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        <title>Alaska Real Estate Blog</title>
        <link>http://www.akhomeshow.com/blog/selling/</link>
        <description>This is the Alaska real estate blog for Ryan Tollefsen Real Estate Experts. All information is provided to our buyers, sellers and web site visitors as a courtesy.</description>
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            <guid>http://www.akhomeshow.com/blog/list-your-home-to-get-it-sold.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.akhomeshow.com/blog/list-your-home-to-get-it-sold.html</link>
            <author>ryan@akhomeshow.com (Ryan Tollefsen)</author>
            <title>List Your Home to Get it Sold!</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
Alright, so you have made the decision to sell your home. No matter your reasoning, there are some important steps to take to not only list your home for sale, but make sure it sells!


Aggressive Pricing: First and foremost, your home’s price will make or break a happy home sale. Make sure you are working with an experienced Realtor who knows the market and is able to not only research and present a competitive, comparative market analysis, but is also able to explain to you how your home’s price compares to other homes on the market and is in that perfect range where it will meet your needs as the seller, and is still aggressive enough to stand out among the rest as the hottest deal around.


Pack up, De-Clutter and CLEAN: It’s a fact, clean homes sell! Your home will be more attractive to potential buyers when it is sparkling and smelling fresh. Clean carpets, flooring, windows, walls, surfaces, every inch counts. Pack up your personal items, including photos, knickknacks, toys; less is better. You are preparing to show off your home and its features, not your personal stuff. When your home is clean and organized, it will be much easier for a buyer to imagine living in a relaxing and stress-free environment.


Appearance Matters: Curb appeal and quality are big deciding factors for many buyers in today’s market, and with longer on-market times and picky purchasers, you want to make sure your home shines among the competition. Give your exterior a face-lift; pull your weeds, trim grass and shrubs, remove dead flowers and leaves for a fresh and healthy quality, clean your drive and walkways, replace old light bulbs, repaint trim and doors if needed. Indoors, throw a fresh coat of paint on your walls. Light neutral colors are best and will help your rooms appear larger and brighter. Even small things like replacing dated knobs and handles on your cabinetry can make a difference! If you are feeling crafty, re-stain or antique your kitchen and bathroom cabinets to make your rooms feel fresh and updated.


Repairs: Complete that “Honey-Do” List! This is the time to make sure that little maintenance items are taken care of, so they don’t become flags in a buyer’s mind when previewing your home. Fix leaky plumbing fixtures, replace bulbs and faulty lighting fixtures, quiet squeaky door or cabinet hinges, patch dings and holes, etc.  These are little things that can be low cost fixes initially, and will make your home feel more updated and of higher quality, and can also save you a laundry-list of repair items down the road during a home inspection.


Soothe the Senses: Ultimately, a home that is comfortable and inviting is most appealing. When your home is being shown, make sure your heat is at a comfy temperature; no one likes a freezing cold or hot muggy home. Purchase reed diffusers or wickless candles; homes that smell good are definitely more appealing than those that don’t, and it has even been rumored that homes with a “foody” smell are even more appealing, subliminally, than other generic scents (think fresh baked bread, cookies, pumpkin or apple pie; food equals comfort in most minds). Turn on lights, open your curtains and blinds to let the sun in! Make sure your home is well lit, natural sunlight triggers happy endorphins in the brain, and you definitely want happy buyers in your home!
 ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Tue, 20 Dec 2011 10:24:02 -0900</pubDate>
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            <guid>http://www.akhomeshow.com/blog/8000-tax-credit-extended-plus-6500-for-existing-homeowners.html</guid>
            <link>http://www.akhomeshow.com/blog/8000-tax-credit-extended-plus-6500-for-existing-homeowners.html</link>
            <author>ryan@akhomeshow.com (Ryan Tollefsen)</author>
            <title>$8,000 Tax Credit Extended Plus $6,500 For Existing Homeowners</title>
            <description> <![CDATA[ 
I'm pleased to share the following excellent news with you regarding the extension of the Home Buyer Tax Credit:

Both Houses OK Tax Credit Extension, Expansion The House today and the Senate yesterday passed legislation to extend the $8,000 home buyer tax credit to May 1, 2010, for first-time buyers and add a $6,500 tax credit for repeat buyers if they've lived in their home for five of the past eight years. Home prices are capped at $800,000. 

The legislation in both houses was included in a bill to extend unemployment benefits and is expected to be signed by President Obama shortly. 

&ldquo;REALTORS appreciate the swift action by Congress to extend the home buyer tax credit and expand it to some current homeowners,&rdquo; says NAR President Charles McMillan. &ldquo;As the leading advocate of housing and real estate issues, we urge President Obama to sign this legislation into law quickly to keep the momentum going in the fragile recovery of the nations housing market.&rdquo;

Under the bill, income limits are expanded to $125,000 for individuals and $225,000 for joint filers. Individuals with incomes up to $145,000 and joint filers with incomes up to $245,000 qualify for reduced credits.

Households who have binding contracts in place by April 30 will be allowed an additional 60 days to complete their transaction. The deadline for members of the military serving out the U.S. for at least 90 days between Jan. 1, 2009, and May 1, 2010, has been extended one year.

Taxpayers can claim the credit on their federal income tax returns. If the credit exceeds their tax bill, the government will issue a check. Taxpayers will be able to claim the credit on their 2009 income tax return for purchases made in 2010.

Source: The Associated Press (11/5/2009)


 ]]> </description>
            <pubDate>Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:49:46 -0900</pubDate>
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