Now More Than Ever – Use a REALTOR!
February 3, 2009 Leave a Comment
A recent survey by the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) finds that the reason most often cited by people who aren’t moving forward with the purchase of a home is that they can’t sell their existing house. In fact the percentage is shockingly high at 91%. Why do I say ‘shockingly’? Because usually you can’t get 9 out of 10 people to agree on anything. If you couple this with the other top reasons cited, you have a real crisis in confidence.
I’m not telling you these negative perceptions by home buyers so that you can run away and hide and come out next spring when the real estate fairy has had a chance to wave her magic wand and make everything better. No – far from it. Because of the challenging market that we find ourselves in today, it is essential that a professional Realtor be consulted when one is thinking about buying or selling real estate. The days of sticking your home in the MLS, placing a sign in the front yard and getting three offers before sundown are over. If you place your home on the market today, it must be priced right and in tip-top shape. The only way to do this is to consult a professional Realtor who does this for a living and has seen your competition up close and personal. Not only do you need to consult a Realtor, but you need to actually listen to their advice. If they say to trim the shrubs – trim the shrubs. If they advise you to paint the purple bedroom off white - paint it. If they tell you that your home should be priced at $199,000 – list it at $199,000. No more, “I think I’ll try it at $225,500 for a couple of weeks to see if I get any nibbles” stuff. If you overprice in this market you will pay the price by having your home languish on the market and ultimately get passed over because real buyers will think you aren’t serious.
In today’s real estate market, only a professional Realtor is equipped to guide you through this sea of uncertainty and help you dock in a safe harbor.
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