Grand Junction Real Estate Advice
Dear Dave,
I am thinking about getting my house on the market but I have a couple of questions for you before I do that. First, if I'm not ready to put it on the market for another 30 days, is that going to be too late in the year? If it were you, would you put your home on this fall or just wait until the selling season in the Spring again? Secondly, what are the 3 most important things for me to do to get the most money out of it when I do sell?
Mike, Fruita
Let me start by saying that you should never put your home on the market until you and your home are ready. You need to be ready, emotionally, and your home needs to be in the proper condition for market. If you are not 100% ready and committed to selling then don’t put it up and make a halfhearted effort. That being said, you must also have your home in the best condition it can be in. Top tier condition can make all the difference between selling and not selling. Put in the effort to make is sparkle.
Too late to sell? Traditionally our market stays active into late October and even early November, depending on the weather. If it gets cold early, the market can slow a little earlier. We are coming off a very good summer and I fully expect home sales to remain good through the fall. Once we get to November, things do change, but typically you have far less competition and I often urge my sellers to remain on the market over the winter when many would be sellers are tired and give up for the winter. Homes do sell during the winter, we often have good winters, because we are taking advantage of the lesser inventory and know that when we have less competition our odds of selling go up! : ) Does the market slow down during the winter? Yes, but don’t fall into the “nothing sells during winter” mentality, it just is not true.
I do not have a crystal ball, but I do not believe that waiting until the spring of next year will cost you money on the sale price and in fact it could make you a little money. I do not anticipate any significant upswings, but I do anticipate good appreciation to continue in the near term. I will add that there are sooo many variables and trying to predict how next spring will perform is a crap shoot, at best. Act on the now and if the time is right for you to sell, give it a go!! Does it matter to you if you sell in November or April? I bet not, so get it on the market. You do not want to miss the perfect buyer in November, because you waited.
The 3 most important things you can do to maximize your money?
Make sure it is marketed properly, with a clear marketing plan and an accurate pricing strategy.
Make sure your home is in tip-top condition (inside and out) and don’t put it on the market until it is ready.
Accentuate your properties positive features, appeal to the right buyer!
Try to get your home ready and on the market as soon as you can and take advantage of the early fall market. I bet you can get it sold and be moving on to the next stage of your life! Best of luck with your home sale.
Dave Kimbrough
The Kimbrough Team
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