Selling Your House?

How To Stand Out in a Weak Market



I found this great article on MSN.com with some tips and tricks on how to present your house to potential buyers. With the market being weak, looks do matter and they are looking at everything from the price to the style of the kitchen faucet. If you are selling, right now it is more important than ever to stick out among the pack. These tricks from several real estate agents should help you on your way to selling your home in a sluggish market.



1. Price, price, price

In a market thick with foreclosed homes and short sales, even people who are selling their homes the traditional way need to make sure they are priced competitively. A buyer in this market may be turned off by a home that is priced too high, because they don't want to deal with the headache of negotiating to a lower selling price when the next house over is already at that lower price.

2. We're not in foreclosure!

There are some advantages to being a traditional seller, and sellers who are not looking for a short-sale or a foreclosure can use that as a differentiators. Besides the potential financial headaches of buying a distressed home, a traditional seller is more likely to have kept the lawn alive, the house clean and the appliances intact.
Traditional home sellers also can differentiate themselves by offering little perks, such as a credit towards closing costs, money to repaint the house or a one-year home warranty.

3. Looking your best

It is important to make sure your house has good curb appeal. Clean the house well, add fresh flowers and sprinkle around some brightly colored towels to give your house an appealing look. Sometimes just moving around the furniture and re-staging the house can make a huge difference.

4. Ditch the point and shoot

These days, most buyers are looking at homes online first, so some real estate agents strongly recommend hiring a professional photographer to showcase the house in the best light possible. Think about doing a virtual tour or even a video of the house. Maybe even add some pictures of the neighborhood as well to give the potential buyer the full picture.

5. Consider Leasing

If you absolutely can't find a buyer at the price you want, consider leasing the property to a family that is having trouble buying.

The Census & Population Growth

Every ten years, when you get that knock on your door or that survey in the mail, the information that you provide to the United States Census helps determine things such as funding projects for schools and health facilities as well as accurate population data. The population data collected by the Census allows sites like RelocateAmerica to measure relocation patterns. Based on the changes from the 2000 Census, RelocateAmerica has determined where the population is moving to and moving away from.

Moving In-

Dallas- Fort Worth, TX

Houston, TX

Austin, TX

Raleigh, NC

Provo-Orem, UT

Moving Out-

Detroit, MI

Youngstown, OH

New Orleans, LA

Population growth is based on several factors. Out of all of them, employment is the biggest factor. The population is moving to where employment is available and it is obvious that Texas, North Carolina and Utah have more options for the moving population.

End of summer moves

Starting in May, the moving industry becomes the busiest of the year. All equipment and personnel are stretched to capacity. So by August, the crews and trucks have been going at full capacity for several months. Trucks need service, drivers and crews have been flat out, and it always seems that if a truck is going to breakdown, or personnel are not timely. it happens more frequently at the end of the summer rush.

So some might ask, should i move at the beginning of the summer? Well, June is traditionally the busiest of all the months, and typically all movers are at or above capacity at that time. Sooo... ?

The value of moving through Consumers Relocation at any time during the year is huge- both economically and service wise. During the summer months, moving through CRS, who will advocate for the moving family, will save both time and money. Particularly if obstacles are encountered, Having a knowledgeable expert working on behalf of the moving family with the van line will streamline problem solving and ensure an outcome commensurate with the moving family's expectations.

Consumers Relocation performs thousands of moves with a number of van lines each year. With this volume base, the communication channels are established and clear when it comes to problem solving. Be sure to have CRS on your side when you move!

Mortgage Rates Drop to Lowest Level in Decades

Mortgage rates have dropped in the past week showing the lowest rate in decades! After sitting at around 5% for 30-year fixed loans, the latest rate is at 4.44%. Are you thinking about buying a house? well stop thinking, and go buy! now is the time! Click on the link below to read the full article.

Mortgage Rates Extend Drop, Hit New Low