By Mark Abromaitis
THE ERICKSON TRIBUNE
For anyone worried that the fall months are a bad time to sell their house, Maureen Hughes of Keller Williams Real Estate has some positive news and advice for home sellers.
She says the fall months remain as good a time as any to sell a home.
“It pays to stay in the market during the fall,” she says. “Despite typically having less buyers, those who are looking for a home are more serious about purchasing.
Proper pricing
“Those looking right now are true buyers. So many buyers in the spring and summer are either people who are learning the market or those looking for a steal. Right now, those who are looking want to purchase,” she adds. Hughes says the secret to selling your house in the autumn is simple: “Make sure you price it right.”
She explains that to accurately determine the price of a home, a seller should check other sales of comparable houses in the same area over the past few months.
“Only look at the prices in the past few months because that’s what the home appraisers do,” Hughes says. Setting the price realistically is critical because “if the home is listed too high, buyers just won’t be able to get a mortgage for the home.
“Despite what a few in the media are saying, Philadelphia is not a weak market; it’s a consistent market. Prices are not going down; they’re pretty stable.”
And few real estate agents know the Philadelphia market better than Hughes. Having been a licensed realtor for more than eighteen years, she has such a good track record that 72% of her clients are repeat or referral business.
Use some foresight
Hughes says the secret to selling is not only pricing your home properly, but also showing it in the right condition—clean and clutter free.
But no one decides to move overnight. Maris Grove Retirement Counselor Julieann Brant says if you are considering moving in the next few months or next year, start preparing now.