10 KILLER Design Tips to Improve the Selling Price of Your Home

10 KILLER Design Tips to Improve the Selling Price of Your Home

1.     Use paint to create the ambiance and style that you desire.  Painting an accent wall is always a great option to add a pop of color as well. 
2.    Use throw pillows and rugs to change the patterns and color schemes in a room. This is great especially if you like to change the look often.
3.    Decorating your table is an easy way to give a polished look to your Dining room.  You can use a runner, a tablecloth, and even a centerpiece to finish the look.  Simply recovering your dining room chairs can make this room more luxurious. 
4.    Update the light fixtures and lampshades.
5.    Add a custom headboard.  This is a great way to give the room your own personal touch, and a great DIY project. Adding texture will add some dimension to the room.
6.    The master bath should be a peaceful retreat. This can easily be accomplished by replacing the faucets, adding trim around the mirror and even as simple as adding luxurious towels and bathrobes.
7.    Do you love to cook?  Consider Re-facing your kitchen cabinets, adding a glass door to a kitchen cabinet to display some of your nicer tableware pieces, or upgrading your counter tops.  A very affordable change to the kitchen is to add lighting to the underside of your cabinets.
8.    Nothing says updated like wood blinds or plantation shutters.  Also, consider adding height and width to your windows and the room by placing your draperies higher than the windows. 
9.    If this is a new home, take your time and furnish your home with quality pieces that will last.  Using neutral colors on the main furniture will make it easy to keep up with the trends.
10.    Bring nature indoors with fresh flowers and plants throughout your home.

Thank you for watching and as always, if you have any questions please don’t hesitate to call me at (561) 352-3056

What to Do in Palm Beach County and Martin County

Hi everyone thanks for joining me! Today, I’m on Worth Avenue, a great place for shopping. It’s outdoors, beautiful and the sun is shining.

Whether you have lived in Palm Beach and Martin County for a long time or you’re new to the area, there is always something new and fun to discover. We have world-renown beaches in Palm Beach and Martin County. We also have Rapids Waterpark; it has great slides, a wave pool and places to sit and relax.

Below is a list of countless other activities we at the Treu Group love to do and thought you would too!

If you’re looking to make Florida your new home, give us a call. We’d love to help!

Ten Activities for Palm Beach County and Martin County

Theme Parks 

Lion Country Safari - http://www.lioncountrysafari.com/

Wildlife Sanctuaries 

Busch Wildlife Sanctuary - http://buschwildlife.org/
McCarthy’s Wildlife Sanctuary - www.mccarthyswildlifesanctuary.com

Water Parks 

Rapids Waterpark - www.rapidswaterpark.com/index.cfm?
City Water Parks Calypso Bay & Coconut Cove -  http://www.pbcgov.com/parks/aquatics/waterparks/

Outdoor Dining Venues 

Guanabanas - http://www.guanabanas.com/
City Place - http://www.cityplace.com/directory/restaurants-entertainment/2138211131

Beaches 

Palm Beach County - http://www.co.palm-beach.fl.us/parks/aquatics/beaches/
Martin County - http://www.martin.fl.us/portal/page?_pageid=354,1238847&_dad=portal&_schema=PORTAL

Rainy Day – Museums 

Elliot Museum - http://elliottmuseumfl.org/
Flagler Museum - http://www.flaglermuseum.us/

Landmarks

Jupiter Lighthouse - http://www.jupiterlighthouse.org/
Sandaway House - http://www.sandowayhouse.org/

Other Water Activities

Kayaking - http://www.jupiteroutdoorcenter.com/
US Sailing Center - http://www.usscmc.org/

Sweet Shop Stops

Palm Beach Ice Cream Co. -  http://www.yelp.com/biz/palm-beach-ice-cream-co-tequesta
Sugar Chef - http://www.sugarchefcupcakes.com/

Nature Walks

Hobe Sound Nature Center - http://hobesoundnaturecenter.com/photo_gallery
Grassy Waters Preserve - http://www.floridahikes.com/grassywaters 

Current Market Statistics for Palm Beach County

Welcome back to our video blog! We have the most current market statistics for the Palm Beach County!

Inventory is still low at just 4 months! It is a strong sellers’ market and if you are an equity seller, you will most likely see multiple offers.

What else does the report show us? The best news is the median sales price is up 30%! So if you had your home on the market last year and couldn’t sell, the Treu Group has the plan and the market to get your home sold fast and for top dollar.

Is anything down? The days on market are down! It is truly a great time to sell!

Remember real estate is local. So give us a call to find out information about your neighborhood market!

13 Tips to Save Money on Your Home

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If you own a home, here are a few tips to save some money on your home.  Some of the tips you have thought of however maybe one or two of the items will help you put a little more in your bank account.

Tips to saving money on your home

1. The best suggestion that I can give is to make just 1 extra payment a year to go to your principal payment.  Doing so will allow you to pay off a 30 year mortgage off 7 years faster.

2. Also consider getting a 15 year loan and making the same extra payment per year.

3. If you haven't done so, get a windstorm mitigation inspection.  This could save you hundreds if not thousands of dollars each year.

4. Have an FP&L energy efficiency test to see how you can save on your utility bills.

5. Close blinds during the day during the summer to keep the home cooler.

6. Do maintenance early as the longer it goes, the more expensive a repair can be.

7. Consider upgrading insulation, appliances and a/c units.  There are rebate programs for a/c and solar energy (water) too.

8. Put a programmable thermostat for your ac.  Ideal ten - 75-78%. Every degree you raise your thermostat, you could result in a 5% savings.

9. If allowed, run your sprinkler off of a lake.

10. Consider adding a ventilating fan in the attic.

11. Review your landscaping to see if you need more shade.  Also make sure you don't have bushes touching the home.

12. Replace your a/c filters monthly

13. When selling, hire the Treu Group to put more money in your pocket.

For more real estate tips, listen to our radio show at www.treugroup.com.

Your Realtor® is On Vacation – But Your Listing Doesn’t Have to Be! Hire the Treu Group!

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Have you booked your vacation yet? And if you are selling your home currently, do you have the peace of mind knowing that while you are enjoying some time off, your agent will be managing everything? What happens if your agent is heading out for a vacation too? What happens if there is a lot of activity on your home while they are gone and worse, what if an offer comes in during that time but no one is available to receive it?

The truth is that for many single, standalone agents this can become a major problem. They don’t have the support system needed to be able to leave on vacation carefree. And if they go anyway, guess who suffers? You!

That’s why when you hire the Treu Group to manage your listing you’re in good hands. We have a team of specialists that are dedicated full-time to handle all the needs that arise when selling a home. When a buyer comes along with an offer – there is usually a very quick response time required. Holiday time or not, our team gets it done.

This week’s video was shot from our vacation site in the Bahamas and during the time we have been on vacation, we have helped five clients get their homes sold. This is while we’ve been on vacation! Our strong team of experienced professionals does what it takes to keep everything moving fast so you get your home sold faster.

To learn more about the benefits of hiring the Treu Group for all your real estate needs, please call Lisa Treu’s personal cell phone number at 561 352 3056. We look forward to working with you!

How Can You Be Sure Your Next Real Estate Transaction Isn’t a Roll of the Dice?

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Is real estate a gamble? In short – YES! If you don’t have the right cards to play with, anything can happen.

When it comes to buying and selling your home – you need to have a strong team on your side. With the Treu Group, we have carefully developed strategies that we know will work to get your home sold, get you the home of your dreams in a tough market and get you the best deal possible.

One of the things we do to make sure we have the best hand is attend conferences throughout the year where other top-producing agents from the country get together. We learn the latest techniques, see what other agents are doing to make client experiences better – and best of all, we convene with others just like us that strive to offer you the most.

Remember, with real estate there is only one set of dice you’ll ever need to roll and that has to do with the team you decide to work with. Choose a strong team and you can rest assured you’ll get multiple offers on your home so you can get top dollar. You can be confident that experienced, knowledgeable agents will guide you to and through the process of how to get your dream home – even in a challenging marketplace.

We invite you to contact us today!

How Inspections Help Buyers Save Money and Sellers Can Get More Money

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Home inspections are a critical part of the process when buying a home. It can be equally as beneficial when you’re selling a home because it provides a look at potential concerns and gives you an opportunity to rectify and issues prior to listing the home.

But in terms of buying a home, the single most important thing to do is to hire a good inspector. For years, the Treu Group has relied on Mark Wahl of WAYPOINT Property Inspection East. Mark has inspected countless properties with us and we wholly trust his recommendations.

To help illustrate how much is involved in an inspection, we walk with Mark as he does one of our newest properties, showcased on our blog and a video (linked at the end of this article). Walking through the home, he shares with us the key areas he evaluates to help his clients make informed decisions about their purchase.

Exterior; Roof, Stucco, Structure, Driveway, Electrical Points
Starting with the exterior of a home, Mark investigates the home’s construction, looks closely at the structure, checks the roof in terms of age and condition plus considers the home’s storm readiness. When looking at these areas, they check for cracking, signs of settling, evidence of water or storm damage and impending repairs that may come up in the near to midterm future. They also double check all electrical outlets to ensure they are installed with safety code in mind, such as GFCI outlets where necessary.

Savings Tip: As part of a Windstorm Mitigation inspection, Mark will evaluate the home’s readiness for hurricanes or other strong storms. Not only will this add up to big savings with your homeowners’ insurance premium but also you will receive a discount for the inspection cost when combined with a home inspection.

Windstorm Mitigation Inspections; Shutters, Panels, Impact Glass
As part of a Windstorm Mitigation inspection, the company checks everything from exterior shutters, exterior paneling, impact glass and more to make sure the home is hurricane ready. Once this investigation passes inspection, you can expect savings (as much as half your premium) with your insurance company.

Bathrooms; Plumbing, Wood Rot Evidence, Ventilation Systems
During inspections Mark carefully examines bathroom plumbing systems to ensure proper function. He checks for any leaks, looks for evidence of wood rot or other damage as a result of prior or impending problems and also checks the bathroom’s ventilation systems. During the course of the entire inspection, he also looks at windows in every room, ceilings and support beams, safety features and key aspects of the home and its function. On  your report you will learn if the bathtub seals are effective and if he suspects any leakage beneath the tub based on the floor surface or ceiling from below the bathtub’s location.

Kitchen; Appliance Function, Plumbing, Electrical, Flooring and Cabinetry
As with bathrooms, your inspector will evaluate all plumbing systems and confirm they are in working order. Each appliance is checked for proper operation while floors and cabinets are reviewed in terms of age and quality of installation as well as evidence of wood rot or moisture beneath or nearby these areas. Electrical outlets are also evaluated to make sure they can handle the load from major appliances. Throughout the inspection, Mark also ensures the home’s safety compliance – checking for smoke detectors and CO monitors.

Recalled Appliances Check
One more great service offered by Mark and his team is checking appliances for recalls. He checks the make, model and serial number of each and then submits them to a national database, where then if anything falls under a recall program the buyer (or seller) can then get a free repair if applicable. Most people are not even aware of recall programs for appliances – and they are usually the expensive large appliances such as your fridge, range, washer, dryer, water heaters or even air conditioning systems.

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Mark and his team can be reached by phone or email and you can also visit the company website, linked below:

Mark Wahl, ACI
WAYPOINT Property Inspection East, LLC
561.676.0546
mark@waypointinspection.com
www.waypointeast.com


For a closer look at the house you saw during today’s home inspection demonstration, click the youtube link below. It’s a gorgeous home located in Delray Beach. Also linked below is our blog post with further details about this listing. Call us today if you’d like to schedule a showing.



Click here to learn more.