(RE/MAX Blog)- Imagine you finally find the house of your dreams. It has everything you hoped for in a home, from the right countertops to the right landscaping. You spend hours envisioning the parties you'll throw in the backyard and the baths you'll take in the clawfoot tub. But fate intervenes. For some unfortunate reason – perhaps a fierce bidding war or a fickle owner who decides to stay put – deal falls through. How do you recover? Here are some tips.

1. Get right back in the saddle

If you must have a pity party, do it quickly. Perhaps a quick toast to what could have been, then dive straight back into search mode. In today's market, things move fast. You don't want to miss an even better home while you're mooning over photos of the lost listing.

2. Don't dwell on one dwelling

Delete the listing of the home that got away. Erase the pictures you took with your phone when you toured. Do your best not to compare new homes to the one you lost. There are lots of homes with lots of new possibilities. Keep an open mind.

3. Don't settle

Don't let your frustration push you into a hurried purchase of the next available property simply to get the process over with. Stay true to your shopping list of features you need and want.

4. Re-evaluate your budget.

Take another look at what you can spend and what the homes you're looking at have been selling for. Do you need to add cushion to be more competitive when making an offer? Or do you need to start looking at a less expensive neighborhood to find a home that has everything you want?

5. Talk to your agent.

Your RE/MAX agent will be full of advice for surviving the lows – and highs – of your real estate journey. Start your search today. 

RE/MAX Realty Group/100 has eight office locations and 400-plus agents who can assist you with all your real estate needs. 

Contact us today. 

(RE/MAX Blog) - A great lawn can serve as a green calling card for your home. Here are a few things you can do this spring to help your lawn – and curb appeal – flourish.

1. Test before you invest
Find out the acid and alkaline levels of your soil with a testing kit from the hardware store before you shell out bucks for fertilizer and seed. The test will help you determine the right products to help your lawn flourish.

2. Give it some air
Grass and soil can get compacted during the winter, making it difficult for oxygen and nutrients to reach root systems. Aerating, or poking holes in the lawn, helps. You can hire a lawn service to do this, buy a rolling tool, or use inexpensive strap-on attachments for your shoes that aerate the lawn as you march around.

3. Seed or weed
Spring is prime time for seeding sparse areas of your lawn or applying a natural herbicide to prevent crabgrass and other weeds from sprouting. Don't do both, as the herbicide will also kill the grass seeds.

4. Mow tall
For the lushest lawn, set your mower to the tallest setting and cut only about the top third of the grass. Taller blades promote healthier root systems and help shade the ground soil, preventing it from drying out.

Ready to plant a "For Sale" sign in your lawn? Contact us today. 

(RE/MAX Blog) - There’s no online calculator for setting the perfect listing price for your home. It takes experience, market savvy, and even a bit of psychology. A strong listing agent can help you set the right, most competitive price for your home. Here are a few things they might look at:

1. The competition
Your agent will look at the prices of similar homes in your area that either are currently listed or sold during the past few months. They’ll take into account how many days the properties were on the market, and how the listing prices for those homes differed from the final sale prices.

2. Market trends
What’s affecting the market in your neighborhood, and your region? Your agent will consider national factors that shape the real estate market, such as possible rising interest rates, as well as local factors, like whether the average home price in your neighborhood has been rising or falling. They’ll also think about things such as new companies moving to the area in the near future, or plans for improving local amenities, like parks and shopping districts. All can increase the value of your home to a buyer.

3. Your neighbors
Although a home the same size and age recently sold for a high price, your own place might not fetch the exact same fortune if, say, junky cars continue to proliferate in your neighbor’s driveway. On the flipside, if the grass is in fact greener on the other side of the fence, your home’s value may be higher due to your neighbors’ curb appeal.

4. The Goldilocks price
Listing your home at a price that’s “just right” from the start is critical to selling it quickly, for the best price. Overpricing your home, and then dropping the price a few times while it sits on the market, could lead to a lower final sales price than if the home was priced appropriately from the beginning. And, of course, setting a price that’s too low leaves money on the table.

Wondering how much your home might be worth in today’s market? Begin the process of finding out your home's worth here.

(RE/MAX Blog)- Here's a look at the traditions behind painting a door red.

Painting a front door red can be about more than personal preference. Here's a look at the history behind this popular color.

1. During the Civil War, a red door meant a home was a safe haven for escaped slaves traveling the underground railroad.

2. Scottish homeowners paint their door red to signify they've finished paying off their mortgage.

3. Red doors are also popular in Chinese culture, where red is considered a very lucky color. Many celebrate the New Year with a fresh coat of red paint on their door.

4. And rumor has it Albert Einstein painted his door red so he could easily remember which house was his.

5. If red isn't your thing, an old Southern tradition suggests blue to ward off ghosts. Since ghosts can't cross water (as everyone knows), they'll be afraid to cross through a water-colored door into your home.

Ready to open the door of opportunity for your next home? Start the search for your new home here.

(RE/MAX Blog)- Summer is around the corner and the sunshine will be calling. Don't let mosquitos ruin your outdoor fun. Here are a few tips for keeping the bugs out of your backyard.

1. Look out for standing water
Standing water of any depth – whether it's the half-inch at the bottom of a planter or the six inches stagnating in your wheelbarrow – is an invitation for mosquitos (they need water to breed). Be careful not to overwater your lawn and to refresh water containers, like dog bowls, often.

2. That includes your gutters
Make sure your gutters are clean and water drains freely. Otherwise, you're the proprietor of a very long singles bar for mosquitos.

3. Switch your bulbs
In some areas of the country, depending on the breed of mosquitos, swapping out the bulbs you use in your outdoor lights for yellow bug bulbs can mean fewer insects swarming the lights.

4. Trim away
Mosquitos like to hang out in the shade and feast on plant nectar. Keep your lawn short and hack down heavy vegetation near your patio and house to make your property less appealing.

5. Blast the buggers
Mosquitos aren't powerful fliers. Strategically placed fans around your deck can blow them away, and a ceiling fan above your covered porch can help too.

6. Hang a net
When done correctly, mosquito netting can drape your patio or outdoor eating area in elegance while keeping the bugs at bay.

7. Light candles
Citronella candles, lamps and coils can help repel mosquitos.

8. Bring in the big guns
Work with a professional pest control company who can install misters to work all season, or spray your yard once for a special occasion.

Are mosquitos just the beginning of your yard's problems? A move to greener grass may be in your future. Start your search for a new home.

(RE/MAX Blog)- Fresh paint on the walls, professional staging and an asking price that ends in 999 — when you're selling your home, you'll do whatever you can to help it stand out and sell faster. Because the National Association of Realtors is predicting modest growth for the 2017 real estate market, as a seller you want every edge you can get. And on the heels of the popular Consumer Electronics Show in January, perhaps that edge is a smarter home.

"Smart home features are designed to make homes more convenient, appealing, secure and energy-efficient — all of which are bonuses when you're trying to sell a house," says Geoff Lewis, president of RE/MAX, LLC."Sellers who want to move their homes faster may benefit from adding smart features that make their properties more appealing to tech-minded buyers."

According to IHS Markit and CNBC, 80 million smart home devices were delivered worldwide last year. That's a 64 percent increase from 2015.

Here are six trending smart home features that might catch buyers' attention and help sell your home faster:

Keyless/remote entry door locks

Have you ever left the house and worried that you left the front door unlocked? If your home is equipped with a keyless/remote entry door lock — available from multiple manufacturers — you can use an app on your smartphone to lock the door from wherever you are. Some manufacturers make versions that will also send a text or email to your phone when the door opens. Locks that can be programmed with multiple entry codes also allow you to see who comes and goes and when.

Smart lighting

From lighting automation that allows you to control lights remotely and wirelessly, to energy-efficient LED bulbs that can change color to match your mood and decor, lighting has come a long way. Some smart lights work in tandem with home automation systems to allow you to turn them on or off, or even dim them, from an app on a smartphone or tablet. Others require no communication hub and can be controlled directly from your mobile device. You can also put some smart bulbs on timers (using your wireless device), sync them with certain TV shows or movies, and integrate them with security cameras and thermostats.

DIY security systems

Don't want to sign a contract or deal with complex security systems? Install-it-yourself security systems are affordable and offer security features like cameras, sensors, motion detectors and alarms or sirens, without the need for a security service to monitor them.

Smart appliances

The Internet of Things (IoT) — everyday objects that have network connectivity — includes a growing list of smart appliances. Many manufacturers are offering washers, dryers, refrigerators and other home appliances that can communicate with you — and each other — wirelessly. Many can be controlled remotely from your smartphone — so if you leave the house and can't remember if you turned off the stove, you can check in and turn it off using your smartphone app.

While appliances aren't always included in a home sale, they do make for interesting features that keep your home top of mind to buyers.

Smart plugs

One of the easiest, most affordable smart home upgrades you can make is to add smart plugs to your home. These Wi-Fi-enabled plugs fit existing outlets and can be controlled from a smartphone app. Plug anything into a smart plug, like lights or a television, and you can turn it on or off remotely, track energy consumption, or even create an on-off schedule.

Temperature controls

Programmable thermostats were just the beginning; today's home temperature controls are even smarter. Like other smart home features, smart thermostats can be controlled remotely from your mobile device. You can program them to make automatic temperature adjustments and then use your smartphone to override the program like turning up the heat on a particularly cold day. Some smart thermostats learn from household behavior and adjust the temperature to meet your family's needs and save energy, while others adjust based on the number of people in a room. And several can now be operated via voice-controlled virtual assistants.

"Many of these smart home features are surprisingly easy and affordable to install," Lewis says. "Sellers who are open to the idea of investing a little money to possibly help get a speedier sale, may want to consider adding the smart features buyers will be looking for in 2017."

MONTGOMERY COUNTY, MD- Broker/Owner of RE/MAX Realty Group and RE/MAX 100, Ken Crowley, has announced the 2016 top producing agents and teams in the categories of volume, transactions, listings and sales for the brokerage as a whole.

Jessica Adams, Ross Simone, Lisa Wills, Kathy Xu, Klaus Breitsameter, Patricia Nicely, Gary Mead, Matthew Pfau and Mercedes Fitzgerald were the top producing individual agents for 2016.The Prigal Brothers and Associates, Andy Werner and Associates, The Connie Fitzgerald Team, The McKnew Realty Group, Phil Kelley Team, Michael Foster Expert Advisors, Christopher Cecil’s team, The Linda Lindley Group and The Wendy Slaughter Team were the 2016 top producing real estate teams with RE/MAX Realty Group and RE/MAX Realty Group.

Jessica Adams, Ross Simone, Lisa Wills, Kathy Xu and Klaus Breitsameter were the top five producing individual agents with RE/MAX Realty Group and RE/MAX Realty Group in the category of volume. In the category of transactions, the top five producing individual agents were Lisa Wills, Ross Simone, Patricia Nicely, Klaus Breitsameter, and Gary Mead. Top five producing individual agents in sales were agents Ross Simone, Matthew Pfau, Lisa Wills, Mercedes Fitzgerald, and Kathy Xu. In listings, the top five producers were Klaus Breitsameter, Lisa Wills, Patricia Nicely, Jessica Adams, and Gary Mead.

The top producing Real Estate Teams in the category of volume were The Prigal Brothers and Associates, Andy Werner and Associates, The Connie Fitzgerald Team, The McKnew Realty Group and Phil Kelley Team. In the category of transactions, the top producing Real Estate Teams were The Connie Fitzgerald Team, Andy Werner and Associates, The McKnew Realty Group, The Prigal Brothers and Associates, and Michael Foster Expert Advisors. Top five producing teams in sales were The Connie Fitzgerald Team, Michael Foster Expert Advisors, Christopher Cecil’s team, The Linda Lindley Group and Andy Werner and Associates. In listings, the top five producing teams were Andy Werner and Associates, The McKnew Realty Group, The Connie Fitzgerald Team, The Prigal Brothers and Associates, and The Wendy Slaughter Team.

The brokerage would like to congratulate all their real estate agents and real estate teams who ranked as a company top producer for 2016 and sincerely thanks them for their hard work and loyalty.

RE/MAX Realty Group and RE/MAX Realty Group is a locally owned and operated full-service real estate brokerage with offices located throughout Maryland and Northern Virginia. The brokerage has over 400 Realtors® and specializes in Residential and Commercial real estate. RE/MAX Realty Group and RE/MAX Realty Group is a proud supporter of Children’s Miracle Network Hospitals® and other charities. To learn more, please visit www.ournexthouse.com.

(RE/MAX Blog)-  Rodents don't just gnaw holes into walls and floors and destroy wiring, they can also bring in germs and disease. Follow these tips to help keep them out.

1. Prevention is the best defense

Don't keep favorite rodent hangouts like trash cans, firewood and piles of junk close to your home.

2. Fill the gaps

Find out where the buggers have been getting in and stuff the holes with steel wool or aluminum foil – both stand up against mouse teeth. Make sure to seal up both the inside and outside of your home.

3. Someone "hoo" can help

Put up an owl box in your yard to attract owls, who snack on mice.

4. Use Scent

Certain smells convince critters you have an army of predators guarding your house. Try sprinkling ammonia (smells like predator urine), used kitty litter or snake poop. (Yes, you can buy Python Poo online for $15) around your yard.

5. Minty fresh defense

Douse cotton balls with 100 percent peppermint oil and put them in the back of cabinets, behind the fridge and other places mice hang out. Replace the cotton balls at least once a month.

6. Dryer sheets

Mice loathe the smell of fabric softener sheets. Leave one or two in their favorite spots.

7. Adopt a hunter

Your local animal shelter is sure to have a cat who would help with critter removal in exchange for a good home.

8. Ultrasonic power

Ultrasonic rodent repellers drive mice away with sound waves. The sound bothers cats and dogs, too, so don't use them if you have furry family members.

    

 

(RE/MAX Blog)- Whether you have an impending open house or are simply trying to freshen up your home, try these suggestions for getting rid of odors from seven commonly smelly items.

1. Trash cans

After rinsing out a stinky garbage can with soap and water, stash a few scented laundry dryer sheets at the bottom to absorb odor.

2. Freezers

An old (clean) sock stuffed with coffee grounds can absorb the musty smell in your freezer. Coffee socks can also help de-mustify stale closets. Tie one to a hanger.

3. Litter Box

Extremely porous activated charcoal is a big-time odor absorber. Pet stores sell versions made especially for pet odors. Keep it near the litter box.

4. Carpet

When your carpet smells icky, try sprinkling baking soda. Let it sit for half an hour, then vacuum it up.

5. Dishwasher

Who wants to use a dishwasher that never smells quite clean? Pour white vinegar into a dishwasher safe cup and stick it in the top rack. Run the machine through its cycle. Though your kitchen will smell like vinegar for a bit, the inside of your dishwasher will soon be odor-free.

6. Basement

If a dehumidifier doesn't help, try adding a dozen drops of tea tree oil to a spray bottle of water and blasting the basement with this natural fungicide.

7. Refrigerator

Clear out smell by wiping down the wall with hydrogen peroxide.

Making sure your home smells fresh is just one of the critical things to do before an open house. Contact one of our office locations to learn more about how we can help you sell your home.