Tag Archives: Real Estate Agent

Realty Check – Fall May Be a Good Time to Sell

The Sacramento/Tahoe housing market has been strong this year. There have been stories of crowded open houses, multiple offers on some listings, and even bidding wars on specific properties that push prices skyward. Now that fall has arrived, some homeowners may believe that they have missed their window of opportunity to sell and that they should wait until next spring. Don’t be fooled; this may actually be a very good time to sell your home.A combination of continued demand from serious buyers, a lack of available inventory in many of our markets, ongoing relocations into the Sacramento/Tahoe, and a warm, cozy feeling from homes over the holidays all add up as good reasons for why autumn may be a better time to list a home than most people realize. Consider all of the following:

Continued demand from buyers. As anyone who’s followed the news this year knows, there have been more buyers than sellers for homes in the Sacramento/Tahoe. While the number of potential buyers at open houses may have dropped off in recent weeks—which is traditionally expected during the fall—there is still far more “traffic” than we usually see at this time of year.
“Serious buyers” in the market now. During the fall months, there tend to be fewer “lookers” than in the spring and summer, and more serious buyers. These are often people who must buy for specific reasons, such as employment relocation. As a result, they are more likely to act quickly when they find the right property.
A lack of available inventory. The number of listings has been relatively low all year compared to historical averages. The shortage of available inventory has helped to push prices higher in some areas. It is expected that this time of year there will be even fewer homes than the months preceding it, and that can mean less competition and more potential buyer attention for your listing.
Great natural “staging” this time of year. There’s a certain warm feeling that comes with being in a home during the holidays. Homes just feel friendlier and cozier with holiday decorations, the fireplace glowing in the living room, and special cookies baking in the oven. These holiday touches can help “stage” a home, giving it the very best possible look and feel to sell. Buyers who walk into a home during the holidays may have an easier time envisioning their family at happy gatherings there, too.

If you’re thinking about selling your home in the fall, there are a few things you should be doing. Start with improving your “curb appeal.” Clean up flowerbeds and rake any leaves on the lawn. Make sure weeds are pulled and shrubs are pruned. In the backyard, put away any summer items like pool toys. In general, keep things clean and neat.

Embrace the holiday season and use appropriate decor. Keep decorations in tune with the holiday that’s approaching. Doing so can help potential buyers see themselves and their families enjoying the same holidays in your home. But be careful not to overdo it.

It’s also important to price your home properly. Your REALTOR® can help you determine the appropriate price – based upon recent comparable home sales in your area and the anticipated inventory of available homes. Pricing your home correctly can increase the chances of getting a good offer faster.

Finally, it’s more important than ever to work with an experienced real estate professional. Look for an agent that has a solid track record in your community and can provide you with good advice on how best to prepare and market your home during the fall season.

While fall is not traditionally seen as the best time to sell a home, as explained above, there are a lot of advantages to listing your home now – especially at a time when others might shy away from selling. With a few simple steps, you just may find that selling your home this fall may be the best move you’ll ever make.

Start building your memories,
as you turn your house into a home.

As you might guess, this document is a compilation of information from our own efforts as REALTORS, as well as input from other REALTORS in our Coldwell Banker office. I hope it has been of value to you. Don’t hesitate to email us with any suggestions that will make this document better for you and your fellow homeowners!

Be sure to follow us on Facebook at www.Facebook.com/ElkGroveRealEstate. For information about properties available for sale and for more information for buyers and sellers, please visit our website at www.ElkGroveRealEstate.com and don’t hesitate to give us a call or drop us an email with your questions.

WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it: Jack Edwards, your real estate advocate, specializes in helping buyers and sellers in Elk Grove, CA, and the greater Sacramento area. Get information about available homes online at: www.ElkGroveRealEstate.comOur mobile clients can find us at Mobile.ElkGroveRealEstate.com BRE License # 01331087

©2013 Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. All Rights Reserved. Coldwell Banker® is a registered trademark licensed to Coldwell Banker Real Estate LLC. An Equal Opportunity Company. Equal Housing Opportunity. Each Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage Office Is Owned by a Subsidiary of NRT LLC. If your property is listed with a real estate broker, please disregard. BRE License #01908304

One Cool Thing — Negotiating the Deal

Start building your memories,
as you turn your house into a home.

One Cool Thing — Do You Love the Home, or is it Just a Crush?

Start building your memories,
as you turn your house into a home.

Realty Check – Now May Be a Good Time For Move Up Buyers

You’re beginning to feel a little cramped in that home that seemed so perfect several years ago. There just aren’t enough bedrooms anymore, or adequate storage space or a big enough back yard for the kids and the dog to play. Or maybe there is another little one on the way – a baby, not a dog!

Many local residents are facing a similar dilemma these days. While that small bungalow or rancher made perfect sense back when you bought it, you are quickly realizing that you have outgrown your home. The good news is that this may actually be a good time to move up to a larger home or one in a neighborhood you’ve been eyeing.

Up until recently, many homeowners who bought just before the peak of the housing market had little opportunity to move up to a larger home. Many of them were “underwater” on their mortgage, meaning they owed more on their loan than the home was worth. But that has changed in the past couple of years.

The number of homeowners who are seriously underwater on their mortgage, meaning their debt exceeds their home value by 25% or more, has fallen since the recession, according to housing data firm RealtyTrac. The number dropped to just 17% nationwide in the first quarter of 2014, down from 26% a year ago. That statistic indicates that more homeowners may be able to pull equity out of their properties to move up to another home.

With home prices in Northern California steadily rising, there’s a good chance your home is worth more than you think.

Getting into a larger home isn’t the only reason homeowners typically think about moving. Others consider “trading spaces” because of job relocations or a desire to get into a certain school district or simply because they’ve been pining after that dream home in a nicer neighborhood. Others may actually be thinking about downsizing as they enter retirement or leaving the area for a retirement destination elsewhere.

If you’ve been kicking around the idea of moving up, downsizing or simply trading spaces, there are several reasons why the current housing market may work in your favor right now:

Entry-level homes are in greater demand. One of the hottest segments of the housing market has been low to mid-priced homes in many communities. Well-qualified first-time buyers and others are out there looking for a home while interest rates are still historically low and prices are relatively affordable. In some areas, there are multiple offers for the best properties.
Inventory is still low. The number of homes on the market remains very low by historical standards. While there’s no shortage of buyers these days, there certainly is a shortage of good home listings for them to pick from in many areas. The law of supply and demand may work in your favor.
Mortgage rates are still near historic lows. Low rates help make homes more affordable -– including yours and the home you want to move up to. With 30-year fixed rate mortgages still hovering in the low 4% range, buyers can stretch their housing dollars a lot further these days.

Making the decision to move up to a larger home is just the beginning, of course. There are a myriad of issues that go into selling your existing home and getting into a move-up property that’s just right for you. That’s where a professional REALTOR® can help. Working with a seasoned agent who knows your market may be the best move you ever make. Give me a call or send me an e-mail and we’ll get started today!

Start building your memories,
as you turn your house into a home.

One Cool Thing – Offers Above the Asking Price

Two weeks ago we talked about multiple offers, and now we broach the subject of offers that exceed the asking price.

Generally, they go hand-in-hand. If you are receiving multiple officers, some will exceed the listing price. Sometimes by 10-20% above list as the multitude of buyers fight over the limited number of listings. Bear in mind that the graphic below does not say that the offers were 50% above the list price; it really says that 50% of the offers that were received by sellers were above the list price.

We at ElkGroveRealEstate.com can help you negotiate these difficult waters.

Keep in mind that excessive offers above the list price have a very good chance of not going through because the house does not appraise for the higher amount!!!

Start building your memories,
as you turn your house into a home.

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Tag Archives: Real Estate Agent

Realty Check – Fall May Be a Good Time to Sell

Start building your memories,
as you turn your house into a home.

One Cool Thing — Negotiating the Deal

Start building your memories,
as you turn your house into a home.

One Cool Thing — Do You Love the Home, or is it Just a Crush?

Start building your memories,
as you turn your house into a home.

Realty Check – Now May Be a Good Time For Move Up Buyers

Start building your memories,
as you turn your house into a home.

One Cool Thing – Offers Above the Asking Price

Did the seller receive offers above the asking price?

Two weeks ago we talked about multiple offers, and now we broach the subject of offers that exceed the asking price.

We at ElkGroveRealEstate.com can help you negotiate these difficult waters.

Keep in mind that excessive offers above the list price have a very good chance of not going through because the house does not appraise for the higher amount!!!

Start building your memories,
as you turn your house into a home.

Start building your memories, as you turn your house into a home.

Start building your memories, as you turn your house into a home.

Start building your memories, as you turn your house into a home.

Start building your memories, as you turn your house into a home.

Did the seller receive offers above the asking price?

Two weeks ago we talked about multiple offers, and now we broach the subject of offers that exceed the asking price.

We at ElkGroveRealEstate.com can help you negotiate these difficult waters.

Keep in mind that excessive offers above the list price have a very good chance of not going through because the house does not appraise for the higher amount!!!

Start building your memories, as you turn your house into a home.

Start building your memories,
as you turn your house into a home.

Start building your memories,
as you turn your house into a home.

Start building your memories,
as you turn your house into a home.

Start building your memories,
as you turn your house into a home.

Start building your memories,
as you turn your house into a home.