Thursday, March 30, 2006

Preparing Your Home For Sale-A Guide to Listing Your Home

When You drive up to your house, maybe on the way home from work, or the gym, do you always approach from the same direction? Well, stop it. My point is, and bear with me because I do have one, how does your home present itself from all directions to a potential buyer? By driving up from the other direction, you may see your trash cans or some other visually displeasing feature that might be easily fixed, and improve the chances of your homes first impression being a good one for everybody. It's a variation of an old Realtor trick. When approaching a home, we try to take the most scenic route. Is it dishonest? Not at all. It is our job to show the home in the best possible light.

Do you ever walk up to your front door? I rarely do. I drive up, park my car and walk round to the back door, where I am greeted by my dog, and enter the house through the kitchen door. Just my habit. However, the point is that you need to view the front of your home very critically as this is what potential home buyers will see first. Is it neat and tidy? Is it swept? Is the front door clean and shiny or could it use a lick of paint? How about some colorful plants; maybe in pots? You get the idea. The point is, as they say, you only get ONE chance to make a first impression, so make it count.

Recently, I have been showing and selling a lot of homes in the Gilbert, Arizona area that are vacant, normally owned by "investors" deserting us for calmer seas. The problem is that some of them look a bit worn out. You can see the vague outline on the wall where pictures used to hang. Or the rubbing mark left on the wall where the sofa used to be. Often, you leave the home feeling a little "grubby". One of the best investments you can make when "fluffing up" your home is paint and carpet. For around $20 per room, you can paint and transform a room from drab to dynamite in about half a day. Add new carpet, with temporary plastic trails to protect it, and a buyer feels like they are getting something special and new. We all like that feeling. The point here is that as the market has returned to normal, especially here in Phoenix, buyers have a lot more choices, so your home needs to stand out. In some Arizona communities there are upwards of 500 homes available within a price range that are all competing for buyers. In some of those communities they are still building comparably priced new homes that are also in competition. The market is really quite healthy at the moment, although prices are softening a little. Homes are back to selling in around 60 days, as opposed to the 30 day average of last year. Interest rates remain historically low. Many buyers, who last year thought their chances of home ownership had slipped out of their reach, are back; ready and able to buy as the market temporarily slows and gives them a second bite of the apple.

Remember, it is very competitive out there. Make your home stand out, price it well, and it will sell.

Now go sweep that porch.

Friday, March 10, 2006

Listing Your Home is Easy, Selling is the Hard Part

Last year, to be a successful real estate agent all you had to do was get any listing. Underpriced? Never mind, multiple offers will fix that. Overpriced? Never mind, we'll get there in a week or two. Anyone who could fog a mirror could be a real estate pro.
This year, it's going to be a slightly bumpier ride, so make sure the Realtor you list your home with has enough experience to handle the current market conditions. Last January, the Greater Phoenix area had just above 3000 listings; this January the number is over 33,000, which is a much more normal level and will restore balance to the market. The key to success in the real estate market is often said to be listings. That is partly true. The real key is "saleable" listings which means the price has to be right. Yesterday, a lender remarked to me that many appraisals, of late, have been coming in over price. That is to be expected because the superheated market of last fall, which has cooled considerably, is still recent enough to be used as comparables. And therein lies the rub. An inexperienced agent will use those comps to justify a high listing price which will placate an owner temporarily, but won't get the house sold. I have had supposedly experienced agents attempt to justify their high, in my opinion, listing prices by stating "similar homes in the area are for sale at the same price". Right, and they're not selling either.
A good Realtor should persuade an owner of the benefits of not overpricing, in order to list and sell a property promptly for the best price. The only thing that fixes everything wrong with a home is price.
In order to survive a species has to adapt; the same can be said of Realtors and, of course, sellers.

Saturday, March 04, 2006

Thinking About Retiring to Arizona?

When moving to an unfamiliar community, like Cave Creek or Carefree, Arizona, it is important that you engage a Cave Creek Realtor who will possess intimate knowledge of the amenities and nuances of the neighborhood. Cave Creek, Arizona is essentially an old cowboy town that, whilst retaining true to its roots, also caters to a growing core of residents who enjoy the equestrian, hiking and golfing opportunities that Cave Creek has to offer. Cave Creek provides homes that range from simple seasonal townhomes to luxurious spacious compounds. Cave Creek real estate runs the gamut from desert landscaping, mountain top aeries, hillside estates, golf club properties and spectacular wilderness getaways bordering state land.
Carefree is another upscale community bordering Cave Creek, AZ, which also sports a thriving community with upscale shopping, dining, and an artist community that is the envy of the state, all minutes from Scottsdale.
Carefree and Cave Creek real estate is a magnet to automobile enthusiasts from around the country. Arizona offers fantastic scenic drives on uncrowded roads that attract both motoring and motorcycling aficionados alike. Recreational vehicles abound and many Cave Creek and Carefree luxury homes include facilities to accommodate them. Oversized garages are often included in these Sonoran desert hideaways to house the family toys and heirlooms.
Many people are astonished to learn that the great state of Arizona is also home to the highest number of boats per capita in the USA. Yes, even in the middle of the Arizona desert, waterfront real estate is a possibility for the marine enthusiast.
Of course, your Cave Creek real estate professional would be privy to all this information and is the reason that when selecting an agent for that long awaited move to Arizona, you should pick someone who lives in the community you are considering. Go to our website at www.garizonaproperties.com for complete information on Cave Creek, AZ and the surrounding communities.
Finally, your Cave Creek home will be an excellent central base from which to discover the rest of the state of Arizona, be it the theater district of downtown Phoenix all the way up to the Grand Canyon.
Come home to Cave Creek or Carefree Arizona, you know it makes sense.