Do This, Not That: Tips for Staging Your Home

Today's blog entry comes courtesy of the CENTURY 21 System: 

You never get a second chance at a first impression. It is important that potential buyers get a great first impression when they come to your home for an open house or see your listing online. Factors like cleanliness, brightness, and furniture placement all make a big impact on the home’s overall appearance. Making buyers feel comfortable in a new space is key to selling a home. We asked our Facebook friends for their best tips for staging a home to sell.

Here are five tips for staging your home:

• “Make sure all furniture is about one and a half inches from the wall, this creates the illusion of more space. Clear all personal pictures. If the front door is worn, paint it an interesting color that is inviting and make sure the path to the home is welcoming.” – Michael L.

• “You hope that you will have a lot of people in short period of time, freedom of movement is essential.” - CENTURY 21 Ilford

• “Good photos get action. Make sure the lights are on and that you are using a good camera. Don’t use your cell phone!” – Kristy W.

• “Everything off the counters! Toilet seats down. Blinds all the way up to show off recently cleaned windows.” – Wayne F.

• “Stage with smaller furniture to make rooms bigger and go with light colored furnishings unless the area dictates darker classy designs.” – Peter C. 

To get started on the journey of selling your home, contact a Real Estate Agent at Century 21 Dunaway & Hart, Inc. today. Affordability and Mortgage Calculators can be found at our website so you can determine your price range. To look at homes for sale in your neighborhood check out all the property listings in central Arkansas. You may also call our office at 501-327-2121 or 800-490-0021 to set up a private home or land showing with one of our award winning Real Estate agents today.

5 Tips for First Time Homebuyers

Today's blog entry comes courtesy of the CENTURY 21 System:

Congratulations! You are ready to buy a home. Purchasing a home is an exciting life milestone and is a huge decision with so many factors to consider. Finding the right property can be a challenge for growing families. What may seem like a good fit now may not be the best choice for your family in the long run.

Here are our 5 best tips when buying a home for your growing family:

Neighborhood - Do your research before looking at homes in neighborhoods that aren’t convenient for young families. Look into school districts, local parks, neighbors and proximity to doctors and hospitals. Consider the length of your commute to work so that you can maximize the amount of time you have to spend with your family.

Space – How many kids do you want to have? Simple things like sharing a bathroom or closet space can become a hassle in the long run. Families with small children might want to look into an open-concept floor plan for safety reasons. A designated playroom might be a smart idea for your family, or maybe you’d prefer two levels instead of three. List out what your priorities before making the move.

Affordability - Now that you know what you’re looking for, the next step is figuring out what type of home you can afford. A review of your income, savings, monthly expenses and debt will be necessary. Use our Affordability Calculator!

Offer - Once you’ve found your ideal house, it’s time to get started with the financial and contractual side of the purchase. Let your CENTURY 21® real estate professional guide you through this process. Purchase contracts vary in length and terms from state to state, and sometimes within a state. Multiple offers on the same home are not uncommon, so you may only get one chance to make an offer that the seller will consider. That’s why it’s important to think carefully about your strategy. In most cases it is better to have your real estate professional present the offer. Learn more here!

Inspection – Once you’ve made an offer, hire a professional home inspector to give the house a standard inspection and make sure that it is a safe home for your family. Agents affiliated with the CENTURY 21 System are ready to make a commitment to help you capitalize on current market opportunities and assist you in making an informed decision. A CENTURY 21 Agent can help ensure you make the right choice for the long term, get a better understanding of different neighborhoods, schools, and market conditions, find a mortgage specialist, and more.

To get started on the journey to find you perfect home, contact a Real Estate Agent at Century 21 Dunaway & Hart, Inc. today. Affordability and Mortgage Calculators can be found at our website so you can determine your price range. To look at homes for sale in your neighborhood check out all the property listings in central Arkansas. You may also call our office at 501-327-2121 or 800-490-0021 to set up a private home or land showing with one of our award winning Real Estate agents today.

Taleda McKee Earns Topaz Award For 2013 Sales Production

CENTURY 21 Dunaway & Hart, Inc. is pleased to announce that Century 21 Real Estate LLC recently recognized Taleda McKee with the CENTURY 21 Topaz Award. Topaz level status is awarded to an agent who has achieved sales production levels between 36,000 and $59,000 or 15 – 19 transactions. "Taleda is a valued and trusted real estate resource for the Conway community and a major contributor to the overall success of CENTURY 21 Century 21 Dunaway & Hart, Inc. and the CENTURY 21 System as a whole." Taleda has been serving our community as a Realtor for the past 20 years. In 2008, she was Realtor of the Year and she has been a multi-million dollar producer since 2000. CENTURY 21 Century 21 Dunaway & Hart, Inc. is a full-service brokerage located at 575 Harkrider, Conway and specializing in Residential & Commercial properties. It. has been a locally owned and operated real estate company for almost four decades.

Joyce Patterson Earns Masters Award for 2014 Sales Production

CENTURY 21 Dunaway & Hart, Inc. is pleased to announce that Century 21 Real Estate LLC recently recognized Joyce Patterson, sales associate with the office, as one of the System’s top-producers nationwide when it honored her with the coveted Masters level CENTURY 21 Masters Award. Emerald level status is awarded to an agent who has met minimum sales production of $135,000 or 38 closed transaction sides within a calendar year. A gold-plated lapel pin with emerald accent is awarded to the agent during the Awards Ceremony, in addition to a trophy and a personal invitation to attend a CENTURY 21 Top Agent Retreat. Additionally, Joyce was recognized among the Top 21 Realtors in the CENTURY 21 System’s Greater Arkansas Region ranking #8 by units and #4 by commissions. “It is with great dedication, knowledge and commitment to quality service that Joyce has so duly earned this recognition. She is a leader and innovator in the real estate industry and an asset to homebuyers and sellers in the Conway community,” said Mitch Hart, broker/owner of CENTURY 21 Century 21 Dunaway & Hart, Inc. "It is truly an honor to receive the Masters Emerald Award and be recognized among such talented and dedicated group of real estate sales professionals," said Patterson who has served the Conway Community as a Realtor since 2000. CENTURY 21 Century 21 Dunaway & Hart, Inc. is a full-service brokerage located at 575 Harkrider, Conway and specializing in Residential & Commercial properties. Century 21 Dunaway & Hart, Inc. has been a locally owned and operated real estate company for almost four decades.

Donna Marie Cason is Awarded with 2013 Sapphire Award

Donna Marie Cason, a sales associate with CENTURY 21 Century 21 Dunaway & Hart, was recently awarded the Sapphire Award by the CENTURY 21 System. Sapphire level status is awarded to an agent who has met minimum sales production of $60,000 or 20-27 closed transaction sides within a calendar year. “It is with great dedication, knowledge and commitment to quality service that Donna Marie has so duly earned this recognition. Donna Marie is a leader and innovator in the real estate industry and an asset to homebuyers and sellers in the Conway community,” said broker/owner Mitch Hart. Cason has eight years in the real estate industry and has been with the CENTURY 21 System for almost three years. Century 21 Dunaway & Hart, Inc. has been a locally owned and operated real estate company for almost four decades.

Kathy Nickles Earns CENTURY 21® Quality Service Producer Award

Realizing that customer service is an integral part of its commitment to professional excellence, Century 21 Real Estate LLC has recognized Kathy Nickles of CENTURY 21 Century 21 Dunaway & Hart, Inc. with the CENTURY 21 Quality Service Producer award. This national award is presented annually to those CENTURY 21 System members who receive a minimum return rate of 30 percent on their post-transaction client satisfaction surveys sent between January 1 and October 31, with a minimum satisfaction index of 85 percent. Surveys are e-mailed to all customers immediately after the purchase or sale of a home through a CENTURY 21 System office. "The Quality Service Producer Award is an integral part of the CENTURY 21 System’s commitment to excellence and recognizes Kathy’s dedication to continuously exceeding the service expectations of his/her clients," said Mitch Hart, broker/owner of CENTURY 21 Century 21 Dunaway & Hart, Inc. Additionally, Kathy earned Emerald level status with a minimum sales production of $135,000 or 38 closed transaction sides within a calendar year. She is also ranked 7th among the top CENTURY 21 agents in the region by both units and commission. "Kathy places her real estate wisdom and passion for life into her everyday business, helping to make clients more comfortable with the real estate transaction as they make what may be the most significant purchase of their lives," said Mitch Hart, broker/owner of CENTURY 21 Dunaway & Hart. "I am honored to receive these awards and to be recognized among such talented and dedicated group of real estate sales professionals," said Nickels. CENTURY 21 Century 21 Dunaway & Hart, Inc. is a full-service brokerage located at 575 Harkrider, Conway and specializing in Residential & Commercial properties.

Michelle Nabholz Earns the 2013 Masters Emerald Award

CENTURY 21 Dunaway & Hart, Inc. announced today that Michelle Nabholz, sales associate with the office, was honored with the CENTURY 21 Masters Emerald Award. Emerald level status is awarded to an agent who has met minimum sales production of $135,000 or 38 closed transaction sides within a calendar year. A gold-plated lapel pin with emerald accent is awarded to the agent during the Awards Ceremony, in addition to a trophy and a personal invitation to attend a CENTURY 21 Top Agent Retreat. Additionally, Michelle was recognized among the Top 21 Realtors in the CENTURY 21 System’s Greater Arkansas Region. Nabholz was ranked #2 among the region’s top producers by unites and #5 by commissions. Nabholz has served as a Realtor with Dunaway & Hart for about a decade. "These awards further reinforce to my clients that my commitment and dedication to their satisfaction and peace of mind during the real estate transaction is real and taken very seriously," said Nabholz. CENTURY 21 Century 21 Dunaway & Hart, Inc. is a full-service brokerage located at 575 Harkrider, Conway, specializing in Residential & Commercial properties. Dunaway & Hart, Inc. has been a locally owned and operated real estate company for almost four decades.