BRENDA: We are definitely in our busy season as realtors, from April through July. The market starts to slow down at the end of August and into September, as many families have moved or relocated by then for the school year. With many communities in the 32828 zip code now in a seller’s market, now is the time to sell your home if it makes financial sense for you. Pamela, as a buyer’s specialist what are some of items that your buyer’s notice when they’re touring a home?
PAMELA: Buyers have a very short “attention” span. To get the highest market value and to elevate your home above other homes in the same price range, it often comes down to first impressions. The exterior of the home must present well — a nice paint job, well-maintained landscaping, freshly painted fences and a nice front door. These are all things buyers notice immediately.
BRENDA: I would agree with this for sure. When I take a new listing, I go around my seller’s home with them and point out these items. And the scent of a home can leave a lasting impression on a potential buyer. If the home smells musty or of pets, this could make the buyers back out.
PAMELA: For showings, a home always shows much better if it’s very clean. Clean windows with open blinds and drapes as well as having all of the lights on make a home seem bright and cheery. Well-placed furniture can open up a room, making it seem larger. Closets also need to be clean and clear, as do garages, if possible.
BRENDA: I also ask my sellers to not be home during showings. This, in my opinion, is the No. 1 thing that can definitely hurt the sale of a home. Sellers often think they should stay home to explain the features of their home but buyers like to take their time and talk to their agent freely about the home. If the sellers are there, it is often a very short visit.
PAMELA: As a buyers specialist, I couldn’t agree more. Another important aspect to drawing buyers to your home is to price it to the market correctly the first time around. The most activity on a home is within the first 30 days it’s listed. The longer a home stays on the market, the less showings it receives and an overpriced home just won’t sell.
BRENDA: I tell my sellers that we need to get two to three showings a week to start generating some offers. If the home is not getting this amount of showings, then the market is telling us the home is not priced correctly. And we want to generate offers before the market moves on to newer listings. An experienced, local realtor will do a market analysis and explain the market to their sellers.
PAMELA: As you were saying, it definitely is a seller’s market, especially in Avalon Park with only a 2.58 months supply of homes. Eastwood is close behind with only 3.14 and Waterford Lakes is at 3.35. Stoneybrook is now a “balanced” market with a 6.8 months supply — a six-month supply equals a balanced market with anything more being a buyer’s market and anything less being a seller’s market.
-Brenda Kolbrich
Keller Williams Advantage Realty II
407-963-6876
toporlandohomes.com
-Pamela Rehbein
Keller Williams Advantage Realty II
407-488-4078
homeforyourheart.com