atlanta home selling tips Archives

Metro Atlanta Home Buyers Turned Off By Many Listings

Even with this full-fledged seller's market underway, many Metro Atlanta home buyers are running from some listings.

Metro Atlanta home buyers turned off Call them turnoff listings, or whatever you want to call them. For one reason or another, Metro Atlanta home buyers are turned off by these homes. Often times it's due to being overpriced, excessive restrictions on access to even seeing the homes, owners not willing to make repairs, or a variety of other selling mistakes.

Nationally, according to new data from the National Association of Realtors, 44 percent of all new listings take 90 days or more to sell, 22 percent take six to 12 months, and 9 percent take more than a year.

Why Metro Atlanta Home Buyers Run From Some And Not Others?

More often than not, the root problem is the owners of the property. We see homes being sabotaged by owners all the time.

Sabotaged? Not intentionally, but by "doing things or not doing things that would make the house easier to sell." Demanding an unrealistically high asking price — and refusing to negotiate on lower but qualified offers — is the top turnoff for many would-be Metro Atlanta home buyers.

Imposing severe restrictions on when and by whom the house can be shown is another. For example, sellers who will only allow showings between 10 a.m. and noon on Saturdays, or who require a 24-hour advance notice before appointments to show during the week, or who won't let anyone in unless they or the listing agent are present, inevitably delay offers and sales. In short, making it nearly impossible for Metro Atlanta home buyers to even see their home.

Other Big Turnoffs For Metro Atlanta Home Buyers:

Poorly cleaned, messy houses with obvious deferred maintenance.
Sellers who insist on being present — or hover nearby — when shoppers visit so they can point out every feature they improved or like. Better for sellers to be out of the house or out of sight.
Odors in the house that are either bad — especially from dogs, cats and other pets — or come across as cover-ups, such as scented candles, potpourri plug-ins, etc. When buyers encounter obviously artificial smells they wonder: What are the owners covering up?

Just because homes are selling fast in the Metro Atlanta area doesn't mean yours will. You've got to think of it as a product you're marketing, not just as your home. Get it in shape to sell. Price it realistically. Be flexible and cooperative on showings and negotiations. Unless your home has features that really put off potential Metro Atlanta home buyers like costly physical defects, ugly design, bad location or bad schools, your property should sell in today's market.

Selling Your Metro Atlanta Home – Never a Better Time

Selling your Metro Atlanta home? You may now have the upper hand, but to get your best price, you need to finesse your timing and list competitively.

Lower Your Sights When Selling Your Metro Atlanta Home

In a recent poll, brokers complained that 75% of homeowners think their agent's recommended listing price was too low. Pricing your property above recent sales to cash in on the momentum may slow down deals, and sitting on the market too long can stigmatize a house.

Catch buyers' attention — and get multiple offers — by pricing your Metro Atlanta home in line with comparable sales.

It's tempting to put off selling your Metro Atlanta home to hold out for a better price. But if you want to move to a larger place, act sooner rather than later. Although higher-end homes aren't rising as quickly, the gap is small. So while you'll be able to sell your Metro Atlanta home for more if you wait, the appreciation on the trade-up home will be greater.

Renovate Before Selling Your Metro Atlanta Home

Repair that leaky roof and address other obvious structural problems, or you'll have to subtract the cost of doing so from your price. In today's economy, many buyers don't have as much savings left over after their down payment for improvements.

Smaller fixes that pay off the most, according to a HomeGain poll of real estate professionals and consumers: cleaning and de-cluttering, brightening (adding lamps and clearing window obstructions), and solving electrical and plumbing problems.

The best time to glamorize: right before you post your listing online, where 90% of buyers look first.

When Selling Your Metro Atlanta Home, Appraisals Are Key

Appraisals are key when selling your Metro Atlanta home. While rapidly rising prices may attract more buyers, the upswing can make it harder to close a sale. One-third of realtors polled in December reported setbacks from low appraisals, including delays in closing, lowered prices, and cancellations.

Appraisals can come in low because they're based on transactions as old as six months — out of date, perhaps, in today's market. Have your agent personally oversee the process, accompanying the appraiser to point out improvements and supplying data about the latest comparable sales.

The cards may be stacked in your favor if you're selling your Metro Atlanta home, but you need to use the tips we've mentioned here to keep from having a home that just sits on the market due to not conforming to what the market wants and demands.

We have more Home Selling Tips here at our website. Just browse the Metro Atlanta Home Selling Tips under our Metro Atlanta Real Estate Categories.

Best Day For Listing Your Atlanta Home For Sale

When you list your Atlanta home for sale can matter a lot as to how much you get and how quickly it sells.

The best day to list your Atlanta home for sale is Friday. Sound far-fetched? Last year, homes listed on Fridays sold for 99.1% of the seller’s original asking price. According to an analysis by real estate brokerage Redfin, Friday is the highest percentage day of the week to list your Atlanta home for sale.

Listing your Atlanta home for sale on Friday rather than Sunday, which has been tracked to be the worst day to list, could mean a difference of nearly $5,000 on a $500,000 house. Homes listed on Sundays ended up selling for 98.4% of their initial list price, according to Redfin.

Property listed on Friday also sells faster — 81 days on averages, according to the study.

It seems people are more positive and happier on Fridays, an effect that lasts through the weekend. They also tend to report more vitality and energy on the weekends, which may cause them to be more proactive in looking for homes.

Worst Day to List Your Atlanta Home For Sale

On the other hand, Sunday listings seem to sit around for a few days before people start lining up home tours for the next weekend. By that time, newer listings may make those Sunday listings seem a bit stale already.

Homes listed on a Tuesday garner the most interest for home tours. Tuesdays are also big planning days for many people. Productivity peaks at the beginning and end of the workweek, so some may use Tuesday to nail down their weekend plans for looking at homes.

When you’re in the market to list your Atlanta home for sale, consider the day of the week you list it for your most likely success in selling it.

For more tips on selling your Atlanta home, click over to our Atlanta Home Selling Tips section under the Atlanta Real Estate Categories to your right.

Making Your Atlanta Home More Appealing to Buyers

How do you make your Atlanta home stand out among the many other homes your prospective buyers may see before making an offer? Homeowners are still struggling to sell their homes, even with the real estate market improving. Use these tips to help your Atlanta home be more appealing to those who may be looking to purchase in this highly competitive market.

Ways to Make Your Atlanta Home Stand Out From the Crowd

Renovate
If your home isn’t catching the eyes of buyers, it might need some work. A high-priced kitchen remodel to entice buyers probably isn’t a great idea, but replacing damaged base boards, worn carpet and dead shrubbery are essential renovations in today’s real estate market. These types of renovations don’t have to break your budget, and can be low dollar items that return a higher dollar sale.

Make a Video
Before listing your Atlanta home, make a detailed video that shows the interior and exterior of your home. Include closets, areas behind doors, the fence and all of the other less visible features. Then, view your video and think like a buyer. What do you see that might cause you to lose interest if you weren’t the owner of the home? Show the video to friends and family, and ask them to give you their candid opinions and comments. The smallest details are sometimes the difference between a buyer making an offer or moving on to the next home for sale.

Weekday Open House
Weekends are full of open houses. Not only are there more weekend open houses than there are prospective buyers, an increasing number of people work on the weekends to make some extra money. A weekday open house cuts down on the competition, and an evening time may allow parents to view your home after work when their kids are at a sports practice or other activity.

Be Pro-Active
Even if your real estate agent is advertising your Atlanta home and working hard, two people marketing your home is better than one. Put your home on your Facebook page, Craigslist, Twitter and other social media sites. Post flyers on company-approved bulletin boards and talk to local family and friends. Most people would rather buy from somebody they know and trust. You’ll still have to pay your real estate agent a commission, but if you’re desperate to sell, take an active role in the marketing process.

Lower the Price
If your Atlanta home isn’t generating any interest or getting any offers, it’s probably time to lower your asking price. Real estate agents will help you to set your initial price based on comparable homes in your market, but in the end, their analysis is just an educated guess. Always keep the price higher than the lowest price you’re willing to accept. This allows for room to negotiate.

Selling a Atlanta home is still difficult. It will take meticulous attention to detail and a strategy to make it stand out from the many other homes that prospective buyers will see before making their choices. Call us or contact us here for more information on selling your Atlanta home. We have more tips to help you sell your home at our site. Just click the link to Atlanta Home Selling Tips to the right under Categories.

Getting Your Atlanta House Ready to Sell

Getting your Atlanta house ready to sell can be nerve racking. Here are some tips to help you make the process a lot easier on yourself and help you get top dollar for your home.

Let Go of Your Atlanta House

The first thing you need to do is “Let Go” of your Atlanta house. You have to resolve yourself to the fact that this will no longer be your home. You should envision yourself saying good-bye to the house now, and imagine handing over the keys to the new buyer.

De-personalize now by packing up your personal items before you even put the for sale sign in the yard. You don’t want, or need, the prospects looking at your home to questioning who lives there. You want them to envision themselves living there. The last thing you need is to have your prospects diverted with all your “stuff”.

Clear out the clutter if selling your house Although this should be obvious, give your Atlanta house a comprehensive cleaning. Along with de-cluttering and de-personalizing, go ahead and remove items you don’t plan to carry over to the new house. Remove books from bookcases and pack up small knicknacks just lying around. Clean off almost everything from your kitchen counters. Take vital items you’ll still need to use while the home is for sale and put them in a closet or in drawers. Don’t leave them sitting around.

Clean out your closets and cabinets. You’ll have to do it anyway before you move, so go ahead and clean it out now. Would-be buyers will be looking in there. If everything is neat and orderly, prospects will appreciate that you’ve taken care of the little things, and will assume you’ve also taken care of the bigger and more important things as well.

Consider renting a storage facility to further help you de-clutter, by moving excess furniture there until moving day. Go ahead and store those bookshelves (since you’ve packed up the books anyway) and remove extra sections of your dining room table to help the room look larger. Leave only necessary furniture so the buyers can more easily envision their furniture in the house.

Remove anything you know you’re going to want to take with you so the prospective buyers won’t be wanting to haggle with you over leaving it as part of the sale of the home. This includes window treatments as well.

These are just a few of the things you need to do to get your Atlanta house ready to sell. We have other home selling tips here at our website. Just browse the Atlanta Home Selling Tips for more ideas and helpful information on getting your Atlanta house ready to sell.

Selling a Atlanta Home: Ten Must Do Items

selling a home - 10 must do items When selling a Atlanta home, there are (at least) ten “must do” things you have to cover.

1. Understand that home buyers are looking for a lifestyle as well as a home.� Accentuate the lifestyle that your home and neighborhood provide.

2. Understand the real estate market.� Check the average number of days homes are on the market before they are sold. When the number rises above 60, it is a buyer’s market. When housing inventory exceeds a 6 month supply, it is a buyer’s market.

3. Know your bottom line.� What do you need to net from your home sale?

4. Maximize exposure of your home. Make sure your home is listed on the MLS. Good signage, emotionally appealing advertising and submission to various online home related search engines puts your home out front. Make sure the agent you’re working with is going to give your Atlanta home maximum exposure online.

5. Get feedback from showings. How are potential buyers viewing your home? Adjust your marketing strategy accordingly.

6. Stage your home. This does not need to be expensive. Cleaning, clearing clutter and painting are excellent tools. Staging may also include adding some furniture, or taking some away if your home appears cluttered.

7. Price your home realistically. A comprehensive Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) is critical to establish a range of good pricing. Asking a few thousand dollars less than closely comparable homes may mean your house sells while others linger on the market.

8. It is not mandatory, but having a home inspection by a certified professional can eliminate unpleasant surprises at a crucial moment in the sales process. A home inspection before marketing your home allows you the opportunity to deal with any problems that may be discovered before they become a deal breaker.

9. Consider all offers. A low offer is not an insult, but the beginning of the negotiation process. Keep the lines of communication open, and make counteroffers. Be creative.

10. Understand that a signed purchase agreement is not the end of the sale. Your agent must keep on top of deadlines such as a mortgage commitment, an appraisal and other essentials, to bring the sale to closing.

If you have any questions about any of these 10 rules for selling a Atlanta home, leave us your comment or thought below by using the “Comments” box. We’d love to hear from you.

Selling Your Atlanta House: Costs and Challenges

When selling your Atlanta house, there are a lot of things to think about and do, especially if it’s your primary residence. Aside from all the normal things that go with moving, like packing, finding a mover, notifying everyone, etc., there are a lot of other details you need to devote your attention to.

Things to Consider Before Selling Your�Atlanta House

Fixing Things – Before putting your house on the market or contacting an agent, you need to make sure your house is ready to sell. Repainting the house, fixing anything that’s broken and replacing damaged fixtures inside and outside. Clean up and clear out clutter. Keep in mind that presentation is everything, so you need to get as much work done before placing the property on the market.

Find an Agent – Make sure you hire a professional real estate agent to help you in selling your Atlanta house. Someone who knows a lot when it comes to the delicate processes and legalities of selling your property. Whoever that person might be, make sure they have a proven track record. Since you will hire a professional for the job, expect there to be a lot of money involved. Real estate agents get a percentage of the selling price. That amount will be out of your pocket as soon as the process starts. Also, remember you will pay the sales taxes on the commission. Of course, you can always decide not to hire an agent to sell your property, but you need to prepare yourself to do all the legal work; and that could be very tricky if you don’t know what you’re doing.

Detach Yourself – It’s easy to become emotionally involved in selling your�Atlanta house. This may even be at the top of the biggest challenges home sellers will face once they decide to sell. Once you make up your mind, know that it already becomes a commodity. People will be going in and out to check the property and you cannot get too emotional if they start criticizing your house. People may appreciate it or not, so be ready for those comments and take them constructively. You may or may not decide to make the improvements from those observations but don’t let them get to you.

Consider Market Conditions – Don’t be in a rush about selling your�Atlanta house. You need to study the market condition and see what options are available. Get someone who can give you an appraisal that’s realistic and well documented according to market conditions. If you think your price is too high, you may want to consider selling at a lower price or offer. Whatever that price may be, make sure it’s coming from a professional who’s not ripping you off.

These are just a few of the things you need to consider when selling your�Atlanta house. For more advice and tips, browse the many other home selling tips on this website.

Tips for Selling a Atlanta Home with Tenants

Selling a Home with Tenants Selling a Atlanta home that is currently occupied by a tenant can be a bit of a challenge, as the tenants don’t always share the same motivation as their landlords � consequently, they may fail to keep the home looking neat and attractive to impress potential buyers.

So what can landlords do to prevent problems?

First, landlords should never attempt to deceive tenants in the first place, and so they should make it absolutely clear that they intend to list the home once the local market picks up again.

Landlords can also offer their tenants some kind of concession in return for their cooperation � for example, in return for the tenant keeping the home looking neat tidy (unlike the photo!) while it’s listed, they could be given a 10% discount on the rent. However, landlords would need to clearly communicate their expectations regarding cleanliness, like making sure the bed is always made up in the morning, and ensuring dirty dishes aren’t left in the sink for prospective buyers to see when they come to see the property.

Setting established hours for buyers to view the property will also do a lot to get tenants on your side.

Landlords need to keep in mind they don’t usually get a second chance, and so it pays to keep tenants on their side, especially when a property is first listed for sale.

If you’re a Atlanta landlord and would like more information and tips on what you should do if your property has a tenant and you’re wanting to sell, contact us. We’ll be happy to give you additional tips.