Most real estate markets are turning around fast, and with home values we haven’t seen in years. Many families have wanted to sell or move over the past 4 years but couldn’t because of what they owed on the home versus what they could sell the home for if they listed it. No one likes to bring money to the table to get out of a commitment. So many people sat tight and waited it out. Well, it looks like the wait is over. So, if you are one of those people who want to sell here are some great tips to get your home ready. For a home to sell it must meet 3 conditions, Condition, Location and Pricing.
Condition: When considering listing a home a seller should always have a pre-home inspection done. This will help find issues with the home that might cause a buyer to terminate their contract and alleviate the wasted time and having to place the home back on the market. Home maintenance is very important and can be costly if you wait too long to correct things. This expense is usually around $500 but very worth it when you are selling your home. A lot of times if you correct everything it can add more value to the listing and if nothing more your peace of mind that when a buyer does their inspection they won’t find a thing. Some of the things I see as a Realtor that is always neglected are trim and soffits on the outside of a home. This is an easy fix and usually not too expensive. What happens is usually the water from the gutters finds its way out of the gutter and dampens the wood over a long period of time, causing it to rot. The same thing happens with windows when they have screens on them. Dirt and water gets trapped on the inside and rots out the bottom of the window area. Vapor barriers are another thing that people don’t have in crawl spaces that will create a few problems over time. This too is an easy fix and can save thousands of dollars in damages if not done. Over the past 40 years so many products have hit the markets whether it be press board siding versus hardy plank siding. You also have various types of plumbing which have been various lawsuits as well. When buying a used home or older home there will always be maintenance and if that maintenance isn’t done then things will break down. Whether you are buying or selling a home you must take this position into consideration. So, the old sayings go an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.
Location: Everyone knows those three little words related to Real Estate ~ LOCATION, LOCATION, & LOCATION and there is a lot of truth to that statement. What makes a location so important and does your location have the desirability to get more dollars for your home? Let’s take downtown Atlanta next to Piedmont Park. These homes and condos are well sought out and people pay top dollar for them. Why? Because of several factors the park first of all. There are many restaurants, shops and now the Atlanta Belt Line. There are great events and high ranking schools. Its elected leaders have kept the community clean, updated and most of all forward thinking with their neighborhoods. If your community has “Quality of Life” then your location will be desirable and people will pay top dollar to live there. If it doesn’t have “Quality of Life” you will get transient people who may or may not help take care of a community. Most of the time transient people don’t really care and that will become apparent the minute you enter into a neighborhood. So, how does your neighborhood rank if you were looking at your community, neighborhood, and location would you buy your home today for the price you want to list it for? Well if you overprice your home then that is what your are actually doing.
Pricing: This is one of the most important things in listing a home. We all want to get the most out of what we have. We also feel we have something better than anyone else because it is ours. However there is that perspective and the truth and depending on what you accept will be whether you sell or not. If your home is overpriced you will sit through the best months of this year without a contract. I always suggest a seller to consider the reason they are selling their home. If your big why is something greater than money then focus on your big why. Have you ever noticed in this life whatever we focus on is what expands? Think about that for a minute. When you focus on love that is what expands. When you focus on hate that too is what will expand. So take that same principle and focus on what you want to expand or accomplish and you will get there with greater ease. Once you focus on the primary reason you are selling your home the sooner you will get there. I have seen many people, loose great buyers, all because of a few thousand dollars or a few minor repairs that could have been fixed very easily. However, this journey is always an emotional one and trying to remove the emotions can be difficult. Just because you accept a lower price for your home doesn’t mean it devalues all the great memories you and your family made while living there.
To reach Rodney Camren please call (404) 375-1496 or email rodney@starteamatlanta.com.
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