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For example, an all too common maneuver used by developers George will NOT recommend, is to renegotiate the price once it’s in escrow. George’s success as not just a Mar Vista and Los Angeles realtor, but one who also serves Culver City and Marina del Rey, means that he has dealt with over 50 of the top developers on L.A.’s westside. He will make sure to protect you from anyone who tries to get away with any shenanigans when you are selling your home. If you are selling a home that is move-in ready, or close to it, it’s important to follow these crucial steps to make the most of the sale, particularly since the house will typically sell for more money than if it’s a fixer upper.

Good Looks Sell, so Make Sure the Exterior is in Top Form

First things first: until we perfect teleportation, the first thing that people will see when they arrive at your home is the outside. It’s very important to make sure everything is neat and tidy. Fences, walkways, railings, windows and window coverings should look, and ideally be, well maintained. Landscaping is key as well. Don’t worry if you have a little crab grass – just water dutifully, within Mar Vista watering guidelines of course, to help your yard stay nice and green. Once we’re inside, we need to keep potential buyers impressed.

• Make sure any lawns are edged properly along walkways and driveways
• Replace or repair any fence posts which may be falling apart or leaning
• Remove any spider webs or other bug nests from any exterior areas
• If you have dead plants, be sure to remove them from the yard
• Powerwash your front porch and driveway to remove any dirt or buildup
• Paint your mailbox and make sure it is standing up straight
• Clean window exteriors so they shine

Keep in mind that since buyers are often looking for their dream home, imperfections will really stand out. This doesn’t mean you need to go bananas; just make things appear nice and in their place, as well as remember that the perfect buyer may not have the same tastes as you. Start with the clutter – make sure that there is nothing on the floor except furniture. Now is the time to really take advantage of that garage, just don’t let it appear too full or disorganized. If you have nowhere to put something that is still in good working order, there are several worthy charities that you can donate to. Many of them will even come pick up your donations. Once you’ve removed the clutter, take a deep breath to relax… and detect any unpleasant aromas.

Make Sure the Home Smells as Nice as it Looks

Since pet, tobacco and musty smells are all turn offs, they have to go. A few words about our four legged family members: they are indeed family and a big part of what makes a house a home. We know that no one is as cute or cuddly as your cat, dog or ferret. However, just like human children, if not bathed often, pets can get smelly. Take special care to make it seem as though your pets are not just the most adorable, but also the best behaved and most gentle on their surroundings. Having carpets properly cleaned, furniture freshened, and the walls cleaned with soap will help remove a lot of unpleasant odors which can turn off a potential buyer.

More Things to Consider When Selling

If you didn’t grab them during your clutter hunt, take down family photos from the walls and the mantle, as well as anything that could have been won at a carnival. Having photos of your family on display will subconsciously affect the potential buyer into not viewing the property as their home, and chintzy decorations are not what’s on the market. No moose heads, dart boards or black light posters should be anywhere near your walls, unless the house you’re selling is a fraternity house. And even then, it’s best to take them down.

Floors tend to make a big impression, so let’s make it a positive one. If you have hardwood floors, you’ll want to refinish them, or give them a good once-over with nice hardwood oil. If you have older carpeting, you’ll want to replace your carpet, or at least shampoo it. It just takes a few hours and there are several places to rent a shampoo machine nearby (click here for a great hardware store in Mar Vista). Once the floors, walls and smells are handled, it’s time to start painting. The inside first, then the outside. New paint on the inside should be somewhat neutral in color, and enhance your home’s natural light. But when painting the exterior of your home, use modern colors instead of earth tones.

Hardware Maintenance

When you’re done with the painting, it’s time to get the toolbox out and fix anything that isn’t working. Door handles should open and close easily. Shades and sliding doors should operate smoothly. Lightbulbs should turn on. Faucets shouldn’t leak, and the water pressure should make people want to hop in the shower.

• Tighten cabinet knobs and door handles, so they don’t wiggle
• Clean all water outlets of buildup and deposits. CLR (calcium lime rust) remover works well
• Straighten and fix any shades or blinds
• Check settings on water heater to ensure good temperature and pressure
• Replace any light bulbs which may be fading or have failed
• Clean recessed lights of dust and cobwebs
• Ensure drains are clear in sinks and showers
• If any paneling is coming loose, put some new nails in or hammer down any that start to protrude
• Check to make sure all windows open and close easily. Clean any paint or dust residue buildup
• Fix any holes in screens

Because Mar Vista homes are so desirable, you won’t have to do much more than these basics to meet or exceed your list price. But there are certain types of homes that will require a little extra when selling. If you have a pool, for example, it should be recently cleaned and have all damage repaired. If you live on a hill and have a lovely view, definitely replace broken windows and wash them all – inside and out. If it’s a corner house, buyers will see two sides from the street, so exterior painting will be a bigger factor. There are so many more, so please don’t hesitate to ask about how to best prepare any of the unique features of your home to hit the market.

To Remodel, or not to Remodel?

One big question George has been asked many times throughout his 40-plus year career as a well respected Mar Vista realtor is ‘should we remodel?’ That is a great question to consider when selling a home. As a rule, it’s usually not worth the time, aggravation or expense right before putting a home on the market. If you are thinking of selling your home in a few years and are going to have a bit of time to enjoy some of the improvements, it might be worth the undertaking. But remember, contrast can kill you. It’s important that any remodeling doesn’t make any other part of the house look even more out of date than it would if it hadn’t remodeled in the first place. The last thing you want is to do a fantastic job modernizing your kitchen, only to make the rest of the house you’re selling look like it belongs in a very special episode of The Brady Bunch. Remodeling some rooms is fine, but if you’re planning on selling the home in the relatively near future, make sure that the renovation enhances the look, not to mention the value, of the entire home.

A few examples of upgrades that will further enhance your home’s appeal would be replacing carpeting with hard wood or laminate flooring, as well as installing new light fixtures. You definitely do these on your own to keep costs down, and just as important from the buyers’ point of view, they won’t jump out as things that will be a hassle to maintain. Staging is important, but it’s much more effective once you’ve taken all of the steps above. Keep it simple, clean and modern. If you’re already looking for a new home, pay close attention to the issues or features that immediately stand out when you visit an open house, and see how your house would stand up to the same scrutiny. Once you’re at the point of staging, though, there are a couple of steps that you can take to give yourself an advantage before the offers start to come in. Buyers will often ask for a credit or discount after a property inspection has been completed, which makes perfect sense. But you can be at a disadvantage if you wait for their home inspection, and rely on their estimates for repairs. So be proactive – have your own inspection performed, get your own estimates for potential repairs and, while you’re at it, get a sewer video as well. This way, you’ll have plenty of warning if there is a real issue that needs to be addressed. Better still, no one will be able to inflate repair estimates as a way to negotiate.

Talk to the Experts to Sell your Home Fast, and with the Highest Profit

These are just a few of the steps to take when getting your home ready for sale in Mar Vista, or anywhere else, really. As stressful as this process can get, keep in mind that we’re always here to lend a hand. No matter the layout, features and amenities of your home, George Chung Realtors will be able to provide practical and worthwhile strategies to make the most of bringing it to market. Call today, at (310) 391-6346, or visit the website.

Treat your Windows Right – Inside and Out

The sun’s rays work two-fold to heat up your home. Firstly, it heats up the air, which causes inside temperatures to rise. It also heats up any furniture or object left out in the direct sunlight, and this in turn warms the air around it. Because of this, it makes sense to minimize the sun’s exposure to the inside of your house on hot days. By treating the inside and outside of your windows, you can control the amount of sunlight you want entering your home. Not only that, but the right treatments can also make your home more visually appealing. In addition, when you’re selling a home, window treatments will help keep prospective buyers as comfortable as possible. Here are a few good ways you can help your windows block out the sun, and also add a little ambiance:

Don’t be Blinded by the Sun

A quick and easy window treatment is to install blinds or shades for your home’s windows. There are several types of blinds and shades available at many retailers. You can even use motorized screens or blinds and set them to a timer, remote control, or phone app to change the amount of light you let into your home. Many of these improvements will also add value to homes that are for sale.

Look to Where the Curtains Fall

You can also add curtains for an extra light blocking and insulating effects. Light-colored drapes and thermal blinds are best for stopping heat transmission. Choosing the right shades, curtains, and blinds to go with your home décor can be a fun and a relatively inexpensive way to keep the heat out, and your guests and potential buyers cool.

Giving your Windows a Cool Treatment

A more permanent option is to use a window treatment. This is similar to window tinting in cars; however, there are a few differences. Window treatments for homes are designed to block out light, rather than allow drivers to see. Home window treatments also insulate windows more from heat in the summertime than tinted windows. Window treatments are great for those who may be concerned about the heavier look of blinds and drapes, especially in homes for sale. Blinds, curtains, and drapes may not mix well with other summer home décor, which is more often lighter, brighter and airier.

Give your Windows an Entirely New Upgrade

A great and often overlooked home improvement project to beat the summer heat is to replace or repair your windows. You would be surprised how much heat gain can be attributed to the type and quality of windows you have. If the window was constructed out of energy-inefficient materials, or is leaking air, this will directly affect how hot your home will be during the long summer days. In fact, according to energy.gov, some of the most effective ways to reduce heat gain during the summer months are sealing, repairing, and waterproofing windows. In addition, you can easily save up to 10% on your energy bills by repairing or replacing them entirely.

If you do decide to replace your old windows, be sure to choose double-pane, high-performing glass with a low-E coating. This will help to significantly reduce heat transfer into your home, and keep it nice and cool even when it is extremely hot outside. And for those with homes for sale, this is a great feature to offer potential buyers.

Beating the Heat in the Attic

Did you know that the temperature in your attic can reach 150 degrees on a hot summer day? This is due to not only the sun beating down just outside, but because hot air rises it tends to collect in the highest part of your home. It is estimated that an attic not properly treated for summer heat can drive up cooling costs by as much as 40 percent.

Keep your Leaks Tightly Sealed

The places where cold air infiltrates in winter are routes for hot air in summer. And what’s worse, hot air is often accompanied by high humidity, making you even more uncomfortable. Using a flashlight, exterior-rated silicone caulk, and expanding foam insulation, find and seal all leaks. Start in the attic, and pay close attention to anything that passes through a ceiling or wall. These could be ductwork, electrical or plumbing conduits, or kitchen and bath vents. While you’re at it, you can also check the basement and crawl space for any leaks that can be sealed.

Insulate to Keep Downstairs Cool

When thinking about insulation, most only consider keeping their houses warm. However, this is not the only scenario. Insulation is also about keeping the house cool. For a smaller home improvement project, you can just insulate the ducts to prevent any leaks, including your attic and walls. But if you are selling a home, do it right and make sure you have the optimal amount of insulation in your attic.

Install Vents in your Attic

Adding vents and fans can reduce the temperature of your attic by as much 33%. You can purchase and install specialized vents and ventilation systems to help reduce your attic temperature. By helping your attic to breathe better, you can shave up to 20% off your cooling bill. This also helps to add value when selling your home.

Here are a few extra tips to help keep you cool in the summer heat:

When it’s dark outside and temperatures are lower, open your windows and doors to let in the cool outside air. In the morning, as the outside air begins to heat up, shut the doors and shutter your windows. This keeps the hot air outside and prevents the sun from warming the air inside.

Try planting shade trees to shelter windows that are directly exposed to the sun. They look beautiful and can add value to any homes for sale.

If you want to work on your patio or deck, opt for materials that reflect heat. You can also install awnings to shade these areas.

If you paint your siding with a lighter color, it will help to minimize heat absorption in your home. This will help to bring down inside temperatures by a few degrees.

When re-roofing, use white or pale-gray shingles instead of dark ones. These keep your home cooler than dark shingles, by reflecting more heat. As a bonus, lighter-colored shingles tend to last longer than dark ones, since they absorb less of the sun’s damaging rays.

Enjoy these hot tips to keep your home cool, from your Mar Vista Realtors!

Install a Home Energy Monitor

Home energy monitors are invaluable tools. These devices will tell you where you use the most energy. As you probably know, you have to be able to identify where you’re using the most energy before you can make effective changes.

Make Changes to Your Day-to-Day Behavior

The first step to reducing energy is changing the way you use energy in your home. Energy efficient light bulbs and newer, better Energy Star Rated equipment will only go so far if you’re not being mindful of how you use your energy. The behaviors are mostly straight forward, but they’ll make a bigger change than you imagine. You can start by only running your dishwasher when you’ve fully loaded it. You can save more water by doing the same with your washing machine when doing laundry. Save gas or electricity by air drying clothes. You can put up clothes lines by simply stringing them from the eves of your house to your fence.

Instead of running the heat in the winter, stock up on extra blankets to keep warm. Likewise, open windows to create a cross breeze in the summer, and you’ll be able to use your air conditioning less. You probably already know that healing and cooling will make up the bulk of your energy costs.

These behavior adjustments are still the biggest way to reduce your energy costs, so you’re going to want to try to do what you can.

Replace Your Light Bulbs

Huge advances have been made in light bulbs over the years. Tons of electricity gets wasted by traditional incandescent bulbs, and they require frequent replacement. Compared to halogen incandescent bulbs, compact fluorescent lights, or light-emitting diode bulbs, you’re looking at 25-80% less electricity use, and a much longer life span as well.

While it is true that you’ll spend more money on bulbs, between the longer service life and improved efficiency, you’ll end up saving money overall. You get to drop those bills, and help the environment at the same time.

Have you heard of Smart Power Strips?

Smart power strips are an amazing new advance for such a mundane technology. “Phantom Loads” are when electronics continue to pull power even though they’re turned off, or in standby mode. It turns out, that 75% of household energy is used by electronics that are powered down. Smart Power strips, or advanced power strips, can shut down the power completely when devices aren’t used.

Install a Smart Thermostat

When you’re asleep or not at home, you don’t need to heat or cool your house as much. Smart thermostats will solve that problem. You can save up to $180 a year with this change alone.

Update Your Appliances with Newer, More Efficient Appliances

Appliances such as your washer & dryer, and your TV, consume a lot of your power. If you’ve got older appliances, you can reduce your yearly energy consumption with newer Energy Star rated appliances pretty significantly. Energy Star certified clothes washers, for example, consume 25% less energy as well as 45% less water than conventional washers.

Address your Water Heating Expenses

Right now, 47 percent of California is still classified as being in a drought. If energy costs aren’t enough, that is another great reason to cut water use. However, the costs should be enough. Water heating accounts for a major portion of energy costs.

There are a few options for addressing your water heating expenses. The first option is to purchase an energy efficient water heater. You’ll want to be careful with that one and do your research; for example, tankless water heaters are very energy efficient, but they’re not suitable for large families because they can’t handle multiple or simultaneous uses of hot water. Your next option is to simply use less hot water. And the final option is to lower you water heater settings.

Did we miss any tips for saving energy? Show off your lowered energy bills on the George Chung Realtors Facebook page. If you’re thinking of selling your home in Mar Vista, George Chung Realtors knows the Mar Vista area better than anyone, and they’ll sell your home faster than you expect. Call (310) 391-6346 or visit the website to see what George Chung Realtors can do for you.

Make a Statement with Turquoise

Turquoise is an excellent statement color that’s trending this year. There’s nothing demure about this color, so use it only for bold statements. What’s great about this color is that you can make an accent wall with it, as well as coloring entire rooms with it. If this isn’t the blue for you, there are plenty of other bold blues you can use.

Make Every Day a Sunny Day with Rich Yellows

Rich yellows, like goldenrod and similar shades, are perfect for a cheerful environment. If you want to create an organic and all-natural feeling, yellows are warm, and emphasize that mood perfectly. When you go for this, you’ll want to pair the color with cream and blue accents to finish the look.

Create a Sophisticated Environment with Blush

For a room such as a formal dining room, or an extra living space, you can make it feel elegant and sophisticated with a Blush color, like Graham & Brown’s Color of the Year pick, “Penelope”.  Additionally, this is a great color if you prefer neutral tones.

Try Rich Earth Tones in a Quiet Room

Keeping with the sophisticated look, you can go with earth tones like Valspar’s Charcoal Brown to create a relaxed look perfect for a quiet study or den. You can pair this color with muted red and green accents for the perfect relaxation room.

Go with a Vibrant and Deep Red for Busy Rooms

In rooms with a lot of activity, like the dining room or the living room, go with something vibrant like a deep red. Benjamin Moore’s color of the year is Caliente. Caliente is a lively shade of red that stands out beautifully. You can use the color across the room, or energize the room with a single accent wall in this shade.

There May Not Be Fifty of Them, But Shades of Purple are so Hot Right Now

Pantone’s color of the year choice is Ultra Violet, and it’s clear why. This is a color you can use to add energy to any room in your house. However, if you don’t want to go with a full purple room, try starting with accessories and smaller accents first.

If you’re looking for color schemes to sell your home in Mar Vista, George Chung Realtors is the place to go. George Chung has cultivated roots in the community that run deep. With their skill as realtors, backed by intricate knowledge of the community, they’ll get your home sold quicker than you expected. Call (310) 391-6346, or visit the website to see what George Chung Realtors can do for you.

Keep Your Pet Reassured

As soon you have agreed to purchase one of your realtor’s homes for sale, you should start getting your pet ready. Since there will be a lot of activity going on in the house, your pet will start getting anxious and nervous well before the move. Make sure to sit with your pet and help reassure them throughout the move. They may not understand human language, but they do understand the calmness in your voice. That will help them feel more secure that all is well, and that there is nothing to fear.

Stick to the Animal’s Regular Schedule

Make sure you keep up your pet’s regular schedule for feeding, playtime, outdoor activities, and bedtime. This will help to reduce the animal’s anxiety during your move. You can use a feeder with a timer to help ensure that your pets eat at the same time every day while you are moving. Make sure you walk your dog at the same time every day to maintain their regular schedule. Fortunately, many new homes for sale may even be listed in an area which offers a better neighborhood layout to walk around, and your pet will thank you once the move is complete.

Minimize Their Anxiety During the Move

There is plenty you can do to reduce your pet’s anxiety as you move into a new home. As your move starts, put out empty boxes before you start packing. This gives your animal time to adjust to their presence. Make sure to monitor your pets as you pack your belongings. If they seem too anxious while you are packing, you can keep them in a quiet room, away from the activity and noise. You can also keep your pet’s carrier in the same room that they are in. This will help them get used to seeing it around. You can also put treats inside the carrier to further encourage your pets inside; but don’t close the door when they enter, until you’re ready to move them.

Keep Them Safe and Secure When You Move Them Into the New Home

Save moving all your pet’s belongings for the day you move into your new home. On that day, make sure to give them extra reassurance to further reduce their stress levels. If you think they may be too anxious on moving day, you can speak to your vet about using anti-anxiety medication to make moving day easier on them.

Give Them Plenty of Time to Adjust to Their New Home

Sometimes your pet may decide to hide for a while after your move. That’s OK, as long as they know where their litter box or doggy door is. Just like humans, animals need time to get used to their new home. Remember that any negative behaviors by dogs, cats, or other animals such as excessive vocalizing, or a refusal to eat or play, are a reaction by your pet to their discomfort of the move and change of scenery. However, if your pet continues to express negative behaviors, you may want to get help from a professional trainer or veterinarian. When searching new local homes for sale, a good thing to do is check to see if a veterinarian is close. When you get your new home, and your pet needs some professional help, you may have some convenient choices.

Great Advice From The Mar Vista Experts in Homes for Sale

Many realtors have shared the excitement people have when they move into homes for sale. They also understand the anxiety that pets can have when moving into those new homes for sale. But by planning carefully, you can help to minimize your four-legged friend’s stress and anxiety during the move. And with these tips, moving doesn’t have to be as stressful for them. That way, you can focus on moving into your new home.

History of Shabby Chic

Shabby Chic started in Great Britain, and it focuses on evoking the type of decorations you’d find in large country houses. Damaged and ugly furniture still needs replacing, but you’ll want to keep worn furniture. Old paintwork and curtains combine with your furniture that looks heavily worn to create an unassuming good taste. The World of Interiors magazine coined the term in the 1980s. However, Americans waited until the 90s to popularize it.

People also call it Cottage Chic, Beach Cottage Chic, French Country, and in Swedish, Gustavian. This style was popular among modern Bohemians and artisans in the 1980s as part of a counter culture movement against the expensive quality décor that was fashionable in the upper middle classes.

So, Why Use Shabby Chic with Your Home for Sale?

Shabby Chic is an excellent style to target if you’re staging your house because it creates an intimate environment. It’s easy to picture yourself living in a home for sale when the furniture is all well-loved and inviting. Additionally, because you’re not going for expensive and pristine designer furniture, you can save a lot of money, which is key with a home for sale. You can pick up your furniture at yard sales and thrift stores, which could save thousands.

Finally, if you like to take on crafting projects, shabby chic is another way you can get involved in your home for sale. You can pick up pieces and then imitate wear by distressing the furniture to get exactly the look you’re going for.

Tips for Staging Your Home for Sale in Shabby Chic

• Whites and pastels offer a great backdrop with shabby chic. This way, the worn look of your furniture stands out.
• Don’t overdo the distressed furniture. If you overdo it on distressed furniture, you’ll end up with a bunch of junk, not an inviting home.
• You want worn, not broken. You don’t want a house full of broken furniture. Your furniture should look like you’ve used it over the years, but you’ve still taken care of it.
• Use vintage decorations. Hang old paintings, and use vintage knick knacks to accent your rooms, and really make the shabby chic pop.

If you’re trying to put your home for sale, George Chung Realtors can help you sell for the best price. They’ve been a pillar of the community in Mar Vista for years, and their connections and good will can help you get your home sold right. Call (310) 391-6346, or visit the website to see what George Chung Realtors can do for you.