move or improve | Move or Improve

October 5, 2020

Similar Process to Love It or List It on HGTV

If you love home remodels and are constantly looking for ways to upgrade your home, you are probably familiar with the TV network, HGTV. On the network is a show called Love It or List It where homeowners must decide if they want to IMPROVE their home or MOVE to the next. It consists of a realtor and project designer that take homeowners to see houses to possibly move to while remodeling their current home at the same time. Of course, the HGTV show Love It or List It makes the process look much more glamorous and gives viewers an unrealistic expectation of how it works.

MOVE or IMPROVE in NJ can be compared to Love It or List It popular show, except our process is more practical and for real people like you. We will provide you with a MOVE analysis and an IMPROVE analysis to help you decide which is the most efficient decision for you and your home.

MOVE or IMPROVE in NJ is a team of realtors and project designers that will walk you through the process of remodeling or selling your home. We will provide you with a MOVE analysis that includes the current market value, a list of updated task items, a strategic plan for marketing and selling your home, local homes that have your desired updates, and so much more!

On Love It or List It, they have actors that simply take your list of needs in a home and try to find local ones to meet your criteria. Most of the time, the homeowners are not thrilled with the houses they show them as they never meet their basic criteria. Not to mention, they have a limit of three houses that they are shown. With our trusted realtor, Jacki Venezio, you are sure to be shown several New Jersey homes that you fall in love with.

With your IMPROVE analysis, award-winning Project Designer Neil Parsons and the Design Build Planners team will provide you with a personalized list of desired upgrades, remodeler budget ranges, design, and an architectural fee estimate, and more!

This does not compare to Love It or List It, where they only provide you with a number estimate that is never enough in the end. There is always an issue with the design of the house that causes homeowners to pay thousands of dollars more! MOVE or IMPROVE’s HGTV services will be realistic for your home from the start and assist your ideal house dream with professional advice and a feasible plan.

The producers on the show supposedly do not let the homeowners choose most of the work they want doing to the house and instead do whatever they feel is best for the show (Shinners, 2016). You can rely on MOVE or IMPROVE in NJ to respect your wishes on your remodel while offering you expert advice on what may be most functional for your home!

As you can see, while HGTV shows are entertaining to watch, they are not always as realistic for the average homeowner like yourself. When debating if it is best to MOVE or IMPROVE your home, call our experts Jacki Venezio and Neil Parsons at MOVE or IMPROVE in NJ today for a FREE phone consultation!

Case Study

September 25, 2020

Is it Cheaper to MOVE to a New House or Remodel?

Are you considering making the MOVE to a new house? Or stay in your familiar New Jersey home that just needs some modern updates? During quarantine, many people have found themselves analyzing the current state of their homes and considered a MOVE or IMPROVE with their home; But what is the right decision financially? It is predicted that home sales will hit 4.93 million units at the end of 2020 and follow a rise in 2021 with 5.35 million units. Just between the months of June and July of this year, home sales rose 24.7%. Evidently, it’s a great time to give our trusted realtor, Jacki Venezio, a call! Interest rates on mortgage loans are super low, which allows house prices to rise faster. This made house prices go up by 10.1% this year (Zebra, 2020)!

However, the downfall of so many people jumping to get their house on the market and move ASAP is that houses are selling fast. So fast- that houses are going on the market and being sold within
the next few WEEKS! Over 2/3 of homes on the market in July 2020 were sold in less than one month (Passy, 2020). Therefore, if you want to get involved with the real estate world in the next few months, make sure you are prepared to pack up your house and leave quickly. Homeowners should keep an eye out for any houses they can see making their own and act fast! This shows that financially, if you are thinking of putting your home up for sale and starting new, now might be the best time to do it while the market is booming. Interest rates are extremely low and your home will sell for a lot more money now than it would have last year.

Some may think this fast-moving market is a little too intimidating to sell a home right now. If you are not ready to move so quickly and would rather take your time with finding a new home and packing
your current one, remodeling your current home is right for you. Financially, this is always a great option to IMPROVE your living environment to one that makes you more comfortable without the hassle of moving and starting new. The great thing is- you can remodel one room at a time and do your house at your desired pace. If you are planning on staying in your house for 5 or more years,
invest in what you can afford at the moment. With no rush to update the house for resale… you can just do the kitchen now and the bathrooms later! You get to choose the updates and look of the house based on your personal preference- and the happiness from your remodel is money well spent.

Remodeling your home is a great investment because you are creating a more functional space for yourself while you are living there, and adding value to the home. Your home renovation boosts your home value for when you decide to sell it in the future. That way, you are making the money back that you spent on remodeling and maybe gaining more- all while enjoying the new space and appliances yourself! Just minor bathroom renovations alone can add $3,500 onto the price of your home (Sanctum, 2020)! After hearing about the current state of the real estate market and the investment of remodeling your home, Call MOVE or IMPROVE today to find out which option fits best for you.

Case Study

September 25, 2020

How Much Does it Cost to MOVE?

One of the main considerations of selling your home and buying another is of course, how much will it cost?

Let’s talk about moving in the current year of 2020. Despite the COVID-19 pandemic and quarantine, New Jersey has been a busy place in the real estate market. Interest rates are very low and house prices went up by 10.1% (Zebra, 2020) which means you can save some money making the MOVE this year than you would have last year. Let’s go through what costs you will have to make the big MOVE.

First, you need the down payment for your home. This is usually a minimum of 5% the cost of the house you are buying. Once you put down that money, you will have mortgage closing costs.
These are fees for the expenses that are used to finalize a mortgage (Kearns, 2019). In New Jersey, closing costs are typically 2-3% of the purchase price. There are a couple of property related fees as well, known as the appraisal fee and home inspection. The appraisal is where you hire a professional to determine the value of your property. This way, when you need a loan, the lender can verify how much you need which will cost between $300-400. Lenders also usually require a home inspection that costs about $300-500 (Kearns, 2019). This is to make sure your house is in good shape before the bank allows you to borrow money to purchase your new house. Following these fees, you can also expect to pay some assortment of loan related ones such as an application fee or attorney fee which are different for everyone.

Now that we got the technical costs covered, let’s look at the physical MOVE. Of course, the more local your MOVE is, the cheaper the mover’s price will be. For example, a MOVE to a 1 bedroom across town that will take 3-5 hours to get the furniture in, it only costs about $200-500. For a family MOVE of 4 bedrooms, it can take 10 or more hours for a total cost of $800-2,000. To MOVE locally (under 100 miles), movers typically charge $80-100 per hour with an extra fee of $25-50 per additional movers. If you are looking to MOVE further (over 100 miles), it can range from around $2,000 up to $5,000. Extra fees for an interstate MOVE are $0.50 per pound (Zillow, 2020). But wait- we aren’t done yet. Another factor of moving is renting a storage unit. Not everyone needs to do this, but in the case that you close on your house before you can move into the next, you probably need to put your furniture in a storage unit. For a small unit, it is around $50 a month, whereas a larger one is $300-400 (Zillow).

Okay, deep breath. That’s it on the breakdown of the main costs of buying and selling a house. After reading about the details of moving -it may seem like a lot- but that’s why MOVE or IMPROVE is here to help! Call our realtor, Jacki Venezio, today for more information on getting your MOVE started!

Design Project, News

May 28, 2020

The Question: MOVE or IMPROVE?

Many people are being put in a situation in which they are working from home or at the very least, spending more time at home in general. After the shelter-in-place phase, many of us will realize whether want we want different about our surroundings. Now is the time to MOVE or IMPROVE. Our team can help you find your new home or design a remodel for your existing home.

One potential option is a brand new basement remodel! While other rooms in a home are designated for specific purposes, a basement can be used for anything! Home office, home gym, movie theater, play room…the possibilities are endless.

Another great idea is a brand new gourmet kitchen! With this shelter-in-place time, many have taken to spending a lot more time preparing meals in the kitchen. While many have been opting for more food delivery during the COVID-19 pandemic, many have also opted to use this time to take up an interest in cooking! This would also be the perfect time to upgrade your current kitchen layout so that you can fully enjoy your new hobby even when we are in better times.

Another great option is an outdoor living space. While many are taking the time to enjoy more time outdoors, an outdoor living space provides an ideal way to interact with the outside world. The possibilities include options such as a fire pit or even a grill.

However, if you see moving as a better option, our teams of realtors are ready to assist. Please let us know if you have any questions on MOVING or IMPROVING as we are here to help.