Housing Market in Bloom?
After our short bout of wintery weather, I’m feeling rather eager to see the spring (and even more so the summer). Part of what makes San Antonio so great is the fantastic weather. As the temperatures thaw and our days get warmer, we’re definitely seeing a pick up in San Antonio real estate activity. More people searching for homes, more questions being asked, more phone calls being made, and an overall increase in traffic to this website. As the swallows return to San Antonio (I spotted two this morning), I thought I’d cover a few preparations that you should all be thinking about over the next few weeks as you prepare to sell your San Antonio home.
Selling your home in San Antonio
Spring cleaning – No one loves the thought of spring cleaning, but we all know that a house that sparkles will sell faster. Think of it this way, as March and April move along, many new homes will enter the San Antonio real estate market. If you had two homes to pick from that were similar in shape, size, and amenities; which would you choose – the one that looked like the homeowner’s had kept it shiny and clean through the winter months or the one that didn’t? Now multiply that by the number of homes that are going to be on the market soon and you’ll see the big picture. Your home has to be better than all the rest. Get out the mop and broom, change the filters in your heater, pick up the trash that has blown into the flower beds (it’s been windy this winter), shine up the windows, and clear out the clutter. Let’s get that house sold!
Price right, price strong – You’re going to have a lot of competition in the coming months, so you’re going to want to be priced right from the start. Long gone are the days when you could test the market with a high price and hope someone would bite. Buyers are quick to dismiss a property these days if the price doesn’t suit their needs. In fact, pricing has become more important than ever because buyers are willing to wait out a seller. And once the price reductions begin, the buyers think they’re on to something and tend to wait even more, hoping the seller has only started their desperate reductions. It’s a dangerous game to play. Take a look a comparative market analysis, look at the current market conditions, and devise a marketing plan with your REALTOR®.
Offer more than expected – Sometimes, it’s the little things that make your home stand out from the others. Offering a home warranty or appliances (washers and dryers, media room equipment, refrigerators, etc.) as part of the listing can entice the buyer to choose your home over a similar home in the neighborhood. It’s also less you have to pack on moving day. Don’t think you’ll get a dollar for dollar value for these items though. Today’s buyer is being enticed to new home communities with large incentives and upgrade packages. Some of your biggest competition is going to be local builders who have the deep pockets to slash prices and give buyers more than than they expect. Although most home sellers can’t afford the kind of incentives a builder can, offering more than expected can be the deciding factor for a home buyer.
Get your home on the market!
It’s time to get that home on the market. So spruce up your home, contact us, and let’s get that home listed! We’ll work to price the home right, get the marketing machine in gear, and get the buyers into your home. From the minute the for sale sign goes in your yard to the day you sign off on the contract and hand over your keys, we’ll be there with you every step of the way.
image courtesy of janoma.cl
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