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Selling your home in a slower market August 28, 2009
By Dave Traynor
 

We at Smith & Associates are proud to have two of the most productive real estate offices in Tampa Bay.  We believe our success in selling real estate in Tampa Bay starts with identifying how to sell your home in a slower market.  Here are some examples derived from an article created by realestateabc.com titled “How to Sell Your Home in a Slow Market”.

Before you even put your home on the market, make sure that all basic repairs are completed. Nothing can turn off a prospective buyer quicker than loose railings, torn screens or missing hardware on cupboard doors.  These easy repairs do not cost a lot of money.  If a home buyer sees that the little things are not attended to, they are likely to believe that the larger items are neglected too.  Let buyers know that you have pride in your home by making sure that all of the small repairs are taken care of.

Keep your home clean throughout the time it is on the market. In a slow real estate market, it is important to have your home available to view at a moment’s notice.  The more often your home is shown, the more likely it is that your home will sell.  Keep your home available to your realtor and so they can present your home quickly to any buyer that shows interest.

Have your home staged by a professional. Home staging has become a booming business and these professionals will help you remove clutter and depersonalize your space.  Prospective home buyers want to picture their family in the home – not yours.  A home full of personal clutter will not display the true potential of your home.

Keep pets contained during a real estate showing and make sure that your cat litter box is always clean. Pet owners tend to get used to the odors caused by pets.  Nothing will turn off a prospective home buyer like a house that smells.  Many people are fearful of dogs, especially ones that they do not know.  Make sure that you either take your dog with you during a showing or put them on a leash outside.

Be realistic in your expectations of the sale price for your home. Forget about what could have been if you had sold it last year and focus on what your home is worth now.  In a buyer’s market, buyers do not have to negotiate much.  Buyers know that you want to sell your home and a home that is priced too high is very likely to be looked over.  Ask a fair price for your home to avoid the need for too much negotiation.

In a slow market, hiring a real estate agent is crucial to get your home sold in a reasonable amount of time. Yes, there are ways to list your home for sale by owner using the internet.  However, nothing beats the experience that comes from a real estate agent who is willing to take care of everything in order to sell your home.

Selling your home can be a stressful time, but you can be successful in selling your home if you remain patient, reasonable and flexible. There are buyers out there and the key is to find them and get them to fall in love with your home.

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Why Tampa Bay? August 24, 2009
By David B Moyer
 

We hear and discuss about property values, real estate horror stories, and other negative news on the economy. Well this post is a little back drop to a regular person, myself, and what lead me to Tampa and why I bought a home in this down market.

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Some folks who choose Florida as a place to live, come from the North. As a native of Rochester, NY; the winters outlive the summers, and the gray skies outnumber the sunshine. My memories of Florida were always of fishing, Disney, and beaches & water that last as far as the eyes can see. Tampa Bay offers the best of everything in one location. I can travel to the beaches in St. Petersburg & Clearwater on a 15 minute drive, I can catch all of the major sporting events in my own backyard, and it offers jobs and opportunities that are not found in smaller cities.

Buying a home is not always about the dollar amount, or the return investment; it is about a lifestyle and quality of living. The views of Bayshore, my walks to Hyde Park Village, and the quality restaurants and shops are intangibles that make my life more enjoyable.

Tampa Skyline

I bought a new construction home that was offering incentives, upgrade packages, and discounted prices to move homes. All of this, tied with low mortgage rates, made it fairly easy to keep cash in my pocket and pick up the home of my dreams. The prices of these homes were double/triple just two years ago; and the prices were comparable to resale homes on the market. Foreclosures and short sales are attractive because of the lower prices, but lower prices do not always equate to the best value. I felt location and the character of home were important to me, and I passed at taking a fixer upper or a home that must wait on a third party approval. I think of those properties as a “sale” item in the store, people are attracted to them, but usually they are out of style/date and a reason why they are on the back shelf.

Victory at Dusk

If you are thinking of moving to Tampa Bay, I encourage you to check out the Relocation section of our website. This has a lot of useful resources that can help you make the move as simple as possible. We have lots of great development property to chose from at unbelievable prices, and my favorite new building Signature has just been completed with amazing views & the architecture is stunning. My life in Tampa Bay has changed my mindset and outlook, the sunshine, the water, the boats; feel like I am in a permanent Jimmy Buffett song.

The Vinoy1