The First Step

     The decision to sell your house may begin as a little voice in the back of your head.  It may develop over time until it takes a stronger form and  you make the decision. It  may be something that happens to you – such as a sudden job change or transfer. If you have the luxury of a little bit of time it beneficial  to orient yourself to the current market conditions your house will face.  This will help to set you up for success!

     Begin by reading the local newspaper and magazine ads. Visit, visit, visit, Open Houses – both on weekends and Broker Tour (Thursdays in Santa Cruz County)  Consider the location and condition of the homes you see.  Think about upgrades or  how dated the house may look.  What is the yard like? Is it on a busy street?  When you consider these things it is critical to dispassionately compare the conditions of the house already for sale to your own. List Price, while informative on some levels, is not the relevant figure.  It is Sale Price that matters!

     Develop a realtionship with a Realtor.  It should be someone you feel at ease with, responds in a timely manner,  is educated about the Market and willing to educate you. Your Realtor is an important source of information and can augment  your own sleuthing.  They are also a source to find out the Sale Price of a house. This is how you develop your own sense of the Market and can enhance your success. 

     Take some time to think about what you learn.  How long were houses on the  market?  How did one that may have sold in a short time frame compare with one that took longer?  How did the sale price compare with the list price? Were there reductions along the way?  What is the potential of the property? Again, how do these houses compare, favorably and unfavorably with  yours.  This does not need to be lengthy process. It is amazing how a couple stops by a couple houses in  your range can be educating.

     List Price either gets people to come by and see your home or keeps them aways.   When a house is listed it is the Market response that brings the sale. A hindrance to sale can be a seller that has an unrealistic expectation and could, ultimately, end with the seller getting less for the property than if it had been listed in a more appropriate range.   Developing some personal knowledge of the Market can help sellers to feel empowered and collaborate with their Realtor to set a List Price that will bring buyers in. That is the name of the game!

Because it matters…

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