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.
