How will the SOLAR ECLIPSE affect the Real Estate market?

So much hype, live news coverage and sensationalism. The news media going crazy. Then this morning at my local Dunkin Donuts, one of the local morning visitors started joking with me how it will affect the Real Estate market. "No one will be looking at homes today" he quivered. 

The talk quickly went to a strange site last night as billions of white bugs made their way South East from the Merrimack River in Hooksett into North Manchester. They say they were May flys. Not sure what they are as i have never seen them before. They were swarming the lights of Home Depot, Walmart and a near by Irving I stopped at. Of all times the pictures did not come up. They would fly into the lights, fry and fall like snow. The end of the world is near people yelled in jest thinking they were locusts of some sort.

BACK TO THE REAL ESTATE MARKET went the discussion. As the crowd grew so did the discussion. What I learned is there i so much false thoughts about real estate and the market we are in, that I really need to write about it.

First, we have had a very busy summer in NH for Real Estate but the market is changing. The days of homes selling in 3 hours ended with the Spring market. People who are listing now heard those stories and expect their home sold for tens of thousands more than it is worth and do it in days. 

The hard truth is those buyers have bought. The spring market is offer. The summer market is typically much slower than others times of year. To add to the challenge, buyers are not over paying for homes. There are more homes for sale now. Buyers have more choices. Most buyers say they want a home they can just move into. That leaves a shorter amount of buyers who will look at or buy homes needing work. As little as a home needing paint and carpets can slow a sale. 

One thing we have not seen since 2011 is buyers asking for greater discounts for homes that need even a little work.

All is not lost Home Sellers, the secret and key to selling your home is pricing at market value. "The real" market value, not the inflated values that sellers hoped to get last spring. That market has sailed, gone, over for now. The location and condition of your home really does matter with value.

One thing sellers should know is what makes a listing agent GOOD? Pricing a home is an art. In today;s market it is common to quote value by a range such as $270,000 to $300,000 or $180,000 to $200,000 or even $240,000 to $270,000. The high value is what you should ask. The low value is what buyers may offer and the middle value to the high value is what it should sell for given its condition. 

Now those of you saying this is harsh. We are entering the fall market which is sure busier than the summer market, there will be more buyers which should mean more showings and more offers. What offers show us it what buyers are willing to pay, therefore that is what is known as market value.

OH YEA!!! What about this eclipse and how it will affect the real estate market? The answer is it will not, but what a great title to introduce you to my blog today. .

The lesson today is why a Buyer or Seller should not choose just any agent, choose the BEST agent for the job. My philosophy is simple, provide more personal and professional service to guide my clients through each step of the buying or selling process. All Agents are not created equal and every buyer or seller should take the time to hire the BEST not just the biggest. Those that hire me, find a dedication like no other.