Springtime Tips for Creating Curb Appeal

Whether you are selling or staying put, here are five tips that can help you on your way to a beautiful home.

1. Sidewalks and Driveways:

An affordable, virtually maintenance free option for sprucing up your paths is concrete stain. It can cost around $30 a gallon and requires very little prep work. This is a do-it-yourself project.

Another tip: Fix cracks and uneven sections. This project may require a bit more professional attention, but will give buyers the impression that your entire home, not just the entrance, has been maintained.

2. Accent Door:

A plain door tends to recede into the background.

Consider a contrasting color to the siding of your home. On the color wheel, green is opposite red and yellow is opposite blue. Don't be afraid to be daring. Just a pint of paint can cover most doors, and if you don't like the result – you can try another color!

3. Trimming Trees:

Stand in front of your home and take a close – and fresh – look at your trees and bushes. Are there branches that have become overgrown and now obstruct the view of the home?

You want your landscaping to complement your home, not hide it. Trees should frame paths and entries. To trim tree branches yourself you can buy a pole pruner or chain saw. Or you can hire a professional, who has experience in shaping trees.

Keep in mind, however, that spring is NOT the time to prune flowering trees or maples. These should be done in late Summer and early Fall.

4. Early Spring Planting:

The last frost date varies by area. It also varies from year to year in that area, but if you feel that your home will not see another frost, then you may be safe to plant a few hardy annuals to add some pops of color to your yard. Even if a frost catches you by surprise – you can cover the plants for the evening to save them from succumbing to the cold.

The plant must also have time to take good root before severe rains come.

Some plants that you can give you an early burst of color:

Pansies: these bolts of color can even survive winter in some areas

Calendula: these “pot marigolds” are a versatile plant

Violets: heart shapes petals

5. Outdoor Lighting:

Low voltage (12 volt) and solar lighting are great options for improving curb appeal.

There are hundreds of designs of solar lights. These small fixtures are generally set on stakes in the ground and can be used to accent paths or gardens. And they are a great do-it-yourself option.

Also, consider using uplighting on trees to create night-time focal points – great for buyers doing after work drive by inspections!

Listing of the Week in Edmond

$219,900

AllenStyle Homes

15913 Northampton Court (NW 159th Terrace & N. Penn)
Edmond, Oklahoma 73013

3 Bed 2 Bath 1 office 1,974 Square Feet

Open Wed-Sunday from 2:00-4:00 PM

Luxury living on a smaller scale. This home was custom built by AllenStyle Homes. AllenStyle Homes won the 2009 Clean Sweep Award and Best of Show at the Parade of Homes. This home features all of the amenities of a luxury home at affordable prices. Granite counters in kitchen, bathrooms and utility room, barreled ceilings, stained concrete drive, custom Oklahoma hand made vent hood, mounted LCD flat screen tv, large shower, large closets, 1930's style doors, 40 year roof, per-wired for HDMI, kitchen island, etc.

Call Wyatt Poindexter at Keller Williams Realty for more information.

Wyatt Poindexter
Keller Williams Realty
(405) 417-5466
www.WyattPoindexter.com

Oak Tree in Edmond Looks to Rename

The new owner of Oak Tree Golf Club in Edmond says the club will reopen in July under a new name - Oak Tree National.

Oklahoma businessman Ed Evans bought Oak Tree last year and says the new name represents updates to the club that include a renovated course and a new teaching facility.

Evans says he expects the upgrades to help the members-only club become a nationally-renowned course.

He says details about the golf course's new design will be announced in July in conjunction with the grand opening of Oak Tree National.

Oak Tree was built in 1974 and hosted the 1984 U.S. Amateur, 1988 PGA Championship, 2000 PGA Club Pro Championship and the 2006 Senior PGA Championship.

Edmond Oklahoma Real Estate Overview

Average price per square foot for Edmond OK was $99, an increase of 4.2% compared to the same period last year. The median sales price for homes in Edmond OK for Nov 08 to Jan 09 was $165,000 based on 220 home sales. Compared to the same period one year ago, the median home sales price increased 0%, or $0, and the number of home sales decreased 32.7%.

There are currently 1,478 resale and new homes in Edmond on Trulia, including 34 open houses, as well as 3 homes in the pre-foreclosure, auction, or bank-owned stages of the foreclosure process. The average listing price for homes for sale in Edmond OK was $335,643 for the week ending Feb 11, which represents a decrease of 1%, or $3,477, compared to the prior week.

www.WyattPoindexter.com

Oklahoma Real Estate 2009 Overview and Statistics

Average Listing Price is $183,395.00
Medium Sales Price is $86,500.00
Average Price Per Square Foot is $67.00

Average price per square foot for Oklahoma City OK was $67, a decrease of 1.5% compared to the same period last year. The median sales price for homes in Oklahoma City OK for Nov 08 to Jan 09 was $86,500 based on 616 home sales. Compared to the same period one year ago, the median home sales price decreased 4.9%, or $4,500, and the number of home sales decreased 45.5%.

There are currently 2,286 resale and new homes in Oklahoma City on Trulia, including 12 open houses, as well as 58 homes in the pre-foreclosure, auction, or bank-owned stages of the foreclosure process. The average listing price for homes for sale in Oklahoma City OK was $183,395 for the week ending Feb 11, which represents an increase of 0.6%, or $1,136, compared to the prior week. Courtesy of Trulia.

How to Evalutate a Home Sellers Asking Price

Evaluating an owner's asking price is crucial to your investment. The seller can set the asking price at whatever he or she wants. There are no laws or rules that must be followed when setting an asking price for a property. In fact, there are many strategies for pricing a property that can be related to motivation, negotiation, emotional investment in a property, and so many others..
Let's first look at some possible seller strategies for pricing a property so we understand how pricing can be dependent upon so many issues.
The seller could have an idea in his or her head as to what the property is worth, and, without any consultation, pick a price out of thin air. Or they could look at comparable sales (comps) of properties that have sold near the property to determine a fair market value. They can then price the property higher or lower, depending on how motivated the seller really is.
If there are no comps to compare properties, the seller may have to judge a property's worth based on a different type of property, property that sold a long time ago, and adjust for appreciation, or even look at neighboring, comparable cities that could indicate what the property is actually worth.
A truly fair seller could get appraisals done by a few different people, and take the average of the values.
Keep in mind, however, appraisals can be very expensive and are at best a guesstimate as to what a property is worth.
The best way to evaluate a seller's asking price is to blatantly ask the Realtor or seller, how the price was determined, and to give supporting evidence.
You may find yourself in a situation where the broker has a pile of comps, perhaps an appraisal, and supporting documentation as to why the property is priced at what it is. If you find yourself in this situation, beyond validating and verifying the supporting documents, you will very easily be able to evaluate if the asking price is above, at, or below market value. This is the easiest situation in which to find yourself.
Unfortunately, although this previous example is how every property should be presented to a buyer, it is not always realistic. You may have to ask the broker for comps and do the research yourself in order to evaluate the seller's asking price.
If the property is in your own community, then, as a real estate insider, you should know your real estate market inside and out. However, if you are searching in an unfamiliar area, you will need to request the services of other commercial real estate players.
If you do decide that the seller's asking price is in alignment with your investment strategy and goals, and you put the property under contract, the next step would be to get an appraisal done by an independent party that has no interest in the subject property whatsoever, in order to validate your assumptions.
This appraisal, after all, will be similar to a bank's appraisal and help to determine how much money can be loaned on the project. The closer you are to the bank's appraisal, the better shape you will be in to meet project costs, debt service and make your desired profit.
Knowing what a property is really worth and evaluating the seller's asking price are two major ways that you can approach making a sound and final decision regarding an investment. Always have supporting and verified documentation for the subject property so you know exactly what you are getting and for what price.

November Listing of the Month - Edmond

This astonishing Jack Arnold Old World design home is situated on more than 2 acres in the exclusive gated community of Eagle's Cove. Spanning more than 4400 square feet, this masterpiece has been crafted with the utmost attention to detail--no expense has been spared. Highlights of this home include extensive built-ins, beautiful wood floors, gourmet kitchen, granite counters, stainless appliances and professional landscaping. Enjoy an exquisite presentation of incomparable design with breathtaking views and functional gathering places that embrace the social and private aspects of everyday life. Experience the essence of the Eagle's Cove lifestyle as the natural elements and a luxurious estate blend into a home that will stir your soul. Priced $80,000 below appraisal. PRICED AT $799,900.00

View this Edmond Virtual Tour at www.3500BrookValley.com

Call or email Wyatt to nominate your home as the "Listing of the Month"

wyatt@wyattpoindexter.com or 405-417-5466

Curb Appeal

Realtors like to say that the three things that determine the value of a house are location, location and location. But they also talk about "curb appeal". This is the impression a house gives when you first approach it. It also determines the value and makes a house feel like home. Curb appeal gets the buyers excited about their expectations of the interior of the home.

JULY 2007 Oklahoma City Market Conditions

Here are a few Oklahoma Market Conditions.

Wyatt Poindexter
Keller Williams Realty
http://www.wyattpoindexter.com/


There were 2,031 residential sales closed in June 2007, unchanged from June 2006.

In the metro, the average interest rate at residential closing was down 3.3%, from 6.4% in
June 2006 to 6.19% in June 2007.

The average residential sale price for a home purchased in June 2007 was $155,367, up
1.8% from the June 2006 average of $152,652.

The average number of days on the market for a home was up 12.1%, from 66 days in
June 2006 to 74 days in June 2007. (Source: OKC Metropolitan Association of Realtors)

Oklahoma City ranked 13th in population growth between July 2005 and July 2006
among all U.S. cities with more than 500,000 people. Most U.S. cities grew by less than
one percent, while Oklahoma City grew by 1.26 percent.

Oklahoma Gas & Electric has received the highest overall ranking in customer
satisfaction among utilities in the southern United States, according to J.D. Power &
Associates.

A new shopping center has been proposed for Yukon. Yukon Village Shopping Center is
set to open in October 2008 and will be along I-40 and across the street from West End
Pointe Lifestyle Center, currently in its last stages of development.