Selling My House in Philadelphia, PA

Smart Philadelphia homeowners want to know the score before they decide, „I want to sell my house.“ Understanding the market can make all the difference between simply unloading your home or getting the best possible deal on it. Educated sellers are able to contribute significantly to the sales process, acting as team players with their realtors.

If you’re planning to sell your home, it pays to ask the important questions and have market data at your fingertips.

If I do decide to sell my house, how long can I expect it to be on the market?

Due to an 24 percent decrease in inventory-i.e., the number of homes for sale-compared to last year, Philadelphia home sales moved fairly quickly in 2017. Generally speaking, Philly houses sold in an average 98 days last year, about two weeks faster than the year before. Quick turnaround is a trend that’s expected to continue-perhaps even accelerate-as long as the supply of houses for sale remains limited.

What is the average selling price of houses in Philadelphia?

Because December 2017 continued to see a hot seller’s market in Philadelphia, home values have gone up-9.1 percent in the past year alone. Experts predict this trend will continue in the coming year. Right now, homes in the city sell for an average of $145 per square foot, for a median closing price of approximately $180,000. This represents an average 97.2 percent of the list price and an all-time high for homes in the City of Brotherly Love.

How many homes were sold in Philadelphia during the last few months?

According to Realtor.com, some 12,776 homes have been sold in Philadelphia in recent months. Long & Foster’s Market Minute indicates December 2017 alone saw 1,309 homes sold in Philadelphia County, a 3 percent decrease from last year directly attributable to the 24 percent decrease in the number of homes listed.

What are the current trends in the Philadelphia housing market?

The Philadelphia housing market continues to be a strong seller’s market. Real estate is trending upward and expected to do so for the foreseeable future. Construction has exploded in emerging neighborhoods, increasing demand in those areas. Experts predict between a 5 and 6 percent year-on-year surge in median sales prices as new listings continue to dwindle and demand continues to increase. In other words, the market is, and will continue to be, hot for sellers and very competitive from the buyer’s standpoint.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Home Value Web Sites – Which Ones Are Best For Finding Your Home’s Value

The internet is a wonderful place. It is full of all sorts of information on anything you could ever want to learn about, including how to figure out the value of your home. A simple web search for home value websites will return hundreds of thousands of results. Here is an overview of two websites we found, Zillow and Homegain.

Zillow is a free website that has been created with a sense of community in mind. It is a great place to go to find answers to any question you can think of about home ownership. There are resources for people who want to buy a home, sell a home, could be tempted to sell their home and other professionals who might be able to guide you. It also has a discussion board through which members can connect and help each other out.

Zillow also has a feature that will tell you what is available in your area through a feature called „Map and Search.“

Homegain is built in much the same way, but has a more professional look. It also has a home worth estimator that will give you a rough idea of the value of your home. To get a rough idea of the value of your home simply plug in your street address. The website will then search your neighborhood for other homes that are for sale and return a number based on those sales estimates. This isn’t as good as getting a professional appraisal but it is not a bad starting point. Homegain also has resources for people who are buying a home, selling a home and for people who need mortgage information.

It is very important to be prepared when you are thinking about buying or selling your home. The first thing you need to know is how to determine the value of the home you want to buy or sell because that will determine how much money will be spent or earned. Home value websites are a great place to start learning about this very subject to get you started on the road to either selling or buying a home.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Can You Safely Sell Your Home and Rent It Back?

Plans that allow homeowners to sell their property and then rent it back are often referred to as sale and lease back or buy back schemes. Simply put, the property owner sells the home and then continues renting it from the new owner. This means that the home will no longer be theirs, but they will continue to live in the same home without being forced to move.

One major contributing factor with regards to why people choose this kind of scheme is that of financial pressures. Although we have grown accustomed to many luxuries and a certain way of life, this has in no way eased up the pressure on our pockets! In fact, many homeowners feel a bigger pinch today than they did years ago. These financial hardships affect a large majority of the population and can make it difficult or impossible to continue making monthly mortgage payments.

When a homeowner can’t afford to pay their mortgage, for whatever reason, there is the instant worry that the bank is going to „come knocking“. Rather than remaining homeless, these struggling property owners choose to sell their property instead. By choosing to sell and rent back the property, rather than simply selling, the whole hassle of packing and moving is eliminated. There’s no need to downsize, pay professional movers to transport your precious belongings, or hunt desperately for a home that you can afford. Selling your home and trying to find a new place to live while managing your usual daily responsibilities is not only stressful and tiring but also unnecessary. In addition, when you sell your home, you will enjoy some instant financial relief, and you can use the funds to pay off your other debts or fund another investment perhaps.

It’s important to note that such schemes are run by individuals and private companies. Just like any financial decision, it is best to take some time to consider all of your options and read all the fine print in the agreement before you sign. Try to consult with at least three different individuals or companies who are willing to offer this scheme and don’t be afraid to obtain legal advice to make sure that the terms are in fact legit. An independent financial adviser will be best equipped to lay out your various options after taking your financial situation into account. It is important to seek such advice and make sure that selling and renting back your property is indeed the best option.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

How To Use Incentives To Sell Your Home In A Tough Market

Here are some ways in which you can sweeten the pot and beat your competition to a sale

Out here in the field we are seeing home prices dropping as sellers respond to housing market pressures. Some sellers are still expecting premium sales prices for their homes, but the transitioning real estate market is resisting high prices and causing sellers to re-evaluate their expectations.

It’s a whole new ball game and, if you want to play, you need to know the new rules. Getting an agent to stick your home on the local MLS system and waiting for the offers to come in won’t cut it anymore. Today, traditional sales methods are not enough to sell your home in a reasonable time for a decent price. Home buyers have too many choices and home options to choose from. They are driving the market and your home is only one of many that they are evaluating.

The obvious response to the market, which has been adopted by many sellers, but at a price, is to reduce the price of your home below other comparable houses in your neighborhood. Although many sellers have built in some wiggle room between their asking price and their bottom line, buyers are asking for reductions that will significantly erode the seller’s profit, sometimes to zero. Those who have a need to move quickly, for employment for example, will even take a loss in order to remove the burden of two mortgages or ending up renting. This situation, by the way, offers real estate investors an opportunity to pick up some good bargains.

Even in today’s market, you don’t have to drop the price of your home to the point of taking a loss. There are other ways in which you can add value to your home, even if it is only perceived value, that will enable you to make a good profit and still sell in a reasonably short time. The use of sales incentives can be a very smart and cost-effective way to add value to your home without sacrificing much of your asking price, if any. Here are some things that can sweeten the pot and make your home a more attractive choice to potential buyers:

1. Offer a 3% commission to the buyer’s agent. Some agents will not show your home for less than that and they will most likely pick your home apart in front of the buyer if they do show it.

2. If you’re in a homeowner’s association, pay the new buyer’s fees for the first year or more.

3. Buy a home warranty, which protects all the appliances in the house including the air conditioning and heating systems. The cost is usually less than $450 for one year.

4. You can pay all or part of the buyer’s closing costs, which can be deducted at closing from your sales proceeds, so you have no out of pocket expense.

5. Pay the buyer’s property taxes for a year or some period. You may already have paid a portion or all of it anyway. Again, no out of pocket expense.

6. If you have oil heat or propane, give the buyer a full tank of fuel.

7. Offer free grass cutting or landscaping for a period of time.

8. Provide all new carpeting or kitchen appliances or leave furnishings that the buyer may want.

9. Offer to pay the buyer’s property insurance for a year or more.

10. Buy down the buyer’s mortgage points by a point or two. This adds significant value to the buyer in terms of dollars saved and it will cost you little.

If you think about it, you can probably come up with more. I have suggested and used these and other methods for distinguishing my clients‘ homes in this tough seller’s market. In addition, if you spruce up your home with new paint, especially the front door and kitchen, landscape your yard, clean thoroughly throughout, and stage your home to put it in it’s best light, your home will outshine the others in your neighborhood.

One final suggestion – hire a competent real estate agent. An agent will ensure that you don’t leave money on the table and help you with all the ways in which your home can be the best buy on the block. I can always justify my commissions because I get the home seller more money than he could on his own. A top-performing pro will make you money and not cost you. Just ask the many ‚for sale by owners‘ who ended up hiring an agent after an unsuccessful attempt to sell on their own or the ones that ended up getting much less than their asking price. But if you are determined to go it alone, the above tips should help.

Till Next Time,

Bernie Rosellen, Real Estate Auctioneer

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

6 Secrets for Selling Your Home Fast

Are you in a financial crisis? Do you want to sell your home fast? If so, we suggest that you read a few secret tips that we have given in this article. With these tips, you will find it easier to sell your home in a short period of time.

Set the right price

First of all, you should evaluate your house and then reduce the price by 20%. Once you have done that, you will get tons of buyers with attractive bids. The buyers will keep bidding and you will be able to get much more than the actual value of your house. Actually, you have to have the courage but the majority of buyers don’t have it. Still, it’s the best strategy to sell a home fast in the here and now.

Half-empty closets

Nowadays, every purchaser is in search of storage. So, you should create enough space in your closets. All you have to do is remove half the things from your closets and then re-organize the rest of the stuff. This will impress the buyers. Also, make sure all of your cabinets and closets are neat and clean.

Light it up

Make sure you light up your house. After location, lighting is something that all buyers care about. What you need to do is remove the drapes, dust the windows, install quality light bulbs, change the lampshades and cut the bushes. Actually, the idea is to make your home as bright as possible.

Play the agent field

One mistake that you don’t want to make is hiring an inexperienced broker. What you need to do is do your homework to get an experienced broker. The professional should be able to monitor the MLS. He should have the information about the houses that are going to be on the market. Actually, you should look for a broker who uses technology in order to do their business.

Conceal the critters

Like most house owners, you may think that having a cat or dog in your house may impress the buyers. However, this may not work for you. You need to keep in mind that not every buyer loves dogs or cats. Actually, some buyers may not like to see a bowl of dog food in your house. This may give an impression that the home is not clean. So, it’s better to transfer the critters to a good pet hotel for that day.

Always be ready to show

You need to be always ready to show your house to potential buyers. Actually, you can’t predict when the potential buyers will request you to show your house. What you need to do is keep your house ready at all times. Your house should be in the best shape. So, make sure the dishes are not in the sink and that the dishwasher is clean. While it’s a bit inconvenient, you will be able to get your house sold fast.

So, you may want to use these 6 tips if you want to sell your house as soon as possible.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Selling your Home, Cutting Down on Expenses

Many people think that once you sell a house, you’ll suddenly get a great windfall of money. Although technically this may be true, many overlook the fact that home sellers invest quite a hefty sum prior to the sale. Remember that, in order to command a good selling price, the house must be in tip-top condition thus home owners reinvest in their homes just prior to selling by paying for repairs and minor remodelling projects. In addition to this, home owners need to spend for advertising and promotions. Even if the owner opts to do without the services of real estate agents, he still would need to make brochures, flyers, posters and, if he advertises in a newspaper, pay for advertising cost. Apart from this, the owner will have to pay for taxes.

If you’re a home owner and want to reduce the pre-selling expense that will come with selling a house, there are quite a number of ways to do this. Since a big bulk of pre-selling expense goes to repairs, you should keep this to a minimum. You don’t need to spend thousands of dollars to totally remodel parts of your house. Sometimes, a fresh coat of paint and a few carefully chosen accessories will do the trick. At the time of pre-selling inspection, you will thank yourself profusely if you had, over the years, taken the time to maintain the condition of your house.

Another way you can reduce unnecessary expenditure is to delay going to real estate agents or lawyers until the very last minute. Some home owners run to these professionals at every instant. Although some professionals give advice for free, most will charge you a fee. It would be to your advantage if you did all the preliminary paperwork and just approached these professionals just before you finalize the documents. If you’re at a loss on how to prepare contracts, there are various websites that offer users vital real estate information. Usually these sites have a database of standard forms which can be downloaded individually or by bulk. You can use these downloaded forms as a basis or a draft and once you’re fairly satisfied with the contents, you can bring these to your lawyer for a once over.

Through the availability of such forms, costs allocated for professional fees are reduced. The savings may not be much, but it still is a few hundred dollars that you can put in the bank.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Homes For Sale – 7 Tips for Selling in a Slow Market

In the past decade home sales have gradually become a buyer’s market. Although this is good news for the buyer, it is becoming somewhat of a nightmare for those who are trying to sell their home. Because of this, sellers often have to dramatically drop the price of their homes in order to make the sale, resulting in huge losses. However, there are ways of increasing the chances of making the sale without the seller having to take a big loss. The following will be a list of seven tips for successfully selling a home in a slow market.

1) Appearance is key- When looking to buy a home a buyer will naturally gravitate to houses that have a nice appearance. Fixer-uppers are not as popular as they once were. The first thing that a seller should do is to fix anything that may catch the eye of a potential buyer. For instance, the yard should look immaculate at all times. If the gutters on the house are drooping, that will be the first thing people will notice. If there is chipped paint on the house, paint it. It is worth the money to stage your property for curb appeal.

2) Be flexible- Be prepared to make yourself scarce on weekends if needed for the realtor to show the house. Keep things tidy at all times for any last minute appointments made by perspective buyers. Try not to limit the times that you are willing to provide access to the home.

3) Keep the home at market price- If you are stuck in the mind-frame of making big dollars from the sale of your home, chances are your house will be on the market for years. The best way to drive away potential buyers is to put the house up for sale above market value. Keeping the house for sale at a reasonable market price means that there will be more interest in coming to an open house, therefore bettering your chances of making the sale. It is a well-known fact by realtors that if the price is right, there is a buyer out there for every house.

4) Find an agent with an extensive sales track record in your town- A good realtor will know exactly how to determine fair market price for your home. He should also have a record of being able to sell a home within three or four months. A realtor that is experienced in selling property in your particular neighborhood will be able to take you through the process efficiently and in a timely manner. If you have a realtor who doesn’t have many years of experience, this will waste valuable time and money while he is still working on perfecting his craft.

5) Give the home have a warm and welcoming feel- If the walls in your home are painted in vibrant colors tone them down with neutral shades of tan and beige. This will allow perspective buyers to picture their own furniture in the home without distraction. Set the mood with lightly scented candles in the bedrooms and bathrooms. Soft calming music in the background will give the buyer a relaxed comfortable feeling. Buy new linens for the beds and throw pillows for the sofas. Give your home that „homey“ feeling that everyone is looking for.

6) Do your research- Go to open houses and check out the other houses that are on the market in your area. See what they have to offer a potential buyer. If they have a cozy seating area in the master bedroom, create your own cozy seating area to entice those potential buyers. You would be surprised at the things you can do with just a few over-sized throw pillows and a window with a view. Gather ideas from other houses and use your imagination for the rest.

7) Offer incentives to potential buyers- When a buyer is interested in purchasing your home but wants you to come down on the price, try using other incentives instead. For instance, you may want to offer to pay the buyer closing costs. This is always tempting to buyers since it will save them money, allowing them to have more money for a down payment. Some sellers choose to throw in appliances such as the refrigerator, dishwasher or washer/dryer.

In a buyer’s market, the seller has the task of being inventive in finding a way of moving his property. Making the sale is not always a piece of cake, but with a bit of effort, it can still be done quite successfully.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Sell Your House Fast Using This Little Known Buying Incentive

If you are thinking about selling your home, or already have your home up for sale, you need to know this secret to making your home super attractive to potential buyers.

Statistics show that around 9.8% of Americans move each year. This often involves the sale of a home and the purchase of a different home.

Putting your home up for sale is often a stressful experience because of time and money. You have a schedule for moving, but little control over how fast your home will sell. And, you will have payments to make on a new home, and may have to accept a low price offer to be free of your old home.

So, how can you help ensure a fast sale at your asking price?

This secret to a quick sale for top dollar is a small, free, communications device that you or the new owner can place in the home. It helps build out the Internet of Things network. And most of these free devices earn hundreds of dollars per month.

Just imagine how attractive your home will be when potential purchasers learn they will receive a significant amount of money every month after they purchase your home. This extra money could help pay their mortgage or help provide some of the nicer things in life.

These communication devices promote the transfer of data from smart devices (like wearable medical devices, home appliances, automobile GPS devices, track-able packages, and more) to entities that pay to receive that data. The communications device simply interfaces between the smart devices and your home Internet.

But, not every home will qualify for one of these communication devices. There needs to be a reasonable distance between these devices in order to extend the network throughout the community. So, if your home is too close to a property with another device, it will probably not qualify to get one.

To see if your property qualifies, you need to get a site survey. This will tell you what the expected earnings of your device will be. Earnings will depend on how many nearby devices your device can talk to. As we build out the network, more devices will be added and your earnings will increase.

This little secret could mean the difference between quickly getting the price you want for your home, or a lengthy sales process where you need to evaluate low bid offers. And, you may even get a premium price because of this device. So act today to get your site survey.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Advantages Of Selling Your Home Lease To Own

If you are a home owner with a property for sale, lease to own may be one of your best options. The economy has changed drastically in the last few years. Unemployment has reached record highs. Interest rates are down, but that’s not a factor since most homeowners are upside down on their mortgages anyway,compliments of the housing bust. Buyers in general are having a more difficult time securing a traditional mortgage for varies reasons.

The average home price in some areas are down twenty-five to fifty percent. Home prices are down not for lack of buyers, but lack of qualified buyers.

Foreclosure and short sales has driven home values down also. Homes are appraised by comparing the average sales price of homes in a specific area that are similar in size, condition, etc.It is so many homes in foreclosure, and individuals forced to sell their properties its many finding a buyer impossible. The banks have a surplus of foreclosed homes in every community in the country, and their asking price is much cheaper. A regular homeowner can’t compete. This leaves the homeowner with a property that he can’t sell, and if he does he gets a fraction of its true value. This is when lease to own becomes an option.

Most lease to own companies look for two types of buyers. Buyers that are relocating tend to be great candidates for lease contracts. Relocating buyers are looking to quickly move in and start a new job while their old house is being sold. Most do not have credit issues, but there debt to income disqualifies them for a mortgage. The second kind of buyers are high income clients with some past credit problems.

The advantages for a homeowner willing to lease to own are many. You get your asking price and a nice down payment which you keep, if the buyer exercises his option to buy,or not. Another plus, most lease to own companies will help buyers improve their credit scores. If buyers are serious about being financed, their credit scores are usually repaired by the end of the lease period. The lease period usually lasts no more than two years. No commissions or closing costs for the seller is another great incentive. Closing costs run in the thousands. Commissions for realtors are about five percent of the sale price of the home. These two factors alone save the homeowner usually $10,000 or more.

National online lease to own companies are ideal for sellers and buyers who are considering lease contracts as an option. Seventy to eighty percent of all home buyers look at homes online before they even visit a home, reported by a consumer research agency.

In concluding, lease to own is a great option for homeowners selling their property, and buyers looking to close quickly. All programs are not for everyone so find the best program that fills your particular needs. It should be easy with the vast number of companies providing services in this niche. Hope you found this helpful. Good luck!

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg

Selling Your Home – Preparing Your House For Sale

So, you’re getting ready to sell your house (or you’re in the unfortunate position of having listed your house weeks ago with little action) and you want to be proactive in the process of selling your home (or you want to sell it fast for a good price). Before you list your home, there are a few easy ways to prepare your house to sell for the best possible price, in the shortest amount of time. Homebuyers are scrutinizing, to say the least. By sticking to the following tidbits of advice and paying attention to details, you can have your home stand apart from the competition.

What’s that old saying about first impressions? Yes, we all know it, and it holds true in real estate: first impressions are important! Upon arrival to your property a potential buyer wants to see a well taken care of home that looks warm and inviting. Make sure your home actually appears this way. We groom ourselves for job interviews, so why wouldn’t you groom your lawn for an open house? Mow the lawn, trim hedges, weed your flower beds, and spruce up the front of your home by painting trim or adding shutters to windows. You can rent a power washer from most hardware stores to clean dingy brick or siding. Most importantly, make repairs to sidewalks and driveways and the exterior of your home, including windows, and the front door, itself. If a potential buyer sees just one area of damage that requires repair, they will be searching throughout the rest of your house for more, and they are more likely to believe that there are hidden problems with your home. Especially pay attention to the condition of your roof and gutters because these can seriously affect the sale price of your home.

The interior of your house should make a buyer feel as if they are home. This means, you must depersonalize, and de-clutter. A potential buyer wants to imagine himself living in your home, so personal items such as photographs, collections, loud paint colors or wallpaper, and anything else that leaves your own footprint will detract a buyer. Cleaning and removing clutter is another extremely important step in preparing your house for sale. Dirt, carpet stains, and pet odors are a huge turn off to buyers. Oversized furniture and cluttered personal items may make a room feel cramped and crowded, and you want to promote all the space you have. Neutral paint, bright lighting, and a neat and organized room will invite potential buyers to imagine themselves settling right in.

Kitchens and bathrooms sell houses. On a small budget, a good scrubbing goes a long way to improve the look of a bath or kitchen. Other small details such as changing out cabinet hardware, waxing the floor, removing appliances from countertops, and organizing personal items are easy ways to give your kitchen a facelift. Replacing a dated light fixture and adding a new shower curtain can liven up an ordinary bathroom. A buyer is most likely not going to want to move in to a house that needs repairs or looks worn and tired, so patch holes in walls, repair leaky faucets or faulty drains, replace cracked tiles, and re-caulk around tubs and sinks. Add a pop of color with a bowl of fruit in the kitchen and a bunch of fresh flowers in the bathroom. If you have the funds, by all means upgrade your appliances and go for the granite countertops. At the very least, clean out your refrigerator and tackle any pesky lingering odors by lighting a scented candle, or baking something sweet.

Bedrooms should follow the same guidelines as the rest of your house and feel neat, organized, bright, and neutral (meaning paint, linens, and curtains). One of the biggest faux pas a seller can make is to stuff his closet full of odds and ends. Closet and storage space is very important to many buyers so if your closet is filled to the gills and bursting at the seams, the buyer may feel that your home is lacking in these areas. (And don’t make the mistake of thinking buyers won’t find your junk drawer or closet). You’re going to need to pack eventually, so take this opportunity to straighten up, and pre-pack items you don’t need everyday.

Extra bedrooms or bonus rooms can be precarious. We often use those rooms for a multitude of purposes like home offices, guest rooms, media rooms, or all three at once. Buyers can become confused if a room lacks definition or purpose, and they may think that if you have to use one room for several different things, the house may just not be big enough for all of their needs. Temporarily move your home office out of the dining room for showings and make sure rooms are clearly defined. On the other hand, empty rooms can be just as confusing, in some cases. It may benefit you to rent a few key pieces of furniture, such as a dining table or couch, to demonstrate how a space can be used.

Many realtors agree that there are a few major deterrents to homebuyers that should be avoided at all costs (if possible). Here is an abbreviated list of Homebuyers.com’s guide of „things that will make buyers hate your home“:

· Odors-This really shouldn’t need an explanation, although people often become desensitized to odors in their own homes, so you may need an impartial judge to determine how offensive your house is.

· Wallpaper-It’s just not in style any more. Plus, buyers are going to have different tastes than yourself, so when they see wallpaper, they see more work for themselves in taking it down.

· Bugs-Remove bug carcasses and hire an exterminator, if necessary.

· Dogs-Yes, I know, how can dogs be a bad thing? Not everyone is as excited as you may be for an 80 lb dog bounding toward them ready to give slobbery ‚kisses‘. So, remove your dog for showings.

· Dirty Bathrooms-Enough said.

You don’t have to do much to prepare your home for sale. Just follow these simple pieces of advice to maximize the appeal of your home and to garner the best sale price in the shortest amount of time. Those time old sayings like; pay attention to detail, and, first impressions go a long way; truly apply when selling a house.

Immobilienmakler Heidelberg

Makler Heidelberg