1. Your photos are unimpressive. The vast majority of home buyers start their search for a home on the Internet, your house had better look great in print. Not just nice... downright fabulous. Today we are considering internet views as a 'virtual showing'... if your house gets past that, then they might (just might) make an appointment to see it in person... We consider that your SECOND showing. Today's buyers are expecting good quality photos (and lots of them... just 1 shot from the street won't cut it!), a virtual tour, maybe even a floor plan, if applicable.
2. It's overpriced. You've got to view your own property as objectively as possible. Look at the home like a "buyer"... if necessary, go out with your Realtor and view other homes that are priced comparably to yours. Be objective. Given the other options on the market (and yes, you DO have to include short sales and foreclosures on your list... your potential buyers are!), would YOU buy your home, over the others on the market?
If no, then you either have to "update" your home to meet or beat the competition... or lower your price to adjust for it. if you can't afford to sell for the price, that you KNOW it sell for, you may want to consider just removing it from the market.
3. It shows poorly. This could mean almost anything... from the barky, barky dog, to the smell of the diaper pail. Maybe the carpeting is a bit worn, or the woodwork shows a lot of wear. All things that don't show up on the internet, but whoa.... once you get inside the house... they show up, like a cat-urine-smell on a 95 degree day in New Orleans!
4. You're invisible. Today's buyer comes from the internet, almost exclusively. Have you (or your agent) simply plopped the property on the MLS, and started praying? Are you on all the websites...(Trulia, Zillow, Craig's List, Google Base, etc...) all the places that buyers are searching? If not, you want to be.
5. Your listing is tired and stale on the market. Okay... yes, you overpriced your home initially when you first came on the market 2 years ago. But since then you have reduced your price almost monthly... constantly chasing the market down.... Now, finally you're truly priced where you should be... but your listing is tired and stale. Everyone looking for your type of property (ie: 3br/1.1 bath) in your area has already seen it, sometimes twice... and they remember that there was "something" about it that they didn't like... but what they don't remember is... what they didn't like.... was the price. Time to take the listing off market. Let it cool off (3-6 months), and bring it back on fresh in the Spring. Yeah, you'll have 6 mos. worth of holding-costs... but you'll more than make up for it in your purchase price.
btw... Avoid the temptation to bring the house back on at a higher price, than when you left the market. Just "don't do it"!
6. Your house won't appraise. The house looks great... you've finally gotten someone to bring you a bid on your slightly over-priced, but beautiful pied-a-terre. But the bank appraiser says it's worth $20,000 less than what they've agreed to pay. Heavy sigh... bite the bullet.... negotiate with them. If you have to drop the price $20,000 to make it work.... "make it work"... chances are, anybody else trying to buy your house will run into the same problem.
For the 1st quarter of 2009 84 single family detached homes closed in Ashburn which was a decrease from the 1st quarter in 2008 of 14 homes. (1st quarter of 2008 - 98 single family detached homes closed).
Comparison of 1st Quarter 2008 to 1st Quarter 2009 for Single Family Homes
Average List Price closed in Ashburn for 2008 - $683,904
Average List Price closed in Ashburn for 2009 - $560, 435
Average Sales Price closed in Ashburn for 2008 - $663,082
Average Sales Price closed in Ashburn for 2009 - $542,419
Average Days on Market for homes closed in Ashburn for 2008 - 78 days
Average Days on Market for homes closed in Ashburn for 2009 - 110 days
Selling your home in Loudoun County in today's market requires the correct pricing of your home and a real estate agent with a strong online marketing process who can create exposure for your home to thousands of buyers. It pays to have a strong professional working for you. Contact Sonja Adams at 703-963-7407 or SonjaAdams@veizon.net for a comprehensive market analysis of your home.
While not in Loudoun County, Herndon's Friday Night Live Concert Series is a big hit and close to eastern Loudoun. Its one of my favorite things to do in the summer.
Friday Night Live is celebrating its 15th year of hosting outdoor concerts outside the town hall in Herndon...started out with sparse attendance when dogs were allowed to join their human friends...this concert grew rapidly and unfortunately its so big that our furry friends are not allowed to attend.
If you are looking for something to do with a group of single friends or with the family, I highly recommend checking this out...its free...there are food and drink concession stands and the line-up of bands is always excellent.
The schedule for 2009 is:
May 1 - 2U and Road Soda
May 8 - Lost in Paris
May 15 - Laura Lea and Tripp Fabulous
May 22 - Black Sheep
May 29 - Herndon Festival - no bands for Friday night live, but the Festival will have bands
I attended the Leesburg Flower and Garden Festival this weekend and was very impressed. It was with utter amazement that I walked by the designers who brought landscape designs to King Street that looked like they have been in your backyard for years.
The plants were fabulous as well as the garden related gift vendors....I was a big supporter of the Orchid Stand buying one of the gorgeous purple hanging orchids below....
If you are thinking about going next year, don't miss this once a year festival...its well worth the $3 to attend!
The Dulles Little League started their season with an opening day parade through Ashburn on Saturday. The little leaguers started out on Shellhorn Road at St. Teresa's Church and walked to Crittenden Park on Windmill Drive at 9:00 am.
The teams each had banners proudly displayed for their team and the parade was led by police escort...once the teams arrived, the fun and games began for the afternoon with many activities for the kids and vendors for everyone to visit. The folks from Kinkora and supporters for a minor league baseball team were also in attendance.
Suppose you are going to list your home.. How do you make a knowlegdable decision of which realtor to hire...
Here's the scenario...you just interviewed 3 local realtors in town... They each came to your home, gave you a market analysis of your property and presented their excellent credentials and qualifications. You seen to have a good rapport with all of them... How do you choose the best realtor?
Its easy- put their names in a hat and pick one...
Just kidding... Research shows that best choosing a realtor that has the most internet presence will sell your home faster... How can you verify if a certain realtor is technological advanced? Google their name or even the town you live in and see if their website appears on the first few pages Since 85% of the buyers begin their search on the internet, there should be a requirement that your agent needs to be internet savvy.
Do any of the realtors you just interviewed have their own blog, members of Active Rain, use Craigs list, Backpage or Twitter? If the realtor you are interviewing rolls their eyes indicating they do not have a clue , you will know that they aren't on the cutting edge of technology, and not up to date on all of the possible ways to market your property.
Seller's you are in the driver's seat and you need to choose the best realtor in the area who will be do the best job for you!
This is strategy 5 in my series or tips for selling/ buying your home. If you would like to read my previous posts in my strategy a week series, I have include them below for your convenience.
If you want more information regarding specific real estate sales in the Buffalo Grove, Long Grove, and Lincolnshire area, please do not hesitate to call me at 847-602-5435 , email me at info@buffalogrovehomes.com or check out my website at www.buffalogrovehomes.com or www.buffalogroveareahomes.com . I can help you in the purchase or sale of a Buffalo Grove Condo, Buffalo Grove Townhouse, Buffalo Grove single family home or a Buffalo Grove rental. I am available 24/7 to make appointments!
Can't sell your home? With the number of sellers on the market, compared to the number of buyer-its no wonder. I have been successful this year using the following strategy learned in my marketing 101 class.
Instead of relying solely on email and the internet and other social networking arenas, maybe its time to pick up the phone and actually network with your colleagues. Yes that's right, I'm referring to good ole fashion human interaction! It worked for me on my last 3 closings!- maybe it can work for you!
Sale 1- I was talking to a colleague in another office about coordinating a neighborhood broker open. We were discussing potential buyers and showings we recently had and she told me of a realtor who made an offer on her clients home, but it was too low for her seller to accept. She told me to call the other realtor because she thought my home would be perfect for the other client and in a price range more in line with the client's price range.
I picked up the phone, called the other realtor, subsequently invited her to my broker's open and 2 weeks later her buyer bought the home. Home sold by networking with other realtors and picking up the phone.
Sale 2- After an office meeting, I was networking in my office and asking if anyone had a buyer for a home that was not on the market yet. Two people sid they were working with relocation clients and would love for their clients to see it. Although it was not yet formally on the market, one of the clients fell in love with it and the rest is history. Again this home was sold by networking with other realtors.
Sale 3- Realtor was looking at homes with a client and drove by one of my listings. She called me for the price of the home. I was on the phone at the time, but called her back within 2 minutes to give her the information she needed. Although the home she was looking at was out of her price range, I shared with her another listing that I had that was in her price range. She immediately went to see it and 3 weeks later her clients made an offer.
When interviewing a potential realtor in selling your home, I recommend that you should ask these additional relevant questions?
How long does it take for the realtor to answer his phone or email? What is his responsiveness time? If the realtor isn't available, is there someone else that is going to answer his calls? Does he pick up the phone on the weekends?
Is your realtor aggressive in marketing your property to his colleagues?
Now don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that the internet is replaceable, but I do want to point out that even in the age of technology, human interaction and responsiveness is something that can't be replaced or replicated.
This is strategy 3 in my series or tips for selling/ buying your home. If you would like to read more posts in my strategy a week series, I have include them below for your convenience.
If you want more information regarding specific real estate sales in the Buffalo Grove, Long Grove, and Lincolnshire area, please do not hesitate to call me at 847-602-5435 or email me at info@buffalogrovehomes.com I am available 24/7 to make appointments!
Buffalo Grove /Long Grove real estate agent Judy Greenberg gives important tips and strategies on how to sell your home in today's market. Stay tuned for my strategya week series....
Strategy 2- Buyer's should hire a localrealtor!
After all that you read in the newspapers, hear on the news, you probably are wondering how you can get the best house and the best deal if you are a buyer, or frightened that you will not be able to sell your home in this market if you are a seller.
So I want you to ask yourself , do you want the best realtor for this challenging job?Isn't' your home one of your largest investments? In this tough market, I feel that hiring a local realtor, instead of a third cousin who lives 1 hour from your home would be one of the wisest financial moves you will ever pursue.
In this post I'm going to address why you want to hire a local realtor if you are a buyer in today' s market and in my next post, I'm going to address why you should use a local realtor if you are contemplating selling your home. Sounds too obvious, maybe to you and me, but not to all the past disappointed past sellers and buyers I have met.
If you are a buyer, your buyer's agent needs to be a true expert in the communities you are interested in purchasing. Your agent should be completely versed in the schools, school districts, boundary lines, commuting, type of water the home uses, conservancy laws, etc.
Let me give you an example. Suppose a school district changed boundaries within the last few years. Many listing realtors are relying on old school information, and submitting incorrect schools or incorrect spelling of schools on the MLS sheets. This is happening more frequently today, especially with the influx of foreclosures and bank owned property on the market. The seller's bank hires the Realtor and this realtor may live and work hours from the property. Unfortunately, these Realtors may never have visited the property, and clueless of the school boundaries.
Unfortunately, these unintentional mistakes in turn affects the buyer's realtor. Thus, the buyer's realtor who is not familiar with the area will either miss good homes (in their search) in the school district their client prefers, or advise their client to purchase a home in the wrong school district. Even if the listing realtor has the right school district but spells the name of the school incorrectly, you may miss a home in your search. To the right, I have copied a portion of the MLS of an active bank owned property located in Kildeer, Illinois. If you are looking for a home in district 125, Stevenson High School- you will pass over this home since the lister used the wrong district. They didn't even bother putting the name of the High school in the listing either. If a buyer's agent unfamiliar with the area used this information, it would be like the blind leading the blind!
Another important reason to hire a local realtor is that they are familiar with the nuances of the specific neighborhood, ordinances etc. One time a friend of mine moved in to a neighborhood and didn't realize the maintenance involved to purify the well water. Her realtor wasn't familiar with this, and in turn didn't inform her of the necessary upkeep. A local realtor would have been knowledgeable about these issues.
When you are negotiating on behalf of your client, it is always better to be the one who is more knowledgeable about the area. If you are representing the buyer and the seller won't budge on the price, you always have the advantage if you have seen the inside of the comparables and the reason that they sold for the price they did. A local realtor has the upper hand in the negotiations.
The last benefit I am going to address in hiring a local realtor in purchasing a home is that they may be aware of the best homes before they even hit the market. Many times when I have a buyer in a specific price range and they can't find a home that they are truly in love with, I go the extra step. I ask the realtors in my office, Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, if anyone has a listing that they know that is coming on the market soon. If this networking proves unsuccessful, I take it one step further and ask my close friends and colleagues I trust in the other offices in town to see if they know of any listing that is going to meet the needs of my buyers. Although inventory is high, and you are probably laughing to yourself that a person can't find a home in today's market, many times the best homes do not even hit the market. It's the local agents who know of these homes first.
Caveat; if for some reason you do choose to hire a realtor that is not local, make sure they do their homework and learn all about every aspect of the home and communities you are buying....
Last week's strategy- Contemplating selling soon... Take pictures of your home now!
If you want more information regarding specific real estate sales in the Buffalo Grove, Long Grove, Vernon Hills, or Lincolnshire area please do not hesitate to call me at 847-602-5435 or email me at info@buffalogrovehomes.com . I am available 24/7 to make appointments!
Judy wrote a great series that I am going to post about selling your home...it doesn't matter if you are in Buffalo or Loudoun County...this is a great series to read!
Buffalo Grove /Long Grove real estate agent Judy Greenberg gives important tips and strategies on how to sell your home in today's market. Stay tuned for a strategy a week!
In my opinion, timing and knowledge are the keys of selling your home quickly and for the highest possible price. My goal is to educate the seller and buyer to take full advantage of the present market.
Seller-Strategy One- Take pictures of your home in all seasons- especially those that emphasize the beauty of your home.
Let's say you want to put your home on the market in early spring, one of the times most people ultimately first think about selling their home. Imagine what the photos of your home would look like at the time of year. If you live in Chicago's suburbs, your pictures would either include dirty snow or ugly barren trees. (Sometimes not a pretty site and one that does not make a good first impression.)
According the National Association of Realtors, nearly 80% of homebuyers start their home search on the Internet. This number is increasing on a daily basis. The potential buyer narrows his list of homes he would like to see by looking at pictures on the internet.
My suggestion is that if you are comtiplating putting your home on the market in early spring - take your pictures now. Everything is very green ,especially after the week of rain we had a couple of weeks ago. Fall is a beautiful time of year and it would be a good idea to show the potential buyers what your home looks like in different seasons. To your left- this backyard in Long Grove will not photograph as well in the middle of winter as it does in the middle of the fall.
In my opinion, it's the photos -- and good photos -- that gets a potential buyer in your home, and you only get one chance to make a first impression. A good picture is worth a 1000 words, a bad picture on the other hand may result in the consumer skipping over your home in their internet search and ultimately lose the sale.
For all of you realtors who are reading this blog... would you take a client to a home which had no pictures on the internet? What about one that had bad pictures? What about potential buyers, what do you think?
If you want more information regarding other activities happenning in Long Grove this fall or winter, please do not hesitate to call me or check out my websites at www.buffalogroveareahomes.com or www.movetolonggrove.com
Earth Day is actually a month long event in Broadlands, however, the festival itself is being held at Clydes Willow Creek Farm on Sunday, April 2th from 11-3pm.. There will be a variety of interactive animal demonstrations from the Reptiles Alive Organization, the National Aquarium and the Leesburg Animal Park. There will also be over 25 non profit organizations on site to educate the public on making a difference in the environment.
Clydes will also be hosting several bands - The School of Rock Music, Celtic Marc, Jazz combo, and Traktion.
Disclaimer: ActiveRain Corp. does not necessarily endorse the real estate agents, loan officers and brokers listed on this site. These real estate profiles, blogs and blog entries are provided here as a courtesy to our visitors to help them make an informed decision when buying or selling a house. ActiveRain Corp. takes no responsibility for the content in these profiles, that are written by the members of this community.
1. Your photos are unimpressive. The vast majority of home buyers start their search for a home on the Internet, your house had better look great in print. Not just nice... downright fabulous. Today we are considering internet views as a 'virtual showing'... if your house gets past that, then they might (just might) make an appointment to see it in person... We consider that your SECOND showing. Today's buyers are expecting good quality photos (and lots of them... just 1 shot from the street won't cut it!), a virtual tour, maybe even a floor plan, if applicable.
market?
5. Your listing is tired and stale on the market. Okay... yes, you overpriced your home initially when you first came on the market 2 years ago. But since then you have reduced your price almost monthly... constantly chasing the market down.... Now, finally you're truly priced where you should be... but your listing is tired and stale. Everyone looking for your type of property (ie: 3br/1.1 bath) in your area has already seen it, sometimes twice... and they remember that there was "something" about it that they didn't like... but what they don't remember is... what they didn't like.... was the price. Time to take the listing off market. Let it cool off (3-6 months), and bring it back on fresh in the Spring. Yeah, you'll have 6 mos. worth of holding-costs... but you'll more than make up for it in your purchase price.
Instead of relying solely on email and the internet and other social networking arenas, maybe its time to pick up the phone and actually network with your colleagues. Yes that's right, I'm referring to good ole fashion human interaction! It worked for me on my last 3 closings!- maybe it can work for you!
Is your realtor aggressive in marketing your property to his colleagues?
on the news, you probably are wondering how you can get the best house and the best deal if you are a buyer, or frightened that you will not be able to sell your home in this market if you are a seller. 
Buffalo Grove /Long Grove real estate agent Judy Greenberg gives important tips and strategies on how to sell your home in today's market. Stay tuned for a strategy a week!
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