Why Are Conditions Ripe for You to Sell Your Home This Fall?

As we enter fall, we’re in a strong seller’s market. If you decide to list your home now, I have five tips that will help it get sold quickly and for top dollar.

Buying a Bucks County area home?  Perform a full home search

Selling your Bucks County home? Get a free Home Price Evaluation

Why does it make sense for you to list your home in the fall instead of waiting until next spring?

Whether the market is favorable to buyers or sellers depends on whether there are more buyers or sellers in the market. Over the past 12 months, there’s been strong buyer demand but not enough sellers to meet that demand, which has made conditions very favorable to sellers.

If you do decide to take advantage of this opportunity and put your home on the market this fall, here are five tips that will make your home even more attractive to all those buyers out there:

1. Accentuate your home’s curb appeal. Fall is a great time to spruce up the exterior of your house and make a great first impression on buyers, so lay down some fresh mulch and trim back your bushes.
 
2. Keep your holiday displays tasteful. The approach of the holiday season makes people feel good, and that’s conducive to your home sale. That being said, make sure your holiday displays are tasteful and reasonably done.

Use these five tips to sell quickly and for top dollar.

3. Create an inviting interior living space. This is rule applies all the time, but make sure you declutter the inside of your home and make your space appear as big as possible. You also want buyers to think there is a lot of storage room in your home.
 
4. If you have a fireplace, use it. Fireplaces (especially gas ones) have a strong emotional appeal during the fall and winter
 
5. Enhance fall aromas. There’s nothing like the scent of a great fall evening, so if you can capture that scent inside your house, that’s one more strong emotional connection you can make with buyers.

If you have any questions about any of these tips, you want to know what your home is worth, or you’re thinking about selling your home, don’t hesitate to contact me. I’d be happy to help you in any way I can.

5 Inexpensive Upgrades for You to Make

Getting your home ready for sale doesn’t have to be expensive. Here are five inexpensive fixes that will add value to your home.

Buying a Bucks County area home?  Perform a full home search

Selling your Bucks County home? Get a free Home Price Evaluation

It’s hard to believe, but we’re already approaching mid-August. The Bucks County market is still quite active. We’re continuing to get complaints from buyers that there aren’t enough homes on the market. If you’ve been considering selling your home, now is a great time to accomplish that. It’s also a great time to invest a bit of money into your home in order to reap the benefits when you sell. Here are five ways you can increase your home’s value for under $100:

1. Add a light fixture. If you have a room in your house that’s dark, brighten it up with one of these. It will make the home more attractive to buyers.

2. Add a new bookcase/cabinet. For a relatively low price, you can use a new bookcase or cabinet to assist you with decluttering and adding to the room at the same time.

A new bookcase can help you declutter as well.

3. Paint kitchen cabinets. It’s sometimes hard to justify investing in a major update or remodel. However, if your cabinetry looks bare, a coat of paint could make a huge difference.

4. Reupholster your old furniture. Doing this is an inexpensive alternative to replacing your old furniture outright.

5. Consider a general paint touch-up in your home. I work with a company who is really good at touching up spots that need it. I’d be happy to pass their information along to you.

Each of these home improvements is inexpensive, but they each add more value to your home when it comes time to sell. If you have any questions for me or you’re thinking about selling your home, give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you.

Is Your Bucks County Home Ready for the Market?

 Buying a Bucks County area homes?  Perform a full home search

Selling your Bucks County home? Get a free Home Price Evaluation

We’re getting close to the spring market. There are strategies to add value to your home and sell it quickly for top dollar. Here’s five simple tips.

1. Price it right. Make sure your property’s price is competitive. Your agent will look at inventory levels and competing properties in order to price your home correctly. It’s crucial to price your home accurately when it first hits the market.
2. Stage your home. Home staging doesn’t have to be expensive. Sometimes, adding or subtracting a couple pieces of furniture, repositioning some artwork, or other simple touches can really help increase the value of your house. I have a free booklet, 450 Ideas to Get Your Home Sold Quickly, with more home staging tips.  
3. Have a sump pump in the basement. Any dampness or wetness in the basement turns off buyers. Get a sump pump so the basement looks, smells, and feels dry. If buyers perceive a moisture issue in the basement, they won’t want to purchase your home.
4. Curb appeal. Spruce up the outside of your home. You want to make a strong first impression. Make sure the exterior of your home is freshly painted, and clean up around the front yard.
5. List as soon as possible. Buyers are complaining again that they don’t have many homes to look at. A lot of houses will come on the market in spring, so now is a great opportunity to list your home and beat the competition.

If you have any questions, give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!

5 Reasons Why You Should Sell During the Holidays

Buying a Bucks County area homes?  Perform a full home search

Selling your Bucks County home? Get a free Home Price Evaluation

The holidays are around the corner. What does that mean from a real estate perspective? Many sellers explain, "It looks like we'll have to take our home off the market for the holidays since no one is looking anyway." Or if they haven't listed their home yet, they want to wait until after New Year's. This can be a big mistake, so today, I'll share five great reasons why you should have your house on the market during the holidays.

1. There is less competition. Since a lot of people take their homes off the market, there are fewer houses for buyers to choose from. Fewer homes on the market are great for you as a seller.

2. Buyers look at homes throughout the year. Many companies transfer employees over the holidays. These relocating buyers are very strong and highly motivated. They also don't have to worry about selling their current home. If your home is not on the market, you will miss out on these buyers.

3. Buyers who look at houses this time of year are generally very serious. Most people who buy in the winter have to make quick decisions. They are strong buyers who are ready to purchase a home. Waiting until spring means a lot of unmotivated prospects will simply meander through your property. You do not want to miss out on the holiday homebuyers.

4. People feel more festive this time of year. Real estate transactions can get emotional. Since people are more positive during this time of year, this often translates into buyers being more emotionally connected to your house. This makes them more likely to make an offer.

5. Houses show better this time of year. Seasonal decorations create an emotional connection with a buyer and can draw in offers as long as the decorations are not over the top.
 
Over the years, I've sold dozens of homes during the holiday period and represented many buyers during the holidays as well. There may not be a better time of year for you to be on the market.

If you have any questions, give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!

Avoid These Five Home Selling Mistakes

Buying a Bucks County area homes?  Perform a full home search

Selling your Bucks County home? Get a free Home Price Evaluation

 

Today I would like to discuss five important and specific reasons that homes do not sell in Bucks County. Some of these may be more obvious than others, but listen closely because these are all important if you wish to sell for top dollar.

1. Price: This is the most critical element when a home doesn't sell. It has to be high enough so that you don't leave anything on the table, but it also needs to be attractive to buyers. It should represent a good value for your buyers.

2. Curb appeal: You don't have to spend a lot on landscaping, but be sure to repaint your front door, throw in some new mulch, plant some flowers, and trim up the bushes. Your home should look orderly from the outside. This is your chance to make a first impression on the buyer.

3. Staging: This doesn't mean an expensive professional staging, but you do need to declutter, depersonalize, and remove anything that will take away from the buyer's experience. Your home should be organized, and a stranger should feel comfortable walking around in it. Ideally, it will feel like a vacant home if you've decluttered it correctly.

4. Deferred maintenance: You need to fix all the little things with your home because buyers are looking for homes that are in turnkey condition. They don't want to repaint anything or install new screens on the windows. As a seller, you should have that taken care of.

5. Visibility online: Marketing your home to the largest possible audience is crucial if you want to find the perfect buyer who is willing to pay top dollar for your home. I take a lot of pride in maximizing your exposure online. I pay for pay-per-click advertising and can feature your home on over 200 websites. This allows you to sell quickly and for top dollar. Don't hesitate to ask me about my entire marketing program - it works very well.

As always, if you're thinking of buying or selling in Bucks County, please don't hesitate to contact me! I can help you sell fast and for top dollar.

Does Your Neighbor's Home Sale Affect Yours?

Buying a Bucks County area homes?  Perform a full home search

Selling your Bucks County home? Get a free Home Price Evaluation

A couple weeks ago, I sent out an email asking if anyone had any questions I could answer on my video blog. One loyal viewer, Linda, sent an appropriate question for the spring market:

If a home sells below market value in your neighborhood, does it affect the appreciation of your home?

There's no easy answer to this question; it depends on various factors. If a home sells below market value, the first thing an appraiser will want to know is whether it was a distressed property. They will also want to know if it was an "arm's length transaction," a transaction between family or friends. If that's the case, the low price of the home sale won't affect your home's value.

When appraisers compare value, they're really focused on the size, condition, and amenities, among other things, in order to come up with a true market value. Also, if the home that sold at a lower value was in really bad condition compared with your house and most of the houses in the neighborhood, you probably don't have much to worry about.

Another thing to remember about appraisals is that appraisers use three comparable properties when determining a value. They prefer to use homes that have sold relatively recently, looking for homes as similar to the property they're appraising as possible. If there is one house that's sold for a low value, you don't need to worry - the appraiser will likely find other homes to compare yours to, so that one bad home sale doesn't ruin yours. In other words, one sale doesn't make the market!

If you have questions about this topic or need real estate assistance of any kind, give us a call! We would love to give you a hand!

Why Isn't Your Home Selling?

There are many great Bucks County area homes for sale. Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call me at (215) 519-1399 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

Recently, I've talked to a lot of people who are in the process of getting their home ready for the market. As we get closer to the spring selling season, I thought it would be a good time to share 5 secrets to getting your home sold quickly in today's market. 

1. Price it right: Putting the right value on your home is the best possible marketing plan. I virtually do everything that can be done to get your home maximum exposure, but even the best marketing won't convince a buyer to pay more than what they perceive to be the fair market value.  
2. Declutter and depersonalize: An organized house will make a great impression on potential buyers. Cleaning out closets and clearing surfaces will go a long way. 
3. Maximize light: Buyers are really drawn to homes that are as bright as they possibly can be. Clean the windows and consider increasing the wattage of your light bulbs. 
4. Organize: Clean out closets and make sure to draw attention to available storage in the home, as it's an important element in getting your home sold. Make sure buyers can visualize as much storage as possible.
5. Accommodate showings: There's nothing more frustrating for a buyer than the inability to get into a house. There's enough inventory out there that agents representing buyers will simply overlook homes that aren't available for showings.
6. {BONUS} Make a really good first impression: Make sure your entryways are clean, flowerbeds are mulched and weeded, and that the front door is painted.

If you have any questions about how you can get the most out of your home sale, don't hesitate to give me a call or shoot me an email. I would be pleased to discuss how you can get top dollar in today's market. I hope to hear from you soon!

12 tips to keep your home in good shape this winter

There are many great Bucks County area homes for sale. Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call me at (215) 519-1399 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

It's hard to believe it's already October and the cold weather will be here soon in Bucks County. The few chilly nights we've had recently got us thinking about the best ways to prepare your home for the winter. To answer that, we put together a handy 12-point checklist.

1. Clean those gutters: Now is the time to inspect your gutters and downspouts. Make sure they're clear for the winter so you don't have any leakage once the ice and snow thaws in the springtime.
2. Seal up the cracks and gaps: Make sure there aren't any cracks or gaps around your windows and doors. Use weather stripping and caulk to help save on energy bills.
3. Take care of your roof: Make sure there aren't any major problems with your roof while the weather is still nice. 
4. Repair your walkways and driveways: If there is damage to the concrete around your home, repair it now. Ice and snow will only make the problem worse.
5. Drain and winterize your outdoor faucets: Many people forget to do this and have to pay for it when the spring rolls around. Don't let it happen to you.
6. Replace furnace filters: You don't want to wait until it's freezing cold to realize your heating system isn't working at maximum efficiency.
7. Get furnace serviced: Make sure your heating system is working before the cold sets in. Repair companies get swamped once the weather gets bad, so beat the rush.
8. Clean out the fireplace: Clean and sweep the fireplace, since you'll be using it soon.
9. Make sure the humidifier is working properly.
10. Get your gas fire heater serviced now: Again, don't wait until it gets cold.
11. Check wood stoves: Ensure all your heating devices are in working order.
12. Test safety items: Make sure your fire alarms, extinguishers, smoke detectors, and carbon monoxide detectors are working properly, so your family is safe this winter.

If you need help getting any of these tasks taken care of, don't hesitate to give us a call. We work with plenty of great vendors we'd love to refer to you. Thanks, and keep warm this winter!

Why Pricing Your Home Accurately is so Important

There are many great Bucks County area homes for sale. Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call me at (215) 519-1399 for a FREE home buying or selling consultation to answer any of your real estate questions.

We recently spoke with a seller who asked a questions that we thought would make for a great discussion. The question was this: If someone likes my home, but they feel that the price is too high, won't they just make a lower offer?

While the reasoning makes perfect sense, we can say from real world real estate experience that the overwhelming majority of buyers will not even make offers on homes that they thing are significantly overpriced. 

In Bucks County, there are clear indications that the market is shifting back to conditions that are more favorable to buyers. There are a lot more homes on the market than there were at this time last year and pending sales are down as well. So, why is it that buyers don't just make low offers on homes they like but think are priced too high?

Not that it never happens, because it does, but part of the reason most people don't is psychological. Most buyers aren't comfortable making an offer on a house when they perceive that the offer is so low it would be insulting to the seller. The overwhelming majority of buyers won't even look at an overpriced home, or if they do, they will just look and pass instead of trying to low-ball the seller. 

A second issue has to do with comparable homes. Homes that buyers are comparing the overpriced one with actually offer more value. In many cases, the overpriced home will help to sell the correctly priced house. 

How high is too high? If a house is 10-15% higher in price than it should be given market conditions, an overwhelming majority of buyers won't make an offer, even if they think it's a good fit. It is important to price your home correctly and if your home has been on the market for a while now, you may want to adjust your price. If you have any questions about this topic or want some advice on properly pricing your home, give us a call and we can help you out.