Happy tax day! Hopefully today has found you in a happy mood because you have a little cash coming back to you… Today I have a little light reading for you to enjoy.
Following are two articles that are worth your time:
The byline for the first article hits the nail on the head: “The longer your house sits on the market, the less cash it commands.” That’s it. If you have a number in your head of an offer you’d accept, you need to sell it quickly. No, it doesn’t have to be in a week. But 120 days is definitely too long. The longer it sits, the more concessions you’ll have to make.
You need to have your home ready to be lived in by someone else… to be sold right out of the selling gate. My suggestion: wait to have your home listed until you have it in the best shape possible. Remember: patience is a virtue.
Should a dark room be repainted? The carpet cleaned? By waiting a few days you may gain thousands of dollars because it shows well instantly.
Next, determine if there are other homes in your neighborhood for sale. This is key in determining the listing price for your home.
Do you want to price it lower than other homes in your neighborhood? That way if it comes down to just price for a buyer, you win.
Or do you price it according to the amenities in your home? Do you have upgraded counters? Cabinets? Finished basement?
That way if a buyer compares multiple homes they can plainly see why your home is priced higher. You’ll come out ahead in this situation if the buyer’s comparing more than just the price of each home.
But, the problem with this strategy is often times, because of our current economy, price is playing a larger role for buyers than in years past.
In the end, both you and I need to be comfortable with the listing price. Pricing is not rocket science and many times small things will go far. Be patient, take an honest look and proceed full-bore. Or something like that.
Research = Savings. They state “agents will almost always tell you the time to buy is now.” I agree. It seems to be either a great time to buy or a great time to sell… What can you do to sift through all the talk? They say to “look for average for sale time that the home is on the market and average selling prices.” I wonder where you can find local real estate information?
Price your home correctly from the get-go. You may have a gut feeling about what your home is worth… But you must trust your agent. But, make sure your agent can back it up with comps from homes that have sold as well as currently on the market. Use these comps as part of your research… My thoughts on pricing: your home must be memorable in order to sell. If your home is memorable at $125,000 but ho-hum at $140,000…will it sell at $140,000?
Looks do matter. The prettiest girls at the dance are the ones who get to choose. Improve your home so it’s move-in ready at the right price.
Still have questions? I have answers! Click here to see how easy it is to get the answers you need.
Take a look. The presentation is just under 3:00 in length. It’s a fresh look at 10 proven tips to help get your home sold.
I’ve talked before about covering all the bases when marketing your home, it’s also important for you to have your home appeal to as many possible buyers as possible. This video will help.
Similarly, when you begin to think about selling your home it’s important to hire a Realtor with a strong marketing strategy in order to maximize your sale price while also minimizing the amount of time your home is for sale.
We’re half way through January, heading quickly to February and then soon after that spring will be here again.
As we move past the holiday season I want to encourage you to take a look at your real estate holdings.
Your home, your second home, your rental(s), or maybe the fact that you’re currently not a homeowner.
Why? Now may be an excellent time to jump into our real estate market. John Deininger, Realtors Association of South Central Wisconsin executive director, recently stated:
Some people do understand that getting into the market right now, whether it’s in stock equities, or real estate; will allow them to find opportunities that may not exist in the future. It’s a great time to buy, and I predict people will look back at the opportunities that currently exist and regret sitting on their hands.
More confirmation: Currently the average days a home has been on the market in the entire Wisconsin Rapids area is 200. Compare that to the average of 135 days on the market for a home that sold during 2008.
What does that mean? Odds are the best homes will have sold before it’s been on the market for 200 days. If you’re a little creative, a little handy and take a blind eye to wallpaper and bold colors you can find your diamond in the rough.
Obviously you cannot predict the motivation of every Wisconsin Rapids home seller, but to me if my home has been on the market for 6+ months I’m a bit edgy and am willing to negotiate with buyers.
If you want to talk about taking advantage of these opportunities click here to contact me today. Now may be the best time of year to start your search–homes that are on the market have gone through the winter with very few showings, plus with spring coming more homes will start to come on the market.
Selling your Wisconsin Rapids home during the holiday season brings with it many challenges. Not the least of which is how much holiday decorating should you do when your home is for sale?
It’s important to be as tasteful as possible with your decorations. Decorating your home for the holidays is very similar to staging your home when it initially went on the market.
Following is a list of simple, easy to implement ideas that will not only allow you to enjoy the holiday’s, but also to continue to market your home:
Add tasteful, generic decorations. Keep your decorations generic, simple and elegant. Think minimalist-”one wreath, one tree, one dining room centerpiece.” Also, be wary of using religious symbols.
Trade nonseasonal for seasonal decorations. Ballinger calls for trading one seasonal decoration for one nonseasonal decoration.
Don’t imitate Scrooge. Buyers are expecting to see some decorations… So indulge them.
Think green, metallic and white. Think classical and again, elegant. By staying away from the stereotypical reds and greens you’re making a positive lasting impression with buyers.
Remember the joy of entertaining. The holiday season is a very emotional time of year for many, stage your home so it looks inviting for a holiday party.
Be mindful of valuable gifts. Keep all expensive gifts and heirlooms out of view. Although, you’d like to trust everyone, it’s not worth losing your great grandmothers china or your daughter’s new iPod.
Keep decorations up for a limited time. Although most homeowners keep decorations up well into January or later (myself included) experts suggest keeping decorations up for two weeks prior to Christmas and two weeks after.
Add warmth and energy. Before you leave for a showing turn your Christmas lights on and start a fire. The Christmas lights will help illuminate your homes exterior and make it safer for buyers and agents.
Minimize smells. Think holiday aromas-baked goods and live greens. These smells are very calming…
Play soothing music. Experts say this is when you should stray from season selections. Instead choose favorites that are appealing year round.
Use timely marketing materials. Any marketing pictures that were obviously taken in the summer need to be swapped out. Why? It shows buyers that your home has been on the market for awhile.
Remember winters threat. Keep your walkways and driveways free and clear of all ice and snow.
These tips will help show your home in the best possible light this holiday season.
We’re half way through January, heading quickly to February and then soon after that spring will be here again.
PHONE: (608) 542-0178
My name is Adam Holberg and I’m a Realtor with First Weber of Wisconsin Rapids. This website is designed to inform and help bring conversation to a topic I love, real estate.