Category Archives: sellers

Key Skills You Need Your Listing Agent To Have

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Agent sitting at table with two sellers
Selling Your House

Selling your house is a big decision. And that can make it feel both exciting and a little bit nerve-wracking. But the key to a successful sale is finding the perfect listing agent to work with you throughout the process. A listing agent, also known as a seller’s agent, helps market and sell your house while advocating for you every step of the way. 

But, how do you know you’ve found the perfect match in an agent? Here are three key skills you’ll want your listing agent to have.

They Price Your House Based on the Latest Data

While it may be tempting to pick the agent who suggests the highest asking price for your house, that strategy may cost you. It’s easy to get caught up in the excitement when you see a bigger number, but overpricing your house can have consequences. It could mean it’ll sit on the market longer because the higher price is actually deterring buyers. 

Instead, you want to pick an agent who’s going to have an open conversation about how they think you should price your house and why. A great agent will base their pricing strategy on solid data. They won’t throw out a number just to win your listing. Instead, they’ll show you the facts, explain their pricing strategy, and make sure you’re on the same page. As NerdWallet explains:

“An agent who recommends the highest price isn’t always the best choice. Choose an agent who backs up the recommendation with market knowledge.”

They’re a Great Negotiator

The home-selling process can be emotional, especially if you’ve been in your house for a long time. You’re connected to it and have a lot of memories there. This can make the negotiation process harder. That’s where a trusted professional comes in. 

A skilled listing agent will be calm under pressure and will be your point-person in all of those conversations. Their experience in handling the back-and-forth gives you with the peace of mind that you’ve got someone on your side who’s got your best interests in mind throughout this journey. 

They’re a Skilled Problem Solver

At the heart of it all, a listing agent’s main priority is to get your house sold. A great agent never loses sight of that goal and will help you prioritize your needs above all else. If they identify any necessary steps you need to take, they’ll be open with you about it. Their commitment to your success means they’ll work with you to address any potential roadblocks and find creative solutions to anything that pops up along the way.

BankRate explains it like this: 

“Just as important as the knowledge and experience agents bring is their ability to guide you smoothly through the process. Above all, go with an agent you trust and will feel comfortable with. . .”

Bottom Line

Whether you’re a first-time seller or you’ve been through selling a house before, a great listing agent is the key to success. Let’s connect so you have a skilled local expert by your side to guide you through every step of the process.

Home Safe Home

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Home Safe Home …..  Home is a place you should feel safe and secure. Sometimes, we take it for granted and unfortunately, we do need to remain vigilant about things we do that could compromise our safety. Here are a few tips to consider:

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  • Everyone loves an inviting home including burglars. Make sure it looks occupied and is difficult to break in.
    • Always lock outside doors and windows even if you’re only gone for a brief time.
    • Lock gates and fences.
    • Leave lights on when you leave; consider timers to automatically control the lights.
    • Keep your garage door closed even when you’re home; don’t tempt thieves with what you have in your garage.
    • Suspend your mail and newspaper delivery when you’re out of town or get a neighbor to pick it up for you.
  • Posting that you’re out of town or away from home on social networks is like advertising your home is unprotected.
  • Equally dangerous could be allowing certain social network sites to track your location.
  • Don’t leave keys under doormats, in flowerpots or the plastic rocks; thieves know about those hiding places and even more than you can think.
  • Trim the shrubs from around your home; don’t give criminals a place to hide.
  • Use exterior motion detectors and yard lighting.
  • Have an alarm system and use it when you leave home and go to bed.
  • Put 3 ½” deck screws in door plates and door hinges.
  • Have good deadbolts on all exterior doors.
  • Exterior doors should be solid core.
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7132 Capulin Crest in The Park at Westlake, Apex NC

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You’ll be impressed with 7132 Capulin Crest in The Park at Westlake.

A Parade Of Homes Gold Winner, The “Lillypad” is a 4-bedroom, 3-full bath and 2-1/2 bath home built by L and L of Raleigh, Inc.

Gleaming hardwoods greet you in the foyer and continue thru the living room, dining room, family room, staircase and upstairs hallway.

The property offers a transitional floor plan that delivers a striking living room with a coffered ceiling, an impressive dining room with a tray ceiling and an inviting family room with a fireplace with gas logs flanked by built-in bookcases.

The master suite is huge with his-and-her walk-in closets and a master spa.  All of the secondary bedrooms are also spacious and each has a walk-in closet with wood closet systems and brand new carpeting in all bedrooms.

The gourmet kitchen has tile floors, granite countertops, stainless and a good size pantry.

First floor guest en-suite is perfect for visiting parents or friends.

Great storage with both a walk-in and walk-up attic.

Arches, detailed woodwork and ceilings thru home.

For additional images please check out the property website:  7132 Capulin Crest and for more information about the neighborhood please visit The Park at Westlake.

Featured Neighborhood in North Raleigh

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inmanparkMy Current Featured Neighborhood is the Inman Park Community.  

Inman Park is a planned community of 156 single-family custom homes, 96 townhomes in an area called The Enclave.

The Inman Park Community Association exists primarily to maintain a swimming pool and cabana, street lighting, architectural standards, and the landscape on common property. The Enclave Association performs the same duties for the townhomes. The two Associations maintain the swimming pool jointly.

Inman Park is a thriving community located in the Midtown area of Raleigh, near the Crabtree Valley Mall and North Hills shopping and entertainment district. Only a 5 minute drive to Rex Hospital and 20 minute commute from both downtown Raleigh and Research Triangle Park, Inman Park residents enjoy the convenience of close amenities without the hassle of a long commute.  The subdivision was developed from 1990-2006 and consists of 252 units including single family dwellings and town homes. There is a community swimming pool and kiddie pool and an access trail to the Capital Area Greenway System.

To learn more about living in Raleigh in general or Inman Park specifically, contact me, Joann Samelko, today.

Please contact me when you’re ready to list your current property in this community. I’ll help you at every stage of the home selling process, starting with helping you determine the true value of your home.

View the Current Listings in Inman Park

 

Proof of Purchase

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Proof of Purchase

People who experience a property loss are usually asked by their insurance company for proof of purchase which can come in the form of a receipt or current inventory of their personal belongings.

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Even the most organized people might find it challenging to find receipts for all the valuables in their home. If the inventory isn’t up-to-date, a homeowner might forget to add some items to the claim and may not recognize the omission for long after the claim is settled.

The inventory can serve as a guide to make sure a homeowner gets compensated for all the loss.

Photographs and videos can be adequate proof that the items belonged to the insured. A series of pictures of the different rooms, closets, cabinets and drawers are helpful. When video is used, consider commenting as it is shot and be sure to go slow enough and close enough to things becoming recorded.

For your convenience, download a Home Inventory, complete it, and save a copy off premise. Good places for your inventory could be a safety deposit box or digitally, in the cloud if you have server-based storage available like Dropbox

Real Estate with Joann Samelko

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5 Myths About Real Estate Reality TV Explained

5 Myths About Real Estate Reality TV

Have you ever been flipping through the channels, only to find yourself glued to the couch in an HGTV binge session? We’ve all been there… watching entire seasons of “Love it or List it,” “Fixer Upper,” “House Hunters,” “Property Brothers,” and so many more, just in one sitting.

When you’re in the middle of your real estate themed show marathon, you might start to think that everything you see on TV must be how it works in real life, but you may need a reality check.

Reality TV Show Myths vs. Real Life:

Myth #1: Buyers look at 3 homes and make a decision to purchase one of them.

Truth: There may be buyers who fall in love and buy the first home they see, but according to the National Association of Realtors the average homebuyer tours 10 homes as a part of their search. 

Myth #2: The houses the buyers are touring are still for sale.

Truth: The reality is being staged for TV. Many of the homes being shown are already sold and are off the market. 

Myth #3: The buyers haven’t made a purchase decision yet.

Truth: Since there is no way to show the entire buying process in a 30-minute show, TV producers often choose buyers who are further along in the process and have already chosen a home to buy. 

Myth #4: If you list your home for sale, it will ALWAYS sell at the Open House.

Truth: Of course this would be great! Open houses are important to guarantee the most exposure to buyers in your area, but are only a PIECE of the overall marketing of your home. Just realize that many homes are sold during regular listing appointments as well.

Myth #5: Homeowners make a decision about selling their home after a 5-minute conversation.

Truth: Similar to the buyers portrayed on the shows, many of the sellers have already spent hours deliberating the decision to list their homes and move on with their lives/goals.

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Gap Between Homeowner’s & Appraiser’s Opinions Narrows Slightly

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Gap Between Homeowner’s & Appraiser’s Opinions Narrows Slightly | MyKCM

In today’s housing market, where supply is very low and demand is very high, home values are increasing rapidly. One major challenge in such a market is the bank appraisal.

If prices are surging, it is difficult for appraisers to find adequate, comparable sales (similar houses in the neighborhood that closed recently) to defend the price when performing the appraisal for the bank.

Every month, Quicken Loans measures the disparity between what a homeowner believes their house is worth as compared to an appraiser’s evaluation in their Home Price Perception Index (HPPI). Here is a chart showing that difference for each of the last 12 months.

Gap Between Homeowner’s & Appraiser’s Opinions Narrows Slightly | MyKCM

The gap between the homeowner vs. appraiser’s opinion has started to head in the right direction (closer to even), as June saw a slight decrease from May’s -1.95% to -1.89% nationally.

Homeowners in the western part of the country, however, have been pleasantly surprised as their homes have appraised higher than they expected. Denver received its highest HPPI last month as homes came in an average of 3.28% higher than the homeowner believed it would. Nine of the twelve metro areas that had a positive HPPI last month were located in the west.

Quicken Loans’ Chief Economist, Bob Walters explains:

“The hot housing markets along the West Coast are growing quicker than owners realize, giving way to higher than expected prices for buyers and more home equity for existing owners.  

On the other hand, the housing markets are more balanced in the East and Midwest, leading owners to be slightly over-enthusiastic about their home’s appreciation.”

Bottom Line 

Every house on the market has to be sold twice; once to a prospective buyer and then to the bank (through the bank’s appraisal). With escalating prices, the second sale might be even more difficult than the first. If you are planning on entering the housing market this year, let’s get together to talk about what’s happening in our area.

3 Reasons to Buy Luxury Property THIS Year!!

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3 Reasons to Buy Luxury Property THIS Year!! | MyKCM

3 Reasons to Buy Luxury Property THIS Year!!

 

1. There are more homes from which to choose

According to a recent Wall Street Journal article, inventory in the upper end is increasing, while it is decreasing at the lower and mid-tier price ranges. Here is a graph showing the average increase/decrease in inventory for the first four months of this year as compared to last year:

3 Reasons to Buy Luxury Property THIS Year!! | MyKCM

2. Prices are becoming more reasonable

In a separate article, the Wall Street Journal also talked about prices in the luxury market. They explained that downward price adjustments have been more common in the luxury market than in markets with lower prices. They went on to say:

“The growing number of price cuts suggests luxury-home sellers are becoming more realistic about property values as sales have slowed, said several real-estate veterans.”

Not only will you have more to choose from, but you may also be able to get the property at a reduced price.

3. Mortgage rates are at historic lows

In the past, one of the drawbacks to purchasing a luxury property was the larger mortgage rate on “jumbo” loans which are often required on high end properties.

However, HSH.com just revealed that jumbo rates just set new record lows:

“While conforming fixed-rate mortgages eased a little this week, 30-year fixed-rate jumbos declined enough to break into new record low territory (3.66%), besting the previous low set in April by two basis points.”

Bottom Line

More choices, better prices and historically low mortgage rates may make this the perfect time for you to own one of those luxury properties you and your family have always fantasized about.

Automated Valuation Model (AVM)

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An Automated Valuation Model, AVM, is a computer approach that looks at public records to make a determination based on square footage, comparable sales and other elements. It is as easy as putting your address in a blank but unfortunately, AVM results may only be accurate about 20% of the time.Value BUTTON3.png

A popular AVM, Zestimate®, states “It is considered a starting point at determining a home’s value.” While an AVM contains some of the same information as a comparable market analysis, it lacks a critical human factor.

Having a pair of experienced eyes consider aspects that are not easily quantified can make a big difference. A skilled professional can tell which properties are truly comparable. A knowledgeable expert can recognize features, floorplans and other things that can affect value but are difficult to quantify.

Even if a person isn’t ready to sell their investment, they like to know its value. It is easy to find the price of stocks or mutual funds on any given day but the value of a home is more difficult.

Regardless of whether you’re just curious as to how much your home is worth or are ready to monetize your equity, I’m available to give you that information without obligation.