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Top 10 Things I Wish Someone Would Have Told Me When I Bought My First House

1.   You are 25 years old. In 15 years, you will be 40 years old. Wouldn't you like to have this house paid off and be only 40 years old?

2.   The price of buying a FIXER is you have to LIVE in a fixer, and be chained to it on weekends (when you should be out having fun) You are only young once.

3.    You can change the ugly carpet, but you can't change the ugly location.

4.    Buying a house should be about making memories, not making money.

5.    Believe it or not, the real estate agent knows more about real estate than you do.

6.    Buying a house is like having a baby. You forget the labor pains the moment you see the baby.

7.    Getting the house before the financing is like getting the cart before the horse.

8.     Your friends are just jealous.

9.     Is this house REALLY worth the commute to your job?

10.   Psssst! It costs more than just the payment to have a house, and the yard doesn't take care of itself, either.

1. Visit model homes and examine shelter magazines for inexpensive decorating ideas. Always keep in mind you are not decorating for yourself but for the general public.

2. Start with the outside. Give the house a fresh coat of paint, add shiny hardware to the front door and plant a few flowers to send a subliminal message the house is loved and well cared for.

3. Declutter every room to make it look larger. Get rid of family pictures, trophies and knickknacks. Closets and drawers should be no more than 30% full.

4. Invest in eco-friendly but bright lights. Open the drapes or remove them completely. “Light, bright rooms give the impression this is a happy place—and everyone wants to move into a happy place,” said Rinomato.

5. Feature only a few pieces of furniture with mainstream appeal. Pull pieces away from walls to make rooms look bigger.

6. Make sure a room’s primary use is obvious. A bedroom should look like a bedroom, not an office, hobby center or gym.

7. Bedrooms and kitchens are difficult to stage because they are in daily use, but make the effort. Clear everything off the counters and nightstands, roll up the rugs and hide the laundry hamper. Buff the cabinets with car wax and clean under the sinks. Invest in pristine white bed linens and towels.

8. Minimize the “pet effect.” Remove food bowls and litter boxes to the utility room. Deodorize thoroughly.

9. Organize the utility room and garage. Hang up the bicycles, roll up the hose. Renting a storage locker is worth the cost if it helps you sell faster and for a higher price.

10. Once your house is staged, invite your friends or Realtor over and walk them through to get an objective opinion.

Top 5 for real estate

The "Today Show" real estate expert ranks Memphis among the nation's top five for cities positioned to lead a rebound in residential real estate.

Appearing on the NBC show this week, Barbara Corcoran said Memphis is primed for recovery despite relatively high foreclosure and unemployment rates.

She emphasized that the median price for homes in Memphis has risen 21 percent since 2008.

As a distribution center with multiple interstates and railroads, Memphis is ripe for strong employment, she said. People filling the jobs created by FedEx and other companies involved in distribution will need housing, Corcoran said.

The other four cities were Charleston, W.Va., Pittsburgh, Phoenix and San Francisco.

from the CA, Memphis, March 20, 2010