11 Reasons Why You Should Continue to List Through the Holidays!
One of the things we constantly get asked around this time is whether or not you should keep your home on the market during the holidays. Without a doubt, more than any other year, you should be keeping your home on the market. With prices trending downward and the possibility of interest rates going up next spring, it’s definitely to keep your home on the market and get it sold now while prices are still high. Even if interest rates rise 1%, it would mean a 10% price drop in homes.
Below are eleven reasons why you should continue to list during the holidays:
11. By selling now, you may have an opportunity to be a non-contingent buyer during the spring, when many more houses are on the market for less money! This will allow you to sell high and buy low.
10. You can sell now for more money and we will provide for a delayed closing or extended occupancy until early next year.
9. Even though your house will be on the market, you still have the option to restrict showings during the six or seven days around the Holidays.
8. January is traditionally the month for employees to begin new jobs. Since transfers cannot wait until spring to buy, you need to be on the market during the Holidays to capture the market.
7. Some people must buy before the end of the year for tax reasons.
6. Buyers have more time to look for a home during the Holidays than they do during a work week.
5. Buyers are more emotional during the Holidays, so they are more likely to pay your price.
4. Houses show better when decorated for the Holidays.
3. Since the supply of listings will dramatically increase in January, there will be less demand for your particular home. Less demand means more money for you.
2. Serious buyers have fewer houses to choose from during the Holidays and less competition means more money for you.
And the number one reason why your seller should list during the Holidays …
1. People who look for homes during the Holidays are more serious buyers!
The bottom line is that you should keep your home on the market during the holidays. We look forward to speaking with you soon! Have a great day.
How is the Sacramento/Placer County Market Affecting You?
Today I wanted to talk to you about the market and trends of Sacramento and Placer counties. About a year ago, we had a limited supply of homes with less than a month’s worth of inventory. This was turning the market in the favor of the sellers with multiple offers on properties and selling for above asking price. However, in the last few months the market has begun to stabilize as inventory levels have been increasing. Sacramento County has 2.3 months of inventory of homes and Placer County is showing 2.4-2.5 months’ supply of homes. Also, sellers in the Placer County market are asking quite a bit more for their homes and even the same prices they originally paid in 2005, causing fewer homes to sell and prices to drop.
If you have a home to sell, don’t forget about our Guaranteed Home Sale where we guarantee to sell your home in 29 days or less or we will buy your home! For more information about this great plan, give me a call at (916) 529-5342. If you are looking to buy a home, check out our one of a kind home buying website at http://www.thomasmarchgroup.com/. Thanks and have a great day!
The One Unbreakable Law of Real Estate
“Perform
due diligence!” is the one law you should never break in any kind of
real estate deal – residential, multi-occupant, or commercial!
What is due diligence? It’s a common phrase for the evaluation of a property and its surrounding environment before you commit to buying it.
Due diligence has two objectives. First, you want to reduce or eliminate risk! Needless to say, you’ll be assuming a large loan and will want to know exactly what’s right or wrong with a property before you sink any money into it.
Two, due diligence allows you to uncover real bargains, especially for investors. On the surface, one property may look like a “loser,” but a closer inspection may reveal that the building is structurally sound and requires only minor and inexpensive maintenance and repairs.
One part of due diligence is what you’d expect – the physical inspection of the property and inspection of all documents and records concerning that specific property. The other part is the inspection of the documents and records concerning that property.
In this article, I’ll just talk about the physical inspection portion of due diligence.
Physical Inspection of Properties
Below, I’ve listed all the inspection tasks which should be performed by a professional inspector. Of course, you should visit the property as well. Many times, a quick “eyeballing” can reveal any obvious signs or poor maintenance or decay - a leaky roof, wet basement, foundation cracks, cracks in the walls, plumbing leaks, etc.. In those cases, you’ll know you don’t need to waste any further time on that property.
As I mentioned earlier, such an inspection may reveal that you’ve actually got a bargain on your hands instead of a “dog.” In such a case, you’ll want to purchase or invest in that property quickly.
What happens when you find problems in a property and still like it? Well, then, you can require that the seller correct those problems or reduce the price before you sign any contract.
In general, defects fall into two categories. One category contains the obvious defects – wet basements, peeling paint, broken windows, leaky plumbing, warped floors, etc.
The other category contains the more expensive and dangerous hidden defects. These can include corroded pipes in the walls, roof or window leaks that don’t show up until it rains or snows, subtle cracks in the foundation.
Obviously, you want to make sure these hazards are spotted before you ever sign a purchase agreement. They can cost you a lot of money in the long run, not to mention the fact that they can send your blood pressure through the roof!
What Do Professional Inspectors Look For?
Below are the items inspectors examine when they check a property:
• Overall structural integrity
• Property drainage/landscaping
• Walks and drives
• Foundation, footings, crawl space, basements, sub-flooring, decks
• Exterior walls, siding, trim
• Windows, doors, cabinets, counters
• Gutters, downspouts
• Roof, roof shingles, roof structures. chimneys, attic
• Floors, walls, ceilings, etc.
• HVAC systems
• Plumbing systems, (fixtures, supply lines, drains, water heating devices, etc.)
• Electrical system (wiring, service panel, devices, and service capacity
• Energy conservation/safety Items
• Insulation & ventilation
• Moisture intrusion/mold
And, of course, we can’t forget the voracious appetites of….bugs!
Pest Control Inspection
Depending on the area of the country in which you live, insects can cause a heckuva lot of damage to a property!
I’m talking about such bugs as termites, carpenter ants, powder post beetles, and any other insect that likes to munch on wood. Then, there’s fungus, in the form of “dry rot.” It can also cause a lot of destruction.
In such cases, you’ll need to hire the services of a specialist (pest control inspector) to examine the property.
If the operator identifies any problems, he or she should provide you with a diagram that pinpoints the location of the infestations. If serious problems exist, they need to be corrected immediately! The expense is usually paid for by the seller.
To protect yourself against any of the problems I mentioned above, ensure that the purchase contract provides for cancellation without penalty or loss of money if the physical condition of the property doesn’t meet standards.
What is due diligence? It’s a common phrase for the evaluation of a property and its surrounding environment before you commit to buying it.
Due diligence has two objectives. First, you want to reduce or eliminate risk! Needless to say, you’ll be assuming a large loan and will want to know exactly what’s right or wrong with a property before you sink any money into it.
Two, due diligence allows you to uncover real bargains, especially for investors. On the surface, one property may look like a “loser,” but a closer inspection may reveal that the building is structurally sound and requires only minor and inexpensive maintenance and repairs.
One part of due diligence is what you’d expect – the physical inspection of the property and inspection of all documents and records concerning that specific property. The other part is the inspection of the documents and records concerning that property.
In this article, I’ll just talk about the physical inspection portion of due diligence.
Physical Inspection of Properties
Below, I’ve listed all the inspection tasks which should be performed by a professional inspector. Of course, you should visit the property as well. Many times, a quick “eyeballing” can reveal any obvious signs or poor maintenance or decay - a leaky roof, wet basement, foundation cracks, cracks in the walls, plumbing leaks, etc.. In those cases, you’ll know you don’t need to waste any further time on that property.
As I mentioned earlier, such an inspection may reveal that you’ve actually got a bargain on your hands instead of a “dog.” In such a case, you’ll want to purchase or invest in that property quickly.
What happens when you find problems in a property and still like it? Well, then, you can require that the seller correct those problems or reduce the price before you sign any contract.
In general, defects fall into two categories. One category contains the obvious defects – wet basements, peeling paint, broken windows, leaky plumbing, warped floors, etc.
The other category contains the more expensive and dangerous hidden defects. These can include corroded pipes in the walls, roof or window leaks that don’t show up until it rains or snows, subtle cracks in the foundation.
Obviously, you want to make sure these hazards are spotted before you ever sign a purchase agreement. They can cost you a lot of money in the long run, not to mention the fact that they can send your blood pressure through the roof!
What Do Professional Inspectors Look For?
Below are the items inspectors examine when they check a property:
• Overall structural integrity
• Property drainage/landscaping
• Walks and drives
• Foundation, footings, crawl space, basements, sub-flooring, decks
• Exterior walls, siding, trim
• Windows, doors, cabinets, counters
• Gutters, downspouts
• Roof, roof shingles, roof structures. chimneys, attic
• Floors, walls, ceilings, etc.
• HVAC systems
• Plumbing systems, (fixtures, supply lines, drains, water heating devices, etc.)
• Electrical system (wiring, service panel, devices, and service capacity
• Energy conservation/safety Items
• Insulation & ventilation
• Moisture intrusion/mold
And, of course, we can’t forget the voracious appetites of….bugs!
Pest Control Inspection
Depending on the area of the country in which you live, insects can cause a heckuva lot of damage to a property!
I’m talking about such bugs as termites, carpenter ants, powder post beetles, and any other insect that likes to munch on wood. Then, there’s fungus, in the form of “dry rot.” It can also cause a lot of destruction.
In such cases, you’ll need to hire the services of a specialist (pest control inspector) to examine the property.
If the operator identifies any problems, he or she should provide you with a diagram that pinpoints the location of the infestations. If serious problems exist, they need to be corrected immediately! The expense is usually paid for by the seller.
To protect yourself against any of the problems I mentioned above, ensure that the purchase contract provides for cancellation without penalty or loss of money if the physical condition of the property doesn’t meet standards.
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