WHEN WILL IT SELL?

Every house is unique

Some sell within hours of listing on the market, some take months to sell, and some never sell at all. I believe there are three primary reasons why a home does not sell.

  1. It is in poor condition.
  2. The house is priced too high.
  3. There exists a poor housing market.

If your property isn’t sold within 30 days, a price adjustment should be made!

Homes Sold as a Percentage

Sold within, as a percentage of homes sold:

1 Month 40%
2 Months 7%
3 Months 7%
4 Months 20%
5 Months 10%
6 Months 7%
7 Months 9%

Statistics are based on National average of homes sold.

MOVING CHECKLIST

  • Eliminate items you no longer use/want – have a garage sale or make donations to local charitable organizations. Why pay to move it when you don’t need or want it?
  • Start getting boxes, tape, bubble wrap, etc… anything you will need to pack up, and make notes of what may need special attention.
  • Obtain change of address cards to contact any of your regular mail senders.
  • Obtain medical and dental records as well as children’s immunizations if moving out of the area
  • Arrange for your children’s school records to be transferred to their new school.
  • Make travel plans and reservations.
  • Use up food supplies.
  • Dispose of hazardous goods.
  • Start packing and begin with items in your home you do NOT use on a regular basis.
  • Be sure to clearly label or number your boxes to make unpacking and finding items easier.
  • As you pack, make notes of items of significant value (LCD/plasma TVs, stereos, computers, etc.) as you may need to declare items of value if they are lost or damaged during the move.
  • Look to change some important information online.
  • Go to your local post office to fill out a change of address form with your new address.
  • Don’t forget to contact the following places to notify change of address: banks, cable/phone providers, insurance companies, utility companies, credit card companies, doctor/dentist/vet offices, investment companies, etc.
  • Confirm your reservations with your movers or truck company if you haven’t already done so.
  • If required, cancel or transfer your newspaper delivery service.
  • Finish all of your packing.
  • Have your car serviced if driving a long distance.
  • Close charge accounts.
  • Arrange shipment of pets if necessary.
  • Arrange utility service disconnects (disconnect after moving day and connect prior to or on delivery day).
  • Reconfirm arrival time of your movers and make sure they know exactly where they are going and have your mobile number just in case.
  • Start dismantling furniture if you are moving yourself.
  • Pack a travel bag with items you may need on moving day such as toothbrushes, clothes, medications, toiletries, etc.
  • Set aside items to take in the car, including jewelry and passports.
  • Make a note of all utility meter readings (both at the old home and the new home).
  • Be there when the truck is being loaded and unloaded just in case your movers have questions.
  • Before the movers leave, check your belongings and make a note on their paperwork and yours if there are any damaged items.

FOR SALE BY OWNER

Some sellers try to sell their home on their own, and this is referred to as “For Sale By Owner”, or FSBO for short. Some sellers have success with this, and others have very little.

Marketing is just one of the benefits of using a REALTOR®. Using a REALTOR® gives your property more exposure than you could ever get on your own. We utilize the internet through our own personal websites as well as MLS®, one of the most frequently hit websites in the world. Most agents also use other forms of marketing such as the REALTOR® Showcase, take advantage of the opportunity to hold open houses, and do in-house marketing with other agents.

The other great advantage when you are selling your home is having a professional to guide you in pricing your home. The general public knows what a home is listed for, but it is harder to know what a house actually sells for. You may be leaving money on the table by not using a professional. Sure you save in not having to pay commissions, but the hassle and the possibility of not getting the most you can for your home in the current market should balance out and make using a Real Estate Agent a no-brainer.

REALTORS® have the advantage of weekly meetings and can preview new listings during these meetings so that each agent in attendance of the meeting can preview your home. This is an advantage to get your home instant exposure and is a great way to have your home showcased to other agents in our company.

Branding is also a key component, and using a REALTOR® gets you attention.

SELLER TIPS

A well-manicured lawn, neatly trimmed shrubs and a clutter-free porch help real estate sellers put their best foot forward and make prospects feel welcome. So does a freshly painted – or at least freshly scrubbed – front door. If it’s autumn, rake the leaves. If it’s winter, shovel the walkways. The fewer obstacles between prospects and the true appeal of the real estate seller’s home, the better.

Here’s your chance to clean up in real estate. Tidy the living room, the bathroom, the kitchen. If your woodwork is scuffed or the paint is fading, consider some minor touch-ups and redecorating. Real estate sellers can benefit from updating the hardware on kitchen cabinets, adding new slipcovers to sofas and keeping a vase of fresh flowers in the entryway. These are some of the simple touches that can go a long way. If you’re worried about time, hire professional cleaners or painters to help get your house ready. Remember, prospects would rather see how great the real estate seller’s home really looks than hear how great it could look “with a little work.”

Dripping water rattles the nerves, discolors sinks, and suggests faulty or worn-out plumbing. Burned-out bulbs or faulty wiring leave prospects in the dark. Don’t let those problems detract from what’s right with your home.

If cabinets or closet doors stick in your home, you can be sure they will also stick in a prospect’s mind. Don’t try to explain away sticky situations when you can easily plane them away. A little effort on the real estate seller’s part can smooth the way toward a closing.

Real estate sellers learn to live with all kinds of self-set booby traps: roller blades on the stairs, festooned extension cords, slippery throw rugs and low-hanging overhead lights. Make your residence is as safe as possible for visitors.

Remember, potential buyers are looking for more than just comfortable living space. They’re looking for storage space, too. Real estate sellers should make sure attics and basements are clean and free of unnecessary items.

The better organized a closet, the larger it appears. Now’s the time to box up those unwanted clothes and donate them to charity.

Bathrooms sell homes, so let them shine. Check and repair damaged or unsightly caulking in the tubs and showers. For added allure, real estate sellers should display the best towels, mats and shower curtains.

Wake up prospects to the cozy comforts of your bedrooms. For a specious look, get rid of excess furniture. Colorful bedspreads and fresh curtains are a must if real estate sellers want buyers to be able to imagine relaxing there.

Let the sun shine in! Real estate sellers should pull back curtains and drapes so that prospects can see how bright and cheery the home is.

Turn on the excitement buy turning on all your lights – both inside and outside – when showing your home in the evening. Lights add color and warmth, and make prospects feel welcome.

Potential buyers often feel like intruders when they enter a home filled with people. Rather than giving your house the attention it deserves, they’re likely to hurry through. Real estate sellers should keep the company present to a minimum.

Dogs and cats are great companions, but not when real estate sellers are showing their homes. Pets have a talent for getting underfoot. So do everybody a favor: keep Kitty or Spot outside, or at least out of the way.

Rock-and-roll will never die. But it might kill a real estate transaction. When it’s time for a real estate seller to show the home, it’s time to turn down the stereo or TV.

It’s best if you’re not there when your home is being shown. However, if that’s not possible, be friendly – but it’s not necessary to force conversation. Prospects want to view the home with minimal distraction from the real estate seller.

No matter how humble your abode, never apologize for its shortcomings. If a prospect volunteers a derogatory comment about your home’s appearance, let your experienced Real Estate Associate handle the situation.

Nobody knows a home better than the real estate seller. But your Real Estate Sales Associates know buyers – what they need and what they want. Your Real Estate Associate will have an easier time articulating the virtues of your home if you stay in the background.

When prospects come to view your home, don’t distract them with offers to sell those furnishings you no longer need. You may lose the biggest sale of all.

When prospective buyers want to talk price, terms or other real estate matters, let them speak to an expert – your Real Estate Sales Associate. As the real estate seller, you might feel tempted to weigh in, but your two cents could cost you much more.

Real Estate Associates have an easier time selling homes if showings are scheduled through their offices. And real estate sellers appreciate the results.