While this may not be news to some, this is the first I’ve seen of it, but Overstock.com, the discount warehouse website that sells everything from books and DVD’s to appliances and flat screen TV’s, is now jumping on the real estate listing bandwagon. I’m signed up to receive Overstock’s daily specials email and the one they sent today is promoting their real estate portal.
Here’s a screen shot of the emaill:
From what it looks like, you pay a flat fee to have your house listed in their portal. There are also a few other add on services that might be attractive to someone looking to sell their Rock Hill SC, Fort Mill SC, or Charlotte NC home by themselves, but as always, there are pitfalls to selling your home this way.
Yes, you save money on the real estate commission, but you’re left to your own devices to see that all the paperwork goes through smoothly, that the inspections are done properly, and that at the end of the day you’re protected from any type of negligence or lawsuit. Real estate can be a complicated game and while it’s definitely possible to navigate alone, it sure is a lot easier when you have a professional working with you.
So, aside from the obvious revenue Overstock generates from the listings, why would they get into the Internet real estate game?
Well, if you didn’t already know this, over 80% of all real estate transactions these days begins on the Internet. And that percentage is only going to continue to increase. So, if such a high number of people are online searching for real estate, and with Overstock’s huge online presence, it’s a great way for them to increase their online exposure.
As people are searching for their dream home in Rock Hill SC online, they may stumble upon Overstock’s new real estate website and decide to check it out. While their on the website searching for their dream home, they’ll be developing a relationship with Overstock.com that, if they didn’t already know who they were, might lead them to check out their primary e-commerce website.
You see, it’s all about exposure and developing a relationship with people. The more eyeballs you can be exposed to, and the better job you do at developing a relationship with those people, there more chance you have of making a sale for your product or service.
So, kudos to Overstock.com for jumping into the online real estate game. If you’re curious, the website is http://realestate.overstock.com
Is it a worthwhile investment for someone hoping to sell their home? Possibly. Again, the more people that see what you have to offer, the better your chance of someone that likes it finding it and ultimately making you an offer.
In the game of real estate, or just business in general, it’s about exposure.
If you have a home or property in the Rock Hill SC, Fort Mill SC, Tega Cay SC, Lancaster SC, or South Charlotte NC area you’d like to get increased exposure for, I’d love to share with you how my inovative marketing solutions can help you increase the exposure you get.
Give me a call today and let’s get your home sold!
Filed under Carolina Real Estate, Charlotte NC, Fort Mill SC, FSBO's, Home Sellers, Marketing, Rock Hill SC, Sell Your Home by 
To continue with the post I made a few days ago, I wanted to give you a few more questions you should ask your mortgage lender to ensure you’re not being taken for a ride.
What’s my minimum required down payment?
This one’s kind of important since it will tell you exactly how much money you’ll need to put down in order to get into your dream home. Different lenders have different requirements, as do different lending programs, so the only way to find out is to ask.
Will there be prepayment penalties?
This is another big one since many people plan on paying off their mortgage early. It’s much better to find out right now if you’re going to have to worry about paying prepayment penalties for getting it paid off early, than to breathe that big sigh of relief as you write what you think is the last check, only to find out you’re going to get hit with massive penalties.
How long will it take to close the loan?
The average closing is typically between 30-45 days from the time the final offer is accepted, but it is possible to close much faster. It really comes down to all pertinent parties involved, the buyer, the seller, and the lender. If you need to close in 10 days, even though it’ll be a mad dash to the finish, it’s certainly a possibility so be sure to ask your lender how quickly you can take care of things.
Is there anything that might delay my loan?
This is a question that will help you avoid a lot of stress, head aches, and heart ache during the loan origination process. Asking your lender what they need upfront, and then following up to find out if there’s anything that might delay the load is simply a good idea so you can avoid any unnecessary delays in getting to the closing table.
What documentation will you need?
This is another one that will simply save you time, headeaches, and hassles as the lender works through their process. Also, it’s extremely important (and relevant) for you to stay in touch with your realtor during this time in case something comes up that they need you to provide. Although you should have a good indictation as to what documents might be missing.
Overall, the process of buying or selling a home can be quite stressful. But being an informed consumer can really help you feel more confident about the process AND make sue you’re banking a good future.
Filed under Carolina Real Estate, Credit Repair, FSBO's, Home Sellers, Marketing, Mortgage Rates by
Even though the Rock Hill/Fort Mill, SC real estate market remains strong in comparison to other areas of the country, there’s no doubt it’s currently a buyer’s market. So if you have a home you’re thinking about selling or already have on the market, here are a few suggestions to help you get the quickest sales, at the highest price possible.
First, take a look at what else is on the market and figure out what you can do to make your’s stick out. If 9 out of 10 homes aren’t selling, look at the 1 that is and do what they did. In most cases, I imagine it’s selling because it’s in the best condition, has the fewest repairs needed, or does the best job of helping potential buyers living there without too much hassle. Your home needs to match that criteria.
Second, be sure to get high quality photos that really highlight your home’s features. Nowadays, roughly 85% of home searches begin online and in most cases, the homes that have the most pictures available are the ones that get the most action. That’s because people like to do as much work online as possible before actually hitting the pavement.
If you only have one or two pictures, they’re not very high quality, or they don’t do anything to excite potential buyers, chances are your home will sit on the market longer than it should.
Third, price your home to sell. Don’t make the mistake of thinking you need to price your home high in order to get the most at the closing table because again, it will end up sitting on the marketing longer than it should.
To avoid overpricing your home, take a look at comparable properties that have sold recently in your area. Then take into account any positives or negatives that could impact the price. Negatives include bad locations (next to a busy intersection, liquor store next door, etc.), a bad layout, or a high foreclosure rate in your neighborhood. Positives could include recent upgrades like hardwood floors or granite counter tops, a neighborhood pool with low home owner’s dues, or a quiet neighborhood with close proximity to local ammenities.
Fourth, employ a multi-faceted marketing plan. There isn’t one single marketing tool that is guaranteed to sell your home so it’s important to employ many different tools and methods. Some people will find your house simply driving around your neighborhood, some will find it via online searches for ‘Rock Hill Fort Mill SC homes’, and others will find it through the classified ads in the Saturday paper. Because of all the different ways people search for homes, it’s critical to make sure your home can be found in these locations.
Finally, consider listing your home with a qualified, experienced real estate agent. A good agent will have access to all the tools and resources necessary to sell your home quickly and for top dollar. Just as potential home buyers find homes in different ways, there are different types of agents. Each agent will have her own style and methods so it’s important to carefully interview any agent you’re considering to ensure a good fit.
Selling your home during a buyer’s market can a huge challenge. But with the right knowledge, you can create a ‘home selling action plan’ that produces results quickly and profitably.
Contact Me to learn how I can help you sell your Rock Hill, Fort Mill, or Tega Cay, SC home quickly for top dollar!
Filed under Carolina Real Estate, FSBO's, Home Sellers, Marketing by
If you were to go visit a new home development and you went through any of the model homes, one of the things you might notice is that even though the house is beautifully decorated, there really isn’t any personality. The house almost appears to be ‘anonymous’. Trust me, this isn’t by accident.
You see, one of the most important keys to quickly selling your home for top dollar is to make it appear ‘anonymous’. You want people to come in and envision themselves living there WITHOUT having to look past all of your personal effects and pictures on the wall.
So, here are a few quick tips to help give your home that ‘anonymous’, anyone could live here feel:
- Replace family photos with more generic photos like landscapes, or just remove them completely.
- Replace any hyper-stylized artwork that would make it difficult for visitors to envision themselves living there. We all have our personal tastes in artwork, but in many cases, those tastes aren’t shared by others.
- Declutter. You want your home to look at big as possible so by removing any knick-knacks, collectibles, trophies, or other items you open things up to the home itself and your visitors won’t be distracted by these small, personal items.
Ultimately, if you want to sell your home quickly and for top dollar, you need to set aside your personal feelings and attachment you most likely feel towards your home. Not everyone is going to love your decorating style, taste in artwork, or appreciate how adorable your kids drawings are.
By removing these items and allowing your home to stand on it’s own merits, you allow potential buyers to easily picture themselves living there and that’s what leads to a quick sale for you.
Filed under FSBO's, Home Sellers, Sell Your Home by
With the financial markets becoming increasingly volatile, more and more homeowners are facing the possibility of foreclosure or worse, bankruptcy.
While it can be a scary situation to be in, be very careful about the advice you listen to and some of the ‘solutions’ that are presented to you.
Always do your homework, read the fine print, and consult a reputable expert!
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Filed under Carolina Real Estate, Charlotte NC, Credit Repair, Fort Mill SC, FSBO's, Home Buyers, Home Sellers, Interest Rates, Market Trends, Mortgage Rates, Rock Hill SC by
