Advice on listing & marketing your home to get it sold.

It’s a sign of the times!

Most of us grew up thinking that if we planned well and played by the rules, we’d never have to stand by as our financial lives unraveled. 

But upheaval on Wall Street, unacceptable rates of unemployment and plummeting real estate values have taken their toll.  Since 2007, 7.9 million homeowners have lost their homes to foreclosure. Current estimates are that one in four homeowners owe more on their mortgages than they could get from the sale of their home. Millions more homes will be lost to foreclosure before this real estate crisis runs its course.

The sad fact is that foreclosure is not an isolated event. For months leading up to the loss of a home, financially strapped homeowners live under a cloud of uncertainty.  And…

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Pricing in today’s Rehoboth Beach real estate market, as it is in the markets for every other saleable item, will be determined by the concept of ‘supply and demand’.

According to dictionary.com:

“The relationship between supply and demand determines the price of a commodity. This relationship is thought to be the driving force in a free market.”

Rehoboth Beach Housing Supply & Demand

In real estate, supply and demand is represented as the current month’s supply of homes for sale (the number of homes for sale divided by the number of homes sold in the previous month).

While there is no steadfast rule that will apply to pricing in every category of housing, here is a great guideline:

  • 1-4 months supply creates a sellers’ market where there are not enough homes to satisfy buyer…

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List Coastal Delaware Home for Sale“Mansion” is the Wall Street Journal’s entry into the high-end real estate magazine world. Well, not quite a magazine — it’s an extra section they run on Fridays. It’s a nice diversion for those who want to read about really rich people selling their properties. More than that, it could actually be an important source of information if you decide to buy a vineyard in the middle of Los Angeles (Bel-Air, actually — that one was featured two weeks ago). 

It was another article that caught my eye on that Friday, though; one that dealt with a topic we agents have long debated. The article was headlined “THE BEST DAY TO LIST A HOME IS…”.  It summarized an elaborately executed study by a national brokerage revealing hard statistics on which day of the week is…

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Home Office Can Influence SaleWith telecommuting continuing to rise, and with more jobs requiring after-hours attention, showcasing your home's "home office" can help it show better with a prospective home buyer. 

It's wise to have your kitchen, bedrooms and bathrooms show well, but a great-looking home office can make a huge impact and help you sell your home more quickly.

Here are a few tips to helping your home office shine:

Designate The Right Space

Whether it's a spare bedroom or a computer nook, specify a separate place at which business is done. Make sure the area has enough room to set up a desk, a chair, a computer and a printer without making it look messy or cramped.

Clean The Area

A clean and orderly home office shows better than a messy one. To help your home…

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Lewes Man CaveEvery edge counts when you’re selling your Coastal Delaware home and want it to stand out from all the other listings. Whether you have an underused room you have been wondering what to do with, or already have a ‘game room’ you’re looking to improve before an upcoming open house, in honor of next weekend’s Super Bowl, let’s talk about creating one of today’s most desirable extra-value features: that Lewes homes listing star, the “Man Cave!” 

Find the Right Space 

Lisa McDennon, an award-winning interior designer in Southern California’s Laguna Beach, likes the basement as the ideal Man Cave location.  "I think the lack of windows…is a benefit because it's already dark and cave-like. It's also separated from the house by a wall." 

Install the Right…

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These are five good reasons why you should consider listing your house today instead of waiting:

1.) Demand Is High

Homes are selling at a pace not seen since 2007. The most recent Existing HoList Your Home For Saleme Sales Report by the National Association of Realtors (NAR) showed that annual sales in 2012 increased 9.2% over 2011. There are buyers out there right now and they are serious about purchasing.

2.) Supply Is Low

The monthly supply of houses for sale is at its lowest point (4.4 months) since May of 2005. The current month’s supply is down 21.6% from the same time last year. Historically, inventory increases dramatically in the spring. Selling now when demand is high and supply is low may garner you your best price.

3.) New Construction Is Coming Back

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Rehoboth Beach home remodeling tips “What doesn’t bankrupt us makes us stronger,” writes Josh Garskof, a serial remodeler and contributing writer and/or editor for Money magazine, “This Old House,” and Martha Stewart Living.  Rehoboth Beach property owners who have attempted a remodel anytime recently are likely to find the humor – and the truth – in his wisecrack. 

With the spring selling season just over the horizon, this would be about the right time for Coastal Delaware homeowners who are considering bringing their property to market to finalize plans and firm up any remodeling arrangements.  Whether the project is just to freshen up a bathroom or re-landscape a whole backyard, Garskof offers the following tips:

Plan to Overspend – Yes, we all hate to acknowledge it, but surprises…

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selling your home during winterReal estate agents in Rehoboth Beach will tell you that it can be harder to sell a home in the winter. The days are colder and shorter, leaving less time to show a home to potential buyers.

The good news, though, is that most buyers looking at houses in the winter aren't just killing time. They're serious enough about finding a new home to house hunt at a time when most people might rather stay inside.

There are a several steps you can take to make a good impression on home buyers this winter.

First, if there's snow or ice on the ground, make sure walkways are safe. Spread out ice melt or sand to provide traction during snowy weather. Shovel the snow on the driveway and sidewalks to make your home more inviting. Be sure to place a mat on which for…

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When sellers start the home-selling process, no one wants to think "What would happen if my home doesn't sell?" But before you panic, recognize that there are many things that you can do so you don't wind up in that position.

Tip 1: Understanding the real estate market and the value of your home will help you avoid this dilemma. The first key point is to get educated about the market. Read your newspapers, online real estate sites, and consult with the best experts in real estate for your area to determine the sales price.

While all that may seem basic, you'd be surprised how many sellers rely on emotion to dream up a selling price for their home. Some have done little, if any, research on even their own neighborhood. Instead, their strong ties to…

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help your home sell quicklyIf one of your New Year's Resolutions is to sell your Rehoboth Beach home, there are a few simple steps you can take to help prepare it for showings.

With a prospective buyer in mind, take a tour of your home, making a list of the good, the bad, and the not-so-bad. You may spot areas in need of major renovation; and areas which could benefit from just a basic touch-up.

It's these latter areas which will likely yield the biggest return on your investment so, in preparation for making your home "buyer ready", consider these steps.

Landscaping

The first thing a buyer will notice is the outside of your home. Sometimes called "curb appeal", first impressions are very important to the sale of your home. Therefore, be sure to trim bushes, rake leaves,…

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