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When it comes to listing your home, making a lasting impression is key to attracting potential buyers. While major renovations and upgrades can certainly enhance your home's appeal, sometimes it's the small, simple adjustments that make the biggest difference. In this blog post, we'll explore some easy-to-implement tips that can help elevate your home's potential and maximize its marketability. Boost Curb Appeal First impressions matter, and boosting your home's curb appeal is an effective way to capture the attention of potential buyers from the moment they arrive. Simple tasks such as landscaping, painting the front door, and adding fresh mulch can instantly enhance the exterior of your home. Consider investing in outdoor lighting to highlight architectural features and create a welcoming atmosphere, especially for evening viewings. Declutter and Depersonalize When preparing your home for listing, it's essential to declutter and depersonalize each space. Remove personal items such as family photos and knick-knacks to allow buyers to envision themselves living in the space. Clear countertops, closets, and shelves to create a sense of openness and highlight the home's potential storage capacity. Additionally, consider rearranging furniture to maximize flow and showcase each room's functionality. Make Necessary Repairs Addressing minor repairs and maintenance issues before listing your home can go a long way in boosting its appeal and instilling confidence in potential buyers. Fix leaky faucets, repair cracked tiles, and touch up paint where needed to ensure your home presents well. Consider hiring a professional inspector to identify any hidden issues that may need attention before listing, such as electrical or plumbing problems. Highlight Key Features Every home has unique features that set it apart from others on the market. Take the time to identify and highlight these key features to showcase your home's full potential. Whether it's a stunning view, a cozy fireplace, or an upgraded kitchen, make sure these standout features are prominently featured in your listing photos and marketing materials. Consider staging these areas to further enhance their appeal and create a memorable impression on potential buyers. By implementing these simple tips, you can elevate your home's potential and maximize its marketability when listing. From boosting curb appeal to highlighting key features, each adjustment plays a crucial role in making your home stand out in a competitive market. Remember, it's often the small, simple adjustments that make the biggest difference in capturing the hearts of potential buyers and securing a successful sale. Considering buying a home in the central Iowa area? Contact us today!

Considering buying a home and want to ask for a price reduction? Do this instead.

Kris Gardner, Broker Associate Kris is an experienced real estate agent affiliated with RE/MAX Concepts in Huxley, Iowa. With over a decade of experience in the real estate industry, She has established herself as a trusted advisor and expert in the local market. Kris prides herself on her ability to understand her clients' unique needs and objectives, and she works tirelessly to help them achieve their real estate goals. Whether clients are looking to buy or sell a home, Kris provides personalized guidance and support throughout the entire process, ensuring that they make informed decisions that align with their best interests. Known for her exceptional communication skills, attention to detail, and market knowledge, Kris has built a loyal clientele who appreciate her honesty, integrity, and dedication to their success. She is committed to staying up-to-date on the latest real estate trends and technologies, which allows her to provide her clients with the most comprehensive and innovative services available. Kris is deeply involved in the Huxley community and is passionate about giving back to the area she calls home. When she's not working with clients, she can often be found volunteering her time and resources to various local organizations and causes.  Jenn Lee, Marketing Specialist Jenn is a multi-talented marketing specialist with a passion for real estate. Her creativity and expertise in photography, social media, and marketing have helped the Kris Gardner Real Estate Team grow and succeed. With a few years of experience in the real estate industry, Jenn understands the importance of creating a strong brand presence and engaging with clients online. She manages the team's social media accounts and creates eye-catching content to showcase their listings and services. She is also a skilled photographer, taking shots of the team's properties and highlighting unique features in each shot. Jenn's dedication to her work and her ability to connect with clients has made her a valuable member of the Kris Gardner Real Estate Team. She is always seeking out new and innovative ways to market the team's listings and services, and her contributions have helped the team become a top performer in the industry. Mandey Kinzenbaw, Administrative Assistant Mandey is a highly skilled and dedicated office manager and administrative assistant for the Kris Gardner Real Estate Team. With over a decade of experience in managing teams, she has developed a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of how to be successful. In her current role with the Kris Gardner team, Mandey is responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the office, coordinating team activities, and providing administrative support to the agents. She is known for her exceptional organizational skills and her ability to keep things running smoothly, even in the busiest of times. Outside of work, Mandey is wife to Mickey Kinzenbaw, a captain of the Des Moines Fire Department, a mom of 3 kids, the Ballard High School girls head JV basketball coach, substitute teacher, and co-founder of AgriHope, a non profit that serves four different countries in Africa. She loves traveling, coffee, cheering her kids on in all their sports and endeavors, reading, home organization and being with friends and family. Mandey Kinzenbaw, Administrative Assistant Mandey is a highly skilled and dedicated office manager and administrative assistant for the Kris Gardner Real Estate Team. With over a decade of experience in managing teams, she has developed a keen eye for detail and a deep understanding of how to be successful. In her current role with the Kris Gardner team, Mandey is responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the office, coordinating team activities, and providing administrative support to the agents. She is known for her exceptional organizational skills and her ability to keep things running smoothly, even in the busiest of times. Considering buying a home in the central Iowa area? Contact us today!

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Join us on Monday, September 18 for this FREE and informative event! Jason Mason, a Des Moines firefighter and private CPR instructor will share about CPR and the importance of knowing what to do in emergency health situations. Additionally, Jordan Miller, registered dietician and local gym owner will provide healthy snacks while sharing the importance of healthy eating and what she offers with her business. Come listen and learn and enjoy sampling: - Everything Bagel Cucumber Bites - Caprese Salad Skewers with Balsamic Glaze - Caramel Apple Grapes - Mini Fruit Pizzas While this is a FREE event, we do request that you RSVP . Please email huxleyremax@realestateconcepts.net by Friday, September 15. We look forward to seeing you next Monday, September 18 at Nord Kalsem Community Center at 204 W 5th St, Huxley.

Being a personal resident, business owner, and active member of our Ballard Community, I am so excited for our friends at Flight Bar and Grille! Located just a few doors down from our RE/MAX office, the restaurant has fast become a local favorite. Now, thanks to receiving the award for the Best Burger in Iowa, we're excited for folks from all around the area and throughout the state to come check it out! Learn more about the owners, Matt and Marianne, and why their restaurant is a highlight of our town: FLIGHT BAR + GRILLE LANDS IOWA'S BEST BURGER

Are you looking for a peaceful and low-maintenance lifestyle in your golden years? Look no further! Our 55+ housing development offers easy living with high-quality built homes, lawn care, snow removal, and a great location that's perfect for your retirement. And there are only a few lots left! We understand that your needs and preferences may have changed over time, and we've designed our community to cater to those needs. Our homes are built to meet the highest quality standards, ensuring that you have a comfortable and safe place to call home. You can rest easy knowing that our HOA takes care of lawn care and snow removal, leaving you with more time to enjoy the things you love. Our community is located in a prime location, with easy access to shopping, entertainment, and healthcare facilities. You'll have the best of both worlds: a peaceful and serene environment within a short drive from all the conveniences you need. We invite you to come and take a tour of our community and see for yourself why so many seniors have chosen to call us home. You'll be impressed with our spacious, well-maintained homes and our warm and welcoming community. If you have any questions or would like to schedule a tour, please don't hesitate to contact us. We look forward to hearing from you and showing you around our beautiful community.

Are you ready to Bet on Ballard? 🎲 We're excited to host our annual fundraising gala on April 1, 2023! As always, all money raised will go directly to programs and opportunities for Ballard students. See how you can get involved by volunteering or serving as an event sponsor:

The statistics are in from December 2022! Although the news or social media may be stirring fear in you, making you believe the market is tanking…the facts don’t lie. According to the numbers for Story County from last month, the number of home sales increased by 20% from November to December. Not only that, but the average sales price also went up by 18%. While the market has slowed down due to those high mortgage rates - hi, mortgage rates, it’s you, you’re the problem, it’s you - it’s certainly not coming to a halt. Instead, as realtor.com explains: “. . . some of the more prominent pandemic trends have changed, so sellers might wish to adjust accordingly to get the best deal possible.” Essentially, what that means is… If you’re thinking of selling your home in a more moderate market, how you price your home is going to greatly impact how successful you are. As the numbers show, homes that are priced right are still selling in today’s market. Why The Asking Price is So Important When you price your home, it sends a message to potential buyers. If the price is on the low-end, it may miss the opportunity to earn money that should have been yours for the taking, or it could create doubt in buyers, making them wonder if something is wrong with the home. On the other end of the spectrum is a home that is priced too high. On that front, buyers may be deterred from even considering looking, let alone buying. If that happens, the price may need to be lowered to regenerate interest if the house sits on the market for some time. And a drop in price may indicate to buyers there is something to be concerned about. Therefore, it’s important to avoid either pitfall. How do you do that? By working with a qualified real estate professional, such as Kris Gardner . Kris has years of experience and is well versed in understanding how to balance the value of a home with your neighborhood, current market trends, buyer demand, the condition of your home, and more… all aspects to consider when finding the right price for your home. See the chart below by Keeping Current Matters that visually summarizes how the asking price can impact the selling process. What You Need to Know The statistics from December 2022 are clear - homes that are priced at current market value are selling. It’s critical your home price is appropriate while also maximizing your sales potential and minimizing the hassle. Therefore, contact our team today to help you navigate it all.