Don’t Wait Until Spring to Sell!
If you are thinking of selling and waiting for spring, you might want to re-think your timing. Yes, historically 40% of home sales occurred between April and July. However, we still are not in a normal year and the number of homes on the market is extremely low. Here are 5 reasons to list now versus wait for spring
- Buyers are out looking in full force and ready to buy. Multiple offers are the norm which means prices are up.
- The average homeowner gained $56,700 in equity over the past 12 months according to CoreLogic. This may be just what you need to cover a down payment on your next purchase.
- Fewer homes for sale translates to less competition - you can negotiate for the best price and terms now.
- Mortgage rates, while rising, are still far below what they’ve been in recent decades. Lock in a low interest rate now as experts are projecting rates will continue to rise.
- If you’re selling to move into a bigger home or downsize, prices are expected to go up in 2022. Move now and beat the higher interest rate and price climb.
If you are wondering if now is a good time to list your house and want to know more about the next steps, contact me to learn how you can take advantage of the current market conditions.
Contact Donna Forest, Donna@DonnaForest.com, 603.731.5151
With the sizzle of summer, it’s easy to think of owning (or at least renting!) a vacation home this year. In fact, recreational home buyers came out full force in the 2nd half of 2020 thru April 2021 in search of that lakefront home or cabin in the woods. The National Assoc. of Realtors (NAR) just released The Vacation Home Counties 2021 Report analyzing how the pandemic impacted this demand and not surprisingly, vacation home sales jumped 57% year-over-year during Jan-April 2021. “Vacation homes are a hot commodity at the moment,” says Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist. “With many businesses and employers still extending an option to work remotely to workers, vacation housing, and second homes will remain a popular choice among buyers.” We saw it in our area this spring with bidding wars on the smaller ponds like Chalk Pond resulting in prices over $600,000. While our market seems to have settled down from the earlier months of frenzied buying, the second home market is expected to remain strong given the low supply and high demand. Thinking of buying or selling that second home? Contact me and put my 21 years of local expertise to work for you.
Donna Forest ~ donna@donnaforest.com ~ 613-731-5151
In such a hot market, sellers may tend to think, "Hey, the house will sell regardless of how it looks!", and so nothing gets done to prep it for sale. While this may be the easy road to take and yes, it will most likely sell despite the lack of preparation, sellers are leaving money on the table. A house is usually one of the biggest assets someone will have. A staged home will generate more buyer interest and therefore more offers. Multiple offers tend to mean the seller will get over the asking price. Over 95% of buyers are searching online and if you don’t have great photos, your property will be bypassed in seconds. Professional photos, videos, and virtual tours have become even more important since the beginning of the pandemic. Sellers should have an honest conversation with their agent on how to best prepare their home for sale. With some time and effort, you will end up putting thousands of dollars more in your pocket. Contact me to work with someone who cares about getting you the most out of your sale.
Donna Forest ~ 603-731-5151 ~ donna@donnaforest.com
Nearly every real estate contract contains contingencies. How you deal with a real estate contract contingency might make or break the sale of your home. Some contingencies are easier to deal with than others, of course. Generally speaking, the faster you can fix the issues or make the accommodations stipulated in your real estate contract, the sooner your home can be sold.
What is a Real Estate Contract Contingency?
A real estate contract contingency is any condition outlined in the contract that must be met prior to the sale of a home. These stipulations exist to protect both buyers and sellers. If any of these conditions are not met, the contract would be void and the sale might not be able to move forward.
Common real estate contingencies include mortgage contingencies, which state that a mortgage loan must exist for the contract to move forward, and a home inspection contingency, which protects the buyer by requiring the house to be checked by a certified home inspector before the sale can move forward. In the case of a mortgage contingency, the stipulation is removed from the contract as soon as the loan is obtained. If a buyer cannot obtain a loan, they are usually able to gracefully exit the pending contract without penalty.
For a contingency like the home inspection requirement, once documentation of the check is obtained, the contract can proceed. If the home inspection finds faulty wiring, pests, structural damage, or other major problems with the property, the buyer can exit the contract without penalty. In this instance, the buyer would also receive any deposits or earnest money back. Alternatively, the buyer can request that repairs be made at the expense of the seller. If the seller does not wish to proceed and make the repairs, they can choose to void the contract. This again necessitates a return of all of the buyer’s deposits.
Another contingency that is often placed in a real estate contract involves the sale of the buyer’s current home. This stipulates that the buyer has a certain amount of time to sell their current home before purchasing a new one. If the home does not sell during that set period of time, the contract is voided. This protects the buyer from a scenario wherein they have to purchase a home they’re under contract for while they still have a mortgage on or equity in an old property. In a cash-poor situation like this, many buyers would not be able to obtain a mortgage or pay all-cash for a home, regardless.
Dealing with Contract Contingencies
As the seller, it’s important to have a real estate agent and attorney you can trust. These parties may review your contract with you and point out any contingencies that could prove problematic to you. If you know, for instance, that the home you are selling needs a new roof, chances are good you’d have to disclose it anyway.
However, under those circumstances, it’s important that a contingency for home inspection be worded properly and allow for the buyer to take possession of the home and then make their own repairs, in exchange for a lowered purchase price. This sort of phrasing can be critical if you’re a seller with a timeline for leaving your current property. You may not be able to wait to vet roofers and make the repairs yourself.
Similarly, if you are willing to accept an all-cash offer for a home so that you can move on more quickly, you should verify with your real estate agent that the contract is not contingent on the buyer having a mortgage loan in hand. There are unique issues that arise in all-cash deals, but if you are comfortable with that sort of arrangement, your contract will need to reflect it.
Most real estate contracts are fairly standard, but it’s always possible you are dealing with an inexperienced or even unscrupulous buyer and buyer’s agent. For this reason, and to protect your best interests in general, you should carefully review any contract you are considering signing. After all, it’s much easier to walk away before you have signed something than to have to find a way out of an executed contract later.
For advice with contingencies and much, much more, you can trust Better Homes and Gardens - The Milestone Team. There's a reason we're The Best Team in Town!
This post was originally published on the BHGRE Life Blog - https://www.bhgre.com/bhgrelife/
One of the first things your real estate agent will discuss with you when giving you tips for selling your house is the importance of “curb appeal.” While that includes your front door, windows, exterior light fixtures, walkways, fencing, and your front deck or porch, it’s also all about your yard.
You may not be able to choose precisely when you put your house on the market. But as soon as you know you want to sell, you should start the outdoor work, preferably at least a month before you list the house and have an open house or book showings.
Here are a few tips on things you’ll want to tackle to make sure your home has enough curb appeal to get people in to view its interior.
Rent a Power Washer
Great for cleaning vinyl or brick siding, gutters, and paved surfaces, a weekend with a power washer is a great way to start the exterior clean up your home will need before you list it. As you clean the walkways, make note of any cracked or broken paving stones, and replace them.
Don’t forget to use the power washer on any birdbaths, water features, or small ponds you’ve created to wash away stains and lichens that may have started to sprout.
As you make your way around your home, check your exterior light fixtures and clear out the bugs that have collected in them and replace any burnt out lights.
Trim Shrubs and Trees
Now is the time to tackle low-hanging or damaged branches and shrubs that have overgrown the space allotted to them. It won’t just make the place look better, it will invigorate your trees and shrubs and force new growth in the direction you want to encourage it. If you have large trees that are beginning to encroach on power lines, consider hiring an arborist to do this work for you.
Invest in half a dozen paper yard waste bags and rake up any dead leaves and twigs. Most municipalities have yard waste collections or drop-off depots. Take advantage of them, and get rid of all your yard waste at once.
Unless you have perennials already planted at the base of your trees, consider investing in some top quality mulch instead of planting annuals later on. Invest in a few extra bags so you can top up the mulch once your house is listed. Cocoa mulch, if you can find it, is the husks of cocoa beans. When it’s fresh and shortly after it rains, you get the bonus of the lovely scent of chocolate spreading throughout your yard.
Remove Must-Have Perennials
If you have cherished perennials with a lot of sentimental value (bleeding heart, cherished rose bushes, or lily of the valley from your great-grandmother’s home), it’s better to remove them before showing the house. If you don’t have another place to plant them immediately, just put them in pots and make sure the pots are listed as an exclusion when negotiating a sale.
Invest in Annuals and Hanging Pots
Keeping a house immaculate while it’s listed for sale is enough work without constantly worrying about the exterior as well. This year, no matter what your usual garden plan is, invest in tons of long-blooming annuals and fill up all your garden beds with them. Spread mulch around them and you won’t have to weed.
Petunias and pansies are particularly nice because they come in so many different colors and bloom all summer long. Chicken and eggs are a good investment too, as they’ll expand to fill the space available to them and grow densely enough so there won’t be any weeds creeping in amongst them.
Depending on the timing, you can also invest in roll-out flower gardens, seeds embedded in biodegradable material. While germination should only take a week or two, most take five to six weeks for full bloom, so this solution might or might not work, depending on the season and how early you’re starting the garden spruce up before you plan to sell.
Lush hanging pots of flowers or some attractive tall planters filled with a variety of flowers and decorative grasses are always a nice touch too, and they’ll keep the focus on your entryway.
It goes without saying that you should ensure any patches of damaged lawn are reseeded as one of the first steps prior to selling. It will take a while for the grass to catch up to the rest of your lawn, but it will make a huge difference. A sad or patchy lawn plants a negative seed in potential buyers’ minds, making them wonder, “If they haven’t taken care of this, what else has been neglected?”
Try not to let that thought take hold. Your real estate agent may have other tips for selling your house that relate to the garden and exterior. Listen to them and do as much as you can. It will make a difference in the number and quality of offers you receive and the number of days your house is on the market.
This post first appeared on https://www.bhgre.com/bhgrelife/how-to-spruce-up-your-garden-before-selling/.
Unless you live in a cave, you’ve probably heard multiple times it’s a sellers’ market and a great time to sell. So what does this really mean? Historically a balanced market has a 6-month supply of homes for sale in which there are enough homes available for active buyers. The most recent report (February) from The National Association of Realtors (NAR) shows the US inventory at just a 2-month supply. NH had less than a month’s supply and new listings were down 23% YTD thru Feb. compared to 2020. As a result of this increased competition, properties sell quickly and for much higher prices than we would typically see in a more normal market. Sellers are in prime position to best negotiate price and terms favorable to them. The median sales price in NH (thru 2/2021) was $350,000, up almost 23% for the same months last year. I have been in real estate here for 21 years and have never seen a market like the one we are experiencing. Will it last? Well my crystal ball says probably not. Lawrence Yun, NAR’s chief economist, cautions of a possible slowdown in growth in the coming months as higher prices and rising mortgage rates cut into home affordability. Having said that, forecasters are predicting prices, on average, to appreciate almost 6% in 2021. If you are considering selling, contact me to find out why this is the ultimate time to be a seller!
Donna Forest ~ donna@donnaforest.com ~ 603-731-5151
Not all remodeling projects deliver the same bang for the buck when it comes to resale. If you are planning to sell soon and think that renovations will increase the value of your home, then some research might be in order. Studies suggest that most renovation projects do increase the price of a house; however, the increase is typically less than the cost of the project. The 2020 Cost vs. Value Report shows a homeowner will generally experience a return of 60% to 75% on the dollar at resale. Some of the more cost effective improvements are minor kitchen upgrades (recoups 74% of cost), garage door replacement (recoups 99%), and window replacements (recoups 75%). Keep in mind the cost recouped can be affected by the quality of finish and even the type of neighborhood and local conditions.
One of the biggest advantages remodeling has is the fact it increases the appeal of your home to buyers. A gleaming state of the art kitchen with granite countertops and bathrooms with tile and glass can sell a house more quickly. Given the nature of this market, buyers are definitely willing to pay more for an updated, move-in ready home. Feel free to contact me for more advice on prepping your home for sale! 603-526-4116; www.DonnaForest.com; Donna @DonnaForest.com
There are a number of myths about how real estate actually works. These misbeliefs can hurt your chances of selling at the right price and in a timely manner. Below are a few common misconceptions.
1. Overpricing leads to higher offers. Quite the opposite is true. Overpriced homes sit on the market longer and end up with lower offers. They become stale listings and buyers wonder what is wrong with them.
2. Spring is the best time to sell. Typically spring & summer are known as the selling seasons. However, any time can be best depending on the market. Given the lack of homes for sale, sellers are still seeing multiple offers and quick sales - we expect this to continue through the winter.
3. If you get an offer right away then the house was underpriced. A correctly priced home will receive offers right away. After all, isn’t the goal to sell the house and not have it sit on the market for weeks on end? Buyers are online constantly looking and are ready to jump when something comes on that fits their needs.
4. Homes don’t need to be prepped for sale. This couldn’t be further from the truth. Most buyers want move-in condition homes. Houses that are decluttered, cleaned, and staged sell faster and for more money.
5. Good marketing includes open houses. The reality is only 6% of buyers find their home through an open house.
Contact me for more professional advice on the right way to sell your house. 603-526-4116; www.DonnaForest.com; Donna @DonnaForest.com
With the national housing inventory down 39% since last year, the high buyer demand and low inventory means the housing market will continue to be strong through the end of the year and into 2021. Lawrence Yun, chief economist for the National Association of Realtors says “it will be one of the best winter sales years ever.” He also said “home sales continue to amaze, and there are plenty of buyers in the pipeline ready to enter the market…Further gains in sales are likely for the remainder of the year, with mortgage rates hovering around 3% and with continued job recovery.”
Like the rest of the nation, NH is experiencing strong buyer demand and not enough homes to sell. The median selling price thru September was $329,500, up 9.8% from 2019. The average days on market was 52 days, although it seems like most houses in our area tend to go under contract in a week! Bottom line, many economists feel the housing market will continue its momentum through the winter. Contact me if you are interested in taking advantage of this current sellers’ market!
603-526-4116; www.DonnaForest.com; Donna @DonnaForest.com
Every year the National Association of REALTORS conducts a survey of recent home buyers and sellers to gain insight on the home buying and selling process. Below are some highlights from this report about buyers last year.
- 33% of all home buyers were firstt time buyers and financed 94% of the purchase price.
- Buyers searched 10 weeks and looked at 9 homes before buying a home.
- The typical home purchased was 1850 sq. ft., 3 bedrooms, 2 baths, built in 1990.
- 93% of buyers found online websites their most useful source; photos and detailed information were an important factor.
- 89% of buyers purchased their home using a real estate agent.
- The top 3 factors influencing what buyers chose were: (1) quality of neighborhood, (2) convenience to job, and (3) overall affordability.
Sellers should be aware of how these buying traits might impact them. For example, a house located out in the boonies with 5 bedrooms and 3000 sq. ft. doesn’t target the typical buyer – which could mean longer time on market. Contact me if you’d like to know how these factors might impact you. 603-526-4116, www.DonnaForest.com, Donna@DonnaForest.com
Data from the NAR 2019 Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers