In 46 of the 100 largest metro areas in the US, a recent study has found that owning your own home is less than half the cost of renting. Obviously it depends on the individual market, but take a look at some of the other areas that are MUCH cheaper than renting…
http://realtormag.realtor.org/daily-news/2013/03/22/study-buying-home-44-cheaper-renting
Think about buying a home like the dating world or a job interview. When you find that you are not compatible or rather “turned off” you do not go on a second date or a second interview. But turnoffs can be additional damage when they inhibit real estate goals. When you turn off a buyer, you jeopardize the sale of your home or at best not getting the price you hoped for.
As you proceed in your quest to sell real estate, factor in these frequently reported buyer turn-offs.
3 Ways to Turn off Potential Buyers: If you’re a seller, consider these buyer “turn-offs” to avoid.
1. Being “too present” while buyers are touring a home: Buyers will monitor properties online and off, checking repeatedly for price reductions and other alerts. This being said, it does not go both ways. Buyers will most likely feel smothered and hesitant to fully explore a home when a home seller is hovering inside your home while it’s being shown. Sellers should let their real estate agent do their job, they are the expert.
2. Showing a less than tidy or clean home: When you are trying to sell your home, it’s imperative that you make sure your home looks its best when buyers are present. Your home is in competition with many others and first impressions are a reality. This might all seem like common sense, but agents and buyers alike are continually astounded at the chaos of some of the homes they walk into.
3. Overpricing your home: Buyers have a huge decision before making the biggest purchase of their lives. Not only that, they have a lot of somewhat unpleasant work ahead; getting finances into order, qualifying for a loan and of course hours upon hours of market research and house hunting. With all of this stress the last thing a prospect wants to do is negotiate down a illogically high asking price. The result of a sky high price will most likely be your buyer moving to the next desirable home with a reasonable price. Let your realtor guide you in pricing your home, you’ll be happy you did.
It is best when putting your home on the market to find a knowledgeable real estate agent that can guide you in the process. You will be happy that you have someone to guide you through the process when questions arise or market expertise is needed.
Working with the right real estate agent can mean the difference between getting expert representation and feeling like you’re selling your home alone. Here are questions to ask when finding the right agent.
How long have you been in real estate?
Being a real estate agent is hard work and mastering real estate requires on-the-job experience and dedication. The more experience agents have, the more likely they’ll be able to handle any curveballs thrown during your home sale.
How many homes did you sell last year?
Don’t just measure your potential agent by their company’s success. An equally important question is how many homes they’ve personally sold in the past year; it’s an indicator of how active and aggressive they are.
How many days on average did it take you to sell homes?
Any agent has access to this data along with stats from their local Multiple Listing Service (MLS) so you can see how many days, on average, their listings were on the market compared to the average for all properties in the MLS.
How will you market my home?
The days of agents putting a For Sale sign in the yard and hoping for the best are long gone. Look for an agent who does aggressive and innovative marketing, including a personal website, social media mediums and listing tools to advertise your home.
How will you keep me informed?
If you want weekly updates by email, don’t choose an agent who plans to contact you only if there’s an offer. Your agent should provide weekly, bi-monthly or monthly reports.
Are you a REALTOR®?
Ask whether agents are REALTORS®, which means they’re members of the NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF REALTORS® (NAR). NAR has been an advocate of agent professionalism and a champion of homeownership rights for more than a century.