You've heard it said that all real estate is "local" and it is. Down to the very street you live on. The law of Supply & Demand determines what type of market a city, a neighborhood and a house is experiencing. There's no doubt that many areas across the country are experiencing a buyer's market (where levels of inventory exceed the supply of buyers), Redding is no exception. It is possible however, for certain neighborhoods to experience a "seller's market" where the home-owner has a competitively priced, highly desirable house in a highly desirable area. In a case like this, we see a strong interest from buyers and in many instances a multiple-offer scenario.
While this may not be the case for many home owners, there are things a seller can do regardless of what type of market the house or neighborhood is experiencing. To sell quickly and at the highest possible price we recommend a few things:
1) We recommended you pay a professional home inspector to come and do a thorough inspection of your house before putting it on the market.
2) You should de-personalize and de-clutter the house. Start by taking family photos off the refrigerator, walls, etc., and personal heirlooms that may be distracting to a potential buyer. I was showing a house once where the owners had a huge box the size of an aquarium but instead of a fish - there was a HUGE snake! Big mistake. It freaks people out and drives them right out the door.
3) Consider a Home Stager. This isn't for everyone but you should at least consider it especially if you know there are other homes in your neighborhoods that are staged or better furnished than yours. Home Stagers offer a variety of services where they can redesign your home using existing furniture and deco, bringing the cost down.
4) Before your house goes on the MLS (Multiple Listing Service) have a family member or close friend come and pretend they're looking to buy your house, it's amazing what others see that you can't.
5) Importance of photos and virtual tours: By the time your house hits the MLS, all photos must be available for the public to see, the same thing goes for virtual tours - they are ideal in enticing buyers to come see your house. Every real estate agent operates differently when it comes to these tasks. Because we are not professional photographers, we hire a local photographer to take photos and put together a virtual tour with music. These extra efforts do make a big difference! Take a look at one of our listings www.saintcharlesdrive.com to get an idea. 
If your house is not on the market but you are considering selling, we would be glad to meet with you, walk through your house and give you our input.
Chris and Maria Jeantet - Real Estate Professionals, GMAC - visit our website at www.shastaliving.com or call us anytime at (530) 510-8880
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