Should You Sell Your Charlotte Home Before Buying a New One?

When planning a move from your current Charlotte home, does it make the most sense to buy first or wait until your current property sells?  There are multiple factors that go into that decision and this is most definitely an individual decision primarily based upon financial means.  Below are a few pros and cons of each, to help you decide which factors are higher on your specific list of priorities.

BUY first if…

• It’s the Charlotte home you’ve always wanted.  If you’ve absolutely found your dream house, you should consider buying it now — even if your current house hasn’t sold. You might regret it later if you let the opportunity pass you by.  Just make sure the house is truly worth it.
• It’s too good of a deal to pass up.  If you’ve researched the comparables and you know the home you want to buy is a great deal, then you should consider going ahead with the purchase.  Waiting to sell might actually wind up costing you more in the long run if you lose out on this bargain.
• There’s more demand than supply.  In a seller’s market (not right now in most communities here in Charlotte), you won’t need to worry about selling your property.  What is the market absorption trend in your community?
• You have the money.  Check with your real estate agent to find out how long it’s taking to sell homes comparable to yours these days.   Then, do the math to determine if you have enough in savings to make the down payment on your new home and pay the mortgages of both homes while you’re waiting for your current home to sell.  Work with your lender or financial planner to help you design a strategic plan.

SELL first if …

• You want to get the most money for your home.  If you’re not in any hurry, you’ll be less tempted to take a lower offer.  You also have more negotiating power.  It’s hard to hold firm on a price, if you’re carrying two mortgages AND if the home is already vacant and the buyers know that you’re carrying two mortgages.
• You can include a contingency clause in your contract.  Add a contingency that allows you to remain in your house until you close on a new property.  It may be difficult to get the buyer to agree, but if they do, you’ll have plenty of time to find the perfect new house.  This one may be very difficult to accomplish because you certainly do not want to lose a buyer in this real estate market just to be able to stay in your home longer.
• You can handle moving twice.  If you sell your home first, you can always live in a short-term rental until you find your new place.  Moving twice in a period of time less than 5 years is often quite traumatic though!
• You don’t want to be stressed about selling.  The idea of carrying a second mortgage is enough to cause many people to reach for their blood pressure medication!  To many, it’s simply not worth the stress involved in buying first.

Give me a call or email me if you need help deciding the right timing to buy or sell a Charlotte home. 

Read more: http://www.icharlotterealestate.com/should-you-sell-your-charlotte-home-before-buying-a-new-one/#ixzz1So9sFeSf

 

      

  Charlotte NC Homes for Sale

 (THE best Charlotte home search available - no kidding!)

Debe Maxwell, CRS/Realtor®/Broker
Broker@TheCharlotteScoop.com
Phone (704) 491-3310

     

  

 

    

      

       

 

         

   

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9 Quick Tips to Get Your Charlotte Home Sold Faster

If you’re short on time, here’s a list that’ll take you one minute to read and will give you 9 tips to get your Charlotte home sold faster:

1. Set the right price.  A Charlotte home priced correctly from the start will sell faster.
2. Provide a thorough disclosure statement.  This builds trust between you and your prospective buyer.
3. Add a one-year home warranty.  They’re reasonably priced and provide peace of mind for the buyer.
4. Offer financial incentives. There are a variety of financial incentives you can offer depending on the needs of the home and the buyer.  Here are a few to consider:
   1. Cost to replace the carpet
   2. Cost to replace the roof
   3. Cost to repair a problem that is found during the home inspection
   4. Part or all of the buyer’s closing cost
5. Make your home shine. Fix it.  Paint it.  Clean it.  Polish it.  If there’s anything you’ve put off, do it now.  Your home has to be at its very best.
6. Get a pro’s opinion.  Ask your agent what they recommend you do to get your home in tip-top shape for marketing.   Then do it!
7. Stage your home. This has proven to be one of the best things you can do to get your home sold faster and for more money.  Many real estate agents now provide staging services for their clients, so ask your agent about this.
8. Remain unemotional.  Keep emotions out of decisions you make when selling your home, especially during the negotiation process.  Look at this as strictly a business transaction; you’ll stay sane and sell your home faster.
9. Work with qualified buyers.  Ask your agent to qualify buyers before submitting any offers to you.  Qualified buyers should submit at least a pre-qualification but preferably a pre-approval letter from a reputable lender with their Offer.

Want more details on any of this tips or need additional ideas to get your Charlotte home sold?  Give me a call or email me and I’ll give you all the specifics on how to implement these tips and answer any questions you have.

Read more: http://www.icharlotterealestate.com/seller-tips-getting-your-charlotte-home-for-sale-sold/#ixzz1QRxbgwUN

 

      

  Charlotte NC Homes for Sale

 (THE best Charlotte home search available - no kidding!)

Debe Maxwell, CRS/Realtor®/Broker
Broker@TheCharlotteScoop.com
Phone (704) 491-3310

     

  

 

    

      

       

 

         

   

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10 Important Staging Tips for Your Charlotte Home for Sale

Selling your home takes more effort than simply listing your Charlotte home for sale in an MLS and placing a For Sale sign in the front yard.  You simply MUST showcase your home in a way that makes it stand above the competition and be incredibly enticing to potential buyers.

One of the best ways to create this enticement is to stage your home so that buyers can see themselves living in your Charlotte home for sale.  Here are 10 very important things to do when staging your Charlotte home for sale.

1. Be proactive - Go ahead and make minor repairs:  Go through your home and take care of issues such as stuck drawers, missing cabinet hardware, and leaky faucets.  This demonstrates to your potential buyers that you meticulously care for your home--a well-maintained home sells faster and for more money than one that shows wear and tear.
   
   
2. Remove personal touches:   Buyers want to picture themselves in your home, not you and your family. Remove family photos, memorabilia and collections.
   
   
3. De-clutter:  Clear the bathroom and kitchen counters. Take knick-knacks off the shelves. Pack away half of the kids’ toys.
   
   
4. Organize your cabinets and closets:  Because interested buyers will look in all of your cabinets and closets, take the time to neatly stack dishes and fold towels.  Arrange your spices and canned goods as neatly as possible. 
   
   
5. Clean as though you’re expecting company:  Scrub every inch of your home.  Remove cobwebs and the dust collected on your ceiling fans. Scour the grout on the bathroom floor.  Replace worn rugs.  Hang fresh towels.  Clean out your refrigerator.
   
   
6. Freshen your yard:  Remove and replace dead or dying plants. Trim hedges, rake leaves and freshen the mulch in your beds.  Clean the windows, inside and out.
   
   
7. Get rid of odors:  Take out the trash daily and avoid cooking with strong foods or spices.  Boil and apple and some cinnamon prior to the showings or bake molasses cookies or an apple pie--make your buyers feel like they’re home!
   
   
8. Think neutral:  Neutral colors sell homes.  Go ahead and repaint your rooms with a neutral color, especially if your home is decorated with very personal colors or wallpaper designs.
   
   
9. Make your rooms look larger:  Take extra leaves out of your dining room table.  Remove the extra chairs and bookcases in your living room.
   
   
10. Rent a storage unit:  Don’t stuff your garage with all those items you packed away or removed from your rooms to make them look bigger.  Keep your garage looking great by moving the boxes and furniture to a storage unit; you’re going to have to pack them to move ANYWAY!
    

Let me help you stage your Charlotte home or recommend a professional stager for a fast sale.  Call me today or email me to schedule an appointment.

Read more seller pointers:

 

      

  Charlotte NC Homes for Sale

 (THE best Charlotte home search available - no kidding!)

Debe Maxwell, CRS/Realtor®/Broker
Broker@TheCharlotteScoop.com
Phone (704) 491-3310

     

  

 

    

      

       

 

         

   

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I Live in Realityville :: Do You?

I love listings!  Listings are so enjoyable to me--I enjoy the market analysis, the staging and prep, the constant marketing challenge, 'romancing' the Realtors®, creating ads, showing homes and seeing the look on sellers' faces when an Offer is received and ultimately Closing occurs so that they can move on to the next chapter in their lives.  Everything about listing a home is fun for me with the exception of pricing a home.  Pricing is serious business and can make or break everything else that you've put into selling your home.  

Yes, I've been guilty of allowing sellers to overprice.  This market has taught me more about overpricing than I ever wanted to learn!   I say, "No more!"  And yes, pricing IS ultimately the seller's decision--I am in charge of the process, they are in charge of pricing.  I may advise, cajole, beg, plead but, THEY price their property!

What is seller's reality?  If your home is listed in MLS with an agent who is marketing your property thoroughly, is updated and staged well (including being decluttered), and has been on the market over 60 days with few buyers coming through and absolutely NO Offers, then the market has spoken, reality has reared its ugly head.  What did the market say to you?  You're OVERpriced!  

Times have changed since your neighbor or friend sold their home for a hefty profit.  Times have changed since your neighbor or friend sold their home in a couple of DAYS with multiple Offers.  Times have changed since your neighbor sold his home with few upgrades in his home--buyers just wanted to find a home quickly in that particular school zone--OR before another one got away!  Now, the supply is incredibly high, the demand low and buyers can afford (no pun intended) to take their time to locate the BEST deal. 

However, times have also changed in YOUR favor--nearly 90% of buyers are shopping for a home online and if your home is marketed well there, then your home IS being seen by prospective buyers.  Your home is shown inside and out, upstairs and down--all over the internet.  Buyers are savvy these days and can easily cost-compare homes online and if yours appears to be overpriced, they move/click on.  Why wouldn't they?  Would YOU overpay for a home when you can get a better price on a similar new home?

Fussing at your agent for lack of showings or not doing his/her job (remember, we are the experts--this IS our business), isn't going to get the job done.  Yelling that the neighbor's agent had one more open house than you have had, isn't going to get the job done. Screaming for a newspaper ad which doesn't sell homes any longer, isn't going to change the reality.  Complaining that the last showing agent hasn't provided feedback within the hour--or even within the week isn't going to get the job done; if their buyer liked the home, you WILL get an Offer!

Herein lies the reality - your price needs to be adjusted.  Period.  Plain and simply, the sooner you make the adjustment, the sooner your burden of carrying the costs of the home and keeping your home in showing condition will come to an end and the sooner the next chapter in your life will begin.  

Sorry sellers, this is simply Realityville...welcome to MY world!

 

      

  Charlotte NC Homes for Sale

 (THE best Charlotte home search available - no kidding!)

Debe Maxwell, CRS/Realtor®/Broker
Broker@TheCharlotteScoop.com
Phone (704) 491-3310

     

  

 

    

      

       

 

         

   

Disclosure of material contained within.

Slow Markets and Charlotte Homes - Bring the Two Together - Close the Sale

Today’s slow real estate market can be a difficult time to sell Charlotte homes.  However, the fact remains that homes are still being bought and sold every day.   Buyers are out there; your mission is to attract them to your home.

Here are a few tips for getting Charlotte homes sold in a slow real estate market: 

Prepararation - Your home needs to stand out from the rest, including sparkle and shine:

    •    Make minor repairs:  Patch holes, fix faucets and replace cracked tiles.
    •    Clean thoroughly inside and out:  Including cobwebs, dirty carpets, worn rugs and getting rid of any smelly odors.
    •    Check your curb appeal:  Mow the lawn, plant flowers, trim bushes, etc.
    •    Remove clutter and de-personalize:  If it isn’t essential, pack it up or get rid of it, keeping in mind that eventually, when your home sells, you’re going to have to pack it up anyway!
    •    Straighten your cabinets and closets:  Buyers will open them; make sure they’re nice and neat.

Staging -  Hire a professional home stager or if money is tight, read informational home staging articles on doing it yourself. Here are a few quick tips:

    •    Carefully choose your window coverings, or eliminate them.
    •    Tie new bathroom towels with ribbons or cording for a polished bathroom look.
    •    Use colors to bring out the appeal in the room.
    •    Don’t forget the plants.

Good Marketing Techniques - A strong marketing campaign is a must.  A few techniques you want to be sure you or your agent includes in your marketing campaign are:

   •    Take photographs with good lighting that show off the positive aspects of your home.  If you or your agent aren’t ‘into’ photography, hire a professional--well worth the money you will spend to showcase your home online.

    •    Create a virtual tour that showcases both the inside and outside of your home.
    •    Display the photos and virtual tour on as many real estate websites as possible. 

Selling Charlotte homes isn’t a quick or easy endeavor, especially now.  Aggressive marketers are the winners.  Taking the time to clean and stage your home, as well as create a far-reaching marketing campaign, can get that for SOLD sign displayed much quicker.

If you’d like to sell your home, let me create a strong, far-reaching marketing campaign to get your home SOLD.   Give me a call email me today.

 

      

  Charlotte NC Homes for Sale

 (THE best Charlotte home search available - no kidding!)

Debe Maxwell, CRS/Realtor®/Broker
Broker@TheCharlotteScoop.com
Phone (704) 491-3310

     

  

 

    

      

       

 

         

   

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You've listed your property. You've spent your evenings after work and weekends with people traipsing through your home.  You've done everything you can possibly think of and your Charlotte NC real estate is still sitting on the market while others around you are selling.  Why isn't your home selling?

You've cleaned your home—you think.  Let's examine a few areas that many people tend to overlook:

   ·          Have you de-cluttered?  Make your home look as spacious as you possibly can.  Collectibles and family items               are simply not appealing to buyers--you don't want to distract them and you DO want them to be able to envision             their own belongings in your home.   Too many of your 'things' make them feel as though they are intruding.

·         Have you stuffed all of your “stuff” in cabinets thinking no one will be bold enough to open cabinets and look inside?  In fact, most buyers DO open drawers and cabinets, and will definitely look in your closets.  So, don't stash all your stuff in the closets.  Besides being untidy, it is likely that overstuffed closets will fall out in an avalanche when an unsuspecting buyer happens to take a peek.  My recommendation:  You're getting ready to move anyway, why not pack it away NOW?

·         Are the dirty dishes stacked up, clothes in the laundry baskets, or used towels all over the bathroom?   Just because you have to live in your Charlotte NC real estate until you sell it doesn't mean it looks good to your buyers.   The 'lived in' look only makes your home look comfortable when friends and family visit, not prospective buyers.

·         Does your loving pet adore your visitors?   Even the most well-behaved dog or cat may be a distraction.  Not everybody is a pet lover, and even if they are, they don't want to have to deal with your pets while viewing a home.   Keep your dogs and cats in their crates when buyers come to see your Charlotte NC real estate listing or better yet, if you're able to do so, take them with you during the showing.

·         Is the lawn mower sitting on the patio, the pool skimmer lying on the lawn; are the kid's bikes piled up in the driveway?   The inside of your home isn't the only place that shouldn't look 'lived in' when you are showing your home to the public.  Again, pack it up or tuck it away neatly.

Little things do mean a lot.  Don't let those little nail holes, stray wires from a removed fixture, or coffee stains on the carpet go unheeded.   Your buyer is not going to want to fix those things when they move in, especially not in this economy when a good number of home buyers are looking for pristine, move-in-ready homes for sale in Charlotte NC.  And, it makes potential buyers think that if minor repairs haven't been taken care of, most likely, major repairs have been let go also.  Take the time to do minor home fix ups and make your house look as inviting as possible.

If you'd like more tips like this, subscribe to my blog!  Want to view other listings in your own neighborhood?  Visit Charlotte NC Real Estate - Click on Advanced Search and complete the neighborhood section with your neighborhood, then 'search.'  You'll now have a list of all of the homes in your neighborhood that are listed in MLS and will be able to compare them online.

 

      

  Charlotte NC Homes for Sale

 (THE best Charlotte home search available - no kidding!)

Debe Maxwell, CRS/Realtor®/Broker
Broker@TheCharlotteScoop.com
Phone (704) 491-3310

     

  

 

    

      

       

 

         

   

Disclosure of material contained within.

How Does Your Charlotte NC Home for Sale Compare?

Any time supply is higher than demand, businesses start looking for a way to set themselves apart from the competition.  If you have a Charlotte NC home for sale, you’re probably doing the same thing.  What is the competition like, though?  Are you looking for similar houses, similar neighborhoods – or is the competition nationwide?  By paying attention to homes that are selling nationwide, you can find out a lot about what buyers want, especially since Charlotte NC attracts buyers from all across the nation.

If your Charlotte NC home for sale is in a place similar to other areas from which relocation clients may be exiting, you just might have a much better chance at selling, especially if you market those positive attributes.  Here are just a few of the things you may have in common with those coming from other markets:

• Small Town, City or Metropolis:  Whether a place is small or not is relative. For instance, someone who lives in a town with less than 3,000 people would think Charlotte NC is a huge city.   The population of various cities is quite different.  If your home is in a population area similar to what the relocation client is seeking, this could be a great selling point.  Advertise your city's assets in your marketing.
  
  

• Robust, needed industries:  High-tech industries, energy services and health care are just a few sectors that haven’t been hit nearly as hard by the recession. The demand for trained workers in these industries is higher in areas with these industrial sectors than in others. Because your home is located in an area with lower than average unemployment, brag about it!
  
  
  

• Low crime rates:  If you aren’t quite sure what the crime rate is around your home, check! Low crime rates are an excellent selling point; one that you could be missing out on.  **Remember that you cannot declare that your home is in an area with ‘lower crime than ___’ but, you can direct your buyers to check out the crime rates from the local police or sheriff’s departments.
  
  
  
  
  

• Education:  Education has always been important to a significant number of buyers. We have several universities and you live in a highly educated community!  It may not seem like an important factor to you, but it can very well be imperative to your buyer.  Share in your marketing materials the colleges in the area, the educational demographics of your area...

From population demographics to the number of recreational activities available, everything goes into making your Charlotte NC home for sale attractive to buyers.  What makes your area special?

Need help identifying your home’s selling points?  That’s my job!  Phone me or email me for more information on marketing your Charlotte NC home.

 

      

  Charlotte NC Homes for Sale

 (THE best Charlotte home search available - no kidding!)

Debe Maxwell, CRS/Realtor®/Broker
Broker@TheCharlotteScoop.com
Phone (704) 491-3310

     

  

 

    

      

       

 

         

   

Disclosure of material contained within.

Sell Your Charlotte Real Estate with the Confidence of  Charlotte's Real Estate Marketing Specialists

If you are considering selling your home in Charlotte NC it's time to start preparing and get the job done.  

Choosing a Realtor® to list your home is one of the most important steps in the home selling process.

Realizing that more than 85% of today's buyers are starting their home search online, our primary focus (second only to customer/client satisfaction) is internet marketing. Providing that you have priced your home right, there is but one final piece of the puzzle:  whether or not your home will or will not sell--and that is MARKETING.  With HELEN ADAMS REALTY and The Maxwell House Group you will receive the ultimate marketing power.  You will find that most Realtors® don't even have a website so, be careful, if they do not have an internet marketing strategy, your home could be sitting on the market for quite some time. List your home with a Realtor® and a company who will expose you're listing to the highest number of potential buyers.

HELEN ADAMS REALTY and The Maxwell House Group will get the job done!  Our firm, HELEN ADAMS REALTY, has powerful websites and put our seller's listings are advertised on at least 60 additional websites.  As your REALTORS®,  we go above and beyond this company policy and place your real estate listing on an additional 30+ websites. 

Contact us for a meeting and we will show you more specifically why we are the Charlotte Real Estate Power Marketing Specialists!

“Profit occurs when preparation and experience meet opportunity."

When it’s time to sell, you must be confident that every element of negotiating the best terms and the best price has been set before your home is even listed.  Start with the resources we’ve provided. There is no charge for this information. These will help get you started in terms of assessing your real estate situation and planning for a stress-free and successful sale.  The real estate market in Charlotte  NC is everchanging, especially lately, and it takes experienced professionals to move your house quickly, professionally, and profitably.

When you’re ready to sell your Charlotte NC home, we will be your advocates, your guides, and your fierce negotiators.  We will work hard to get the job done.

Meet The Maxwell House Group

Debe Maxwell created a team whose focus and drive are unsurpassed customer service.  Debe has lived in Charlotte for 25 years and knows this city!  She and her husband, Ray (who also works with the group in marketing and business management) have two sons, Matt (21) and Ryan (20) and live in South Charlotte NC.

Edna Wellons has been in the business for years and is known for creating lasting friendships with her clients!  Edna knows this business and knows how to guide her buyers through a seamless process.  Edna and her husband, Mike live in SouthPark Charlotte NC and have three grown children.

Our team also has two referral agents who also serve as Buyer's Agents when called upon to do so! 

Work With Us!

Copyright © 2009 By Debe Maxwell, All Rights Reserved...*Charlotte NC's Power Real Estate Marketing Specialists*

 

      

  Charlotte NC Homes for Sale

 (THE best Charlotte home search available - no kidding!)

Debe Maxwell, CRS/Realtor®/Broker
Broker@TheCharlotteScoop.com
Phone (704) 491-3310

     

  

 

    

      

       

 

         

   

Disclosure of material contained within.