Tag Archives: Home Selling

The Top Ways that Real Estate Agents SAVE You Money

Sunday, 08 November 2015 21:18
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YoungCoupleSaveMoneyMovingThe beauty of hiring an experienced real estate agent is that they make the process of selling your property look easy.  However, the truth of the matter is that it takes a lot of work and knowledge to get a home through the closing process, which is worth remembering when the desire to stick a “For Sale by Owner” sign in your yard rears its ugly head.

Plain and simple, while you may cringe when thinking about the standard 6% commission that your agent will get when your home finally sells, it’s important to think about all of the advantages they bring to the table, especially when you find yourself in a tight spot.

FREE MARKETING – When it comes to selling, marketing is key. Effective sales strategies include marketing materials that will not only cost you some serious out-of-pocket cash, but require professional-looking design skills, which—let’s face it—most of us lack.

Instead, a great agent will not only provide you with an abundance of professional photographs, brochures, mailings, and advertisements, but will make sure your listing is seen by the right contacts.  Often times, finding a buyer is about numbers.  If no one is seeing your home, no one will buy it.

THEY’LL PUT YOUR BEST FACE FORWARD – When it comes to staging, most of us have our furniture and belongings organized for function; however, while comfortable, chances are good that your layout may not be what’s best for the look of the room. If the goal is to show things in best light possible, you’ll need an agent who can objectively assess your space and help you decide what to keep and what to place in storage. Clearly, buyers will be looking for aesthetic appeal, so having someone on hand to redistribute your furniture, make recommendations, and increase your home’s flair is crucial.

THEY KNOW PEOPLE – A solid agent will have a solid team working behind them—which includes everything from honest lenders, plumbers, electricians, inspectors, contractors, brokers, designers, landscapers, etc. Whether selling your home will require a bit of a backyard cleanup or a few coats of fresh paint, your agent should be able to recommend someone who will not only do a great job, but give you a fair price.

When attempting to sell your home on your own, it’s easy to cave and throw money at the problem; however, an agent will save you from spending your hard-earned money when not absolutely necessary.

MORE MONEY AT CLOSING – Whether you always understand it, a great agent will approach the home selling process with a strategy, which means they’re going to work their magic to get you the most money for your home. Whether that means under-pricing to stage a bidding war or showing your property before listing to entice that super-motivated buyer, they know exactly how to play things so that you get more money.

TIME IS MONEY – Plain and simple, agents do things what you cannot. Unless you went to school for real estate or regularly spend your time researching trends in the local market, chances are good that they have a better understanding of what it takes to get a home sold in as little time as possible. The longer your home stays on the market, the more money you lose, so it’s important to have someone in your corner who can do the heavy lifting and move the process along.

In the end, regardless of the season or time of year, if you’re looking to sell your current home, I can help.  My background is extensive and I know how to move homes from market to close.

To learn more about what I can do for you and your family, please feel free to contact me.

Marie Dinsmore | The Dinsmore Team | www.DinsmoreTeam.com | 770-712-7789

Increase Your Home’s Exposure: Marketing to Millennials

Friday, 01 May 2015 15:08
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180717315Marketing your home is all about universal appeal, which means you’ve probably heard an abundance of advice imploring you to “de-personalize” your space and to paint in neutral colors.  However, while following such guidance is important, there’s also something to be said for targeting large sections of the population who are in a position to buy.

Enter the Millennial—someone who reached adulthood around the year 2000, putting them in their early-to-mid thirties.  While this generation may seem like a bit of a tough sell, especially since studies have shown that they’re much more open to the idea of choosing a lease over a mortgage, dismissing their purchase potential could be a costly mistake.

Plain and simple, many Millennials are looking to buy their first home, so if you’re looking to tap into their market, you’ll need to advertise, stage, and prep your home in a way that will appeal to their demographic.

HIGHLIGHT THE RIGHT FEATURES.  While generations of years past may have fixed their sights on things like two-car garages and extra storage space, Millennials tend to favor homes with open floor plans, media rooms, hardwood floors, and granite countertops.  By specifically marketing these features, chances are good that you’ll grab the attention of younger buyers.

MAKE YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD A SELLING POINT.  For many Millennials, the neighborhood matters just as much as the home, so make a point to emphasize your close proximity to desirable locations such as malls, restaurants, major cities, and schools.  Simply knowing that your house is located within a convenient location will increase its appeal and cast an otherwise unremarkable home in a new light.

GO GREEN.  It’s no secret that younger generations tend to place more emphasis on being environmentally-conscious, so it shouldn’t be a surprise that this emphasis also comes into play when searching for the right house.

Most builders already use eco-friendly materials and products in newly built homes, but if your property is a bit older, you may want to consider making a few upgrades to stay competitive.  Simply replacing single-pane windows with double-pane glass can go a long way, as can adding water efficient shower heads.

LESS CLUTTER, THINK CLEAN.  While modern architecture tends to be popular with younger buyers, your house doesn’t need to have a minimalist design to maintain its appeal.  Make a point to clear out your personal clutter and remind yourself that less is more.  Your goal is to make your home appear as open and light as possible, so consider home staging that will create clean, crisp surroundings.

GET ONLINE.  Younger buyers live in a technological world, so if you want your home to be seen, it needs to be there as well.  Personal websites, Twitter, and Facebook are great places to advertise if you’re looking to increase exposure, so don’t be afraid to get online.

If you’d like to learn more about how to increase your home’s universal appeal for all ages, please feel free to contact me.  I’d love to put a little money in your pocket!

Marie Dinsmore | The Dinsmore Team | www.DinsmoreTeam.com | 770-712-7789

What’s the Difference Between a Buyer’s and Seller’s Market?

Friday, 24 April 2015 01:25
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realtor-4As the spring real estate season starts to get underway, it appears that the market is showing favor to home sellers. However, while the terms “buyer’s market” or “seller’s market” may be something we regularly hear about, especially in regards to the state of the economy, truly understanding what each expression means is important.

Generally speaking, the above terms signify what you can expect when moving ahead with a real estate transaction.

A buyer’s market occurs when you have more supply than demand, which is what occurred after the housing bubble collapsed in 2007. When this happens, since there are more people looking to sell houses than people looking to buy them, many homeowners wind up accepting less money than their homes are worth and in some cases, may even find themselves offering incentives just to secure an interested buyer.

While this obviously presents a problem for sellers, this type of market is fantastic for buyers who—if they have the money—can find themselves in possession of a fantastic home for thousands below the asking price.

On the other hand, a seller’s market is just the opposite because it indicates that the demand is larger than the supply. In healthy economies, people have more money to spend, which means sellers may see several buyers competing for their property. When this happens, prices tend to go up since people are willing to pay more for what they want.

In this case, sellers are definitely the faction that comes out on top because they are more likely to see a great return on their home investment.

Even so, when considering the buying or selling process in your particular location, it’s important to remember that there may be fluctuation within the same state—or even the same county—which is worth thinking about if you’re considering a relocation. In other words, while your current home may be listed in a so-called “buyer’s market,” the area where you’d like to move may be considered a “seller’s market.” When this happens, you may wind up paying more money than if you were to sell your home at an advantage and buy in a location where you’d also buy at an advantage.

As with anything in life, real estate tends to have a natural ebb and flow so market’s never last forever. While experts try, it’s often difficult to predict what a market will do with 100% accuracy, so when deciding when to buy or sell, it’s worth speaking to an experienced real estate agent who can offer some insight into the local area.

At the current time, North Georgia (particularly the Cumming, Alpharetta, Roswell, Milton, and Gainesville) appears to be a seller’s market, so if you’ve been thinking about selling your home, now is the time to do it!

If you’d like more information or would like to obtain a free estimate of what your home is worth, please contact me.

Marie Dinsmore | The Dinsmore Team | www.DinsmoreTeam.com | 770-712-7789

The Myths and Realities of Home Appraisals

Saturday, 27 December 2014 20:31
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78377971Whether you’re planning on buying or selling a home, chances are good that you’ll come into contact with an appraiser at some point; however, while most of us have a basic understanding of what a home appraisal is, there are a lot of myths that surround the process that are worth understanding before making the decision to buy or sell.

MYTH: The appraised value of a property will vary depending upon whether the appraisal has been completed for the buyer or seller.

REALITY: Since the appraiser has no vested interest in the outcome of the appraisal, they should conduct their assessment with a sense of objectivity and no special regard for the party who initiated the process.

MYTH: A home’s market value should be in line with its replacement cost.

REALITY: While market value seems like it should be related to replacement cost, it’s important to understand the distinction between the two ideas since they are actually quite different.  For example, even though your home’s replacement cost may be set at $450,000, its market value may sit closer to $400,000.  In short, market value represents the amount of money a buyer would likely pay when not under pressure to buy or sell, while replacement cost represents the actual dollar amount required to reconstruct the property in-kind.

MYTH: Appraisers use a formula, which details the specific price per square foot, to settle upon the value of a home.

REALITY: When an appraisal is completed, all factors pertaining to the home’s value are taking into account, including its location, condition, size, proximity to local facilities, and recent sale prices of comparable properties.

MYTH: When the sale prices of homes in any given area are reported to be rising by a particular percentage, local homeowners can expect their individual properties to appreciate by the same percentage.

REALITY: While area can make a difference, value appreciation of specific properties is still determined on an individual basis, which takes into account factors such as data on comparable properties and other relevant considerations.

MYTH: When applying for purchase or refinancing loans, consumers pay for their appraisal, which means they “own” it upon completion.

REALITY: While a small portion of your loan may go towards paying for the appraisal, it is, in fact, legally owned by the lender.  Still, under the Equal Credit Opportunity Act, consumers who submit a written request must be furnished with a copy of their appraisal report.

MYTH: An appraisal is the same as a home inspection.

REALITY: Yes, at first glance the two job descriptions may seem similar; however, their final functions remain quite different.  The purpose of an appraiser is to form an opinion of the value of a home—and to process the resulting report—while a home inspector determines the condition of the home and its major components before stating their findings.

In the end, if you’re looking to add value to your home for an expected appraisal or you would like to know more about the process, it’s important to speak with an experienced Realtor who can help you not only make the right decisions, but feel comfortable about the appraisal proceedings.

If you would like to know more, please feel free to contact me.  I’m always here.

Marie Dinsmore | The Dinsmore Team | www.dinsmoreteam.com | 770-712-7789

10 Reasons To List Your Home During The Holidays

Tuesday, 05 November 2013 15:30
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Christmas house 2Thinking that the holidays are not a great time to sell your home?   Think again. Home buyers need to purchase homes all year-long, and there are some real advantages to placing your home on the market during the holiday season.  Here are the top ten benefits:

  1. People who look at properties during the holidays are serious buyers and are more ready to make a decision.
  2. Serious buyers have fewer houses to choose from during the holidays; meaning less competition and more for you..
  3. House “shows  better” when decorated for the holidays with the wonderful light and festive colors associated with the season.
  4. Buyers are more emotional during the holidays and often base their decision on the warmth and good feeling they receive when viewing your house.
  5. Buyers have more time to look for a house during the holidays because they have designated time off from work to purchase a home.
  6. Many people want to buy before the end of the year for financial and tax reasons.
  7. January is traditionally for transfers.  Transferees can’t wait until the spring Christmas Houseto buy.  Your house must be on the market to capture these buyers.
  8. You may restrict showings during your own personal family events and still take advantage of your spruced up and decorated “show ready” property.
  9. You can sell now, but specify a delayed closing or extended occupancy until early next year if you so desire and if agreeable to the other party.
  10. By selling now you have an opportunity to be a non-contingent buyer during the spring, when more properties are on the market at lower prices. Sell high – buy low.

Marie Dinsmore, Certified Luxury Home Marketing Specialist

The Dinsmore Real Estate Team  |  www.dinsmoreteam.com

Marie@DinsmoreTeam.com | 770-712-7789