March through August are typically known as the best months to sell a home. However, the months of September through November can also be a good time with plenty of people looking to purchase a home to spend the Holidays, and capitalize on Homestead Exemption for property taxes. In fact, November is often one of our busiest months because Buyers want to be in a new home for the Holidays. While December through February are the slower months for home sales, keep in mind that people purchase homes based on their needs, not necessarily a calendar!

Finding a potential value for a home is more than simply finding 3 homes that sold in the last 6 months. Each neighborhood and home is unique and can be greatly impacted by the market as well. The Owens Team personally visits your home so that we can prepare a Comparative Market Analysis (CMA) that takes your homes’ unique amenities into account while providing pricing strategies. Our CMA costs you nothing while getting a partial market analysis can cost you thousands in the potential sales price. This is also why you can never trust an automated Home Value App or Pricing Tool. It’s always best to contact a local agent that is familiar with the Market.

Buyers are increasingly looking for “move-in ready” homes nowadays. While putting money into your home just to sell it isn’t ideal, some investment may be necessary to attract more Buyers. At a minimum, we suggest fixing items related to maintenance, which gives Buyers the impression that the home is well kept overall. For example, replacing rotted wood, pressure washing, painting, caulking inside, landscaping and deep cleaning will have the greatest bang for your book. Keep in mind that the market will also dictate if renovations, like Kitchen and Bath, are necessary to make sure your home sells for top dollar. Our CMA will also identify what items will gain the largest return on investment.

The time it takes to sell a home greatly varies by neighborhood, location, market, time of year and price range. Lower priced homes can sell anywhere from a week to roughly 3 months and more in some instances. For higher priced homes (like $500,000 and up), while it can sell quickly, a homeowner can anticipate anywhere between 3-6 months and up. Our CMA will analyze the time on market for each home that Sold as well as any homes that are currently listed

Homes that are Staged may derive up to a 6% higher sales price on average, so nearly every home can benefit from some type of staging. Staging can be as simple as following some simple steps like De-cluttering or “Pre-Packing”, repositioning furniture to maximize traffic flow, and painting with neutral colors to name a few. As part of our CMA, The Owens Team also provides you with Pre-Marketing and Pre-Photography Checklists that will guide you through the basic steps of Staging that will both enhance the professional photography and help your home stand apart from the rest.

In the event that the Mortgage you owe on your home is more than the Net Proceeds from a potential sale, you have two options. If it is a small amount that you can cover, it’s possible to pay that figure at the time of closing. If it is a significant figure, it is possible to contact your Lender to see if you qualify for a “Short Sale”. If the Lender agrees to forgive the debt, the difference between your proceeds and your mortgage payoff, then you can sell the home via a Short Sale. The Listing Agent must constantly communicate with the Lender throughout the sale to make sure the agreement is finalized. The Owens Team is a Short Sales and Foreclosure Representative so we are fully capable of handling your Short Sale.