Not everyone wants to spend part of a Monday in an attorney’s office, but in the real estate world it’s a great day! This week started off with the closing of one of our listings, a wonderful young couple off to pursue their dreams at the beach. I had helped them find their home in Charlotte less than two years ago, and while they loved their house and neighborhood, a business opportunity at the beach was too enticing to pass up. It would normally be very difficult to sell your home after less than two years to cover the cost of selling, but this couple covered their costs and more. How did they manage that? A lot of sweat equity and some smart renovations.
Their house had great bones when they bought it, but needed some updating. Vintage 80’s wallpaper covered the walls in many of the rooms. Removing the wallpaper, scraping the popcorn ceilings, and painting took lots of time and elbow grease, but just look at the result. The master bathroom was original 80’s as well, and the new owners wisely decided a renovation was in order. Just look at the result. Doing the updating, making a smart bathroom renovation without over-improving, were exactly what this couple needed to do to put themselves in a great position to sell their home in a very short amount of time for a great price. They were also smart enough to hire us to list it, knowing that we use a professional photographer for every listing, offer staging advice, and use multiple methods to market their home. They were under contract in one day with multiple offers. If you are thinking of selling your home contact us to discuss how to get the maximum possible price for your home.
Tag Archives: selling your home
Qualities of a Great Real Estate Agent for Listing Your Home
The real estate market in Charlotte is extremely hot right now. The median Days on Market for the areas in which we work, the Ballantyne and Arboreteum areas, is 16 days. So why do some homes sit on the market, while their competition is consumed by a feeding frenzy of competing buyers? It all starts with hiring the right real estate agent to list your home.
What is the best strategy in finding a great listing agent? It’s not necessarily the one with the most listings. A great real estate agent should have their listings under contract somewhere around the median for the price range and location. Ask to see some of the agents listing photos. Do they use a professional photographer on all their listings?Does the real estate agent know the area? Have they toured the competition? Will they be able to assist you in setting a price that will get you maximum exposure to buyers and reasonable offers? A smart real estate agent does all these things. But the number one quality in a real estate agent is one that will be honest with you about your home and its potential on the market. Many sellers love their home. It may be their first home that they put a lot of sweat equity into, or where they raised their kids, or where they spent the last days with a departed partner or spouse. While this is generally very emotional for the seller, a potential buyer attaches no sentimental value to your home. Buyers willing to pay top dollar are looking for an updated, move-in ready home. You need a real estate agent who will be honest with you about your home’s potential and what needs to be done to prepare your home for the market. If a real estate agent is only telling you what you want to hear then they are probably not being as honest with you as is necessary to get your home sold for top dollar. Interview agents until you find the one that is honest and willing to put themselves out there for you. We hope that agent is us.
It’s All About the Photos
Each morning I review the “hot sheets” from my local MLS here in Charlotte. I’m looking for potential homes for my buyer clients and potential competition for my sellers. The first thing I do is click on the pictures. I never cease to be amazed by the photos some agents provide for their listings – unmade beds, food on the counters, poor lighting, the television on , even the photographer caught in the mirror. (And these aren’t foreclosures, just regular listings). This the first impression that the 88% of potential buyers that shop online for homes will see.
Great photos are key- you could argue the most important part of marketing your home. Moving furniture, clearing counters- there are a lot of easy fixes to make a room look great online. Yes, it takes effort, but in this market agents and sellers have to be willing to do their part to get their home sold.
Here are some before and after shots from one of my SOLD listings. Which looks better- the cluttered kitchen or the clean counters? Does the great room look better with the television blocking the window or placed out of view? If you were the seller of this home, which photos would you want your agent to post on the internet? Yes, price, location, and condition of the home are very important- particularly price in this market- but great photos are an absolute essential if you want to draw buyers to your home. When you are interviewing agents to list your home, be sure to check out their listing photos and hire the agent who will make your home shine online.