Don't Miss This Market

For those of you who know me, it's not a stretch to say that I am sometimes "honest to a fault" in my real estate business. I take that as a compliment, as it is extremely important that I tell my clients the truth. When I am on a listing appointment and I discuss selling a house, I go prepared. I love math and statistics, so I research the market extensively and I can back up my price recommendation. My key objective is to get that asking price right, immediately. Sometimes I have to say to people upfront, "Your expectations are a little bit unrealistic... I think that you are making a mistake by pricing it at that number because you are going to turn people away that can really afford to buy the house... If you price it at that number, it will take you longer to sell and it will cost you money over time." This usually stuns some of my clients but most of them get it. I would rather be upfront in the beginning than risk my reputation later. 

My advice to you would be: Work with a local agent who doesn't always agree with you! Find someone who can back up their opinion with market data.

Case in point: The market is starting to move, inventory is low and there is currently higher buyer demand. I have recently negotiated a few multiple offer situations. One of my listings had five offers on it at the same time and another had four. From the start, I worked with my clients and together we decided on a competitive price that attracted these offers. The offers were from legitimate pre-qualified buyers and both properties sold at near or equal to the original asking price.

With the exception of foreclosures, it's been five to six years since I have seen this kind of market activity. If you are considering selling, don't wait to start that process now.