What I Look For In A Seller

As a homeowner you might be thinking that now is the time to sell.  The market is steadily improving, and right now we are experiencing the perfect storm, a great time for both buyers and sellers in the housing market.  One of the first things you will want to do whether buying or selling is to look for and interview a Realtor.

When I receive the call from someone who is looking to sell, and schedule a time to meet with them, I too am interviewing the prospective seller.

When I accept a listing, the sellers I work with need to be realistic, and motivated.  When I say realistic, I mean that the seller needs to understand that if the market shows their home is worth $100,000.00 then that is what the home is worth, not $150,000.00.  When I prepare a market analysis for a seller, I use homes that are comparable to the subject property, in size, age, and condition.  Updates are factored in to that analysis, but if a seller has over improved for the neighborhood the home is in, it isn't likely that money will be recouped.

A dirty house is not a sign of a motivated seller.  If the home looks lived in, stained/ripped carpets, dirty walls, or failed DIY projects will turn a buyer off, or cause a buyer to low ball if they do decide to write an offer.

Once the home is on the market, it unfortunately is no longer your home, but an item being marketed.  It needs to show in it's best light, as well as be priced right.  Buyers and buyers agent have access to homes that have sold in the area, and they use that data, along with having viewed the property to determine what they feel is a fair offer.  

If offers come in and as a seller you continue to reject offers or counter at ridiculous amounts, then you aren't a realistic seller in my opinion, and I will ask that we part ways.  The market is everchanging.  It is important that you price right, so that the home can be sold, as opposed to chasing the market.  The longer you are overpriced, the longer you sit on the market, and the less of a chance you have of selling the home.  The property will "age" and buyers will wonder what is wrong with it, and why it is sitting so long.

You wouldn't let a hairdresser remove your appendix, or a mechanic put a filling in your tooth, you go to professionals for those specific things, because that is what they do, that is where they have their specialized training.  As a Broker Associate, I too have specialized training and work in the Real Estate Market every day, so when you contact me you will get an honest, professional opinion, from a Real Estate professional.  Listen to your Realtor, not your hairdresser, because the Realtor knows the market.

Great Little Fixer Upper on the Southside

Time is of the Essence…

When buying or selling a home there is one thing that all parties should remember, and that is Time is of the Essence.

What does that mean exactly?  Simply put, it means that if there is a response time on an offer or counter offer then by not responding within that time frame you are out of contract.

With today’s technology, the ability to fax/email and even digitally sign documents, not being able to obtain a signature is no longer an acceptable excuse as to why one party didn’t respond within the time frame.

Buyers might perceive the inability to get a signature from a seller as the seller not really being motivated to sell.  Sellers on the other could perceive it as a buyer not as interested in making the transaction happen because they aren’t able to get a signed counter offer back.

Without signatures contracts aren’t valid. 

So the next time you are working with a Realtor and trying to buy or sell, remember that it is important to handle the negotiations in a timely manner so that you can get to your goal.

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DIY Projects gone wrong…

Every once in a while, I run across something that just makes me wonder, what in the world were they thinking:

Putting in a deck and really don’t want to dig/set posts, use concrete blocks.

 

Run out of caulk, no worries, use duct tape instead.

How about this beauty?  Gold carpet on the accent wall of the 1/2 bath?

If you are thinking about selling your home, contact me for a free no obligation consultation, in which you will receive a check list of things to do and what not to do, in order to make your home appealing to the public!

 

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It's All In The Details...

Getting your house ready to sell?  Don't overlook the little things that need to be done.  

Curb appeal will get a buyer in the door, if the neighborhood and price is right for them.  But you want to grab & keep them once they are in the door.  Sure you've repainted, had carpets cleaned, updated light fixtures etc, but what about the little things.  Those little details that the buyers pay attention to?  Once your home is on the market it is no longer your home, it is a product, and you want it to show in it's best light.

Does the bathtub/shower shine?  What about the windows, do they sparkle? Do all the outlets have covers?  What about the light switches, do you have a white switch with an almond cover or vice versa?  Are the switches clean?

Have you dusted those ceiling fan paddles? What about the tops of the door casings?  How about your sink, is it clean?

As you prepare your home for sale, think about someone coming in and doing a white glove test, and make sure you hit every area, regardless of how little. 

Hole in the drywall in the garage?  Fix it!  It may just be a garage to you & not matter, but a seller could look at it as a negative.

Typically when looking at a home a buyer is mentally calculating repairs that need to be made as they are walking through the home, pay attention to the details, and that should help eliminate a low ball offer because a buyer feels it will be $10,000.00 to bring a home up to average in their opinion.