Susan Hilton College Station Real Estate
Realtor & Vice President of Sales of Bryan College Station Real Estate
Read my blog below
Community Events Category
It’s What’s on the Outside That Counts?
April 1st, 2012 Categories: Castlegate, Community Events
I have always raised my children that it’s what’s on the inside that counts, not the outside; however when it comes to real estate, first impressions are everything! Just think about it…would you buy a car that had a rebuilt engine and interior if the outside was completely beaten up or the paint was rusted? Some might say yes because they could have it repainted, but they would want it cheap. Most would pay more for a car with an amazing interior and pristine paint, and it would sell a lot quicker. The same goes with homes. Bottom line is that homes that are beautiful inside and out sell much faster than those without curb appeal!
This is the busiest time of the year in the real estate world, which is wonderful, but it also means that there is a ton of competition out there. Many times I may show 10-20 homes in one day to one client, and sometimes they drive around and preview homes before we even go inside. Many times a home gets passed up if the home doesn’t have great curb appeal. It doesn’t matter how adorable it is on the inside because my clients never make it inside.
When it comes time to list your home, you must separate yourself from your home and look at it as you were a buyer! I have a few tips for you to make it a little easier for you!
Step 1…walk out on to the street and look at your home from the street level. Look at it through the eyes of a buyer. Is wooden garage door in dire need of new stain, is the paint chipping, how does the front door look? Is the home warm and welcoming or does it look like it hasn’t been maintained in years? If they think the outside is bad, they will assume that the inside is worse! Paint is one of the easiest fixes. Nothing makes a home look more inviting than freshly painted trim and doors, newly stained shutters or garage door.
Step 2…look at the landscaping. Is the grass green, are the hedges trimmed, is the lawn edged, and are there fresh flowers? Nothing looks worse than a dead yard, over grown landscaping, or dead plants/flowers in the yard. You can make the home look great with just a few minor adjustments. Pull any weeds, trim the bushes, edge the yard, throw out some mulch, and grab a few new flowers for the flower beds. You might even get some adorable pots and plant some flowers in them for the front entry! You have no idea how different the same home can look with some easy landscaping touches.
Step 3…have an agent or an inspector look for things that might be potential problems in an inspection so you nip them in the bud before you ever have a buyer. I am not saying that I am an inspector; however, I have been on enough inspections to know what things could show up on a report. A few of these things are rotten wood, limbs touching the roof, broken window seals, and drainage issues. Many of these things are easy fixes but can alarm potential buyers. Have a realtor walk around and show you potential problems, or hire an inspector to do a pre-listing inspection to find anything that could be wrong with the home! This may cost you a little money on the front end, but it could potentially save a sale(and quite a bit of money) on the back end!!
Step 4…Look at the drive way and walkway. Again, it’s all about first impressions. If you have a low spot in your sidewalk that holds water, it can turn a little green and is just gross looking! That is an easy fix with just a little bleach, and it makes a huge difference! If the sidewalk or driveway is badly damaged, you might replace or repair it as this is the path that leads to your home!
Step 5…De-clutter and clean! Wash all the windows inside and out, pick up any toys or old patio furniture that might be sitting in the front yard, and change all the light bulbs. Make sure your walk way is clean and inviting, and even look at your home during the night to see how it appears at night.
The bottom line is that no matter how beautiful your home is inside, many may not have the chance to see that if they drive by and it looks as if someone may not even live there or doesn’t care! The most important thing you can do is hire a professional to help you get your home ready to list and sell in the time you want for the money you want!
For this and other tips, give me, Farrah Spears, a call at 979-229-0919
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Old Fashioned Easter Egg Hunt in College Station Central Park 2012
March 31st, 2012 Categories: Community Events, Living Here
What a fabulous morning in Central Park in College Station, Texas today. Easter Eggs were EVERYWHERE!
Century 21 Beal, Inc. Agents hosted the annual Easter Egg hunt today. What fun we had. We had over 2000 eggs with prizes, cookies, drinks, the Easter Bunny, photos and a drawing. We had such a great time. Thank you all for coming and we’ll see you again next year.
Century 21 Beal, Inc.
979-764-2100
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College Station smartest city in Texas!
November 29th, 2011 Categories: Community Events, Family, Market Trends, Texas A&M University, The Realtor's Life
As an Aggie Realtor who works with clients all over the US, I constantly hear Aggie jokes, but who is laughing now? We always talk about how we live in a bubble here in College Station, but did you know that bubble was filled with the smartest people in Texas?
The City of College Station is ranked by The Business Journals as the brainiest city in Texas among those with populations between 50,000 and 100,000. Some 28 percent of College Station residents hold a bachelor’s degree and another 28.23 percent have a graduate or professional degree. A lot of this has to do with Texas A&M faculty as well as so many Aggies staying here after graduation!
The Business Journals ranked 483 mid-sized U.S. cities using 2009 U.S. Census Data. The rankings were based on the percentage of population with each level of educational attainment. Not only were we #1 in Texas, but College Station ranked No. 31 nationally.
So, next time someone makes an Aggie joke, make sure and let them know that they are actually making fun of the smartest city in all of Texas!
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Support Bryan College Station Businesses and Get $25 FREE This Saturday!
November 23rd, 2011 Categories: Community Events, Family, Living Here
American Express is giving a one time $25 statement credit when you register an eligible American Express Card and use that card for a pruchase of $25 or more a at a small business November 26th. Of course restrictions apply but WOW what a boom for both the consumer and Bryan College Station small businesses! This is the 2nd Annual Small Business Saturday supported by American Express. This is our Pledge to Shop Small. If we all shop small, it will be HUGE!
Wonder what businesses are eligible? American Express says…. “Eligible small business merchants are independently owned small businesses located in the United States that accept the American Express Card. Purchases made at large or national chain stores, at franchised business locations and at government agencies are not eligible. Prepaid, Corporate Cards and ExpressPay transactions are not eligible. ”
After you register your card on American Express look on Facebook (click the links to get to the sites you need) and you can search by zip code to see which small businesses are available. I found most local smaller businesses (that take the American Express card) are on the list!
A friend of mine sent me an email a while back about why we should buy local and how much buying local affects our LOCAL Read the rest of this entry »
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Aggieland let’s help keep our neighbors warm this winter!
November 22nd, 2011 Categories: Community Events, Family, The Realtor's Life
The saying that Bryan/College Station is in a bubble is pretty true to an extent. While the rest of the country has high unemployment rates, lower retail sales, and a housing crunch, Bryan/College Station is an area that trends better than a majority of the country! I have sold more homes this year than I did last year, so I know that we aren’t hurting too bad in B/CS!
Unfortunately a lot of times we don’t realize that there are those in our community who don’t know where their next warm meal will come from, where they will sleep, or if their children will be warm enough this winter! We don’t see it a lot, but it does exist more than you could even imagine!
This year, my kids and I decided that we would like to help those who are less fortunate than the majority of us in Bryan/College Station. We have started a coat/blanket drive in Castlegate with the donations going to the Twin City Mission! What started as a small project has taken flight. My daughter and I printed out about 100 fliers and asked a few of her friends to help us pass them out in our subdivision! The kids have all gotten so into it that it has amazed me! They just light up when people ask about how to donate! Now it is on the Castlegate website and on Facebook!
It’s very simple if you want to get involved! We are taking donations at 2445 Newark Circle today from 4-6 and tomorrow 9-11 am! All you have to do is drive up to the curb and we’ll grab them from you. If that time isn’t convenient, you can call me at 979-229-0919 and we can pick them up. You can also drop them by the Century 21, Beal offices located at 404 H University Drive East at your leisure.
The kids are waiting to take your Coats and Blankets to give to the less fortunate!
We have a lot to be thankful for Aggieland, so let’s get out there and make this winter a little warmer for our Brazos Valley Neighbors!
For more information, give Farrah Spears a call at 979-229-0919
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