I was reading an e-mail this morning sent out by The South Carolina Association of Realtors and it pointed out that there are only 145 days left before the $8,000 First Time Home Buyer Tax Credit expires.  When you think in terms of the home buying process; that's not a lot of time.  This should provide sufficient incentive to get those still on the fence off!  Another interesting aspect of the article was a quiz to test your knowledge of the tax credit so that you can properly advise your clients.  I've included the link to the quiz below.  It will only take you two minutes. Give it a try and let me know how you did!  Happy Selling!

http://www.realtor.org/RMOQuiz2.nsf/2009HomeBuyerTaxCreditQuiz?OpenForm

Yvette & Dennis Gardner, of Keller Williams Realty, are the authors of this blog.   Yvette, Dennis and their team of experts in the Spartanburg, Greenville area of the upstate of South Carolina are always available to help you with all of your Real Estate needs. Call our team anytime at 864-641-5859 or to search for homes go to: www.HomesInTheUpstate.net.

Yvette & Dennis Gardner, of Keller Williams Realty, are the authors of this blog.   Yvette, Dennis and their team of experts in the Spartanburg, Greenville area of the upstate of South Carolina are always available to help you with all of your Real Estate needs. Call our team anytime at 864-641-5859 or to search for homes go to: www.HomesInTheUpstate.net.  Please feel free to share this photo!!

The Upstate of South Carolina is one of the most desirable places to live with its southern hospitality and charm, seasonal changes and pleasant year round climate. We're conveniently located to Charlotte, Ashville, Myrtle Beach, Atlanta and Charleston. You too, can live and work in an internationally recognized business and cultural community with a quality of life that is second to none. From small farms to mid-town condominium living; mountain views, golf course communities and lakefront properties; we have it all. If we can help you with your relocation to The Upstate please give us a call today at-864-641-5859.To search for homes or access area information go to: www.HomesInTheUpstate.net.

Determining the asking price requires up to date research, experience and judgment.  Knowing your current real estate market conditions and financing trends are a critical beginning.  Other basic steps include:

Comparing the home against similar properties in the neighborhood or area that have sold recently or that are currently on the market.

Determine what features make the home more appealing than other homes on the market.

Consider spending a reasonable amount of money on making cosmetic updates to enhance the appearance, marketability and earn the highest possible sales price.

Sometimes viewing the competition will assist in achieving these goals.  The current selling price in our market is usually within 3% of market value.

Pricing a home more than 3% over the market value could result in the following:

 Buyers may choose not to view the home at all because they perceive there are better values in other lower priced "comparable" properties.

 By pricing in a higher price range you eliminate potential buyers that otherwise might be able to afford the home if it were priced closer to the market value.

 If a buyer is willing to pay more than market value (and this is not the norm) they may not be able to get financing because the property may not appraise.

 While all of this is going on the home is "not on the market" and you loose valuable time.  A home that stays on the market too long because it is priced too high gets stigmatized.  This is why it's critical to price it right from the beginning and set the correct expectations of the seller.

Unfortunately, we never a get second chance at first impressions and neither will your house.  Creating curb appeal is critical to getting potential buyers inside especially when buyers have so many choices.  The first thing you should do is take a walk around the outside of the house and make a list as you go.  Try looking at it through the eyes of a buyer.  If you were shopping for a home would you want to look inside?  Does this house scream "I'm Gorgeous Inside"??  Be objective!  It's hard when it's your own home.  If the outside of a house looks messy and unkempt, the assumption is that the inside is the same or even worse.  There are a lot of low or no cost improvements that can be made simply by thinning out and shaping shrubbery, defining flower beds, planting a little seasonal color.  Make sure to unclutter the yard just as you have uncluttered the house.  Does the house need some touch up paint or power washing?  Are the windows clean?  The list can go on forever!  The bottom line - - Don't let your house be ruled out on the drive by!

If you're approaching retirement or just have too much house now that all the children are grown and on their own you may be thinking about selling the family home.  Before you do, you should ask yourself these few simple questions?

Do you need the equity from your home?  If you've owned your home for a while you've probably built some equity.  If this is your main source of retirement money, than selling could be the right choice for you.  It would be wise to consult your accountant or financial planner in this case.

Do you have more house than you can handle?  The maintenance on a large home, both inside and out can be costly, as can utilities and taxes.  If you have too much room and want to cut some expenses a move to a smaller home with little or no maintenance may be a good move.

Is the upkeep of your larger home more than you have time for?  Due you want to spend your free time cleaning a large house or mowing the lawn.  Are there any major items that are going to need replacement soon; roof, heating, AC, appliances?  Do you need to paint?  Does your house need updating?

Do you want to be closer to family members?   If you've retired and your job is no longer dictating where you live you may want to move closer to family members or friends.

Will this be a positive lifestyle change for you?   Your lifestyle should be a major consideration.  What interests do you have and how far will you have to travel to enjoy them.  What type of community suites your lifestyle and offers you the amenities that you want?

As with any move, careful and thoughtful planning will insure its overall success.         

I've always believed that homes show better when they're furnished.  For whatever reason some people can't envision what a rooms going to look like or how their furnishings will fit into a particular space.  We have a new construction home with an extremely open floor plan.  It's had a good number of showing and of course the feedback has been "I don't know how I'm going to arrange my furniture; it's so open."  We've had the home staged and it makes such a huge difference.  I suppose the real test will be how quickly it sells!  I'll keep you posted.