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Will St. Joe help sell your Spring Texas home?

By
Real Estate Agent with Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate | Gary Greene 0512346

St. Jospeh statue helps sell Spring Texas homesYesterday I was at a closing with my buyers who were purchasing a Spring Texas home when a discussion arose about a St. Joseph statue that the sellers had buried in the front yard. The sellers believed that if you want to sell your home, you bury a St. Joseph statue in the yard, say a prayer, and before you know it the house will be SOLD.

Now for a little background on the sellers home, it had been on the market for 270 days which is 3X longer than the average days on market for Spring Texas homes. Its initial list price was $233,000. During the 270 days it was on the market it had been reduced three times. When my buyers and I viewed the home it was on the market for $194,500 or 16.5% less than its original list price.

The home was built in 1984 and although it had some recent updates of flooring in a couple of rooms and new kitchen counter tops and backsplash its window treatments and wallpaper dated the house. The house showed dark because of the heavy window treatments and the upstairs carpet was severely in need of stretching. I almost forgot to mention the blue carpeting on the stairs and in the upstairs gameroom.

After viewing the home, I knew exactly why it had been on the market so long. It showed dark, was in need of updating, and was not a significant bargain in comparison to the rest of the Spring Texas real estate market for buyers to be willing to take on the work. My buyers had vision and could see the potential in the home which is why it was the right home for them.

Did the powers of the St. Joseph statue help the sellers sell their home? Who knows? But what I do know is that I am not about to say anything negative about the husband of the mother of Jesus. I will say, that sometimes even St. Joseph can not do it by himself and he needs a little help from the sellers. Next time you need to sell your Spring Texas home, give St. Joseph a hand and price your home correctly and get it in good showing condition.

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If you have questions about buying or selling Spring Texas homes, give us a call at 281.804.8626 or 281.300.3141 as we are happy to help.

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Jill Wente - for all your Spring TX Real Estate needs
Realtor, eCertified, Certified Home Marketing Specialist

(281) 804-8626 - jwente@garygreene.com

Evelyn Panning
Property Connections Realty Inc. - Alturas, CA

Do your homework, stage, and price the home right.  And, then bury St. Joseph in the front yard -- certainly can't hurt. ~ Evelyn

Oct 05, 2008 03:03 AM
Richard Shuman
The Only B.S. I Have is from the University of Massachusetts - Lake Mary, FL
Real Estate Broker - Orlando Area - Love Referrals

Hopefully all sellers will read your blog. I love when they say "if it's g-d's will it will sell".

Price it right, clean it up and it will sell.

Oct 05, 2008 03:03 AM
Marie Meyer
Keller Williams Realty - Central Valley, NY
Orange County New York Realtor

Hi Jill ... St. Joseph is big here in New York.  We need all the help we can get!

Oct 05, 2008 03:14 AM
Tom Burris
NMLS# 335055 - Baton Rouge, LA
Texas/Louisiana Mortgage Pro - 13 YRS Experience

I could make so many comments.... 

A good listing agent is btter than burying a chinese made doll in the yard

 

Oct 05, 2008 03:51 AM
Jill Wente
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate | Gary Greene - Spring, TX
Realtor, CRS, MCNE, CHMS

Tom - My sentiments exactly. If it only was so easy as to just bury a doll in the yard. There are specific requirements on the burial process. St. Joe is to be buried by the For Sale sign, head first and facing the street.

Marie - At this closing was the first I had ever heard of St. Joe and I am with you I will use anything I can to help get a listing sold. But the main point is that St. Joe can not do it by himself.

Richard - In our market, its not only price it right but its update the home. We still have a lot of new construction options for buyers and the buyers are not interested in doing any work.

Evelyn - You hit the nail on the head. The sellers need to get the house ready to sell and then bury St. Joe in the yard.

Oct 05, 2008 04:10 AM
Jean Groesbeck
Compass - Anacortes, WA
Broker, CRS, e-PRO, ABR, ASP, CNE, IMS

I have had a lot of people swear by it.  Whether it is just the positive energy or something more...it can work!

Oct 05, 2008 04:17 AM
Marie Meyer
Keller Williams Realty - Central Valley, NY
Orange County New York Realtor

Hi Jill ... I agree and understand your point.  And I think it's important to be sensitive to people's beliefs and respect them while doing our best concerning the business end of things.  I always use an expression I learned from my mother ... God helps those who help themselves.  You can substitute St. Joseph.  It has worked for me.  I have a closing this week ... I learned during the appraisal that the little statue is buried in the yard.  I do not mess with St. Joseph!  :)

 

Oct 05, 2008 05:11 AM
Carol Swain
Keller Williams Real Estate - Langhorne, PA
Realtor, -www.swainsells.com- Bucks County, Pa

I never forget the first time I heard about this years ago.  I thought it was nuts...haha

Oct 05, 2008 06:44 AM
Karen Otto
Home Star Staging - Plano, TX
Plano Home Staging, Dallas Home Staging, www.homes

A home stager just posted something about this too Jill - I think pricing it right and having it in great shape is what it's all about... now saying a little prayer to help it along, I wouldn't hesitate!

Oct 06, 2008 11:24 AM
Elizabeth Weintraub Sacramento Broker
Elizabeth Anne Weintraub, Broker - Sacramento, CA
Put 40 years of experience to work for you

I once buried a St. Joseph statue unside down in the back yard -- just to be funny -- and my house, which had been on the market for 4 months sold within a few days. Not that I belive in it or anything . . . I've been trying to get About.com to let me sell them on my site but so far, no luck.

elizabeth weintraub sacramento real estate agent in land park

Oct 11, 2008 05:50 AM
Jill Wente
Better Homes and Gardens Real Estate | Gary Greene - Spring, TX
Realtor, CRS, MCNE, CHMS

Elizabeth: The St. Joe statue business is booming especially in some of the slower markets. Keep working on About.com. Maybe if you offered them a revenue share they would go for the idea.

Oct 14, 2008 05:37 AM