March 2020
The KEY to All Your Real Estate Needs
In this time of COVID-19 and the social distancing and isolation necessary to limit the spread of this horrible disease, we are all dealing with temporary new norms. This is true for the real estate industry. The extent of these norms varies by community. As of this newsletter I am still open for business in a mindful, modified manner.

Check out the February Market Report. Inventories of homes for sale in Ada County are at their lowest since 2004 - Wow! It will be interesting to see what the report for March looks like.

Thinking about selling your home? With a lower inventory of homes on the market, now is a great time. Many of you are spending more time at home - take advantage of this time and get your home ready. I've included an article in this newsletter to help you get top dollar. Also, here is a link to my booklet on getting your home ready to sell. Click on the link below and get a copy - no obligation, I promise!


In addition to lower home inventories, we're also experiencing lower interest rates. That means more buying power for you. Click on this link below and get a copy of my Buyers Guide.


Are you new to the work from home population? Our friends from Homes for Heroes have some great tips for those that work from home. These tips may be helpful for new, as well as seasoned telecommuters.

Be well my friends and social distance!
I’m still actively working with clients who want and need to buy or sell a home. While real estate does put me in contact with a lot of people – it doesn’t have to! And, when it does it’s not a lot of people at once making it easy to adhere to the recommended precautions and distance. 
 
For the most part it’s business as usual-ish. The “ish” being that I am approaching my interactions with much caution and care! 

  • Work together virtually whenever possible. There are many tools out there such as virtual tours and meetings, and remote signing. 💻 
 
  • If you do need to meet with me or others personally, we will employ recommended distancing and sanitizing practices. 🤚 
 
  • And of course, no hugs, handshakes or high-fives when we get your home sold and/or find the home of your dreams. But I will take a raincheck! ☔✅ 

Of course, I will let you know as things change. But, for now it’s business as usual-ish. 
Stay well 😷 Stay put 🏡 Stay positive 👍 Keep smiling 😃  
February Market Report

What are key takeaways from the February market...

  • There were only 1,039 homes for sale in February 2020 in Ada County — 23.4% less than a year ago, and the lowest number since at least 2004 (when the Intermountain MLS started tracking the metric). In Canyon County there were 591 homes for sale - 7.9% less than a year ago.

  • Of the housing inventory available for purchase in Ada County, only 344 were existing or resale homes, also a record low for our data set. This is down 37.6% from February 2019.

  • Persistent buyer demand compared to low inventory, as well as an increase in the share of new home sales, continues to influence home prices in Ada County. The median sales price in February 2020 was $361,350, up 11.3% compared to last year. In Canyon County the median sales price was $265,000, up 16% compared to last year.
For those who are not accustom to working at home, and even for those who are - here are some best practices from the folks at Homes for Heroes.

10 Tips to Prepare Your Home for Sale

T hinking about putting your home on the market in the near, or maybe even distant future? Now could be a good time for those of you with extra stay-at-home time on your hands to get started. Here are 10 tips from HGTV to help whip your home into shape.

Improve your landscaping.  Curb appeal is crucial to a good first impression, so make sure your home's lawn is immaculate. Mow the lawn, prune the bushes, weed the garden and plant flowers.

Clean the outside.  A sloppy exterior will make buyers think you've slacked off on interior maintenance as well. Be sure to clean the gutters and pressure wash your home's siding.

Make repairs.  In a buyer's market, you want your home to be in the best condition possible. Take care of major defects like broken windows or a leaky roof that could discourage buyers.

Make the front door inviting.  A fresh coat of paint, especially in a color that contrasts with the home, will make the front door stand out. Replace faded house numbers so buyers can see them from the curb.

Buy a new welcome mat.  Let buyers know they're invited into your home.

Remove clutter and depersonalize.  Buyers want to envision their belongings in your home. Clean up by renting a storage unit for knickknacks, photos, extra furniture and other personal items.

Organize closets and drawers.  Messy closets give the appearance that your home doesn't have enough storage space.

Make every surface shine.  From ceiling fans to floors and everything in between, clean your home until it sparkles.

Take color down a notch.  You might like your lime-green bedroom, but it may sour buyers. Paint your walls a neutral color that will appeal to a wide range of buyers.

Eliminate bad odors.  Hide the litter box and spray air neutralizer throughout your home. When showing the home, fill it with inviting smells by putting out fresh flowers and baking a batch of cookies.

Looking for some tips for tidying? See the article below on the KonMari Method™.


Courtesy of HGTV
Take Time to Tidy

The beginning of spring brings with it many things... warmer weather, flowers and often times thoughts of spring cleaning. Nobody ever could have imagined this spring would bring with it the COVID-19 virus and the associated social distancing and isolation. Since a lot of us are spending much more time in our homes, it could be a good time for spring cleaning. Here is a repeat article I posted last year about Marie Kondo's KonMari Method™. If you haven't heard of Marie Kondo, and her tidying method here's a brief recap.

Most tidying methods advocate a room-by-room or little-by-little approach, which doom you to pick away at your piles of stuff forever. The KonMari Method™ encourages tidying by category – not by location – beginning with clothes, then moving on to books, papers, komono (miscellaneous items), and, finally, sentimental items. Keep only those things that speak to the heart, and discard items that no longer spark joy. Thank them for their service – then let them go.

People around the world have been drawn to this philosophy not only due to its effectiveness, but also because it places great importance on being mindful, introspective and forward-looking.


The Six Basic Rules of Tidying

Commit yourself to tidying up.

Imagine your ideal lifestyle.

Finish discarding first.

Tidy by category, not by location.

Follow the right order.

Ask yourself if it sparks joy.

Spark your interest? Click here to learn more at  Marie Kondo .
Julie Cendejas | Cendejas Group Real Estate, Keller Williams Realty Boise