Tips for home sellers in Suburban Philadelphia Communities from Mark Sweeney REALTOR

"Increasing prices are encouraging more homeowners to put their properties on the market," says Brian Balduf, Chairman, VHT Studios, a leader in photography and digital marketing for homes and businesses "But if you haven't been in the real estate market for 5 or 10 years, you may be surprised how much the home-buying experience has changed, thanks to the Internet."

A decade ago, selling your home meant pounding a sign in the yard and having your agent mail out postcards and place newspaper ads.  But that approach is as obsolete as VCRs, pagers and cassette tapes.

Today's buyers are focusing their searches on the web. They're using iPads and tablets to shop and compare homes for sale, typically scanning hundreds of listings, looking for properties that catch the eye.


Grabbing the attention of these web-savvy buyers requires professional-quality photographs, publishing a video on YouTube.com and providing floor plans and a single property website says VHT's Balduf.
"Selling your home has become an online beauty contest," Balduf says.  "Buyers are visually-oriented.  So sellers need to provide the best possible pictures of their house on the Internet to grab buyers' attention and motivate them to set up a showing.

Balduf offered these five tips for helping sellers maximize their sales price:

Use an agent who uses professional photographer. Sellers who provide flawless, high-resolution photos in their listings can expect a sale price closer to the listing price.  Professional photos help listings get more Internet views, and they increase the perceived value of a home by nearly 13 percent. On a $250,000 home, this equates to an increase of $32,500, according to a consumer survey by VHT.
Ask your agent about posting a video of your home on YouTube and developing a website for your property. More than 80 percent of all buyers find their homes online, and 21 percent use of look for online videos.
Include floor plans in your listing. Interactive floor plans that show how rooms relate to each other are an increasingly popular marketing tool. Some brokerages have begun making them standard. The combination of floor plans and professionally-taken photos creates the ultimate shopping experience for buyers.
Clear out the clutter. Your house will show better if it's clean and well-organized. Potential buyers are interested in buying your home, not your furnishings. So take a minimalist approach to personal items around the house, such as piles of paperwork, books, houseplants and photos.
"It's obvious from even a cursory glance at many real estate listings that some real estate agents still tend to overlook the importance of good photographs and videos.  But home buyers don't," Balduf says. "Using an agent who works with professional photographer is the surest way to provide stunning, striking pictures of your home and create a great perception of your home that draws more buyers to your listing."

For more information on how to net top dollar when selling feel free to email Mark Sweeney Associate broker at Keller Williams with your questions. or check out his video for home sellers

Suburban Philadelphia Communities 769 Tory Hollow rd Berwyn PA

For sale in Berwyn PA 19312, 769 Tory Hollow rd is in a great location and great neighborhood for you special place to call home.   This well cared for colonial style home in popular Coldspring is conveniently located to major corporate centers, shopping and schools.

The features of this home include hardwood floors in the living room, dining room and hall, open kitchen and family room combination with brick fireplace, year round sun room with separate heating and cooling, outside entrance from the kitchen and sun room to a 26x18 patio for outdoor entertaining in the spring, summer and fall seasons. Private backyard. Laundry room off the kitchen with access to the two car side entrance garage.

 Cul-de-sac location with walking distance to the Louis D’Abrosia park offering direct access to the new Chester Valley Trail  Be sure to add this to your must see list, you will not be disappointed. Offered by Keller Williams Real Estate - Mark Sweeney Associate Broker. Main office 610-399-5100,  MLS#6459921,  Contact Mark for an appointment.

For more pictures, mortgage information and schools see www.769ToryHollowRd.com

Suburban Philadelphia Communities Berwyn PA

Berwyn PA Tredyffrin Township. Tredyffrin Easttown School District, one of the small towns that add to the charm of living in Suburban Philadelphia and what the locals refer to as the “Upper Main Line”. Berwyn is home to the area’s largest YMCA located on over fifty-four acres which includes tennis courts and up to six swimming pools.Offering numerous activities to people of all ages. Also the surrey service for seniors calls berwyn home; a wonderful organization dedicated to the care of our senior members of the community.

The town is serviced by the Septa train line, the R5, making this Philadelphia Suburban Community of Berwyn popular to area commuters to center city Philadelphia. Walking along Lancaster Avenue the “main drag” you will notice a recent restaurant renascence with the ever popular 30 MAIN breathing new life to the town by offering quality food and various entertainment events featuring local singer songwriters and DJ’s. The restaurant will be home to the launch of the main line restaurant week Thursday September 18 at 6:00.

Speaking of food be sure not to miss the “Taste of Berwyn” on Sunday September 28 from 2-6 benefiting the Daemion Counseling Center. The event will be held on Lancaster Ave directly behind Malvern Federal. Some of the restaurants and specialty food providers participating are Alfredo Italian, Anthony’s Coal Fire Pizza, Margaret Kuo’s, Clay’s Creative Corner Bakery, and 30 MAIN.

Function over Fuss: Empty Nesters Want Low-Maintenance Yards

One of the first questions new empty nesters face is: what do we do with the nest? Some are eager to downsize and sell. Others like where they live and choose to stay put. No matter the decision, the property, new or old, is likely in for a makeover aimed at making routine upkeep more manageable. One of the key areas to tackle is the yard and garden. The following are tips for transforming a yard's maintenance-hungry features, especially the lawn, into alternatives that offer fun and functionality without the fuss. * Create no mow zones - The lawn is often a yard's highest maintenance feature. One simple way to reduce lawn maintenance is to strategically stop mowing certain parts of the yard, while continuing to maintain more desirable areas. Un-mowed areas needn't look messy. Delineate the divide between mowed lawn and wilder spaces with a strategically placed stone wall or wooden fence. Adding clusters of ornamental grasses or shrubs along the new lawn's edge also works to soften the border transition. For a bit of fun, sow some un-mown areas with wildflower seeds. Add green trails for impromptu strolls or heart-pumping walks by cutting a circular path through the no-mow zone. Post birdhouses or feeders along the route for bird watching. * Swap some turf for landscape beds - Freestanding landscape islands of trees, shrubs, bulbs and perennials are appealing low-maintenance features that can reduce lawn area. Landscape beds are also a solution for difficult to maintain stretches like steep slopes, rough terrain and curbside strips. It's important to cover exposed soil with mulch to stop weeds from growing. To go from low to practically no maintenance, sprinkle a weed preventer like Preen on top of mulch to stop weed seeds in the mulch itself from sprouting. Better yet, use Preen Mulch Plus, a premium bagged mulch with added weed preventers already mixed in. Available at Lowe's stores and independent garden centers, it's guaranteed to prevent more than 100 types of tough weeds, including dandelions, for up to six months. * Switch to lawn care "lite" - With less lawn why hang on to over-sized lawn care equipment? Today there are new compact choices scaled to yards under 1/4 acre including cordless electric mulching mowers, battery-powered edgers and programmable directional lawn sprinklers. There's also a new spreader designed for small lawns, slopes and tight spaces that's ergonomic too. The Ready2Go Spreader is a lightweight, hand-carried and battery-powered unit that comes pre-loaded with popular lawn products from Preen, Greenview or Vigoro to feed or treat up to 2,500 square feet. Each is refillable and pre-calibrated, so no settings are ever needed. * Deck the yard for fun and folly - Converting open spaces to outdoor entertaining areas is another way to reduce yard maintenance. Paved patios and decks make perfect places to sit, barbecue, dine or simply enjoy being outdoors. New composite decking, bricks and paving stones are definitely low upkeep installations. Other ideas include fire pits, outdoor fireplaces, gravel paths and terraces. Don't just look at spots close to the house: come up with reasons to hang out in different parts of the yard. * Uncontained enthusiasm for containers - Downsizing elaborate garden beds is another area to explore. But don't give up seasonal flowers: plant in containers. A booming trend among boomers, container plantings add accent color and seasonal drama to decks, patios, paths and other outdoor spaces. For lower maintenance choose fewer but bigger pots. Just a few large containers of colorful plants will have a major impact. They also retain soil moisture better than smaller pots and need watering less often. Except in coldest areas, large frost-resistant resin or fiberglass containers can be left out year-round. For long-term plantings, check plant labels for USDA winter hardiness zones. Potted plants are more exposed to the elements, so choose ones rated one zone colder than usual. Life in an empty nest can be a time of rediscovery. Reducing lawn and garden upkeep is one way boomers can free up time for other more entertaining pursuits

247 OLD FORGE CROSSING, Devon, PA

Devon PA 19333  Mark Sweeney Listing Agent

247 Old Forge Crossing

Garden style, no hallways. Great location in the Condominium Community of popular Old Forge Crossing. this second floor condo is in move in condition and priced to sell at 179,900.  Two bedroom and two baths  featuring a spacious living room dining room combination with sliding glass door to the patio. The kitchen has ample cabinets and counter space and pantry. Washer dryer in unit. View Virtual Tour

Pool and Tennis included in monthly association fee, as well as all outside maintenance including roof and gas for cooking and for the dryer.

Old Forge Crossing now offers direct access to the Chester Valley Trail for long walks or bike rides without leaving the community.

Garden Style, The unit is on the second floor end offering an additional window in the main bedroom

Private entrance

Balcony has a storage room for your bikes to take on the new Chester Valley Trail

The unit is wired for Comcast or Verizon

Gas for cooking included in condo fee

Community Pool included in condo fee

Community Tennis Courts (one of two) included in condo fee