Category Archives: Current Market Conditions

Top Tips for House Hunting Online

Friday, 05 February 2021 13:37
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Hunting for a new home online is a great place to start your new home search, but it should not be your end all be all.  One of the services that I offer my clients is providing them with the most up to date current listings of the homes that meet their search criteria.  I have access to and can send the notice of a new listing within 15 minutes of it going on the market.  And some I even know about as ‘Coming Soon.’  I can also research the ones of interest prior to the showing to find out if it truly meets all the checkboxes before we schedule a showing for you.

Good listing agents are excellent at highlighting the best features of the home, but keep in mind there may be more than meets the eye. To make the most of your time and efforts and gather a well-rounded picture of home listings online, keep the following three things in mind.

  1. Stay up to date. When you start your search, make sure you find a site that pulls up-to-date listings directly from the multiple listing service (MLS) where real estate agents actively post their most current homes for sale. Many online resources update less often or fail to remove listings that are off the market, making it more difficult to sort through the clutter. The service I provide will provide the most up to date information.
  2. Pictures can be deceiving. Real estate photographers are experts at showing a home in the best possible light. Many use tools and strategies to boost appeal, such as a fisheye lens to make areas look larger and creative editing to make colors and textures really pop. But often listings will not contain photos of unappealing parts of the home, like small closets or outdated bathrooms. When you wonder why there are not certain photos of key points of the home, it’s usually because that’s what they don’t want you to see.  Some research on my part often uncovers that and eliminate wasted time of going for a showing.
  3. See it to believe it. Once you find what appears to be your dream home online, call me to schedule a showing. You want to take the opportunity to vet the home in person and explore every part of it before beginning the offer process. I will help you cover all your bases and will ask questions you may not have thought of.

Yes, inventory is low and the market is very competitive right now, but I can save you time, energy, and frustration by being your source for your new home search.  Provide me your wish list and I’ll set up for you to receive a notice when your dream home comes up for sale.

Marie Dinsmore

RE/MAX Around Atlanta

Experience, Passion, and Commitment to Excellence

The Value of a Good Realtor

Saturday, 06 June 2020 09:02
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Despite COVID 19 the market is still doing well.  The best thing about the real estate market right now, are those who are buying and selling property are serious.  What is getting listed, is selling fast.

So, why do you need to enlist the help of a good realtor to sell your property and not do it yourself?

  1. Overpricing. Experience shows that when the home is overpriced it usually doesn’t sell quickly; if at all.  A good realtor can get you good comparisons on what has sold nearby and advise if you need to have your property appraised prior to listing.
  2. Selling in “As-Is Condition. In today’s competitive market, you need to take the effort to make your house sparkle like the day you bought it.  If there are reasons that you have to sell ‘As-Is,’ then a good realtor will have alternative solutions, i.e. the I-Rep program, know of investors, etc. looking for property in the area.
  3. Drive-By Appeal. First impressions decide whether the buyer even stops to come in.  Depending on your location, you may not be able to depend on drive-by traffic to even get potential buyers interested except for perhaps your immediate neighbors.  And in today’s market people want a preview of the inside, so you need great photos for a virtual tour.  Your realtor will get your property listed on all the real estate listing sites so that all serious buyers and other realtors have access to the information on your property and can schedule showings.
  4. Dark Home Syndrome. The brighter and cleaner a home is, the better it shows.   A good realtor will ensure you have plenty of notice prior to bringing potential buyers to see your property to give you sufficient time to tidy up.
  5. Overvaluing Your Home. Beware of spending too much on your property so that you overvalue its worth in the neighborhood.  Having a conversation with a good realtor can give you good sound advice on where to make improvements and what will help your home sell.  It is advisable to have that conversation as soon as you’re thinking about listing your property.
  6. Financing. Be willing to be flexible with closing costs.  This is all part of why you hire a realtor.
  7. Do It Yourself Syndrome. Unless you know the laws about Seller’s Disclosure and termite reports you could cost yourself thousands of dollars by doing it yourself.
  8. Stay Out Of The Way. If you are underfoot when showing, a buyer does not feel free to really look at your home.  Put away and lock up any valuables before showing.  Yes, you love your home and you may think you can point out all it’s best features, leave this to your realtor.  Realtors screen potential buyers before bringing them into your home so as to only bring those who are serious.
  9. Attitude. A positive attitude is best; remember your taste is not everybody else’s.  Another reason you want to leave the showing of your property to your realtor.  They can also advise you on how to best prepare your home for showing.
  10. Seller’s Remorse. Respond to offers quickly, the first might be the best offer.  Your realtor will advise you on pricing your home correctly.  In today’s market, the offers come in quickly and are on target for what the property’s value truly is.  By not responding and being able to negotiate may delay the sell and getting the best price.

Have questions?  Give us a call.  We can help you through the maze of selling or buying in today’s market.

Sincerely,

Marie B. Dinsmore
RE/MAX Around Atlanta
Marie@DinsmoreTeam.com
www.DinsmoreTeam.com
770-712-7789

 

Still Listing / Still Showing Homes / Homes Still Being Sold

Thursday, 26 March 2020 13:08
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These are challenging times, but, Yes, we are still listing, showing homes, and selling homes.  Granted we have had to get creative in order to do so, but that is what a good experienced real estate agent does.

Some of our clients are willing to do Facetime Virtual tours.  Others have created a virtual tour of their home that we can send to prospects.  For those clients who decide they want to visit the property and see it in person, we are taking every precaution.  We ask the property owner to open all doors as well as cabinet doors, so we don’t have to touch anything.  Or if we do, we’re using gloves.  We are sanitizing upon entry and when we leave the property.  Our buyers and seller’s safety are our primary concern at this time.

There are also other ways to receive offers for your home rather than the traditional listing.  As an iRep Real Estate Pro, I can help you receive cash offers on your home and a retail market valuation in 48 hours.  So, if you were planning to sell this spring but are apprehensive, due to our current situation, this might be an option to consider.

Contact me and we can discuss all your options.

Marie Dinsmore

The Dinsmore Team

RE/MAX Around Atlanta

www.DinsmoreTeam.com

Cell 770-712-7789/Fax 770-888-7793

Experience, Passion, and Commitment to Excellence!

Why Now Might be the Best Time to Sell Your Home

Wednesday, 19 February 2020 10:33
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Trying to decide when is the best time to sell your home can be tricky, but also is determining the final profit on your home.

Here is some information to help you make that decision.

  • Home prices are trending upward. According to Georgia Realtors, home prices from 2018 to 2019 increased by 3%. Prices are looking to trend even higher for 2020. That is good news for the seller, but if you are also buying, it’s another consideration.
  • Housing markets are low. When the housing inventory is low, buyers tend to contemplate all options in the market area and make quick offers. This is good news for sellers because it often leads to bidding wars in attempts from buyers to get the best house in the area.
  • Homes are spending less time on the market. As with inventory being low, buyers are acting fast. The average time on the market in 2019 was 56 days. That was a 5% decrease over the previous year’s statistics.

So, are you still trying to decide when is the best time to sell?  Still wondering what your final profit might be? We can help with that. We are now iRep certified.  What does that mean? We can test the market for you without doing a formal traditional listing. We can help you receive cash offers on your home and a retail market valuation in 48 hours. Then you can decide whether or not to accept the offers or go the traditional route of selling your home.

The time is right. All the pieces are falling into place. With increased housing costs, lower inventory, and fewer days on the market, now is the best time to sell a home.  Let the Dinsmore Team help you through the process.

Home Sales for the Past Year

Friday, 24 January 2020 15:49
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Happy New Year!  It’s still January so I can still say that.

The real estate market continues to be great!

Housing Indicators are in for 2019, and it was another great year for Georgia’s housing market! With a strong economy and low mortgage rates, buyer activity has been strong. However, inventory levels are still below historical norms, and prices continue to rise.

A few quick facts are listed below – all indicators are year over year for existing single-family homes.

• Median Sales Price: 6% increase to $228,000
• Pending Sales: 6.7% increase to 145,087
• Closed Sales: 4.9% increase to 142,915
• New Listings: 6.4% increase to 201,215
• Average Sales Price: 4% increase to $272,207
• Days on Market: 5% decrease to 55 days
• Months Supply of Inventory: 10.8% decrease to 3.3 months

If you are thinking about buying or selling, now is a good time.  Mortgage rates are still low and prices will continue to go up. Give us a call, we are here to help.

Marie Dinsmore

The Dinsmore Real Estate Team

770-712-7789