Fall is a Great Time to Sell Your Home

Fall is a Great Time to Sell Your Home

I stepped out my front door one morning earlier this week to walk my dog, Sadie, and instead of a wall of hot, humid air I was greeted by a crisp, cool morning. The cicadas were louder than I'd heard them all summer, but everything else about that morning said "fall is coming."

Fall is a time I never hear anyone complain about the weather. The may complain about the leaves they have to rake, or the fact that winter is right around the corner, but they never complain about the weather.

"I'll be really glad to see fall end. I don't have to run the heat or AC for nearly two months, I keep my windows open every day, and the colors are amazing. I hate every second of it!"

- No One Ever

Fall is also a great time to put your home on the market. Inventories have been low for most of 2016 and this time of year they are traditionally even lower. This means you have a unique advantage because:

• You're on the market at a time when there are fewer homes to choose from,
• Your landscaping can look it's best because of lower temps and fall colors,
• People who are looking at this time of year tend to be serious buyers, and
• People actively looking now tend to want to be in their new homes -- your home -- before the holiday season.

Call me today to get a free market analysis for your home. There’s never any obligation following the call. Worst case, you get some excellent advice and information about selling your condo. Best case, we work together to get you top dollar for your condo.

Give me a call at (703) 935-6891 or send me an email at rob.traister@gmail.com and let's connect.  No hassle, no pressure, just honest straight-forward real estate advice.
 
Rob Traister
REALTOR®
RE/MAX 100
Licensed in Virginia
(703) 935-6891

What to do with pets when your house is on the market

I need to start this posting by disclosing that I am a dog owner. Sadie is a 9-year-old golden retriever mix I rescued when she was a year old. She’s laying at my feet as a write this. She’s a constant companion and always up for an adventure.

Some people are dog people, some are cat people, and some don’t like pets at all. One thing they all have in common is that they are potential buyers, and the presence of a pet in the home can turn off some buyers. I can’t count the number of times a cat has tried to run out the door when I’ve showed an occupied home, or that a crated dog has barked at me and my clients throughout a showing.

For pet owners, our pets are members of the family. For potential buyers, they’re a distraction and can make it difficult for them to envision themselves in your space. A dirty litter box or barking dog can mean the difference between a looker and a buyer.

A vacant, sparsely decorated home usually shows best, but that’s not always option. If sellers can’t move out of their home when it’s on the market, I encourage them to put most decorations and large pieces of furniture into storage. When pets are in the home, I recommend sellers send their pets to day care or make other arrangements during the day and set showing times accordingly.

Contact me today to find out what your home make be worth in today’s market. If you need a place for your pet while your home is listed, I’ll work to help you find an option that fits the needs of you and your pet.

Right now may be the perfect time to list your home

It’s February and the weather in the DC/Maryland/Virginia (DMV) area has been pretty rough. We had a record snowfall that took weeks to dig out, and then temperatures dipped into sub-freezing territory. The last thing anyone is thinking about right now is selling a house, right?

You may be surprised to learn that right now may be a perfect time to put your home on the market.

You’re probably saying, "Wait, what? I always heard March is the best time to list."

Well, March is right around the corner, and home inventories are remarkably low right now. Putting your home on the market ahead of the March rush helps you take advantage of those low inventories and possibly get a better price. The time to sell is before everyone else decides to do the same thing and home inventories rise.

Buyers are in a good position to buy, given today’s very low interest rates as well as historically low fuel prices.

The only thing missing is your home. Call me today to get a free market analysis and find out how much you could get for your home.