I started my Real Estate career 9 years ago and back then when someone wanted to look at a house you pulled up the MLS sheets and printed them out. (I know there were days not far before that when you had to pull out a large book to look at them.) You then had to figure out what order to put them in that made sense and map them all out. (Horrible for me because I have no sense of direction at all.) Then while you were out showing if the buyer saw another home that they were curious about you just jotted it down to look up once you got back to the office.

Well now 9 years later, the whole scenario is completely different. I now can pull up the MLS info and save it on my ipad. Then put the addresses in my GPS or on Google Maps. (I still get lost sometimes, but quickly recover.) Then while we are out viewing the homes I can video the homes that the buyers like so they can easily review them later. Also if they see a house that they are curious about I can very quickly pull up the listing on my ipad and tell them any info they want. I can even show them the inside pictures, video/virtual tours of the home, and where the closest grocery store is.

The devices we are using are getting smaller and smaller. (Except for cell phones and they are getting larger because people want larger screens to view.) This is effecting our office spaces at home as well. Before, when I showed people homes, they would say this room will make a nice office. Now, more and more, you see office nooks and desks built into the kitchen spaces. We no longer need large desk to accommodate the desktop computers because most everyone uses laptops. And if the trend continues even those will be obsolete when everyone discovers tablets.

We don’t even need bookcases for books anymore with ereaders. We don’t need file cabinets for files anymore with scanners, pdfs, and the cloud backup systems. We don’t need home phones since even children have cell phones now. Our TV’s are super thin and typically hang on the wall.

So here is my question…will new homes become smaller since we don’t need space for all of these items or will they just become more minimalistic? Maybe we will just have less items that take up space so the rooms will look much cleaner and larger. Will we utilize outdoor spaces more because of our ability to be so mobile?

I know these are all things that have been changing for several years. I just wonder how it will change our floorplans on houses with so many technology changes taking place at once.

Inspect the exterior of your home for any bare wood.  Bare wood will let the elements eat away at it until it begins to rot.  So scrap any peeling paint and repaint the wood.  This will save from costly repairs later.

If you have a crawlspace, open up your vents to allow the gases under the house to escape. This will prevent mildew from forming in your crawlspace.

Inspect all of your downspouts from your gutters and make sure they aren’t clogged and are draining properly.  Also make sure you have splash blocks diverting the water away from the foundation.  If you don’t, this could cause water to go into your crawlspace and eventually cause your house to show significant settling which is very costly to repair.

Now is a good time to check your fencing for any loose pieces as well.  We have a lot of wind this time of the year and that could cause part of your fence to fall over if it isn’t fastened properly.

And the last quick thing that will make a big difference for having your home ready for spring is trimming overgrown bushes and putting out new mulch around your landscaping.

Whether you are getting your home ready to sell or not, these are good things to take care of this spring to not only make your house look better but to extend the life of your house.

Price
In order to sell your home in this market the price has to be right.  If your list price is too high then people will quickly overlook your home since there are so many “deals” out there.  Look at what homes you are competing with.  If your home is priced higher than theirs and doesn’t have the upgrades their home does, why would the buyer pick your home over the competition?  In this case, you will help sell the other home!

Location
You can’t change this physically but there are some things you should consider when your home isn’t selling.  Is your home close to railroad tracks?  Is there a busy highway or interstate close by?  Are there large power lines, power plants, or cell phone towers within view of your home?  Are you located close to a hospital or airport?  For buyers noise and items that are deemed as an eye sore are of concern to them.

Condition
This is a very important aspect when trying to sell your house.  Buyers are a lot more aware of this now with all of the TV shows about buying homes.  They expect your house to be in excellent shape and to be spotless and clutter free.  Buyers are immediately turned off by wallpaper and anything dated like flooring and appliances.  A fresh coat of paint can go a long way.  Be sure to pick neutral colors that anyone would like.

Being aware of the market and doing some things to get your home show ready is key to selling your home in today’s market.

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2)  Serious buyers have fewer houses to choose from during the holidays and less competition means more money for you the seller.

3)  Since the supply of listings will dramatically increase in January, there will be less demand for your particular home!  Less demand means less money for you.

4)  Houses typically show better and smell better when decorated for the holidays!

5)  Buyers are more emotional during the holidays so they are more likely to pay your price.

6)  Buyers have more time to look for a home during the holidays than they do during a work week.

7)  January is traditionally the month for employees to begin new jobs.  Since tranferees cannot wait until spring to buy, you must be on the market now to capture that end of the market.

8)  You can still be on the market, but you have the option to restrict showings during the week of the holidays.

9)  You can sell now for more money and we will can negotiate the occupancy for after the holidays so not to disrupt that time for your family.

10)  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!

So what are you waiting for?  Let’s get started!  Contact me today to schedule an appointment to discuss listing your house this holiday season!