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Summertime Listings (and Summertime Selling Mistakes)

By
Real Estate Agent with Keller Williams Realty Atlanta Partners 242866

The Henry County listings aren’t dominated by any particular kind of seller—like local listings everywhere, all kinds of homeowners are represented. One attribute they generally have in common is the motivation to make their sale happen quickly. Sometimes that’s because they have settled on a new home purchase and want to avoid months of paying double duty on multiple residences. Sometimes a seller is relocating; sometimes there’s been a death or divorce.  Regardless of the reason for entering their property in the Henry County listings, most sellers are strongly motivated to do what it takes to accomplish a sale.

Even in what has proven to be a generally strong market, a quick sale can be harder to accomplish during the summer months when buyers have other priorities on their minds—like vacations or the impending start of school. It might seem to be a less than optimum environment to enter the Henry County listings, but the fact is, sales DO happen during the vacation months: and they can happen quickly—especially when the seller avoids some common missteps:

Not Perfecting the Homes Appearance.

Sometimes it’s actually fairly easy to make minor remodeling changes that will make a home appear nearly “like new”—in person and in the listings. Another commonly missed step is a one-time extremely detailed deep cleaning (professionally when necessary). A home purchase is an emotional investment as well as a rational one, with the ‘clean as a whistle’ dimension sure to add considerable appeal to prospective buyers.

Not Taking Advantage of the Home Staging Industry

Based on statistics, professional home stagers give homes a look that buyers prefer. Of course, the decision to stage depends on the home sellers’ budget—but some stagers work within all budgets, so a consultation may be worth considering in any case. Consider staging as interior design for the sales process. It’s also true that staged interiors also tend to display better in the listings. 

Being Present During the Buyer Visit

No matter how sensible being there to answer any questions a potential buyer might have, remaining present during a showing is usually a misstep. Experts state that in practice, this tends to discourage substantive movement toward a sale.

Ignoring Offers

 

You may be on vacation and have trouble getting to a place where documents can be signed—but that’s not a reason why ignoring a low offer becomes a good idea. Yes, there are some offers that are just too low, but the way to respond is to counter the offer. By ignoring any legitimate offer, a Henry County home seller could be walking away from a buyer who has financing and may actually be willing to negotiate for a home (sometimes it’s the one they really have settled on). Sellers who benefit most from this kind of negotiation are likely to have done the work necessary to make their home sellable at top price. If you are looking to add your home to the Henry County listings this summer, contact me ASAP to discuss a marketing strategy that’s right for your property.

Ed Silva, 203-206-0754
Mapleridge Realty, CT 203-206-0754 - Waterbury, CT
Central CT Real Estate Broker Serving all equally

There are times of the year when homes might sell quicker than others but there is never a time of year to not pay attention to the listing or any correspondence that night be generated.

Jul 24, 2014 10:53 PM
Sandy Padula & Norm Padula, JD, GRI
HomeSmart Realty West & Florida Realty Investments - , CA
Presence, Persistence & Perseverance

Ron: Great blog post. I have encountered the last point you made frequently and when a seller does not react timely to an offer, if the buyer extends the response date, this, in effect, puts the seller in the power position, which if you are representing the buyer is not a good place to be. Have a great weekend!

Jul 25, 2014 12:17 AM