By Gail Pelto
Have you thought about selling your home in the near future? Then I am here to tell you, “don’t wait!” Right now, sellers are garnering top dollar for their property, but how long will it last? Wish I could tell you a specific date. However, my crystal ball is currently in the shop. Darn!
So, why should you sell now?
• Right now, 1000 people per day are moving to Florida, and they gotta live somewhere.
• Our housing inventory for single family homes is short, which means:
• We have more buyers than sellers.
• Properties are not staying on the market long.
• Many are getting multiple offers.
• Sale prices are being driven above asking price (and how cool is that?)
• Interest rates are still extremely low, which means:
There are more buyers that can afford more house—as little as ½ a point can be the difference in buying your home vs. one that’s less expensive.
When interest rates go up, the buyer pool is apt to shrink. Will interest rates go up? Probably.
Once the market shifts, and historically it always does, prices could flatten or even come down.
Do you know anyone who waited back in 2008 for the market to get hotter and then got burned? Listen people, you gotta strike while the iron is hot! Supply & demand is in the seller’s favor! FYI: The last two listings I sold were under contract in less than one day and before the buyers even saw them; that is how hot the market is!
Is now the right time for you?
Yes, if you’re down-sizing.
Yes, if you need to move within the year.
Yes, if you’re upsizing and want to take advantage of the low interest rates.
Yes, because Spring is a great time to sell and well, it’s pretty much… Spring!
“So, Gail, YES, I want to sell. What do i do next?” E-Z, P-Z … 5 steps!
Decide why you want to sell, where you’d love to go, and ideally what type of home you would like to purchase. Then…
Consult with a great agent (ME!) and folks, not just any agent, a Market and Marketing Expert. I know, I know, there are thousands of agents. I mean, I work with them daily. However, I don’t know what they do to market and sell homes. I do know what I do and I “guarantee,” in writing, what I do! But that’s just me! Then…
Get your house ready to sell. People buy what they see! So, if you want to make the most money, then your house needs to look good…curb appeal, cleanliness, broken stuff fixed; remember that eye appeal = buy appeal. Then…
Determine how you will purchase the next home (cash or lender financing) with your agent, which would be ME, I hope. I’ll hook you up with my very best financing team. Keep in mind that we must be ready to strike when a great opportunity comes your way and having the financing ready will give you the edge when and if you’re competing with others!
Now, relax! Because you took care of 1-4 and because I’ve got YOUR back and all of the details in between—you’re covered! Stress free, well maybe a bit, but, really? It’s E-Z, P-Z!
So, that’s it! The market is great! Rates are low! It’s a great time to take advantage to sell and buy! I’ve got your back! Boy, it’s perfect…isn’t it? And it will be (if I have anything to do with it!).
One last thing: If now is not that time to sell, that’s ok. You might want to consider just buying a great investment property for yourself and your legacy. I wrote a series on the A.C.E.S. of Real Estate Investing. Pop me an email or call me and I’ll get it over to you. My number is 850-374-0454 or email is gail.pelto@kw.com.
Thanks for your time. Please pay this forward to any friends, family or colleagues.
Gail Pelto is a full-time real estate agent with Keller Williams and a board member with both the Mattie Kelly Arts Foundation and The Rotary Club of Destin. If you have questions about real estate, call her at (850) 374-0454.
