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Showing posts with label Home Seller Tips. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Home Seller Tips. Show all posts
Today I’m bringing you a look at a listing my team and I took over after it failed to sell with another company. Before we got our hands on this property, it had sat on the market unsuccessfully for 180 days. In just a quarter of the time it was on the market with the previous company, my team and I were able to find this home a buyer. So, how did we achieve this? Watch this short video to find out.
Today I’ve compiled a list of home updates that you should avoid before putting your home on the market.
1. Wallpaper. As a rule of thumb it won’t give you back the investment that you put in, primarily because it’s a specific choice that’s personal to you.
2. Flooring. You don’t want to replace carpet with more carpet. There are a lot of hard surfaces out there that are reasonably priced that will appeal to more buyers.
3. Lavish lighting. There are a lot of beautiful options out there for light fixtures. You want to keep your choice simple and plain, instead of choosing lighting that is too trendy.
Paint is a critical piece to any listed property.
4. Paint. Paint is a critical piece to any listed property. You want to make sure that you don’t have loud colors, dark accent walls, or super bright rooms. You want to paint in neutral colors that no one will complain about.
5. Pools. Appraisers won’t give you value with that pool, and buyers won’t understand how much it costs. It’s a great addition if you want it for you and your family, but don’t install a pool for the sole purpose of adding value to your home, as it won’t.
If you have any other real estate questions or you’re looking to buy or sell a home, please give me a call. I’d be happy to help!
With property values here in Atlanta going up, we've received a lot of questions about Zillow Zestimates lately. The Zestimate is a value estimation that Zillow comes up with for your property. The No. 1 question about them is whether they're accurate and trustworthy, and how they even come up with this value.
The Zestimate is a proprietary algorithm that uses things like public data and tax records to estimate your home's value, but there are many things that they can't consider with an algorithm.
For one, Zillow's algorithm can't take your area or neighborhood into consideration. If, for example, you're in a cookie-cutter new construction neighborhood with similar houses and a small handful of floor plans, it will actually be a little more accurate. However, if your property is unique or has been renovated or is just very different than the other properties around it, you need to be aware that Zestimates can't account for this. They also can't account for any upgrades you've done in your home, which can add significant value.
Zillow can't take your neighborhood into consideration.
Also, remember that Zillow has a margin of error of about 7%. Think about that in terms of a $300,000 house; that's a lot of money! That could cause the price to be overinflated by $20,000 or it could cause you to leave money on the table.
So be careful with Zillow Zestimates when you're thinking of selling your home as they can't account for some very important factors in your home. If you'd like a custom valuation of your home or you have any questions about the Atlanta real estate market, don't hesitate to give me a call or send me an email soon. I'd love to hear from you!
Now that fall is winding down and winter is right around the corner, I have five tips to help you get your home ready for sale during the holiday season:
1. Maintain good curb appeal. How your house looks from the street matters a great deal. I’ve had clients get excited about a property they saw online only to not even want to get out of their car once they saw it in person because the yard was a mess. Granted, it’s that time of year when leaves and pine needles are falling like raindrops, so buyers understand that your yard won’t be immaculate at all times, but an unkempt yard doesn’t leave a very good first impression. To get a sense of what impression your house gives, it never hurts to ask a neighbor their honest opinion about it.
2. Go easy on the holiday displays. We all love an ornately decorated house, but too much holiday tableaux can be distracting in the eyes of a buyer. Tone down your decorations to make sure your house doesn’t go overboard.
Your home’s temperature shouldn’t be the only thing that feels inviting.
3. Make sure your home is warm and inviting. As the weather cools down and everyone’s walk from the car to the front door gets more and more discomforting, you don’t want your home’s temperature to be the only thing that feels inviting. Try using some plush throws on your sofas and beds, or add some seasonal foliage in your vases. Those kinds of touches make your home seem less like a stranger’s house. To really accentuate the aesthetic, let in as much natural light as possible.
4. Prepare your fireplace. There’s nothing better than walking into a home that has a fireplace crackling. If you have a fireplace, make sure yours is good to go before lighting it up by cleaning out the interior and making sure the chimney is functional.
5. Elevate your scents and sounds. To capture the true ambiance of the holidays, your house must smell like the holidays. I’m talking about vanilla, pumpkin spice, and apple pie. These scents make people feel cozy. I also always tell my clients to have some smooth jazz playing in the background. Not only does it set the mood, but it can also potentially cover up the sound of a leaky floorboard or other noises you don’t want any mingling buyers to hone in on.
If you have any questions about this or any other real estate-related topic, please don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Happy holidays!
I talked with a client earlier this week who was nervous about putting his house on the market during the fall and winter. However, fall and winter are great seasons for home sellers. Why?
The summer selling season is over. Although there are fewer buyers in the market at during the fall and winter, the buyers who are out looking tend to be more serious this time of year. During the summer, you get a lot of tire kickers who are just checking out houses without any time frame or commitment. Buyers this time of year actually want to make a deal.
Buyers are more motivated this time of year.
We already have a limited supply of homes out there, so when a home comes on the market, buyers are highly motivated to make an offer.
Home sales are up 16% year over year, while new listings are only up 8%. Our supply is simply unable to keep up with demand. New listings aren’t hitting the market fast enough for buyers, which puts sellers in a great position. By listing in the fall or winter, you also get to take advantage of the pent-up demand left over from the summer market. Due to our housing shortage, many buyers were unable to get a house this summer, and they want to find a house this fall.
Ultimately, it is not too late to sell your home this year. If you have any other questions about selling your home in the fall or winter market, just give me a call. I would be happy to help you!
