in love with your home, as they imagine their own families curled up in front of your fireplace or around their own holiday decor. Plus, this time of year, families spend more time together, and sellers needing to make a move during fall and early winter tend to be highly motivated…

Remember, companies also tend to transfer employees according to their immediate need, so January is one of the busiest times of the year. Many times relocating transferees often have only a few weeks to find a new home, so it’s good to make sure your house stands out with a few well-placed holiday decorations.

The goal is to balance your holiday decorating with a clean, orderly, depersonalized look that maximizes how buyers experience your space. Cluttered tabletops, mantles, and counter tops can detract from the spacious feel of your home, so you’ll want to hit the holidays with a minimalist mindset if you’re looking to sell quickly.

Another example? You may not want a big tree as it can make your home feel cramped. The number one reason buyers choose a home is to have more space, so make it easy for them to look around without stepping over gift packages or avoiding fragile ornaments. And if you want a live tree, make sure it’s watered so the tree won’t turn brown or drop needles – and keep what does fall vacuumed up.

If you’re looking to sell during the holidays, you’ll find your time is best spent cleaning, staging and packing non-essentials in preparation for moving. Your home will show better, you’ll feel less stress, and can get yourself ready for your next home!

Best wishes for a happy holiday season and good luck!

Save