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Spring is here. We have had an abundance of April showers and the memory of rationed watering of this past summer is a distant memory. On a drive to College Station recently we were blown away by the beauty of the wildflowers. It is so nice to see lush green lawns, budding flowers and to watch my vegetable garden take off.
But it’s not just my garden that is growing – so are home sales! My most recent listing in Brookwood was on the market less than 24 hours and we were under contract! In fact in that same neighborhood of Brookwood there are currently 10 homes under contract of those 10 homes 6 were on the market less than a week! In neighboring Pine Brook there are 7 homes under contract with three of them being on the market less than a week. It appears that homebuyers have gotten an early jump on the traditionally busy time for home buying. Judging by the number of inquiries from prospective buyers I know this is true for Clear Lake and surrounding areas. If you, or someone you know, is considering selling I would encourage you to act sooner rather than later. Interest rates have moved below 4% again and the gloom and doom mood that was pervasive in buyers in the last few years seems to have lifted.
So why did these homes sell so quickly and other languish?
· Updated – most of these homes had updates that made them stand apart from other homes that still boast original fixtures and flooring or only improved a couple of rooms making neglected rooms stand out
· Clean and ready to show – these homes showed well the first time, no notes about carpeting or painting allowances. Buyers want move in ready and want to do minimal work
· Show worthy in and out – you can have the most beautiful home inside, but if the yard makes you want to drive by it won’t matter. It is amazing what mowing, edging, trimming and a pot of bright flowers will do
· Listen to your Realtor – I have homes sell quickly and a rare few linger. Why? The difference was sellers listening and taking my advise on improvements, staging and pricing. I have had a few who listened to neighbors and relatives instead and their home sat.
· A Realtor who presents your home with excellence – I am still apalled at some photos I see on the MLS taken by some Realtors. Attention to detail, great photos that maximize the MLS limit, and good information helps sell homes. Speaking for myself, I take great care to present any listing in its best light. If the photos aren’t to my or my clients liking – I will reshoot. I gather neighborhood information and try to think of questions prospective buyers might have from out of the area and have information at their fingertips (or at least click of a mouse)
You may be saying that is all well and good, but you have no intentions of selling in the near future. That is great – the takeaway for you is to always keep your home at its best. Follow through on maintenance and updates. It is hard to describe, but you can tell when a home has been loved and taken care of and one that did improvements to get it on the market quick. Sure your original water heater and HVAC are working, but a buyer sees the potential of replacement and big $$$ signs. Pride of ownership and upkeep help make a home sellable. Do updates as you can so you can enjoy them. Don’t just do updates someday when you are going to sell – update your home and enjoy it – that is they way to get the true value from your improvements.
Another takeaway is if you have considered protesting your property taxes, this may be the year. Next year, if trends continue, property values are sure to rise for those comparisons.
2012 Special! With each home I list I am giving a FREE 6 month standard home warranty!
