Many homeowners are considering putting their homes on the market over the next several months. Folks are moving for any number of reasons, including right-sizing for growing (or shrinking) families, to shorten a commute, to lower total housing costs due to economic difficulties, or to get the kids into better public schools, to name a few.
And why not? While all real estate markets are local and activity varies from one to another, the U.S. generally and metro Atlanta in particular are experiencing massive comebacks from the bubble burst of the late 2000s. Market research leader CoreLogic reports 19 consecutive months of increases in their year-over-year Housing Price Index as of September 2013, capped by 8 straight months of double-digit gains for the first time in 7 years. The median US real estate price1 rose 76% from a bottom of $205M in 1Q09 to $271M currently, and the 11-county metro Atlanta area median home price rebounded more than 60% from $120M in September 2011 to $189M at end of 3Q132.
1 Source: InvestmentTools.com
2 Source: Atlanta Board of Realtors.
If you’ve been considering a move, Your Smart Money Moves points out 5 reasons why you should list your home now:
- Beat The Rush! Take Advantage Of High Demand Now! My team of real estate consultants has seen evidence of up to 7 buyers for every properly priced listing! Demand is high, while supply is low – the supply of homes on the market is equal to only 4 months’ worth of demand. A balanced level of supply is 6 months.
- Less Competition => Higher Sales Price! If you wait ’til Spring, your potential sale faces more competition, when many others who wait finally list. More competition means lower prices for sellers who wait.
- Your home may never look better than it does when decorated for the holidays! Or would you expect to command a higher price with a brown lawn, bare trees and plants, and little sunshine in the late winter? (BTW, Clark Griswold: Christmas decorations left up past January 5th don’t count!) And then there’s the pine pollen in March and April…uggghhh…
- Over the hills and through the woods, to Grandmother’s house we go! Buyers are coming into YOUR neighborhood…now through the end of December! Visitors from out-of-town and across town will be making merry with your neighbors. Why let these potential buyers, in their festive holiday moods, pass by without even *thinking* about moving into your old house? And how about your neighbors heading out to holiday parties, telling their friends and family and co-workers about the new listing in their neighborhood?
- People who look for homes during the holidays are serious buyers. Serious buyers have fewer houses to choose from during the holidays. Buyers are more emotional during the holidays, thus are more likely to pay your price. List now – net more money.
It’s Your Smart Money Move to list your home for the holidays.
- But…but…but…I’m not ready to pack up and move before Christmas!
Of course, just because you list now does not mean you have to move now – you can always put a condition on the sale specifying a move-out date of your choice, and only sell to a buyer who agrees. - But…but…but…I don’t want my house to be shown at all hours when I’m expecting company!
You can definitely place reasonable restrictions on when your home is available for showing during the holidays. - But…but…but…I owe more than my house is worth!
How do you know what your house is worth today? Please tell me you’re not taking a number you pulled off the internet at face value!
For a no-cost, no-obligation Competitive Market Analysis from a human being – an experienced real estate professional, to boot – call Martell Realty Consultants at Keller Williams Realty First Atlanta. We’re the metro area’s #1 brokerage in Market Share and Days On Market. In other words: we sell more houses – for more money – in less time – than anyone else. I won’t lie: working with this team is pretty awesome!
Call Jim now @ 678.757.4550!
Sell Your Past. Buy Your Future. ™ MartellSells.KWRealty.com.
Written by:
Jim Martell
Martell Realty Consultants, LLC
[email protected]