7 Reasons Your Home Won't Sell

1. You've overpriced your house

This is the main reason your house won't sell. Most buyers will have done some research, either personally or through their realtor, and will know what market value is for most homes in the area. Try to be objective when determining the true value of your home and steer clear of letting any emotional attachments hamper your better judgement.

2. The real estate market is saturated with homes for sale

You might be having a hard time selling your home because there is simply too much competition at the moment. Once supply is high, the demand for your specific home will naturally not be as high as if it were only one of few like it for sale.

3. There are too many personal touches in the home

Buyers prefer to purchase a home that they can easily make their own. If at the time of your open house you have lots of eclectic decor out that might not transcend well with others' tastes, you're making harder for potential buyers to imagine the home as their own. Try to keep the decor as minimal as possible when showing your home to potential buyers.

4. The house isn't in a great residential location

Real estate is all about location! Unfortunately, this is something you can never change and the only way to get around this sometimes is to lower the selling price a bit to keep potential buyers interested.

5. Your home needs some repairs and updates

Once any imperfections are visible to your home or it seems outdated, it won't sell very quickly. Its a good idea to do any repairs or updates necessary in your home before an open house so that buyers can see a home that will last them a lifetime, instead of a constant work in progress.

6. Your home smells

An odor is always a bad sign and an immediate turn off to potential buyers. The smell could just be coming from the trash or from lifestyle habits like smoking or pets - it doesn't matter. Any odor in your home will rub buyers the wrong way. Ensure your home is free from any unattractive sights and smells when on the market.

7. There is no insulation in the house

A home is supposed to feel comfortable to its owners. So if your potential buyers come during the summertime and their in a pool of their own sweat, they'll immediately be turned off from the home thinking its too hot to live in. Likewise if its winter and the house is very cold inside. It would be very uncomfortable living in any of these temperature extremes. Ensure your home is at a comfortable temperature when showing it to potential buyers.

Beautiful Home for Sale in Placencia Belize

Placencia is quickly becoming one of the most sought after places to live in Belize. Its southern location on a peninsula makes it ideal for home owners who want a true "beach house" experience. This beautiful 4 bedroom, 2.5 bathroom home in Surfside, Placencia is the epitome of beach house elegance and charm.

The home sits on one of the largest lots in the southern tip of Surfside with amazing views of the Caribbean sea and Maya Mountains across the Placencia lagoon. The lot size is 78' X 237' X 135' X 230'. The home itself provides a whopping 4,562 square foot of living space with a 20' X 35' garage.

The home was recently built in 2008 and is two stories with 4 bedrooms, 2 and a half bathrooms and a den. The main floor features an open floor plan with a modern kitchen. All the included appliances are like new, so they're guaranteed to provides years of service. A large sea-side veranda lines the outside of the living room, as well as the dining room and two main floor bedrooms. Off the living room is a den which can be converted into an office or an additional bedroom.

The second floor of this home has the master bedroom which has an en-suite bathroom and balcony. The fourth bedroom is also located on this floor and also has a balcony. Just above is the sky deck which provides 360 degree views of the entire peninsula.

All the floors and sky deck are fully tiled. The kitchen and bathroom counter tops are finished in marble. There is great natural light in every room of this house which enters through huge windows.

The home comes equipped with all municipal utilities and a 1,588 gallon cistern to store additional water. The yard is fully landscaped with a wide variety of flowering plants, trellised walk ways, tropical trees and a garden area. There is also an outdoor shower so you can take a refreshing rinse after swimming in the sea. The deck is ideal for outdoor entertainment, equipped with a large gas BBQ and plenty of counter- and storage space. The fenced property has a circular driveway  with a two-car palapa garage and utility building.

Contact the Belize real estate agent for more details on this luxurious beach property.

Balcony

Open Floor Plan

Kitchen

Outside of Home

Back Yard

Turnkey Business for Sale in Cayo, Belize

This thriving, profitable business for sale is a resort in the Blackman Eddy Village in Cayo, Belize. The resort features 4 cabanas, restaurant and an owner’s residence. The property is directly beside the Belize River, 8 miles east of San Ignacio Town and 8 miles west of Belmopan. It is nestles atop a tropical hill that gives breathtaking views of the area.

Specs

Included in the sale of this resort are:

• 3 fully furnished rental units with handcrafted furniture;
• 3 bamboo outdoor showers;
• 2 outdoor toilets;
• 1 owner’s residence with 2 bedrooms, 1 bathroom and kitchen with appliances;
• 1 fully furnished apartment with 1 bathroom;
• A fully furnished, 24-seat restaurant;
• 1 thatch structure with hammocks.

The property also has access to all major utilities like cable TV, phone, electricity, water and internet. There are two backup water systems on the property, as well as a well landscaped garden including plants and fruit trees like papayas, orange, bananas and limes.

This resort is ideally located nearby lots of tourist attractions, making it very appealing to guests. Some of the best attractions in Belize are only a few minutes’ drive away, like the Mountain Pine Ridge, Barton Creek, Mayan Ruins and Spanish Lookout.

Public transportation is readily available at regular intervals near the property making it very accessible. Being nestled in this village, gives guests a unique experience during their stay. As a testament to the resort’s superior quality, it has received a “Certificate of Excellence” from TripAdvisor in 2014.

If you’d be interested in an expansion of the property, the land size gives enough room for the addition of additional cabanas or a pool. There is an adjoining property for sale that is over an acre which, if bought, can combine with this property to make about 3 acres of total land.

The lodge is currently a family-run operation. Because of its quaint size, it is easily managed while bringing in constant revenue. The property is set up for longevity and constant revenue generation.

To find out more about this recently reduced property, visit CPC Real Estate Solutions Ltd.

What to Look for when Buying A House

Buying a new house is a big deal. It’s a huge investment and you need to make sure you’re choosing a house with all the right components to fit your lifestyle, now and in the future. When you’re touring for a future home, some questions you should be asking yourself are “Does this house look and feel like home?” and “Could this house really be my dream home?” Apart from those basic questions, here is a list to keep in mind when buying a house.

Space

The first thing you should be sure of when buying a house is the size and space it offers. It’s always a better option to have more space rather than less. Ensure there are enough bedrooms for your family to be comfortable, your furniture would be able to fit without making the space seem cluttered, the kitchen is big enough for more than one person to move around in and it has enough prep space, and finally that the home provides enough space to grow.

Features

Think of what a typical day for you would be like if you were already living in that house. Make a list of all the activities you would normally do and cross check the house’s features to ensure that it has everything you need in a home. If you have a green thumb and enjoy gardening, an important feature of the house for you would be enough outdoor space with good soil. A nice storage shed would come in handy for lots of outdoor gear and tools. If you have dogs, a fenced-in yard would definitely be a plus so they have room to run around. Aside from enough bedrooms, you should check to see if the home has space for an extra laundry room, office or workout room if those things are important for you to be comfortable.

Proximity

This is a biggie! Finding the perfect home includes its proximity to places you visit most- work, school, shopping and recreation. Do a mock commute to and from work at the same times you normally would to get an idea of how long it would take and the traffic you’ll encounter if you buy the house.

Amenities

Amenities here include those inside the house as well as those in the neighborhood. Check the age and condition of the appliances (refrigerator, stove, washer, dryer, etc.) as their condition will determine whether you’d need to have extra money to replace or service them. Other important appliances to check in the home are the A/C units and water heaters. These items are very expensive to fix or replace, so it’s important to determine their condition when buying a home so you can know if you’d need to a lot a budget for maintenance. 

If you're looking to buy a home in Belize, be sure to get the help of a certified agent at CPC Real Estate Solutions Ltd.

The SMART Way To Make an Offer Lower Than The List Price

Every real estate transaction is a dance between buyers and sellers that can go on for months. Both parties want to be profitable from the transaction; and to achieve this, they may have to go through several bouts of negotiations.

However, not everyone is a master negotiator. So to help buyers get the most bang for their buck, we've devised this list of elements that provide a smart way for buyers to make an offer lower than the list price.

Know the stats
You need to do your research here. You can't just offer a lower price for a property and expect the seller to jump without a second guess. You need to work with your Realtor to get specific stats like what the fair market value would be for the property you're interested in. Ways they would get this information would be by evaluating the list price of that specific home versus those of similar homes. Your Realtor would also compare the list price versus the selling price of the home as well as the number of days the home has been on the market.

Follow a set communication process
Its always better to convey any communication to the seller in writing via your Realtor. When presenting your offer, your Realtor will draft the letter, including some statistics mentioned above, and present it to the seller for consideration. If you wish to further explain your lowered offer to the seller or tell them about your feelings about their home, you may write a personal letter to them which is often times a nice touch. Personal letters may also touch the emotions of the seller and make them more inclined to take a lower offer on the home.

The seller must be motivated to sell
This is the main reason any seller will accept a lower offer on their property. A seller may be motivated to sell if they have already closed the deal on a new home and are scheduled to move soon. There are many other reason for seller motivation. Any reason it is, you need to do your research to ensure that the seller will even be inclined to budge given a lower offer before presenting one to them.

Make your lower offer attractive
If the seller doesn't seem to have a clear cut motivation to sell quickly, you may need to entice them to accept your lower offer with some offers from you. You'll need to be able to offer some compensation for the loss in profit from a lower offer like flexible closing dates or accepting all closing costs. Another thing that may make a lower offer more attractive would be having a mortgage pre-approval letter to show the seller that your funds are secure. Make sure you present ample benefits the seller will enjoy by accepting your offer.

Get the most out of the list price
Conversely if the seller refuses your offer, you can still benefit by ensuring you're getting all you could out of the cost of the home. You can request that the home be sold with the existing furniture or appliances which will save you those costs after moving in. You could also ask the seller to cover all closing costs, allowing you to use that money in upgrading your home. Get help from your Realtor in finding different ways you can get all you can out of the list price of the home if the seller won't budge on price.

This process may seem like a long journey to acquiring the right home, but in the end it will be worth it. Take your time and plan out your offer strategically. Present it with the right facts and make it work for both your seller and you. In the end, you'll walk away with a profitable investment and the home of your dreams.

5 Places You Should ALWAYS Clean Before An Open House

An open house is the main deciding factor in whether you'll get list price for your property or not. If you cannot convince your buyers that your property is worth what you're asking for there's no way you'll get what you're asking for it.

When buyers go to an open house, they want to see the home in its most pristine form to help them envision their lives in it. The only thing dirt and clutter does is make buyers see the home as dysfunctional and too small to accommodate them.

Avoid making the wrong impression with your property by ensuring these 5 places are always clean before an open house.

1. Garage - The garage is much more to buyers than a safe place to keep their cars. Its a gargantuan of extra storage space they can use for just about anything. So when preparing your home for prospective buyers, ensure that all your tools and equipment are placed neatly on the shelves and keep as much of the ground space free so the buyers can get an idea of the amount of additional space they can get from the garage. Also, make sure all the counter tops and shelves are dusted off and the floors are swept clean.

2. Backyard - Buyers love yard space. What they love even more is having it well landscaped. Ensure the lawn is cut low and all the leaves are raked away. They patio also needs to be cleared of any dirt and the BBQ and lawn furniture needs to be properly cleaned. All these details add to the appeal of your backyard and gives the buyers a great idea of what they can do with it if it were theirs.

3. Indoor Storage - this means all closets, drawers and cupboards. You would be fooling yourself if you thought prospective buyers wouldn't open every door of your home during an open house. They will look! Make sure all these storage areas are kept neat and organized. When buyers see how well-kept these areas are it helps to emphasize how useful these storage spaces will be for them. Along with keeping the storage spaces organized, you need to ensure that there's nothing out in the open that you don't want seen, namely anything that may be offensive to guests.

4. Laundry Room - Aside from the kitchen, the laundry room is one of the most used areas of the home. Its expected to be dirty. But no one wants to use an untidy laundry room, or picture themselves in one anyways. This is a particularly important room for moms who are constantly burdened by laundry duties week in and week out. As the seller, you need to ensure the laundry room is as pristine as possible to spark excitement in the buyers to actually have a functional and attractive laundry area. Make sure there's no dirty clothes in the hampers or dryer sheets on the floor. Put everything in its place and make the room spotless.

5. Appliances - This is a biggy, especially if your selling them with the home. Most people will ensure the outside of their appliances are clean but neglect the insides keeping spoiled foods in the fridge or letting the stove build up gunk inside. This is a HUGE no-no! Buyers don't want to see their future appliances being mistreated by previous owners. They want to know that, although they're buying used appliance, they were handled with the utmost care guaranteeing them additional years of use.

After cleaning your home and getting everything ready for your open house, be sure to go over our list and ensure all these items are clean. Once you have all these areas covered, you're guaranteed to be a hit with home buyers at your next open house.

Get detailed one-on-one advice from a certified Belize real estate agent today!

Great Deal! Two Homes for Sale in Belize on Sittee River

The Sittee River in Southern Belize lines the banks of the Sittee River Village that neighbors Hopkins. Sittee River Village is a shaded community filled with lush vegetation on its banks, and small wooden houses, small grocery stores and friendly residents.

CPC Real Estate is giving you the chance to experience life in this quaint oasis with a package deal of two homes for sale on 5.45 acres of land in southern Sittee River Village. This Belize property for sale is comprised of 4 parcels (lots numbers 3,4,5 and 6) which are ideally located near Hopkins and its developing hotel zone.

The main living quarters are on lots #4 and #5 which consists of 1.78 acres. There is a home on each lot with 350 feet of river frontage. The main home is turnkey and sits on lot #5. It is a 2000 sq. ft. 2 story concrete home with 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms.

The second home is on lot #4. This home is 900 square feet with 2 bedrooms and 1 bathroom. It is a 2 story wooden home that is currently being used by the property's caretakers.

This property is home to a host of amenities including a 60 foot boat dock, large two-car garage, two-car carport, and ample space for storage under the main home for additional vehicles and other equipment.

Community amenities include a marina just south of the property, a newly constructed marina in nearby Sittee Point Estates, municipal power, water, internet and cable TV, immediate access to the sea and proximity to Hopkins Village.

Here are some images of the property and homes.

Main Turnkey Home

Second Home used by Caretakers

Garage for Main Home

Living Room of Main Home

Kitchen of Main Home

Enclosed Sun Room of Main Home

To get more information on this property and see more pictures, visit the listing page here.