Whether it’s your first, second, retirement, or a getaway vacation home — you’re bound to have many questions. For example, how will you find a home that suits your needs? How much money will you need to afford the monthly payments? And how long will the home buying process take?

Sound familiar? If so, you’ve come to the right place. Our office and website offer a wealth of information about the home buying process.

Browse Through Our Current Listings.

Begin your journey by discovering the benefits of working with a real estate professional. Types of mortgages, how to apply for a mortgage, and finding a lender are a few other factors you should know about before purchasing your dream home. Our team of expert agents are here and ready to help answer any questions and provide resources on mortgages, lenders, and any other considerations you may have – Contact us here, or call today, 908-688-4200!

White Realty Co’s got some good advice when it comes to making real estate decisions.

Selling a House

Increasing The Value of Your House

When you’re preparing your house for sale, remember the importance of first impressions. The market isn’t the only factor that influences whether you get your asking price. Appearance and overall condition play a major role. Here are some easy things you can do to make your home more appealing to buyers.

Outside:

More than half of all houses are sold before the buyers even get out of their cars. So stand across the street from your house and review its curb appeal.

• Tidy your yard. Cut the grass more frequently, rake the leaves, trim the bushes, and edge the walks.
• Put a pot or two of bright flowers near the entryway and/or plant flowers in the ground.
• Trim back the shrubs.
• Clean out the garage.
• Patch holes in your driveway and reapply sealant, if applicable.
• Clean your gutters.
• Polish the front doorknobs and house numbers.
• Test all exterior door knobs for easy opening.
• Remove newspapers, bikes and toys.
• Park extra cars away from the property.
• Make sure roof and gutters are in good condition; no repairs needed.
• Keep pet areas clean.
• Wash your windows and screens to let more light into the interior.

Inside:

• Declutter! Get rid of as much excess stuff and extra furniture as possible. Depersonalize the space by removing family photographs and things on the refrigerator. Take away most of the things on the kitchen counter. Throw out or file stacks of newspapers and magazines. Pack away most of your small decorative items – you’re moving anyway, right? Store out-of-season clothing to show off closet space. 
• Keep everything extra clean. A clean house makes a better first impression and convinces buyers that the home has been well cared for. Wash fingerprints from light switch plates. Mop and wax floors. Clean the stove and refrigerator. Kitchen and bathroom should shine.
• Get rid of smells. Clean carpeting and drapes to eliminate cooking odors, smoke, and pet smells. Open the windows.
• Make minor repairs that can create a bad impression. Small problems, such as sticky doors, torn screens, cracked caulking, or a dripping faucet, may seem trivial, but they’ll give buyers the impression that the house isn’t well maintained. Maintain all sealants (window, tub, shower, sink, etc.) in good condition.
• Clean, fresh paint works wonders in attracting buyers.
• Test all interior door knobs for easy opening.
• Put higher wattage bulbs in light sockets to make rooms seem brighter, especially basements and other dark rooms. Replace any burnt-out bulbs.
• Keep plumbing and all appliances in working order.

Just Before Every Showing:

• Quick once-over with the vacuum; carpets should be clean.
• Sweep front walkway.
• Place fresh flowers in the main rooms.
• Put dishes away, unless setting a formal display for decoration.
• Make beds and put all clothes away.
• Open drapes and turn on lights for a brighter feel.
• Straighten closets.
• Put toys away.
• Turn off television.
• Play soft music on the radio/stereo.
• Keep pets out of the way and pet areas clean and odor-free.

Important Reminders:

• Potential buyers usually feel more comfortable if the owners are not present.
• If people unaccompanied by an agent request to see your property, please refer them to your real estate professional for an appointment.
• Leave a number where you can be reached if you are leaving town, even for a weekend.

10 Tips for Holding a Yard Sale

Hold a yard sale to reduce the clutter in your home and get rid of items you don’t want to move.

1. Check with your city government to see if you need a permit or license.
2. See if neighbors want to participate and have a “block” sale to attract more visitors.
3. Advertise. Put an ad in free classified papers, and put up signs and balloons at major intersections and in stores near your home.
4. Price items ahead and attach prices with removable stickers. Remember, yard sales are supposed to be bargains, so don’t try to sell anything of significant value this way.
5. Check items before the sale to be sure you haven’t including something you want by mistake.
6. Keep pets away from the sale.
7. Display everything neatly and individually so customers don’t have to dig through boxes.
8. Have an electrical outlet so buyers can test appliances.
9. Have plenty of bags and newspaper for wrapping fragile items.
10. Get enough change, and keep a close eye on your cash

Put yourself in the right real estate hands.

In the constantly changing world of real estate, White Realty Co. provides many quality services to make your home-selling process as hassle-free as possible. We know these are extraordinary times, and we have the long-time experience, and the right tools, to guide you through them.

When selling your house there are no guarantees that a buyer will simply walk through the front door. In many cases you have to bring your house to the buyer. Effective marketing will help make sure that your property receives maximum exposure to attract a ready, willing and able buyer.

The appearance of your home, a buyer’s first impressions, and other considerations also affect the sale of your house. Be sure to explore Tips for increasing your home’s value. Have you considered that home prices in your neighborhood and the value of your property are also factors used for pricing your home?

When you work with White Realty Co, you can count on long-time specialists who can answer your questions, apply in-depth knowledge of current market conditions and access extensive resources that can expedite the sale of your house. We’ll provide you with a written Computerized Market-Data Analysis full of current competing properties and recent sales for a current market comparison, so you’ll have the finest, most complete information on pricing and marketing your property.

What happens when you call us in to talk about selling your house?

• Our agent will bring a professionally prepared comparative market analysis, complete with recent sales and actual sales prices, ensuring the proper pricing of your house in today’s marketplace.
• We’ll provide useful suggestions on how to put your home’s best foot forward,- helping you decide what’s worth doing, and what’s not.
• We’ll help determine the right target market – and tailor an innovative marketing plan uniquely designed for your property, including web, print media, direct mail, and more!
• The use of up-to-date mortgage knowledge will allow us to bring you highly qualified purchasers for your house.
• We’ll help you find an excellent referral office if you are buying a different property in another state.

White Realty Co’s advanced agent training programs and the desire to constantly explore creative new marketing venues keep our firm a leader in the real estate marketplace.

We’ve been around since 1950 – the longest-established real estate business in the township of Union, and one of the oldest family-run real estate firms in the state of New Jersey. No one else can bring you that level of experience.

As the seller, you are our boss – we work hard for you. We know you have lots of decisions to make when it comes to selling your property. Make the first choice to put yourself in the right real estate hands – White Realty Co.