You Think Your House is Worth WHAT? Pricing Your Home to Sell
O.k., so you've looked on the Internet, you've checked the Real Estate Weekly - and you've talked to your Neighbors. You're pretty sure you know what you WANT your home to be worth. Next step? You call the Realtors in.
Everyone says you should interview 3 Realtors - so that's what you do! And sceptically you await their Verdicts! Does the highest Bid (because that's what it often is) win your Vote? Well it shouldn't and let me tell you why. 
BUT Your neighbor's house just sold for XXXXX!
First of all, Realtors have access to the same information Online. By doing a CMA (Comparative Market Analysis) they should be able to come very close to the Range of Your Home's Value. They will see which homes are currently Listed, those that will be in direct competition with Your Home; they will see which comparable homes have Sold recently; and they will ALSO see which homes have 'Expired'....(Listed But Not Sold). That's the Starting Point!
If you use a Local Realtor - which is what I Recommend- they'll also be able to take into consideration different factors about your neighborhood - like development, schools, safety, proximity to transport etc.
BUT Your House has been upgraded!
Now where no 2 homes are exactly alike - chances are we've seen most of the homes for sale in your area and have an inside view that you may not have seen. Even online photos won't give you a complete view of how these homes compare.
In many ways - it's the Buyer that ultimately determines the value of your home. A house is worth what somebody will pay for it. It's important to try and anticipate what MOST buyers will pay for it. If the price is too high - you may just end remaining THAT Buyer! If your home should be some chance sell for more then the estimated value, remember the home still needs to be Appraised for the Buyer's Loan, and if it's overpriced it just may not!
BUT That's What INEEEEEEEED to Get for My Home!
There is the odd time that a home is unusual and there are not direct comparables, sometimes this requires a trial and error strategy where we have to gage potential buyer responses in order to fine tune the price.
Another factor is the current 'Real Estate market'. Is it a Buyer's market or a Seller's market - or is it balanced? What kind of standing inventory is in the market in your price range. These well all factor in to your pricing.
The value of a home can also be estimated in part using the price per square foot. But you do have to use a sliding scale of adjustment. The 'core' of the home is worth more then the peripheral square footage. ie. the price per sq. foot for a 1000 sq. foot rancher will be higher then that of a 3000sq. ft. basement home.
Should you start higher - after all you can always come down??? No! If you do that you should be charging your competitor a fee for helping them sell THEIR home!
Remember the most critical time for selling your home is in the first 30 days. Longer then that you can bet your bottom dollar, (and unfortunately that's probably what it will end up being) that the Buyer will be paying attention to your 'days on market' when making both their buying decision and price point!
How do you know if your house is priced right? Feedback! Your Realtor will be calling to get feedback on showings from both the Buyer and their Realtor. If you've had over 6 showings and have been on the market for 3 or so weeks that should give you some idea of what the market thinks. Unusual or high end homes could be the exception here though.
Sometimes the most important factor is YOUR motivation. How motivated are you to sell? I know a lot of Seller's like to tell us that 'they don't HAVE to sell'.......and in most cases that's true - you don't! But if you do want to sell your homecall a Realtor that knows your market and will be honest with you - because that's what a professional does - they Help you Price Your Home to Sell!
If you or someone you know is thinking of Buying or Selling property in Cultus Lake, Chilliwack, Hope, Abbotsford, Langley or anywhere in the Fraser Valley Area of B.C. - or if you would like more information please give Liz Moras of Landmark Realty Chilliwack a call at- 604-799-0459 or e-mail at lizmoras@gmail.com.
Copyright © 2009 By Liz Moras, All Rights Reserved. All photos by Liz Moras ( except the one's I'm in!). All information provided by this author is only an opinion, it is not guaranteed, may be based on information collected from several sources, and may be time sensitive. It is not necessarily representative of the opinions of Landmark Realty Chwk. Ltd..
Living in the Southern California Mountain Resort of Lake Arrowhead, and having 50% of my clients living off the mountain, I am asked quite often, "Can you recommend the name of a local contractor?"... Either they want a room added on or a remodel or maybe just some deck work. Of course I know many good contractors, but I am more likely to pass along the information below, chalked full of useful help. But before I do that, always remember these tips:
of five things to do or see today in, and around, Lake Arrowhead:
Here we are well into November and heading toward the holidays in Lake Arrowhead. And though everyone is busier than ever, try to stop and enjoy yourself, take a deep breath and have fun. Check out this weekend's events in Lake Arrowhead and other San Bernardino Mountain towns:
BUYERS
