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6 Reasons to Attend Open Houses
Some people wonder whether or not they should attend open houses. We believe open houses can be incredibly advantageous for both buyers and sellers. Follow along for 6 reasons why you should be attending open houses whether you are planning to buy or sell.
Get an idea of how your home compares:
If you plan to sell your home, visiting open houses in your neighborhood can give you a good idea of how your home compares to your neighbors. By visiting several homes, you can gauge the pulse on the neighborhood’s market by watching what the homes sold for, how quickly they sold, and how they compared to yours. This information can prepare you for what you can expect your home to sell for and give you a to-do list of things to get done before you list your home. If you have not connected with a real estate professional and would like to, connect with us here so we can recommend some.
Get a clear idea of what you want in a home:
If you are preparing to buy a home, it is a good idea to have a wish list of things you want in a home when you buy. Download our Wishlist Form Here. Fill it out before visiting Open Houses, then fill it out again after you have visited a few. Compare how your desires changed. Attending several Open Houses can give you a clear idea of what you want in a home. Perhaps you thought 1100 sq feet was enough room for you, but after experiencing it in person, you decided 1500 was more realistic for your needs. Or vice versa. Maybe you wanted 2300 sq ft, but after spending time in homes that size, you realized 1900 would be a better fit. You might have strong opinions about specific floor plans, garage sizes, number of bedrooms, or heating options. Find open houses in your area by clicking here.
Get a realistic idea of how much you will spend on a home:
You might have your heart set on a specific neighborhood or features in a home. Attending several Open Houses gives you a realistic idea of how much you will spend on what you want. You might find that you cannot afford everything you want in a home. It is best to first connect with a lender to determine how much you can qualify for with your circumstances. If you need help finding a suitable lender, contact us for recommendations. If you cannot afford everything on your wish list, you either need to refine your wish list or keep saving. A trusted lender can also help you determine which type of loan best fits your needs and help you develop a financial plan. So, connect with a lender as early as possible. You can find a few local to Whidbey listed here.
Imagine your life inside the home:
A recent study determined that roughly half of all home buyers experience buyer’s remorse when purchasing their home. Can you imagine feeling buyer’s remorse after making the biggest purchase of your life? You can avoid this by doing your research ahead of time. Attend Open Houses and refine your wish list till you know precisely what you want and need in a home. Visit several different-sized homes to have a realistic idea of what each square footage looks and feels like. Consider the different layouts and which ones feel most comfortable to you. When you are confident you know exactly what you want in a home, you can quickly and confidently make that decision. Therefore you can communicate effectively to your agent exactly what you are looking for in a home. A good agent will help you finetune your wants and needs and make sure you don’t buy something you don’t truly love. Don’t have an agent? Connect with us and we will pair you with a great one. When you find the perfect home you will know it is the right one for you and will feel confident in the purchase because you have done your research.
Get familiar with the neighborhood:
If your children have grown up and gone off to college, you might not like having a noisy community park up against your property. On the other hand, if you have small children, don’t wait till you have moved in to discover your kids are the only ones on the block. While visiting open houses in the neighborhood, ask the realtors about the neighborhood. Some good questions to ask are:
a. Is there an HOA?
b. What kind of amenities does the neighborhood have to offer?
c. Is there a school nearby?
Find an agent that is a good fit for you:
Whether buying or selling, attending open houses can also allow you to get to know agents in your area for when you are ready. If you don’t already have an agent and would prefer to connect with one, email us here: WhidbeyCommunications@Windermere.com.
We strongly urge you to check out homes in various price points, locations, and styles during this time. You might surprise yourself with what you imagined liking versus what you discover you want and don’t want.
Attending several Open Houses before you get serious about buying might be one of the best pieces of advice. Once you know you are serious about buying and what you are looking for, or if you prefer a more personal experience tour homes that meet your wish list criteria with your Realtor. Don’t have a Realtor? Let us connect you with one. Call us at 360.675.5953.
Click here to find our interactive Open House list for your area. If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to connect with us.
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You’ll Lose Money When You Overprice Your Home
You are probably asking yourself, “did I read that right?”
Yes, yes you did.
It is normal for sellers to want to get the most money out of the sale of their homes. It feels safe to list your home at the price you are desiring to get, but the reality is listing high might actually do your pocketbook more harm than good in the long run. Follow along as we explain why.
RISKS OF OVERPRICING YOUR HOME
You are drawing the attention of the wrong buyers.
Most people begin their home purchasing journey by searching which homes are available in their desired location online. Consider this. Your home is worth $500,000, but you list it for $575,000. When buyers are looking online, they filter to find homes within their price range and typically by $25,000 increments. The person looking for a $500,000 home will never see yours and if they do they will believe it is out of their reach, and when the buyers looking in the $575,000 range see your home and compare it to others in that range, they will get the impression it is not worth it, and there are better options.
Fewer people will see your home.
When your home is overpriced, the issue can be detected by buyers just by looking at your online listing and will pass on viewing it in person. The more showings you have, the more legitimate interest there is, and the more likely your home is to sell. Showings give potential buyers an opportunity to see the home first-hand giving them the opportunity to imagine themselves living there.
On the other hand, if you get lots of showings because your photos look better than reality but no offers you’ve wasted your best shot at getting the right buyer through your home and you there are no redo’s for first impressions. This leads us to our next point…
You are sending the “I’m an undesirable home” message to the public.
As people continue to look for a home and new buyers enter the market, they might see your home online, but by that time they will also see the “time on market”. The longer your home sits on the market, the less attractive it becomes psychologically to everyone. Nobody wants the home that nobody else wants. Once it has lost its appeal the damage is done. You’ll find yourself beginning to reduce your price and often end up at a price less than what the home could have sold for if it was priced right the first time.
In conjunction with price reductions, the longer your home sits on the market, the more expenses you incur. Consider mortgage payments, utility costs, lawn care maintenance, seller’s fees, and more while you are trying to move out.
Your buyers won’t be able to finance if it doesn’t appraise.
Perhaps you drop the price just enough to intrigue a buyer but still above market level. Maybe you’re lucky enough to hook a buyer. Then the appraisal comes back low. Now you either have to come down in price or lose the buyer and start over again, with 20-30 days more on market…
If you are considering selling your home and would like a complimentary analysis to determine the correct value of your home in this market connect with us to be paired with an experienced Windermere agent that can help you with your unique situation and avoid all the overpricing pitfalls.
Staging a Home
Should You Stage Your Home?
Every home is changed by those who live in it even under the care of the most vigilant homeowners. Staging a home for sale is one tactic that may take the attention away from less than stellar paint, flooring, or kitchen cabinets and convince the buyer that they can make the property the home of their dreams.
If you are preparing to put your home on the market, staging provides the advantage of appealing to the buyer audience. It is no longer a nice idea, but one of the most important things you can do when selling your home.
What is a Staged Home?
Staging a home is one possible step in preparing a property for sale in the housing market. It is primarily focused on the appearance of the home and making the space feel a specific way. Depending on the type of pieces brought into the space the staging can make the home feel lighter, larger, or more modern.
Most staged homes include art, rugs, furniture, plants, and other decors.
Attract More Home Buyers
Properties headed to the market need to be presented in a way that is going to attract the most possible buyers. Staging a home allows buyers to picture themselves in that space. Inviting furnishings and decor, combined with subtle accessories distributed throughout the home pulls everything together to help produce higher-quality images of each space in the home.
It has also been proven that if the home is attractive in pictures buyers are much more likely to come and see it in person. The quality of online images directly affects a buyer’s interest in a home.
Buyers confirm that they were more willing to walk through a home they saw online (41 percent), and buyers’ agents identified that staging would positively impact the home value if the home was decorated to the buyer’s taste (39 percent).
Your first impression is your last impression, so make it count!
Tidbit:
A 2021 National Association of Realtors study on home staging reported that 82% of buyer’s agents said staging a home made it easier for a buyer to visualize the property as a future home.
Increase Home Sale Price
Ultimately the purpose of home staging is to set your listing apart from others on the market and yield higher offers.
According to the National Association of Realtors Profile of Home Staging 2021 when staging a home, 23 percent of sellers’ agents reported an increase of one to five percent of the dollar value offered by buyers, in comparison to similar homes.
Notably, none of the respondents in the above study reported that staging a home had a negative impact on the home’s dollar value.
It’s advantageous to keep in mind that home staging does put costs on the sellers’ agent or the seller depending on the scenario. The median dollar value spent when using a staging service was $1,500, compared to $300 when the sellers’ agent personally staged the home.
Tidbit:
The most common rooms that were staged included the living room (90 percent), kitchen (80 percent), master bedroom (78 percent), and dining room (69 percent).
In conclusion…
By creating space that buyers fall in love with, sellers can expect offers of higher quantity and quality. Get in touch with one of our agents today.
10 Questions you should ask a builder when interviewing them for your custom home build
- What kind of homes do you really love to build?
- Can you help me with my feasibility study as I look for a lot?
- How long are permits taking?
- How long does it take to build a new home right now and when could we break ground?
- Can I get a list of recent references from past clients and may I contact them to view their homes?
- How long have you been building on Whidbey?
- What construction loan lender(s) do you have a relationship with (use one of these for the vacant land loan).
- If waterfront – are you experienced with the Shoreline Management Act of Washington State?
- I want to do part of the construction myself (e.g. Painting), would you be OK with that?
- What type of warranties do you provide?
Your vacant land specialist representing you can help you with these questions and can make recommendations on the best builder for your specific project. Don’t have representation yet? Give Clay a call today to see if he is a good fit!
If you enjoyed reading this you might also enjoy:
Buying Vacant Land on Whidbey Island
How to Become a Licensed Real Estate Broker in Washington
- Pick a school and do your 90 hours of course work. At Windermere, we recommend Rockwell Institute because it is consistent and has proven success at getting people prepared to pass the exam. Current cost $489 (January 2021).
- HOT TIP: There is an add on to get sample exams and extra cramming practice. GET IT!
- Do the following steps as you get closer to completing the 90 hours to break up the studying with actions that will prepare you for taking the exam and getting licensed…
- Fingerprints! The closest location to Whidbey Island is in Mt. Vernon. You can schedule your appointment on this IdentoGO site. At the time of this blog post (January 2021), it cost $42.80 for the fingerprints and background check. Go to this DOL site for more info.
- Set up a SAW account (Secure Access Washington) if you haven’t already for your driver’s license. For more info: https://www.dol.wa.gov/business/accountaccess.html
- Register as a student with AMP through psi here https://ampportal.goamp.com/School/SchoolUser/WAREPStudentRegistration.aspx
- Register for the exam. Cost $138.25 https://online.goamp.com/CandidateHome/examination.aspx?p_category=REAL%20ESTATE&p_client_code=WAREP&p_exam_id=21311
- Once you’ve passed the exams apply for your license! https://secureaccess.wa.gov/myAccess/saw/select.do
* Contact the WA DOL Real Estate licensing department if you need extra help. We recommend emailing them instead of calling for a faster response. https://www.dol.wa.gov/business/realestate/contact.html
Follow these suggestions to get yourself mentally and physically ready to launch your real estate career:
- Pick a brokerage.
Interview the top brokerages in your area. Since the real estate exam process doesn’t really give you what you need to serve people or build your own business you want to join a brokerage with a robust training program and ongoing support. Schedule a no-pressure introduction meeting with our brokerage today! Email us at WhidbeyCommunications@Windermere.com to do so. - Change your phone number to a local area code if it is not already. Nowadays all cell phones have caller ID and everyone is screening calls from out of state numbers. Do not confuse people, all real estate is local and your phone number should be too.
- If you are beginning your real estate career in November or December then now is a great time to start collecting mailing addresses for Christmas cards.
- Read some books. We give one of our favorites out a lot!
- Snoop on the local real estate brokers.
What do you see that you like, what don’t you like? Take note! Social media is one good place to find a broker then check out top brokers’ web pages. If you don’t know any go to the website of the brokerage you’re thinking about, head to the agent’s page, and start clicking links. Ours is right here! - Interview brokers you admire. Take a broker that catches your attention online for a cup of coffee (they really do like it!). Ask them all the questions but more importantly LISTEN. Some suggested questions are…
- What do you like most about being a real estate broker? Least?
- What do you like most about your brokerage? Least?
- What advice would you give someone like me who is just getting into the business?
- Download our guide to 5 things you can do to give yourself a head start here.
Interview the top brokerages in your area. Since the real estate exam process doesn’t really give you what you need to serve people or build your own business you want to join a brokerage with a robust training program and ongoing support. Schedule a no-pressure introduction meeting with our brokerage today! Email us at 
What do you see that you like, what don’t you like? Take note! Social media is one good place to find a broker then check out top brokers’ web pages. If you don’t know any go to the website of the brokerage you’re thinking about, head to the agent’s page, and start clicking links. 
Before & After – The Importance of Staging
Before & After - The Importance of Staging
It is normal for you to love your home and all of your belongings. However, when it comes time to move, and you are ready to sell, you want your home to be as appealing as possible to as many buyers as possible. To accomplish this you must prepare your home in a way that buyers can envision themselves living there.
The purpose of staging is to make the home speak to everyone else, in a captivating manor. The last thing you want is your personal belongings distracting your buyers from the features of your home that will make it sell.
For example when buyers see:
Piles of papers everywhere it tells them there is not enough storage. Solution: straighten up, get rid of the unnecessary, and create a cleaner more inviting space.
Filled kitchen counters make them think there are not enough cabinets. Solution: Clear off your countertops.
Packed closets lead them to believe the closet is too small. Solution: Do a bit of spring cleaning before photo day get rid of the unnecessary, fold clothes, straighten shoes, and organize your clothes by color on your hangers.
Rooms with a lot of furniture makes them feel cramped and left feeling like there is not enough room. Solution: move furniture into a way that is fitting for each room, perhaps rearranging furniture into other rooms or reducing the amount of furniture altogether.
When your home is clean, clutter-free, and/or staged you are telling potential buyers that you take good care of your home, while simultaneously providing them a clean slate to imagine themselves living there.
81% of Realtors said staging helps buyers visualize the property as a future home, while 46% said it makes prospective buyers more willing to walk through a home they saw online.
Ready to get started?
So, you can either be the "house with the beautiful granite counters and fantastic views" or the "house with the National Geographic collection where the dinning table is supposed to be."
Purchasing Vacant Land
Purchasing vacant land:
Written by: Simona Groves
Ahhhh, the lovely earthy scent produced by the rain or the morning dew, the buzzing of the bees and the many of shades of green enchanting the view. Who doesn’t like to be immersed into nature and fantasize about living in it?
If you are one of the many Americans that would love to buy raw land and build your dream home, let me help you with this complex but exciting task.
Make sure you take into consideration these details:
If you don’t have a preferred lender let me know and I can help with the perfect match.
Understand how the land can be used. Local government usually have established zoning regulations.
Call your local planning and zoning department and they will provide you with the information.
Check the island county webpage here
We will need to do some research and this will include things that can be forgotten: utilities.
You need to make sure to check if the lot has access to public utilities: electricity, sewer, gas, water etc.
Last but not least, make sure you do thorough and expansive research about home builders.
I would be more than happy to give my recommendations.
Learn more about Simona Groves:
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How to Install Laminate Flooring
How to Install Laminate Flooring:
Written by: Anita Johnston
How many times have you thought “I can install laminate flooring” or “I wish I could do that?” Flooring is one of those renovation projects that allure newbies most often. After mastering the skill of installing your own floor it can liberate the home owner which can be good and bad for a home.
I have walked through many homes and within a second I can pick out a home owner renovation project. From spaces between cabinets that weren’t properly attached together or gaps that weren’t perfectly filled with a filler pencil. And flooring………. I have seen the worst flooring jobs while touring houses for sale. A new floor can add great value to a home. But an improperly installed floor can actually deduct value from a home. I just saw this recently with a home that the appraiser specifically noted the poor flooring installation and downgraded the value of the home.
There’s several things to keep in mind when installing flooring. Prepping the floor is a must. If you’ve removed carpet then you definitely had to endure the tedious task of removing staples that was holding down the carpet pad.
Sweeping the floor to make double sure that there’s nothing sticking up that won’t allow the floor to lie perfectly flat and level. Second you need to decide where to start. If it’s just one room that’s easier. You simply start running your flooring parallel to the entrance. Once you lay out your first row you will then take your cut board and lay it in place to start your next row. There should never be less than 4″ from the end of one board to and other ends the row before or after. You should tap the boards together until they click together and all gaps are gone.
State of the Base – November 2017
Written by Don Jaques November 29, 2017 
Today I attended the annual “State of the Base” meeting with the North Puget Sound Area Realtors. Captain Geoff Moore, Commanding Officer of Naval Air Station Whidbey Island (NASWI), gave a 20 minute presentation that included some interesting facts and figures affecting life and the real estate market in the North Whidbey region.
Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) Update
For the last few years the Navy has been studying the environmental impact of increasing the amount of jets (most importantly the “Growler” jets) based at NASWI. This lengthy report was supposed to be finalized this fall, but some important technological changes have caused a delay in the final report, which is now expected in the fall of 2018.
What is this important technological change? Please forgive my lack of technical knowledge (I was scribbling notes as fast as I could at the meeting!) A new way of training jet pilots in their carrier landings through a simulator has shown to be very effective, and the Navy is fast-tracking it’s deployment as a training method. The advantage of this is it reduces the amount of actual “touch and go’s” that pilots need to take the noisy Growlers through.
Here are some numbers. Currently NASWI runs approximately 24,000 touch and go repetitions each year, split between the Outlying Field (OLF) in Coupeville, and the main runways at Ault Field in Oak Harbor. The worst case scenario for the amount of these repetitions with the coming of additional Growlers to NASWI in the preliminary version of the EIS was approximately 42,000 – almost a 100% increase. Captain Moore stated that with the new technology those numbers would be reduced to around 32,000. This is still a 33% increase in noise generating flights, but not nearly the increase originally projected.
TAKEAWAY: At this point there is no way to know what percentage of these touch and go trainings will happen in Coupeville, and how many will be in Oak Harbor. What is known is that the normal flight pattern is not expected to change from it’s current pattern. This means that people living in the noise zones will most likely experience an increase in the amount of time each year they experience “the sound of freedom”. Those who only occasionally experience noise from the jets will likely not notice a huge difference. (Request a noise zone map.)
The Navy and the Housing Shortage
Commander Moore showed graphs which demonstrated that we are currently at the top of the growth curve for personnel on the base (both military and civilian). Although there are still 3 squadrons slated to be transferred to NASWI in the next couple years, other changes in base operations will result in a net zero increase from the current amount of people coming in and out of the gates each day.
The Navy’s internal studies of housing within a 60 minute commute shows that there are adequate options for their personnel. Although housing is tight in Oak Harbor close to the base, their studies show there is sufficient housing within that 60-minute radius (which includes all of Whidbey Island, Fidalgo Island, and along the Hwy 20 corridor out to Sedro Woolley). For this reason, the Navy is not planning on constructing any new housing on or near NASWI in the near future.
TAKEAWAY: If these projected numbers are accurate, then the shortage of available, affordable housing now happening in North Whidbey and the surrounding regions will likely continue, but not get increasingly worse in the coming years. The Sellers’ market we have experienced the past few years is not likely to change in the near future.
Water Quality Around The Runways
In the last year contamination in underground water near Navy runways around the country has been linked to the use of a certain chemical used in putting out fires, and in training for putting out fires. This prompted testing of wells within a reasonable radius of both Ault Field and the Outlying Field. Captain Moore said that to date just over 200 homeowners have responded to the Navy’s offer to test their well. Of these, 10 wells were found to be above the EPA’s safety level for that chemical. Those homeowners have been supplied bottled water and the investigation into the severity of the problem and possible solutions is still underway.
More information about the Navy’s groundwater and drinking water investigation
TAKEAWAY: Anyone living with one mile of either Ault Field’s runways or the Outlying Field is urged to have their well tested. Also, anyone purchasing a home within these areas should require the disclosure of results from this testing before going through with a purchase.
CONCLUSION
Regardless of any individual’s feelings about living with Naval Air Station Whidbey Island nearby, life on North/Central Whidbey Island as well as Fidalgo Island involves enjoying the benefits and mitigating the negative aspects of the Navy base’s presence and “the Sound of Freedom”. Having lived on North Whidbey since 2002 I am available to answer your questions about life here including the pros and the cons. (I think the pros far outweigh the cons!)
Find more articles by Don Jaques by clicking here.
