Coldwell Banker Market Watch - May 2011

Warmer Weather Welcomes Favorite Activity

Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage

The warmer weather is finally warming up everyone's favorite Sunday activity. No it's not watching football; wrong season and don't forget, we're talking about real estate here. At Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, our favorite Sunday activity is the grand tradition of holding an open house of course.

The open house is the classic way to introduce a property to the market and it is still quite an effective and popular method to attract buyers to a home.

For home sellers, here are some helpful tips to ensure that your open house event is successful. Ensure the outside of the home is as appealing as possible. Water and mow the lawn, trim the trees, cut back overgrowth and plant colorful flowers. Store bicycles, gardening equipment, children's and pet toys away from view.

De-clutter and remove personal belongings like family photographs. Buyers want to imagine their own personal belongings in the space and too much stuff can distract them. Also ensure that personal belongings such as jewelry and medication are locked safely away.

Neutralize any strong odors and let the light shine through. Raise the blinds, open curtains and wash the windows. Don't forget to change light bulbs throughout the home.

Open houses are just as important for home buyers as they are for the seller, as prospective buyers can assess and compare a large number of properties at once. Viewing a variety of homes can give you a much better idea of exactly what you desire in a property, and help you understand how much home you can afford.  

Buyers should also agree upon a procedure with their real estate agent before visiting open houses.  If you attend an open house and like the property, it is generally best to share that information with your agent who can then schedule a private showing and help you through the negotiation process.   

If you don't have time to attend an open house, just visit CBMove.com. With thousands of listings with at-a-glance details of property listings with multiple views, selecting the right home is a simple click away.  You can search for your dream home by location, MLS number, property type and more.

You can also sign-up for email alerts for when new properties come on the market, prices change, and of course when open houses are scheduled.  CBMove.com is also accessible via your smart phone.

If you want to learn more about the open house process, please contact me.

To see what specific real estate trends are taking place in your market area, view the graphs below and feel free to contact me so I can provide you with a detailed analysis.  If you would like more information about how to successfully market your property during the winter season, please call me.

Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Baltimore City, Caroline, Carroll, Cecil, Culpeper, Dorchester, Frederick, Harford, Howard, Montgomery, Prince Georges, Prince William, Queen Anne, Somerset, Stafford, Sussex, Talbot, Washington, Wicomico, Worcester