Tri-Valley Home Sellers Archives - Page 5 of 5

Keys to Getting a Home Sold

June 13, 2016 by temineth Leave a Comment

Here we go! Now is the time to sell your home. Whatever the reason be it job change, relocation, marital status, children or downsizing, you have to sell and of course like everyone, you don’t want to stay on the market for any longer than you have to.

This can be a very stressful time in your life especially if you’ve already found another home that you need to purchase. This buying and selling simultaneously could be one of the most stressful things you have to deal with as a homeowner or it doesn’t have to be if you use the right real estate agent. Surprisingly, using the right agent that keeps you informed, sets you up for selling success and markets correctly, can actually make the home selling process easy and enjoyable.

It starts with choosing the right listing agent.

When listing your home you can usually find an agent that will list your property for whatever price you want. The problem with this is that you’ll usually sit on the market far longer than you have to, infuriating you and your agent until you fire them and look for somebody that really knows what they’re doing. This is where I want to start with you. Don’t waste your time listening to a “yes man” agent. If you’re serious about selling let me do the research about what your home is currently worth, how long I think it will take to sell and some marketing strategies we can take in order to get the home in front of the right buyer.

Can you list your home yourself?

Of course! That is if you want to put in the time, energy and money to marketed, sell it, negotiated, differentiate offers and hope you didn’t make a mistake. Remember, only licensed real estate agents can list on the local MLS where 95% of real estate buyers go first. If you choose to list a home yourself you may actually be losing money.

Here’s why:

Those that list the home themselves typically start at a higher price than a local agent would. When they don’t get any hits or offers on the property they will start to lower the price. The problem with this strategy is that by this point, the home has been on the market far too long and buyers will tend to stay away from the there’s something wrong with the home. In the end, sellers typically drop the price so far just to get it sold this is actually lost money selling lower than have they simply use a real estate agent in the first place. Often times they’ve lost more money than if they had paid real estate commissions.

This is why it pays to go with a qualified, experienced and seasoned agent first. I do the research, find out the best price to list the property and give you an unbiased, honest opinion on what needs to happen to the home in order to appeal to the right buyers. If you’re looking to get more out of your home you’ll need to compete with the closest similar property. This means offering more for less money.
For negotiating strategies, expert staging advice, marketing tips and excellent advertising, don’t waste your time with an amateur real estate broker. Call me today for a free listing presentation of what your home could be worth and how quickly we could get it sold.

How to Make Your Home Appeal to Overseas Buyers

May 25, 2016 by temineth Leave a Comment

More and more foreign or overseas buyers are looking to the California real estate market for investing and developing. Whether you have a large development, condo building, or simply a single-family house, you can appeal to the wide range of homebuyers that are out there today including those overseas.

Sellers are looking everywhere these days for hot real estate markets, affordable homes, investment opportunities and rental properties, including overseas. You want the greatest return on your investment so appealing to a wide range of buyers as well as a variety of investors is always key.

According to the National Association of Realtors, foreign acquisition of residential real estate in the US totaled over $104 billion in the last year. This was a 13% increase from the prior year. Nationally this was 8% of the total dollar exchanged in existing home sales.[Source]

The US alone is a solid investment for many foreign buyers due to the increase property values and reputation for a good global place for business people to invest. Many foreign investors feel secure in the US as one of the world’s largest economies. Specifically, Chinese nationals have been overwhelming the largest source of foreign real estate buying in the last five years. Chinese buyers purchased nearly $100 billion in US homes. The Chinese in general are looking abroad more and more.

This is why all homeowners looking to sell need to appeal to a wide range of buyers. Here are some common features that are most desired by foreign investors.

Condominiums are popular.

Condominium ownership is a preferred option for many international buyers since amenities are great and maintenance is low. The building itself is generally safe and secure and maintenance is taking care of even when they are not present.

Popular cities with global reputations.

Places like San Francisco and Los Angeles are receiving a lot of interest from international buyers. Many people travel to these larger cities for business and need a place to stay, call home or rent out when not in use.

High-end homes are also attractive.

Many of these international buyers are wealthy enough to invest in property overseas so there typically interested in homes that reflect a lifestyle they are accustomed to. These affluent buyers are looking for homes in the higher end of the market, typically $900,000+. This is ideal for many people in the bay area since the average home prices around this price point.

Buyers tend to focus on a number of criteria when searching for their next home including building management, accessibility, and the quality of the Association or community itself. Emphasizing these features is a key way to monopolize yourself in the market.

Anytime is a good time to sell.

Homeowners that need to sell during inopportune times of the year should not have any fear selling to international buyers. Timing is not quite a factor in many of these foreign buyers purchasing throughout the year. However, selling to an overseas buyer may take some time. Because they don’t live in the country full time there could be a gap between traveling to and from the home for viewing. Once the offer is accepted things content to run quickly since many of these overseas buyers pay with cash. Also, many overseas buyers use property management services or concierge services that facilitate the transaction on their behalf. The point is, homeowners shouldn’t fear as to when to place their property on the market since international buyers purchased anytime of the year.

If you’re looking to sell your property and would like to market international buyers talk to me today. I’d love to help you devise a marketing strategy to appeal to the widest variety of potential homebuyers out there, not just locally but internationally as well.

Simplify Your Curb Appeal

February 9, 2016 by temineth Leave a Comment

#2. Simplify.

You don’t have to go all out with hundreds of dollars worth of landscaping features in order to appeal to buyers. Too much sell and all buyers see is a high maintenance yard. Simple, tailored, polished and trimmed is the best way to attract a wide range of homebuyers. Make sure that lawn is the greenest, neatest, and cleanest yard in the neighborhood. Trust me, buyers will notice.

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More Curb Appeal Tips

Don’t Neglect the House

February 9, 2016 by temineth Leave a Comment

#3. Carry the curb appeal to the front door.

Your curb appeal should be what’s drawing buyers up to the front door for a closer look but don’t stop there. Make sure the windows are washed, paint the front door or the trim around close windows and doors, update the hardware on the door including any porch lights, doorbells and mailboxes. These little details can add charm and sophistication to your curb appeal.

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Maintain Balance

February 9, 2016 by temineth 1 Comment

#4. Find a balance between standing out and fitting in.

If the home is to dramatically different from all of the neighbors you might stand out in a bad way. You don’t want to be radically different from your neighborhood but stay with the design and continuity of most of the homes in the neighborhood but at just a little bit more upscale finishing then your closest neighbor. Brighten up your lawn with some nitrogen; added stately flowerpots to either side of the front steps; added light post or some sidewalk lights and trim all trees away from the siding of the house, sidewalks, steps and walkways.

Again, one of the first things you should do is to talk to your real estate agent about the micro neighborhoods and what buyers expect in a particular area. As a Tri-Valley real estate agent I’d be happy to offer tips and suggestions on what buyers in this area specifically look for in a homes curb appeal.