Tag: housing-market

Everything Sells

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Everyone gets to a point in the selling process where they are wondering, “Will my house sell?” Maybe the neighbor’s house sold more quickly. Maybe showings are few and far between. It’s such an emotional process that it’s hard to hear “everything sells” when you’re waiting for a buyer to fall in love with your house and make an offer. Let’s talk about preparation, pricing, and that “one” person for everything to come together for your home sale.

House Preparations: After months of prepping, sorting, cleaning, and updating your house it’s only normal that you are wondering, “Why isn’t my house selling?” The fewer buyer objections the better. Work with an experienced Realtor to prioritize your “to do” list. Often, the items that you see as important are not a high priority. Should you paint your trim or focus on moving out furniture? Good question.

Pricing Your House: Pricing a house involves amassing data and then relying on a real estate professional to bring knowledge, experience, and an understanding of current market conditions. Sounds simple, right? Never underestimate how nerve-wracking it is to home in on a price for your house. Where are the buyers? In the Chittenden County market today, most buyers are looking under $500,000. The higher your price, the fewer the buyers. Most buyers are looking at their monthly payments which include taxes and insurance. Buyers who are financing are sensitive to interest rate fluctuations.

Finding That “One” Buyer: If you have prepared your house, priced it according to market conditions, and you’re still not attracting buyers then “what went wrong?” Short answer, nothing is wrong. You did the work; you hired a real estate professional. Now, you need “one buyer” to fall in love with your location and the house lay out.

With a preparation plan, a well-supported pricing strategy, and patience for the one buyer who sees your home as the right fit, you can approach the selling process with more clarity and confidence. If you’re thinking about selling your home, contact us to get started.

Does Anyone Buy or Sell in the Fall?

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If you think “Back-to-School” and the upcoming foliage season signals an end to the Vermont real estate market, then let’s dig into the “fall market” mentality. To understand where we are in the calendar let’s recap where we’ve been. Vermont has it’s own “timing” for real estate sales. You’ve heard that spring is the best time to sell. We call that the “spring market.” For us, that starts when the snow stops, usually by mid-April. If you plan to put your house on the market before mid-April you may end up with “snow photos” rather than “spring photos.” Then, we transition to the “summer market” which is a rollercoaster ride of buyers in and out of the market based on their summer obligations – traveling, boating, grilling, and chilling. Now, in September we are settled into a “fall market.”

Why would someone list their house in September or October? Here’s what we have learned after decades of tracking buyer and seller trends:

Curb Appeal – In September and October “curb appeal” has maximum impact. Mulch has been spread, driveways resealed, and annual flowers are blooming. Who doesn’t love walking up to a house with a few pumpkins on the steps?

Cooler Weather – The cooler mornings and evenings help sellers keep their houses comfortable for showings. Outdoor spaces are easier to view when you’re not frying in the mid-day sun or sweltering in the humidity.

Serious Buyers and Sellers Only – Sellers in the spring may try to “test” the market with high list prices with the intention to reduce as the season goes on if their house doesn’t sell. Fall market sellers know that they have a shorter amount of time and want to price their homes to attract the maximum number of buyers. Buyers in the fall market may have been looking since the spring. Once September hits they know this is their last chance to buy until next year.

If you’re thinking of buying or selling don’t wait until next year, we can help you get your home ready to list this fall. Contact us to get started.