Is It Really Worth It to Sell Your Home Without an Agent?

Is It Really Worth It to Sell Your Home Without an Agent? Thinking of selling your home on your own to dodge the cost of a real estate agent? These home sale facts will make you think twice about that. Looking to buy in the Greater Houston Area?  Get a full MLS accessLooking to Sell in the Greater Houston Area?  Get a free home market analysis If you’re thinking of selling your Houston home, there are five reasons you absolutely should not sell without a real estate agent: There are too many people to negotiate with: If you sell ‘For Sale by Owner’ (or FSBO), you’ll have to negotiate with a myriad of people on your own, including the buyer who wants the best deal possible, their agent, the home inspector (who works for the buyer), and the appraiser, especially if the home’s value comes into question. Exposure to potential buyers: Studies have shown that 89% of homebuyers look for homes online compared to just 20% who look at printed newspaper ads. Most agents already have an Internet marketing strategy in place to sell your home; simply putting your own house on Zillow doesn’t mean you know how to market a property online! 89% of homebuyers look for homes online compared to just 20% who look at printed newspaper ads. Selling FSBO online has become increasingly more difficult: The amount and intensity of paperwork involved with selling a home has increased dramatically as industry disclosures and regulations become mandatory. The is why—according to the National Association of Realtors—the number of people selling their home FSBO has dropped from 19% to an 20-year low of just 8%. You net more money when using an agent: Many sellers believe they’ll save the cost of a real estate agent’s commission by selling on their own, but fail to realize that people looking at FSBO homes are also people who believe they can save the cost of a commission. The buyer and the seller can’t both save the commission. Studies have shown that the median sales price for FSBO homes is $210,000 while the median home sold by an agent sells for $249,000. That doesn’t mean the agent can always get $39,000 more for your home, but that the people who sell FSBO are more likely to put themselves in a lower price point. If you have any questions about selling your home or about the market here in the greater Houston area, don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me an email soon. I’d love to help! Contact Us   Written by Ruby Miranda on September 23, 2018. Posted in First Time Home Sellers, For Sale By Owner / FSBO, Market Snapshot, Sell Your Home, Seller TipsTags: First Time Seller, For Sale By Owner, For Sale By Owner / FSBO, Market Snapshot, Ruby Miranda, Sell Your Home, Seller Tips   Trackback from your site. Leave a Reply

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Why Consider Buying in a Seller’s Market?

Even though we are in a seller’s market, it’s a great time to buy. Here’s why. Looking to buy in the Greater Houston Area?  Get a full MLS accessLooking to Sell in the Greater Houston Area?  Get a free home market analysis If we’re in a seller’s market, why would you consider buying a home in 2017? Well, according to Forbes, home prices appreciated beyond expectations in 2016 and mortgage rates were flirting with record lows before inevitably passing 4% for the first time in two years. Home prices rose in every month of 2016, with the largest increase being in the last half of the year. According to experts, prices will continue their climb in 2017, but at a lower rate. This means you can take advantage of the slowdown in appreciation right now. Mortgage rates are going up, too. Economists predict that they will increase by at least 1% by the end of 2017. If you wait to buy a house, you might not be able to afford the same home you could now. Why would you wait to save up and have less buying power? Economists predict interest rates will go up by 1% this year. More and more millennials are transitioning from renting to buying, but the inventory of homes is limited and probably won’t grow significantly in the next few years. Home builders aren’t building enough homes to make up for the shortage, either. With mortgage rates and home prices increasing, affordability will become a problem in the near future. If you’re thinking of buying or selling a home, give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you soon. Contact Us   Written by Ruby Miranda on September 23, 2018. Posted in Buy A Home, Buyer Tips, Financing A Home, First Time Home Buyers, Home Loan Process, Market SnapshotTags: Buy Your Home, Buyer Tips, Financing A Home, First Time Buyer, Market Snapshot Trackback from your site. Leave a Reply

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Staging Tips for Selling Your Home During the Holidays

If you plan on selling your home during the holidays, I have four tips to help you stage and decorate your home without overwhelming potential buyers. Looking to buy in the Greater Houston Area?  Get a full MLS accessLooking to Sell in the Greater Houston Area?  Get a free home market analysis This time of year, the calendar is packed with holiday parties and budgets are strained by gift giving. A lot of people think that now is not the season for real estate. The good news is that there are still plenty of brave house hunters out there who do venture out during the holiday season in serious pursuit of buying a house. The right decor and stylish trimmings can make them want to celebrate the holidays in your home. If you are selling during the holiday season, try these tips to get buyers in the right spirit: Clean and stage before you decorate your home. Your home needs to be staged. If your home is already piled high with clutter, adding ceramic holiday decorations will only increase the sense of overcrowding. Limit yourself to a few items of holiday flair and stash the rest in the basement for now. A few decorations can stir the holiday spirit, but don’t feel obligated to hang every last ornament. Make sure your decorations are in tune with the feel of your house. Compliment your palette. Before you start untangling cobwebs or tinsel, make sure your holiday decor matches your current decor. If you have an earthy color scheme, focus on decorative accents with rich tones like pumpkins, cranberries, and forest greens and golds. Keep your decorations in tune with the feel of your house. Accentuate the positive. Too many decorations may distract buyers but the right accessories can draw attention to your home’s best features. Hang ghoulish ghosts or dangle a mistletoe in archways or display your menorah in front of bay windows. Don’t block the view with sticky holiday decals or clutter the elegant fireplace with too many personal, seasonal items. We know you love them but not everyone will. Go light on the lights. Step away from the inflatable snowman! Remember, one man’s light is another man’s tacky, so tone down any over-the-top displays while your home is on the market. (No, your neighbors didn’t pay us to say that!) Instead, use simple string lighting to play up your home’s architecture. I hope these tips help you prepare your home for the market this holiday season. If you have any additional questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I would be happy to help you! Contact Us   Written by Ruby Miranda on September 23, 2018. Posted in First Time Home Sellers, Home Staging, Market Snapshot, Sell Your Home, Seller TipsTags: First Time Seller, Home Staging, Market Snapshot, Sell Your Home, Seller Tips Trackback from your site.   Leave a Reply.

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