Spring has sprung and so has the real estate market by Matt Trudel

So perhaps we are not in full blown spring mode, but this weekend is supposed to be nice and the last of the snow is quickly vanishing. This means flowers will be coming out, and along with them will be the potential buyers who have been waiting all winter to start their search. This also means that it is time to get your house ready and on the market if you want to sell this year.  Inventory is low, so you have a much larger pool of buyers that might want to purchase your home.  
 

Sellers should be finishing any interior touch ups, repairs, and getting after the exterior spring cleanup. If you haven’t already picked a Realtor® to work with, here are a couple things to consider.  

Experience is the key here and something that comes over time, just like many other jobs. It is one the most important aspects to be looking for in a Realtor®.  Knowledge is also important and often goes hand-in-hand with experience.  

Availability is another thing to consider. Look for a Realtor® who has time to give your property the attention it deserves. Real estate should be their full-time job, and if it isn’t, then you might want to ask how they balance the two jobs and what their availability will be to answer calls and handle showings. Make sure you are a priority versus being second fiddle.

Pricing for sellers is always a challenge. There are so many people and websites that have an opinion as to what a property is worth. I have written several articles on this. The short answer is to get two or three professional opinions from local, experienced Realtors®.  

Understand how each arrived at their value. Ask questions about why adjustments were made on some properties and not others. Be sure your house is priced accurately to attract the largest pool of buyers; which will in turn, provide you with higher offers. If you have more questions about this or would like the other articles regarding this, just give me a call or send me an email.

Buyers take notice; sellers are not the only ones who have work to do. Buyers have their own homework to get done before getting out there and looking at homes. Prequalification is a must these days with such a strong market. Have your current tax returns done and be able to provide the last two years of returns. 

You may want to use your current financial institution or pick a mortgage broker to work with.   There are lots of options for this and your Realtor® should be able to direct you to various options depending on what you might be purchasing, where it might be located, what your occupation is, and your current financial situation (including credit score).  

If you haven’t picked a Realtor® yet or you have a friend who is a Realtor® and you were going to just use them, I hope, for your sake, that they have some years in the business and have experience representing buyers. After all, you are paying your buyer’s agent fee, which is usually several thousand dollars. 

When spending that kind of money, I would make sure that I would be getting solid representation from someone with lots of experience. Especially when I am about to make the biggest purchase of my life. Either way, both buyers and sellers should be working with an experienced Realtor®.  It will make the entire experience smoother, more pleasant, and more successful. 

This article is by Matt Trudel ~ Owner, Five Star Realty, Windham