If you are in the market to buy a home, you probably feel like you are king. You have been told over and over again that it is a buyer’s market and the “steal of a deal” you can get.
BEWARE! Many times it’s not always readily apparent why a particular house for sale is such a steal of a deal, and as a result you can be mislead into being a difficult buyer rather than a successful one.
Here are some qualities of a successful buyer to be sure you are on track to find the right house, at the right price, at the right time:
- Provide your real estate agent complete and accurate information, whether it be financial, motivations, or time-lines. The more information they have the more they can help you.
- Set aside consistent time to learn about and to stay abreast of the market inventory. Ask your real estate professional to send you homes currently on the market and keep track what price ranges are moving and what they might be selling at. Your real estate professional can help you with statistics as well.
- Be prepared to be competitive and disciplined.
- Give serious consideration to your real estate professional’s advice. There is probably good reason you hired this professional to work on your behalf so sure before you do hire a real estate agent, make sure they know their facts about the current market.
With these few basic qualities you’ll save yourself time and money, and will not be disappointed by unmet expectations.
Happy Buying!
Filed under Buy Your Dream House, Carolina Real Estate, Hiring An Agent, Home Buyers, Lessons Learned, Market Trends by 
If you have a house on the market that you’re trying to sell, but no matter what you do it just seem to be generating the interest and action you’d expect, chances are there are few things you or your agent probably aren’t doing to get it moving.
You see, even in this challenging economy real estate is still moving. People are still buying and selling houses so there’s no reason to think your home couldn’t be one of them. Sure, it’s a little more difficult to sell a house today than it was just a few short years ago, but by making sure you do a few things correctly it’s not unreasonable to expect your home to sell.
So, here are 5 reasons why your home may not be selling:
- Your home isn’t in top condition. If you want to sell your home fast and for top dollar then it absolutely MUST be in tip top shape.
While there might be a few people looking to find a home that requires some TLC, most people in today’s marketplace are looking for homes that are move-in ready. This means no holes in the walls, freshly painted walls, floors that are in good shape, and very little ‘updating’ required.
If your home leaves buyers feeling like they’d have a lengthy list of chores to do before they moved in then chances are you’ve pinpointed a big reason why your home hasn’t sold yet.
- Not enough photos OR badly taken photos. Because more than 80% of all house searches begin online, you have just a few seconds to capture the attention of potential buyers. As a result, it’s absolutely crucial that the first photos they see show your home in it’s best light.
This means taking the photos at the right time of day so the light is at its best, removing any obstacles that could block a full view of the house, and making sure the driveway is clear of cars, bikes, or other vehicles.
You also want to make sure you have enough photos to give prospective buyers a good feel for your home, as well as what they can expect to see when they actually do come see it in person.
- You aren’t doing enough to market your home. Nowadays you simply can’t list a house on the MLS system and expect it to sell. To sell a home quickly and for top dollar in today’s marketplace you’ve got to employ as many marketing methods as possible.
This means an extensive listing in the MLS, listing it on real estate websites, sending postcards to neighbors, running ads in the newspaper, holding open houses, networking with other agents, etc. There are way too many methods available to rely on just one or two to get your home sold.
- You hired the wrong listing again OR haven’t hired a real estate agent at all. Yes, you can sell your home as a ‘for sale by owner’, but it’s not easy.
That being said, if you do decide to hire a real estate agent you definitely want to make sure you’ve hired the right one for the job. Interview a handful of agents and ask them lots of questions. What’s their plan to market your home? How many listings have they sold in the last 6 months? What have their previous clients said about their experience working with them?
If you don’t get the answers you want to hear, don’t be afraid to interview more agents. Remember, when it comes to selling your home a quality real estate agent can be more than worth their weight in gold, but you might have to do a little panning to find the right one for you.
Be sure to learn about why you should hire Sharon Salisbury to help you sell your home!
- Your home isn’t priced correctly. In most cases, this is the biggest reason why real estate doesn’t sell. A home that is priced correctly will generate a high amount of interest as well as qualified offers. If you try to price your home too high hoping to be able to negotiate a final price that’s lower than what it’s listed at, chances are you won’t have much luck. Home buyers nowadays typically look at the listing price as a starting point and if it’s outside of what they think it should be, they won’t even give it a second look.
So, price your home competitively and watch as the qualified buyers come running and chances are you’ll very soon be entertaining offers to sell!
Remember, there’s a lot that goes in to selling a home quickly and for top dollar so don’t expect it to happen overnight. However, by avoiding these 5 mistakes there’s really no reason why you shouldn’t expect to sell your home for a dollar amount you’re happy with and in a time frame that makes you jump for joy!
Filed under Hiring An Agent, Home Sellers, Sell Your Home by
I get this question on occassion from anxious home owners that were hoping their home would sell within days of putting it on the market. Fortunately for my home sellers, in most cases the reasons their house isn’t selling usually comes down to the simple fact that you can’t sell a house overnight. In other cases, there’s some tweaking that needs to be done in order to sell the home fast and for top dollar.
Here are a few suggestions to consider if you don’t think you’re house is selling fast enough.
- Is it priced too high? In many cases, this is the single biggest reason why your home isn’t selling. In tough markets like the one we’re experiencing, house buyers have many more options so it’s critical to make sure your home is priced to sell.
Now you don’t want to simply give your house away, but you may need to consider that a price reduction is needed to sell the property.
- The home is too ‘personalized’. This is another common problem. If potential home buyers can’t envision themselves living in your home for all the family photos or other extensive personalization you’ve done, you’re going to have a very difficult selling your home.
You want people to want into a home where they can easily see themselves living, with their furniture, and their personal touches, not yours.
- Your agent isn’t doing enough to get the word out about your house. In today’s tech-savvy real estate market, it’s critical that your house is marketed online. And I’m not just talking about listing it in the MLS.Â
A good agent should have your home listed on their website or blog, they should have it listed in the large real estate websites like Yahoo! Real Estate or Zillow, and they should also be taking advantage of social media sites like Facebook or Craig’s List.
If you’re agent isn’t doing any of these things, it may be time to have a conversation with them about joining the social media revolution. And if they say those things aren’t important, look for a new agent.
- Holding open houses. Now, while open houses for the general market really aren’t all that effective, broker or agent open houses can be. This is an open house for just real estate agents or brokers. This is a great opportunity to get the word out about your house to other agents that may have potential buyers for your property.Â
Yes, it takes a little bit of work to put on a good agent open house, but at the end of the day, it’s an important step in getting the word out about your home.
- Have some patience. Again, just because your home hasn’t sold within the first week of going on the market doesn’t mean it won’t sell. It just means the right buyer hasn’t come along yet. If you have a hard-working, savvy real estate agent on your side though, it’s really only a matter of time before you’ll soon be sitting at the closing table!
If you’re considering selling your Rock Hill SC or Fort Mill SC home, I’d love an opportunity to share with you all the ways I’ll market your home in order to sell it as quickly as possible and for the highest price possible.
Contact Sharon to sell your Rock Hill SC home today!
Filed under Carolina Real Estate, Hiring An Agent, Home Sellers, Marketing by
Okay, I probably could’ve said the ‘R’ word in the title, but I prefer to be an optimist when it comes to matters of money and our economy, so for now I’ll just stick with ‘Down Market’.
At any rate, buying a house in this topsy-turvey marketplace can be a little scary, but in reality, it might actually be THE BEST time to buy your new dream house because of the low prices we’re seeing.
It is most definitely a buyer’s market right now, which ultimately means homes that are on the market are there because their owners are serious about getting them sold. This means there are some great deals to be had. At the same time, you don’t want to jump into buying a house without giving it some careful thought and consideration.
So to help make sure you make THE RIGHT decision when buying your next Rock Hill SC or Fort Mill SC home, here are 5 steps to take when beginning the buying process:
- Get your finances in order. This step is one that most people overlook because they figure they should find the house first, then worry about financing. Wrong! In most cases, you’re in a much stronger negotiating position when you can present an offer that’s backed up by a letter of approval from a lender. Sellers will take you seriously and it tells them you’re serious about buying. Plus, it helps your home search because you’ll know exactly how much you can afford. This will save you LOTS of time because you won’t waste time looking at houses you either don’t like or can’t afford.
- Make a detailed list of requirements for your new home. Are you looking for a ranch style house? A 2-story victorian? How many bedrooms and bathrooms does it need to have? What about a garage? Do you want a big back yard? Making a list of things you want and then classifying them as either ‘Must Have’ or ‘Nice to Have’ will help make the house-hunting process go much, MUCH smoother.
- Start your research online. The Internet is DEFINITELY the preferred method for locating potential real estate and with a myriad of choices, it’s almost impossible to NOT find a house you like online. Start searching through many of the real estate websites like Yahoo! Real Estate, Zillow, or you could also start right here at SharonSellsCarolina.com. In any case, jump online and familiarize yourself with what’s available.
- Find the right real estate agent for you. Finding the right real estate agent can make the entire house buying process either an enjoyable experience, or one that makes you want to pull your hair out. And while there isn’t the glut of real estate agents there was a few short months ago, you still have plenty of agents to choose from. Be sure to interview several agents to find the one that you feel best understands what you’re looking for AND that you feel you can work well with. Real estate agents have different working styles so it’s important to connect with one that matches your working style.
- Have fun! Remember, you’re about the buy a home that you and your family could live in the for the next 5-50 years so enjoy it! Yes, it can be a stressful process at times, but as long as you understand what you want, know what you can afford, and have a real estate agent takes on much of the hassles and burdens, it should be an enjoyable experience.
If you’re thinking about buying a home in the Rock Hill SC or Fort Mill SC area, I’d love an opportunity to help you find that perfect home! Plus, my focus is on helping you enjoy the process so I work very hard to make sure you don’t feel any of the hassles that go along with finding that perfect house!
Filed under Buy Your Dream House, Hiring An Agent, Home Buyers, Sharon's Top 10 Lists by
Looking to sell your Rock Hill SC or Fort Mill SC area home quickly? Keep these 10 critical ‘sell your home fast’ tips in mind as you prepare to put your house on the real estate market:
- Price it right. This one can’t be emphasised enough. Especially in today’s tough real estate market, pricing your home correctly is the #1 most important thing you can do to guarnatee a quick sale.
- De-clutter your closets. Storage is an important feature of any house so if your closets are stuffed to the gills, it could be HUGE turn-off for potential buyers. Take out at least 1/2 the stuff to show off the storage space your home offers.
- Maximize the lighting in your home. No one wants to live in a dungeon so you want to maximize your home’s lighting. Don’t be afraid to turn on all the lights when you have showings as this will help highlight all the great benefits your home has to offer.
- Choose the right agent. If you want your home to sell quickly, it’s important that you find the right agent for the job. Don’t be afraid to interview several agents to find the one that fits you best. Also, don’t be afraid to ask for references and go ahead and check with them.
- Hide the pets. Sorry, but not everyone’s a pet lover so be sure to hide as much of their stuff as you can. Food bowls, toys, beds, and anything else that might tip off a potential buyer to the fact you have pets should be hidden as much as possible because even though it may not be true, it might give buyers the impression your house isn’t clean!
- Don’t overdue the upgrades. Doing some quick fixes before putting your home on the market are certainly advisable, but there’s no need to sink thousands of dollars into serious upgrades if you’re only going to put the house on the market. If you have problems areas, go ahead and spend a little bit of money to minimize the problem as much as possible, but chances are you’ll never get your investment back if you go overboard
- De-personalize your home. You want potential buyers to envision themselves living in your home, but it’s difficult to do if you have too many personal items lying around or if the decor is too individualized for your tastes. It’s okay to reflect your personality, but the more neutral you can make everything, the easier it will be for people to see themselves enjoying your house as much as you do.
- The kitchen is the one room where you can break the rules. Lets face it, a great kitchen can sell a house, just as quickly as a bad kitchen can keep it on the market longer than it should. So if you’re going to spend a little money upgrading your home, the kitchen is the one room you can do it in. Spending a little more in the kitchen may guarantee a full-price offer, or at the very least will help ensure potential buyers don’t ask for a serious discount because they think the house is ‘dated’.
- Be ‘show-ready’ at all times. Yes, having your house on the market can be a chore, but if you want it to sell quickly you really do need to keep it in tip-top shape at all times. You never know when the ideal buyers might be minutes away from stopping by for a ‘surprise’ visit and you certainly wouldn’t want them to see it in any state other than it’s best.
- First impressions are really the lasting impression. If you want potential buyers to remember your home in a positive light, then it’s imperative that they’re first impression is a good one. Invest a little money and sweat equity into making sure the outside of your home is inviting, otherwise it may not matter what potential buyers see on the inside because they can’t get the horrendous image of the outside out of their heads!
If you’re thinking about selling your Rock Hill SC, Fort Mill SC, or surrounding area home, I’d love an opportunity to share with you the various ways I work to ensure you get top dollar for your home!
Filed under Capital Improvements, Decorating Ideas, Fort Mill SC, Hiring An Agent, Home Sellers, Rock Hill SC, Sharon's Top 10 Lists by
