Annapolis Real Estate: A Tale of Two Markets
February 1st, 2008 Categories: One Minute Realtor, Real Estate News, Sellers
Your agent has given his presentation, you’ve signed a listing agreement, and now there’s a For Sale sign in your front yard. Your home is on the market.
Or is it? The real question is this: is your home in the market? On the market and in the market are two vastly different things.
On the market means you’ve simply shown up at the dance and now you’re hoping for the best. In the market means you’ve practiced your steps, showered, brushed and flossed, put on your best duds, polished your manners and - by gum - you’re not leaving until you’ve danced with all the prettiest girls in the room.
Big difference, right? One’s passive and without intention. The other’s active, prepared, and purposeful.
A Lot of Homes for Sale in the Annapolis Area Are On, But Not Really In the Market
And guess where the right-now buyers are looking? Make no mistake about it: buyers today have no appetite for homes that aren’t resolutely in the market.
Not priced aggressively? Your competition right down the street is. Your home need fresh paint or a thorough cleaning? Buyers won’t give you a second glance. Does your home cry out for updates or new carpet? Best deal with it. Offering allowances just won’t cut it anymore: today’s buyers want turnkey homes, and they have their pick of the litter.
We tell our clients that they need to be in the top 20% of the market - price- and condition-wise, versus the competition - if they’re really serious about selling. Impeccable staging is essential, too: as best it can, your home should have that “model home” feel. It may take a little work to get there to position your home squarely in the market. But today, anything less is simply a waste of time.
Great article, some sellers just want a sign in the yard and don’t know who to prepare to be in the market. Keep up the great blogging.
David