It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad Housing Market

flipped house (2)If you are in the process of selling a home you can look forward to a roller coaster ride!   Having had 6 homes go under contract in the past two weeks (3 listings/3 buyers), here are some tips to help sellers navigate the craziness of the Austin real estate market.

Staging pays!  We advise our clients to de-clutter – twice!  Do it once and then do it again.  Next, straighten all the books left in the bookshelves, rent a storage unit and put all the clutter in there OR neatly pack it in boxes and store it in the garage in an organized fashion. Touch up the paint, clean your windows inside and out….and finally purchase some plants and flowers for both inside and outside to add splashes of color.  Make sure your agent hires a great photographer. The first impression a buyer will get is from the photos in the MLS.

Don’t get greedy!  Setting a realistic price point and getting multiple offers is much better than overpricing and having your home sit on the market.  With multiple offers, you have the opportunity to pick the contract that works the best for you!

Review all your offers and negotiate the terms that would work best.  Need the proceeds of the sale to purchase another property?  Negotiate an early close and lease the property back from the new owner.

Sometimes it’s not all about the money.  Don’t just look at the net proceeds. Find out the background of the potential buyer.  Maybe it makes a difference to you that this is their first home and they have saved for 5 years, or that the buyer works for a nonprofit or the buyer is a single mom, etc. You can still sell your home for a fair price and make a huge difference in the life of someone else, and we’re not just talking about the 25% commission donation Give Realty makes on our client’s behalf.

Tips for buyers and for people on the fence will follow in the next few weeks.

~ Laurie