51 Ways to Make Your Home Sell Faster - Week #1

The first in a series of WebBlogs about making your home move FASTER from listing to Sale!



Looking to buy or sell a home in Charlottesville? I can help.

Click here to see Featured Properties for Sale in Charlottesville, VA


Quinton Beckham
Keller Williams Realty
434.242.6212
www.select-homes-charlottesville.com

Believe it or not, it's a good time to sell

In case you haven't noticed, Winter is winding it's way to a close and Spring is just around the corner. And as plants get ready to end their restless slumber and spring forward into the air, home buyers are stirring too. Spurred on by forecasted changes in mortgages rates and pending changes in FHA rules and costs, home buyers are seeking to get a home before the prices have fully recovered and while mortgage rates remain at their historic lows.

What they are finding is this: There aren't a lot of homes on the market.

While new home sales are starting to pick up again, builders remain cautious and many homeowners are still underwater on their mortgages making selling their home something that they are not optimistic about. The nation now has a 4.2 month supply of homes on the market; meaning that if sales continued at their current rate, we would be out of homes in 4.2 months.

Nationwide, nearly 28% of homeowners owe more than their home is worth, according to data from market watcher Zillow. And if you look at homeowners who don't have at least 20% in equity, that number climbs to 45%. So what does this mean for you?

Click here to see Homes for Sale in Charlottesville

For buyers

If you have been thinking that now is the time to get the best mortgage rates and better pricing per square foot on a home of your own, you are right. The market made a lot of gains last year but homes can still be found that are a great deal and the low mortgage rates mean that you can afford more home for your monthly payment. Some buyers who wouldn't have even been able to qualify for a mortgage of $250,000 because of interest rates making their monthly debt too high five years ago are finding that they CAN qualify because the payments are actually less than what many of them are paying for rent. It's still a great time to buy, but if you see that home that meets 90% of your needs, you better jump on it, there just aren't a lot homes out there and finding that "perfect" home in the price range you can afford isn't likely to happen. 

For Sellers

If you have some equity or just have a real reason to move, then you shouldn't wait. You are much more likely to get close to your asking price now than if you wait until the market picks up in Spring and Summer and the competition grows. Although many buyers are aware of the lack of inventory, they are not wanting to wait and maybe miss a chance to make a great buy at a low interest rate. Listing now can make you one of the few homes available that many buyers are in competition for. Add that to the fact that the REO or distressed home market (those in short sales or foreclosures) is drying up, and you have an opportunity to snag that smart buyer who knows today's market conditions won't last. 

Click here to see what your Charlottesville Home is Worth

For the complete article in USA TODAY, click here

Call me for more information on making the market work for you,

Quinton Beckham
Keller Williams Realty
434.242.6212
www.select-homes-charlottesville.com

Five Reasons to Buy A Home Now

Wondering if you should wait longer for a "better" market to purchase your new home? Think again, your best bet for a good buy, good rates and a home you can keep for a while could be right now. Based on prices, mortgage rates and soaring rents, there may have never been a better time in real estate history to purchase a home than right now. Here are five major reasons purchasers should consider buying:

Supply Is Shrinking

With inventory declining in many regions, finding a home of your dreams may become more difficult going forward. There are buyers in more and more markets surprised that there is no longer a large assortment of houses to choose from. The best homes in the best locations sell first. Don’t miss the opportunity to get that ‘once-in-a-lifetime’ buy.

Click here to see Condominiums for Sale in the City of Charlottesville

Price Increases Are on the Horizon

Prices were expected to bounce along the bottom this winter. However, many pricing indices (examples: CoreLogic, FHFA, LPS, Case Shiller) are reporting that prices are continuing to rise.

Rents Are Skyrocketing

Rents historically increase by 3.2% on an annual basis. A study issued earlier this year projects rent increases of 4% for the next two years. Trulia recently reported that rents this year have actually shot up by 5.4%.

Interest Rates Are Projected to Rise

The Mortgage Bankers Association has projected that the 30-year mortgage interest rate will be 4.4% by the end of 2013. That is an increase of approximately one full point over current rates.

Click here to see Homes for Sale in the Redfields Neighborhood of Charlottesville

Buy Low, Sell High

We would all agree that, when investing, we want to buy at the lowest price possible and hope to sell at the highest price. Housing can create family wealth as long as we follow this simple principle. Today, real estate is selling ‘low’. It’s time to buy.

And of course, if you are looking to buy a home, sell a home, or invest in real estate in the greater Charlottesville / Albemarle area - call me - I can help!

Quinton Beckham

Keller Williams Realty

434.242.6212

www.select-homes-charlottesville.com 

For the original article, click here

Wednesday's Child, full of woe...

So you've done it, you made the plunge, chose a Real Estate Agent and you are putting your home on the market; you are ready to get it out there and don't want to wait another day! But maybe you should.

One thing that every Real Estate Agent knows and lives by, the longer your home is on the market, the less likely you are get your asking price. Days on Market is the holy grail of negotiating and one of the few unarguable points in determining the how close to your asking price that first golden offer is; the longer on the market, the less likely it is you will get the price you ask for.

In this era of online everything there is simply one magic day for marketing a home and getting the most bang for your electronic debut - Friday. According the Real Estate Analysts Redfin, homes listed on a Friday garnered 99.1% of their asking price in the actual sale. (Remember folks, that is an average, your individual experience will absolutely vary according to the market you are in, your home itself, the neighborhood and local trends.)

Homes for Sale in the City of Charlottesville, Virginia

Nailing the day that a home listing hits the internet is crucial according to Glenn Kelman, President and CEO of Redfin, which covers 19 markets in the U.S. "You get four times the traffic on the day of debut than any other time of the week, and you only get one chance," he says, "Soon, you're yesterday's news." Properties listed on a Friday also sell the fastest, average days on the market being only 81 days.


But what makes Friday so special? Richard Ryan, Professor of Psychology at the University of Rochester says that adults typically work a Monday through Friday workweek (adults who are NOT real estate agents, I should add) and are more upbeat and enthusiastic on a Friday. They also tend to report more energy and vitality on the weekends which could make them more proactive in actually seeing your home or making an offer.

Homes for sale in the Belmont Neighborhood of Charlottesville

So if Friday is the best day to debut, what is the worst? Sundays. Homes that debut on a Sunday end up selling, on average, for 98.4% of asking price. That could be a difference of nearly $5000 on a $500,000 home. Sunday listings have to sit around for a few days before people start lining up home tours for them and by that time, newer listings may make the Sunday debuts seem stale.

Now you can't hang your entire marketing plan for selling a home on the day of the week, but in this market of ups and downs and low inventory and competitive buyers, we certainly can take every little bump to help us that we can get. The number of factors that go into a home sale are so numerous as to be immeasurable, one of the many reasons you need a Real Estate Agent to help you navigate it and get the best price and best net proceeds for your home.

As always, if you are looking to Sell a Home in Charlottesville, Buy a home in Charlottesville or want to Invest in Real Estate, email me or give me a call, I would love to be the agent that helps makes it the absolute best experience for you possible.


Quinton Beckham
Keller Williams Realty
434.242.6212
www.select-homes-charlottesville.com

Click here for the complete article from the WSJ

Keller Williams Realty Now #1 Real Estate Company in the United States by Agent Count
Company also announces franchise expansion into Germany, Austria, Switzerland, and Turkey

DALLAS, TEXAS (February 17, 2013) — Keller Williams Realty, Inc. announced today that it is the largest real estate franchise company by agent count in the United States, with approximately 80,000 associates. In recent years, Keller Williams Realty has posted record growth numbers, surpassing RE/MAX, Century 21, and now Coldwell Banker to secure the industry’s top position. The news, based on publically available information as of February 6, 2013, was announced in front of more than 10,000 Keller Williams associates during the company’s annual convention in Dallas, Texas.
During his standing-room-only, annual State of the Company address, CEO Mark Willis made the announcement, stating, “Keller Williams associates: We are one family. We have one destiny. We share one thing ... We are America’s #1 real estate company by agent count!”
Willis also reported strong productivity gains by Keller Williams associates in 2012. Year over year, per-agent units increased 23 percent, closed volume was up 31 percent, and gross commission income rose 28 percent. Moreover, a record 91 percent of the company’s offices were profitable for the year. The company also announced its final profit share total for the year, which added up to more than $55 million in profits distributed to Keller Williams associates – an increase of 44 percent over the previous year.
Keller Williams Realty President Mary Tennant updated attendees on the company’s charitable 501(c)(3) entity, KW Cares, which in 2012 awarded $2.7 million in grants to associates and their families in need.
And finally, Keller Williams Worldwide President Chris Heller announced plans to expand into two new regions: (1) Germany, Austria, and Switzerland; and (2) Turkey. The company previously

announced global franchise agreements in Vietnam, Indonesia, and Southern Africa. Heller also extended a big welcome to more than 70 international guests who were visiting from 18 countries.
“One of the keys to Keller Williams Realty’s phenomenal success has been our ability to grow organically – from agent to agent, from market center to market center, from country to country – earning our reputation one person at a time,” Heller said.
Willis’ presentation was followed by a 30th anniversary party. The No. 1 announcement and celebration capped a remarkable year for the Austin, TX-based company:

• -  J.D. Power and Associates ranked Keller Williams “Highest in Customer Satisfaction” among both home buyers and home sellers.*
  
• - Keller Williams was ranked No. 9 on America’s Top 150 Workplaces – the only national real estate company on the list.
  
• - And in April, Keller Williams co-founder and bestselling author Gary Keller will publish his latest book, The ONE Thing: The Surprisingly Simple Truth Behind Extraordinary Results.
  Willis thanked associates and implored them to “Never back down” from their new position as the largest real estate company in the United States: “Let’s celebrate tonight, but watch out, competition. Tomorrow we’re going to be working harder than we’ve ever worked before. The real prize we’re pursuing is to be #1 in agent count and transactions and volume all across the world!”
  
  *Disclaimer: Keller Williams received the highest numerical score among full service real estate firms for home buyers and home sellers in the proprietary J.D. Power and Associates 2012 Home Buyer/Seller StudySM. Study based on 2,994 total evaluations measuring five firms and measures opinions of individuals who bought or sold a home between March 2011 and April 2012. Proprietary study results are based on experiences and perceptions of consumers surveyed March-May 2012. Your experiences may vary. Visit jdpower.com 
• 
  
• Looking to buy a Charlottesville Home? 
• Sell your Charlottesville Home? 
• Invest in Real Estate? 
• 
  
• Call me and let me bring the strength of the Country's largest Real Estate Firm to meeting your needs!
• 
  
• Quinton Beckham
• Keller Williams Realty
• 434.242.6212
• www.select-homes-charlottesville.com 
• 
  
  

So you've closed on your new home... NOW WHAT?

You've searched and searched, previewed homes until your eyes have bled and finally (as your Realtor cheered and jumped up and down) found the home of your dreams, made an offer, made it through contract negotiations, home inspections and closing. You're done and ready to move in, right? Well, maybe. There are some things you still need to do to keep that home your "dream home."

Prepare for anything you want done before you move in

Rarely does a buyer get into a new home that is truly, completely, ready to go. As you have looked at the home and toured through it you have come up with a myriad of ideas about how to live in it. Where you will out the sofa, which rooms the kids will have, what color are you going to paint that room that has a shade of lavender rarely seen outside of an Easter egg. Which rug will cover that stain in the otherwise immaculate hardwood floors... 

If you want to get things done to your new home, the best time to do them is before you move in. Once you have removed your contingencies, the sellers have moved out and you are close to closing, get the contractors in the house that you are going to need to do work on the home to make it yours. Have the painter take a look and give an estimate, get that floor refinisher in to see the stain and tell you if he can fix it and how much it will cost, how long it will take. Your Realtor can be a great resource for small job contractors who can help you get all the minor repairs that weren't worth negotiating over but that you still want done. Work on a home is faster, cheaper and less headache if it can be done while the home is vacant. Nothing takes the fun out of moving into a home faster than sharing the space for the week with Joe the Plumber...

Click here to see Homes for Sale in Belmont, Charlottesville

Set up the utilities

We are so used to flipping a switch and the lights coming on that we forget that we really do have to get the utilities put into our name. Find out which companies serve your new community and call them in advance to be sure everything can move into your name seamlessly so that the first morning in your new home will be one that has hot water and hot coffee. Especially check for any cable or internet service. These vary widely based on where you live and nothing makes the teenagers whine more than not being able to Facebook, blog and play xbox live for the two weeks it takes to get the cable installed and working. 

For the original article, click here. 

You have your new keys! WONDERFUL! Now change the locks. 

It's just better to assume that everyone and their brother has a set of those keys that are now in your hand. The listing agent likely made them available to a score of contractors, their assistant and God only knows how many copies the last owner handed out to family members and neighbors to be sure that they never got locked out. 

Be ready to hire a cleaning crew before you put one stick of furniture in

Most of the time, sellers have had the place cleaned after they moved out, but just in case, it might not be a bad idea to have a cleaning crew ready to do a thorough once over. Showing up on moving day with a car full of hungry family, boxes and hundred of pounds of furnishings only to find that every bug for miles around has decided to use your kitchen floor as their place to die can take the thrill out of that new home in ten seconds flat. Even if the seller did clean, for all you know they paid their fifteen year old nephew $40 to do it and their perspective of what "clean" is can be starkly different from your own. This is a small and inexpensive item that is better not left to chance and more easily done before you fill up the rooms. 

Click here to see What your Charlottesville home is Worth

Have a handyman or a small contractor on call

Moving in can take days or weeks depending on your particular tastes and personality and once the house has closed, it's all yours. Every square foot of joy and each and every scratch, dent or hole in the wall from dropping that family heirloom armoire made from leftover 1941 tank panels. Having a handy man identified who is ready to go can make your life simpler. If you have them identified already and know that they can do the touch ups or fix those small yes annoying items that are not apparent until after you try to move in. 

Taking just a little time to plan ahead can save you a ton of headache, remove huge amounts of stress from being prepared and make your overall experience a much, much more enjoyable one!

Click here to see all homes for sale in the City of Charlottesville

Quinton Beckham

Keller Williams Realty

www.select-homes-charlottesville.com 

Contemporary Design in Historic Belmont neighborhood

Anyone who has spent time in Belmont knows that it is a neighborhood that is on the move. Over the last decade it has seen the growth of some amazing restaurants in its central core and even had the area dubbed “Downtown Belmont.” The largest named neighborhood in the City limits, Belmont (or Belmont-Carlton, as it is often called) it has seen some dramatic changes in its housing and overall appeal.

Easily seen in the neighborhood is the prevalence of urban infill projects – taking those lots that are empty, underdeveloped or just in need of rehabilitation and using them for housing that is affordable and efficient. Residential housing in the Belmont neighborhood has a wide range of pricing – from as low as $150,000 for a single family home to as high as $500,000.

One such builder is architect Jared Metzger, managing partner of Metzger Design; a full service firm that provides the complete A to Z of development, architectural design, construction, project management and graphic design. A graduate of UVA, Jared has been a licensed Class A contractor for over eight years and a practicing architect for over 12 years. After spending some time with firms in Washington, D.C. and Charlottesville, he struck out on his own to establish Metzger Design.

“I always have enjoyed building things and actually got my undergraduate degree in fine arts, specializing in wood and metal sculpting,” Jared says, “ I wanted to find a practical application to sculpture and found architecture to be a great profession. In fact, I think architecture pushes my imagination even further, because its not only about form, but ultimately about function.”

Metzger design has done residential projects in the Belmont Neighborhood, with the second now offered for sale on Midland Street. “Belmont is in a great location; convenient to the downtown mall. The cultural and restaurant scene continues to expand with many of Charlottesville’s newest gathering spots in Belmont and continuing to expand eastward.” The Midland Street Homes offer 1470 finished square feet of living space containing three bedrooms, two and half baths. Metzger’s favorite part of the Midland Street homes,? It’s the eye-catching living area on the first floor that flows seamlessly from the kitchen. The high placed windows allow for natural light while preserving privacy and, in combination with the vaulted ceiling leading up the stairs to the second floor, give an incredible sense of space.

“As an architect, I was interested in getting into home construction to show homebuyers smart and efficient design was not out of reach. Such a huge percentage of homes built in today’s market are homogeneous and lack an identity; they do not relate to their environment or the uniqueness of the place they are built,” Jared points out.  Unlike other neighborhoods in Charlottesville, Belmont’s residents seem to be appreciative of the uniqueness of the homes there. In a fifteen-minute walk, one can see everything from historic architecture to contemporary home designs that capitalize on the views of Carter’s Mountain and the Rivanna River running adjacent to the neighborhood.

“Charlottesville has become a wonderful place to experiment with home design,” says Metzger, “buyers have become much more sophisticated and have learned to expect more. I think a lot of that is because of the variety of design firms that are active in the market. Metzger Design is committed to offering contemporary homes that are affordable to the average family.” With an asking price of $229,900, the Midland Street properties are a testament to that truth – the average mortgage on new homes in Charlottesville (the amount financed after any down payment) in 2012 was $247,537 according to Housing Intelligence. 

To see the latest Metzger Properties for sale, click the links below

1500 Midland Street

1502 Midland Street

Fo more information on Metzger Design go to: 

www.metzgerdesign.net

Click here for all homes for sale in Belmont.

Quinton Beckham

Keller Williams Realty

www.select-homes-charlottesville.com 

The Latest in Real Estate News

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Click the Links below for:

Belmont Homes for Sale

All Homes for Sale in the City of Charlottesville, Virginia

Quinton Beckham

Keller Williams Realty

434.242.6212

www.select-homes-charlottesville.com