The Perfect Storm for Home Sellers Is on the Horizon

This summer is shaping up to be the perfect storm for home sellers in our market. However, you need to act fast.

If you’ve been considering selling your home, now is the time to do it. This summer is shaping up to be one of the most favorable seasons in recent years to sell your home quickly and for top dollar. 

However, this moment won’t last forever. 

Mortgage rates are still very low. Right now, the 30-year mortgage rate has dipped to 3.9%, which is far from the 4.5% experts predicted for 2017. These continuing low mortgage rates translate into more affordable homes and eager buyers looking to lock in these low rates while they last. 

We’ve seen this eagerness in action lately. Demand is so strong that home sales actually increased in both April and May, despite the fact that the supply of homes on the market is currently at a seven-year low. As a result of strong demand and tight inventory, home prices reached a record high this May, rising 6% compared to May 2016. It was the 63rd straight month of year-over-year gains.

"If you’re thinking of selling your home, the time to do so is now."

What does this mean for you?

These conditions make it very easy for you to sell your home right away for a very favorable price, but they also point to a correction which might appear soon in our market. For example, the increase in sales numbers is likely to push up mortgage rates, making it less affordable for buyers to buy. The ongoing Federal Reserve rate hike might contribute to this as well. 

Furthermore, the continuing demand and high home prices will eventually spur construction of new homes. The record-high confidence levels reported recently the National Association of Homebuilders support this. All this new construction will certainly impact the growth of home prices, and might even drive them down. 

So, again, if you’re thinking of selling your home, the time to do so is now. 

If you have any questions about our current market or need help getting started on selling your home quickly and for top dollar, don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email. I’d be happy to help.

6 Tips for Home Sellers With Pets

If you own any pets, there are six additional steps that you need to take in order to have a successful home sale.

There are many steps involved in the home selling process. If you own pets, there are a few additional steps you should take in order to have a successful home sale: 

1. Check your insurance. Although you know that your pets would never hurt anyone, they could mistake a potential buyer for an intruder and scratch or bite the buyer. You would be held liable for any harm that your pet causes, so make sure that your homeowners insurance protects you. 

2. Prepare your yard. Buyers will walk through your yard, and that stroll will be ruined if they step in a mess or roll their ankle where your dog likes to dig. Make sure that you double bag the waste before disposing so that your garbage cans don’t smell when buyers walk past. Fill all of the holes in the backyard and sprinkle grass seed on top.

Before you put your house on the market, make sure that your yard is a green oasis. Pet waste can create brown or yellow spots in your lawn. Aerate the lawn, seed worn spots, or replace ugly patches with new sod. Then, train your pet to use a different spot or take them for long walks. 

3. Remove odors. This is one of the biggest challenges for pet owners. It is easy to clean the cat’s litter box and put it away, but it’s harder to erase years of piddle from rugs and hardwood floors. If a bacteria-eating pet odor remover doesn’t quite work, you may need to hire a professional to clean your carpets. In extreme cases, you may even need to replace those carpets. You should also clean turtle, hamster, or guinea pig cages before showings, and make those fish tanks sparkle. 

4. Clean up the hair. Not only does a layer of pet hair on the floor make your house look messy, it can also trigger allergies and send buyers sneezing out the door. Before each showing, vacuum and dust to remove settled hair and dander. If your pet sheds, brush them outside so you don’t have hair flying around the house. Regularly grooming your pet helps reduce shedding, too. 

5. Hide the evidence. When you have a pet, you tend to accumulate a lot of stuff: sweaters, toys, leashes, food, and more. No matter how adorable you think everything is, buyers will only see clutter. Stow your pets’ items in a closet or cupboard, put dry food bins in the laundry room, and wash pet beds to remove odors. 

"Set up a play date for your pet during home showings."

6. Say goodbye to your pets, just for a while. If you decide to leave them at home during showings, crate your pets or confine them to a special area of the house. Make sure the agent knows where they are! Keep your pets busy with long-lasting treats or interactive toys. However, it is best for everyone if you make a play date for your pet or send them to grandma’s house during the showing. 

If you have any other questions about the home selling process, just give us a call or send us an email. We would be happy to help you!

Don't Step in These Pitfalls When Selling Your Home

When you sell your home, there are some common pitfalls you’ll want to avoid. Falling into any of these traps can severely hurt your bottom line.

When you sell your home, there are some common pitfalls that you need to look out for.

The way you price your home can make a major difference in the type of traffic your home generates, as well as the types of offers you will receive.  If you price too high, you may overprice your home out of the market. Homebuyers typically search for homes within specific price ranges, so if you’re outside their range, they might not even know your home is listed at all.

You also want to avoid letting your home sit on the market because homes that sit on the market do not look good to buyers. They see the cumulative number of days your home has been on the market and wonder what’s wrong with it, which affects your bottom line.

An appraisal will reveal the home’s true market value by determining what homes are selling for in your area. If your home is overpriced, your home will reflect that and you might have to go back to the drawing board to re-negotiate your price.

An appraisal will reveal your home’s true market value.

Overpriced homes also take a long time to sell, and if you’re looking to move on in your life, this could delay your progress. When you price your home, you want to sit down with your Realtor to come up with a price together that reflects exactly what the market tells you.

If you have any questions for us or you’re thinking of buying or selling a home, don’t hesitate to reach out to us. We’d love to help you!

How to Sell Your Home During the Fall & Winter

Today we’re here with our top six home selling tips for those of you whose homes are on the market this fall and winter.

Should you sell your home during the fall and winter? We think the answer is absolutely yes! However, there are a few things you have to do differently this time of year if you want to have a successful home sale. Here are our top tips for selling during the fall and winter months:

1. Pay close attention to your curb appeal. If you can’t resist the temptation to buy every decorative pumpkin and gourd on the market, we feel your pain. When it comes to decorating your front porch, there is a slippery slope between a nicely decorated porch and a farmer’s market. The idea is to enhance your curb appeal, not obscure it. While too many fall decorations will take the focus off your home and its best features, a few tasteful accents will make your home feel inviting and fresh.

You also want to make sure that all of the fallen leaves haven’t taken a toll on your yard. Buyers may be understanding if there are leaves in your yard because they are dealing with the same thing, but that doesn’t mean your home will make a good first impression. Do your best to make sure your yard is neat and tidy before showings.

2. Go easy on the holiday displays. Tasteful displays will show the home in its best light. Outfitting your home to compete with the Griswolds will make your home a spectacle, but won’t necessarily make it sellable. Remember, less is more.

Decorate your home for the holidays, but not like the Griswolds would!

3. Always make sure that your blinds are open and the windows are sparkling when trying to sell your home. It is especially important to maximize the light in your home during the short winter days. Light will make your home look larger, fresher, and highlight your home’s best features. Place plenty of lamps throughout the home for additional illumination.

4. Make your space inviting. As the weather cools down, a warm and cozy atmosphere will make the buyers feel at home. Use plush throws on the couch and beds and add seasonal pillows to your chairs. You can even display fall foliage or seasonal fruit in vases or bowls throughout the home.

5. Prepare your fireplace. A roaring fireplace in your home gives a welcoming feeling to buyers during showings. If you aren’t comfortable with getting a fire going, make sure the fireplace is clean. Scrub the doors, sweep out the chimney, and touch up any peeling paint. A nice stack of firewood nearby will help your fireplace stand out.

6. Use fall scents to your advantage. Everyone loves cinnamon, pumpkin spice, and vanilla at this time of the year. Light a few candles and let these scents flow through your home to create a powerful connection with buyers.

These tips will definitely help your home appeal to buyers this fall and winter. If you have any other questions about the home selling process or about real estate in general, give us a call or send us an email. We would be happy to help you!