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Summer Selling Tips – Navigating the Summer Housing Market
It is the unofficial start of Summer here in Florida, which means the market is starting to heat up! With kids off from school and vacations on the horizon, many buyers look during this time to make sure they are all set up and moved in when Fall comes around. Sellers can take advantage of this increase in interest, while also benefiting from less pressure on everyday schedules, allowing more time to devote to selling and moving.
If you find yourself in that position, here are 5 tips to selling your home during the Summer market:
- Go Live During Vacation – If you have a Summer vacation planned, strategically schedule the listing of your home to go live right before you leave. That way the house can be shown at any time and not mess with your daily life!
- Plans to Prevent Bugs and Dirt – We all know Summer can lead to more bugs, rain, and dirt! Prevent these from getting into your house by making sure all door screens are working, providing shoe booties for showings, and putting an umbrella holder by the front door.
- Keep Your Home Cool – Even if your home is vacant, make sure to keep the A/C on for all showings. Keeping the A/C off during the Summer can lead to mold growth and a musty smell throughout the house. Plus, no one wants to sweat during showings!
- Don’t Forget the Lawn – It sounds cliché, but first impressions do matter! Make sure to keep up with your curb appeal as this is the first thing that buyers see during a showing. Keep the lawn trimmed, pull any overgrown weeds, and add some vibrant flowers to create a welcoming arrival.
- Showcase Outdoor Living – If you have outdoor space or features, make sure you highlight it! Make sure to keep outdoor kitchens or BBQs clean, replace any broken or faded screens, and power wash and seal paver patios. You can even go the extra mile during showings by staging outdoor furniture and turning on any pool fountains or jets!
Selling during the Summer can be the way to go for those with busy schedules – and we are always here to make your life easier! If you are interested in selling but do not know where to start, feel free to reach out to us at any time to go over the process. We are only a phone call (239-898-1841) or email away! Happy Summer!
What Do You Need to Look for in a Listing Agent?
Congratulations, you have decided to make the big move and sell your home! To get started, you will likely start out with the next two steps – figuring out where to start decluttering and beginning the process of finding a listing agent.
The job of the listing agent is to relieve the burden of selling and market your home so it sells for the best price possible; however, sometimes finding the right person to work with can be overwhelming in itself especially if this is your first time selling a home. So, here are a couple of tips to help make the agent selection process smoother:
- Interview Multiple Agents – You do not have to pick the first agent you meet with; it is okay to interview others and find the agent that best suits your needs.
- Read Agent Reviews – There is already good chance you started on Google to find the agent you are interviewing, so take a quick second to check out their reviews and website. This will give you a better idea of who you are meeting with.
- Ask About Marketing – It is easy to focus on price and comparable home sales as your home is your biggest investment, however, make sure they share their marketing plan with you. What are they going to do to make sure you have the best shot at getting the price you want?
- Are the Photos Professional? – Photos are every buyer’s very first impression of the home. This is a very important question to ask (buyers can tell when photos were taken on a phone!).
- Think About the Comps – When it comes to price, it is okay to already have an idea of what you want to sell for before the Realtor walks through the door. However, the past comparable home sales are very important when it comes to what the home can sell for. Make sure you listen to the research the Realtor has done and share any upgrades that you have made to the property. You may be able to sell your home for even more than you originally thought!
- Go With Your Gut – This is the person that you will be working closely with, likely for at least a month or two. If you do not feel like your personalities are meshing or you are not feeling confident about things, go back to point #1 and interview someone else.
Picking the right listing agent is probably the most important thing you can do when selling a home, and these tips can help you ensure you are working with the agent that is best fit for you and your home. If you think our team can be the right fit for you, feel free to give us a call at 239-898-1841 or contact us through our website. We are happy to meet with you!
Get the Most Out of Your Showing Experience
You have been looking online and preparing to buy, now it is finally time for you to start looking at homes in person! This should be exciting, but it is a big life decision and can easily become overwhelming. As Realtors, we strive to make the process as easy and stress-free as possible, so here are some things you can do to alleviate that burden and get the most out of your showings:
- Review Crucial Details in Advance – Your agent is a source of knowledge, and if you have important questions or criteria, it is important to review these with them ahead of time. This will leave less opportunity for you to be disappointed when you get there!
- Take Notes – When you have been looking at homes all weekend, it is easy for them to start blending together. Mark down your favorites, so you can go back and review things!
- Get to Know the Neighborhood – Once you have found your favorite home and are thinking of putting in an offer, go back and drive around the area. Check out your closest grocery store, swing by the local coffee shop – get to know your potential new hometown.
- Test Your Commute – Take a test drive to your office or check out the drive time feature on your GPS. The home you love may be a little farther away, but if there is a more pleasant path to take (no highway or tolls, for example) you may prefer this!
- Follow Your Gut – Remember, we can talk features, colors, and location all day long – when you feel deep down it is the home for you, it is usually the right one. Go for it!
With the right preparation, showings should not be the stressful part of home buying; it should be the fun part! It is our job as Realtors to get you prepared for this momentous step in your life. If you are wanting to make that leap into home ownership, give us a call at 239-898-1841 or contact us through our website to see how we can help!
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Home Loan FAQ’s Answered!
Have questions about the loan and pre-approval process? We sat down with Flo (New American Funding) to answer some of the “frequently asked questions” that home buyers have when getting a loan. Watch our video below to get some of your questions answered, and remember to reach out if you have a question that was not answered here. We have a whole team of experts excited to help you with your home purchase!
How to Prepare Your Home to Sell for Top Dollar
Everyone wants to get top dollar when selling their home, but many do not know where to start when preparing a home for sale. That is why we are here with some tips and tricks on getting your home looking its best for photos and showings. Watch the video below and learn how you can complete 5 simple tasks to make your home shine – then watch the offers pour in!
