Archives for August 2016

In recent times, it seems that more homeowners than ever are thinking about jumping into the real estate market. But before you commit to taking that leap, you should consider my 5 tips to help home sellers maximize their sales price:

1Sell Your Home in the mid-Spring to mid-Summer..
Generally, nicer weather brings out more buyers. Lawns and landscaping are at their peak, making your home look its best, and helping you get a higher sales price compared to listing later in the year.

2Go with an Agent Who Uses a Professional Photographer.
Sellers who provide stunning, high-resolution photos in their listings can expect a sales price closer to the listing price. Professional photos help listings get more web views, and they increase the perceived value of a home by nearly 13 percent, according to a consumer survey by VHT.

3Demand Your Agent Post a Video of Your Home on YouTube (and other social media sites).
More than 80 percent of all buyers find their homes online, and 21 percent look for online videos or photos. Besides social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, and Google+. there are a plethora of home listing sites, including: Alibi, Backpage, Craigslist, Frontdoor, Geebo, HotPads, Listhub, Oodle, Postlets, Trulia, Vast, VFlyer, Zillow, and Zimbio –just to name a few.

4Use Floor Plans in Your Listing.
Interactive floor plans that show how rooms relate to each other are an increasingly popular marketing tool. This helps buyers envision how to use the rooms. The combination of floor plans and professionally-taken photos creates the ultimate shopping experience for buyers.

5De-Clutter!
Your house will show better if it’s clean and well-organized. Potential buyers are interested in buying your home, not your furnishings. So depersonalize your house! Eliminate piles of paperwork, books, houseplants, and photos. Make sure everything sparkles and smells fresh! Beds should be made and dishes done before you leave the house in the morning. After all, interested buyers might stop by on short notice. It’s amazing how much better your home can look with a fresh coat of paint and how much value it can add, for so little cost. You don’t have to repaint everything, but do consider freshening up the rooms that need it the most. Use neutral colors inside. Outside, a gallon of paint on exterior trim, wooden stairs and banisters can do wonders for your home’s appearance.

By taking just a few proactive steps in homeselling, you can do your best to encourage multi-offer buyer situations in no time at all!

If you’re looking to buy or sell a house in the Albuquerque area, contact me today!

Zillow Digs screened over 2 million listings for homes sold between January 2014 and March 2016 and looked for the keywords that had the best effect on how much over the expected price homes sold for and how much faster they sold.

Apparently, Buyers are wild about barn doors and farmhouse sinks! Here are the top 15 design features:

1. Outdoor kitchen
Percent of homes that sell for above expected values: 3.7 percent
How many days faster than expected the home sells: 19
Most common metro: Tampa, Florida

2. Tankless water heater
Percent of homes that sell for above expected values: 4 percent
How many days faster than expected the home sells: 43
Most common metro: Los Angeles, California

3. Backsplash
Percent of homes that sell for above expected values: 4.1 percent
How many days faster than expected the home sells: 46
Most common metro: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

4. Granite
Percent of homes that sell for above expected values: 4.1 percent
How many days faster than expected the home sells: 38
Most common metro: Dallas, Texas

5. Stainless steel
Percent of homes that sell for above expected values: 4.2 percent
How many days faster than expected the home sells: 42
Most common metro: Chicago, Illinois

6. Heated floors
Percent of homes that sell for above expected values: 4.3 percent
How many days faster than expected the home sells: 28
Most common metro: Seattle, Washington

7. Frameless shower
Percent of homes that sell for above expected values: 4.6 percent
How many days faster than expected the home sells: 38
Most common metro: Dallas, Texas

8. Pendant light
Percent of homes that sell for above expected values: 4.6 percent
How many days faster than expected the home sells: 48
Most common metro: Phoenix, Arizona

9. Exposed brick
Percent of homes that sell for above expected values: 4.9 percent
How many days faster than expected the home sells: 36
Most common metro: New York, New York

10. Craftsman
Percent of homes that sell for above expected values: 5.4 percent
How many days faster than expected the home sells: 14
Most common metro: Seattle, Washington

11. Quartz
Percent of homes that sell for above expected values: 6 percent
How many days faster than expected the home sells: 50
Most common metro: Los Angeles, California

12. Subway tile
Percent of homes that sell for above expected values: 6.9 percent
How many days faster than expected the home sells: 63
Most common metro: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

13. Farmhouse sink
Percent of homes that sell for above expected values: 7.9 percent
How many days faster than expected the home sells: 58
Most common metro: Los Angeles, California

14. Shaker cabinet
Percent of homes that sell for above expected values: 9.6 percent
How many days faster than expected the home sells: 45
Most common metro: Los Angeles, California

15. Barn door
Percent of homes that sell for above expected values: 13.4 percent
How many days faster than expected the home sells: 57
Most common metro: Phoenix, Arizona

What are your must-have features? Leave them in the comments below! And if you have any questions about selling or buying a home in metro Albuquerque, be sure to contact me today!