You might discount yourself into a failed listing.

Scheduling an appointment to show a house should be easy, right? Not always. Sometimes choosing a "discount company" discounts the sellers right out of the market. The house I attempted to show had been on the market for about a month and I am guessing they were wondering why no one was showing it. Even worse, there was no way to submit an offer, no contact person, no agent, no seller info. In the location and price point it should have been shown many times and maybe had an offer. Sellers: Don't cut yourself short to save a few thousand dollars. If you are offering buyer agent fees and paying something to the discount house, why not give your home, probably your biggest assett, the credit it deserves to have it marketed and SOLD properly. It is amazing how many times I see listings that are listed with a fee agency or discount broker and the zip code is wrong or there are no inside pictures. If a 12 year old can sell a baseball better on EBay, what in the world are you doing?!?

If you have any comments of disagree, please email Jessica at JessicaRiffle@SeaCoastRealty.com.

Pictures really are worth a thousand, dollars that is, in real estate. Wilmington, NC

Pictures in real estate are more important now than they ever have been. With the large majority of buyers searching online and agents searching through high inventory for homes that best meet their buyers needs it is so important to make sure that your home is being showin in it's best light through the photos used. Make sure your agent is maximizing or close to maximizing the number of photos allowed on various online sites as well as the local MLS. Make sure that your home looks stellar online. It should look better and the same as it does in person. You have got to get those buyers inside and if the pictures are lacking or are not flattering, then you may lose interest.
Contact Jessica at 910-352-1043 or email JessicaRiffle@SeaCoastRealty.com.

Selling your house? Know your competition.

As a home seller and depending on the neighborhood, it can sometimes be extremely valuable to you to view all the other homes currently for sale in your neighborhood. This way, you will know exactly what your competition is and how you compare in price and condition. If you disagree or would like to voice your opinion, please feel free to email me at JessicaRiffle@SeaCoastRealty.com

For more information on Wilmington, NC Real Estate and Wilmington Luxury Homes, click here!

Remodel or Sell

Sometimes there is more than just "what color cabinets" to think about when remodeling your home. Is it best for you to remodel or purchase up? The cost of the remodel can sometimes be much higher than the actual value it adds to your home. Email me if you would like me to email you the cost vs. value list.

For Sale By Owner vs. Realtor

The 2008 NAR Profile of Home Buyers and Sellers reveals that among recent home sellers surveyed in August 2008, the pure For-Sale-By-Owner (FSBO) sales - those cases where the seller did not know the buyer - remain historically low at 7 percent. It had been closer to 10 percent during the housing boom years.

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Email me at jessicariffle@seacoastrealty.com or call me 910-352-1043.

The Price is Right

The price of your home matters and you know that. How many times have you heard sellers and agents talk about "trying a price, seeing what the activity is, and then reducing the price later"? Probably often. If I am your agent I will tell you, "Not in this market." We need to start of strong. We want agents to see the value and want to sell it to their buyers. When selling make sure you are prepared to put the best price possible on your home as soon as it hits the market. You want to create excitement in the beginning and not have to reduce your price later. You will sell faster and for more money!

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Seller and Buyer Schedules

Realtors often talk about what it takes to sell your home, or more specifically what key factors that influence how quickly it will sell. We all hear about price, location, condition, and market influences but we often don't hear about the importance of letting buyers dictate when they see your home. It used to be that sellers dictated when showings occurred. A seller could easily change the times the buyer was requesting or just say "no, that time isn't good for me, please come at this time". From there, the buyer would scramble to change their schedule to get into the home and accomodate the sellers request.

Not anymore.

Most of us work 9-5 jobs and guess what...so do buyers. This means that they probably want to see your home in the evening or on the weekend. The same time you are planning on being home. The reality is that buyers are controlling the market now and if sellers don't accomodate their requests often the buyer moves on to something else that they can get into easily with their schedule because there is plenty of inventory to choose from.

So remember the need to accomodate buyers requests even if it seems like a hassle to you. You ultimate goal is to sell quickly and for the best price possible and this can only happen if you get each and every potential buyer through your home.

If you have any questions or comments, please feel free to email me at jessicariffle@seacoastrealty.com. Have a great Thursday!