Why Use a Realtor When Selling?

If you’re thinking about selling your home on your own, think again. The only way to get the most out of your home sale is by hiring a Realtor.

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As you prepare to sell, you might be thinking you can save some money by not hiring a Realtor and listing your home by yourself. Studies have shown that the opposite is true. You get more money out of your home when using a Realtor for several reasons.

The first is that a Realtor is an expert advisor. They are educated, trained, and know the market well. They know all the rules, regulations, and work that it takes to get your home sold. When it comes to selling, a well-trained seasoned expert can make a huge difference on whether you get top dollar for your home or not.

I’ve seen FSBO (For Sale By Owner) sellers do a few things that you should avoid if you’re going that route, including how they handle their due diligence fees, earnest money deposits, and disclosures. I also see many of them fail to use high-quality professional photography when marketing their home.

An expert Realtor will help you protect your largest investment.

Your home is typically the biggest investment you will make in your life. You want to hire someone to sell it who is an expert and can get you the most amount of money with the least inconvenience.

If you have any questions for us or if you’re thinking about selling, make a wise decision and contact myself or another local Realtor to talk about how we can make a difference in selling your home. We are always here to help, and we look forward to hearing from you.

7 Home Improvements to Skip When Selling Your Home

When preparing your home for the market, you probably will need to make some improvements. However, there are seven home improvements you should avoid in order to sell quickly and for top dollar.

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When you prepare your home for the market, you may want to make a few improvements. However, there are some improvements that might make a buyer think twice about purchasing your home. These are the top seven home improvements you should avoid:

1. Wallpaper. While wallpaper is very popular in model homes right now, buyers may not like the wallpaper that you choose for your home. Wallpaper is a red flag to buyers.

2. Lighting. Although you may need to update your lighting if you purchased your home before 2005, don’t go out and buy lavish light fixtures. Instead, get brushed nickel light fixtures that are practical and blend in with your home. Don’t go overboard.

3. Painting. Don’t add textures to your walls. In fact, if you can, get rid of popcorn ceilings. If you use a technique for painting that requires anything but paint, that will be very hard for the buyer to change, and they may pass on your home.

Don’t combine too many different types of flooring throughout your home.

4. Flooring is another key piece to selling your home. When you update your flooring, make sure that you are consistent throughout your home. You don’t need a combination of laminate, tile, hardwood, and carpeting throughout the home. Be consistent and use the same textures and colors throughout your home.

5. Carpet. Don’t put too much carpet in your home. A lot of people want to get rid of carpeting in order to keep the house cleaner or reduce allergies.

6. Bold wall colors. You might love bright reds, blues, or fuchsias, but the buyer will want to change that wall color. Some buyers may avoid buying your house completely because painting over such bright colors can be very difficult.

7. Spas, hot tubs, and pools might not be worth it. You need to think twice before making such a huge investment. If you have a high-end home with plenty of yard, installing a pool or hot tub could be fine. Otherwise, buyers may just see these additions as big expenses. Spas, hot tubs, and pools can distract buyers or turn them away entirely, especially if they have small children.

If you avoid these seven home improvements, you are more likely to have a successful home sale. If you have any other questions about selling your home, just give me a call or send me an email. I would be happy to help you!

What Happened With Charlotte Real Estate in 2016?

As we begin 2017, let’s look back on the past year. Here is what happened in the Charlotte real estate market in 2016.

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As we head into 2017, we wanted to take a look at the 2016 numbers for the Charlotte real estate market to see where we stand heading into the new year. A lot has happened in the past year that you need to know about if you’re looking to buy or sell.

Closed sales went up by 8.4% in 2016 when compared to 2015. The average sale price also went up by $20,000 all across the board. We also saw average sale prices go up by 6.5%.

Our inventory also declined. As we began December, our supply of homes was down by 25.7% from the previous year. That’s a big difference. Our average days on market dropped by about 10 days as well.

Due to the lack of inventory, the supply in our region sits at just 2.3 months. This figure was at 3.4 months last year.

Act sooner rather than later.

All of these indicators point to Charlotte being a strong seller's market right now. You can still have a successful home purchase, but you have some things to consider there. Right now, we have home prices hitting their pre-recession levels. That’s huge for sellers who have been waiting to gain equity back in their homes. We’ve also got interest rates starting to tick up a bit. They are well above 4% now and are expected to go up again in the coming year. This will affect your buying power.

If you're thinking about buying or selling, you should act sooner rather than later. We’ve got a healthy market right now that can benefit buyers and sellers. If you have any questions at all, don’t hesitate to reach out by giving us a call or sending us an email. We look forward to hearing from you.