Laura Everett-Osiadacz's Blog

Three Tips for Selling your Home

Laura Everett-Osiadacz (RE/MAX NW) — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 14:46:45 -0700

Are you thinking about selling your home, or wondering why your home seems to be getting over looked? Take a peek at my tips for selling you home and see if you are following this simple advice.

•1) Price

Your home needs to be appropriately priced for today's market. You may think, "They can just make an offer", trust me this is a big mistake. More times than not, an overpriced property will just scare qualified buyers away.

•2) Clutter

Rid you home of clutter and too many personal items. Too much clutter can give the illusion that your home is smaller than it is, and the buyer needs to envision themselves living at the property.

•3) Landscaping

Many sellers neglect to spruce up the outside of their homes thinking that the updated bathroom or kitchen will make up the difference. This is an inexpensive way to draw potential buyers to your home. First impressions are a big part of selling your home, and if buyers aren't excited when they pull up to the front of you home you are fighting an uphill battle.

These tips are all affordable ways to help with the sale of your property. If you have any further questions about selling your home give me a call or e-mail and I would be happy to help.

Are You Riding the Home Buyers Fence? It's Time to Make Your Move!

Laura Everett-Osiadacz (RE/MAX NW) — Tue, 04 Dec 2007 12:24:42 -0800

Are you are looking to buy a home or property but aren't quite sure if you're making the right decision? Let me tell you this is a great time to buy. Competitive prices, Low Mortgage Rates, Plenty of Selection... What more could you ask for?

I am not an expert in all markets, but I am in Kittitas County, Washington. If I could give one word of advice to potential buyers it would be to make your purchase NOW! The market is incredibly favorable to you right now, and we never really know when conditions will change.

I predict, with our healthy economy and more buyers having confidence, prices will definitely rise by summer of 2009. Now is the time to make your purchase! You still have excellent prices in our area on all types of property, and excellent mortgage rates. Currently, most of our buyers are getting approved for conventional loans under 7%.

If you have any questions about listings in our area, or financing please let me know.

When you feel like you've given it your all don't give up... Something good is bound to happen soon.

Laura Everett-Osiadacz (RE/MAX NW) — Thu, 08 Nov 2007 19:25:09 -0800

When you feel like you've given it your all don't give up... Something good is bound to happen soon.

To be quite honest I've had a frustrating couple of months. My sellers are getting antsy, my buyers are having a hard time getting financed, and I have had two deals in contract for over a month. I've been sitting on pins and needles waiting for them to close. I keep on thinking to myself, "Could I please get a couple routine transactions in the midst of all of these difficult transactions? I just don't know how much more I can take!" I had almost given up on 2007. This sounds pathetic and whiney I know, please keep reading it gets better...

However, I kept on doing what I do...

•1) Send out my monthly mailers

•2) Contact buyers and sellers on a regular basis

•3) Keep contact with lenders to know the best programs out there

•4) Work with all my buyers the same no matter how difficult I think the transaction is going to be.

Well, something great happened yesterday. Yes, my persistence paid off.

A past client of my team, I work on all transactions with my father, contacted us because we are so consistent and have proven to be the EXPERTS in our area.

Our buyer needs to spend millions of dollars in the next couple of months, and guess who gets to be the agents to write all the transactions. You guessed it; my father and me.

The message to all agents feeling somewhat how I was feeling. Please keep doing what you are doing. Your clients know that you too are the EXPERTS in your area. Don't forget to stay in contact and remind them of this though. Your next great transaction is just around the corner!

Like the Great Outdoors? Come Visit Me and My Team in Kittitas County, WA!

Laura Everett-Osiadacz (RE/MAX NW) — Sat, 27 Oct 2007 17:37:01 -0700

Summers over, Fall is in it's fully glory... The vibrant colors of the leaves changing, frost in the morning, the crisp cool air. All things many of us think about in Fall.

Kittitas County is one of the most beautiful places to witness the Four Seasons. Most days it is sunny and clear: I live in a recreational paradise. ONLY a little over an hour from downtown Seattle. No wonder we have so many second homes. Yes, people have discovered our little paradise just east of the Cascades.

Here's a little taste of what we enjoy in Kittitas County...

Spring: Fishing, Hiking, Biking, Watching all of our Flowers Bloom, Planting Gardens for the Summer
Summer: Boating, Water Sports, Hiking, Mountain Climbing, Camping, Dirt Biking, Car Shows
Fall: Hunting, Hiking, Watching the Colors Change, Getting ready for Winter!
Winter: Snowmobiling, X-Country Skiing, Sledding

We have a wonderful way of life here. If anyone is interested in Upper Kittitas County, (Cle Elum, So. Cle Elum, Roslyn, Ronald, Lake Cle Elum, Easton, Lake Kachess, or Snoqualmie Pass), please give me a call!

How Do You Stand Out From the Crowd?

Laura Everett-Osiadacz (RE/MAX NW) — Fri, 19 Oct 2007 12:57:45 -0700

It amazes me the number of agents that are left speechless in a listing presentation when the potential client asks, "What is it that you do differently from the rest of the agents out there? It seems like you're all the same." Well, If you don't know you're in trouble. Stop and think to yourself... How am I different from other agents? Everyone is different, has different strengths and weaknesses. It is time to market yourself. Why are you the best agent to sell this property?

Here are a couple of ideas:

Marketing: You will FEATUREtheir property in your local Real Estate Guide, have Open Houses, place ads in the Newspaper, mail information about the property to the neighbors, send e-flyers to all local agents... Whatever it is you do come in with a game plan and verbalize it. It takes more than planting a sign is someones yard and entering the info. on the MLS... Today's clients want the best!
Pricing: Please don't do your clients a disservice by overpricing their home. Be realistic in the listing price. A property gets the most attention when it is first listed... Don't waste this precious time overpricing it... People will just pass it by.
Give Your Clients the WOW Factor: Do something they don't expect... Something other Real Estate don't do. Example: Hire a cleaner to clean prior to listing, get their home staged, hire a landscaper... Be creative!

Hope this helps agents not finding themselves with nothing to say when a potential client asks, " What do you do that is different from everyone else?"

What is Really Happening in Today's Real Estate Market.

Laura Everett-Osiadacz (RE/MAX NW) — Thu, 18 Oct 2007 14:38:35 -0700

Well I'm sure many of the people reading this blog have heard the news stories of how the real estate market is crashing... Well, to be honest I'm sick of all the doom and gloom stories, and I think it is time to start looking at what is really happening.

In today's market property is not being bought up as quickly as it was a few years ago. This is true, but are things really as bad as what the media is making the public believe? No! Things have just shifted slightly more to the buyers advantage. With many properties on the market right now sellers are having to be realistic in their pricing. If a seller really wants to sell their property, they probably will. That is, if it is priced right. Most likely the sellers will make a profit on what they are selling. I know I would. I bought my house in Roslyn three years ago. Yes, I did make improvements, but I would still walk away with about 100K in profit if I were to sell today.

I think it is time to stop the doom and gloom stories of real estate out there. There are still both buyers and sellers. Yes, sellers are going to need to be more competitive if they want to sell, but it is about time if you ask me.

Let's all look for some good investors to buy property right now. The market has definitely not crashed... It has just changed, and that is something that is alway bound to happen in life.