Real Estate Information Archive

Why hasn’t my home sold?  Real estate agents all across the country are hearing this from their sellers during these hard market times.  This is the only market we have and the key is to increase your odds in getting your home sold.  There are several ways to accomplish this but it will take a little extra effort on your part and the agent you choose.

The marketplace today is loaded with inventory and the tough economy is not helping.  The number of foreclosures and short sales is still high and does not seem to be going away in the next several years.  That is why it is more important than ever to give your home its best shot at getting sold.

Here are some tips on positioning your home in today’s market to get it sold;

1.  The Agent You Choose.  All agents are not created equal.  You need to find an agent that is fulltime and knows the marketplace and has the latest tools to get your home sold.
2. Position Your Home to Sell.  Your agent can guide you here if they understand if they understand the basics of absorption rate and pricing.  Pricing will be vital and your initial market position has to be perfect to get it sold in a timely manner and get you to where you want to go.
3. Online Presence.  Make sure you have a good online presence.  According to surveys by the National Association of REALTORS^® 91% of home buyers start their search online.
4. Correct MLS Data.  If the potential home buyer is searching for particular features and your home is not coming up correctly in the MLS search your home may not get shown and have the possibility of selling.  This would not only include features but also the mapping of the home.
5. Great Photos.  Today with the home buyers starting their search online it is essential that you have not only a virtual tour but many thumbnails of pictures of the interior.  The photos need to be clear and give a good impression of the home.
6. Proper Prose.  Writing to paint a picture to capitalize on the emotion of living in the home is key to getting the showing.  Potential home buyers want to visualize themselves living in the home.
7. Be Realistic.  When an offer comes in, even if it is low work with the buyer to see if you can find common ground and do not just discount the offer.  In today’s market the old adage of “your first offer is usually the best” has never been truer.

These are just a few tips to selling a home in today’s tough economic times.  Audrey & Frank Serio, CRS understand this market and can assist you in getting your home sold in the Bethany Beach and Fenwick Island Delaware resorts.  Contact them today for all your real estate needs.

Audrey & Frank Serio, CRS

REMAX By The Sea

Frank@TheSerios.com

www.Facebook.com/TheSerios

Direct: 302.537.3171

302.541.5000

Remember just a few years ago if you wanted a cupcake you could get vanilla or chocolate and maybe just a few other flavors in between. Now all you see are elaborately flavored and decorated cupcakes. Today, it’s almost that way with buyers. Instead of a reasonably priced and relatively plain home in a nice area, many buyers have eaten one too many fancy cupcakes and want it all. Homes with sprinkles or a sparkler or two are the ones that sell.

Today’s most significant buyer’s range from young families to adults between the ages of 31 to 45. These buyers are in full course with their careers and are busy with their growing families and don’t have the time or money to update a house. They watch HGTV and are very well informed.  They also have strong opinions about design features their new home will include. Take a look at some of these items and ask yourself how your home stacks up if you decide to sell.

1. Buyers want a deal! We are in a very price sensitive market and buyers want to know that they are getting the most value for their money. Saying that, Buyers are willing to pay more for homes that are in model home condition but either won’t buy or will discount significantly a home that needs work.

2. Kitchens and Baths Sell Homes!  We know many Sellers do not like granite counters and stainless steel appliances but at this moment Buyers do! Bathrooms with dated tile should be updated and older vanities, sinks, medicine cabinets, hardware and light fixtures should be replaced.

3. Paint is an Easy Crowd Pleaser! Buyers want a house with a neutral palette to help them imagine their own decorating plans. Plain white, however, is mostly out and “Pottery Barn” colors are in. Wallpaper no matter how expensive and dear to a Seller must go as well as dated carpet. And, if you have carpet over hardwood floors, show the hardwoods. They are in and most desirable.

4. Let there be Light! Your brass or crystal Dining Room light fixture is no longer fashionable. Brush nickel and antique bronze are in. And, the overhead light fixtures that you have in your bedrooms and halls for the last 20 years must go. Good news, however, they are relatively cheap to replace.

5. Energy Efficiency! While most buyers won’t pay substantially more for  green” and “energy efficient” improvements, they do want to know what it will cost to heat and cool the house and they do question whether windows, doors, the furnace, air conditioner, and hot water heater have been replaced.

6. It’s Clean Up Time!  Buyers want a clean house. Not just a house where the beds are made and toys are put away but a house with clean windows, baseboards, siding, and refrigerators. Clean carpets, bathrooms, kitchens and flooring are essential as well. 

7. Smelly Houses Don’t Sell!  Any pet odors need to be eliminated, cooking food with strong odors (unless it’s bread or cookies) needs to be avoided, and if you are a smoker, your home will need to be de-odorized and you need to smoke outside-no kidding! If you do plan to sell, do not light any scented candles or install plug-ins. Today many Buyers and their families are allergic and will run out of a house no matter what the smell.

8. Oh Give Me Land!  Buyers want a home with a connection between indoor and outdoor spaces. So even if your lot is relatively small, landscape it, deck it, fence it or do whatever is necessary to create a perception of another wonderful living area, even if that area is used only part of the year.

9. Size Matters! Buyers want more storage space as well as flexibility in the garage. If you have a storage room or area, make it look big by straightening it up and getting rid of anything that you haven’t touched in years or that you don’t plan to take with you. If you have a garage, clear it out so that cars can easily fit in. And if you have a carport, the only thing visible should be your car.

10.  Beauty Counts! Today’s buyers start their search on the Internet and if they are not impressed by the pictures they see, they are not coming in.  You simply don’t get a 2^nd chance to make a 1^st impression. To help you make your first impression GREAT, call Audrey & Frank Serio, CRS today at 302.537.3171 or visit us at www.TheSerios.com.

Contact Audrey & Frank Serio, CRS for all your real estate needs.

Serving Fenwick Island and Bethany Beach DE and surrounding areas.