Look around you first!
“All real estate is local …” What that means is that no matter what is happening in the rest of the country, even in the rest of NJ, you need to know what is happening in YOUR town of Westfield, Scotch Plains or Mountainside, NJ — and those communities that surround it — before you put your home on the market.
For instance, while prices have come down significantly around the rest of the country,
Even more important, unlike 2005 and 2006 when even homes in poor condition were selling, if you want to sell your home in the current market, it needs to be in tip-top condition – or priced lower than other homes for sale in your area.
So, STEP 1 is to visit my website, www.Westfield-Area-Homes.com and check out Westfield NJ homes for sale or Scotch Plains NJ homes for sale or Mountainside homes for sale depending on which is your community.
STEP 2 — select 3 or 4 homes for sale that closely match your Westfield, Scotch Plains or Mountainside home, and ask me to preview them with you. This should give you a pretty good idea of how your home compares with the current homes for sale – your competition.
STEP 3 — check out the Westfield Homes Sold or Scotch Plains Homes Sold or Mountainside Homes Sold page for your community – again, I post this information on www.Westfield-Area-Homes.com. This gives you an idea of what buyers of homes like yours are willing to pay.
Finally, I’ll prepare a detailed Price Trend Analysis … taking into consideration the amenities and condition of your home compared with those that have recently sold and those that are currently for sale — and we’ll position your home so that it sells quickly!
Does my home need to be the “best” in order to sell?
At the end of June, 2009 the Westfield NJ real estate absorption rate is about 4.7 months. That means there are enough buyers out there to purchase every available Westfield home for sale in 4.7 months. The Scotch Plains NJ real estate absorption rate is 4.8 months, and for Mountainside NJ real estate, it’s 2.8 months.
Given that there are currently more homes for sale than there are buyers, you want buyers to consider your home one of the top 3 or 4 homes for sale in your price range – and you want me to aggressively market your home (not just put it on the MLS).
Let’s say, after looking at the current crop of Westfield NJ homes for sale, we determine that your home should be priced around $600,000. As of this writing, there are 13 homes for sale in Westfield that are priced in the $500k-$600k range. So you want your home to be one of the top 3 – that is, in the top 25% range.
And I can help you with that! If you list with me, I’ll start by hiring a “Stager” (I pay for this consult). She’ll let us know what we need to do—economically – to get your Westfield NJ home ready for sale … things like
- De-cluttering
- Removing personal photos
- Cleaning closets
- Removing – or moving around – furniture, etc. to make your home look as spacious and restful as possible
- Replacing light fixtures for an easy, affordable update
- Freshening the paint with neutral, up-to-date colors
- Cleaning and showcasing the outside, including windows – sometimes a few flowers can do wonders
- Updating – where it can be done economically
For instance, a Westfield NJ home I recently listed (and sold) needed a new kitchen. But the expense would have been too high. So my seller opted for new paint and new laminate counters – making the kitchen very neutral and easy to live in until the new owners would be able to afford a new kitchen!
Most important, don’t try doing all this on your own. Your home is usually your biggest investment. So this is when you want expert advice.
I promise I and my team will provide it. I never forget that my livelihood depends on making your dreams come true!
For more information, visit www.Westfield-Area-Homes.com or email Teri at tmalone@weichert.com.