Selling Your Home: Your neighbors WILL be involved.

Recently I was driving through a local neighborhood previewing some properties for an out of town buyer relocating to Brevard County, Florida.    One of the things that stood out in this particular neighborhood was one of the neighbors.  I am not sure if the lady actually lived next door or was just walking her dog.

Still, she made a very negative impression with her less than welcoming inquiry as to whether she could help me find something.

As a real estate agent I don''t judge the neighborhood by one foul mouthed neighbor.   But out of town buyers may not know the "story" behind this exception.

Part of selling your home is selling your neighborhood. 

If you are getting ready to sell your Melbourne, Florida home take a good look at your neighborhood.

Think about the things that you may find annoying about your neighbors…disruptive or loud, a yard with absolutely no curb appeal, a home with obvious deferred maintenance, several nuisance dogs who bark constantly, etc.

When I work with buyers I almost always suggest they drive through the neighborhood during the late afternoon or on the weekend.   Take a look at what things are like when kids are not in school and most are home from work.  

I sometimes suggest buyers question neighbors.   If I do it I am sure other agents do as well. 

When I go on listing appointments I always ask about the neighbors.  Almost 100% of the time the answer is the same. Never met a seller who said they had a jerk for a neighbor....nope, always the salt of the earth!

When you are ready to sell your home, enlist your neighbors help, if possible.  You want to make your home stand out.

Sometimes the one thing that makes your home stand out are your neighbors – for good or bad!  

Your neighbors will be involved...make it a positive!  

If you are ready to sell your Viera, Florida home I want to help!  Call or text me at 321-693-3850 for your free market analysis.  

 

Buying a House in Florida: We Can't Move Until You Move....

No, this article is not about packing materials and moving vans.  It is directed at prospective home buyers who contact me and "want to buy a house." 

Buying a home is an organized process.  Each step of the process is ordered.  The first step should be finding a local real estate agent to help you.

One of the first areas your real estate agent will address is your ability to purchase.  It serves no purpose to go look for a house if a purchase is not possible.  Most buyers are not cash buyers.  If one has the ability to pay cash then all that is necessary is a proof of funds letter or statement. Read "Questions Your Real Estate Agent Will Ask When You Call them the First Time."

But most buyers obtain a mortgage for a purchase as large as a house or condo.  The ability to purchase is given substance when a buyer has a mortgage pre-approval letter.  So when your real estate agent requests a letter or recommends contacting a mortgage lender, act.

Because your real estate agent can move until you move! 

Here are some specific articles about the home purchase process - especially mortgage pre-approval, mortgage pre-qualification and cash purchases.

• Why Won't a Real Estate Agent Just Show Me the House I want To See Now?

• Timing Your Florida Home Purchase.

• What is the difference between a mortgage pre-qualification and mortgage pre-approval? 

• Choosing a Brevard County, Florida Mortgage Lender.

• How Much House Can You Afford? 

• How much should I put down?

• How Do Real Estate Agents Get Paid?

• Buying a house in Florida:  Twenty Steps From Contract to Closing.

• Home Under Contract - Now Freeze!

• Bracket Your Desired Price to Narrow Your Home Search.

Ready to buy a home in Melbourne, Florida? Call or text me at 321-693-3850 or send me an email.

Want a list of Brevard County, Florida mortgage lenders? Call me at 321-693-3850 or send me an email.

What is the secret to selling your home?

Regardless of topic there is always a "secret" that, once learned, opens the gate to success, right.  There are millions of articles on the Internet that claim to reveal the secret of selling your house.

But you don't need to search Google for the secret to selling your home...here it is!

The secret to selling your home is simple.

1. Set a price that appropriately reflects condition.
2. Set a price for its location.  You can't change the zip code or the neighborhood.  You can't change the school quality (in the short term).  Remember location, location, location!
3. Set a price based on the competition.  A house is likely not going to sell for much more than similar competitive properties in the same location.
4. Set a price that reflects the circumstances of the sale including timeline and type of sale (estate, short sale, etc.).  The circumstances of the sale do not include a seller "getting what they need from the sale."  The market will set the price a willing motivated buyer will pay

So the secret is all about price.  Selling anything is always about price.

The real challenge to selling a home is managing the process so as to get the most money possible while meeting the sellers goals and timeline.  That challenge requires process management.

The secret to success when selling your home is simple....Hire a knowledgeable local real estate agent. 

Here are some articles to help find a local Melbourne, Florida real estate agent.

• Why Hire a Real Estate Agent to Sell My Melbourne, Florida Home? 
• Understand the Limitations of Zillow, Trulia and other Websites. 
• Questions to Ask Real Estate Agents During Interviews. 
• Being on the Internet is Not an Endorsement - Interview several!

Considering selling your Melbourne, Florida home?  Call me at 321-693-3850 for a free market analysis.

Home Seller Tips: Expired means "participated."

A month or so ago there was a lot of conversation regarding kids receiving trophies for participating in some event or team sport.  One story that garnered the most attention was about James Harrison of the Pittsburgh Steelers giving his children's participation trophies back.

And then just this morning I saw the new Kia automobile advertisement about participation.  The point made was very strong.  Watch the Kia "participation" commercial here.

Sometimes participation is not recognized equally. 

Such is the case in real estate. 

To participate successfully a home gets sold for the most money possible for a home's condition, location and the circumstances of the sale.

If trophies for participation are given out in real estate for participation they would go to "expired listings."  A listing expires for multiple reasons although, in my opinion, it is a pricing issue.

The root of the pricing issue may be the seller motivation, poor real estate agent choice or possibly a problem with presentation (availability for showing, staging, preparation).

Regardless of reason expired means "participated."

I am not advocating a wining at all cost approach to everything in life.  Each individual must decide whether participation in anything is enough for them.

Home owners do not hire real estate agents just so they can participate in the real estate marketing process.  And no professional real estate agent gets paid for participating only but rather particpating successfully (winning).

• Signs Your Home Is Not Priced Right.

• Understanding the Process From For Sale to Sold.

• Hopefully Optimistic or Unreasonably Priced?

• What is the price of memories?

• Why did your listing expire?

Ready to sell your Florida home?  Call me at 321-693-3850 or send me an email.

Image courtesy of Stuart Miles at FreeDigitalPhotos.net