Sell your house! You're bombarded by ads every day. But how do you know if that's the right move for you? Our real estate agents would like to point out some indicators that the time may have come.
No one can predict the future, but if recent trends continue, the time to sell and reinvest in a new home is now. But don't rush into a costly mistake. Take the time to review your finances, gather market data for the area, and weigh your choices thoughtfully. Rather than trying to study the market on your own, contact us for assistance. Our licensed professionals will help you gather the information you need to make the best choice.
Our real estate agents know that many sellers go into the process with immediate plans for the money they'll make in their transaction. They may wish to use the proceeds for a new home, so timing is crucial. Or they might have something else in mind that's no less important to them.
Whatever the case may be, there's no time to waste. Jackson homes for sale tend to sell for a higher amount the faster they get on and off the market. There are many things sellers and their agents can do to ensure a property moves quickly.
But there's one factor that's difficult to control: Buyer behavior.
When your house is on the market, you want to meet with serious buyers as soon as possible. Some of the methods used by real estate agents, such as open houses, are especially good for this. But even if a buyer says all the right things at first, there's still a chance they may back out before the end.
Wouldn't it be great if there was a way to be sure your buyer will see things through? While there's no 100% certain method, there is one traditional approach that can be very effective.
Let's talk about earnest money.
When a buyer sticks around long enough to make an offer on a home, it's easy to assume the tough part is behind you. But many issues could come up between that moment and closing day. You may be within days of signing on the dotted line, only for a would-be buyer to back out.
In short, they need some "skin in the game." This is the concept of earnest money.
An earnest money deposit is made when a real estate purchase contract is submitted. Unlike the down payment, which is mainly there to impress the lender, earnest money is for your benefit as the seller.
You've probably heard that a good down payment is about 20%, and maybe even more. But there are no such rules, even informally, when it comes to earnest money. Earnest money can vary from $100 to the whole purchase price. It's ultimately up to you to decide how much earnest money is enough.
When you're thinking about it, consult your real estate agent. Consider the overall market condition, how desirable your home is, and how many other offers you're passing up to follow up with this one. Also bear in mind the buyer's financing may dictate how much cash they have on hand.
You will receive the earnest money if the buyer terminates the sales agreement. If the transaction goes through, on the other hand, the earnest money is returned to the buyer.
But this isn't always the case. The sales contract may have certain stipulations that allow the buyer to walk away "free and clear." You'll have to agree to these for them to be enforceable. For example, a seller may be allowed to exit the deal if an inspection turns up the presence of mold or other issues.
Requiring earnest money is a terrific way to protect your interests. An experienced real estate agent can do the rest. Contact us to find out more or get started.
Our real estate agents know sellers often think for weeks or even months before putting a home on the market. By the time your property joins the ranks of beautiful Littleton homes for sale, you've given lots of thought to what the sale will mean in the context of your goals.
To get the best deal for your home, it's crucial to take the right steps early—before you even list. If you do, you'll have the opportunity to avoid the most common issues that can slow down a sale or stop the property from getting top dollar. That's well worth the effort!
Even if you list a home "as-is," most buyers are required by their mortgage lender to get an inspection done. If the inspection raises serious worries, many buyers will walk away. So, it can be helpful to schedule your own inspection before listing and use it as a guide to potential repairs.
Which repairs should you take on, and which can wait for a new owner? In most cases, "mandatory" fixes are those required to make the property safe for human habitation. Below that threshold, any repair can be considered optional, but some have a bigger impact on buyers than others.
Here are a few ideas that can be helpful:
Contact us to learn more about real estate opportunities in the Western White Mountains area.
Selling your home can cost you money before it pays off. You are probably already counting on paying your agent and the closing costs, but our real estate agents recommend also budgeting for miscellaneous expenses. Each situation is unique, and not all of these costs will apply to every sale, but in many cases, you'll have at least a few miscellaneous expenses to cover before your home sells.
Given the ongoing costs of maintaining your home and keeping it show-ready, you'll want it to sell quickly. Contact us today to get the process started.
Sometimes life sneaks up on you. You weren't expecting that fantastic job opportunity, and you certainly weren't expecting to transfer out of state. Suddenly, without warning, you find yourself in the position of having to find a home in a new place, and you haven't sold the one you're in. How do you manage that balancing act?
Our real estate agents may suggest you consider a bridge loan. But what is that, exactly? Essentially, it is a short-term loan backed by the equity in your existing home that will allow you to cover the time gap between its sale and the purchase of a new house. That may seem simple enough, but the borrower needs to understand this complex transaction with many ins and outs.
Are you ready to shop for one of our lovely Berlin homes for sale now that you're armed with this new financing information? Contact us when you are ready to take the next step.
If your home is starting to feel a little cramped and uninviting, it may be time to get rid of the clutter. To create a spacious, bright interior, our real estate agents suggest a home makeover that clears out all the household clutter and creates a welcoming home for potential buyers.
Central New Hampshire is full of green mountains, blue skies, and charming Jackson homes for sale that draw buyers to the area. Before you list your home, make sure you create an inviting atmosphere by clearing clutter that makes your home feel smaller, darker, and less appealing. Take a look at some helpful tips to attract potential buyers.
If you're considering a move to the area, contact us to take a look at available homes with great features that fit your lifestyle.
First impressions are key when attracting potential homebuyers; you want them to envision their lives in your house. Home staging is a standard real estate tactic for selling a home quickly, but many homeowners get it wrong. Our real estate agents have compiled the top staging mistakes they see among sellers:
When you stage a home, you want to provide a lived-in feel but avoid crowding your space with too many personal items. Contact us for more tips to sell your house quickly.
Our real estate agents know how important it is to you to sell your home quickly and with minimal fuss. Sellers, like buyers, tend to get the best deals when they move fast—and there are still plenty of people out there looking for the right Plymouth homes for sale.
Although it's important to present your property in the best light possible, there are also rules you need to follow. Your real estate agent is a crucial ally, ensuring your home's listing is accurate. A serious oversight can result in penalties or even legal liability down the line.
Details that absolutely must be communicated to a seller are called disclosures.
Disclosures vary from one place to another. For example, there are some parts of the United States where required disclosures include whether or not a crime has ever been committed in the home or whether it has ever been believed to be haunted. Luckily, this is out of the ordinary.
Disclosure laws are usually easy to understand. Not all states define disclosure rules, known as "Caveat Emptor" states. Here, it's primarily the buyer's responsibility to sleuth out anything that might be wrong with the home. This means the buyer must be especially diligent.
Even though New Hampshire features limited disclosures, sellers still have some obligations.
As a seller in New Hampshire, you must disclose the following:
Have other questions about New Hampshire disclosures? Contact us to find out more or get started.
If you're watching the news about rising interest rates, you may be shaking your head and thinking you missed your window to sell your home at a sizable profit. Our real estate agents would like to assure you this is not the case. Here are several reasons why Plymouth homes for sale are still fetching excellent prices.
If you're considering selling your home but still have additional questions, contact us. Our friendly professionals will be happy to guide you toward the best decision for your financial plan.
There are almost as many ways to sell your home as there are Plymouth homes for sale. But if you want to get the job done quickly and effectively, with as little hassle as possible, your best bet is to do it through an agent. Here are six ways an agent makes it easier to sell your home.
If you're ready to sell your home or buy your dream home, contact us. Our real estate agents will guide you through the process, every step of the way, to help you get what you want.
A home inspection is a little like a first date. You might have butterflies in your stomach, frightful thoughts racing through your head, and you'll think of a million things that you forgot to do, or that can go wrong before you open the door. But, as with dating, there are some things you can do to sway the odds of a positive home inspection in your favor. By rolling up your sleeves and following these tips from our real estate agents, you'll pass your home inspection with flying colors.
Home inspections can be nerve-wracking, whether it's your first time or your tenth. Contact us to learn more about the steps we take to help ensure our clients are ready when the date of their home inspections rolls around.
Congratulations! What a relief that the house had sold, right? But our real estate agents know that as the excitement wears off, you're probably going to look around and suddenly realize that the hardest work lies ahead of you. The longer you've been in your home, the more daunting the task of cleaning before you go. But don't feel too stressed out. We've compiled a few tips to keep the process as simple as possible.
We hope you've found this clean-up plan helpful. If you're in the market for one of the lovely Plymouth homes for sale, be sure to contact us. We'd be happy to help you find the perfect new place.
If you're planning to sell this year, you're probably thinking about what you'll need to do to get your house ready to appeal to the most buyers. It's crucial to work with a trusted real estate professional who knows your local market to get your home ready to sell. But there are a few things you should consider when deciding what to renovate and update before listing this season. Here are three things to keep top of mind as you're making your list of projects to tackle this year.
Housing inventory sits far below what is normally considered a balanced market. In fact, according to the National Association of Realtors (NAR), the latest data indicates inventory is hitting an all-time low. Because there's such a limited supply of homes available for sale, you're in a unique position when you sell your house to benefit from multiple offers and a quick process.
But you want to do so while buyers are still scooping homes up as fast as they're being listed. Spending time and money on renovations before you sell could mean you'll miss your key window of opportunity. Of course, certain repairs may be important or even necessary. The best way to determine where to spend your time – and your money – is to work with a real estate advisor to confirm which improvements are truly needed and which ones aren't likely to be deal-breakers for buyers.
Today, many buyers are more willing to take on home improvement projects themselves to get the house they're after, even if it means putting in a little extra work. A recent survey from Freddie Mac finds that:
". . . nearly two-in-five potential homebuyers would consider purchasing a home requiring renovations."
If more buyers are willing to tackle repairs on their own, it may be wise to let the future homeowners remodel the bathroom or the kitchen to make design decisions that are best for their specific taste and lifestyle. Depending on the structural condition of your house, your efforts may be better spent working on small cosmetic updates, like refreshing some paint and power washing the exterior to make sure the home stands out. Instead of over-investing in upgrades, the buyer may change anyway, work with a real estate professional to determine the key projects to tackle that will give you the greatest return on your investment.
Over the past year, many people made a significant number of updates to their homes. The most recent State of Home Spending report finds:
"Home improvement spending rose 25% year-over-year to $10,341. Homeowners who invested in home improvement did an average of 3.7 projects, up from 2.7 in 2020, . . ."
With more homeowners taking on more projects in the past 12 months, there's a good chance you've already made updates to your home that could appeal to buyers. If that's the case, your real estate advisor will find ways to highlight those upgrades in your listing.
The same is true for any projects you invest in moving forward. No matter what, before you renovate, contact a local real estate professional for expert advice on what work needs to be done and how to make it as appealing as possible to future buyers. Every home is different, so a conversation with your agent is mission-critical to make sure you make the right moves when selling this season.
In a sellers' market like today's, it's important to spend your time and money wisely when you're getting ready to move. Let's connect today so you can find out where to target your efforts before you list
Luxury Portfolio International recently released their newest study, "State of Luxury Real Estate", focused on consumers in the top 1%-5% income bracket of 17 countries, representing more than 30 million households. It was conducted by the Affluent Consumer Research Company, a full-service market research and voice-of-the-customer organization, specializing in high-income and high-asset consumers around the world.
Peabody & Smith Realty, as members of Luxury Portfolio, are proud to help share this study with you now - click here for your copy to read online or download and print.
Here are some key findings as reported by the study and Luxury Portfolio International:
The more than five-million-home gap between those interested in purchasing and those interested in selling creates a seller's market within the overall high-end residential real estate market. The implication of this lopsided market is near-term price increases and greater demand for new development.
Other highlights from State of Luxury Real Estate include:
The luxury customer is more interested in high-quality offerings and customer service than low price. The ultra-luxury segment values brands that feature corporate citizenship, reputation and loyalty.