Last year when my husband told me he wanted to start a real estate business, I cringed. I was really nervous about him being gone more than he already was. See, Jake is also a senior surgical sales rep here in the Twin Cities. That’s his full time gig. At 30 years old, he’s one of the youngest guys in a senior sales role, which comes as no surprise to me. Since the day Jake and I met, one of my favorite things about him is the passion he puts into everything he does. If he’s going to do something, he’s going to go above and beyond and exceed expectations.
Last year after we had a less than stellar real estate experience, Jake’s wheels started to spin. With 10+ years of sales experience and an incredible ability to market, he thought about how he could use his skills to serve people in the real estate business. He wanted to offer a luxury experience to people at any price point and prevent anyone from feeling as stressed out as we did.
Jake actually grew up in real estate. His mom was a real estate agent and as a little boy he would go around with her and help her show houses. Truth be told, I think that’s why he has a soft spot in his heart for it. 🙂
Over the last year, we’ve learned a lot. We originally started last year by branding ourselves as a company called “Twin Cities Luxury Living.” But the feedback we kept getting was that some people didn’t feel their house was luxurious enough to work with us. Well, that’s the LAST thing we ever want people to feel! Jake and I both have “includer” as a top strength and we simply want to help ANYONE we can to actually ENJOY the process of creating a home for your family.
That’s why we wanted to share some tips with you today! I know that when we were trying to sell our last house, the simple thought of getting the house ready was enough to make me want to call the whole thing off.
So, for those of you who are thinking of selling your house this year, rest assured that it doesn’t HAVE to be as stressful as you think! If you start now, you will be MARKET ready at the peak of the real estate season!
_________________________________
6 Steps To Selling Your Home Stress Free This Year by Jake Kuiper
You’ve decided that this spring you’ll be putting your home on the market for the first time in years! The thought of this completely overwhelms you. Kids, work, summer vacations, SO many things already on the calendar not to mention selling and buying a new home! Let me ease your concerns here with 6 steps you can be doing RIGHT NOW for stress free home selling in April!
- Request a preliminary staging consult (and YES – staging does matter. 88% faster for 20% more). A professional stager can tell you what furniture will need to come and go. How they intend to shape the space and where they feel you need to create more livable room.
- Make a List! Putting a plan on paper can ease a lot of anxiety. Now you know what needs to get completed by the time you intend to list your property and can gradually cross off items leading up to spring.
- Pack a room a month – let’s be honest, the thought of boxing up your entire home is probably one of the hardest things to get past mentally. BREAK IT UP! Challenge yourself to start boxing up a room a month in order of least to most importance. By the time April rolls around you’ll be on to room 4!
- Fix the “maybe next week” repair NOW! Depending on the project it may be difficult to get a contractor out to the property in April – give yourself time NOW for someone to repair the leaky downstairs faucet. A good buyer’s agent will find it; they will request to have it repaired prior to closing anyway and will likely justify an additional UNNECCESSARY reduction in price in their offer. This is money straight out of your pocket! Remove a buyer’s distractions now for peace of mind later.
- Wall touchups– neutral is the name of the game when it comes to paint. You love purple, your kids love purple but market research says light and bright. With painting and staging the ultimate goal is to create a space that appeals to as many potential buyers as possible! Patch scrapes and gouges nail holes and other “eye distractions.” One less thing to have to think about in April!
- Begin purchasing the home selling intangibles! Diffusers or air fresheners – your home needs to smell fresh (this is non-negotiable!) Spare light bulbs, a new furnace filter, packing boxes, cleaning supplies… Again it’s about doing things today that save you time and stress tomorrow!
____________________________________
Jake kicked off his business in 2016 by helping all the families he worked with to sell their homes in record time. He sold everything from homes under $200,000 to most recently accepting an offer on a $1.375 million house.
He’s rebranded himself this year as Sota Estate Agency! I honestly LOVE IT! It’s a little hipster, but also professional and polished!
Honestly, if you live in the Twin Cities area and are looking to sell, or know someone who is looking to sell, please don’t hesitate to reach out to him. He’ll get you set up with a free staging consult ASAP (he covers professional staging services for all his clients). Real estate agents are not a dime a dozen and you won’t get the same experience from everyone in town. Jake sells homes anywhere in the Twin Cities and surrounding areas. He’s now accepting NEW clients for Spring 2017. Because of his full time job he does limit the amount of clients he takes on at once so that he can be sure to give your property the attention it deserves. AND, so that he’s home enough to keep his wife happy. 😉
You can find Sota Estate Agency on Facebook and Instagram: @sotaestateagency! We’d love for you to follow along as Jake continues to give tips to get your home ready for market! Even if you’re not local, I think you’ll enjoy the tips he offers!
xo,
Amber
P.S. For more reflections on parenthood and life, follow us on Facebook (Hun Let’s Run) and on Instagram: @ambermariekuiper and @jakekuiper! We’d also love for you to subscribe to our Hun, Let’s Run Podcast! For more info about joining our fitness community as a customer or coach, please email us at amber@mommysmetime.com!
