1. real estate
2. buying and selling homes

MAR/APR 2015
RETURN ON
investment
Remodeling and replacement projects can add value
to your home, but some projects recoup their costs
better than others. According to Remodeling Magazine’s 2015
Remodeling Cost vs. Value Report, small and exterior projects return
the most value for your money.
The project that offered the best value overall was a steel entry
door replacement, which recouped 101.8 percent of its costs when
the home was sold. The steel entry door is consistently the least
expensive project named in the report, costing about $1,200 on
average. The second best value is the addition of a manufactured
stone veneer, which can recoup 92.2 percent of its original cost, but
be prepared to invest at least $7,000 for the improvement.
Replacing a garage door can return 82.5 percent for an upscale
project and 88.5 percent for a midrange project. Replacing your
home’s siding with fiber cement will return 84.3 percent of the costs,
while replacing vinyl siding recoups 80.7 percent. Adding a wood
deck will return 80.5 percent and replacing wood windows earns 78.8
percent.
A minor kitchen remodel is a strong bet to add value to your home.
An investment of $19,226 can return 79.3 percent of its costs. A major
kitchen remodel recoups 67.8 percent and a bathroom remodel
returns 70 percent.
To find out which home improvement projects bring the most value,
talk to a CRS REALTOR® who knows the local market, housing
inventory, and what buyers want in a home.
BROUGHT TO YOU BY PEGGY WESTER,
A MEMBER OF THE COUNCIL OF RESIDENTIAL SPECIALISTS
peggywester.com / peggywester.reintegrity.com
262-370-1757
home designs
Ozaukee & Washington County—SingleFamily & Condo Sales January thru February
FOR BUSY
FAMILIES
With their calendars crammed
with things to do and places to go, today’s busy families want to
spend as little time as possible handling mundane household chores.
To help families stay organized, newer homes are being built with
customized floor plans to allow for more flexibility and better use of
space. Here are a few examples of these home design trends.
Mudrooms
While mudrooms have been around for at least a decade, they
have evolved into a larger, more centralized area for each member of
the family, complete with individual cubbies for books and backpacks,
drawers for hats and gloves, and a bench for removing wet shoes and
boots.
Most mudrooms are 6 feet by 8 feet, although some can be as
large as 8 feet by 12 feet, and some include USB outlets, walk-in
closets and windows with natural light. These rooms once shared
space with washers and dryers, but laundry machines have moved
closer to the bedrooms where most dirty laundry collects, builders
say.
Study/Computer Stations
Parents want to keep a close eye on their kids as they do their
homework, but where that study space is located differs among
households. In many homes, kitchen islands double as a study area
as well as an area for cooking and eating. Other homes are built with
study nooks on the upper floor, a separate study in the lower level or
a pocket office located off the kitchen.
Self-Serve Kitchens
Newer homes are designed with the kitchen or pantry set up so
family members can grab their own meals while on the go. These self
-serve areas are located away from the main food prep area and are
equipped with a mini refrigerator or refrigerator drawer to hold fruit
and snacks, and a micro-wave at child-sized height for easy access.
Home design features like these can help today’s families stay
organized as they go through their busy lives.
Information provided by Multiple Listing Service as of the date of publication.
Hurry Up!! Call your Agent and List your House!
And, buyer demand is continuing to skyrocket:
By the KCM Crew on March 5, 2015
That headline might be a little aggressive. However, as the
data on the 2015 housing market begins to roll in, we can
definitely say one thing: If you are considering selling, IT IS
TIME TO LIST YOUR HOME!
We realize that existing home sales stumbled in January
compared to December. But, if we compare the current
September-January time period to the same period a year
ago, we can see that existing home sales have outpaced last
year every month with the January sales numbers 200,000
homes greater than last January:
At the same time, the amount of housing inventory coming to
the market compared to last year is plummeting:
Pending home sales (houses going into a contract) as
reported by the National Association of Realtors have also
done much better in the last five months compared to a year
earlier:
Bottom Line
With demand increasing and supply dropping, this may be the
perfect time to get the best price for your home. Call in a local
real estate professional today to see whether that is the case
in your neighborhood.
FSBO’s Must Be Ready to Negotiate
by The KCM Crew on March 11, 2015
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Now that the market has showed signs of recovery, some
sellers may be tempted to try and sell their home on their
own (FSBO) without using the services of a real estate
professional.
Real estate agents are trained and experienced in
negotiation. In most cases, the seller is not. The seller must
realize their ability to negotiate will determine whether they
can get the best deal for themselves and their family.
Here is a list of some of the people with whom the seller
must be prepared to negotiate if they decide to FSBO:
SAY YES
TO CRS
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The buyer who wants the best deal possible
The buyer’s agent who solely represents the best
interest of the buyer
The buyer’s attorney (in some parts of the country)
The home inspection companies which work for the
buyer and will almost always find some problems with
the house.
The termite company if there are challenges
The buyer’s lender if the structure of the mortgage
requires the sellers’ participation
The appraiser if there is a question of value
The title company if there are challenges with
certificates of occupancy (CO) or other permits
The town or municipality if you need to get the COs
permits mentioned above
The buyer’s buyer in case there are challenges on the
house your buyer is selling.
Your bank in the case of a short sale
Bottom Line
The percentage of sellers who have hired a real estate agent
to sell their home has increased steadily over the last 20
years. Meet with a professional in your local market to see
the difference they can make in easing the process.
Buying or selling a home can seem like an overwhelming task. But the right
REАLTOR® can make the process easier — and more profitable.
А Certified Residential Specialist (CRS), with years of experience and
success, will help you make smart decisions in a fast-paced, complex and
competitive marketplace.
To earn the CRS Designation, REАLTORS® must demonstrate outstanding
professional achievements — including high-volume sales — and pursue
advanced training in areas such as finance, marketing and technology. They
must also maintain membership in the NАTIONАL АSSOCIАTION OF
REАLTORS® and abide by its Code of Ethics.
Work with a REАLTOR® who belongs in the top 3 percent in the nation.
Contact a CRS today.
Peggy Wester, ABR,CRS, GRI
Broker Associate
262-370-1757
[email protected]
Check out my blog at peggysblog.com!
Do you know someone who is thinking about buying or selling a home? Please mention my name. This newsletter is for
informational purposes only and should not be substituted for legal or financial advice. If you are currently working with another
real estate agent or broker, it is not a solicitation for business.